II I l 11-1 mh ) ) ) ) _ - ) ) 9 ) ) N ) K) -Y ) ) K) ) * ) ) ) 2 ) ) - ) ) ) ) ) 5 ) ) N - )I I) I. ) ) )0 -)p )R t~lL, 1, ) ) W- ~C-Ui\ ~ -= t >- a: — L. ' - r II 55* ~- 53\ 8t,r,,, H ISTORY OF KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN; TOGETHER WITH SKETCHES OF ITS CITIES, VILLAGES AND TOWNSHIPS, EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, CIVIL, MILITARY, AND POLITICAL HISTORY; PORTRAITS OF PROMINENT PERSONS, AND BIOGRAPHIES OF REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. HISTORY OF MICHIGAN, EMBRACING ACCOUNTS OF THE PRE-HISTORIC RACES, ABORIGINES, FRENCII, ENGLISH AND AMERICAN CONQUESTS, AND A GENERAL REVIEW OF ITS CIVIL, POLITICAL AND MILITARY HISTORY. ILLUSTRATED. CHICAGO: CHAS. C. CHAPMAN & CO., I88i. BLAKELY, MARSH & do, PRINTERS, 155 & 157 DEABBORN ST., CHICAGO DONOHUE & HENNEBERRY, BOOKBINDERS, 182 & 184 MONROE STREET, CHICAGO. (iL.A1 i &tA PREFACE. In presenting this volume to the people of Kent county we feel that they will have more confidence in its historical statements than is usually reposed in works of this nature. The great interest manifested in its compilation by the leading pioneers and public men of the county, largely insures this result. Besides the careful and pains-taking diligence of our historian, in order to secure greater accuracy and completeness, we requested the President of the O'dResidtnts' Society to appoint a committee to revise and correct the manuscript. This Mr. Hilton did, appointing men who earnestly desired a true and faithful record of their county to be made. The committee appointed to revise and correct the general history of the county and of the city of Grand Rapids, assembled Aug. 30, 1881, and continued their labor for a period of seven days. During the session of this committee many important events were suggested, old landmarks located, reminiscences recited, and much historical matter added. The labor of revision, although tedious, was pleasant. Many points were freely and filly discussed, and finally settled satisfactorily to a majority of the members. We extend to the members of this committee our warmest thanks for the material aid received from them in our labor of compilation. and for the studious care with which they examimed the prepared manuscript. As evidence that unusual care was taken in the writing and compilation of this work, we print on the page following the preface copies of the certificates given us by this committee. These will show to the generations of the future that this work may be relied on as practically correct. While, however, such a united effort was made to insure accuracy, yet errors will be found within the pages of this volume. It is a physical impossibility to write a book of such magnitude, where so many thousands of facts are related, and tens of thousands of names and dates given, and have it free from mistakes. Accurate and reliable history is most difficult to write. Those who have never experienced the difficulties incident to such labor cannot realize how nearly impossible it is, or appreciate the earnest, honest and faithful labor of the 'historian. After the most careful and pains-taking searches and inquiry upon any particular subject or about any event, he will even then find many doubts arisig in his mind as to its accuracy and entire truthfulness. Each individual to whom inquiry is made will give a different account of any event. One of these may be as honest as the other, andtry to relate his story correctly, yet they will be so widely d; PREFACE. ferent that the most searching and logical mind will be unable to harmonize them. These facts were forcibly realized by the gentlemen who composed the committee, and has been our experience. As one of the most interesting features of this work we present the portraits of numn erous representative citizens. It has been our aim to have the prominent men of to-day, as well as the pioneers, represented in this department, and we compliment ourselves on the uniform high character of the gentlemen whose portraits we present. They are in the strictest sense representative men, and are selected from all the callings and professions worthy to be represented. There are others, it is true, who claim equal prominence with those presented, bnt of course it was impossible for us to give portraits of all the leading men and pioneers of the county. As the ending of the tedious and toilsome labor attending the publication of a work of this nature and magnitude dawns upon us, we cannot lay down our pen without returning thanks to those who have so freely aided our corps of historians. A&ong these we personally mention Albert Baxter, editor of the Eagle; Robert Hilton, John Ball, Prof. E. Everett, Wright L. Coffinberry, Reuben H. Smith, Thomas B. Church, Loomis K. Bishop, Registrar, E. G. D. Holden, Lyman D. Norris, NW. N. Cook, Fred S. Clarke, County Clerk; James N. Davis, of the Democrat; Win. I. Blakely, Thomas D. Gilbert, Judge S. L. Withey, together with a large number of ministers of the gospel and secretaries of secret and benevolent societies who so quickly and fully responded when asked for information. To the members of the newspaper press of the county we are indebted for their entire unanimity in support of the work. Durinc the period of our stay in the county, the editors of the various journals co-operated with us in a most cordial manner. Nor can we forget the hundreds who made the publication of this great work possible by patronizing it. To this large and most important portion of the people we must forever feel grateful. They supported the work, and for them it was written and compiled. To Prof. M. A. Leeson, our historian, we express our thanks, as also to the gentlemen forming our corps of biographical historians. They faithfully discharged every duty devolving upon them. C. C. CHAPMAN & CO. CHICAGO, December, 1881. CERTIFICATES. Bel6w we present copies of the certificates sigied by the members composing the committee appointed by the President of the Old Residents' Society to correct and revise the manuscript of the general history of the county, and that of the city of Grand Rapids. These certificates will show to those who examine this work that great care was taken to have it authentic. The gentlemen whose names are connected with the certificates have been prominently identified with the county for many years, and are known to be men of ability, sound judgment, integrity, and deeply interested in the history of their county. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH., Aug. 17, 1881. The undersigned, members of the General Committee, appointed by the President of the Old Residents' Association of the Grand River Valley to read the history of the city of Grand Rapids, have examined the manuscript submitted, and find it to be prepared with care and diligence. It is replete in facts and incidents, and forms a very valuable addition to the history of the county. ROBERT HILTON, THOS. B. CHURCH, JOHN BALL, WILLIAM N. COOK, REUBEN H. SMITH, WM. I. BLAKELY. GRAND RAPIDS, MICE., Sept. 1, 1881. We, the members of a committee appointed by the President of the Old Residents' Association of the Grand River Valley to revise and correct the History of Kent County, published by C. C. Chapman & Co., have devoted several days to an examination of many of the principal chapters, suggested what corrections were necessary, and now believe it contains a full, accurate and impartial account of men and events connected with the political, religious and commercial history of Kent county. ROBERT HILTON, THos. B. CHURCH, JOHN BALL, WILLIAM N. COOK, REUBEN H. SMITH, WM. I. BLAKELY. CONTENTS. HINTORY OF MICHIGAN. Mound-Builders.................... 17 Large Cities............................. 20 Indians............................... 21 Manners and Customs................... 22 European Possession............... 24 Detroit................ National Policies............... 80 Ordinance of 1787............... 34 French and Indian War.................. 89 Massacre at Michilimackiuac.............. 41 Siege of Detro t................... 44 American Revolution.................. 46 Tecumseh............................. 50 Okemos............................... 56 Hull's Surrender....................... 57 Perry's Vctory.................... 58 Close of the War.......................... 60 Political.................................. 62 Administration of Gen. Cass............ 65 " *C Geo. B. Porter... 74 The "Toledo War'................. 76 Administration of Gov. Horner.......... 79 Michigan as a State............ 80 Administrations of the State Governors... 82 War ofthe Rebellion................ 88 Public School System................... 88 State University.................... State Normal School................. Agricultural College.................... 90 Other Colleges.................... 92 Charitable enetitutions......... 94 State Public School................... 94 State Reform School............. 95 Institution lor the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind 9............... 9 Asylum for the Insane, at Kalamazoo..... 96 * " ' "i Pontiac..9.... 97 Penal Institutions........................ 97 State Agricultural Society............. 98 Pomological Society...................... 98 State Fisheries............................ 98 State Firemen's Association.............. 99 State Board of Public Health............. 99 State Land Office...... 100 State Library............................. 100 Banks...................... 101 Geology................................ 107 Newspapers..................... 108 Population.............. 108 State Officers.............................. 109 Topography........................... 111 Retrosp-ct.......................... 111 HISTORY OF ItKNT COUNTY. Introduction............................ 115 CHAPTER I. GEOLOGY, ARCHAEOLOGY, etc........ 117 Geological Formations.................. 117 Michigan Salt Group................... 120 G ypsum................................. 125 Archaeology............................. 125 Sepulchers of the Sauke................ 130 Latitude and Longitude................ 134 Sum m its................................. 134 Rainfall............................. 135 Original Name of the Valley............ 185 CHAPTER II. INDIAN S................................. 137 Early Explorers......................... 138 Annihilation of the Sauks............... 139 Pontiac's Vis t to th - Valley.......... 142 The Ottiwas and Pottawatomies....... 142 The Indian Dead....................... 144 Legend of the Lone Tree................. 146 Ind an Payment Day in Old Times...... 147 Sentence and Execution................ 148 CHAPTER III. WELL-REMEMBERED SAVAGES....... 152 CHAPTER IV. TREATIES WITH THE INDIANS...... 161 How the Treaties were Carried Out...... 169 Arrival of Leonard Slater................ 176 End of the Indian Mission............... 180 CHAPTER V. PIONEERS OF KENT................. 183 First French Settlers.................. 18 Other American Pioneers............... 189 'Oh, Bright were the 1Hopes of the Young Pioneer......................... 208 CHAPTER VI. PIONEER REMINISCENCES......210 Rix Robinson's Supremacies........... 210 The Kaw-wa-schauav-bee-schid... 211 The Eastern Man and the Bear........ 212 Tom Lewis' Pranks...................... 213 Geo. Coggeshall................ 214 Postai Changes in 1840................... 215 Proscribing the Winds.............. 215 Louis Campau on the Modern City...... 216 Death of Peleg Barlow.................. 217 The Immigrants........................ 218 The Ovidians................... 219 Indian Tramps.......................... 220 Whisky n the Rocking-Chair....... 220 That Goin' to Mill..... 220 McNaughton's Stage.................. 223 KentPioneers in Ottawa................ 223 The Indian Girl's Reprieve........ 225 Campau's First Buggy......... 225 Almost Equal Terms............... 226 Visitors at Kalamazoo............. 226 To the Rescue.......................... 227 The Recollections of a Pioneer.......... 228 Early Catholic Missions......... 229 The Boynton Settlement............. 236 To Kalamazoo and Return............. 236 'The Gulf Prairie Wolf........... 237 The Indian's Victim..................... 237 The Unknown Traveler................. 238 CONTENTS. Lowell Club..*......... 907 Boat Club............ 907 St. George's Society.. 907 Sanitary Association... 908 Mutual Benefit Association. 908 St. Mark's Guild.......... 9t>8 W e-que-ton-sing............. 908 Wood Carvers...908 G. R. Furniture Mnftg. Association.... 908 Land League..,... 909 Valley City Choral Society. 909 MANUFACTURES.......... 909 Furniture......... 915 Wood..................... 919 Carriages and Wagons......... 9..... 921 Agricultu,'al Implements... 922 Lumber............................. 923 Machine Shops and Foundries......... 925 Cracker Factories............. 927 Mills, Flour and Plaster.......... 928 Breweries.......................... 933 Stone Works................... 935 Miscellaneous.................. 935 New Companies.................. 937 Biographical Sketches............ 938 CITY AND TOWNSHIP HISTORIES AND BIOGRAPHIES. Ada............. 487 Algoma.........518 Alpine................ 553 Bowne..............5 Byron.... 603 Caledoni....... )40 Cannon......... 677 Cascade....693 Courtlauid...................... 719 Gaines.................. 730 Grand Papids, tp..... 777 Gran'( Rapids, city......... 79 Grattan.............. 755 Lowell........................... 1179 Nelson and Solon................. 1232 Oakfield.......................1275 Paris................1290 Plainfield........................1306 Solon and Nelson.................1232 Sparta..................................1322 Spencer................ 1350 Tyrone................1358 Vergennes....................1364 Walker................................1385 Wyoming...........................148 Conclusion..........................1426 1 LLUSTRATIONS. Map of Kent County. 14 and 15 Tecumseh............. 55 Hieroglyphics of th, Monnd-Builders. 19 Pontiac..... 61 La Salle Landing at the Mouth of the St. Hunting Prairie Wolves in an Early Day.. 67 Joseph River.... 25 Eastern Asylum for Ihe Insane at Pontiac 73 Indians Attacking Frontiersmen.......... 31 State Public School at Coldwater.......... 81 en. Geo. Roers ark............ 7 The Capitol, at Lansing............... 9 Gen. Arthur St. Clair.... 43 University of Michigan.................102-3 Trapping.4...9............ 49 PORTRAITS. Allen, J. W............................... 528 Avery. N. L............................... 801 Ball, John.............................. 948 Birdsall, Wm............................1109 Blain, Sarah A.......................... 746 Blain,Wilmot H.......................... 747 Boynton, Jerry........................... 765 Brace, Avery.............................. 837 Briggs, G. G.................. 366 Brown. Elisha T.......... 564 Brown, K. J............................ 1056 Blown, Wm. H.................... 656 Bush, Daniel........................ 186 Cam pau, E.............................. 692 ('ampau, Louis.......................... 131 Chappell, Dan N.......................1228 Cheney. A. B..........................1 1 Clark, Erastus........................... 239 Coi'ietock. C. C....................... 912 Cook, Marietta............................1377 Cook Orson........................... 1376 Cordes, W.......................... 581 Coster, R. L............................1277 Dunham, Wm........................... 893 Durfee. Allen.......................... 402 Everett, Franklin........................ 999 Feakins, Edward.........................1288 Fitch, Norton....................... 727 Ford, C. S., M. D.......................1237 Fralick. Henry.......................... 456 Hake, Wm........................... 1002 Hnrrington, V............................1128 Heath, L.W........................... 347 Hills, Perry...............................1145 Hilton, David W........................1092 Hilton, Robert..................... 258 Hoag, A. R.............................. 275 Ho.iadone, Edwin D.................1019 HOeadone, J. B......................... 50. Holden, Hon. E. G. D,,..................... 22 Hollister, Hrvey J......................1037 Holmes E, S............................. 820 Hovey, W.............................. 929 Hughes, D. Darwin...................... 874 Jamison, Hugh..................... 673 Johnson, G. K., M.D................... 419 King, Francis.............................1200 McCarty, N. L............................1217 McLean, Alexander....................... 784 Miller, George.......................... 1297 Mohl, Edward.......................... 545 Nash, J. E............................... 150 Norris, Lyman D......................330 Norton, E. W.......................... 294 Olmsted, W. I............................1325 Pettis, Edward........................... 492 Phillips, E. C........................... 383 Pickett, Wm. B.......................148 Prindle, C. W., M. D.................. 311 Rhodes, Anna.......................1365 Rhodes, Hiram..........................1345 Robinson, Rix........................ 114 Sellers,L. M...7.....................43 Skidmore,D.M......................... 600 Smiley, M. J.............................. 875 Stone, H. G........................ 965 Stonebreaker, A. C.......................1073 Swarts, Edward.........................1257 Symes, John.............................1268 Tabor, Marcius.......................... 1181 Taylor, Hollis............6.......... 1836 Towner, Cerelia L........................ 618 Towner,S. S.............................. 619 Van Buren, 0O............................ 856 Wenham.JohnC....................... 984 White, Geo. H............................ 203 Whitfield, I. J., M. D...................... 473 Winegar, Isaac............................ 637 Withey. Hon. S. L........................ 167 Wood, Clinton A.......................... 710 Zinser, John M........................1164 CONTENTS. The Old Grist-Mill.... 238 If Bruin Only Knew It......... 241 The Conquest of Difficulty... 241 Men and Wolves of 1845............ 242 The Tornado of 1836......... 242 Vicissitudes of a Day's Travel........ 243 The Celtic Postmaster........ 213 CHAPTER VII. THE OLD RESIDENTS' SOCIETY... 247 Organization................. 247 First Roll of Members............ 249 Reorganizat ion........................ 250 Meetingsr.................... 250-254 Acts of the Association. 1879-'81.... 254 Roll of Members, 1871-81........ 260- 66 'I am Almost There"........... 266 Junior Old Settlers' Association.... 267 Junior Roll of Charter Members.. 268 CHAPTER VIII. EVIDENCES OF EARLY PROGRESS 273 Salt Manufacture.................... 274 Boats.............. 279 Water-Power... 2................. 80 CIAPTER IX. ORGANIC................... 283 Other Acts of Organization, etc.....291 Acts of the Supervisors.2.....2..... 2'2 The Court-House Square......... 295 Growth of the Supervisore' Board... 297 Financial Condition of the County.. 292 Growth Shown by Population...... 301 Public Highways............. 303 Railroads...............3........ 304 CHAPTER X. THE COURTS AND BAR......... 305 Murder of Nea..................... 3. 06 Murder of Dr. Kerney........... 310 Murder of Barber.. 310 Murder of James Crawford.......... 313 Trottier's Cheese...................... 314 First Lawyers of the County............. 314 Primitive Justice Courts...3... 316 Bar Association.............. 317 Present Bar..................... 318 CHAPTER Xl. POLITICAL HISTORY.............. 320 Congressional and State Elections... 321 Early County Officials............ 324 Board of Coupty Commissioners..... 25 Board of Supervisors............ 325 Election Returns................... 326 Election in 1881..............343 CHAPTER XII KENT COUNTY IN THE WAR. 345 The First War Meeting....... 346 The 1st Engineers and Mechanics... 350 Regiments, in Order............. 350-400 Llst of Caualties....... 403 Buried in This County... 411 CHAPTER XIII THE COUNTY PRESS 414 Grand River Times.............. 415 Young Hickory............416 Grand hapids Eagle...........416 The Dailv Eagle............... 41 The Democrat...422 Daily Herald............... 427 Grand Rapids Press.........427 The Young Wolverine..... 427 Great Western Journal....... 427 The Daily Times................. 428 Saturday Evening Post.... 429 The Leader.................... 429 The Pioneer................... 431 Michigan Slaats Zeitung......... 432 De Standaard.................. 433 Vnjheids Banier..................... 433 Lowell Journal........... 434 Cedar Springs Clipper.............. 435 Rocklord Weekly RKgister.......... 439 Kent County Herald.......... 440 Sand Lake Weekly Enterprise...... 440 CHAPTER XIV. MISCELLANEOU S........... 442 Agriculture and Horticulture.......... 442 Banks and Bankers.... 457 Educational................. 462 Kent Scientific Institute........ 464 M edical........................... 464 The County Granee............... 470 Minor Items, 1841-'81.............. 471 Retrospect.................. 485 CI1TY OF GRAND RAP IDS. Introductory.................... 794 First American Settlers.......... 800 Reminiscences of John Ball...........809 First Plats of the Village............ 824 Organic................. 829 Charter Election....................... 829 Village Trustees...................... 830 Mayors and Alderment to 1881........... 831 Other Officers........................... 833 Fire Department................ 834 Water Works.......................... 836 Police............................... 840 H otels................................. 841 Postoffices.................... 842 Statistics of Property............. 844 Population............................... 845 Highways............................... 845 Schools............................... 846 Teachers for 1881........................ 854 City Expenses for 1881-'2................ 857 City Library............................ 858 CHURCHES: B aptist................................. 858 C atholic.................................. 864 Methodist Episcopal............. 869 Wesleyan Methodist................. 872 Congregational.......................... 872 Protestant Episcopal.................... 880 Lutheran and Reformed....... 883 Presbyterian....................... 888 Swedenborgian........................ 889 Universalist................. 889 Jewish.......................... 890 Cemeteries....... 890 Kent Scientific Institute............. 895 Union Benevolent Association...... 895 Ladies' Hebrew Benevolent Society...... 897 Young Men's Christian Association...... 897 B'nai B'rith............................ 898 Central W. C. T. U.................... 898 I.O.G T................... 899 I. 0.0.................... 899 M asonic.................................... 900 Knights of Honor.... 903 Ind. Order of Foresters......... 904 Knights of Pythias................ 905 Ind. Order of Red Men........... 905 Royal Arcanum........................ 905 Grand Army of the Republic.............. 906 HAlland Mutual Aid Society.............. 906 Covenant Mutual Benefit Association..... 907 _,~; ---- (i r t i-~-.=-3 —F"=-7?i:zz;_ - -_ i: ia — ~i! ~ II, T 1 i~r jk I I I i I i f: L F 7 " I I - -,- r - I'll,:1 I - )~ENT COUINTY MICHIGAN. ~.~ ~ r fllil iF- v i ',' I, _ ~ tI; i, 'a: Ir - - ----------- LII I i i -- I 4. I ~C~C;I~-i ', r- H W"If 11- 7 I — A - -— E -- im l A 1, I i! -b- I I - i 'i 'I 1 T,',h:!1 - /._ U_ I ". ------ - - i j - -- - - - -- i " - I - A ti. 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C3 t~li~e 311t f I,~ ', O-! -:." i /:~ -i 4&&(\\-"J* a '-=rC3i-rCI1 --- -— :sr --- — II ----— ~ C- -— -- --.iTC ~~ L- --- - ---- i I;b --- lt lf - -i i i 'IV lyl I I x I,.!I I - -— I ~II I.1. li IN q I VA t - -~z - i tL IL - Ii XI.2"- 1 A I. -. 'CaLbamom. rr ---T-L - 1-9 . - - I "- - -\, t- i- i — - t L(, ' I, ii ~ I ir t! r I 11... ~-~-~~~~ — f-c~ —ii ---- e I -- - I G 11 lw I -1 - - -. 'i Jji, I, -- I 1,&t- -4 —."MV I I lb-558-~ ~ ~ -~fi-rf ~ Itrf; n- - - m. R5Zi, r - -. - I I-~rcJU IL~r(LP —J L -. T'..... I.. A a ] 7 & -- Ak- 1 Yi 6e9 4i? I' I II 0 f rllv-fl 0.1aOrK 1=1 - iI i I -L P Ifi 1,1 A N, 1 a1......... Nr t i 'Ifsa I i I -0 I I A 1 1 i t.II "-"''t-" ---I ~-'""-'''1-~"~~l I; I r — -7m; " 1 I 7 - -.,,z I " --- — ' LIRI:i 'LI ' - 1! t 1i _.t ~.% ) — -i 1\\P' Al I. 1[ '1 "d(1.:_ I r - I -,,I i i" 1 4 ': —.. '-fv; \. /I tz?*~ _If,~___~=_F' 4 _ - I__ ___7qg~~.._=__ ~_ J- -~:-.__ -1 -"',.~ '~ iI I i I i ' ',?,f i / A / i i i I j;i i A I Ii I i i. I L —.I,?I-k I,- ' I'm, rl- I F I — II I I I -i A I -i i i - 6 II~ 1,P/.%O I I II i IL /II-~ -1 I&Irl II -.i.II I "I ell. I I - -1, t A-~ I I S W 'II i &i lF -I I i i it, 1 I5 f t rC3, - I, I, I-_ I' -, r,, u I I _~==M ~~_- t,M ~~. t - I I --- ig - I Prv Y&. I - ---- -q, ' ~,nr:i -~ ' ' j -- ',t EIJI -A '. ' "~+:~= ''JJ.~'Ii-."d~_L_ de''t 3~ lp~l ~ ~p t 1 S;~9~~~~s~14 I t~ [~f' i ~~~i- I' fh~' if~Y~ c~l`s~`ct ~ ~ h ~:Lkt i.I I I ii~ _I _ - x- --. --- _R.:,~__:R._X:. HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. Michigan! If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you,in Michigan. Every visitor at St. Paul's church, London, is overawed with the magnificence of that structure, the work of Sir Christopher Wren. He wants to know where the remains of Wren are now; in the crypt of the church they lie, where the following ia engraved upon the headstone: Si monumwentum requieis, cOirespice,-If you seek a monument [of Wren], look around [and behold the work of his brain in this mighty building]. The State of Michigan has appropriately adopted for her motto this expression, with a slight alteration, thus: Si quceris peninsulamn ameonam, circumspice,-If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you. And indeed Michigan may as justly feel proud of its resources as Great Britain, of St. Paul's church,-yea, and infinitely more. What with her substantial foundation in agriculture throughout the southern counties, in horticulture throughout the lower peninsula and especially the fruit belt along her western boundary, in pineries in the central portion of the State, and with her crown of iron and copper in the upper peninsula, tipped with silver, she stands the real queen of the utilitarian world. It is a pleasure to write the history of such a State. Contrast this pleasant task with writing and studying the histories of States and empires which we have been taught to ponder and revere from our youth up, histories of European countries cobwebbed with intrigue, blackened with iniquity and saturated with blood. What a standing, practical reproof Michigan is to all Europe! and what a happy future she has before her, even as compared with all her sister States! Now let's to our chosen task, and say first a few words coicerning the prehistoric races, observing, by the way, that the name " Michigan " is said to be derived from the Indian.7itchi-sauwgyegan, a great lake. MOUND-BUILDERS. The numerous and well-authenticated accounts of antiquities found in various parts of our country clearly demonstrate that a people civilized, and even highly cultivated, occupied the broad surface of our continent before its possession by the present Indians; 2 18 RISTORY OF MICHIGAN. but the date of their rule of the Western World is so remote that all traces of their history, their progress and decay, lie buried in deepest obscurity. Nature, at the time the first Europeans came, had asserted her original dominion over the earth; the forests were all in their full luxuriance, the growth of many centuries; and naught existed to point out who and what they were who formerly lived, and loved, and labored, and died, on the continent of America. This pre-historic race is known as the Mound-Builders, from the numerous large mounds of earth-works left by them. The remains of the works of this people form the most interesting class of antiquities discovered in the United States. Their character can be but partially gleaned from the internal evidences and the peculiarities of the only remains left,-the mounds. They consist of remains of what were apparently villages, altars, temples, idols, cemeteries, monuments, camps, fortifications, pleasure grounds, etc., etc. Their habitations must have been tents, structures of wood, or other perishable material; otherwise their remains would be numerous. If the Mound-Builders were not the ancestors of the Indians, who were they? The oblivion which has closed over them is so complete that only conjecture can be given' in answer to the question. Those who do not believe in the common parentage of mankind contend that they were an indigenous race of the Western hemisphere; others, with more plausibility, think they came from the East, and imagine they can see coincidences in the religion of the Hindoos and Southern Tartars and the supposed theology of the Mound-Builders. They were, no doubt, idolators, and it has been conjectured that the sun was the object of their adoration. The mounds were generally built in a situation affording a view of the rising sun; when enclosed in walls their gateways were toward the east; the caves in which their dead were occasionally buried always opened in the same direction; whenever a mound was partially' enclosed by a semi-circular pavement, it was on the east side; when bodies were buried in graves, as was frequently the case, they were laid in a direction east and west; and, finally, medals have been found representing the sun and his rays of light. At what period they came to this country is likewise a matter of speculation. From the comparatively rude state of the arts among them, it has been inferred that the time was very remote. Their axes were of stone. Their raiment, judging from fragments which have been discovered, consisted of the bark of trees, interwoven with feathers; and their military works were such as a people would erect who had just passed to the pastoral state of society from that dependent alone upon hunting and fishing. The mounds and other ancient earth-works constructed by this people are far more abundant than generally supposed, from the fact that while some are quite large, the greater part of them are small and inconspicuous. Along nearly all our water courses that are large enough to be navigated with a canoe, the mounds are almost invariably found, covering the base points and headlands of the HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 19 bluffs which border the narrower valleys; so that when one finds himself in such positions as to command thb grandest views for river scenery, he may almost always discover that he is standing upon, or in close proximity to, some one or more of these traces of the labors of an ancient people. The Mound-Builder was an early pioneer in Michigan. He was the first miner in the upper peninsula. How he worked we do not know, but he went deep down into the copper ore and dug and raised vast quantities, and probably transported it, but just how or where, we cannot say. The ancient mining at Isle Royale, in Lake Superior, has excited amazement. The pits are from 10 to 20 feet in diameter, from 20 to 60 feet in depth, and are scattered throughout the island. They follow the richest veins of ore. Quantities of stone hammers and mauls weighing from 10 to 30 pounds have HIEROGLYPHICS OF THE MOUND-BUILDERS. been found, some broken from use and some in good condition. Copper chisels, knives and arrowheads have been discovered. The copper tools have been hardened by fire. Working out the ore was doubtless done by heating and pouring on water,-a very tedious process; and yet it is said that, although 200 men in their rude way could not accomplish any more work than two skilled miners at the present day, yet at one point alone on Isle Royale the labor performed exceeds that of one of the oldest mines on the south shore, operated by a large force for more than 30 years. Since these ancient pits were opened, forests have grown up and fallen, and trees 400 years old stand around them to-day. Mounds have been discovered on the Detroit river, at the head of the St. Clair, the Black, the Rouge, on the Grand, at the foot of 20 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. Lake Huron, and in many other portions of the State. Those at the head of the St. Olair were discovered by Mr. Gilman, in 1872, and are said to be very remarkable. LARGE CITIES. Mr. Breckenridge, who examined the antiquities of the Western country in 1817, speaking of the mounds in the American Bottom, says: " The great number and extremely large size of some of them may be regarded as furnishing, with other circumstances, evidences of their antiquity. I have sometimes been induced to think that at the period when they were constructed there was a population here as numerous as that which once animated the borders of the Nile or Euphrates, or of Mexico. The most numerous, as well as considerable, of these remains are found in precisely those parts of the country where the traces of a numerous population might be looked for, namely, from the mouth of the Ohio on the east side of the Mississippi to the Illinois river, and on the west from the St. Francis to the Missouri. I am perfectly satisfied that cities similar to those of ancient Mexico, of several hundred thousand souls, have existed in this country." It must be admitted that whatever the uses of these moundswhether as dwellings or burial places-these silent monuments were built, and the race who built them vanished from the face of the earth, ages before the Indians occupied the land, but their date must probably forever baffle human skill.and ingenuity. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish the places of sepulture raised by the Mound-Builders from the more modern graves of the Indians. The tombs of the former were in general larger than those of the latter, and were used as receptacles for a greater number of bodies, and contained relics of art, evincing a higher degree of civilization than that attained by the Indians. The ancient earthworks of the Mound-Builders have occasionally been appropriated as burial places by the Indians, bitt the skeletons of the latter may be distinguished from the osteological remains of the former by their greater stature. What finally became of the Mound-Builders is another query which has been extensively discussed. The fact that their works extend into Mexico and Peru has induced the belief that it was their posterity that dwelt in these countries when they were first visited by the Spaniards. The Mexican and Peruvian works, with the exception of their greater magnitude, are similar. Relics common to all of them have been occasionally found, and it is believed that the religious uses which they subserved were the same. If, indeed, the Mexicans and Peruvians were the progeny of the more ancient Mound-Builders, Spanish rnpacity for gold was the cause of their overthrow and final extermination. A thousand other queries naturally arise respecting these nations which now repose under the ground, but the most searching investi HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 21 gation can give us only vague speculations for answers. No historian has preserved the names of their mighty chieftains, or given an account of their exploits, and even tradition is silent respecting thenm. Following the Mound-Builders as inhabitants of North America, were, as it is supposed, the people who reared the magnificent cities, the ruins of which are found in Central America. This people was far more civilized and advanced in the arts than were the MoundBuilders. The cities built by them, judging from the ruins of broken columns, fallen arches and crumbling walls of temples, palaces and pyramids, which in some places for miles bestrew the ground, must have been of great extent, magnificent and very populous. When we consider the vast period of time necessary to erect such colossal structures, and, again, the time required to reduce them to their present ruined state, we can conceive something of their antiquity. These cities must have been old when many of the ancient cities of the Orient were being built. INDIANS. The third race inhabiting North America, distinct from the former two in every particular, is the present Indians. They were, when visited by the early discoverers, without cultivation, refinement or literature, and far behind the Mound-Builders in the knowledge of the arts. The question of their origin has long interested archaeologists, and is the most difficult they have been called upon to answer. Of their predecessors the Indian tribes knew nothing; they even had no traditions respecting them. It is quite certain that they were the successors of a race which had entirely passed away ages before the discovery of the New World. One hypothesis is that the American Indians are an original race indigenous to the Western hemisphere. Those who entertain this view think their peculiarities of physical structure preclude the possibility of a commnon parentage with the rest of mankind. Prominent among those distinctive traits is the hair, which in the red man is round, in the white man oval, and in the black man flat. A more common supposition, however, is that they are a derivative race, and sprang from one or more of the ancient peoples of Asia. In the absence of all authentic history, and when even tradition is wanting, any attempt to point out the particular location of their origin must prove unsatisfactory. Though the exact place of origin may never be known, yet the striking coincidents of physical organization between the Oriental type of mankind and the Indians point unmistakably to some part of Asia as the place whence they emigrated, which was originally peopled to a great extent by the children of Shem. In this connection it has been claimed that the meeting of the Europeans, Indians and Africans on the continent of America, is the fulfillment of a prophecy as recorded in Genesis ix. 27: "God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." 22 2IISTORY OF MICHIGAN. Assuming the theory to be true that the Indian tribes are of Shemitic origin, they were met on this continent in the fifteenth century by the Japhetic race, after the two stocks had passed around the globe by directly different routes. A few years afterward the Hamitic branch of the human family was brought from the coast of Africa. During the occupancy of the continent by the three distinct races, the children of Japheth have grown and prospered, while the called and not voluntary sons of Ham have endured a servitude in the wider stretching valleys of the tents of Shemn. When Christopher Columbus had finally succeeded in demonstrating the truth of his theory, that by sailing westward from Europe land would be discovered, landing on the Island of Bermuda he supposed he had reached the East Indies. This was an error, but it led to the adoption of the name of a Indians" for the inhabitants of the island and the main land of America, by which name the red men of America have ever since been known. Of the several great branches of North American Indians the only ones entitled to consideration in Michigan history are the Algonquins and Iroquois. At the time of the discovery of America the former occupied the Atlantic seaboard, while the home of the Iroquois was as an island in this vast area of Algonquin population. The latter great nation spread over a vast territory, and various tribes of Algonquin lineage sprung up over the country, adopting, in time, distinct tribal customs and laws. An almost continuous warfare was carried on between tribes; but later, on the entrance of the white man into their beloved homes, every foot of territory was fiercely disputed Jy the confederacy of many neighboring tribes. The Algonquins formed the most extensive alliance to resist the encroachment of the whites, especially the English. Such was the nature of King Philip's war. This king, with his Algonquin braves, spread terror and desolation throughout New England. With the Algonquins as the controlling spirit, a confederacy of continental proportions was the result, embracing in its alliance the tribes of every name and lineage from the Northern lakes to the gulf. Pdntiac, having breathed into them his implacable hate of the English intruders, ordered the conflict to commence, and all the British colonies trembled before the desolating fury of Indian vengeance. The " Saghinan" (spelled variously) or Saginaw country comprised most of the eastern portion of the southern peninsula indefinitely. The village of the "l Hurons " was probably near Detroit. The term " Huron " is derived from the French hure, a wild boar, and was applied to this tribe of Indians on account of the bristly appearance of their hair. These Indians called themselves " Ouendats," as the French spelled the name, or "Wyandots," as is the modern orthography. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. The art of hunting not only supplied the Indian with food, but, like that of war, was a means of gratifying his love of distinction. HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 23 The male children, as soon as they acquired sufficient age and strength, were furnished with a bow and arrow and taught to shoot birds and other small game. Success in killing large quadrupeds required years of careful study and practice, and the art was as sedulously inculcated in the minds of the rising generation as are the elements of reading, writing and arithmetic in the common schools of civilized communities. The mazes of the forest and the dense, tall grass of the prairies were the best fields for the exercise of the hunter's skill. No feet could be impressed in the yielding soil but that the tracks were the objects of the most searching scrutiny, and revealed at a glance the animal that made them, the direction it was pursuing, and the time that had elapsed since it had passed. In a forest country he selected the valleys, because they were most frequently the resort of game. The most easily taken, perhaps, of all the animals of the chase was the deer. It is endowed with a curiosity which prompts it to stop in its flight and look back at the approaching hunter, who always avails himself of this opportunity to let fly the fatal arrow. Their.general councils were composed of the chiefs and old men. When in council, they usually sat in concentric circles around the speaker, and each individual, notwithstanding the fiery passions that rankled within, preserved an exterior as immovable as if cast in bronze. Before commencing business a person appeared with the sacred pipe, and another with fire to kindle it. After being lighted, it was first presented to heaven, secondly to the earth, thirdly to the presiding spirit, and lastly to the several councilors, each of whom took a whiff. Thes iformalities were observed with as close exactness as State etiquette in civilized courts. The dwellings of the Indians were of the simplest and rudest character. On some pleasant spot by the bank of a river, or near an ever-running spring, they raised their groups of wigwams, constructed of the bark of trees, and easily taken down and removed to another spot. The dwelling-places of the chiefs were sometimes more spacious, and constructed with greater care, but of the same materials. Skins taken in the chase served them for repose. Though principally dependent upon hunting and fishing, the uncertain supply from those sources led them to cultivate small patches of corn. Every family did everything necessary within itself, commerce, or an interchange of articles, being almost unknown to them. In cases of dispute and dissension, each Indian relied upon himself for retaliation. Blood for blood was the rule, and the relatives of the'slain man were bound to obtain bloody revenge for his death. This principle gave rise, as a matter of course, to innumerable and bitter feuds, and wars of extermination where such were possible. War, indeed, rather than peace, was the Indian's glory and delight,-war, not conducted as in civilization, but war where individual skill, endurance, gallantry and cruelty were prime requisites. For such a purpose as revenge the Indian would make great sacrifices, and display a patience and perseverance truly heroic; 24 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. but when the excitement was over, he sank back into a listless, unoccupied, well-nigh useless savage. During the intervals of his more exciting pursuits, the Indian employed his time in decorating his person with all the refinement of paint and feathers, and in the manufacture of his arms and of canoes. These were constructed of bark, and so light that they could easily be carried on the shoulder from stream to stream. His amusements were the war dance, athletic games, the narration of his exploits, and listening to the oratory of the chiefs; but during long periods of such existence he remained in a state of torpor, gazing listlessly upon the trees of the forests and the clouds that sailed above them; and this vacancy imprinted a habitual gravity, and even melancholy, upon his general deportment. The main labor and drudgery of Indian communities fell upon the women. The planting, tending and gathering of the crops, making mats and baskets, carrying burdens,-in fact, all things of the kind were performed by them, thus making their condition but little better than that of slaves. Marriage was merely a matter of bargain and sale, the husband giving presents to the father of the bride. In general they had but few children. They were subjected to many and severe attacks of sickness, and at times famine and pestilence swept away whole tribes. The Indians had not only their good '" manitous," but also their evil spirits; and the wild features of the lake scenery appears to have impressed their.savage minds with superstition. They believed that all the prominent points of this wide region were created and guarded by monsters; and the images of these they sculptured on stone, painted upon the rocks, or carved upon the trees. Those who "obeyed " these supernatural beings, they thought, would after death range among flowery fields filled with the choicest game, while those who neglected their counsels would wander amid dreary solitudes, stung by gnats as large as pigeons. EUROPEAN POSSESSION. It is not necessary to dwell on the details of history from the discovery of America in 1492 to the settlement of Michigan in 1668, as some historians do under the head of " the history of Michigan;" for the transaction of men and councils at Quebec, New York, Boston, or London, or Paris, concerning the European possessions in America prior to 1668 did not in the least affect either man, beast or inanimate object within the present limits of the State of Michigan. Nor do we see the necessity of going back to the foundations of American institutions, simply because they are the origin of the present features of Michigan institutions and society, any more than to Greek, Latin, Christian or mediaeval civilization, although all the latter also affect Michigan society. Jacques Marquette was the first white man, according to history, to set foot upon ground within what is now the State of Michigan. LA. SALLE LANWfING AT THE~ MO-TITE OF THE ST, JOSEPH'S RIVER. 26 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. He was born of an honorable family at Laon, in the north of France, in 1637, the month not known. He was educated for the Catholic priesthood; in 1654 he joined the Jesuits, and in 1666 he was sent as a missionary to Canada; after the river St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes had been mapped out, the all-absorbing object of interest with Gov. Frontenac Talch, the "intendent," and Marquette himself was to discover and trace from the north the wonderful Mississippi that De Soto, the Spaniard, had first seen at the South in 1641. In 1668, according to Bancroft, he repaired to the Chippewa, at the Sault, to establish the mission of the St. Mary, the oldest settlement begun by Europeans within the present limits of Michigan. This was under Loais XIV., of France. In 1669 Father Marquette established a mission at Mackinaw, then called "Michilimackinac," from an Indian word signifying ' a great turtle," or from the Chippewa " michine-maukinonk," ' a place of giant fairies." Here Marquette built a chapel in 1671, and continued to teach the Indians until his death. In 1673, in company with Louis Joliet, Father Marquette received orders from Gov. Frontenac to proceed west and explore the Mississippi, which they did, as far south as the Arkansas river. Marquette was a scholar and a polite Christian, enthusiastic, shrewd and persevering. He won the affections of all parties, French, English and Indian. He was even a man of science, with a strong element of romance and love of natural beauty in his character. Parkman speaks of him, in characteristic epithet, as "the humble Marquette who, with clasped hands and upturned eyes, seems a figure evoked from some dim legend of media3val saintship." In life he seems to have been looked up to with reverence by the wildest savage, by the rude frontiersman, and by the polished officer of government. Most of all the States, his name and his fame should be dear to Michigan. IHe died in June, 1675, and was buried with great solemnity and deep sorrow near the mouth of Pere Marquette river. The remains were afterward deposited in a vault in the middle of the chapel of St. Ignace near by; but on the breaking up of the mission at this place the Jesuits burned the chapel, and the exact site was forgotten until Sept. 3, 1877, when the vault, consisting of birch bark, was found; but the remains of the great missionary were probably stolen away by his Indian admirers soon after the abandonment of the mission. The next settlement in point of time was made in 1679, by Robert Cavalier de La Salle, at the mouth of the St. Joseph river. He had constructed a vessel, the" Griffin," just above Niagara falls, and sailed around by the lakes to Green Bay, Wis., whence he traversed " Lac des Illinois," now Lake Michigan, by canoe to the mouth of the St. Joseph river. The " Griffin " was the first sailing vessel that ever came west of Niagara falls. La Salle erected a fort at the mouth of the St. Joseph river, which afterward was moved about 60 miles up the river, where it was still seen in Charlevoix's HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 27 time, 1721. LaSalle also built a fort on the Illinois river just below Peoria, and explored the region of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. The next, and third, Michigan post erected by authority was a second fort on the St. Joseph river, established by Du Luth, near the present Fort Gratiot, in 1686. The object of this was to intercept emissaries of the English, who were anxious to open traffic with the Mackinaw and Lake Superior nations. The French posts in Michigan and westward left very little to be gathered by the New York traders, and they determined, as there was peace between France and England, to push forward their agencies and endeavor to deal with the western and northern Indians in their own country. The French governors not only plainly asserted the title of France, but as plainly threatened to use all requisite force to expel intruders. Anticipating correctly that the English would attempt to reach Lake Huron from the East without passing up Detroit river, Du Luth built a fort at the outlet of the lake into the St. Clair. About the same time an expedition was planned against the Senecas, and the Chevalier Tonti, commanding La Salle's forts, of St. Louis and St. Joseph of Lake Michigan, and La Durantaye, the veteran commander of Mackinaw, were employed to bring down the French and Indian auxiliaries to take part in the war. These men intercepted English expeditions into the interior to establish trade with the Northern Indians, and succeeded in cutting them off for many years. Religious zealbfor the Catholic Church and the national aggrandizement were almost or quite equally the primary and all-ruling motive of western explorations. For these two purposes expeditions were sent out and missions and military posts were established. In these enterprises Marquette, Joliet, La Salle, St. Lusson and others did all that we find credited to them in history. In 1669 or 1670, Talon, then " Intendant of New France," sent out two parties to discover a passage to the South Sea, St. Lusson to Hudson's Bay and La Salle southwestward. On his return in 1671, St. Lusson held a council of all the northern tribes at the Sault Ste.Marie, where they formed an alliance with the French. "It is a curious tact," says Campbell, "that the public documents are usnally made to exhibit the local authorities as originating everything, when the facts brought to light from other sources show that they were compelled to permit what they ostensibly directed." The expeditions sent out by Talon were at least suggested from France. The local authorities were sometimes made to do things which were not, in their judgment, the wisest. DETROIT. July 19, 1701, the Iroquois conveyed to King William III all their claims to land, describing their territo y as "that vast tract of land or colony called Canagariarchio, beginning on the north. 28 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. west side of Cadarachqui lake [Ontario], and includes all that vast tract of land lying between the great lake of Ottawawa [Huron], and the lake called by the natives Sahiquage, and by the Christians the Lake of Sweege [Oswego, for Lake Erie], and runs till it butts upon the Twichtwichs, and is bounded on the westward by the Twichtwichs by a place called Quadoge, containing in length about 800 miles and breadth 400 miles, including the country where beavers and all sorts of wild game keeps, and the place called Tjeughsaghrondie alias Fort De Tret or Wawyachtenock [Detroit], and so runs round the lake of Sweege till you come to a place called Oniadarundaquat," etc. It was chiefly to prevent any further mischief, and to secure more effectually the French supremacy that La Motte Cadillac, who had great influence over the savages, succeeded, in 1701, after various plans urged by him had been shelved by hostile colonial intrigues, in getting permission from Count Pontchartrain to begin a settlement in'Detroit. His purpose was from the beginning to make not only a military post, but also a civil establishment, for trade and agriculture. He was more or less threatened and opposed by the monopolists and by the Mackinaw missionaries, and was subjected to severe persecutions. He finally triumphed and obtained valuable privileges and the right of seigneury. Craftsmen of all kinds were induced to settle in the town, and trade flourished. He succeeded in getting the Hurons and many of the Ottawas to leave Mackinaw and settle about " Fort Pontchartrain." This fort stood on what was formerly called the first terrace, being on the ground lying between Lamed street and the river, and between Griswold and Wayne streets. Cadillac's success was so great, in spite of all opposition, that he was appointed governor of the new province of Louisiana, which had been granted to Crozat and his associates. This appointment removed him from Detroit, and immediately afterward the place was exposed to an Indian siege, instigated by English emissaries and conducted by the Mascoutins and Ontagamies, the same people who made the last war on the whites in the territory of Michigan under Black Hawk a century and a quarter later. The tribes allied to the French came in with alacrity and defeated and almost annihilated the assailants, of whom a thousand were put to death. Unfortunately for the country, the commanders who succeeded Cadillac for many years were narrow-minded and selfish and not disposed to advance any interests beyond the lucrative traffic with the Indians in peltries. It was not until 1734 that any new grants were made to farmers. This was done by Governor-General Beauharnois, who made the grants on the very easiest terms. Skilled artisans became numerous in Detroit, and prosperity set in all around. The buildings were not of the rudest kind, but built of oak or cedar, and of smooth finish. The cedar was brought from a great distance. Before 1742 the pineries were known, and at a very early day a saw-mill was erected on St.Clair river, near Lake HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 29 Huron. Before 1749 quarries were worked, especially at Stony Island. In 1763 there were several lime kilns within the present limits of Detroit, and not only stone foundations but also stone buildings, existed in the settlement. Several grist-mills existed along the river near Detroit. Agriculture was carried on profitably, and supplies were exported quite early, consisting chiefly of corn and wheat, and possibly beans and peas. Cattle, horses and swine were raised in considerable numbers; but as salt was very expensive, but little meat, if any, was packed for exportation. The salt springs near Lake St. Clair, it is true, were known, and utilized to some extent, but not to an appreciable extent. Gardening and fruitraising were carried on more thoroughly than general farming. Apples and'pears were good and abundant. During the French and English war Detroit was the principal source of supplies to the French troops west of Lake Ontario, and it also furnished a large number of fighting men. The upper posts were not much involved in this war. " Teuchsa Grondie," one of the many ways of spelling an old Indian name of Detroit, is rendered famous by a large and splendid poem of Levi Bishop, Esq., of that city. During the whole of the 18th century the history of Michigan was little else than the history of Detroit, as the genius of French government was to centralize power instead of building up localities for self-government. About 1704, or three years after the founding of Detroit, this place was attacked by the Ottawa Indians, but unsuccessfully; and again, in 1712, the Ottagamies, or Fox Indians, who were in secret alliance with the old enemies of the French, the Iroquois, attacked the village and laid siege to it. They were severely repulsed, and their chief offered a capitulation, which was refused. Considering this an insult, they became enraged and endeavored to burn up the town. Their method of firing the place was to shoot large arrows, mounted with combustible material in flame, in a track through the sky rainbow-form. The bows and arrows being very large and stout, the Indians lay with their backs on the ground, put both feet against the central portion of the inner side of the bow and pulled the strings with all the might of their hands. A ball of blazing material would thus be sent arching over nearly a quarter of a mile, which would come down perpendicularly upon the dry shingle roofs of the houses and set them on fire. But this scheme was soon checkmated by the French, who covered the remaining houses with wet skins. The Foxes were considerably disappointed at this and discouraged, but they made one more desperate attempt, failed, and retreated toward Lake St. Clair, where they again entrenched themselves. From this place, however, they were soon dislodged. After this period these Indians occupied Wisconsin for a time and made it dangerous for travelers passing through from the lakes to the Mississippi. They were the Ishmaelites of the wilderness. 30 - HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. In 1749 there was a fresh accession of immigrants to all the points upon the lakes, but the history of this part of the world during the most of this century is rather monotonous, business and government remaining about the same, without much improvement. The records nearly all concern Canada east of the lake region. It is true, there was almost a constant change of commandants at the posts, and there were many slight changes of administrative policy; but as no great enterprises were successfully put in operation, the events of the period have but little prominence. The northwestern territory during French rule was simply a vast ranging ground for the numerous Indian tribes, who had no ambition higher than obtaining an immediate subsistence of the crudest kind, buying arms, whisky, tobacco, blankets and jewelry by bartering for them the peltries of the chase. Like a drop in the ocean was the missionary work of the few Jesuits at the half dozen posts on the great waters. The forests were full of otter, beaver, bear, deer, grouse, quails, etc., and on the few prairies the grouse, or " prairie chickens," were abundant. Not much work was required to obtain a bare subsistence, and human nature generally is not disposed to lay up much for the future. The present material prosperity of America is really an exception to the general law of the world. In the latter part of 1796 Winthrop Sargent went to Detroitand organized the county of Wayne, forming a part of the Indiana Territory until its division in 1805, when the Territory of Micbigan was organized. NATIONAL POLICIES.-THE GREAT FRENCH SCHEME. Soon after the discovery of the mouth of the Mississippi by La Salle in 1682, the government of France began to encourage the policy of establishing a line of trading posts and missionary stations extending through the West from Canada to Louisiana, and this policy was maintained, with partial success, for about 75 years. The river St. Joseph of Lake Michigan was called "the river Miamis " in 1679, in which year La Salle built a small fort on its bank, near the lake shore. The principal station of the mission for the instruction of the Miamis was established on the borders of this river. The first French post within the territory of the Miamis was at the mouth of the river Miamis, on an eminence naturally fortified on two sides by the river, and on one side by a deep ditch made by a fall of water. It was of triangular form. The missionary Hennepin gives a good description of it, as be was one of the company who built it, in 1679. Says he: " We felled the trees that were on the top of the hill; and having cleared the same from bushes for about two musket shot, we began to build a redoubt of 80 feet long and 40 feet broad, with great square pieces of timber laid one upon another, and prepared a great number of stakes of about 25 feet long to drive into the ground, to make our fort more INDIANS ATTACKING FRONTIERSMEN. 32 HISTORY OF MIChI1GAN. inaccessible on the river side. We employed the whole month of November about that work, which was very hard, though we had no other food but the bears' flesh our savage killed. These beasts are very common in that place because of the great quantity of grapes they find there; but their flesh being too fat and luscious, our men began to be weary of it and desired leave to go a hunting to kill some wild goats. MI. La Salle denied them that liberty, which caused some murmurs among thein; and it was but unwillingly that they continued their work. This, together with the approach of winter and the apprehension that M. La Salle had that his vessel (the Griffin) was lost, made him very melancholy, though he concealed it as much as he could. We made a cabin wherein we performed divine service every Sunday, and Father Gabriel and I, who preached alternately, took care to take such texts as were suitable to our present circumstances and fit to inspire us with courage, concord and brotherly love. * * The fort was at last perfected, and called Fort Miamis." In 1765 the Miami nation, or confederacy, was composed of four tribes, whose total number of warriors was estimated at only 1,050 men. Of these about 250 were Twightwees, or Miamis proper, 300 Weas, or Oniatenons, 300 Piankeshaws and 200 Shockeys; and at this time the principal villages of the Twightwees were situated about the head of the Maumee river at and near the place where Fort Wayne now is. The larger Wea villages were near the banks of the Wabash river, in the vicinity of the Post Ouiatenon; and the Shockeys and Piankeshaws dwelt on the banks of the Vermillion, and on the borders of the Wabash between Vincennes and Ouiatenon. Branches of the Pottawatomie, Shawnee, Delaware and Kickapoo tribes were permitted at different times to enter within the boundaries of the Miamis and reside for a while. Tile wars in which France and England were engaged, from 1688 to 1697, retarded the growth of the colonies of those nations in North America, and the efforts made by France to connect Canada and the Gulf of Mexico by a chain of trading posts and colonies naturally excited the jealousy of England and gradually laid the foundation for a struggle at arms. After several stations were established elsewhere in the West, trading posts were started at the Miami villages, which stood at the head of the Maumee, at the Wea villages about Oniatenon on the Wabash, and at the Piankeshaw villages about the present sight of Vincennes. It is probable that before the close of the year 1719 temporary trading posts were erected at the sites of Fort Wayne, Ouiatenon and Vincennes. These points were probably often visited by French fur traders prior to 1700. In the meanwhile the English people in this country commenced also to establish military posts west of the Alleghanies, and thus matters went on until they naturally culminated in a general war, which, being waged by the French and Indians combined on one side, was called the French and Indian war." This war was terminated in 1763 by a treaty at Paris, by which France ceded to HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 33 Great Britain all of North America east of the Mississippi except New Orleans and the island on which it is situated; and indeed, France had the preceding autumn, by a secret convention, ceded to Spain all the country west of that river. in 1762, after Canada and its dependencies had been surrendered to the English, Pontiac and his partisans secretly organized a powerful confederacy in order to crush at one blow all English power in the West. This great scheme was skillfully projected and cautiously matured. The principal act in the programme was to gain admittance into the fort at Detroit, on pretense of a friendly visit, with shortened muskets concealed under their blankets, and on a given signal suddenly break forth upon the garrison; but an inadvertent remark of an Indian woman led to a discovery of the plot, which was consequently averted. Pontiac and his warriors afterward made many attacks upon the English, some of which were successful, but the Indians were finally defeated in the general war. BRITISH POLICY. In 1765 the total number of French families within the limits of the Northwestern Territory did not probably exceed 600. These were in settlements about Detroit, along the river Wabash and the neighborhood of Fort Chartres on the Mississippi. Of these fAmilies, about 80 or 90 resided at Post Vincennes, 14 at Fort Ouiatenon, on the Wabash, and nine or ten at the confluence of the St. Mary and St. Joseph rivers. The colonial policy of the British government opposed any measures which might strengthen settlements in the interior of this country, lest they become self-supporting and independent of the mother country; hence the early and rapid settlement of the Northwestern Territory was still further retarded by the short-sighted selfishness of England. That fatal policy consisted mainly in holding the land in the hands of the government and not allowing it to be subdivided and sold to settlers. But in spite of all her efforts in this direction, she constantly made just such efforts as provoked the American people to rebel, and to rebel successfully, which was within 15 years after the perfect close of the French and Indian war. AMERICAN POLICY. Thomas Jefferson, the shrewd statesman and wise Governor of Virginia, saw from the first that actual occupation of Western lands was the only way to keep them out of the hands of foreigners and Indians. Therefore, directly after the conquest of Vincennes by Clark, he engaged a scientific corps to proceed under an escort to 8 34 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. the Mississippi, and ascertain by celestial observations the point on that river intersected by latitude 36Q 30', the southern limit of the State, and to measure its distance to the Ohio. To Gen. Clark was entrusted the conduct of the military operations in that quarter. He was instructed to select a strong position near that point and establish there a fort and garrison; thence to extend his conquest northward to the lakes, erecting forts at different points, which might serve as monuments of actual possession, besides affording protection to that portion of the country. Fort i" Jefferson " was erected and garrisoned on the Mississippi a few miles above the southern limit. The result of these operations was the addition, to the chartered limits of Virginia, of that immense region known as the" Northwestern Territory." The simple fact that such and such forts were established by the Americans in this vast region convinced the British Commissioners that we had entitled ourselves to the land. But where are those " monuments " of our power now? ORDINANCE OF 1787. This ordinance has a marvelous and interesting history. Considerable controversy has been indulged in as to who is entitled to the credit for framing it. This belongs, undoubtedly, to Nathan Dane, and to Rufus King and Timothy Pickering belong the credit for suggesting the proviso contained in it against slavery, and also for aids to religion and knowledge, and for assuring forever the common use, without charge, of the great national highways of the Mississippi, the St. Lawrence and their tributaries to all the citizens of the United States. To Thomas Jefferson is also due much credit, as some features of this ordinance were embraced in his ordinance of 1784. But the part taken by each in the long, laborious and eventful struggle which had so glorious a consummation in the ordinance, consecrating forever, by one imprescriptible and unchangeable monument, the very heart of our country to freedom, knowledge and union, will forever honor the names of those illustrious statesmen. Mr. Jefferson had vainly tried to secure a system of government for the Northwestern Territory. He was an emancipationist and favored the exclusion of slavery from the Territory, but the South voted him down every time he proposed a measure of this nature. In 1787, as late as July 10, an organizing act without the antislavery clause was pending. This concession to the South was expected to carry it. Congress was in session in New York. On July 5, Rev. Manasseh Cutler, of Massachusetts, came into New York to lobby on the Northwestern Territory. Everything seemed to fall into his hands. Events were ripe. The state of the public credit, the growing of Southern prejudice, the basis of his mission, his personal character, all combined to complete one of those sudden HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 35 and marvelous revolutions of public sentiment that once in five or ten centuries are seen to sweep over a country like the breath of the Almighty. Cutler was a graduate of Yale. He had studied and taken degrees in the three learned professions, medicine, law, and divinity. He had published a scientific examination of the plants of New England. As a scientist in America his name stood second only to that of Franklin. He was a courtly gentleman of the old style, a man of commanding presence and of inviting face. The Southern members said they had never seen such a gentleman in the North. Ie came representing a Massachusetts company that desired to purchase a tract of land, now included in Ohio, for the purpose of planting a colony. It was a speculation. Government money was worth eighteen cents on the dollar. This company had collected enough to purchase 1,500,000 acres of land. Other speculators in New York made Dr. Cutler their agent, which enabled him to represent a demand for 5,500,000 acres. As this would reduce the national debt, and Jefferson's policy was to provide for the public credit, it presented a good opportunity to do something. Massachusetts then owned the territory of Maine, which she was crowding on the market. She was opposed to opening the iorthwestern region. This fired the zeal of Virginia. The South caught the inspiration, and all exalted Dr. Cutler. The entire South ral. lied around him. Massachusetts could not vote against him, because many of the constuitents of her members were interested personally in the Western speculation. Thus Cutler, making friends in the South, and doubtless using all the arts of the lobby, was enabled to command the situation. True to deeper convictions, he dictated one of the most compact and finished documents of wise statesmanship that has ever adorned any human law book. He borrowed from Jefferson the term "Articles of Compact," which, preceding the federal constitution, rose into the most sacred character. He then followed very closely the constitution of Massachusetts, adopted three years before. Its most 'prominent points were: 1. The exclusion of slavery from the territory forever. 2. Provision for public schools, giving one township for a seminary and every section numbered 16 in each township; that is, one thirty-sixth of all the land for public schools. 3. A provision prohibiting the adoption of any constitution or the enactment of any law that should nullify pre-existing contracts. 36 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. Be it forever remembered that this compact declared that " religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall always be encouraged." Dr. Cutler planted himself on this platform and would not yield. Giving his unqualified declaration that it was that or nothing,-that unless they could make the land desirable they did not want it,-he took his horse and buggy and started for the constitutional convention at Philadelphia. On July 13, 1787, the bill was put upon its passage, and was unanimously adopted. Thus the great States of Ohio, Indiana, Ilinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, a vast empire, were consecrated to free dom, intelligence, and morality. Thus the great heart of the nation was prepared to save the union of States, for it was this act that was the salvation of the republic and the destruction of slavery. Soon the South saw their great blunder and tried to have the compact repealed. In 1803 Congress referred it to a committee, of which John Randolph was chairman. He reported that this ordinance was a compact and opposed repeal. Thus it stood, a rock in the way of the on-rushing sea of slavery. The " Northwestern Territory " included of course what is now the State of Indiana; and Oct 5, 1787, Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair was elected by Congress Governor of this territory. Upon commencing the duties of his office he was instructed to ascertain the real temper of the Indians and do all in his power to remove the causes for controversy between them and the United States, and to effect the extinguishment of Indian titles to all the land possible. The Governor took up quarters in the new settlement of Marietta, Ohio, where he immediately began the organization of the government of the territory. The first session of the General Court of the new territory was held at that place in 1788, the Judges being Samuel H. Parsons, James M. Varnum and John C. Symmes, but under the ordinance Gov. St. Clair was President of the Court. After the first session, and after the necessary laws for government were adopted, Gov. St. Clair, accompanied by the Judges, visited Kaskaskia for the purpose of organizing a civil government there. Full instructions had been sent to Maj. Hamtramck, commandant at Vincennes, to ascertain the exact feeling and temper of tL3 Indian tribes of the Wabash. These instructions were accompanied by speeches to each of the tribes. A Frenchman named Antoine Gamelin was dispatched with these messages April 5, 1790, who visited nearly all the tribes on the Wabash, St. Joseph and St. GEN. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK. 38 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. Mary's rivers, but was coldly received; most of the chiefs being dissatisfied with the policy of the Americans toward them, and prejudiced through English misrepresentation. Full accounts of his adventures among the tribes reached Gov. St. Clair at Kaskaskia in June, 1790. Being satisfied that there was no prospect of effecting a general peace with the Indians of Indiana, he resolved to visit Gen. Harmar at his headquarters at Fort Washington and consult with him on the means of carrying an expedition against the hostile Indians; but before leaving he intrusted Winthrop Sargent, the Secretary of the Territory, with the execution of the resolutions of Congress regarding the lands and settlers on the. Wabash. He directed that officer to proceed to Vincennes, lay, out a county there, establish the militia and appoint the necessary civil and military officers. Accordingly Mr. Sargent went to Vincennes and organized Camp Knox, appointed the officers, and notified the inhabitants to present their claims to lands. In establishing these claims the settlers found great difficulty, and concerning this matter the Secretary in his report to the President wrote as follows: " Although the lands and lots which were awarded to the inhabitants appeared from very good oral testimony to belong to those persons to whom they were awarded, either by original grants, purchase or inheritance, yet there was scarcely one case in twenty where the title was complete, owing to the desultory manner in which public business had been transacted and some other unfortunate causes. The original concessions by the French and British commandants were generally made upon a small scrap of paper, which it has been customary to lodge in the notary's office, who has seldom kept any book of record, but committed the most important land concerns to loose sheets, which in process of time have come into possession of persons that have fraudulently destroyed them; or, unacquainted with their consequence, innocently lost or trifled them away. By French usage they are considered family inheritances, and often descend to women and children. In one instance, and during the government of St. Ange here, a royal notary ran off with all the public papers in his possession, as by a certificate produced to me. And I am very sorry further to observe that in the office of Mr. Le Grand, which continued from 1777 to 1787, and where should have been the vouchers for important land transactions, the records have been so falsified, and there is such gross fraud and forgery, as to invalidate all evidence and information which I might have otherwise acquired from his papers." HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 39 Mr. Sargent says there were about 150 French families at Vincennes in 1790. The heads of all these families had been at one time vested with certain titles to a portion of the soil; and while the Secretary was busy in straightening out these claims, he received a petition signed by 80 Americans, asking for the confirmation of grants of land ceded by the Court organized by Col. John Todd under the authority of Virginia. With reference to this cause, Congress, March 3,1791, empowered the Territorial Governor, in cases where land had been actually improved and cultivated under a supposed grant for the same, to confirm to the persons who made such improvements the lands supposed to have been granted, not, however, exceeding the quantity of 400 acres to any one person. THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARE. Soon after the discovery of the mouth of the Mississippi in 16S2, the government of France began to encourage the policy of establishing a line of trading posts and missionary stations extending through the West from Canada and the great lakes to Louisiana; and this policy was maintained, with partial success, for about 75 years. British power was the rival upon which the French continually kept their eye. Of course a collision of arms would result in a short time, and this commenced about 1755. In 1760 Canada, including the lake region, fell into the hands of the British. During the war occurred Braddock's defeat, the battles of Niagara, Crown Point and Lake George, and the death of brave Wolfe and Montcalm. Sept. 12, this year, Major Robert Rogers, a native of New Hampshire, a provincial officer and then at the height of his reputation, received orders from Sfr Jeffrey Amherst to ascend the lakes with a detachment of rangers, and take possession, in the name of his Britannic Majesty, of Detroit, Michilimackinac, and other Western posts includedin the capitulation of Montreal. He left the latter place on the following day with 200 rangers in 15 whale boats. Nov. 7 they reached the mouth of a river ('" Chogage ") on the southern coast of lake Erie, where they were met by Pontiac, the Indian chief, who now appears for the first time upon the pages of Michigan history. He haughtily demanded of Rogers why he should appear in his realm with his forces without his permission. The Major informed him that the English had obtained permission of Canada, and that he was on his way to Detroit to publish the fact and to restore a general peace to white men and Indians alike. The next day Pontiac signified his willingness to live at peace with the English, allowing them to remain in his country, provided they paid him due respect. He knew that French power was on the wane, and that it was to the interest of his tribes to establish an early peace with the new power. The Indians, who had collected at the mouth of Detroit, reported 400 strong, to resist the coming of the British forces, were easily influenced by Pontiac to yield the situation to Rogers. Even the French commandant at Detroit, 40 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. Capt. Beletre, was in a situation similar to that of the Indians, and received the news of the defeat of the French from Major Rogers. He was indignant and incredulous, and tried to rouse the fury of his old-time friends, the Indians, but found them "faithless " in this hour of his need. He surrendered with an ill grace, amid the yells of several hundred Indian warriors. It was a source of great amazement to the Indians to see so many men surrender to so few. Nothing is more effective in gaining the respect of Indians than a display of power, and the above proceedings led them to be overawed by English prowess. They were astonished also at the forbearance of the conquerors in not killing their vanquished enemies on the spot. This surrender of Detroit was on the 29th of November, 1760. The posts elsewhere in the lake region north and west were not reached until some time afterward. The English now thought they had the country perfectly in their own hands and that there was but little trouble ahead; but in this respect they were mistaken. The French renewed their efforts to circulate reports among the Indians that the English intended to take all their land from them, etc. The slaughter of the Monongahela, the massacre at Fort William Henry and the horrible devastation of the Western frontier, all bore witness to the fact that the French were successful in prejudicing the Indians against the British, and the latter began to have trouble at various points. The French had always been in the habit of making presents to the Indians, keeping them supplied with arms, ammunition, etc., and it was not their policy to settle upon their lands. The British, on the other hand, now supplied them with nothing, frequently insulting them when they appeared around the forts. Everything conspired to fix the Indian population in their prejudices against the British Government. Even the seeds of the American Revolution were scattered into the West and began to grow. The first Indian chief to raise the war-whoop was probably Kiashuta, of the Senecas, but Pontiac, of the Ottawas, was the great George Washington of all the tribes to systemize and render effectual the initial movements of the approaching storm. His home was about eight miles above Detroit, on Pechee Island, which looks out upon the waters of Lake St. Clair. He was a well-formed man, with a countenance indicating a high degree of intelligence. In 1746 he had successfully defended Detroit against the northern tribes, and it is probable he was present and assisted in the defeat of Braddock. About the close of 1762 he called a general council of the tribes, sending out embassadors in all directions, who with the war-belt of wampum and the tomahawk went from village to village and camp to camp, informing the sachems everywhere that war was impending, and delivering to them the message of Pontiac. They all approved the message, and April 27, 1763, a grand council was held near Detroit, when Pontiac stood forth in war paint and delivered HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 41 " the great speech of the campaign." The English were slow to perceive any dangerous conspiracy in progress, and when the blow was struck, nine out of twelve of the British posts were surprised and destroyed! Three of these were within the bounds of this State. The first prominent event of the war was the MASSACRE AT FORT MIOHILIMACKINAC, on the northernmost point of the southern peninsula, the site of the present city of Mackinaw. This Indian outrage was one of the most ingeniously devised and resolutely executed schemes in American history. The Cliippewas (or Ojibways) appointed one of their big ball plays in the vicinity of the post, and invited and inveigled as many of the occupants as they could to the scene of play, then fell upon the unsuspecting and unguarded English in the most brutal manner. For the details of this horrible scene we are indebted to Alexander Henry, a trader at that point, who experienced several most blood-curdling escapes from death and scalping at the hands of the savages. The result of the massacre was the death of about TO70 out of 90 persons. The Ottawa Indians, who occupied mainly the eastern portion of the lower peninsula, were not consulted by the Chippewas with reference to attacking Michilimackinac, and were consequently so enraged that they espoused the cause of the English, through spite; and it was through their instrumentality that Mr. Henry and some of his comrades were saved from death and con. veyed east to the regions of civilization. Of Mr. Henry's narrow escapes we give the following succinct account. Instead of attending the ball play of the Indians he spent the day writing letters to his friends, as a canoe was to leave for the East the following day. While thus engaged, he heard an Indian war cry and a noise of general confusion. Looking out of the window, he saw a crowd of Indians within the fort, that is, within the village palisade, who were cutting down and scalping every Englishman they found. He seized a fowling-piece which he had at hand, and waited a moment for the signal, the drum beat to arms. In that dreadful interval he saw several of his countrymen fall under the tomahawk and struggle between the knees of an Indian who held himn in this manner to scalp him while still alive. Mr. Henry heard no signal to arms; and seeing that it was useless to undertake to resist 400 Indians, he thought only of shelter for himself. He saw many of the Canadian inhabitants of the fort calmly looking on, neither opposing the Indians nor suffering injury, and he therefore concluded he might find safety in some of their houses. He stealthily ran to one occupied by Mr. Langlade and family, who were at their windows beholding the bloody scene. Mr. L. scarcely dared to harbor him, but a Pawnee slave of the former concealed him in the garret, locked the stairway door and took away the key. In this situation Mr. Henry obtained through an aperture a view 42 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. of whT was going on without. He saw the dead scalped and mangled, the dying in writhing agony under the insatiate knife and tomahawk, and the savages drinking human blood from the hollow of their joined hands! Mr. Henry almost felt as if he were a victim himself, so intense were his sufferings. Soon the Indian fiends began to halloo, " All is finished!" At this instant Henry heard some of the Indians enter the house in which he had taken shelter. The garret was separated from the room below by only a layer of single boards, and Mr. Henry heard all that was said. As soon as the Indians entered they inquired whether there were any Englishmen in the house. Mr. Langlade replied that he could not say; they might examine for themselves. He then conducted them to the garret door. As the door was locked, a moment of time was snatched by Mr. Henry to crawl into a heap of birch-bark vessels in a dark corner; and although several Indians searched around the garret, one of them coming within arm's length of the sweating prisoner, they went out satisfied that no Englishman was there. As Mr. Henry was passing the succeeding night in this room he could think of no possible chance of escape from the country. He was out of provisions, the nearest post was Detroit, 400 miles away, and the route thither lay through the enemy's country. The next morning he heard Indian voices below informing Mr. Langlade that they had not found an Englishman named Henry among the dead, and that they believed him to be somewhere concealed. Mrs. L., believing that the safety of the household depended on giving up the refugee to his pursuers, prevailed on her husband to lead the Indians up stairs, to the room of Mr. H. The latter was saved from instant death by one of the savages adopting him as a " brother," in the place of one lost. The Indians were all mad with liquor, however, and Mr. H. again very narrowly escaped death. An hour afterward he was taken out of the fort by an Indian indebted to him for goods, and was under the uplifted knife of the. savage when he suddenly broke away from him and made back to Mr. Langlade's house, barely escaping the knife of the Indian the whole distance. The next day he, with three other prisoners, were taken in a canoe toward Lake Michigan, and at Fox Point, 18 miles distant, the Ottawas rescued the whites, through spite at the Chippewas, saying that the latter contemplated killing and eating them; but the next day they were returned to the Chippewas, as the result of some kind of agreement about the conduct of the war. He was rescued again by an old friendly Indian claiming him as a brother. The next morning he saw the dead bodies of seven whites dragged forth from the prison lodge he had just occupied. The fattest of these dead bodies was actually served up and feasted on, directly before the eyes of Mr. Henry. Through the partiality of the Ottawas and complications of military affairs among the Indians, Mr. Henry, after severe exposures and many more thrilling escapes, was finally landed within territory occupied by whites. GEN. ARTHUR ST. CLAIRS 44 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. For more than a year after the massacre, Michilimackinac was occupied only by wood rangers and Indians; then, after the treaty, Capt. Howard was sent with troops to take possession. SIEGE OF DETROIT. In the spring of 1763 Pontiac determined to take Detroit by an ingenious assault. He had his men file off their guns so that they would be short enough to conceal under their blanket clothing as they entered the fortification. A Canadian woman who went over to their village on the east side of the river to obtain some venison, saw them thus at work on their guns, and suspected they were preparing for an attack on the whites. She told her neighbors what she had seen, and one of them informed the commandant, Major Gladwvn, who at first slighted the advice, but before another day passed he had full knowledge of the plot. There is a legend that a beautiful Chippewa girl, well known to Gladwyn, divulged to him the scheme which the Indians had in view, namely, that the next day Pontiac would come to the fort with 60 of his chiefs, each armed with a gun cut short and hidden under his blanket; that Pontiac would demand a council, deliver a speech, offer a peace-belt of wampum, holding it in a reversed position as the signal for attack; that the chiefs, sitting upon the ground, would then spring up and fire upon the officers, and the Indians out in the streets would next fall upon the garrison, and kill every Englishman, but sparing all the French. Gladwyn accordingly put the place in a state of defense as well as he could, and arranged for a quiet reception of the Indians and a sudden attack upon them when he should give a signal. At 10 o'clock, May 7, according to the girl's prediction, the Indians came, entered the fort and proceeded with the programme, but with some hesitation, as they saw their plot had been discovered. Pontiac made his speech, professing friendship for the English, etc., and without giving his signal tbr attack, sat down, and heard Major Gladwyn's reply, who suffered him and his men to retire unmolested. He probably feared to take them as prisoners, as war was not actually commenced. The next day Pontiac determined to try again, but was refised entrance at the gate unless he should come in alone. He turned away in a rage, and in a few minutes some of his men commenced the peculiarly Indian work of attacking an innocent household and murdering them, just beyond the range of British guns. Another squad murdered an Englishman on an island at a little distance. Pontiac did not authorize these proceedings, but retired across the river and ordered preparations to be made for taking the fort by direct assault, the headquarters of the camp to be on " Bloody run" west of the river. Meanwhile the garrison was kept in readiness for any outbreak. The very next day Pontiac, having received reinforcements from the Chippewas of Saginaw Bay, commenced the attack, but was repulsed; no deaths HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 45 upon either side. Gladwyn sent embassadors to arrange for peace, but Pontiac, although professing to be willing in a general way to conclude peace, would not agree to any particular proposition. A number of Canadians visited the fort and warned the commandant to evacuate, as 1,500 or more Indians would storm the place in an hour; and soon afterward a Canadian came with a summons from Pontiac, demanding Gladwyn to surrender the post at once, and promising that, in case of compliance, he and his men would be allowed to go on board their vessels unmolested, leaving their arms and effects behind. To both these advices Major Gladwyn gave a flat refusal. Otily three weeks' provisions were within the fort, and the garrison was in a deplorable condition. A few Canadians, however, from across the river, sent some provisions occasionally, by night. Had it not been for this timely assistance, the garrison would doubtless have had to abandon the fort. The Indians themselves soon began to suffer from hunger, as they had not prepared for a long siege; but Pontiac, after some maraudings upon the French settlers had been made, issued "promises to pay" on birch bark, with which he pacified the residents. He subsequently redeemed all these notes. About the end of July Capt. Dalzell arrived from Niagara with re-enforcements and provisions, and persuaded Gladwyn to undertake an aggressive movement against Pontiac. Dalzell was detailed for the purpose of attacking the camp at Parent's creek, a mile and a half away, but being delayed a day, Pontiac learned of his movements and prepared his men to contest his march. On the next morning, July 31, before day-break, Dalzell went out with 250 men, but was repulsed with a loss of 59 killed and wounded, while the Indians lost less than half that number. Parent's creek was afterward known as " Bloody run." Shortly afterward, the schooner " Gladwyn," on its return from Niagara with ammunition and provisions,anchored about nine miles below Detroit for the night, when in the darkness about 300 Indians in canoes came quietly upon the vessel and very nearly succeeded in taking it. Slaughter proceeded vigorously until the mate gave orders to his men to blow up the schooner, when the Indians, understanding the design, fled precipitately, plunging into the water and swimming ashore. This desperate command saved the crew, and the schooner succeeded in reaching the post with the much needed supply of provisions. By this time, September, most of the tribes around Detroit were disposed to sue for peace. A truce being obtained, Gladwyn laid in provisions for the winter, while Pontiac retired with his chiefs to the Maumee country, only to prepare for a resumption of war the next spring. He or his allies the next season carried on a petty warfare until in August, when the garrison, now worn out and reduced, were relieved by fresh troops, Major Bradstreet commanding. Pontiac retired to the Maumee again, still to stir up hate against the British. Meanwhile the Indians near Detroit, 46 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. scarcely comprehending what they were doing, were induced by Bradstreet to declare themselves subjects of Great Britain. An embassy sent to Pontiac induced him also to cease belligerent operations against the British. In 1769 the great chief and warrior, Pontiac, was killed in Illinois by a Kaskaskia Indian, for a barrel of whisky offered by an Englishman named Williamson. The British at Detroit now changed their policy somewhat, and endeavored to conciliate the Indians, paying them for land and encouraging French settlements in the vicinity. This encouragement was exhibited, in part, in showing some partiality to French customs. At this time the fur trade was considerably revived, the principal point of shipment being the Grand Portage of Lake Superior. The charter boundaries of the two companies, the Hudson's Bay and the Northwest, not having been very well defined, the employes of the respective companies often came into conflict. Lord Selkirk, the head of the former company, ended the difficulty by uniting the stock of both companies. An attempt was also made to mine and ship copper, but the project was found too expensive. AMERICAN REVOLUTION. By this important struggle the territory of the present State of Michigan was but little affected, the posts of Detroit and Mackinaw being the principal points whence the British operated among the Indians to prejudice them against the "Americans," going so far as to pay a reward for scalps, which the savages of course hesitated not to take from defenseless inhabitants. The expeditions made by the Indians for this purpose were even supported sometimes by the regular troops and local militia. One of these joint expeditions, commanded by Capt. Byrd, set out from Detroit to attack Louisville, Ky. It proceeded in boats as far as it could ascend the Maumee, and thence crossed to the Ohio river, on which stream Ruddle's Station was situated, which surrendered at once, without fighting, under the promise of being protected from the Indians; but this promise was broken and all the prisoners massacred. Another expedition, under Gov. Hamilton, the commandant at Detroit, started out in 1778, and appeared at Vincennes, Ind., with a force of 30 regulars, 50 French volunteers and about 400 Indians. At this fort the garrison consisted only of Capt. Helm and one soldier, named Henry. Seeing the troops at a distance, they loaded a cannon, which they placed in the open gateway; and Capt. Helm stood by the cannon with a lighted match. When Hamilton with his army approached within hailing distance, Helm called out with a loud voice, "Haltl" This show of resistance made Hamilton stop and demand a surrender of the garrison. " No man," exclaimed Helm, with an oath, " enters here until I know the terms." Hamilton replied, "You shall have the honors of war." Helm thereupon HISTORY OF MICH1GAN. 41 surrendered the fort, and the whole garrison, consisting of the two already named (!), marched out and received the customary marks of respect for their brave defense. Hamilton was soon afterward made to surrender this place to Gen. George Rogers Clark, the ablest American defender in the West. The British soldiers were allowed to return to Detroit; but their commander, who was known to have been active in instigating Indian barbarities, was put in irons and sent to Virginia as a prisoner of war. The English at Detroit suspected that a certain settlement of pious Moravian missionaries on the Muskingum river were aiding the A inerican cause, and they called a conference at Niagara and urged the Iroquois to break up the Indian congregation which had collected under these missionaries; but the Iroquois declined to concern themselves so deeply in white men's quarrels, and sent a message to the Chippewas and Ottawas, requesting them to " make soup " of the Indian congregation on the Muskingurl. These Moravian missionaries came to Detroit in 1781, before De Peyster, the commandant. A war council was held, and the councilhouse completely filled with Indians. Capt. Pike, an Indian chief, addressed the assembly and told the commandant that the Englislh mnight fight the Americans if they chose; it was their cause, not his; that they had raised a quarrel among themselves, and it was their business to fight it out. They had set him on the Americans as the hunter sets his dog upon the game. By the side of the British commander stood another war chief, with a stick in his hand four feet in length, strung with American scalps. This warrior followed Capt. Pike, saying: " Now, father, here is what has been done with the hatchet you gave me. I have made the use of it you ordered me to do, and found it sharp." The events just related are specimens of what occurred at and in connection with Detroit from the close of Pontiac's war until a number of years after the establishmentof American independence. When the treaty of peace was signed at Versailles in 1783, the British on the frontier reduced their aggressive policy somewhat, but they continued to occupy the lake posts until 1796, on the claim that the lake region was not designed to be included in the treaty by the commissioners, probably on account of their ignorance of the geography of the region. Meanwhile the Indians extensively organized for depredation upon the Americans, and continued to harass them at every point. During this period Alex. McKenzie, an agent of the British government, visited Detroit, painted like an Indian, and said that he was just from the upper lakes, and that the tribes in that region were all in arms against any further immigration of Americans, and were ready to attack the infant settlements in Ohio. His statements had the desired effect; and, encouraged also by an agent from the Spanish settlements on the Mississippi, the Indians organized a great confederacy against the United States. To put this down, Gen. Harmnar was first sent out by the Government, with 1,400 mnen; 48 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. but he imprudently divided his army, and he was taken by surprise and defeated by a body of Indians under "Little Turtle." Gen. Arthur St. Clair was next sent out, with 2,000 men, and he suffered a like fate. Then Gen. Anthony Wayne was sent West with a still larger army, and on the Maumee he gained an easy victory over the Indians, within a few miles of a British post. He finally concluded a treaty with the Indians at Greenville, which broke up the whole confederacy. The British soon afterward gave up Detroit and Mackinaw. "It was a considerable time before the Territory of Michigan, now in the possession of the United States, was improved or altered by the increase of settlements. The Canadian French continued to form the principal part of its population. The interior of the country was but little known, except by the Indians and the fur traders. The Indian title not being fully extinguished, no lands were brought into market, and consequently the settlements increased but slowly. The State of Michigan at this time constituted simply the county of Wayne in Northwest Territory. It sent one Representative to the Legislature of that Territory, which was held at Chillicothe. A court of common pleas was organized for the county; and the General Court of the whole Territory sometimes met at Detroit. No roads had as yet been constructed through the interior, nor were there any settlements except on the frontiers. The habits of the people were essentially military, and but little attention was paid to agriculture except by the French peasantry. A representation was sent to the General Assembly of the Northwest Territory at Chillicothe until 1800, when Indiana was erected into a separate Territory. Two years later Michigan was annexed to Indiana Territory; but in 1805 Michigan separated, and William IHull appointed its first Governor."-Tuttle's Hist. Mich. The British revived the old prejudices that the Americans intended to drive the Indians out of the country, and the latter, under the lead of Tecumseh and his brother Elkswatawa, " the prophet," organized again on an extensive scale to make war upon the Americans. The great idea of Tecumseh's life was a universal confederacy of all the Indian tribes north and south to resist the invasion of the whites; and his plan was to surprise them at all their posts throughout the country and capture them by the first assault. At this time the entire white population of Michigan was about 4,800, four-fifths of whom were French and the remainder Americans. The settlements were situated on the rivers Miami and Raisin, on the Huron of Lake Erie, on the Ecorse, Rouge and Detroit rivers, on the Huron of St. Clair, on the St. Clair river and Mackinaw island. Besides, there were here and there a group of huts belonging to the French fur traders. The villages on the Maumee, the Raisin and the Huron of Lake Erie contained a population of about 1,300; the settlements at Detroit and northward had about 2,200; Mackinaw about 1,000. Detroit was garrisoned by 94 men and Mackinaw by 79. t —e & 17 - 14'. I file. TRAPPING. TECUMSEH. If one should inquire who has been the greatest Indian, the most noted, the " principal Indian " in North America since its discovery by Columbus, we would be obliged to answer, Tecumseh. For all those qualities which elevate a man far above his race; for talent, tact, skill and bravery as a warrior; for high-minded, honorable and chivalrous bearing as a man; in a word, for all those elements of greatness which place him a long way above his fellows in savage life, the name and fame of Tecumseh will go down to posterity in the West as one of the most celebrated of the aborigines of this continent,-as one who had no equal among the tribes that dwelt in the country drained by the Mississippi. Born to command himself, he used all the appliances that would stimulate the courage and nerve the valor of his followers. Always in the front rank of battle, his followers blindly followed his lead, and as his war-cry rang clear above the din and noise of the battle-field, the Shawnee warriors, as they rushed on to victory or the grave, rallied around him, foemen worthy of the steel of the most gallant commander that ever entered the lists in defense of his altar or his home. The tribe to which Tecumseh, or Tecumtha, as some write it, belonged, was the Shawnee, or Shawanee. The tradition of the nation held that they originally came from the Gulf of Mexico; that they wended their way up the Mississippi and the Ohio, and settled at or near the present site of Shawneetown, Ill., whence they removed to the upper Wabash.. In the latter place, at any rate, they were found early in the 18th century, and were known as the "bravest of the brave." This tribe has uniformly been the bitter enemy of the white man, and in every contest with our people has exhibited a degree of skill and strategy that should characterize the most dangerous foe. Tecumseh's notoriety and that of his brother, the Prophet, mutually served to establish and strengthen each other. While the Prophet had unlimited power, spiritual and temporal, he distributed his greatness in all the departments of Indian life with a kind of fanaticism that magnetically aroused the religious and superstitious passions, not only of his own followers, but also of all the tribes in (50) HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. this part of the country; but Tecumseh concentrated his greatness upon the more practical and business affairs of military conquest. It is doubted whether he was really a sincere believer in the pretensions of his fanatic brother; if he did not believe in the pretentious feature of them he had the shrewdness to keep his unbelief to himself, knowing that religious fanaticism was one of the strongest impulses to reckless bravery. During his sojourn in the Northwestern Territory, it was Tecumseh's uppermost desire of life to confederate all the Indian tribes of the country together against the whites, to maintain their choice hunting-grounds. All his public policy converged toward this single end. In his vast scheme he comprised even all the Indians in the Gulf country,-all in America west of the Alleghany mountains. He held, as a subordinate principle, that the Great Spirit had given the Indian race all these hunting-grounds to keep in common, and that no Indian or tribe could cede any portion of the land to the whites without the consent of all the tribes. Hence, in all his councils with the whites he ever maintained that the treaties were null and void. When he met Harrison at Vincennes in council the last time, and, as he was invited by that General to take a seat with him on the platform, he hesitated; Harrison insisted, saying that it was the "wish of their Great Father, the President of the United States, that he should do so." The chief paused a moment, raised his tall and commanding form to its greatest height, surveyed the troops and crowd around him, fixed his keen eyes upon Gov. Harrison, and then turning them to the sky above, and pointing toward heaven with his sinewy arm in a manner indicative of supreme contempt for the paternity assigned him, said in clarion tones: " My father? The sun is my father, the earth is my mother, and on her bosom I will recline." He then stretched himself, with his warriors, on the green sward. The effect was electrical, and for some moments there was perfect silence. The Governor, then, through an interpreter, told him that he understood he had some complaints to make and redress to ask, etc., and that he wished to investigate the matter and make restitution wherever it might be decided it should be done. As soon as the Governor was through with this introductory speech, the stately warrior arose, tall, athletic, manly, dignified and graceful, and with a voice at first low, but distinct and musical, commenced a reply. As he warmed up with his subject his clear tones might be heard, 52 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. as if ' trumpet-tongued," to the utmost limits of the assembly. The most perfect silence prevailed, except when his warriors gave their guttural assent to some eloquent recital of the red man's wrong and the white man's injustice. Tecumseh recited the wrongs which his race had suffered from the time of the massacre of the Moravian Indians to the present; said he did not know how he could ever again be the friend of the white man; that the Great Spirit had given to the Indian all the land from the Miami to the Mississippi, and from the lakes to the Ohio, as a common property to all the tribes in these borders, and that the land could not and should not be sold without the consent of all; that all the tribes on the continent formed but one nation; that if the United States would not give up the lands they had bought of the Miamis and the other tribes, those united with him were determined to annihilate those tribes; that they were determined to have no more chiefs, but in future to be governed by their warriors; that unless the whites ceased their encroachments upon Indian lands, the fate of the Indians was sealed; they had been. driven from the banks of the Delaware across the Alleghanies, and their possessions on the Wabash and the Illinois were now to be taken from them; that in a few years they would not have ground enough to bury their warriors on this side of the "Father of Waters;" that all would perish, all their possessions taken from them by fraud or force, unless they stopped the progress of the white man westward; that it must be a war of races in which one or the other must perish; that their tribes had been driven toward the setting sun like a galloping horse (ne-kat a-kush-e ka-top-o-lin-to). The Shawnee language, in which this most eminent Indian statesman spoke, excelled all other aboriginal tongues in its musical articulation; and the effect of Tecumseh's oratory on this occasion can be more easily imagined than described. Gov. Harrison, although as brave a soldier and General as any American, was overcome by this speech. He well knew Tecumseh's power and influence among all the tribes, knew his bravery, courage and determination, and knew that he meant what he said. When Tecumseh was done speaking there was a stillness throughout the assembly which was really painful; not a whisper was heard, and all eyes were turned from the speaker toward Gov. Harrison, who after a few moments came to himself, and recollecting many of the absurd statements of the great Indian orator, began a reply which was more logical, if not so eloquent. The Shawnees were attentive un HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 53 til Harrison's interpreter began to translate his speech to the Miamis and Pottawatomies, when Tecumseh and his warriors sprang to their feet, brandishing their war-clubs and tomahawks. "Tell him," said Tecumseh, addressing the interpreter in Shawnee, " he lies." The interpreter undertook to convey this message to the Governor in' smoother language, but Tecumseh noticed the effort and remonstrated, " No, no; tell him helies." The warriors began to grow more excited, when Secretary Gibson ordered the American troops in arms to advance. This allayed the rising storm, and as soon as Tecumseh's " He lies " was literally interpreted to the Governor, the latter told Tecumseh through the interpreter to tell Tecumseh he would hold no further council with him. Thus the assembly was broken up, and one can hardly imagine a more exciting scene. It would constitute the finest subject for a historical painting to adorn the rotunda of the capitol. The next day Tecumseh requested another interview with the Governor, which was granted on condition that he should make an apology to the Governor for his language the day before. This he made through the interpreter. Measures for defense and protection were taken, however, lest there should be another outbreak. Two companies of militia were ordered from the country, and the one in town added to them, while the Governor and his friends went into council fully armed and prepared for any contingency. On this occasion the conduct of Tecumseh was entirely different from that of the day before. Firm and intrepid, showing not the slightest fear or alarm, surrounded with a military force four times his own, he preserved the utmost composure and equanimity. No one would have supposed that he could have been the principal actor in the thrilling scene of the previous day. He claimed that half the Americans were in sympathy with him. He also said that whites had informed him that Gov. Harrison had purchased land from the Indians without any authority from the Government; that he, I-arrison, had but two years more to remain in office, and that if he, Tecumseh, could prevail upon the Indians who sold the lands not to receive their annuities for that time, and the present Governor displaced by a good man as his successor, the latter would restore to the Indians all the lands purchased from them. The Wyandots, Kickapoos, Pottawatomies, Ottawas and the Winnebagoes, through their respective spokesmen, declared their adherence to the great Shawnee warrior and statesman. Gov. Harrison then told them that he would send Tecumseh's speech to thePresi 54 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. dent of the United States and return the answer to the Indians as soon as it was received. Tecumseh then declared that he and his allies were determined that the old boundary line should continue; and that if the whites crossed it, it would be at their peril. Gov. Harrison replied that he would be equally plain with him and state that the President would never allow that the lands on the Wabash were the property of any other tribes than those who had occupied them since the white people first came to America; and as the title to the lands lately purchased was derived from those tribes by a fair purchase, he might rest assured that the right of the United States would be supported by the sword. "So be it," was the stern and haughty reply of the Shawnee chieftan, as he and his braves took leave of the Governor and wended their way in Indian file to their camping ground. Thus ended the last conference on earth between the chivalrous Tecumseh and the hero of the battle of Tippecanoe. The bones of the first lie bleaching on the battle-field of the Thames, and those of the last in a mausoleum on the banks of the Ohio; each struggled for the mastery of his race, and each no doubt was equally honest and patriotic in his purposes. The weak yielded to the strong, the defenseless to the powerful, and the hunting-ground of the Shawnee is all occupied by his enemy. Tecumseh, with four of his braves, immediately embarked in a birch canoe, descended the Wabash, and went on to the South to unite the tribes of that country in a general system of self-defense against the encroachment of the whites. His emblem was a dis. jointed snake, with the motto, "Join or die!" In union alone was strength. Before Tecumseh left the Prophet's town at the mouth of the Tippecanoe river, on his excursion to the South, he had a definite understanding with his brother and the chieftains of the other tribes in the Wabash country, that they should preserve perfect peace with the whites until his arrangements were completed for a con. federacy of the tribes on both sides of the Ohio and on the Mississippi river; but it seems that while he was in the South engaged in his work of uniting the tribes of that country some of the Northern tribes showed signs of fight and precipitated Harrison into that campaign which ended in the battle of Tippecanoe and the total route of the Indians. Tecumseh, on his return from the South, learning what had happened, was overcome with chagrin, disappointment and anger, and accused his brother of duplicity and coward. I' II / TECUMSEH. 56 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. ice; indeed, it is said that he never forgave him to the day of his death. A short time afterward, on the breaking out of the war of Great Britain, he joined Proctor, at Malden, with a party of his warriors, and was killed at the battle of the Thames, Oct. 5, 1813, by a Mr. Wheatty, as we are positively informed by Mr. A. J. James, now a resident of La Harpe township, Hancock county, Ill., whose father-in-law, John Pigman, of Coshocton county, Ohio, was an eye witness. Gen. Johnson has generally had the credit of killing Tecumseh. OKEMOS. "Old " Okemos, a nephew of Pontiac and onco the chief of the Chippewas, was born at or near Knagg's Station, onl the Shi&wassee river, where the Chicago and Grand Trunk Railroad crosses that stream. Tile date is shrouded in mystery. At the time of his death he was said to be a centenarian. The earliest account we have of him is that he took the war-path in 1796. Judge Littlejohn, in his " Legends of the Northwest," introduces him to the reader in 1803. The battle of Sandusky, in which Okemos took an active part, was the great event of his life, and this it was that gave him his chieftainship and caused him to be revered by his tribe. Concerning that event he himself used to say: "Myself and cousin, Man-a-to-corb-way, with 16 other braves enlisted under the British flag, formed a scouting or war party, left the upper Raisin, and made our rendezvous at Sandusky. One morning while lying in ambush near a road lately cut for the passage of the American army and supply wagons, we saw 20 cavalrymen approaching us. Our ambush was located on a slight ridge, with brush directly in our front. We immediately decided to attack the Americans, although they outnumbered us. Our plan was first to fire and cripple them, and then make a dash with the tomahawk. We waited until they approached so near that we could count the buttons on their coats, when firing commenced. The cavalry-lmen with drawn sabers immediately charged upon the Indians. The plumes upon the hats of the cavalry-men looked like a flock of a thousand pigeons just hovering for a lighting." Okemos and his cousin fought side by side, loading and firing while dodging from one cover to another. In less than ten minutes after the firing began the sound of a bugle was heard, and casting their eyes in the direction of the sound, they saw the road and woods filled with cavalry. The small party of Indians were immediately surrounded and every man cut down. All were left for dead on the field. Okemos and his cousin both had their skulls cloven and their bodies gashed in a fearful manner. The cavalrymen, before leaving the field, in order to be sure life was extinct, would lean forward from their horses and pierce the chests of the Indians, even into their lungs. The last that Okemos remembered was that after emptying one saddle, and springing toward another HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 57 soldier with clubbed rifle raised to strike, his head felt as if it were pierced with red-hot iron, and he went down from a heavy saber-cut. All knowledge ceased from this time until many moons afterward, when he found himself being nursed by the squaws of his friends, who had found him on the battle-field two or three davs afterward. The squaws thought all were dead, but upon moving the bodies of Okemos and his cousin, signs of life appeared, and they were taken to a place of safety and finally restored to partial health. Okemos never afterward took part in war, this battle having satisfied him that " white man was a heap powerful." Shortly after his recovery he solicited Col. Godfroy to intercede with Gen. Cass, and he and other chiefs made a treaty with the Americans, which was faithfully kept. The next we hear of the old chieftain, he had settled with his tribe on the banks of the Shiawassee, near the place of his birth, where for many years, up to 1837-'8, he was engaged in the peacefill vocation of hunting, fishing and trading with the white man. About this time the small-pox broke out in his tribe, which, together with the influx of white settlers who destroyed their hunting-grounds, scattered their bands. The plaintive, soft notes of the wooing young hunter's flute, made of red alder, and the sound of the tom-tom at council fires and village feasts were heard no more along the banks of our inland streams. Okemos became a mendicant, and many a hearty meal has the old Indian received from his friends among the whites. He was five feet four inches high, lithe, wiry, active, intelligent and possessed undoubted bravery; but in conversation he hesitated and mumbled his words. Previous to the breaking up of his band in 1837-'8, his usual dress consisted of a blanket coat with belt, steel pipe, hatchet, tomahawk and a heavy, long, English hunting-knife stuck in his belt in front, with a large bone handle prominent outside the sheath. He painted his cheeks and forehead with vermilion, wore a shawl around his head turban fashion, and leggins. He died at his wigwam a few miles from Lansing, and was buried Dec. 5, 1858, at Shimnicon, an Indian settlement in Ionia county. His coffin was extremely rude, and in it were placed a pipe, tobacco, hunting-knife, bird's wings, provisions, etc. An ambrotype picture was taken of this eminent Indian in 1857, and has ever since been in the possession of O. A. Jenison at Lansing, from whom we obtain the above account. BULL'S SURRENDER. Now we have to record an unexplained mystery, which no historian of Michigan can omit, namely, the surrender of Detroit to the British by Gen. Hull, when his forces were not in action and were far more powerful than the enemy. He was either a coward or a traitor, or both. The commander of the British forces, Gen. Brock, triumphantly took possession of the fort, left a small garrison under Col. Proctor, and returned to the seat of his government. 58 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. In 12 days he had moved with a small army 250 miles against the enemy, effected the surrender of a strong fort and well equipped army of 2,300 effective men, and one of the Territories of the United States. Hull and the regular troops were taken to Montreal, and the militia were sent t, their homes. In the capitulation Gen. Hull also surrendered Fort Dearborn at Chicago, commanding Capt. Heald of that place to evacuate and retreat to Fort Wayne. In obedience to this order the Captain started from the fort with his forces; but no sooner were they outside the walls than they were attacked by a large force of Indians, who took them prisoners and then proceeded to massacre them, killing 38 out of the 66 soldiers, even some of the women and children, two of the former and 12 of the latter. Capt. Wells, a white man who had been brought up among the Indians, but espoused the white man's cause, was killed in the massacre. Janl. 3, 1814, Gen. Hull appeared before a court-martial at Albany, N. Y., where Gen. Dearborn was president. The accused made no objection to the constitution and jurisdiction of this court; its sessions were protracted and every facility was given the accused to make his defense. The three charges against him were treason, cowardice and neglect of duty. Hull was finally acquitted of the high crime of treason, but he was found guilty of the other charges and sentenced to be shot; but by reason of his services in the Revolution and his advanced age the court recommended him to the mercy of the President, who approved the finding of the court but remitted the execution of the sentence and dismissed Hull from the service. The accused wrote a long defense, in which he enumerates many things too tedious to relate here. Even before he was sent to Detroit he was rather opposed to the policy of the Government toward the British of Canada; and,.besides, he had been kindly treated by British officers, who helped him across the frontier. Again, the general Government was unreasonably slow to inform the General of the declaration of war which had been made against Great Britain, and very slow to forward troops and supplies. Many things can be said on both sides; but historians generally approve the judgment of the court in his case, as well as of the executive clemency of the President. PERRY'S VICTORY. The lake communication of Michigan with the East, having been in the hands of the British since Hull's surrender, was cut off by Corn. Perry, who obtained a signal naval victory over the British on Lake Erie Sept. 10, 1813. The Commodore built his fleet at Erie, Pa., under great disadvantages. The bar at the mouth of the harbor would not permit the vessels to pass out with their armament on board. For some time after the fleet was ready to sail, the British commodore continued to hover off the harbor, well knowing it must either remain there inactive or venture out with almost HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 59 a certainty of defeat. During this blockade, Com. Perry had no alternative but to ride at anchor at Erie; but early in September the enemy.relaxed his vigilance and withdrew to the upper end of the lake. Perry then slipped out beyond the bar and fitted his vessels for action. The British fleet opposed to Cor. Perry consisted of the ships Detroit," carrying 19 guns; the "Queen Charlotte," 17 guns; the schooner " Lady Prevost," 13 guns; the brig " Hunter," ten guns; the sloop "Little Belt," three guns; and the schooner "Chippewa," one gun and two swivels; and this fleet was commanded by a veteran officer of tried skill and valor. At sunrise, Sept. 10, while at anchor at Put-in-Bay, the Commodore espied the enemy toward the head of the lake, and he immediately sailed up and commenced action. His flag vessel, the Lawrence, was engaged with the whole force of the enemy for nearly two hours before the wind permitted the other vessels to come in proper position to help. The crew of this vessel continued the fight until every one of them was either killed or wounded, all the rigging torn to pieces and every gun dismantled. Now comes the daring feat of the engagement which makes Perry a hero. He caused his boat to be lowered, in which he rowed to the Niagara amid the storm of shot and shell raging around him. This vessel he sailed through the enemy's fleet with a swelling breeze, pouring in her broadsides upon their ships and forcing them to surrender in rapid succession, until all were taken. The smaller vessels of his fleet helped in this action, among which was one commanded by the brave and faithful Capt. Elliott. This victory was one of the most decisive in all the annals of American history. It opened the lake to Gen. Wm. H. Harrison, who had been operating in Indiana and Ohio, and who now crossed with his army to Canada, where he had ashort campaign, terminated by the battle of the Moravian towns, by which the enemy were driven from the northwestern frontier. A detachment of his army occupied Detroit Sept. 29, 1813, and Oct. 18 an armistice was concluded with the Indians, thus restoring tranquillity to the Territory of Michigan. Soon afterward Gen. Harrison left Gen. Cass in command at Detroit and moved with the main body of his army down to the Niagara frontier. Perry's brilliant success gave to the Americans the uncontrolled command of the lake, and Sept. 23 their fleet landed 1,200 men near Malden. Col. Proctor, however, had previously evacuated that post, after setting fire to the fort and public storehouses. Com. Perry in the meantime passed up to Detroit with the " Ariel " to assist in the occupation of that town, while Capt. Elliott, with the "Lady Prevost," the "Scorpion," and the "Tigress," advanced into Lake St. Clair to intercept the enemy's stores. Thus Gen. Harrison, on his arrival at Detroit and Malden, found both places abandoned by the enemy, and was met by the Canadians asking for his protection. Tecumseh proposed to the British commander that they should hazard an engagement at Mal 60 HIST('RY OF MICHIGAN. den; but the latter foresaw that he should be exposed to the fire of the American fleet in that position, and therefore resolved to march to the Moravian towns upon the Thames, near St. CJair lake, above Detroit, and there try te. chance of a battle. His force at this time consisted of about 900 regular troops, and 1,500 Indians commanded by Tecumseh. The American army amounted to about 2,700 men, of whom 120 were regulars, a considerable number of militia, about 30 Indians, and the remainder Kentucky riflemen, well mounted, and mainly young men, full of ardor, and burning with a desire to revenge the massacre of their friends and relatives at the River Raisin. During the following winter there were no military movements, except an incursion into the interior of the upper province by Maj. Holmes, who was attacked near Stony creek, and maintained his ground with bravery. CLOSE OF THE WAR. The war with Great Britain was now (November, 1813) practically closed, so far as the Northwest was concerned, but the post at Mackinaw yet remained in the hands of the enemy, and active steps were taken to dispossess the English of this point and drive them wholly from the domain of the United States. The first effort to start an expedition failed; but in the summer of 1814 a wellequipped force of two sloops of war, several schooners and 750 land militia, under the command of Corn. Sinclair and Lieut.-Col. Croghan, started for the north. Contrary, however, to the advice of experienced men, the commanders concluded to visit St. Joseph first, and the British at Mackinaw heard of their coming and prepared themselves. The consequence was a failure to take the place. Major Holmes was killed, and the Winnebago Indians, from Green Bay, allies of the British, actually cut out the heart and livers from the American slain and cooked and ate them! Com. Sinclair afterward made some arrangements to starve out the post, but his vessels were captured and the British then remained secure in the possession of the place until the treaty of peace the following winter. The war with England formally closed on Dec. 24, 1814, when a treaty of peace was signed at Ghent. The 9th article of the treaty required the United States to put an end to hostilities with all tribes or nations of Indians with whom they had been at war; to restore to such tribes or nations respectively all the rights and possessions to which they were entitled in 1811, before the war, on condition that such Indians should agree to desist from all hostilities against the United States. But in February, just before the treaty was sanctioned by our Government, there were signs of Indians accumulating arms and ammunition, and a cautionary order was therefore issued to have all the white forces in readiness for an attack by the Indians; but the attack was not made. During K N:'S Vi PONTIAC. 62 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. the ensuing summer and fall the United States Government acquainted the Indians with the provisions of the treaty, and entered into subordinate treaties of peace with the principal tribes. Just before the treaty of Spring Wells (near Detroit) was signed, the Shawanee Prophet retired to Canada, declaring his resolution to abide by any treaty which the chiefs might sign. Some time afterward he returned to the Shawanee settlement in Ohio, and lastly to the west of the Mississippi, where he died, in 1834. The British Government allowed him a pension from 1813 until his death. POLITICAL. Previous to the formation of the Northwestern Territory, the country within its bounds was claimed by several of the Eastern States, on the ground that it was included within the limits indicated by their charters from the English crown. In answer to the wishes of the Government and people, these States in a patriotic spirit surrendered their claims to this extensive territory, that it might constitute a common fund to aid in the payment of the national debt. To prepare the way for this cession, a law had been passed in October, 1780, that the territory so to be ceded should be disposed of for the common benefit of the whole Union; that the States erected therein should be of suitable extent, not less than 100 nor more than 150 miles square; and that any expenses that might be incurred in recovering the posts then in the hands of the British should be reimbursed. New York released her claims to Congress March 1, 1781; Virginia, March 1, 1784; Massachusetts, April 19, 1785, and Connecticut, Sept. 4, 1786. Under the French and British dominion the points occupied on the eastern boundary of what is now the State of Michigan were considered a part of New France, or Canada. Detroit was known,to the French as Fort Pontchartrain. The military commandant, under both governments, exercised a civil jurisdiction over the settlements surrounding their posts. In 1796, when the British garrisons at Detroit and Mackinaw were replaced by detachments by Gen.Wayne, Michigan became a part of the Northwestern Territory and was organized as the county of Wayne, entitled to one Representative in the General Assembly, held at Chillicothe. In 1800, Indiana was made a separate Territory, embracing all the country west of the present State of Ohio and of an extension of the western line of that State due north to the territorial limits of the United States; in 1802, the peninsula was annexed to the Territory of Indiana, and in 1805 Michigan began a separate exist. ence. That part of the Territory that lies east of a north and south line through the middle of Lake Michigan was formed into a distinct government, and the provisions of the ordinance of 1787 continued to regulate it. Under this constitution the executive power was invested in a governor, the judicial in three judges, and the HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 63 legislative in both united; the officers were appointed by the general Government, and their legislative authority was restricted to the adoption of laws from codes of the several States. This form of government was to continue until the Territory should contain 5,000 free white males of full age. It then became optional with the people to choose a legislative body, to be supported by them; but subsequent legislation by Congress more liberally provided a Legislature at the expense of the general Government and also added to privileges in the elective franchise and eligibility to office; as, for example, under the ordinance a freehold qualification was required, both on the part of the elector and of the elected. The first officers of the Territory of Michigan were: Wm. Hull, Governor; Augustus B. Woodward, Chief Judge; Frederick Bates, Sr., Assistant Judge and Treasurer; John Griffin, Assistant Judge; Col. James May, Marshal; Abijah Hull, Surveyor; Peter Audrain, Clerk of thle Legislative Board. May 5, 1807, Joseph Watson was appointed Legislative secretary; in November, 1806, Elijah Brush was appointed treasurer, to succeed Mr. Bates, and the books of the office were delivered over on the 26th of that month, and William McDowell Scott was appointed marshal in November, 1806, to succeed Col. May. The latter never held the office of judge of the Territory, but about 1800-'3 he was chief justice of the court of common pleas. Augustus Brevoort Woodward was a native of Virginia; was appointed a judge of the Territory in 1805, his term of office expiring Feb. 1, 1824. He was soon after appointed judge of the Territory of Florida, and three years after that he died. The grand scheme of " Catholepistemiad," or State University of Michigan, with its numerous details described under sesquipedalian names from the Greek, owed its origin to Judge Woodward. John Griffin was appointed assistant judge in 1807, his term of office expiring Feb. 1, 1824. He was a native of Virginia, and died in Philadelphia about 1840. James Witherell was a native of Massachusetts; was appointed a judge of the Territory April 23, 1808, his term of office expiring Feb. 1, 1824, when he was re-appointed for four years, and Feb. 1, 1828, he was appointed Territorial secretary. When in 1818 Illinois was admitted into the Union, all the territory lying north of that State and of Indiana was annexed to Michigan. In 1819, the Territory was authorized to elect a delegate to Congress, according to the present usage with reference to Territories; previous to this time, according to the ordinance 1787, a Territory was not entitled to a delegate until it entered upon the " second grade of Government," and the delegate was then to be chosen by the General Assembly. In 1823 Congress abolished the legislative power of the governor and judges, and granted more enlarged ones to a council, to be composed of nine persons selected by the President of the United 64 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. States from eighteen chosen by the electors of the Territory; and by this law, also, eligibility to office was made co-extensive with the right of suffrage as established by the act of 1819; also the judicial term of office was limited to four years. In 1825 all county officers, except those of a judicial nature, were made elective, and the appointments which remained in the hands of the executive were made subject to the approval of the legislative council. In 1827 the electors were authorized to choose a number of persons for the legislative council, which was empowered to enact all laws not inconsistent with the ordinance of 1787. Their acts, however, were subject to abolishment by Congress and to veto by the territorial executives. When Gen. Wm. Hull arrived at Detroit to assume his official duties as Governor, he found the town in ruins, it having been destroyed by fire. Whether it had been burned by design or accident was not known. The inhabitants were without food and shelter, camping in the open fields; still they were not discouraged, and soon commenced rebuilding their houses on the same site; Congress also kindly granted the sufferers the site of the old town of Detroit and 10,000 acres of land adjoining. A territorial militia was organized, and a code of laws was adopted similar to those of the original States. This code was signed by Gov. Hull, Augustus B. Woodward and Frederick Bates, judges of the Territory, and was called the "' Woodward code." At this time the bounds of the Territory embraced all the country on the American side of the Detroit river, east of the north and south line through the center of Lake Michigan. The Indian land claims had been partially extinguished previous to this period. By the treaty of Fort McIntosh in 1785, and that of Fort Harmar in 1787, extensive cessions had been either made or confirmed, and in 1807 the Indian titles to several tracts became entirely extinct. Settlements having been made under the French and English governments, with irregularity or absence of definite surveys and records, some confusion sprang up in regard to the titles to valuable tracts. Accordingly Congress established a Board of Commissioners to examine and settle these conflicting claims, and in 1807 another act was passed, confirming, to a certain extent, the titles of all such as had been in possession of the lands then occupied by them from the year 1796, the year of the final evacuation by the British garrisons. Other acts were subsequently passed, extending the same conditions to the settlements on the upper lakes. As chief among the fathers of this State we may mention Gen. Lewis Cass, Stevens T. Mason, Augustus B. Woodward, John Norvell, Wm. Woodbridge, John Biddle, Wm. A. Fletcher, Elon Farnsworth, Solomon Sibley, Benj. B. Kircheval, John R. Williams, George Morrell, Daniel Goodwin, Augustus S. Porter, Benj. F. H. Witherell, Jonathan Shearer and Charles C. Trowbridge, all of Wayne county; Edmund Munday, James Kingsley and Alpheus Felch, of Washtenaw; Ross Wilkins and John J. Adam, of Lena HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 65 wee; Warner Wing, Charles Noble and Austin E. Wing, of Monroe county; Randolph Manning, 0. D. Richardson and Janges B. Hunt, of Oakland; Henry R. Schoolcraft, of Chippewa; Albert Miller, of the Saginaw Vallev; John Stockton and Robert P. Eldridge, of Macomb; Lucius Lyon, Charles E. Stuart, Edwin I. Lothrop, Epaphroditus Ransom and Hezekiah G. Wells, of Kalamazoo; Isaac E. Crary, John D. Pierce and Oliver C. Comstock, of Calhoun; Kinsley S. Bingham, of Livingston; John S Barry, of St. Joseph; Charles W. Whipple, Calvin Britain and Thomas Fitzgerald, of Berrien; and George Redfield, of Cass. These men and their compeers shaped the policy of the State, and decided what should be its future. They originated all and established most of the great institutions which are the evidences of our advanced civilization, and of which we are so justly proud. ADMINISTRATION OF GEN. CASS. At the close of the war with Great Britain in 1814, an era of prosperity dawned upon the infant territory. Gen. Lewis Cass, who had served the Government with great distinction during the war, was appointed Governor. The condition of the people was very much reduced, the country was wild, and the British flag still waved over tle fort at Mackinaw. There was nothing inviting to immigrants except the mere facts of the close of the war and the existence of a fertile soil and a good climate. The Indians were still dangerous, and the country was still comparatively remote from the centers of civilization and government. Such a set of circumstances was just the proper environment for the development of all those elements of the "sturdy pioneer" which we so often admire in writing up Western history. Here was the field for stout and brave men; here was the place for the birth and education of real Spartan men,-men of strength, moral courage and indomitable perseverance. At first, Gen. Cass had also the care of a small portion of Canada opposite Detroit, and he had only 27 soldiers for defending Detroit against the hostile Indians and carrying on the whole government. Believing that a civil governor should not be encumbered also with military duty, he resigned his brigadier-generalship in the army. But as Governor he soon had occasion to exercise his military power, even to act on the field as commander, in chasing away marauding bands of Indians. The latter seemed to be particularly threatening at this time, endeavoring to make up in yelling and petty depredations what they lacked in sweeping victory over all the pale-faces. In times of peace Gov. Cass had high notions of civilizing the Indians, encouraging the purchase of their lands, limiting their hunting grounds to a narrow compass, teaching them agriculture and mechanics and providing the means for their instruction and religious training. The policy of the French and English had been 6 66 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. to pacify them with presents and gewgaws, merely to obtain a temporary foothold for the purpose of carrying on the fur trade. Those benefited by the trade lived thousands of miles away and had no interest in the permanent development of the country. Tile United States Government, on the other hand, indorsed Gov. Cass' policy, which was to result in the development of the wealth of the country and the establishment of all the arts of peace. Gens. Cass and Harrison were accordingly empowered to treat with the Indians on the Miami and Wabash; and July 20 a treaty was signed with the Wyandots, Senecas, Shawnees, Miatnis and Delawares, which restored comparative tranquillity. During the summer, however, there was Indian war enough to call out all of Gov. Cass' men, in aid of Gen. Brown on the Niagara. Indians can never remain long at peace, whatever may be the obligations they assume in treatymaking. Gov. Cass often headed his forces in person and drove the hostile tribes from place to place until they finally retreated to Saginaw. An attempt was made to recover Mackinaw from the English in July of this year (1814), but the British works were too strong; however, the establishments at St. Joseph and at Sault Ste. Marie were destroyed. In the following winter the final treaty of peace was ratified between England and the United States. The population of the territory at this time was not over 5,000 or 6,000, scattered over a vast extent, and in a state of great destitution on account of the calamities of war. Scarcely a family, on resuming the duties of home, found more than the remnants of former wealth and colnfort. Families had been broken up and dispersed; parents had been torn from their children, and children from each other; some had been slain on the battle-field, and others had been massacred by the ruthless savages. Laws had become a dead letter, and morals had suffered in the general wreck. Agriculture had been almost abandoned and commerce paralyzed; food and all necessaries of life were scarce, and luxuries unknown. lioney was difficult to get, and the bank paper of Ohio, which was almost the sole circulating medium, was 25 per cent below par. Such was the gloomy state of domestic affairs when Gen. Cass assumed the office of governor. Besides, he had the delicate task of aiding in legislation and of being at the same time the sole exec. utive of the law. In 1817 he made an important treaty with the Indians, by which their title was extinguished to nearly all the land in Ohio, and a great portion in Indiana and Michigan. This treaty attached the isolated population of Michigan to the State of Ohio, made theTerritorial government in a fuller sense an integral menmber of the federal Union, and removed all apprehension of a hostile confederacy among the Indian tribes along the lake and river frontier. Hitherto there had not been a road in Michigan, except the military road along the Detroit river; but as the Indian settlements and lands could not now be interposed as a barrier, Gen. Cass called the x ll, f' I 0;4 A 141 H z frl ( '(f/f JJI 68 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. attention of Congress to the necessity of a military road from Detroit to Sandusky, through a trackless morass called the black swamp. In the summer of this year, the first newspaper published in Michigan was started at Detroit. It was called the Detroit Gazette, and was published by Messrs. Sheldon & Reed, two enterprising young men, the former of whom published an interesting and valuable early history of Michigan. The "' Western Sun " was the first newspaper published in the Indiana Territory, now comprising the four great States of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, and the second in all that country once known as the " Northwestern Territory."' It was commenced at Vincennes in 1803, by Elihu Stout, of Igentucky, and first called the Indiana Gazette, and July 4, 1804, was changed to the Western Sun. Mr. Stout continued the paper until 1845, amid many discouragements, when he was appointed postmaster at the place, and he sold out the office. May 6, 1812, Congress passed an act requiring that 2,000,000 acres of land should be surveyed in the Territory of Louisiana, the same amount in the Territory of Illinois, and the same amount in the Territory of Michigan, in all 6,000,000 acres, to be set apart for the soldiers in the war with Great Britain. Each soldier was to have 160 acres of land, fit for cultivation. The surveyors under this law reported that there were no lands in Michigan fit for cultivation! This unconscionable report deterred immigration for many years, and the Government took the whole 6,000,000 acres from Illinois and Missouri. The language of that report is so remarkable that we must quote it: "The country on the Indian boundary line, from the mouth of the Great Anglaize river and running thence for about 50 miles, is (with some few exceptions) low, wet land, with a very thick growth of underbrush, intermixed with very bad marshes, but generally very heavily timbered with beech, cottonwood, oak, etc.; thence continuing north and extending from the Indian boundary eastward, the number and extent of the swamps increase, with the addition of numbers of lakes, from 20 chains to two and three miles across. Many of the lakes have extensive marshes adjoining their margins, sometimes thickly covered with a species of pine called 'tamarack,' and other places covered with a coarse, high grass, and uniformly covered from six inches to three feet (and more at times) with water. The margins of these lakes are not the only places where swamps are found, for they are interspersed throughout the whole country and filled with water, as above stated, and varying in extent. The intermediate space between these swamps and lakes, which is probably near one-half of the country, is, with a very few exceptions, a poor, barren, sandy land on which scarcely any vegetation grows except very small, scrubby oaks. In many places that part which may be called dry land is composed of little, shout sand-hills, forming a kind of deep basins, the bottoms of many HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 69 of which are composed of a marsh similar to the above described. The streams are generally narrow, and very deep compared with their width, the shores and bottoms of which are. with a very few exceptions, swampy beyond description; and it is with the utmost difficulty that a place can be found over which horses can be conveyed with safety. " A circumstance peculiar to that country is exhibited in many of the marshes by their being thinly covered with a sward of grass, by walking on which evinced the existence of water or a very thin mud inlmediately under their covering, which sinks from six to eighteen inches from the pressure of the foot at every step, and at the same time rising before and behind the person passing over. The margins of many of the lakes and streams are in a similar situation, and in many places are literally afloat. On approaching the eastern part of the military lands, toward the private claims on the straights and lake, the country does not contain so many swamps and lakes, but the extreme sterility and barrenness of the soil continues the same. Taking the country altogether, so far as has been explored, and to all appearances, together with the information received concerning the balance, it is so bad there would not be more than one acre out of a hundred, if there would be one out of a thousand, that would in any case admit of cultivation." It is probable that those Government surveyors made a lazy job of their duty and depended almost entirely upon the fur traders, who were interested in keeping settlers out of the country. But we must make allowance, too, for the universal ignorance existing at that time of the methods of developing the Western country which modern invention has brought to bear since the days of our forefathers. We must remember that our Western prairies were counted worth nothing, even by all the early settlers. By the year 1818 some immigrants crowded in and further explored and tested the land; and in March, this year, Gov. Cass called for the views of the inhabitants upon the question of changing the civil authority by entering upon the second grade of'Territorial government. A vote was taken and a majority were found to be against it; but for the purpose of facilitating immigration and settlement, Gov. Cass recommended to the Secretary of the Treasury that the lands in the district of Detroit be at once brought into market. The department immediately complied, and the lands were offered for sale the following autumn. Immigration was now increased more than ever before, and the permanent growth of the country became fully established. In 1819 the people were allowed to elect a delegate to Congress. The population was now 8,806 in the whole Territory, distributed as follows: Detroit, 1,450, not including the garrison; the Island of Mackinaw, still the entrepot of the fur trade, a stationary population of about 450, sometimes increased to 2,000 or over; Sault Ste. Marie, 15 or 20 houses, occupied by French and English families. 70 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. The year 1819 was also rendered memorable by the appearance of the first steamboat on the lakes, the " Walk-in-the-water," which came up Lake Erie and went on to Mackinaw. Up to this time no executive measures had been taken by the people to avail themselves of the school lands appropriated by the ordinance of 1787, except the curious act passed by the Governor and judges establishing the '"Catholepistemiad," or University of Michigan, with 13 " didaxia," or professorships. The schemre for this institution was a grand one, described by quaint, sesquipedalian technicalities coined from the Greek language, and the whole devised by that unique man, Judge Woodward. The act is given in full in theTerritorial laws of Michigan, compiled and printed a few years ago. It was Judge Woodward, also, who laid out the plan of Detroit, in the form of a cobweb, with a " campus Martius" and a grand circus, and avenues radiating in every direction, grand public parks and squares, etc. Centuries would be required to fulfill his vast design. Like authors and artists of ancient Greece and Rome, he laid ihe foundations of grand work for posterity more than for the passing generation. Settlements now began to form at the points where now are the cities of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Jackson, Tecumseh and Pontiac. There were still some annoyances by the Indians. The Sacs and Foxes annually made their appearance to receive presents from the British agents at Maiden, and as they passed along they would commit many depredations. This practice of the British Government had a tendency to prejudice the Indians against the Americans, and it thus became necessary to take some measures for removing the Indians beyond British influence or otherwise putting a stop to this dangerous custom. Accordingly, in the fall of 1819, Gov. Cass desired the Government at Washington to cause a more thorough exploration to be made of the lake region, estimating the number and influence of the Indians, their relations, prejudices, etc., with a view to the further extinguishment of Indian title to land, etc.; but the Government deemed it advisable at this time only to take 10 miles square at Sailt Ste. Marie for military purposes, and some islands near Mackinaw, where beds of plaster had been found to exist. However, the general Government soon ordered an expedition to be fitted out for such an exploration as. Gov. Cass desired, to travel with birch canoes. The men composing the expedition were Gen. Cass and Robert A. Forsyth, his private secretary; Capt. D. B. Douglass, topographer and astronomer; Dr. Alex. Wolcot, physician; James D. Doty, official secretary; and Charles C. Trowbridge, assistant topographer. Lient. Evans Mackey was commander of the escort, which consisted of 10 U. S. soldiers. Besides these there were 10 Canadian voyageurs, to manage the canoes, and 10 Indians to act as hunters. The latter were under the direction of James Riley and Joseph Parks, who were also to act as interpreters. HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 71 This party left Detroit March 24, 1820, and reached Michilimackinac, June 6. On leaving this place June 14, 22 soldiers, under the command of Lieut. John S. Pierce, were added to the party, and the expedition now numbered 64 persons. They reached the Sault Ste. Marie the 16th, where Gen. Cass called the Indians (Chippewas) together, in order to have a definite understanding with them concerning the boundary lines of the land grants, and thereby renew also their sanction of former treaties. At first the Indians protested against the Americans having any garrison at the place, and some of them grew violent and almost precipitated a general fight, which would have been disastrous to Gen. Cass' party, as the Indians were far more numerous; but Cass exhibited a great degree of coolness and courage, and caused more deliberate counsels to prevail among the savages. Thus the threatened storml blew over. The next day the expedition resumed their journey, on Lake Superior, passing the pictured rocks," and landing at one place where there was a band of friendly Chippewas. June 25 they left Lake Superior, ascended Portage river and returned home by way of Lake Michigan, after having traveled over 4,000 miles. The results of the expedition were: a more thorough knowledge of a vast region and of the numbers and disposition of the various tribes of Indians; several important Indian treaties, by which valuable lands were ceded to the United States; a knowledge of the operations of the Northwest Fur Company; and the selection of sites for a line of military posts. As the greatest want of the people seemed to be roads, Congress was appealed to for assistance, and not in vain; for that body immediately provided for the opening of roads between Detroit and the Miami river, from Detroit to Chicago, and from Detroit to Fort Gratiot, and for the improvement of La Plaisance Bay. Government surveys were carried into the Territory. Two straight lines were drawn through the center of the Territory,-east and west, and north and south, the latter being denominated the principal meridian and the former the base line. The Territory was also divided into townships of six miles square. In 1821 there was still a tract of land lying south of Grand river which had not yet been added to the United States, and Gov. Cass deemed it necessary to negotiate with the Indians for it. To accomplish this work he had to visit Chicago; and as a matter of curiosity we will inform the reader of his most feasible route to that place, which he can contrast with that of the present day. Leaving Detroit, he descended to the mouth of the Maumee river; he ascended that river and crossed the intervening country to the Wabash; descended that stream to the Ohio; down the latter to the Mississippi, and up this and the Illinois rivers to Chicago! At this council the American commissioners were Gen. Cass and Judge Sibley, of Detroit. They were successful in their undertaking, and obtained a cession of the land in question. On this occasion the Indians exhibited in a remarkable manner their 72 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. appetite for whisky. As a preliminary step to the negotiations, the commissioners ordered that no spirits should be given to the Indians. The chief of the latter was a man about a hundred years old, but still of a good constitution. The commissioners urged every consideration to convince him and the other Indians of the propriety of the course they had adopted, but in vain. '" Father," said the old chieftain, "' we do not care for the land, nor the money, nor the goods: what we want is whisky; give us whisky." But the commissioners were inexorable, and the Indians were forced to content themselves. This year (1821) also two Indians were hung for murder. There was some fear that the event would be made by the British an occasion of arousing Indian atrocities in the vicinity, and the petition for the pardon of the wretches was considered by Gov. Cass with a great deal of embarrassment. He finally concluded to let the law take its course, and accordingly, Dec. 25, the murderers were hung. In 1822 six new counties were created, namely, Lapeer, Sanilac, Saginaw, Shiawassee, Washtenaw and Lenawee; and they contained much more territory then they do at the present day. This year the first stage line was established in the Territory, connecting the county seat of Macomb county with the steamer " Walk-in-theWater" at Detroit. In 1823 Congress changed the form of Territorial government, abrogating the legislative power of the governor and judges and establishing a "Legislative Council," to consist of nine members, appointed by the President of the United States out of 18 candidates elected by the people. By the same act the term of judicial office was limited to four years, and eligibility to office was made to require the same qualifications as the right to suffrage. The people now took new interest in their government, and felt encouraged to lay deeper the foundations of future prosperity. The first legislative council under the new regime met at Detroit June 7, 1824, when Gov. Cass delivered his message, reviewing the progress of the Territory, calling attention to the needs of popular education and recommending a policy of governmental administration. During this year he also called the attention of the general Government to the mineral resources of the Superior region, and asked for governmental explorations therein. At its second session after this, Congfress authorized a commission to treat with the Indians of the upper peninsula for permission to explore that country. In 1825 the Erie canal was completed from the Hudson river to Buffalo, N. Y., and the effect was to increase materially the flow of people and wealth into the young Territory of Michigan. The citizens of the East began to learn the truth concerning the agricultural value of this peninsula, and those in search of good and permanent homes came to see for themselves, and afterward came with their friends or families to remain as industrious residents, to develop a powerful State. The number in the Territorial council EASTERN ASYLUM FOR THE INSANEI AT PONTIAC 74 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. was increased to 13, to be chosen by the President from 26 persons elected by the people. In 1827 an act was passed authorizing the electors to choose their electors directly, without the further sanction of either the President or Congress. The power of enacting laws was given to the council, subject, however, to the approval of Congress and the veto of the Governor. This form of Territorial government remained in force until Michigan was organized as a State in 1837. William Woodbridge was Secretary of the Territory during the administration of Gov.. Cass, and deserves great credit for the ability with which he performed the duties of his office. In the absence of the chief executive he was acting governor, and a portion of the time he represented the Territory as a delegate to Congress. In 1828 he was succeeded by James Witherell, and in two years by Gen. John T. Mason. In 1831 Gen. Cass was appointed Secretary of War in the cabinet of President Jackson, after having served Michigan as its chief executive for 18 years. He had been appointed six times, running through the presidency of Madison, Monroe and John Q. Adams, without any opposing candidate or a single vote against him in the senate. He faithfully discharged his duties as Indian commissioner and concluded 19 treaties with the Indians, acquiring large cessions of territory in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. He was a practical patriot of whom the people of the peninsular State justly feel proud. Probably more than any other man, Gen. Cass was the father of Michigan. GEN. GEO. B. PORTER' S ADMINISTRATION. On the promotion of Gen. Cass to a seat in the cabinet of President Jackson and his consequent resignation as Governor of Michigan, Gen. Geo. B. Porter was appointed Governor in July, 1831, and Sept. 22 following he entered upon the duties of the office. The population of the Territory at this time was about 35,000, prosperity was reigning all around and peace everywhere prevailed, except that in 1832 the Black Hawk war took place in Illinois, but did not affect this peninsula. In this war, however, Gov. Porter co-operated with other States in furnishing militia. While Gov. Porter was the chief executive, Wisconsin was detached from Michigan and erected into a separate Territory; many new townships were organized and wagon roads opened and improved; land began to rise rapidly in value, and speculators multiplied. The council provided for the establishment and regulation of common schools,incorporated "The Lake Michigan Steamboat Company," with a capital of $40,000; and incorporated the first railroad company in Michigan, the "Detroit & St. Joseph Railroad Company," since called the " Michigan Central." The original corporators were, John Biddle, John R. Williams, Charles Lamed, E. P. Hastings, Oliver Newberry, De Garnlo James, James Abbott, John Gilbert, Abel Millington, Job Gorton, John Allen, HISTORY OF MICIIIGAN. 75 Anson Brown, Samuel W. Dexter, W. E. Perrine, Win. A. Thompson, Isaac Crary. 0. W. Golden, Caleb Eldred, Cyrus Lovell, Calvin Brittain and Talman Wheeler. The act of incorporation required that the road should be completed within 30 years; this condition was complied with in less than one-third of that time. The samne council also incorporated the "Bank of the River Raisin," with a branch at Pontiac. Previous to this two other banks had been chartered, namely: the " Bank of Michigan," in 1817, with a branch at Bronson, and the " Farmers'.and Mechanics' Bank of Michigan," with a branch at St. Joseph. The Legislative Council of 1834 also authorized a vote of the residents to be taken on the question of organizing as a State and becoming a member of the Union; but the vote was so light and the majority so small that Congress neglected to consider the matter seriously until two years afterward. During Porter's administration a change was made in the method of disposing of the public lands, greatly to the benefit of the actual settlers. Prior to 1820 the Government price of land was $2 an acre, one-fourth to be paid down and the remainder in three annual installments; and the land was subject to forfeiture if these payments were not promptly made. This systen having been found productive of many serious evils, the price of land was put at $1.25 an acre, all to be paid at the time of purchase. This change saved a deal of trouble. During the administration of Gov. Porter occurred the "Black Hawk" war, mainly in Illinois, in 1832, which did not affect Michigan to any appreciable extent, except to raise sundry fears by the usual alarms accompanying war gossip. A few volunteers probably went to the scene of action from this Territory, but if any systematic account was ever kept of this service, we fail to find it. In October, 1831, Edwin Jerome left Detroit with a surveying party composed of John Mullet, surveyor, and Utter, Brink and Peck, for that portion of Michigan Territory lying west of Lake Michigan, now Wisconsin. Their outfit consisted of a French pony team and a buffalo wagon to carry tent, camp equipage, blankets, etc. Most of the way to the southeast corner of Lake Michigan they followed a wagon track or an Indian trail, and a cabin or an Indian hut to lodge in at night; but west of the point mentioned they found neither road nor inhabitant. They arrived at Chicago in a terrible rain and " put-up" at the fort. This farfamed city at that time had but five or six houses, and they were built of logs. Within a distance of three or four miles of the fort the land was valued by its owners at 50 cents an acre. After 23 days' weary travel through an uninhabited country, fording and swimming streams and exposed to much rainy weather, they arrived at Galena, where they commenced their survey, but in two days the ground froze so deep that further work was abandoned until the next spring. The day after the memorable Stillman battle with Black Hawk, while the Mullet party were crossing the 76 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. Blue mounds, they met an IndiAn half-chief, who had just arrived from the Menominee camps with the details of the battle. He stated the slain to be three Indians and 11 whites. The long shak. ing of hands and the extreme cordiality of this Indian alarmed Mullet for the safety of his party, but he locked the secret in his own heart until the next day. They had just completed a town corner when Mullet, raising himself to his full height, said, '" Boys, I'm going in; I'll not risk my scalp for a few paltry shillings." This laconic speech was an electric shock to the whole company. Mr. Jerome, in describing his own sensations, said that the hair of his head then became as porcupine quills, raising his hat in the air and himself from the ground; and the top of his head became as sore as a boil. July 6, 1834, Gov. Porter died, and the administration devolved upon the secretary of the Territory, Stevens T. Mason, during whose time occurred THIE " TOLEDO WAR." This difficulty was inaugurated by a conflict of the acts of Congress from time to time, made either carelessly or in ignorance of the geography of the West and of the language of former public acts. Michigan claimed as her southern boundary a line running from the extreme southern point of Lake Michigan directly east to Lake Erie, which would include Toledo, an important point, as it was tle principal terminus of the proposed Wabash & Erie canal. This claim was made by virtue of clauses in the ordinance of 1787. Ohio, on the other hand, claimed that the ordinance had been superseded by the Constitution of the United States, and that Congress had the right to regulate the boundary; also, that the constitution of that State, which had been accepted by Congress, described a line different from that claimed by Michigan. Mr. Woodbridge, the delegate from Michigan, ably opposed in Congress the claim of Ohio, and the committee on public lands decided unanimously in favor of this State; but in the hurry of business no action was taken by Congress and the question remained open. The claim of Michigan was based principally upon the following points: The ordinance of 1787 declares the acts therein contained " articles of compact between the original States and the people and States in said Territory (northwest of the river Ohio), and forever to remain unalterable, unless by common consent." This ordinance defines the Territory to include all that region lying north and northwest of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi rivers. In the fifth article it is provided that there shall be formed not less than three nor more than five States within its limits. The boundaries of the three States are defined so as to include the whole Territory; conditioned, however, that if it should be found expedient by Congress to form the one or two more States rmentioned, Congress is authorized to alter boundaries of the three States " so as HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 77 to form one or two States in that part of the said Territory which lies north of the east and west line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan." In 1802 Congress enabled the people of Ohio to form a constitution, and in that act the boundary of that State is declared to be " on the north by an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, running east, after intersecting the due north line aforesaid from the mouth of the Great Miami, until it shall intersect Lake Erie, or theTerritorial line, and thence with the same through Lake Erie to the Pennsylvania line." The constitution of Ohio adopted the same line, with this condition: "Provided always, and it is hereby fully understood and declared by this convention, that if the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan should extend so far south that a line drawn due east from it should not intersect Lake Erie; or, if it should intersect Lake Erie east of the mouth of the Miami river, then in that case, with the assent of Congress, the northern boundary of this State shall be established by and extend to a direct line running from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan to the most northerly cape of the Miami bay, after intersecting the due north line from the mouth of the Great Miami, as aforesaid, thence northeast of the Territorial line, and by said Territorial line to the Pennsylvania line." Congress did not act upon this proviso until 1805, and during this interval it seems that Ohio herself did not regard it as a part of her accepted constitution. Again, this section of the act of 1802 provides that all that part of the Territory lying north of this east and west line " shall be attached to and make a part of the Indiana Territory." Still again, the act of 1805,.entitled "an act to divide the Indiana Territory into separate governments," erects Michigan to a separate Territory, and defines the southern boundary to be "a line drawn east from the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan until it intersects Lake Erie." The strip of territory in dispute is about five miles wide at the west end and eight'miles at the east end. The line claimed by Michigan was known as the " Fulton line," and that claimed by Ohio was known as the " Harris line," from the names of the surveyors. This territory was valuable for its rich farming land, but its chief value was deemed to consist at that time in its harbor on the Maumee river, where now stands the city of Toledo, and which was the eastern terminus of the proposed Wabash & Erie canal. This place was originally called Swan creek, afterward Port Lawrence, then Vistula and finally Toledo. The early settlers generally acknowledged their allegiance to Michigan; but when the canal became a possibility, and its termination at Toledo being dependent upon the contingency whether or not it was in Ohio, many of the inhabitants became desirous of being included within the latter State. Then disputes grew more violent and the Legislatures of the 78 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. respective commonwealths led off in the fight. In February, 1835, the Legislature of Ohio passed an act extending the jurisdiction of the State over the territory in question, directed local elections to be held and a re-survey to be made of the Harris line. Per contra, Gov. Mason urged the Legislative Council of Michigan to take active measures to counteract the proceedings of the Ohio Legislature; and accordingly that body passed an act making it a criminal offense for any one to attempt to exercise any official functions within the jurisdiction of Michigan without authority from the Territory or the general Government. March 9, 1835, Gov. Mason ordered Gen. Brown to hold the Michigan militia in readiness to meet the enemy in the field in case an attempt was made by the agents of Ohio to carry out the provisions of the Legislature of that State. On the 31st Gov. Lucas, of Ohio, arrived at Perrysburg with his commissioners, on his way to re-survey the Harris line. He was accompanied by a militia of about 600 men. In thb meantime Gov. Mason mustered about 1,200 men, with Gen. Brown commanding, and was in possession of Toledo. In a few days two commissioners arrived from Washington on a mission of peace, and remonstrated with Gov. Lucas. After several conferences with the two Governors they submitted propositions of a temporary nature, virtually giving the disputed territory to Ohio until the following session of Congress, to which Gov. Lucas assented, but Gov. Mason did not. President Jackson asked the opinion of the attorney general, Mr. Butler, who replied in favor of Michigan; notwithstanding, Gov. Lucas proceeded to order his men to commence the survey, but as they were passing through Lenawee county the under-sheriff there arrested a portion of the party, while the rest ran away like Indians, and spread an exaggerated report of actual war. This being corrected by an amusing official report of the under-sheriff, Gov. Lucas called an extra session of the Ohio Legislature, which passed an act "to prevent the forcible abduction of the citizens of Ohio!" It also adopted measures to organize the county of " Lucas," with Toledo as the county-seat, and to carry into effect the laws of the State over the disputed territory. In the meantime the Michigan people in and about Toledo busied themselves in arresting Ohio emissaries who undertook to force the laws of their State upon Michigan Territory, while Ohio partisans feebly attempted to retaliate. An amusing instance is related of the arrest of one Major Stickney. He and his whole family fought valiantly, but were at length overcome by numbers. The Major had to be tied on a horse before he would ride with the Michigan posse to jail. An attempt was then made to arrest a son of the M;jor called "Two Stickney," when a serious struggle followed and the officer was stabbed with a knife. The blood flowed pretty freely, but the wound did not prove dangerous. This was probably the only blood shed during the " war." The officer let go his hold and Stickney fled to Ohio. He was indicted by the grand jury of Monroe county, and a requisition was made on the Governor of Ohio HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 79 for his rendition, but the Governor refused to give him up. An account of this affair reaching the ears of the President, he recommended that Gov. Mason interpose no obstacle to the re-survey of the Harris line; but the Governor refusing to abide by the " recommendation," the President superseded him by the appointment of Charles Shaler, of Pennsylvania, as his successor. He also advised Gov. Lucas to refrain from exercising any jurisdiction over the disputed territory until Congress should convene and act upon the matter. This was humiliating to that Governor, and he resolved to assert the dignity of his State in Toledo in some manner. He hit upon the plan of ordering a session of court to be held there, with a regiment of militia for the protection of the judges. Accordingly the judges met on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 6, at Maumee, a few miles from Toledo. Some time during the evening a scout sent out by the colonel returned from Toledo and reported that 1,200 men, under command of Gen. Brown, were in Toledo ready *to demolish court, soldiers and all; but this report turned out to be false. During the scare, however, the judges hesitated to proceed to Toledo, and the colonel of the regiment upbraided them for their cowardice,,and proposed to escort them with his militia during the dead of night to a certain school-house in Toledo, where they might go through the form of holding court a few minutes in safety. About three o'clock Monday morning they arrived at the designated place and " held court" about two minutes and then fled for dear life back to Maumee! Thus was the '" honor and dignity " of the great State of Ohio " vindicated over all her enemies 1" ADMINISTRATION OF GOV. HORNER. It appears that Mr. Shaler did not accept the governorship of Michigan, and John S. Horner, of Virginia, was soon afterward appointed secretary and Acting Governor. He proved to be rather unpopular with the people of Michigan, and the following May he was appointed secretary of Wisconsin Territory. He carried on a lengthy correspondence with Gov. Lucas, which resulted in a discontinuance of all the suits that had grown out of the Toledo war except the demand for Two Stickney. Gov. Lucas persisted in refusing to deliver him up; but it seems that finally no serious trouble came of the affair. The first Monday in October, 1835, the people of Michigan ratified the constitution and by the same vote elected a full set of State officers. Stevens T. Mason was elected Governor, Edward Mundy, Lieutenant-Governor, and Isaac E. Crary, Represenative in Congress. The first Legislature under the constitution was held at Detroit, the capital, on the first Monday in November, and John Norvell and Lucius Lyon were elected U. S. Senators. A regular election was also held underthe Territorial law for delegate to Congress, and Geo. W. Jones, of Wisconsin, received the certificate of election, although it is said that Wm. Woodbridge received the high 80 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. est number of votes. John S. Horner, the Territorial Governor, was still in office here, and this singular mixture of Territorial and State government continued until the following June, when Congress formally admitted Michigan into the Union as a State and Horner was sent to Wisconsin, as before noted. This act of Congress conditioned that the celebrated strip of territory over which the quarrel had been so violent and protracted, should be given to Ohio, and that Michigan might have as a compensation the upper peninsula. That section of country was then known only as a barren waste, containing some copper, no one knew how much. Of course this decision by Congress was unsatisfactory to the people of this State. This was the third excision of territory from Michigan, other clippings having been made in 1802 and 1816. In the former year more than a thousand square miles was given to Ohio, and in the latter year nearly 1,200 square miles was given to Indiana. Accordingly, Gov. Mason convened the Legislature July 11, 1836, to act on the proposition of Congress. The vote stood 21 for acceptance and 28 for rejection. Three delegates were appointed to repair to Washington, to co-operate with the representatives there for the general interest of the State: but before Congress was brought to final action on the matter, other conventions were held in the State to hasten a decision. An informal one held at Ann Arbor Dec. 14 unanimously decided to accept the proposition of Congress and let the disputed strip of territory go to Ohio, and thereupon Jan. 26, 1837, Michigan was admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States. MICHIGAN AS A STATE. A State! This word contains avast amount of meaning. Before a community becomes a State, there is comparatively a dead level of homogeneity, the history of which consists simply of a record of independent or disconnected events, as Indian wars, migration, etc.; but when a people so far advance in civilization that they must organize, like the plant and animal kingdoms, they must assume ' organs," having functions; and the more civilized and dense the population, the more numerous and complicated these organs must become,-to use the language of modern biology, the more the organism must differentiate. Correspondingly, the history of Michigan, up to its organization as a State, like that of all our Territories, is almost a disconnected series of events; but on assuming the character of a State, its organs and functions multiply, becoming all the while more and more dependent upon one another. To follow up the history of the State, therefore, with the same proportional fullness as we do its Territorial epoch, would swell the work toscores or hundreds of volumes; for the compiler would be obliged to devote at first a volume to one feature, say the educational, and then soon divide his subject into the various departments of the educational work of td 0o 0 I 0 y-.1 0Il ~4 Sd 82 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. the State, devoting a volume to each, and then subdivide, taking each local institution by itself, and subdivide still farther, and so on ad infinitum, devoting a volume to each movement in the career of every institution. As it is therefore impracticable to preserve the proportion of history to the end, the writer is obliged to generalize more and more as he approaches the termination of any selected epoch in the progress of a growing organism. Accordingly, from this point onward in the history of Michigan, we will treat the subject matter mainly by topics, commencing with an outline of the several gubernatorial administrations. THE ADMINISTRATIONS. Stevens T. Mason was the first Governor of this State, having been elected (Governor of the State prospectively) in 1835, as before noted, and he held the office until January, 1840. This State, at the time of its admission into the Union, had a population of about 200,000; its area was about 40,000 square miles, which was divided into 36 counties. Nearly the first act passed by the Legislature was one for the organization and support of common schools. Congress had already set apart one section of land in every township for this purpose, and the new State properly appreciated the boon. In March of the same year (1837) another act was passed establishing the University of Michigan, of which institution we speak more fully on subsequent pages. This Legislature also appropriated $20,000 for a geological survey, and appointed Dr. Douglass Houghton State geologist. For the encouragement of internal improvements, a board of seven commissioners was appointed, of which the Governor was made president. This board authorized several surveys for railroads. Three routes were surveyed through the State, which eventually became, respectively, the Michigan Central, the Michigan Southern, and the Detroit & Milwaukee. The latter road, however, was originally intended to have Port Huron for its eastern terminus. The next year appropriations were made for the survey of the St. Joseph, Kalamazoo and Grand rivers, for the purpose of improving the navigation. In 1839 the militia of the State was organized, and eight divisions, with two brioades of two regiments each, were provided for. This year, also, the State prison at Jackson was completed. Nearly 30,000 pupils attended the common schools this year, and for school purposes over $18, 000 was appropriated. Agriculturally, the State yielded that year 21,944 bushels of rye, 1,116,910 of oats, 6,422 of buckwheat, 43,826 pounds of flax, 524 of hemp, 89,610 head of cattle,14,059 head of horses, 22,684 head of sheep and 109,096 of swine. Gov. William Woodbridge was the chief executive from January, 1840, to February, 1841, when he resigned to accept a seat in the HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 83 U. S. Senate. J. Wright Gordon was'Lieut.-Governor, and became Acting Governor on the resignation of Gov.Woodbridge. Durinig the administration of these men, therailroad from Detroit to Ann Arbor, a distance of 40 miles, was completed; branches of the University were established at Detroit, Pontiac, Monroe, Niles, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Jackson, White Pigeon and Tecumnseh. The material growth of the State continued to increase, proportionally more rapidly than even the population, which now amounted to about 212,000. John S. Barry succeeded Gov. Gordon in the executive chair, serving from 1841 to 1845. In 1842 the university was opened for the reception of students, and the number of pupils attending the common schools was officially reported to be nearly 58,000. In 1843 a land office was established at Marshall, for the whole State. In 1844 the taxable property of the State was found to be in value $28,554,282, the tax being at the rate of two mills on the dollar. The expenses of the State were only $70,000, while the income from tile two railroads was nearly $300,000. In 1845 the number of inhabitants in the State had increased to more than 300,000. Alpheus Felch served as Governor from 1845 to 1847. During his titme the two railroads belonging to the State were sold to private corporations,-the Central for $2,000,000, and the Soutllhern for $500,000. The exports of the State amounted in 1846 to $4,647,608. Tihe total capacity of vessels enrolled in the collection district at Detroit was 26,928 tons, the steam vessels having 8,400 and the sailing vessels 18,528 tons, the whole giving employment to 18,000 seamen. In 1847 there were 39'counties in the State, containilng 435 townships; and 9,75 of these townships were supplied with good libraries, containing in the aggregate 37,000 volumes. In the spring of 1846, on the account of northern and eastern immigrition into Texas, with tastes and habits different froin the native Mexicans, a war was precipitated between the United States and Mexico; and for the prosecution of this war Michigan furnished a regiment of volunteers, commanded by Thomas W. Stockton, and one independent company, incurring a total expense of about $10,500. March 3, 1847, Gov. Felch resigned to accept a seat in the U. S. Senate, when the duties of his office devolved upon Win. L. Greenly, under whose administration the Mexican war was closed. There are few records extant of the action of Michigan troops in the Mexican war. That many went there and fought well are points conceded; but their names and country of nativity are hidden away in U. S. archives where it is almost impossible to find them. The soldiers of this State deserve much of the credit of the memorable achievements of Co. K, 3d Dragoons, and Cos. A, E, and G of the U. S. Inf. The two former of these companies, re 84 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. cruited in this State, were reduced to one-third their original number. In May, 1846, our Governor was notified by the War Department of the United States to enroll a regiment of volunteers, to be held in readiness for service whenever demanded. At his summons 13 independent volunteer companies, 11 of infantry and two of cavalry, at once fell into line. Of the infantry four companies were from Detroit, bearing the honored names of Montgomery, Lafayette, Scott and Brady upon their banners. Of the remainder Monroe tendered two, Lenawee county three, St. Clair, Berrien and Hillsdale each one, and Wayne county an additional company. Of these alone the veteran Bradys were accepted and ordered into service. In addition to them 10 companies, making the First Regiment of Michigan Volunteers, springing from various parts of the State, but embodying to a great degree the material of which the first volunteers was formed, were not called for until October following. This regiment was soon in readiness and proceeded to the seat of war. Epaphroditus Ransom was Governor from 1847 to November, 1849. During his administration the Asylum for the Insane was established at Kalamazoo, and also the Institute for the Blind, and the Deaf and Dumb, at Flint. Both these institutions were liberally endowed with lands, and each entrusted to a board of five trustees. March 31, 1848, the first telegraph line was completed from New York to Detroit. John S. Barry, elected Governor of Michigan for the third time, succeeded Gov. Ransom, and his term expired in November, 1851. While he was serving this term a Normal school was established at Ypsilanti, which was endowed with lands, placed in charge of a Board of Education, consisting of six persons; a new State constitution was adopted, and the great " railroad conspiracy " case was tried. This originated in a number of lawless depredations upon the property of the Michigan Central Railroad Company, terminating with the burning of their depot at Detroit in 1850. The next year 37 men were brought to trial, and 12 of them were convicted. The prosecution was conducted by Alex. D. Fraser, of Detroit, and the conspirators were defended by Win. I. Seward, of New York. Judge Warner Wing presided. Robert McClelland followed Barry as Governor, serving until March, 1853, when he resigned to accept the position of Secretary of the Interior, in the cabinet of President Pierce. Lieut.-Gov. Andrew Parsons consequently became Acting Governor, his term expiring in November, 1854. In the spring of 1854, during the administration of Acting Gov. Parsons, the "Republican party," at least as a State organization, was first formed in the United States " under the oaks " at Jackson, by anti-slavery men of both the old parties. Great excitement prevailed at this time, occasioned by the settling of Kansas and' the issue thereby brought up whether slavery should exist there. HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 85 For the purpose of permitting slavery there, the "3 Missouri compromise " (which limited slavery to the south of 36~ 30') was repealed, under the lead of Stephen A. Douglas.' This was repealed by a bill admitting Kansas and Nebraska into the Union as Territories, and those who were opposed to this repeal measure were in short called "anti-Nebraska" men. The epithets "Nebraska" and "anti-Nebraska" were temporarily employed to designate the slavery and anti-slavery parties, pending the dissolution of the old Democratic and Whig parties and the organization of the new Democratic and Republican parties. At the next State election Kirsley S. Bingham was elected by the Republicans Governor of Michigan, and this State has ever since then been under Republican control, the State officers of that party being elected by majorities ranging from 5,000 to 55,000. And the people of this State generally, and the Republicans in particular, claim that this commonwealth has been as well taken care of since 1855 as any State in the union, if not better, while preceding 1855 the Democrats administered the government as well as any other State, if not better. As a single though signal proof of the high standard of Michigan among her sister States, we may mention that while the taxes in the New England States, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania average $10.09 per capita, while in Massachusetts the average is $17.10 per inhabitant, and while in the West the average is $6.50, in Michigan it is only $4.57. At the same time it is generally believed even by the citizens of sister States, that Michigan is the best governed commonwealth in the Union. Iinsley S. Bingham was Governor from 1854 to 1858. The most notable event during his administration was the completion of the ship canal at the falls of St. Mary,,May 26, 1855. An act of Congress was approved, granting to the State of Michigan 750,000 acres of land for the purpose of constructing this canal. The "sault," or rapids, of the St. Mary, have a fall of 17 feet in one mile. The canal is one mile long, 100 feet wide and about 12 feet deep. It has two locks of solid masonry. The work was commenced in 1853 and finished in May, 1855, at a cost of $999,802. This is one of the most important internal improvements ever made in the State. Moses Wisner was the next Governor of Michigan, serving from 1858 to November, 1860, at which time Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States. National themes began to grow exciting, and Michigan affairs were almost lost in the warring elements of strife that convulsed the nation from center to circumference with a life-and-death struggle. Austin Blair was the 13th Governor of Michigan, serving during the perilous times of rebellion from 1861 to 1865, and by his patriotic and faithful execution of law and prompt aid of the general Government, earning the well deserved title of " the War Gov 86 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. ernor." The particulars of the history of this State in connection with that war we will reserve for the next section. Henry H. Orapo succeeded Gov. Blair, serving one term. He was elected during the dark hours just before the close of the war, when he found the political sky overcast with the most ominous clouds of death and debt. The bonded debt of the State was $3,541,149.80, with a balance in the treasury of $440,047.29. In tile single year just closed the State had expended $823,216.75, and by the close of the first year of his term this indebtedness had increased more than $400,000 more. But the wise administration of this Governor began materially to reduce the debt and at the same time fill the treasury. The great war closed during the April after his election, and he faithfully carried out the line of policy inaugurated by his predecessor. The other prominent events during his time of office are systematically interwoven with the history of the various institutions of the State, and they will be found under heads in their respective places. Henry P. Baldwin was Governor two terms, namely, from January, 1868, to the close of 1872. The period of his administration was a prosperous one for the State. In 1869 the taxable valuation of real and personal property in the State amounted to $400,000,000, and in 1871 it exceeded $630,000,000. During Gov. Baldwin's time a step was taken to alter the State constitution so as to enable counties, townships, cities and incorpo-.rated villages, in their corporate capacity, to aid in the construction of railroads. Bonds had been issued all over the State by these municipalities in aid of railroads, under laws which had been enacted by the Legislature at five different sessions, but a case coming before the Supreme Court involving the constitutionality of these laws, the Ben3h decided that the laws were unconstitutional, and thus the railroads were left to the mercy of "soul-less" corporations. Gov. Baldwin, in this emergency, called an extra session of tlie Legislature, which submitted the desired constitutional amendment to the people; but it was by them defeated in November, 1870. The ninth census having been officially publisled, it became the duty of the States in 1872 to make a re-apportionment of districts for the purpose of representation in Congress. Since 1863 Michigan had had six representatives, but the census of 1870 entitled it to nine. During the last two years of Gov. Baldwin's administration the preliminary measures for building a new State capitol engrossed much of his attention. His wise counsels concerning this muchneeded new building were generally adopted by the Legislature, which was convenedin extra session in March, 1872. Ample provision having been made for the payment of the funded debt of the State by setting apart some of the trust-fund receipts, and such portion of the specific taxes as were not required for the payment of interest on the public debt, the one-eighth mill tax for the sinking fund was abolished in 1870. HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 87 The fall of 1871 is noted for the many destructive conflagrations in the Northwest, including the great Chicago fire. Several villages in this State were either wholly or partially consumed, and much property was burned up nearly all over the country. This was due to the excessive dryness of the season. In this State alone nearly 3,000 families, or about 18,000 persons, were rendered houseless and deprived of the necessaries of life. Relief committees were organized at Detroit, Grand Rapids and elsewhere, and in a short time $462,106 in money and about $250,000 worth of clothing were forwarded to the sufferers. Indeed, so generous were the people that they would have given more than was necessary had they not been informed by the Governor in a proclamation that a sufficiency had been raised. The dedication of the soldiers' and sailors' monument at Detroit, April 9, 1872, was a notable event in Gov. Baldwin's time. This grand structure was designed by Randolph Rogers,formerly of Michigan, and one of the most eminent of American sculptors now living. The money to defray the expenses of this undertaking was raised by subscription, and persons in all parts of the State were most liberal in their contributions. The business was managed by an association incorporated in 1868. The monument is 46 feet high, 'and is surmounted by a colossal statue of Michigan in bronze, 10 feet in height. She is represented as a semi-civilized Indian queen, with a sword in her right hand and a shield in her left. The dedicatory lines in front are: "Erected by the people of Michigan, in honor of the martyrs who fell and the heroes who fought in defense of liberty and union." On the monument are many beautiful designs. At the unveiling there was a large concourse of people from all parts of the State, and the address was delivered by ex-Governor Blair. John J. Bagley succeeded to the governorship Jan. 1, 1873, and served two terms. During his administration the new capitol was principally built, which is a larger and better structure for the money than perhaps any other public building in the United States. Under Gov. Bagley's counsel and administration the State prospered in all its departments. The Legislature of 1873 made it the duty of the Governor to appoint a commission to revise the State constitution, which duty he performed to the satisfaction of all parties, and the commission made thorough work in revising the fundamental laws of this commonwealth. Charles M. Croswell was next the chief executive of this State, exercising the functions of the office for two successive terms, 1877-'81. During his administration the public debt was greatly reduced, a policy adopted requiring State institutions to keep within the limit of appropriations, laws enacted to provide more effectually for the punishment of corruption and bribery in elections, the State House of Correction at Ionia and the Eastern Asylum for the Insane at Pontiac were opened, and the now capitol at Lansing was completed and occupied. The first act of his 88 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. second term was to preside at the dedication of this building. The great riot of 1877 centered at Jackson. During those two or three fearful days (Gov. Croswell was in his office at Lansing, in correspondence with members of the military department in different parts of the State, and within 48 hours from the moment when the danger became imminent the rioters found themselves surrounded by a military force ready with ball and cartridge for their annihilation. Were it not for this promptness of the Governor there would probably have been a great destruction of property, if not also of life. At this date (February, 1881), Hon. David H. Jerome has just assumed the duties of the executive chair, while all the machinery of the Government is in good running order and the people generally are prosperous. WAR OF THE REBELLION. As soon as the President called for troops to suppress the Rebellion in April, 1861, the loyal people of the Peninsular State promptly responded and furnished the quota assigned. Austin Blair, a man peculiarly fitted for the place during the emergency, was Governor, and John Robertson, Adjutant General. The people of Michigan have ever since been proud of the record of these two men during the war, but this does not exclude the honor due all the humble soldiery who obediently exposed their lives in defense of the common country. Michigan has her full share of the buried dead in obscure and forgotten places all over the South as well as in decent cemeteries throughout the North. It was Michigan men that captured Jeff. Davis, namely: the 4th Cavalry, under Col. B. F. Pritchard; and it was Michigan men that materially aided in the successful capture of Wilkes Booth, the assassin of the martyred Lincoln. The census of this State for 1860 showed a population of 751,110. The number of able-bodied men capable of military service was estimated in official documents of that date at 110,000. At the same time the financial embarrassment of the State was somewhat serious, and the annual tax of $226,250 was deemed a grievous burden. But such was the patriotism of the people that by Dec. 23, 1862, an aggregate of 45,569 had gone to battle, besides 1,400 who had gone into other States and recruited. By the end of the war Michigan had sent to the front 90,747, or more than four-fifths the estimated number of able-bodied men at the beginning! PUBLIC-SCHOOL SYSTEM. Michigan has as good a public-school system as can be found anywhere in the Union. Ever since 1785 the acts of Congress, as well as the acts of this State since its organization, have encouraged popular education by land grants and liberal appropriations of HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 89 money. The 16th section of each township was early placed in the custody of the State for comnmon-school purposes, and all the proceeds of the sale of school lands go into the perpetual fund. In 1842 the superintendent of public instruction reported a discrepancy of over $2A,000 in the funds, owing to imperfect records, probably, rather than dishonesty of officials. Sept. 30, 1878, the primary-s6hool fund amounted to $2,890,090.73, and the swampland school fund to $361,237.20. k The qualification of teachers and the supervision of schools were for many years in the hands of a board of three inspectors, then the county superintendency system was adopted for many years, and since 1875 the township system has been in vogue. The township Board of School Inspectors now consists of the township clerk, one elected inspector and a township superintendent of schools. The latter officer licenses the teachers and visits the schools. In 1877 the school children (5 to 20 years of age) numbered 469,504; the average number of months of school, 7.4; number of graded schools, 295; number of school-houses, 6,078, valued at $9,190,175; amount of two-mill tax, $492,646.94; district taxes, $2,217,961; total resources for the year, $3,792,129.59; total expenditures, $3,179,976.06. STATE UNIVERSITY. By an act of Congress in 1804, a township of land was to be reserved in the territory now constituting the lower peninsula " for the use of seminaries of learning;" but the most of this reservation in 1841 went to a Catholic institution at Detroit. In 1824, through the exertions of Austin E. Wing, delegate to Congress, Gov. Woodbridge and others, a second township was granted, with permission to select the sections in detached localities, and about this time Judge Woodward devised that novel and extensive scheme for the "catholepistemiad," elsewhere referred to in this volume. In 1837 the Legislature established the University at Ann Arbor, and *appropriated the 72 sections to its benefit; 916 acres of this land were located in what is now the richest part of Toledo, O., from which the University finally realized less than $18,000! But the State in subsequent years made many liberal appropriations to this favorite institution, until it has become the greatest seat of learning west of New England, if not in all America. It is a part of the public-school system of the State, as tuition is free, and pupils graduating at the high schools are permitted to enter the freshman class of the collegiate department. It now has an average attendance of 1,200 to 1,400 students, 450 of whom are in the college proper. In 1879 there were 406 in the law department, 329 in the medical, 71 in pharmacy, 62 in dental surgery and 63 in the homeoathic department. There are over 50 professors and teachers. he University is under the control of eight regents, elected by the 90 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. people, two every second year. Rev. Henry B. Tappan, D. D., was president from 1852 to 1863, then Erastus O. Haven, D. D., LL. D., to 1869, then Prof. H. S. Frieze (acting) until 1871, since which time the reins have been held by Hon. James B. Angell, LL. D. The value of the buildings and grounds was estimated in 1879 at $319,000, and the personal property at $250,000. STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. John D. Pierce, the first superintendent of public instruction, in his first report to the Legislature, urged the importance of a normal school. Ill this enterprise he was followed by his successors in office until 1849, when Ira Mayhew was State Superintendent, and the Legislature appropriated 72 sections of land for the purpose and among the points competing for the location of the school, Ypsilanti won, and in that place the institution was permanently located. The building was completed and dedicated with appropriate ceremonies Oct. 5, 852; next year the Legislature appropriated $7,000 in money, for expenses. Prof. A. S. Welch, now President of Iowa Agricultural College, was elected the first principal. In October, 1859, the building with contents was burned, and a new building was immediately erected. In 1878 the main building was enlarged at an expense of $43,347. This enlargement was 88x90 feet, and has a hall capable of seating 1,200 persons. The value of buildings and other property at the present time is estimated at $111,100. Number of students, 616, including 144 in the primary department. Each member of the Legislature is authorized by the Board of Education to appoint two students from his district who may attend one year freeof tuition; other students pay $10 perannum. Graduates of this school are entitled to teach in this State without re-examination by any school officer. AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. The Michigan Agricultural College owes its establishment to a provision of the State constitution of 1850. Article 13 says, "The Legislature shall, as soon as practicable, provide for the establishment of an agricultural school." For the purpose of carrying into practice this provision, legislation was commenced in 1855, and the act required that the school should be within 10 miles of Lansing, and that not more than $15 an acre should be paid for the farm and college grounds. Tle college was opened to students in May, 1857, the first of existing agricultural colleges in the United States. Until the spring of 1861 it was under the control of the State Board of Education; since that time it has been under the managewent of the State Board of Agriculture, created for the purpose. THE CAPITOL) AT LANSING. '92 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. In its essential features of combining study and labor, and of uniting general and professional studies in its course, the college has remained virtually unchanged from the first. It has had a steady growth in number of students, in means of illustration and efficiency of instruction. An act of Congress, approved July 2, 1862, donated to each State public lands to the amount of 30,000 acres for each of its Senators and Representatives in Congress, according to the census of 1860, for the endowment, support and maintenance of at least one college where the leading object should be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including nlilitary tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts. The Legislature accepted this grant and bestowed it upon the Agricultural College. By its provisions the college has received 235,673.37 acres of land. These lands have been placed in market, and about 74,000 acres sold, yielding a fund of $237,174, the interest of which at seven per cent. is applied to the support of the college. The sale is under the direction of the Agricultural Land Grant Board, consisting of the Governor, Auditor General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General and Commissioner of the State Land Office. The Agricultural College is three miles east of Lansing, comprising several fine buildings; and there are also very beautiful, substantial residences for the professors. There are also an extensive, well-filled green-house, a very large and well-equipped chemical laboratory, one of the most scientific apiaries in the United States, a general museum, a museum of mechanical inventions, another of vegetable products, extensive barns, piggeries, etc., etc., in fine trim for the purposes designed. The farm consists of 676 acres, of which about 300 are under cultivation in a systematic rotation of crops. OTHER COLLEGES. At Albion is a flourishing college under the control of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The grounds comprise about 15 acres. There are three college buildings, each three-stories high, having severally the dimensions of 46 by 80, 40 by 100, and 47 by 80 feet. The attendance in 1878 was 205. Tuition in the preparatory and collegiate studies is free. The faculty comprises nine members. The value of property about $85.000. Adrian College was established by the Wesleyan Methodists in 1859, now under the control of the "Methodist Church." The grounds contain about 20 acres. There are four buildings, capable of accommodating about 225 students. Attendance in 1875 was 179; total number of graduates for previous years, 121; 10 professors and teachers are employed. Exclusive of the endowment fund ($80,000), the assets of the institution,'including grounds, buildings, furniture, apparatus, musical instruments, outlying lands, etc., amount to more than $137,000. HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 93 Hope College, at Holland, is under the patronage of the Dutch Reformed Church. It was begun in 1851,and in connection with the ordinary branches of learning, it has a theological department. In 1877 it had 10 professors and teachers and 110 pupils. Up to 1875 there had graduated, in the preparatory department, begun in 1863, 95; in the academic, beginning in 1866, 53; and in the theological, beginning in 1869, 24. Value of real estate, $25,000; of other property, above incumbrance, about $10,000; the amount of endowment paid in is about $56,000. Kalamazoo College, headed by Baptists, is situated on a five-acre lot of ground, and the property is valued at $35,000; investments, $88,000. There are six members of the faculty, and in 1878 there were 169 pupils. Hillsdale College was established in 1855 by the Free Baptists. The " Michigan Central College," at Spring Arbor, was incorporated in 1845. It was kept in operation until it was merged into the present Hillsdale College. The site comprises 25 acres, beautifully situated on an eminence in the western part of the city of Hillsdale. The large and imposing building first erected was nearly destroyed by fire in 1874, and in its place five buildings of a more modern style have been erected. They are of brick, three stories with basement, arranged on three sides of a quadrangle. Their size is, respectively, 80 by 80, 48 by 72, 48 by 72, 80 by 60, 52 by 72, and they contain one-half more room than the original building. Ex-Lieut.-Gov. E. B. Fairfield was the first president. The present president is Rev. D. W. C. Durgin, D. D. Whole number of graduates up to 1878, 375; number of students in all departments, 506; number of professors and instructors, 15; productive endowment, about $100,000; buildings and grounds, $80,000; library, 6,200 volumes. Olivet College, in Eaton county, is a lively and thorough literary and fine-art institution, under the joint auspices of the Presbyterian and Congregational denominations. Value of buildings and grounds, about $85,000. Fourteen professors and teachers are employed, and the attendance in 1878 was 190, the sexes in about equal proportion. There are five departments, namely: the collegiate, preparatory, normal, music and art. Battle Creek College, conducted by the Seventh-Day Adventists, was established in 1874, with four departments, 11 professors and teachers, and an attendance of 289. It is practically connected with a large health institution, where meat and medicines are eschewed. In 1878 there were 15 instructors and 478 students. Special attention is paid to hygiene and hygienic medication. Grand Traverse College was opened at Benzonia in 1863, as the result of the efforts of Rev. Dr. J. B. Walker, a prominent divine of the Congregational Church. The friends of this institution have met with serious discouragements: their lands have not risen in value as anticipated and they have suffered a heavy loss from fire; but the college has been kept open to the present time, with 94 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. an average of 70 pupils. The curriculum, however, has so far been only 'preparatory." The land is valued at $25,000, and the buildings, etc., $6,000. The school has done a good work in qualifying teachers for the public schools. Besides the foregoing colleges, there are the German-American Seminary in Detroit, a Catholic seminary at Monroe, the Michigan Female Seminary at Kalamazoo, the Military Academy at Orchard Lake, near Pontiac, and others. CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. No State in the union takes better care of her poar than does Michigan. For. a number of years past, especially under the administrations of Govs. Bagley and Croswell, extraordinary efforts have been made to improve and bring to perfection the appointments for the poor and dependent. According to the report of the Board of State Commissioners for the general supervision of charitable, penal, pauper and reformatory institutions for 1876, the total number in poor-houses of the State was 5,282. For the five years preceding, the annual rate of increase was four times greater than the increase of population during that period; but that was an exceptionally "hard " time. The capacity of the public heart, however, was equal to the occasion, and took such measures as were effectual and almost beyond criticism for the care of the indigent. At the head of the charity department of the State stands THE STATE PUBLIC SCHOOL. In the year 1870 a commission appointed by the Governor for that purpose, visited many of the poor-houses in the State, and found a large number of children in them under 16 years of age, indiscriminately associated with idiots, maniacs, prostitutes and vagrants. Their report recommended the classification of pauplersa and especially, that children in the county houses, under 16 years, should be placed in a State school. The act establishing the sclool was passed in 1871, in conformity with the recommendation. As amended in 1873,it provides, in substance, that there shall be received as pupils in such school all neglected and dependent clildren that are over four and under 16 years of age, and that are in suitable condition of body or mind to receive instruction, especially those maintained in the county poor-houses, those who have been deserted by their parents, or are orphans, or whose parents have been convicted of crime. It is declared to be the object of the act to provide for such children temporary homes only, until homes can be procured for them in families. The plans comprehend the ultimate care of all children of the class described, and it is made unlawful to retain such children in poor-houses when there is room for them in the State Public School. Dependent orphans and half HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 95 orphans of deceased soldiers and sailors have the preference of admisssion should there be more applications than room. Provision is made for perserving a record of the parentage and history of each cliild. Tlhe general supervision of the school is delegated to a Board of Control, consisting of three members, who are appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Board appoints the superintendent, officers and teachers of the school, One officer is appointed to look up homes for the children, to apprentice them, and to keep a general oversight of them by visitation or correspondence. To complete the work of this institution, an agent is appointed in each county. Tlhe internal government of this school is that known as the "fam ilyv " and "congregate" combined, the families consisting of about 30 members each, and being under the care of "cottage managers," ladies wlom the children call " aunties," and who are sulpposed to care for the children as mnothers. Each clild of sufficient years is expected to work three hours every day; some work on tlhe tarin, some in the dining-room and kitclien, wlile others make shoes, braid straw hats, make their own clothing, work in the bakery, engine roon, laundry, etc. They are required to attend scllool three to five hours a day, according to tlleir ages, and the school hlours are divided into sessions to accommodate the work. Tlie buildings, 10 in number, comprise a main building, eight cottages amid a hospital, all of brick. The buillings are steam heate(l, liglhted witli gas and lhave good bathin( ftacilities. Tlere are 41 acres of laud in connection with the school, and the total value of all tlhe property is about $150,000, furnishing accommodations fbr 240 children. STATE REFORM SCHOOL. This was established at Lansing in 1855, in the northeastern portion of tlhe city, as thle "l House of Correction for Juvenile Offenders," lhaving about it many of tlhe features of a prison. In 1859 tlie naime was cthanged to " The State Reform School." The governmient and discipline lhave undergone many.and radical changes until all tlhe prison features have been removed except tlose that remain in the walls of the original structure, and which remain only as tnonuments of instructive history. No bolts, bars or guards are employed. The inmates are necessarily kept under tlme surveillance of otfficers, but tlhe attempts at escape are muchl fewer than under tlhe Inore rigid regime of formner days. Tlis school is for the detention, education and reformation of boys between the ages of eiglht and 16 years, wio are convicted of li(rht offenses. The principal building is four-stories high, including basement, and has an extreme lengthl of 246 leet, the center a deptli of 48 feet, and thle wings a depth of 33 feet each. Besides, there are two "*family houses," where the more tractable and less vicious boys 96 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. form a kind of family, as distinguisjlecdfrom the congregate life of the institution proper. The boys are required to work a halfa day and attend school a half a day. A farm of 328 acres belonging to the school furnishes work for many of the boys during the working season. Some are employed in making clothing and shoes for the inmates. The only shop-work now carried on is the cane-seating of chairs; formerly, cigars were manufactured here somewhat extensively. There is no contract labor, but all the work is done by the institution itself. The number of inmates now averages about 200, and are taken care of by a superintendent and assistant, matron and assistant, two overseers and six teachers. INSTITUTION FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB, AND THE BLIND. This is located at Flint, 60 miles nearly northwest of Detroit. The act establishing it was passed in 1848, and the school was first opened in 1854, in a leased building. It is a school in common for deaf mutes and the blind, rather from motives of economy than from any relation which the two classes bear to one another. The buildings were commenced in 1853. The principal ones now are: front building, 43 by 72 feet, with east and west wings, each 28 by 60 feet; center building, 40 by 60, and east and west wings, each 50 by 70 feet; main school building, 52 by 54, with two wings, each 25 by 60 feet. All of these buildings are four stories high; center of the front building is five stories, including basement. There are also a boiler and engine house, barns, etc., etc. The total value of the buildings is estimated at $358,045, and of the 88 acres of land occupied, $17,570. The number of inmates has increased from 94 in 1865 to 225 in 1875. Including the principal, there are 10 teachers employed in the deaf and dumb department, and four in the blind, besides the matron and her assistants. Tuition and board are free to all resident subjects of the State, and the trustees are authorized to assist indigent subjects in theway of clothing, etc., to the amount of $40 a year. An annual census of all deaf mutes and blind persons in the State is officially taken and reported to the overseers of the poor, who are to see that these unfortunate members of the human family are properly cared for. ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE, AT KALAMAZOO. This institution was established in 1848, and now consists of two departments, one for males and the other tor females. The capacity of the former is 280 and of the latter 300 patients. In their general construction both buildings are arranged in accordance with the principles laid down by the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane. The buildings are of brick, with stone trimmings, and are very substantial, as well as HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 97 beautiful. The entire cost of both buildings, with all the auxiliary structures, and 195 acres of land, is about $727,173.90. The buildings were constructed during the war and immediately afterward. The asylum was opened in 1859 for the care of patients, and up to Oct. 1, 1875, there had been expended for the care and maintenance of patients, exclusive of the cost of construction, $994,711.32. Indigent patients are received and treated at the asylum at the expense of the counties to which they belong, on the certification of the county authorities, the average cost of maintenance being about $4.12i per week. Pay patients are received when there is room for them, the minimum price of board being $5 per week. EASTERN ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE, AT PONTIAC. These large, beautiful and very modern structures are located upon a farm of upward of 300 acres, and were erected in 1873-'6 at a cost of about $400,000. The general plans are similar to those at Kalamazoo. They are built of brick, with stone window caps, belt-courses, etc. There are accommodations for not less than 300 patients. Michigan pursues a very enlightened policy toward the chronic insane. Provisions have been made for the treatment even of the incurable, so that as much good as possible may be done even to the most unfortunate. The design is to cure whenever the nature of the mental malady will permit; but failing this, to cease no effort which could minister to the comfort and welfare of the patient. PENAL INSTITUTIONS. The Detroit House of Correction, although a local institution, is used to a considerable extent as an intermediate prison, to which persons are sentenced by the courts throughout the State for minor offenses. Women convicted of felonies are also sentenced to this place. The whole number in confinement at this prison for the past decade has averaged a little over 400 at any one time, more males than females. The average term of confinement is but a little more than two months, and the institution is very faithfully conducted. Tile State Prison at Jackson is one of the best conducted in the Union. The total value of the property is valued at $552,113. The earnings of the prison in 1878 were $92,378; number of prisoners; 800. Their work is let to contractors, who employ 450 men at different trades. A coal mine has been recently discovered on the prison property, which proves a saving of several thousand dollars per anntum to the State. The earnings of this prison since Gen. Wm. Humphrey has been warden (1875) has exceeded its current expenses. 7 98 HISTORY OF MICIIGAN. The State Prison at Ionia was establisled a few years ago for the reception of convicts whose crimes are Inot of the worst type, and those who are young, but too old for the Reform School. The ground comprises 53 acres of land, 132- of which is enclosed by a brick wall 18 feet high. Estimated value of property, $277,490; current expenses for 1878, $45,744; earningsfor 1878, $5,892; number of prisoners Dec. 31, 1878, 250; number received during the year, 346. THE STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY is distinct from the State Agrieultnral Board, the latter being simply an executive over the Agricultural College under the laws of the State. The former was organized at Lansing March 23, 1849, and was specially incorporated by act of April 2 following, since which time it has numbered among its officers and executive members some of the foremost men of the State. It lias held annual fairs in various places, and the number of entries for premiums has risen from 623 to several thousand, and its receipts from $808.50 to $58,780. The premiums offered and awarded have increased proportionally. STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. At an informal meeting of several gentlemen in Grand Rapids Feb. 11, 1870, it was resolved to organize a State pomological society, and at an adjourned meeting on the 26th of the same month, the organization was perfected, and the first officers elected were: H. G. Saunders, President; S. L. Fuller, Treasurer; and A. T. Linderman, Secretary. The society was incorporated April 15, 1871, " for the purpose of promoting the interest of pomology, horticulture, agriculture, and kindred sciences and arts." During the first two years monthly meetings were required, but in 1872 quarterly meetings were substituted. It now lias a room in the basement of the new capitol. T. T. Lyon, of Soutll Haven, is President, and Charles W. Garfield, of Grand Rapids, Secretary. Under the supervision of tlis society, Michigan led tlie world in the centennial exposition at Philadelphia in the exhibition of winter apples. The contributions of this society to pomological literature are also richer than can be found elsewhere in the United States. STATE FISHERIES. Very naturally, the denser population of the white race, as it took possession of this wild country, consumed what they found already abundant long before they commenced to renew the stock. It was so with the forests; it was so witl the fish. An abundance of a good variety of fish was found in all our rivers and little lakes by the early settlers, but that abundance was gradually reduced until these waters were entirely robbed of their useful inhabitants. HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 99 Scarcely a thought of re-stocking tile inland waters of this State was entertained until the spring of 1873, when a board of fish commissioners was autlorized by law; and while the people generally still shook their heads in skepticisn, tlhe board went on with its duty-until these same people are made glad with the results. Under the efficient superintendency of Geo. }I. Jerome, of Niles, nearly all the lakes and streams within the lower peninsula have been more or less stocked with shad, white-fish, salmon or lake trout, land-locked or native salmon, eel, etc., and special efforts are also made to propagate that beantiftul and useful fish, the grayling, wlhose home is in the Manistee and Muskegon rivers. M-uch Inore is hloped for, however, than is yet realized. Like every other great innovation, many failures must be suffered before tlhe brilliant crown of final success is won. Tlhe value of all thle property employed in fish propagation in tlie State is but a little over $4,000, and the total expenses of conducting the business from Dec. 1, 1876, to July 1, 1877, were $14,000. The principal hatcheries are at Detroit and Pokagon. THE MICHIGAN STATE FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION was organizel April 13, 1875, at Battle Creek, for " tlhe protection and promotion of tile best interests of thle firemen of Michigan, the compilation of fire statistics, tlhe collection of information concerning tlhe practical working of different systems of organization; the examination of the merits of tle different kinds of fire apparatus in use, and tlhe improvement in tlme saine; and thle cultivatior of a fraternal fellowship between tlhe different companies in tlhe State." Tle association holds it mneetings annually, at various places in the State, and as often publish their proceedings, in pamphlet form. STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC HEALTH. This Board was establisled in 1873, and consists of seven members, appointed by tlhe Governor, tlhe secretary ex officio a member and principal executive officer. It is tle duty of this Board to make sanitary investigations and inquiries respecting the causes of disease, especially of epidemics; the causes of mortality, and the effects of localities, emnployments, conditions, ingesta, habits and circumstances on the health of the people; to advise other officers in regard to the location, drainage, water supply, disposal of excreta, heating and ventilation of any public building; and also to advise all local health officers concerning their duties; and to recommend standard works from time to time on hygiene for the use of public schools. Tlhe secretary is required to collect information concerning vital statistics, knowledge respecting diseases and all useful information on the subject of hygiene, ald through an annual report, and otherwise, as the Board may direct, to dissemi 100 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. nate such information among the people. These interesting duties have been performed by Dr. Henry B. Baker from the organization of the Board to the present time. The Board meets quarterly at Lansing. THE LAND OFFICE of this State has a great deal of business to transact, as it has within its jurisdiction an immense amount of new land in market, and much more to come in. During the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 1877, the total number of acres sold was 50,835.72, for $87,968.05, of which $69,809.54 was paid in hand. At that time the amount of land still owned by the State was 3,049,905.46, of which 2,430,050.47 acres were swamp land, 447,270.89 primary school, 164,402.55 Agricultural College, 310.26 University, 160 Normal School, 2,115.63 Salt Spring, 1,840 Asylum, 32.40 State building, 3,342.75 asset, and 380.31 internal improvement. But of the foregoing, 1,817,084.25 acres, or more than half, are not in market. STATE LIBRARY. Territorial Library, 1828-1835.-The first knowledge that we have of this library, is derived from the records found in the printed copies of the journals and documents of the Legislative Councils of the Territory, and in the manuscript copies of the executive journals. The library was established by an act of the Legislative Council, approved June 16, 1828, authorizing the appointment of a librarian by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Council. The librarian so appointed was required to take an oath of office and give bond to the treasurer of the Territory in the sum of $1,000, for the faithful performance of his duties; his time of service was for two years or until another be appointed. The librarian was also required to take charge of the halls and committee room, and other property appertaining to the Legislative Council. He was also required to make an annual report to the Council, upon the state of the library, and upon all such branches of duty as might from time to time be committed to his charge. For his services he was to receive annually the sum of $100. The library seemed to have been kept open only during the actual sittings of the Legislative Council. The executive journal by its records shows that under the provisions oftlhisact, William B. Hunt was appointed librarian July 3, 1828, by Gov. Lewis Cass, for the term of two years. Mr. Hunt continued to act as librarian until March 7, 1834, when Gersham Mott Williams was appointed by Gov. Porter. Mr. Williams seems to have acted as librarian until the organization of the institution as a State library. Tile honored names of Henry B. Schoolcraft, Charles Moran, Daniel S. Bacon,Calvin Brittain, Elon Farnsworth, Charles C. Has HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 101 call and others are found in the list of the members of the Library committee. March, 1836, the State library was placed in charge of the Secretary of State: in February, 1837. it was given to thecareof the private secretary of the Governor; Dec. 28 following its custody was given to the Governor and Secretary of State, with power to appoint a librarian and make rules and regulations for its government. C. C. Jackson acted as the first librarian for the State. Lewis Bond also had the care of the books for a time. Oren Marsh was appointed librarian in 1837, and had the office several years. In Marcll, 1840, the law was again changed, and the library was placed in the care of the Secretary of State, and the members of the Legislature and executive officers of the State were to have fiee access to it at all times. State Library.-The library was of course increased from time to time by Legislative appropriations. In 1844, as the result ofthe efforts of Alexandre Vattemare, from Paris, a system of international exchanges was adopted. April 2, 1850, an act was passed requiring the Governor to appoint a State librarian with the consent of the Senate, and it was made the duty of the librarian to have the sole charge of the library. This act, with some amendments, still remains in force. It requires the librarian to make biennial reports and catalogues. The librarians under this act have been: Henry Tisdale, April 2, 1850, to Jan. 27, 1851; Charles J. Fox, to July 1, 1853; Charles P. Bush, to Dec. 5. 1854; John James Bush, to Jan. 6, 1855; DeWitt 0. Leach, to Feb. 2, 1857; George W. Swift, to Jan. 27, 1859; J. Eugene Tenney, to April 5, 1869; and Mrs. Harriet A. Tenney to the present time. This lady has proved to be one of the best librarians in the United States. She has now in her charge about 60,000 volumes, besides thousands of articles in the new and rapidly growing museum department. She is also Secretary of the " Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan," and has charge of the books, papers and relics collected by that society. The library and these museums are now kept in the new State capitol at Lansing, in a series of rooms constructed for the purpose, and are all arranged in the most convenient order and with the neatest taste. BANKS. The earliest effort for the establishment of a bank within the present limits of the State of Michigan was in 1805. The act of Congress establishing the Territory of Michigan conferred legislative powers on the Governor and judges; and at their first session as a Board, a petition for an act incorporating a bank was presented to them. This was at a time when the local business could scarcely have demanded a banking institution, or have afforded much promise of its success. The small town of Detroit had just been laid in ashes, and the population of the entire Territory was inconsidera. LI I I --- 12 -i-!F!- - - - -4 - LAW BUILDING. UNIVERSITY HALL. UNIVERSITY OF' MICHIGAN, ANN AREO&L MEDICAL BUILDING. CHEMICAL LABORATORY. UNIVERSITY OF MICIIIGAN, ANN ARBOR. 104 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. ble, being reckoned five years previously at only 551; in 1810, it was less than 5,000; the country was possessed mainly by the Indians, and the few French in the State were neither enterprising nor prosperous. No road pierced the forests of the interior; no manufactories existed; agriculture yielded nothing for market, and navigation had scarcely begun to plow our rivers and lakes. In general commerce the fur trade was almost the only element. The petition tor a bank charter was presented, not by citizens of Detroit, but by capitalists of Boston, Russell Sturges and others, who were engaged in the fur trade. This petition was granted Sept. 15, 1806, incorporating the "Bank of Detroit," with a capital of $400,000. The great distance of this locality from New England gave those capitalists the advantage of circulating inland bills of credit against their Western banlksfor a long time before their redemption. Judge Woodward, one of the judges who granted the act of incorporation, was appointed its president, and the bank went into immediate operation; but imputations unfavorable to Judge Woodward in regard to this and other matters led to a Congressional investigation of the act incorporating the batlk, and the act was disapproved by that body. The bank, however, continued to do business; but in September, 1808, the Governor and judges, in the absence of Woodward, passed an act making it punishable as a crime to carry on an unauthorized banking business, and this put an end to the brief existence of the institution. Its bills were quietly withdrawn from circulation the following year. The next bank established in the Territory was the " Bank of Michigan," incorporated by the Board of Governor and Judges, Dec. 19, 1817, with a capital of $100,000. The validity of this act was fully established by the courts in 1830. By the terms of its charter, the corporation was to expire on the first Monday in June, 1839; but the Legislative Council, Feb. 25, 1831, extended its life twenty-five years longer, and subsequently it was allowed to increase its capital stock and establish a branch at Bronson, now Kalamazoo. The two above named are all the banks which derived their corporate existence from the Governor and judges. The first bank charter granted by the ' Legislative Council "was to the Merchants' and Mechanics' Bank of Michigan," approved April 2, 1827. The bank was to be established at Detroit, with a capital of'$200,000, with liberty to increase it to $500,000. This corporation was also made an insurance company; but it does not appear a company was ever organized under this charter. March 29, 1827, the " Bank of Monroe " was incorporated, its capital stock to be $100,000 to $500,000, and to continue in existence 20 years. The "Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank of Michigan" was chartered Nov. 5, 1829, and March 7, 1834, it was allowed to increase its capital stock, and establish a branch at St. Joseph. The '" Bank of River Raisin " was chartered June 29, 1832, and allowed to have a branch at Pontiac. The " Bank of Wisconsin " was chartered Jan. 23, 1835, and was to be located in the Green Bay country, but on HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 105 the organization of the State of Michigan it was thrown outside of its jurisdiction. March 26, 1835, there were incorporated four banks, namely: "Michigan State Bank " at Detroit,"' Bank of Washtenaw" at Ann Arbor, "Bank of Pontiac," and the "Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad Bank" at Adrian. The " Bank of Pontiac " was also a railroad bank, its establishment being an amendment to the charter of the "Detroit and Pontiac Railroad Conpany." The nine banks last above named are all that were created by the "Legislative Council." Next, the State Legislature in 1836 chartered the Bank of Man. hattan, Calhoun County Bank. Bank of St. Clair, Bank of Clinton, Bank of Ypsilanti, Bank of Macomb, Bank of Tecumseh and Bank of Constantine. The same Legislature passed "an act to create a fund for the benefit of the creditors of certain moneyed corporations," which was in fact the fatous safety-tund system of the State of New York. It required each bank to deposit with the State Treasurer, at the beginning of each year, a sumn equal to one-half of one per cent. on the capital stock paid in; and the fund so created was to be held and used for the benefit of the creditors whenever any bank subject to its provisions should become insolvent; but thiis statute was destined to have but little practical effect. The system in New York proved inadequate for the security of the public interests, and it was practically abandoned here. By this time, the financial affairs of the whole country had become sadly deranged, consequent upon a wild and reckless spirit of speculation. The currency became greatly inflated, fabulous prices given to property, and the masses of the people subjected to the cruel mercies of shrewd financiers. The session of 1837 was flooded with petitions for the creation of banks, and the Legislature met the emergency by adopting a system of free banking, under which were organized a great number of those institutions since known as "wild-cat banks." The statute authorized any 12 freeholders of any county who desired to do banking, to apply to the treasurer and clerk of the county for that purpose, and books were to be opened for subscriptions to the capital stock, $50,000 to $300,000. Ten per cent. on eacl share was required to be paid in specie at the time of subscribing, and 30 per cent. of the entire capital stock in like funds before the association should commence operations. The president and directors were also required to furnish securities for the payment of all debts and redemption of all notes issned by the association. This new law was popularly received with great enthusiasm. On its final passage in the House, only four members were bold enough to vote against it, namely: Almy, of Kent; Monfore, of Macomb; Purdy, of Washtenaw, and Felch of Monroe. This Iegislature closed its session March 22, 1837, by adjournment to Nov. 9, following; but the financial embarrassments of the country increased so rapidly that the Governor called an extra session of 106 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. the Legislature for June 12, and in his message he attributed these embarrassments, in a great measure, to the error of over-banking, over-trading, and a want of providence and economy. The banks east and south had already suspended specie payments, and Michigan was of necessity drawn into the vortex. The report, to this Legislature, by a special commissioner appointed by the Governor, held forth, however, that the banks of Michigan were solvent, but that a little time may be granted them as a defense against the results of suspensions in New York and elsewhere. Trle number of banks doing business in this State at that time was 13 in nutnber, previously mentioned. The Legislature granted them time until May 16, 1838. The session of the winter following undertook to secure the public by appointing three bank commissioners to visit all the banks in the State at least once in every three months, to examine the specie held by them, inspect their books, and inform themselves generally of their affairs and transactions; monthly statements of the condition of the banks were required to be made and published, and no bills were to be issued without bearing the endorsement of a bank commissioner, etc. Under the general banking law, as already stated, every subscriber to the stock was to pay in 10 per cent. in specie on each share at the time of subscribing, and 10 every six months thereafter, and 30 per cent. of the whole capital stock was required to be paid in like manner before the bank should commence operations. The specie thus paid in was to be the capital of the bank and the basis of its business operations. The requirement of it involved the principle that banking could not be carried on without bona-,fde capital, and without it no bank could be permitted to flood the country with its bills; but the investigations of the commissioners showed a very general violation of the law in this respect. In many cases, instead of specie, a kind of paper denominated " specie certificates " was used; in sonme cases, specie borrowed for the occasion was used and immediately returned to the owner; sometimes, even, a nail-keg filled with old iron, or gravel, or sand and covered over the top with specie, was employed to deceive the commissioners; and sometimes the notes of individual subscribers or others, usually denominated "stock notes," were received and counted as specie. The books of the banks were also kept in so imperfect a manner, sometimes through incompetency, sometimes with fraudulent design, as frequently to give little indication of the transactions of the bank or of the true condition of its affairs. By proprietorship of several banks in one company of men, by frequent sale and transfer of the stock, and by many other tricks and turns, a little specie was made to go a great way in flooding the country with worthless paper. It is manifest that this conditon of things could not have existed without a fearful amount of fraud and perjury. In the excitement and recklessness of the times, amid ruined fortunes and blighted hopes, the moral sense had become callous. The general banking HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. 107 law was not without some good features, but it came into existence at a most unfltrtunate time, and the keenness and unscrupulousness of desperate men, taking advantage of its weak points and corruptly violating its salutary provisions, used it to the public inju ry. Under this law about 40 banks went into operation, many of them in remote and obscure places, and before the commissioners could perfect their work of retorm the crisis came and the catastrophe could not be averted. Failure rapidly succeeded failure, and legitimately chartered banks were drawn into the same vortex with the "wild-cat" institutions. Only seven banks escaped the whirlpool, and the worthless paper afloat represented more than a million dollars. As ex-Gov. Alpheus Felch well says: "Thus ends the history of that memorable financial epoch. Forty years have passed since these events, and few remain who can relmetber the excitement and distrust, the fear and despondency, the hopes and disappointments which agitated the community, in those days of inflation and speculation, of bankruptcy and filancial distress; and fewer still remain who bore part in the transactions connected with them. We look back upon them to read the lessons which their history teaches. The notion that banks without real capital, or a currency which can never be redeemed, can relieve from debts or insolvency, is tried and exploded. We are led to the true principle, that prosperity, both public and individual, awaits upon industry and economy. judicious enterprise and honest productive labor, free fromn wild speculation and unprofitable investments, and a wise and prudent use of our abundant resources." In 1875 there were 77. national banks in this State, doing an annual business of about $26,000,000; 15 State banks, with a busiliess of nearly $4,000,000, and 12 savings banks, with a business of $6,000,000. GEOLOGY. The lower peninsula occupies the central part of a great synclinal basin, toward which the strata dip from all directions, and which are bounded on all sides by anticlinal swells and ridges. The limits of this basin exceed those of the peninsula, extending to London, Olt., Madison, Wis., Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie. The whole series of strata may therefore be compared to a nest of dishes, the lower and exterior ones representing the older strata. The upper peninsula is divided by the AMarquette-Wisconsin anticlinal into two geological areas, the eastern belonging to the great basin above alluded to, and the western being lacustrine in its character, and largely covered by Lake Superior. The southern rim of the latter is seen uplifted along Keweenaw Point and the south shore of the lake, and these strata re-appear at Isle Royale. 108 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. Between the Michigan and lacustrine basins the metalliferous Marquette-Wisconsin axis interposes a separating belt of about 50 miles. The palaozoic great system of this State measures about 2,680 feet in thickness, of which the Silurian division is 920 feet, the Devonian 1,040 feet, and the carboniferous 720 feet. The coal-bearing group occupies the central portion of the peninsula, extending fiom Jackson to township 20 north, and from range 8 east to 10 west. Of iron, hematite and magnetite, in immense lenticular masses of unsurpassed purity, abound in the Huronian rocks of the upper peninsula. The former of these, under the action of water, becomes soft, and is called Limonite, and is abundant throughout the State as an earthy ore or ochre, bog ore, shot ore, yellow ochre, etc. Sometimes it is deposited in stalactitic. mamrillary, botrvoidal and velvety forms of great beauty. Kidney ore abounds in tl;e Huron clays, and" black-band" in the coal measures. Of copper, native, in the " trap "of Lake Superior, abounds in the form of sheets, strings and masses. Gold, silver and lead are also found in unimportant quantities in the Lake Superior region. Salt abounds in the Saginaw region, gypsum, or " land plaster " in the vicinity of Grand Rapids, building stone throughout the State, manganese in many places, and many other valuable earths, ores and varieties of stone in many places. NEWSPAPERS. There are about 275 newspapers and periodical publications in Michigan, of all classes. Of these 224 are published weekly, 17 daily and weekly, two daily, seven semi-weekly, one tri weekly, four semi-monthly, 19 monthly, one quarterly, and one yearly; 112 are Republican, 46 Democratic, 73 independent and neutral, 14 religious, and 15 miscellaneous. Among the latter are two Methodist, seven Adventist (two Dutch or Ilollandisch), one Episcopal, one Catholic and one Baptist; four mining, five educational, one Masonic, one Odd-Fellow, one Grange, three medical and one agricultural. Five are printed in the German language, six in the Dutch, one in the Swedish and one in the Danish. The present population of Michigan, according to the census of 1880, is as follows: Male, 862,278; females, 774,057; native born, 1,247,989; foreign, 388,346; white, 1,614,087; colored, 22,248; total, 1,636,335. * HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. STATE OFFICERS. 109 Govs. During French Rule. Ap'd. Sieurde Mesey............... 1663 Sieur de Courcelles..............1665 Sieur de Frontenac..............1672 Sieur de LaBarre...............1682 Marquis de Denonville............1685 Sieur de Frontenac..............1689 Chevalier de Callieres............1699 Marquis de Vaudreuil............ 1703 Marquis de Beauharnois..........1726 Compt de la Galissoniere..........1747 Sieur de la Jonquiere............ 1749 Marquis du Quesne de Menneville.1752 Sieur de Vaudreuil de Cavagnal....1755 Govs. During British Rule. James Murray..................1765 Paulus E. Irving................. 1766 Guy Carleton....................1766 Hector T. Cramahe...............1770 Guy Carleton....................1774 Frederick Haldimand.............1778 Henry Hamilton.................1784 Henry Hope................. 1785 Lord Dorchester............... 1786 Alured Clarke....................1791 Lord Dorchester.................1798 Governors of Michigan Territory. William Hull................... 1805 Lewis Cass......................1813 George B. Porter................1831 Stevens T. Mason, ex officio...... 1834 John T. Horner, ex officio.........1835 State Governors. ' Elected. Stevens T. Mason................1835 William Woodbridge.............1840 J. Wright Gordon, acting.........1841 John S Barry....................1842 Alpheus Felch............. 1846 Wm. L. Greenly, acting...........1847 Epaphroditus Ransom...........1848 John S. Barry..................1850 Robert McClelland............... 1852 Andrew Parsons, acting.......... 1853 Kinsley S. Bingham.............1855 Moses Wisner....................1859 Austin Blair.................1861 Henry H. Crapo.......... 1865 Henry P. Baldwin...............1869 John J. Bagley............1873 Charles M. Croswell.............1877 David H. Jerome................1881 Lieut.-Governors of Michigan. Edward Mundy..................1835 J. Wright Gordon................1840 Origen D. Richardson...........1842 Wn. L. Greenly..................1846 Wm. M. Fenton.................1848 Wm. L. Greenly................1849 Calvin Britain........1.....852 Andrew Parsons........T.........153 George A. Coe........ 1855 Edmund B Fairfield........... 1859 James Birney....................1861 Joseph R Williams, acting.......1861 Henry T. Backus, acting.........1862 Charles S. May...................1863 E. 0. Grosvenor.................1865 Dwight May............1....l67 Morgan Bates...................1869 Henry H. Holt...................1873 Alonzo Sessions..................1877 Moreau S. Crosby...............1881 Secretaries of State. Kintzing Pritchette...............1835 Randolph Manning......... 1838 Thomas Rowland................1840 Robert P Eldridge...........1842 G. O. Whittemore..1846 George W. Peck..................1848 George Redfield...................1850 Charles H. Taylor...............1850 William Graves............... 1853 John McKinney................1855 Nelson G. Isbell............ 1859 James B. Porter............1861 0. L. Spaulding.............. 1867 Daniel Striker....................1871 E. G. D. Holden............... 1875 William Jenney............. 1879 State Treasurers. Henry Howard..................1836 Peter Desnoyers.............. 1839 Robert Stuart...................1840 George W. Germain..............1841 John J. Adam.................. 1842 George Redfield................1845 George B. Cooper................1846 Barnard C. Whittemore..........1850 Silas M. Holmes.................1855 John McKinney.................1859 John Owen................... 1861 E. 0. Grosvenor................. 1867 Victory P. Collier................1871 Wrm. B. McCreery............1875 Benj. D. Pritchard...............1879 Attorneys-General. Daniel Le Roy.................. 1836 Peter Morey....................1837 Zephaniah Platt.................1841 Elon Farnsworth................1843 Henry N. Walker................1845 Edward Mundy.......... 1847 Geo. V. N. Lothrop............1848 William Hale....................1851 110 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. Jacob M. Howard..............1855 Charles Upson....................1861 Albert Williams................. 1863 Win. L. Stoughton.............. 1867 Dwight May....................1869 Byron D. Ball.................. 1873 Isaac Marston..................1874 Andrew J. Smith...............1875 Otto Kirchner...................1877 Auditors-General. Robert Abbott.................. 1836 Henry Howard.............. 39 Eurotas P. Hastings............. 1840 Alpheus Felch.................. 1842 Henry L. Whipple...............1842 Charles G. Hammond.......... 1845 John J. Adam.................1845 Digby V. Bell.............. 1846 John J. Adam...............1848 John Swegles, Jr.................1851 Whitney Jones...............,1855 Daniel L. Case................. 1859 Langford G. Berry...............1861 Emil Anneke..................1863 William Humphrey...............1867 Ralph Ely......................1875 W. Irving Latimer...............1879 Supts. Pub. Inst. John D. Pierce.................1838 Franklin Sawyer, Jr.............1841 Oliver C. Comstock............1843 Ira Mayhew..................1845 Francis W. Shearman......... 49 Ira Mayhew................... 185 John M. Gregory................1859 Oramel Hosford..................1865 Daniel B. Briggs..............1873 Horace S. Tarbell................1877 Cornelius A. Gower..............1878 Judges of the Supreme Court, Augustus B. Woodward.......1805-21 Frederick Bates..............1805-8 * John Griffin...................1806-24 James Witherell...............1808-28 Solomon Siblcy...............1824-36 Heir.y Chipman...............1827-32 Win. Woodbridge............1828-32 Ross Wilkins.......1.......832-6 Win. A Fletcher..............18 6-42 Epaphroditus Ransom..........1836-47 George Morell............ 1836-42 Charles W. Whipple.......... 1843-52 Alpheus Felch................1842-5 David Goodwin..............1843-6 Warner Wing............... 1845-56 George Miles.................1846-50 Edward Mundy...............1848-51 Sanford M. Green.............1818-57 George Martin...............1851-2 Joseph T. Copeland...........1852-7 Samuel T. Douglas............1852-7 David Johnson........... 1..1852-7 Abner Pratt................lb51-7 Charles W. Whipple....... 18 2-5 Nathaniel Bacon..............1855-8 Sanldford M. Green........... 186-8 E. H. C. Wilson.............1856-8 Benj. F. H. Witherell, Benj. F. Graves, Josiah Turner and Edmwin Lawrence, to fill vacancies in the latter part of.........1857 George Martin.....1........1858-68 Randolph Manning............1858-64 Isaac P. Christiancy...........1858-77 James V. Campbell........... 88 Thomas M. Cooley............18'4 Benj. F. Graves.............1868 Isaac Marston.. 1875 U. S. Senators. John Norvell................. 1835-41 Lucius Lyon.................. 1836-40 Augustus S. Porter...........1840-5 Wm. Woodbridge............1841-7 Lewis Cass............. 1845-57 Thos. H. Fitzgerald............1848-9 Alpheus Felch...............1847-53 Charles E. Stuart..............1853-9 Zachariah Chandler........... 57-77 Kinsley S. Bingham...........1859-61 Jacob IA. Howard.............182-71 q homas W. Ferry...........1871 Henry P Baldwin.............1880 Z. Clandler..............1878-9 Omar D. Conger............ 1881 Representatives in Congress. Isaac E. Crary.............1835-41 Jacob M. Howard.............1841-3 Lucius Lyon................. 1843-5 Robert lcClelland............1843-9 James B. Hunt.............1843-7 John S. Chipman..............845-7 Charles E. Stuart..............l47-9 Kinsley S. Bingham..........1849-51 Alex. W. Buel................1849 51 William Sprague..........1849-50 Charles E. Stuart...1........1851-3 James L. Conger.............1851-3 Ebenezer J. Penniman........ 1851-3 Samuel Clark.................1853-5 David A. Noble..............1853-5 Hester L. Stevens.............1853-5 David Stuart................1853-5 George W. Peck..............1855-7 Wm. A. Howard..............1855-f1i Henry Waldron........1855-61 David 1. Walbridge.......... 1855-9 D. C. Leach...................1857-61 Francis W. Kellogg..........1859-65 B. F. Granger................1861-3 F. C(. Beaman............ 1861-71 R E. Trowbridge..........1861-3 Charles Upson..............1863-9 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. Ill John W. Longyear.............1863-7 Josiah W. Begole............ 1873-5 John F. Driggs.......... 186.. -9 Nathan B. Bradley...........1873-7 R. E. Trowbridge..1865-9 Jay A. Hubbell...............1873 Thomas W. Ferry.............1869-71 W. B. Williams...............1875-7 Austin Blair.................1867-73 Alpheus S Williams..........1875-9 Win. L. Stoughton.........1869-73 Mark S. Brewer.. 1877 Omtar D. ( onger..............1869-81 Charles C. Ellsworth......1877-9 Randolph Strickland...........1869-71 Edwin W. Keightley......... 1877-9 Henry Waldron...............1871-5 Jonas H. McGowan........ 1877 Wilder D. Foster.............187,-3 John W. Stone................1877 Jabez G Sutherland...........187 1-3 Edwin Willits...1877 Moses W. Field...............1873-5 Roswell G. Dtorr.............1879 George Willard................1875-7 John S. Newberry..............1879 Julius C. Burrows........1873-5, 1b79 The State printing is done by contract, the contractors for the last 13 years being W. S. George & Co. (Geo. Jerome), the former the active l)artner, who also publishes and edits the Lansing lRepublican, a paper noted for originality, condensation and careful "f make-up." TOPOGRAPHY. Michigan is a little southeast of the center of the continent of North America, and with reference to all the resources of wealth and civilization is most favorably situated. It is embraced between tlhe parallels of 410.692 and 47~.478 north latitude, and the meridians of 82~.407 and 90~.536 west of Greenwich. The upper peninsula has its greatest extent east and west. and the lower, north and south. The extreme length of the upper peninsula is 318 miles, and its extreme breadth, 164- miles; its area, 22,580 square miles. The length of thle lower peninsula is 277!miles, its width, 259 miles, and its area, 33,871 square niles. Tlhe upper peninsula is ruggred and rocky, affording scarcely anything but minerals as a source of wealtlh; tlhe lower is level, covered with forests of valuable timber, and is excellent for all the products of Northern States. Tlhe total length of tlhe lake shore is 1,620 miles, and tlhere are over 5,000 smaller lakes in tlhe States, having a total area of 1,114 square miles. A RETROSPECT. And now, how natural to turn our eyes and thoughts back to the log-cabin days of less than 50 years ago, and contrast it with the elegant mansion of modern titmes. Before us stands the old log cabin. Let us enter. Instinctively the head is uncovered in token of reverence to this relic of ancestral beginnings and early struggles. To the left is the deep, wide fire-place, in whose comrno'lions space a group of children may sit by the fire and up through the chimney may count the stars, while glostly stories of witchles and giants, and still more thrilling stories of Indians and wild beasts, are whiisperingly told and slhudderingly lleard. On the great crane hang tile old tea-kettle and the great iron pot. The huge shovel and tongs stand sentinel in either corner, while the great andirons 112 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN. patiently wait for the huge back log. Over the fire-place hangs the trusty rifle. On the right side of the fire-place stands the spinning-wheel, while in the further end of the room the loom looms up with a dignity peculiarly its own. Strings of drying apples and poles of drying pumpkin are overhead. Opposite the door by which you enter stands a huge deal table; by its side the dresser whose "pewter plates" and " shining delf" catch and reflect " the fire.place flame as shields of armies do the sunshine." From the corner of its shelves coyly peep out the relics of former china. In a curtained corner and hid from casual sight we find the mother's bed, and under it the trundle-bed, while near them a ladder indicates the loft where the older children sleep. To the left of the fireplace and in the corner opposite the spinning-wheel is the mother's work-stand. Upon it lies the Holy Bible, evidently much used, its family record telling of parents and friends a long way off, and telling, too, of children Scattered like roses in bloom, Some at the bridal, and some at the tomb. Her spectacles, as if but just used, are inserted between the leaves of her Bible, and tell of her purpose to return to its comforts when cares permit and duty is done. A stool, a bench, well notched and whittled and carved, and a few chairs complete the furniture of the room, and all stand on a coarse but well-scoured floor. Let us for a moment watch the city visitors to this humble cabin. The city bride, innocent but thoughtless, and ignorant of labor and care, asks her city-bred husband, "Pray what savages set this up?" Honestly confessing his ignorance, he replies, ' I do not know." But see the pair on whom age sits "frosty but kindly." First, as they enter they give a rapid glance about the cabin home, and then a mutual glance of eye to eye. Why do tears start and fill their eyes? Why do lips quiver? There are many who know why, but who that has not learned in the school of experience the full meaning of all these symbols of trials and privation, of loneliness and danger, can comprehend the story that they tell to the pioneer? Within this chinked and mud-daubed cabin, we read the first pages of our history, and as we retire through its low doorway, and note the heavy battened door, its wooden hinges, and its welcoming latch-string, is it strange that the scenes without should seem to be but a dream? But the cabin and the palace, standing side by side in vivid contrast, tell the story of this people's progress. They are a history and prophecy in one. I ` l'i 1, I ' ,c r,,~i~C~~:\t.? OC-' 12,. i i;,X5'1. ~"" I"I*i FIRST WHITE AMERICAN OF XENT CO. * HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. INTRODUCTION. Prior to entering upon a historical inquiry, or rather a consideration of the men who raised up this county from its wilderness state, and the means employed to effect the great work, it may not be inappropriate to refer to the value of local history. It is the duty of the present to commemorate the past, to perpetuate the names of the pioneers, to furnish a record of their early settlement and to relate the story of their progress. The civilization of our day, the enlightenment of the age and this solemn duty which men of the present time owe to their ancestors, to themselves and to their posterity, demand that a record of their lives and deeds should be made. In local history is found a power to instruct man by precedent, to enliven the mental faculties, and to waft down the river of time a safe vessel, in which the names and actions of the people who contributed to raise this country from its primitive state may be preserved. Surely and rapidly the great old men, who in their prime entered the wild forests of America and claimed the virgin soil as their heritage, are passing to their graves. The number remaining who can relate the history of the first days of settlement is becoming small indeed, so that an actual necessity exists for the collection and preservation of historical matter without delay, before the settlers of the wilderness are cut down by Time. Not only is it of the greatest importance to render history of pioneer times full and accurate, but it is also essential that the history of the county, from its settlement to the present day, should be treated through its various phases, so that a record, complete and impartial, may be handed down to the future. -If this information is not now collated and compiled in historical form, the generations of the future will be called upon to expend large sums of money in research and exploration. The present, the age of progress, is reviewed, standing out in bold relief over the quiet, unostentatious olden times; it is a brilliant record which is destined to live in the future; the good works of men, their magnificent enterprises, their lives, whether commercial or military, do not sink into oblivion, but, on the contrary, grow brighter with age, and contribute to build up a record which carries with it precedents and principles that will be advanced aid observed when the acts of soulless men will be forgotten, and their very 8 (115) 116 0 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. names hidden in their graves. History entwines itself with the names of the notorious as well as with the illustrious. Wherever the former are held up for scorn, and the latter for the admiration of men, the pen of impartiality may be traced; for never yet was the writer true to his conscience or to his duty who clothed the wolf in the fleece of the lamb, or made a hero out of a coward. In the pages devoted to the history of Kent county the useful man and his work will have that prominence to which his physical and moral courage entitle him. It is a necessity that the unstained names of suchmenbe transmitted; because many of them, whose lives made material forthis work, have passed into eternity; others stand' on the brink of the grave. Those who have joined the majority, as well as those who are soon to go to the better land, have done good service, claiming at last that their posterity should be reminded of their fidelity and profit by their examples.. To give effect to this desire is the aim of the writer. Turning over the records of the county, nothing of moment has been left unnoticed. Beyond these records all that is legendary has been examined and utilized. Although a full co-operation was extended by the old settlers, yet a great difficulty presented itself in the loss of the public records, which nothing but earnest, unceasing research could overcome. Success waited on such efforts, and resulted in bringing forth from their hiding places many valuable papers upon which to base accounts of early times. Mlany of the surviving old settlers were interviewed by the writer, and from their reminiscences of olden times, as related, a good deal of all that is historically valuable, in the pages of the history, was collated. Now, it must be borne in mind that not every historical event is given in what we distinguish as the general history of the county. Nothing has been inserted in this department which does not belong to the county at large, instead of being exclusively confined to one neighborhood, township, village, or the city. Beginning with th6 history of geological formations, archaeological discoveries and physical features, the chapter is succeeded by a full account of Indian and pioneer times, the story of American settlement, organization, military events, and other chapters necessary to form a complete general history. This section of the work is followed by the various chapters devoted to local history and biography. No effort has been spared to render this poition of the work reliable. Unlike tile history of the State, county, city, and towns, biography is the work of many men, whose notes were transcribed, re-transcribed, and submitted to the persons immediately concerned, for correction or revision, so that if a literary error occurs it must be credited to the person who gave the biographical'sketch in the first instance. Printers often make grave errors which no foresight can prevent; therefore if typographical errors do appear, let justice guide the critic to sympathize with the children of progress at the printer's case, and deal lightly with the excesses of the typo's art. With this introduction to the general history of the county, we will first consider its geology. CHAPTER I. GEOLOGY, ARCHAEOLOGY, ETC. GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS. In tracing the geological history of the county it will be only necessary to revert to the era when the accumulated sediments of the ocean were being formed into masses of rock. Geology teaches that the continents of the world were once beneath the ocean. It is natural, therefore, to suppose that there are inequalities in the bottom of the ocean like those on the land. The recent deel-sea soundings confirm this opinion, and reveal mountains and hills, valleys and table-land. The greatest depth reached in sounding is 29,000 feet, which exceeds the height of the loftiest mountain of the Himalayas. Some of the mountains in the sea are steeper and more abrupt than any on the land. In the British channel the depth changes within ten miles from 600 to 12,000 feet; and it is very common, within a few miles of the coast of continents and islands, for the depth to change suddenly from a few hundred feet to many thousand. In other cases, as in a-large part of the bed of the Atlantic between Europe and the United States, there are plateaux extending hundreds of miles with very slight undulations. The mysterious race that once occupied this continent may have sailed in their galleons over this Peninsula, and sounded the depths of the waters which rose above it in precisely the same manner as the mariner of to-day casts out the sounding line. At the close of the Corniferous epoch a great upheaval of sea bottom formed a line of land across the southern counties of Michigan, which extended to an older and wider formation in the south part of Ohio. The land, now within the boundaries of Kent, if not all that- comprised in the counties laid off between 1829 and 1836, was still submerged; but by degrees the southern belt rose higher, spread out toward the northern continent, and was actually approaching the state of dry land at the beginning of the coaldeposit era. At its close Kent and the counties bordering formed the highlands of the Lower Peninsula. It is stated that Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario were not in existence then, their places being represented by a swift running river, with expansions. The great geological age, the Mesozoic, dates from this time. It was marked by activity in the animal and vegetable (1ll) 118 HISTORY OF IENT COUNTY. kingdoms, mild climates, and the myriads of reptiles which swarmed in rivers and over lands. Save in the fossils there is no record of the progress of this age to be found within the boundaries of Kent. The Tertiary period succeeded the Mesozoic. It was an age of beautiful climates, and high development of mammals. Animals greater than the mastodon roamed over the land, through verdant forests, meeting their enemy, man, and ultimately disappearing under his continued attacks. The scene was changed; the snow and ice came on, burying all nature in its whiteness, and robbing the lald of life. It was the beginning of the Glacial period. The duration of this age is lost in mystery. Were it possible to ignore the work of a God in the formation of the world, the continuance of the ice age might be set down at two thousand years; acknowledging a Divine economy in the handiwork of the world, the period of its duration might have been an incredibly short time. Spring time came, and with it the sea of ice, which covered land and water to a depth of over 5,000 feet, began to break up and dissolve, and the solids held within its grasp fell down and formed a bed of rocky fragments or boulder drift. The countless currents which sprang into existence and formed for themselves ten thousand channels, were the principal agents in the conformation of that peculiar stratum known as the "Modified Drift." Referring to this period the geologist Winchell says: "In due time a change of climate, dissolving the.glacier, originated torrents of water which imparted an imperfect stratification to the superficial portion of the drift materials. There was, perhaps, a subsidence which buried the whole State again beneath the waters of the ocean. Whether this were so or not, the great valleys excavated by Mesozoic and glacier agencies were left filled with the water, which either was originally, or in time became, fresh water. The breadth of the great lakes exceeded vastly their present dimensions. The barrier to the outlet of the great lake waters had not yet been worn down at the present mouth of the Niagara river, and the water set back as one continuous lake from the bluffs at Lewiston to Monroe-to Detroit —to Chicago." From Saginaw Bay to Lake Michigan, via the valleys of the Shiawassee, Maple and Grand rivers, a great channel, deep and wide, extended. South of this line barriers existed that checked the flow of the waters south, and from hundreds of reservoirs. This accumulation of ice-water and the second season of ice resulted in the formation of another glacial field, differing from the great glacier in its depth and duration, being not over four feet in thickness. Along the borders of those reservoirs the ice became an integral part of the shore soil, of course including the limestone; and when the second geological spring-time arrived, millions of cubic feet of water were added to these lakes, resulting in bursting asunder their green covering of ice, which, in ascending, carried with it the limestone tables, and, as the waters fell, deposited them in the positions which they hold to-day. As the HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 119 Niagara rock was worn down, the rushing waters made for themselves deeper channels, the inland lakes lowered just in proportion as the great lakes. The present river system was laid out by nature. In the following pages the structural and economical geology of the county is treated as concisely as the subject will allow. The fossiliferous, ferruginous sandstone formation of the State may be said to reach its thinnest stratum at Grand Rapids. This comprised the following subdivisions: Thirty feet of coarse quartzose, yellowish gray sand rock; 15 feet of brown sand rock, with marine fossils; a short green rock with fossils and ferruginous spots resting on a bed of hard, gray sand rock, one foot in depth. A dingy green, fine-grained sandstone, interstratified with sandstone, slate and a blue, shaly clay, supports the upper strata and is from 15 to 20 feet in depth. This rests in turn upon the yellow sand rock of a marine fossiliferous character, 20 feet in depth, and all based upon the fine-grained sand rock, slightly saturated. The gypsum and coarse-grained sandstones peculiar to the Kent formations point out their saliferous character, though the creation of fissures in the sand rock has caused an almost total drain of brine conducing to exhaust the saturation of the rock, and lead the saline waters to other basins. The black bituminous shales known as the Huron shales and flagstones are found in Kent. In sinking the Butterworth salt well this shale was penetrated to a depth of 59 feet; and again in the boring for the Lyon well it was found to reach a depth of 214 feet. The rock is laminated, bituminous, pyritiferous and dark blue or black in color. The outcrop of the Napoleon sandstone, near Grandville, in Kent county, on the northwest bank of Grand river, is about 100 feet in depth, separated from the Marshall rock by a bed of clay from 10 to 15 feet in thickness. The Carboniferous limestone of Kent county is the best known formation in the State. The rock along the rapids at the county seat is calcareous, with an arenaceous composition peculiar to the lower strata. Prof. Winchell, in his reference to this outcrop, states: This formation of Carboniferous limestone is best known at Grand Rapids, where the river has a fall of 18 feet in a distance of two miles. The rock here exhibits gentle undulations, but the resultant dip is slightly toward the northeast. It occurs in generally thin, irregular beds, which are considerably broken up, and embrace frequent partings of argillaceous and bituminous matter. In composition it is eminently calcareous; but in the lower portion arenaceous matter gradually gains preponderance, and be ts and patches of the same material are irregularly distributed through the formation. In the upper part of the exposure is a belt five feet thick of red ferruginous, arenaceous limestone. The thickness of the formation below this is 51 feet, while the thickness above is probably less than that below. The portion of the formation below the ferruginous stratum' contains numerous 120 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. geodes, filled with brown and white dog-tooth spar, brown pear spar, rhombic calcareous spar, selenite anhydrate, aragonite and pyrites. This formation is common in other parts of Kent county. Extending through Ada and Cannonsburg, it may be traced north to the Muskegon rapids. Its southern extension underlies the townships of Walker, Paris and Gaines, and terminates in the exposure on section 13, Summit, Jackson Co., where it exposes its true formation. This may be shown in the following record: Sandstone, red, calcareous, highly shattered, breaking into wedge-shaped fragments with conchoidal surfaces, changing to limestone, highly ferruginous, brecciated in places, containing nodules of chert. The first stratum is 10 feet in depth and the latter four feet. This rests on a bed of limestone two feet thick, arenaceous, brecciated, shattered, with thin layers of a sandy and greenish character. The whole exterior of some of the blocks is covered with a thick, loose coating of the same material. The upper surface is undulating but smoothed, as if by water, before the superior layers were deposited. Three of a crystalline, silicious, bluish-gray limestone, compact in form with crystals of dogtooth spar, underlie the three described strata. The sandstone referred to at the beginning of the record is the dividing layer between the upper and lower portions of the rock. THE MICHIGAN SALT GROUP appears outcropping near Grand Rapids, in Wyoming township. Here, as has been stated, the Napoleon sandstone is exposed, and is succeeded capitally by saliferous shales, intercalated beds of gypsum and magnesian limestone, known to attain a depth of 184 feet. On the north side of the river opposite section 3, Wyoming township, is the gypsum bluff, 80 feet above the river, containing extensive gypsum deposits. In the boring on the banks of the Grand river, section 3, township 6 north, range 12 west, which was begun July 8, 1838, and finished in 1842, when it reached a depth of 473 feet, the stratification given in the following table was found to exist. In respect to this well, it must be remembered that after Dr. Houghton went forth on that fatal tour to Lake Superior, John Ball was placed ili charge of the State works at Grand Rapids. It is the impression of Mr. Ball that under his direction the State well was bored to a depth of 700 or 723 feet. Michael Carroll was the blacksmith at the works. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 12 L THE WELL OF 1838-'42. t4 STRATA. < No. ft. No. ft. No. fr. Alluvial soil, 51 feet clay, then sand and gravel.............. 0 40 40 Clay, gypsum, 612 feet................................. 40 7 Very hard rock, supposed to be limestone................. 47 1 Clay and slate alternately, with 15 inches hard rock, several times recurring in the lower four feet..... 48 13 21 Sand rock, hard. At depth of 68 feet a spring of brackish water,cavity three inches. Sand rock continuing;softer, with numerous cavities; brine strengthening; rock harder at 104 feet................................................... 61 109 Mixture of clav and sand, quite hard................... 170 9 Clay slate..................................... 179 5 123 Hard sand rock, 19 feet; cavities, water very salt; soft sand rock at 204-244 feet; very hard at 245, 246; soft 247, 248. At 265 feet profuse flow of brine, and increasing to 284 feet................................................... 184 101 Blue clay...................................... 285 2 Common sand rock.................................... 287 20 Ash-colored clay and sand rock, about equal parts.......... 307 24 Sand rock, quite hard................................... 331 12 159 Clay rock. Water doubled at 331, and somewhat stronger. From 417-421 very soft, like blue clay, then a few black gravel stones, then shale.............................. 343 130 130 Clay rock continuing................................... 473 The foregoing record is taken from the report of Dr. Douglass Houghton, under whose direction the first salt wells in the State were bored. Another salt well, put down under the direction of Lucius Lyon, was begun January, 1840, and finished Dec. 25, 1842. This was sunk near the Bridge street viaduct; the record was kept by Lucius Lyon and from it the following descriptions of the strata are compiled: 122 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. WELL OF 1840-42. -I w I STRATA. | W 3 Lime rock, lower nine fieet geodiferous................... 0 13 Yellow sand rock, probably lower arenaceous beds of the lim estone............................................ 14 r6 19 Blue clay...................................... 20 Coarse, reddish sand rock................................. 22 5 Argillaceous beds interstratified with gypseous deposits.... 27 47 Very hard, sharp gritted, bluish sand iock. At 76 feet, fresh spring................................ 74 7 Clay rock. First indications of salt....................... 8 19 Argillaceous lieds, som etimes sandy, sometimes gypseous... 100 79 Hard sand rock, water lime............................... 179 1 Clay rock............................................... 180 11 171 Sandrock, varyicg from dark and hard to white and soft, 199 feet; dark blue, 216 feet; coarse, loose and reddish 248 feet; cavity of six inches, and great spring of water at 2644 feet. 191 109 Clay rock, intermixed with fine particles of sand.......... 300 9 118 Sand rock, varying between hard, coarse and loose......... 309 66 Clay and sand rock of about equal parts................. 375 14 Coarse loose sand rock, water doubled and stronger....... 435 11 137 Clay rock......................................... 446 18 Sand rock.......................................... 465 2 Clay rock, one foot of sand rock at 495 feet............... 467 194 214 Clay rock continuing. Temperature of water in well 50.5 Fahrenheit..........................:........... 661 Feb. 1, 1838, the Legislature passed a law directing the State Geologist to bore for salt at one or more of the State salt springs, and appropriated for the purpose from the internal improvement fund 3,000. Sept. 18, 1839, there was made a schedule of the property at the salt well on section 3, township 6 north, range 12 west, as follows: Steam engine and boring apparatus, blacksmith, carpenter and farming tools, traveling equipage, provisions, cooking utensils and household furniture. On the next day John Ball made an agreement with Richard Carroll to occupy the dwelling-house, use the blacksmith shop, and take care of the engine and all the property. July 9, 1841, he gave Lucius Lyon the first measurement, and July 9, 1842, he had bored to the depth of 650 feet. It is evident from those early borings that the rocks composing this group are highly argillaceous. In following up the record of borings made subsequently, it will be seen that this stratigraphic conformation consists principally of clay beds and shale, thinly intercalated with limestone, and a persistent gypsum rock of from 10 to 20 feet in thickness. There is nothing in the conformation stratigraphically porous to insure a brine fountain; but HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 123 everything points out the existence of great channels of saline fluid extending through great fissures, worn in the sand rock, and striking the northeastern sand rock in the Saginaw valley. Scribner's salt well, near the old railroad depot at Grand Rapids, is cotemporary with the well of the East Saginaw Salt Manufacturing Company, being bored in 1859-'60, to a depth of 380 feet. The rocks pierced were as follows: Carboniferous limestone, below the "red layer," 51 feet; solid shale, one foot; waterlime, or hard, blue limestone, two feet; argillaceous strata with beds of lime rock, and layers of sandstone from one to five feet in depth, 79 feet; saliferous, gypseous and pyritiferous formations, with layers of sandstone and limestone, 66 feet. At a depth of 199 feet the first indications of salt were met. The stratum for five feet below the last formation is a highly ferruginous and pyritous rock, exceedingly hard. At a depth of 204 teet the porous sand rock was struck, with a current of brine; at 315 feet, a bed of clay, 10 feet thick, was pierced, after which the sand rock continued 55 feet, bringing the well to a depth of 380 feet. Another well, put down at the instance of Messrs. Power & Martin, one-half mile northwest of Scribner's salt well, reached a depth of 156 feet. The first brine current was struck at a depth of 138 feet, and it was supposed that below this point brine was not obtainable. The stratification recorded is as follows: Feet Feet Superficial materials............. 16 Fire clay with streaks of snowy Limestone, with spar crystals..... 3 gypsum....................... 1 Red arenaceouslimestone........ 5 Shale, pyritous, arenaceous, gypLimestone, shale and chert....... 32 siferous....................... 18 Black, carbonaceous shale........ 7 Shale, filled with grit............ 4 Light-colored clay............... 10 Shale, cherty and gypseous....... 7 Clay with effervescent substances. 8 Shale abounding in quatzose sand. 9 Dark greenish shale............. 2 Dark, shaly sandstone............ 2 Unctious, pyritous clay............ 9 Shale with gypsum and sand Dark, carbonaceous, shaly grit.... 5 First salt water, clay and shale, At a depth of 156 feet a very hard silicious limestone was pierced. The salometer registered 100 ~, the supply being a half gallon per minute. The salt well of R. E. Butterworth was bored in 1860, and a record of such boring kept by himself. This well was located at the Butterworth foundry, and reached a depth of 490 feet, striking brine 22 ~ in strength at a depth of 325 feet. The strata penetrated is as follows: Feet FIRST BRINE CURRENT. Limestone....................... 1 Feet Soft sand rock................... 5 Saliferous rock with gypsum beds 61 Lime rock...................... 1 Very hard lime rock with gypsum 7 Clay slate...................... 1 Argillaceous strata " " 48 Hard lime rock................. 5 Lime rock and gypsum........... 7 Calcareous sand rock........... 3 Blue gray sand rock............ 77 Clay............................ 7 Gray sand rock.............. 13 Shale......................... 8 Argillaceous sand rock.......... 19 FRESH WATER CURRENT. Dividing shale................... 10 Limestone and clay alternately... 15 Sandstone with shaly partings.... 128 Brown, hard limestone with spar.. 4 Shales and flag-stones......... 59 At a depth of 30 feet fresh water began to flow; at 57 feet the first brine was struck; at 129 feet the brine was found capable of 124 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. producing one bushel of salt from 95 gallons; and at 261 feet the water began to flow at the rate of 350 gallons per minute. The Indian Mill Creek Salt Company's well, 25 rods north of Powers & Martin's, was bored in 1860. The company comprised John Ball, J. H. McKee, Luther Colby and D. P. Clay. The drill, after penetrating 81 feet of gravel, sand and a vein of clay four inches in thickness, penetrated rocks, comprising three feet of white gypsum, eight feet of clay and shale, four feet of hard rock, 34 feet of soft clay, seven feet of hard sand rock, four feet of clay, nine feet of coarse gravel, seven feet fine gravel, four feet very hard sand rock, 42 feet gypsum and clay, two feet black sand rock, nine feet wate-lime layers, 105 feet of soft sand rock, 15 feet of shale and clay, 29 feet of sand rock, two feet black iron sand, 59 feet of sand rock, and ten feet of clay with layers of sandstone. The record of this boring was kept by Ball, 'Clay & Co. The well reached a depth of 434 feet. The firs't brine current was struck at a depth of 128 feet. The supply of brine at 214 feet was10 gallons per minute, the salometer registering 19 ~. Eightyone feet deeper the number of degrees registered was 27. The discharge ofwater at a depth of 434 feet was 135 gallons per minute. The well bored in 1860, under direction of J. W. Winsor, was located in section 12, township 7 north, range 12 west. The record of the boring is as follows:. _ DESCRIPTION OF ROCKS. s |E | Superficial materials................................0 43 43 Limestone, eight inches of clay and gravel at 53 feet. Drill went down rapidly 15 inches at 57 feet................. 43 21 21 Dark an, blue shale resting on eight inches of hard limestone 64 8 Very hard, yellow and gray sandstone..................... 72 4 Shale, gypsum and clay................................. 76 12 Sandstone................................................. 88 1 ChIy, shale and gypsum................................. 89 10 Greenish clay and shales with black streaks..............99 99 Gypsum alternating wi h shale.......................... 108 24 Blackish blue shale........................................ 132 20 G ypsum................................................. 152 4 Black shile. First brine at 164 feet............. 156 10 Gypseous clay, very salt, resting on salt shale, alternating with gypsum.......................................... 16 13 Black, very hard r ck................................... 179 4 Dark, flinty be Is, interlaminated with clay and gypsum.... 183 57 Very hard pyriliferous rock, with gypseous clays.......... 240 8 184 Sand rock. Brine 16~ at 259 feet; 20~ at 278 feet; 17~ at 319 feet.................................. 248 79 Clay and sand rock, followed by clay with very hard streaks. 327 22 Sal. 26................................................ 101 Sand rock, white. Sal. 3lo at 391 feet. The overflow 24~... 349 74 Argillaceous sand rock, fine. Brine remaining the same... 423 23 97 Same continuing. Discharge of water about 35 gallons per m inute................................................ 446 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 125 The well put down by Mr. Taylor in 1860 near the Grand Rapids railroad depot, reached a depth of 402 feet. It was subsequently deepened with the intention of penetrating the Onondaga salt group, but the record of the additional boring is not at hand. THE GYPSUM, as found in Kent county, is exceptionally pure, containing only 1.5957 parts in 100 of impurities, such as sulphuric acid, soda and potash. An analysis of the gypsum quarried near Grand Rapids was made in 1860 by Dr. S. P. Duffield, of Detroit, showing the following constituent parts: Water 19.00, lime 32.67, sulphuric acid 44.44, and organic matter 3.89. The first plaster was manufactured by Jones & Ball. Williams & Butterworth succeeded, and the latter sold out to the Boston Company. Bernard Courtney induced John Ball to invest in a plaster quarry, and to erect the Emmet Mills. Freeman Godfrey discovered plaster subsequently, bought the lands in the neighborhood, and entered upon the preparation of gypsum.. He erected a mill on Plaster creek, and within a short period raised the young industry to an important position. Within the year the Detroit market was supplied with 6,030 tons of prepared gypsum, while the older quarries of Sandusky sent thither only 4,661 tons. Hydraulic limestone, stone for quick-lime, plaster, alabaster of varied color, and many other useful rocks and minerals, known in economical geology, are found within the limits of Kent county. The fossil remains found in connection with the rocks of this county, and particularly with the Carboniferous limestone, comprise the Lithostrotion mammillare, the L. lonyiconicum, the C(yathophyllumn fungites, and the Syringy/pore, all belonging to the Polypi class. The only evidence of the Echinodermata is fur nished by the remains of common species. TheBryozoa class is represented in this limestone by no less than seven species, the Brachiopoda by eighteen species, the Lamellibranchiata by six species, the Trilobites by two very distinct species, showing the tails. The remains of fish and reptiles are found to be very common. Human remains are uncommon in the strata, though in other States of the Union they have been found mysteriously cormmingled with some of the first formations. A&RCHSO(LOGY. The archeologist must be forever a speculator. Since it is impossible to state precisely the facts connected with the origin of the vase, stone ornaments, hatchets and arrow-heads, which his industry brings forth from their hiding-places, he can never enter on the,paths of the historian, nor find a true time or circumstance upon which to base the philosophy of archaeology. Kent county is singularly fortunate in possessing men who discovered many relics of a race, the memory of which is lost in 126 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. oblivion. They formed a valuable collection of antique remains, and placed them at the disposal of the Scientific Institute of the county. An account of their explorations was furnished to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and printed in the record of the proceedings of that body, August, 1875. The paper was prepared by Wright L. Cofinberry and E. A. Strong, from facts established by them and other members of the Institute during their archeological researches in this county. These gentlemen say: "Recent explorations and excavations among the numerous ancient mounds in the vicinity of Grand Rapids, undertaken by the Kent Scientific Institute of that place, and carried forward by the authors of this paper, with the assistance of other members of the Institute, have developed some facts of interest, to us at least. It is the object of the present paper merely to give, in brief topical form, certain conclusions derived from these explorations." Eight groups of tumuli, containing in all 46 mounds, have been seen and inspected more or less thoroughly, of which number 14 have been excavated and explored with great care. A typical group of 17 mounds on the farm of Captain A. N. Norton, about three miles below the city of Grand Rapids, on the bank of Grand river, was carefully surveyed and platted, and several of them thoroughly explored. The mounds examined vary from two to 151 feet in height, and from 10 to 102 feet in diameter. In all cases they are more or less nearly conical, somewhat flattened at the top, with a broad "talus" at the base,-such a form as any conical mound of earth will assume after long exposure. In no ctase does the outline of the group show any appreciable figure or totem. The material of which the mounds are composed seems in most cases to be gathered from the surface about the base, over such an extent as to leave no appreciable depression. Each mound is nearly homogeneous, and is usually composed of surface or alluvial soil. Only in a few cases has resort been made, in their construction, to the underlying gravel and clays. In most cases it is sufficiently evident ihat no great interval of time elapsed between the beginning and the completion of each mound. That the mounds are very old can be easily established. Trees are growing upon the Norton mounds equal in size to some of the same species standing on the same kind of soil, which had 260 rings of growth; while at their base are lying the remains of still larger trees, which must have been giants while the former were saplings. More conclusive evidence of the great antiquity of these structures is found in the condition of the articles which many of them contain. Human bones are decomposed almost beyond recognition; only in favorable cases will they bear their own weight when exhumed. Even the dense shafts of the long bones of herbivorous animals are sometimes so tender that they can be rubbed to powder between the fingers. Copper is encrusted with a thicker coating of the carbonate than pieces of the same HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 127 material found at the depth of several feet in the heavy drift in the same vicinity. Heavy marine shells, as well as those of the larger Unios, are in a friable or pulverulent condition. Wood, bark, and all fabrics are entirely decomposed, and returned to their native elements. One single mound, or rather the remains of one, has been observed, which might come under the designation of " refuse" heaps. It was entirely removed some years ago to make way for the dock and mill at Spoonville, Ottawa Co. It is described, by those who removed it, as a huge pile of ashes, shells, and fishbones, about 15 feet high, 45 feet wide, and 100 feet long, and is, in part at least, recent. About one-third of the number of mounds examined were clearly places of sepulture. The uses of the others or the motives which led to their construction can be only conjectured. It is quite reasonable to suppose that they were either monumental or commemorative, or were erected as observatories, the last supposition being the least probable. Mounds of this class can in no way be distinguished from burial mounds. They are simply empty and structureless piles of earth, mingled confusedly with burial mounds. The late Louis Campau and Rix Robinson, both of whom passed their lives with the Indians of the Upper and Lower Peninsula, possessed their confidence, and were familiar with their manners, customs and languages, stated that their Indian friends uniformly declared that the mounds were not built by themselves, -that they did not know their origin, but that they all regarded them with'reverence, and preferred to be buried near or upon them. The material found in the mounds of Kent county may be described under the following heads: Organic Remains, Fabrics, Pottery, Drinking Cups, Stone Implements, Bone Implements, and Copper Implements. Suci materials were intimately associated. Where human remains were wanting, nothing was found; while in no case were skeletons exhumed without revealing something else of interest, often of all of the above kinds. Human remains were invariably found in an elongated, concave, irregular oval pit, a foot or two below the natural surface of the ground, surrounded by Whatever objects of interest the mound contained, the relative situation of this material being essentially as in the ordinary English barrows. The skeleton is not oriented, but the feet are turned indifferently in any and every direction; nor is there any uniformity in the position of the body, or in the position of the members. A half sitting or reclining posture has been observed, and in one instaince a position similar to that of the skeleton from the cave of Menton, figured in Dana's Geology and elsewhere. More commonly, however, the limbs are violently flexed upon the body, or, as still more frequently the case, the bones of the skeleton are confusedly mingled. Frequently the larger bones are only found, and not one complete skeleton has 128 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. been seen. Portions of a skull may be wanting, the long bones may be broken and the pieces dissevered, or some of the pieces may not be present. In every instance the skull is found flattened as if by the pressure and settling of the soil in the direction of the vertical axis of the mound, and this without any reference to the position of the skull. The existence of fabrics at this time cannot be questioned. All the copper articles found bear traces of having been wrapped in a coarsely woven cloth, which, uniting with the encrusting carbonate, has been at once preserved and obscured by it. In several instances where the earth has been carefully cleared away from bone spears, flint implements, or even the common fragments of quartz pebbles, impressions of fabrics have been clearly visible. The impressions are such as would be made by coarse, loosely woven cloth, having about 12 or 14 untwisted or slack-twisted fibers to the inch. Several large marine shells were uncovered. They were hollowed out apparently for carrying or storing water, and in one instance perforated at the upper edge on opposite sides for suspension by a cord or thong A few fragments of usual coarse pottery were also found, with external markings. The upper part of the vessel appears to bear marks of having been formed by revolution as upon some kind of wheel; while the lower part is irregularly convex, and usually has three or four strong bulges or protuberances. The rim is well made, somewhat thickened, neatly beveled or rounded at the top, and often ornamented with a check pattern, produced by quick, diagonal strokes of a pointed instrument. Below this is a plain band bordered by grooves or rows of triangular pits, or both. The lower part of the vessel is ornamented with a variety of patterns, usually having some reference to the protuberances above mentioned. The vases or vessels are small, having only a capacity of one or two quarts, and were found, in all cases, scattered in fragments as if they had been thrown, or placed, in the pit before it was filled, and while it was being filled. One only seemed to have been crushed by the settling of the mound, as the pieces were nearly in place. It contained a mass of irregular flint chips, such as is often found in these barrows. In the exploration of the Norton group of mounds, nothing of recent deposit was found. In a mound on Royce's farm, parts of a skeleton, consisting of a few broken pieces of the cranium, the sacrum, a few teeth. and some other pieces much decayed and burned, with charcoal in close proximity, were discovered. Both charcoal and bones were not more than 18 inches below the top of the mound. The mound itself is about six feet high, and 40 feet in diameter at the base. Below the. surface, or about seven feet below the capital of the mound, was found a copper needle, encrusted with green oxide, and surrounded with a few flint chips. On the farm of Peter McCauley, in township 8 north, of range 9 west, on a high hill or ridge surrounded by beautiful lakes, and HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 129 overlooking them all, was a group of six ancient mounds. These were explored in August, 1876, by Wright L. Coffinberry, with the result of finding, at a depth of 18 inches below the land level, a bed of charcoal, so ancient that it resembled a layer of lampblack, with the exception of some few pieces which were so little disintegrated as to exhibit the woody fiber. Mica plates rested over this bed, and were almost decomposed when found, as if exposed to the action of a cremating fire. A small quantity of red ochre was found in the second mound, supposed to correspond with the war-painting material of the savages. The third mound contained a copper chisel one-fourth inch thick, one-fourth inch wide, and two and one-half inches long, encrusted with a very thick coating of green oxide, as if placed near a fleshy or acidulous substance. A portion of a vase, evidently of great antiquity, was also found in the mound. The fourth, fifth and sixth mounds of the Grattan group did not yield up' relics of a by-gone race, but afforded substantial proof to the explorers that within them were buildings constructed by men of the dim past. One of these mounds was four feet in height, circular and conical in form, with a breadth at the base of 40 feet. During the winter of 1877-'8 Mr. Coffinberry found in the neighborhood of the mounds just noticed, a peculiar work of barbaric art, of the following description: The notches are all on the corners of the same side of the stone, and the date 1584 on the opposite side. The figures are fine, thin marks, and appear to be the work of a novice in the way of engraving, using as a chisel the broken blade of a large pocket knife. The notches on the corners of the stone are the proper size and number; the holes were evidently made with a blunt flint drill, as they are countersunk on both sides, and in making did not exactly meet; so this had to be modified subsequently by the engraver. The stone is about one-fourth inch thick in the center, and tapers thinner toward both ends, with square edges, worked off smooth, and shows marks of being ground down, as is the case in most relics of that character. The color is a rich brown, the stone exceedingly hard. There is one thing singularly strange connected with this souvenir of the past: the date given evidently points out the year of the Christian era. The explorers account for the existence of the figures from the fact that an early French missionary found the relic and engraved the figures upon it. The volcanic glass arrow-heads, copper needles, pipe stems, even a copper beaver tooth, found within the city of Grand Rapids, point to a people dwelling here in pre-Indian times. In the museum of the Kent Scientific Institute, as well as among the private collections of antiquaries, there may be found a hundred mementoes of the early occupation of the valley. The garden beds of this portion of the Grand river valley were laid off in ridges 12 feet wide, 74 feet in breadth, and extending in a southwesterly course 156 feet. Many of such fields existed 130 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. here before the plowshare of the American pioneer leveled their relief features. A fact mentioned by Dr. Lapham furnishes a species of evidence as to the relative antiquity of the garden beds as compared with the animal mounds. They were found overlying the latter; from which he infers, of course, a more recent origin. It may also be supposed a considerably more recent age, since it is not likely that the race could have thus encroached upon the works of another until long after these had been abandoned and their religious or other significance forgotten. The date of the abandonment of the beds may be approximately fixed by the age of the trees found growing upon them. One of these, mentioned by Schoolcraft, cut down in 1837, had 335 cortical layers. This carries the period back as far as 1502, or some years prior to the discovery of this country by the French. How long these labors were abandoned before this tree commenced its growth may not be susceptible of proof. Early French explorers do not appear to have been interested in the question, and it does not seem to me necessary to go further back than the three centuries during which that tree flourished, for a period quite long enough to have crumbled into indistinguishable dust every trace of wooden dwellings and implements, as well as of the bodies of their fabricators, if the latter received only simple earth burial. At the time of the arrival of the French the country was in possession of Algonquin tribes, who emigrated from the St. Lawrence about the middle of the 16th century. They were ignorant of the authors of these works, and were not more advanced in the arts of culture than the other known tribes. It is probable that the few defensive works mentioned were erected by this settled and peaceful race of gardeners, as places of temporary refuge for the women and children, against the raids of the warlike tribes living eastward of them. The larger one may have served for the general defense in a time of sudden and great emergency. It is probable that on some such occasion they were surprised by their savage and relentless foes, and were overwhelmed, scattered or exterminated. It is perhaps useless to regret that these most interesting and unique relics of a lost people have so completely perished, through the greed of the dominant race; or that they could not have received, while they yet remained, the more exact and scientific scrutiny which is now being applied to the antiquities of our land. Much that might then have been cleared up must now remain forever involved in mystery, or be left to conjecture. SEPULCHERS OF THE SAURS, OR WYANDOTS. The great burial ground, or Pagigendamowinaki, five miles below the Rapids, on the north side of the river, is well remembered by the old settlers, and offers subject of interest even to the traveler of the present time. This rude cemetery presents a sur co4 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 133 face of conical hills. From time to time the searcher among the bones of the dead is rewarded by the discovery of one or other of the many articles placed in the earth with the deceased to be used by him in the land of the hereafter. The number of mounds and the variety of relics which may be found in them point out the place as the necropolis of an extinct race. Stone hatchets, copper brooches, silver rings, arrow-heads, paring knives, skulls, unnumbered skeletons, all remain to tell of their coming and their stay, of their rise and fall. The free copper found within the tumuli, the open veins of the Superior and Iron Mountain copper-mines, with all the modus operandi of ancient mining, such as ladders, levers, chisels, and hammer-heads, discovered by the French explorers of the Northwest and the Mississippi, are conclusive proofs that a prehistoric people were highly civilized, arid that many flourishing colonies were spread throughout the newly formed land, while yet the mammoth, the mastodon, and a hundred other animals, now only known by their gigantic fossil remains, guarded the eastern shore of the continent, as it were, against supposed invasions of the Tower-Builders who went west from Babel; while yet the beautiful isles of the Antilles formed an integral portion of this continent, long years before the European Northman dreamed of setting forth to the discovery of Greenland and the Northern isles, and certainly at a time when all that portion of America north of latitude 45 O was an ice-incumbered waste. Within the last few years great advances have been made ' toward the discovery of antiquities, whether pertaining to remains of organic or inorganic nature. Together with many small but telling relics of the early inhabitants of the country, the fossils of prehistoric animals have been unearthed from end to end of the land, and in districts, too, long pronounced by geologists of some repute to be without even a vestige of vertebrate fossils. Among the collected souvenirs of an age about which so very little is known, are 25 vertebrae averaging 13 inches in diameter, and three vertebrae ossified together measure nine cubical feet; a thigh-bone five feet long by 12 inches in diameter and the shaft 14 by eight inches thick, the entire lot weighing 600 lbs. These fossils are presumed to belong to the Cretaceous period, when the Dinosaur roamed over the country from East to West, desolating the villages of the people. This animal is said to have been 60 feet long, and when feeding in cypress and palm forests, to extend himself 85 feet, so that he might devour the budding tops of those great trees. Other efforts in this direction may lead to great results, and culminate probably in the discovery of a tablet engraven by some learned Mound-Builder, describing in the ancient hieroglyphics of China all those men and beasts whose history excites so much speculation. The identity of the Mound-Builders with the Mongolians might lead us to hope for such a consummation; nor is it beyond the range of probability, particularly in this practical age, to find 9 134 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. the future labors of some industrious antiquarian requited by the upheaval of a tablet, written in the Tartar characters of 1,700 years ago, bearing on the subject, which can now be treated only on a purely speculative basis. BOTANICAL. It is unnecessary to name the flora of Kent county, since the species are so numerous and well known. Dr. Gray, in his treatise on the Botany of the Northern States, east of the Mississippi, gives 130 orders of flowering plants. In 1860 a botanical survey of the State was made under Ni. H. Winchell. His report regarded every flower, plant, shrub, tree and grass to be found in Michigan, then numbering 1,205 species,-all native with 85 exceptions. In 1880 Messrs. Wheeler and Smith, of Hubbardston, Mich., compiled and published a complete flora of this State, with corrections to date. Of this great number there are at present found within the confines of Kent county no less than 381 genera, embracing 850 species. A large number of genera, considered in the report of 1860, has disappeared; while about 25 species have been introduced within the last 15 years. The flowers, etc., are as rich generally as may be found in any of the -Northern States; in a few instances the brilliancy of hue is unequaled by any. All appear to reach perfection here. LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE. Grand Rapids, the political, commercial and intellectual center of Kent county, is situate in latitude 42~ 57' 59" N., and longitude 85~ 39' 59" W. from Greenwich, or 20 37' 36.27" west from Detroit. Now, as the earth moves before the sun at the rate of 15~ in a fraction over one hour, the difference between the time of Detroit and Grand Rapids is 10 min. 20.3 l sec., and between Greenwich and Grand Rapids 5.70 hours. RELIEF FEATURES, OR SUMMITS. The highest point of the Kent summit is found in Gaines township, where it reaches anl elevation of 267 feet above Lake Huron. Grand Rapids comes next in the order of elevation, being 54 feet above Lake Huron; and Lowell next, reaching an altitude of 48 feet above the lake, or 626 feet above the Atlantic ocean. The northwestern prolongation of the Barry summit, or height of land, is cut off by Gun river, which forms a confluence with the Kalamazoo at Otsego, and is known as the Kent summit. It occurs in the southern part of Kent county, where it finds a culminating point of 213 feet, and according to some authorities 267 feet, above the level of Lake Huron, or 845 feet above that of the Atlantic. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 135 "PRECIPITATION, OR RAINFALL. The extreme minimum of annual total precipitation of rain, including snow, calculated as melted, is 92 per cent. at Grand Rapids, which is only five per cent. above that of Grand Haven, on the lake shore.. In spring the minimum at Grand Rapids is noted at 60 per cent., in summer at 54 per cent., in the fall at 60 per cent., and in the winter at 81 per cent. of the mean annual precipitation, which is estimated at 31 inches of rainfall in the United States. THE ORIGINAL NAME OF THE VALLEY. The meaning of the original name of this beautiful valley of the Grand river has been a subject of much discussion since 1830-'1, when the pioneer settlement was made at Jackson. Many consider that Wustenong, or Wushtenong, rendered in the language of the new Americans, is The Further District, or Land Beyond, from Wushte. further, and nong. place or country. Among the supporters of this opinion was R. V. Williams, a man who whiled away many years among the Indians, and always heard the name Wushetenong Sebee freely applied to the river. Again, Louis Genereau states that Wushtenong was the name of an Indian who lived between the rapids and the estuary of the river, who did not permit any one save his relatives or friends to encroach upon his hunting grounds. The visitors to the camp of ~ this savage knew him as Wushtenong and called the river after his name. An Indian, under the patronage of Genereau as recently as 1877, bears testimony to the correctness of this statement. Another origin of the name is ascribed to the fact that a chief of the Pottawatomies, then dwelling near where the city of Pittsburg now stands, had a son whom he named Washington, in honor of the father of this country. The boy ultimately settled in Michigan, and called the river Washtenaw, the nearest approach he could make to the pronunciation of General Washington's name. This is downright nonsense. Long years before the illustrious name of Washington spread a blaze of light and hope throughout the world, Godfroy, McDougal, Baby, Campau and a hundred other traders dwelling between Ypsilanti and Quebec heard the name Wushtenong, and the savage songs in praise of deeds performed there; so that the author of this definition can only claim for it a very common imaginary foundation. The Otchipwes, or Chippewas, were wont to call the Rapids Kitchi-onigam, and the river thence to the lake, Owashtanong, or Washtanong-Sibi, meaning respectively "grand portage" and "Grand river." Coming from the Saginaw, when they would strike the river east of Flat river, or Nabaga-Sibi, they called out JVagewassa, meaning "far yet, but not very far." Reaching the rapids, they would point to the lake and shout joyfully awass-tonong, to convey the idea that beyond is the place of the last man. 136 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. This definition the writer is inclined to accept. The vocabulary of the Otchipwes points it out as the just one. It approaches almost the definition given by Louis Genereau and R. V. Williams, and is according to the language of the Chippewas as expounded by tl;elexicographer, Fred. Baraga, Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie, and one time a missionary at Grand Rapids. It is further substantiated by Rev. Albert Lacombe, the great student of Indian language, and appears to be the mnost acceptable derivation of the name. DESCRIPTION. Grand river has its head waters in the townships of Waterloo, Columbia and Liberty, Jackson county. North of Jackson city it forms a confluence with the Au Toin or Portage river, and flows thence in a circuitous course through the northeastern townships of that county, westerly for a distance of eight miles, when it enters upon its northwestern course to Lake Michigan, passing through Ingham and Eaton counties, the southwest part of Clinton, the eastern sections of Ionia, westward through Kent and Ottawa, when it enters the lake, after a tortuous course of about 270 miles. It forms the receiver of the Rogue, Thornapple, Flat, Maple, Looking-Glass and Red Cedar rivers as well as hundreds of creeks and streamlets. This beautiful stream passes through a magnificent country, draining an area of 7,000 square miles, and now is navigable for steamboats to the foot of the rapids in Kent county. ~ CHAPTER I1. THE INDIANS. The origin of the red men, or American Indians, is a subject which interests as well as instructs. It is a favorite with the ethnologist, even as it is one of deep concern to the ordinary reader. The era of their establishment as a distinct and insulated people must be set down and credited to a period immediately after the separation of the Asiatics and the origin of the languages. No doubt whatever can exist when the American Indian is regarded as of Asiatic origin. The fact is that the full-blood Indian ofthe present is descended directly from the earliest inhabitants, or, in other words, from the survivors of that people who, on being driven frwon their fair possessions, retired to the wilderness in sorrow, and reared up their children under the saddening influences of their unquenchable griefs, bequeathing them only the habits of the wild, cloud-roofed homes of their exile-a sullen silence and a rude moral code. In after years those wild sons of the forest and prairie grew in numbers and in strength. Some legend told them of their present sufferings, of the high station which their fathers once had held, and of the riotous race that now reveled in the wealth which should be theirs. The fierce passions of the savage were aroused, and uniting their scattered bands, all marched in silence upon the villages of the Tartars, driving them onward to the capital of their Incas, and consigning their homes to the flames. Once in view of the great city, the hurrying bands halted in surprise, while Tartar cunning took advantage of the situation, and offered to the sons of their former victims pledges of amity and justice, which were sacredly observed. Henceforth Mexico was open to the Indians, bearing precisely the same relation to them that the Hudson Bay Company's villages do to the Northwestern Indians of the present time,-obtaining all and rendering little. The subjection of the Mongolian race, represented in North America by that branch of it to which those Tartars belonged, seems to have taken place about five centuries prior to the arrival of the Spaniards; while it may be,concluded that the war of the races, which resulted in reducing the villages erected by the Tartar hordes to ruin, took place between one and two hundred years later. These statements, though actually referring to events which in point of time are comparatively modern, can be substantiated only by the fact that about the periods mentioned the dead bodies,of an unknown race of men were washed ashore on the European (137) 138 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. coasts; while previous to that time there is no account whatever in European annals of even a vestige of trans-Atlantic humanity being transferred by ocean currents to the shores of the Old World. Toward the latter half of the fifteenth century, two dead bodies, entirely free from decomposition and corresponding with the characteristics of the red men, as afterward seen by Columbus, were cast ashore on the Azores, and confirmed the great discoverer in his belief in the existence of a Western world and a Western people. Storm and flood and disease have created sad havoc in the ranks of the aborigines since the occupation of the country by the white man. Inherent causes have led to the decimation ofthe race even more than the advance of civilization, which seems not to affect it materially. In the maintenance of the same number of representatives during three centuries, and its existence in the very face of a most unceremonious, and, whenever necessary, cruel, conquest, the grand dispensations of the Unseen Ruler are demonstrated; for, without the aborigines, savage and treacherous as they were, it is possible that the explorers of former times would have so many natural difficulties to contend with that their work would be surrendered in despair, and the most fertile regions of the continent saved for the plowshares of the coming generations. It is very questionable whether the ultimate resolve of Columbus was not strengthened by the appearance of the bodies of Indians on the coast of Europe, even as the fact of the existence of a people in the interior led the French explorers into the very heart of the continent in later days. From this standpoint their services can not be over-estimated. Their existence is embraced in the plan of the Divinity for his government of the world; and it will not be a matter of surprise to learn that the same intelligence which sent a thrill of liberty through every nerve of the Republic will, in the near future, devise some method under which the remnant of a great and ancient race may taste the sweets of public sympathy, and feel that, after a long season of suffering, they have at last found a shelter amid a sympathizing people. EARLY EXPLORERS. Among such people did the Jesuit fathers-Claude Allouez and Claude Dablon-venture in 1665, Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet in 1668, and the hundred missionaries who followed after them. Many of those zealous men visited the lodges of the Chippewas while yet the spirit of Pontiac was living and breathing death to the pale-face; but the very warriors who went forth in 1762 to aid the great Indian chieftain in his proposed capture of the English garrison of Detroit, were among the first to bid the Frenchman welcome to the valley of the Washtenong, as also to rush to the aid of LaBalne in 1780, when he marched against the British position at Detroit. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 139 ANNIHILATION OF THE SAUKS. About the year 1520 the Chippewas gained possession of this district, when the massacre of Skull Island resulted in almost the total annihilation of the original possessors, the Sauks. The story of this massacre was thus related by William R. McCormick to the writer: On nearly all the tributaries can be found mounds filled with human bones, which I have opened for my own satisfaction, and found them lying in all directions, showing they were thrown together without any regularity, upon which I became satisfied they were killed in battle. This awakened in me a curiosity to find out what people they were, and where and what had become of them. I often questioned the Indians in regard to it, but they would invariably say that there were two or three very old Indians living on the bay that could tell me all about it, giving me their names. Accordingly, in one of my journeys to the bay 1 sought out the Indians in question. I think this was in 1834. I found him a very old man and asked him his age. He said he thought he was a great deal over 100 years. His faculties were as bright as a man of 50. I told him I understood he could give me the tradition of his race. He replied he could, as it was handed down to him by his grandfather, who he said was older than he was now when he told him. For fear I would not get it correct I called to my aid an educated man who was part Indian, Peter Grewett, a man well known by the early settlers as an Indian trader, and is still living, I believe, in Gratiot county, and has spent his life with the Indians, in the fur trade, and was for many years in the employment of the American Fur Company. The old Indian, Puttasamine by name, commenced as follows: He said the Sauks occupied the who'e of the Saginaw river and its tributaries, extending from Thunder Bay on the north to the head of the Shiawassee on the south, and from Lake Michigan on the west to Detroit on the east through the valley of the Grand river. The balance of Michigan was occupied by the Pottawatomies, and the Lake Superior country was occupied by the Chippewas and Ottawas, while the Monomonies were at the head of Green Bay in Wisconsin, and another tribe west of the Mississippi which he called Sioux. The main village of the Sauks stood on the west side of the Saginaw river, just below where the residence of Frank Fitzhugh now is, and opposite the mill of N. B. Bradley. The Sauks were always at war with their Chippewa neighbors on the north and the Pottawatomies on the south, and also with other nations in Canada, until at last ahcouncil was called, consisting ot the Chippewas, Pottawatomies, Monomonies, Ottawas and Six Natiofis of New York. At an appointed time they all met at the Island of Mackinaw, where they fitted out a large army and started in bark canoes, and came down the west shore of Lake Huron. They then stole along the west shore of Saginaw Bay by night, and lay concealed during the day, until they arrived at a place called 140 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Petobegong, about ten miles from the mouth of the Saginaw. Here they landed part of their army, while the rest crossed the bay and landed to the east of the mouth of the Saginaw river in the night. In the morning both armies started up the river, one on each side, so as to attack both villages at once. The army on the west side attacked the main village first by surprise, and massacred nearly all; the balance retreated across the river to another village, which stood near where the court-house now stands, near the ferry, in Portsmouth. At this time that part of the army that had landed on the east side of the river came up, and a desperate battle ensued in the vicinity of the residence of William R. McCormick, that being the highest land, and where they had attempted to fortifiy themselves; and at the present time, by digging in this hill, you will find it full of human bones of the victims of that battle. Here they were again defeated. They then crossed the river and retreated to Skull Island, which is the next island above what is now Stone's Island. Here they considered themselves safe, as their enemies had no canoes and they could not fortify themselves. But the next night after their retreat to the island the ice froze thick enough for the allies to cross, which they did, when another massacre ensued; here they were all exterminated with the exception of 12 females. Since that time this island has been known as "Skull Island," from the number of skulls found on it in after years. The allies then divided, some going up the Cass, some up the Flint, others up the Shiawassee, Tittabawassee, Maple and Grand, where there were different bands located. But the largest battles were fought on the Flint, on the bluff. Another Indian traditionist says another reinforcement met them here, coming through Detroit. Here there is a large number of mounds filled with bones, which can be seen at the present day. They then came down the river and fought another battle on the bluff, about a mile from the present village of Flushing, on the farm formerly owned by a Mr. Bailey. Here there is also a large number of mounds yet to be seen; and, if you should dig them open as I have, you will find them filled with hunian bones. The next battle was fought about 16 miles from Flushing, on the farm formerly occupied by the late James McCormick. There were sevaral battles fought on the Cass, at what is now called the Bend, or Bridgeport Center, where there was a fortification of earthwork which was plainly to be seen 35 years ago. The next important battle was fought on the Tittabawassee, just above the farm on which the late James Fraser first settled when he came to the Saginaw Valley. This differs from the rest, as the remains of the slain were all buried in one mound, and it is a very large one. After the extermination of the whole nation, with the exception of the 12 females before spoken of, a council of the allies was then held, to know what should be done with them. Some were for torturing and killing, others for sparing their lives; finally it was HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 141 agreed that they should be sent west of the Mississippi, and an arrangement was made with the Sioux that no tribe should molest them, and the Sioux should be responsible for their protection, which agreement was faithfully kept. The conquered country, ot which the Grand River Valley is a part; was then divided among them all as a common -hunting ground. But a great many who caine here to hunt never returned, nor were ever heard of. It became the opinion of the Indians that the spirits of the dead Sauks still haunted their hunting grounds and were killing off their hunters, when in fact it was a few Sauks who had escaped the massacre and still lingered around their hunting grounds, watching for straggling hunters and killing them whenever an opportunity occurred. Ton-do-gong, an Indian chief who died in 1840, said he killed a Sank while hunting when a boy. This must have been over 80 years ago, and up to a few years ago the Indians still believed there was a Sank in the vicinity. They had seen the place where he had made his fires and slept. I have known them to get together and not hunt for several days, for the reason, they said, there was a Sank in the woods; they had seen where he had slept; you could not make them believe otherwise. But to go back to the Indian tradition. The country was considered as haunted, and no more Indians came here to hunt, although game was abundant. Finally it was converted into what would be termed among civilized nations a penal colony. Every Indian who committed a crime would flee or be banished to the haunted hunting grounds to escape punishment, for the Indian laws were more severe and strict then than now. " This was long before we became degraded by coming in contact with the whites, said the Indian. The Chippewas becoming most numerous, finally their language predominated, but at the present time the Indians of the Lower Peninsula do not speak in all respects the same as the Chippewas on Lake Superior, from which they originally sprung, showing that the mixing of different nations has been the cause of the variety in dialect. Put-ta-qua-sa-mine said his grandfather told it to him when he was a boy, which was 90 years before, and that it had been handed down to his grandfather from his ancestors, and was a custom with him to repeat it often to his people, so the tradition or history should not be lost; and a successor was always appointed in case the traditionist should die, that the history of the nation should not be lost, and be handed down from generation to generation. In speaking with two other old Indians on the same subject, it is found that their tradition is precisely the same, word for word, with one exception. They say the battles on the Flint were fought by the army coming from Detroit. There can be little doubt of the above being a correct narrative, as much so as if it had been written at the time and handed down to us as a matter of history. It forms the most simple and probable history of the destruction of the Sauks, and the coming of the Otchipwes. 142 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. LOCATION OF THE BATTLE-FIELD. About 12 miles below Saginaw City is " Skull Island," so named by the Indians in consideration that upon it exists an endless quantity of " dead heads," which were left here after a great fight, years long past, between the Chippewas and Sauks, their owners having no farther use for them, especially after they had passed through the hands of a set of hair-dressers who took off skin and hair together. These Indians were queer fellows in their days; and at this battle of Skull Island, which the Chippewas had traveled " many a weary mile to enjoy," they made a general Kilkenny cat fight of it, and as, like Maturin's tragedies, "allstabbed and everybody died,'" except about six on each side, each party of them retired and celebrated the victory, leaving the field in undisturbed possession of the " skulls," which, having seen the folly of fighting, were willing to lie quiet, friend and foe " cheek byjowl," and compose themselves for a few more years of hunting and fishing, by the glorious expectation of taking a squint at the " happy hunting grounds," and the proud consequence of having dedicated their respective knowledge-boxes to the christening of about two, acres of Bad Island. Just below this locality of warlike memory lies Sag-e-nong, upon a high bank on the west side of the river. This is the Saginaw of the red man, and the only place known to him by that name. The meaning of the word is the "land of Sauks. " The place known to white men as Saginaw lies 12 miles or more up the river, and is called Ka-pay-shaw-wink, which means the "camping ground." Here it was that the tribes living hereabout were wont to assemble statedly to hold council together, often continuing some days. THE OTTAWAS AND POTTAWATOMIES. Like the Otchipwes, the Indians of these tribes were invaders. Their conquest of Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana was not so bloody as that of the Sauk land; yet they succeeded in driving the old Miami race south to the Wabash, and holding possession of the land. They came as friends and stayed as enemies. In later years they formed an offensive and defensive alliance with the powerful Otchipwe nation, and shared with that people in all the luxuries which nature offered. PONTIAC 'S VISITS TO TIlE VALLEY. The Detroit garrison under Col. Beletre surrendered to Major Rogers, Nov. 29, 1760. The Northwest Territory was now entirely under the English rule. New settlements began to be rapidly made, and thepromise of a large trade was speedily manifested. Now, inad the British carried out their promises with the natives none of those savage HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 143 butcheries would have been perpetrated, and the country would have been spared their recital. All the Indians,from the mouth of Grand river to that of the Huron and from the Upper Peninsula to the prairie villages of Illinois and Indiana, were aroused to a sense of the varied wrongs which the new invaders were determined to effect. Early in the year, following the surrender of Fort Detroit, the Indians of the North, South,East and West aroused themselves to a realization of the dangers which threatened them, and entered upon a desultory warfare against the British troops. The renowned chief, Pontiac, was one of the leading spirits in this guerrilla warfare. The earliest authentic information regarding this noted Indian chief is learned from an account of an Indian trader named Alexander Henry, who, in the spring of 1761, penetrated his domains as far as Missillimacnac. Pontiac was then a great friend of the French, but a bitter foe of the English, whom he considered as encroaching on his hunting grounds. Henry was obliged to disguise himself as a Canadian to insure safety, but was discovered by Pontiac, who bitterly reproached him and the English for their attempted subjugation of the West. He declared that no treaty had been made with them, no presents sent them, and that he would resent any possession of the West by that nation. He was at the time about 50 years of age, tall and dignified, and was civil and military ruler of the Ottawas, Pottawatomies, and Otchipwes (or Chippewas, or Ojibwas). The Indians, from Lake Michigan to the borders of North Carolina, were united in this feeling, and at the time of the treaty of Paris, ratified Feb. 10, 1763, a general conspiracy was formed to fall suddenly upon the frontier British posts, and with one blow strike every man dead. Pontiac was the marked leader in all this, and was the commander of the Chippewas, Ottawas, Wyandots, Miamis, Shawanese, Delawares and Mingoes, who had, for the time, laid aside their local quarrels to unite in this enterprise. From 1761 the great leader was present at the rapids of Grand river, where in the presence of over 3,000 Indians, he laid down his plans for the annihilation of the British troops and traders. The reception of Pontiac was the most demonstrative action spoken of in the history of the aborigines. This council was held in April, every band within the Peninsula was represented, everything told of war and blood, and as has been truly said, "each savage countenance seemed carved in wood, and none could have detected the deep and fiery passions'hidden beneath that immovable exterior." Pipes, with ornamented stems, were lighted, and passed from hand to hand. The noble chief opened his address by setting forth the arrogance, rapacity and injustice of the English, and contrasted their deeds with those of the French. He declared that the British com mandant at Detroit had treated him with neglect and contempt; that the soldiers of that garrison hadabused the Indians, and if left alone, would soon con e to drive his peaceful hearers from their homes 144 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. around this beautiful Owashtenong. He fully set forth the danger that would arise to his people should the English gain supremacy. They had expelled the French, and would soon turn upon the Indians. He then displayed a broad belt of wampum, stating that he had received it from their great father, the King of France, who would soon come to their assistance. The visit was repeated in 1762 and again in 1763. Many of the Grand river warriors were already in the field, but the terrible Pontiac desired to leave the presence of all, and to this end made a tour of the Flint, Saginaw, Huron and Grand River valleys, sending forward from each district warrior bands for the better prosecution of the war against the British. The blow came, as near as can now be ascertained, on May 7, 1763. Nine British posts fell, and the Indians drank, "scooped up in the hollow of joined hands," the blood of many a Briton. Pontiac's immediate field of action was the garrison at Detroit. Here, however, the plans were frustrated by an Indian woman disclosing the plot the evening previous to his arrival. Everything was carried out, however, according to Pontiac's plans until the moment of action, when Major Gladwyn, the commander of the post, stepping to one of the Indian chiefs, suddenly drew aside his blanket and disclosed the concealed musket. Pontiac, though a brave man, turned pale and trembled. He saw his plan was known, and that the garrison were prepared. He endeavored to exculpate himself from any such intentions; but the guilt was evident, and he and his followers were dismissed with a severe reprimand, and warned never to again enter the walls of the post. Pontiac at once laid siege to the fort, and until the treaty of peace between the British and the Western Indians, concluded in August, 1764, continued to harass and besiege the fortress. He organized a regular commissariat department, issued bills of credit written outon bIark, which, to his credit,it may be stated, were punctually redeemed. At the conclusion of the treaty, in which it seems he took no part, he went further south, living many years among the Illinois. He had given up all hope of saving his country and race. After a time lie endeavored to pnite the Illinois tribe and those about St. Louis in war with the whites. His efforts were fruitless, and only ended in a quarrel between himself and some Kaskaskia Indians, one of whom soon afterward killed him. His death was, however, avenged by the Northern Indians, who nearly exterminated the Illinois in the wars which followed. Had it not been for the treachery of a few of his followers, his plan for the extermination of the whites, a masterly one, would undoubtedly have been carried out. THE INDIAN DEAD. The nature of this funeral rite is thus described: A few days after the burial of the child, the father or mother or near relative HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 145 of the deceased gives a feast. The food was prepared and carried to the grave, to which all sympathizing friends repaired. If the feast was prepared by a man, none but men attended; and the same rule applied to women, as in the case under notice. When assembled, the ruler of the feast distributed to each one present a portion of the food prepared; and each one, before partaking, put as mall quantity on the head of the grave, so that it might fall through an aperture and reach the body of the dead. In such a female gathering, if one of the company were deemed profligate, she was not permitted to make this offering to the dead through her own hands; but another receives it from her, and offers it on her behalf. After the offerings were made to the deceased, the remainder of the food was eaten by the company. Similar feasts were held in honor of deceased men and women. When the party consisted of warriors, addresses were made, and the virtues of the dead chanted. The festivals are repeated every year, and when returning from their wintering grounds to their villages in the spring they were accustomed to clear away the grass and weeds from each grave, and keep it so during the summer. Among the Ottawas it was customary to place a post, proportioned in height to the age and size of the deceased, at the head of a grave. On one sidp of this post appeared the picture of an animal, the name of which was the prevailing name in the family. On the other side was a clumsy drawing, slightly resembling a man minus a head, representing a person whom the deceased lhad slain in war; or if it were a child, the victim of one of its relatives was pictured. A man with a head signified a person wounded. Such hieroglyphics were multiplied in just such measure as circumstances pointed out. Near the grave post was placed a cane, about two feet in length, so that when the passing Indian or visitor arrives at the grave he strikes the post two or three times to announce his arrival. Posts eight or ten feet high were frequently placed by the side of a hut, and always near the wigwam or hut wherein the conjurers met to consult on the cause of severe illness. On the upper end of this post was cut the figure of the human face. Mr. Sykins, afterward associated with McCoy, discovered one on Grand river, on which was carved with savage exquisiteness a bust of some Indian chief. In the village was seen a tall pole, neatly peeled, streaked in vermilion, and surmounted with a bunch of green boughs-probably representing the victory of some savage political party. THE LEGEND OF THE LONE TREE. The following legends and descriptions have been collected from many sources, and relate to history so far as they are characteristic of Indian life: No person who has ever traversed the valley of the Grand River but remembers the "lone tree," which stood upon the west bank or side of the river, far from its fellows. It looked like some lone 146 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. misanthrope, who, having become disgusted with the vanities and foibles of human nature, had taken up his abode in the desert, where, far from the busy haunts of his fellow man, he might pour out his heart's bitterness to the wild winds, and waste his spleen and discontent upon the "desert air." There it stood, majestic in its loneliness, like Moore's last rose of summer. A spirit of romance certainly seemed to linger about it; a whisper of the past gently breathed through its desolate branches, and the question naturally arose, Why is it that this tree thus stood alone? A greater interest was imparted to it by the fact of its having been for years the abode of a white owl, whose dismal whoop fell mournfully upon the ear of night. The Indians had a great reverence for this tree, and also for its occupant, which they believed to be a spirit. There is a beautiful belief existing among the aborigines of our country in regard to a guardian spirit, which they say is often seen, and which appears in the form of a bird, sometimes the dove, sometimes the eagle, but more frequently assuming the form of a night bird, though the disposition of the deceased, while living, has much to do with the species. For instance, a great warrior dies whose disposition had been fearless, ambitious and untamed; his spirit-bird personifies an eagle; a blood-thirsty chieftain's spirit-bird is a hawk. A gentle maiden passes away to the spirit-land and her friends know that she is hovering near them when they hear the mournful notes of the turtle-dove at morn or eve. A legend, or tradition, concerning the " lone tree " existed among the Indians of the valley. Many, many long years before the white man's foot had left its impress upon this land, Ke-wah-ke-won ruled his people with love and kindness. He was a patriarch among them, and beloved for the gentleness of his manners and the mildness of his government. He had been a great warrior in his day, but his youth had departed, and languid pulse and feeble footsteps told, alas! too plainly, that he would soon be treading the hunting grounds of the Great Spirit. The good old lman felt that indeed he was passing away-dying-and he was desirous to see once more his tribes in council, and bestow upon them his last blessing, and impart to them his dying counsel and admonition. The old chief lay upon his death-bed, and around him were gathered, in mournful silence, his beloved people, eager to catch the first and last words that should drop from the lips of their dying chieftain. It was a mournful and melancholy picture, that death-bed scene in the wilderness. At length the chief spoke, while the fire of his youth seemed to kindle again in his dim eye, and his voice, though weak, was calm and clear: " My children," said he, " the Great Spirit has called to me, and I must obey the summons. Already is the hand raised to sever the last chord that binds me to my children; already my guide stands at the door to convey me to the hunting grounds of my fathers in the spirit-land. You weep, my children, but dry your HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 147 tears, for though I leave you now, yet will my spirit-bird ever watch over you. I will whisper to you in the evening breeze, and when the morning comes you will know that I have been with you through the night. But the Good Spirit beckons for me, and I must hasten. Let my body be laid in a quiet spot on the prairie, with my tomahawk and pipe by my side. You need not~ fear that the wolf will disturb my rest, for the Great Spirit, I feel, will place a watch over me. Meet me in the spirit-land, my children. Farewell." And the old chief slept the sleep that knows no waking till the end of time. They buried him in a lone spot in the prairie, near the beautiful river, with his face toward the rising sup. His remains were never disturbed by bird or beast; for it would indeed seem that so the Great Spirit had ordered it. Time passed on, and a tree arose from his grave and spread its branches over it, as if to protect it, and a beautiful white owl took possession of it. The Indians tell us that the " lone tree " marked the last resting place of Ke-wahke-won, and that the white owl was the spirit-bird sent to watch over it. The lone tree is no longer seen by the traveler, for vandal hands have cut it down; yet the spot is often pointed out upon which it stood, and where sleeps Ke-wah-ke-won, the beloved of his tribe. INDIAN PAYMENT DAY IN OLD TIMES. There is a vast difference in the Indian payment day of the present and that of "olden timee" long before Grand Rapids had attained it present importance and standing. About 1,200 Indians, of "all sorts and sizes," from the toddling pappoose to the swarthy niche-nah-va, were assembled together in the morning, upon the beautiful lawn which gently sloped toward the river in front of the council house, near the rapids. It would be almost impossible to give the reader an idea of the hubbub and confusion of tongues that prevailed upon the occasion. Aside from the 1,000 Indians were a variety of other characters, including the chattering Frenchman, the blarneying Irishman, and the blubbering Dutchman, all mingling their discordant jargon with that of the vociferous Yankee. Groups of Indian boys, some exercising with the bow and arrow, others jumping, running, wrestling, and making the welkin ring with their noisy merriment, were collected in the vicinity of their respective tents. The river, too, was covered with canoes, and here the " dusky maid " in a more quiet and becoming manner was enjoying the occasion; and it was really surprising to see the dexterity and fearlessness with which she managed the "light canoe." A list of all the names of the heads of Indian families, chiefs, etc., was taken by the Indian superintendent, each Indian being entitled to a certain amount. The money to be paid was placed upon a table in the council room, in piles of $10 and $20 each, in American half-dollar pieces. Around the table sat the 148 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Indian superintendent, interpreter, clerks, etc. Commencing at the top of the list, a crier called off the names, the parties presented themselves, were paid off, and immediately made room for others.. It was'amusing toobserve the great number of "friends" that would gather around the Indian after he had received his money from the paymaster. Here a trader suddenly recollects some debt of long standing against Mr. Indian; there a seedy individual with sad eyes and nasal promontory coleur de pinque, most seductively offering him a drink of water slightly tinctured with poor whisky, while one or two dear friends are advising him to look out for sharpers, at the same time intimating that the superintendent has been paying off in bogus coin. In the evening, while the drinking Indians were rioting and carousing in the town, the evangelized natives were encamped upon the opposite side of the river, and the surrounding forest fairly resounded with their loud singing, preaching and praying. Instrumental music, from the fiddle to the Indian tum-turm, might also have been heard arising above the "horrid din." The scene that presents itself at the Indian payment now-a-days is altogether a different one when such payments are made. We are happy to see measures adopted to prevent the sale of intoxicating drinks to the poor Indian on such occasions. Would to God it might be prohibted, upon all occasions. SENTENCE AND EXECUTION. The Chippewas and Ottawas inhabiting this section of Michigan were friendly to each other, and during the hunting seasons frequently encamped near each other. In the fall of 1853 a party of one tribe built their cabins on the banks of Maple river, and a party of the other tribe, about 80 in number, encamped close by. It is unnecessary to speak of their life in these camps; suffice it to say that the days were spent in hunting and the nights in drinking " fire water " and carousing. In one of the revels at the camp an Ottawa Indian, maddened by liquor, killed his squaw, and to conceal the deed threw her body upon the fire. Recovering from the stupor of the revel, he saw that the signs of his guilt were still before him, and fearing the wrath of his tribe, he fled toward the other encampment of the Chippewas. His absence was noticed, the charred remains of the poor squaw were found, and the cry for blood was raised. The avengers were soon upon his track, and they pursued him to the encampment of their neighbors; he was found, apprehended, and in solemn council doomed to the death which in the stern old Indian code is reserved for those only who shed the blood of their kin. It was a slow, torturing, cruel death. A hatchet was put in the victim's hand, he was led to a large log that was hollow, and made to assist in fixing it for his coffin. This was done by cutting into it some distance on the top in two places about the length of a man apart, then slabbing off, and digging the hollow still larger so as to admit his body. "2 -v -yy..... -- hot<-/S HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 151 This done, he was taken back and tied fast to a tree. Then they smoked and drank of the " fire water," and when evening came they kindled large fires around him. And now commenced the orgies; they drank to intoxication, they danced and sang in their wild Indian manner, chanting the dirge of the recreant brave. The arrow was fitted to the ready bowstring, and ever and anon with its shrill twang it sent a missile into the quivering flesh of the homicide, and to heighten his misery they cut off his ears and nose. Alternately drinking, dancing, beating their rude drums and shooting arrows into the victim, the night passed. The next day was spent in sleeping and eating, the victim, meanwhile, still bound to the tree. What his reflections were we of course cannot tell, but he bore his punishment as a warrior should. When night closed around it brought his executioners to their work again..The scene of the first night was re-enacted, and so it was the next night, and the next and the next, and so on for a week. Seven long and weary days did he stand there, tortured with the most cruel torture, before his proud head dropped upon his breast, and his spirit left his clayey tenement for the hunting grounds of the Great Spirit. And when it did they took the body,. wrapped it in a new clean blanket, and placed it in the log coffin he had helped to hollow. They put his hunting knife by his side that he might have something to defend himself on the way; his whisky bottle, that he might cheer his spirits with a draught now and then, and his tobacco pipe that he might smoke. Then they put on the cover, drove down stakes each side of the log, and filled up between them with logs and brush. The murdered squaw was avenged. The camp was broken up, and the old stillness and quiet once more reigned over the forest spot where was consummated this signal act of retributive justice. 10 CHAPTER III. WELL REMEMBERED SAVAGES. Before completing this section of the work, it is deemed just and proper to place before the reader a few personal sketches of the men who were found here when the sun of civilization began to cast its golden stream upon the land. In the selection of the names to be noticed, the Indians located within the county within its'pioneer period are chosen, leaving the others to be referred to in the treaty papers. Cobmoosa, whose death at Pentwater was recorded as recently as 1872, was an Indian of the Indians. For many years he acted as sub-chief over the Flat River band of Indians, was very conservative in his ideas, majestic in style, honest in principle, and a heart of oak among his people. In his young days the band beheld his rapid growth, great strides and peculiar gesture. He was named The "Big Walker," or Cobmoosa, and until toward the close of his career here, observed every point that could tend to a continuance of this title. He was the foster father of Wabacis, and the parent of Acongo and Aishkibegosh. Previous to his acceptance of the Christian's faith he was master of six wives, three of whom were sisters, daughters of the chief, Wobwindego. Cobmoosa observed all the manners and customs of his race until 1861, when he relaxed his Indian discipline, cast away his Indian pride, and died almost as poor in principle as any of the latter day members of his tribe. Wakazoo, chief of the Holland band, was distinguished above his fellows. Manly in every respect, generous to a fault, possessing talents of a high order, and fully aware of the superiority of the whites over his people, he never failed to inculcate the observance of law, the acquisition of knowledge and the pursuit of honest labor. In 1848 this chief removed with his band to Grand Traverse, and there died the death of a drunkard. Maxsauba, one of the braves of the Holland band, claiming to be the only specimen of the Indian warrior left to the race, was a sub-chief. He had the reputation of being a great orator and fighting-man; but opposed to all this was a temper untamable, and a thirst for blood unquenchable. He looked on the white invaders with scorn, yet feared to touch them in life add property. He was terrible in the midst of his friends, a mouse in the villages of the white settlers. Was the "massasauga" rattlesnake named after him? So-na-go, one of the Coldwater Indians and the last sexton of the Indian cemetery, was a savage singularly romantic and eccentric, yet chivalrous and conscientious. After brooding over his rude (152) HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. * 153 ideas of the philosophy of nature, he waited for the happy time when he could commune more closely with those good Indians of his tribe who had passed to the spirit land. In later years, when the old camp ground at the mouth of the Coldwater had passed into the hands of the whites, So-na-go, the Indian chief, was accustomed to visit the mounds, under which the bones of his people rested, and there was seen to offer up a prayer to the Great Spirit, brush away his tears, and leave the scene of his griefs by some unfrequented path. Wabasis, well known to the first pioneers of the valley as the treaty-making half-breed. was engaged in the negotiation of the treaty of 1826, and incurred all the displeasure of the tribe. He was exiled, as it were, to live out his years within the boundaries of a small garden on the shore of Lake Wabasis. Neogamah, the newly elected chief, induced him to participate in the corn feast at Plainfield; they got him drunk, and killed him with a fire-brand. They buried him with his head above the ground; built a crib round his grave, and in it they daily placed food and tobacco for the nourishment and comfort of the dead in the land of the hereafter. His grave was located 20 rods south of Plainfield bridge. The story of Wabasis is told by Mrs. Kutts, of Oakfield. From it the following lines are taken: Oh, pitiless the hand to slay Where vengeance lured its baffled prey, While Wabasis defenseless stood, And dared the throng, athirst for blood. But, when his voice in death was still, Memories thronged, the heart to thrill; And many feet with silent tread, Moved slow, in honor of the dead. In regal state the chief was laid, With death-dance to appease his shade. But not forgot —for white man's gold, Their pleasant hunting.grounds were sold; And when the dark night-shadows came, With many a torch-light's glaring flame, They bore the big chief to his rest Upon the highland's lifted crest. They placed him sitting on the hill, That he might see the white man till The broad plains, where his fathers sleep, When zone were all his people's feet. They placed him sitting in his grave, Where he could see the gleaming wave; And watch the white man's big canoe, When faded were the forms he knew. -They placed him by the white man's trail, That he might see the stranger pale; And where his passing feet should be A long rebuke to treachery. They roofed him o'er with little trees, And bade him wait, and watch through these. But wofully the red man rued The day their hands in blood were bruedFor, ever at the feast of corn Was heard his voice in taunting scorn; 154 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. And here and there his vengeful soul Led on the hunt for hidden gold; Then in some lone and tangled fell Would ring his wild, unearthly yell. Each new moon on his grave they laid Tobacco, to appease his shade. But still the chief, who laid him low, Grew nerveless as an unstrung bow; And when the ^ hite Swan's drooping head Told Indian that his soul had fled, He went not on the death-trail, loneThe red chief, too, had with him gone. Kewaycooshcum, known to the old settlers of Grand Rapids and of the valley generally, fell at the hands of the executioner of the Indians' Secret Tribunal in August, 1839. He was among the most noted chiefs of the Flat River Indians, a celebrated warrior, and a great admirer of Gen. Lewis Cass. He was present at the negotiation of the treaties of Chicago, again at Saginaw, at Flint, and at Detroit, at each of which places he represented the interests of the Ottawa nation. Indian jealousy envied his growing popularity among the traders of Michigan, looked on the courtesies extended to him by the white settlers with a suspicious eye, charged him ultimately with perfidy in agreeing to the sale of their Indian soil, and capped tribal malice by inflicting the great penalty of death. This chief was prevailed upon, in 1821, to enter into a treaty with the United States Government ceding all the lands west of Grand river. To accomplish this treaty he made a journey to Washington in company with Rix Robinson and others, where he was entertained by the President, who made him many presents and won his warmest friendship. By the stipulations of this treaty all the Indians in the vicinity of Owashtenong were to remove to a reservation west of the Mississippi. When Kewaycooshcum returned and lai the plan of the treaty before a council of the chiefs of the villages it was received with great disapproval. Many of the savage councilmen deliveredlong and eloquent speeches setting forth the disadvantage of leaving their homes, which haed become dear to Indian hearts by many fond recollections. " Here we have buried our dead," said one of the chiefs, " and here we should remain to protect their graves. This is our home-the home of our youth. Here we were reared on the banks of the beloved Owashtenong, whose beauty has become our pride and boast. Here our fathers died and were laid to rest. Here we have held our councils, prosecuted our trade, and preserved peace and friendship with all nations. Why go to a strange land to mingle with strange people? Why forsake the graves of our ancestors? Have we become unpleasant to our brothers, the whites, that we must hide ourselves from their presence? What evil have we committed? Why thus sacrifice that which is most dear to the heart of ever chief and warrior? Has our chief tasted the fire-water of the pale faces and been blinded to the welfare of his people? Let him answer!" HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 155 Kewaycooshcum replied in an eloquent speech, representing the advantages of the treaty and urging his subject to extend a cheerful acquiescence, but to all his pleadings he received a prompt and indignant rebuke. They claimed that he had sold their homes and their liberties and had therefore become their enemy. This council was held in 1836 at the village of the Ottawas and Chippewas, on the west side of the river, and resulted in the ruin of Kewaycooshcun. The unfortunate "payment day" had gathered the tribe at Grand Rapids, the bounty was paid out in usual form, and the various bands left for their reserves. " Long Nose, or Kewicooshcum, Ka-she-wa, old Wasogenaw, Wapoos, with a boy and girl, remained behind, the seniors carousing, the youths sitting in a canoe anchored close by the mouth of Cold brook. The supply of whisky was growing very small, when Ka-she-wa and Wapoos proposed going to the village to replenish it. While they were gone old Wasogenaw sought quarrel with his chief, and coolly meted out the measure of Indian vengeance. Some years after this tragic affair, Seth Robinson became interested in obtaining all the facts connected with the death of " Long Nose." He found among the Flat River band the boy who witnessed the bloody scene, and elicited from him the particulars which he was desirous of obtaining. The Indian boy related the murder scene as follows: " I sat on the stern of the canoe, tied to the bank of Grand river, near the mouth of Cold brook. I had a knife in my hand, peeling a turnip. The two old men, Wasogenaw and Kewicooshcum, sat on the bank by the fire. I heard Wasogenaw say, 'You old fool! did you not know better than to sell this whole territory and impoverish your nation? I am going to take your life!' Kewicooshcum, pulling out and flourishing his knife, said, ' You can't do that! Do you see this?' The other man bent down to mne and said, 'Do you see that man? He is what has impoverished you. Let me take that knife you have got; I am going to kill him. Then I want you to help me put him in this canoe, and we will take him to the middle of the river, and throw him in.' I dropped my knife into the river, and said, ' I have no knife.' The old man said, 'I thought I saw you peeling a turnip with a knife.' Showing him a 4liver of wood, I said, 'No, I had only this.' The old man became very furious; and raving about, went to the bank of the river, and pulled out a maple club about two feet long, with a knot atoneend. He brandished it around frantically, capering the while and saying to me, ' This is the way when you kill something.' Then, rushing up to Kewicooshcum, and saying, with frantic gestures, 'This is the way when you kill something,' struck him on the head. The old man threw up his hands and feet, dropped his knife and begged. The other kept on striking, and repeating the same expression. I jumped out of the canoe, and ran toward the village. Wasogenaw called to me to stop. I ran faster, he following. Jumping across 1.56 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Cold brook, I got into the mud and fell down. Looking back, the old man was over me with a club. I evaded him, ran, and met the party returning with the whisky. I said to them, 'The old men are killing each other.' A son of Wasogenaw said to me, 'I will go and pacify him' (his father). He walked up to his father, and patting his cheek, said, 'You fool! can't you be satisfied with committing one murder, without taking the life of the boy?' The old man then fell on the ground and cried. All the men then went to the camp, and found Kewicooshcum dead. They put him in a canoe and carried him to Plainfield." It is not stated definitely that Indian dissatisfaction with the course taken by the deceased Indian was general. The circumstances surrounding the death of the big-nosed chief points out his end to be due to whisky rather than to any other cause. Okernos. This influential Pottawatomie chief, who dwelt with his band on the Huron, visited the Grand Rapids with his uncle, the great Pontiac. Even in later years he came hither from his home in Washtenaw to witness the advance of the village and congratulate the white settlers. He was accustomed to travel after the style of an oriental nabob; he took especial pride in his equestrian accomplishmnents. At the close of the hunting and sugar-making seasons, he would assemble all his men, women and pappooses, arrange them in Indian file, and lead their advance to distant trading posts. The old chief was a strict observer of his word, and never neglected the laws of gratitude. Withal, he was a fierce warrior; his cloven skull and the marks of a hundred wounds told of his prowess. He visited the Indians of the Grand river for the last time in June, 1857, and died about two years later. See page 56. Astoquet, chief of the Indian village at Grandville, is stated to have been a centenarian at the time of his death, in 1840. Though bent with the weight of age, he was dignified in manner, genial, and a true friend of the early settlers. Nonoquahezich, or Namequoggevhihz chief of the Ottawas, or rather a band of 500, that made their camp on the west side of the rapids in 1819, died in 1840 at Gull Prairie, aged 100 years. "Noon-day," as his name implies, was always a friendly Indian, inclined to be industrious. He possessed numerous wives, each of whom he treated with a respect inimitable by the Indian or white man of the present time. a Meccissininni, or the "' wampum man," married the daughter of Namequoggevhih, and was given the title of Young Chief. He belonged to the Ottawa band on the west side of the river, and had the reputation of being the youngest and most subtile philosopher of the tribe. He was present at all the treaties, always slow to propose any overtures to the commissioners, and among the last to accept the proposals of others. He removed first to Oceana county, thence northward, and is now at rest forever. He died with the honors of chief, as the successor of tie unfortunate Keywaycooshcunm. The history of this interesting savage, as related by Louis HISTORY OF RENT COUNTY. 157 Campau, and published in the directory of Grand Rapids, is as follows: Meccissininni, the successor of Kewaycooshcum as a chief of the Ottawa village, also entered into the treaty for the sale of lands on which the village was located, but was more successful than his predecessors in securing the hearty cooperation of his subjects. He was an eloquent orator, a very proud, haughty Indian, and manifested a strong desire to secure an education. He always dressed like a white man. lie was one of the chiefs who accompanied Louis Carnpau, Rix Robinson and Rev. Mr. Slater to Washington to make a treaty relative to selling their lands, in 1835-'6. This was the same treaty which caused the ruin, and, finally, the murder of Kewaycooshcum. While in Washington, President Jackson wished to make Meccissininni a present of a new suit of clothes, and asked him what kind he would prefer. He said, as General Jackson was chief of his people, and he was chief of the red men, he thought it would be appropriate if he had a suit like his. The President ordered the suit. It was a black frock coat, black satin vest, black pantaloons, silk stockings, and pumps; but the best of the affair was, Gen. Jackson wore, at that time, a white bell-crowned hat, with a weed on it, being in mourning for his wife. The unsuspecting Indian, not knowing that the weed was a badge of mourning, had one on his hat, also, which pleased the President and his cabinet not a little. The chief was much delighted with the warm reception he received in the different cities on his return home. After he returned a council met to hear the nature of the treaty, when Meccissininni distinguished himself as an orator in his portrayal of the treaty. He sold their lands, and the treaty provided for their removal west of the Mississippi in a certain number of years. The chiefs and councilmen were opposed to the treaty and spoke violently against it, but this cunning Indian won them over to a reluctant acceptance of it. He said that for himself he would rather remain here, and be buried where his forefathers were; but on his people's account he had rather go west of the Mississippi, as his people would become debased by their association with the palefaces. Meccissininni distinguished himself among the Grand Rapids Indians as well as among the white inhabitants, for his generosity, gentlemanly bearing, great foresight and capacious intellect. He was, as far as possible, a civilized red man, and appeared to appreciate civilization to a very high degree. In 1841 he was invited to a Fourth of July celebration. The dinner was served up near the site of Ball's foundry, where, after the oration and refreshments, the cloth was removed and regular toasts drank. Meccissininni was called upon for a toast, and responded as follows: ' The pale faces and the red men-the former a great nation, and the latter a remnant of a great people-may they ever meet in unity together, and celebrate this great day as a band of brothers." 158 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. At one time this chief wanted to get trusted for some provisions and said he would pay at the next Indian payment. When he returned from the annual payment he was asked to settle his bill. He told the dealer to put it on paper and send it to his house and he would pay it, and remarked further, that he wished to do business like white people. So the dealer made out his bill, repaired to the chief's house, and was ushered in with all the politeness imaginable. He promptly paid the bill, and signified his wish to have it receipted. About the year 1843, he was attacked with a disease which, after a short illness, terminated his existence, at the age of 50 years. He lived and died a professor of the Catholic faith, under the spiritual guidance of the Rev. Father Vizoiskey. His remains were followed to the grave by a large number of the most respectable citizens of Grand Rapids, and by nearly all the Indians of his tribe. Notwithstanding the treaty articles, those Indians never moved to the Mississippi, but had to be provided with a reservation in another part of the State, where their children still dwell. Moccottiocquit, or " Black Cloud," was chief of the Indians of the Grand River up to the close of the war of 1812, when lie resigned to become chief of the Maple River band. He was a tall, fullblood Indian in the days when Robinson and Campau first entered this valley. Up to the period of removal to the northern reserves he retained all those high physical and moral characteristics which were peculiarly his own; but under the spell of grief at losing his well-known, well-loved home of years, he became a confirmed hypochondriac, and remained one until his death in 1847 or '48. He was present at Grand Rapids to receive his bounty at the "Payment of 1846." Even on that day he was bowed down to the earth,-the once proud chief was sunk in imbecility. Makkotioska, or " Black Skin," was an actual hostile savage as late as 1812. In his earlier years he was an incorrigible vagrant, fearing neither God nor man, and consequently was a most efficient auxiliary of the British troops in Michigan previous to their last and final defeat. Black Skin is said to have been the first of the British incendiaries to set the village of Buffalo ablaze. He was the leader of a squad of British sharpshooters told off to prey upon the rear guard of the Federal forces, and never failed to apply the scalplng knife and fagot to the Americans who had the misfortune to fall into the hands of that barbarous band. He died in 1868, having reached the years of a centenarian. In earlier years he was chief of a band numbering 300 souls, holding their encampment on the land subsequently known as the "Bemis farm." Canote, a type of Indian manhood, was a warrior of the Plainfield band. What discredit the unfortunate sub-chief of the Long Nose brought upon the Indian village of that district was fully compensated for by the manly beauty of this Canote. The old settlers who remember him all bear testimony to his high character, to the savage majesty of his person, his generosity, and desire to HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 159 accomplish good everywhere at every time. In 1838 he went far away from his old home and was never heard of since. Wobwindego, the "White Giant," known to the Indians of the Saginaw as Wobskindip, was the chief of the Flat River or Lowell Indians up to 1827, when he was succeeded by his son, Shogwogeno, who acted as sub-chief until the death of his father in 1836. Pegu, a tall, athletic Indian, fond of a little tobacco to mix with his kinnikinnick, belonged to a small band of Indians that settled in the southwestern portion of the county after the war of 1812, and rendered much valuable assistance to the settlers of 1836. Pokanomino was a Chippewa of the Saginaw tribe, who came to this county in 1815, and made it his home. He, too, was an important factor in the settlement of the southwest townships of Kent. Neegake, the " Renegade," was a savage among the Indians of Grand River. He is supposed to have been cast out by one of the Onondaga bands, and, emigrating, found a home among the Pottawatomies. In 1819, one of the United States surveyors, then engaged in the survey of the Peninsula south of latitude 43 degrees., was killed. Suspicion pointed itself on this infamous Neegake, and almost brought him to punishment; but there was no positive proof of his guilt, and so he escaped. After this period, and until the name of Alanson Snow, of Washtenaw, was whispered among the bands at the rapids, this disgrace of the natives caused much trouble to the whites both directly and indirectly. Unable to carry out malevolent designs himself, he would urge the duty on some young warriors, and thus for years he acted the serpent among the flock. His death in the north was as tragic as his life was vicious. The genial Casua, his frugal squaw, and a host of children and friends, had their village within three-quarters of a mile of Whitneyv's tavern. This Mrs. Casna was much in advance of the squaw species, and acted more like a civilized woman. Whenever whisky crept into their village she was their peacemaker, and to her was due in a great measure, the happy good feeling which existed among the settlers and the aborigines. Jean Boshaw, a half-breed, and de facto chief of the bands of Ada, was a very estimable man, and conferred many favors upon the settlers of that and adjoining townships. This was a purely Catholic settlement; the Indians were said to be good farmers. religious, and to have become comparatively civilized. Upon the removal of the band to Pentwater, Boshaw accompanied his friends, and is said to accompany them still in their wanderings. All have passed to their reward, the good as well as bad. Each took his part in serving the ends of tue mysterious economy of the universe. Each one conferred certain benefits upon the earlier settlers, and for these reasons their names are handed down to a people who can fully appreciate all the Indian has done for them, and pardon the terrible excesses of his virtue. 160 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Francis Bailey, an English half-breed, who married an Ottawa woman, settled at Grand Rapids about the year 1829. He was an Indian doctor, and much esteemed by both the traders and Indians. He built a cabin on the west bank of the river, and claimed a tract of forty acres as his own. One of the articles of the Treaty of Washington dealt very summarily with such squatters. He was evicted. Then he essayed to obtain an Indian's claim, as provided in the treaty; but this was refused him on the ground of his not being an Indian. Subsequently, he tried to pre-empt a tract of land; but this privilege was denied him also, as he was not a white man. Failing in his efforts, he left for Muskegon, where he still lives. Meeting Albert Baxter a few years ago, he referred to those early times, and remarked laconically that then it was bad to be neither a white man nor an Indian. CHAPTER IV. TREATIES WITH THE INDIANS. The cause is good when the intent is just. The savages found here, even within the memory of the pioneers, could never be brought within the fold of civilization. Their occupation of the entire Peninsula, at a time when the American cultivators of the soil required it for development, was an outrage on the advancement of that day, almost approaching that existing scandal which renders helpless the European agriculturist of the present time. The United States, acting on the strict principles of just government, determined that he who would cultivate the land should possess it. To carry out this laudable determination, the Indians were informed of the intention of Uncle Samuel, and of the magnificent basis on which that intention was formed. They, of course, like the European aristocracy, wished to hold the people's domain, though their own special title to it was founded, not exactly on the rights of conquest, but rather on that of some dishonorable coup de guerre which resulted in the total annihilation. of the original occupiers. Their logic failed. The sons and grandsons of the Revolution could not see precisely where the claims of the red men were founded, and consequently were doubly determined to win for the people that which pertained to them by the laws of right. Lest republican justice should not be observed in every particular, and to prevent the shedding of human blood, the power of moral suasion was brought to bear, an equitable arrangement for the purchase of the lands proposed, and every effort made to deal honestly with the savages. The Ottawas and Chippewas of Grand river were not neglected. Even before the celebrated treaty of Saginaw was negotiated the attention of the Government was directed to the valley of the Owashtenong. The favorite old Governor Cass and his efficient.associate, Solomon Sibley, were commissioned in 1821 to enter a treaty with the Ottawas, Chippewas, and Pottawatomies, and to perfect its negotiation in the fall of that year. This important event in the history of the United States, and particularly in that of the Grand River Valley, took place at Chicago, Aug. 29, 1821. That its provisions may be the better known, and for the purpose of completing this section of the county history, the articles of that treaty are given as follows: The Ottawa, Chippewa and Pottawatomie nations of Indians cede to the United States all the land comprehended within the following boundaries: Beginning at a point on the south bank of the River St, Joseph, of Lake Michigan, near the Pare aux Vaches, due north from Rum's Village, and running thence south to a (161) 162 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. line drawn due east from the southern extreme of Lake Michigan; thence with the said line east to the tract ceded by the Pottawatomies to the United States by the treaty of Fort Meigs in 1817, if the said line should strike the said tract; but if the said line should pass north of the said tract, then such line -hall be continued until it strikes the western boundary of the tract ceded to the United. States by the treaty of Detroit in 1807, and from the termination of the said line, following the boundaries of former cessions, to the main branch of the Grand river of Lake Michigan, should any of the said lines cross the said river; but if none of the said lines should cross the said river, then to a point due east of the source of the said main branch of the said river, and from such point due west to the source of the said principal branch, and from the crossing of the said river, or from the source thereof, as the case may be, down the said river, on the north bank thereof, to the mouth; thence following the shore of Lake Michigan to the south bank of the said River St. Joseph, at the mouth thereof, and thence with the said south bank to the place of beginning. From this cession there shall be reserved, for the use of the Indians, the following tracts: One tract at Mang-ach-qua Village, on the River Peble, of six miles square: one tract at Mick-ke-saw-be, of six miles square; one tract at the village of Nato-wa-se-pe, of four miles square; one tract at the village of Prairie Ronde, of three miles square; one tract at the village of Match-e-be-narh-she-wish, at the head of the Kelkamazoo river. There shall be granted by the United States to each of the following persons, being all Indians by descent, and to their heirs, the following tracts of land: To John Burnett, two sections of land; to James Burnett, Abraham Burnett, Rebecca Burnett, and Nancy Burnett, each one section of land, which said John, James, Abraham, Rebecca and Nancy are children of Kaw-ke-me, sister of Topni-be, principal chief of the Pottawatomie nation. The land granted to the persons immediately preceding, shall begin on the north bank of the River St. Joseph, about two miles from the mouth, and shall extend up and back from the said river for quantity. To John B. La Lime, son of Noke-no-qua, one-half of a section of land adjoining the tract before granted, and on the upper side thereof; to Jean B. Chaudonai, son of Chip-pe-wa-qua, two sections of land on the River St. Joseph, above and adjoining the tract granted to J. B. La Lime; to Joseph Daze, son of Chippe-wa-qua, one section of land above and adjoining the tract granted to Jean B. Chaudonai; to Monguago, one-half of a section of land, at Mish-she-wa-ko-kink; to Pierre Moran or Peeresh, a Pottawatomie chief, one section of land, and to his children two sections of land, at the mouth of Elk-heart river; to Pierre La Clerc, son of Moi-qua, one section of land on the Elk-heart river, above and adjoining the tract granted to Moran and his children. The section of land granted by the treaty of St. Mary's, in 1818, to Peeresh, or Perig, shall be granted to Jean B. Cicot, son of Pe-sav-quot, sister of the said Peeresh, it having been so intended at the execution of the said treaty. To 0-sh -ak-ke-be, or Benac, one-halt of a section of land on the north side of the Elk-heart river, where the road from Chicago to Fort Wayne first cros-es the said river; to The esa Chandler, or To-_-ak-qui, a Pottawatomie woman; and to her daughter, Betsy Fisher, one section of land on the south side of the Grand river, opposite to the Spruce swamp; to Me-naw.che, a Pottawatomie woman, one-half of a section of land on the eastern bank of the St. Joseph, where the road from Chicago to Detroit first crosses the said river; to Charles Beaubien and Medart Beaubien, sons of Man-na-ben-a-qua, each one-half of a section of land near the village of Ke-wi-go-shkeem, on the Washtenaw river; to Antoine Roland, son of l-gat-pat-a-wat-a-mie-qua, one-half of a section of land adjoining and below the tract granted to Pierre lMoran; to William Knaggs, or Wis-cs-kuk-son, son of Chesqua, one-half of a section of land adjoining and below the tract granted to Antoine Roland; to Madeline Bertrand, wife of Joseph Bertrand, a Polt iwatomie woman, one section of land at the Pare aux Vaches, on the north side of the River St. Joseph; to Joseph Bertrand, junior, Benjamin Bertrand, Laurent Bertrand, Theresa Bertrand, and Amable Bertrand, children of the said Madeline Bertrand, each one-half of a section of land at the portage of the Kankakee river; to John Riley, son of Me-naw-cum-a-go-qui, one section of land, at the mouth of the river Au Foin, on the Grand river, and extending down the said river; to Peter Riley, son of Me-naw-cum-e-go-qua, one section of land at the mouth of the river Au Foin, on the Grand river, and extending down the said river; to Jean B. LeClerc, HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 163 son of Moi-qua, one-half of a section of land above and adjoining the tract granted to Pierre La Clerc; to Joseph La Framboise, son of Shaw-we-no-qua, one section of land upon the south si2e of the River St. Joseph, and adjoining on the upper side the land ceded to the United States, which said section is also ceded to the United States. The tracts of land herein stipulated to be granted, shall never be leased or conveyed by the grantees or their heirs to any persons whatever, without the permission of the President of the United States. And such tracts shall be located after the said cession is surveyed, and in (onformity with such surveys as near as may be, and in such manner as the President may direct. In consideration of the cession aforesaid, the United States engage to pay to the Ottawa nation, one thousand dollars in specie annually forever; and also to appropriate annually, for the term of 10 years, the sum of fifteen hundred dollars, to be expended as the President may direct, in the support of a blacksmith, of a teacher, and of a person to instruct the Ottawas in agriculture, and in the purchase of cattle and farming utensils. And the United States also engage to pay to the Pottawatomie nation five thousand dollars in specie annually, for the term of 20 years, and also to appropriate annually, for the term of 15 years, the sum of one thousand dollars, to be expended as the President may direct, in the support of a blacksmith and a teacher. And one mile square shall be selected, under the direction of the President, on the north side of the Grand river, and one mile square on the south side of the St. Joseph, and within the Indian lands not ceded, upon which the blacksmiths and teachers employed for the said tribes, respectively, shall reside. The stipulation contained in the treaty of Greenville, relative to the right of the Indians to hunit upon the land ceded while it continues the property of the United States, shall apply to this treaty. The United States shall have the privilege of making and using a road through the Indian country, from Detroit and Fort Wayne, respectively, to Chicago. This treaty shall take effect and be obligatory on the contracting parties so soon as the same shall be ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof. In testimony whereof, the said Lewis Cass and Solomon Sibley, Commissioners as aforesaid, and the chiefs and warriors of the said Ottawa, Chippewa, and Pot. tawatomie nations, have hereunto set their hands, at Chicago aforesaid, this 29th day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twentyone. LEWIS CASS, SOLOMON SIBLEY. OTTAWAS. Ke-wa-goush-cum, No-kaw-je-gaun, Kee-o-to-aw-be, Ket-che-me-chi-na-waw, Ep-pe-sau-se, Kay-nee-wee, Mo-a-put-to, Mat-che-pee-na-che-wish, CHIPPEWAS. Met-tay-waw, Mich-el, Quay-guee, Aa-pen-naw-bee, Mat-cha-wee-yaas, Mat-cha-pag-nish, Mong-aw, Pug-gay-gaus, Ses-cobe-mesh, Chee-gwa-mack-gwa.go, Waw-seb-baw, Pee-chee-co, Quoi-quoi-taw, Pe-an-nish, POTTAWATOMIES. To-pen-ne-bee, Mee-te-ay, Chee-banse, Loui-son, Wee-saw, Kee-po-taw, Shay-auk-ke-bee, Scho-mang, Waw-we-uck-ke-meck, Nay-ou-chee-mon, Kon-gee, Shee-shaw-gan, Avsh-cam, Meek-say-mank, May-ten-way, Shaw-wen-ne-me-tay, Francois, Mauk-see, Way-me-go, Man-daw.min, Wy-ne-maig, O-nuck-ke-meck, Ka-way-sin, A-meck-kose, Os-see-meet, Shaw-ko-to, No shay-we-quat, Mee-gwun, Mesh-she-ke-ten-now, Kee-no-to-go, Wa-baw-nee-she, Sha-waw-nay-see, Atch-wee-muck-quee, Pish-she-baw-gay, Waw-ba-saye, Meg-ges-seese, Say-gaw-koo-nuck, Shaw-way-no, Shee-shaw-gun, To-to-me, Ash-kee-wee, Shay-auk-ke-bee, Aw-be-tone. 164' HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. In presence of Alex. Wolcott, jr., Indian Agent; John R. Williams, Adj. Gen.; Gabriel Godfroy, Indian Agent; W. Knaggs, Indian Agent; Jacob Visger; Henry I. Hunt; H. Phillips, Paymaster, U. S. Army; R. Montgomery; Jacob B. Varnum, U. S. Factor; John B. Beaubien; Conrad Ten Eyck; J. Whippley; George Miles, jun.; Henry Connor; James Barnerd; John Kinzie, Sub-Agent. The tract reserved at the village of Match-e-be-nash-she-wish, at the head of the Ke-kal-i-ma-zoo river, was by agreement to be three miles square. The extent of he reservation was accidentally omitted. LEWIS CASS, SOLOMON SIBLEY. The treaty negotiated at Chicago in 1833 did not deal particularly with the Indians of Grand Rapids, and consequently is not introduced here. TREATY OF 1836. The lands belonging to the Ottawas and Otchipwes north of Grand river were subsequently ceded to the United States by the treaty of Washington perfected March 28, 1836. The provisions of this arrangement are thus summarized: First, the Ottawa and Chippewa nations cede to the United States all the country from a point beginning at the mouth of Grand river of Michigan on the north bank, and following up the same to the line called for in the first article of the treaty of Chicago, Aug. 29, 1821; thence, in a direct line, to the head of Thunder Bay river; thence with the line established by the treaty of Saginaw, Sept. 24, 1819, to the mouth of that river; thence northeast to the boundary line in Lake Huron between the United States and the British Province of Upper Canada; thence northwestwardly, following the said line as established by the treaty of Ghent, through the straits and St. Mary's river, to a point in Lake Superior, north of the mouth of (Gitchy Seebing, or Chocolate river; thence south to the mouth of said river, and up its channel to the source thereof; thence in a direct line to the head of the Skonawba Sibi of Green bay; thence down the south bank of that river to its estuary; thence in a direct line through the ship channel in Green bay to the outer part thereof; thence south to a point in Lake Michigan west of the north cape or entrance of Grand river, and thence east to the place of beginning, at the said cape, comprehending all the lands and islands within these limits, not including the following reservations: 50,000 acres on Little Traverse bay; 20,000 acres on the north shore of Grand Traverse bay; 70,000 acres on the north of the Pere Marquette river; 1,000 acres to be located by Chingassanoo, or Big Sail, on the Cheboygan river; 1,000 acres to be located by Mujeekewis on Thunder Bay river; six square miles on the north shore of Michilimackinac, between Point-au-barbe and.Mille Coguin river; the Beaver island, Round island opposite Michilimackinac, the island of the Chenos, Sugar island and islets in St. Mary's river; 640 acres at the mission of Little Rapids, a tract of land at the month of the P-ssissowining river; 640 acres on Grand island; 2,000 acres on the main land south of it; 1,280 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 165 acres at the northern extremity of Green bay, together with the reservation at St. Mary's, named in the treaty of St. Mary's, June 16, 1820. In consideration of relinquishing all claims to these lands, the United States Government agreed to pay the Indians, between Grand river and the Cheboygan, $18,000 annually for 20 years; to the Indians on the Huron shore, $3,600 for the same term, and $7,400 to the Chippewas north of the straits of Michilmackinac, and $1,000 to be invested by the Treasury in stock, A sum of $5,000 was appropriated to be expended annually for 20 years in providing teachers, books in the native languag, schoolhouses; $3,000 per annum for mission purposes; $10,000 for agricultural implements, cattle, mechanics' tools, and such other articles as the President may deem necessary; $300 per annum for vaccine and medicines; doctors' fees to be continued while the Indians remain on their reservations. Provisions to the amount of $2,000 with 6,500 pounds of tobacco, 100 barrels of salt, and 500,fish barrels annually for 20 years; $150,000 worth of goods and provisions to be delivered at Michilimackinac on theratification of the treaty. Together with all those liberal allowances, a sum of $300,000 was appropriated to pay off all the just depts of the Indians, and $150,000 to provide for the half-breed relatives of the Indians resident within the lands purchased in the year 1876. Under the treaty the Government agreed to appointed two additional blacksmiths, one for the Sault Ste. Marie reservation, and one for the reservation at the rapids of Grand river, to build a dormitory for visiting Indians, and send two agriculturists and assistants to teach the Indians at each of those posts. It was agreed at the making of the treaty of Washington that as soon as the Indians desire it, a deputation shall be sent west of the Missippi, and to the country between Lake Superior and the great river, to locate reservations. Such improvements as add value to the lands in Michigan, ceded under the treaty, shall be appraised, and the amount paid to the proper Indian; but in no case shall such a payment be made or assigned to a white man. The mission establishments upon Grand river shall be appraised, and the value be paid to the proper boards. It was further provided, that when the Indians would wish to be removed to the reserves west of the Mississippi, the Government shall provide them with transports, furnish a year's subsistence and supply the same articles and equipments to each person as promised to the Pottawatomies in the last treaty of cession, made at Chicago in 1833. HALF-BREED RESERVATIONS. It appears that both Ottawas and Chippewas desired to Phow their gratitude to many of their half-breeds on Grand river, for services rendered, and granted them various parcels of land. This 166 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. could not be permitted under the treaty; but to keep faith with the Indians it was agreed that in addition to the $150,000 granted previously to provide for half-breeds, a farther sum of $48,448 should be appropriated for extinguishing this order of claims. This sumwas divided as follows:-To Rix Robinson, in lieu of a section of land, granted to II is Indian family, on the Grand River rapids, estimated by good judges to be now worth $500,000, $23,040, being at the rate of $36 per acre; to Leonard Slater, in trust for Chiminonoquat, a section of land above the rapids, $6,400, or $10 per acre; to John A. Drew, for 11 sections of land, at Cheboygan Rapids, for his Indian family, $4,480, or $4 per acre; to Edward Biddle, for one section at the fishing grounds for his Indian family, $1,920, or $3 per acre; to John Holiday, for five sections of land to five persons of his Indian famiIy, $4,000, or $1.25 per acre; to Eliza Cook, Sophia Biddle and Mary Holiday, one section of land each at $2.50 per acre, $6,400; to Augustin Hamelin, jr., being of Indian descent, two sections at $1.25, $1,600; William Lasley, Joseph Daley, Joseph Trottier and Henry A. Levake received the price of two sections of land each, for their Indian families, valued at $1.25 per acre, and aggregating $6,400; Luther Rice, Joseph LaFrainbois and Charles Butterfield, being of Indian descent, received the value of one, section of land each, being at $1.25 per acre, $2,400; Geo. Moran, Louis Moran and Gardner D. Williams, for half-breed children under their care, and Daniel Marsac, for his Indian child, received a section of land each, valued at $1.25 per acre, or $3,200. A sum of $100 per annum was granted to Wing, or Ningweegon, an Ottawa chief, for services rendered the Union during the war of 1812. Chuses, of Michilimackinac, who attended the treaty of Greenville in 1793, received a pension of $50 per year, in fulfillment of a promise made to him there by Gen. Anthony Wayne. A further sum of $30,000 was granted to be paid to the chiefs on the ratification of the treaty. Of the Grand River chiefs the following received $500 each:-Muccutary Osha, Namatippy, Nawequa, Geezhigror Noonday, Nabun Egeezhig, son of Kewayguabonwequa, Wabi Windigo, or White Giant, Cawpemossay, or Walker, Mukutay Oquot, or Black Cloud, Megis Ininee, or Wampun-man, and Winnimissagee. The chiefs of the second class who received $200 each were: —Keesha-owash, N uqogika, bee, Kewaytowaby, Wapoes, Wabilonquaysay, Kewatondo, Zhaquinaw. Nawiqua Geezhig of Flat river, Kenaytinunk, Weenonga, Pabawboca, Windecowiss, Muccutay Penay, or Black Partridge, Kaynotin Aishcum, Boynashing, Shaqwabeno, son of White Giant, Tushetowun, Keway Gooshcum, Pamossoyga. The chiefs of the third class to each of whom was granted a sum of $100, comprised Kayshewa, Penasee, Kenisoway and Keenabie, all of Grand River. This treaty was signed by Henry Schoolcraft, as U. S. Commissioner, March 28, 1836, with the following witnesses: John HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 169 Hulbert, Lucius Lyon, R. P. Parrott, U. S. A., W. P. Zantzinger, U. S. N., Josiah F. Polk, John Holiday, John A. Drew, Rix Robinson, Leonard Slater, Louis Moran, Augustin Hamelin, jr., Henry A. Levake, William Lasley, Geo. W. Woodward and 0. 0. Ermatinger. The totems of 25 Indians were attached, six of whom were Grand Rapids representatives, namely; Wabi Windego, Nugiss Ininee, Nabun Ageezhig, Winnimissagee and Mukutaysee. This treaty was duly ratified, after the Senate's amendment of article 8 was inserted, providing that "the net proceeds of the sale of the 160 acres of land upon the Grand river, upon which the missionary society erected their buildings, shall be paid to the said sbciety in lieu of the value of their said improvements." The troubles to which this amendment gave origin are referred to in other pages. HOW THE TREATIES WERE CARRIED OUT. The treaty negotiations were formally concluded, and the commissioners forced the official conscience to think that justice was done to the Indians, as provided for in the act of Congress. This driving power did not cease here. In the appointment of officers to carry out the provisions of the treaty, a peculiar selection was made, which resulted in the disaffection of the savages and the discontent of the officials themselves. Public money poured in, only to be cast away on useless enterprises, or in subsidizing a few of the knowing ones among the Ottawas and Pottawatomies, leaving the great majority of the native people in actual ignorance of what was intended to be done under the treaty, and misleading Congress itself as to the distribution of its appropriations. In the following pages, summarized from Torrey's compilation, and based upon the reports and diurnal entries of Revs. McCoy and Slater, it will be evident to the impartial reader that neither the spirit of the Congressional acts nor the spirit of the Republic were observed in dealing with the aborigines of Grand river. The old settlers do not require to be reminded of these facts. Among them are men, a few of them old and respected members of the bar of this county, who bear testimony to the non-republican manner in which public money was used and public confidence abused. Were the Indians honorably dealt with by Governmental agents, whether superintendents, teachers, blacksmiths or agricultural instructors, many of them would be found to-day living within the county in a civilized state, reminding the present of the past, and always willing to bear testimony to the solicitude of a government the first principle of which is to preserve the citizen. In 1821 the efforts of missionaries, which for some time had been directed to the Indians of Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana, began to assume shape and take the nome of action. In 11 170 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. February of this year Isaac McCoy, appointed by the Board ot Managers of the Baptist Missionary Convention of the United States, to labor as a missionary in Illinois and Indiana, visited Detroit, and had an interview with Governor Cass, who listened to his story with sympathy, and furnished him with $450 worth of food and clothing for the Fort Wayne mission, and subsequently gave him the financial aid promised at thie time. Efforts were also made to introduce into the treaty of Chicago, then proposed, stipulations which should favor educational purposes among the Indians. Throughthe influence of Col. Tremble, then U. S. Senator from Ohio, those claims were urged with good success. The Pottawatomies gave a mile square of land for mission purposes. It was stipulated that for the benefit of the Pottawatoinies Government should place upon this section of land a teacher and a blacksmith, and should expend toward their support $1.000 annually for a term of 15 years. At the same treaty the Government engaged to furnish the Ottawas with a teacher, a farmer and a blacksmith, to locate them on a square mile of land to be selected by the President, and to expend $1,500 annually for 10 years, together with supplying the Ottawas with cattle, farm implements,an d articles of husbandry. Subsequently McCoy was appointed superintendent of officers appointed to carry out the provisions of the treaty, and acting as such located the mission for the Ottawas on the north side of Grand river, opposite the Rapids, where the Bridge St. viaduct now is. At this time it will be remembered the mighty region of the Northwest was only known as a wilderness, with a trading post to relieve its dreariness. The Territory of Michigan had no settlers, except on its eastern borders, and Detroit was only a fort, noted as the head-quarters of the Governor, and the home of a few hundred inhabitants. At Grand river, on the north side, was the Indian village of Kewi-coosh-cum, the village chief, an assemblage of 50 or 60 huts. No roads but well-worn trails led to this aboriginal metropolis, and the country round about was so sparsely " settled," even, by red men that an Indian might walk for many hours in a direct line through the primeval forests without meeting a neighbor, The Ottawas' southern line of territory extended to Kalamazoo river, which was also the northern boundary of thePottawatomies. These tribes harmonized perfectly, claiming brotherhood, the latter being proud of the former, and claiming them as elder brothers. At this time Noon-Day, an Indian very well known to many now living, was the chief of the Ottawa tribe, and at this time there was not even a trading post at the Rapids. McCov set out from Fort Wayne, June 28, 1822, with the intent of visiting Detroit, having for his object the securing of such privileges as were provided for in the treaty of Chicago. The War Department placed the management of those Indians in the hands of General Cass, and to him Mr. McCoy appealed. The Governor conceded every point possible. John Sears, of New York city, HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 171 was appointed teacher for the Ottawas, while McCoy was commissioned to select blacksmiths for the Ottawas and Pottawatomies. In a lengthy paper, dated Detroit, July 16, 1822, and signed by General Cass, instructions to Rev. Isaac McCoy were given. Article 2 of the instructions set forth, that all attempts to ameliorate the condition of the Indians must prove abortive so long as ardent spirits are freely introduced into their country. Their continued introduction is the great obstacle to their civilization. Every hope, feeling and consideration they sacrifice to this passion. It is an absolute mania which they are unable to resist, and which sweeps before it every barrier of self-regard, of moral dutv and of natural affection. One fact will place this lamentable evil in a clearer point of view than the most labored discussion. At the treaty of Chicago, Topenebe, principal chief of the Pottawatomies, a man nearly 80 years of age at that time, irritated at the continued refusal of the. commissioners to gratify his demands for whisky, exclaimed in the presence of his tribe: "We care not for the land, the money, or the goods: it is whisky we wantgive us whisky!" Governor Cass commissioned Charles C. Trowbridge to make definite arrangements with the Indians for the sites of the missionary stations. He passed Fort Wayne July 27, and by agreement met McCoy at the Pottawatomie village a few days later. Sears and his wife, the Indian teachers, arrived at Fort Wayne, Aug. 1, 18'22, and on the 15th of that month the site of the Pottawatomie mission was established on the St. Joseph river. Rev. McCoy, his family, and a few pupils he was teaching at Fort Wayne removed to the mission on the St. Joseph, Oct. 19, 1822. The location was about 100 miles from Fort Wayne, at which place were the nearest white settlers,-about 180 miles from anything like a settled country, and 190 miles from a flouring mill. This station the Board of Baptist Missions denominated " Carey," and the station farther north, among the Ottawas at Grand Rapids, " Thomas," in memory of the Baptist missionaries who were the first of that faith to enter Hindostan. In December, 1822, the whole force of Baptists and their Indian pupils, numbering 32 in all, settled at Carey, having moved from Fort Wayne during that month. After a winter of intense cold and full of intense suffering, the spring of 1823 came to their relief. McCoy started for Grand river May 26, 1823, in company with the French guide, Paget, one of his Indian pupils, and one of the men appointed by the Government as blacksmith at the Ottawa mission to be founded at the Rapids of Grand river. The members of this party swam their ponies across the St. Joseph river by the side of a canoe, and in a neighboring village a bushel of corn was obtained, and an Indian employed to take it back to the mission, which was on short rations so far as flour and meal were concerned. On the second day it was found that the explorers had taken the wrong trail, and Paget, the guide, became 172 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. so bewildered, that he was of little service. The woods then resembled an immense park; there was scarcely any underbrush, few grubs,and no small trees. The annual burning of the grass by Indians had left the forests clear of all such obstructions, and the eye dwelt with delight upon the vista that extended before it under the leafy archway of the immense roof that expanded above in every direction, supported by those natural architraves that intertwined with more than Gothic strength and style in graceful confusion above. All the very early settlers agree in their recollections of those beautiful forests. During the summer the grasses grew in great luxuriance, and in the fall dry up, wither, and bend down, covering the earth with a thick matting of combustible material. The fires would sweep through this mass of decaying grass with great.rapidity, clearing everything in the way except the forest trees, making the country free from underbrush, and reducing to ashes old trees and debris which had accumulated since the previous conflagration. A coach and four could have been driven anywhere with safety in those grand old woods, when the ground was hard and no bottom lands to be traversed. The intermitting of the annual fires soon gave the roots of the grubs a chance to shoot up, and the seed of trees to germinate and grow, and thus the face of the wild land was changed. Through the former woods the pioneers of Kent county came hither; through the entanglements of the latter or underbrush era the American pioneers pushed their way. " Among the Ottawa villages," says McCoy, " was one in which the natives were drinking. All appeared friendly to us except one. The women were drinking in a house by themselves. While I allowed my horse to graze for a few minutes, five or six feet from me, three pigeons which I had shot were stolen fiom my saddle, where I had tied them with the design of cooking them for our next meal. Unable to bear the loss when we were in want, I demanded the fowls, and they were restored." The party crossed the Grand river, May 30, 1823, by the help ot an Indian and his canoe. Entering the village they found that Keywaycooshcum was absent. The locality for the site which Trowbridge and the teacher Sears had selected the previous fall, for the Ottawa station, was described to McCoy, so that he believed he could recognize it at sight; but following the directions as he understood them he could find no place in any degree answering the description given him. Ile searched down the river nine miles, and the next day returned to the village of Keywaycooshculn, where he found the inhabitants stupid from the results of drunkenness. The principal chief had not yet arrived, but the sub-chief desired the missionary to stay a few days. He told them he should speak in council the following day. Then he reconnoitered the country in order to select a building place, and during this time lodged at a trading house. On returning to the Indian village he was in HISTORY OF KENT OOUNTY. ' 173 formed that Keywaycooshcum had not arrived, but that he sent a message requesting the visitor to remain a few days until he should come. This McCoy did not wish to do, as he had business at the Carey mission; added to this he saw that the Ottawas looked upon him with distrust. They were not satisfied with the Chicago treaty, and many denied having authorized the sale of their lands, and cast the blame on Keywaycooshcum, who was thus afraid to take any more responsibility in the matter. The tribe considered the sale of their country illegal, insisted upon its illegality, and determined to hold possession of their country. Thev esteemed the offer of furnishing them with schools, blacksmith, farmer, and implements as a stratagem to get them to act upon some of the provisions of the treaty, and therefore make all the articles of such treaty binding upon them. They further believed they would be made to pay in the future for the educational advantages. Under those circumstances Mr. McCoy, his teacher, and his blacksmith determined to return at once to the Carey mission, and bestow their labors on the Pottawatomies, thus failing in the first attempt to introduce themselves to the Grand River Indians. Just as the party was leaving the village, a company of squaws was seen carrying kettles of food to the grave of a child, who had died a short time previously. After swimming their horses across Grand river, the missionary party found that provisions were exhausted. On Grand river they obtained corn, but scarcely any meat, except a meal of a ground-hog. They hired an Indian to beat a little corn in a mortar (a log hewn out hollow, and hardened by iire), and from this crude meal made a cake. The return to Carey was accompanied by many accidents. Paget's horse failed him after a few hours' ride, and he was left in the woods. The next night McCoy's horse made an escape, having broken his hobbles, and was not found till 10 o'clock next morning. During the absence of the men in search of the horse, McCoy was employed in boiling sweet corn, a little of which he purchased from the Ottawas; there was no vessel to boil it in larger than a pint cup, and as the corn softened a little it was poured out on birch bark, and more placed in the cup to undergo a similar boiling process. In this manner the morning meal was prepared. At the house of Goza, on the Ke-ken-a-m.z-oo, now known as Kalamazoo river, the travelers were hospitably entertained bv the natives. Here they were given meat, but no bread. One of the men, unable to proceed further, owing to sore feet, was left in the care of Goza until better. The party reached Carey mission J nne 5, 1823. The second journey to the village of the Ottawas was entered upon Sept. 30, 1823, when McCoy and one of his assistants, or rather a Government employe, set out with the intention of entering the Ottawa country at the Kalamazoo river, where prejudices existed that might prevent the immediate commencement of operations among them on Grand river. In order, therefore, to secure a foot 174 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. ing among the Indians without delay, it was proposed to begin by establishing the smithy, or blacksmith shop, on the line between the Ottawa and Pottawatomie districts. The Ottawas visited McCoy and seemed well pleased with the proposition, so that by the end of November the forge was built at Kalamazoo, and means provided for putting it in operation. The following spring a ship was loaded with articles for the Baptist mission at Carey. This vessel made the voyage of the lakes, and entered the river at St. Joseph, where the cargo was transferred to canoes, and brought thence to Carey. Polke, the newly appointed teacher to the Ottawa village, set out for the scene of his labors from Carey, June 29, 1824. He was accompanied by tle blacksmith and two of McCoy's Indian pupils. They took a wagon drawn by two yokes of oxen. This party arrived at the first Ottawa village, where the teacher left two laborers at work for the Indians, and returning, reached Carey, July 9, 1824. His reception was very cool indeed. Five days later five chiefs and a number of warriors assembled at McCoy's house to have a council. July 15 a party of Ottawas visited McCoy for the purpose of telling him that the smith, laborers and other white men sent to their villages were going on satisfactorily. Of course the. Indians received both presents of peltries and money, and returned to their homes. About Sept. 1, 1824, the smith of Kalamazoo was sent to Grand river by McCoy. He was accompanied by two Indian boys whointerpreted the message entrusted to the blacksmith. This visit resulted in obtaining an Ottawa girl, seven years old, for the school at Carey. McCoy, accompanied by Sawyer, blacksmith, Mettiz, laborer, and Goza, a friendly Indian, set out on a journey to the Ottawas' country, Nov. 24, 1l24. At Kalamazoo they found that in the absence of the blacksmith, the shop was fired by Indians and almost burned up. November 27 the party encamped at Gun lake, and on the 28th had an interview with Naoiqua Keshuck, or NoonDay, of Grand Rapids, who was camped with some members of his band on the other sideof the lake. On the 29th the party, with Noon-Day and the Indians, raised camp and proceeded on the Grand Rapids trail. December 1, Grand river was reached and a crossing made in diminutive canoes belonging to the chief. The same day McCoy selected a site for the Baptist mission, some distance lower down the river than that selected two years previously by Trowbridge, the U. S. Commissioner, which, as inferred, must be in the vicinity of Ada. The location was subsequently approved by Gen. Cass and confirmed by the Secretary of War. McCoy returned from this partly successful visit Dec. 2, 1824, having been accompanied by Noon-Day a portion of the way. Noon-Day pointed out to him a salt spring and a bed of gypsum. A small stream of water having washed the bed, produced.an unevenness similar to that made on salt-banks by animals. The guide said it was supposed that spirits fed there. This was probably the gypsum bed, HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 175 subsequently worked at the old plaster-mill where the Grandville road crosses Plaster creek. The salt spring was in the vicinity where the State salt well was bored. On the evening of Dec. 4, 1824, McCoy arrived at Goza's shanty. He learned that an attempt was made by Goza and a Frenchman to remove the blacksmith's modus operandi to Grand river, which attempt failed on account of floating ice. Mr. McCoy arrived at Carey, well pleased with the result of his late travels. December 17, 1824, Sawyer, the blacksmith, and two laborers, were dispatched to Grand Rapids, with instructions to improve "Thomas Station," the name given to the Indian mission here. Supplies were sent forward to them before the close of winter. Polke, the teacher, a blacksmith, an Indian apprentice to that official, and a laborer, together with the Indian Goza, set out from Carey toward Grand Rapids, March 10, 1825. The party arrived and met with anything but a welcome. A few Indians, however, were inclined to treat the travelers hospitably, but the great majority were maddened by their presence. This will be apparent from Polke's own story of his escape. " The blacksmith, his apprentice and Goza were on the margin of the river, while I was standing on the river bank, near our door, looking at some canoes of fishermen in the river, when more noise than usual occurred in an Indian camp close by. At this instant the fishermen in the canoes, who could perceive what was going on in the camp, hallooed lustily to us on the bank. I could not understand them, but Goza, who did, rushed up the river bank toward me. On turning my eyes toward the camp, I discovered an Indian running toward me with a gun in his hand. I apprehended that his intention was to shoot me, and I resolved, as he raised his gun to fire, I would save myself by a sudden leap down the bank. He approached within 15 yards, when he abruptly halted to fire. In the attempt to raise his gun he was seized by Goza. The fellow made a violent effort to effect his purpose. The Indian apprentice boy came to Goza's assistance, and they disarmed the wicked man, who was taken away by some people of his camp." This is the schoolmaster's story; but the fact remains that the whole business was plotted by Goza, for his own good, to win a higher estimation in the minds of Rev. Mr. McCoy and the teacher, and obtain a few dollars above the average weekly largesses which he received. Polke returned from Grand Rapids, May 17, 1825. On Sept. 5 following, McCoy and his entire corps of assistants left Carey for Grand Rapids, and reached their destinat on on the 10th. They brought with them plows, yokes, chains farming implements, mechanical tools and cattle, together with a thousand peltries; but even all this attention was ineffectual, and Mr. McCoy was forced to acknowledge his energy and z u nable to combat the Indian's stubborn character and skepticis 176 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. ARRIVAL OF REV. LEONARD SLATER. Rev. Leonard and Mrs. Slater arrived at Grand Rapids, from the Carey mission, May 5, 1828, with the hope of making the " mission of Thomas," or Grand Rapids, their future home. This gentleman dwelt at Grand Rapids until the Indians were scattered or removed, when he moved to Kalamazoo. Toward the last days of August, in 1828, there were in Noon-Day's village, which was near the mission, 21 acres of land, well fenced, and most of it in a good state of cultivation. At Blackskin's village the Indians had 12 acres of land, fenced and under cultivation. Mr. Meeker, who could speak the Indian languages, was appointed superintendent and preacher. Up to the last of November, 1826, no school had been in operation at Grand Rapids. For some time men had been at work here for the Ottawas, and preparing buildings for the missionaries; but no regular missionary ever occupied them, nor was any missionary work performed, though different representatives of the Baptist mission visited the place many times. Mr. Slater, his wife, and a Miss Purchase, who married Indian Agent R. D. Potts in 1828, had been appointed by the Board of Missions to the station at Thomas. Nov. 28, 1828, Mr. McCoy, his wife, three small children, an Indian girl, Anthony Rollo, an Indian pupil, J. F. Polke, teacher, a blacksmith, four hired white men, and an Indian boy, set out from Carey for Grand Rapids, and after a journey of eight days crossed the Grand river, and reported at the mission house. Lykins, who left Carey in company with a Frenchman, Oct. 20, 1828, arrived Nov. 21 at Grand Rapids, and had the houses in order for the reception of the travelers. He also brought supplies, so that there was comparatively little trouble after their arrival here. A council was held Jan. 11, 1827. Noon-Day, addressing Mr. McCoy, said: " My brother, when you promised to favor us, because our heads might forget, you put your words on paper, which could not forget them. Look at this paper and see if it is the same you gave me; notice if we have forgotten anything you promised Us." Mr. McCoy replied that he had made that paper and now came to fulfill his promise, saying: "There is the blacksmith, there are the laborers, there are the milch cattle, the oxen, plows, chains, and other farming and mechanical tools. The school will be opened in a few days and I am here ready to preach to you." The school was opened Dec. 25, 1827, with five Indian pupils and one of the white laborers in attendance. The scholars were fed and clothed by the mission, and at that time only a few could be accommodated. By April 1, 1828, the school increased to 15 pupils. It has been stated that May 5, 1828, Rev. Leonard Slat er and Mrs. Slater arrived at Thomas, and at the same time a fully laden pi HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 177 rogue arrived by way of the river with supplies. Oa the 20th, a further supply was unladen from a schooner at Grand Haven and brought up the river. May 22, Mr. MeCoy and his family left for his home at Carey. The mission was henceforth in the hands of Mr. Slater and his assistant. David and Miss Eleanor Richardson, of Cincinnati, 0., arrived at Grand Rapids, or"' Thomas," as missionaries, Feb. 17, 1828; but Richardson remained only until July 1. McCoy visited the place Feb. 28, 182S, only to find the Indians unfriendly to the mission, and the greater number who were once friendly now retrograding. In July, 1829, Mr. McCoy re-visited Grand Rapids, with a view of reviewing its condition. He says: A Miss Thompson had united with this station under an appointment from the Board of Missions. She was now present. Mr. Meeker was absent. The establishment was under the management of Mr. Slater. The condition of the station was sad indeed; the school was discontinued, the farms uncultivated, and the whole establishment appeared in a state of dilapidation. Miss Richardson left in May, for Cincinnati, to recover her health, which being restored, she was married to Mr. Meeker, and returned to the station in 1830. Miss Susan Thompson left the station in 1829 on account of her health. In 1833 Miss Day and MAiss Bond arrived as missionaries. The former returned to Maine the same year, while the latter married Francis Prescott, subsequently well known as a Baptist preacher. In 1835 the Indian mission was abandoned. Mr. Slater established a mission near Gull Prairie for a few Indians who refused to move westward. The majority of the persons named in connection with Mr. McCoy's missionary enterprise accompanied him to the Indian Territory, and continued to labor there among the aborigines until 1837-'8. Before passing from this subject, we will quote the following let ter from John Aliny to C. A. Harris, dated at Grand Rapids, Oct15, 1838: " n the early part of September I was in the city of Detroit, when I met the Hon. Lucius Lyon, at which timhe he put into my hands the enclosed plat and letter of introductidn, and requested me, with all convenient speed, on my return home to make the survey and prepare the sketch in accordance with your instructions. I returned to this place in a few days afterward, and proceeded to mnake the necessary surveys and examinations; but before I had completed them, I was taken down with the prevailing sickness of the county, and consequently haveunot, until the last 10 days, been able to complete the labor, and could not in the interval procure it to be done by a competent person. I have said this much by the way of exonerating Mr. Lyon from any censure on account of what may be supposed to be a delinquency on his part. I herewith transmit two sketches of the missionary locations, accompanied with the following remarks and explanations, to wit: 178 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. " Plat No. 1 contains a sketch of the missionary reserve of 160 acres in a compact form, and embracing their buildings and improvements. The buildings and so forth have been laid down on ihe plat according to their precise location, and, as will appear by inspection, they all are within the bounds of section No. 25. In regard to other improvements, such as lands cleared, fenced or cultivated by them (the missionaries), there does not appear to be anything of this nature to which they can lay claims. All the grounds on the front of sections 24 and 25 are cleared and have been occupied by the Indians, as corn-fields, from time immemorial. The quantity of 160 acres as laid out on the plat, embraces all their buildings and improvements, and is bounded in the following manner:-Beginning at the meandering part in the north line of section No. 25, on the bank of the river, thence down the same to the south line of the subdivision No. 3 of section 25, thence on the said subdivision line west so far that a line running north and parallel to the west line of the section to the north line, and thence on said north line to the place of beginning, shall contain 160 acres. These bounds will include: first subdivision No. 1, of section No. 25, containing 46 13-100 acres. First subdivision No. 2, of the same section, containing 45 acres; part of subdivision No. 3, of section No. 25, containing 40 29-100 acres, and a fraction of the 80 acres in the rear of No. 1 and 2, containing 28.58 acres,-160 acres. "In plat No. 2 I have marked out the 160 acres in two separate parallels. These sketches would embrace all the buildings and improvements. Whether this plan will be considered as a location in a compact form I will not undertake to say. I would, however, remark that such a location would embrace less of other improvements, which they have no claim to, as having been made by them directly or indirectly. If such a plan of laying off the missionary reserve would be in accordance with the provisions of the treaty, it might still be further improved, by laying off the half of the 94.26 acres on section 24, and the residue on section 25; so that the Baptist residence would occupy the central position in that location. I would observe that more time has been consumed in making these surveys and examinations than otherwise would have been, had this tract been timbered land. Nearly all the sections bordering on the river are old Indian improvements and oak openings. It was impossible to find posts or lines without going back two miles and finding corners to work from. The time actually employed in making the survey was 10 days, assisted by three men, whose aggregate pay and expenses per diem were $4.50; so that my compensation will be rather a lean affair." It is unnecessary to refer to the mass of correspondence on the subject of the mission reserve. In a letter dated Washington, March 13, 1846, addressed to James Shields, Commissioner of the General Land Office, and afterward the hero of three wars, and the Senator from three States, Henry R. Schoolcraft says: HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 179 "Agreeably to your desire I proceed to state my impressions on those clauses of the treaty of March 28, 1836, referred to in Mr. Scribner's memorial to the President of the 9th instant. The formation of that treaty by which the title of some 16,000,000 of acres of land was acquired, occupied the entire winter and spring of 1835-'6, and involved many questions connected alike with the interests of the Indians, the Indian traders, who were then creditors to a large amount, and the several missionaries who labored or taught in these Territories. Several delegations of the Ottawas and Clippewas were present with their interpreters and friends. Conflicting views, interests and opinions were to be obviated and reconciled, and a harmonious and general result was not obtained without long conference and many references to the President and Secretary of War. "To detail all these requires time and means of reference to papers which are at my residence; but such an inquiry is not necessary to come to the practical facts at issue. It is not even necessary to examine the provisions of the eighth article of the treaty under which you have referred to me, further than respects the true intent and meaning of the clause pointed out. By the clause, ' the mission establishments upon the Grand river shall be appraised and the value paid to the proper boards,' was intended the Catholic and Baptist mission establishments on the north bank of the Grand river, the former of which was located at or near the foot, and the latter the head of the said ' rapids.' By this phraseology the actual or appraised outlay of each, without pretending to judge what proportion of expense or value one bore to the other, was secured. The Government was also secured that nothing beyond this expense should be paid. This provision did not appear to meet the wishes of the. Baptists, who had brought on a delegation of Ottawas, headed by the chief ' Noon-Day,' to oppose the treaty on any terms, and who, by the hands of the Rev. Leonard Slater, presented a remonstrance to it in open council. This remonstrance, after glancing over it, I handed back to him with the remark, that the Government was treating with the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, and not with white men. Whatever were the objections of this denomination, however, to the terms of the treaty, as finally adjusted, including the provisions of the eighth article, they were not expressed to me; but evinced themselves while the instrument was before the Senate, in efforts to defeat its ratification. The Rev. Isaac McCoy, who passed the winter and spring of 1835 and 1836 in this city, visited with careful secrecy each member of the Indian committee, and through his long and early intimacy with the late General Tipton, created strong prejudices against it. He availed himself of Judge White's political position at the moment in relation to the President, to strengthen himself in the views entertained by him. Whatever the efects of Mr. McCoy's statements were in producing the numerous and important changes introduced on the ratification, and they doubtless had no effect if they were ever the 180 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. subject of conversation on some of these alterations, it is known that he was the causeof the change from the plural to the singular form with respect to the missionary establishments and the mode ot remuneration, provided by the eighth article as amended by the Senate. " The ninth article was introduced in consequence of objections made by the President to reservations of land in any form or to any person. To meet the request of the Indians on this head, the proposed reservations at the place they asked them to be located were put into their cash value, and the price per acre or otherwise agreed on between the persons in whose favor the reservation was asked and the commissioner. Among the locations thus asked for by the Indians, and compromised with claimants in this article, was the section of land embracing the mill, built for the use of the Indians with public funds, situated on the north side of the Grand rapids in Michigan. The sum of $6,400 was granted for the tract to the Baptist agent, the Rev. Leonard Slater, in trust for an Indian member of his family, to be vested in the purchase of other lands, or otherwise employed to further the ends of said Baptist mission. All buildings or other improvements had been previously provided for by the terms of the eighth section above quoted, and the requests of the chief Noon-Day and his party of Ottawas, who were in the Baptist interest, were thus fully and satisfactorily to them, as understood by me, provided for. In this shape the eighth article went before the Senate, which completes a view of my agency in the transaction, so far as relates to your inquiries. It may be permitted to add, that the Catholic Church had no agent to attend or oppose the treaty at any stage of its progress, nor did it appear that its missionaries entertained any such wish." This letter portrays sufficiently strategetic movements of Rev. Mr. McCoy in the matter, and the great influences brought to bear on the Senate to destroy the justice of its office. END OF THE IN)IAN MISSION. The Baptist mission was located on the west side of the river. Near where now is the Bridge Street viaduct, were the two block houses erected by Mr. McCoy, Mr. Slater and their assistants. In one of those houses Mr. Slater taught school and preached. The Catholic mission, founded by Rev. Frederick Baraga, was located below what is now known as the Pearl Street viaduct, in the heart of the Ottawa village. After Rev. Mr. Baraga left the district, Rev. Mr. Vizoiski was appointed pastor by Bishop Razer. Subsequently a desire was manifested to sell the mission lands, and to carry out this, the Baptist Board of Missions, acting doubtless on advice received from Mr. McCoy, had the necessary papers drawn up by Thomas G. Coggeshall and G. M. Mills, showing that the Baptist mission had performed great work amongl the Indians, and claiming fbr it 19-20ths of the proceeds of the land sales, allowinrr only 1-20th to the Catholic mission. President Ty;er handed HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 181 the petition to the Secretary of the Treasury, J. C. Spencer, who issued instructions to have the land sold and the proceeds distributed according to the prayer of the petitioners, i. e., in the proportion of $6,000 to the Baptists and $300 to the Catholics. The sale was advertised in a little journal, published at Ionia, in April, 1843, so that few of the people of Kent even heard of the proposed transaction. After the advertisement appeared Rev. Mr. Vizoiski happened to be traveling in the neighborhood of the present town of Ada, when he halted at Smith's tavern to feed his horse and have dinner. While waiting here he took up the little journal and read the advertisement. He realized the state of affairs in a moment. Having fed his horse, he did not wait to feed himself, but mounting in haste proceeded to Battle Creek, where he took the stage for Ypsilanti, and went thence to Detroit by the old-time train of the Central railroad. Bishop Le Febre, well known among the old settlers of Kent, was at home. Father Vizoiski showed him the advertisement. Without a moment's delay both the bishop and the pastor of Grand Rapids were en route to Ypsilanti, and thence to Valley City via Battle Creek. Arrived here, no time was lost. The bishop had a conference with Lucius Lyon, Geo. Coggeshall, John Almy, and others, which resulted in obtaining from each of them an affidavit setting forth the state of the two missions; that, in fact, there never was a successful Baptist mission here up to that time, and that the Catholics were entitled to an equal share of the proceeds of the land sale. This done, the bishop waited on Thomas B. Church, then a young lawyer, and asled him to prepare an address to the President of the United States, setting forth truly and impartially all that was already stated in the affidavits. The lawyer drew up a classic appeal for justice, demanded the postponement of the sale until a full inquiry should be made, and further asked that the advertisements in the Ionia Journal should be discontinued. Having completed his work, he showed the address to the bishop, who was so well pleased that he presented him with a $20 gold piece in payment for his professional, labors. In answer to Mr. Church's instructions to have the document mailed to Mr. Spencer, then Secretary of the Treasury, the bishop replied that he fully understood the customs of public officials, and, therefore, would not send such an important paper to the Secretary. " On the contrary," said he, " I shall mail the address to Chief Justice Taney, a son of the Church, who will place it in the President's hands, and see that attention is given to it." This plan the bishop carried out, and within a few months the advertisement was withdrawn, the sale of the lands stayed, and a commission appointed, comprising Chief Justice Taney, of the U. S. Supreme Court, as representative of the Catholic interest, and Judge McLean as representative of the Baptists. The President's order was dated Aug. 24, 1843. Before the commission 182 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. acted, a few capitalists of Grand -tipids corresponded with the Board of Baptist Missions, and also with Bishop Le Febre. They offered $20,000 for the property, and asked the parties interested to agree upon a division. This proposition resulted in an agreement between the Catlolics and Baptists. whereby the former were content to receive $8,000, and the latter $12,000. With the $8,000, so received, Rev. Mr. Vizoiski purchased the property at the corner of Ottawa and Monroe streets, with other lots in the village. Within a few years the first mentioned property was sold for $56,000, and the other investments proved equally profitable. The $12,000 received by the Board of Baptist Missions was not locally invested. Thus ended the era of Government blacksmiths, teachers, and what may be termed a " G(overnment mission" in the valley of the Grand river. The negotiations were carried over a period of years, beginning in 1838 or '39, and terminating in 1849 with another protest against sale, made by Isaac Turner and Willard Sibley. The settlement of title to these lands was indeed a troublesome matter. CHAPTER V. PIONEERS OF KENT. While yet the blood of tyranny was being drunk by the soil of liberty, before the soldiers and leaders of the Revolution had sought their well-earned repose under the protecting folds of that starry banner which they bequeathed us, a representative of the only people on the face of the earth who cast their fortunes with the cause of American liberty, entered the valley of the Grand river and made a home within the district now known as Kent county. At this period, comparatively remote in American history, the country on the east side of the Grand river formed the territory of the Ottawa Indians, while that on the west bank formed the joint estate of that tribe and the Otchipwes. During the Revolution and for many years after, the number of Indian inhabitants between the Rapids and the mouth of Flat river, having villages on each bank of the river, did not exceed 1,200 souls. They were a noble people, rich in natural wealth, free from impurity, honorable and sincere. About the period when the names of Paul Revere, Lexington and Washington were echoed throughout the civilized world, and were mentioned in the councils of savage tribes, the American Fur Company, or at least a few men who were subsequently its principals, determined to push their posts farther west, and commissioned Madame La Framboise, a French lady, to locate a post, and establish their trade in the neighborhood of the Great Rapids of the Owoshtenong. The lady came, received permission from the council of the two tribes, and before the first echoes of the Revolution had died away in the colonies, she had succeeded in building the first trading hut and placing within it a full stock of Indian supplies. This hut was located on section 9, in the township of Lowell, about two miles west of the village. Although the American Fur Company constantly kept a supply of goods at this point, the Indians would often go to Detroit to trade, not so much, however, with a view to securing larger prices for their peltries, or to purchasing necessaries at a smaller cost, as to obtain a supply of "fire-water," which could not be had at a nearer point. As the time for the " annual pow-wow " approached, a journey to Detroit was considered necessary, for the purpose of laying in a supply of rum for the occasion. Madame La Framboise remained at this post until superseded by Rix Robinson in 1821. She had been a successful agent for the company, but her advanced age and the growing interests of the fur trade demanded her remnoval. Remnants of the old store-house in which she trans(183) 184 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. acted business with the savages remained up to a short time ago. There was a part of the chimney standing as recently as the Centennial Year and m'arks of the excavations in which the canoes were hid may be seen near by. These are the oldest relics of pioneer life in Kent county. It will surprise the reader to learn that a woman was the first pioneer of civilization who ever set foot upon the pleasant valley of Grand river; but such, indeed, is the truth. She was a lady of more than ordinary force of character, a shrewd trader and a bold adventurer. Her life at this outpost is filled with thrilling incidents, many of which are enlivened by a vein of romance. Pierre Constant was tie next pioneer, though his stay within the territory now known as Kent county was very limited. The fact of his coming here and partial settlement on the western line of the county, entitles him to a place among the pioneers. Hon. W. M. Ferry, writing of him, states: " The first trader who located in what was Ottawa county-then embracing Muskegon county-was Pierre Constant, a Frenchman of the type of that advance guard of pioneers Marquette, LaSalle, Joliet and Tonti, who, 200 years before, invaded and brought to the world the great Northwest. He was of the chevalier order of men -brave, honorable and undaunted, amid all dangers. In 1810 he engaged with the British Fur Company, then having a depot at Mackinaw, as a trader; and with his supply of merchandise coasted along the shore of Lake Michigan, and established a trading post on Grand river, near what is now called Charleston, and another on the banks of Muskegon lake. He married an Indian woman of remarkable beauty and intelligence, by whom six children were born to him. Once a year, he with his family and the results of his venture in furs and peltries, coasted down Lakes Michigan and Huron to Penatauquashin, the Indian depot for Upper Canada. Rix Robinson, the first American pioneer, arrived in the valley in 1821, as successor to Madame LaFramboise, who retired that year from the service of the American Fur Company. Every chronicler of the valley bears testimony to the excellent character of this remarkable man. It is stated that he was the first white man who settled permanently within the boundaries of Kent, and as such must be considered the actual first resident. For a long time he was engaged in the fur trade with the Indians on the Grand river. Alone, he traversed the forests in the interests of the American Fur Company, surrounded with savages by nature, and sometimes by deed, but was unmolested by them. The spirit of the natives had already been somewhat subdued by the influence of Christianity, and devoted missionaries were then laboring among them. A tribe of these Indians remained near the town of Ada until 1860, when they sold their lands and removed to Pentwater. During the latter years of their residence on these lands, they cultivated the soil, and built respectable residences, had well-organ /I/ "I 1 ', HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 187 ized schools, and comfortable churches. They were of the Roman Catholic faith. The life of this pioneer was fraught with toil and peril and actual suffering. " It is pleasant," said an old resident, " to sit and listen while ' Uncle Rix' tells of the dark days in the history of his experience. I have often heard him repeat the story of the nights he spent in the woods alone, far from any house; of fording streams in winter; of encounters with wolves and other animals; of the poor log house with its chimney; of sickness and death in the family, with no attending physician, and so on through the long list. But I was not the only delighted one. What a change came over the countenance of the aged man as he recounted those scenes!" On the organization of the township of Kent Mr. Robinson was elected Supervisor, and for many years subsequently received, many honors from the people, for whom, as it were, he made a road into the beautiful wilderness. In September, 1821, he married a woman of the Mackinaw Indians named Miss-a-quot-o-quay, by whom he had one son, John R. Robinson, now residing in Isabella county, an Indian missionary. Miss-a-quot-o-quay died about 1848. Some time about 1850 " Uncle Rix " married Sippi-quay, or River Woman, a grand-daughter of Laroche or Na-nom-madaw-ba, the head chief of the Grand River Indians at Battle Point, a firm friend of " Uncle Rix." It is related that this chief bestowed upon the trader the rich hunting ground known as the Big Bayou, advising the tribe at the same time not to interfere with it. This great old settler died about six years ago. Louis Campau, the pioneer of the Saginaw, was also the first settler of Grand Rapids, and the third pioneer of Kent county. He was a member of the influential Campau family of Detroit, and was born at that post Aug. 11, 1791. At eight years of age he was taken by his uncle, Joseph Campau, who promised to rear the boy, and start him in business. For seven years his business was that of an under servant, going to school but little. The only school education he had simply enabled him to read the French language, and to write. His defective education he regretted; but in after life he made little effort to remedy it. As to scholarship he was simply an illiterate man. His active life was mostly spent as an Indian trader beyond the limits of civilization, or as a business man on the frontier. Until after the war of 1812, he stayed with his uncle, being promoted to be his right-hand man. He was one of the soldiers surrendered by Hull. After the war he was hired by a company of Detroit merchants to dispose of the remnants of their goods to the Indians on the Saginaw river. This he successfully did. He soon commenced on his own account as a trader among the same Indians. There he stayed, with varying fortune, until the spring of 1827, when, at the request of the Indians, he came as their trader to the Grand River Valley. At times, while at Saginaw, the Govern12 -188 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. -ment made use of him in dealing with the Indians and making;treaties with them. In November, 1827, he came on with a supply of goods for the Indians, and four hired men, packing his goods on ponies. He was also engaged by a Mr. Brewster, of Deitroit, to buy furs, in opposition to the American Fur Company. He fixed his first post at the mouth of Flat river, where the railroad depot now is; left two of his men there, and with the rest came to the Indian village at the Rapids, on the west side of the river. Spent the winter there, profitably, trading. Before the close of the year 1827, he came with his family and a larger supply of goods; built three log cabins near the river, at the foot of Bronson street. With none around him but the Indians and those dependent on him, he remained until 1832, when the first emigrant,Luther Lincoln, came in. In a short time after the arrival of Lincoln Rev. Frederick Baraga, afterward Bishop of Buffalo and professor of the Cree and Otchipwe languages, came. With this zealous missionary Mr. Campau disagreed in things temporal. Believing that a village or city would be at the place, he secured a piece of land, and platted it as a village-the so-called ' Campau plat." Soon the speculative fever found Mr. Campan a rich man, doing a great deal of business, building extensively, the president of a bank, etc. The collapse that followed found him a man struggling to save a little. His property went to assignees, and eventually some small part of it was returned to him. Afterward, by doing a limited business, and by constantly selling his lots, he lived a life of gentlemanly independence until within a few years of his death, when, his resources failing, he lived on the bounty of his friends, who were unwilling that he should feel poverty, which he never did. * He was twice married. His first wife died at Saginaw. His second, a lady of rare excellence, preceded him in death a few years, July 31, 1869, aged 62. From the time of the death ot his wife, whose character he fully appreciated, he was never himself again. He died April 13, 1871. He was a tall, fine-looking man; walking lame, from a serious injury received when a young man. He was very courteous and gentlemanly in his intercourse with others; an able counselor in matters of business, but himself unable to practice his own lessons. He was visionary, and an unwise manager of his own affairs. He was very benevolent, and the kindness of his heart caused him to possess many warm admirers, and was taken advantage of by the unprincipled. He cannot be said to have been a man of brilliant qualities, yet he secured in the community a respect and veneration which it is the fortune of few to attain. He was upright in his dealings, had finely strung feelings and a gentlemanly bearing, which encouraged good wil and disarmed enmity. His name will be ever one of the household words at Grand Rapids. He died in 1871, full of years and honors, and rests in the Catholic cemetery by the side of her who was his HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 189 soul-companion while living, and whose death cast so dark a shadow over the years he survived. Prof. Everett, whose name is associated with the valley of the Grand River for many years, knew Louis Campau, and was solicitous enough about the future to pen the foregoing sketch. In compiling the history of Saginaw county, the writer of this history became acquainted with the character of that well-known Indian trader and pioneer of two cities, so that he is enabled to bear testimony to the impartiality and comparative completeness of the biographical sketch just given. Toussaint Camnpau settled with his senior brother in the winter of 1827, and continued to transact business for him for many years. This small list includes the names of all the "pioneers" of Kent county. They claim the distinctive title on account of their early coming and their stay, and still more because ot the services which they rendered the old settlers, the prime movers in the march of progress. OTHER AMERICAN PIONEERS. Under this heading it is deemed proper to refer generally to the men who linked their fortunes with Kent county up to the beginning of 1838, when the Territory of Michigan was thoroughly established and recognized as a State of the Union. The old settlers of a county are entitled to honors of a very special character. It is true they had the pioneers to meet them and offer them information; but in all other respects they were men of great selfreliance, strong in minid and body, ambitious to carve out for themselves happy homes, lovers of liberty and the Union, and therefore noble citizens. They came hither to carry out the designs of the great Economist, and in the midst of their wild surroundings looked forward to the period when the capital should be placed upon their honest labors. In those early times, the style of living was quite primitive, and somewhat different from that of the present. Their dwellings were mostly of the composite style of architecture, being made of such material as could be most easily obtained. They employed very little of the Corinthian style, but much of the Door-ic style. Their pillars were taken from "God's first temples"-the forests. They constructed their buildings so as to be adapted to a very economical system of self-ventilation and self-heating. Being rather a hearty sort of people, they could tolerate the opening breezes and the sun's warm visitations. They were not of too delicate a mold to digest their own food, instead of employing the contents of a drug store to carry on that necessary process; nor did they consider it disgraceful to gain their livelihood by personal industry and constant labor. At a picnic given by the old settlers in June, 1881, Judge Parrish looked back to the past, and in the retrospect drew attention to the pride characterizing the people of the present. Old names, celebrated in song and scripture, 190 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. had given place to new ones, as delicate in signification as the owners of them are weak in physical qualities. Strange forms have been introduced, society has lost halt its beauty with the loss of its primitive manners, change is marked everywhere, and nothing is the same as it was 50 years ago. Very little do the young people of the present day know about the privations and the hardships through which the first settlers in this county were obliged to pass. The first settlers were obliged, sometimes, to go long journeys to get their grinding done. It was not very uncommon to go a distance of 50 miles to buy seed potatoes. They contrived, by various means, to pound and crush the grain for their food. It was not unfrequently, though game was plenty, that they were out of meat when the preacher came to their houses; but it was not always gloomy and sad with them. There was much good feeling and sociability among them. Their loves and their hates were demonstrative; and the sparseness of.the population, and the consequent mutual dependence upon each other, as well in serious occupations as in their amusements, rendered them more helpful and more hearty in their reciprocal deeds of kindness, and in their social intercourse. There were not a few, even in this section of the country, whose hearts would not respond to the following, rather boisterous, but cheerful and expressive, language of the poet: Oh! to roam, like the rivers, through empires of woods, Where the king of the eagles in majesty broods; Or, to ride the wild horse o'er the boundless domain, And to drag the wild buffalo down to the plain; There to chase the fleet stag. and to track the huge bear, And to face the lithe panther at bay in his lair, Are a joy which, alone, cheers the pioneer's breast; For the only true hunting-ground lies in the West. Ho! brothers, come hither and list to mv story: Merry and brief will the narrative be. Here, like a monarch, I reign in my gloryMaster, am I, boys, of all that I see. Where once frowned a forest, a garden is smiling; The meadow and moorland are marshes no more; And there curls the smoke of my cottage, beguiling The children, who cluster, like grap s, at the door. Then enter, boys; cheerly, boys, enter and rest; The land of the heart is the land of the West. It may be true that the feelings and sentiments expressed in the above lines are not the prevailing ones here at the present time,that they are fast fading from the hearts of the new population, and that their proper meridian is still moving west-ever west. Yet there are some among us whose hearts still respond to the echoes of the earlier -and more demonstrative times of the past. Many of the early settlers still linger among us; and to them, and to those who have already passed away, the present generation owes an immense debt of gratitude; for bravely have they met the HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 191 difficulties incidental to settling a new country; and broadly and well did they lay the foundations of future prosperity. In the following brief references to the true old settlers of Kent, mention is merely made of their coming and their stay. In the pages devoted to biography, every effort has been made to deal fully with the personal history of the county; and if the worthy should escape notice, they must owe it to negligence on their part. It is impossible to state precisely when Rev. Gabriel Richard first appeared among the Indians of the Grand river. It is presumed, however, with some authority, that his arrival here occurred early in 1799. This celebrated missionary priest was born at Saintes, Charente Infr., France, Oct. 15, 1764, came to Baltimore in 1792, and arrived at Detroit in June, 1798. He inaugurated the first newspaper published in Michigan, Aug. 31,1809, traversed the Lower and Upper Penisulas, in 1823 was elected member of Congress from Michigan, took a noble part in everything affecting the interests of the State, and died full of years and honors Sept. 13, 1832. It is not stated that Father De Jannay visited Grand river, but every circumstance points him out as the same priest who passed through the camp grounds in 1848. Isaac McCoy, better known as the Rev. Mr. McCoy, visited the Indian towns at the Rapids in 1823, and proposed to the Ottawas that in consideration of their surrender of one square mile of land the Government would furnish them with a teacher, an agricultural instructor and a blacksmith. McCoy, who was a resident of Fort Wayne, visited Gen. Cass, at Detroit, June 28, 1822, for the purpose of securing the privileges of the Chicago treaty. The Governor had already appointed a commissioner to make definite arrangements with the Indians for the sites of the missionary stations, and Grand Rapids had been designated as a suitable place for the Ottawa mission. Mr. McCoy made the journey to this place in company with a Frenchman, named Paget, in the following year. On their arrival they met with so many difficulties that they failed to accomplish their purpose. A council was held with the Ottawa chiefs, and Mr. McCoy addressed them through an interpreter, at considerable length, setting forth the plans of the Government and the advantages which the Indians would derive from a cheerful acceptance of them. Kewaykushquom, chief of the Ottawa village, replied in a brief speech, refusing to accept the conditions offered. He concluded his oration by stating that he was aware the Indian must soon give up his huntinggrounds to the whites, who still continued to crowd the land like locusts, but he was prepared to meet whatever trials God sent upon himself or his people. In the characteristiclanguage of his nation he said: " Ga-apitchi-debweiendahgibanig oma aking, nongom apitchi mino aiawag gijigong:" Those that had a perfect faith on earth, are now exceedingly happy in Heaven. The mission of Mr. McCoy 192 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. to the Ottawas failed. However, he succeeded in establishing a blacksmith shop at Kalamazoo in September, 1823. Rev. Leonard Slater, whose name appears in connection with the history of the Baptist society, arrived at Grand Rapids in May, 1828, accompanied by a Government blacksmith and two or three laborers. He established the Baptist mission, which afterward performed efficient service in the interests of civilization. The life of this pioneer was attended by many hardships; he began his work at Grand Rapids by erecting a log house for his own residence, and a log school-house. These were the first buildings ever erected by civilized persons on the western bank of the Rapids, although the American Fur Company had built a small store-house two miles up the river previous to 1777. The labors of Mr. Slater were well directed, and consequently won the respect of not a few savages. He erected a block school-house, was liberal and at the same timejjudicious in his distribution of presents. Consequently his endeavors to conciliate and to convert the Ottawas were not wholly barren; nor were his labors to educate them without a degree of success. After laboring for some time in this rude building, a frame school-house was erected, and the old block house converted into a dwelling. This modern mission school-house was erected in 1837, by the same mission, and was situated near the corner of Bridge and Front streets. It was originally devoted to the Indian children attached to Mr. Slater's mission, but, owing to the influx of the whites and to the indisposition of the Indians, it was soon after appropriated to the uses of the latter. Mr. Slater was born at Worcester, Mass., Nov. 16, 1802. He died April 27, 1866. His children, Sarah Emily, born Aug. 12, 1827; George, Feb. 9, 1829; Francis, Dec. 31, 1832, and Brainard, Sept. 21, 1835, were the first white children born of American parents in the Grand Rapids district. Richard Godfroy, whose name will be forever honorably identified with the treaties of Saginaw, Chicago, Detroit, and even Greenville, came to Grand Rapids in 1832. He is the son of Gabriel Godfroy, patentee of the lands on which Ypsilanti city is built, of the country round Elkhart city, Ind., of many beautiful tracts from Detroit to Terre Haute, and northwestward to Chicago. He was Indian Agent at Lowell for some time previous to 1832, and must be considered a pioneer of Kent county. Two years later he opened a trading post, and carried it on successfully for many years. The great lawsuit-" Godfroy, v. Beardsley and others "-in which his claim to the valuable lands, granted in the letter of President John Quincy Adams, Nov. 28, 1826, and in the deed of the Indian Reserve, given to Richard Godfroy, Feb. 2, 1827, signed by John Paxton, James M. McCloskey, and Pierre Morain or Perish, was sought to be maintained. This Pottawatomie chief Perish, to whom a section of land at the confluence of the Elkhart river and St. Joseph river was granted by the treaty of Chicago made in 1821, received $300 from Mr. Godfroy in consideration of this deed. In HISTORY OF RENT COUNTY. 193 the " History of Elkhart County, Indiana," written by the writer of this work for the publishers of this volume in 1880, a copy of the correspondence which passed between Morain, the Indian, Godfroy the trader, and John Quincy Adams, President of the United States, on this subject, with the patents and deeds, are given on pages 729-'31. If an opinion could be offered, it would simply be, that the question of Richard Godfroy's title to those lands seems to be based not on law, but rather upon the eccentricities of law. This respected pioneer is one of the few very early settlers now living. His daughter, Cornelia, now Mrs. Sarsfield, was the first white child born at Grand Rapids. Capt. Daniel Marsac, of Detroit, settled at Lowell in 1829, as an Indian trader. Two years later he erected a substantial log hut, and established a regular trading post. Here John Ball slept for the first time within Kent county. The name of Marsac brings up many stirring reminiscences of Detroit, Saginaw, Mackinac, and old Chicago. Trapper Lincoln, an old man even at the period the first American settlers began to pour in, passed his days from 1829 until 1860 in tie old hut on the shore of Lincoln lake,'in Spencer township. He moved to Montcalm county, where he built the Lincoln Mill above Greenville, and where he died. Edward Robinson settled in Ada in 1830. He was a brother ot Rix Robinson, and for many years resided near the home of " Uncle Rix." He was the father of 13 children, to whom he gave the general title, " The Baker's Dozen." David Tucker and Gideon H. Gordon claim the honors of first settlement in the township of Wyoming. They arrived in Michigan in 1832, and leaving Detroit sought out for themselves the beautiful homes which the section of country around Grandville offered. Toussaint Campau oame to the Rapids while still a youth in the employ of Louis. He made the district the home of his more advanced years. The pioneer has gone with the majority; his widow is still among the old people of the county. Rev. Frederick Baraga, the well-known Indian scholar, antiquarian and lexicographer, settled in Grand Rapids in June, 1833, as resident priest. Under his direction a frame church building was erected on the west side of the river. One of his parishioners, Louis Campau, aware that the existence of this church on the west bank would interfere materially with the plans of himself and others for building up the village on the east bank, entered into arrangements with Barney Burton for its removal. During the winter of 1833-'4, the little house of worship was moved across the river by Burton, and stands on Ottawa street at present, near Wood's carriage shop. This was the beginning of discontent. The impracticable trapper, hunter, and trader of the Saginaw could not be reasoned with on the subject. Rev. Mr. Baraga left the village forever, and the Catholic mission of the Rapids was temporarily 194 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. disorganized. This celebrated missionary wrote a grammar and dictionary of the Otchipwe language; was raised to the bishopric of Lake Superior, and subsequently Bishop of Buffalo. His travels led him to the Athabasca regions, and eastward still to the Hudson's Bay district, where he is remembered by the Indians and the Hudson's Bay Company's officers and men. Baracga was a cousin of the emperor of Austria, one of the Rudolph Hapsburgs. T. B. Church visited him at Marquette a short time before his death. His sister, who held his estates in trust, and who died in 1878, sent remittance after remittance, to aid in carrying out the object of his missionary labors. Joe] Guild and his family, the first American settlers of Grand Rapids, accompanied the Dexter colony to Ionia in 1833. There meeting Louis Campau, the pioneer of Western Michigan, Mr. Guild accompanied him to his trading post at the Rapids,purchased from him a building lot, and erected the first frame dwelling house on the site of the. present City National Bank. It is stated positively that this early settler arrived early in June, 1833, while others place the date of his coming Aug. 12, that year. Jonathan F. Chubb %brought his family to Wyoming township in 1833, and purchased land between the foot of the Rapids and Grandville. After a four years' pursuit of agriculture he disposed of his farm, and inaugurated the agricultural business on Canal street in the village of Grand Rapids. Ira Jones and Eliphalet Turner settled in the county in 1833, and were instrumental in building up its interests. These old settlers died in 1870, much regretted by a large circle of true friends. Myron Royce, a settler of Wyoming in 1833, located on section 9. Mr. Royce still resides in that township, on the old homestead. Henry West came West in 1833 and selected his lands on section 20 of the same township. Luther Lincoln, one of the first to enter lands in this county at the White Pigeon Land Office, with Louis Campau, came in 1833, and located the lands on which the village of Grandville stands. Hiram Jennison arrived in 1833, and settling lands near the Lincoln tract, made Grandville his home. Joseph B. Copeland and William R. Godwin, old settlers of 1833, entered lands adjacent to the Lincoln and Jennison properties, and became permanent settlers. Eliphalet Turner arrived at Grand Rapids Aug. 11, 1833, but did not settle on the land now occupied by the city. He was, however, among the very first settlers of Kent county. Barney Burton, whose widow still resides here, located lands in Paris township in 1833. Edward Guild, Joel Guild and Daniel Guild, all well known among the old settlers, made locations within the present boundaries of Paris township in 1833. James Vanderpool arrived in the township of Kent in 1833, and enor^od lands within the district now known as Paris township. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 195 Jacob Winsor, son of Darius Winsor, was born in Onondaga county, N. Y., June 11, 1816, came to Michigan in 1833, and settled at Grand Rapids. His death took place Dec. 22, 1874. Martin Ryerson, born at Paterson, N. J., Jan. 6, 1818, came to Grand Rapids in 1834, and entered into the employ of Richard Godfroy. In May, 1836, he became a pioneer of Muskegon, at which place he continued to reside until 1851, when he moved to Chicago. Col. Horace Gray, of Grosse Isle, who was a resident of this place from 1834 to 1838, visited Grand Rapids in August, 1881, to acquaint himself with the great changes which progress wrought, as well as to visit the few survivors of the settlement of 1834. James Clark, born at Rahway, N. J., Jan. 31, 1799, married Miss Catherine Powley, of New York, in January, 1821; immigrated in 1831, and settled in Superior township, Washtenaw Co., where he dwelt until February, 1834, the date of his settlement at Grand Rapids. His was the 14th white family to make Kent county a home. He was the pioneer of Plainfield township, where he died in 1867. Hiram Jennison, born at Canton, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., May 11, 1813, immigrated to Michigan in 1834, and settled at Grandville the saine year. Ezekiel Davis was the first settler of the township of Grand Rapids, having located on section 34 in 1834. Lewis Reed, Ezra Reed, and Porter Reed were among the settlers of 1834. David S. Leavitt and Robert M. Barr settled in Grand Rapids township in 1834. A brother of Robert M. Barr arrived here shortly after, and settled permanently in the county. Among the settlers of 1834 were Roswell Britton, Abraham Bryant, J. McCarthy, Ephraim P. Walker, Julius C. Abel, all of whom settled at or near the village of Grandville; Robert Howlett, George Thompson, and Alvah Wanzy settled in Wyoming the same year. Rev. Andrew Vizoisky, successor to Rev. Frederick Baraga, was one of the old settlers of 1835. He was born in Hungary, Austria, in 1792; immigrated in 1830, and, after a tour through Europe and the Canadas, entered the United States in 1831, where he lost little time in registering his name on the roll of citizensliip. From 1831 to the close of 1834 he was the successor of Pere Monteog in the mission of St. Clair, having received his appointment from the Bishop of Detroit. At the 6lose of 1834 he was transferred to the mission of Grand Rapids, and for over 17 years was among the most energetic and esteemed citizens of the growing village. It has been truly said that the ministry of this priest in Kent and adjoining counties was marked by unsurpassed devotion and its most gratifying results. No road was rough enough and no weather inclement enough to keep him from the post of 196 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. duty. To the poor he brought relief, to the sick consolation, and to the dying the absolvatory promises of his office. Under his administration a fine stone building was dedicated to Catholic worship in 1850. This building stood on Monroe street; he saw it filled with a large and happy congregation; witnessed the fulfillment of his hopes in this regard, and died full of honors, Jan. 2, 1852. Lncius Lyon, one of the settlers of Grand Rapids in 1835, was. born at Shelburn, Vt., Feb. 26, 1800, and died at Detroit, Mich.,. Sept 24, 1851. His father, Asa Lyon, of Shelburn, was esteemed a man of sound judgment. His mother was Sarah, daughter of Ambrose Atwater, of Wallingford, Conn. Some of his ancestors were among the original settlers of New Haven. Mr. Lyoln, as a, child and youth, was educated in the common schools of his native town; and he entered, when approaching his majority, upon the study of engineering and land-surveying in the office of John Johnson, of Burlington, Vt. At the age of 22 years, with a thorough knowledge of that business, he went to Detroit; and his professional skill becoming known, he was soon afterward appointed by the United States Surveyor-General, one of his deputies for the district northwest of the Ohio. In this office, Mr. Lyon continued until 1832. While still engaged in its duties, he was informed that he had been elected a delegate from the then Territory of Michigan to the Congress of the United States. He accepted, and remained in Congress until the first convention was assembled to form a constitution, with which the State of Michigan applied for admission into the Union. Of that convention, Mr. Lyon was a member, and his course was signalized by his influence in procuring the adoption of those provisions respecting the common-school lands that made the funds accruing therefrom a sacred and permanent trust, by which the endowment has become so large and beneficial. The first Legislature which assembled in Michigan chose Mr. Lyon as a Senator in Congress,-an honor due to his, character and services in behalf of the new State, and to his general knowledge of the condition and necessities of the Northwest. Mr. Lyon continued in the Senate until 1839, when he withdrew to Grand Rapids, then a village of a few hundred inhabitants, where he owned a large amount of property. In 1842 he was nominated and elected by the Democrats of that district as their Representative in Congress. Upon the.expiration of his term, he was appointed by President Polk to the office of Surveyor-General for the States of Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. At his request, and as a condition of acceptance, the office was located at Detroit. He filled it until his death, which occurred Sept. 24, 1851. His experience asa surveyor in early life, and as a member of the Committee on Public Lands, in both Houses of Congress, qualified him for the discharge of his duties. Mr. Lyon was not a brilliant man, nor rapid in his mental action; but, by being patient, carefully observing, and deliberately considering all subjects which were submitted HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 197 to him, he generally reached a correct conclusion, and was especially able to make practical applications of results. Thus, in his favorite line of study, natural and mechanical science, he became a proficient, and a peer of those who had enjoyed superior educational advantages. The extent of his knowledge and his capacity for action were sometimes obscured by his modesty. From the unpretentious and silent man, but a tithe of that influence and achievement was expected which he was found to have wielded and accomplisled. He was amiable, benevolent and religious; and, in after life, found rest, satisfaction, comfort and joy, often fervently acknowledged, in that form of Christian faith taught by Swedenborg. From his first appearance in public life, until his death, a consistent Democrat, he was unwavering in his political principles and associations. He never married; his housekeeping was superintended by a maiden sister, who yet survives him. In conclusion it' may be said that to no other statesman whom Michigan has produced and sustained in office, does she owe more than to the citizen Lucius Lyon. He and Charles Ii. Carroll, proprietors of the Kent plat, or rather the village of Kent, were among the first to attempt the development of the mineral resources of this portion of the valley. Believing that salt could be made here, and knowing that this section indicated, geologically, saline springs, he, in 1841, commenced sinking a well on the west bank of the canal, above the big mill, which, after mlanv difficulties and embarassments, became a supposed success, and the manufacture of salt was, in 1843-'4 and '5, prosecuted with considerable spirit, by means of boiling and evaporating. The enterprise failed, owing to the difficulties in keeping out fresh water which diluted the brine. It is said that Lyon expended upward of $20,000 in this experiment, and his profits were nothing. Subsequently, from 1858 to 1864, Ball & McKee, J. W. Winsor, W. T. Powers, C. W. Taylor, James Scribner, with others, renewed the effort to make salt, many wells were sunk, and several thousand barrels made, but East Saginaw had, in the meantime, found the seat of empire, and, from superior and purer brine, soon demonstrated that she was " master of the situation," and the people here could not compete with her, so that the works in this city gradually went the way of all unprofitable enterprises. N. O. Sargeant, whose connection with Kent county, and particularly with Grand Rapids, dates back to 1835, arrived at the same time as Almy and Lyon. He purchased an interest with the latter in the " Kent plat," and became one of the great improvers of the village. He, however, did not remain very long. Leonard G. Baxter arrived in 1835 as an employe of Sargeant. Geo. Crampton was another of the workers who came that year, accompanied with an ax, a pick, a shovel, a stout heart and strong arms. This pioneer died in August, 1881, and was buried in this county. In 1835 a large number of immigrants settled in Wyoming, 198 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. among whom were Charles H. Oaks, Joseph A. Brooks, Thomas H. Buxton, Manly Patchen, Ransom Sawyer, Richard Moore, Justus C. Rogers, Eli Yeomans and Erastus Yeomans. John Almy, better known as Judge Almy, a native of Rhode Island, arrived in Grand Rapids in 1835, to take charge of the " villageof Kent," then the sole property of Charles H. Carroll, of Groveland, N. Y. Referring to this family, P. R. L. Pierce says:"Mr. Almy held many important places of trust, such as member of the Legislature, Judge of the County Court, Chief Clerk in the Suveyor-General's office, engineer of the Kalamazoo and other river improvements. He also held the office of City Engineer. The Judge was a splendid draftsman, and in water-color and India-ink drawings was not excelled. He was a scientific man of much learning, and his general information was very great. He was very methodical and exact in his calculations and business. He had studied law and was admitted to practice, but the duties were not congenial to him, but he was thoroughly grounded in its principles, and was a safe and trusty counselor. He was a walking encyclopedia. Of splendid physical form, and a most benignant expression of countenance; he was a. man of mark among his fellows, and a courteous, genial gentleman, and beloved by all, and his memory will be cherished by every pioneer of the Grand River Valley who survives him. The immediate relatives of Judge Almy who form a part of the "days of small beginnings," are Mr. P. R. L. Pierce, Mrs. F. ML.Lester, Hon. T. B. Church and Alphonso Almy. His wife was a sister of P. R. L. and J. W. Pierce and Mrs. Lester. She died in November, 1875, in Canandaigua, New York. Horace and Lyman Gray settled at Grand Rapids in 1835. Andrew Robbins arrived here the same year and made a permanent settlement. Edward Guild, James Lvynan, A. Hosford Smith, Darius Winsor, Jefferson Morrison and William C. Godfroy were among the settlers in territorial days, having come to Grand Rapids in 1835. Lyman and Morrison opened their general stores in the village that year. Julius C. Abel, the first lawyer who settled in the village, came in 1835, and entered on the practice of his profession at once. Dr. Wilson, the first medical doctor of Kent county, came here in 1835, under the auspices of Louis Camrpau, who furnished him with the modas operandi of the profession. His practice commenced in August of the same year, when fever and ague offered sufficient subject on which to try his medical skill. Dr. Charles Shepard may be considered a contemporary settler with Wilson. Ile arrived on the Thoruapple Oct. 18, 1835; the day following vaccinated 120 Indians by order of Rix Robinson, then agent for the U. S. Government, and entered Grand Rapids Oct. 20, 1835, where lie at once entered on the practice of his profession. His gray pony and himself were known throughout the county. Ever earnest in his duty, he won the esteem of all the people in this and adjoining counties. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 199 Abram Laraway and Benjamin Clark settled in the town of Paris in 1835, having previously made a temporary settlement at Grand Rapids. Samuel Gross made an actual settlement in the township of Plainfield in 1835. He brought his family with him. Antoine Calnpau, who was placed in charge of the old trading post at the village of Saginaw, and also of the small store which stood near the site of the Bancroft House of the present day, left the Saginaws in 1835 and settled at Grand Rapids. Mr. Little, of Kalamazoo, in describing the funeral services of the deceased pioneer, says: " That chilly morning of the 4th day of November, 1874, witnessed a solemn and impressive scene. That score of grey-haired, invited friends were standing in two lines extending from the sidewalk to the Catholic chapel which then stood opposite the present beautiful church of St. Andrew, with uncovered heads, while the casket containing the remains of Antoine Campan, their former friend and intimate associate, was borne between their ranks and followed thence to the chapel, where the last sad rites were performed by several officiating priests. The Robinson family, consisting of 44 persons, natives of New York State, immigrated to Michigan in 1835. The party sailed from Detroit, via Mackinaw, to Grand Haven. The settlements of this family extended from Lowell, on the eastern borders of Kent county, to Blendon, in Ottawa county. Benjamin Sizer, a native of Vermont, arrived here in 1835, and withoutinquiry or guide proceeded to seek a location. Unfortunately, while wending his way along the old deer walk near Plaster creek, an Indian bullet pierced his heart. The savage watcher of the omonsom, or deer trail, rushed forward and was horrified to find that a white man was the victim of his deadly aim. Etageshkid, or gambler, as the involuntary slayer was called, rushed madly through the forest crying out, Gi-nibo! Gi-nibo! i. e., He is dead! He is dead! John Ball, born at Hebron, N. H., Nov. 12, 1794, arrived at Grand Rapids, Oct. 14, 1836; what an important part has been taken by this old resident in building up the interests of the county is well known. He was the third representative of the district in the State Legislature, having been elected in 1838. William A. Richmond, born at Aurora, on Cayuga lake, Jan. 28, 1808, came to Michigan in 1826, and ultimately settled at Grand Rapids in 1836. His death in the city of his adoption was recorded in 1870. Mr. Richmond was among the enterprising men of his day, and, like them, did much to raise this city to the proud position it now occupies. Myron Hinsdill arrived in 1836, and the same year erected the National Hotel. His brothers, Stephen and Hiram, came the same year. Hiram Osgoode, Orrey Hill, Nathan White, Dwight Rankin, Jacob Rogers, Charles Wheeler, James Lockwood, Charles J. 200 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Rogers, Leonard Stoneburner. George Fettermnan, entered their lands in the township of Wyoming in 1836. Josiah Burton settled in the county in 1836. Simeon Hunt visited the county in 1836, returned to his Eastern home and, re immigrating, settled in the county in 1844. Brig. Gen. Solomon Withey, father of Judge Withey, of the United States Court, born at St. Albans, Vt., April 1, 1820, settled at Grand Rapids in 1836. He was among the first officials of the county. A man of sterling honor, he won the esteem of all with whom he met. John W. Pierce, born at Geneseo, N. Y., Dec. 4, 1814, died at Grand Rapids, Oct. 26, 1874. He came here in 1835, as a clerk in the employment of Charles H. Carroll, then owner of the Kent plat. He pretty soon opened a book store, the first in the valley. This book store was at the northeast corner of Kent and Bronson streets, where he remained in business until 1844, when he embarked in general trade on the corner of Canal and Erie streets. Here he erected the first brick store on Canal street. In 1871, his buildings on Canal street were destroyed by fire, entailing a loss of $30,000. The next day he said: " It is nothing but property. It has not put a weed on my hat." With characteristic energy and good nature, he set about the work that fire had made a necessity. In 1842, he married Sarah L., daughter of Col. Roberts. In his family, he was the honored and beloved husband and father. Hle was always ready to help the public; was one of those who were always on hand when it was proposed to do some good thing. He held several public offices, but never was in the habit of asking for them. When he arrived in the village of Grand Rapids, there were only 13 frame buildings erected. George C. Nelson and James M. Nelson were among the settlers of 1836. Billins Stocking, Isaac Turner and A. B. Turner, whose names are perpetuated in the names of the streets on the west side of the river, came in 1836. The important part taken by these men in the progress of the city cannot be overestimated. In serving themselves, they served the neighborhood, and were the means of accomplishing much good. Abel Page, born at Rindge, N. H., Jan. 30, 1785, came to Grand Rapids in 1836. His death took place in April, 1854. John J. Watson, Hezekiah Green, Asa Pratt, Charles H. Taylor, Abram Randall, Samuel Howland, Jacob Barnes, William Morman, K. S. Pettibone, Wm. Haldane, J. M. Smith, George Young, Warren P. Mills and E. W. Barnes were among the prominent settlers of 1836, each of them taking an active part in building up the interests of the city and county, as may be learned by a reference to other pages of this work. David Burnett, an old settler of 1836, was born at South Hadley in 1808, arrived at Detroit in 1836, and walked from that village to Grand Rapids the same year. He stayed with the Smith brothers in Ada township during the winter of 1836-'7; built a log house in HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 201 1837, which was opened as a tavern the same year by John W. Fiske. In 1837 he moved to Grand Rapids, after which he engaged in the following named works: The first bridge across the Grand river at Lyons, built for Lucius Lyon in 1837. Rebuilt the same in 1843, and received in part payment 2,000 acres of State imnrovement land. In 1838 and 1839, in company with Nathaniel Fiske and Jacob Rogers, of Milwaukee, he built six light-houses on Lake Michigan. In 1843, built for Scribner & Turner the first bridge at Grand Rapids. Rebuilt it in 1852; and again, after the burning, in 1858, built the bridge at Ionia, in 1847; the stone Union school-house, in 1849; the first dam in the city the same year; the bridge at Plainfield, in 1850; the dam at Newaygo, in 1853; the dam at Roger's Ferry, on the Muskegon, in 1864, and the bridge at Bridgetown, in 1866; the bridges on 40 miles of the G. R. & I. R. R., in 1868; the bridge at Big Rapids, in 1870; besides other dams and bridges. Five years later, after a life of almost uninterrupted activity, he passed to his reward June 22, 1875. Loren M. Page, born at Concord, Vt., March 29, 1811, immigrated to Michigan in 1836, and settled at Grand Rapids, Sept. 7, of the same year. The fact that his familv was represented in the war for the preservation of the Union by five sons, is of itself sufficient to portray the honors which belong to this old settler. Harry Eaton arrived at Grand Rapids in 1836, and four years later, in 1840, was elected Sheriff of his adopted county. His death was recorded in 1859. George Martin settled in the county in 1836. Educated at the college of Middlebury, Vt., he brought with him from his Eastern travels, a liberal, well-cultivated mind that fitted him for the high positions which he subsequently held. This old resident of Grand Rapids was County Judge, Circuit Judge and ultimately Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Michigan. George Coggeshall] a native of Rhode Island, emigrated from Wilmington, N. C., with his family to Michigan in 1836, and made a settlement at Grand Rapids the same year. I. Mortimer Smith, born at New Milford, Conn., came to Michigan in 1836, and settled at Grand Rapids the same year. Warren P. Mills, born at Ogdensburg, N. Y., March 15, 1812, came to Grand Rapids in 1836, and after a useful career of 32 years in Kent county, passed to his reward July 28, 1868. Wm. M. Livingstone arrived at Grand Rapids March 1, 1836. He was born at Kingston, Canada West, in 1818, and the year following settled at Rochester, N. Y. Mr. Livingstone settled in Plainfield, March 2, 1836, when he located on section 20. In the fall of 1839, after the sale of the public lands, lie sold his interest in the last location and purchased his present lands on section 23. Geo. W. Dickinson, born in Iampshire county, Mass., Sept. 6, 1809, immigrated to Michigan in 1835, and in December of that year located 240 acres on section 21, Grand Rapids township. In 1836 he brought his family westward, and the year following en 202 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. tered on the life of a lumberman. He was the first American settler who made a thorough exploration of Flat river, and also the owner of the first raft ever brought down that stream. Robert Hilton, President of the Old Settlers' Association, came to this county in 1836, and located lands on the north bank of the river, a few miles west of the Eagle Plaster Mills, in 1838. He was born at Mt. Vernon, Kennebec Co., Maine, Dec. 2, 1799. By special act of the State Legislature, his title to real estate in this county was confirmed in 1843. Samuel White, a Canadian, with five sons, four Aaughters, and two sons-in-law, entered 600 acres of land in Walker township as early as 1836, settled there, and has made it his home since that period. Zelotes Bemis settled in Walker township in 1836, near the location selected by Robert Eilton. The land was formerly an Indian corn-field, and so productive that the owner was enabled to harvest the first wheat crop grown in the district. Jesse Smith, another Canadian, with a large family, located two miles west of the Bridge Street viaduct in 1836, near the location selected by the Edison family immediately after. Toward the close of 1836 a number of Irish families, flying from oppression and evil laws, sought a home in Michigan. Among the number who settled in Kent county at that period were Pat rick O'Brien, James Murray and Stephen O'Brien. John Barrington, a native of Vermont, John Hogadone and Joseph Denton arrived in the county in 1836, but did not make a permanent settlement until 1837, when they entered lands in what is now known as Walker township. Sylvester Hodges, the pioneer of Vergennes, came from New York State in 1836, and settled near the Flat river that year. James S. Fox arrived at Detroit in 1836, and the same year located lands in the township of Vergennes, not far distant from the home of Sylvester Hodges. Jean B. Nardin, a soldier under Napoleon I., came to Detroit in 1828, and ultimately settled in Walker township in 1836. His home was located near the site of the Eagle Plaster Mills. Lewis Robinson, with his family, arrived, and entering lands on the west bank of the Flat river, located in 1836 on the land on which the southern part of the village of Lowell now stands. Rodney Robinson located temporarily at Lowell in 1836, and moved to Vergennes in 1837. Philander Tracey, a native of New York, settled at Lowell with Lewis Robinson in 1836, and moved subsequently to Grand Rapids. Luther Lincoln, noticed hitherto, settled on the east side of Flat river, on the University lands, in 1836, after which he moved to Montcalm county. Jacob James and Miner Patterson arrived in the county in 1836, and located in Paris township. /77,/I. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 205 Orleans Spaulding and Philanzo Bowen immigrated to Michigan in 1836, and selecting the district now known as Paris, made their home there. James McCrath, George Young and Simeon Stewart located near the rapids of Grand river in 1836. Sylvester Granger came with Robert Hilton in April, 1836. He studied law in the office of Julius C. Abel, and was admitted an attorney in May, 1843. He was in partnership with Mr. Hilton in the first building and furniture business done in the county. Nathan, William and Jerry Boynton located farms on section 9, Byron township, in 1836. Lewis Cook left New Jersey for New York early in 1833; remained there a short time, when, migrating, he located in Washtenaw countv in 1834, and ultimately became the pioneer of Cascade township in 1836. Edward Lennon, a native of Ireland, immigrating in 1836, settled in Cascade the same year, and continued to make it his home. Hiram Lanaway, a brother-in-law of Lewis Cook, left New York in 1836, with the intention of becoming a citizen of Grand Rapids; but, being discouraged, returned to his native State. He ventured back in 1839, but was frozen to death in January, 1841, leaving a widow and young family to battle with and conquer the obstacles of early settlement. Hiram Rhodes, born in Dutchess Co., N. Y., in 1804, came to Michigan in 1831, and settled in Ada township in 1837. His death occurred Oct. 22, 1856. Canton Smith, born at Scituate, R. I., Oct. 26, 1822, arrived at Grand Rapids in 1837, and became one of the most favorably known hotel men in the State. After the death of Hiram Hinsdill, in 1840, he purchased the National Hotel property. John T. Holmes, elected Judge of the Superior Court in 1875, was born at Carlisle, Schoharie Co., N. Y., Dec. 11, 1815. In 1837 he came to Michigan, and Feb. 16, that year, he went to Grand Rapids, where he spent one year as a clerk, before starting business for himself. For about three yeais he was in mercantile business, studying law as he had opportunity. He studied law in the office of Bridge & Calkins, and was admitted to the bar May 17, 1843. He soon secured a respectable practice, which resulted in a very extensive one, and which continued until his elevation to the Bench. Mr. Holmes has held the offices of Justice of the Peace, Prosecuting Attorney for Kent county for four years, and, on the organization of the Superior Court, he was elected Judge. John F. Godfroy, nephew of Richard Godfroy, was born at Detroit, July 4, 1824. In 1837 he settled at the village of Grand Rapids, entered mercantile life, and continued one of the leading citizens until Jan. 25, 1876, when he died. James Scribner, whose enterprise in connection with the salt manufacturing interest of Grand Rapids is noticed in other pages, came in 1837. 13 206 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Israel V. Harris, Wm. A. Tryon, Henry Dean, C. P. Calkins and Col. Samuel F. Butler were all pioneers of 1837, well and favorably known throughout the settlement of the valley. William I. Blakely, Vice-President of the Old Settlers' Association, settled at Grand Rapids in 1837. He was born in Otsego Co., N. Y., June 29, 1810. Luman R. Atwater, born at Burlington, Vt., June 23, 1810, immigrated to Georgia in 1833, and to Michigan in 1837. It is stated that he came to Grand Rapids the year of Bis arrival in this State, but did not become a settler in Kent county until 1844. Gains S. Deane, born at Burlington, Vt., left that State May 10, 1837, for Michigan, visited Grand Rapids, and, like L. R. Atwater, settled at Lyons, where relatives of his wife had already located. Aaron Dikeman settled here in 1837, and has since that period been closely identified with the business of the city. Though he is not a member of the Old Residents' Association, he was among the earliest promoters of the organization. He was the first jeweler and watchmaker who settled west of Ann Arbor. Rev. James Ballard is said to have come to Grand Rapids in 1837; but records point out the year 1839 as the date of his coming. He was a native of Charlemont, Mass., and a graduate of Williams College, of that State. He was pastor of the Congregational Church of Grand Rapids for 10 years, and the untiring zeal and enterprise displayed by him during that time will always associate his memory with that society. His faithful and untiring efforts in behalf of his flock are clearly proved by the fact that he undertook and performed a journey of over 1,700 miles on foot and alone, through the Eastern States, to raise funds to purchase a building for a church. He has been Principal of the Grand Rapids schools, State Agent of the Freedmen's Aid Society, and a prominent, industrious worker in all causes tending to the public good. Leonard Covell. Marshal of the Old Residents' Association, was born at Cabot, Caledonia Co., Vt., Feb. 17, 1816. Twenty-one ypars later, in 1837, he arrived at Grand Rapids, and since that time has continued to identify himself with its social and commercial progess. He has been interested in gravel-road construction and to him is due, in great measure, the fact that so many broad avenues lead to and fron the city. Col. Hathaway, James P. Scott, Lewis Moody, Chase Edgerly, Wm. Butts, Savoy R. Beals, Cyrus Jones, Horace Wilder, James McCray, Jotham Hall, Edward Feakin, and perhaps a few others, noticed in succeeding pages, settled in the county betbre the close of the year 1837. John Wendell, owner of the lots where Luce's block now stands, carried on the mercantile business here for some time. He did not succeed, however, and the property was placed in the hands of John Ball, for Menton, of New York. He brought the first iron safe into the valley. The date of Wendell's coming cannot be HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 207 ascertained. The fact that he had a store here from 1840 to 1846, only is certain. George Miller, James Clark, Warner Dexter, and Thomas Fraint located in Plainfield township in 1837. Lucas Robinson, Thompson I. Daniels, Wm. P. Perrin, Alex. Rogers, Emery Foster, and John Brannagan, natives of New York, located in Vergennes in 1837. Ira A. Danes, Matthew Patrick, Samuel P. Wolf, Charles Newton, William Van Densen and Samuel Francisco, all immigrants from New York and Vermont, located on the northern bank of Grand river, from two to five miles west of the confluence of the Flat river, in 1837. Francisco made his first settlement in Ionia county in November, 1835. Robert Thompson, John W. Fisk and Matthew Taylor entered their lands in Grand Rapids township in 1837. Nicholas Carlton came to Michigan in 1837. Arriving at Detroit, he pushed forward into the interior without delay, and made a settlement near Grand river, in the township of Paris. Alexander Clark located on section 8, Gaines township, in 1837. Alexander L. Bouck and Andrew Bouck settled in Gaines in 1837. Rensselaer Mesnard, Foster Kelly, Charles Kelly and Joseph Blair settled in the county in 1837. John Harmon, Harmon Kellogg, and perhaps James B. Jewell, located homesteads in Byron township in 1837. Andrew Watson and family settled in Cannon as early as 1837. A. D. W. Stout and family immigrated in company with the Watson family, and selected a location in the town of Cannon. Solomon Wayne emigrated from Wayne county, N. Y., with his family, in 1837, and located near Indian creek, in what is now known as the township of Alpine. Jonathan Thomas immigrated with his family in 1837. He was a farmer at Ovid, N. Y. In 1836 he disposed of his interests there, entered a large tract of land in Bowne township, and settled here the following year. Israel Graves and family, of Ovid, N. Y., settled in the county in May, 1837. Frederick Thompson, John Harris and William Wooley, with their wives and children, arrived in 1837, and settled in Bowne township. Reuben H. Smith, Secretary of the Old Residents' Association, was born at Hamilton, Madison Co., N. Y., Sept. 7, 1816. He came to Kent county in 1838, and has since that period identified himself with its advancement. Solomon L. Withey, born at St. Albans, N. Y., is one of the old settlers, having arrived at Grand Rapids in 1838. In 1848 he was elected Probate Judge, in 1860 State Senator, and in 1863 was appointed Judge of the United States Court of this district. 208 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Abram W. Pike, born at Cincinnati, O., Oct. 5, 1814, came to Grand Rapids in 1838 as an employe of the Port Sheldon Company. Jacob Barnes, born at Stowe, Vt., April 22, 1825, came to Grand Rapids with his father in 1836. He was connected with the Grand Rapids Enquirer until 1850, when he moved to Detroit and purchased an interest in the Free Press. In 1854 he disposed of his interest in that great journal, and returned to Grand Rapids, where he was connected with the Enquirer until 1856. 'Squire Barnes, the head of the Barnes family, arrived here in 1836. He was one of the first justices of the peace here, and a most estimable citizen. Dr. Arba Richards, born at Hartford, Windsor Co., Vt., March 30, 1803, settled in Veraennes, Kent Co., Mich., in 1838, and died at Lowell, Aug. 11, 1870. Fred A. Marsh, of iNew York, married Miss Olive Guild, daughter of Joel Guild, in 1838, and settled one mile north of the present village of Cascade. This early settler was killed by a fall from his wagon in 1856. Mrs. Marsh resided on the old homestead until her death in 1867. Bold adventurers preceded the Americans in the occupation of the aborigines' domain. The Frenchman and the much-loved Wemitigoji-mekatewikwanie, or French missionary, dwelt among the savage bands in the first instance, and visited occasionally in the second. Each acted a part well and earnestly; nor should that heroic woman, Madame La Franboise, be forgotten. Under her civilizing influence barbarism lost half its malice, and through her was prepared to receive the American mechanics of republican States. What the Frenchman began was completed by the American pioneer. They entered the land unaccompanied by many pf the articles of civilized life, yet they lived in perfect peace amid their uncouth and semi-barbaric surroundings, drew both health and happiness from the fertile soil, and lived to see one of the most prosperous divisions of the State offering greater benefits than even they conceived in their brightest day dreams. The following verses taken from the writer's scrap-book, speak, as only poetry can speak, the history of the pioneers and old settlers:Oh, bright were the hopes of the young pioneer, And sweet was the joy that came o'er him; For his heart it was brave, and strong was his arm, And a broad, fertile land lay before him. And there by his side was his heart's chosen bride, Who want and privation knew never; From kindred and home he had borne her away, To be guarded and cherished forever. A drear home for a bride is the wilderness wide, Her heart to old memories turning, And lonely and sad and o'erburdened with care, For kindred and sympathy yearning. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 209 Then stern was the task, and long was the toil, Vain longing for all that was needed; Yet bravely their toils and privations were borne, As the wilderness slowly receded. But the years rolled away and prosperity came; Wealth and ease on frugality founded; Now the husband and wife tread the down-hill of life, By brave sons and fair daughters surrounded. And the young pioneer has grown stooping and gray, And he marvels his limbs are no stronger; And the cheek of the bride is now sallow and thin, And her eyes beam with brightness no longer. All honor and praise to the old pioneers; You never may know all their story; What they found but a desert a garden became, And their toil and success is their glory. CIIAPTER VI. PIONEER REMINISCENCES Always speak well of the dead, and at intervals spare a good word for the living. In speaking of the past, and particularly when retrospecting, it is well to observe the fact that the good deeds of those who died, the sacrifices they made, the trials they endured, and the heritage they handed down, should all be recorded on the page which never dies; while the evils which circumstances linked with their lives, should be passed over lightly or allowed to sink into oblivion. In the preceding pages much information of an entirely historical character has been given, yet the story of pioneer days would not be complete unless a few, at least, of the stirring reminiscences of olden times were added. For this reason the following sketches have been written or collated to form a sequel to the Indian and pioneer history. Each story will doubtless be accepted by the old residents as a true exponent of the event of which it treats, and though extended in some instances where additions were suggested, or abridged where necessary, the facts hlave been retained unmutilated. It forms the chapter of pioneer reminiscences distinct from the personal reminiscences to be found throughout the pages devoted to biography, and will'be found an instructive and interesting section of this work, bearing the same relation to history as a flower garden to a farm. RIX ROBINSON' S ASSERTION OF SUPREMACY. A year had not passed by since the new trader of the American Fur Company had established his post at Ada. The chiefs of the Otchipwes, Ottawas and Pottawatomies were friendly to him, and he even shared the good feelings of the great majority of the men and women of the three nations. However, there were a few savages who could not fully appreciate the white man, and desired his removal. To effect this they exercised a good deal of caution, and in case their efforts failed they were to call upon Nin Mindid, the most powerful Indian in the valley, to enter a contest with the trader, subdue him, and by this means'destroy his influence over the Indians. After months of effort the conspirators failed to make matters so disagreeable as to cause Robinson's evacuation of the post. They called upon Nin Mindid to perform one of his great feats, and extend to the trader a material beating. The savage accepted the task, but, before entering on its accomplishment, came (210) HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 211 often to make a survey of his future antagonist. On each occasion of his visit, he made just so much bustle and noise as to convince the trader of the pugnacious ideas he entertained. Robinson, whose life at Mackinac made him thoroughly acquainted with Indian character, saw at a glance what was intended, but did not show any signs of anger during the first and second visits of Nin Mindid. After this the warriors went to their hunting grounds and did not return until winter. They camped below the trading post, lighted their great fires, and partook of their noon meal. Uncle Rix looked on the proceedings with pleasure, until he saw the whisky bottle in the possession of a sauad of warriors, with Nin Mindid as the central figure. Aware of the next act, he entered the store, cleared up the entire space outside the counter, stirred up the fire which burned on the old-time hearthstone, and then, placing an armful of thinly cut maple-wood on the fire, waited upon the Indians' visit. A number of squaws, warriors and old men entered the store; they were followed by the tall Indian, who soon began jostling his comrades and whooping. Rix Robinson now saw that the moment had arrived for decisive action. Ile walked quietly forth from behind the counter, and, ordering the squaws and men to stand back, ordered Nin Mindid to leave. The Indian grunted, and with oft-repeated growls told the trader that he would not. In another moment the powerful pioneer grasped him, and placed him across the fire prepared for his punishment. The squaws shrieked, the old men grunted sundry " ughs," and the young men joined in a chorus of laughter at their great brother who, a few minutes previously, was to beat the trader to death. Nin Mindid crept from the fire, looked madly around, shrieked in terror and fled into the woods. Robinson asserted his supremacy. Nin Mindid was an outcast. Years passed over, and one day as the trader paddled his birchen canoe down the river to Grand Haven, he saw what appeared to him to be an Indian, standing on Battle Point. On approaching nearer, he saw the savage armed with a gun. In a moment he thought of Nin Mindid, but resolved to meet him, and fight if necessary. However, on reaching the bank at the point of land, the Indian cast away his gun, and rushing forward toward his vanquisher, with signs of gladness, received him with a hearty friendship. This was the last time the Big Indian was seen in the district. THE KAW-WA-SCHAUAY-BEE-SCHID. Shortly after this conquest of the tall Indian, it was related that another powerful Indian at Grand Haven was in the habit of entering the Robinson store there and helping himself to whisky. Uncle Rix went down from Ada to inquire into this matter, and( found that the story was correct. While there the savage came as usual to help himself to the liquid,'but this time he had to encounter the owner of the trading post. Uncle Rix demanded what he 212 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. wanted. " I want whisky," responded the Indian. "Well, if you can pay for it, you can have it," was the suggestion of the trader. "Well, I'll have it anyway," said the Indian. Saying this the savage approached the whisky barrel, and had almost reached it when the trader lodged a powerful blow between his eyes which almost doubled him up. Without waiting for the whisky-drinking and fallen hero to rise, he kicked him out of the store. A few days later the Indian called at the store, and stated calmly that he wished to speak with the trader on the subject of the little difficulty of the past, and suggested that Uncle Rix would accompany him into the bush close by. As both were leaving the store a young Indian approached the trader and said: "Beware! he has a knife." Then Uncle Rix, instead of preceding the Indian, told him to go in advance, which, after some little controversy, he agreed to do. When they reached the bush, Uncle Rix addressed him, saying: "You brought me here to murder me." "No, I did not," said the savage. "Well, I know you did, and now you must give me your knife." " I have not got one," said the Indian. Uncle Rix searched but failed to find the weapon. At that moment the young Indian stepped up and pulled fromr the savage's breech-cloth or ansian a long knife or dirk. This was enough. The Indian looked dumbfounded, but this did not satisfy the powerful trader; he took the savage down to the mouth of the river and dipped him in the water three times, keeping him down each time until the bubbles ceased to appear on the surface of tile water. The third time a number of squaws appeared begging for mercy, when Uncle Rix yielded only to their petitions. The Indian was not seen there for a year, but when he came he brought the trader his furs, asked forgiveness, and became a firm friend and great admirer of the pioneer. For many years after, this Indian worked on commission for Mr. Robinson, and was remarkable for his fidelity and business qualities. THE EASTERN MAN AND THE BEAR. One of the old settlers, Deacon Haldane, a highly respected citizen, and a deacon in one of the most popular Churches, is said to have related the following" bear story," exemplifying the adage, "Where ignorance is bliss," etc.: "While on my way to this, then benighted, region in 1836, I had occasion to stop on the trail, not far from this city, in consequence of having partially lost my way. After drumming about some time, hoping that I migh t meet a hunter or some other human who could tell me where I was, and after giving up pretty much all hope of seeing such an animal, I perceived a dog in the distance slowly trotting toward me. Hoping that it might be the dog of some hunter who would presently appear, I waited until he came up, ani received him HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 213 with a joyfil heart. But lo! the dog rose on his haunches, and looked at me in wonder and astonishment. Such a movement aroused my curiosity, and jumping from the wagon I proceeded to club the queer dog out of the tree into which he had climbed on the first indication of my desire to become better acquainted. The clubs flew thick and fast, but the whilom dog rested secure in the topmost branches. Nothing daunted, I seized the horse's reins, and went up the tree. Getting near the top, a skillfully thrown noose encircled the dog's neck, and after much tugging and pulling both reached the ground in safety, the dog, however, choked nearly to suffocation. Elated over my success, I put the dog into the buggy, secured him well, and drove into the settlement, which was reached with some difficulty, but without further adventure. Before arriving here, the impression forcibly presented itself to me that this dog was a rather curious one, and this I found out soon, for he was no less than a yearling bear. When fed with meat at the settlement, bruin was troubled by the interference of the village dogs. Thinking, perhaps, they were too forward, the bear rose on his haunches, and gave them full play, watching them, however, with an evil eye. One of the dogs had secured a fine piece of meat, and was making off with it, when a stroke from bruin's paw laid him a * dead dog.' Having witnessed this performance for the first time, I realized all the danger which I had escaped, and found myself the hero of a ' bear story.'" TOM LEWIS' PRANKS. Lewis entered on a system of practical jokes as early as 1834. During the excavation of the old mill-race that year he was present, and reported that Tom Cotney, one of the workmen on the canal, became frightened at something close by, and ran away, hauling the barrow which lie used in wheeling clay from the channel of the proposed mill-race. Cotney did not fail to see it was Lewis' intention to compare him with a horse or mule, and he, in turn, made such earnest promises regarding the joker that the latter did not go within reach of the larged-sized run-a-way for sone days; even then he had some difficulty in convincing the honest toiler that the mischief was not intentional. Again he returned from Ionia, with the news that the Indians were preparing to attack this settlement. He related the story so seriously the inhabitants believed it, so that while some pre. pared for defense, others became frantic. Even the members of is own family were convinced of tie truth of the statement, and were engaged in devising means of escaping the onslaught of the savages, when other travelers from Ionia arrived to wonder at the fear which seized upon the villagers, and assured them of the un, truth of the report. During this year Lewis was living in one of the Campan houses,which Uncle Louis had erected, near where the Porter block 214 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. now stands. This he had rent free, and would undoubtedly haveenjoyed that privilege for another year at least had it not been for one of suchjokes. It appears that the steamer '"Owashtenong" was tobring to the settlement a large-sized yellow-looking African named General Scott. Lewis was advised of his departure for the Rapids, and expected his arrival on a certain day. Without thinking of the consequences, he determined to make the colored gentleman the object of a joke, and better still have it at Campau's expense. With this view he waited on the pioneer, and told him that General Scott would arrive that evening. Uncle L uis knew only of the comrnander-in-chief, and agreed with Lewis that he must be well received. Before the usual time for the arrival of the boat, the hospitable old Frenchman spread the banquet table, and then went down to the river to receive the distinguished visitor. Lewis introduced him to the General, but before they reached the house he remarked, "Yell, I dunno how de commander can be so yellow." "Ah!" said Lewis, " that is caused by his service in Florida and throughout the South." Presently Uncle Louis had a more extensive conversation with the General, and learned the whole truth. Lewis vanished, and the pioneer went to drink the wine himself which he had ready for a United States army officer. A few days later, as he was looking for Lewis to horse-whip him, he got a glimpse of that gentleman, and hallooed to him; but the joker did' not seem'to hear. At length he observed his pursuer, when Uncle Louis, raising his voice, cried out, " ell, you one d —n cuss r your rent commence dis mor-ning." The pioneer kept his promise, and this last joke cost Lewis the amount of rental exactly, which was also the price he paid for learning to form an estimate of what kindness claims, and what gratitude for substantial favors should suggest. GEO. COGGESHALL'S IDEA OF MONROE STREET CITIZENS. While yet the " old Kent justice" ruled in Kent, he received a visit from Judge Morrison, of Monroe street. The kindliest feeling was evinced by the latter toward the old 'squire; but this could not at all compensate, in Coggeshall's mind, for the disabilities under which he labored as a citizen of "grab corners," nor conciliate the old Justice. It was not a matter for surprise to Judge Morrison when he experienced a cold reception; on the contrary lie expected it. After introducing the 'object of his visit Coggeshall looked at him sternly, then said in stentorian tones: Jefferson Morrison, you are very plausible and have a sober face, but if you haJ, with your own heart, the face of A. D. Rathbone, you would have been hanged long ago." The latter saw only the point as it affected the Monroe street lawyer; but did not realize so aptly where it pointed to himself. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 215 SPECIAL EPITHETS. On another occasion Coggeshall had a conversation with John W. Squiers, whom he regarded as a pernicious fellow, and was by no means inclined to yield to him on a little money question between them. Mr. Coggeshall, who was bent crescent-shaped fromthe effects of rheumatism, cried out, "I say, sir, you are a Shylock." Mr. Squiers did not understand the first principle of Shylockism,never in fact heard the name before; but supposing for the moment that the old Justice cast it as an opprobrious epithet, he cried out in turn, "And I say, sir, you are a gun-lock." Coggeshall saw the point and retired. POSTAL CHANGES IN 1840. Hart E. Waring arrived at Grand Rapids, July 1, 1840, with a purse containing $5. Money was very scarce at that time. He relates that one day, on calling at the postoffice, a double letter with 50 cents due on it-25 cents being then the single rate-was waiting for him, on which letter lie had not the means to pay postage. The postmaster indulgently permitted him to open it, when to his surprise and relief he found it contained the sum of $10, being the proceeds of a collection for home missions, taken up at the church of East Berne, N. Y. He satisfied the claim of the United States postal officer and went his way rejoicing., PROSCRIBING THE WINDS. Among the many stories current in connection with the honest, whole-souled " Uncle Rix," the following, by T. W. White, is not the least characteristic: In the spring of 1838 the Grand Haven Company had about 15,000 logs in rafts run into the bayou, staked by the shore, and called safe by all. But heavy winds sent the logs adrift, and the whole marsh was covered with them. The fact was reported to Mr. Robinson, and he blamed the agent of the company-somewhat for the want of attention to the proper securing of the rafts; nor could he be made to believe that the winds and current were such as to break all fastenings. At the request of the agent of the company (W. M. Ferry) he remained at Grand Haven a few days, and while there one Sabbath morning, a recurrence of wind and current came, and the logs, with acres of marsh and weeds, rushed to and fro like a maelstrom. Mr. Robinson called out the men, and, with boats, caught and towed to the shore many logs, which he fastened with ropes and stakes. The work had hardly been accomplished, and Robinson was viewing it with satisfaction, when the returning tide caught the logs and again scattered them against all efforts made by himself and men. Robinson looked mad. He 216 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. called to "i Uncle Mike" to get out his oxen, and with two yoke he had hauled upon the shore three large logs, and then told the teamster to put up the cattle. To the inquiry "What are you going to do with the three logs you have secured?" he replied: I shall put them in Mr. Ferry's cellar, and see if I can keep them still there." That evening, after quite a chat over the occurrences of the day, Mr. R. turned to his office desk, and in a very short time laid down his pen and wrote a proclamation laying down the duties of the winds, and dealing particularly with the wandering logs. This instrument was drawn up in regular legal form, and concluded thus: Done in the office of the bayou, on board the Pile Driver scow, this 25th day of February, A. D. 1838, and sealed with the hammer thereof. Rix ROBINSON, [L. S.] Commander in Chief of all the forces in said Bayou. T. W. WHITE, [L. S.] Second in command, etc., etc., etc. JOHN BROABRIDGE, [L. S.] Admiral and Commander on board the ship " Thump-Hard." LOUIS CAMPAU ON THE MODERN CITY. The pioneer saw the wilderness in its savage grandeur. He was the pioneer of the Saginaw, which district he left before the tide of immigration set in, to seek out another home in a land not then threatened by the vanguard of civilization. Himself possessing many of the finer attributes of the white man, he cared not for his fellows' society, but rather preferred to spend his days among the savages whom he knew so well, and many of whose traits won his admiration. Campan was self-willed at intervals, and often acted the part of the impracticable man. With a heart unstained by deceit, he sympathized with the struggling settler, and was always willing to render material aid to him who seemed to be honest and industrious, as well as to him who was so in fact. A great lover of impartial justice, he suffered when wrong was tolerated, though either victim of the injustice was unknown to him, and was glad when the right triumphed. Campan saw the village in its infancy, beheld its daily growth, and often wondered when or where its rapid progress would end. He saw the city in its childhood, and could admire the giant enterprise of the new inhabitants. The old man was lost in the retrospect: he let the reins of memory loose, and traveling back, as it were, to vanished days, saw only honor and goodness and simplicity in the olden time; broken pledges, unfaithful loves, and a thousand crimes, characterizing the modern world. With such a view of affairs, it is not to be wondered at that he condemned the present, ostracised the men of the age of progress, and, to some extent, became a misanthrope. Some few years prior to his death, W. L. Coffinbury met him, and after the usual salutations, asked him what were his thoughts HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 217 when he looked upon the beautiful city of which he was the pioneer, and contrasted it with the Indian village of the past. " Ah!" said he, "the change is remarkable indeed. I remember, long ago, when my pony died here, I hung my trading pack on the limb of a tree near the trail, and returned to Detroit for another pony and new supplies. On coning back I found the pack contained nothing but chips-the Indians found it and distributed all it contained among themselves. Do you think they stole my goods? No, they did not; for every article appropriated by them, I found a chip, marked with the totem of the buyer. Before I realized what did actually take place, one of the chiefs stood before me, shook me warmly by the hands, and asked me to enter the village to claim material in lieu of the totem-bearing chips. I accompanied the noble savage, and received exactly what the chips claimed as equivalents. That was the way my early friends used to steal. A few white men came, and there was a little trouble. A few more white men arrived, and there was more trouble; and then a lot came with all their troubles, so that the Indians soon became as bad as they were, and so the times grew worse, until the pioneers of the Rapids, with their Indian friends, were relieved of their temporal possessions." The retrospect to him was not a pleasant one. He failed to distinguish between knavery and enterprise, and, failing, classed both in the same category. In happier moods he was accustomed to halt, as if astonished, survey the busy town, as it were, and return to speculate on what the future of the city is to be. Uncle Louis passed to his reward; his faults were the excesses of his virtues; like the unadulterated savage, he observed a peculiar code of honor, and all non-observers were not his friends. THE DEATH OF PELEG BARLOW. The first death recorded in the township of Plainfield was that of Peleg Barlow, in 1838. The circumstances attending the sad affair were singularly strange. It appears that Barlow, his wife and one child moved into this part of Kent from Washtenaw county in 1838, and dwelt with the family of Jonathan Misner, until a house, which he proposed building, was finished. During the summer, it is thought about the middle of June, John Misner, a son of the owner of the house, was playing with a loaded pistol, when it was accidentally discharged. The ball struck the rock forming the back of the fire-place, then caromed, and striking Barlow on the cap of the knee, inflicted what was supposed to be a slight flesh wound. During the night, however, a severe pain was felt, and the limb became very much swollen. Dr. Willson was called to aid the sufferer, but found the case so peculiar that he called Dr. Shepard to his aid. The doctors probed for the bullet but failed to find it. On the third day they concluded that the wounded man must subject himself to amputation, or otherwise lose his life. He chose the latter alternative, rather than have the limb cut off, and 218 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. within two days paid the penalty of his decision. His death occurred five days after being wounded. The doctors received permission to search for the mysterious bullet, 4issected the limb, but found nothing to convince them that the ball entered the body. The conclusion formed was that the bullet, on striking the knee bone, caromed, leaving little trace of its progress beyond the slight flesh wound and crushed knee-pan. The death of this old settler cast a gloom over the county, but nowhere were the evidences of grief so evident as in the home of the Misners. There were the widow and the orphan of him who came hither to build up for them a happy home, and there, too, the father, mother and brothers of the youth, whose carelessness wrought all this misery. THE IMMIGRANTS. In 1830 the white settlements had approached the Kalamazoo river, and in 1831-'2 the settlers on Gull Prairie were reported in a prosperous condition. Upon the double Indian trail that ran from the southern part of the State through Kalamazoo and Barry counties, many of the first settlers of Grand Rapids traveled en route thither. In 1831 the first team arrived from Gull Prairie at Grand river, with the Lincoln family, who settled near the "city of the rapids." In 1833 the first American settlers of the now city of Grand Rapids arrived. The party comprised 70 persons, when they struck into the wilderness, by way of Pontiac, from Detroit. From Pontiac they cut their own road and camped out 17 nights. A portion of them stayed near the site of the present town of Owosso while others staved at Ionia, three families only pushing onward to Grand Rapids that season. From Ionia they came down the river in batteaux. A young child of one of the pioneers died in the wilderness, a sad event which cast a gloom over the travelers. In the party were the Dcxters, Dr. Lincoln of Ionia, Joel Guild and family and Darius Winsor and family. Mr. Guild bought a lot from Louis Campau and erected the first frame dwelling-house, for some time known as the tavern. Referring to the Dexter colony, of whom Darius Winsor and Joel Guild were members, an old settler states that the spring of 1833 foreshadowed what was soon to awaken into life the vast forest between Shiawassee and the Grand River Valley, then unknown except to Indian traders, and a band of bogus-money makers just established at the present site of Lyons, among whom were men by the name of Prentiss, King, Belcher and several others, the heavy bed pieces and screws having been floated down the Grand river from Jackson. These implements were afterward found in the cedar swamp at that place, back of the house they occupied. Nothing but an Indian trail, in many places difficult to follow, existed between the Shiawassee and Grand rivers, and an old Indian settlement of a few families only, at De Witt, Clinton Co. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 219 In the early part of May, Judge Dexter, with a colony comprising 73 persons, some eight or ten families, arrived in wagons, with horses, oxen and cows, at the Keth-e-wan-don-gon-ing reservation, en route for the present site of Ionia, on the Grand river, below the Genereau ford and trading post. Having in vain tried to get Beaubien to pilot them, Mr. Dexter, Yeomans and Windsor came forhelp. " I left our planting, taking my blankets and small tent, and in six days lauded them at Ionia, looking out the route and directing where the road was to be. This was the first real colonizing party we had ever seen-myself never having been farther than De Witt (the Indian village). I than procured Macke-ta-pe-na-ce (Blackbird), a son of the usurping chief of all the Saginaws, Kish-kaw-ko, to pilot me past Muskrat lake and creek, and from that place proceeded with the party. At that point a son of Mr. and A[rs. Dexter, a child about two years old, died of scarlet fever. This was a brother of Senator Dexter, now in the Legislature. We buried the child by torch and candle light, in a box improvised by the party. Never shall I forget that scene. The whole family, and most, if not all, others, in tears; the gray-haired sire, after inviting the heads of other families to lead the exercises of the mournful occasion, with tears streaming down his cheeks, read a burial service amid the sobs that nearly drowned his voice, in that deep, dark, gloomy forest-the gloomiest spot of the whole route. But there was no other recourse. The poor heart-stricken mother yielded up her youngest born, to be borne by sympathizing friends to the shallow grave prepared by torch-light, to receive the tender frame she had so often and so lately pressed to her breast. But stern necessity knows no law. I have assisted at many a burial, both at sea and on land-none ever seemed so solemn, so awful; none ever made so deep an impression on my mind, and I doubt if it is not the same with other witnesses of the scene. It rises as vividly before me to-day as immediately after its occurrence. I hope I may be pardoned the digression. The road we opened was next year followed by others, and was substantially the present Grand river road, through Shiawassee and Clinton counties, and was traveled for many years after." REMINISOENCES OF THE OVIDIANS. Jonathan Thomas, Frederick Thomson, Israel Graves and William Wooley, of Ovid, N. Y., settlers of Bowne in 1836, in coming to Michigan traveled as far west as Toledo by water, and thence overland to Kent county by ox-team, the journey from Toledo oc-.cupying 14 days. Immediately after arrival those settlers built a log shanty, 14 feet square; one door afforded entrance and exit; one window light, and a shake roof-a very questionable shelter from hail, rain or snow. Near this pioneer building, Thomas erected three log houses. After accomplishing all this the builder was attacked by sickness, which continued until his return to Ovid,* 220 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. in the winter of 1836. Toward the close of that year his son-inlaw, John Harris, arrived, who acquiesced in his return. Placing the sick man in a sleigh, well equipped with a bed and blanket, he attached the oxen, placed a stout whip at the disposal of the traveler, and wished him bon voyage. This intrepid visitor made the journey to his native State overland. INDIAN TRAMPS. Mrs. Wooley received a visit from the aborigines in the fall of 1836. A band of savages appeared before the door of her wilderness home, and, entering, ordered her to prepare them dinner. She called Mrs. Thomson, a neighbor, to her aid, and the woman, nothing daunted, began to remonstrate with the red men; but the old chief came there determined to have a meal, and he so convinced Madam Thomson of this' fact, that she rushed off to obey his command. The meal was ready, and the noble (?) fellow enjoyed it alone, leaving his followers to jay-hawk at the house of Mrs. Wooley. After doing full justice to a substantial dinner, the chief seemed delighted, told Mrs. Thomson that she was a minissino, or heroic squaw, and,firther, that she might not fear harm until 60 moons passed by, when every Jaganash (Englishman) and every bad Kitchimokoinan (American) in the valley would be slain. WHISKY IN THE ROCKING-CHAIR. After this introduction, an inebriate Indian named Neegake made her a visit. Without any ceremony he took a seat in a large rustic rocking-zhair, and rocked and rocked until he rolled chair and himself into the huge fire on the hearth. Mrs. Thomson rushed to his rescue, pulled him out of the fire, and was rewarded for her pains by a determined effort on the part of the noble (?) savage to slay her. Fortunatelv, the ax stood close by. and with that terrible skull-crusher uplifted, she chased the scoundrel from her home. THAT GOIN' TO MILL. On another occasion Thomson brought some grist to the Kala mazoo mill; while waiting there his oxen did what oxen generally do-strayed away. This, with other delays, caused an absence of eight days. Suspense and anxiety urged his wife to go forth on the Kalamazoo trail. About half way to Leonard's location, seven miles distant, she met a white man of whom she made inquiries regarding her husband. He knew nothing regarding him, and, further, advised her to return, and said that he would come. The woman answered that she would walk onward until she met her husband. The traveler, who was a voluntary celibate, remarked,. sssji ~::: i ': %iirR1IHllfUWnOmWRIL~~, Ys" p slrrwsPlrmruw;A,,!: '' '::: WgBI&%L?; '''' v,,~ ' 3 " '' I,I II HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 223 that if he could meet a woman so true he would marry her. Mrs. Thomson found her husband. 'INAUGHTON'S STAGE. Edward Campau, in relating incidents of early life, mentioned among other stories, that of his journey from Grand Rapids to to Detroit on the McNaughton stage. He says: In 1839, when a boy of 13 summers, [ made my first trip from the Rapids to Detroit, accompanied by three or four other villagers. We stayed at Kent's over night, or rather in a shed near the house, as the tavern could not afford sleeping rooms to all the passengers. At that time this was the only house between Ada and Leonard's, a distance of 17 miles. After the death of Mr. Kent, the widow married Peter McNaughton, and henceforth the tavern was known as McNaughton's. In 1841 he commenced to drive stage over this route. At this time the road wound through the woods; every traveler knows what a drive through the wilderness is. At one timea very dark, stormy night-the axletree broke, six miles south of Ada, when five or six unfortunate passengers had to wade through mud and snow to that place. At another time Mrs. Thomas B. Church, John Ball, Fred Church, then an infant, Mr. and Mrs. Colton and a few others had the misfortune to venture over the route. -The stage overturned, causing the immersion of the travelers in the sea of mud which surrounded them. It was dark when this accident occurred, so that some time elapsed before the infant excursionist was found, at a moment, too, when drowning was inevitable. Wm. A. Richmond and Harvey P. Yale were the only passengers on another occasion. The latter was indulging in sound sleep, when the wheels rocked in the cradle of the deep mud, and Mr. Yale was cast into it. To travel in that stage and feel comparatively secure required the full powers of hearing and observation to be exercised. The few instances given go to prove that the McNaughton stage was an unenviable, if not dangerous, vehicle in which to sleep or dream. PIONEER CITIZENS OF KENT IN OTTAWA. The settlement of the neighboring county, at the instance of Rix Robinson and Louis Campau, pioneers of Kent, is too important a subject to be overlooked in these pages. 'The fact that such men exerted themselves toward the settlement of the country west of them, renders such a reference indispensable. For this purpose the following summary from Prof. Everett's papers on the subject is given: The first occupation of Grand Haven was by Rix Robinson, who pre-empted a quarter section where now is the water front of the city. lie established a trading post there, and, in the spring of 1834, Zenas G. Winsor, then a young man, was sent to Grand 14 224 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Haven as his agent. Winsor was the first English-speaking person who stopped there. His place of business was near the "Ferry " warehouse. Rev. William M. Ferry had been for some years a missionary teacher at Mackinaw. Broken in health, he left Mackinaw, and went East, where, in the summer of 1854, he met Robert Stewart, who induced him to enter into an arrangement which caused him henceforth to become a man actively engaged in business. Stewart had purchased of Robinson one-half of his interest in the pre-emption. He placed certain funds in the hands of Ferry, with which he was to operate, sharing the results, and making Grand Haven his center. Ferry associated with him his brother-in-law, Nathan H. White, and came on from Detroit by land. They, Ferry and White, arrived Sept. 15, 1834, in a canoe, with two Indians, furnished by Mr. Slater at Grand Rapids. They found Rix Robinson and his family the only white persons. Louis Campau had an agent, a Frenchman, at the Lower Diggings, at the mouth, on the left bank of the river. Robinson was busy getting ready for his fall campaign, yet he spent several days showing Ferry his pre-emptions. The one-half of these had been purchased by the Grand Haven Company, consisting of Robinson, Ferry and White, as equal partners. Of this company Mr. Ferry was constituted agent. Business arrangements being concluded, Mr. Ferry started for his family at Mackinaw, in a birch canoe, with two Indians. Returning, he brought with him a number of persons, mostly Indians and half-t:breeds. Robinson came back about the same time, bringing with him Mr. Lasley. The same season the Grand Haven Company laid out the village of Grand Haven. The company built a mill; bought large tracts of land; bought two mills at Grandville; employed Nehemiah Hathaway and George and Dexter Ranney to get out logs at the mouth of Crockery creek to supply the mills. They engaged in building river boats. In 1838 they built a steamer called the " Owashtenaw," a large, stern-wheel boat, too large for the business, as it was then. This was not the first boat, the " Gov. Mason " having been built the year before by Richard Godfroy. She ran one or two years at a loss to the owners, and was destroyed at the burning of the " big mill." The Grand Haven Company did business some five or six years, operating in land and lumber. At one time a raft of 200,000 feet was lost in the lake; at another 30,000 logs. On the whole, after spending some $100,000, the business proved unprofitable, the company disbanded and divided the property. Having traced the Grand Haven Company to its final burial, we may as well go back to the time when Ferry returned, bringing with him his bosom friend, P. C. Duvernay, and family. They stopped with Rix Robinson during the winter. The building, in which 21 persons were quartered, was 16 by 22. The accommodations were not such as would be agreeable to those HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 225 accustomed, as some of them were, to the refinements of civilization. A part of the 21 slept in the loft of the cabin, and a part in a vessel that wintered in the harbor. What changes have been effected in the lakeside settlement since that time afford to the inquirer ample data upon which to form a correct estimate of the pioneers of Kent, as well as of their immediate successors in the industrial mission of that portion of Ottawa, which at one time was the western limit of the great township of Kent. THE INDIAN GIRL'S REPRIEVE. Of all the terrible crimes known to the Christian world, infanticide ranks among the first. Among the American Indians it was not only considered criminal, but also cowardly, and, for the dual reason, was punished most severely. Again, the law of " life for a life" was fully recognized and faithfully enforced. In the history of this county it is stated that during the first years of settlement an American mother entrusted her infant child to the keeping of an Indian girl. The child of nature treated the white babe in the same manner that she would a papoose; allowed it full liberty to creep around; sometimes hoisted the little thing aloft, catching it in its descent. Now, a papoose could tolerate all this, and a good deal more, but it was too much for infant white. The girl was ordered to nurse the baby in an easier fashion, and willingly obeyed; but, unfortunately, in some careless moment, she allowed the little one to fall, and this fall resulted in the instant death of the youthful native. The death song was chanted throughout the villages of the savages, the girl was bound a prisoner in the black wigwam, and Indian law was on the eve of claiming an innocent victim, when Louis Campau, his relatives, and a few old settlers, went in all haste to the Indian village, sought an explanation from the poor girl, and then begged mercy from her terribly impartial judges. The Indians granted a conditional pardon most reluctantly, reserving the right to inflict capital punishment at any time the mother of the infant would call "a life for a life." The.Kitchimokomranikwe, or American woman, never asked for such a sacrifice. CAMPAU'S FIRST BUGGY. In the spring of 1844 one of the vehicles furnished by W. N. Cook, for E. B. Bostwick, was sold by the latter to Louis Campau. A few days after the purchase, Uncle Louis hitched up his old and well-known white horse. This done, he made a formal trial of the vehicle, and finding it safe so far, returned to his home to take out Mrs. Campau for a drive. With the two travelers the buggy did well; so well indeed that he suggested an invitation to Mrs. Rich. ard Godfroy. Driving up to the Godfroy residence, then at the 226 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. southwest corner of Monroe and Ottawa, Mrs. Godfroy was asked to accompany them, which request she acceded to. Louis took a short tour on Monroe street, with the ladies, and then under a sudden impulse returned to his home, where he left Mrs. Campau and Mrs. Godfrov. This much accomplished he dashed down toward W. N. Cook's blacksmith shop and, arriving there, summoned the owner to eome out. Mr. Cook responded, when Uncle Louis, standing up in the vehicle, cried out, "Mista Cook, I don't take $25 more for de buggy, dan I did dis morning." "How is that Mr. Campau?" "Why, I took myself and Mrs. Campau for a drive, and then Mrs. Godfroy, and de carriage did not break." ALMOST EQUAL TERMS. It is related that at an early day in the history of the Valley City. it was found necessary by the Rev. Mr. Ballard to journey eastward for the object of collecting funds to pay for the church building which he purchased of Louis Campau. Mr.. Ballard possessed a buggy and harness, but no horse; Edward Guild had a horse but no buggy. The latter proposed that they put the two together and go in company, as he wished to go East also. This proposition appeared very fair, and was accepted. They started on their journey under most favorable circumstances, and during the first few days of travel enjoyed themselves immensely, yet quietly. On reaching the settlements toward Detroit they stopped at one of the primitive taverns for food and rest. There they fell in with others, some of them old acquaintances of Mr. Guild, and of course glad to see him. Ballard was a rigid teetotaller. Uncle Edward was not, though not in the habit of drinking to excess. Their friends were sociable and inclined to treat. Ballard peremptorily refused, and was pained to see his friend touch, handle or taste the treacherous liquid. At length he grew impatient saying, " Come, come, Uncle Ed, this won't do: you must not drink! we must go, or I shall go on without you." To which his fellow traveler, who had an impediment in his speech, replied, " P-p-p-all right, Brother Ballard, p-p-p-take your p-p-buggy and go ahead; p-ppretty soon I'll come on with my horse and p-p-overtake you." The parson had the poor end of that proposition and patiently waited his companion's pleasure. VISITORS AT KALAMAZOO. In the early years of the State it was customary for inn-keepers to offer to members of the press, not only hospitality, but also a true welcome. A newspaper editor had only to make himself known, when he was treated as a most honored guest. Before this time was thoroughly reformed, Mr. Turner, of the Eagle, whiled away a night at Kalamazoo, endured many miseries, and, returning to Grand Rapids, told the story of that night through the col HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 227 umns of his journal. He pictured the pioneer hotel, and related how he was driven from bed by bugs; how he found a pail of tar, and made a fairy circle on the floor with that material, within which he thought he could rest secure; how he did begin to rest, when he heard a patter as if made by raindrops, and presently felt something more material than rain falling over his face and head; how he struck a light and beheld a vast procession of bugs walking up the side of the room, thence along the ceiling until the vanguard would reach directly over his bed, and then fall down leisurely. He related all this and much more connected with that eventful night. Of course every one was delighted with the story. It was intensely sensational and pleased all except Mr. Gleason, the genial host at the hotel. Some time after this, a party of Kentish men, composed of Lew Porter, C. H. Taylor and a half dozen others, visited Kalamazoo. Mr. Tavlor was then a well-known journalist, and as was his right, sought a journalist's privileges. After a few of his associates had registered, he addressed the inn-keeper thus: " You are Mr. Gleason, I presume?" " Yes, sir," replied mine host. " Well, my name is Taylor, of the Grand Rapids Enquirer." Glad to meet you, Mr. Taylor; make yourself quite at home," responded Gleason. Porter did not neglect to notice this proceeding, and for mischief's sake alone determined to mimic his friend in seeking a journalist's good times. Coming forward, he said, " You are Mr. Gleason, I presume?" "Yes, sir." "t Well, My name is Turner, of the Grand Rapids Eagle." This was a death blow for Porter's little enterprise. Gleason did not forget Mr. Turner's description of a night at Kalamazoo, and, drawing himself up to his full height, said, "' Well, Mr. Turner, I am not certain that there are bed-bugs enough in my house to accommodate you properly." Porter was momentarily astonished. It was only for a moment. Realizing the relation which existed between the name of Turner and the Kalamazoo hotel, he quickly repented, confessed the object of his little game, and reinstated himself in the confidence of the hotel proprietor, to the infinite amusement of the real newspaper map and his merry fellow-travelers. TO THE RESCUE. When, in 1835, N. O. Sargeant, the Almy family, Crampton and a few others entered the village, the latter led the advance, performing sundry American and Irish airs upon a bugle, which he made his inseparable companion. The entrance of this expedition was indeed an exciting event in the little town of Kent. The workmen came into the place with their shovels and picks on their shoulders, marching in double file to the inspiriting notes of the bugle. The chief of the Ottawa village, Noon-Day, beheld the demonstration with amazement and immediately dispatched one of his deputies to Mr. Campau, with offers of assistance to help him drive the invaders, 228 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. as he regarded them, from the town. The chief was so far excited by this entry of pioneers that he assembled his warriors in council, so as to be ready for action as soon as the deputy returned from Mr. Campau. The reader will scarcely be able to imagine the chagrin of these disappointed Indians when the deputy returned and announced Mr. Campau's reply in the following words: "These are our friends and brethren, who have come to labor with us; let us welcome them! " THE RECOLLECTIONS OF A PIONEER. There was a time when, amidst the wild, romantic scenery at the rapids of Grand river, on the west side, might have been seen those mounds of earth, which, like mute, patient sentinels, had endured the storms and alterations of heat and cold during untold centuries while watching and guarding the everlasting rushing and tumbling of that noble stream. It was evident to every beholder that those mounds had been constructed by the hand of man, who, at some remote period, had chosen that as his abiding place, because it was favorable for hunting and fishing, if not for agricultural purposes. A few miles down the river, there was a group of 12 much larger mounds; so wondrous strange were they, that for what purpose intended, the wise man knoweth not. That beautiful prairie now occupied by the village of Grandville, with its adjacent lands, might have been cultivated by the Mound-Builders. At a place several miles still further down the river, there was a long, straight roadway of several feet in height and width, extending across a swamp, upon which a large amount of care and labor had been expended. It may be safely assumed that this country was inhabited by Indians many hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of years ago. The Indians readily appreciated the advantages offered by such a place as the rapids of Grand river; it was such a favorite place of resort that they maintained one or more villages there. There, from time immemorial, the red man, the independent monarch of a vast domain, had reveled in all his pride and glory, in the luxurious enjoyment of the rich productions of the river, the forest, and cultivated lands with undisputed freedom. That historic place, now occupied by the flourishing city of Grand Rapids, was once the imperial seat, or capital, of Noon-Day, the great chief and ruler of the Ottawas and Pottawatomies, the two tribes being in alliance with each other, but the latter receiving their chiefs from the Ottawas. Both tribes were in the British service in the war of 1812, and participated in the burning of Buffalo in 1813. Noon-Day was a tall, symmetrically formed gentleman, while his wife was a short, dumpy, inferior-appearing lady, with a visage badly marred by large scars. The wonderful changes incident to the displacement of one race of people by a different one, were in that case effected so quickly and quietly as to be very astonishing; almost as if HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 229 by magic barbarism and ignorance were superseded by civiliza. tion and intelligence. EARLY CATHOLIC MISSIONS. Four French Jesuit missionaries arrived at Mackinaw, where they established their headquarters at a very early day (the exact time not learned), as it appears by their church records kept at that place, that the rite of baptism was administered by them to certain persons in 1616. Printed books used by them there were shown to me which bore a much earlier date, and many curious relics of those times are still in existence. As the number of missionaries was augmented by arrivals from Canada, they were sent forth from time to time, with Indian guides and dogs, to visit all the Indian villages, at each of which they spent several days' time, when they gave those ignorant heathens their first lessons in the school of civilization and Christianity, and secured their lasting confidence and esteem. After an absence of one or two months, those missionaries returned to Mackinaw to rest and regain their wasted energies, and others were sent out. By that plan of operations persistently adhered to, it was supposed that all the Indian villages (Grand River Rapids not excepted) had been visited several times before 1640. Every niissionary, upon his return to headquarters, made a report of his doings, which was condensed as much as possible before it was placed on the records at Mackinaw, which was the only repository of such records, because the Indians were unfit custodian of the records of the different localities, and visits of the missions aries at each place were quite short. Therefore it is impossibleto learn anything very definite in regard to those early nissionary operations at any one particular locality; even the history of the missionary labors at Grand River Rapids as late as 1812 are involved in the same uncertainty or obscurity as those at that place were 200 years before. Although never considered as a resident at Grand River Rapids, Rix Robinson was for a long time very intimately and extensively identified with the private and public business transactions of that community, and also of the State. He was the pioneer leader of the Indian traders, and the first white man who ever permanently located in that vicinity. Rix Robinson came from Auburn, N. Y., to Detroit, in 1814, where he remained two years as partner in trade with Mr. Phelps. He afterward, on his own account, established several Indian trading posts in Illinois and Wisconsin. He subsequently, as agent of the American Fur Company, established trading posts at different places on the east side of Lake Michigan, one of which was at the mouth of Grand river, in 1821, and at about the same time one at Kalamazoo, and another at a place since called Ada. In 1837 he abandoned that business and de 230 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. voted his time more to domestic matters, especially to his beauti, ful farm, situated on the south bank of the Grand river, near the mouth of Thornapple river, and nearly 10 miles east of the Rapids. That was the home of Mr. Robinson and family more than 50 years. He died in 1875, leaving an enviable reputation, the remembrance of which will be long and proudly cherished by all who knew him. A Baptist missionary station was established at the Rapids of Grand river in the fall of 1826, by Rev. Mr. McCoy, of the Carey station, now called Niles. At about the same time Rev. Leonard Slater, then a young man, with his wife, came from the East to Niles, where they remained during the winter with Mr. McCoy. In the spring of 1827 Mr. Slater and wife repaired to their new field of labor at the Rapids of Grand river, which was called the Thomas Station. It required a man of much faith and perseverance to accomplish the work which had been undertaken by Mr. Slater. But, notwithstanding the many serious embarrassments, he, in process of time, had the station in working order, with fixtures and appliances as follows: For himself a two-story log dwelling-house, standing on the west bank of the river, very near the west end of the present Bridge street bridge. A few yards north of his house was a blacksmith shop, in which a white man was engaged in making implements for the Indians. A short distance northwest of that point was a farm, on which was employed a white manr to instruct those savages in the mysterious science of agriculture. On a small creek, further north, was a sawmill. On the same side of the river, and south of the ravine, was a cluster of neat block houses for the Indian families, and one house for religious services and school, where a white teacher instructed the rising generation. During the nine and a half years that Slater remained there he expended about $14,000 of the mission funds for the benefit of the dear, very dear, heathens. Mr. Slater removed from that place in the fall of 1836, and as soon as he vacated his house, it was occupied by Lovell Moore. Louis Carnpau went from Detroit to Saginaw in early times, where he rendered very efficient aid to Gov. Cass, while making the treaty with the Indians at that place in 1816. In 1827 he came to the Rapids and built one or more log buildings for his residence and the Indian trade, on the east bank of the river, about midway between the present Pearl and Bridge streets. He occupied that stand about eight years, being the only white man on that side of the river for about five years. Richard Godfroy was the regular acting Indian agent at the mouth of Flat river (now Lowell), and received his first information in regard to the Rapids from the Indians, whose representations were very flattering, and who urgently desired him to visit the place. He, therefore, obtained a bark canoe, in which he made the passage, arriving at the Rapids in 1832, where he remained and acted as Indian agent and trader for several years. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 231 Hle is still at Grand Rapids, and apparently good for many coming years. James Watson came to the Rapids in 1834, and engaged in the Indian trade. In the spring of 1833 a Mr. Tucker was the first man who ever passed over the route from Gull Prairie to the Rapids with a wagon drawn by oxen, which conveyed Luther Lincoln, family and effects to the Rapids, where he soon after built a saw-mill on or near the place now occupied by Sweet's Hotel. That was the first attempt to utilize that vast water-power for turning a mill wheel. Lincoln's mill, and the Slater mill on the west side, although they were de-fective machines, were of great value to the infant settlement by way of furnishing lumber, by which means Messrs. Campau, Godfroy and Watson were enabled to build good, capacious frame warehouses for their fur trade on the east bank of the river, near where the "rink " now stands. In front of their stores might Lave been seen those ponderous wooden machines for pressing their bales of fur. In 1833 or '34, Joel Guild erected a house on the ground now occupied by the First National Bank. which was the first frame house and first hotel in that embryo city. That place, in 1834, was fully awakened to consciousness, and from that time the number of inhabitants has increased rapidly and continu-ally to this day. The steamboat " Governor Mason" (to which Governor Mason presented a new flag), of which Richard Godfroy was owner, ran between the Rapids and the mouth of the river. Louis Campau was living in his new two-story house on Monroe street, to which house was afterward added two other stories, and is the front of one side of the Rathbun House, and the only wooden structure in that vicinity. The Kent Hotel on Bridge street, and the National on Monroe street, the latter kept by Myron Hinsdill, were in successful operation. Campau's old.log house (of 1827) was occupied by Mr. Page, father-in-law of W. A. Richmond. Sargeant & Co. started a line of stage coaches, to perform regular trips between the Rapids and Kalamazoo, for the benefit of which enterprise Mr. Godfroy expended a large amount of money in improving the road through the timber land between Plaster creek and Green lake, at which place Louis Campau built and fitted up a large hotel building. But that staging business was of short duration, because not paying. Lyon & Company, in order to utilize that great water-power, excavated a great canal extending from the head of the rapids to a place near Bridge street, where was completed the foundation for the " big mill," upon which it was intended to erecta building of such dimensions that 60 perpendicular mill.saws might be operated in the same. But inasmuch as the agent could not find even half that number of saws in Philadelphia, it led to a reconsideration of the scheme, and the erection of a much smaller building on the north end of the big wall where three or four saws were operated. For a considerable length of time, a brisk sectional rivalry ~1 232 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. in sentiment and action existed between the north part of the village, called Kent, and the south part, called Grand Rapids, bat this finally yielded to the consideration that in reality there was but one village, one community, and one common interest, and since that time a very commendable degree of unanimity in sentiment and action have prevailed. The year 1837 was the year of the great commercial panic, when many strong individuals were crippled or ruined; yet that feeble little town not only held its own, but received additions to its inhabitants, and made many improvements. In the spring of that year, a ferry was established to convey teams and passengers across the river below the island, which was a good substitute for the foot bridge previously used. In this year the first newspaper was started, the Grand River Times, afterward changed to the Enquirer. The Eagle was the next newspaper, started in 1844. The unusual warm weather in March, 1838, had the effect to melt the great amount of snow lying on the ground, and to break up and liberate the vast accumulation of thick ice on the river, which in its downward passage was obstructed by the firm ice below the'island causing the river to rise many feet above its usual level, submerging Canal street and its vicinity several feet under water. Campau's old log house (on the bank) was in the midst of that fearful torrent, and its inmates were rescued from their perils by means of boats. The steamboat " Gov. Mason" was forced from its moorings, and driven inland about 20 rods. After the water subsided the boat was returned to the river after several days ot hard labor, by a strong force of men with cables and capstans, under the direction of Captains Stoddard, Short and Jennings. In consequence of the fatigue and exposure to which Captain Short was subjected, he became sick with a fever and died within one week. The marriage of Charles I. Walker (then editor of the newspaper) and Mary, sister of Myron Hinsdill, took place at the National Hotel that spring In the spring, the sheriff with his family were occupying the south part of the court-house, which was begun the year before and finished, excepting the tower and prison cells in the north end, which work was done that spring. Bishop McCoskry made his first pastoral visit to that place, and conducted service in the court-house in the forenoon, and at the residence of Mr. Coggeshall in the afternoon. The Grand River bank was then in operation, of which William A. Richmond was cashier. The securities required by law were delivered to Hiram Hinsdill, then County Treasurer for the People's bank. The mover's of that enterprise claimed that they had been deprived of the privilege of participating in the benefits arising from that other bank organization, but the bank never went into operation. The annual payment was made there to the Indians that spring, when several thousand dollars quickly passed through the hands of HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 233 the Indians into those of the merchants and other good men to whom they were indebted. Louis Campau enclosed a square ten-acre lot with a high, tight board fence, its northern boundary being by Fulton street, and the western boundary being about where Jefferson avenue now is, the land remaining in its natural state, with all its primeval forest trees still standing. At about the same time J ames Watson built a small two-story house on the corner of Fulton and Division streets, now occupied by Lovell Moore. Then, that house was considered far out of town, that and the Campau lot being the only improvements east of Division and south of Fulton streets. The Legislature had made large appropriations of that expected $5,000,000, for internal improvements, among which were $60,000 for improving the navigation of Grand river, a good share of which was to be expended at or near the Rapids. Accordingly, in the spring the work was begun and carried forward, under the supervision of Hon. Rix Robinson, one of the Commissioners of Internal Improvements. The work consisted in removing some smooth, round stones and sand from the bed of the river at the foot of the rapids. At that time Judge Ransom occupied the judicial bench of that county, Darius Winsor was Postmaster, Messrs. Moore, Abel and one or two others expounded the laws, Jacob Barns administered justice, Dr. Shepard dispensed pills, and was also expert with the compass and chain. One school was maintained in the brown school-house, north of Monroe street. There was then a tolerably good supply of stores and artisans for a place of 900 or 1,000 inhabitants. There were then two Church organizations. The Presbyterians generally held their meetings in the court-house, but sometimes in the dining-room of the National. At that time a few persons were quite anxious for the formation of a Dutch Reformed Church, which finally culminated in the erection of a church edifice on Bridge street, which required many years to finish, and but a few minutes to destroy by fire a few years ago. The fine, commodious Catholic church, built entirely by Louis Campau at the corner of Monroe and Division streets, was then completed, and in use by the members of St. Andrew's parish. That Church organization had its inception when Rev. Father Baraga arrived there in 1833, and began his work as a missionary. A small building for Church or religious service was built (the work being done by Isaac Turner) on the bank of the river, near the fur traders' warehouses. When that little building had been thus used a short time it was disposed of and converted to other uses, but before that change had taken place, several block houses for Indian families and one for divine worship had been built on the opposite side of the river, and the Catholics used that little sanctuary (having no other) until the completion of the Campau church, which was the only one in town. Father Baraga, that good missionary and founder of St. Andrew's parish, was a 234 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. native of Austria, a gentleman of fine appearance, pleasing address, having a high, well-rounded forehead, and an inviting expression of countenance. Leaving that place after a short sojourn, he subsequently became a bishop, and died many years ago. When the time came that the Indians were inclined to dispose of their large tract of land to the Government, they strongly and persistently insisted upon reserving from such sale a few hundreds of acres of land adjoining the Rapids, which included the site of their old village, then occupied by the buildings and other fixtures belonging to the two missionary societies. But finding the Government firm in its refusal to treat with them for any portion of their lands without including these, they reluctantly consented to dispose of their entire interest on that side of the river. It will be remembered that the Baptist missionary enterprise under Mr. Slater had been entirely abandoned at that place in tile fall of 1836, and the Catholics retired from that land, never to return, in the spring of 1838. As soon as (or rather before) the Government had adjusted its long controversy with the Indians about that land, those two missionary societies instituted claims upon that valuable tract by virtue of their pre-emption rights. While pre-emption claims were valid in some cases, that law could not apply to land which was still the rightful property of the Indians, therefore their clai ns were disallowed, and in lieu of the land they received a small sum of money. That tract of land on the west side of those rapids, derisively called "Canada," so long in plain sight of the village, yet out of the world, which belonged to nobody, but which every one wished to own, was finally freed from those entanglements, and offered for sale. A n excellent quality of salt was manufactured there at an early day, but the exact time is not recollected when Lucius Lyon began to draw the brine from the well he had bored to the depth of more than 800 feet. The business was finally abandoned, because it did not prove to be as remunerative as was desired. The State officials made a contract with a certain party to bore a well for brine on the land belonging to the State, a short distance below Grand Rapids, that place being selected because of the salt spring found there. When the'boring had been carried to a considerable depth the drill was broken and lost, and the work forever stopped. At an early day a few square feet of crude gypsum were found visible in the west bank of Plaster creek, a few rods south of Grand river. The first knowledge the white man had of its existence was derived from the Indians. In process of time the discovery was made that beds of that valuable mineral of great thickness and lying very near the surface of the ground covered a great extent of territory in that vicinity, and soon after the work of qnarrying, grinding and calcining was commenced. Stucco was first used at the Rapids in 1834, to plaster the gable ends of Richard Godfroy's house, the same that was afterward burned with two women, who HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 235 were within its walls. This was the beginning of what is now a very important branch of industry and trade. The first brid ge across Grand river at the Rapids was a continuation of Bridge street to the West Side, its cost, in part, being defrayed by an appropriation of State lands. The plank road to Kalamazoo was finished in 1855, affording much better means of communication with the outside world than had existed before. The church edifice that was built and owned by Campau, when it had been used 10 or 12 years, proved to be too small to accommodate St. Andrew's parish, and Mr. Campan sold the property with all its appurtenances (except the iron cross on the spire) to the Congregationalists. A Mr. Post ascended to the top of the spire, and after disengaging the cross from its support, by means of a saw, lost his balance and then his life by falling with it to the ground. Soon after the sale of that house, beginning in 1849, the Catholics built another and larger house, on the ground now occupied by that magnificent block of stores and the Grand Rapids National bank, on Monroe street, just above Ottawa. St Mark's Episcopal church. on the east side of Division street, was completed (except the tower) and consecrated on the 5th of September, 1849, Bishop McCoskry officiating, while nearly all the clergy belonging to the diocese were in attendance at a convention held at the same time and place. The next day (Monday) a few gentlemen had a pleasant social interview with the bishop, in the parlors of Dr. Cumming. The small wooden house of worship further north on the same street, and previously used by the Episcopalians, was sold to the Baptists. Of the early settlers, a lively recollection of whom will be long maintained, the following named gentlemen were more or less prominently identified with the growth and developments of that place from 1826 to 1838: Campau, Slater, Godfroy, Guild, Turner, Watson, Baraga, Lincoln, Scribner, Vizolski, Shoemaker, Baxter, Stocking, the Lymans, the Lyons, Almy, Sargeant, Moore, Barns, Dikeman, Richmond, Abel, Shepard, Morrison, Granger, Nelson,. Evans, the Hinsdills, the Taylors, the Millses, the Smiths, the Pierces, the Withers, the Winsors, Coggeshall, Moran, Bebee, Johnson, Ball, Pettibone, Osborn, Walker, Stoddard, Short, Jennings, and many others, whose names escape my memory, a few of whom are still living, while many have been removed from the scenes of this life. The coming of Louis Campau to that place in 1827 was like the planting of a small seed in the wild, "sterile desert, for although Campau was there hidden away all the time, there were no external signs of growth or life on his side of the river until 1833, being seven years after his arrival, when the Lincoln saw-mill was built. Then there'began to be some stir, and signs of life were visible. In 1834, the town, with all the elements of growth and future greatness. was fully inaugurated. In estimating the age of that 236 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. town the correct starting period of time would be the year 1833, and by that computation it would now be about 48 years old. Many of the present great cities on the American sea-board had a smaller population when they were 200 years old than Grand Rapids has to-day, and the manufactories of those cities at that time were upon a very limited scale, and all their work was performed by hand labor. REMINISCENCES OF THE BOYNTON SETTLEMENT. Nathan Boynton located near Rush creek, in Byron township, in 1836, while yet the forest was untouched, perhaps untrodden, by any other white man. After about a month of preparatory work on his proposed farm, he became ill, and, returning to Grandville in August following, asked his brothers, Jerry and William, to finish the log houee which he began. After many troubles and difficulty in finding the location, the brothers succeeded, built the log house, and actually made a small clearing. This primitive dwelling was constructed of small logs with a roof of split basswood, each rail having a channel or gutter hewed on the flat side. Over the under tier of those rails was another tier, arranged with the semicircular surface exposed, and the edges resting on the verge of the gutters cut in the center of the flat side of the under tier. The floor was planked with bass-wood staves; the door and instruments for dealing with intruding Indians were also made of the same. The fire-place was constructed of clay, which one of the builders pounded into mortar by the use of his bare feet. This was mixed with small twigs, and placed in shape. The chimney, springing from such a foundation, was formed of small bass-wood sticks and a mortar similar to that just referred to. TO KALAMAZOO AND RETURN. When Barney Burton was en route from Gull Prairie to Paris, he and his fellow travelers halted as usual, picketed their horses, and went to sleep. In the morning the horses belonging to Mr. Burton were not to be found; so he started in search of them. He wandered about in the thick woods for several hours without success, and finally turned about with the intention of returning to the camp. He traveled until the sun was low in the west, and no camp could be found. Night came on, and he rested himself, a lost man in a dense forest. He spent the second day the same as the first, but on the third he came out to the settlement of Ada. Thence he proceeded to Grand Rapids, where he found the settlers considerably excited over his disappearance. Mr. Campau had already dispatched several Indians in the direction he supposed he would be, to search for him. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 237 THE GULL PRAIRIE WOLF. Wolves were rather troublesome neighbors in early days. They made frequent visits to the early settlers, and would make the very earth tremble with their howlings and complaints to the intruders of their time-honored homes. Gaines was an unenviable settlement on this account. One occupation of the boys and larger girls of that day, used to be to fire the old stumps about the place in the evening to scare away the wolves. About the year 1846 there was a wolf who had her beat from this vicinity to Gull Prairie, in Barry county, and was known as the "Gull Prairie wolf,;" who usually made the round trip once a week. The dogs would not molest her, and she seemed to care for neither man nor beast. She had been caught once in a steel trap, and all efforts to entrap her again were, for a long time, unsuccessful. Even the children, in time, seemed to distinguish her voice from other wolves, and were in the habit of listening for her on certain nights. She seldom disappointed them, and made night hideous with her howls. She finally killed four sheep in one night on the premises of Mesnard. Mesnard and Jones set two traps near the carcass of one of the sheep, which the wolf on her second visit contrived to remove several rods, taking care to avoid the traps. Another consultation resulted in more traps. Four were set, placing -in the intermediate spaces small pieces of iron, which were left in sight, while the traps were carefully concealed. This time they outwitted her and she was caught in one of the traps. Early on the following morning Messrs. Jones and Cook took the trail in pursuit. They overtook her near Duncan lake, caught her and attempted to bring her home alive, but the wolf acted so badly that they were compelled to abandon the project. They brought home the pelt, for which they received one dollar, and ten and a half dollars in county and State bounties. THE INDIAN'S VICTIM. In the fall of 1835, before the still-hunting days were over, the wilderness resounded with the whisperings of the red and white deer-slayers and echoed the sharp growls of their rifles. Among the white hunters was Henry Sizer, who traversed the Plaster creek district with the double object of selecting a homestead as well as winning pay by his splendid aim. In his travels through the wilderness he came out on the deer-lick then running through the northeast quarter of sec. 16, southwest through the poor farm, down to the waters of Plaster creek, and away to the springs in the southwestern sections. No sooner had the unfortunate man reached the guarded path, than an Indian espied his white shirt-bosom, and believing it to be a deer, leveled the old flint-lock, with Indian skill, and, firing, sent a huge bullet 238 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. crashing through the heart of the white hunter. The. Indian was tried for murder by his fellows, and barely escaped the penalty of Indian justice. Rev. Mr. Slater, whom he informed of the tragedy,, told him to relate the matter to the whites, which he did so satisfactorily that a trial was unnecessary. THE UNKNOWN TRAVELER. At one time in the winter of 1835, the cries of what was supposed to be a mlan were heard in the vicinity of Barney Burton's residence. He was answered, horns were blown, and other noises made to attract his attention, with no result. About the same time a grey horse came to the residence of,Abram Laraway, not many miles away, which none of the settlers claimed. Early in the spring a skeleton was found on what is now called the Penny property, in Paris. Its appearance indicated that death had taken, place some months previous. A few dollars in money, a watch and some papers were found on his person, the latter indicating that his name was Moore. Nothing further was ever ascertained. in regard to the matter. He probably lost his way in the pathless woods, wandered about for several days, perhaps lost his horse, and starved to death; or, overcome with weariness, sank down to rest and perished by the excessive cold. THE OLD GRIST-MILL. The difference between the mills now used for the manufacture of flour and those of half a century ago are as marked as those between the modern woolen-mill and the old-fashioned loom in which homespun cloth was manufactured for the purpose of providing stout and serviceable garments to clothe the hard-working farmer and his sons. During the first days of settlement corn was ground, in a hollow stump with a huge pounder inserted in it worked by manual labor, and sometimes so arranged as to warrant the application of horse-power. In this county, however, the use of this primitive mill was very limited. In ancient times wheaten bread was the exception; the daily bread of the rural household were made of rye and Indian corn. Two or three bushels of wheat were regarded as a sufficient allowance for a moderate family, and that ground into flour was kept for such State occasions as quiltings, weddings, Thanksgiving and other holidays, when the good wife was wont to exercise her culinary skill in compounding short-cake to grace the bountifillly-spread table. It was also considered the proper thing to have a loaf or two of wheat bread on hand in the house should the clergyman or other respected visitor come to take tea. The grinding of the wheat was usually a matter of considerable solicitude on the part of the owner of the grist. A bushel or two was measured up in a bag and thrown across the back of a gentle and trusty farm-horse, and the owner would wend his way " 1 - ~, V I> 1t /4 (L^7& -_ I HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 241 to the grist-mill, where, while waiting for it to be ground, he would have an opportunity to indulge in a little social gossip with the dusty-coated miller, who was generally well posted in all the local news. The miller, having satisfied the farmer that the run of stone was perfectly clean and that there was no danger of an admixture of rye flour or corn meal, the wheat would be transferred to the hopper and ground; and, when finished, the farmer would joyfully wend his way homeward, knowing that the good wife would test the flour on his arrival, and that his chances were favorable for an excellent supper of short-cake and golden butter. This was the grist-mill of early days. IF BRUIN ONLY KNEW IT. William R. Davis and John Davis, early settlers of Oakfield, were returning from haymaking, on Crinnion creek marsh, in July, 1842. The Davis family then lived on section 32, and during the haying season the economists were accustomed to leave every morning for the marsh and begin their homeward journey after sundown. The evening in question William was on horseback, John acted as infantry escort, armed with a rifle of the best pattern, the dog followed leisurely in the rear, and the night gave promise of being uneventful. The brothers had almost reached home, having traveled about nine miles over the trail, when a black bear appeared in their advance. The dog yelped, the travelers shouted, the horse neighed and all dashed hastily forward in pursuit.' Bruin must have imagined that every living thing in the State was engaged in the chase; so he took to a tree. The hunters were soon on the spot, but to their horror discovered that the last percussion cap fell from the nipple of the rifle. William took in the situation in a moment and dashed off immediately to Crinnion's house for caps or fire or any known commodity that would fire the charge in the muzzle-loader. He returned in a brief space of time, found that bruin had changed his position a little, with John Davis and the dog still besieging him. No time was to be lost; powder was poured into the nipple, John took steady aim, William applied the blazing brand, there was a terrific explosion, the hunters rolled over in dismay, the dog made a jump into a distant clearing, the horse rushed wildly home; but when the storm passed over the bear was calm in death beneath that tree to which he looked for security.,. THE CONQUEST OF DIFFICULTY. When Ezekiel Cook moved into the woods of Byron'with his fellow settlers, they had no neighbors nearer than four miles, and their nearest postoffice was at Grand Rapids, a distance of 14 miles, through an unbroken wilderness. When Kennedy moved on his place there was no road from that to Grandville, except the trails 15 242 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. that wound around through the woods. When J. K. McKenney moved into his house there were neither windows, doors nor floor in it. The next day after moving in he was taken sick and confined to his bed for two weeks, and before he was able to build a fire-place and chimney, there were two feet of snow. During all this time Mrs. McKenney had to do all her cooking by a log fire outside the hut. Those were bard days. There was scarcely a ray of happiness let into this desolate household. The storm and wind beat through the open windows, and sang mournfully through their forest home.' When Mr. Tuft moved upon his place the only signs of a house he had was a small sled-load of lumber. He began to build in December, and his family shivered around until the rude hut was completed. MEN AND WOLVES OF 1845. During the year 1845 Messrs. Corkins, Barney, Clark S. Wilson and William Davidson settled within the limits of the township. Among other early settlers I will mention Josiah R. Holden, Bradly Weaver, David Prindle, Carlos Weaver and Prentice Weaver, Eli Young and James M. Barney. The latter came during the famous '" wolf year." Mr. Young says he killed one of these ferocious animals within one rod of his own door with his dog and corn-cutter. William Boynton would often, when he was obliged to work at Grandville to get provisions for the support of his family, work all day, get the proceeds of his labor in provisions, and at dark start for home, a distance of about five miles, through the woods, while the wolves were howling on every side, and sometimes coming within reach of the good, stout cudgel which he carried. The first year James M. Barney lived in his house he had to keep his cow and calf in a high log pen near by at nights to save them from the wolves. He says that one night, after being kept awake until near morning, he took his gun just at daylight and sallied forth, determined on vengeance. When he went out the wolves retreated for a short distance, but when he came into a thicket of bushes they surrounded him; he backed up against a tree and they kept him there for about two hours. He shot at them several times, but the bushes were so thick he did not kill any, although they would come so near that he could hear their teeth snapping together. After this year the wolves began to evacuate the district. John Ball has reason to believe that throughout the greater part of the county there were few, if any, wolves after the year 1843. THE TORNADO OF 1836. The fearful tornado which swept across Central Michigan in 1836 is still living in the memories of the old settlers. Almost every resident in the valley of the Grand Rapids suffered from its re HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 243 suits. Justus C. Rogers, who located in Kent county in 1835, erected a frame house on section 14, Wyoming township, during the spring of 1836, made it a neat pioneer dwelling and had its surroundings tastefully arranged when the terrific storm swept over his home, taking the house from its foundation and moving it a distance of 18 feet, and turning it completely round. The shingles and boards of the roof were scattered over the country for a mile in the course of the whirlwind. The log house of Cyrus Jones, then standing on section 6, Paris township, was blown away, the few barns then in the track were scattered far and wide, so that the ruthless wind may be said to have left neither house nor forest in its course untouched. VICISSITUDES OF A DAY'S TRAVEL. William H. Brown, a settler of Middleville, started for the township of Alaska with the intention of returning the same evening. He explored the district in the immediate neighborhood of the present village of Alaska, and having done so started on his return journey. Night stole on; he felt that he had lost his way, and determined to halt until the morrow. Dismounting, he attempted to light a fire, but possessed neither flint nor match; so he cleared a sentry walk through the snow, spread bark over the path, and continued a brisk march during the night. At dawn he mounted his shivering horse, rode forward, reached Green Lake House after a circuitous, troublous journey, and was there joined by his friends, who set out in search of him about the time he started from his halting place of the previous night. The man who could hit upon such a means of keeping warm could not be frozen. THE CELTIC POSTMASTER. Lewis Moody, who came to Grandville early in 1837, remembers the time when the mail route between the village of Grand Rapids and Grand Haven was established. James O'Neil was the first mail-carrier, filling the positions of master, sorter, collector and deliverer. In returning from thq Lake village, he reached Grandville after sundown, and pushed on to the lumber camp in the darkness. Nearing the camp E. B. Bostwick had almost overtaken him, when the hideous night owl called out "Tu whoo! whoo!" O'Neil, thinking that an Indian chief, or half a dozen of them, were sentinels on the road, was at first inclined to be agreeable, and responded " Me name is Jemmy O'Neil, sure, and I carry the mail." This did not satisfy the disturber of night, so he repeated his challenge, when O'Neil assumed his war attitude and prepared to have something to say in the matter. The fact of Bostwick's prompt announcement of his name saved him from the rising fury of the Hibernian. What changes have taken place since the dramatis personac just 244 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. named first appeared in the Peninsula, with the untamed wilderness as a stage, can be imagined. Life is indeed a battle and a march; only a few have reached their journey's end; another few remain to follow to that land of the hereafter, from which they can look upon these toilers they left behind, and wonder at the busy activities of the times, realizing the fact in its fullest sense that life is a battle and a march. A SURVEYOR S REMINISCENCE. The camp-fire of the surveyor, like the forecastle of a ship, is the auditorium of many a wild tale and many a rare jest. The nomadic and eventful life of a surveyor is not without its petty romances, its perils, its wonderful escapes, its stirring incidents by flood and field; and the natural and proper theater for the recital of such anecdotes is the cheerful camp-fire in the midst of the lonely forest, where a circle of eager and appreciative listeners is sure to be found after each day of toil to while away the evening hours with song, jest or story. The place to hear such tales is undoubtedly by the camp-fire; yet the swim for life may prove sufficiently characteristic of those old times to form interesting and instructive matter for history. In 1853 Wright L. Coffinberry, well known throughout Western Michigan, was engaged in fulfilling a Government contract in the wilds of Michigan, just north of Kent county. The work led his party as far north as Muskrat lake. The axman, a fine, bold, powerful young fellow, was the most intelligent, social and gentlemanly member of the little circle, who won the esteem of the party by his industry, assiduity and other good qualities. He was the general favorite of the camp, and was always first in either business or pleasure. He bore the sobriquet " Blaze," on account of his particular branch of the work. In order to meander the lake, a beautiful sheet of water three or four miles wide, and of an irregular oval form, the party was obliged to construct a canoe large enough to transport all the men from point to point, together with the surveying instruments, etc. This task was completed one Saturday evening, when the new boat was hauled upon the beach to be ready for use on Monday morning. Early on Sunday morning the cook discovered the canoe drifting out, and gave the alarm. "Blaze" instantly went down to the shore, plunged into the waters and began his chase of the truant canoe. The remainder of the party, with the exception of the cook, remained in bed, supposing he would find little difficulty in overhauling the little boat. Some time elapsed, when the cook called out that Blaze was getting into a bad scrape,-that he was already some distance from shore, and no nearer the boat than when he started. When the men rushed forth they saw Blaze a full halfmile out, and the boat was rapidly drifting before him. In a short time the wind lulled and he was about to grasp the canoe, when a HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 245 fresh breeze sprung up, driving the little vessel away from his touch with such celerity that soon left a wide gap between the pursuer and pursued: Then the breeze lulled again, and he gained upon the chase, only to be again disappointed of his prize. In this tantalizing manner he had already been drawn too far from the shore to return with safety. Would the- breeze never lull? No; the boat constantly receded, and now he was fully a mile from the shore. Suddenly he turned and shouted, "(-How far out am I a Shall I come back?" "iNot far. Go on! You'll soon catch it." He turned and commenced the pursuit again. Every member of the party knew he was nearly exhausted by the way in which he swam. Slowly the swimmer struggled on, growing less and less visible as the distance increased, until his head alone could be seen, -a dark, small speck on the distant wavelets. Minutes elapsed,minutes of profound silence, and intense agony. The breeze grew less; it puffed, failed altogether, and the brave fellow gained upon the chase. Would the lull continue? He neared it; hardly a visible space separate them; there was a ripple on the water. No! it died away, and his hands are lifted to grasp the prize; he has it! But could he, exhausted as he was, get into the canoe without upsetting it, or would he cling to the side until it drifted ashore? A minute -two minutes elapsed and he was not seen to move! Suddenly he lifted himself clear from the water and boarded the little boat in safety. They all knew he was saved for the paddles were in the boat, and he could return at his leisure. Thus did a brave man win a victory over death, and is to-day a citizen of Grand Rapids-Mr. Scales. WALKER IN 1840. Two years after Robert Hilton settled in the township of Walker his large house on section 36, then section 4, of township 7 north, range 12 west, was often visited by the Indians of Blackskin's and Noon-Day's bands. During the winter it was the custom of the savages to hasten down to the house at the close of the day, and circle round the blazing logs which burned on the old-time, ample fireplace. As a rule, the Indians observed good manners during their visits; but on one occasion one of their number indulged in some boisterous language, when the American stepped forward, and, taking the warrior by the shoulder, put him out. His brother Indians looked on silently, and seemed to be well satisfied at the downfall of the young brave. At another time, while hunting up his cattle, he heard an uproar among his hogs, then roaming through the woods on section 34, Walker township. Going at once to the locality whence the noises proceeded, he saw a husky dog worrying one of the hogs to death. The canine, on seeing him, fled, but the settler pursued 246 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. him to his fastness. There, on the narrow trail, stood an Indian, armed with his gun. Mr. Hilton quietly dismounted, seized upon the gun, shot the dog, and continued his search for the cattle. Subsequently the Indians lodged a complaint with Louis Campau. He, on learning from the American a true statement of the affair, decided in his favor, and ever after not even an Indian dog interfered with his property. * / Be/ CHAPTER VI1. THE OLD RESIDENTS SOCIETY. It has ever been a day of rejoicing, when pioneers should meet; when the old settlers of the land should come together to renew their memories and cheer up their souls. In the dim past, when, after Babel, the migrations of the peoples first assumed an extensive form, the idea of periodical reunion was initiated, and soon was rendered practicable. Over 2,000 years ago the spot on which the capital city of the French republic now stands was hallowed by an assembly of its first settlers, assembled to sacrifice to the gods in thanksgiving for their new and beautiful land. Revert to those olden times, and the conception of those happy gatherings will remind us of their utility. If, then, the barbarians of antiquity observed the custom, and were soothed into peace during the observance of such a festival, how much more is it becoming in the people of this our day to participate with the old settlers in celebrating their coming and their stay, to meet old and tried friends, to share in the joys of such an occasion? Throughout the length and breadth of this great land, the large-souled pioneers, who contributed in the first instance to make it great, assemble periodically to commune with one another, to interchange thoughts of the past, and express their admiration of the busy activities of the present. The pleasures of such meetings are known only to the pioneers. Their children never can conceive the feelings such meetings awaken, or the happy memories which they summon up. For the old settlers alone these meetings have an undying interest; and though the young may possibly share a little in the joys of the old, youth dan never summon to its aid the same endearing thoughts of the past, or entertain for the soil they tread that beautiful veneration implanted in the hearts of the old settlers. They alone saw the virgin soil, and linked their fortunes with her; their industry tamed the beautiful wild land until it yielded returns a hundred-fold; their hands decorated the forest farm with a modest yet comfortable cottage; and now, in declining years, they have that homestead in which to take a pride, and these happy meetings to yield them pleasure. ORGANIZATION OF THE SOCIETY. The idea of a pioneer organization took possession of the old settlers of Kent county at a comparatively early date. Twenty(247) 248 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. two pioneers of the county considered the matter fully, and issued the following circular letter, Feb. 18, 1858: Desiring to perpetuate the early history of Kent county, and to continue good social feelings among the remaining pioneers, we respectfully invite such of the present residents of the county as had settled in the Territory of Michigan previous to Jan. 26, 1837 (being the date of admission as a State), to meet with us at Messrs Ball & McKee's office, Monday evening, the 22d inst., at seven o'clock P. M., to form an Old Settler's Society of the county. (Signed)Geo. Coggeshall, Robert Hilton, D. S. Leavitt, Geo. Martin, A. B. Turner, S. F. Perkins, John Almy, D. W. Evans, Rix Robinson, J. W. Pierce, John Ball, Charles Shepard, W. G. Henry, Antoine Campau, C. H. Taylor, James Lyman, M. Ringuette, Nelson Robinson, J. F. Godfroy, John Rinvuette, S. L. Withey. R. C. Luce, This meeting for organization was held at the time and place named in notice, under the presidency of John Ball, with D. W. Evans, Secretary. Messrs. J. F. Chubb, J. Almy, S. L. Withey, and Wm. J. Welles were appointed a committee on constitution and by-laws. This committee reported five articles of association, with a preamble as follows:WHEREAS, We, the undersigned, were residents of the Territory of Michigan, by settlement therein prior to the 26th day of January, A. D. 1837, that being the date of its admission as a State, whereby we may appropriately be denominated "old settlers;" and WHEREAS, We are desirous of gathering facts relative to, and perpetuating the early history of Kent county, and also of continuing social feeling among those who rank as pioneers; therefore We hereby associate ourselves together and adopt the following as our articles of association. The first of those articles provided that the association should be named "The Old Settlers' Society of Kent County." The second and third provided that the officers should comprise a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, each to be elected at the annual meeting to be held January 26, every year, at the city of Grand Rapids. The fourth and fifth articles related to the organization of the executive of the society. A set of by-laws was adopted, and a committee on the selection of officers appointed, which in turn reported that J. F. Chubb was elected as President; E. W. Davis, Vice-President; John Ball, Treasurer, and J. W. Pierce, Secretary. The selections were approved, and the installation of the officers for the year ending Jan. 26, 1859, proceeded with. The following are the names of the first members of the Kent County Old Settlers' Society, with the date of their immigration to Michigan Territory, as well as their settlement in Kent county: HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 249 ROLL OF MEMBERS. Antoine Campau, Jefferson Morrison, John Almy, Samuel Harland, M. Ringuette, John Ringuette, Sam'l F. Perkins, Dan'l W. Evans, M. Van Amburgh, J. L. Wheeler, James Miller, David Burnett, Charles Shepard, R. C. Luce, W. J. Welles, Peter Roberts, -C. H. Taylor, Julius Granger, A. B. Turner, J. W. Pierce, Geo. Coggeshall, Julius C. Abel, Barney Burton, J. F. Chubb, Ezekiel W. Davis, Ezra Reed, Robert Hilton, John Ball, James Scribner, Loren M. Page, S. L. Withey, W. F. Huiych, Lewis C. Davidson, James Lyman, Wm. H. Godfroy, John Clancey, E. T. Nelson, P. R. L. Pierce, Nelson Robinson, L. Buell, F. H. Lyon, John M. Fox, Geo. Martin, John Truax, Philander Tracey, D. S. Leavitt, Rix Robinson, John F. Godfroy, Harry Eaton, Justus C. Rogers, A. Hosford Smith, Win. Haldane, C. Caster, H. H. Allen, Abel T, Page, Ira Jones, Milton Hyde, Geo. A. Robinson, Hiram Hinsdell, Erie Pierce, Cyrus Jones, A. W. Pike, SETTLED IN TERRITORY. Born at Detroit, May, 1832, July 6, 1834, July 8, 1836, May, 1836, May, 1836, May, 1835, Oct., 1836, July, 1827, May, 1832, Mlay, 1834, Sept., 1836, Oct., 1835, Sept., 1833, March 17,1834, Dec., 1836, June, 1836, Jan., 1833, May, 1836, May, 1836, May, 1836, June, 1835, June, 1832, May, 1827, May, 1834, July, 1834, June, 1831, July, 1836, Aug., 1836, Sept., 1836, Nov., 1836, April, 1825, Aug., 1835, June, 1835, Born in the Territory, Aug., 1835, Oct., 1836, Jan., 1836 Oct., 1836, Nov., 1832, Oct., 1836, June. 1836, Sept., 1836, July, 1826, -, 1820, July, 1835, Sept., 1815, Oct., 1836, Dec., 1835, Nov., 1835, July, 1836, -, 1834, -, 1830, -,1835, Oct., 1832, Aug., 1829, —, 1833, -- 1833, Aug., 1826, July, 1834, May, 1827, SETTLED IN KENT CO. Sept., 1835. May, 1835. July, 1835. July 18,1836. May, 1836. May, 1836. Sept., 1836. Oct., 1836. Feb., 1837. July, 1837. July, 1844. Sept., 1836. Oct., 1835. Aug., 1841. July 7, 1848. April, 1840. Aug., 1836. April, 1840. June, 1836. Sept. 5,1836. May, 1836. June, 1835. May 17, 1833. June, 1833. May, 1834. July, 1834. July, 1836. Oct., 1836. March, 1837. Sept., 1836. March, 1837. Feb., 1845. Feb., 1840. June, 1835. Sept., 1835. July, 1845. Oct., 1836. July, 1839. Oct, 1836. Oct., 1850. April, 1841. Feb., 1837, Sept., 1836. Nov., 1852. July, 1835. -,1821. Oct. 12, 1836. Dec., 1835. Dec. 2, 1835. July, 1836. —, 1857. March 1, 1838. —,1836. July, 1833. Jan., 1849. July, 1836. Feb., 1834. Oct., 1848. Aug. 28, 1834. Aug. 3, 1838. 0 250 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. From 1859 to 1868, there is no record of a permanent organization. During those years the pioneers of the county merely assembled at intervals to celebrate the birthday of one of their number, or participate in the rejoicings of a golden wedding day. A formal meeting of old settlers was held within the counting room of A. Roberts & Sons, at Grand Rapids, Feb. 29, 1868, over which Wm. A. Tryon presided, with J. W. Pierce, Secretary, at which J. G. Thompson, the photographer, who made a group picture of 40 members of the society, was admitted an honorary member. THE SOCIETY REORGANIZED. A second general meeting of the Old Settlers was held at Sweet' s Hotel, Dec. 27, 1871, under the presidency of Ezekiel W. Davis, with Lumuu R. Atwater, Secretary. The temporary Chairman and Secretary were elected President and Secretary of the Society for the year ending January, 1872, with Robert Hilton and Charles Shepard, Vice-Presidents. John F. Godfroy, James Miller, Thomas D. Gilbert, Charles Shepard and J. W. Pierce were appointed a committee on constitution and by-laws. Hon. Byron D. Ball offered to write the history of steamboat navigation on Grand River; Prof. Franklin Everett offered his services to the society as historian; and J. W. Winsor and others related some adventures of the early settlers. The reorganized society was formed under the most favorable circumstances. MEETING OF 1872. The third general meeting of the pioneers was held at Sweet's Hotel, Jan. 17, 1872, with E. W. Davis in the chair, when the committee on organization, appointed February, 1871, reported in favor of carrying on the society under the form adopted in 1858. The annual election resulted in the choice of Rix Robin son for President; Ezekiel W. Davis and Charles Shepard, Vice Presidents; John W. Pierce, Secretary, and Luman R, Atwater Treasurer. THE FOURTH GENERAL MEETING was held in the Circuit Court room, Feb. 22, 1873, with VicePresident E. W. Davis in the chair. A paper descriptive of the early settlement at the Rapids was read by the Chairman; a statistical paper by Wm. M. Ferry; a poeIn, entitled " Reunions of the Old Settlers," by J. Ransom Sanford; a letter from John Ball, then residing at Geneva, Switzerland, by James Miller. Eugene E. Winsor, born in Ionia county in 1833, and for years HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 251 a resident of New York State, was admitted a member of the society. A special meeting was held May 28, 1873, to consider the advisability of holding a festival in June. The members were favorable to the idea, and selected Robert Hilton, Franklin Everett, L. R. Atwater, W. J. Blakely and Benjamin C. Luce, a committee to make the necessary arrangements. The festival was held June 21, 1873, and was a success in its every feature. Hon. Thomas B. Church delivered the address; the poem, "One Hundred Years Ago," was read by Prof. Everett; while Dr. Platt read a document presented to the Medical Society here long years before. THE FIFTH REGULAR MEETING was held in the Common Council room, Randall's block, Jan. 26, 1874. The officers elected in 1872, and again in 1873, were reelected for the year ending January, 1875. At this reunion, John F. Godfroy related many stories connected with the Indian occupation of the valley; Judge Davis treated the same subject, stating among other facts that he had been employed in 1834 by the Indians to operate their saw-mill on Indian creek. Rev. James Ballard related the history of the churches of Grand Rapids in 1836 -'38. John Ball, B. Stocking, H. H. Ives, James Davis, Franklin Everett, Myron Royce, and James Miller recited many reminiscences of early times. Ezekiel Davis died Nov. 6, 1874, and on the following day the Old Settlers' Society met, when a resolution of condolence was passed, and Leonard Covell and John F. Godfroy were appointed marshals of the funeral cortege. Messrs. Hilton, Church, Everett and Ballard, the committee on resolutions, reported the following in connection with the death of this pioneer: "That in the death of Judge Ezekiel Davis, the public has lost one. of its best citizens; a pioneer in the Grand River Valley; a public man long identified with its progress; a pure and virtuous man in private life; an honorable Christian gentleman. One long-loved, long-honored and revered has finished his earthly course and gone to his rest,-his life-work done, and well done. That in token of our sympathy with his family a copy of these resolutions be presented to them and to the press; and, in token of our personal regard for the deceased, we attend his funeral in a body." The terms of this resolution were observed, and the pioneers honored themselves in paying due respect to the ashes of their departed brother. THE SIXTH REGULAR MEETING was held Jan. 26, 1875, with Vice-President Charles Shepard in the chair. The only business of importance transacted was the ap 252 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. pointinent of James Miller, John Ball and Thomas D. Gilbert, a committee on resolutions in connection with the deaths of Rix Robinson and John W. Pierce, President and Secretary respectively of the society. A series of resolutions were reported at a special meeting held Feb. 2, 1875, and approved. The officers elected for 1875 were: John Ball, President; Charles Shepard and Robert Hilton, Vice-Presidents; Franklin Everett, Secretary; Leonard Covell, Marshal; and Wm. Newton Cook, Treasurer. This election, with notice of amendments to the con-' stitution-one of which provided for the change of name to ' The Old Residents' Association of the Grand River Valley"-and the passing of the resolutions of condolence, formed the business of the special meeting.... THE SEVENTH REGULAR MEETING was held Jan. 26, 1876. After the transaction of some routine business, the following officers were elected; Robert Hilton, President; Charles Shepard and W. A. Tryon, Vice-Presidents; Reuben H. Smith, Secretary; and W. N. Cook, Treasurer. The following named persons were elected honorary members of the society: Wm. B. Ledyard, Henry Fralick, Win. C. Voorhees, Martin Riorson, Mrs. Wm. A. Richmond, Mrs. Truman A. Lyon, Mrs. Barney Burton, Mrs. Lewis Reed, Mrs. Judge Boyel, and Mrs. Col. Roberts. By a resolution of this meeting the wives of members of the society were to be admitted to all the privileges of honorary membership. The reunion at the Morton House, Feb. 8, 1876, was another of those happy gatherings characteristic of a pioneer organization. The association attended the funeral of Mrs. Ezra Reed, who died at Muskegon, Mich., on Feb. 21, 1876. A few months later the organization appeared in the funeral cortege which accompanied the remains of Mrs. Benjamin Luce to their last resting place May 5, 1876. The picnic at Reed's lake, July 13, 1876, was one of those enjoyable affairs which tend to raise men's minds above the serious cares of the world. Nor was its utility in this respect to be questioned. Within a few months some of the best known old settlers were accompanied to their graves by many of the merrymakers on this occasion; and to bask in all the sunshine which this world affords to men and women who earned rewards as the old settlers did, was a duty which they owed to themselves and their friends, even though death snatched a few of their number away, and continued to threaten others. Passing away from the festivities of July, the association was called upon to attend the funeral of Nathaniel Fisk, who died Sept. 13, 1876. The officers of the society and many of its members were present, and paid their last duties of respect to a deceased member. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 253 THE EIGHTH REGULAR MEETING was held within the U. S. Court room at Grand Rapids, Jan. 26,1877, with all the officers and 30 members present. Robert Hilton was elected President; Wm, A. Tryon and Charles Shepard, Vice-Presidents; Reuben H. Smith, Secretary; Wm. N. Cook, Treasurer, and Leonard Covell, Marshal. The reunion at the Morton House, Feb. 8, 1877, was attended by 266 pioneers of the valley. After the banquet, President Hilton asked Judge Withey to address the guests of the association. The Judge, in assenting, said it gave him great pleasure to speak of the merits and sterling qualities of the men who endured the privations of pioneer life, whose influence and enterprise had proved so beneficial to society, and who contributed so largely to the development of the resources of the State. It was a pleasure for him to speak of old times and connect with them such names as Rix Robinson, Wm. M. Ferry, Dr. Cumming, Geo. Coggeshall, Lucius Lyon, Stephen Hinsdill, Judge Almy, and many others who had gone to their graves; men who had an influence in society, who helped to form public opinion, to stamp the impress of their characters upon society. He loved to speak in terms of praise of the living and the dead, who came into the valley when it was a wilderness, planted civilization in the midst of barbarity, and labored to develop the resources we live to see and to enjoy. Taking a retrospect of the past, we see what influences have come down to us. In the formation of the society those men and women gave it its character and tone; they found an undeveloped region and labored successfully to develop all its resources, so that it is now the most prosperous and inviting region in the State of Michigan. The Judge having concluded a brilliant reference to the past, was succeeded byThomas B. Church and James Miller. Succeeding this day of pleasure came one of mourning. The death of Win. A. Tryon occurred May 2, 1877, and on the fourth day of the same month a series of resolutions 6f condolence, offered by Thos. B. Church, were passed, and the society attended the funeral of thedeceased. The death of Charles Burchard, June 6, 1877, occasioned the presence of the association in a second funeral cortege before the first half of the year passed into the past. The annual celebration of the "Old Residents" was held at Reed's lake, June 19,1877. Rev. James Ballard, Rev. Courtney Smith, Rev. W. W. Johnson, Lovell Moore and Smith Lapham were among the speakers. Apoem, written for the occasion, was read by A. W. Cook. The association met July 10, 1877. to adopt resolutions of condolence on the death of James F. Sargeant, who died July 8. Identified with the resolution as adopted was the following characteristic reference: 'That this is a fitting occasion to make a brief allusion to the family and history of the deceased, he and they being among our earliest settlers. His uncle, Nehemiah O. 254 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Sargeaut, was a founder of this city, and acted with energy and wisdom in his day in laying the foundations for its growth and prosperity. The late Thomas Sargeant, father of the deceased, spent a long and active life among us, and to his mother, brother, and family we tender our earnest condolence." After the adoption of the resolutions, the association attended the funeral. The decease of Mrs. Hiram H. Allen, who died Jan. 10, 1878, was another event which called forth the kind offices of the "Old Residents." Their attendance at the funeral was large. THE NINTH REGULAR MEETING. The annual meeting, held Jan. 26, 1878, resulted in the election of Robert Hilton, President; Charles Shepard and Hiram H. Allen, Vice-Presidents; Reuben H. Smith, Secretary; W. N. Cook, Treasurer, and Leonard Covell, Marshal. OTHER OCCASIONS. The reunion of the Old Residents took place Feb. 14. 1878. at Sweet's Hotel, at which 300 pioneers were present. The "frosted cakes" bore the names of Louis Campau, John Almy, Lucius Lyon, Abel Page, Warren P. Mills, Eliphalet H. Turner, Rix Robinson, Samuel Dexter, Truman H. Lyon, sr., Col. Amos Roberts, James Lyman, James Scribner, Ezekiel W. Davis, Col. A. T. McReynolds, Hon. Thomas D. Gilbert, Hon. Chas. H. Taylor, and Col. eW. M. Ferry. The latter, in dealing with the early educators of the Valley, referred in the highest terms to the Rev. Father Vizoiski, Rev. Mr. Bingham and Rev. F. H. Cummings. The death of Robert Smith Parks occurred May 8, 1878, and formed a sad summons to his brot her members to pay his remains the last solemn rites. The association attended the funeral of this old settler May 10, 1878, under the marshal, Leonard Covell. Leonard Bennett deceased June 11, 1878. His funeral was duly attended by the pioneers. The annual picnic was held at Reed's Lake, June 13, 1878. August 14 the Old Residents of the county were present at the reunion held at Lowell. The last three months of 1878 were characterized by the death of three members of the association, viz.: Mrs. Orson A. Withey, who deceased Oct. 27; Peter R. L. Pierce, Nov. 11, and Daniel F. Tower, who died Dec. 9, 1878. THE ASSOCIATION IN 1879. The death of Mrs. Horace W. Reed, Jan. 16, 1879, was the first event to summon the Old Residents together. They assembled Jan. 20, selected pall-bearers to meet the procession at the G. R. & N. R. R. depot and attend the funeral ceremony. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 255 The annual meeting was held Jan. 26, when Robert Hilton was elected President; Charles Shepard and H. H. Alien, Vice-Presidents; Reuben H. Smith, Secretary; W. N. Cook, Treasurer, and Leonard Covell, Marshal. Mirs. Myron W. Sunderland, Mrs. Harriet M. Hall, Mrs. Wm. S. Parsons, and John Hart were admitted honorary members, Jan. 26. Mrs. Jacob W. Winsor, Mrs. John Friend, Mrs. Joseph Baxter, Mrs. Obed H. Foote, and Mrs. Harvey K. Rose were admitted to membership Feb. 1, 1879. Mrs. Henry Seymour was admitted an honorary mamber May 28, and Mrs. Eunice Turner, Aug. 11, 1879. The attendance of the Old Residents at the funeral of Dr. Alvah H. Botsford, Feb. 1, 1879, and the acceptance of a resolution of condolence, formed the work of the meeting of that date. During the latter months of the year the association attended the funeral of Mrs. Maxime Ringuette, who died June 9; of Mrs. Solomon O. Kingsbury, Aug. 1; of Timothy J. Tanner, Oct. 18; of Hon. James Miller, Nov. 25; of J. Mortimer Smith, Dec. 5; of Mrs. Sarah Campau, relict of Antoine Campau, Dec. 18; and of Mrs. Andrew Ferguson. Those funeral processions were swelled by the Old Residents and every mark of respect which should mark such sad events, shown to the memory of the dead. The annual festival was held at Reed's lake, June 19, 1879. At the reunion held Feb. 7, at the Morton House, Henry Pennoyer, Rev. James Ballard, W. L. Coffinberry, Judge Withey and Robert Hilton were the speakers. THE ACTS OF THE ASSOCIATION IN 1880. The first action of the Old Residents was their attendance at the funeral of AlmonD. Borden, Jan. 21, 1880, under the direction of Marshal L. Covell. Five days later the annual meeting was held, at which the persons hitherto named as honorary members were confirmed as such. The election of officers resulted as follows: Robert Hilton, President; Hiram H. Allen and Robert P. Sinclair, Vice-Presidents; Reuben H. Smith, Secretary; W. N. Cook, Treasurer, and Leonard Covell, Marshal. The appointments as delegates to the State Pioneer Society's meeting were: John Ball, S. L. Withey, Thos. D. Gilbert, John T. Holmes, H. R. Neysmith, R. P. Sinclair, William J. Blakely, R. C. Luce, and H. H. Alien. Mrs. Aaron Sibley and Messrs. Jared Wells, A. A. Stevens, and David Horton were elected honorary members. The reunion at the MortonIHouse, Feb. 7, 1880, was one of the most satisfactory meetings of the pioneers. Hon. John T. Holmes, Henry Pennoyer, Col. McReynolds, Chas. H. Taylor, Capt. W. L. Coffinberry and others addressed the assemblage and related many historic events in connection with the early settlement of the valley. 256 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. The June celebration of the society was held at Reed's lake, June 15, 1880. Judge Isaac H. Parish and Thomas B. Church were the speakers. The following deaths were reported, resolutions of condolence passed, and the funeral obsequies carried out under direction of the marshal of the Old Residents' Association: Samuel Howland, April 17, funeral April 19; Mrs. J. Mortimer Smith, June 9, funeral June 11; Benjamin Luce, Oct. 10, funeral Oct. 12; Mrs. James M. Kennedy, Oct. 27, funeral Oct. 29; Christopher Kusterer, Oct. 29, funeral Oct. 31. ACTS OF THE ASSOCIATION IN 1881. The deaths of Rev. James Ballard, Truman H. Lyon and Cyrus Jones, during the first days of January, were sad remembrancers of all that is transient in our humanity. Jan. 9, 1881, the association met to adopt resolutions of condolence and attend the burial services of those pioneers. A few days later the funeral of Wm. D. Roberts called them again to visit the fields of the dead. This man was laid to rest Jan. 12, 1881. The annual meeting of the Old Residents' Association of the Grand River Valley for 1881, was held at Luce's Hall, Jan. 26. About 50 members were present. President Robert Hilton called the meeting to order, and the record of proceedings of the previous annual meeting and other gatherings during the year were read by Secretary Reuben H. Smith. Hon. Thomas B. Church, from the committe appointed to prepare a suitable memorial paper, in remembrance of the late Cyrus Jones, Rev. James Ballard, Truman Hawley Lyon and William D. Roberts, presented the following, which was ordered spread upon the record and furnished the press for publication: The committee to whom was referred the subject matter hereafter presented,, ask leave to report: -That prominent among the losses this association has met with during the present and the closing portion of the last year, have been the deaths of Cyrus Jones, Esq., the Rev. James Ballard, Truman Hawley Lyon and William D. Roberts, who were enrolled members. The usual notice of these events was not taken at the time of their occurrence, and the desire of the association has been expressed that at the present annual meeting, a fitting memorial thereof shall be recorded. Cyrus Jones was emphatically an old settler. He, his brother Ira, and his brothers-in-law, Eliphalet H. and Isaac Turner, have left evidence of their work and worth, on the very history of the towns they resided in, and of this city, Cyrus Jones was a plain, unpretending, honest, and good man; conscientiously fulfilling his obligations as the head of a family, a citizen and magistrate, and after an exemplary life, and full of years, laid down, in rest, in a country he had helped to redeem from the wilderness, all his survivors reverently recognizing his worth. Members of this class of our fellow-citizens are now frequently falling; in all parts of the Grand River Valley are going, amidst the heats of summer and the chills of winter, those men who were, in their allotted spheres,f action, however humble, " the founders of the State." The life of the Rev. James Ballard need not be reviewed to this association. He has been a central figure in moral, educational and religious work in this valley, since he first made it his home. The first minister of the Congregational Church, the first principal of the high school, the zealous advocate of temperance and political freedom, he wrote, spoke, traveled and labored for the causes \X l, Xl~l~ HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 259 he believed in, with an energy never failing, and the good influences he strove to establish and maintain will continue to bless this community long after his mortal remains have become dust. Truman Hawley Lyon was the son of an old settler, Judge T. H. Lyon, and is hardly realized to be one of those whose gray hairs and bending forms indicate membership in this association. Yet, taking the date of his own first personal participation in the business of life (1850), the years following have witnessed his activityin those lines of occupation, which secured him a wide acquaintance with all classes, and enabled him to exercise much influence, and thus he was regarded by many old settlers as an early co-operator in the development of this valley. His "pleasantways and straightforward methods" made him many friends, and there survives now only the knowledge of his kindness, liberality and usefulness as stage proprietor, hotel-keeper and real estate improver, where he invested his means, benefited the public and earned the character of useful citizenship. Connected in life, and closely in the time of death with those we have mentioned, and hardly separable from those memories which they have evoked, was William D. Roberts, son of Col. Amos Roberts and of Mrs. Sallie Roberts, yet spared in extreme age to those who love her. From early you h W. D. Roberts lived here, was always in business here and is brou 4ht markedly, into the line of old settlership and placed amongst these events we have associated to record and commemorate. He closed his life amid a gloom of diseased body and darkened mind which excited the warm sympathy of his numerous friends (for he had many), and will prevent us from remembering anything but his virtues, which were many and often manifested, and secured to him the regard of relatives and the "Friends of better days." T. B. CHURCH, J. T. HOLMES, A. B. TURNER. The Secretary and Treasurer made their annual reports. That of Secretary Smith showed an addition of 37 during the year by signing the articles of association, and four were voted honorary members. There were 13 deaths of members within the year, namely: Samuel Howland, Jared Wells, Mrs. J. Mortimer Smith, Myron Harris, Benjamin Luce, Mrs. Norman Cummings, Mrs. J. M. Kennedy, Christoph Kusterer, Cyrus Jones, Edward Lyon, Truman H. Lyon, Rev. James Ballard and William D. Roberts. The report of Treasurer W. N. Cook showed the following: Balance in the treasury Jan. 25, 1880, $73.28; receipts for memberships, fees and dues, $122.50; expenditures during the year, $95.50; balance on hand, $100.28. The reports were accepted. Mr. Leonard Covell presented for consideration a proposition to organize as a corporate body under the statutes, with a draft of articles of incorporation for that purpose. Thomas D. Gilbert moved a resolution that "It is inexpedient at this time to change the form or character of this Association." After a brief discussion, the resolution was adopted by a nearly unanimous vote. The association then proceeded, on motion, to the election of officers, and the following were chosen: President, Robert Hilton; Vice-Presidents, Hiram Allen and Robert P. Sinclair; Secretary, Reuben H. Smith; Treasurer, Thomas D. Gilbert; Marshal, Leonard Covell. A resolution was offered by Mr. D. Schernerhorn that the society, whenever there are funds in the treasury, devote a portion to the aid of such members, if any, as are, through misfortmne, in 16 260 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. need. Laid on the table, after discussion, in which several members took part. It was discovered that a technical error existed in the constitution, whereby it appeared that'residence in Kent county was made a condition of membership, which is not the intent nor the practice, as the society includes Ionia, Kent and Ottawa counties. Mr. S. L. Baldwin gave notice of an amendment to correct the error, which lies over under the rules. Meantime, those qualified by residence in the valley are invited to the association as heretofore. Delegates to the State Pioneer Society meeting at Lansing were chosen: S. M. Pearsall, Thomas D. Gilbert, Heman Palmerlee, Abel T. Page, N. L. Avery, Henry R. Naysmith, W. N. Cook. Mrs. A. L. Jarvis and Mr. Samuel L. Fuller were elected honorary members of the association, and the meeting adjourned. The picnic given by the Old Residents June 17, 1881, was not largely attended. What was wanting in quantity was fully compensated for in quality. Messrs. Church, Judge Withey, Judge Parish and President Hilton addressed their fellow " Old Residents." Mrs. Barney Burton and a few other ladies who were here at an early day were present, all forming a party enviably happy. At a meeting of the Association of the Old Residents of Grand River Valley, called Aug. 3, 1881, the death of Rev. Daniel Bush, a member of the association, having been announced, it was, on motion of Billins Stocking, Resolved, That we receive with sorrow the announcement of the decease of our late brother. Resolved, That reviewing his long life, spent for a large part thereof in this county, as a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and, in 'ate years, as a farmer in the town of Walker, we pronounce with pride his plain, unpretentious and earnest piety, and his industry, honesty, kindly feelings, and faithful discharge of duty, in all domestic and public relations, conclusive evidence of his worth and merits. Resolved, That we sympathize with the family he has left in their great affliction-the loss of an affectionate father-their consolation being in the fact that he was gathered " a shock fully ripened," and possessing the love and esteem of those who knew him best. Resolved. That a copy of these resolutions be sent by our Secretary to his daughter, Miss Marion M. Bush, for the family. The death of Mr. Gorham a short time previous called forth a similar expression of sorrow from this society. The following list contains the names of all members of the Old Residents' Society from 1871, the date of reorganization, to the latter part of 1875. NAME. WHERE AND WHEN BORN. SETTLEDIN KENT CO. John W. Pierce, Geneseo, Livingston Co., N. Y., 1814, —,1836. Leonard Covell, Cabot, Caledonia Co., Vt.: 1816, June 6, 1837. Silas Hall, Croydon, Cheshire Co., N. H., 1809,, 1842. Geo. W. Dickenson, Granby, Mass., 1809, —, 1834. John Edison, Digby, Nova Scotia, 1806, -- 1840 James Miller, Winsted, Conn., 1823, --- 1844. Wm. T. Blakely, Otsego Co., N. Y., 1810, June 6, 1837. Philander Tracey, Cayuga Co., N. Y., 1802, May 5, 1836. Penjamin Luce, Monroe Co., N. Y., 1822, Aug. 20, 1837. Ezekiel W. Davis, New Jersey, 1776,,1834. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 261 William Haldane, New York, 1807, J. W. Winsor, Syracuse, N. Y., 1814, Samuel M. Turner, New York, 1822, Abram Randall, Herkimer Co., N. Y., 1800, J. Mortimer Smith, New York, 1811, Robert Hilton, Maine, 1799, Harry H. Ives, Wallingport, Conn., 1816. Ebenezer W. Barrett, Woodstock, Vt., 1819, Leeman R. Atwater, Burlington, Vt., 1810, Chas. Shepard,M. D., Herkimer, N. Y., 1812, Wm. M. Ferry, Mackinac, Mich., 1824, Josiah R. Holden, Guiton, N. H., 1797, A. W. Pike, Cincinnati, O., 1814, John Kirkland, 1807, Eugene E. Maisor, Ionia Co., Mich., 1833. F. H. Lyon, jr., Parishville, N. Y., Franklin Everett, Worthington, Mass, 1812, John H. Withey, St. Albans, Vt., 1831, John Harrington, Vermont, 1796, E. G. D. Holden, Painesville, O., 1834, Reuben H. Smith, Hamilton, Madison Co., N. Y., 1816, Wilson Jones, New York, 1816, John L. buchanan,' Ithaca, Tompkins Co., N. Y., 1823, Osmond Reed, Herkimer Co., N. Y., 1824, S. L. Withey. St. Albans, Vt., 1820, H. W. Naysmith, Livingston Co., N. Y., 1824. M. L. Hopkins, Alonzo Platt, Thomas D. Gilbert, Greenfield, Mass, Dec. 13, 1815, Daniel Bush, Canada West, May 6, 1810, Timothy J. Farmer, Bristol, R. I., 1803, Dan Schermerhorn, Schoharie Co., N. Y., May 21, 1804, Leonard D Ooge, Holland, Europe, Chauncey Pelton, Damon Hatch, Richfield, N. Y., 1800, T. W. White, Ashfield, Mass., 1805, Thomas Sargent, Joseph R. Blain, Hiram H. Allen, Williston, Vt., John F. Godfroy, Detroit, 1824, Foster Kelly, Windsor Co., Vt., 1810, R. S. Parks, Cayuga Co., N. Y., May 13, 1810, W. D. Roberts, Amos Roberts, Myron Roys, Sheffield, Mass., Dec. 1, 1808, Farnham Lyon, Adgales Falls, N. Y., Nov. 5, 1829, Billins Stocking, Lisbon, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., 1808, James M. Davis, Wilson, Niagara Co., N. Y., 1830, Leonard Snyder, Renplairice, Alt Co., N. Y.. 1805, Ibaac D. Davis, Oswego Co., N. Y., 1818, James H. Brown, Schoharie Co., N. Y., 1808, Andrew Loomis, Greene Co., N. Y.; 1793, John Ball, Hebron, N. H., 1794, Joseph Blain, Gaines, Orleans Co., N. Y., 1813, John Kendall, Greenfield, Mass., 1825, Aaron Brewer, Lemuel D. Putnam, Herkimer Co., N. Y., S. 0. Kingsbury, Enfleld, Conn., May 2, 1812, James Ballard, Charlemont, Mass., April 20, 1805, Nathaniel Fisk, Brandon, Vt., July 28, 1809, Lemuel W. Young, Holland, March 26,1825, Sam. Howland, Middlebury, Mass., Jan. 9, 1811, H. Dear, Westfield Miss., Feb. 6, 1799, Wm. M. Anderson, Troy, N. Y., Sept. 25,1802. -—, 1836, May 9, 1833. -,1833. —, 1886. Nov. 8, 1838. July 3, 1836. June 5, 1837. Nov.. 1836. May, 1837. May, 1837. Oct., 1835. -, 1834, June, 1838. -,1837. -, 1834. March, 1841. Oct. 6, 1846. May 22, 1836. --,1838. Nov., 1845. -,1838. June, 1843 Nov., 1842. July 19, 1834. Aug., 1838. -, 1845. June 10, 1835. Sept., 1840 -, 1845. -, 1848. April, 1848. -,1839. June 8, 1835. -—, 1838. —, 1838. Oct., 1835. -- 1843. —, 1838. —, 1838. June, 1833. June, 1837. Nov., 1836. Aug., 1836. Sept., 1842. July 8, 1836. Feb., 1847. May 4, 1842. Sept., 1836. April, 1886. April, 1847. Aug., 1846. June 8, 1844. Feb. 8, 1838. Aug., 1835. Sept., 1848. July, 1836. —, 1824 July, 1839. 262 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Edmund Carrier, Madison Co., N. Y., March 16, 1812, Nov., 1843. Richard Godfroy, Detroit, Mich., June 26, 1809, Sept., 1832. Henry C. Smith, Scituate, R. I., Jan. 9, 1804, Oct, 1836. Abel T. Page, Rutland, Vt., April 15,1829, Nov., 1836. James Pattissen, Vermont, March 23, 1823, —, 1837. Wm. A. Tryon, New Lebanon, N. Y., April 15, 1799, June, 1437. Simeon L. Baldwin, Canterbury, Conn., April 4, 1821, Aug.. 1844. Henry Spring, Thamesville, New Jersey, Feb. 7, 1830, April, 1845. James Waters, Westchester Co., N. Y., May 21, 1805, Sept., 1843. William N. Cook, New Hartford, Oneida Co.,N. Y.,May 13, 1821,May, 1840. Albert Baxter, Moretown, Vt., Aug. 3, 1823, Sept., 1846. Ben. F. Sliter, Grani Rapids, Kent Co., Jan. 30,1841, Native, 1841. John B. Farmer, Bristol, R. I., Feb. 12,1833, May, 1845. James D. Lyon, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., Jan. 15, 1825, June 10, 1837. Chauncey Patterson Seneca Co., N.. Y., Aug. 21, 1823, Nov., 1828, Hollis R. Hills, Bennington, Vt., July 1, 1830, May, 1838. Orlando K. Pearsall,Oakland Co., Mich., April 20, 1829, Native, 1829. Pliny Smith, Middlebury Co., N. Y., Feb. 18, 1829, Aug., 1829. William Norman, England, May 9, 1815, June, 1837. Thompson Sinclair, Seneca Co.. N. Y., June 18, 1819, May, 1839. Ebenezer M. Ball, Hebron, N. Y., April 1, 1819, July, 1845. Wm. T. Powers. Bristol, Grafton Co., N. Y., Feb. 14, 1811, Aug. 5, 1825. Maxime Ranquette, Montreal, L. C., Aug. 15, 1815, April 1, 1836. Justin M. Stanley, Trumbull Co., O., July 11, 1834, April, 1846. Wm. R. Barnard, Steuben Co., N, Y., Aug. 18,1814, April, 1834. Geo. C. Fitch, Putney, Vt., Dec. 20, 1823, May 24, 1848. James O. Fitch, Putney, Vt., March 24, 1815, Sept., 1850. Edward Lyon, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., 1833, Sept., 1837. Crayton N. Adams, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Jan. 19, 1828, Oct. 16, 1845. Geo. S. D. White, Yates Co., N. Y., Sept. 9, 1822, May 2, 1842. Carleton Neale, R. J. Shoemaker, G. S. Deane, Howard Jennings, A. Salmon, A. Hills, Myron Harris, Jacob W. Barnes, Robert M. Collins, David Burnett, Edward Carrier, Demetrius Turner, Abijah Luce, B. C. Luce, M. B. Hine, Henry C. Smith, L. S. Scranton, John W. Fiske, The forgoing list comprises all the names enrolled as members of the Old Residents' Society, and continued on the roll of the Old Residents' Association up to Dec. 31, 1875. | A In the following list the names of all the old residents who became members of the Association from Jan. 26 to June 17, 1881, are given. ROLL OF OLD RESIDENTS 1876 TO 1881. IMMIGRATION TO NAME. WHERE BORN.. DATE. IMIGRAION T Charles C. Rood, Barry,Washingt'n Co.,Vt. W. H. Reynolds, Gloster, R. I., Feb. 28, 1819, Sept. 6, 1838. G. M. Cray, Skaneateles, N. Y., May 13 1826, July 4,1838. Wm. Thornton, Springfield, Vt., Dec. 29, 1814, June 30, 1834. Wm. K. Wheeler, Orange Co, Vt., Nov. 22,1814, Sept. 11,1846. Lorin M. Page, Concord, Vt., Ad " March 29,1811, Sept. 1, 1836. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 263 Carlos Burchau, Painesville, O., Oct. 22, 1821, May, 1857. Samuel Westlake, Sept. 1, 1842. Noyes L. Urory, Aurora, N. Y., Dec. 15, 1815, Aug., 1850.1, D. L. Campau, Detroit, Mich., Oct. 6, 1834, -, 1836. L. P Clarke, New York, Oct. 29,1824, Sept., 1831. William C. Voorheis, New York, March 4, 1813, Sept., 1823. Samuel L. Fuller, Geneseo, N. Y., Jan. 24, 1819, May, 1836. Geo. W. Dodge, Cheshire Co., N. H., Dec. 21,1828, Nov. 8, 1849. Norman Cummings, Geneseo, N. Y. March 9, 1825, Nov., 1840. John S. Davis, Herkimer Co., N. Y. Oct. 9, 1827, May, 1834. Robert P. Sinclair, Seneca Co., N.Y., Oct. 17, 1814, Dec., 1849. Edward L. Briggs, Onondaga Co., N. Y., July 30, 1830, May, 1834. Wm. S. Gunn, Rome, Oneida Co., N. Y., July 16, 1825, Sept., 1845. Oscar H. Chipman, Madrid,St Lawr'nce, N.Y. Nov. 16, 1807, July, 1833. Geo. Kendall,j Greenfield, Mass., Dec. 14, 1813, -, T140. Horatio Randall, Columbia, N. Y., March 11, 1811, April, 1861. W. L. Coffinberry, Lancaster, 0, April 5,1807, June, 1844. Herman Leonard, Moore Co., N. Y., April 30, 1812, June, 1835. Sherman M. Pearsall, Cayuga, N. Y., Dec. 11, 1817, June, 1826. George G. Stover, Heb. Co., N. Y., July 27, 1827, June, 1851. Horace W. Reed, Otsego, N. Y., July 29, 1819, Oct. 10, 1842. James Muir, Scotland, April 16,1822, Aug. 25, 1851. James A. Runssey, Newburg, N. Y., Nov. 8, 1814, June 6, 1837. Keeran Whalen Ireland, April 18, 1824, June 18,1845. John Chipman, Shof., N.J., Oct. -,1815, Oct., 1833. Warren W. Weatherly, Lebanon, Mad. Co., N.Y., June 14, 1820, May, 1843. James Sergeant, Boston, Mass., March 5, 1831, July, 1836. Solomon Wright, Wo'cott.Wayne Co., N.Y., March 14,1818, -Nov., 1837. Orison A Withey, St. Albans, Vt., April 15, 1815, March 9,1838. M. H. Wileman, Danbury, Conn., Sept. 5,1818, May, 1850. Winthrop R. Cadey, Herkimer Co., N. Y., April 16, 1823, Oct., 1838. Samuel VW hite, Oxford, C. W. Oct. 1, 1829, Oct., 1887. C. B. Dean, New York State, Oct. 30, 1827, June, 1836. Leonard Binmrub, Mass. March 15,1804, Oct., 1845, Edwin S Marsh, New York, Feb. 3, 1817, Sept., 1837. Charles Barclay, Lyons, N. Y., May 1, 1819, May, 1845. James M Livingstone, Rochester, N. Y, April 11, 1829, -, 1833. Orson C. Kellogg, Onondaga, N. Y. Oct. 2, 1,26, - -- 1837. Rier N. Goodsell, Hornby, Steub. Co.,N.Y., March 15, 1827, April 18,1844. Orsirnus W. Horton, Genesee Co., N. Y., March 2, 1823, July 12, 1852. Lansing K. Rathbun, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Sept. 7, 1822, Oct., 1844, Geo I. Moore, Rippingale, Eng., July 29, 1823, Oct., 1849. A. D. Borden, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Oct. 19, 1830, April, 1840. Mrs. A. Ferguson, Martin L. Sweet, Paris, Oneida Co., N.Y., Feb 21, 1819, Sept., 1842. Chas. W. Warrill, Winchester, Va., May 27, 1827, June, 1837. Henry Pennoyer, Norwalk, Ct., Feb. 8,1809, July, 1835. Wm. W. Hatch, Monroe, AshI'd Co., O., March 14,1822, May, 1842. H. W. Hinsdell, Bennington, Vt., Aug. 22, 1806, Jan., 1835. Osmand Tower, Cummington, Mass., Feb. 16, 1811, Nov., 1834. Joseph Blake, Rockingham Co.. N. H., Nov. 13, 1821, July, 1846. Charles J. Kruger, Rendsburg, Holstein, March 29,1825, May, 1848. Christopher Kusterer, Gumpelscheuer, Ger., May 24, 1823, Sept., 1847. John Cordes, Westphalia, Prussia, Nov. 14, 1822, May, 1836. Frank Poyheimus, Abenhein am Rhine, March 13 1830, Aug., 1852. John W. Phillips, Canada, May 2, 1821, Jan., 1844. Rev. Courtney Smith, Warren Co., N. Y., March 21, 1808, Sept., 1855. Rev. W. W. Johnson, Winstown, Mass., Oct. 26, 1817, Nov., 1835. Lovell Moore, Sterling, Mass., March23,1797, May, 1837. Henry B Childs, Shebourne, Mass., Dec. 22, 1814, Dec. 2, 1846. Edward S. Bates, Tonawanda, N. Y., Oct., 1822, Sept., 1842. Simeon Hunt, Chelsea, Vt., July 7, 1822, Sept., 1836. EdsonEnglish, Tunbridge, Vt., Sept. 12, 1801, Oct., 1840. Geo. Luther, Bristol, R. I., May 3,1823, Oct., 1842. 264 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Miner Patterson, Seneca, N. Y., June 9, 1819, C. S. Stone, Canton, N. Y., Dec. 25, 1830, Leeman Jennison, Canton, N. Y., April 23, —, Samuel Judd, South Hadley, Mass, May 29, 1806, Robert H. Smith, Watertown, Ct., Sept. 13, 1819, Jared L. Post, Ontario Co., N. Y., Oct. 16, 1824, Hollis Konkle, Northampton 'Co., Pa., Dec. 1. 1824. John Watson, Hartford, Ct., Sept. 17, 1826, F. D. Boardman, Ovid, N. Y., May 31, 1816, Daniel M. Watson,, Pa., Feb. 14, 1821, Wriigt C. Allen, Tecumseh, Mich., July 22, 1831, P. F Covell, Cabot, Vt., Dec. 12, 1811, A. Hodges, Bolton, Vt., Oct. 13, 1805, Henry Bremer, Prussia, Ger., Nov. 28,1816, Phillip Kusterer, Wurtemberg, Ger., Aug. 22,1828, James Blair, Putnam,Wash. Co, N.Y., Jan. 2, 1830, W. R. Scribner, New York City, April 24, 1832, G. B. Rathbun, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Aug. 9, 1820, Elias G. Young, Albany, N. Y., Dec. 23, 1821, W. D. Tolford, Orleans Co., N.Y., April 8, 1823, * Hoyt G. Post, Rutland, Vt., Nov. 26,1829, J. T. Elliott, Ontario Co., N. Y., Jan. 14, 1826, Geo. R Pierce, Monroe Co., N. Y., April 28, 1830, Jesse Ganoe, Chenango Co., N. Y., Jan. 5,1819, Darius T. Button, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., June 2,1822, Warren H. Congdon, Lyons, N. Y., Aug. 11, 1829, Benjamin Lewitt, Leicester, England, June 7, 1815, J. C. Parker, Grandville, F. Y., July 18, —, Martin S. Tubbs, Carrington, N. Y., July 20, 1816, James Boyd, Richmond, Ont.Co.,N.Y., July 14. 1826, Geo. Seeple, Essex Co, N. J., Aug. 8, 1819, Joseph Denton, Nova Scotia, Nov. 11, 1814, John Paul, Stoney Kirk, Scotland, Nov. 25, 1825, Geo. W. Eddison, Canada, June 10, 1830, Saley S. Buck, Litchfield Co., Conn., April 7,1816, Abner Dunham, Dutchess Co., N. Y., Au t. 4, 1808, A. C. Phillips, Niagara Co., N. Y., Sept. 21, 1833, Wm. Haack, Prussia, March 11, 1828, Adolph Seittelt, Bohemia, Austria, Jan. 13, 1833, Heman Parmelee, Gr'ndv'le,Wash. Co.,N.Y., Dec. 3, 1820, Elaon O. Fletcher, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., Aug. 7, 1827, F. M. Rosencrantz, Sussex Co., New Jersey, Feb. 3, 1806, Charles W. Hard, Dutchess Co., N. Y., Aug. 28, 1824. Henry Holt, Hampton, Conn., April 6, 1803, James C. Simonds, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., Feb. 17, 1817, Thomas W. Porter, London, Eng, March 24, 1827, John Quinn, Ballymore, Ireland, March, 1833, Perry Witz, Genesee Co., N. Y., April 17, 1816, D. F. Tower, Springfield, Vt., Aug. 29, 1807, Thomas J. Lucas, Canandaigua, N. Y., Jan. 31, 1833, Allen Durfee, Palmyra,N. Y., Jan. 15, 1829, John Morton, Buffalo, N. Y., Feb. 27,1823. John B Colton, Conway, Mass., March 11,1827, John Hart, Sliao City, Ireland, May 26. 1807, James D. Robinson, Belfast City, Ireland, April 17,1822, Abram J. Whitney, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Jan. 13, 1820, James A. Paul, Wightonshire, Scotland, May 23,1822, Geo. Schroeder, Hanover, Germany, April 19,1821, Geo. W. Allen, Enfield, Conn., Sept. 17, 1813, J. A. Powell, Batavia, N. Y., Nov. 15,1829. Isaac Haynes. Guildford, England, April 3, 1834, Adolphus L. Skinner, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., Jan. 27, 1834, Wm. Larraway, Plymouth, Mich., Jan. 22, 1833, Benjamin S. Hanchett, Marcellus, N. Y., June 3),1822, Oct., 1828. -, 1834. June, 1836. May 21, 1852. April, 1844. Oct., 1839. Oct., 1837. Oct. 22, 1852. Oct, 1840. Oct., 1837. Sept., 1838. June, 1839. Dec., 1848. Nov. 18,1842. -, 1836. May 1, 1839, Aug., 1837. Oct., 1843. Oct., 1832. Oct., 1835. Oct. 31, 1852. March, 1837. Oct., 1848. Nov., 1835. June, 1832. May, 1853. June, 1837. Nov., 1842. June, 1826. July 4, 1838 Nov., 1852. Jan. 10, 1842. May, 1836. May, 1851. April, 1854. Sept., 1847. Oct., 1854. May, 1832. Oct., 1845. June, 1837. June, 1852. Oct., 1844. Oct., 185') Sept., 1852. Dec., 1831. Dec, 1837. April, 1838. Oct., 1853. Sept., 1850. Oct., 1844. Feb., 1833. June, 1843. April, 1834. Oct., 1852. Oct. 1., 1853. Aug. 25,1853. April, 1846. April, 1840. Nov., 1845. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 265 Julius Houseman, Nicholas Shoemaker, Chapin Pease, Hiram Jennison, Dorr Skeels, Geo W. Griggs, Elisha H. Adams, John Calkins, Patrick Quirk, Carlos A. Abel, Lee Kelly, Mrs Eunice Turner, G. J. Shackelton, Peter T. G. Hodeufryl, James Sawyer, William Kock, J. M. Go(rham, David McConnell, Geo. H Pew, John Butler, John S. Farr, John C. Scott, C. C. Comstock, Joseph F. Robinson, Paul Steketee, E G. Hill, Horace Wilder, David B. Clay, T. M. Kennedy, Wm. Hinsdill, Henry Grinnell, L M. S. Smith, Edward Leitilt, Martin Green, Franz Berles, Sam 0. Dishman, Fred Platte, Anthony Platte, John Davis, Robert B. Swain, T. J. W. Parler, Wm Lappig, C. Blodgett, W. R Parks, Baker Borden, Joseph S. Clinton, F. W. Worden, John Klys, Benjamin Clark, Horace H. Guild, Patrick McGauran, Francis Van Driele, Erastus U. Knapp, John Muir, Wm. A. Birkey, John M. Hanna, John W. Champlin, G. W. Yale, Charles Foster, John B. Winter, Jefferson Monroe, Wm. H. Solomon, Wm. H. Tanner, Timothy W. White, Bavaria, Ger., Dec. 8 1832 Herkimer Co.,N. Y., Jan. 18, 1821, Oakland Co., Mich, Feb. 4 1834. St. Lawrence Co, N. Y, May 11 1813, Springwater, L. Co, N.Y., July 27 1832 Princeton, N. Jersey, Dec. 1 1815, Dutchess Co., N. Y., June 2.1802 Chenango Co., N. Y., June 23, 1806, Cork County, Ireland, March 16 1800, Wellsb'ro,Essex Co.,N.Y., Oct. 2 18 '4. Gaines, N. Y., Aug. 18, 1833, Canada West, March 15, 1821, Rotterdam, Holland, Aug. 10 1811, Kent, England, April 6, 1814 Germany, Dec. 2, 1827. Boston, Mass., Dec. 22 1825 Newsbury, England, March 20, 1827, Gloucestershire, England, Dec. 17, 1826 Schoduck,Rens.Co.,N.Y., Aug. 22, 1817, Monroe Co., N. Y., Sept. 1,1827, Oswego Co., N. Y., Aug. 2 1828 Sullivan,Chesh. Co.,N.H., March 5, 1818, Co of Arma h, Ireland, March 5 1821, Holland, Europe, Feb. 24, 1834, St. Stephens, N. B., June 17, 1809, Onondaga Co., N. Y., March 8, 1816 Piermont, N. H., Nov. 8, 1833, Oneida Co., N. Y., Feb. 12, 1827, Bennington, Vt., July 14. 1814, Rochester, N. Y, Nov. 14, 1819, Tompkins Co., N. Y., Feb. 8,1808, Bohemia, Austria, July 13,1831, Herkimer Co., N. Y., March 12,1822, Dorlar, Germany, June 28, 1828, George Co., Va., Nov. 21, 1829, Westphalia, Germany, April 20, 1818, Westphalia, Germany, July 25, 1825, Madison Co., N. Y., April 25, 1813, Chemung Co., N. Y., Sept. 12, 1823, Jeffrey, Cheshire Co.,Vt, Nov. 21, 1812, Saxony, Feb. 2, 1827, Murray, Orleans Co.,N.Y.,Feb. 10, 1830, Washington Co., N. Y., May 5,1823, Cayuga Co., N. Y., April 26, 1814, New Haven, Conn., Aug. 26, 1833, Westchester Co., N. Y., March 20, 1820, Holland, Europe, Feb. 11, 1835, Trenton, Hunt. Co.,N.Y., Dec. 19, 1806, Winfield, N. Y., March 4,1832, Mayo Co., Ireland, Maich 27,1810, Zeeland, Netherlands, June 6, 1816, Oswe o Co., N. Y., Feb. 10, 1820, Scotland, Jan. 26, 1830, Perry Co.,., April 12, 1823, Antrim Co., Ireland, June 29, 1829, Ulster Co., N. Y., Feb. 17,1831, Upper Canada, Jan. 16, 1827, Madison Co., N. Y., Buckfasthi, h, Sept. 17, 1834, Sarato a Co., N.Y., July 15, 1805, Orange Co., N. Y., May 4, 1830, Bristol, R. I. June 29, 1825, Brattleboro, Vt., May 4,1826, March, 1852. Oct., 1839. Oct., 1834. Sept., 1852. —, 1838. Nov. 4, 1851. May 5, 1850. July 4., - June, 1834. Jan., 1843. April, 1854. Sept., 1848. May, 1835. April, 1853. Dec., 1849. April, 1844 Sept., 1852. Oct. 1, 1852. Jan. 31, 1855. Oct. 11, 1844. Oct. 17, 1853. April, 1854. July, 1847. April, 1850. July. 1838. April, 1854. Dec., 1854. April. 1835 Nov., 1855. Jul, 1837. Aug., 1854. Aug., 1836. Sept., 1852. Aug., 1852. Oct. 1846. Nov., 1845. July, 1839. Oct., 1854. Sept., 1854. June, 1855. Sept., 1849. April, 1845. May, 1837. April, 1851. April, 1844. May, 1848. Oct, 1833. —, 1834. May, 1845. July, 1848. July, 1847. Aug., 1851. Sept., 1855. May, 1854. Oct., 1854. Oct, 1847. July, 1838. April, 1854. May, 1832. May, 1838. April, 1846. Sept. 18,1854, 266 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. J. B. Folger, Oxford, (hen. Co., NY.,Dec. 17, 1823, April 4, 1856. H. W. Davis,. Niagara Co., N. Y., Dec. 11, 1833, Aug, 1836. Benjamin C. Eaton, Cairo, N. Y., - 1813, Sept., 1848. D. C. Porter, Hamilton, Mad.Co.,N.Y., March 23,1817, May 10, 1846. T. M. White, Palmyra, N. Y., June 14, 1818, April, 1836. B. F. Woodman, Pinkney, N.Y., Dec. 13, 1822, May, 1837. John B. Hogadoan, Bayham, Canada West, April 17, 1818, April 3, 1840. F. W. Tusch, Ohle, Schermane, May 26, 1814, May, 1843. The names given in this roll, together with the honorary members referred to in the transactions of the Old Residents' Associatiorn, sum all the names of the old settlers who were judicious enough to become members of the society. In the other chapters of the county history, as well as in the pages devoted to biography, full mention is made of those and other old residents. There are a few of the pioneers now in the county. Happily, many of the old settlers still live and prosper within the land which they aided in raising from its wilderness State. Their energy and perseverance have opened up every section of the wild lands, and converted them into gardens of profit and of beauty. Where but a few years ago the wolves made the night hideous with their howls, now is heard the lowing and bleating of domestic animals. Only half a century has gone into the past since the Indian's startling whoop reverberated in a thousand echoes over hill and dale; to-day over the land the whistle of the steam engine is its only remembrancer. Then the savage villages spread over the spot where now rise the spires and cupolas of churches and schools and dwellings of a highly civilized people. This change has been effected by the incessant toil and aggregated labor of the pioneers, incited by the noble aspirations of such men and women as would make any country great. What will the next five decades accomplish? The pioneers have had their troubles; the ordeal of settlement in the wilderness could only be passed through by men and women of such hands and hearts as they possessed; yet under all difficulties they won their way to competence and honor; their lchildren grew up around them and became important factors in building up the district. To-day the difficulties of settlement are insignificant; so that it is not too much to state that the advances of the coming half-century will cast into shade even the magnificent progress of the past and lead the Union above the entire world. Prof: Franklin Everett, one of the old residents, a scholar and an honest, liberal-souled man, has contributed, from time to time, nmalv instructive poems to pioneer literature. From among the nulnmber read before the pioneers the following is selected: "Nightly I pitch my moving tent A day's march nearer home " Buckingham. I am almost there! A wearying way Through many a lingering year I've come; And I pitch my tent at the close of day HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 267 A day's march nearer my heavenly home. My journey has been in the vale of years To my Father's home in a land afar; To me it has been a vale of tears; With my guide, eternity's polar star. I am almost home! I rest at night, And cool my brow in the mountain stream; My guiding star has a clearer light, And it shines with a brighter and steadier beam. As I lay my wearied head to rest, Sweet visions of home to cheer me come; And a peaceful calmn steals o'er my rest, For I'm almost there! I am almost home! I am almost home! I have trod the road With pilgrim staff for many a year; With faltering step I have borne the load, Till at last the celestial scenes appear. But 'tis onward yet. I am not there; No rest for me till I reach the dome, With its pearly gates and balmy air, Where my Father lives. I am almost home! I am almost there! and I soon shall rest Where the river of life transparent flows; Where groves with the fairest flowers are dressed, And the tree of life in the garden grows. I shall pitch my tent but a few times more; But a few more pilgrim days I'll spend; Behind is a toilsome road; before, In the distance near, is my journey's end. I am almost home! A pilgrim worn; I have journeyed on these four-score years. I have seen my fellow travelers borne By a heavenly guide through the higher spheres; They were carried away from my longing eyes On a seraph wing that cleaves the air; Their path lay homeward through the skies, While mine was below; but I'm almost there! I am almost there! I shall rest at last; My pilgrim days wil soon be o'er; And the brilliant garden gates be passed, Where I'll meet the friends who have gone before. In my Father's home a welcome waits, And angel hands the feast prepare; Even now I see the open gates, And the welcome beck. Oh! I'm almost there! THE JUNIOR OLD SETTLERS) ASSOCIATION OF TH1E GRAND RIVER VALLEY. The Junior Old Settlers of Kent, Ionia and Ottawa counties have initiated a movement which their contemporaries of other counties would do well to follow. With an organic enterprise worthy of this beautifkil district of the Peninsula, they have provided for themselves that which their seniors denied, and banded together 268 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. with the object of cultivating social relations, perpetuating personal history, and doing honor to their county. This organization may be said to have been inaugurated Dec. 16, 1879, when a number of the Junior Old Settlers assembled in the Superior Court room, electing Charles A. Hilton, Chairman, and Porter Sinclair, Secretary. The question of permanent organization was discussed. Stephen H. Ballard, A. A. Luce, N. B. Scribner, J. W. Wheeler and Arthur Warrell were appointed a committee to draft a constitution for the new society. The report of this committee was presented Dec. 31, 1879, by the Chairman, S. H. Ballard. The constitution comprised seven articles, No. 4 of which deals with eligibility, as follows: Any person, male or female, who shall have been a resident or made it his or her home in either of the counties of Kent, Ionia or Ottawa, twentyfive years prior to the date of his or her application to any member of the committee on membership for membership, and having received a notice of his or her election by such committee, upon signing this constitution, and pafing into the treasury the sum of one dollar, shall thereupon become a member of this association. All those present signing this constitution at the date of its adoption, and paying the sum of one dollar each, shall be considered, and they are hereby declared to be, charter members." On the adoption of these articles of association the following signatures were attached, and the circle of original members formed: NAMES OF CHARTER MEMBERS AND PLACE AND DATE OF BIRTH. Ambrose A. Luce, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 29, 1849. Charles H. Scribner, born at Grand Rapids, June 5, 1841. Julian M. Wheeler, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 28, 1846. Kryn Deykenna. W. B. Morrison, born at Grand Rapids, May 6, 1838. N. B. Scribner, born at Grand Rapids, March 15, 1849. Herman M. Idema, born at Milwaukee, Wis., Oct. 23, 1849. Ira C. Hatch, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 11, 1852. James W. Seymour, born at Grand Rapids, June 5, 1852. Charles J. Potter. Charles A. Hilton, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 21, 1841. Arthur M. Warrell, born at Detroit, Mich., May 1, 1851. J. H. Anderson, born at Grand Rapids, May 22, 1843. C. R. Williams. T. G. Winchester. Stephen H. Ballard, born at Bennington, Vt, July 19, 1836. Arthur K. Allen, born at Painesville, O., Nov. 6, 1849. John T. Holmes, Jr., born at Grand Rapids, Nov. 22, 1853. E. B. Dikeman, born at Grand Rapids, July 1, 1843. E. H. Foot, born in Niagara Co., N. Y., Jan. 5, 1850. A. L. Foot, born in Niagara Co., N. Y., Dec. 11, 1836. C. R. Carpenter. HISTORY OF RENT COUNTY. 269 A. P. Sinclair, born at Dixboro, Mich., Feb. 16, 1845. Washington Davis, born in Niagara Co., N. Y., Jan. 8, 1841. John S. Page, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 25, 1837. C. H. Bacon, born at Grand Rapids, June 29, 1852. The first officers of the association, elected Dec. 31, 1879, were: Charles A. Hilton, President; Ed. B. Dikeman, 1st Vice-President; N.. B. Scribner, 2d Vice-President; Stephen H. Ballard, Secretary; and Julian M. Wheeler, Treasurer. At the meeting of Jan. 16, 1880, Frank G. Rasa, M. S. Crosby and Merwin D. Folger were elected honorary members. The annual election was held Feb. 24, 1880, resulting in the choice of Charles A. Hilton for President; Ed. B. Dikeman and W. B. Morrison, Vice-Presidents; Stephen H. Ballard, Secretary, and Julian M. Wheeler, Treasurer. The article of the constitution, amended so as to recognize a "committee on membership," instead of the "executive committee," was enforced by the addition of A. K. Allen, A. M. Warrell, A. A. Luce, W. B. Marwin and A. L. Foot to the " executive committee." The first picnic given under the auspices of the association was held at Eastinanville, June 18, 1880. The annual meeting of 1881 was held Feb. 8. Charles A. Hilton was elected President; Arthur K. Allen and Cassius H. Sweet, Vice-Presidents; Arthur M. Warrell, Secretary, and Charles H. Leonard, Treasurer. The admission of members and the appointment of committees to arrange for the annual re-union, claimed the attention of the association at its meetings of Feb. 16 and June 3, 1881. The reunion passed off June 15, and proved one of the most enjoyable social affairs of the year. The roll of membership comprises the following names: L. K. Bishop, born at Jefferson Co., N. Y., Oct. 5, 1836. Calvin L. Ives, born at Grand Rapids, Mich., June 29, 1852. Merwin D. Folger, born at Oxford, N. Y., Jan. 22,1851. Daniel H. Powers, born at Troy, N. Y., Nov. 2, 1841. John M. Melis, born at Poortfliet, Netherlands, Jan. 19, 1851. Charles G. Godfroy, born at Grand Rapids, Mich., Dec. 16, 1851. Dick Warner, born at Grand Rapids, Mich., Aug. 20, 1849. C. H. Withey, born at Grand Rapids, Mich., June 15, 1855. Richard E. Blumrich, born on the Atlantic Ocean, July 24,1848. Eugene W. Jones, born at Grand Rapids, Mich., June 5, 1841. C. W. Mills, born at Grand Rapids, Mich., Aug. 31, 1850. Morean S. Crosby, born at Grand Rapids, Mich., Dec. 2, 1839. Alfred Crawford, born at Romeo, Mich., Aug. 7, 1846. Robert W. Innes, born at Oswego, N. Y., March 22,1851. W. H. Pease, born at Cannonsburg, Kent Co., Mich., July 4, 1847. A. S. Campaun, born at Grand Rapids, Mich., July 15, 1840. Chas. K. Seymour, born at Paris, Kent Co., Dec. 24, 1858. 270 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Fred. D. Shriver, born at Buffalo, N. Y., March 5, 1852. Henry L. Covell, born at Grand Rapids, June 25, 1845. Chas. R. Sligh, born at Grand Rapids, Jan. 5, 1850. W. S. Gee, born at Kent Co., Canada, Aug. 15, 1845. Horace W. Davis, born at Niagara Co., N. Y., Dec. 11, 1833. Hugo B. Rathbun, born at Cayuga Co., N. Y., Nov. 30, 1841. Dayton S. Peck, born at Monroe Co., N. Y., June 26, 1842. Henry B. Davis, born at Grand Rapids, April 2. 1845. James M. Sligh, born at Rochester, N. Y., May 19, 1845. Arthur Sharp, born in England, Aug. 10, 1847. I. L. Davidson, born at Grand Rapids, Oct. 21, 1845. Fred. R. Smith, born at Medina, N. Y., Aug. 2, 1850. Charles H. Leonard, born at Grand Rapids, Jan. 15, 1848. J. W. McTowen, born a;t Wayne Co., Pa., March 17, 1844. C. M. [Maris, born at Netherlands, June 3, 1852. W. H. Calkins, born at Grand Rapids, Sept., 10, 1848. Wm. H. Powers, born at Troy, N. Y., April 7, 1841. Jay D. Utley, born at Portland, N. Y., July 14,1845. Fred. H. Smith. born at Grand Rapids, Aug. 24, 1848. Charles Swain, born at Oswego, N. Y., May 28, 1843. Cyrus E. Perkins, born at Lawrence, Mass., Oct. 9, 1847. A. B. Turner, born at Plattsburg, Clinton Co., N. Y., Aug. 1, 1827. C. B. Trixberry, born at Haintralmck, Mich., Aug. 28, 1838. Isaac F. Lamoreau, born in Lower Canada, April 8, 1851. John Brady, born at Newton Butler, Ireland, Aug. 18, 1838. John Widdicomb, born at Syracuse, N. Y., Nov. 4, 1846. W. A. Shurkman, born at Reichenberg, Bohemia, Dec. 25, 1847. N. Fred Avery, born at Grand Rapids, Jan. 15, 1855. D. O. Belknap, born at Massena, N. Y., Oct. 17, 1845. Le Grand Prince, born at Grand Rapids, Aug. 6, 1848. H. S. Bailey, born at Niagara Co., N. Y., April 27, 1846. Don J. Leathers, born at Oneida, N. Y., July 28, 1844. Chas. A. Luce, born at Grand Rapids, Sept., 27, 1854. M. M. Moore, born in Somerset Co., Maine, May 2, 1844. Frank E. Leonard, born at Grand Rapids, April 8, 1855. M. R. Melis, born in Holland, Feb. 16, 1849. Hiram L. Johnson, born at Grand Rapids, Dec. 19, 1851. Ernest Inilmine, born at Princeton, C. W., Feb. 3, 1854. Samuel Heyman, born at Morrisania, N. Y., Sept., 2, 1853. Charles P. Rathbun, born at Grand Rapids, Aug. 29, 1852. J. J. Belknap, born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., Sept. 15, 1849. Fremont Kellogg, born at Cazenovia, N. Y., Oct. 17, 1836. Jas. C. Herkner, born at Krutzan, Bohemia, Dec. 1, 1840. Byron Morrison, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 30, 1843. E. W. Withey, born at Grand Rapids, Dec. 25, 1852. J. F. Nelson, born at Grand Rapids, Dec. 13, 1847. Geo. K. Nelson, born at Grand Rapids, July 1, 1842. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 271 H. W. Calkins, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 10, 1843. Frank W. Foster, born at Grand Rapids, Oct. 10, 1849. Cassius H. Sweet, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 15, 1848. Anton G. Hodenpyl, born at Grand Rapids, Nov. 7, 1852. Frank H. Seymour, born at Grand Rapids, Oct. 24, 1845. Chester B. Hinsdill, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 4, 1835. Frank L. Yale, born at Grand Rapids, March 22, 1854. Edward M. Adams, born at Grand Rapids, June 6, 1851. A. D. Rathbun, born at Grand Rapids, June 14, 1842. Hugo Schneider, born at Ochringer, Germany, Feb. 13, 1832. Frank L. Noble, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 8, 1850. Albert H. Guild, born at Paris, Kent Co., Sept. 7, 1844. L. E. Carroll, born at Lamont, Ottawa Co., Aug. 15, 1852. Fred. C. Steglich, born in Ionia Co., Oct. 7, 1852. Chas. W. Eaton, born at Grand Rapids, April 14, 1840. Chas. D. Lyon, born at Parrishville, N. Y., June 28, 1836. Henry G. Allen, born at Painesville, Ohio, July 12, 1852. Geo. W. Gage, born at Grand Rapids, March 7, 1853. Warren Y. Barclay, born at Smyrna, Ionia Co., March 27, 1851. Geo. K. Seymour, born at Grand Rapids, May 4, 1853. Solon W. Baxter, born at Grand Rapids, July 1, 1844. M. L. Shafer, born at Yates, N. Y., Dec., 1834. L. G. Winchester, born in Maine, April 6, 1848. H. S. Holden, M. D., born at Reading, N. Y., July 6, 1847. Geo. G. Steketee, born in Holland, March 12, 1835. Lewis Hart, born at Harrisburg, Pa., Aug. 25, 1854. Eliza P. Page, born at Grand Rapids, Dec. 16, 1840. I. B. Folger, born at Oxford, Chenango Co., N. Y., Dec. 17, 1823. Edna Claid, born at Paris, Kent Co., June 13, 1849. Fred. L. Claid, born at Plainfield, Ills., June 16, 1848. Sarah N. Ballard, born at Grand Rapids, March 28, 1840. James G. Coats, born at Ypsilanti, Feb. 14, 1845. I. W. Boynton, born at Grass Lake, Jackson Co., Sept. 17, 1837. Warren C. Weatherly, born at Grand Rapids, June 1, 1846. D. Wallace Giddings. Chas. W. Jones, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 18, 1851. Chas. F. Kusteren, born at Grand Rapids, Dec. 11, 1854. Lucy E. Noble, born at Grand Rapids, Feb. 20, 1855. Glenn E. Seymour, born at Grand Rapids, Aug. 1, 1850. B. C. Girdler, born at Grand Rapids, July 8, 1846. Adolph Wurzburg, born at Grand Rapids, Nov. 8, 1852. Frank Berles, jr., born at Grand Rapids, March 26, 1852. Wm. S. Hovey, born at Cambridge,-N. Y., Oct. 1, 1842. W. D. Stevens, born at Harrisonburg, Va., April 19, 1844. F. Stewart White, born at Grand Haven, June 28, 1840. B. T. Pierce, born in Monroe Co., N. Y., Jan. 9, 1854. W. W. Hyde, born in Macomb Co., Mich., Aug. 17, 1853. Erwin M. Rogers. G. W. Perkins, born at Grand Rapids, July 16, 1847. 272 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Francis Letellier, born at Antwerp, Belgium, July 25, 1839. E. E. Judd, born at South Hadley, Mass., Sept. 13, 1841. Geo. Gray, jr., born at Detroit, Mich., March 8, 1854. Charles Iloftman, born in Germany, Aug. 15, 1842. Geo. E. Doe, born in New York, April 23, 1842. John E. Judd, born in Massachusetts, March 23, 1838. Milo B. Stewart, born at Cascade, Mich., June 12, 1852. W. P. Williams, born at Grand Rapids, Dec. 15, 1857. Mrs. Minerva Elliott, born at Walker, Mich., Sept. 28, 1848. E. B. Tanner, born at Bristol, R. I., Oct. 29, 1837. Arthur Sharp, born in England, Aug. 10, 1847. J. Emmer, jr., born at Grand Rapids, Nov. 26, 1849. F. J. Wurzburg, born at Westphalia, Germany, April 6, 1845. M. L. Fitch, born at Grand Rapids, Aug. 6, 1845. A. D. Noble. Milan L. Northup, born at Lysander, N. Y., Nov. 6, 1848. A large number of the Junior Old Settlers are natives of Grand Rapids. Many have immigrated here from the Empire State. Ireland, Bohemia, England, Holland and the Canadas are represented on the roll of the association; but the date of their arrival in this county has not been ascertained except in a few instances. Together with the members born here, there are 62 enrolled who immigrated here between 1838 and 1856, and four who arrived since that period. Such a society, in possession of well-kept records, is a most valuable addition to the social circles of the county. That it cannot claim a greater age is to be regretted, for such an organization does honor to tie children of the pioneers, and should be inaugurated before those children begin to emigrate, so that the names of all would appear upon the record. As it is, the people of the county and the association have to be congratulated on the progress of this young society since its formation in 1879. To the president of the organization and its energetic honorary secretaries the thanks of the people are due; for to them, undoubtedly, belongs the credit of urging the Junior Old Settlers to place their names on the records of the county, and thus hand them down to the future as principals in the drama of settlement and progress. CHAPTER VIII. EVIDENCES OF PROGRESS IN EARLY TIME. Looking back to the years immediately succeeding the advent of the American pioneers, the fact of their industry and enterprise becomes manifest. They came to conquer, and within a decade wrought such changes, made such great improvements, that men of the present active times dwell in astonishment upon all their labors brought into existence, while yet the high road was almost unmarked, machinery scarce, and communication with the world beyond the Peninsula slow and uncertain. The pioneer millbuilders taught the great lesson that in order to be prosperous and happy a useful occupation must be pursued, and each one instructed to labor for the country while benefiting himself. The few years succeeding the year 1833 were characterized by a rapid increase of population, and consequently inflated speculations. The 40 acres of land lying north of the Campau plat, on the east side of the river, were then owned by the " Kent Company," and was called the "Kent Forty." This company comprised Lucius Lyon and N. O. Sargeant. The office was in a little frame building, with a huge projecting porch, which stood on the south side of Bridge street, midway between Kent and Canal streets subsequently, having formerly occupied the corner of Kent and Bridge streets. This building was architecturally neat, and with two other buildings constituted the village of Kent. At this time a few buildings were in the village of Grand Rapids, on the " Campau Forty," clustered around Monroe street. The third and fourth stories of the present frame portion of the Rathbun House formed the trading store of Louis Campau. Having erected this trading post, he moved into it from his little log cabin which he erected at the foot of Huron street in 1827. Mr. Rathbun raised the old Campan House in after years to four stories. The Godfroy brothers had their stores in the neighborhood of what is now Waterloo street. W. P. Mills carried on a saloon near the location of the brick block which he erected on Pearl street in 1867. A tailor shop stood at "Grab Corners;" while a frame building, the first of the kind built at Grana Rapids, was located midway between Jarvis' hat store and Pearl street, then occupied by Joel Guild. In 1833 the saw-mill for the Indians was built on Indian creek, immediately above the site subsequently occupied by Wonderly & Co.'s mill. A saw-mill had been erected in 1834-'5, near where the First National bank of 1867 stood. The power was derived from a (278) 274 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. coffer dam, built across to the head of the first island, This mill was scarcely in operation when a freshet swept it down the river. During the year 1834 Gideon IH. Gordon built a saw-mill on section 17, Wyoming; Roswell Britton erected a saw-mill on section 21, near the site of the Denny Mills; Ball and Wright built their mills in 1834 close by the Britton industry. George Ketchum completed a saw-mill, the erection of which was begun in 1835 by Fetterman. The same year Gideon H. Gordon built his second saw-mill on section 27, Wyoming. The first furniture factory was established in Kent by Robert Hilton and Sylvester Granger in 1836. The shop was located on Kent, at the corner of Hastings. Mr. Vosburg was the principal mechanic employed. In 1836 Samuel White, with his sons, Milo and James, built a saw-mill on the bank of Indian creek, section 15, Walker. Josiah Burton erected a saw-mill in 1836. It was located on the site subsequently occupied by Rumsey's plaster factory. In 1836 the first turning lathe was erected by Robert Hilton and Sylvester Granger. It was located on the bank of the river below the old ship yard at the foot of the Rapids. In 1837 Benjamin Smith, son of Jesse Smith, built a machine shop and grist-mill on section 10, Walker. George Ketchum erected a flouring-mill at Grandville in 1837, which he put in operation the following year. This mill was destroyed by fire in 1843. The first furnace and machine shop on Grand river was built at Grandville by Ketchum and McCray in 1837. Horace Wilder made the first casting. Early in 1837 Robert Hilton and Archibald Salmon established the first chair factory. It was located on the corner of Fountain and Ionia streets. Salmon was the the superintendent. In 1838 the boring for the State salt well was commenced under the direction of Dr. Douglass Houghton. This well was sunk in the saline marsh near the bridge of the L. S. & M. S. R. R., on section 3, in Wyoming township. In 1839 the Hecox saw-mill were erected in Vergennes. The same year Lucius Lyon commenced boring a salt well on the river bank just above the site of the Valley City Mills. For a time his enterprise was successful; he erected vats, and carried on the manufacture of salt for several years. The motive power required for pumping was derived from the canal. SALT MANUFACTURE. During the year 1840, $5,000 were appropriated for continuing the work at salt springs. In 1842 a further appropriation of $15,000 was made to foster the salt industry on the Grand river and in Midland county. In 1841 Lucius Lyon entered upon the i X-) Jo HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 277 work of sinking a salt well west of the canal. This well, referred to in previous pages, promised great results; but when thle manufacture of salt was undertaken in 1843, it required only a few years to point out the impracticability of such an enterprise. It is supposed that this venture resulted in a loss of $21,,000. James Scribner, J. W. Winsor, W. T. Powers, C. W. Taylor, Ball & McKee were among the successors of Mr. Lyon in the effort to create this industry at the Rapids. Between the years 1858 and 1864 they established the fact that brine of sufficient strength and in sufficient quantity existed here to justify the manufacture of salt; however, the advantages which the Saginaw Valley spring afforded could not be equaled, and the industry fell to the ground. The Fallasburg grist-mill was built in 1840. This was a threestory frame building, located on Flat river, Vergennes township. Gideon I-I. Gordon built the first milling concern in the town of Plainfield as early as 1840. At that early day it was used as a saw and grist mill. This little industry was carried on on section 15. The first plaster-mill was built on Plaster creek, Wyoming township, in 1840-'41, for Daniel Ball. A remnant of this pioneer structure stood until 1869. In 1841 mills were erected where the Kent Flouring Mills were subsequently built. In 1842 James Nelson built a saw-mill on the bank of the canal opposite the location of the Kent Mills. The Cannonsbutg Mills were built in 1844-'5 for E. B. Bostwick. Six thousand acres of land were appropriated by the State toward the construction of a free bridge over the rapids of Grand river in 1844. Under this authority this bridge was built at the Bridge Street viaduct. In was burned in 1856 or '7, and a toll bridge erected. Colton's saw-mill was built on section 13, Alpine, in 1845. Joseph Bullen built a saw-mill on section 4, Walker, in 1845. A few years later a run of stone was placed therein and a small grist-mill added to the saw-mill. Newton Andrews' saw-mill was built on section 13, Algonma, in 1846. John Davis built the first saw-mill in Oakfield in IS46-'7. Years later, the Lillie shingle mill and other industries were introduced. The E. B. Bostwick mills formed the first industries of the township of Paris. Cyprian S. Hooker erected a grist-mill on the east side of Flat river in 1847. This was the first manufacturing concern in Lowell. Twenty years after, W. W. Hatch was not only the owner of the Hooker mill, but also of one which he built in 1.s67. Winsor & R oberts erected a saw-mill on section 2, Plainfield township,in 1848. The Alaska saw-mill was built by W. H. Brown in 1848. Five years later the Boynton Flouring Millwas erected by this pioneer miller. Bear Creek Flouring Mill, in Cannon township, was erected in 1848. The Whitney saw-mill on Sucker creek, Cascade township, was erected in 1847-'8. 17 278 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTr. Edward Bellamy and Nathan Holmes built a grist-mill near Wolf lake, (rattan, in 1850. Robert Konkle erected a saw-mill near the mouth of the Rogue river in 1850. The plaster-mills of Walker may be said to date back to R. E. Butterworth's times in 1852, when he first operated the quarries. The "Morning Star Saw-mill " was built on section 16, Algoma, in 1852 by Norman Ackley. He disposed of his interest to Caine & Solomon in 1866. The new owners enlarged the building and introduced new machinery. Chase & Judson erected a new gristmill at Rockford in 1852. In 1854 Harvey and Seth Porter erected grist, shingle and sawmills in Algoma. The Spencer Mill, erected on section 27, was built in 1855 by Thomas Spencer. This industrial concern was destroyed by fire in 1861. In 1856 H. Van Wickle built a saw mill on Black creek, near the south line of section 25, Spencer. Egbert Dewey erected the Wyoming Mills in 1856. The Ada Mills were built on the banks of the Thornapple in 1856, at a cost of $15,000. Nine years later the Kent County Mill was built at the mouth of the same stream. Seth Cogswell built a mill in 1858, which was afterward known as Koph's chair factory, one of the principal industries of Lowell. Burnham's mill, built in 1860, is a small water-power saw-mill, located on the northwest quarter of section 5, Algona township. Denis Porter built saw and grist mills in 1862, a short distance from the mouth of Little Cedar creek. E. W. Tucker erected a frame structure in 1862 for manufacturing purposes. John Stonehouse erected a water-power saw-mill in 1863 on section 25, Alpine, which was burned in 1867. A year later the Stonelouse steam saw-mill was built. The Wolverine Pump Works on section 36 were built at the same time. A steam saw-mill was built at Casnovia Corners in 1864. John H. Anderson built a saw-mill on section 7, Courtland, in 1866. In 1866 H. B. Childs & Co. built a paper-mill on section 2, Plainfield, which was burned in 1869. This was rebuilt, and is operated by the same company. Knapp & Tucker erected a steam saw-mill at Lowell in 1866,which subsequently passed into the hands of C. T. Wooding. Solomon Ipe erected a small steam saw-mill in 1866 on section 23, Solon township. At the mouth of Little Cedar creek, Hiram Davis built a shinglemill in 1866, subsequently belonging to John S. Doty. Burch's saw mill, erected in Algona township in 1866,was burned the year following. In 1867 Burch rebuilt on the site of his first mill. George R. Congdon also built a steam saw-mill the same year, which continued in operation until its destruction by fire in June, 1870. In 1868 a shingle-mill was established in Algoma, which continues in operation. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 279 The Becker saw-mill was built on section 8, Courtland, in 1867. The Lowell woolen-mill was built by Blodgett Bros. in 1867. W. B. Powell erected a steam saw and shingle mill on the shore of Lincoln lake, section 27, Spencer, in 1867. In 1868 Jacob Becker erected a shingle-mill on section 23, Courtland. Denis Porter constructed a shingle-mill on Porter creek the same year. In 1868 the sash, door and blind factories, together with the planing-mills of Lowell, were built. The Parks & Griswold steam saw-mills were built in 1868. The former was located on section 7, and the latter on section 29. The French Mills were erected by George French, in 1868, in Solon township. The same year a steam saw-mill was built on section 1, which was burned a year later. Wagner's mill is located on its site. McClure & Kidder erected a saw-mill on section 11, Algoma, in 1869, which was known as the Hodag Mill. The concern was destroyed by fire ultimately. Hiram R. Davis constructed a saw and planing mill on section 10, Courtland, in 1869. In 1869-'70, George Coon erected a saw-mill on Cedar creek, two miles west of the village of Edgerton. The first established industries of Grand Rapids are noted particularly in the history of the city. BOATS OF EARLY TIMES. The first pole boat on the river was the "Young Napoleon," built by Lyman Gray for Louis Campau in 1836. The "Cinderella," a river pole boat, was launched at Grandville in June, 1837. The first trip of the steamboat " Gov. Mason," built for Richard Godfroy in 1836, was made between Grandville and Grand Havei July 4, 1837. The boat was commanded by Capt. Stoddard, and continued in service until wrecked off the mouth of the Muskegon in 1839. The steamboat "John Almy" was built in 1837 for the river trade above the rapids by Capt. Powers. Like the "Alpena" of later days, it went down in mid-channel before the completion of its first trip. The "Empire," a large, well-proportioned boat resembling a lake boat, was built by I. Ball & Co. This boat was sold to a Saginaw company, and was commanded there by Capt. Meddler. The "Algoma," rented by Henry Williams, ran on the river under Capt. Rose. She was a slow-running boat, and was generally used as a tow-boat. The " Owashtenollng ' a flat-bottomed freight boat under command of Capt. Tom White, was called the f' Poor House." She 280 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. was a well-known river boat. She sunk in the bayou, which then formed the center of Grand Havenl. The steamboat "' Humming Bird " was blown up Aug. 30, 1854. The " Olive Branch," built at Grand Rapids for a city stock company, plied on the river between this city and Grand Haven, grounded above the latter place and became a wreck. These old boats are well remembered by the old settlers. It is said that, perhaps, one million games of euchre were played by the happy passengers. UTILIZATION OF TIHE WATER-POWER. The Kent Company commenced operations on the canal or millrace in 1834, on the east side of the river. In 1836 N. 0. Sargeant disposed of his interest in the company's property to Charles H. Carroll, John Almy and W. A. Richmond. The mill-race was excavated from the head of the present east-side canal to the site now occupied by the Valley City Mills. A small wing dam was built into the river at the head of the canal to facilitate the entrance of the water. This wing formed a part of what is known as the old dam. The same year the company made preparations for constructing a saw-mill, and proposed to run 100 saws. The number was subsequently reduced to one, and the 99 left over for future demand. This mill stood where the old flouring mill known as the " Big Mill " was subsequently erected. It is supposed that H. P. Bridge & Co. were the founders of the "Big Mill." In 1839 the State Legislature made an appropriation of $25,000 for the improvement of the canal and rapids. Daniel F. Tower contracted in 1840 for completing the canal to the basin near Butterworth's works and cleaning out the basin. This work he completed in two years. In 1847 the Legislature authorized the Board of Supervisors of the county to construct a canal around the rapids of Grand river, and granted 25,000 acres of land for tlle purpose of meeting the expenses of construction. At a meeting of the Board of Supervisors, held Sept. 9, 1847, W. R. Godwin moved that A. D. Rathbun, District Attorney, A. F. Bell and L. Patterson be requested to examine the proposed contract for the construction of a canal with James Davis, compare it with the notice of the board, and the law making the appropriation. The contract was reviewed and reported with a few amendments. Tle document was then signed. At the session of the board held Jan. 8, 1848, Davis applied to alter the contract, to which the board asserted. A series of resolutions was then carried, resting on the preamble, that as the contract was let to James Davis, and the requisite security given for the completion of the work, lie is to receive in consideration for such work 25,000 acres of land, appropriated for that purpose. A resolution HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 281 of the board, passed Feb. 17, 1848, empowered the contractor to select the lands, and report to the Commissioner of State Lands. The day succeeding a resolution of the board gave him the privilege of constructing the canal on the east side of the river, in the event of a right of way being denied on the west side. The result of all these resolutions and negotiations was, that on April 22, 1848, a contract of 14 articles was entered into between Rix Robinson, Daniel Ball, Fred Hall, Commissioners, and James Davis, contractor, which was signed in presence of Philander Hines and Geo. Martin. The bond was set forth as follows: "Know all men by these presents, that we, James Davis, of Walker, Kent county, Mich., as principal, and Amos Rathbun, C. W. Taylor, J. M. Nelson, W. D. Foster, Amos Roberts, J. Morrison, J. M. Fox, Ebenezer Davis, T. H. Lyon, and John L. Clements, are held and firmly bound unto Rix Robinson, Daniel Ball and Frederick Hall, Commissioners appointed by the Governor, by virtue of an act approved March 28, 1848, and their successors in office, in the penal sum of $32,000, for the payment of which well and truly to be made, we, and each of us, bind ourselves, and each of our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents." The following releases conveyed to the State the right of way, on condition that the canal should be built on the bed of the old canal, and on the east side of the river. They were executed by the following named land-owners: Charles H. Carroll, Mar. 16, 1848; Louis Canpau, Peter Godfroy, and Lucius Lyon, Mar. 4, 1848; Peter Godfroy, Isaac P. Christiancy and W. W. Clark, Mar. 14, 1848; Arthur Bronson and Lucius Lyon, Mar. 24, 1848; Chas. W. Taylor, Mar. 4, 1848; James Davis and wife, May 5, 1848; Joshua Coit and Benj. Curtiss, May 18, 1848; Daniel W. Coit, May 8, 1848; Henry H. Coit, June 5, 1848. The history of the canals at the rapids may be said to begin with the Legislative enactment approved Feb. 20, 1847, and amended Jan. 29, 1849. Under this act, Frederick Hall, Rix Robinson and Daniel Ball were appointed commissioners to supervise the work of the contractor, James Davis, In a report tendered to the State Land Commissioner Oct. 30, 1848, the commissioners certified that the contractor had completed one-half the work in accordance with the terms of the act. A. V. Berry, appointed by the supervisors of Ionia county to make estimates on the Grand Rapids canal, under Legislative authority, given March 31, 1849, reported May 31, 1849, that James Davis, the contractor was then entitled to 7,673.25 acres of land for the amount of labor performed on the canal in proportion to the total amount for the completion of the work under contract. On the 13th of June following, Berry further certified that the work performed since May 31 entitled Davis to a further grant of 2,725 acres. Again, Oct. 5, 1849, a certificate issued from Mr. Berry's office showing the contractor to be entitled to 6,359 acres for labor performed from 282 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY, June 13 up to that date. This last document was duly signed by A. V. Berry, Engineer; Alexander F. Bell, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of lonia county; and by Allen Goodridge, Deputy Commissioner, bearing testimony to the fact, that up to Oct. 5, 1849. James Davis was entitled to 16,761 acres of public lands in consideration of labor actually expended on the work of canal construction at the rapids of Grand river. The commissioners named in the act of 1847 examined the work Jan. 25, 1850, and reported that the canal from the lower end of the basin to its connection with the dam was entirely completed, with five and one-half feet of water in the channel. The mill-race merged into a'canal, affording power for many mills and factories. It required daily repairs, and to provide for these, each mill-owner resolved to repair his section of the canal at his own expense. James Davis was bound by his contract to complete the dam across the river, and enlarge the mill race as far as the basin, at which point he was to construct a regular canal lock into the river below, to enable boats to pass the rapids. Davis built the upper dam, enlarged the canal, and let the water into the present basin. In accomplishing so much he exhausted his funds, and left the district without completing his contract. The lock proposed was never built. The canal does not vary in appearance from that which it presented when Mr. Davis gave up the works. Of course it looks more ancient, and shows marks of substantial improvements made by the Water Power Company of Grand Rapids, composed principally of the millers and manufacturers who operate the industrial concerns along its banks. In 1866, the Water Power Company, in conjunction with Wm. T. Powers, owner of the water-power on the west side, built the dam which crosses the river a short distance below the old dam. This dam affords a supply for both canals, and was the commencement of the west-side water-power improvement. In 1867 Wm. T. Powers entered upon the work of utilizing the water-power of the river on the west side of the rapids. His interests extended along the river front from Ann street to the foot of the rapids, with the exception of the Congdon property, and a strip of land 80 feet wide from Third street to Bridge Street bridge. The length of the canal is 3,250 feet, with a fall of seven feet at the upper and of 17 feet at the lower end. The work was *ompleted in 1868, at a cost of $96,000. C(HAPTER IX. ORGANIC. As early as 1821 the first American settlement was made in the territory now known as Kent county by Rix Robinson, who arrived here within a few days after the negotiation of the Chicago treaty of 1821. A period of over five years elapsed before this pioneer of the Grand River Valley could claim a white neighbor, and he came in the person of Louis Campau, from the great Indian camp on the Saginaw. Toussaint Campau was the youthful "pioneer " of the valley. Those pioneers were joined before the close of 1830 by Edward Robinson and Dafiiel Marsac. Capt. John Farley, Samuel McCloskey, Patrick Connor, Richard Godfroy and Whittemore Knaggs were occasional visitors. Jacob Smith, the trader of the Flint, visited the settlement about 1829, and expressed his intention of coming here. His untimely death, however, prevented the carrying out of this intention. David Tucker, Gideon H. Gordon, J. B. Copeland, Hiram Jenl nison, W. R. Godwin, Joel Guild, Luther Lincoln, Mrs, (Guild) Burton, Consider Guild, Eliphalet Turner, Ira Jones, Jonathan F. Chubb, Rev. Dr. Baraga, Darius Winsor, Barney'Burton, Myron Roys, Henry West, Daniel Guild, James Vander Pool, and perhaps one other settler, came here in 1833. Richard Godfroy, Robert Barr, Louis Moreau, LovellMoore, Ezekiel Davis, Lewis Reed, Porter Reed, Ezra Reed, David S. Leavitt, Robert M. Barr, Roswell Britton, Julius C. Abel, Ephraim P. Walker, Abraham Bryant, J. McCarthy, Robert Howlett, George Thompson, Rev. A. Vizoisky and Alvah Wanzy made settlements within the present boundaries of the county before the close of 1834. Having already given an account of all the white settlers of Kent up to 1834, when the entire county was organized as the township of Kent, we will proceed to give the organic history ot the county. In the early organization of the State, and particularly at tho close of the Territorial days, the counties formed principalities inl themselves. The first study of the pioneers after making a settlement, was that relating to the organization of the district in which they located. They soon became conversant with all the formalities required by the Territory in organizing a county, and werenot slow to take advantage of their privileges. The Territorial Legislature, in an act providing for laying oft the country adjacent to Grand river into counties, approved Marclh 2, 1831, decreed that all the territory west of the line between ranges 8 and 9; east of the line between ranges 12 and 13 west (o (283) 284: HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. the meridian; south of the line between townships 8 and 9, and north of the line between townships 4 and 5 north of the base line, containing 16 townships, be set oft into a county under the name of Kent. This name was selected by the inhabitants in honor of Chancellor Kent, a New York lawyer, who died 19 years previous to the organization of this county, while yet the people showered honors upon him. The Legislative Council, in an act approved March 7, 1834, authorized the organization of all that part of Kent county lying south of Grand river, into a township to be known as Kent, and further directed that the first township meeting should be held at the dwelling-house of Joel Guild, a settler who came to the county at the instance of Louis Campau and purchased from him the lot on which the City National Bank building now stands. The meeting was held, in accordance with the terms of the act, 24 days after its approval, when Rix Robinson was elected Supervisor; Eliphalet Turner. Town Clerk; Ira Jones, Treasurer; Barney Burton and Joel Guild, Assessors. The new township was attached to Kalamazoo for judicial purposes. The first and extra session of the Legislature of Michigan, 1835-'6, enacted that the county of Kent be organized, and the inhabitants entitled to all the rights and privileges extended to the people of other counties. The act further provided that suits, prosecutions and other causes then pending before any record court, or before any of the justices of the county to which Kent was attached, should be carried through to final judgment and execution, and all taxes heretofore levied should be collected in the same manner as though the act of organization had not been passed, and further provided that the unorganized counties of Ottawa, Ionia and Clinton should be attached to Kent county for judicial purposes. The act was approved March 24, 1836, and ordered to take effect the first Monday in April of the same year. Kent county originally comprised but 16 surveyed towns, the same as Ionia, but in 1839 or '40 a few settlers had gone into town 9 north, range 10 west, who petitioned the Legislature to take from the courty of Oceana and attach to Kent the other eight townships, forming the north part of Kent county, so that from that time it has consisted of 24 townships, which by the United States survey are townships 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 north, of ranges 9, 10, 11 and 12 west from the intersection of the base and meridian lines of the State of Michigan. When the election for representative took place in the fall of 1837 there were but five organized townships in the four counties: none in Ottawa, for the voters had to come to Kent to vote, and in that county but two-Kent and Byron, the latter comprising townships 5 and 6 north, range 12 west, and Kent the rest of the county south of Grand river, for the country north of that river was purchased from the Indians only the year before, and had not yet been surveyed. In Ionia, range 9, was the town of Maple; the rest was Ionia; and the county of Clinton made the one town of HISTORT OF KENT COUNTY. 285 DeWitt. In the whole district there were some 700 or 800 votes, all told. Kent county settled slowly until after the lands granted by Congress for internal improvements were put into the market by the State in the summer of 1843. The nominal price was the salne as the Governmentlands, $1.25 per acre. Bat the obligations called warrants, taken in payment for these lands, could be purchased for 40 cents on the dollar, which brought the cost of the lands at 50 cents the acre. This low cost of lands attracted the attention of the immigrants, all then bound through Michigan to what were thought better lands farther west. But on looking at these lands they were so well satisfied that they concluded to go no further. Cheap as these lands were, there was no disposition to buy on speculation. The settlers had the whole field, and many were soon located on these fertile lands. The grant was forany surveyed, unsold land belonging to the United States in Michigan, so that the State had procured a selection of only the better lands. Those selections comprised almost half the area of that part of Kent county north of Grand river, and a considerable tract south of the river. This selection was made by John Ball, acting under instructions from Governor Barry. The selection created much dissatisfaction among the settlers; but after all the action turned out fortunately, as working men invested State script in these lands. For example, Mr. Farrell bought several hundred acres at 40 cents per acre, while Mr. O'Brien purchased a large tract at 60 cents. Underan act approved March 23, 1836, the township of Byron was organized, and the first town meeting ordered to be held at the house of Charles H. Oakes. The district, as organized then, comprised townships 5 and 6 north, of ranges 12 and 13 west. In March, 1849, the township of Wyoming was organized. That portion of Byron known as town 6 north, of range 12 west, was detached and erected into a separate township to be named Wyoming. The first town meeting was ordered to be held at the house of Dwight Rankin. Ada township, comprising townships 5, 6 and 7 north, of range 10 west, United States survey, was set off; under authority of an act approved March 6, 1838, and the first meeting ordered to be held at the house of John W. Fisk, in April following. The township of Cascade was organized under an act approved March 9, 1848, directing that town 6 north, of range 10 west, lying south of Grand river, should be detached from the township of Ada, erected into a separate township under the name of Cascade, and the first town meeting held at the house of William S. Gunn, the first Monday in April of that year. Walker was organized under authority of the Legislature, granted Dec. 30, 1837, directing that all that portion of Kent county lying north of the Grand river should be set off as a separate township, and that the first meeting should be held at the school-house of the missionary station. 286 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. The township of Alpine was organized under Legislative authority given in an act approved March 16, 1847, setting off from he township of Walker all that district known in the United States survey as town 8 north, of range 12 west, directing at the same time that the first meeting should be held at the house of Abram Konkle. Caledonia, comprising township 5 north, of ranges 9 and 10 west, was organized as a separate township, under authority granted in an act approved March 30, 1840, and the first town meeting ordered to be held at the house of Colin McNorton. The township of Bowne was organized under an act approved March 15, 1849, setting off from the town of Caledonia all that territory known as town 5 north, of range 9 west, and organizing it into the township of Bowne. The first meeting was held at the school-house of district No. 1, in April following. The township of Plainfield was organized under authority given in an act approved March 6, 1838. It comprised all that part of township 8 north, of ranges 10 and 11 west, lying north of Grand river. Under an act of May 11, 1846, township 10 porth, of range 11 west, United States survey, was attached to Plainfield. Churchtown township was organized March 25, 1846. It included township 8 north, of range 10 west, and formed a portion of Plainfield township up to that date. The first meeting was held at the house of Cornelius Slack. In March, 1847, the Legislature enacted that the name formerly given to town 8 north, of range 10 west, should be changed from Ohurchtown to Cannon. The first meeting held in the township under its new name was that of April, 1847. The name of Kent township was changed to Grand Rapids under Legislative authority, granted Feb. 16, 1842. A part of the township of Grand Rapids, comprising all of town 8 north, of range 11 west, was detached and added to the township of Plainfield, under authority given in the act of March 16, 1847. The act of March 9, 1848, authorized the setting off of town $ north, of range 10 west, lying south'of Grand river, from the townships of Grand Rapids, and the addition of that territory to the town of Plainfield. The organization of Algoma was authorized March 15, 1849. All that territory known as town 9 north, of range 11 west, and town 10 north of range 11 west, was set off from the township of Plainfield and organized into a township under the name of Algoma. The first town meeting was held at the schoolhouse of district No. 3. The township of Solon was organized under authority given by the CountyBoard, Jan. 7, 1857. The territory known in the United States survey as town 10 north, of range 11 west, was set off from the township of Algoma, and erected into a township under the name of Solon. The first meeting was held at the house HISTORY OF KENT OOUNTY. 287 of Walter Rowe in April, 1857, with Reuben W. Jewell, Edward Jewell and Martin Hicks, Inspectors of Election. Paris was organized under authority of the Legislature, granted March 21, 1839. It comprised originally townships 5 and 6 north, of range 11 west. The first meeting was held at the house of Hiram H. Allen. The organization of Gaines was authorized March 9, 1848, when the Legislature directed that town 5 north, of range 11 west, be detached from the township of Paris, erected into a separate town under the name of Gaines, and the first meeting held at the school-house of District No. 4. Vergennes township, comprised in townships 5, 6, 7 and 8 north, of range 9 west, United States survey, was organized March 6, 1838, and the first meeting ordered to be held at the house of Lewis Robinson. Grattan township, comprising townships 8 north, of range 9 west, was set off from Vergennes, March 25, 1846, and organization perfected at the first town meeting held at the house of Volney W. Calkins in April following. The township of Lowell was organized under Legislative authority given March 9, 1848, detaching town 6 north, of range 9 west, from Vergennes, and erecting the territory into a separate township to be known as Lowell. The first town meeting was held at the house of D. A. Marvin. Sparta, including the unorganized territory known in the United States survey as towns 9 and 10 north, of range 12 west, was set off under authority granted by the Legislature, March 25, 1846, and the first township meeting was held at the house of Clark Brown the same year. The supervisors of Kent county in session Jan. 10, 1855, considered the recommendation of the committee on township organization, then comprising Thomas Spencer, Foster Tucker and Asa P. Ferry, and ordered that the territory known in the United States survey as town 10 north, of range 12 west, be set off from the town of Sparta, and erected into a township to be known as Tyrone. The first meeting was ordered to be held at the school-house, near Mrs. Louisa Scotts, the first Monday in April, 1855, and Bela Chase, John Thompson, and Patrick Thompson were appointed Inspectors of Election. The boundaries of Courtland township as organized in 1839, were extended so as to include township 9 north, of range 9 west, by the Legislature in session March 22, 1841. This town was organized as a division of Oceana county, and comprised township 9 north, of range 10 west. The first meeting was held at the house of Barton Johnson, the first Monday in April, 1839. By an act approved March 9, 1843, the line of Courtland was further extended so as to include township 9 north, of range 11 west. Under the act for the organization of townships approved March 25, 1846, that portion of Courtland designated in United States survey 288 HISTORY OF KENT OOUNTY. as township 9 north, of range 11 west, was detached and made a portion of the town of Plainfield. Under authority of an act approved May 11, 1846, those portions of Kent county known as town 10 north, of range 9 west, and 10 north, of range 10 west, were attached to Courtland township. An act passed by the Legislature approved March 16, 1847, provided that the townships known in the United States survey as town 9 north, of range 9 west, and 9 north, of range 10 west, in Kent county, should be detached from the township of Courtland, and organized as a separate township under the name of " Wabacis," and directed the first meeting to be held at the house of William R. Davis. The name Wabacis was changed to Courtland under an act approved March 9, 1848, and the territory known as town 10 north, of range 10 west, and town 10 north, of range 9 west, be attached to the territory formerly organized as Wabacis, and all formed into a township to be known as Courtland. The township of Nelson was organized under authority granted by the Board of Supervisors Oct. 14, 1854. Previous to that time a petition signed by 17 freeholders, asking for the organization of town 10 north, of range 10 west, into a separate township, was presented. In acceding to the prayer of the petitioners, the board set off the territory described above from the town of Courtland, under the name of Nelson, ordered the first meeting to be held at the house of Chas. A. Leake, and appointed Geo. N. Stoddard, Geo. Holyband and John S. Jones to act as inspectors of the election to be held the first Monday of April, 1855. Oakfield was organized under authority granted by the Legislature, March 15, 1849. The new township comprised all that territory formerly belonging to the township of Courtland, known as town 9 north, of range 9 west, and town 10 north, of range 9 west. The first meeting was ordered to be held at the schoolbuilding of district No. 5. The township of Spencer was organized under the name of Celsus Oct. 13, 1860. John Davis, then a member of the County Board, moved that the latter name be bestowed upon it in lieu of the former. This motion prevailed; but the citizens applied to the board to squash the name Celsus, and, Jan. 9, 1851, the supervisors resolved to change the word Celsus to Spencer. The town as organized comprised the territory known as township 10 north, of range 9 west, formerly a portion of Oakfield. The first meeting was held at Spencer's Mills in April, 1861, with Thomas Spencer, Shephard B. Cowles and Matthew B. Hatch, Inspectors. An act ilcorporating the village of (Graln Rapids was approved April 5, 1838. It provided for the organization of ail that tract of Kent county beginning at a point on the east side of Grand river, where Fulton street, as laid down on the original plat of the village recorded in the registrar's office of Kalamazoo county, intersects the river, and running east on the soutl bounds of the village to the southeast corner of a tract known as Hatch's addition, thence north along the east line of this addition, and north to the HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 289 point where Hastings street, as laid down in the village plat of Kent, being also an addition to the village of Grand Rapids, if extended would intersect the same, thence west along Hastings street to the west line of Canal street to the point where the same strikes Grand river and along the shore of said river to the place of beginning. Under authority granted by the Legislature Jan. 16, 1843, the boundaries of the village of Grand Rapids were altered and made to include the southwest corner of a certain tract known as Hatch's addition, instead of the southeast corner as mentioned in the act of 1838. In the foregoing pages the various acts of the Council of the Territory, of the State Legislature, and of the Board of Sapervisors, affecting the erection, alteration or division of the townships of Kent county, are summarized. Previous to 1854, it may be said with truth, that the governing bodies of the State were slow to grant new privileges to the people. The fact of almost all the townships of this portion of Micligan being organized by the Legislature, points out such a state of feeling to possess some reality up to that period. In 1851 an unwilling effort was made to be more liberal; but not until 1855 was a full measure of relief from disability in this connection conceded. The Legislature extended the powers of the Board of Supervisors in the act of April, 1851, by conferring upon it certain local, legislative, and administrative powers. This act was amended Feb. 10, 1855, so tlat it became the privilege of each County Board to divide, alter or erect a township within the limits of the county. Under this authority the supervisors of Kent ordered the organization of the new town-hips. Previous to 1851 the Legislature was the only agent in granting authority to erect a new township or alter or divide those already organized. Among other acts dealing with this county, are many that should have never passed for discussion beyond the council room of the county. In the following synopsis of Legislative measures, the acts connecting themselves with the first decade of the county's existence are noted: The Legislature passed an act, which Oas approved July 26, 1836, establishing a State road from Grandville to the village of Allegan; fromn Bronson, now Kalamazoo, via Middle Village, in Barry county, to Grandville; from Paw Paw to Grand Rapids; from Middle Village to Robinson's Trading Iouse on Grand river; from Grandville to the mouth of North Black river; a State road from Battle Creek to Grandville was authorized March 24, 1838; from Kalamazoo to Grand R-pids, Jan. 29, 1838. Ives, of Plainfield, was appointed one of the Commissioners; from Grand Rapids to Muskegon, March 9, 1838-Lovell Moore, E. I. Turner and Alfred Hodge, Commissioners; from Grand Rapids to Muskegon lake, March 27, 1838, with Charles Shepard, B. H. Wheelock, and Wm. Bailey, Commissioners. 290 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. John W. Fallas and Nathaniel Davenport were empowered to build a dam across Flat river on fractional lot No. 1, section 23, and lot No. 1, section 24, in town 7 north, of range 9 west. The dam was not to exceed three feet in height above low-water mark. An act approved Dec. 30, 1837, commissioned Thomas C. Sheldon, Thomas Fitzgerald, Theodore Romeyn, E. P. Deacon and Alexandre H. Jaredon to open the stock books of the Port Sheldon & Grand Rapids Railroad Company, in the town of Kent, for the purpose of receiving subscriptions to the capital stock, which was placed at $250,000, in shares of $100 each. As soon as 200 shares of this stock were paid up, the subscribers, with such other persons as associated with them, were to form a corporate body, having for its object the construction of a railroad from Pigeon lake on Lake Michigan to a point in the town of Kent. Thomas B. Church visited Port Sheldon to find it tenanted alone by Abram Pike, sent there as custodian for the mortgagees. Then there were three streets well built up, a magnificent hotel, and a few large church buildings. In later years he visited the place, but could not see a vestige of Port Sheldon. The railroad was never built. An act authorizing the Supervisors' Board of Kent to borrow $10,000 at an interest not exceeding seven per cent. per annum, for a period of not less than five years and not exceeding 15 years, was approved Feb. 28, 1838. It was provided that the money should be expended in accordance with the act of March 20, 1837, authorizing the supervisors to borrow money for the purpose ot erecting county buildings. Under an act approved March 28, 1838, prisoners apprehended within the counties of Ionia and Ottawa were ordered to be placed in the Kent county jail. Ottawa county was organized under act approved Dec. 29, 1837. An act to secure a pre-emption right to the purchase of certain lands to Robert Hilton was approved Feb. 22, 1813. By an act approved March 7, 1844, Kent county with the adjoining county of Ottawa, were attched to the Third Judicial Circuit. In an act approved, March 11, 1844, the following named citizens of Kent were constituted a corporation under the title, "The Trustees of the Grand Rapids Academy:" Daniel Ball, John Almy, James Ballard, Francis TI. Cumming, Jonathan F. Chubb, Charles Shepard, Samuel F. Butler, Amos Rathbun and Truman H. Lyon. By an act of March 11, 1844, the time for completing the Grand Rapids bridge was extended to Jan. 1, 1846, provided that such extension of time should not prevent the County Board from building a free bridge. Arad Melvin and John Scales were authorized to build a dam across Flat river at section 13, township 7 north, of range 9 west. This act was approved March 19, 1845; it provided that the dam should not be higher than four feet above low-water mark. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 291 The county of Newaygo, as designated in the United States survey, was organized as a township of Kent county, March 26, 1846, and the first town-meeting held at the house of John F. Stearns in April of the same year. All this territory was attached to Kent for judicial purposes with the exception of township 11 north, of range 14 west. OTHER ACTS OF ORGANIZATION, ETC. The charter to the Grand Rapids Toll Bridge Company was granted in 1837. Ionia county and all the northern territory attached to Kent for judicial purposes was set off and organized separately. The year following, the,Grand Rapids & Port Sheldon Railroad Company was incorporated. In 1839, $25,000 was appropriated for the construction of canals and improvement of the river. In 1840 the Legislature appropriated $5,000 toward the continuation of the work on the salt spring; two tiers of northern townships were added to the county; Mecosta and Newaygo counties were attached to Kent for judicial purposes; State roads were authorized, and a general course of internal improvements sanctioned. The appropriation of $15,000 toward the propagation of the salt industry at Grand Rapids and in Midland county, characterized the Legislative work of 1842. The supervisors were authorized to raise $1,000 for] the construction of a bridge at Ada in 1843. In 1844 the State appropriated 6,000 acres of land toward the construction of a free bridge at Grand Rapids, and authorized the laying off of roads from Lyons and Gull prairie to the rapids of the Grand river. A year later the road from Barry, Muskegon river, Muskegon lake and Grand Haven to points at or near Grand Rapids were authorized to be laid off. In 1846 the Grand River Valley railroad, a proposed line between Grand Rapids and Jackson, was chartered. In 1847 the Legislature authorized the Board of Supervisors to build a canal round the rapids of Grand river, and appropriated 25,000 acres of land toward the enterprise; The Kalamazoo & Grand Rapids Railroad Company received the charter, and the Battle Creek & Grand Rapids railroad charter was amended. In 1848 land appropriations to foster internal improvements were the order. The township of Plainfield received 1,000 acres toward building a new bridge; Ada, 1,000 acres for the same purpose; Cascade, 600 acres, and 400 granted for bridging the Thornapple,-in all 3,000 acres of public lands granted to the county to.encourage the bridging of rivers and streams. All these bridges were erected by Robert Hilton. Daring the years 1849, 1850,1851, 1852, the work of the Legislature, so far as it concerned this county, may be said to be purely organic. In 1855, the improvement of Grand river was considered. Two years later the name of the village of Danville was changed to that of Lowell, and 5,000 acres of land appropriated for the improvement of Flat river at that point. 292 HISTORY OF RENT OOUNTY. In 1859 the act of the supervisors in ordering the incorporation of the village of Lowell was confirmed by the Legislature, and the act ordered to take effect in April, 1861. During this year the act to quiet titles, necessitated by the destruction of records in the fire of 1860, was passed. Four years later Scranton's Abstract of Titles was acknowledged as evidencemof title. The act to quiet titles was intended to empower the owners of real estate, the copies of whose deeds were burned in the fire of 1860, and who were not in possession of original patents or deeds, to make a new record after fully establishing their claims as owners. A court of claims was established, and a general record of deeds made. The " Scranton Abstract," a book of titles compiled by Registrar Scranton during his years of office, and saved from the fire fiend of 1860, was considered reliable in every respect, and by Legislative enactment approved in March, 1865, was placed among the standard records of the county to be received as evidence in all cases of disputed title to property. The bill to effect this was introduced in the House by Thomas B. Church. THE ACTS OF THE SUPERVISORS. It is impracticable to deal with all the acts of the Supervisors' Board in this chapter, particularly in the absence of a record of their early proceedings. In dealing with township history, however, this want may be supplied, leaving this notice as a mere introduction to an account of the labors of a local Legislative body that has contributed so much to the advancement of the county. The first record of the Supervisors' Board, now in possession of the county clerk, does not extend farther back than Oct. 13, 1845. The first entry nerely shows that seven members of the board met and adjourned. On the 14th Win. R. Goodwin, Supervisor of Byron; James Davis, Walker; Amos Chase, Ada; Clinton Shoemaker, Paris; John Campbell, Caledonia; Arbor Richards, Vergennes; and John Austin, of Courtland, assembled, conversed on the subject of granting an appropriation toward building a bridge across the canal at Bridge street, and postponed the discussion ot the question. The third day, however, the work of equalizing the assessment rolls was undertaken and completed. The fourth day was occupied in discussing the canal bridge appropriation, the propriety of renting the C. H. Taylor store for county purposes, and the insurance of the court-house building. The question of selling the building stone on the Court-house Square was decided affirmatively,and James Davis appointed a committee to superintend the sale. The appointment of George Coggeshall as commissioner to lay out and construct a State road was made by the board Oct. 17, 1845. March 12, previous, John Ball was appointed to this position by the State Legislature; but failing to file his oath of office within the 90 days succeeding, the super-;sors declared /IL L, r,9 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 295 the office vacant and made the appointment referred to. The new commissioner subscribed the usual oath Nov. 13, 1845. In 1846 the wolf-slayers of the county formed a numerous band, and during that year the $10 bounty was paid. The acceptance of the new bridge over Grand river took place in January, 1846, and may be termed the first link in the chain of progress. In following up the history of the county the labors of the supervisors will be noticed in their proper connection. Under the act of 1837, the county was authorized to borrow money to build a court-house. Under this authority a courthouse was erected on what is known as the " Park," or " CourtHouse Square." It was a wooden structure claiming some architectural beauty. It was swept away by fire within a few yearsA plain building was erected afterward, which was used as a court-house and high school. In 1848, this was abandoned, moved off, and used as a blacksmith shop; and the county has ever since hired rooms in private buildings for the use of the court. Soon after the fire of 1861, the fire-proof building was erected for the county offices. An addition was built to it in 1874. The jail was a temporary affair until 1870, when the present building-the " Sinner's Palace"-was erected on what was the " Island." At first, a cellar on Canal street was the retreat of prisoners; afterward, a wooden building on the west side, without even the pretense of architectural display, was all the county afforded for the accommodation of those who were its guests; now the beautiful building on Campau street offers a rus-in-urbe home to evil-doers, and perhaps often fosters a desire in the naturally vicious and unprincipled portion of the people to perform some peculiar feat that would win for them an invitation to this wellordered cage of criminals. THE COURT-HOUSE SQUARE. The history of this recreation ground of the citizens is one of change and public solicitude. The law firm of Hughes, O'Brien & Smyley, acting with Fred. A. Maynard, Prosecuting Attorney, in investigating the title to the square, elicited the following historical fact: Louis Campan, being the proprietor of the north half of the square, platted it, together with the land east, west and north of it, in 1835, dividing all the property into blocks and lots except the square (north half), which he marked "public square." This plat was recorded about that date. There is some evidence also tending to prove that this same square had been selected as the seat of justice for this county by commissioners appointed by the Governor in 1833, while the title was still in the Government, but that selection was not legal and conclusive inasmuch as it required the approval of the Governor, which was not given, so far as the records show. Although in this plat made by Oampau the ground is 18 296 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. marked "public square"-which does not necessarily imply a " court-house" square-it can be shown by evidence that a courthouse square was the " public" use for which he intended it. In 1838 a court-house was built upon this square near the center, and certainly extending upon the north half of it, which remained until 1843 or 1844, when it was burned and another one built in its place, which remained until 1852 or thereabouts, when it was sold by the county to Campau for $175. About this time the Board of Supervisors located the county seat upon the west side of the river and caused a jail to be built there, and rented a building in which to hold court; and from that time on for several years there was much discussion in the board as to the title of the county both to the grounds chosen on the west side and the public square. It seems also that about 1847, and from that on to 1852, Louis Campau claimed that he had not intended this for a court-house square, but only for a public square, city or village purposes, and notified the Board of Supervisors and also the Common Council of the city of his claim, and, finally, about the time that the court-house was moved off, or a little before, quit-claimed to the city his title to the north half of said square for the sum of $500, and the city has claimed to own the same ever since, and has at times caused it to be fenced and directed the planting of trees upon -it for ornament. It will be seen from these facts that the only ground for controversy as to the north half of the square is between the city and the county. It is evident that Campau originally intended to give, and dedicated, it to the county for court-house purposes, and offered it to the county for that purpose. It also seems quite plain that the county accepted it by erecting thereon a court-house and maintaining it there for about 14 years. The city's claim arises from its possession since about 1852, founded upon its quit-claim deed from Louis Campau. This leaves the title to the north half in great doubt as between the city and the county, but it is quite certain that the city can hold it for public grounds if the county cannot for court-house purposes. The south half of the square stands upon a different footing. On and prior to 1843 it was owned by Tilitson, Sheldon and Daniels, and had been platted by them, but it seems that their plat had not been recorded. About this time Tilitson petitioned the court of this county for a partition and division of the property. Commissioners were appointed by the court to partition it-Louis Campau being one of thlem-and said commissioners soon filed their report, stating that in attempting to divide the property they had found that the parties had previous to that time platted the property, and they adopted said plat as one from which to make the partition, made it a part of their report, and as such it was subsequently recorded. Said plat distinctly designated this public square as "court-house square." The lands east, west and south of it were all divided in blocks and lots by this plat, and the commissioners divi HISTORY OF RENT COUNTY. 297 ded all the property among the 'tenants in common by said plat except the court-house square, which was not divided or otherwise mentioned. This report was affirmed by the court, and afterward each one of the parties sold lands by deeds thus set off to them, describing it in the deeds according to the plat adopted by the commissioners. These deeds amount to full recognitions by the owners of the plat, and this action constitutes an offer by the then proprietors of the land in question for a court-house square, if it had not been offered by them before that time. A court-house had already been located there since 1830, and about this time, 1843 or 1844, it burned, and another one was built upon this square, and the county continued to use it until about 1852, as before stated; and' this, we think, constitutes an acceptance by the public of the dedication as offered, and made the title complete in the county. It is proper to mention that the city has also had possession, either for themselves or for the county, in connection with the north half, since about 1852; but there has never been any offer of it for public purposes except for a court-house square, and the city has never had any deed of the property. The attorneys state it as their opinions, that the title of the south half is in the county for court-house purposes, and that if the ' county should conclude to erect a court-house upon it, neither the city, nor private persons claiming to hold the original paper title, could raise any valid objection. If, however, the county should finally reject the public square and actually build a court-house upon some other site, there might be ground for saying that the title would revert to the original owner who dedicated it. In concluding their report they advise the county, by its super visors, to take some action calculated to provoke a hostile claim to title if any one intends to contest it. They think that the county should take possession by enclosing it or erecting a building upon it, so that other parties claiming it might bring an action to assert their rights; or if any outside parties should interfere with the possession of the county, it could bring an action to quiet its title. This title perfected, a public building worthy of the city and county will take the place of the unsightly offices now in use. GROWTH OF THE SUPERVISORS' BOARD. The first attempt at organizing a county, as laid off in 1831, was that made in 1834, when it was set off as the township of Kent. At the meeting held in April of that year, Rix Robinson was elected Supervisor, and made his official visits to Kalamazoo, then the county seat. Two years later, Gideon H. Gordon was elected Supervisor of Byron, and took his seat with Mr. Robinson as members of the County Board. In 1838, Herman Smith, Sn 298 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. pervisor of Ada; Rodney Robinson, of Lowell; Zenas G. Winsor, of Plainfield; Lovell Moore, of Walker, and Lewis Robinson, of Vergennes, took their seats as Supervisors. Philo Beers, of Courtland, and Joel Guild, of Paris, were added to the board in 1839; John P. McNaughton, of Caledonia, in 1840; Edward Wheeler, of Alpine, in 1841; Henry McCormac, of Grand Rapids, in 1842; Lewis W. Purdy, of Sparta; Andrew Watson, of Cannon, and Milton C. Watkin, of Grattan, in 1846; William R. Godwin, of Wyoming, in 1848; Peter Teeple, Cascade, in 1848; Roswell C. Tyler, Bowne, 1848. Thomas Spencer, Oakfield, took his seat in 1849; Smith Lapham, of Algoma, 1849; Roswell C. Tyler, Bowne, 1849; George Hoyle, of Nelson, 1854; Uriah Chubb, of Tyrone, 1855; Edward Jewell, of Solon, 1857; Freeman Van Wickle, of Spencer, 1861. On the organization of the city, another member was added to the board, representation grew with the city until now it elects eight supervisors, who with the 24 township supervisors, form a board of 32 members. In 1845 the equalized valuation of the organized townships of the county was as follows: Grand Rapids, $127,520.50: Plainfield, $40,437.32; Vergennes, $68,775.32; Caledonia, $40,625; Byron, $69,563; Walker, $56,480; Courtland, $27,923.40; Paris, 54,357; and Ada, $52,947. The entire valuation of the county 36 years ago was only $538,628.93. In 1846 the townships of Sparta, Churchtown and Grattan were organized. The equalized valuation of real and personal property in the first named was $14,925.22; in the second, $21,145.33; and in Grattan, $18,457.92. The aggregate valuation of real and personal property was $573,452.39. Fromn that period forward the county grew in population and wealth. In 1847 it entered upon the era of progress and continued o advance toward greatness until the present time, when another era of development appears to reign over the land. In the following table the aggregate valuation of real and personal property is given from 1845 to 1881: 1845 —$ 538,628.93 1858-$ 6,987,968.00 1871-$ 9,506,026.00 1846- 578,452.39 1859- 7,120,088.00 1872- 10,483,659.00 1847- 586,072.00 1860- 6,823,105.00 1873- 10,999,160.00 1848- 767,201.00 1861- 6,431,483.00 1874- 20,000,157.00 1849- 809,962.00 1862- 6,364,112.00 1875- 19,999,908.00 1850- 914,180.44 1863- 6,524,707.00 1876- 19,409,028.00 1851- 987,600.68 1864- 6,591,137.00 1877- 19,409,027.00 1852- 1,059,773.32 1865- 6,642.942.00 1878- 18,510,000.00 1853- 3,563,553.00 1866- 6,933 974.00 1879- 18.000 000.00 1854- 4,396.519.00 1867- 6,978,960.00 1880- 17,992,748.00 1855- 5,763,038 00 1868- 7,207,507.00 1881- 18,013,810.00 1851- 6,556,737.70 1869- 8,587,066.00 1857- 6,942,289.00 1870- 8,617,615.00 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 299 The following is a fair exhibit of the county to-day: financial condition of the TOWNS. Bowne............................ Byron.............................. Caledonia......................... Cannon............................. Cascade........................... Courtland........................... Gaines........... Grand Rapids...................... Grattan............................. Lowell............................... Nelson............................. Oakfield........................... P aris............................... Plainfield........................... Solon.............................. Sparta.............................. Spencer............................ Tyrone............................... Vergennes............................ Walker....................... Wyoming.......................... No. of acres. Real. Personal. - - - 1 - 22,546 22,493 22,925 22,921 22,469 21,968 21,841 21,682 22,954 22,108 19,973 22,377 20,932 22,023 21,761 22,303 22,912 22,828 22,833 22,089 22,494 22,115 21,000 $311,650 241,465 410,280 272,732 281,850 292,270 351,165 362,335 293,345 359,134 730,760 319,710 478,855 179,460 265,825 592,800 340,505 149,505 373,720 103,445 136,065 408,195 428,835 hers __ $43,230 39,510 40,470 36,523 34,990 41,200 46,165 36,290 35,325 39,985 50,620 51,890 89,241 36,725 28,665 67,780 32,210 30,125 82 185 17,604 14,075 36,290 61,635 Aggregate as Equalized. $340,830 250,000 437,750 299,000 283,840 328,470 346,000 325,625 310,700 364,119 689,000 350,000 588,096 208,500 290,000 625,000 342,000 195,000 414,000 118,000 143,500 364,000 527,970 1 A 1- to -: I JLU700Uj 60 I 7OU41 zoLzI a 41)IO 528,1921 $8,035,6001 $1,018,948 $8,556,560 City of Grand Rapids, aggregate real and personal, as reviewed and equalized by Board of Review..................................9,457,250 Total.......................................................$18,013,81C -- The various wards of Grand Rapids city, as equalized by the supervisors in 1881, have these aggregate valuations: First, $727,985; second, $2,931,333; third, $1,844,259; fourth, $1,831,231; fifth, $617,572; sixth, $280,163; seventh, $524,196; eighth,$700,511. The amounts added by the supervisors to the Board of Equalization's valuation of the several wards are as follows: First, $38,360; second, $154,458; third, $97,179; fourth, $96,492; fifth, $32,542; sixth, $14,763; seventh, $27,621; eighth $36,911. There is added to the assessed valuation of Lowell township, $20,000; to Solon, $15,370; of Walker, $36,863, and to Wyoming, $37,171 —making a total to additions to townships of $109,404. In deductions from assessed valuations Grand Rapids township shows the greatest, $92,580, and Spencer the least, $3,049. Walker gets $80,485 deduction; Cascade, $73,000; Sparta, $41,905; Cannon, $51,230; Ada, $14050; Algoma, $32,980; Alpine, $13,000; Bowne, $10,225; Byron, $33,000; Caledonia, $5,000; Courtland, $14,968, Gaines, $35,000; Grattan, $21,600; Nelson, $7,685; Oakfield, 300 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. $4,490; Paris, $35,580; Plainfield, $30,715; Tyrone, $6,640. The total deductions from townships are $607,612. The aggregate township valuations, as assessed, were $9,054,548, of which $8,035,600 was real and $1,018,948 personal property. The number of acres assessed in townships was 528,192. COMPARISON. For the purpose of showing the relation which this county bears to the eastern counties of the State as well as to Wayne, Washtenaw and Jackson of the older organized counties, the fbllowing review of equalized valuation is given: The aggregate valuation of the entire State, real and personal, is raised from $630,000,000 in 1876-when the last State equalization was had-to $810,000,000 in 1881. The following table shows both, the old and the new, valuations of some of the counties of the States. The increase in value of real and personal property in Kent county within the five years, ending June, 1881, is estimated at $2,000,000. Under the old equalization Kent's proportion of the entire State taxes was about five per cent., while under the new deal it is only four and one-fourteenth per cent. of the total. Some remarkable increases are shown in both the east and north of the State. Detroit shows an inclease of $33,000,000; St. Clair an increase of $6,750,000 —over 80 per cent.; Bay, an increase of $11,000,000, or 157 per cent. increase; Saginaw also shows an increase of $9,000,000, or 56 per cent. The present total equalized valuation of the county is only equal to the increase of Wayne county and Detroit city during the last five years; yet it is sufficiently large to place Kent as the second county in the State in point of wealth. Conceding the figures to be correct, the value of the county, if reduced to money and equally divided among the people, would yield to each inhabitant of the county $1,133.06. The progress of clearing and improving land is shown by the record of acres assessed at the different periods of equalization as follows: 1856, 12,167,812; 1861, 15,166,010; 1866, 17,111,110; 1871, 20,515,388; 1876, 27,605,262; 1881, 28,306,820. The assessed acreage, it will be seen, has nearly doubled in 20 years. The total valuation of the State as equalized by the State Board has been as follows for the different periods mentioned: 1851, $30,979,270; 1853, $120,362,474; 1856, $137,663,009; 1861, $172,055,808; 1866, $307,965,842; 1871, $630,000,000; 1876, $630,000,000; 1881, $810,000,000. Between 1871 and 1877 there was a great depreciation in values of some kinds of property, notably those connected with the iron, lumber and navigation interests, and the aggregate valuation was left unchanged. Since 1876 there has bean a great increase in values. Pine lands have in many cases doubled and trebled in market value, the mining interests have greatly revived, manufacturing industries have been prosperous, and real estate, both in HISTORY OF RENT COUNTY. 301 city and country, has been greatly enhanced in value. The State Board of Equalization, for 1881, has put the total amount at $810,000,000, a considerable addition to the aggregate of $654,005,885 as equalized by the county Boards of Supervisors. GROWTH SHOWN BY POPULATION. At the period when the French explorers of the Peninsula visited this land, the number of Indians in the neighborhood of Grand Rapids was estimated at about 3,000. The number inhabiting the district now comprised in the county was estimated at 7,000. Years rolled by and the story of the Frenchmen's travels were repeated in every Indian lodge; thousands went south and west to the sunny lands, other thousands were swept away by the smallpox. Emigration and disease thinned their ranks, until at the period of Rix Robinson's advent the Indian population of the county did not exceed 900, and even this number decreased to 800 before the settlement of Louis Campau. Then the American settlers began to pour in, and even as the white population grew apace, so did the savage decline until now scarcely a vestige is left to tell of their possession of this land. In the section of this work devoted to the pioneers and old settlers, the names of the men who settled here up to the close of 1837 are given. Those, with the members of their families and the Indians, numbered 1,200 at the beginning of 1838. In the following table the census returns fiom 1845 to 1874 are given, showing a steady advance of population: - -L --- —— " 1837 1 1845 1 850 A da...................... Algoma.................. Alpine.................... Bowne................ Byron................ Cannon.................... Caledonia.................. Cascade................... Courtland................ Gaines.................... Grattan................... Grand Rapids............. Grand Rapids City..... Lowell.................... Nelson.................... Oaktield.................. Paris..................... Plainfield.................. Sparta..................... Spencer................... Solon...................... Tyrone............... Vergennes............ W alker..............'.. Wyoming........... Total.............................................................................................. 497.... 493 127 400.... 1,510 485 565 850 1,122 *.. 593 233 618 309 696 99 358 406 319 648 461 2,686 214 645 521 659 309 876 823 543 1854 1860 1864 746 1,116 1,094 570 993 992 861 1,248 1,194 357 745 814 637 1,042 1,145 874 1,061 1,142 301 762 923 526 803 940 703 957 1,388 515 868 961 800 1,127 1,141 872 1,021 1,053 4,278 8,090 8,77211 473 1,200 1,417....461 430 643 1,079 912 789 1,327 1,443 807 1,240 1,126 531 941 1,032........ 209. 393 391.... 173 257 1,042 1,347 1,210 756 1,430 1,279 788 1,239 1,195 17,869 30,721 33,458 1 1870 1874 1,427 1,351 1,959 2,591 1,445 1,348 1,275 1,240 1,328 1,504 1,205 1,205 1,599 1,680 1,157 1,05( 1,340 1,287 1,205 1 27;: 1,298 1,)50 1.6511,941 6,508 25,983 3,086 2,826 1,102 2,361 1,092 1,(80 1,543 1,b16 1,499 1,499 1,666 1,587 580 662 911 1,310 730 866 1,342 1,129 1,675 1,884 1,787 2,008 50,410 62 671 1,200 6.049 12,0161 Il — ~,.- _ __. _. 302 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. The following returns are taken from the census bulletin in pos session of General Pierce, the Superintendent of Census for this district in 1880: -- TOWNSHIP. Ada.......................... Algoma.................... Alpine................... Bowne................... Byron....................... Caledonia.................... Cannon....................... Cascade...................... Courtland.................... Gaines...................... Grand Rapids.............. Grand Rapids City........... Grattan.... Lowell..................... (s Is rattanel..................... Lowell............... Nelson....................... S arta....................... afield.................... oPlaineld............. Verge.................. Walker...................... Wyoming................... VILLAGE. Ada...................... Part of Rockford................... o............ Byron Center............... Alaska...................... Caledonia Station............. Cannonsburg............... Cascade..................... ammond.............................................. I st ward..................... 2 " 3 " 4 " 5 i 6 " 7 " 8 " Lowell...................... Sand Lake................... Part of Cedar Springs.................................... Part of Rockford............. Part of Cedar Springs....... Lisbon..................... Sparta....................... Alton.............. a.......................... Grandville................... VIL. POP. 340 669 115 225 340 130 58 61 4,920 3,297 5,998 5,094 3,520 2,163 3,617 3,406 1,538 581 517 147 624 124 507 101 20 548 TOTALS1,441 2,100 1,378 1,387 1,712 1,964 1,220 1,195 1,330 1,369 3,058 32,015 1,238 3,037 2,599 1,112 2,038 1,608 1,693 2,103 1,196 1,319 1,148 1,876 2,117 73,253 The population of Cedar Springs in Nelson and Solon townships is 1,141, and of Rockford in Algoma and Plainfield townships, 816. During the six years ending June, 1880, the advance in population was almost equal to that attained during the nine years of immigration ending in 1854. The figures do not show such an advance as those dealing with the period after the war to 1870; yet they are sufficiently significant to show that the county has not at all attained her full strength,-that each decade for a century to come will mark a similar if not a greater progress. During the year 1880 there were recorded in the County Clerk's office no less than 1,720 births, 846 deaths, and 635 marriages. The greater number of the births were registered during the latter half of the year. During the first six months of 1881 there was still a greater number of births and fewer deaths than recorded for HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 303 the corresponding period of 1880; so that from this source alone it may not be too extravagant to estimate an addition to the population, since June, 1880, of 1,000 souls, giving full credit for the number deceased. The growth of the population within the past year is considered to be over 2,000, which, with the number given in the census returns, would place the present population of the county at about 76,000. The population of the county is large compared with the other divisions of the State. Still it will not be a matter of surprise to the people of the near future to learn that the population has been doubled. Albert Baxter, speaking on lands, says there are good chances for farmers wanting to settle in new homes throughout the western and northern part of Michigan-room enough and good lands enough for many times the present population. As for prices, they vary greatly, according to location and amount of improvement. Farmers with from $1,000 to $5,000 can get good places within easy reach of Grand Rapids, though there are many improved farms worth much more. Wild lands to the northward of Grand Rapids vary in price from $2 to $10 or $15 per acre. It is now a good time to invest in real estate in Michigan. The cities and villages of Kent are growing steadily. Money judiciously invested in farms within 15 or 20 miles of Grand Rapids, will probably prove better than loans at high rates of interest in the advance in value alone, together with the support of families gained from them, for years to come, as they are steadily rising in value. The manufacturing population, which the growing industries promise, will add materially to the number fostered by agriculture and commerce. PUBLIC HIGHWAYS. It is a remarkable fact, that so long as the Indian traders dwelt over the land no attempts whatever were made to improve the zigzag Indian trail. The contrary has marked the settlement of the country by the American pioneers. Immediately after erecting their loghouses, the next object was to cut short roads, and again to extend such roads to distant settlements. In 1836-'7 the road from Grandville to Bronson village, or Kalamazoo, was laid out, and also one from Grandville to Black river. This was the period when the star of Grandville was in the ascendant; while yet, Squire Coggeshall, of Kent, looked on his Grand Rapids neighbors with suspicion, mingled with contempt, and they in turn look upon him with pity. In 1837 the Grand Rapids Toll-Bridge Company was chartered, yet six years later there was only the well-remembered narrow foot bridge, erected by James Scribner and Lovell Moore, in 1843. The Port Sheldon and Muskegon roads were projected in 1839. Though the Legislature authorized the laying out of these highways, little or nothing was accomplished toward rendering them fit for travel until 1854, when the plank road to Kalamazoo, author 304 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. ized in 1850, was completed. Previous to this time two days were occupied in making the journey by stage to Bronson's settlement. The W. H. Withey stages were placed on the route in 1854, and performed the journey in one day. The toll-gates which adorned the old road were abolished in 1869; subsequently the planks disappeared, to give place to the gravel-bedded thoroughfare of the present time. The State road from the Rapids to Grand Traverse was laid out in 1855-'6. The county roads were gradually opened until now fully 1,800 miles of macadam and gravel roads render travel throughout the district easy and agreeable. RAILROADS. The Detroit & Milwaukee railroad, built in 1857-'8, extends across the lower peninsula between Detroit and Grand Haven. It enters the county at Lowell, runs parallel with Grand river along its southern bank to the village of Ada, and westward through the townships of Grand Rapids and Walker, with a depot at the northern limits of the city. This road is 189 miles in length. It connects at Grand Haven with the Milwaukee boats, thus forming one of the quickest routes between Detroit and the Northern States. The first train which ever entered the city signaled its approach July 10, 1858. It was but the beginning of the railway era, the signal of enterprises which have led the county to prosperity. The Grand Rapids & Indiana R. R. extends from Little Traverse bay to Richmond, Ind., a distanceof 421 miles, where it connects with the C., H. & D. R. R., 71 miles from Cincinnati. The road was opened from the city to Cedar Springs, Dec. 23, 1866, and to Fort Wayne, Ind., Oct. 10, 1880. The Grand Rapids & Newaygo, now consolidated with the]Chicago & Western Michigan R. R., was completed in June, 1872, from Grand Rapids to Morgan, a distance of 46 miles. The company has about completed the procuring of the right of way for the extension of the Newaygo division to and across the river. One of its latest purchases was of a site for the west end of the bridge, bought of Tuttle Bros. for $1,525. Work on the bridge has already begun at the Toledo bridge works. The Grand Rapids division of the M. C. R. R., or Grand River Valley R. R., was built in 1869 from Grand Rapids to Jackson, a distance of 94 miles, where it connects with the M. C. R. R. The first passenger coaches entered Grand Rapids over this line Jan. 17, 1870. The Kalamazoo, Allegan & Grand Rapids railroad, operated by the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern R. R. Co., extends from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo, a distance of 58 miles. The first train arrived in the city March 1, 1869. Tie Chicago & Western Michigan was built in 1872 from Grand Rapids to New Buffalo, a distance of 115 miles, with a branch from Holland to Pentwater, 80 miles, and one from Muskegon to Big Rapids, 55 miles. CHAPTER X. THE COURTS AND BAR. As man is the capital of nature, so does he afford to man a subject for deep inquiry. It has been understood throughout the ages that crime is hereditary. The gambler, who placed his fortune at the small mercy of a die long centuries ago, may possibly be the ancestor of a notorious mountebank of the present time; and the creature whose passions led him to the crime of murder, while yet Caesar ruled the Roman empire, may possibly have been the first' of a race whose representatives disgraced every generation of the past and continue to stain the civilization of our time. Whatever faith may be placed in the hereditary theory of crime by the great majority of people, it seems to be approved by facts: demonstrations of passions transmitted from father to son are common, and therefore it is not a matter of surprise to learn that he who is convicted of a great crime followed in the very footsteps of some ancestor. Though the advance of civilization has materially retarded an indulgence in criminal acts, it has not stayed the workings of nature in regard to the fierce passions of man. They who in former times followed the vocations of their fathers, now seek out varying labors, and thus the tendency of intuitive viciousness is held in check, though it can never be wholly subdued. Very few hereditary criminals join the fortunes of an early settlement: they come in after years, often with the best intentions, and for a time observe all the conventionalities of life; but afterward the ruling passion begins to re-assert its terrible superiority over the mind, and there suit is crime, sometimes insignificant, but generally monstrous and shocking. To preserve the lives and properties of the people against the machinations of such men, the State promulgated her "statutes," or legal rules, which not only prescribed the penalties and punishments to be inflicted on transgressors, but also defined the manner in which the laws should be administered. The people of Kent put these laws in operation the moment they organized the township of that name. The old justices, associate judges and chief justice were the centers of equity. The primitive appearance of the early courts, the desire to do justice, evident in the words and gestures of the judges, their genial dispositions, and the free and easy characteristics of the bench, bar and clients, made the administration of the laws admirably democratic, fully suited to the requirements of the time, and capable of adjusting all discords that might creep into existence within the young county. (:05) 306 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Under the second order of affairs many causes of a serious character were presented to the courts. With the advance in population and knowledge, new sources of disunion became known: land disputes, boundary squabbles, even forgery and perjury became common crimes; matrimonial alliances were not in all cases judicious; opposing temperaments met to oppose to the bitter end, and consequently the era of divo'ce, of the total disruption of family ties, ensued. Such cases will not be given more than this reference in these pages; but, unfortunately, there occurred a few murders which threw a shadow over a history exceptionably honorable. To notice such capital crimes is scarcely within the province of history, and for this reason alone only a few criminals will be noticed. In 1837 Judge Ransom opened the first session of the Circuit Court for Kent county, in a house opposite Jefferson Morrison's store at the foot of Monroe street, next the Guild House, Robert Hilton was foreman of the grand jury. Among the other jurors present were Geo. Coggeshall and Lovell Moore. The Superior Court of Grand Rapids was established under Legislative authority, approved March 24, 1875. It is distinctly a municipal court of record. The judge is elected for a term of six years. The first term commenced the first Tuesday of June, 1875, when Judge John T. Holmes presided. He retired in June, 1881, when Judge Parrish was elected. As early as 1838 the Prosecuting Attorney,'Osgoode, then residing at Grandville, indicted a half-breed for murder; but the prisoner was not convicted. Louis Genereau was indicted for murder before the court of Kent county, convicted and sentenced to imprisonment by Judge Whipple. THE MURDER OF NEGA. Among the criminal records of early days, the most important is that which treats of the murder of Nega, an Indian woman, and the capture and trial of E. M. Miller on the charge. It appears that on Dec. 20, 1842, two men, Miller and Hovey, were proceeding with a team from the forks of the Muskegon to its mouth when they fell in with two squaws, one the mother, the other a child of ten summers. Miller forcibly stopped the mother, and drew her to a place near by, where he pitched his camp for the night. The child, frightened, ran into the woods. In the morning the woman was found dead, Miller ran for the lake shore, intending to escape, while Hovey took the team back to the starting point. This murder was perpetrated Dec. 21, 1842. The murderer broke her neck, then drew the body into the forest, covered it with brush, and, believing that he could escape, started along the trail toward the lake shore, thence down the frozen ice to the mouth of the Kalamazoo river, en r oute to Chicago. The Indians of the Muskegon soon noticed the disappearance of HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 307 Nega, and entered at once on a search. Savage intelligence led the searchers to the scene of the first struggle, and onward still to the locality where the body of one of their most favored women lay cold in death. The Indians halted not for council, but dashed forward in pursuit of the murderer and tracked him to the settlement at Muskegon. Here he succeeded in eluding capture. The murdered woman was the daughter of the Muskegon chief and wife of a sub-chief, a very important squaw in the village circle; therefore the Indians cried out for revenge. Failing to obtain a clew to the whereabouts of Miller, they started for Grand Rapids, related their story to Rix Robinson and Louis Campau, and only rested when they saw that their white friends were determined to seek out the murderer and punish him. Robinson and Campau lost no time in observing their promises to the Indians. One rode in haste to Grand Haven, while the other superintended the scouting parties in the neighborhood of the rapids and along the river. The former, on arriving at Grand Haven, waited on the newly elected Sheriff-T. D. Gilbert, now of Grand Rapids-and instructed him to proceed at once in pursuit of Miller. At that time Robinson was a most influential citizen of the county and the State. An order from him in such a case as this was claimed instant action, so that the sheriff of Ottawa county had no alternative left but to obey. Mr. Gilbert was then young and filled with the enthusiasm of a young man who succeeded in winning a place in popular esteem. He exerted all the faculties which are generally brought into play by the chivalry when any serious question is presented, and formed the conclusion that Miller did not halt at Muskegon, butpushed onward with the intention of reaching Chicago. Under this opinion he examined the snow-clad shores of the lake for some miles above and below the estuary of Grand river; but failing to find even a track, he concluded to try the glare ice on the lake. He had not proceeded far when he discovered the clear ice stained with tobacco juice. Aware that the red men did not possess all the accomplishments of their white brothers, he was not slow to conclude that here he had struck the murderer's trail. Pushing forward he soon discovered another evidence of the tobacco-eater passing that way, and, following up the clue so found traveled onward until the tobacco marks on the ice were hidden in the darkness of night. Even then he did not return; but with an official earnestness determined to reach the light-house near the estuary of the Kalamazoo river. Having reached that point he asked the officer in charge whether a man passed that way during the day. He was answered negatively. Then he instructed the light-keeper to send his boy over to the village of Saugatuck without delay if a man should pass. That night Mr. Gilbert actually proceeded to the village, where he had supper and a rest. Early next morning the light-keeper's boy came to inform him that a man arrived at the light-house. Without loss of time the young sheriff proceeded 308 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. thither, enter3d, and, salting the stranger, "How are you, Mr. Miller?" informed him that he was the Sheriff of Ottawa county in search for the murderer of an Indian squaw. " Very well," replied Miller, " I suppose I must go with you." In returning along the shore, the sheriff pointed out to the culprit the signs which led him to follow utip the trail, and also the spot where he ceased to observe the tobacco stains. bi Well," said Miller, " I turned off the track at nightfall, went behind the sand hill, lighted a fire, and encamped there during the night. This is how you missed me." The march to Grand Haven was perforlned in silence. Arriving there, the unfortunate prisoner was placed in irons for the night, and brought on to Grand Rapids the succeeding day, where he was placed in jail to await trial. While he was in prison, the Indians came from all parts of the country to obtain a glimpse of him who murdered the " pride of the Indian village of Muskegon." The warriors appeared curious, yet did not betray a sign of the deep anger, or dreams of revenge which rankled within their hearts. In their converse with the old traders they were earnest in their demands for his death, stating the facts that justice required a life fora life, and justice must be done. The assurances given by Rix Robinson and Louis Campau satisfied them; but not until after the trial did they cease to visit the village and gather round the jail. The day of trial arrived. Judge Ransom presided. T. B. Church, assisted by Mr. Clark, of Kalamazoo, prosecuted. The grand jurywas composed of the principal men of the county. The counsel for the defense were Geo. Martin, Johnson and Julius Abel. Chief Justice Ransom opened the Circuit Court May 17,1843. The grand jury produced May 20, 1843. The grand jury was sworn, and after a short consultation returned a "true bill" against Miller. In the absence of the prosecuting attorney, Thomas B. Church was appointed by the Governor to represent the People. He was then quite a young man, enthusiastic and determined. This was his first great criminal case, and to render the cause of the People successful, he left no honorable resource unemployed. Every statute and ruling bearing on the crime of murder was studied in full, the legal docunments were prepared with the greatest'care; neither formality nor technicality was unobserved, so that when the indictment was read and its varied, salient features dwelt upon, the counsel for the defense, though able, realized that they had to grapple with a tiger rather than a lamb. The morning of the trial was dark and gloomy, yet every hour brought large delegations from all parts of Kent, Ottawa, liuskegon and Ionia to witness the trial. Indians came hither in large numbers and swelled the throng. All was intense excitement; the small court-room in the beautiful court-house of that day was completely filled; the crowd without was dense indeed. As the morning grew toward noon, the clouds grew darker, and the low, rumbling sound of distant electric explosions could be heard, giv HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 309 ing notice of the coming storm. Still the. people continued to crowd into the village and to the public square, and there each one took a place, waiting expectantly to hear a word from the orators within the temple of justice, and hoping to learn the result of the trial before returning to their homes. About three o'clock in the atternoon the prisoner's counsel addressed the jurors; the acting prosecuting attorney reviewed the evidence tendered, and closed his great labors of that day by a brilliant appeal to his countrymen on the jury to give justice for justice's sake and right the wrongs of the natives, even as they would those of the " New Americans." The testimony closed on Wednesday, May 24, when Judge Ransom charged the jury in a solemn manner. IIe reviewed the testimony of each witness, the circumstantial features of the murder, defined the law in the case, and then directed the jury to find a verdict in accordance with the facts. The jury retired at three o'clock p. m. At this moment the thunderstorm swept past in all its fury. Lightning, thunder and rain aided each other in rendering the scene terrific in the extreme. The jurors stood motionless; the judge himself wondered what all this disturbance of the upper world portended; the building was shaken to its foundations; the people'stood aghast. It seemed to be the storm-king giving warning to do justice, and the jury took the hint. After retiring to the room, peal after peal of thunder rang out; each flash of lightning seemed to halt in its flight as if to enliven the darkness which spread over the land; a steady torrent of rain poured down, until it seemed that heaven was at war with the earth. The jury agreed upon a verdict at 11 o'clock at night, and returned reluctantly to deliver it. Chas. H. Taylor was clerk at the time, and in reply to the question, "< Have you agreed upon a verdict?" received the answer, " We have!" " Is the prisoner guilty or not guilty?" The foreman, in answering, trembled violently, recovered a little, and had just sufficient strength left to reply, "We find him guilty of the crime, but recommend him to executive clemency." At this moment the roar of thunder became deaf ening; the lurid glare of electricity was nature's kaleidoscope, lighting up the scene. The prosecuting attorney, counsel for the prisoner, prisoner, judge and audience were all silent under the influences of the occasion; the jurors were singularly timid, yet disturbed nature did not show signs of peace or approval, but continued her wild show until night came on. The following day Judge Ransom delivered sentence. In view of the fact that a bill was pending before the Legislature, providing for the abolition of capital punishment, the prisoner was sentenced to behanged Feb. 25, 1844, so that the judge, who witnessed the aerial proceedings of the day and night previous, would not have to say in other and later years, that he was the last judge in Michigan to sentence a fellow-man to the scaffold, nor permit thejurors to hold themselves responsible for his death. The " abolition bill" did not 310 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. pass the Legislature that year, so that Sheriff Withey made full preparations for the execution. A scaffold was erected on the public square in February, 1844, under the sheriff's orders. However, friends of the criminal interested themselves in his behalf, and succeeded in obtaining a reprieve. Before the term allowed in the reprieve expired, the act abolishing capital punishment was approved, the sentence of death set aside, and imprisonment for life substituted. Miller, however, did not remain in prison many years. His relatives in Maine interested themselves in his behalf, and this fact, coupled with the more important one that IHovey, the man on whose evidence the prosecution relied for conviction, and on whose testimonylMiller was sentenced to be hanged, when dying confessed that he it was who killed the squaw, and not the unfortunate man who was in prison. Under such circumstances the Governor signed a pardon, and the victim of evil company was discharged. To say that Miller was not equally guilty with Hovey is out of the question; nor is it possible to become convinced that he who would consign a neighbor to the hangman, could tell the truth, even on the brink of eternity. THE MURDER OF DR. KERNY. The first case of murder recorded in the history of Plainfield township, is that of the killing of Dr. Kerny by Cornelius Tubbs. It appears that trouble arose between the two men on account of slanderous reports said to be circulated by Kerny regarding Tubbs' wife. The gossiper and his victim met in the township of Plainfield early in August, 1854, when they entered into a combat of words. The doctor was under the influence of whisky; Tubbs was suffering from a painful felon on the right hand. He did not seek an encounter with the medical man, but, on the contrary, sought every means of retiring. He succeeded in an effort to leave the village, and started for home on foot. He proceeded only a half a mile, when he was overtaken by the doctor, who beat him severely about the head and face. Tubbs tolerated all this, but when the doctor touched the "i felon sore," all patience vanished, and Tubbs, seizing a grub, dealt his assailant a terrific blow, which fractured his skull. Here the battle ended; the unfortunate doctor grew unconscious, in which state he remained until his death next morning. Tubbs was arrested, tried for murder, was defended by T. B. Church, and acquitted, his plea of justifiable homicide being favorably received by a jury of his fellow citizens. THE MURDER OF BARBER. Early in March, 1860, Mr. Barber, who was then Township Treasurer of Algoma, set out for Grand Rapids to report to the County Treasurer and hand him the moneys which he had collected. The day previous he met Kengin, a fellow townsman, and arranged A z ~'- O' HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 313 with him to accompany him, and in accord with this arrangement called at the latter's house next morning. Both left for Grand Rapids; but as Kengin passed out the gate he picked up an ax, remarking that he would have it ground at Plainfield. When about half-way up the hill, a half-mile from Rockford, the murderer raised his deadly weapon, and dealt his defenseless, unsuspecting victim two heavy blows, causing instant death. The assassin fled. A teamster passing that way immediately after discovered the body, gave the alarm, Kengin was pursued, and when arrested at Plainfield denied the charge of murder. When taken into the room where the corpse was stretched, he parted the blood-clotted hair, coolly viewed the gaping wounds, and pretended to weep over the body of his dead friend. His trial resulted in a conviction for murder in the first degree. He confessed his guilt, but never acknowledged the amount of money taken. This murderer was sentenced to imprisonment for life, which sentence he is now undergoing. MURDER OF JAMES CRAWFORD. The murder of Crawford was perpetrated March 1, 1870. The deceased visited the house of Peter Lamoureaux to discuss business matters. After a few minutes the conversation grew into a dispute, and presently merged into a quarrel. Crawford was in the act of leaving the house, when Lamoureaux seized a hammer, with which he struck the retreating Crawford on the head, burying the hammer in the brain of his victim. After receiving this terrible wound, the unfortunate man walked to his home, four and a half miles distant. Having arrived there he fell into an unconscious state, in which he remained until death ended his sufferings March 11, 1870. The murderer was indicted on the charge of manslaughter, was defended by T. B. Church, convicted, and sentenced to imprisonment for seven years. He received his discharge in 1879. He survived his release about 18 months, and died Aug. 9, 1881. He was buried in the Plainfield cemetery, near the grave of his victim. In the case of Mills, charged with causing the granary of C. W. Taylor to be burned, the court was occupied 60 days and the jury for 40 days. E. E. Sargeant, T. B. Church and John Van Arman, of Marshall, prosecuted, and Samuel Clark, of Kalamazoo, Judge Goodwin, of Detroit, and a few local lawyers, defended. George Martin presided as Circuit Judge. Bradley F. Granger, accused of attempting to poison James Miller, a lawyer of Grand Rapids, in 1843, was examined, and escaped lynching through the efforts of Sheriff Harry Eaton. At his trial the jury failed to convict. He was defended by T. B. Church. 19 314 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. TROTTIER~ S CHEESE. Trottier, an Indian trader, who kept his books in hieroglyphics, intended to debit the account of a customer with the price of a grindstone; but in entering it he made a large circle, without making a place for the axle. In course of time Trottier, in looking over the book, saw this figure and presumed it meant a cake ot cheese. The purchaser was asked to pay, and, on refusing, was summoned before a Kent county justice. The defendant allowed the trader to proceed with the case, and then coolly asked the plaintiff. Was it not a grindstone which he sold? Trottier realized the fact immediately, and cried out, "Oh yes! yes! I forgot to make a hole in it, and took it to mean a cake of cheese." Other equally important cases have marked the history of the county, but an account of them here seems inpracticable, if not even inappropriate. FIRST LAWYERS OF THE COUNTY. Among the representatives of the law in Kent during the fifth decade of the century, and the first of the settlement of the county, may be named Julius C. Abel, John Ball, Geo. Martin, Solomon L. Withey, 'John T. Holmes, A. D. Rathbun, T. B. Church, J. S. Chamberlain, C. P. Calkins, Sylvester Granger, E. E. Sargeant, S. M. Johnson, Lucius Patterson, Ralph Cole and C. Osgoode. The Judges of the Circuit Court, who visited Grand Rapids at an early day, were Epaphroditus Ransom and Charles W. Whipple. The Associate Judges included John Almy, Arnott Davis, Philander Tracey, Ezekiel W. Davis, Rix Robinson and George Coggeshall. DeWitt C. Lawrence and Joshua Boyer were elected County Judges in 1846, and James A. Davis in 1850. Jefferson Morrison and James A. Davis were the first Judges of the Probate Court. Geo. Coggeshall, Jonathan Chubb, Lovell Moore and others are well remembered in connection with the old-time Justices' Court. The first practicing lawyer in the county was Julius C. Abel, who settled at Grandville in 1835. He was one of the old-time surveyors, a self-made lawyer, having derived all his legal lore from continuous study of Cowan's treatise on legal forms and common law. Abel was a heavy mortal, and, next to Rix Robinson, was physically perhaps the most powerful man in the county; he possessed a voice singularly deep, and with his large body and deep voice he succeeded in winning from the justices points which common law never could concede. His death was chronicled in 1872. C. Osgoode, appointed Prosecuting Attorney by Judge Ransom at the opening of the first Circuit Court for Kent, and for a time owner of the Grandville city plat, died at the home of his adoption long years after he saw his hopes for its greatness scattered. Lucius Patterson, a New York man, settled at Ionia shortly after HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 315 the arrival ot the Dexter colony, but moved to the Rapids in 1844 or '45. He had the reputation of being a clever, whole-souled man. His death is said to have taken place in 1870. Toward the close of his life he figured as the attorney of J. W. Converse versus the Grand Rapids & Indiana R. R. and other corporations. Simeon M. Johnson, born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., was the son of a weaver favorably known in that State. On coming here he assumed airs of importance which were not at all becoming, excited much unfavorable gossip, was the cashier of the wild-cat bank, in connection with which he merited and received a terrible kicking from Uncle Rix. He married Miss Coggeshall, a lady who obtained a divorce some years afterward. He was appointed United States Consul at the Port of Metanza, Cuba; subsequently held some minor position on the New York Herald, and again married, a Baltimore lady. His death occurred some years ago at his last wife's home. Edward E. Saroeant, Prosecuting Attorney in the celebrated case of the People v. Mills in 1852, was a most esteemed member of the old bar of Kent county. The latter years of his professional life, he devoted to the legal affairs of Daniel Ball, a prominent citizen of early times. He died in 1858. Ralph W. Cole, a lawyer, Mayor of Grand Rapids in 1851, married Miss Mosely, and made the city his home until his death, from small-pox, July 29, 1855. Alfred D. Rathbun was the first regularly elected Prosecuting Attorney of Kent county, holding that office from Jan. 1, 1839, until the appointment ofT. B. Church in 1843. In 1840 he entered into partnership with John Ball, and in 1843 with T. B. Church. Rathbun was a man fond of money and willing and able to earn it; his court practice was limited, yet his office business was fairly good. He was one of the early Postmasters of the village. His death occurred in 1856. John Ball graduated at Dartmouth College in 1820, and entered upon the practice of law at Troy, N. Y. He arrived at Grand Rapids in 1836, where he became a dealer in real estate. In 1840 he formed a partnership with A. D. Rathbun; in 1844 with Solomon L. Withey, subsequently with Geo. Martin, again with E. E. Sargeant, and lastly with James H. McKee. Solomon L. Withey was admitted an attorney and counsellor at law of the Kent County Bar, May 17, 1843, five years after his settlement in the village of that time. In 1848 he was elected Judge of Probate; in 1860 State Senator, and in 1863 was appointed Judge of the United States District Court by Lincoln. He was tendered a U. S. Circuit Judgeship, for Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, in 1869, which offer he declined. John T. Holmes, noticed among the old settlers of the county, was admitted to practice before the Circuit Court of Kent county May 17, 1843. He was elected Judge of the Superior Court of Grand Rapids in 1875, which position he filled until his retirement from 316 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. the bench in 1881. The court is now presided over by Judge Parrish, while Mr. Holmes has returned to the practice of law. Thomas B. Church, a lawyer, favorably known throughout the State as well as in the Grand River Valley, settled at Grand Rapids in 1842, and entered at once on the practice of law. Sylvester Granger was among the old settlers as well as a pioneer lawyer. He was admitted to the bar of Kent county, May 17, 1843, by Chief Justice Ransom. Chamberlain, Rood and Bement were among the lawyers of early times, and favorably known to the old settlers. Geo. Martin, one of the leading members of the bar of this county, and indeed of the State, settled at Grand Rapids in 1836. In the political chapter the gradual progress of this man is noted: his advance, step by step, from the position of County Judge to Circuit Judge, and finally to the Chief Justiceship of the Supreme Court of Michigan, is shown. His death was recorded in 1868. Epaphroditus Ransom, first Circuit Judge of Kent county, was a man of singular, yet brilliant parts. He settled at Kalamazoo at an early period in the history of that county. He was appointed Circuit Judge in 1836, and opened the first term of such court at lonia the same year, holding the session in the house of Daniel Ball, then a resident of that burg. Subsequently he presided over the first courts of Kent and Ottawa counties, holding the session in a house next to Joel Guild and opposite Jefferson Morrison. James Arnott Davis, Associate Judge, was a lawyer who left New York, and settled in Kent with his friends. PRIMITIVE JUSTICE COURTS. The following sketches give a fair idea of the manner in which some old-time justices conducted law business. It is true that a few of them observed many of the rules of court as well as a certain dignity; yet it must be conceded their style was singularly primitive, and in keeping with the spirit of the time. George Coggeshall settled at the village of Kent in 1836, where he erected a frame house at the corner of Bridge and Kent streets. In this house he was accustomed to hear the complaints of his neighbors and give his extraordinary judgments. He was the first Justice of the Peace, known as the " old Kent Justice;" was at once original and peculiar. In a case brought before him, wherein T. B. Church was plaintiff's attorney and Julius C. Abel the defendant's, the plaintiff produced one Vanderpool as witness, who proved the case thoroughly. Abel, for the defense, produced three witnesses to impeach Vanderpool's testimony, but Coggeshall would not permit them to be sworn, saying, "I do not, nor does any one in this jury, believe a word that Vanderpool has stated." This wonderful ruling resulted in the dismission of the plaintiff's case. Mrs. Van Steele stole Burnett's linen and his daughters' underclothing. The case was proved, but to the surprise of the attorneys, the old Kent Justice said: "David Burnett, you take home your HISTORYIOF KENT COUNTY. 317 clothes, and these ladies may take their underclothes." Then he turned to Mrs. Van Steele and said: "As for you, I discharge you; but now, if you are ever caught in this scrape again, I will send you straight to Jackson. You must pay $10 costs!" Three years later the Dutch woman learned that the fine could not be imposed after her discharge. She submitted the matter to Solomon L. Withey, who advised her to sue Geo. Coggeshall for the amount. He paid the $10, saying he did not like to have anything to do with the Monroe street "conspirators" and pirates. He hated the residents of that portion of thevillage called Monroe street, had no confidence whatever in them, and was even inclined to oppose hisjudicial opinions to any of them who might seek justice in his court. During the trial of a case before the justice's court of Grandville, Lovell Mloore, plaintiffs attorney, was subpoenaed, during the progress of the case, by John T. Holmes, attorney for the defendant, to prove the hand-writing of his own client. Moore took off his glasses, entered the witness-stand, and looked at the writing; but owing to bad sight could not say that it was plaintiff's, although he knew his writing well. Holmes was surprised and asked him the reason. "Why, 'Squire Holmes," he said, "I cannot see without spectacles; and you did not subpoena the spectacles." There was a nonsuit. THE BAR ASSOCIATION. This Association was organized Feb. 7, 1878, when a constitution and by-laws were adopted, with a preamble setting forth that " the Association is established to maintain the honor and dignity of the profession of the law, to increase its usefulness in promoting the due administration of justice, to cultivate social intercourse among its members, and to establish a law library." The officers elected were D. Darwin Hughes, President; Edward Taggart, Vice President; Laurens. Wolcott, Secretary; Roger W. Butterfield, Treasurer; John C. Fitzgerald, Edwin F. Ihl, Ebenezer S. Eggleston, Executive Committee. The first members of the association comprised D. Darwin Hughes, Henry Elmer Thompson, John W. Champlin, Lyman D. Norris, Lawrence P. Eddy, Laurens W. Wolcott, James Blair, Moses Taggart, Roger W. Ransom, Edward Taggart, James B.Wilson, John C. Fitzgerald, J. Kleinhaus, Willard Kingsley, Thomas J. O'Brien, Isaac H. Parrish, C. C. Rood, Albert Jennings, 0. M. McLaren, Fred. A. Maynard, Elwin C. Allen, Edwin F. Uhl, H. B. Fallass, Ed. M. Adams, Hiram A. Fletcher, W. J. Stuart, E. F. Sweet, Omar H. Simonds, Sanford C. Hinsdale, H. H. Drury, Mitchell I. Smyley. In accordance with the article of the constitution, dealing with election of officers, the last Monday of November was set as the day 318 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. of annual meeting. Tie first meeting was called for Nov. 25, adjourned to Dec. 2, 1878, and resulted in the choice of the following officers: John W. Champlin, President; Mitchell. I. Smyley, Vice President; Edwin F. Sweet, Secretary; Moses Taggart, Treasurer; James Blair, Omar H. Simonds and Henry E. Thompson, Executive Committee. Sept. 11, 1879, the following gentlemen were admitted to membership: John W. Stone, Nathaniel A. Earle, Edward W. Withey, Geo. B Wanty, James R. Wylie, Samuel A. Kennedy, John M. Harris, Geo. W. Thompson, Henry J. Felker and Wi. M. Robinson. The third annual meeting was held Nov. 24, 1879, when D. Darwin Hughes was elected President; John C. Fitzgerald, VicePresident; James B. Willson, Secretary; Moses Taggart, Treasurer; Nathaniel A. Earle, Laurens W. Wolcott, and John W. Champlin, Executive Committee. Marsden C. Burch was admitted to membership March 10, 1880 Among members admitted since that period, are Wm. Wisner Taylor and G. Chase Godwin. The officers elected in 1879 were confirmed in their positions which they hold until November, 1881. The Association has now established a reading room in the United States building, where many of the leading law periodicals are filed. It is the purpose of the Association to establish a law library at an early date. Messrs. Jennings and Mc Laren, formerly members of the Association, have left the city. The honorary members, according to article VII. of the constitution, comprise the judges of the United States, District, Circuit, and City Courts during their term of office. The list includes the names of Solomon L. Withey, Birney Hoyt, Isaac Parrish and John T. Holmes. The amount of good effected by this Association cannot be overestimated. Its members must follow the line of conduct laid down, and thus ensure an observance of all those principles which bring honor to the profession and justice to the litigant. The Bar of Kent county, as reported in 1881, comprised the following named attorneys and counsellors at law: Adsit, A C Church, Thomas B Chandler Charles Ferris, Jacob Adams, Edward M Calkins, C P Clark, Aaron Fairfield, John A Allen & Gary Chipman, S S Dodge, A W Fallass, Henry B Boardman, F D Coit, Charles W Dodge, E W Follett, Lyman D Buck, Curtis Corbitt, D E Dapper, E A Ford, Melbourne H Blair, Kingsley & Carpenter, Frank L Doran, Peter Foote, Thaddeus Kleinhaus Carpenter, Eugene Drury, Horton H Gleason, Clark H Burch & Montgolry Champlin, J W Eddy, L P Grove & Harris Ball & McKee Carroll, Thomas F Earle, J Edward Ganson, C VanC Barker, Thomas N Carroll, L E Eggleston, E S Goodwin, G Chase Burlingame, E A Carroll, - Edgerton, - Girdler, Benj C Butterfield, R W Clay, Samuel D Earle, Nathaniel L Graham, Robert D Corbin, I H Carr, Henry J Fitzgerald, John C Hall, Abram S HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 319 Hunter, Frank W Maynard, R A Powers, Reuben W Sweet, Edwin F Howell, Charles C Mathewson & Patten, John, jr Saunders, W G Hinsdale, S C Wurzhurg Pettibone, Chas C Turner, Isaac M Hale, Warren S Miller, John T Quinsey, John C Taylor, W Wisner Holden, E G D Moore, Malcolm M Reeves & Felker Thompson, G W Hyde, C G & W W Miller, E T Rogers, Jas A Thompson, H E Holmes, Frank G McReynolds, A T Rood, Charles C Tompkins, H Hopkins, M L McLaren,- Reynolds, J MI Taggart, Edward Holcomb, John W McNamara, John Ransom,J W& 0 C Taggart & Wolcott Hughes, D Darwin Miller, E T Renwick & Walker Temple, Fred C Harper, Joseph H McBride, James A Rogers, D L Vickers, Robert H Hobbes, Joseph F Moffat, John 0 Sliter & Rogers, Voorheis, Peter 0 Hughes, D D, jr Maher, Edgar A Slawson, Newell F Wills m, James B Harlan, Benj A. Maynard & Wanty Simonds, Fir& Wood, Isaac W Jones, William K Moore, J E Wolf Weinman, Ernest G Joslin, H Norris & Uhl Sweet, Frank H Westfall, W 0 Kellogg, R Marion O'Brien, T J Sinclair, R P Walsh, Henry F Kennedy, S A Potter, Charles Sinclain,Thompson Ward, Leonard A Kutts, Frank K Putnam, Alfred Smiley, M I White, Geo H Lambert, Isaac E Powers, Mark M Smith, N J Williams, W B Lyle, D C Parrish, Isaac H Shinkman, E J Wilson, Thomas B Lockwood, B F Perry & Alger Stone, John W Withey, Edward W Lawrence, John S Prescott, Wm H Smith, Eben Wright, W H Livingston, L B Pantlind, Geo E Standish, Albert Wylie, James R Messmore, I E Partridge, F J Stuart, Wm J The Circuit Court is presided over by Hon. Birney Hoyt. The officers of the court are: Fred S. Clark, Clerk; Edward B. Moore, Deputy Clerk; Charles G. Godfroy, Deputy Clerk; Lincoln Bowen, File Clerk; Fred A. Maynard, Prosecuting Attorney; George P. Wanty, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney; Henry F. Walsh, Reporter; and James B. Willson and Lyman D. Follett, Circuit Court Corn missioners. Solomon L. Withev is Judge of the United States District Court, and Isaac H. Parrish, Judge of the Superior Court of Grand Rapids. CHAPTER XI. POLITICAL HISTORY. Politics in Kent county do not convey the idea of the ignorance of party bigotry. There cannot, perhaps, be found within the county a creature of political fanaticism; although it is conceded that every freeholder is attached to one party or the other, that he never neglects to exercise his rights as a freeman, and is always faithful to principle, it cannot be said that he has indulged in any of the degraded deeds which are said to mark the fanatical, ignorant devotees of politics. The world has arrived at that stage where ignorance ceases to be bliss. Man essays to comprehend all things. So far as the Republic is concerned, he has almost formed a just conception of what it is, and the duties which it imposes on each citizen. He compares American freedom with European serfdom, and realizes the fact that here is the cradle of humanity's rights. Liberty is worth all that a nation is worth: liberty is worth all that life is worth. Take away freedom from the nation, and you degrade it; circumscribe, fetter, enchain the intellect, the will of a man, and he is no longer the image of his Creator. Debase his sentiment of patriotism, destroy his sense of personal freedom, and he becomes a serf without the higher instincts that ennoble and dignify the virtuous citizen. It is greatness of ideas, worthiness of sentiments, nobility of character, purity of examples, fidelity to true principles, that constitute the majesty of a nation. Mere space establishes no claim upon the soul. Therefore the people in seeking the freedom of their nation are not the idle worshipers of a soil which can give them nothing save a tomb; but are the devotees of a sentiment before which the enlightened mind reverently bows. But in what does liberty consist? Not in mighty cities; not in vast monuments of human skill, lofty towers, lengthy railroads, nor in great water-courses. These show the power of human intelligence, and the force of human will; but a despotism may build thenm all. Liberty is in the truth. Know the truth, says the great Master, and you shall be free. In their adherence to truth the people should be pre-eminent to ensure a safe future. The portion of the family which has founded itself upon the American continent owes much to itself and its adopted home. It owes to itself the duty of conserving the brightest traditions and virtues of the past, a full, free and hearty allegiance based upon conscience, and a sense of fealty to the protection which the rights of citizenship afford. With a more complete understanding of the economies, the laws of labor, of supply and demand, and a manly (320) HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 321 discharge of their duties as freemen, they can afford to look with pity upon those who would lessen their power or obstruct their advance. Of late years many political parties have introduced their principles, and found many followers. There is, apparently, a tendency to cast away party discipline and support the best candidate. The people are willing to acknowledge the benefits bestowed upon the country by the two great parties, or the President-makerb; but they are also aware of the many abuses which have crept into the system of government, and contributed to lessen the influence of a great federation. The followers of these political unions in Kent county have made their voices heard in their cries for reform; they have scanned the actions of their Legislators with jealous eye, and rewarded or punished where justice pointed, and thus secured, and now essay to secure, a fair representation in the Legislative halls of the State and the Republic. CONGRESSIONAL AND STATE ELECTIONS. Owing to the small population inhabiting the district now known as Kent county, in 1831, the Dexter-Wing contest for the honors of Congress did not create any enthusiasm here whatever. The few settlers then scattered along the Valley of the Grand River, from Jacksonburg to its mouth, were actually unconcerned regarding the success of the Masons or the Anti-Masons. The contest for Congressional honors in 1833 was carried on between the Whig, William Woodbridge, and the Democrats, Lucius Lyon and Austin E. Wing. This election did not excite any special interest here, so far as the exercise of the franchise was concerned, for the simple reason that at the time there was neither township nor county organizations and only a few American settlers here. Two years later, however, a large majority of the settlers voted for Congressman Isaac E. Crary. In 1835 the township of Kent recorded a full vote in favor of Stevens T. Mason, Democratic candidate for Governor; Edward Mundy for Lieut.-Governor;Kintzing L. Pritchette, Secretary of State; Henry Howard, State Treasurer; and Daniel LeRoy, Attorney General. Roswell Britton was elected Representative in the State Legislature in 1836. The admission of Michigan as a State was discussed in 1836, and resulted in the formation of two political parties known as the " State's Rights" and "S Submissionists," the latter agreeing to the terms of admission as offered by the United States Congress. The " Rights" party was fully and ably represented by the settlers and carried their nominees to the head of the poll in the elections of that year. A return to the old Democratic and Whig politics marked the April elections of 1837. The fall following, the Whigs partially cast away the name " Republican" and secured the election of their nominee to the United States Congress, but failed to elect their 322 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. candidate for Governor, Charles C. Trowbridge, against Gov. Mason. In 1838 Isaac E. Crary, on the Democratic, and Hezekiah G. Wells, on the Whig ticket, presented themselves in the race for Congress, and, as formerly, Mr. Crary received a large majority of the votes here. Hon. John Ball was elected member of the Legislature in 1838, receiving a majority of 600 votes over his opponent, Capt. Stoddard. The election of Noble H. Finney, Democrat, as Representative of this District in the Legislature marked the local page of politics in 1839. In the contest for the positions of Governor, Elon Farnsworth, Democrat, was opposed by William Woodbridge, Whig, the former obtaining a majority of the votes cast in this county. The year 1840 was characterized by the earnest contest between the Whig candidate for the Presidency, W. H. Harrison, and the Democrat, Martin Van Buren. The Democracy carried the polls in this county. C. I. Walker was elected Representative on the Democratic ticket the same year. The State elections of 1841 brought three candidates for Governor into the field, viz.: John S. Barry, Democrat; Philo C. Fuller, Whig, and Jabez S. Fitch on the Liberty and Temperance tickets. The former was successful. In February, this year, Gov. Woodbridge accepted a place in the United States Senate. Two years later Governor Barry was opposed by Zina Pitcher on the Whig, and James G. Birney on the Liberty, tickets. Governor Barry conquered in the political battle, and continued in office until the inauguration of Governor Felch in 1846. Lucius Lyon, Robert McClellan and James B. Hunt, a trio of Democrats, were elected Congressional Representatives in 1843. The years 1842-'3-'4 formed a period of political activity seldom surpassed in its earnestness in those early days. Gov. John S. Barry was opposed by the Whig, Zina Pitcher, and the Free-Soiler, James G. Birney, of Lower Saginaw. In 1844 James K. Polk, Henry Clay and James G. Birney presented themselves in the race for the Presidency. The first-named succeeded, and in his success the records point to Kent as an important supporter. In 1851 Robert McClelan received.748 votes in Kent county, being 135 over the number recorded for his opponent. The contest of 1852 resulted in the election of Franklin Pierce as President. There were 1,540 votes recorded for the Democratic ticket in Kent county that year, being a majority of 220. The repeal of the "Missouri Compromise," Know-Nothingism, Free-Soilism, and Abolitionism, all existed in 1854. The Republican party was formed that year, and their ticket, as presented at the fall elections, received a majority vote of 47. The election of 1856 showed the growing strength of the ney political organization in this county, Fremont receiving a majority of 415. Two years later Moses Wisner, Republican, was elected Governor of Michigan. His majority vote was 299. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 323 Two years later the nomination of Stephen A. Douglas by the Northern Democrats and of John C. Breckenridge by the Southerners, created such divisions in the party that the united Republicans, with Abraham Lincoln as standard-bearer, pushed forward to victory, which they have since held. In 1860 Austin Blair was elected Governor on the Republican ticket. Throughout the campaign each party acted in full concert with the conventions. The Republican ticket was elected throughout the county in 1860, save in Wyoming, where the Democracy had a majority of five, and in Byron where a majority of one was given. The townships of Vergennes, Bowne, Solon and Caledonia recorded an equal vote. The total majority in favor of the Republican candidates was 1,000. The Breckenridge and Independents received merely a nominal vote. In the returns of this year just given, it will be remembered that the figures deal with the city of Grand Rapids, except in the cases of the President and Governor, where the total vote of the county is recorded. The re-election of Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, who were opposed by General McClellan and Geo. H. Pendleton, was the conclusion of a spirited political contest, carried on in the midst of civil war. On the death of President Lincoln, Andrew Johnson entered upon the duties of that high office, and also upon a policy of reconstruction. He was supported in this by the Democratic party, while his own party opposed his administration. Henry H. Crapo was elected Governor, his opponent, Alpheus S. Williams, being in a minority of 1,369 votes in this county. Gen. U. S. Grant and Schuyler Colfax on the Republican ticket, and Horatio Seymour and Francis P. Blair, jr., on the Democratic, characterized the campaign of 1868. The contest resulted in favor of the military candidate. The next general election was in 1870, when Charles C. Comstock as Democratic candidate opposed Henry P. Baldwin, the Republican nominee. During Gen. Grant's first administration new issues were formed. A new party sprung into existence, known as the "Liberal Republican," and in possession of great political influence. This party nominated Horace Greeley in 1872, the Republicans renominated Gen. Grant, while the third party placed the name of the eminent New York lawyer, Charles O'Conor, on the ticket. The Grant party was overwhelmingly victorious in the campaign. The Democrats made an extraordinary effort to break down the ascendancy of their opponents in 1874, and succeeded in obtaining a Congressional majority. In 1876 the " Anti-monopoly " "Independent" and "Greenback," or " N ational Greenback-Labor" party, began to show their strength; but their existence did not at all interfere with the leading political organizations. The Democrats nominated Samuel J. Tilden, 324 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. the Republicans, Rutherford B. Hayes, and the Greenbackers, Peter Cooper. This was one of the closest elections ever held in the Union, as the result was entirely dependent upon one electoral vote. Disputes arose, which could be settled only by an extraordinary measure. An " electoral commission" was appointed, consisting of 15 citizens. The decision was in favor of Mr. Hayes by a vote of eight to seven. During this year the Prohibition party was formed, and acted in a few counties. The Republicans, Democrats, Greenbackers and Prohibitionists entered the field of political contest in 1878; but the first-named ticket was successful. The Presidential campaign of 1880 will be ever memorable for the deep interest taken in it throughout the land. The failure of the Grant party to nominate, Hon. James A. Garfield was placed on the Republican ticket, Gen. W. S. Hancock on the Democratic, J. B. Weaver on the Greenback, and Neal Dow on the Prohibition. The election of Mr. Garfield and the troubles with the Senate during the first months of his Presidency are also fresh in the minds of the people; and the sorrow felt by the citizens of this country over the assassination of this good man was equal to that of any other community. In the following pages the elections held in this county, whether Presidential, State or county, are enumerated and returns given. EARLY COUNTY OFFICIALS. The records of the first elections held within the boundaries of Kent are so meager in most instances, and altogether wanting in other parts, that it is now a matter of impossibility to deal with them according to the plan of this chapter. From what can be learned from the survivors of early settlement, as well as gleaned from the little written evidence extant, it appears that in 1835, previous to the organization of the county, an election was held in the township of Kent for officers of Kalamazoo county, which resulted in the choice of Stephen Vicary, Recorder of Deeds; J. W. Willard, Register of Deeds; Theodore C. Shelden, Treasurer; Jefferson Morrison, Judge of Probate, and Lawrence Vanderwaker, Coroner. The number of votes recorded was 26. In the fall elections for delegates to form a State convention 41 votes were recorded. In 1836 the first county meeting of the freeholders of Kent was held for the purpose of electing county officials. Dr. Wilson was chosen County Clerk; Jefferson Morrison, Judge of Probate; Luther Beebe, Recorder of Deeds; Jacob Barns, Register of Deeds; Hiram Hinsdill, Treasurer; James Scribner, Coroner, and John Almy and Arnot Davis, County Judges. Chas. Osgoode was appointed Prosecuting Attorney. Charles H. Taylor was elected County Clerk in 1838; Aaron Russell, Sheriff; Aaron Dikeman, HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 325 Treasurer; James A. Davis, Judge of Probate; Alfred D. Rathbun, Prosecuting Attorney; and Jacob Barnes, Register. The election of 1840 resulted in the choice of Harry Eaton, Sheriff; James A. Davis, Judge of Probate; Charles H. Taylor, County Clerk; Aaron Dikeman, Treasurer; Jacob Barnes, Register. On the death of Jacob Barnes in 1842, E. W. Barnes, his son, was appointed to fill the vacancy. In 1842 Solomon Withey was elected Sheriff; Thomas B. Church was appointed Prosecuting Attorney by the Governor; Aaron Dikeman was re-elected Treasurer; C. I. Taylor, County Clerk; James A. Davis, Judge of Probate; William Slawson, Surveyor. During the year 1843 Aaron Dikeman resigned the office of Treasurer, when Sidney Smith was elected to fill the vacancy. Mr. Smith died in 1844 when James Davis was elected Treasurer of the county. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. The act providing for the election of county commissioners and county officers, cameinto effect in November, 1838, when three commissioners were elected, each one drawing a lot for his term of service. Robert Hilton was elected for three years; Rodney Robinson for two years, and Sylvester Granger for one year. The supervisors elected in April were directed to perform all the duties pertaining to the Board of County Commissioners until the election of that body. An act approved March 16, 1840, provided among other things that the Board of County Commissioners should meet for organization the first Monday in January, 1841. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. By an act of the Legislature, approved Feb. 10, 1842, the office of county commissioners was abolished, and that of supervisors established. The new County Board was directed to meet the first Monday in July, 1842, the election of its members being ordered for the second Monday in April of the same year. The election of the first Board of Supervisors was held April 4, 1842, and resulted in the return of the following township representatives: Grand Rapids, John Almy; Walker, James Davis; Paris, Hiram H. Allen; Byron, Wm. R. Godwin; Ada, -— Ackley; Vergennes, Thompson I. Daniels; Courtland, Isaac Tower; Caledonia, Justus C. Beach; Plainfield, Gideon H. Gordon. 326 326 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. ELECTION 1841. Governor. John S. Barry, dem......338 Philo E. Fuller, whig.....209 Jabez S. Fitch, lib. & temp.-.. 7 Lieut. Governor. 0. D.- Richardson, dem -.. 228 Edmund B. Bostwick, whig.. 316 Nathan Power, lib. & temp... 8 Senator. Digby V. Bell, dem......401 James B. Larue, whig.....135 Solon P. Marsh, lib. & temp.. 17 Represent at ive. Geo. W. Dexter, dem.....661 Win. B. Hawks, whig.....428 James Ballard, lib. & temp... 16 County Commissioner. Rodney Robinson, dem.. 273 W. H. Withey, whig.....277 James Ballard, lib. & temp... 3 I ELECTION 1843. 129 88 266 233 4 Associate Judges. Ezekiel W. Davis, whig... Philander Tracy, whig..... JTudge of Probate. Jefferson Morrison, dem... County Commissioners. Rix Robinson, dem...... Sylvester Granger, dem.... W. B. Hawks.. Shersif. Harry Eaton, dem...... Clerk. C. H. Taylor, dem...... Register. Benjamin Smith, whig. Treasurer. Aaron Dikeman, dem..... Surveyor. Charles Shepard, dem.... Coroners. Samuel F- Butler, whig... Elial Walker........ In 1842, the county officers were re-elected with the exception of the out. going commissioner: W. H. Withey took -the place of Rodney Robinson on the Board of County Commissioners. Representative. Simeon M. Johnson, dem.....650 7 Thomas W. White, whig....643 Bethuel Church, lib. & temp.. 19 John Aliy......... 1 James Ballard........ 1 Governor. John S. Barry, dem..... Zina Pitcher, whig...... Congress. Lucius Lyon, dem...... Henry R. Williams, whig-. Senator. Win. A. Richmond, dem.... Representative. Henry Pennoyer, dem.....282 Thomas W. White,whig. —. 353 Bethuel Church, lib. & temp....43 Henry Bartow.........14 County Treasurer. Sydney Smith, dem......312 Lovell Moore, whig......294 *In two districts. t1In five districts. ELECTION 1844. Presgident. J. K. Polk, dem,........564 Henry Clay whig.......476 James G. Birney, liberty....70 Congress. John A. Cihipman, dem....559 H. W. Taylor, whig......489 Senate. Flavius J. Littejohn, dem. 563 Jos. N. Chipman, dem.....563 F. W. Curtenius, whig.....475 Bacon, whig..........475 Representative. A. L. Roof, dem........552 T. W. White, whig... 503 Associate Judges. Rix Robinson, dem......569 John Almy, dem........537 B. B. Bostwick, whig.....516 W. H. Withey, whig.....482 S1&erifl. Solomon Withey, dem....513 C. P. Babcock, whig......527 Clerkc. 0. H. Taylor, dem......580 S. B. Ball, whig........482 Treasurer. iSydney Smith, dem.......577 A. H. Smith, whig.......481 Register. Aaron Dikeman, dent....531 Geo. H. White, whig.....533 Probate Judge. J. A. Davis, dem,..........559 J. F. Ohubb, whig..... 503 159 *2175 f47 71 1s 70 88 88 49 14 98 96 2 56 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 327 Surveyor. Wm. Slosson, dem............522 K. S. Pettibone, whig........445 Coroners. Harry Eaton, dem.........583 Robert Howlett, dem.........578 H. H. Allen, whig..........582 Ebenezer Davis, whig........451 ELECTION 1845. Governor. Alpheus Felch, dem........500 Steven Vickery, whig.......433 J.G. Birney, lib.............42 Lieut. Governor. W. L. Greenly, dem.......497 Lamb, whig.................432 Thomas, lib................40 Senator. Rix Robinson, dem..........436 E. B. Bostwick, whig........503 Marsh, lib....................17 Representative. J. L. Morse, dem............489 T. D. Gilbert, whig..........451 J. F. Chubb..................28 Treasurer. James Davis, whig..........536 Wm. G. Mosely dem.........418 James Scott, lib............... 1 Associate Judge. Geo. Coggeshall, dem......426 Lewis Reed, whig..........513 John Scott, lib............... 1 ELECTION 1846. Congressman. Edwin Lawrence, whig......612 Robert McClellan, dem..... 687 Chas. E. Stewart, lib.........653 County Judge. DeWitt C. Lawrence, dem....687 George Martin, whig........612 Samuel Howland, whig....... 3 Second Judge. Joshua Boyer, dem..........193 Smith Lapham, whig........182 Abram Randall, whig......... 4 Sheriff. DeWitt Shoemaker, dem....715 Wm. H. Withey, whig.......568 Wm. A. Blackney, whig.........3 Addison Tracy, whig..........1 Clerk. Samuel R. Sanford, dem......644 David E. English, whig.....572 77 67 65 67 38 138 87 Treasurer. Harry Eaton, dem...........626 James Davis, whig...........665 Levi Bigelow, whig............4 John Ball, dem..........5....5 James A. Davis............... 1 Register. John M. Fox, dem...........671 Geo. H. White, whig.........614 Jesse Barker...............4 Amos Rathbun..............1 S. Pettibone....................1 George White.................3 Surveyor. Volney W. Caukin, dem.... 703 Knowlton S. Pettibone, whig..588 Adin Hinds...................3 Thornton S. Pettibone.........1 Allen W ines................... Coroners. Stephen O'Brien, dem........690 Myron H. Balcom, dem......686 John M. Balcom, whig.......588 Ebenezer Davis, whig.......606 ELECTION 1848. President. Lewis Cass, dem.............768 Martin VanBuren, free soil... 653 Zachary Taylor, whig.........337 Congress. Charles E. Stuart, dem......796 Wm. Sprague, free soil.......959 Senator. Adam L. Roof, dem.........772 Whitney Jones, whig...........682 Henry A. Shaw, free soil... 316 Representatives. Henry C. Smith, dem..........857 Henry Pennoyer, dem........796 Wm. H. Withey, whig.......702 Thomas D. Gilbert, whig.....617 Silas S. Fallass, free soil......281 Jahiel H. Hurd, free soil.....273 Sheriff. Michael Connolly, dem......734 Harvey K. Rose, whig........995 Treasurer. Wm. R. Godwin, dem........731 S. 0. Kingsbury, whig......779 Henry Seymour, free soil....230 Clerk. Reuben H. Smith, dem.......821 Orson B. Galusha, whig......633 Volney W. Caukin, free soil....304 W. L. Coffinberry, whig......8 39 57 115 24 75 11 147 72 115 163 90 261 48 188 328 328 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Register. John M. Fox, dem... ---.. 867 Aaron B. Turner, whig.....655 Ira Nash, free soil.......244 Judge of Probate. Solomon L. Withey, dem.....951 Leonard Bement, whig... 583 Samuel H. Steele, free soil...216 Surveyor. Win. Slosson, dem.......815 Win. Thornton, whig.....645 K. S. Pettibone, free soil. 311 Coroners. Harry Eaton, dem.......784 Jonathan Nash, dem..... 776 T. J. Daniels, whig......670 Samuel F. Perkins, whig.....667 Silas Hall, free soil.......312 Harlow T. Judson, free soil.. -.309 ELECTION 1849. Governor. FlaviusJ. Littlejohn, whig...646 John S. Barry, dem......744 John Cox, free soil...... 6 Lieut. Governor. George A Coe, whig.....671 Wm'. M. Fenton, dem.....755 State, Printer. H. H Duncklee, whig.....674 R. W. Ingalls, dem......751 Senator. John W. Longyear. whig....684 John Bowne, dem....... 784 Represent ative8. Philo Beers, dem.......716 Silas G. Harris, dem......741 Wmn. H. Withey, whig....681 Wmn. C. Comfort, whig.....662 -Amendmrent of Constitution. Pro.............1287 Convention. Pro...1179 Contra........... 28 ELECTION 1850. Congressman. CharlesE. Stuart, dein....992 Jas. R. Williams, whig... 934 Geo. Martin, whig.1.... Judges of Supreme Court. Warner Wing, dem......1024 Abner Pratt, dem.......1018 S. M. Green, dein-.1.....l024 Charles Draper, whig.....894 S. H. Kimball, whig. 1-1894 Henry Chipmnan, whig.....896 Auditor General. John Sweegles, jr., dem.....1018 Elisha P. Champlin, whig. 898 212 M. J.M Hammond, free soil. 4 State Treasurer. Bernard C. Whitteinore....1022 James Birdsall........895 368 Delamore Duncan...... 4 Secretary of State. Charles H. Taylor, dem....1015 Geo. Martin, whig......879 170 Ransom C.Luce.1..... Isaac Turner........ 1 Jas. Chedsey....... 5 Attorney General. William Hale.......1026 Austin Blair........896 S. J. M. Hammond..... 1 Supt. Public Instruction. Francis W. Shearman....1022 Samuel Barstow.......898 DeWitt C. Leach......5 Senator 7tA District. David Sturgis.:IIIIIII..1021 98 Henry S. Jennings.....894 Representatives. Thomas B. Church, dem.. 983 Timothy Eastman, dem....1001 84 Isaac Turner, whig.... 935 Thomas W. Ferry, whig.. 894 77 County Judge. James Davis......... 789 Leonard Bement.....1056 50 Second Judge. Gaius Stebbins..-1 1I 946 Milton C. Watkins...... 956 Delegates to State Convention for virsion of the Constitution. Rix Robinson, dem.....488 Thomas B. Church, dem.... 515 129Timothy Eastman, dein.... 523 129Isaac Turner, whig.....480 Arba Richards, whig...412 Stephen Munroe, whig.... 438 1151,, Prosecuting Attorney. Edward B. Sargeant, dem 1027 Lovell Moore, whig....886 Sherilf. 5S Leonard, Snyder, dein.....10388 Heman Leonard, whig.... 827 ClIerk. Reuben H. Smith, dem....1011 John R. Stewart, whig.... 900 Register. John M. Fox, dem.. lBS. 11 John Potter, whig.....756 Treasurer. Wmn. R. Goodwin, dein... 854 120 Solomon 0. Kingsbury, whig 994 127 136 180 129~ 127 267 10 1Be141 211 111 872 140 L / 7 I/ I c/ IWy, /^^^^ HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 331 Surveyor. Wm. Slawson, dem........ 999 86 Wm. Thornton, whig.... 913 Coroners. Robert Howlett,........ 940 Solomon Withey,........... 962 A. D. Proctor,............ 931 Nath. Emery,............ 916 Adoption of the Canstitution. Pro.....................1225 977 Contra......... 248 Equal suff1 age to colored persons. Pro.................... 442 Contra.................... 978 426 ELECTION 1851. Governor. Robert McClelland, dem.. 748 135 Townsend E. Gidley, whig 613 Lieut. Governor. Calvin Britain, dem...... 748 139 Geo. H. Hlazleton, whig.. 609 ELECTION 1852. Senator. Truman H. Lyon, dem....1540 220 Wm. H. Withey, whig....1320 l.presen tatives. DeWitt Shoemaker, dem...... 819 135 Hiram Rhodes, whig.... 674 Henry C. Smith, dem...... 7 Henry C. Smith, dem.... 704 63 Smith Lapham, whig.... 641 Sheriff. Leonard Snyder, dem.... 1518 192 Benj. B. Church, whig... 1326 Pros. Attorney. Johh T. Holmes, dem.... 1558 262 Eben. S. Eggleston, whig.1296 Judge of Probate. Robert P. Sinclair, dem....1524 194 Leonard Bement, whig....1330 Clerk. Reuben H. Smith, dem....1529 199 Wm. Ashley, jr., whig......1330 Treasurer. Nelson Robinson, dem......1432 119 Thompson I. Daniels, whig. 1313 Register. Fred. W. Warden, dem....1488 124 Geo. Young, whig........ 1364 Circuit Court Commissioner. Charles C. Rood, dem....1541 136 Thaddeus Foote, jr., whig.....1305 Surveyor. James Dockeray, dem....1549 253 Wm. Thornton, whig...... 1296 20 Coroners. R. Howlett, dem..........1551 Rodney Robinson, dem.'...1547 Lewis Reed, whig...... 1298 Henry Bremer, whig. 13...103 Zachariah Chandler, whig. 2 ELECTION 1854. Governor. John S. Barry, dem......1493 Kinsley S. Bingham, rep..1540 47 Lieut. Governor. Wm. A. Richmond, dem..1490 Geo. A. Coe, rep..........1542 52 Secretary of State Wm. L. Bancroft, dem....1481 John McKinney, rep...... 1562 81 State Treasurer. I)erastus Hinman,........1477 Silas M. Holmes......... 1566 89 Auditor General. John Swegles............1487 Whitney Jones,............1557 70 Corn. Pub. Lands. Allen Goodridge.........1484 S. B. Treadwell...........1561 77 Attorney General. B. F H. Witherell, dem.... 1478 Jacob M. Howard, rep...1566 88 Supt. Pub. Instruction. F. W. Shearman,.......1480 Ira Mayhew........... 1563 83 State Board of Education. Chauncey Joslin, dem....1480 John R. Kellogg, dem..... 1565 Elijah Pilcher, rep (vacancy)1482 HiramL. Miller, rep "....1563 Congressman. Samuel Clarke, dem...... 1383. David S. Walbridge, rep.. 1627 234 Senator. Alfred D. Rathbun, dem..1410 Wilder D. Foster, rep....1614 20 Sheriff. D. S. T. Weller, dem.... 1605 188 De Witt Shoemaker, rep.. 1417 Clerks. James D. Lyon, dem....1471 Peter R. L. Pierce, rep....1548 '74 Register. Fred. W. Worden, dem...1590 150 Aaron B. Turner, rep..... 1440 Treasurer. Nelson Robinson, dem....1881 431 Heman Parmerlee, rep.... 1350 332 33~ HISTORY OF RENT COUNTY. Circuit Court Commissioner. Charles C. Rood dem...1511 Thaddeus Foote, rep....1524 Pros. Attorney, John T. Holmes dem...1524 Ralph W. Cole, rep.....1498 Surveyor. Win. H. Goodwin, dem.....1498 Ezekiel Howell, rep.....1549 Coroners. Rodney Robinson, de......1489 Curtis Porter, dem.....1490 Sam. F. Butler, rep.....1561 Benj. Davies, rep.....1562 ELECTION 1856. President. Fremont, rep.......2981 Buchanan, dem......2516 Fillmore, Amer...-..93 Governor. Kinsley S. Bingham, rep....2946 Alpheus Felch, dem.....2596 Lieut. Governor. Geo. A. Coe, rep... —..2962 Geo. M. Lothrop, dem....2587 Secretary of State. McKinney.... 2964 Stevens...........2585 State Treasurer. Holmes...........2963 Davis............2584 Auditor General. Jones. 2961 Dennis..........2588 Attorney General. Howard, rep........2959 Gould, dem........2588 Land Commissioner. Treadwell..........2960 Goodrich..........2589 Supt. Public Instruction. IMayhew..........2966 Shearman. 2584 Board of Education. Willard.......2973 BlackmaD.. 2587 Congressman. Walbridge, rep.......2972 Littlejohn, dem.......2577 Senator. Smith La pham, rep....2956 John M. Fox, dem,.....2586 Sherizl' Anson N. Norton, rep.. 2927 Daniel S. T. Weller, dem..2588 13 36 51 415 350 375 379 379 373 371 371 382 386 395 370 344 Clerk. Peter R. L. Pierce, rep.....2968 James Blair, dem.....2556 Register. Leonidas S. Scranton, rep..2898 Fred. W. Worden, dem.....26388 Treasurer. Daniel C. McVean, rep.....2860 Nelson Robinson, dem.... 2674 Pros. Attorney. Ebenezer S. Eggleston, rep.-.2916 John T. Holmes, dem.....2630 fTudge of Probate. Win. A.- Robinson, rep.... 2915 Robert P. Sinclair, dem.....2604 Circuist Court Commissioner. Eben. S. Eggleston, rep... 2949 Chris. W. Leffingwell, dem, 2583 Surveyor. David R, Smith, rep....2952 John B. Colton, dem....2592 Coroners. Leonard Covell, rep....2866 Arvine Peck, rep....2870 L. K. Madison, dem....2599 Andrew Loomis, dem...2679 ELECTION 1858. Governor. Moses Wisner, rep....3112 Charles E. Stuart, dem....2813 Lieut. Governor. Edmund B. Fairfield....3110 Geo. C. Munro.......2810 Secretary of State. Nelson G. Isbell......3108 Jonathan P. King.7.' —...2813 Auditor General. Daniel L. Case, rep.....3100 John J. Adam, dem.... 2814 Land Commissioner. James W. Sanborn, rep.....3102 John Ball. dem......2820 Attorney G~eneral. Jacob M. Howard, rep.... 3138 Jabez G. Sutherland, dem.-.2788 S'Upt. Public Instruction. John M. Gregory......3120 David C. Jacokes. 28 State Treasurer. John McKenney......3121 Edward Kanter.......2805 Beard (f Education. Witter J. Baxter. 3...116 412 260 186 286 311 366 360 299 300 295 286 282 350 332 316 307 HISTORY OF KEN1T COUNTY.33 333 Andrew Y. Moore......2809 Regent of University. Oliver L. Spaulding.....3114 Haley F. Barstow......2806 Congressman. Francis W. Kellogg, rep-.3111 Thomas B. Church, demt..2786 Banking Law. 308 325 Pro......2786 2102 Contra...........624 Senator. Lewis Porter, rep.....3089 213 Fred W. Worden, demt...2826 Sheri~T. Anson N. Norton, rep.....3068 240 John M. Fox, dem.....2828 Clerk. Peter R. L. Pierce, rep.....3137 [ 366 Chas. H. Taylor, dent.....2771L Register. Leonidas S. Scranton,rep..8125 332 Harry McArthur, dem.....27093 Treasurer. Thompson I. Daniels, rep... 2958 4 Harry McArthur, det.....2954 Pros. Attorney. Ebenezer S. Eggleston, rep. 2927 10 Stephen G. Cha~mplin, demt.2937 Circuit Court Commissioner. Eben Smith, jr., rep....3119 306 George Gray, dem.....2803 Coroners. Leonard Covell, rep.....3110 Arvine Peck, rep... 3091 Curtis Porter, dem.....2817 Lewis P. Clark, demt....2806 ELECTION, APRIL, 1859. Supreme Judge. Alpheus Felch,, no opp. ELECTION, 1860. President. Abraham Lincoln, rep....3347 1107 Stephen A. Douglas, dent... 2540 Governor. Austin Blair, rep......3721 1078 John S. Barry, dem.....2643 Lieut. Governor. Cit~yVote. Win. M. Fenton, dent.....690 James G. Birney, free-soil.... 915 225 State Treasurer. Elon Farnsworth, dem....688 John Owen, rep.......919 286 Secretary of State. Win. Francis, dem......687 James B. Porter, rep......918 Auditor General. Henry Pennoyer, dem....686 Langford G. Berry, rep....919 Attorney General. Chauncey Joslin, dent... 649 Charles Upson, rep.....917 Levi Bishop, Breck.....43 Land Commissioner. Samuel L. Smith, dem.....684 Samuel S. Lacey, rep....918 Supt. Pub. Instruction. Francis W. Shearman, dem. 687 John M. Gregory, rep....916 Board of PJducation. John V. Lyon, dem.....684 Edwin Willetts, rep.....-918 Congressman. Thomas B. Church, dem.... 663 Francis W. Kellogg, rep... 886 John Ball, Breck.......45 Senator. John T. Holmes, dem.....719 Solomon L. Withey, rep.... 884 Representative. A. T. McReynolds, dent.. 660 T, D.- Gilbert, rep... 933 Sheriff. Henry C. Smith, dem....657 Slumen S. Bailey, rep.....846 C. 0.- Budington, Breck... 96 Surveyor. Henry Yates, dem......504 John F. Tinkham, rep....521 Juflius Leonard, Breck....41 Clerk. Evert MI. Doubleday, dem.. 6~8 Peter IR. L. Pierce, rep....916 281 283 225 234 229 234 178 165 273 93 17 228 Coroners. Wenzel Blumrich, dem.. 691 John Davis, dent......688 D. W. Bliss, rep.......906 215 Solomon Whitney, rep....913 225 Treasurer. John H. Withey, dem... 674 Thompson I. Daniels, rep. 930 256 Register. John M. Matthewson, det.. 667 John R. Stewart, rep.... 926 259 Judge of Probate. Robert P. Sinclair, dent..., 663 Win. A. Robinson, rep.....862 140 Leonard Bement, nd.....59 Pros. Attorney. Stephen G. Chamtplin, dent. 784 0 334 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Thaddeus Foote, rep.....808 Circuit Court Commissioner. Henry A. Buck, dem,.....656 Eben Bmith, jr., rep.....943 ELECTION, 1861. Commission of Land Claims. Win. Ashley, jr., dem... 2372 I.B. Wilson, rep........ 1987 ELECTION, 1862. 24 287 385 Governor. Austin Blair, rep.......3090 365 Byron G. Stout, d em. '.2625 Lieut.- Governor. Charles S. May, rep.....3100 479 Henry H. Reilly, dem....2621 Secretary of State. JamesEB. Porter, rep.....3107 486 Wmn. R. Montgomery, dem.2621 State Treasurer. John Owen, rep.......3109 491 Charles C. Trowbridge, dem.2618 Auditor General. Emil Anneke. 3108 502 Rodney C.- Payne.. ~ 2606 Attornley General. Albert Williams, rep.... 3092 John T. Holmes, dem.. 3628 536 Supt. Public Instruction. John M. Gregory.......3106 482 Thomas H. Sinex......2624 Land Commissioner. Samuel S. Lacey.......3105 843 Charles F. Hagermene.....2262 Board of Education.Edward Dorsch.......3102 479 Dan. F. Brown........ 2623 Congressman. Francis W. Kellogg, rep....3061 442 Thomas B. Church, dem....2619 Senator. Milton C. Watkins, rep..3094 2832 David Burnett, dem.......262 State Representatives. George H. White, dem...-718 18 Thomas D. Gilbert, rep.....700 John Porter, rep.......900 244 John J. Walbridge, dem.... 656 Aug. D. Griswold, rep.... 738 117 Charles H. Leonard, dem... 621 James Dockeray, rep....791 244 Lafayette Knight, dem....547 Sheriffl. Sluinan S. Bailey, rep. 3204 699 Daniel S. T. Weller, dem. 2505 Clerk. Peter R. L. Pierce, rep....3152 584 Jacob Quintus, demin.. 2568 Treasurer. T. I. Daniels, rep......3100 483 George E. Judd, dem.....2617 Register. John P. Stewart, rep.. 3130 550 A. L. Skinner, dern..,......2580 Pros. Attorney. Ebenezer G. D. Holden, rep. 3093 471 John M.- Mathewson, dem..2622 Cir. Court Commissioner. James A. Rogers, dem......2614 Eben Smith, Jr., rep......3108 494 -Surveyor. Edward L. Briggs, rep....3110 495 Augustine Goodwin, dem..2615 Coroners. E. R. Ellis, rep.......3112 498 Smith Bailey, rep. 5.... 625 3011 R. I. Shoemaker, dem.....2614 ELECTION, 1863. Justice of Supreme Court. James V. Campbell, rep....2957 345 David Johnson, dem.....2612 Regents of University. Henry C. Knight, rep....2951 Thomas D. Gilbert, rep.....2953 Edward C. Walker, rep....2944 I. E. Johnson, rep......2951 Geo. Willard, rep......2951 Jam es A. Sweeney, rep...2951 Thomas J. Joslyn, rep... 2951 Alvah Sweetzer, rep.....2951 Oliver C. Comstock, dem..2641 Win. A. Moore, dem.....2640 Zina Pitcher, dem......2649 Nath. A. Balch, dem.....2640 Charles A. Richmond, dein.-2640 Adam L. Roof, dem....-...2640 Elijah F. Burt, dem. ' A.. 2640 Joseph Coulton, dem.....2640 Circuit Judge, Eighth Jud. Cir. Louis S. Lovell, rep.....2960 354 John W. Champlin, dem....2606 ELECTION, 1864. President. Abraham Jincoln, rep..'-3398 Geo. B. McClellan, dem.. 2966 Governor. Henry H. Crapo, rep. 3...406 Win. M.- Fenton, dem......2976 Lieut. Governor. Ebenezer Grosvenor,rep,...3407 Martin P. Brackett, dem...2976 432 430 431 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.33 335 Secretary of State. James B Porter.......3409 George B. Turner.......2977 State Treasurer. John Owen............3410 George C. Munro.......2975 Auditor General. Emil Anneke......-.. —3420 Charles W. Butler......2966 432 435 454: I Land Commissioner. Cyrus Hewitt. 3406 429 George Al. Birch. 2977 Attorney General. Aklbert Williams.......3408 431 Levi Bishop.........2977 Superintendent Public Instruction. Oramel Hosford.......3409 433 John D. Pierce.......2976 Board of Education. Witter J. Baxter.......3409 434 Oliver C. Comstock.....2975 Associate Justice, Supreme Court. Thomas M. Cooley......3409 430 Alpheus Feich........2979 Congressman. Thomas W Ferry, rep -... 3399 419 Frederick Hall, dem.....2980 Senator. Milton C.- Watkins... 3807 759 Converse Close.......3018 Newton C. Watkins..... 9 Representatives. George W. Allen, rep..... 914 64 A. D. Griswold, dem.....850 Henry Seymour, rep..... 1004 224 Abner D. Thomas, dem... 780 Aug. D. Griswold, dem....835 62 Obed H-. Foote, rep......773 Edward Jewell. 975 312 Nicholas R. Hil663 Shereff. William Thornton, rep....3725 612 George H. White, dem...A 3113 Clerk. Peter R. L. Pierce. rep....3781 712 Evert M. Doubleday, dem....3609 Treasurer. Thompson I. Daniels, rep.. 3788 725 Jonathan E. Nash, dema....3063 Register. John R. Stewart, rep.....3782 728 John S. Hooker, dem... 3059 Prosecuting Attorney. Rben'.G. D. Holden, rep.3 ---.756 866 John W. Champlin, dem....3088 Circuit Court Commissioners. Henry E. Thompson.....3745 John D. Edraunds.375 Hiram A. Rood.......3076 Alphonso E.- Gordon......377 Surveyor. Edward L. Briggs, rep. -. 3748 John B. Colton, dem.....3088 Judge of Probate. James W. Rans,)n, dem...3085 Benjamin A. Harlan, rep..3735 Coroners. Sterling W. Allen......3751 Arvine Peck.........3757 John L. Clemnents, dem.....3082 William Leppig..-. 3057 SOLDIERS' VOTE. Sheriffl. William Thornton.....355 George H. White.......109 William Thortel.... --- — 2 Judge of Probate. Benjamin A. Harlan, rep... 340 James W. Ransom, dem..... 105 Clerk. Peter R. L. Pierce, rep....$63 E. N. Doubleday, dem.. 102 Register. John R. Stewart, rep.....366 John S. Hooker, dem... 102 Treasurer. T. J. Daniels, rep... 364 J. E. Nash, dem.......102 Prosecuting Attorney. E. G. D. Holden, rep.....559 J. W. Champlin, dem...... 105 Surveyor. * Ed. L. Briggs, rep......353 John B. Colton, dem..... 104 Circuit Court Commissioner. John D. Edmunds..... 352 Henry B. 'I homrpson..... 343 Hiram A. Rood.........100 Alp. E. Gordon........73 Coroners. 660 650 i Ar-vine Peck.........351 Sterling W. Allen......34.5 John L. Clements......105 William Leppig.. —.... 98 Ju~tiee of the Supreme Court. Isaac P. Christiancy.....2222 2W2O George W. Peck.......20 Regents of the University. Edward C. Walker......2157 George Willard.......2158 Ebenezer Wells.....1898 336 386 HISTORIY OF KENT COUNITY. Oliver C. Comstock......1894 George W. Peck.1..... ELECTION 1866. Sheriff. Sherman S. Bailey, rep...4129 1510 Dwight Rankin, dem. 2619 Clerk. PeterH. L. Pierce, rep...4078 1879 Jacob Quintus, dem.....2699 Treasurer. George Young, jr., rep....4075 1259 Aug. Schmidt, den......2716 Register. James Scott, dem.......2711 William G. Beckwith, rep..4084 1373 Prosecuting Attorney. Byron D. Ball, rep.. -4078 1379 James W. Ransom, dem.....2699 Sam Howard.. 1 Circuit Court Commissioners. Eben Smith, jr., rep......4101 George H. White, dem....4077 Benjamin F. Sliter, dem.. 2703 Henry H. Slawson, rep. -2687 1 Surveyor. Reilly Smith........4088 1390 Augustus Godwin........ 2698 Coroners. E. I. Ellis. 4097 A. L. Pickett.........4097 Joseph Salkeld...........2688 Ja~mas F. Grove.......2701 Senator. Henry Seymour.......4086 1386 James Miller........2700 James Fisher.1...... Representatives. Solomon.Kinsbury, rep..- 971 Robert M.Collins, dem.... 761 Thomas J. Slayton, dem....1192 Horace 0. Weston, rep....667 Lyman Murray, dem... 978 Obed H. Foote, rep......651 Edward Jewell, rep.......860 Hloratio N. Stinso'n, dem.... 569 Amendment of thte Constitution Pemitting Soldiers to Vote. For.............5000 4926 Against...........74 Congressman. Thomas W. Ferry -—.. 4104 1424 Joha B. Hutchins......2680 Governor. Henry H. Crapo, rep.....4067 1369 Alpheus S. Williams, dem. 2698 Lieut. Governor. Dwight May.........4095 1402 John G. Parkhurst..... 2693 Secretary of State. Oliver L. Spaulding......4097 1405 Bradley M. Thompson....2692 State Treasutrer. Eben. 0. Grosvenor......4096 1404 L. H. Trask.........2692 Auditor General. Win. Humphrey.......4090 1397 Geo. Spaulding.......2693 Land Commissioner. Benj. D. Pritchard.... 4098 1406 Louis Dillmaa........2692 Attorney General. Win. L. Stoughton, rep....4093 1391 Geo. Gray, dem.......2702 Supt. Public Instruction. Oramel Hosford...... 4098 1407 Samuel Clemnents......2691 Board of Education. Edwin Willetts........4097 1404 John W. Birchmore.....2693 Justice of Supreme Court. Benjamin F. Graves.....3179 900 Sanford M. Green......2279 Regents of the Univers ty. Thomas D. Gilbert, rep... 3178 Hiram 0. Burt, dem.....3060 Win. M. Ferry, dem,.....2130 Ebenezer Wells, rep.....21L45 Supt. of Schools. Chester C. Bicknell, r-ep....3060 600 Jacob Quintus, dem.... 2460 Asa W. Slayton.......74 Delegates to Constitutional Convention. Jacob Ferris.........3413 Solomon L. Withey. 8... 199 Lyman Murray.......3179 Milton C. Watkins......3405 Geo Gray..2255 John W. Chainplin, dem....2478 Converse Close, rep.....2234 John M. Matthewson, dem.-.2241 Edward Jewell.......189 Taix to Build Jail. For..............971 Against...........3076 ELECTION 1868. P? esident. U. S. Grant, rep.......5412 Horatio Seymour, dem....3837 Governor. John Moore, demn......3834 Henry P. Baldwin, rep.....5392 LIeu. Governor. Salathiel C. Coffinberry, dem.3835 210,5 575 1458 HISTORY OF KENT COU'NTY.33 337 Morgan Bates, rep......5392 1457 William Hubbard......23 Secretary of State. Richard Baylis, dem.....3829 Oliver L. Spaulding, rep....5396 1467 Edward W. Dodge.. 23 State Treasurer. John T. Miller, dem.....3845 Eben. 0. Grosvenor, rep.....5394 1459 William Shepard......22 Land Commissioner. Henry Grinnell, dem.....3880 Benj. D. Pritchard, rep....5371 1491 Attorney General. Augustus C. Baldwin, dem..3795 Dwight May, rep......5395 1600 Henry C. Hlodge.......22 A aditor General. Louis Dillman, dens.... 3841l Win. Humphrey, rep.....5394 1448 Wmn. Kilpatrick..... 22 Supt. Public Instruction. Duane Doty, dem......3796 Orarnel Hosford, rep.....5394 1598 Charles J. McClintock....22 Board of Education. Isaac W. Bush, dem,.....3795 Daniel E. Brown, rep.....5395 1600 Congressman. Lyman G. Mason, de-m... Thomas W. Ferry, rep -.. Senator 29th District. Charles 8. De Core, dem... 3863 Peter R. L. Pierce, rep -..5391 1428 Representatives. Benj. F. Sliter, dem.....1143 Geo. S. Briggs, rep......1444 Thomas J. Slayt on, rep -..1552 Abram Brewer, dem.....988 Lyman Murray, rep.....1126 Stephen O'Brien, dem....959 Wmn. R. Davis, rep......1198 Win. H. Myeri, dem.....836 Sheriff. Abner D. Thomas, dem. 3885 Jesse F. Wyckoff, rep....5357 1472 Register. James S. Scott, dem.....3878 William G. Beckwith, rep..5874 1496 Judge of Probate. James W. Ransom, dein.....3974 Benj. A. Harlan, rep.....5251 1377 Clerk. Jacob Barns, dern......3903 Daniel McNaughton, rep.... 5347 2444 P,-o3. Attorn e&I. John M. Matthewson, dem..3941 Andrew J. Reeves, rep... 5276 Circuit Court Commissioners. Chris. W. Leffingwell, dein.. 3864 8. C. Godwin, dem.....8...874 Eben. Smith, rep.......5388 Omar H. Simonds, rep... 5381 1335 Surveyor. John B. Colton, dem.....3850 Rob. S. Jackson, rep.....5386 1536 Coroners. Benj.- E. Burt, demn..... 3851 James F. Grove, dem.....3851 Chas. M. Holden, rep. —..5386 Albert Thomas, rep......5390 Treasurer. George Young, rep.....53592 1366 August J. Schmidt. 3....986 Revision of the Constitution. Pro. Adop. of Constitution...3441 Contra., I 1...4115 674 Pro An.- Ses. of Legislature.. 814 Pro Bi en.,,,,,,..5337 4523 Pro Prohibition.......3209 Contra,.1)......3673 464 ELECTION 1869. Justice of Supreme Court. Thomas M. Cooley, rep....3749 1223 D. Darwin Hughes, dem....2526 Regents of University. Jonas H. McGowan, rep.....3748 Joseph Estabrook, rep....3712 John F. Miller, dem.....2589 John M. B. Sill, dem.....2553 Circuit Judge 8th Jud. Cir. Louis S. Lovell, rep......3670 3446 James Miller, dein.......224 John W. Champlin, dem....90 County Superintenaent Common Schools. Henry B. Fallass......3575 873 Andrew J. Eldred......2702 County Drain Commissioners. John F. Tinkham......2301 2296 Geo. H. Dalrymuple....... 5 ELECTION 1870. Congressman. Thomas W. Ferry, rep.....4179 Myron Rider, dem......3294 Ak. L. Chubb, pro........24 Governor. Henry P. Baldwin, rep...3841 Charles C. Comnstock, dein...3616 Henry Fish, pro........49 885 225 338 338 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Lieut. Governor. Morgan Bates, rep......4164,Jacob A. T. Wendell, dem..3318 Emory Curtiss, pro....... 19 Secretary of State. Daniel Striker........4170 Jonathan WVk. Flanders....3312 John Evans..........53 State Treasurer. 851 748 Y. P. Collier.........4170 759 Andrew J. Bowne......3311 Lutnan R. Atwater.......26 Auditor General. William Humphrey.....4172 860 Charles W. Butler......3312 Charles K. Carpenter......26 Land Commissioner. Charles A. Edmunds.....4171 858 J. G. Hubbinger..... —.3318 James H. Hartwell......13 Attorney General. Dwight M ay.........4168 860 John Atkinson............3308 Superintendent Public Instruction. Oramel Hosford........4167 851 Duane Doty.........3316 Asa Mahan...53 Board of Education. Witter J. Baxter.......4168 855 W. Irving Bennett......3313 Eben. Hunt.. 20 State Representatives. Julius Houseman, dem....1419 Isaac E. Messmore,dem....-1326 Sam. M. Garfield.......925 Win. P.- Whitney.......725 Asa P. Ferry.........732 John L. Covert........660 Wmn. R. Davis.,723 Nicholas R. Hill........797 Senator. Byron D. Ball, rep......3993 600 Henry Fralick, dem......3393 Sheriff. Jesse F. Wyckoff, rep.....4135 804 Geo. M. Huntley, dem....3331 Clerk. Daniel McNaughton, rep.4158 900 Johin H. Withey, dem. 8.. 258 Treasurer. George Young, rep.....4168 866 James D. Lyon, dem....3302 Re.qzster. William G. Beckwith, rep. -.4168 8508 Horatio N. Stinson, de..3318 Prosecuting Attorney. Andrew J. Reeves, rep....4063 675 James Miller, dem......3388 Circuit Court Commissioners. Omar H. Simonds, rep....4173 James B. Willson, rep....4190 James Blair, dem......3302 C. W. Leffingwell, dem....3300 Surveyor. Robert S. Jackson, rep.4181 86t John B. Colton, dem... 3320 Coroners. John Brady, rep.... — '4205 Charles G. Hyde, rep....~.4168 Samuel W.Young, dem...3275 Robert Howell, dem......3314 Congressman. Wilder D. Foster, rep.....4757 1041 Wmn. M. Ferr~y, dem......3716 Circuit Judge. Birney Hoyt, rep.......4263 115 James Miller, dem......4148 County Superintendent of Schools. Henry B. Fallass, rep.....4409 451 Andr. J. Eldred, demn....3958 County Drain Commissioner. Robert S. Jackson, rep. -—..4558 652 John B. Colton, dem.....3906 Justice Supreme Court. James V. Campbell, rep... 4594 692 D. Darwin Hughes, de......3902 Albert Williams, pro......832 Regents Of University. IClaudius B. Grant, rep....4581 Charles Rynd, rep......4577 John M. B. Sill, dem.....3904 Charles B. Fenton, dem...3902 ELECTION 1872. President. U. S. Grant, rep.......5918 2829 Horace Greeley, lib. rep....3089 Charles O'Conor, dem....97 pro.....14 Congressman. Wilder D. Foster, rep....6067 5916 And, T. McReynolds, dem.. 151 Governor. John J. Bagley, rep......5893 2657 Austin Blair, Ui. rep.... 236 Wmn. M. Ferry, nat......100 Henry Fish, pro.......13 Lieut. Governor. Henry H. Holt, rep.......5941 2711 John C. Blanchard, d.m.....3230 Charles Woodruff, nat.....97 Win. G. Brown, pro.....14 Secretary of State. Daniel Striker, rep.P... 5940 2723 George H. House, lib. rep...3217 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.33 339 'Thomas C. Cutler, nat.....98 John Evans, pro.......14 State Trei7surer. Victory P. Collier, rep....5935 John A.- Hollon, dem......3214 Clement A. Davison.....97 Auditor General. William Humphrey, rep...5938 INeil O'Hearn, dem.... 3216 Land Commissioner. Leverett A. -Clapp, rep.....5939 ceo. H. Murdock, dem....3212 Attorney General. Byron D. Ball, rep......5941 D. Darwin Hughes, dem.....3158 Wmn. A. Clark, nat... 98 Supt. Pub. Instruction. Daniel B. Briggs, rep........5940 Win. Stearns, dem......3233 Board of Education. Edward Dorsch, rep.....5938 Edward Feidner, dem.....3237 Representatives. E. S. Eggleston, rep.....2135 T. B. Church, dein......1337 Sam. M. Garfield, rep.....1287 James H. Truax, dem.....518 Edward L. Briggs, rep....1099 Ira Ellis, dem........719 Erwin C. Watkins, rep.....729 Horatio N. Stinson, dem.... 627 Sheriff. Isaac Haynes, rep.....5784 John B. Colton, dem.....3453 Clerk. 2721 2722 2727 2773 2705 2701 2331 Coroners. John Brady, rep..5982 A. L. Pickett, rep......5963 C. D. Anderson, dem.....3265 MI. H. Whitney, dem.....3262 ELECTION 1873. County Supt. of Schools. Geo. A. Ransey, rep.....3689 1582 Jeremiah B. Haney, dem....2107 Justice of Supreme Court. Isaac P. Christiancy, rep....5499 Andrew T. McReynolds,dem.5500 1 Regents of the University. Andrew Climie, rep.....3405 Edward C. Walker, rep...3409 Abner M. Fitch, dem.....2019 Duane Doty, dem.......2021 Congressman --— 5Sth, Cong. District. Special Election. Charles C. Comstock, dem..2915 567 Win. B. Williams, rep... 2348 ELECTION 1874. Congressman ---- 5th Cong District. William B. Williams, rep....4597 138 Mark D. Wilbur, demn....4459 James A. McKay, 1. & t.. 2507 The great majority of the citizens of Kent voted no on the question to amend the Constitution proposed to be dis — cussed by the Legislators that year. Governor. J. J. Bagley, rep.......4608 114 Henry Chamberlain, dem... 4494 Chas. K. Carpenter, pro..... 265 Lient. Governor. Henry H. Holt, rep.....4695 288 Frederick Hall, dem.....4407 Thomas A. Granger, pro..... 267 Secretary of State. Ebenezer G. D. Holden, rep.4747 421 George H. House, dem,......4326 Samuel W. Baker, pro.. 270 State Treasurer. Win. B. McCreery, rep....4693 301 Jas. M. Sterling, dem...,.4392 James I.- Mead, pro.... 269 Auditor General. Ralph Ely, rep.........4683 263 John L. Evans, dein.....4420 Joseph Newman, pro.....265 Land Commissioner. Leverett A. Clapp, rep -. —..4699 290 Chauncey W. Green, dem....4409 Thomas S. Skinner, pro....268 Attorney General. Andrew J. Smith, rep....4684 200 Hobart H. Chipiman, rep..6201 3099 Jeremiah B. Haney, dem -..3102 Probate Judge. Benj. A. Harlan, rep.....5948 2730 G. Chase Godwin, dem....3218 Register. Simeon Hunt, rep.......5860 2375 Daniel Driscoll, dem.....3485 Treasurer. Henry Bremer, rep......5718 2214 August Schmidt, dem....3504 Prosecuting Attorney. Edwin A. Burlingame, rep...5948 2666 Daniel E. Corbitt, dem....3282 Circuit Court Commissioners. James B. Willson, rep....6035 Laurens W. Wolcott, rep.....6092 Charles M. McLaren, dem....3191 E. T. Miller, demn.......3192 Surveyor. RobertS.Jackson, dem...5956 2674 John B. Manly, rep. 3....282 340 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Martin V. Montgomery,dem 4484 Albert Williams, pro....... 266 Supt. Pub. Instruction. Daniel B. Brigs, rep.......4699 Duane Doty, dem..........4461 John Evans, pro........... 268 Board of Education. Edgar Rexford, rep........4698 Edward W. Andrews, dem.4411 John D. Lewis, pro......... 268 Senator. Lyman Murray, rep........4565 William P. Whitney, dem..4486 Sherman M. Pearsall, pro.. 250 Representatives. James W. Ransom, rep....1907 Isaac E. Messmore, dem... 1561 John W. Crebbs, pro....... 307 Archibald L. Chubb....... 156 Samuel M. Garfield, rep.... 850 Wm. T. Adams........... 26 Ed. L. Briggs, rep......... 932 Horace O. Weston......... 913 John L. Clements, dem.... 45 Erwin C. Watkins, rep..... 960 William H. Myers......... 842 Charles Oldfield.... 77 Sheriff. Isaac Haynes, rep........5250 John H. Withey, dem.....3783 Thomas R. Renwick, pro... 242 Clerk. Hobart H Chipman, rep.... 8410 William G. Beckwith, dem. 725 Register. Simeon Hunt, rep..........4835 Henry F. McCormick, dem.4256 Chester C. Bicknell, pro.... 252 Treasurer. Henry Bremer, rep........5048 John F. Godfroy, dem......4078 Geo. M. Edison, pro........ 254 Pros. Attorney. Edwin A. Burlingame, rep..4804 Oscar C. Ransom, dem.....4271 Daniel E. Corbitt, pro...... 266 Circuit Court Commissioners. James B. Willson, rep..... 4727 Laurens W. Wollcott, rep..4769 Charles N. Potter, dem.....4363 Joseph H. Wurzburg, dem..4342 Samuel A. Kennedy, pro... 256 Albert Jennings, pro...... 251 Surveyor. Dorr Skeels, rep...........4692 John B. Colton, dem.......4362 Coroners. DeWitt C. Burch rep.....4748 238 287 79 1467 7685 579 970 533 330 Samuel R. Wooster, rep....4738 Henry G. Saunders, dem...4371 Arvine Peck, dem......... 4375 Hamilton S. McMaster, nat. 245 Otis Smith, nat............ 244 ELECTION, 1875. Justices Supreme Court Benjamin F. Graves, rep...9886 Isaac Marston, rep.........5290 Lyman D. Norris, dem..... 4518 Circuit Judge 17th Jud. Cir. Birney Hoyt, rep..........5063 312 James Miller, dem.........4751 Regents of the University. Samuel S. Walker, rep....5305 ByronjM. Cutcheon, rep......5308 Samuel T. Douglass, dem.4486 Peter White, dera........4476 ELECTION 1876. President. R. B. Hayes, rep..........7403 S. J. Tilden, dem..........5678 Peter Cooper, greenback...2055 Jer. Black pro............ 3 Congressman 5th Cong. Dist. John W. Stone, rep........7623 82 Myron Harris, dem........7541 The Constitutional amendments proposed in 1876 were approved by a large majority of the people of Kent. Governor. Charles M. Croswell, rep...7402 1638 William L. Webber, dem..5764 LevijSparks, n. g..........2062 Albert Williams, pro....... 3 Lieut. Governor. Alonzo Sessions, rep.......7191 Julius Houseman, dem..... 8014 823 Emery Curtiss, pro......... 3 Secretary of State. Ebenezer G. D. Holden, rep.7479 1795 Geo. H. House, dem.......5684 Albert Slegiman, n. g. 1.....2052 Merritt Moore,'pro......... 3 State Treasurer. Wm. B. McCreery, rep.....7428 John G. Parkhurst, dem....7798 370 Archibald L. Chubb, pro... 4 Auditor General. Fred. M. Holloway, dem..7310 Ralph Ely, rep............7819 509 Daniel J. Smith, pro...... 3 Land Commissioner. Benj. F. Partridge, rep.....7382 1617 Jas. Brush, dem........... 5765 John H. Richardson, n. g. l....2076 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 341 Attorney General. Otto Kirchner, rep...........7409 1659 Martin Morris, dem........5750 Albert J. Chapman, n. g. I.... 2072 Daniel P. Sagerdorph, pro.. 3 Supt. Public Instruction. Horace S. Tarbell, rep.......9336 3638 Zelotes Truesdell, dem.....5698 Isaac W. McKeever, pro.... 3 Board of Education. Witter J. Baxter, rep........7403 1647 Charles J. Walker, dem....5756 Ethan R. Clark, n. g. 1........2067 Luke R. Damon, pro....... 3 Senator. Wesley P. Andrew, rep...... 7393 1858 John M. Matthewson, dem...5435 Wm. P. Whitney, n.........2240? Representatives. Clarence W. Prindle, rep... 2926 Simeon L. Baldwin, rep...... 2789 James N. Davis, dem.......2374 Adolphus L. Skinner, dem..2464 Wm. K. Wheeler, nat...... 998 Allen P. Collar, nat........ 973 Welcome W. Johnson, rep..2145 Edward Bradfield, dem.....1653 Samuel Langdon, nat....... 451 Amherst B. Cheney, rep....2222 Jonathan E. Nash, dem.....1788 Fayette Hough, nat......... 626 Sheriff. Freeling W. Peck, rep..... 6794 995 Israel C. Smith, dem........5799 John W. Cribbs, nat........2581 Judge of Probate. Cyrus E. Perkins, rep......7293 1516 James W. Ransom, dem...5777 Charles G. Hyde, nat.......2044 Clerk. Frederick S. Clark, rep.....7044 1536 Arthur Meigs, dem.........5508 James Cox, nat.............2501 Register. Loomis K. Bishop, rep....6981 1245 Henry F. McCormick, dem.5736 Adelmer D. Plumb, nat.....2250 Treasurer. John A. S. Verdier, rep..... 7248 1562 Henry D Plumb, dem......5686 Henry D. Wedge, nat..... 2253 Pros. Attorney. Stephen H. Ballard, rep..... 7125 1330 Geo. W. Thompson, dem... 5795 Frank G. Holmes, nat....2267 Circuit Court Commissioners. James B. Willson, rep......7332 Edward M. Adamg, rep.....7313 Henry P. Churchill, dem....5649 Lawrence E. Carroll, dem..5643 Denis L. Rogers, nat.......2366 Frank Kutts, nat...........2200 Surveyor. Dorr Skeels, rep..........7349 1704 John B. Colton, dem........5645 Robert S. Jackson, nat......2224 Coroners. Charles H. Maxim, rep......7343 DeWitt C. Burch, rep......7394 Henry W. Strong, dem.... 5596 Jacob Bentune, dem.....5673 Leonard Covell, nat........2228 Arvine Peck, nat........... 2200 ELECTION 1877. Justice of Supreme Court. Thomas M. Cooley, rep.....5342 1564 Henry F. Severans, dem....3778 Regents of the University. Victory P. Collier, rep......5317 George L. Maltz, rep.......5308 Anson E. Chadwick, dem...3795 John Lewis, dem..........3808 ELECTION 1878. I i Governor. Charles M. Croswell, rep....5691 Henry S. Smith, nat........6076 Orlando M. Barnes, dem....1633 Lieut. Governor. Alonzo Sessions, rep.......5894 Lysander Woodward, dem..5883 Alfred P. Swineford, nat....1711 Secretary of State. William Jenny, rep........5808 Geo. H. Bruce..............5878 Geo. H. Murdock, nat......1714 State Treasurer. Benj. D. Pritchard, rep.....5796 Herman Goeschel, dem...5901 Alex. McFarlane, nat.......1712 Auditor General. W. Irving Latimer, rep.....5814 Levi Sparks, dem..........5873 W. T. B. Schermerhorn, nat. 1719 Land Commissioner. James M. Neasmlith, rep....5815 John A. Elder, dem........5875 George Lord, nat...........1711 Attorney General. Otto Kirchner, rep.........5762 Frank Damon, dem........5878 Allen B. Morse, nat........1746 Supt. Pub. Instruction. Cornelius A. Gower, rep....5805 David Parsons, dem........5874 Zelotes Truesdell, nat..... 1716 385 11 70 105 59 60 116 69 312 342 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Board of Education. Geo. F. Edwards, rep.....5776 Geo. E. Hubbard, dem....5871 Edwin F. Uhl, nat......1817 Congressman. John W. Stone, rep......5870 Charles C. Comstock, dem.. 6449 Hiram J. Hoyt, nat......1036 State Senator. Wesley P.:,Andrews, rep.....6043 Milton B. Hine, dem... 7303 Rtprescntatives. L. V. Moulton, nat....... 2318 Eben. G. D. Holden, rep....2222 William H. Powers, dem...2453 E. Crofton Fox, rep......2275 G. Chase Godwin, dem....928 James D. Robinson, dem.... 807 Henry F. McCormack, nat...2163 W elcome W. Johnson, rep... 1735 Amherst B. Cheney, rep....1885 Ezra B Chapin -~.....1508 Win. N. Myers, dem -—... —490 Sheriff. Freeling W. Peck, rep....6099 Albert Thomas, dem......5620 Thomas Doran, nat........1682 Clerk. Fred. S3. Clai k. rep......6489 Richard M. Slocum, dem.....5471 James B. Taylor, nat.....1435 Register. Loomis K. Bishop, rep....6622 Almon M. Ellsworth, dem....5486 Charles W. Porter, nat....1277 Treasurer. John A. S. Verdier, rep....6077 Henrv D. Wedge, dewa...5746 Joseph Berics, nat......1597.I-roseciitingq Attorney. Stephen H. Ballard, rep...5588 Frank F. Kutts. de.....5792 James Miller, nat......2001 Circuit Court Commissioners. Edward M. Adamns, rep..5870 Milton M. Perry, rep.....5748 Daniel C. Corbitt, nat....5820 James R. Bishop, flat.... 5780 Edwin F. Sweet, dem.....1765 Evi T. Miller, dew......1651 Surveyor. Dorr Skeels, rep........5848 Robert S. Jackson, dem.....5859 G Stewart Johnson, nat -.. 1701 Coroners. DeWitt C. Burch.......5821 Charles N. Maxim......5808 qIoratio S. Holden......5930 95 679 260 479 1018 1136 331 204 1 1 I Herman D. Streeter......5867 Lewis Martin......... 1680 George N. Chappell......1688 The Constitutional amendments proposed in 1878 were opposed by the great majority of the freeholders of Kent county, ELECTION 1879. Justice of Siipreme C/ourt. John B. Shipman, coalition..6411 James V. Campbell, rep...-6029 Eegents of University. Geo P. Sanford, dem.... 64~7 Henry A4hiting. dem.....6445 James Shearer, iep......6032 Eben. 0. Grosvenor, rep....6027 382 ELECTION 1880. President. James A. Garfield, rep....8314 3199 W. 8. Hancock, dem.....5115 J B Weaver Greenback...-3037 Neal Dow, pro........58 Senator. Henry C. Russell, rep.....8549 Samuel Tobey, dem,......4340 Milton B.- Hine, nat......3562 The Constitutional amendm eats were opposed by the large majority of Kent freeholders. Congressma n. Geo. W. Webber. rep......7879 2484 Leonard H. Ra d all, dewm....5395 John C. Blanchard, nat. —..3227 Governor. David H. Jerome, rep.....7877 2253 Frederick M. Holloway, dem.5624 David Woodman, flat.....2933 Isaac W. 'McKeever, pro... 68 Lieutt Governor. M.Noreau S. Crosby, rep.....8018 2542 Edward LI. Thompson, dem..5476 Sullivan Armnstrong. nat.. 2965 Darius HI. Stone, pro. 46 Secretary rf State. Win. Jenney. rep.......8263 3231 Willard Stearns, deni.....5032 Ira D. Crouse, nat.......3150 John Evans, pro........74 State, Treasurer. Benj. D. Pritchard, rep...8268 3249 Isaac M. Weston, dem.. 5019 John M. Norton, nat.....3160 Arthur S. Power, pro....70 David Leggett.......17 John Evans.... 4 Auditor General. W. Irving Latimer, rep.....8,278 3,271 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 343 Richard Moore, dem....... 5,007 Sylvester B. Heoerlo, nat... 3,157 Watson Snyder,........... 73 John A. Karns............ 17 Land Commissioner. James M. Neasmith, rep... 8,287 3,277 James I. David, dem.......5,010 John A. Elder, nat.........3,169 Porter Beal, pro........... 73 Sala Smith................ 17 Attorney General. Jacob J. Van Riper, rep...8,278 3,264 Henry P. Henderson, dem..5,014 William Newton, nat......3,162 Milton M. Burnham, pro... 76 Henry C. Pratt............ 17 Supt. Pub. Instruction. Cornelius A. Gower, rep....8,280 3,269 Zelotes Truesdell, dem.....5,011 David Parsons, nat.........3,161 William II. Moore, pro.... 73 Jacob Doesburg........... 17 Board of Education. Edgar Rexford, rep........8,283 3,270 Albert Crane, dem.........5.113 Volney V. B. Marwin, nat..3,164 Obiah R. Evans, pro....... 74 H. A. Day,................ 17 Sheriff. Isaac F. Lamoreaux, rep.. 7,805 5,167 John H. Withey, denm...... 2,638 Henry F. McCormack, nat..6,011 Clerk. Fred. S. Clark, rep.........8,605 4,299 Charles R. Baxter, den....4,306 Everett D. Comstock, nat... 3,521 Judge of Probate. Cyrus E. Perkins, rep..... 8,314 3,434 A. T. McReynolds, dem....4,880 I II Thompson Sinclair, nat....3,255 Register. Loomis K. Bishop, rep..... 8,870 4,520 Adelbert C. Huntley, dem..4,350 James H. Weeks, nat.......3,273 Treasurer. John A. S. Verdier, rep....8,790 1,134 Jacob W. Walker, dem.....7,656 Prosecuting Attorney. Fred. A. Maynard, rep.... 8,090 3,915 Wm. Wisner Taylor, dem..4,185 Frank F. Kutts, nat........4,098 Circuit Court Commissioners. James B. Willson, rep......8,299 68 Peter O. Voorhies, rep.....8,281 Lyman D. Follett, dem.....8,269 Charles C. Howell, nat..8,080 Surveyor. Dorr Skeels, rep...........8,448 314 Charles E. Cole, dem......8,134 Coroners. Daniel A. Laubenstine, rep........8,173 DeWitt C. Burch, rep...........8,191 Louis Zunder, dem.............. 4,764 Geo. N. Chappel, dem.........4,783 Horatio N. Holden, nat..........3,468 Wm. T. Taplin, nat...............3,153 Representatives. Nathaniel A. Earle, rep..........3,689 Clarence W. Prindle, rep........3,609 John S. Farr, dem..............2,085 Samuel O. Dishman, dem........1,957 Harry H. Ives, nat.............1,570 Joseph Schursch, nat............1,552 Charles W. Garfield, rep.........2,412 Wm. P. Whitney, dem......... 1,958 Heman Palmerlee, rep...........2,426 Jonathan E. Nash, dem..........2,322 1 ELECTION 1881. The constitutional amendment relating to the Circuit Courts, was approved in Kent county by a vote of 1,472 for, to 266 contra; the amendments relative to penal fines, by a vote of 1,738 for, to 278 contra; and that relative to the clerks ot the Circuit Courts, by a vote of 3,336 for and 187 contra. The foregoing returns formn a most important section of this history. They show that the principles of liberty are understood by the people of Kent, that they possess a good idea of all that is due to the Republic. They have overcome nativeism, sectionalism and all their concomitant evils, leaving little to trammel the cause of Union, or interfere with a magnificent solidarity. Envy, anger, jealousy, pride of party, and, better than all, the irritation, bred by the rebellion of the Southerners, rankle only in the hearts of a few 344 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. but as civilization advances day by day, so are the minds of men becoming more expanded, until they look with charity on the faults of others, and seek to atone for their own. Party malice, animosity of nativeism, bigotry under all its hideous shapes, must give way forever to reason. Mercy, justice and patriotism require the citizen heart for tenancy so that all the vices must fall before the appeal of humanity, and let peace rule throughout the land. 4'\~ CHAPTER XII. KENT COUNTY IN THE WAR. The military events of the county have been noticed down to that period in its history when a sacrifice was demanded of the newly settled States, and their political divisions; to that time when the very safety of the glorious heritage bequeathed by the Fathers of the Republic as a rich legacy, was threatened by a fate worse than death-a life under laws that harbored the slave, a civil defiance of the first principles of the constitution. Kent was among the first counties of the State to respond to the summons of. patriotism and register itself on the national roll of honor, even as she was among the first to join in that song of joy which greeted a Republic, made doubly glorious within a century by the dual victory which won liberty for itself and next bestowed the precious boon upon the colored class. The attack on and the fall of Fort Sumter was the signal for the people of Kent to rouse themselves from slumber and rush to arms. Great numbers of the people maintained their equanimity, with the result of beholding within a brief space of time every section of their county represented by soldiers prepared to fight the good fight to the bitter end in defense of cherished institutions, and for the extension of the principles of liberty and union,-of human right, to all states and classes within the Republic. ' The three months' regiment went to the front with a fair representation of the citizens of Kent county in its rank and file. They were present at the first Bull Run before their term of service expired+; and the survivors, returning, reported for re-enlistment in the three years' regiments then being organized throughout the State. What terrible ordeals those troops passed through during their long and eventful military career, what magnificent results crowned their service, are best related in an extract from the oration of Dan Dougherty, delivered at the reunion of Veterans, held in June, 1881, at Hartford. He, in his inimitable eloquence, said: —"Victims of swamp and typhus fevers; baffled time and again by the flood; battling at every disadvantage with the flower of the enemy, on a strange soil, with a hostile population; long denied a victory; matured plans jeopardized; fighting all day, marching all night; advancing until they saw the spires of Richmond, then back again within sight of the white dome of Washington; never elated with success, never depressed with defeat; disaster following disaster, they were buoyant to the close. Smiling through tears they parted with their beloved chief; one brave commander gave place to (845) 346 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. another, yet gayly they transferred their fealty. Marching to certain death up Mary's Heights on those awful days at Fredericksburg; falling by thousands at Chancellorsville; the waves of war sweeping toward their homes, spreading devastation worse than the track of a tornado-they again gave battle to that exultant invader at Gettysburg, and on that renowned and thrice-sacred field for three long days they fought and won the victory that turned the tide of war and saved the North from desolation. Back again they follow the unyielding foe, drenching the wilderness with gore; for still another year they bleed, until Richmond falls; the Army of Northern Virginians overwhelmed with numbers, and supplies exhausted, capitulates; the confederacy was crushed and the Union preserved! In a few months all that was left of mighty opposing forces-victor and vanquished, officers and privates —returned to their homes, doffed their uniforms, furled their battle flags and passed frornm the reality to the realms of history." The survivors of the war returned, settled down in the homes of peace, and within a few years aided in building up a* community, a wondrous community, which casts the old world into shade, and prepares the way for universal liberty. In the following pages the regimental sketches, rosters, casualties, promotions, and other information dealing with the troops sent from this county are given. HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED. The sound of the first cannon had scarcely died away beyond Sumter when the wires flashed the tidings of rebellion to this city. Little time was lost in speculation; with a promptitude characteristic of the people, the men of the city assembled in council, realized the situation in which the country was placed, and as quick as thought agreed upon the best and only means of saving the Republic. The old and new military organizations saw the time for mere parade belonged to the past, and were ready to sacrifice to the present. War was on every lip, ---flashed from tongue to tongue; it reached the homes of the people without the city, and soon reached throughout the land. THE FIRST WAR MEETING was held at Luce's Hall, April 15, 1861, at which were present. Col. A. T. McReynolds, Col. C. W. Leffingwell, Capt. L. Patterson, Revs. S. S. N. Greeley, Courtney Smith, Myron A. Dougherty, E. W. Davis, Geo. Gray and others, who delivered addresses on the occasion. All believed that the citizens of Kent would arm to a man to support the honor and the armies of the National Government. The ladies of Grand Rapids assembled at Mills & Clancy's Hall, April 23, and organized by appointing Mrs. S. S. N. Greeley, President, and Mrs. S. L. Withey, Secretary. The object of the meeting ~ 7-I'S HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 349 was one of aid to the volunteers, as shown in the following resolution: " That the ladies of the Valley City are not unmindful of'the perils which threaten our country; and they appreciate the patriotism which impels their fathers, husbands, brothers and sons to take the field in detense of the Flag oi' our Union." A Union meeting was held April 22, which was addressed by E. G. D. Holden, Eben. Smith, T. B. Church, Thomas M. Brady, L. Patterson, E. S. Eggleston, Timothy Foote and others. Previously, on April 20, the officers of the volunteer companies met at the Guards Armory, with Brig. Gen. Wm. A. Richmond in the chair, and II. J. IIollister, Secretary. On that date a regiment was reported fully organized and uniformed. The resolutions were-earnest and to the point. A few days after this meeting the "Valley City Guards" tendered their services to the general Government. The command was made up as follows: Samuel A. Judd, Capt. Fred Shriver, 1st Lieut. Charles D. Lyon, 2d " John Dennis, 3d " Geo. E. Judd, First Sergeant. James Cavenaugh, Second Sergeant. Miles Adams, Third Sergeant. Charles H. Cary, Fourlh Sergeant. Thomas Greenly, 5th Sergeant. Alex. McKinzie, 1st Corporal. Edward S. Pierce, 2d " E. D. Budington, 3d " W. H. Chamberlain, 4th Privates. W. P. Ferris, Chester B. Hinsdill, Henry A. Buck, J. W. McCrath, Ray V. Smith, John K. Truax, L. H. Chase, E. Lytle, H. P. Colby, Richard Johnson, D, n J. Lovell, Peter A. Bogardus, C. M. Taggert, George Nair, C. R. Calkins, Orson Miller, Wm. Jones, Emory Moon, Edward S. Pierce, E. D. Budington, Chas. H. Rose, E C. Goodrich, Daniel H. Powers, Elliott E. Judd, B. C. Tracy, W. Chamberlain John M. Mann Daniel Littlefield, Wm. Pullen, Henry F. Williams, H. C. Luce. The roster was ultimately swelled to large proportions, and every one in readiness to proceed to the field. April 27 a most enthusiastic meeting was held, and a procession formed. Addresses were delivered by F. W. Kellogg, T. B. Church, J. E. Wyche, Wm. A. Robinson, Rev. Father Brady, Gen. Wm. A. Richmond and others. Miss Ada Webb and a full chorus rendered the " Star-Spangled Banner," the Glee Club sang the "c National Hymn", and in all respects the demonstration was a great success. The Third Regiment, under Col. D. McConnell, mustered in the " Cantonment Anderson," to the number of 700 men, May 8, 1861. This Cantonment was located on the County Agricultural Society's Grounds. Strict military discipline was enforced, and a truly patriotic desire to leave for the front manifested by the troops. Early in May a number of young men organized themselves into, 21 350 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. a military company, known as the "Cadets." On May 8, they assembled at the armory, changed the title of the command to that of the "Grand Rapids Greys," and elected the following officers: Joseph Herkner, Capt.; H. N. Moore, 1st Lieut.; W. B. Martin, 2d Lieut.; Daniel Powers, Orderly; Geo. Stevenson, 2d Sergt.; Frank Lyon, 3d Sergt.; Silas K. Pierce, 4th Sergt.; Charles Kendall, 1st Corporal; Charles Dean, 2d Corporal; Fred Reynolds, 3d Corporal; Thomas Mitchell, 4th Corporal; Charles P. Calkins, Clerk. Up to July, 31, 1861, Michigan furnished eight commands to the army in the field, viz.: First Michigan Inf., three months, 780 men; Second Inf., 1,046 men; Third Inf., 1,046 men; Fourth Inf., 1,046 men; Artillery, 117 men; Jackson Guards on service with Mulligan's Brigade, 104 men; Lafayette Light Guards, 89 men; and portions of two companies in Illinois and Missouri, 150 men, aggregating an active field force of 4,378. The officers and men in rendezvous, ready to respond to the first call, comprised 1,046 men of the 5th Inf.; 1,046 men of the 6th Inf.; and 1,046 men of the 7th Inf.; or, 4,138 men. Recruits at Ann Arbor, 800 men, with 27 companies enrolled, aggregating 2,824. The total number of troops in the field, or ready to enter at the beginning of August, 1861, was 11,140. Of this large number Kent county furnished a large proportion, and otherwise aided by example in creating enthusiasm and confidence. In the following pages the various commands with which the soldiers of Kent served are historically treated; the names of the colmmissioned officers are given and their promotions followed up. This portion of the chapter has been specially prepared by the county historian, while the names of the troops discharged have been taken from the reports by an exact copyist. FIRST ENGINEERS AND MECHANICS. This important command left Marshall, Dec. 17, 1861, for Louisville, Ky., with a force of 1,032 men and officers. Its services during the year 1862 were never surpassed. A detachment under Gen. Mitchell comprised the first loyal troops to enter the rebel position at Bowling Green, Feb. 14, 1862. The labors of the regiment may be conceived when it is remembered that during June, 1862, it built seven bridges on the Memphis & Charleston railroad line, aggregating in length 2,758 feet, and from 12 to 56 feet in height. During the year the command lost 78 men on the field and by disease. Congress enacted in 1862 that the Michigan Engineers and Mechanics' regiment should be placed on the same footing as the Engineer Corps of the United States'army; and further ordered the force to be raised to 12 companies of 150 enlisted men each. During the years 1863-'4 the continued service of the command was the truest evidence of all that men can suffer and accomplish in the cause of their country. Detachments of the HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 351 command were present everywhere, always tending to render the progress of the army free from many, if not all, the obstacles which nature and rebellion placed in its way. Its term of service expired Oct. 31, 1864, when a few officers and men retired. However, the greater number volunteered, and, with the addition of recruits, maintained full strength and performed magnificent service until the close of the war. The command was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 22; reported at Jackson, Mich., Sept. 25, and was discharged Oct. 1,1865. Together with its usual duty it participated in the affairs of Mill Springs, Ky., Jan. 19; Farmington, Miss., May 9; Corinth, May 10-31; and Perryville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1862. It was present at Lavergne, Tenn., Jan. 1, 1863; at Chattanooga, Oct. 6, 1863; at Atlanta, July 22 to Sept. 2, 1864: at Savannah, Ga., Dec. 11-21, 1864; and at Bentonville, N. C., March 19, 1865. Officers. William P. Innes, Grand Rapids, was commissioned Col. Sept. 12, 1861. He mustered out with the command Oct. 26, 1864, and was created Brevet Brig.-Gen. of United States Vol., March 13,1865, in remembrance of his great services during the war. Perrin V. Fox, Grand Rapids, was commissioned Captain, Sept. 12, 1861; Major, Dec. 15, 1863; Major U. S. Vet. Vol. Engineers, July 2, 1864; Lieut.-Col. April 17, 1865, and Brevet-Colonel, March 13, 1865, in recognition of his efficient service. James M. Sligh, Grand Rapids, Q. M. Sergeant, Oct. 28, 1861 was commissioned 1st Lieut., Jan. 1, 1864; Captain, April 25, 1865, and served until the muster out of his command Sept. 30, 1865. James W. Sligh, Grand Rapids, entered the field as Captain, Sept. 12, 1861. He died at Tullahoma, Tenn., Nov. 15, 1863, from the effects of injuries received in a rairoad accident occurring while the train was being attacked by rebels. James D. Robinson, Grand Rapids, commissioned 1st. Lieut. Sept. 12, 1861; was promoted to a Captaincy Dec. 26,1862, and mustered out Sept. 22, 1865. Heman Palmerlee, commissioned Captain Sept. 12, 1861; resigned July 30, 1862. William S. Nevins, Grand Rapids, Sup. 1st Lieut. Sept. 12,1861; was commissioned 1st Lieut. Aug. 18, 1862; Captain, Jan. 1, 1864, and mustered out Oct. 26, the same year. John W. McGrath, Grand Rapids, commissioned 2d Lieut., Sept. 12, 1861; 1st Lieut., May 28, 1863, and Captain, with rank from May 11, 1863; was mustered out Sept. 22, 1865. Joseph C. Herkner, Grand Rapids, commissioned 1st Lieut. Sept. 12,1861, and Captain, Jan. 1, 1864; was mustered out Sept. 22, 1865. Edson P. Gifford, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. D; was promoted 352 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 1st Lieut. March 1, 1863; Captain, Oct. 1, 1863, and served to the close of the war. Andrew B. Coffinberry, Grand Rapids, was mustered in as Sergeant of Co. C; was promoted 1st Lieut. Jan. 1, 1864; Captain, Aug. 27,1864, which position he held when mustered out Sept. 22, 1865. Baker Borden, formerly of the 3d Infantry, was commissioned Captain First Engineers and Mechanics Sept. 12, 1861, which position he held until his resignation Feb. 14, 1862. Wright L. Coffinberry, Grand Rapids, was commissioned Captain, Sept. 12, 1861; resigned Dec. 26, 1862. Chas. T. Wooding, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. C, commissioned 2d Lieut. Aug. 27, 1864; 1st Lieut., Nov. 3, 1864; was mustered out Sept. 22, 1865. Henry F. Williams, Grand Rapids, Sergeant-Major, Sept. 18, 1861; 2d Lieut., March 30, 1862; 1st Lieut., July 30, 1862; was mustered out Oct. 26, 1864. Albert Wells, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. B; Sept. 19, 1861; commissioned 1st Lieut., Jan. 1, 1864; was mustered out Oct. 26, 1864. Julius W. Smith, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. I, Dec. 29,1863; was commissioned 1st Lieut. Nov. 3, 1864, and mustered out Oct. 1, 1865. David M. Skidmore, Bowne, commissioned 2d Lieut. Jan. 1, 1864, and 1st Lieut., Nov. 3, 1864; was mustered out Oct. 1, 1865. Lyman J. McGrath, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. D, Sept. 27, 1861, was commissioned 2d Lieut., Sept. 3, 1864; lst Lieut., Nov. 3, 1864; resigned June 22, 1865. Albert H. Kimball, Grand Rapids, commissioned 1st Lieut. Sept. 21, 1861; resigned Aug. 18, 1862. Robert S. Innes, Grand Rapids, 1st Lieut. and Q. M., commissioned Sept. 12, 1861; resigned Dec. 6, 1862. Charles W. Calkins, Grand Rapids, Sergeant-Major, Sept. 26, 1861; 2J Lieut., July 30,1862; 1st Lieut,. Jan. 1, 1864, and served until mustered out Oct. 26, 1864. Andrew J. Beers, Grand Rapids, mustered in as Sergeant Co. C, was commissioned 1st Lieut. Nov. 3, 1864, and mustered out with the command Sept. 22. 1865. Francis D. Adams, of Grattan, entered service with the First Engineers and Mechanics as 2d Lieut., Jan. 1, 1864; promoted 1st Lieut. Jan. 3, 18~4, and resigned Aug. 9, 1865. Robert D. McCarthy, Grand Rapids, commissioned 2d Lieut. Feb. 16, 1864; resigned May 29, 1864. Horace H. Keyes, Grand Rapids, served as Sergeant Co. F, from Oct..11, 1861, to Nov. 3, 1864, when he was promoted 2d Lieut. Walter S. Hubert, Grand Rapids, entered as Sergeant Co. B Sept. 19, 1861; commissioned 2d Lieut. Nov. 3, 1864, and was inustered out Sept. 22, 1865. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 353 William T. Hess, Grand Rapids, commissioned 2d Lieut. Sept. 12, 1861; resigned July 13, 1863. James M. Eggleston, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. D, Sept. 26, 1861; was commissioned 2d Lieut. Nov. 3, 1864, and served until the command mustered out Sept. 223 1865. Arthur Connolly, Grand Rapids, commissioned 2d Lieut. Sept. 12, 1861; resigned March 29, 1862. Edwin Baxter, Grand Rapids, commissioned 2d Lieut. Sept. 12, 1861; was discharged on account of disability, Feb. 16, 1864. William II. De Camp, Grand Rapids, was commissioned Surgeon, Sept. 12, 1861, and served until mustered out Oct. 26, 1864. HenrvVan Ostrand, Grand Rapids, commissioned Ass't-Surgeon Engineers and Mechanics, Sept. 9, 1863; was mustered out Sept. 12, 1865. Discharged Men. Adams, William J. Afton, Philip Allen, Balus L. Allen, Henry Allen, William G. Aldrich, Henry Aldrich, William B. Andrews, William B. Andrus, William B. Apaneer, John Austin, George J. Austin, George M. Austin, Henry Atkins, Mason F. Bailey, James J. Baker, George R. Bailey, Orville Bates, Joel M. Barker, Richard W. Barfield, William E. Barrett, John Bass, William S. Beard, Linsen, jr. Beebe, Charles A. Beck, James M. Berclay, Qharles Bendway, James Bieree, Orrin Blass, Charles A. Bleumink, Girt Blood, Ephraim Blood, Orrin Borden, John C. Boynton, Levi S. Bramer, Edward Brayman, James H. Bickford, Alonzo Brewer, Lucien B. Briggs, William R. Brown, Daniel W. Byers, William Byres, Walter Cain, William H. Calkins, Lucius Campau, Adolph T. Carbutt, James J. Chapman, Le Grand C. Chase, Hiram Chatterdon, William Chergain, Martin Child, Earl K. Chipman, William Christie, Lewis Clark, Edward H. Clark, George H. Clark, Oraste E. Clemans, William H. Clifton, Charles W. Clifton, Isaac W. Clinton, Charles E. Cobb, Alexis D. Coger, Jabez D. Cole, Henry A. Cole, William F. Cook, Emery Cook, Ezra Cook, John W. Cook, Madison Coon, Philip J. Cooper, Daniel Crosby, George W. Cross, Stephen Crawford, John Criseman, Peter M. Crittenden, Delos L. Cuddihy, Michael Currier, Arthur W. Dailey, Charles Daniels, Jerome F. Daniels, John S. Dale, John Dart, Elijah Davis, Alvin Davis, Luther B. Dawson, Elias S. Deglopper, Peter Deglopper, Martin Dennison, Ariel B. Depew, Ralph Devendorf, Adelbert Devendorf, Nelson DeVree, David Dildine, John Dilley, Luther P. Dowding, Robert Downer, Wm. E. Draper, Hezekiah Draper, John H. Dressier, Egnas Dutton, Alfred Dunlap, John H. Dutcher, David W. Eaton, John Eddy, Charles C. Elliott, Daniel S. Emons, Simon Falen, Daniel Finch, William Fletcher, John B. Floyd, Allen C. Fluhies, William Foote, A aron L. Foote, Elijah H. Freelove, James T. French, Hiram W. French, Joseph Fullington, Geo. B. Geelock, William Gibbs, Abel M. Gibbs, WilliamH. Gibson, Byron D. Gibson, John A. Gitchell, Willard L. Gitchell, William W. Gifford, Charles F. Godfrey, William A. T. Gouldsbury, Jerome B. 35i4 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Graves, Albert Granger, Francis Green, Edwin Green, Jonathan J. Grey, Samuel Griffin, David E. Griffis, George Grindall, Andrew J. Haan, Jacob Hagens, John Hanes, John R. Hall, Francillo Hall, Francillo Hamilton, Isaiah B. Hammer Peter Hann, Simeon P. Hardy, Albert Hard, Alvin B. Heath, Jonathan Hecox, Francis M. Hendricks, Peter Herring, Charles Hewett, Joseph L. Hicks, Nelson E. Hickox, William L. Hill, Alpheus G. Hildreth, AlonzoL. Hilton, Hollis L. Hilton, Charles B. Hilmore, James H. Hoag, Myron B. Hoch, Jacob Hope, James M. Hope, Henry D. Hope, Joseph Houk, Andrew J. Hovey, Gurdon E. Howard, Andrew W. Hunter, Herbert Humphrey, William Huntley, Adelbert C. Huntly, Merritt Huntly, Frederick Hurlburt, Freeman Hyde, George. Hyatt, John S. Isham, Henry Jarse, George W. Jaques, Milton J. Jewett, Philip L. Jewell, Elias H. Jones, John H. Judson, George W. Kalmback, Godfrey Keeney, James H. Kellogg, Orson B. Kenney, James C. Kenyon, Ephraim G. Keyser, Jacob W. Kidder, Mason C. King, Charles B. King, Julius F, King, George Kinney, John M. Kipp, John Kniffin, Collossian Knickerbocker, Walter Kniffin, Chester V. A. Kniss, Joseph Kryger, Cornelius Kusterer, William La Clare, Orville Lamberton, Austin Lampman, Henry Laughlin, William H. Layton, Thomas Lee, Benjamin F. Leach, John H. Leeland, Edward Leathers, Don J. Lemreaux, David Lindsay, John Logan, George W. Long, Jacob Loree,Moses Lovejoy, Julian Lucas, Seth A. Luce, John Marsh, Charles Marks, Thomas Marvin, Dwilht McCrath, Charles F. McCullough, Hugh McDrainiel, Chauncey McDonald, John J. McGowan, John W. McNitt, Alexander A. Miller, Charles Miller, William S. Milmine, Alfred Milmine, Alexander Mitchell, Chester C. Montague, Edwin Morman, George Motely, William Musty, Adrian Newhall, Reuben A. Nichols, Henry L. Orcutt, Samuel Orser, Henry F. Page, John S. Page, John G. Painter, Norman J. Parish, Asa W. Parrish, Mortimer, Parks, William M. Patterson, Robert B. Patterson, James Patrick, George E. Peel, Charles Peel, Thomas Peck, Robert H. Phillips, Bradford S. Post, George C. Potter, John N. Powers, Henry Powell, Silas D, Pratt, Luther C. Prescott, Langford G. Probasco, Wallace Proper, William Provin, Andrew J. Quartel, Marcus M. Quick, John H. Randall, John M. Randall, Daniel J. Ransom, Hovey G. Rarick, Jacob Rasa, James A. Rase, Frederick R. Reed, Thomas M. Richards, Salmon S. Richard, Alfred S. Richmond, Frederick Ringuette, Edward Robens, Smith Rounds, Ambrose Roza, James E. Russell, Norman G. Ryckman, Benjamin Ryckmah, William H. Sampson, Cephas Saucrs, Cyrus Sayles, Elias J. Scarr, Francis 0. Scribner, Charles H. Shannon, Phares Shangle, James Shear, David 0. Sherman, James H. Shimel. Madison Sigler, Daniel J. Simonds, John H. Simms, Lovell James Skinner, Lothrop R. Smith, Albert G. Smith, Alva Smith, Charles P. Smith, Erastus G. Smith James Smith, John W. Smith, Lewis P. Snow, Horace Snyder, John D. Spencer, John C. M. Spraker Fred. W.' Spring, Daniel W. Stage, John J. Stewart, Charles R. Stocking, Miller Stocking, Palmer F. Stoddard, George N. Stoddard, Peter A. Stoneburner, John Story, Benjamin Stokes, William H. Squier, Spencer Sullivan, John C. Swan, Peter Sweet, Samuel Tanner, Warren D. Teele, Edgar F. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Teeple, Arson D. Teenstra, Theodore Tenhopen, John H. Thomas, David H. Thomas, John Thompson, Andrew Thompson, Alexander Thibas, John Thayer, George N. Tisdel, John S. Todd, Morris Tower, Rufus C. Tubbs, Tunis C. Tuttle, Abram S. Turner, Willard S. VanDermade, John Van Kuren, John P. Van Stinsel, Ira Vroman, John C. Wait, James Ward, bilas Watson, Dwight M. Watson, James K. Waterman, Luther Weber, John Webster, Aaron B. Weller, Henry M. Weller, Mirza Welton, Washington Welsh, Elisha Whitten, William Whitworth, Herbert Widdicomb, John Wilkins, James L. Williams, Philip Winchell, Benjamin W. Winchester, Calvin W. Winters, Alfred Wittam, Aaron B. Wooding, John Wolf, Alonzo Woodward, Albert P. Worden, James M. Youard, John THE FIRST INFANTRY (three years) was mustered into service in August, 1861, and completed its organization Sept. 16, 1861, by the addition of two detachtnents sent forward from rendezvous. From Mechanicsville, June 26, to Fredericksburg, Dec. 13 and 14, 1862, it participated in eight engagements, losing its Colonel, (Roberts), 88 men and 10 officers in those actions. During the year 1863, the command served in three engagements, eight heavy skirmishes and two reconnoisances, losing 30 men on the field and 16 by disease. In 1864 the continued service of the command resulted in the loss of 23 men in action. During the year this regiment was reorganized, furloughed, and returning played a brilliant part in the campaigns of 1864. Its last important meeting with the enemy was at Appomattox Court-House, April 9, 1865. It was discharged at Jackson, July 12, 1865, having served in 52 battles and won honors in each. Officers. William H. H. Kenny, Alton, was Sergeant Co. 1, at muster-in Aug. 27, 1861; was promoted 1st Lieut., Nov. 1, 1864, Captain, July 15, 1865, and was mustered out as Lieut., July 9,1865. Louis L. Lannier entered service July 8, 1861, as Sergeant Co. H, and was promoted 2d Lieut., Dec. 13, 1862, filling the position until mustered out Sept. 26, 1864. William Widdicomb, Commissary Sergeant, Sept., 7, 1861; promoted 2d Lieut., June 27, 1862; 1st Lieut., Aug. 30, 1862; resigned March 10, 1863. Discharged Men. Alberts, Hiram Allen, John W. Avery, Henry Bennett, Wm. H. Bingham, Daniel L. Boyer, John Bradford, J. J. Buck, Curtis Creque, Josiah Haviland, Geo. W. Hoyle, Clark James, Francis Miller, John Nagle, John H. Parker, Simon Peifer, Simon P. Semeyne, Leonard Trieber, Jacob F. Upton, John G. Van Liew, D. P. Wagner, Henry M. Wallace, William Walker, John N. Williams, Levi L. 356 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. THE THIRD INFANTRY was mustered in at Grand Rapids, and left for the Potomac June 13, 1861, with 1,040 men. The force was increased by 123. Like the Second Infantry, it served at Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Charles City, Cross Roads, Malvern Hill and Bull Run. The loss at Fair Oaks was 30 killed; and at Bull Run 20. The losses of the regiment before Fredericksburg were nine wounded; at Chancellorsville 63 men were placed hors de combat. At Gettysburg, July 2 and 3, its losses were 41 men. During the latter part of the year it took an important part in many skirmishes, with a total loss of 41 men. During the year 1864, the command re-enlisted as veterans, received a furlough of 30 days, and returning to the front entered on the year's campaign at Ely's Ford May 5. Its losses during this month were 31 killed, 119 wounded and 29 prisoners. An order from the War Department dated June 13, directed the consolidation of the 3d with the 5th Infantry, and seven days later the regiment was mustered out. On Oct. 15, the Third Infantry, reorganized, was mustered into service under Lieut. Col. M. B. Houghton, with 879 officers and men. Toward the close of the year it served in Tennessee and Alabama. It was engaged at Decatur, Ala., Oct. 28, 29 and 30, 1864, and at Murfreesboro, Tenn., from Nov. 30 to Dec. 20, 1864. Having performed its duty well, the comlnand was mustered out, and discharged at Detroit, June 10, 1865. Officers. Byron R. Pierce, Grand Rapids, Captain, May 13, 1861; Major, Oct. 28, 1861; Lieut.-Col, July 25, 1862; Colonel. Jan. 1, 1863; Brig.-Gen. U. S. Volunteers, May 24, 1864; Brev. Maj.-Gen. U. S. Volunteers, April 6, 1865. Col. Pierce was wounded at Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863; again at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, and lastly near Petersburg, June 18, 1864. His last promotion was in recognition of brilliant service at the battle of Sailors' Creek, April 6, 1865. This soldier was mustered out with well-won honors, Aug. 24, 1865. Daniel Kennicutt, Grand Rapids, mustered in as Sergeant, Co. F, June 10, 1861; was commissioned 2d Lieut., June 10, 1864; 1st Lieut., Sept. 19, 1864; Captain, Dec. 21, 1864; and Brev. Maj. U. S. Vol., April 9, 1865, forbrilliant service in the last campaign against the forces of Gen. Lee. Stephen G. Champlin, Grand Rapids, commissioned Major 3d Mich., Inf., May 13, 1861; Colonel, Oct. 28, 1861, and Brig.-Gen. of Vols., Nov. 29, 1862. This soldier was wounded at Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862, and died at Grand Rapids, Jan. 26, 1864. Daniel McConnell, Grand Rapids, commissioned Colonel May 13, 1861: resigned Oct. 22, 1861. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 357 Daniel S. Root, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. K, June 10, 1861; was commissioned 2d Lieut. Nov. 28, 1861; 1st Lieut., July 1, 1862, and Captain, Feb. 5, 1863. Transferred to the 5th Mich. Inf. with a Major's commission, dated June 12, 1864; he won a Lieut.-Col'cy. Dec. 21, 1864; and, after a term of good service, was mustered out Dec. 5, 1865. Geo. K. Nairn, Grand Rapids, commissioned 1st Lieut. and Q. M. July 29, 1864; Brevet Captain and Major U. S. Vols., March 13, 1865, for gallant services; was mustered out May 25, 1866. Michael P. Long, Grand Rapids, commissioned Captain July 29, 1864, and Brevet Major U. S. Vol., March 13, 1865, in recognition of his gallant services; was mustered out May 25, 1866. Max Van Krout, Grand Rapids, commissioned 1st Lieut. May 13, 1861, and Captain, Aug. 1, 1861; resigned Nov. 28, 1861, resigned on account of disability. Israel C. Smith, Grand Rapids, commissioned 2d Lieut. May 13, 1861; Adjutant, July 19,1861; and Captain, Jan. 1, 1862, when he was transferred to the I1 th Mich. Cav. He was wounded at Groveton, Aug. 29, 1862, and at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Frederick Shriver, Grand Rapids, commissioned 1st Lieut. May 13, 1861, and Captain, Aug. 1, 1861. Owing to wounds received.at Groveton, Va., Aug. 29, 1862, he was compelled to resign Oct.:25 following. Carlton Neal, Grand Rapids, commissioned 2d Lieut. July 1, 1861. He was transferred to Battery L, Light Artillery, with the lsame rank, Nov. 3,1862; commissioned Captain of the Battery.Jan. 14, 1865; he served with it until dismounted Aug. /22. 1865. Don G. Lovell entered 3d Inf. as Corporal Co. A, June 10,1861; promoted 2d Lieut. 6th Cav. Oct. 13, 1862; 1st Lieut., May 9, 1863; 'Captain, Oct. 22, 1863; and Major, June 21, 1865; was mustered -out with the rank of Captain Nov. 24, 1865. Captain Lovell was wounded in the affair of Trevellian, Va., June 11, 1864. George E. Judd, Grand Rapids, mustered into service as Sergeant of Co. A, June 10, 1861; commissioned 2d Lieut. Aug. 1, 1861; 1st Lieut., Aug. 28, 1861; and Captain, June 23, 1862. He was transferred to the Veteran Reserves Jan. 24, 1864; commissioned Lieut. U. S. Inf. Aug. 19, 1868, and was placed on retired list with rank of Captain, May 28, 1870. Captain Judd lost his left -arm during the battle at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862. Edward S. Earle, Grand Rapids, was commissioned 1st Lieut. and Adjutant May 16, 1861; Captain and Asst. Commissary Subsistfence U. S. Vols., Sept. 19, 1861, and received discharge April 1, 1863. Geo. W. Dodge, Grand Rapids, 2d Lieut. Aug. 11, 1861; 1st Lieut., Jan. 1, 1862; Captain, Oct. 25,1862; received severe wounds at Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862, and resigned Feb. 5, 1863. John J. Dennis, Grand Rapids, was appointed Captain May 13, 1861; resigning Aug. 7, he was commissioned Captain, Battery E, 1st Light Artillery, Nov. 5, 1861, resigning June 9, 1862. 358 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Baker Borden, Grand Rapids, was commissioned Captain, May 13, 1861, but resigned July 29, 1861, on account of disability. A. E. Birkenstock, Grand Rapids, commissioned Captain May 13, 1861; resigned owing to disability, Aug. 7, 1861. Frederick L. Barker, Big Rapids, entered service as Sergeant, Co. K, June 10, 1861; wounded at the Wilderness, May 6, 1864; promoted 2d Lieut. 5th Mich. Inf., June 10, 1864; wounded at 13oydton Plank Road, Sept. 1, 1864; promoted 1st Lieut. Oct. 14, 1864, and Captain, Nov. 7 of the sameyear; he was mustered out with the command July 5, 1865. Felix Zolly, Grand Rapids, was commissioned 2d Lieut., May 13, 1861; 1st Lieut., Aug. i1, 1861, and resigned Jan. 8, 1862. Benjamin C. Tracy, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. F, June 10, 1861; commissioned 2d Lieut., Jan. 1, 1862; 1st Lieut., Sept. 1, 1862; was mustered out June 30, 1864. John H. Sumner, Grand Rapids, Q. M. Sergeant, June 10, 1861; was commissioned 1st Lieut. and Q. M., Nov. 25, 1863, and mustered out June 20, 1864. Elisha O. Stevens, Grand Rapids, commissioned 1st Lieut. May 13, 1861; Adjutant, Jan. 1, 1862; was discharged Dec. 31, 1862. George W. Remington, Grand Rapids, served as Sergeant from June 10, 1861, to Sept. 22, 1862, when he was commissioned 2d Lieut. On Oct. 25, 1862, he was appointed 1st Lieut.; Adjutant, Nov. 23, 1862, which position he held until mustered out June 20, 1864. Silas M. Pelton, Grand Rapids, was mustered in June 10, 1861, and was commissioned 1st Lieut. Jan. 2, 1862; reported missing in action at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862, he was regained in May, 1863; was wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, and discharged on account of disability Oct. 22, 1863. C. P. McTaggart, Grand Rapids, entered as Corporal Co. A, June 10, 1861; was commissioned 2d Lieut. Sept. 24, 1862, and 1st Lieut. March 28, 1863. He was transferred to the Ambulance Corps Dec. 13, 1863. Franc Muhlburg, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. C at the muster in, was commissioned 1st Lieut., and transferred to the 5th Mich. Inf., Feb. 1, 1864. He was wounded in the action of the Wilderness May 5, and again near Petersburg, June 16, 1864. Peter A. Bogardus, mustered into service as the 2d Lieut. May 13, 1861; was commissioned 1st Lieut. Aug. 11, 1861, and served until the acceptance of his resignation Jan. 1, 1862. Milton Leonard, Grand Rapids, entered as Corporal Co. F, June 10, 1861; was promoted 2d Lieut. Feb. 5, 1863; 1st Lieut., Nov. 1, 1863, and Captain, April 1, 1864. This soldier was killed at the Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1864. Charles D. Lyon, Grand Rapids, commissioned 2d Lieut. May 13, 1861; was promoted 1st Lieut. Aug. 1, 1861, and Captain, Oct. 28, 1861. He resigned Oct. 13, 1862. Daniel W. Littlefield, Grand Rapids, Corporal Co. A, June 10, HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 359 1861; was transferred to 2d Mich. Cav. with the rank of 2d Lieut., Oct. 29, 1862, and promoted 1st Lieut. June 6, 1863. He died of disease at Washington, D. C., Jan. 6, 1864. Charles Keinpster, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Major, Aug. 16, 1864; promoted 1st Lient. Nov. 28, 1865; was mustered out Maay 25, 1866. Alambert A. Griswold, Grand Rapids, entered Co. H, June 10, 1861; was promoted from the ranks to 1st Lieut. April 1, 1864, and was mustered out June 20 of that year. Theodore Hetz, Grand Rapids, Corporal Co. C, June 10, 1861; 2d Lient., Jan. 2, 1862; 1st Lieut., Jan. 1, 1863; was mustered out June 20, 1864. Charles H. Carey, Grand Rapids, entered service June 10, 1861, as Sergeant Co. A; was commissioned 2d Lieut. Oct. 28, 1861; 1st Lieut. Feb. 5, 1863, with which rank he served until his death at Jackson, Miss., July 18, 1863. Thomas J. Dickenson, Grand Rapids, commissioned 1st Lieut. July 29, 1864; died of disease at Huntsville, Ala., Nov. 13, 1864. Miles S. Adamrs entered Co. A June 10, 1861, as Sergeant; was promoted 2d Lieut. July 1, 1862, after recovering from wounds received at the battle of Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862.. He resigned Feb. 20, 1863. Samuel Crotty, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. F, June 10, 1861; was promoted 2d Lieut. 5th Mich Inf. May 8, 1865, and discharged July 5 of the same year. Sidney B. Smith, Grand Rapids, Corporal, June 10, 1861; commissioned 2d Lieut. Jan. 1, 1863; was wounded at Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863, and transferred to Vet. Reserve Aug. 20, 1863. James D. Bennett, Grand Rapids, entered as Sergeant of Co. B. June 10, 1861, was promoted 2d Lieut. Oct. 25, 1862, and discharged Oct. 31, 1863. Julius D. Fanger, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. C, June 10, 1861; 2d Lieut., Sept. 26, 1862; was wounded in the action of Mine Run, Nov. 30, 1863, and discharged on account of disability May 28, 1864. John Lindsey, Grand Rapids, Sergeant Co. B, mustered in June 10, 1861; was promoted 2d Lieut. Jan. 1, 1862, and resigned May 21, 1862. Marquis D. L. Chapel, Grand Rapids, entered service Aug. 29, 1864, as Sergeant of Co. B; promoted 2d Lieut. March 19, 1865; resigned July 7, 1865. Wilard Bliss, Grand Rapids, commissioned Surgeon May 13,, 1861; Brigade Surgeon, Sept. 1, 1861; Brevet Lieut.-Col. and Col. U. S. Volunteers, March 13, 1865, for distinguished service during the war; was mustered out with the command Dec. 6, 1865. James F. Grove, Grand Rapids, 2d Asst. Surgeon, August 15, 1862; was commissioned Surgeon Sept. 11, 1862, and mustered out June 20, 1864. Zenas E. Bliss, Grand Rapids, was commiissioned Asst. Surgeon 360 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. May 31, 1861; Surgeon, Oct. 15, 1861; Brigade Surgeon, Sept. 24, 1862, and Brevet Lieut.-Col. U. S. Volunteers, Jan. 26, 1866, seven days previous to the muster out of the command. Walter B. Morrison, Grand Rapids, Asst. Surgeon, commissioned Aug. 1, 1862; resigned June 14, 1863. Francis I. Cummings, Grand Rapids, was comnissioned Chaplain, May 13, 1861, and resigned April 1, 1862. Discharged Aen. * Allen, Edwin Anderson Elliott C. Atwater, Edward A. August, John Baker, Mathias Ballard, Burdge Barr, Robert T. Baxter, Charles W. Bebee. Martin Beck, James M. Begebow, S. E. Blisser, Frank X. Bracket, Orlow J. Burbanks, Isaac Burnham, Henry W. Cahoon, Joseph B. Calkins, Henry Campau, Aldolph Case, Horace Cavanah, James Chaffee, Horace Chamberlain, William Chipman, Hobert Clark, Jacob Conant, Albert A. Congdon, James Crandall, Fred Crany, Wm. E. Dailey, James Derfy, Albert Doran, Patrick H. Drake, William H. Drake, Wm. H. Eckhoff, Ferdinand Farr, Vincent W. Ferris, William P. ileusher, John Foote, Allen K. Freelove, Timothy Gates, George W. Gibson, Myron Gillespie, James Granger, Lycurgus E. Grant, William Hall, Adelbert Hall, Isaac Halsey, William Hamblin, Eli Harris, George W. Harrison, Robert Hebetertner, John, Heinrich, Joseph Helker, Jacob Henry, Charles E. Hess, Peter Hinds, Darius Hoyer, August Hinman, Norman C. Jones, Wilson Jubb, William J. Kearney, Hugh Kearney, Patrick Kelly, Lee Kennett, Charles Kimball, Francis King, Edmund W. Koch, George Koch, William Koenigsberg, Henry Lacey Hezekiah Lawson, Tyler Lee, Robert Leeland, Edward Mapes, James Marsh, John Marvin, Henry C. Mc Clure, John Me Connell, John Mc Intyre, Alex. McIntyre William Miller, Charles Miller, Geo. W. Morgrage, John W. Morgridge, Wm. C. Nea, Oscar Nedry, Warren Neilson, Martin Newton, Osier K. Nolthrope, John Parker, Albert C. Parrish, Mortimer E. Peck, Robert H. Pelton, Albert Phillips, Chace E. Place, Arthur A. Pool, Henry Powell, John J. Prescott, George Putnam, Thomas Rathbun, Levi C. Rawlings, Thomas Reed, Samuel W. Reed, William Richter, Edward Robinson, Oscar A. Rounds, Joseph M. Scoville, John S. kchawgler, George Schermerhorn, George Schmidt, Louis F. Schmidt, Michael Scovell, Rufus Scranton, George Scranton, Geo. P. Shickle, Joseph Sines, Nathan B. Smith, C. W. Smith, Erson H. Smith, James V. Spaulding, Minor Spaulding, S. J. Steeg, Jacob Stewart, Daniel A. Swegles, Ashley O. Taylor, Guilford Taylor, John Teele, Edgar Totten, Levi Van Dusen. Chauncy B. Wait, Walter W. Walrub, Anton Ward, Francis L. Warner, David Warren, George Wheeler, Franklin White, jr., Samuel Wilson, Almon Wilson, Civilian Wilson, Merritt Wilson, Wm. P. Wood, Joseph B. Yerrington, Almond HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 361 THE FOURTH INFANTRY left Adrian June 25, 1861, with a force of 1,025 men, increased within the succeeding year to 1,156. This regiment took part in the first Bull Run battle, and subsequently served in the vicinity of Washington. Its heavy losses, sustained in every field, from New Bridge, May 24, to Fredericksburg, Dec. 14, 1862, tell the history of its first year's service. Toward the close of that year its strength was reduced to 753 officers and men. During the year 1863 it participated in all the brilliant actions of the Potomac and Rappahannock. The loss sustained by death was 81, wounded 135, and prisoners 105. During the year 1864, the Fourth shared almost in the fortunes of the Third Infantry. Its term of service expiring June 19, it was relieved, and reported at Detroit for muster out June 26-30. The Fourth Inf., reorganized, was mustered in under Col. J. W. Hall Oct. 14, and left for Decatur, Ala., on the 22d. During its short period of service it lost one killed and four wounded in defense of the town against Gen. Hood, Oct. 28. It participated in the affairs at Decatur on Oct. 28, 29 and 30; in those of New Market, Ala., Nov. 19, 20, and served.at Murfreesboro from Nov. 30 to Dec. 20, 1864. The command arrived at Detroit, June 10, 1865, and was discharged. Francis S. Earle, Grand Rapids, entered the Fourth Inf. as 1st Lieut. and Adjutant May 16, 1861. He received severe wounds at Gaines' Mill, Va., July 1, 1862, and resigned Sept. 26, the same year. THE FIFTH INFANTRY left Detroit for Virginia, Sept. 11, 1861, served at Alexandria during the winter months, and entered the Peninsular campaign under Gen. Geo. McClellan, in March, 1862. Its first service in the field was rendered at Pohlick Church, Va., Jan. 9, 1862, and its last before Petersburg, April 3, 1865. In the 39 engagements in which it participated it was signally efficient. It was mustered out at Jeffersonville, Ind.,July 5, and discharged honorably at Detroit, July 17, 1865. William H. Allen, Byron, mustered into service with this regiment as Hospital Steward, Aug. 28, 1861; was commissioned 2d Lieut. June 10, 1864; 1st Lieut. and Q. M., Aug. 28, 1864, and Brev. Capt. U. S. Vol. April 9, 1865. This last promotion was due to his distinguished services in the last campaign against the rebel Gen. Lee. 362 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Ackert, Lewis Babe James Baird, William H. Baker, Benjamin 0. Bates, Benjamin F. Bell, Ambrose D. Benter, Conrad Bissolt, Henry Bloss, Henry Bonner, Mortimer Booth, Henry W. Botneff, Isaac Briggs, Harvey S. Brooks, John Brown, Hiram Burditt, Mason Burlson, Sidney Butterworth, George A. Carpenter, Almon Castor, Theodore Chamberlain, Charles Chase, Elbert Childs, George A. Compton, Silas Corlis, William S. Crandall, Perry Crotty, Daniel G. Cutler, JohnJ. Darling, Abram J. DeKraker, Meewis Dorry, William W. Duram, Amasa Eddy, Charles Emmons, David Ferris, James M. Finch, Charles M. Freet, Rolandus Gilden, Benjamin Discharged Men. Gloyd, William H. Goff, William H. H. Hall, Calvin Hanley, Ralph Hayes, Albert Hefner, John Himelberger, Henry H. Houseman, George Howe, Ransom Huntley, Orrin P. Kearney, Hugh Kilpatrick, Andrew J. King, Hiram King, Myron A. Kirshman, Andre Laraway, John H. Lewis, Oliver Long, Michael P Mann, Chester L. Marsh, John B. Marti, Francis Martin, Ozias C. Martindale, Abraham A. McCally, Charles McCarthy, Michael McClure, Orange McConnell, James K. P. McLean, Robert McLenithon, Joel McNab, John Milbeck, Joseph Mills, Geo. W. Misner, James H. Moore, Emory P. Morse, Benjamin Mowry, James Nagel, Rudolph Nestle, John Palmer, Owen F. Parish, Heman Parmiter, Chandler Peck, Freeling W. Pelton, Alfred Pelton, Andrew J. Pew, James S. Powers, George Pratt, William F. Reed, Merrick. D. Rubelman, Henrick Ruscoe, William M. Schmidt, Christian Smith, Riley Spaulding, Samuel J. Spring, James Staunton, John A. Steffins, Ralph Stockwell, Amos Swain, Charles R. Sweet, William Tanner, Levi Taylor, James Teadt, Frederick Thorn, Peter Van Wagner, William Wait, Benjamin Waldie, William Warner, Elijah ~ Washburn, Archibald Watkins, Styles A. Wiley, William Wood, William H. Woodan, Abram Woodran, Albert Woodruff, George S. Wright, Charles Wright, Matthew THE EIGHTH MICHIGAN INFANTRY left Detroit for Annapolis, Sept. 27, 1861. Within the year, closing Sept. 27, 1862, the command lost 89 killed in battle, 243 hors de combat, 55 died of disease, with the usual proportion of deserters, prisoners, etc., etc. Its service with the Army of the Potomac was most efficient. having taken an important part in all the great actions of the Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee campaigns. The command left Washington Aug. 1, 1865, and was discharged at Detroit the third day of that month. Officers. Hehmann Moore, Grand Rapids, commissioned 2d Lieut. April 21 1862; 1st Lieut.Sept. 1,'1862; Capt. 7th Cav., Nov. 26, 1862; resigned June 30, 1865. This soldier was severely wounded at Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, and when convalescent was transferred to the 7th, Cav., in which he served to the close of the war. John C. Buchanan, Grand Rapids, commissioned 1st Lieut. Aug. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 363 12, 1861, and Captain, Sept. 1, 1862; was wounded in the brilliant affair of Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, and resigned May 3, 1864. Benjamin C. Church, Grand Rapids, commissioned Captain Aug. 12, 1861, was killed in action of James Island, June 16, 1862. Alfred B. Turner, Grand Rapids, commissioned Captain Aug. 12, 1861, resigned Jan. 9, 1862. Benjamin F. Porter, Grand Rapids, commissioned 2d Lieut. Aug. 12, 1861; 1st Lieut April 21, 1862; Captain and Asst. Q. M. U. S. Vol., May 14, 1862. Albert Bainbridge, Byron, entered service as 1st Lieut. Sept. 5, 1861. He resigned July 14, 1862. Otis Smith, Grand Rapids, entered service Aug. 21, 1861, as Sergeant Co. D; was commissioned 2d Lieut. March 18, 1863, and discharged for disability May 1, 1864. Geo. C. Beebe, Gaines, mustered into service as Sergeant Co. G, Aug 16, 1861; was promoted 2d Lient., April 25, 1865, and discharged July 30, the same year. Samuel R. Wooster, Grand Rapids, was commissioned Asst. Surgeon Aug. 19, 1861; subsequently was Surgeon 1st Cav. Henry H. Conklin, Tyrone, was commissioned Chaplain June 24, 1864; resigned Jan. 4, 1865. Discharged Men. Abram, John Ackley, Harrison Arnold, James S. Aukney, Jonathan Bell, Daniel D. Belknap, James A. Berry, Thomas Britton, Harley P. Brown, Perry Carpenter, Elon J. Chamberlain, Sewelers Clinton, Augustus S. Coburn, Andrew J. Cook, Abner M. Cook, George Cooper, James Cubley, Byron Daniels, Nelson H. Dickenson, Thomas I. Douglas, George Durand, William Elliott, Wm. J. Goodluck, Enos Green, Jonathan Gulmire, Conrad Gulmire, Nelson Hankinson, Richard Harris, George Herendeen, Welcom Horan, John C. Houghton, Francis M. Idnia, Campu Idnia, Henry Johnson, Wm. Kault, Godfrey Kilbourn, Joshua R. Kingsbury, David T. Knowles, Henry Knowles, Henry Mapes, Joseph Me Garvey, Hiram Mc Lain, Armenius McLain, Jasper Me Lelland, Geo. G. Miller, Jacob Mohlsta, Henrv Morrell, Andrew T. Moss, William Philips, Bradford S. Plumer, James Richmond, Charles F. Seabring, Samuel C. Sipps, Asa Smith, Walter D. Shearer, James Shoop, Enos H. Stanley, Isaac W. Tubbs, Tunis Tuller, James Waite, Thomas Winters, Albert Wittman, Richard Woodman, Thornton A. Young, jr., George THE NINTH MICHIGAN INFANTRY left Detroit for Louisville, Ky., Oct. 25, 1861, and was attached to Negley's Division. From Chattanooga, June, 1862, to its closing engagement at Jonesboro, Ga., Sept. 1, 1864, it acted well its part, and was discharged at Jackson, Sept. 27, 1865, the men from this county being John Convoy, Charles J. Cutter, Solomon 0. Hunt, 364 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Sewell Mansfield, Addison Smith, David Tower and Freeman Winters. THE TENTH MICHIGAN INFANTRY was organized at Flint, November, 1861, which city it left for St. Louis, Mo., April 22, 1862. Its first general action was at Farmington, Miss., May 9, 1862. It afterward participated in 29 engagements, and closed a noble service at Bentonville, N. C., March 20, 1865. The command was paid off at Jackson, Mich. Aug. 1, 1865. Oficers. Samuel S. Tower, Byron, Sergeant Co. A, Oct. 24, 1861, was commissioned 1st Lieut. Feb. 24, 1865; Captain May 20, 1865, and mustered out July 19th of the same year. William Pratt, Byron, Sergeant Co. A, Oct. 18, 1861, was commissioned 2d Lieut. May 8, 1865; and 1st Lieut. May 20, 1865; mustered out July 19 of that year. Geo. A. Allen, Byron, entered service Oct. 20, 1861, as Q. M. Sergeant, 10th Mich. Inf.; was promoted 2d Lieut. June 7, 1865. THE TWELFTH INFANTRY, comprising 1,000 officcrs and men, marched to St. Louis, March 18, 1862. Its first service was at Pittsbtrg Landing, April 6 and 7, 186S. During the year it participated in the affairs of Metamora, Shiloh and Iuka, losing 47 men killed, 92 wounded, 109 who died of disease, and 106 prisoners at Shiloh. The next year 31 men died or were killed, and six were wounded. The regiment marched 3,000 miles during the year, lost four men in battle, and 109 died of disease. The command re-enlisted in November, 1863, as a veteran regiment; was furloughed at Niles, Mich., Feb. 1, and appeared in the field at Little Rock, April 1, 1864. The duties of the regiment during the year were such as try men's souls; yet such duties were performed with remarkable" diligence and thorough faithfulness. The regiment continued in active service until its muster out at Camden, Feb. 15, 1866. It reported at Jackson, Feb. 27, and received its discharge March 6, 1866. The men from this county discharged were: Samuel Allen, David Botsford, Samuel Brown, Hiram J. McClathrie, Marquis D. L. Smith and Nelsonl Van Doosen. THE THIRTEENTH INFANTRY went to the seat of war, from the camp at Kalamazoo, Feb. 12,. 1862, with a force of 925 men and officers. It participated in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and served until the evacuation of Corinth, when it took a prominent part in the pursuit of Bragg's I *r Ilr (i i " t:LPriill ':91gg ''PV ' ~ ~,i~~i i; iii ry~ i 1 11111I~i~ c::i 1;ii ' 'E~ ' II,6i I "lu d i~; is ~9ih~r, Ip '',, ~adJiI n I ii '~- BSWlllOn' ;SIIRsliSIBnUTIIIWI,#II!MWIUHHIII ui ~\I '' Ij I ' 'I 6 Wltiffti '" ij.;.:-;~~~~i: HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 367 rebel forces. Of the number who went forth to battle 71 died of disease, six were wounded, and 10 were made prisoners. No less than 56 deserters were reported during the year. Nov. 10, 1S62, this regiinent marched from Silver Springs, Tenn., andli o>-ned part of the forces that drove the enemy froln Leban',n. 'Prneeding to Nasllville it was thenr engaged in guaardinz tfral tr:tmls:arlt on picket duty from Nov. 25 to Dec. 26, when it marlched with the army under Gen. Rosecrans on Murfreesboro. It was deployed as skirmishers, on the 29th, in the advance and sufiered some lo