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Gc 977.401 AL70 1233565
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01071 7590
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DAVID D. OLIVER.
AUTHOR. ONE OF THE FIRST WHITE MEN TO SETTLE IN ALPENA COUNTY, AND THE FIRST TO ENGAGE IN LUMBERING.
CENTENNIAL HISTORY 0
OF
ALPENA COUNTY
MICHIGAN.
GIVING SKETCH OF MICHIGAN FROM ITS EARLY SETTLEMENT, FORTUNES AND MISFORTUNES OF FIRST SETTLERS.
THE SURVEY, SETTLEMENT AND GROWTH OF ALPENA COUNTY, FROM 1837 TO 1876.
BY DAVID D. OLIVER.
ALPENA, MICH. ARGUS PRINTING HOUSE. 1903.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1892, by DAVID D. OLIVER, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 1
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1233565
CENTENNIAL HISTORY
- OF -
ALPENA COUNTY,
MICHIGAN.
CHAPTER I.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
In order to show the progress and development of Alpena county, it will be necessary to go back to the earliest days of its settlement by white people, and to show the circumstances, conditions and influences by which they were surrounded at the time of such settlement, as these have much to do with their future prosperity and happiness, and determines in no small degree the character of their popular institutions. And hence this work would be incomplete without referring to the History of the State of Michigan-at the time and since its ad- mission into the Sisterhood of States.
An act was passed by Congress, on the 15th day of June, 1836, for the admission of Michigan as one of the States of the Union; but with the then humiliating condition, that it would relinquish its claim to the southern boundry, (which was a narrow strip or land extending from Lake Michigan to Lake Erie, and claimed by Indiana and Ohio, ) and accept instead thereof, the Upper Peninsula, which was then an unexplored region, and considered of no probable value. In December, of the same year, a packed convention met and agreed to the con-
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ditions imposed by Congress; and Michigan was admitted as one of the States of the Union, on the 26th of January, 1837. In the winter of the same year, Canada became involved in a quasi rebellion, and the country becoming too warm politically for the healthful exercise of the writer's American proclivities, he resolves to quit the Queen's Dominions, (as he was only a visitor, ) and he crossed the dividing line, at Port Horon, into the State of Michigan, which was then undergoing some mate- rial changes, financially and politically.
Steven T. Mason was elected first Governor. He was a young man, of more than ordinary ability,-had been Secretary and acting Governor of the Territory while in his minority ; and now, with the young State, was merging into manhood and freedom, with many wants and ambitions to satisfy; and the young State and its young Governor, without experience, launch- ed out into many extravagances, and committed many errors, which resulted in financial ruin to the State and its inhabitants. There was some question at the time, as to who got the money ; but there was no disputing the fact that the State got the ex- perience. At this time, (1876), when we have railroads and telegraph lines traversing the State in every direction, it is im- possible for the present generation to fully comprehend the sit- uation or feelings of the people of our State in those days. Then there was no railway communication with the east; nor was there any convenient way of traveling by land between Detroit and Chicago.
A large portion of the State of Michigan, at this time, (1838,) was an immense forest, the most of which was unsurveyed, and but little known. It was, therefore, not only desirable, but necessary, that the lands should be surveyed and explored; and that certain improvements should be carried into effect, in order to develop the resources of the country. Uncle Sam was doing his part. The public lands were being surveyed by Deputy United States Surveyors, who done the work under contracts,
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at a certain price per mile. In the fall of 1838, the writer hired with Messrs. Alvin and Austin Burt, who had a contract for surveying lands on the Aubetsies river, in the northwest- ern part of the Southern Peninsula. We started-fourteen in number, and four pack horses-from Washington, in Macomb county, and traveled west through the counties of Oakland, Shiawassee, Livingston, Ionia and Kent, to Grand Rapids. Sometimes we traveled in a road, and other times in an In- dian trail; and much of the way through wood and marsh, with- out trail or road.
The first night out, we camped where Fenton now is. This was the first time that the writer had ever camped out in a tent, but not the last. Here was a log house and a small clearing. The next day we passed through Shiawassee county, near the village of Owosso, where there was a clearing in the oak woods, and a small cluster of buildings; but the people were in excel- lent spirits and good working order, for the survey of a rail- road had been made through their town only a short time before, and they felt confident that it would be made in a very short time.
We struck another clearing near the Lookingglass river. but clearings were "few and far between" on our line of march. In passing through Livingston county, we were terrorized by snakes. In the marshes and low lands we found in profusion a species of rattlesnake called the massasauga, many of which we killed, and which kept us in constant dread. On the plains we had some experience with the blue racer. One day, one of the advanced party saw a large snake of this kind, and gave chase, but the snake kept at a safe distance ahead of the man, running with his head high above the ground and small bushes. Finding he could not overtake the snake, he gave up the chase and started to return, when, to his astonishment and terror, he found the snake returning also, and with a loud yell, he started on double quick to reach the rest of the party. When, almost
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ALPENA COUNTY-PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
breathless, he came to a halt among us, there was his snakeship at a respectful distance, his head above the bushes, his tongue flashing derision at the whole party. He looked immensely good natured, and as though he was king of snakes, and was out on a reconnoiter. Capt. Darius Cole was one of the party and one of the packers, and who proposed to unpack one of the horses and surround and capture the snake, as it was a very large one, or run it down with the horse. But his snakeship seemed to understand what was transpiring, as well as the ancient one in the Garden of Eden, and before we were ready to surround and take him in, he respectfully withdrew, and could not be found.
In Ionia county, we met Douglass Houghton, the then State Geologist. He was on one of the early geological surveys. He had an Indian for a packer, and his pack-horse was a coal- black one, and his camp tins were new and bright and were hung on both sides of the animal, making a singular appear- ance, and rattling when he traveled, as though he belonged to a charivari party. In due time we reached Lyons, which we found quite a lively little town in the woods, containing about five hundred inhabitants, who were hoping for and expecting a railroad in a very few years. From this place to Grand Rapids we traveled in a very passable road for a wagon, and saw some settlements, placed at long intervals. We halted at Grand Rapids a short time, to make some purchases and recruit our provisions, as this was the last village we would see for many months. Grand Rapids, at this time, (1838,) had the appear- ance of a growing little village, with say fifteen hundred inhab- itants. It had water communication, by boats on the river, to Grand Haven. It had a bank, a sawmill and two painted buildings, which were used as stores. It was the center of considerable trade in general merchandise and peltry. From this place to Aubetsies river, a little over one hundred miles north, was a howling wilderness, with only an Indian trader at
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the mouth of Muskegon river, a small sawmill at White river, and a Missionary Station at Manistee.
The writer has given a short sketch of this trip across the State, in order to show the condition at this time (1838) of that strip of country over which the palace cars of the Detroit & Milwaukee railway now (1876) travel, and conveying the traveling public with dispatch and comfort. The travel west, at this time, was very large, and most of it was by steamboats, around the lakes. Some of the boats were large and commo- dious, and although they would not compare in structure with those of the present day, yet they conveyed passengers with comfort, safety and dispatch.
Judge Campbell, in his excellent work, "Quilines of Political History of Michigan," says, in regard to improvements: "The first State legislature was chiefly directed to the development of the resources of the country. Roads were laid out in every /direction, and placed under local supervision, so that the peo- ple most nearly interested might have means of preventing neglect and dishonesty. Railroads were chartered whenever asked for. The University and School lands were put in market on long time. The State prepared, as soon as possible, to enter upon a general system of internal improvements, whereby all parts of its jurisdiction would be made readily acceptable and be brought within easy reach of market and business facilities." "One of the first and best schemes devised to further the de- velopment of the State resources, was the organization of a complete geological survey. In February, 1837, an act was passed for the appointment of a State Geologist, to conduct such survey, and annual sums, increasing from $3,000 the first year, to $12,000 the fourth, were appropriated. Doctor Doug- lass Houghton was selected to fill the office." *
"In addition to some smaller debts, it was determined to bor- row five million of dollars to expend in various public works. It was expected that by the aid of this sum and such other do-
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nations as might be received from the United States, three trunk railroads could be built across the State, two canals made, several rivers improved so as to be navigable, some small rail- roads finished, and a ship-canal opened round the falls of the Ste. Marie river.
"A Board of Commissioners of Internal Improvements had already been appointed. On the 20th of March, 1837, this Board was directed to survey three railroad routes across the peninsula. The first was the Michigan Central, from Detroit to the mouth of St. Joseph river, in Berrien county. The sec- ond was the Southern, to run from the mouth of the River Rai- sin, through Monroe, to New Buffalo. The third was the North- ern, to run from Palmer, or Port Huron, to Grand Rapids or Grand Haven. A purchase was to be made of the Detroit & St. Joseph railroad, which had gone partly through Washtenaw county. Five hundred and fifty thousand dollars were appro- priated to these roads at once, -four hundred thousand for the Central, one hundred thousand for the Southern, ( both of which included private railroads to be purchased, ) and fifty thousand for the Northern. Twenty thousand was appropriated for sur- veys of a canal, or combined canal and railroad, from Mt. Clem- ens to the mouth of the Kalamazoo river, a canal from Saginaw river to Maple or Grand river, and river surveys on the St. Joseph, Kalamazoo and Grand rivers, for slack water naviga- tion. Seventy-five thousand dollars more were to be expended on some of these and other works."
When the geographical position of the State is studied, it will be seen that. this scheme of improvements was not without merits, was within the range of possibilities and usefulness, and within the means of the State, had the five million loan been properly negotiated and expended. The State, at the time of its admission, was out of debt; was entitled to five per cent from the sale of the public lands, which then amounted to $450,000, and it had received and was receiving large donations
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ALPENA COUNTY -- PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
of land from the general Government; and these, with the five million loan, and the accumulating earnings of the improve- ments as they progressed, would have been ample for finishing the contemplated work; and this will more fully appear, when we take into consideration that railroads were not then as perfect and costly as at present. Judge Campbell says in regard to them : "In a level country, well supplied with wood, the cost of build- ing and ironing a railroad was very trifling, and its rolling stock was also cheap and scanty. The original capital stock of the Detroit & St. Joseph Railroad Company, the corporation which began the Michigan Central railroad to Marshall, was recorded in 1846, as having been two millions of dollars. . In private hands it would probably have been less; and the capi- tal stock of the $1,500,000, aided by the earnings properly managed, would have been adequate, according to the plans first devised, to build the road; although the subsequent im- provement in track and stock would have made new arrange- ments necessary, if the road had been built as slowly as was then customary. Twenty miles a year was, in those days, rapid railroad building. The passenger cars were small vehicles, holding no more than from eighteen to twenty-four passengers, and not much, if any, heavier than the large stage coaches. The iron was flat bar iron, from half to three-fourths of an inch thick, spiked on wooden sleepers which were lightly tied, and on tracks not perfectly graded or heavily ballasted. The loco- motives weighed from two to six or seven tons, and drew cor- responding loads."
The emigrants and settlers in Michigan were mostly from New England and the State of New York; were intelligent and enterprising, and well calculated to advance the material inter- ests of the State, and to build up strong communities. They had unbounded confidence in the disposition and ability of the State to perfect its plans of improvements, and had not the re- motest idea that there was a possibility of a failure. They pur-
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chased lands in the midst of the forest, but on the lines of the proposed railroads and canals, and commenced to clear farms, erect mills and factories, and to build up towns and cities, with the hope and expectation that the day was not far in the future when they would hear the breathings and snorts of the iron horse. Their wealth was more in the future than the present, and depended largely, if not wholly, upon the State completing its railroads and canals. Another institution, which depended for its life and usefulness on the internal improvements, was unlimited banking. It was a scheme calculated to help develop the resources of the State, but the foundation of its security rested in real estate, the value of which depended entirely up- on the completion of the improvements promised by the State.
Judge Campbell, in speaking of the law, says: "In 1837, a general banking law was passed, which was supposed to contain better securities than any other similar scheme, and included the safety fund plan, in addition. Any persons residing in a county of the State, including among them at least twelve free- holders, could organize banks of from $50,000 to $300,000 capital; and care was taken that at least one-third of the stock should always belong to county residents in good faith, and for their own use; and on executing the preliminaries and paying in thirty per cent in specie, they could proceed to business. Ten per cent was payable on the stock every six months, until all the capital was paid in. Before beginning banking busi .. ness, bonds and mortgages, or personal bonds of resident free- holders, satisfactory to the County Treasurer and County Clerk, were to be filed with the Auditor General, to the full amount of the circulation and indebtedness. Neither the circulation nor the loans and discounts were to exceed twice-and-a-half the amount of the capital stock."
During the years 1837, '38, '39, hope and expectation were standing on tip-toe. Surveying parties, employed by the State and United States, could be seen moving in every direction,
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and large districts of the State were surveyed and brought into market. Large, anxious crowds assembled at the land sales, many of whom, for want of better accommodations, lived in tents during the time the sale lasted. At these sales, large purchases were made, sometimes as high as thirty thousand acres a day, and the utmost activity was manifested in every part of the State, in regard to its general improvements, and everybody had his pockets filled with engravings which passed current for money. But in 1840, a reverse came, like the shock of an earthquake; and but very few in the State escaped with- out injury. When the people learned the true state of affairs, and that the State would go no further with its improvements, all business became at once paralyzed. Real estate dropped to nominal values, while the banks that were secured by it became worthless. No greater commercial calamity ever overtook the people of the State. Those who were considered wealthy in money and property, suddenly found they had but very little. Their property was in the midst of a forest, without a hope of communication, and they could not work, for they had nothing to work with, as their money was worth less than their real es- tate. The laborer could get nothing for his work, and what he had already earned was worth but little, if anything. Many made their exit from the State, while others, like the Roman Senators, resolved to stay and die with their property, as they could not sell it, and afterwards their property made them rich, and thus it was some could not be poor when they would. Others refused to be rich when they could.
In the spring of 1839, the surveys in the State of Michigan were continued. Lewis Clason and Thomas Patterson, of Cin- cinnati, Ohio, had the sub-division of townships 27, 28, 29 and . 30 north, and from range 4 east, to Lake Huron; and John Hodgson, Esq., of Detroit, Michigan, had the contract to run township lines north of the third correction line. The writer hired with Mr. Clason, for eighteen dollars per month, to carry
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the chain, which was considered fair wages in those days. The parties of Clason and Patterson left Pontiac, in Oakland coun- ty, Michigan, in the early part of April, 1839, some of them in a lumber wagon in advance, and the balance with the pack- horses, brought up the rear. We traveled with the wagon as far as Pine Run, as it was then called, and this being the ter- minus of the wagon road, each one was compelled to "make his pack and play it alone." The road from Pine Run to Sag- inaw City was in progress of construction, under the system of internal improvements, and was one of continual variation, changing from dry land to low, wet swamp, and back to dry land, and from an Indian trail up through every stage of pro- gress, to a good wagon road.
After much hard traveling, we reached Saginaw river, and were ferried across to Saginaw City. Here was an isolated town of about seven hundred inhabitants, who were all very hopeful and sanguine in the future growth and prosperity of the place. Their only communication with Bay City, or Lower Saginaw, as it was then known, and the outer world, was on the Saginaw river; in the summer by small boats and vessels, and in the winter by sleighs and dog trains on the ice. They had a large public house, a bank, two or three sawmills, and as many stores. The principal occupation of the people was fishing, hunting, lumbering, and trading with the Indians for furs, which were then very plentiful in the northern part of the Southern Penin- sula. Harvey Williams and a man by the name of McDonald were the principal Indian traders, who made yearly visits along the shore, to buy furs; and sometimes came as far north as Thunder Bay river. From this place we went down the river to Lower Saginaw, now Bay City, where we found a half dozen or so of frame buildings, a warehouse, a dock, and a small steam sawmill, called the "McCormick Mill." We camped in a beau- tiful oak grove where the city of Wenona -- West Bay City-is now located. Here Mr. Clason chartered an open scow of about
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eighty tons burden, and the property of a man named Ump- stead. This was the largest craft to be chartered at that time, in Lower Saginaw.
It is remarkable to observe with what sagacity the early set- tlers made their locations. There is scarcely a place that the writer has visited, not even the solitary log house situated in the midst of the forest, that has not grown to be a place of con- siderable importance.
After staying at Bay City a few days, to let the ice move out of Saginaw Bay, we embarked on board this champion of the Saginaws, for Thunder Bay. Mr. Clason and his party were landed at Au Sable river, and Mr. Patterson and his party con- tinued their voyage to Devil river, in Thunder Bay, where they built a depot for the supplies. The survey work was all finish- ed in due time, and we all met at the depot, near the month of Devil river, to wash up, and to determine how to get home. While we were thus engaged, Pete Wa Watum, an Indian from the Au Sable river, came along with a large birch canoe, and Mr. Clason hired him to take all of us to Thunder Bay Island, where we could take a boat for Detroit; excepting the packers and their horses, who would travel to Presque Isle, and take a steamboat there. This was the writer's first sailing in a birch canoe, and on the waters of Thunder Bay. On Thunder Bay Island was a lighthouse, kept by Jessey Muney, a very clever man, who lived there with a large family, and done some fish- ing with gill-nets. Here we were treated very kindly by Mr. Muncy and family; and after feasting on whitefish for a few days, we were put on board of a schooner, which was bound for Detroit. William Ives, Esq., who subsequently run the first lines of survey for the United States in the Territory of Ore- gon, was second in the party and compass-man for Mr. Clason. Messrs. Clason and Ives had the misfortune to have all their spare clothing stolen, so that when they came out of the woods they had no change of clothes. The writer's clothes, fortunate-
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ly being in another place, escaped the hands of the thief, and so he was favored with a presentable suit, and enough to lend Mr. Clason, who was nearly of the writer's size, to make him look respectable. When dinner was ready,-this being the first meal on board the schooner, -- Mr. Clason and the writer were notified for the first table, with officers, while Mr. Ives, who ranked much higher in employment than the writer, waited for the second table, with sailors and common hands, simply be- cause he had the misfortune to have his clothes stolen. The thief, perhaps, with the stolen clothes on, was seated at first table somewhere, and enjoying himself hugely, in the company and confidence of the wise and good. This little episode taught the writer the fact, which he then noticed, and from which he never has been compelled to retreat, that people, as strangers, are judged by their fellows, more by the purity of the clothes they wear, than the purity of heart, character or employment.
This was the first Government survey made in Alpena coun- ty. It was conceded by the whole survey party, that the entire tract that we had surveyed was worthless; that the Government would never realize enough from the sale of the lands to pay for the surveying. Mr. Clason was so confident of this, that he said: "I live in Cincinnati, and am able to do what I agree, and I will give any of you a good, warranty deed of any township of land that we have surveyed, for your wages, and will bind myself to purchase the land of the Government for you, should the land ever become so valuable that the Govern- ment could sell it to other parties." Not one of the party would accept Mr. Clason's offer. This is not the only report of the kind on record. Judge Campbell, in his History of Michigan, has the following: "The first necessity of the coun- try was more people. No lands had been surveyed before the war, except the old private claims. In 1812, among other war legislation, an act was passed, setting aside two million of acres of land in Michigan, as bounty lands for soldiers. As soon as
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the war was over, and circumstances permitted, Mr. Tiffin, the Surveyor General, sent agents to Michigan, to select a place for locating these lands. Their report was such as to induce him to recommend the transfer of bounty locations to some other part of the United States. They began on the boundary line between Ohio and Indiana, which was the western limit of the lands surrendered to the United States by the Indian treaty of 1807, and following it north for fifty miles, they described the country as an unbroken series of tamarack swamps, bogs and sand barrens, with not more than one acre in a hundred, and probably uot one in a thousand, fit for cultivation. Mr. Tiffin communicated this evil report to the Commissioner of the General Land Office, Josiah Meigs; and he and the Secre- tary of War, Mr. Crawford, secured the repeal of so much of the law as applied to Michigan. They were stimulated by a second report of the surveyors, who found the country worse and worse as they proceeded. In April, 1816, the law was changed, and lands were granted instead, in Illinois and Mis- souri. This postponed settlement, but it saved Michigan from one of the most troublesome sources of litigation which has ever vexed any country. It was in that way a benefit. But the report of the surveyors is one of the unaccountable things of those days. Surveyors are usually good judges of land, and not likely to be deceived by the water standing on the surface of the ground where the nature of the vegetation shows the soil cannot be marshy or sterile."
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