USA > Michigan > Kent County > History 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 > Part 1
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Gc 977.401 K41h 436433
PUBLIC LIBRARY FORT WAYNE & ALLEN CO., IND
M L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01075 5657
GC 977.401 K41H
HISTORY
OF
KENT COUNTY.
MICHIGAN;
TOGETHER WITH SKETCHES OF ITS CITIES, VILLAGES AND TOWNSHIPS, EDU- CATIONAL, 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, FRENCH, ENGLISH AND AMERICAN CONQUESTS, AND A GENERAL REVIEW OF ITS CIVIL, POLITICAL AND MILITARY HISTORY.
ILLUSTRATED.
CHICAGO: CHAS. C. CHAPMAN & CO., 1881.
BLAKELY, MARSH & CO . PRINTERS, 155 & 157 DEARBORN ST., CHICAGO
DONOHUE & HENNEBERRY,
BOOKBINDERS, 182 & 184 MONROE STREET, CHICAGO).
436433
PREFACE.
In presenting this volume to the people of Kent county we feel that they will have more confidence in its historical state- ments 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 se- cure greater accuracy and completeness, we requested the President of the Old Residents' 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 his- tory 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 fully 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 com- pilation, 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 accu- racy, 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 thou- sands 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 earn- est, 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 arising in his mind as to its accuracy and entire truthfulness. Each individual to whom inquiry is made will give a different ac- count of any event. One of these may be as honest as the other, and try to relate his story correctly, yet they will be so widely dif
JUL 31 1040
Bookman $1.50
PREFACE.
ferent that the most searching and logical mind will be unable to harmonize them. These facts were forcibly realized by the gen- tlemen who composed the committee, and has been our experience.
As one of the mostinteresting features of this work we present the portraits of numerous representative citizens. It has been our aim to have the prominent men of to-day, as well as the pioneers, repre- sented in this department, and we compliment ourselves on the uniform high character of the gentlemen whose portraits we pre- sent. They are in the strictest sense representative men, and are selected from all the callings and professions worthy to be repre- sented. There are others, it is true, who claim equal prominence with those presented, but 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. Among 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, W. N. Cook, Fred S. Clarke, County Clerk; James N. Davis, of the Democrat; Wm. 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. Dur- ing 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 com- · piled.
To Prof. M. A. Leeson, our historian, we express our thanks, as also to the gentlemen forming our corps of biographical histo- rians. They faithfully discharged every duty devolving upon them.
C. C. CHAPMAN & CO.
CHICAGO, December, 1881.
CERTIFICATES.
Below we present copies of the certificates signed 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 gentle- men 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 Presi- dent of the Old Residents' Association of the Grand River Valley to read the his- tory 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, MICH., Sept. 1, 1881.
We, the members of a committee appointed by the President of the Old Resi- dents' 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.
HISTORY OF MICHIGAN.
Mound-Builders 17
State University
Large Cities
20
State Normal School
Indians 21
Agricultural College.
90
Manners and Customs
Other Colleges
93 91
Detroit ...
State Public School.
94
National Policies 30
Ordinance of 1787.
34
French and Indian War
39
Massacre at Michilimackinac
41 44
Asyluni for the Insane, at Kalamazoo. 66 66 66
Pontiac. 97
American Revolution
46
Penal Institutions
97
Okemos, 56
57
State Fisheries ..
98
Perry's V ctory
58
Close of the War
60
Political
62
State Land Office.
State Library 100
Banks 101
The "Toledo War" 76
Administration of Gov. Horner.
Newspapers 10S
Michigan as a State .. 80
Population 108
Administrations of the State Governors.
82
State Officers 109
War of the Rebellion 88
Public School System. 88
Retrospect.
111
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
Introduction
115
CHAPTER I.
GEOLOGY, ARCHÆOLOGY, etc 117
Geological Formations 112
Michigan Salt Group. 120
Gypsum .. 125
Archæology . 125
Sepulchers of the Sanks 130
Latitude and Longitude. 134
Summits. 134
Rainfall ..
135
Original Name of the Valley 135
CHAPTER II.
INDIANS 137
Early Explorers 138
Annihilation of the Sanks 139
Pontiac's Vis t to th . Valley 142
The Ottawas 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. 183
Other American Pioneers 189
"Oh, Bright were the Hopes of the Young Pioneer" 20S
CHAPTER VI.
PIONEER REMINISCENCES 210
Rix Robinson's Supremacies 210
The Kaw-wa-schanav-bee-schid. 211
The Eastern Man and the Bear 212
Tom Lewis' Pranks 213
Geo. Coggeshall .. 214
Postal Changes in 1840 ..
215
Proscribing the Winds.
215
Lonis Campan on the Modern City 216
Death of Peleg Barlow. 217
The Immigrants 218
The Ovidians 219
Indian Tramps. 220
Whisky in the Rocking-Chair. 220
That Goin' to Mill. 220
McNaughton's Stage 223
Kent Pioneers in Ottawa. 223
The Indian Girl's Reprieve 225
Campau's First Buggy 225
Almost Equal Terms 226
Visitors ai 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 23g
99
State Board of Public Health
99
100
Administration of Gen. Cass. .. Geo. B. Porter
65
74
Geology 10℃
98
Tecumseh 50
State Agricultural Society
Pomological Society.
98
Hull's Surrender
State Firemen's Association
uf
Siege of Detro.t ..
Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind. 96
European Possession .. 24
Charitable Institutions
State Reform School. 95
Topography. 111
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.
243
CHAPTER VII.
THE OLD RESIDENTS' SOCIETY 247
Organization 247
First Roll of Members. 249
Reorganization 250
Meetings.
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
280
CHAPTER IX.
ORGANIC
283
Other Acts of Organization, etc. 291
Acts of the Supervisors 242
The Court-House Square. 295
Growth of the Supervisors' Board. 297
Financial Condition of the County 293
Growth Shown by Population. 301
Public Highways. 303
Railroads
304
CHAPTER X.
THE COURTS AND BAR. 305
Murder of Nega 306
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. 316
Bar Association 317
Present Bar.
319
CHAPTER XI.
POLITICAL HISTORY 320
Congressional and State Elections 321
Early County Officials.
321
Board of County Commissioners
325
Board of Supervisors
325
Election Returns
326
Election in 1881 343
CHAPTER XII.
KENT COUNTY IN THE WAR 345
The First War Meeting 316
The 1st Engineers and Mechanics 350
Regiments, in Order
350-100
List of Casualties
493
Buried in This County 4.1
CHAPTER XIII.
THE COUNTY PRESS 41
Grand River Times 41
Young Hickory. 41
Grand Rapids Eagle 41
The Daily Eagle. 41
The Democrat 4:
Daily Herald .. 4:
Grand Rapids Press 45
The Young Wolverine. 42
Great Western Journal. 427
The Daily Times ..
428
Saturday Evening Post 429
The Leader
429
The Pioneer. 431
Michigan Staats Zeitung. 432
De Standaard.
433
· Vrijheids Banier. 433
Lowell Journal 434
Cedar Springs Clipper. 435
Rockford Weekly Register
439
Kent County Herald ..
440
Sand Lake Weekly Enterprise .. 440
CHAPTER XIV.
MISCELLANEOUS
442
Agriculture and Horticulture. 442
Banks and Bankers 457
Educational.
462
Kent Scientific Institute 464
Medical.
464
The County Grange.
470
Minor Items, 1841-'81.
471
Retrospect.
485
CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS.
Introductory 794
First American Settlers 800
Reminiscences of John Ball. 809
First Plats of the Village 824
Organic 829
Charter Election 829
830
Mayors and Aldermen to 1881
831
Other Officers 833
Fire Department. 834
Water Works 836
Police .. 840
Hotels 841
Postoffices 842
Statistics of Property. 844
Population 845
Highways 845
Schools. 846
Teachers for 1881
854
City Expenses for 1881-12 857
City Library .
858
CHURCHES:
Baptist .. 858
Catholic. 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. O. O. F 899
Masonic .. 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
Holland Mutual Aid Society.
906
Covenant Mutual Benefit Association 907
-
Village Trustees.
CONTENTS.
Lowell Club
907
Wood. 919
Boat Club
907
Carriages and Wagons 921
St. George's Soclety
907
Agricultural Implements 922
Sanitary Assoclation
908
Lumber. 423
Mutual Benefit Association
908
Machine Shops and Foundries
925
St. Mark's Gulld. 9.8
We.que-ton-slng 908
Breweries 933
G. R. Furulture Mntg. Association.
908
Stone Works.
935
Land League
.09
Miscellaneous
435
Valley City Choral Society
909
New Companies. 937
Biographical Sketches.
93S
MANUFACTURES 909
915
CITY AND TOWNSHIP HISTORIES AND BIOGRAPHIES.
Ada. 487
518
Nelson and Solon. 1232
Alpine.
553
Oakfield. 1275
Bowne
534
Paris 1290
Byron .
603
Plainfield. 1306
Caledonia
640
Solon and Nelson.
1232
Cannon.
693
Spencer 1330
Courtla :: d
@19
Tyrone 1358
Gaines
730
Vergennes. 1364
Grand Papids, tp
791
Wyoming 1408
Grattan
655
Conclusión 1426
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Map of Kent County. 14 and 15°
Tecumseh 55
Hieroglyphicsof the Mound-Builders ...
19
Pontiac ..
61
La Salle Landing at the Mouth of the St.
Hunting Prairie Wolves in an Early Dny .. 67
Joseph River ..
25
Eastern Asylum for the Insane at Pontiac 73 State Public School at Coldwater. 81
Gen. Geo. Rogers Clark 37
The Capitol, at Lansing. 91
Gen. Arthur St. Clair.
43
University of Michigan.
102-3
Trapping.
PORTRAITS.
Allen, J. W
528
Holmes, E, S. 820
Avery. N. L.
801
Hovey, Wm. 929
Ball, John
948
Hughes, D. Darwin 874
Birdsall. Wın
1109
Jamison, Hugh 673
Blain, Sarah A.
746
Johnson, G. K., M. D.
419
Blain, Wilmot H.
747 765
McCarty, N. L. 1217
784
Briggs, G. G.
366
Miller,. George
1297
Brown, Elisha T
564
Mohl, Edward.
545
Brown, K. J.
1056
Nash, J. E.
150
Brown, Wm. H.
656
Norris, Lyman D
330
Bush, Daniel.
186
Norton, E. W
294
Canpan, E.
692
Olmsted. W. I ..
1325
Campau. Louis
131
Pettis, Edward.
492
Chappell, Dan N
1228
383
Cheney. A. B.
131G
Pickett, Wm. B
Clark, Erastus.
239
Prindle, C. W., M. D
311
Cometock. C. C.
912
Rhodes, Anna. 1355
Rhodes, Hiram 1345
Robinson, Rix 114
Cordes, W. 581
Sellers, L. M. 437
600
Dunham, Win.
893
Smiley, M. J.
875
Durfee. Allen
402
Stone, H. G.
965
Everett, Franklin
999
Feakins, Edward.
.1288
Swarts, Edward
1257
Flich, Norton.
.727
Symnes, John
1268
Ford, C. S., M. D 1237
1181
Fralick. Henry
456
Taylor, Hollis R.
1336
Hake, Win
1002
Towner, Cerelia L
618
Herrington. V 1128
Towner, S. S.
619
Heath. L. W 347
Van Buren. O.
856
Hills, Perry . 1145
Wenham. John C ..
984
Hilton, David W
1092
White, Geo. H.
203
Hilton. Robert .. 258
Whitfield, I. J., M. D.
473
Hoag, A. R .. 275
Winegar. Isaac.
637
Hozadone, Edwin D 1019
Withey. Hon. S. L 167
Hogadone, J. B
509
Wood, Clinton A 710
Holden, Hon. E. G. D.
222
Zinser, John M 1164
Hollister, Harvey J
1037
King, Francis. 1200
Boynton, Jerry
Brace, Avery
837
McLean, Alexander
Phillips, E. C 1848
Cook, Marietta.
1377
Cook Orson
1376
Coster. R. L.
1220
Skidmore, D. M.
Stonebreaker, A. C 1073
Tabor, Marcins.
Cracker Factories 927
Mills, Flour and Plaster.
928
Wood Carvers .. 908
Furniture ..
Lowell. 1179
Algoma
Sparta 1322
677
Cascade
Walker 1385
Grand Rapids. city
49
Indians Attacking Frontiersmen. 31
GRANDVILLE!
G.
Hast Paris P.O.
S
VillasterY
Valley
Buch
Prant L ..
SHER.S STATION
+
36
31
6
5
5
ALASKA
WORTH BYRON
Hirmmond PO
P.O
7
E
13
IS
13
15
13
nor
Byron Capter
S
E
23
22
Enumnon I ..
Ba
S .7
27
Orrisa L.
aledonia
Har
Co
CORINTH
Riper
33
.R. XI
R.X.
R. IX.
ans;
sur-
at a
ities
ame
ern-
her
what
That
with
From
tates
trast
inds
iron
ner-
sula,
the
That
reat
And
cir
with
ich-
hold
um-
g is
are
iris-
ver -
u,in
Rey
A
R.A
P.O.
34.
31
s W
30 0
CONTENTS.
Lowell Cinb
902
Wood 919
Boat Club
907
Carriages and Wagons 921
St. George's Soclety.
908
Lumber ...
923
Mutual Benefit Association
908
Machine Shops and Foundries. 925
St. Mark's Gulld
9. S
We que-ton-sing
Breweries 933
G. R. Furulture Mutg. Association.
908
Stone Works.
935
Land League
909
New Companies 937
93S
MANUFACTURES 909
915
Furniture.
CITY AND TOWNSHIP HISTORIES AND BIOGRAPHIES.
Ada.
487
Lowell. 1179
Algoma
553
Oakfield 1275
Alpine
534
Paris
1290
Bowne
603
Plainfield.
1306
Byron
040
Solon and Nelson.
1232
Caledonia
671
Sparta
1322
Cannon
693
Spencer 1350
1358
Courtland
730
Vergennes.
1364
Gaines
Walker 1385
Grand Papids, tp
794
Wyoming 1408
Grand Rapids, city
,55
Conclusion 1426
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Map of Kent County. 14 and 15
19
Pontiac ..
61
La Sal'e Landing ut the Month of the St. Joseph River. 25
Eastern Asylum for the Insane at Pontiac 73
Indinns Attacking Frontiersmen.
31
Stute Public School at Coldwater. 81
Gen. Geo. Rogers Clark
37
The Capitol, at Lansing. 91
Gen. Arthur St. Clair.
43
University of Michigan 102-3
Trapping.
PORTRAITS.
Allen, J. W
528
Holmes, E, S. 820
Avery. N. L.
801
Hovey, Wm 929
Ball, Jobn
98
Hughes, D. Darwin 874
Birdsall. Wm
1109
Jamison, Hugh 673
Blain, Sarah A.
746
Johnson, G. K., M. D 419
Blain, Wilmot H
747
King, Francis
1200
McCarty, N. L.
1217
Brace, Avery
837
McLean. Alexander
784
Briggs, G. G.
366
Miller, George.
1297
Brown, Ellsha T.
564
Mohl, Edward
545
Brown, K. J.
1056
Nash, J. E.
150
Brown. Wm. H.
656
Norris, Lyman D
330
Bush, Daniel.
186
Norton, E. W
294
Campan, E.
692
Olmsted. W. I.
1325
Campan. Lonis
131
Pettis. Edward.
492
Chappell, Dan N
1228
Phillips, E. C 383
Cheney. A. B.
.131d
Pickett, Wm. B 1248
Clark, Erastus
Prindle, C. W., M. D. 311
1355
Cook, Marietta
1377
Rhodes, Hiram
1345
Cook Orson.
1376
Robinson, Rix
114
Cordes, W. 581
Sellers. L. M.
437
Coster, R. L.
1972
Skidmore, D. M.
600
Dunhum, Wm
893
Smiley. M. J
875
Durfee. Allen
402
Stone, H. G.
965
Everett, Franklin
999
FeakIns. Edward
1288
Swarts, Edward
1257
Svines, Jobc.
126S
Ford, C. S., M. D
1237
Tabor, Marcins.
1181
Fralick. Henry
456
Taylor, Hollis R
1836
Hake. Wm .. 1002
Towner, Cerelia L.
618
Herrington. V 1128
Towner, S. S.
619
Heath. L. W 347
Van Buren. O.
856
Hills, Perry 1115
Wenham. John C.
984
Hilton, David W
1092
White, Geo. H.
203
Hilton, Robert .. 258
Whitfield, I. J., M. D
473
Hoag, A. R .. 275
Winegar. Isaac.
637
Hozadone, Edwin D 1019
Withey. Hon. S. L 167
Hogadone, J. B
504
Wood, Clinton A 710
Holden, Hon. E. G. D.
Zinser, John M
1164
Hollister, Harvey J
1037
Agricultural Implements 922
Saultury Association.
Cracker Factorles 927
908
Mills, Flour and Plaster.
928
Wood Carvers
908
.09
Miscellaneous 435
Valley Clty Choral Society
Biographical Sketches
518
Nelson and Solon. 1232
Cascade
719
Tyrone
Tecumseh 55
Hieroglyphicsof the Mound-Builders ...
Hunting Prairie Wolves in an Early Day .. 67
Boyntou, Jerry
765
239
Comistock. C. C.
912
Rhodes, Anna.
Stonebreaker, A. C. 1073
Fitch, Norton .. 727
49
Grattan.
XEE
KENT COUNTY. MICHIGAN
TX.
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LOWE
HISTORY OF MICHIGAN.
Michigan! If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you, in Michigan. Every visitor at St. Paul's church, London, is over. awed with the magnificence of that structure, the work of Sir Chris- topher Wren. He wants to know where the remains of Wren are now; in the crypt of the church they lie, where the following is engraved upon the headstone: Si monumentum requiris, circum- spice,-If you seek a monument [of Wren], look around [and behold the work of his brain in this mighty building]. The State of Mich- igan has appropriately adopted for her motto this expression, with a slight alteration, thus: Si quæris peninsulam amænam, cir- cumspice,-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 piner- ies 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 concern- ing the prehistoric races, observing, by the way, that the name " Michigan " is said to be derived from the Indian Mitchi-sawg- yegan, 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 sur- face of our continent before its possession by the present Indians;
2
18
HISTORY 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 West- ern 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.
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