A History of Northern Michigan and Its People, Volume I, Part 33

Author: Perry F. Powers
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 597


USA > Michigan > A History of Northern Michigan and Its People, Volume I > Part 33


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Another serious encounter occurred when a Mormon constable at- tempted to arrest Thomas and Samuel Bennett, Gentiles who lived on Beaver island. They resisted; Thomas Bennett was instantly shot dead and his brother had one hand nearly shot away.


Such episodes caused renewed activity in the Gentile strongholds among those who planned to sweep the Mormon settlements with fire and sword. Before their plans could be executed the king was assassi- nated by two of his rebellious subjects-Thomas Bedford and Alexander Wentworth. Bedford had been whipped by order of the king for some offense ; he is said to have upheld his wife in disregarding the mandate to wear bloomers. Wentworth also had a grievance. About the mid- dle of June, 1856, the "Michigan" steamed into the harbor, and by invitation of the captain King Strang proceeded to visit the vessel's


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officers. As he was about to step on the pier, two pistol shots were fired from behind, both taking effect. He turned and recognized the assassins as they fired again. As he sank to the ground they struck him over the head and face with the weapons, ran aboard the steamer and gave themselves up. They were taken to Mackinac, where the murderers were received as heroes. They were never brought to trial.


The wounds of Strang proved fatal. He called his elders to his deathbed, gave them instructions for the government of his Mormon Kingdom, and as a last request asked to be taken to the city of refuge which he had founded in Wisconsin. There he died July 9, 1856, and there his bones rest in an unmarked grave.


The kingdom fell with him. The Gentile invasion came soon after his removal to Voree. The fishermen came with torch to destroy and with ax to demolish. His printing office was sacked; the tabernacle was reduced to ashes and the Mormons were exiled. On the islands of Green Bay and its adjacent peninsula a few of them built new homes; some sought the land whence they had followed the prophet; the rest were scattered to the four points of the compass. Like that of the prophet Joseph, the life of the prophet James ended in a tragedy and the exile and dispersion of his people.


THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY SEAT


The settlement of Charlevoix or Pine river followed the founding of the Mormon Kingdom on Beaver island by several years: As early as 1852, and perhaps earlier, there were fishermen located about Pine river, and in the spring of 1853 quite a colony was collected there. Captain T. D. Smith had an establishment in the bay, southwest of the mouth of the river, between it and Pine River Point. There were four more west of Smith, between him and the point, three at the mouth of the river, and one-half a mile farther north. These were not simply bachelors' homes, but contained families of women and chil- dren. There were also two other families in the vicinity, and other fishermen.


At this time, in 1853, the counties of Emmet and Charlevoix were organized under the name of Emmet, and provision was made for or- ganizing the town of Charlevoix to embrace the territory of the county. When Emmet county was reorganized in 1855 Charlevoix township held its first official meeting at the house of John S. Dixon, the "board" being represented by Galen B. Cole, sole supervisor. At the annual meeting in October of that year he created the towns of Evangeline and Eveline. Both the supervisor and George T. Preston, the clerk, were Mormons.


In the winter of 1869 a bill was passed by the legislature fully or- ganizing the county of Charlevoix. Prior to that time its territory, except the townships of Hudson, Boyne Valley, Wilson and South Arm, was a part of Emmet county ; three of its organized towns, Little Traverse, Bear Creek and La Croix, had been in Emmet county, and three also, Charlevoix, Evangeline and Eveline, in the county of


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Charlevoix. The county seat had been at Little Traverse, or Harbor Springs, until 1865, when the supervisors of Emmet county moved it to Charlevoix. The fight between Little Traverse and Charlevoix was taken up by Dennis T. Downing, Emmet county clerk, with such vigor that the bill was passed in 1869 which divided the territory, making Little Traverse the seat of justice for Emmet and Charlevoix, for the county by that name.


A union convention to nominate county officers was held April 17, 1869. William Harris was chairman and Willard A. Smith secretary. Delegates were present from the several towns as follows: Charlevoix, J. S. Dixon, A. G. Aldrich, M. J. Stockman; Norwood, L. H. Pearl, Geo. Olney, Wm. Harris; South Arm, D. R. Cole, A. R. Struthers, Solo- mon Isaman; Evangeline, H. R. Miller, W. C. Fordham, E. R. Boyn- ton; Eveline, S. Steele, J. Preston, Daniel Staley; Marion, L. W. Skin- ner, R. Williams, W. Vosburgh. A ticket was nominated as follows: Sheriff, Richard Cooper; treasurer, Jackson Ingalls; clerk, William Harris; register, M. J. Stockman; judge of probate, Philo Beers; prose- cuting attorney and circuit court commissioner, Edward H. Green; superintendent of schools, John S. Dixon; coroners, L. W. Skinner and Solomon Isaman.


The first election in the county was the general election on the first Monday of April. The highest number of votes polled was 213.


The county election was held on the first Monday of May. The highest number of votes polled was 175. The ticket nominated at the convention was elected with the addition of William Miller for sur- veyor.


In the organization of Charlevoix county, under the act of 1869, the south line of Emmet went through the middle of Bear Creek, and in order to get territory enough to make the new county of Charlevoix, the town of Hudson was taken from Otsego county and Boyne Valley, Wilson and South Arm from Antrim county. That settled the fight between Emmet and Charlevoix counties, and everything was quiet on the county seat question for a time.


Then Boyne City and East Jordan got into the controversy and in 1885 the latter secured the prize. Boyne City held it from 1886 to 1897, when it returned to Charlevoix. How the last removal came about is told by Hon. William Harris, the old settler and prominent public citizen of Norwood township :


"The final and successful attempt was made," he says, "at the meet- ing of the board in January, 1897. Petoskey, which had grown much faster than Harbor Springs, began to lay wires for the removal of the county seat to that place. The towns of Bear Lake, Spring Vale and Resort were near Petoskey and they wished to be set off into Emmet county. This Petoskey favored and of course Little Traverse, or Har- bor Springs, opposed. Now if these towns could be let go to Emmet, they would vote for removal from Boyne City to Charlevoix.


"At the same time there were bills pending in the legislature to disorganize Manitou county and attach the Manitous and Fox island to Leelanau county and the Beavers either to Emmet or Charlevoix


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county. Charlevoix did not want the Beavers very badly, thinking it not a very good trade to take the Beavers in place of territory let go to Emmet county. But while at the spring election there was a majority in favor of the removal of the county seat to Charlevoix, two or three of the towns whose supervisors had voted for removal had been de- feated at the spring election and men who would oppose removal elected, and Boyne City would have a majority on the board. Former experi- ence had shown what a majority of the supervisors meant in a county seat fight.


"The bills pending in the legislature were passed and Beaver island, composed of three townships, was attached to Charlevoix county; Re- sort, Bear Lake and Springvale went to Emmet county; and the


CHARLEVOIX COUNTY POOR FARM, NEAR EAST JORDAN


county seat went back to Charlevoix after an absence of about thirteen years."


ORGANIZATION OF TOWNS


The organization of the towns of Charlevoix, Evangeline and Eveline have already been noted. South Arm, previous to the creation of Charlevoix county formed a part of Antrim, and was organized by the board of supervisors of the latter in March, 1868. The town of Norwood was set off from Marion in April, 1869; Boyne Valley was organized at the January session of the board in 1873, and the town of Wilson at the same session; Hudson, at the October meeting of the county board in 1876; Hayes at the same times; Melrose, in October. 1877, and Chandler in July, 1880.


CHARLEVOIX AS A VILLAGE


The early events which transpired at Pine river have already been narrated. and we come to the starting point of Charlevoix as a village.


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The narration of events already given show that the site of Charlevoix village is historic ground. The Mound builders have left their traces and the character of the location would be sufficient evidence of its being a favorite resort of Indians. From the purchase of the land by John S. Dixon in 1854, until the beginning of the operations of Fox & Rose in 1864 nothing occurred that is connected with Charlevoix as a village.


In the course of the summer of 1864 Mr. Dixon completed arrange- ments with the firm of Fox & Rose, of Northport, by which they were


CHARLEVOIX HARBOR AT SUNSET


to come here and build a dock to a sufficient depth of water for the accommodation of steamboats. H. O. Rose. of Petoskey. arrived and assisted in measuring the ground they were to have. which included all convenient dock sites around the mouth of the river. It was also arranged that Mr. Dixon was to take charge of a stock of goods which he was to dispose of in exchange for wood. and that winter was begun the propeller wood trade at the mouth of the river. Work on the dock was pushed as rapidly as possible. and before the close of navigation one was partially completed and everything was ready to receive wood. About the 25th of October there came a heavy northwest blow, the severest that had been known on the lakes for many years and car- ried away about a hundred feet of the dock, doing considerable dam- age to what was left.


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This disaster was an unfortunate one, but did not discourage the firm which was composed of pioneer business men who had already been in the same kind of business at Northport for several years. Early in the spring they repaired the damages and completed the dock.


When the goods were first shipped to Pine river in the fall an old block building was used, but during the winter of 1864-5 they brought lumber and put up a store.


Returning to the spring of 1869 we find the activities of the little set- tlement directed toward building up a village. A spirit of improve- ment pervaded the place and the people who were there seem to have been determined to make their surroundings as attractive as possible. The question of opening a channel through to Pine lake began to be agitated, and in June steps were taken to carry out the project. Messrs. Redington, Nelson & Company built a dock near their mill on Round lake, and in July the new store of Fox & Rose on the south side of the river was filled with goods, and Archibald Buttars arrived from Northport to take charge of the mercantile business. The style of the firm was changed to A. Buttars & Company. Mr. Buttars became a leading business man of the place and afterward represented this senatorial district in the state senate.


IN COMMUNICATION WITH LAKE MICHIGAN


The improvement of Charlevoix harbor and the opening of a chan- nel through to Pine lake were of incalculable advantage to Charlevoix county ; in fact, without this improvement the county could not have attained its present state of development.


The whole region of Pine lake was cut off from the commerce of Lake Michigan by a narrow sandridge that separated it from Round lake, and Pine river was a shallow stream coursing through the sand and emptied into the lake some fifteen rods south of its present outlet. There was a series of rapids with water from eighteen inches to two feet in depth. Only canoes and Mackinac boats entered and the lat- ter were towed along the south banks with great difficulty.


In 1868 a survey of Pine river was made by Major Wheeler, who re- ported insurmountable obstacles in the way of making a harbor and that a harbor refuge was not necessary at this point, owing to its prox- imity to other good harbors. His conclusions were based upon the fact that the River Improvement Company had commenced making a cut at the mouth of the river and owing to lack of funds had discon- tinued work.


When the dredge arrived at the bridge Colonel Mansfield of the United States corps of engineers arrived and at once saw the erroneous judgment of Major Wheeler's report. He immediately made a favor- able report upon his recommendation and an appropriation was obtained from the government. Colonel Mansfield's report is dated August 26, 1873, and from it we make the following extracts: "A cursory exami- nation satisfied me that no further survey was needed to project a plan of improvement. The stream connecting Round and Pine lakes


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with Lake Michigan is only about 1,200 feet in length and from 75 to 100 feet in width. Its course where it entered into Lake Michigan at the time the survey was made, had been changed to a straight cut, and the depth of water at the time of my visit was about six feet, while the rapids spoken of had almost entirely disappeared, owing in some measures doubtless to the unusually high water in Lake Michigan. The current, however, was swift but did not indicate a difference in level of the lakes of over three inches.


"I found a dredge at work in the river near the bridge making eleven feet water. the intention being to carry the depth entirely


ONE OF CHARLEVOIX' HOTELS


through with one cut of thirty-five feet width. No stone bowlders had been met. The material dredged was chiefly sand, with coarse gravel and small stone. In making the cut at the mouth of the river, no bowl- ders were met with to interfere with the work as had been feared; the bottom through the water here appeared to be composed of pebbles and small rounded stone or shingle, no stone larger than your fist. The bed and banks of the river throughout showed only a material that could easily be removed with the dredge, it being sand, marl, gravel and clay mixed. A crib pier was built on the north side about 460 feet in length last fall, and during the winter two cribs eighty feet over all were placed in on the south side.


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"The direction of the piers seems to be admirably well chosen. The physical formation of the shore here-the mouth of the river before any improvements were attempted being almost closed about 450 feet south of the present outlet indicates clearly the direction of the severe blows. namely, from the north and northwest. No storms from a di-


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rection south of west can have any injurious effect upon the mouth of the river, as it is thoroughly protected by a jutting headland, a short distance off, in a direction nearly due west, therefore, in any improve- ments to be made here the north pier is, and will be the weather pier. The place seems, therefore, readily susceptible of improvement and at small expense.


"The work already done is the result of the commendable spirit and energy of the people who seem to be thoroughly in earnest. In addi- tion, the difficulty attending the navigation of the narrow tortuous and shallow stream connecting the waters of Round lake and Pine lake has been surmounted by a straight cut at the head of Round lake through a narrow neck of sand, gravel and marl. The banks are not revetted and notwithstanding the rapid current are not disturbed."


Upon the strength of the report work rapidly progressed and re- sulted in placing Charlevoix in direct water communication with the ports of the Great Lakes.


THE CHARLEVOIX AND CHICAGO RESORTS


The Charlevoix resort was established in 1878, and its history is substantially as follows: The idea of establishing a resort at this point was first suggested by the organization of the Bay View Association and the location of the grounds at Petoskey. Hearing that certain Presbyterians contemplated a similar resort, several citizens of Charle- voix made an effort to induce them to locate at this point. Before this project was fully matured, a location near Harbor Springs was decided upon. While looking after the interests of this enterprise, the Charle- voix gentlemen succeeded in interesting H. W. Page, of Kalamazoo, in this location, and through his instrumentality the organization of the association was brought about.


The articles of association and call for the first meeting were filed with the county clerk of Kalamazoo county, May 23, 1878, and with the secretary of state on the following day. On June 21, 1878, the first regular meeting of "The Charlevoix Summer Resort" was held at No. 63 Lovel Street, Kalamazoo.


During the summer of 1878 six cottages were erected, and a sub- stantial pier, with fourteen feet of water at the front, was built. Other improvements were made, such as the building of a bath-house, and the sinking of a well from which is obtained an abundant supply of de- licious water, cold as ice. The amount expended in these improvements was $1,600. The number of persons who visited Charlevoix that sum- mer because of the establishment of this resort, and who occupied the cottages or lived in tents, or found board in private families, and who considered the grounds of the resort as their headquarters, was consid- erably above one hundred. In 1879 a commodious boarding-house was built upon the grounds, in order to accommodate many visitors who desire temporary quarters. In May, 1880, the association purchased all the land directly north of the original twenty-acres deeded by M. J. Stockman, and lying between it and the channel and Round lake.


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In October, twenty-five acres more were purchased, giving the resort water front on Pine lake.


The Chicago resort was located upon the north shore of Round lake, and upon an elevation commanding a magnificent view of the lakes and country around it. This resort was founded by a stock company of wealthy Chicago gentlemen for a private summer retreat for their families and their friends. The origin of this resort was related by a Chicago paper in the fall of 1880, as follows: "During the past summer a company of Chicago gentlemen desirous of taking a breath- ing spell during the hot July and August days, took a trip up in the region of the 'fishing line.' They visited Mackinac, Petoskey and Charlevoix. At the latter place they stayed several days, charmed by its surroundings, its cool nights, pleasant breezy days, pure air and the absence of the dust and heat of the city, all of which combined to make their stay very pleasant. One of the gentlemen, liking the place so well, secured a piece of land intending it for a summer residence lot. The three other gentlemen, meeting sometime after and comparing notes and opinions regarding Charlevoix, agreed to purchase a large tract of land and set it apart for a summer resort. This has been done, and a stock company formed, a charter obtained and enrolled under our state laws as the 'Chicago Summer Resort Company.' "'


From these two first "resort associations" developed "Charlevoix" reputation as an ideal place for out-of-doors recreation, and they largely advanced the prospects of the settlement on Pine river. The resorts and the village corporation were almost twins.


CHARLEVOIX AS A CORPORATION


Early in the year 1879 the question of obtaining a village charter pressed upon the minds of the people with considerable force, and early in February a public meeting was held to consider the subject. A resolution was adopted to the effect that it was the sense of the meeting that Charlevoix should be incorporated. A committee consist- ing of Messrs. Buttars, Eaton and Bell were appointed a committee to determine the boundary lines of the proposed incorporation. A peti- tion was forwarded to the legislature, and the bill was passed and ap- proved April 3d. The act reads as follows:


"That all those tracts of land situated in the township of Charle- voix, in the county of Charlevoix, and state of Michigan, which are known and described as follows, to-wit: Lots numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4, and the north half of the southwest quarter of section 26 and lot numbered 1, and the northeast fraction and the north half of the south- east quarter of section 27, all in township 34 north, of range 8 west, be and the same are hereby constituted a village corporate by the name of the village of Charlevoix.


"The first election of officers for said village shall be held on the second Monday in April, 1879, at the town hall in said village, notice of which shall be posted in three public places by the board of registra- tion, hereinafter appointed, at least the days previous thereto.


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"Byron See and Robert Miller are hereby constituted a board of registration for the purpose of registering voters for the first election to be held in said village, and said board of registration are hereby re- quired to meet on the Saturday preceding the second Monday of April, 1879, aforesaid, and register all persons presenting themselves for registration, and having the qualifications of voters at annual township meetings.


"The bridge now built and all that may hereafter be built across Pine river, within the territory described in section 1 of this act, shall be built, and maintained, as heretofore, by the township of Charlevoix, or the county of Charlevoix, and all moneys raised by general high- way tax in the village of Charlevoix shall be expended under the di- rection of the highway commissioners of the township of Charlevoix, for the benefit of the highways of said township and village in the same manner as though said village was not incorporated.


"The said village of Charlevoix shall in all things not herein other- wise provided be governed by and its duties and powers defined by an act entitled : 'An act granting and defining the duties and powers of incorporated villages,' approved April 1, 1875, and such amendments as may be made thereto.


"In case the said officers are not elected at the time designated in section 2 of this act, an election for officers may be had at any time within one year from the time designated in said section 2 of this act, on notice being given as provided in said section."


In 1881 the charter was amended so as to leave the grounds of the Kalamazoo resort outside the village limits, and to accomplish that sec- tion 1 was amended so as to read as follows: "That all those tracts of land situated in the township of Charlesvoix, in the county of Charle- voix and state of Michigan, which are known and described as follows, to-wit: Lots numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4, and the north half of the south- west quarter of section 26, and lot numbered 1, and the northeast frac- tion and the north half of the southeast quarter of section 27, all in township 34 north, of range 8 west, excepting that portion of the north half of the southwest quarter of section 26 aforesaid, known and de- scribed as follows, to-wit: Commencing at the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 26, thence west along the east and west quarter line of said section 26, eleven rods and two feet to the north and south quarter line of section 26 aforesaid, thence due north along said quarter line to the place of beginning, be, and the same are hereby constituted a village corporate by the name of the village of Charle- voix."


The first charter election was held Monday, April 28th and resulted in the election of the following officers: President, John S. Dixon; trustees, J. Milo Eaton, A. Buttars, W. A. Smith, J. M. Clark, Robert Miller, D. C. Nettleton ; clerk, M. J. Stockman; treasurer, John Bell; assessor, E. H. Green; street commissioner, A. E. Mason.


The city of Charlevoix was really founded on three corporate sum- mer resorts and it has never lost its distinctive feature. There is no city in Michigan of its size which has more perfect hotel accommoda-


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tions, and it is safe to say that during the summer season its popula- tion is increased on an average by ten thousand people.


By no means, however, is Charlevoix prosperity temporary or spas- modic. Its settled population is nearly three thousand; its retail and wholesale trade is large; its stores, public buildings and residences are substantial and attractive; its streets broad and finely paved; its side- walks well built and well kept, and its industries firmly established and growing. Among Charlevoix leading manufactures are lumber, shingles, boats, flour, cement and beet sugar, her fisheries still being active and productive. The Western Michigan Sugar Company, Charlevoix Rock Products Company and the Charlevoix Lumber Company are all lead- ers in its industrial growth, its fisheries being largely controlled by the Butell Fish Company and the Booth Packing Company. The ship- ments from Charlevoix include lumber and fish, wood bark, ties and cedar posts, beet sugar and flour, rock products and cement. The city is far from being simply a fashionable summer resort.




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