USA > Michigan > A history of the northern peninsula of Michigan and its people, its mining, lumber and agricultural industries, Volume I > Part 24
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substitute lands in Illinois and Missouri for those originally provided to be set aside in Michigan; as a further consequence the damaging re- port regarding Michigan lands was spread throughout the eastern coun- try, and Michigan was referred to as "the great dismal swamp," with the effect of inducing seekers of western homes to direet their courses farther south, and thus seriously to impede for a time the settlement of Michigan. The report had particular reference to the lands of the Lower Peninsula, but the effeet was equally bad upon the Upper. Had the merits of the Lower Peninsula been properly heralded so as to in- duce settlement, attention to the Upper Peninsula would have followed as a natural consequence.
Quite in contrast to the report above referred to, and illustrative of the evil effects thereof, another report was made in 1818, by William Darby, who, after exploring the regions in the vicinity of Detroit, wrote: "Though the soil is good in general-some ++ it is excellent-and all parts well situated for agriculture and commerce, some causes have hitherto operated to prevent any serious immigration to Michigan terri- tory. For upward of a month I have been traveling between this city and Geneva, in the state of New York, and I have seen hundreds moving to the west. but not one in fifty with the intention of settling in Michi- gan territory."
In 1816 Indiana was admitted as a state, and by the act of admission her northern boundary was fixed at a point ten miles further north than the sonthein boundary of Michigan, thus occasioning a conflicting claim to that strip, which later had a direct effect upon the Upper Pen- insula. In 1818 Illinois was admitted as a state, and her northern boundary was crowded still further north; of course to so provide such lake frontage that the future city of Chicago would be in that state. This left of the old Northwest territory, not now incorporated into states, only the territory now comprising Michigan, Wisconsin and that part of Minnesota east of the Mississippi river, and thereafter known as Michigan territory.
The turning point for Michigan seems to have come with the favor- able report of Darby in 1818, and in that year a land office was opened in Detroit. In 1819 Michigan territory was given the right to a delegate in congress, and upon her citizens was conferred the general right of suffrage. William Woodbridge was elected the first delegate to repre- sent the territory in congress, and took his seat December 10, 1819.
As a practically concurrent event, and as introducing an element of transportation that had much to do with the rapidity of settlement in the then near future, it is noted that "Walk-in-the-Water," the first steamboat on the lakes above Niagara Falls, was launched on Lake Erie in 1818, and entered the port of Detroit August 27th of that year; from which time she plied between Detroit and Buffalo until 1821, when she was wrecked and the "Superior" took her place. With the coming of steamers, came also rapid increase in the number of American settlers, so that by 1820 Detroit had a white population of fourteen hundred
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and fifteen. The opening of Erie canal added another advantage to western travel, completing the water route from New York to Michigan and the other states bordering the lakes, and population grew apaee.
Until 1817 there had been but one county organization ; that of Wayne. That year Monroe county was organized, and in 1818 came the counties of Macomb and Mackinac, thus showing the turn of the tide of immigration to the territory of Michigan.
FUR TRADE ATTRACTS TRADERS
Notwithstanding the fact that home seekers had been kept from set- tling in Michigan, by the various causes above mentioned, it appears that the attractiveness of the fur trade was such that it was continued, in a greater or lesser degree, at all times, and in the ten years that elapsed beween 1780 and 1790, during most of which period the Eng- lish withheld from the United States the possession of Michigan after having ceded title thereto by treaty, the district of Michilimackinac produced three thousand two hundred and twenty packs of furs of the estimated value of twenty pounds each, or sixty thousand four hundred pounds, equal to nearly three hundred thousand dollars, as shown by British figures, made for the purpose of illustrating the loss to England that would be occasioned by the surrender of the fur trade of the lake posts to the United States.
In 1783, the very year in which the treaty was signed whereby this country was ceded by Britain to the United States, the Northwest Fur Company was organized at Montreal by twenty-three merchants of that town, and that company sent into the district, of which Michilimackinac was the trading center, about two thousand fur traders, who were dis- tributed far and near, living and trading with the Indians and thus per- petuating the profitable trade. In 1809, John Jacob Astor organized the American Fur Company, and two years later bought out the Mack- inac business and all the interests of the Northwest Fur Company south of the international boundary line. The representatives of these great fur trading companies were, with a very few exceptions, the only white settlers within the boundaries of the Upper Peninsula for the first third of the nineteenth century. Exploitation, rather than settlement, was the order of the times, and the making or recording of history seems to have been the least of their cares.
As late as 1820 the Upper Peninsula of Michigan seems only to have been reckoned with as Indian territory. In a book published in 1821, entitled a "Narrative Journal of Travels from Detroit, Northwest through the Great Chain of Lakes to the Sources of the Mississippi River, in the Year 1820," by Henry R. Schoolcraft, there appears a map which shows Michigan to constitute what is now the Lower Peninsula, and including a strip of country now belonging to Ohio, the southern boundary of the state appearing as a line extending from the most south- erly point of Lake Michigan directly east to Lake Erie. The territory north of the straits, including what is now the Upper Peninsula, north-
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ern Wisconsin and a part of Minnesota, without being given specific boundaries, is labeled on that map "Chippeway Indians." In the de- scription of his journey, which he also traced upon the map, he shows that he coasted along the entire lake boundaries of the Upper Peninsula.
After the war of 1812 had been formally ended by treaty, there were many instances of infraction of American rights by both the English and the Indians, and it was apparent that the English were not even then ready to surrender their much coveted rights to the Michigan fur trade; and they were not loth to stir the Indians to acts of savagery that continned for years to be a menace to settlers, and as a consequence caused a continued delay in immigration to the country remote from civ- ilized settlement.
Governor Cass, however, was of the right metal and stood firmly for a recognition of treaty rights. By the treaty it was stipulated that there should be restoration to each of the parties of all places captured. Among other instances of grievances, Governor Cass learned that the English, with the aid of Dickson, his Indians and traders, intended to try again the old policy of the English, and to continue in the possession of Mackinac and thereby in the control of the trade. Cass therefore re- tained Malden in the possession of the Americans, offering her surrender when the delivery of Mackinac was insured. The exchange was finally made in July, 1815, though the intrignes of the British with the Indians did not cease with the surrender of the post, and the traders of that vicinity paid little heed to treaty obligations or American rights; and to live in the surrounding country was a recognized hazard for many years to come. The people that came to this part of the country under the circumstances that created its history up to the close of the war of 1812, and that survived the turbuleney of the times, were essentially a con- glomerate lot, of varied nationalities and various degrees of ignorance and knowledge. Many were actually of the criminal classes. In the then condition of the country it was natural that their habitations should be along the shores of the lakes, for the water highways were their only avenues of travel and transportation.
While there were respectable and intelligent people among the re- maining populace, and some remained in the settlements to pursue their trades, many more were scattered along the shores, taking up their resi- dences upon the islands and the shores of the mainland, where they en- gaged in fishing and hunting, and carried on their trade with the In- dians; and many are the tales of piracy and murders that were so fre- quent as to amount to an almost continuous border warfare for many years that followed, constituting a menace to settlement almost if not quite equal to the fear of the savagery of the Indians. It was well on toward the middle of the nineteenth century that settlers in any con- siderable numbers were induced to risk the evils mentioned, and, fur- thermore, it required nearly that period to negotiate the necessary treaties and inangurate and complete surveys, so that titles might be acquired to the lands of the Upper Peninsula; and until titles could be
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acquired there was little to indnee permanent settlement, and the coun- try continued to be exploited rather than developed. During this period, however, the lower part of the Lower Peninsula underwent rapid de- velopment ; as the development of a territorial and state government was essential there, the laws were ready for application to the needs of the Upper Peninsula as soon as permanent settlements should develop therein.
By an act of congress, passed May 26, 1812. the president had been directed to cause a survey to be made in accordance with the law pre- scribing the northern boundary of Ohio, with "a plat or plan of so much of the boundary line as runs from the southern extreme of Lake Michigan to Lake Erie, particularly noting the place where the said line interseets the margin of said lake." This survey was delayed by the war, and in the meantime Indiana applied for statehood. When that state was admitted, its northern boundary was not deseribed to accord with the southern boundary of Michigan territory, but was defined as an east and west line ten miles farther north than the southern point of Lake Michigan, thus including in the state of Indiana a strip of Mich- igan territory ten miles in width; which may be said to have been the initial act of the controversy which later resulted in the Toledo war and including the present Upper Peninsula all within the state of Michigan.
In 1817 the second county in the state, Monroe, was established, and named in honor of the president who was then expected, and who, in August of that year, visited the territory, accompanied by a number of distinguished civil and military officials. It was in this same year that the University of Michigan was created, and primary schools were es- tablished at Detroit, Monroe and Mackinaw.
In January, 1818, Macomb county was established, as the third county of the state, and it was followed in October of that year by the organizing of Michilimackinac, Brown and Crawford counties. Mich- ilimackinac included the whole of the Upper Peninsula and a part of what is now Wisconsin, and was therefore the fourth Michigan county organized. It had its seat at Michilimackinac. Brown county included the eastern part of the present state of Wisconsin, with seat at Green Bay; and Crawford county included the western part of the present state of Wisconsin, with seat at Prairie du Chien.
In 1817, Green Bay as a part of Michigan territory, was garrisoned as the first evidence of American governmental jurisdiction of that part of the country.
In March, 1818, shoes were sent from Detroit to the garrison at Green Bay, being conveyed by pack horses.
At this period an uncommon situation presented itself in Michigan territory. It was usual throughout the ambitious and developing west to find the inhabitants eager for statehood and ready to grasp it at the first opportunity.
Michigan had now acquired sufficient population to entitle her to apply for admission, but the proposition to do so was voted down by an
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overwhelming majority. The reason therefor is attributable to the fact that a large majority of the population was French, and they had had so short a period of representative goverment that they had not become accustomed to it, and had not surrendered their loyalty to a government whose commandant was law unto the community.
On August 27, 1818, the first steamboat, "Walk-in-the-Water," made its appearance at Detroit, from Buffalo. The Indians were warned of its coming and were told it was to be drawn by sturgeons and when they saw it approach they were filled with wonder; and filled the air with their expressive shouts.
FIRST PUTTING UP OF PUBLIC LANDS
Another ineident of this eventful year for Michigan was the first putting up of public lands for sale. Prior to this there had been but slight recognition of private ownership of lands. Congress had there- tofore appointed a commission to hear the claims of numerous parties who claimed to have been in actual possession of certain tracts under the former goverments, and to have actually exercised possession thereof at the time of the final acquisition of this territory from Eng- land by the United States, in 1796; and that commission had reported in favor of the allowance of numerous claims in the Lower Peninsula, and of a considerable number at Mackinaw and the Sault. On April 23, 1812, congress ratified the aets of the commission and directed the issue of patents for all claims confirmed by the commissioners, which patents were the first evidence of grants of title to lands in Michigan to private owners by the government of the United States.
In the summer of 1819 the "Walk-in-the-Water" made a trip to Mackinaw, being the first steamer to make an Upper Peninsula port. She carried a load of passengers and freight, and made the trip from Buffalo to Mackinaw and back in twelve days, the cargo being of the estimated valne of $200,000.
CASS UPPER LAKE EXPEDITION
An expedition organized by Governor Cass in 1820 to explore the Upper Lake region had very important results, for, from it, knowledge was acquired, and reliable and practical reports were given to the world as to the country traversed, and as to its inviting resources. The ex- pedition started from Detroit May 24, 1820, and comprised Governor Cass, Dr. Alexander Wolcott; Captain D. B. Douglass, engineer; Lient. Aeneas Mackay, in command of the soldiery, James Duane Doty, gen- eral secretary, Major Robert A. Forsythe, secretary to the governor, Henry R. Schoolcraft, geologist and topographer, Charles C. Trowbridge and Alexander R. Chase. They traveled in bark canoes of the pattern of the times. At Mackinaw they distributed the company and its freight into four such canoes, and, adding to the fleet a twelve-oared barge and taking on an additional escort, they proceeded to the Sault, where the Indians were reported to be turbulent. The British at this time had
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fortified Drummond Island, and, though the right to the possession thereof was in dispute, they made it their headquarters for trade with the Indians on both sides of the boundary line. The British had main- tained a enstom of annually distributing large quantities of valuable presents to the Indians, by means of which they were able to maintain a large degree of allegiance, and at the same time exert an influence pre- judicial to the safety of American settlers. That custom of giving pres- ents was so extensive that the fleets of Indian canoes that resorted to the trading centers presented an interesting spectacle; and the practice was kept up to such a recent date that people still living remember of having seen over fifty canoes of Indians in a single fleet on their wny to get their presents of guns, knives, blankets and the like. It was not uncommon for them to dispose of the articles received to the traders. and squander the proceeds for whiskey.
After the close of the war, the English for a time abandoned the cus- tom of giving presents, and it was on this occasion that, in 1816, the great Chief Thomas, or Tomah of the Menominees, having made his pil- grimage to the Sault in expectation of receiving the usual supply of presents, and having met with a cold shoulder at the hands of Major Pathuff, then in command, was so disappointed that he returned to Mackinaw, betook himself to drink, and literally drank himself to death.
The custom of giving presents did not, however, remain long sus- pended. It was too potent of influence, and the English were not will- ing to dispense with the services of the Indians as allies. The renewal of the custom served to again arouse the prejudice of the Indians in favor of the English and against the Americans, and this prejudice was made very evident when Governor Cass and his party reached the Sault, June 14, 1820.
The village on the Amerienn side of the river showed no sign of American loyalty ; in fact there had not been up to that time an actual American occupation of the place. There were a few French and Eng- lish families, possibly fifteen or eighteen of whom that of John Johnson, active in behalf of the British during the war, was perhaps the most distinguished. On the Canadian side of the river the Northwest Fur Company hnd its buildings and maintained a factory and n rude system of locks in the Canadian channel of the river. This company main- tained an extensive trade in all the surrounding country, and thereby, in connection with the custom of making presents, exercised almost com- plete control of the savage inhabitants.
As has already been recited, during the early possession of this sec- tion by the French. Repentigney, under a grant from the crown, had built a fort on the American side of the river. As one of the objects of this expedition was to establish an American fort, it seemed advisable to locate the site of the old one and a council with the Indians of the village was called principally for that purpose, so that the location of the Old French grant might be determined, and recognized.
The Indians responded to the governor's invitation and met him and Vol. 1-12
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his party at his tent on the 16th of June, but at once made it evident that they were not disposed to be friendly. or make any concessions. While some of them indicated a consent that Americans might settle there, they gave the governor to understand that a military post was not wanted, and that if one was established it might be subject to attack by the young men who were still determined to hold the country as a herit- age of their own,
The governor was not to be trifled with, or driven away through fear, and he made response that a fort would be built whether they liked it or not. In this council was a certain chief called the "count" dressed in the costume of an English brigadier and he, during a speech, as if to emphasize his displeasure and his determination, with a vigorous flour- ish of his war-lance thrust it and planted it in the ground as a symbol of Indian possession of the soil. On leaving the governor's tent the In- dians went to their own village on a hill near where the old French fort had previously stood, and there in front of the wigwam of the "count" they hoisted the English flag.
Immediately on learning of this, Governor Cass, with only his inter- preter to accompany him, walked to the Indian village, took down the flag, and, after telling them that none but an American flag could be used there. boldly carried away the British colors. This boldness of the governor overawed them, but, nevertheless, they dispatched their women and children to more remote parts, and the men of the village made preparations to attack the governor's party ; the Americans, at the same time, numbering in all sixty-six persons and all well armed, prepared to defend themselves. Shingobawassin was the head chief and had been absent from the council, but now, under pacifying influences to be noted later, put in appearance, prevented the attack, and renewed the council with the governor, with the result that a treaty was signed by which the Indians released to the Americans a tract of sixteen square miles, though the "count" maintained his opposition and refused to sign the treaty.
From the Sault the expedition coasted along the south shore of Lake Superior to Keweenaw point, thence through Portage lake and crossed overland to the great copper boulder, of which they had heard, on On- tonagon river. They then went up the St. Louis river and made their way to the Mississippi, after which they returned to Green Bay, Wis- consin, where they separated, the governor and a portion of his party going to Chicago and thence to Detroit, while the remainder of the party went to Mackinaw, and thence to Detroit; thus ending a perilous jour- ney that proved of great benefit to Michigan, and especially to the Upper Peninsula.
Up to the year of 1822 the United States maintained a system of gov- ernment trading houses, the abolition of which, that year, enabled Amer- ican fur traders to compete with the British, with the result that British influence over the Indians immediately began to decrease, although it was a considerable period after that before the British traders let go
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their foothold in this peninsula ; and as long as they remained they con- trolled the Indians as far as they were able to do so.
By the treaty of Ghent the settlement of the boundary line between the United States and Canada was left to commissioners, and in 1822 they decided that Drummond Island, in the mouth of St. Mary's river, which, up to that time had been elaimed by both countries, belonged to the United States. Notwithstanding such decision the British continued to possess it, against the protests of the Americans, and maintain their trading post thereon, and as late as 1826, from that point, distributed presents and annuities to four thousand Indians in return for services rendered to Great Britain, and to continue the exercise of British in- fluence over the Indians, and thereby gain the advantage of their trade.
COURTS AND TRADERS
The early traders and settlers in the Upper Peninsula were greatly hampered by the lack of opportunity for redress of grievances in the courts. Undoubtedly to this fact, and the consequent lack of restraint, may be attributed much of the lawlessness that prevailed in certain sections. It is true the laws of the territory provided a system of county courts, and Mackinaw county maintained such a court after its organiza- tion. This court was, however, presided over by a layman, and naturally slight realization of legal remedies resulted. It was an expensive prop- osition to resort from various parts of the county to Mackinaw, with wit- ness to a legal controversy, and this fact, together with the questionable chance of getting justice at trial, caused many grievances to be over- looked, or to be fought out in the open arena of their origin, where the question of right became one solely of might. True there was an appeal from the county court to the supreme court at Detroit, and on appeal in those times, the ease could be tried de novo, and a jury could be had ; but it was an expensive proposition to the people of this then remote region ; and this was not all, the supreme court had its session in De- troit once a year, and that in the very last of September, so that naviga- tion to the northward was very likely to be closed against the vessels of those days, before the litigants could return after the trial was over.
In 1822 this grievous situation was laid before congress by James Duane Doty, who had removed to Green Bay, then in Brown county, Michigan territory, and in his communication he informed congress of the resulting hardships to the traders, and related that the Indian debt- ors believed their debts to the traders were paid by a tender of a due amount of furs at the trader's residence, and if the trader was absent he was pretty certain to lose his claim. In that communication a show- ing was made as to the importance of the trade of this section, and it was claimed it prodneed a larger revenue than any other, with the possi- ble exception of Orleans. Mackinaw was claimed to have yielded duties to the extent of $40.000 in 1807, while in the month of November, 1821, the same point exported 3,000 packs of furs, and it was claimed that the sale of foreign goods in the tributary territory amounted to a mil- lion dollars annually.
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