USA > Michigan > Alpena County > Centennial history of Alpena County, Michigan > Part 12
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MARY L. CARTER.
DAUGHTER OF MR. AND MRS. DANIEL CARTER, AND FIRST SCHOOL TEACHER IN ALPENA COUNTY.
CHAPTER VII.
EDUCATIONAL.
SCHOOLS .- As soon as practicable after the township meet- ing, held on the 5th day of April, 1858, the School Inspectors of the township of Fremont, met for the purpose of forming a school district, and as much territory as could be allowed by law, was incorporated into School District No. 1. Soon after this, a school meeting was called, and Addison F. Fletcher was elected the first School Director. Miss Mary L. Carter was hired to teach the first school, and after being inspected, com- menced teaching, in a small cooper shop, made of rough boards, which was then the best building that could be procured for a school house, and which stood on lot 10, in block 3, of the vil- lage plot. The writer has not been able to find a record of this
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.
school, and thinks that no record was kept. The second school was commenced on the 23d day of May, 1859, and ended on the 20th of August of the same year. The report is as follows: DISTRICT NO. I, ALPENA.
Number of days taught, 69
Number scholars enrolled,
28
Whole number days attendance,
1,246
Average attendance, Signed,
18 4-69
MARY E. TROMBLY, Teacher.
Accepted Aug. 30th, 1859.
Signed,
ADDISON F. FLETCHER, Director of School District No. 1.
This school was taught in an upper room in what is now call- ed the Myers block, on the corner of Second and Water streets, on lot 13, in block 3, of the village plot. This building was completed in the fall and winter of 1858. The first floor was used as a storehouse, and the second was used for county and other purposes, viz: Circuit Court room and county offices, school room, church, Sabbath school, printing office, and all public gatherings. We give below the names and ages of the scholars attending this school, as being of some importance, should the record be preserved for the next Centennial year, and may be interesting to some of the present generation:
Name.
Age. Name. Age.
Arthur Irwin,
12 Andrew Trombly, 17
William Irwin,
10 Manilva Smith, 9
Edgar Sellick,
7 John Persons, 8
Helen Sellick,
11 George Plough, 9
Frances Sellick,
9 Elizabeth Creley, 9
Addie Sellick,
6 Mary Ann Creley,
6
Harriet Erwin,
13 Margaret Boggs,
6
Elizabeth Erwin,
17 Elizabeth Sprague,
15
Jane Erwin,
15 Henry Sprague,
12
Alice Erwin,
10 Francis Hortwick,
10
John Barnes,
13 George Nicholson,
8
William Barnes,
9 Editlı Clark,
5
Charles Bingham,
10 Christina Boggs, 7
Catherine Archibald,
11 William Boggs, 5
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EDUCATIONAL.
The first male teacher was M. R. Clark, who taught only twenty-two days, ending September 22d, 1859. David Plough, Director.
Soon after the Rev. C. G. Bisbee came to Alpena, in 1860, he was hired to teach the school, but he made no report until the 27th of February, 1862, when the number of scholars en- rolled was fifty-one, doubling in two-and-a-half years. Follow- ing Mr. Bisbee, as the next school teacher, was Leroy Bundy, who only taught forty-eight days. In 1863, the school was taught by C. P. Butler, who had an average attendance of twenty-five scholars during the summer term. The winter term ended April 29th, 1864, and was a full term, with an av- erage attendance of twenty-two scholars. The report is made, but not signed. Miss Kate Barclay taught the summer term of 1864, but made no report.
In 1863 and 1864, the first district school house was erected in the county. It was located on lot 2, in block 20, of the vil- lage of Fremont, and was the construction of Samuel Boggs. J. B. Tuttle taught the first school in this house, and conse- quently was the first teacher who taught in a district school house in Alpena county. His report is as follows:
Report of a term of the public school, taught in District No. 1, of Alpena village, Alpena county, Michigan, during the win- ter and spring of 1864 and 1865. School began Jan. 3d, 1865. School closed April 1st, 1865.
Number of days taught,
71
Number of scholars enrolled,
04
Number of days attendance,
4.047
Average daily attendance, Signed,
57
J. B. TUTTLE.
Dated at Alpena, April 1st, 1865.
This report shows a rapid increase of scholars, and a corres- ponding increase of inhabitants in Alpena county, more than cloubling in two years.
In 1865, another district school house was erected, on the
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east side of the river, and a school taught there. The large in- crease of population rendered it necessary to have more school room, and the School Board, deeming it advisable to erect a Union School house, took the necessary steps in that direction, and in 1867, the Legislature authorized the building of a Un- ion School house, by the following act:
An act to authorize the formation of Union School District Number One, of the township of Alpena, in the county of Alpena.
Sec. 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, That the School Inspectors of the township of Alpena, in the county of Alpena, are hereby authorized to organize the said township of Alpena, or so much thereof as they may deem necessary, into a school district, to be known as Union School District Number One, of said township.
Sec. 2. Said school district shall be organized according to the provisions of the school laws of the State, and all moneys lawfully voted to be raised in said district, by tax or loan, shall be a valid debt against all the property in said district.
Sec. 3. This act shall take immediate effect.
Approved March 27th, 1867.
Soon after the passage of the preceding act, bonds were is- sued and negotiated, and the necessary funds raised for the con- struction of a Union School house, and in 1868, a suitable building was erected, under the supervision of David Plough, as directed by the School Board.
The building was located on grounds, donated to the town- ship, for school purposes, by S. E. Hitchcock, and it cost, in round numbers, the sum of $20,000, when finished, furnished, and the ground cleared off and fenced.
When first built, it was on the margin of the forest, on the west, isolated, and in a swamp.
Noble M. Brackiureed taught the district school, on the southwest side of the river, after J. B. Tuttle, until the Union
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School house was finished, when he was transferred to it, as principal teacher.
Charles T. Brockway was engaged as the first Superintend- ent, and in November, 1869, the Union School commenced its regular operations, under his supervision. Mrs. Sutton, Mrs. Stevens, Mrs. VanInwegen, Miss Doane and Miss Barclay were engaged as teachers. They were inspected by Messrs. Com- stock and Barlow.
The school was divided into four grades -- the primary, secondary, senior and junior. Each grade was divided into two classes, called the A and B class, excepting the senior grade, which was divided into three classes, the highest of which pursue the higher English branches, and is in every respect a High School grade. Scholars were taken into the school at the age of six years.
F. S. Dewey succeeded Mr. Brockway, as Superintendent. in 1871 or 1872, for he says in his report of 1874: "In 1872, or two years ago, I changed the course of study." He divided the school into five grades, of two years each, primary, second- ary, intermediate, grammar and high school. It now takes ten years to go through the course. Mr. Dewey is Superin- tendent in 1876.
The writer has given the names of the teachers, in the Union School, as reported in 1874, with their salaries, showing the condition of the school, at this time. But little change from this was made in the school up to 1876.
F. S. Dewey, principal, salary $1,400 per year.
Miss H. S. Buchman, assistant principal and teacher of grammar school, salary $600 per year.
Miss L. J. Bachman, intermediate teacher, salary $500 per year.
Miss Godfrey, secondary, salary $450 per year.
Miss Ella Myers, secondary, salary $450 per year.
Miss Mary E. Smith, secondary, salary $150 per year.
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Miss L. Rutherford, primary and secondary, salary, $400 per year.
The whole number of pupils in school was 374, and the number of scholars enrolled was as follows: Boys, 325; girls, 281. The number of seats in all the rooms was 450.
In 1876, there is fourteen school districts in the county, and twelve district school houses. In the village is a Catholic school, a German school and a Norwegian school.
JOURNALISM .- We are indebted to the proprietor of the Pion- eer for the following letter, written to him by D. R. Joslin, in regard to the history of the Alpena County Pioneer. We give all of his letter that is pertinent. Mr. Joslin says: "In the year 1862, I was publishing a paper at Port Austin, in Huron county, called the Huron County Reporter. During the win- ter of 1862 and 1863, hearing of a commencement of a vil- lage, at the mouth of Thunder Bay river, and the fine prospects of a large and thriving village, not far in the future; the large amount of pine lands on the river and its branches, and the large amount of lands, which appeared upon the tax rolls, and not satisfied with the prospects of Port Austin, I was induced to correspond and learn the prospects of locating a paper at Alpena. Accordingly 1 corresponded with O. T. B. Williams, the Prosecuting Attorney. He took an immediate interest to encourage the enterprise, and so did all the people of the vil- lage, which, at that time, contained about 250 inhabitants, and according to their means, subscribed a liberal donation of $200 to aid in establishing the paper. Accordingly, about the 26th of April, 1863, on Sunday, I arrived with my printing office, at Alpena, on the Forest Queen, which anchored out in the bay. Freight was loaded on scows and poled in. The print- ing office was landed off the scow, on Miller's dock, Sunday, and procuring a room over Miller's store, now the Myers block, and commenced immediately to set up the office, and in order to secure the tax printing, must issue by the 1st day of
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May, which, by working day and night, with one hand, issued on the last day of April, a twenty column paper, having five columns per page, of 173 inches a column, of which twelve columns were reading matter, called the Thunder Bay Monitor. It was hailed with great satisfaction and well patronized. The issue of the first year was about 150 copies, which was very large, according to the population, for at that time, there were only two mills in the place-Messrs. Lockwood & Minor's, ou Water street, and the Island mill-the Chamberlain mill just burned. One dry goods store, Mr. Hardwick's. Messrs. Lockwood & Minor kept a few things, but could hardly be called a store. Mr. Miller kept a small grocery store. Mr. Bingham kept the only hotel, a small two story wood building. on the north side of the river, which had to be reached from the south by a boat, if one could be found, if not, go over on a saw log, or stay where you were. These composed the busi- ness places of the town; therefore the paper was almost desti- tute of home advertisements, so we had to look abroad for advertisements to fill up, many of which were of little profit. The tax list, which was large, was a great relief to the expenses. The next year, three other mills were built, and a number of stores and hotels, having double the population and business. and gave the advertising columns a much better appearance, and helped greatly to its support. I continued to publish the paper until the fall of 1865. Being so unfortunate as to lose my wife, causing a derangement in my business, in the month of November, 1865, I sold the office to D. D. Oliver. Mr. Oli- ver immediately installed J. A. Case as editor, and J. Hous- burger as publisher. Some time in the spring of 1866, Mr. Oliver changed the name of the paper to the Alpena County Pioneer, which has continued since." In 1867. Oliver sold a half interest in the paper to Robert S. Toland, and the paper was conducted under the firm name of Oliver & Toland. Find- ing the paper too small for the growing business of the town,
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Oliver, through the direction of Toland, enlarged it to a twen- ty-four column paper, being 24x16. Oliver resided at Ossi- neke, and having business there, could not see to the manage- ment of the office, and consequently the business run behind expenses about five hundred dollars, up to the spring of 1868. J. K. Lockwood and Oliver were very anxious to have the paper live a Republican, and after some talk in regard to the matter, Oliver sold his interest in the office to Lockwood, at a certain price, with conditions that Toland should have the same chance with him as he had with Oliver, and that George McFadden, who was employed in the office, should have the privilege of buying the half interest in the office, if he should so elect, at the same price that Lockwood purchased of Oliver, it being the object of Lockwood and Oliver to make the business live. In 1868, we find the Pioneer published by Toland & McFadden. Had these young men taken the advice of Oliver and Lock- wood, and had been more persevering and economical, they might have had, at the Centennial year, a good property, a suc- cessful business, and an honorable standing among the citizens of Alpena. But they could not see what the result would be, and in June, 1868, McFadden turned over to Lockwood, his in- terest in the Pioneer office, and for a short time, the business was run in the name of Lockwood & Toland. In November, 1868, Lockwood & Toland sold the Pioneer office to Albert C. Tefft. Mr. Tefft was not a practical printer, and says, in an issue of his paper, in February, 1871: "Not being a practical printer, we have had some bad luck in not presenting so 'clean' a sheet as we wished sometimes." Mr. Tefft purchased the business to keep, and by industry, economy and good manage- ment, has made it a success, when practical printers had failed, and as a reminder of this fact, Mr. Tefft says, in an issue of his paper of the 22d of February, 1871: "Two years ago, when we first took charge of the Pioneer, its proprietors in- formed us that it had never been a paying institution, but that
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each succeeding owner had lost money in trying to sustain it." In September, 1871, Mr. Tefft enlarged it to a nine column paper, of 24x30, and put a new head on it, making it a large and respectable paper, and which was a true index of the growth of Alpena. A second paper was started in Alpena, in June. 1871, owned and edited by J. C. Viall, and called the Alpena Weekly Argus. It is Democratic in politics, and a champion worthy the steel of the Pioneer, and will have a tendency to arouse the Republican proclivities of the editor who has had his own way so long that his Republicanism was becoming ego- tistical. The Argus office and its contents were completely de- stroyed in the great fire of July 12th, 1872. He had no in- surance, but the people, with their usual generosity, soon help- ed the editor to renew his paper, and in 1876, it is a successful and important institution of the city.
SABBATH SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES .- Soon after J. K. Miller came to Fremont, he commenced to teach a Bible class on the Sabbath, at the house of Daniel Carter. The class consisted of only five persons, being the children of James S. Irwin and Cy- rus Erwin. In the spring of 1860. the first Sabbath school was organized, with J. K. Lockwood as superintendent: W. H. Potter, treasurer and librarian, and A. Hopper, secretary. In the summer of the same year, the Rev. C. G. Bisbee came to Fremont, and soon after took charge of the Sabbath school, as superintendent. Mr. Bisbee was a man of considerable talent : was well educated, but not a good orator. He was a good man. kind and obliging, and won the love and regard of all who knew him; and no one ever left the place with more well-wishes than the first minister of Alpena. He was industrious, and taught school for two years after he came to Fremont, partly for his support, as the then newly organized church did not feel able to wholly employ and pay a minister. He held preach ing services and Sabbath school in the first room over the store now occupied by J. Myers, on the corner of Second and Water
160
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streets. As soon as Deacon Hitchcock had finished the court house, the church and Sunday school were held in it, and Mr. Bisbee continued superintendent until he went away, in the spring of 1865, when Deacon H. Hyatt was elected in his place. Mr. Hyatt was followed as superintendent, in the spring of 1866, by Rev. W. D. Russell, who left Fremont in September of the same year, when Wm. D. Hitchcock, the present super- intendent, in 1876, was elected. Mr. Hitchcock has done much to elevate and systemize the school, and bring it up to a high standard of excellence, and has succeeded in gaining the affec- tionate regard of the children of his school; and will be remem - bered kindly by the coming generation, when those who occupy higher positions will be forgotten. There is another name that has taken high rank in the annals of the first Sabbath school, and in the remembrances of the children, and which deserves honorable mention in this connection-Julia F. Farwell. She has always taken a lively interest in the school, and done much for its advancement. She always had charge of the class called the "Birds' Nest," being a large class of small scholars, and with her received elementary teachings. In 1860, the whole number of scholars in attendance was twenty-five. In 1866, the scholars had increased to 126. In this year, the Episcopal Sabbath school was organized, and in 1867, the Methodist, Baptist and Catholic schools were organized, all of which drew more or less scholars from the old school; yet, in 1875, the scholars had increased to 193, divided into twenty-seven classes. This school belongs to the First Congregational church, and is held in the church, being the first and largest school in Alpena. The officers, in 1876, are as follows: Wm. D. Hitchcock, su- perintendent; T. M. Luce, assistant superintendent; Belden W. Smith, secretary; John D. Potter, treasurer; Eugene Motley. James Johnston and Charles Watrous, librarians; Henry S. Seage, George Nicholson, Mrs. W. H. Potter and Nannie Per- son, choir, and Mrs. F. H. Armstrong, organist.
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CHURCH ORGANIZATION .- On the 2d of March, 1862, an or- ganization was effected, under the name and style of "The First Congregational Church, of Alpena." The organic mem- bers were as follows: C. G. Bisbee, S. E. Hitchcock, Saman- tha Hitchcock, Julia F. Farwell, Elizabeth Mooney, Emily H. Plough, B. C. Hardwick and Lydia J. Martin. The Rev. C. G. Bisbee was the first pastor, and held church in the upper room of a building, standing in 1876, on the corner of Second and Water streets, and now called the Myers block, and con- tinned to hold services there, until the court house was built, in 1863, on the corner of First and Washington streets, and was then adjourned to the court house, and the church and Sabbath school continued to be held in the court house, until their church was finished and dedicated, and then law and gos- pel, that had so long been in such fearful proximity, was sep- arated.
Gospel says: Steal not. Law says: Steal by night and steal by day, but do it in a legal way.
The church is a wooden structure, costing $8,000, and was built all the way from 1865 to 1868, and dedicated October 4th, 1868. A bell was purchased in 1869, and placed in the church, at a cost of $420. The value of the property, in 1876, is about $10,000.
Soon after the Rev. C. G Bisbee left the pastorate, his place was filled, for a short time, in 1864 and 1865, by the Rev. Thos. F. Hicks, and following him, the Rev. W. D. Russell filled the pulpit until 1866, when he left the place. During the year 1867, services were held by the Rev. D. C. White, and the Rev. F. N. Barlow, a Baptist minister.
It must be borne in mind that, up to about this time, it re- quired all the people in Fremont, without drawing any lines, to fill a church, "and they could hardly."
In the latter part of 1867, the Rev. Rufus Apthorp ac- cepted a call to the pastorate, and continued to officiate until
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1870, when he was succeeded by the Rev. A. B. Allen, who fills the pastorate in 1876.
BAPTIST CHURCH .- On the 15th day of October, 1867, steps were taken to organize the society, known as the First Bap- tist Society, of Alpena. F. N. Barlow was the first minister. The organic members were as follows: P. M. Johnson, D. Carter, E. Harrington, C. L. Kimball, W. M. Sutton and John Nicholson.
CATHOLIC CHURCH .- In 1864, the Rev. Patrick Barnard Murray came to Alpena, in the interest of the Catholic church, and held services and attended to the needs of the Catholic people, as best he could without a church. In 1865, he pur- chased of David D. Oliver, all the land in Oliver's addition to the city of Alpena, east of Chisholm street, for $300, Oliver donating $100, for the purpose of building a church, and in 1866, the Rev. Murray succeeded in erecting a good and sub- stantial church, and was dedicated as the Saint Bernard church.
In the Catholic church, the Bishop owns the church proper- ty in fee, and the presiding pastor or priest is president, sec- retary and treasurer of the local church.
As soon as the church was finished, a Sabbath school was commenced, and in 1870, a week day school was commenced, having about 100 scholars. The Catholic churches count their members by families, and in 1876, Saint Bernard's church numbered about 300 families, and was presided over by the Rev. Father John Van Gennip. The schools, at this time, numbered 250 scholars in each, and taught by four teachers- the Sisters of Charity. The value of the church property, in 1876, is $10,000. If our dwellings in the spirit world are built up of the good deeds we do here to our fellow beings, and that each good deed is a separate piece of the structure, then we think that the Sisters own many of the best dwellings in the summer land, and many people, when they arrive there, will
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be surprised and disgusted at the shabby looking dwellings they have erected.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- This church was organized on the first of February, 1865. The Rev. G. O. Bachman was the first rector, and held his first services on the 9th of July, 1865. He remained in charge of the church for eighteen months, and was relieved by the Rev. H. H. Brown, who remained in charge for six months, and was succeeded by the Rev. W. W. Rafter, in June, 186S, and who is still rector of the church, in 1876.
PUBLIC LIBRARY .- In the paper of 1868 and 1869, was a notice of a public library, kept at the residence of Chas. W. Richardson, and open to the reading public every Saturday. Mrs. S. A. Mather, president; Mrs. H. R. Morse, secretary, and Mrs. C. W. Richardson, treasurer and librarian. It is said to have been organized in 1864, by four ladies, and called "The Ladies' Metropolitan Library." This was the first library, for public reading, in the village, and reflects much credit on the benevolent ladies, who got it up. Long will they be re- membered.
CHAPTER VIII.
JUDICIARY.
Soon after the writer was elected Justice of the Peace, in 1857, he purchased a justice docket and Tiffany's Justice Guide, being the first docket and law book used in the county. At the spring election of 1858, Daniel Carter was elected Justice of the Peace, and the writer, having no desire to do any busi- ness in the justice line, turned over to Mr. Carter his docket and law book.
Some time, during the summer of 1859, Leonard Jewell came into the river with a sail boat, having liquor on board, to sell. As soon as he commenced to sell his liquor, J. K. Miller brought suit against him, before Daniel Carter. There were, at that time, no lawyers in the town, and Mr. Carter, very young in the business. However, it so happened that Obed Smith, who was then a Justice of the Peace, in St. Clair coun- ty, and who had some experience in law matters, was in Fre- mont, on a visit. So Mr. Smith, after instructing Mr. Carter, in regard to his duty as Justice of the Peace, then acted as counsel for Mr. Miller. The case was tried. It was proved that he had sold liquor unlawfully, and he was fined. The boat was anchored out in the stream, and the Constable had taken the rudder ashore, to prevent the boat leaving until they had got through with it. Jewell pretended that his money, to pay the fine, was on board the boat, and requested the privilege of going after his money, which was readily granted, supposing that he could not go away without his rudder, but what was their surprise, when they saw him sailing out of the river, steering his boat with an oar. There was no boat to chase him and bring him back, so they had to let him go, but he never
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came back to sell liquor. This was the first law business transacted in the county.
Under the constitution of 1850, the Judiciary was changed. making eight Circuit Judges, and each presiding over certain districts, called Judicial Circuits. This number was soon en- larged, and in 1857, Alpena was placed in the Tenth Judicial Circuit, which was composed of the following counties: Sagi- naw, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, Iosco, Bay and Alpena, with unorganized counties attached to them for judicial and muni- cipal purposes. Subsequently, the Circuit was changed, and in 1876, Alpena is placed in the 18th Judicial Circuit, com- posed of the counties of Bay, Iosco, Alcona, Alpena, Presque Isle and Otsego.
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