USA > Michigan > Washtenaw County > Ypsilanti > Chronology of Ypsilanti from 1787 to 1865 > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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October 21, 1864 - "All Clubs or organizations desirous of securing FLAGS, Mottos or Banners will take notice that Thompson's Paint Shop at the Depot is the place to get them on shortest notice-0. E. Thompson". October 13-Nevada becomes 36th State.
November 11- "Besides a thousand barrels of apples, the New Yorkers are going to send Grant's Army $50,000 worth of turkeys for Thanksgiving. Our patrons will please remember our Army of Printers".
November 26- Edwin Booth's great truimph as 'Hamlet' - four months later his younger brother, John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln shocking Edwin into retirement - he was persuaded to return to the theatre January 3 1866 but was never quite the same. He died June 7 1893.
December 6- "NOTICE - My wife, Elizabeth Gause, having left my bed and board without just cause or provocation. I hereby forbid all persons to trust or harbor her on my account as I will pay no debts of her contracting - Lea W. Gause".
December 15-16 Battle of Nashville, George H. Thomas with 55,000 vs John B. Hood, Confederate General, with 23,000. Union victory and ended the war in the West.
December 19- The United States issued order requiring a passport for all travelers between 'British North America ' ( Canada ) and the United States. This drastic measure greatly
reduced railroad income. This is the only time in 200 years that a passport was required to cross that 3000 mile un- fortified border. The Act was recinded March 1865, never to be resumed again.
December 23-"Five percent Special Income Tax for 1863 due. and should be paid before the 7th of January to save 10% penalty ... "
December 30 "Strayed or Stolen-A Dark red heifer calf from the pasture of William Watling, 1 1/2 miles south of Ypsilanti- Jas W. Binghans".
December 30- "Tuesday morning the painful intelligence was announced to our citizens through a telegraphic dispatch, that Benjamin Follett was no more. It produced a profound
sensation. A public calamity has befallen us. Though Mr. Follett died in early manhood, only 45 years old, he had accomplished a vast deal for himself, his family and this community". (Mr. Follett had gone to a Spa in New York State hoping to regain his health).
December 30 - "Great picture of Milton's 'Paradise Lost' - this great work of Art that created such an intense excite- ment in Eastern Cities and Europe, will be exhibited at Follett Hall two days and one afternoon".
1865 - January 6 - "A narrow escape - Tuesday morning a fire occured in Dr. Gerry's office over the 1st National Bank at 4 A.M. William Sheldon and Frank Joslin were sleep- ing in the Bank. The fire was put out by pails of water from neighboring wells. Strange as it may appear there is no cistern on Congress Street".
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Francis Lambie and wife, Mary, had come to America from Scotland in 1839 and with their family of eight children, the oldest William age 18, had bought the Moon farm on Geddes Road in Superior Township straight North of Ypsilanti. Even after nearly 20 years Francis was not satisfied with the Yankees and the States. In 1858, with four of their grown children, they moved to'British North America ' ( Canada), and bought a splendid farm on the Detroit River below Windsor, Ontario.
Francis Lambie kept a "Waste Book" which is defined by Webster's International Dictionary as the British term for "Record Book". In the 'Waste Book' entry for January 4th, 1865 :
"Moderate today-an embargo is enforced this week on passengers across the Borders by the States Government by demanding a passport. There is little stir".
January 11- "Slaying good but few people passing, too cold I suppose, and the passport".
January 15 - "River frozen over for sometime, few people passing, the passport system still". +++++++- +++
January 3, 1865 - "Second Baptist Society bought the old frame building on Pearson Street which has been the First Presbyterian Church for many years and the Society will now make use of it".
January 12- "The enlarged Hewitt Hall dedicated - 3rd floor of the brick building, NE corner of Michigan Avenue and Washington Street". (Seventy years later this 3rd floor was removed ) .
January 20- "Dickinson & Lambie are designing to leave :. us about March Ist. They have done well at the Depot. They may go in business in Jackson a city that is outstripping its neighbors".
January 20- "Major Cicero Newell is at home with us once
more. His term of service has expired. He passed thru many 'hair breath' escapes as a Cavalry officer, and has escaped without any mortal wounds",
January 24-25 "Tenth Annual Meeting of Michigan Dental Association held at the Follett House with twenty-five registered".
January 29- From "The Chicago Tribune" . "The Charleston wercury' presents a radically changed southern view of Abraham Lincoln" "In the Cabinet and the field he has con- sistently and fearlessly carried out the search for men who could advance his cause and has as unhesitatingly cut off all those who clogged it with weakress, timidity, imbec- ility, or failure Blackguard and buffoon as he is, he has pursued his end with an energy as untiring as an Indian's, and a singleness of virpose that might almost be called patriotic. If he were not an unsrupulous knave in his inventions and a fanatic in his political views, he would undoubtedly command our respect as a ruler".
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January 31 -. "SLAVERY ABOLISHED :: The 13th Amendment was passed by the Senate April 18 1864 but defeated in the House. Reconsidered and passed by the House January 31 1865 and ratification completed December 6 1866. February 10 - "The Follett House Hotel has been sold at the astonishingly low figure of $10,000. A great bargain! The Newell House Hotel, opposite the Depot, a splendid building, is for sale at a surprising low figure". February 24 - "Mr. Charles Worden, who has been quite out of health for several months, died Sunday morning last. Mr. Worden and brother carried on the tin and hardware business for several years. They built the block which bears their name".
"Real Estate: Mrs. David Carr to Ward W. Swift $7,000". "Mr. Bently Leases the Hawkins House Hotel and Furniture to Mr. John Kinyon of Plymouth". February 24 - "We were glad to receive a call from Lt. L.B. Loomis, 7th Michigan Cavalry. He is home on a visit and strong in the faith that ultimate victory at no distant day will bring lasting peace".
March 17 - "Asa Dow sold his residence on North Huron St. to A. H. Goodrich receiving $14,000 for the house and house- hold furnishings".
"Mrs. Anna Wilkinson lost two children from Scarlet Fever". "THE DRAFT - NO DELAY - 13 men lacking in the 4th and 5th Wards".
March 24 - "We notice that the ground is broken and Robert Hemphill is devoting his sole attention to the work of erecting a suitable building for the Ypsilanti Woolen
Company . Hail to the first Ypsilanti factory!".
"A March storm with violent winds loosened the spire of the Presbyterian Church from its base and caused it to lean six feet toward northeast".
"Mrs. Mary H. Grant offers for sale her brick residence on Washington Street and adjoining lot. Also a quantity of elegant furniture in rosewood, walnut and mahogany, oil paintings and other items".
In 1865 the Income Tax was still a novelty and most people proud to have their income made public. Here are a few well known names and taxable income as published in the newspaper.
I.N. Conklin
$2200
Samuel Post $1600
C. Cornwell
4000
D. L. Quirk
5300
Asa Dow
5300
D. Showerman 800
Banjamin Follett
4000
John J. Thompson 919
R.W. Hemphill
650
Joseph Kitchen
1621
Robert Lambie
1157
D. McIntire
2865
E.J. Mills
4000
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April 7 - E.P. Bogardus elected Mayor of Ypsilanti. April 9 - Palm Sunday and surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, immaculate and handsome in his Army uniform, at Appomattox in the McLean House.
Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia April 10, 1865
General Order No. 9 After four years of arduous service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.
I need not tell the survivors of so many hard fought battles who have remained steadfast to the last, that I have con- sented to this result from no distrust of them.
But feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that would compensate for the loss that must have attended the continuence of the contest, I have determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have en- deared them to their countrymen.
By terms of the agreement, officers and men can return to their homes and remain until exchanged. You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed. I earnestly pray that a merciful God will extend to you His blessing and protection.
With an unceasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your country and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration for myself, I bid you all an affec- tionate farewell.
Robert E. Lee, General
This poignant farewell was written by a Staff Officer and circulated but never spoken by General Lee to his men.
April 9 - "Huge celebration over news of General Robert E. Lee's surrender".
April 14 - President Lincoln shot by John Wilkes Booth, while the President was attending a performance of "Our American Cousins" at Ford Theatre in Washington ..
April 15 - (From the 'waste book' of Francis Lamie) Had Agnes. (Mrs Dr. Inglis) and the children on a visit before they leave for the far West. Went to Sandwich ( Ontario) with them and got my papers. President Lincoln is shot and Seward killed
"John Hewins, are 18, second son of Jessie Hewens of Augusta, a member of Company "H" 24th Michigan, died at Camp Butler, Springfield, Illinois".
(From the diary of William Lambie) "My birthday -
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forty-four years of my life gone - heard that President Lincoln has been shot".
April 16 - ( Lambie diary) "Mr. Tindell preached about the President's death - the church draped in mourning".
April 19 - "Sober overflow crowds at Presbyterian Church and Hewitt Hall at the time of Lincoln's funeral".
Headquarters Military Division of Mississippi Washington, D.C. - May 23 1865
Dear Ma :
Last Saturday I went over to the Reg't and yester- day (Monday ) morning I had my Discharge Papers. Before noon had my money $331.55. Wandered around this little city of. Washington till night - got tired and went - to theatre. Then went to hotel and stayed ... Found Headquarters about 4 P.M. they had moved since Saturday into town from near Alexandria-tiring myself out looking at the Review of the Army of the Potomac.
General Sherman's Army is to be reviewed tomorrow. I couldn't think of going off and miss seeing the whole of this Grand Affair - the equal of which the world never yet saw and it will probably be some time before another such is seen.
I have seen the Capitol, Treasury Dept., War and Navy Depts., Patent Office, et.,etc.,also President Johnson and more Secretaries than you could shake a stick at ... Goodbye- Vett
June 4 - "Sunday, 20th Michigan Infantry passed thru City enroute to Jackson for mustering out".
The August 10 - "General Grant in Ypsilanti, August 15th. special train conveying the hero of a hundred battles paused here. There was a large gathering of people to greet him. The cars remained about ten minutes giving quite a number of citizens an opportunity to take him by the hand keeping him very busy. He looks every inch the soldier and has an intellectual look. The people delighted to do him honor" October 7 - "Some arguement over the location of a Catholic Cemetery in the Jarvis subdivision on Ann Street". "Real Estate Sale: Professor J.F. Cary to Addison Fletcher, farm half mile down the river, $9,000". December 2-"Dr. Edward Batwell, late surgeon of 14th Michigan Infantry has become a resident of our City". "A town clock is being erected in the Epis- copal Church by the Common Council aided by a number of citizens".
Editor C.R. Pattison thru the War years published many favorable articles about the colored troops and gave lecture.
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telling of the virtues of the colored people. Any time time he heard of a slight or insult by whites to the colored people he published the item and scolded the whites. He noted in 1865: " ... . the colored population in Ypsilanti is gradually improving. They now have two Churches ... " June 10 - "The Ypsilanti Commercial" printed an editorial from the PRESTON, Minnesota paper about the War coming to an end and 'every living soul, as soon as it ceases to be enslaved, becomes endowed with the rights of an American Citizen".
December 9 - "Comment from Ex-Governor Gates saying he disagrees with Governor Cox of Ohio who had said: ' ... white and colored cannot live in the same country .. ! In Washington one of the wealthy citizens is a colored man, and he employs white clerks who can not only endure the 'degredation' but very glad of the employment".
Adv. for Furniture: "William McAndrew and D. Stanway-Cabinet Ware - Hairs, Sofas, Bureaus, Marble-top tables - also keep a Hearse and Coffin and offers services on reasonable rates. Please call and examine work and prices. Congress Street two doors est of Bogardus Bank". December 16 - Nasby at Washington:" ... Since November elec- tions I have bin spending the best uv time in Washington. I find a melancholy pleasure in lingering around the scene of so many Demoocratic triumphs - Here wuz Brooks; the heroic bludgeoned Sumner; besides its the easiet place to dodge a board bill in the United States - there's so many Congress- men here who resemble me, that I have no difficulty in passing for one two-thirds of the time ... The power in the hands uv Radicals, a state of affairs disgusting in the extreme in the highly sensitive mind".
Petroleum V. Nasby is the name David Ross Locke used in writing his humerous sketches which were very popular during The War. In one of his long articles he has a soldier step forward to answer where he enlisted? The soldier briskly answered:
At New York, April 12, 1864 bounty . $1,000 and at Philadelphia, April 14, 1865, bounty $700 and at Pittsburgh April 16, 1364, bounty $800 and at Cincinnati April 18, 1864 bounty $400
Which perhaps explains why the Bounty system was abandoned. Nasby is often discouraged about "living in a Democratic community". .
January 6- 1386 - "Shall we have railroads? The most feasible is from Toledo thru Adrian, Tecumseh, Ypsilanti, Holly . on to Saginaw".
February 3- "Major James N. Wallace and his brother have returned to their home in Ypsilanti after an absence of nearly five years spent in the Army. Major Wallace has connected himself with the firm of McCormich, Wallace & Davis".
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February 3- Jesse James and Gang in first train robbery "Editorial Comment- Street Boys. In no other town have we witnessed such disgraceful acts on the part of street boys - Who is to blame for such a reckless class of boys? First the parents should be held responsible. And unless parental training is radically reformed woe to the rising generations !".
February 17 - "Business Card-Cornwell, Hemphill and Co., Bankers (Cornelius Cornwell and Robert W. Hemphill) NE corner of Congress & Huron Streets".
April 6- "First Post of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) formed at Decatur, Illinois". (The GAR became a political influence thru the following decades )
First National Encampment of the GAR was at Indianapolis, Indiana, November 2 1866. The last encampment was also held at Indianapolis, August 31 1949 with six of sixteen surviving veterns.
May 31 - Fenians invade Canada at Fort Erie-Canadian author- ities suppressed it.
June 9 - "Common Council-Resolved that the Street running East and West from River Street on the north side of 5th Ward Park be called 'Babbitt Street' - adopted.
June 16- "Three samples of cloth made by the new Woolen Mill were exhibited . These were specimens of the first work of the Mill. They were much admired".
"Lewis Cass, the veteran Statesman of Michigan, is dead at the ripe age of 83. Territorial Governor of Michigan, Secretary of War 1831, Ambassador to France 1836, United States Senator, 1845".
June 16- "Common Council-Resolved that Martin and Lucking have leave to establish a slaughter house south of River Street on the bank of the Huron River-adopted".
June 23 - "Married-Colonel J. Webster Childs of Ypsilanti and Miss Frances E. Crawford of Florida -and June 12th married Captain Lewis E. Childs of Ypsilanti to Fannie H. Richardson of Mass".
July 7- "Common Council-Resolved that the duty to the dead will be best performed by vacating the Cemetary on Summit Street".
July 27- First Cable across Atlantic Ocean completed. Four room brick schoolhouse built NW corner E. Congress and N. Prospect (5th Ward School).
August 1- "Emancipation Day Celebration. Delegations from neighboring towns met in the morning at the A. M. E. Church. March to Cross's Grove where all enjoyed 'feast of reason and flow of ... lemonade, etc".
"William McAndrew joined with James N. Wallace and William J. Clarke for Furniture and Undertaking".
"William S. Henderson and Henry P. Glover bought out Samuel Post 'Drygoods' . (In a short time, Henderson withdrew and it was just 'Glover' located NW corner Congress and N. Huron).
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August 18- "The President is to be in Detroit on the 4th of September, on his way to attend the Douglas Monument Inauguration".
September 1- "The President and his train of Bread and Butter men will pass thru Ypsilanti on September 6th, next
Thursday. Let those, and only those, who greet him who
cursed him two years ago. Let Republicans reserve their shouts for Grant and Farragut".
From the diary of William Lambie -
September 5- Frank and I went to the Depot saw some of the great men of the earth - President Johnson, General Grant, Seward, Farragut and some other leading men.
September 6- Beautiful cool morning. Have hardly any money in the house - almost no water in well- nobody seems to want to buy our wheat or thrash our wheat-the cows get over the fence and give very little milk. I don't seem to be able to do much good ...
September 8"PRESIDENT AND SUITE IN YPSILANTI-There was a very fair turnout to see the President. Many had never seen one before. It was an amazing pity that they could not look upon a better speciment for the first time. There was but little enthusiasm - Grant and Farragut receiving the only cheers given. The speech we will not retail to our readers We had read it in print a dozen times. It was packed with bombast, sophistry and lies. His looks don't belie him - a skin distended to its utmost limits with whiskey. A
.
good many Republicans staid away, feeling a good deal as the Michigan Colonel did: " ... you may take Johnson boiled, fried, stewed or sanwiched between two as good potatoes as Grant and Farragut and he stinks' ".
DonAmber 21 -1366 Rev. Ebenezer Cheeves, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church died.
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We are indebted to "Stories of Civil War Songs" by Ernest K. Emurian; Chapman's "Illustrated History of Washtenaw County"; Gilpin's "The Territory of Michigan 1805-1837"; "All Our Yesterdays" by Frank B. and Arthur Woodford; "Mr. Jefferson's Disciple-A Life of Justice Woodward" - and the old newspapers, books, and records in Ypsilanti Historical Archives.
Foster L.Fletcher City Historian
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