History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 11

Author: D.W. Ensign & Co. pub; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, D. W. Ensign & Co.
Number of Pages: 821

USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 11
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 11

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).

1871 the south pier was extended 416 feet, and in 1872- 73 the appropriations were used for repairs and protection of work. In 1876, on account of the increased tonnage of Benton Harbor and the necessity of protecting and fostering the fruit interest, an appropriation was asked to dredge away the bar, build a wing-dam, and construct a revetment in Paw Paw River.

The operations for 1878-79 were to construct and sink two cribs in extension of the north pier, one 50 by 24 by 22} feet, the other 50 by 30 by 22} feet. The operations for 1879, with the appropriation of $10,953, were the con- struction for north pier, of a crib 50 by 30 by 262 feet, the completion of a wing-dam at the mouth of Benton Harbor canal by extension 200 feet, and the building of a trimming wall or dam of brush and stone 300 feet, at root of wing- dam, to confine Paw Paw River to its channel.

The harbor of New Buffalo was first known and visited in 1834, as has been mentioned. At about the same time Lieut. Eveleth, who was engaged in a survey of the south- eastern shores of Lake Michigan, was drowned, at or near the entrance of this harbor. Some time after, Lieuts. Ber- rien and Rose were sent by the government to make a sur- vey and examination of this part of the coast and of the mouth of Galien River, in regard to its adaptation for harbor purposes. Lieut. T. B. W. Stockton, of the regular army (afterwards colonel of the 1st Michigan Regiment, in the Mexican war, and colonel of the 16th Michigan, in the war of the Rebellion), was also detailed in the spring of 1838 to make an examination into the advisability of erecting a lighthouse and making some harbor improve- ments at this place. The reports of these officers were favorable, and an appropriation was finally made for the erection of a lighthouse at this point.

The place had then scarcely been heard of as a lake-port, and the Secretary of War wrote letters to several persons, in- quiring as to where the proposed lighthouse was to be located. The site was decided on in September, 1838, and the lighthouse was built in the following year. The struc- ture appears to have been located without much judgment, for about eighteen years after its erection its foundation became undermined by the action of the water, and it toppled and fell. No new light-tower was erected in its place, for the reason that the navigation centering at the harbor was no longer of sufficient importance to require a light.

For the purpose of improving the harbor and rendering it more accessible, an appropriation of ten thousand dollars was made about 1854. A part of this appropriation was used in the purchase of timber, but beyond this nothing was done at that time, and the unexpended balance of the ten thousand dollars was covered into the treasury. A further appropriation, however, was secured, in or about 1865, to the amount of thirty thousand dollars, and this, or a large portion of it, was expended in crib-work at the harbor entrance. This was the last money expended on the harbor of New Buffalo. Previously (1847 to 1849) the Michigan Central Railroad Company had expended here five times the amount which has ever been appropri- ated by government for the improvement of the harbor.

HISTORY OF BERRIEN AND VAN BUREN COUNTIES, MICHIGAN.

The total amount expended by the government and the company at this place is fully three hundred thousand dol- lars, the results of which have long since ceased to be of any practical utility.

South Haven Harbor was first improved (or rather it may be said to have been created) by work which was com- menced in 1862 and continued through several following years, and which was paid for with funds voted by South Haven and other townships interested in the securing of harbor facilities at this point. Prior to the time named, and after the erection of the lumber-mills at South Haven, something had been done towards improvement, but the results were of very little importance, and the mouth of the river remained virtually closed against navigation.

In 1861 the Legislature passed an act (approved Feb- ruary 25th) " to provide for the laying of a special tax in certain townships in Van Buren and Allegan Counties, herein named, for the improvement of South Black River, in the county of Van Buren." This act provided " that the legal voters of the townships of South Haven, Deerfield, Bangor, Arlington, Columbia, and Geneva, in the county of Van Buren, and the townships of Casco, Ganges, and Lee, in the county of Allegan, are hereby authorized and empowered to vote annually for ten years, at the annual township-meetings for the election of township officers, for a special tax, not exceeding one per cent. on the taxable property of each township, to be expended in improve- ment of the harbor of South Black River, in the county of Van Buren." Emory O. Briggs, of Arlington, Daniel G. Wright, of South Haven, and Timothy McDowell, of Casco, were appointed commissioners " to receive orders drawn on township treasurers for all moneys, and to appropriate the same for the improvement of said harbor."

The aggregate amount raised by the several townships under the provisions of this act was nearly twenty thousand dollars. The improvements made by aid of this fund con- sisted of piering, piling for the protection of the river banks, and other work. Two piers were built, extending into the lake, diverging from each other at an angle of thirty degrees, and the north one being the longer. These piers were of crib-work, except about eighty feet of the north one, which was of piles. The banks of the river, for a distance of five hundred feet on each side, were protected by close piling. This work was done in 1862 and a few succeeding years, but, although a comparatively large sum was thus expended, the harbor was not made accessible, except for vessels of small size.

Repeated petitions for a government appropriation for this harbor finally resulted in an order for a preliminary survey, which was made in November, 1866, and a plan was reported by the engineer for the construction of two parallel piers, one hundred and eighty feet apart, to be ex- tended into the lake to a depth of twelve feet of water. Upon this report an appropriation of forty-three thousand dollars was made in 1867, and the work was commenced in the same year. In November, 1868, there had been con- structed three hundred and fifty-two feet of piering on the north side of the channel, and three hundred and twenty feet on the south side. In August, 1869, another survey was

made, and under this survey work was commenced June 14, 1870. While the operations were in progress another survey was made (Aug. 17 to 24, 1871); and when the work was completed, in 1872, the north pier had been extended four hundred feet and the south pier four hundred and fifty-two feet. In soundings made April 10th to 19th, in that year, an average depth of eight and one-half feet of water was found at the entrance, and not less than seven feet in any part of the channel, though the lake level was at that time about a foot lower than in previous years.

In a report made by O. C. Lathrop, H. E. Bidwell, and A. S. Dyckman,* in 1871, these gentlemen, in referring to the harbor and shipping facilities of South Haven, make this remark : " It is a village of about two thousand inhabi- tants, having increased to that number from four hundred in the last four years. Four years ago she had no harbor, the shifting sands of Lake Michigan blockading the mouth of the river, so that it was accessible only to the smallest sailing-craft. Now, by means of piering, she has a harbor capable of accommodating the largest vessels and steamers that ply on the great lakes."

In 1871 a lighthouse was built on the south pier, mount- ing a Funk hydraulic lamp of the fifth order. It was first used in 1872. The first keeper was Capt. William P. Bryan, who was succeeded in 1874 by Capt. J. A. Dona- hue, the present keeper.

In the spring of 1873 repairs were made on the south pier, and both were extended. Up to August of that year the north pier extension had reached two hundred feet, and the south pier fifty feet. On the 18th of November, 1873, a heavy northwest gale drove the crib at the head of the north pier from its place, and on the 13th of March, 1874, the crib at the end of the south pier was displaced. These cribs were re-sunk in 1874, and soundings made at that time developed a depth of nine feet of water from the lake to the warehouse dock.

In the winter of 1875 a breach was made through the south pier, which increased during the winter and spring to a length of ninety fect. From this cause the channel was filled so that but six and one-half feet of water was found at that point, which prevented vessels from entering, and obliged them to load and unload at the pier outside the ob- struction. The breach was repaired in the spring of 1876, and five hundred and twenty-five feet of pile revetment was added to the north pier during the same season.

The operations of 1878-79 were confined to the con- struction of four hundred and fifty feet of revetment, ex- tending the north revetment in an easterly direction, with dredging of the channel, and necessary repairs.

The appropriations which have been made for this har- bor since the first appropriation of $43,000 have been as fol- lows: In 1870, $10,000; 1871, $15,000; 1872, $12,000; 1873, $20,000; 1874, $10,000; 1875, $10,000; 1876, $10,000 ; 1878, $12,000 ; 1879, $12,400. The appropri- ation of 1879 was applied to extension of the north pier by the sinking of cribs and to the dredging of the channel.

# A committee appointed by the South Haven Pomological Society to prepare a report on the advantages of this section for the growing and shipment of fruit.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

The lake coast of Van Buren and Berrien Counties has proved a dangerous one to navigators, as is shown by the great number of wrecks with which it has been strewed during the past half-century. A few of the earliest disas- ters occurring here were, the loss of the steamer " Pioneer," before mentioned ; of the large schooner " Bridget," Capt. Peter Druyea, which foundered eighteen miles north of the mouth of the St. Joseph and was lost, with all hands (four- teen in number, including passengers), in the fall of 1834; the wreck (but not total loss) of the schooner " Juliet," in the same year, just north of the mouth of the St. Joseph ; the drowning of the captain, four sailors, and a passenger of the schooner "Austerlitz," in attempting to land at St. Joseph in 1833; the total loss of the steamer " Champlain," on the coast of Berrien, in 1838; the wrecking of the three-masted schooner " Laporte," Capt. Webster, at the entrance of South Haven harbor, in the fall of 1838; and the loss of the schooner " Florida," near the same place, in 1842. If the various disasters on this section of the coast, from that time to the present, were enumerated in detail, the list would be a long and formidable one. One of the most heartrending of the disasters was the loss of the steamer " Hippocampus" on her passage from St. Jo- seph to Chicago, in 1868. The loss of this vessel is more fully mentioned in the history of St. Joseph.

CHAPTER VII. INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

Early Routes of Travel-The River Highway-Indian Trails-Roads cut by Pioneers-The "Chicago Road"-Territorial Roads-State Roads-Plank-Roads-Stage Routes-Railroads-The Detroit and St. Joseph Railroad Company-The Michigan Central Railroad- The Michigan Southern-Kalamazoo and South Haven Railroad- The Constantine and Niles Canal or Railroad Company-St. Joseph Valley Railroad Company-Elkhart and Lake Michigan Railroad- Chicago and West Michigan Railroad-Paw Paw Railroad-Toledo and South Haven Railroad-Michigan Air-Line Railroad.

IN all countries and regions where the first settlers are of the Anglo-Saxon race, their earliest labors are directed to the securing of practicable routes of travel; and the opening of these, however rude and primitive they may be, is the first step in the direction of public internal improve- ment. The immigrant, in traveling towards his prospective home in the wilderness, must bestow some labor-be it more or less-in opening a route over which to reach it with his family and the few household necessaries which he brings with him. In heavily-timbered countries-such as was a large part of the region to which this history has especial reference-this task is often a heavy one, while it is com- paratively trifling in such a country as was found in other portions of Berrien and Van Buren Counties,-a country more thinly wooded, where access could be had to almost any spot through the convenient openings. But even in these parts the new-comers were obliged to have frequent recourse to the axe to open a path through intervening thickets, or to fell a few trees to make a solid way across streams or marshy places. And this work, though light and insignificant, was road-building,-an improvement

which it was necessary to make before the settler could reach the spot where his cabin was to be reared.

Those who came to settle in the valley of the St. Joseph, entering the country from the south and southeast, found a practicable highway in the river, down which they could float in pirogues and other light craft, and thus reach their destinations (if these chanced to be in the vicinity of the stream) with comparative ease. But this was the case with only a small proportion of the settlers even in Berrien, while in Van Buren County, nature had prepared no such convenient water-way, and routes of travel could only be had by opening them through the heavy forest-growth which sprang from the fertile soil.

The first land highways were the Indian trails, of which there were several passing through this region. One of these, coming from the Ottawa settlements at L'Arbre Croche (at Little Traverse Bay), passed southward through the wilderness to the rapids of the Grand River, and thence through the present counties of Kent, Allegan, and Van Buren to the villages of the Pottawattamies, on the St. Joseph. Another, starting from Saginaw, passed up the Saginaw and Shiawassee Rivers, and through the forests to Ionia (or where Ionia now is), and thence south westwardly through Barry and Van Buren Counties to the Pottawatta- mie headquarters. These trails, branching, led both to the mouth of the St. Joseph and to the more numerous vil- lages in the vicinity of Niles. There were other trails leading from the dominion of old Topinabe in various direc- tions, including those running south to the Wabash and eastwardly to the Kalamazoo and the head-waters of the Grand and Huron Rivers. But the principal one-the one over which there was more Indian travel than any, and probably more than on all the others-was that which, lead- ing southward from Green Bay and the rivers of Wiscon- sin, passed round the head of Lake Michigan, thence north- easterly by way of Pokagon's village in the southeast part of Berrien, and on through the wilderness to the Detroit River. It was over this trail that from time immemorial the warriors of the Sauk, Outagamie, Winnebago, and other tribes had passed in their expeditions, and it was along this great path that for many years following 1815 almost entire tribes-men, women, and children-traveled on their way from the northwest to Malden, in Canada, where once a year the British government disbursed the annuities (a small sum per capita to Indians of both sexes and all ages), promised in payment of the services rendered by the savages in the war of 1812. The route of this ancient Indian highway was almost identical with that of the later " Chicago road,"* over which many of the early immigrants passed on their way to places of settlement in Southwestern Michigan.

By act of Congress, passed April 30, 1824, the President of the United States was authorized "to cause the neces- sary surveys, plans, and estimates to be made of the routes of such roads and canals as he may deem of national im- portance in a commercial or military point of view, or

# Article VI. of the treaty held at Chicago in 1821 provides that "the United States shall have the privilege of making and using a road through the Indian country, from Detroit and Fort Wayne, re- spectively, to Chicago."

HISTORY OF BERRIEN AND VAN BUREN COUNTIES, MICHIGAN.

necessary for the transportation of the public mail." He was also authorized to employ two or more skillful engineers for the purpose, and the sum of thirty thousand dollars was appropriated for the surveys. This was the first of the Congressional acts which resulted in the construction of the old Detroit and Chicago road, this being one of the principal routes which the President " deemed of national importance," and for the survey of which the sum of ten thousand dollars was apportioned from the appropriation made by Congress. The great influence of Gen. Cass was exerted, and was very effective, in procuring the location and construction of this road.

In the survey-commenced at the eastern end in 1825- the chief engineer started on the plan of running on nearly straight lines. He soon found, however, that if he followed this plan, cutting a vista for his compass through the dense woods, and spending a large part of his time in searching out good routes and eligible bridge-crossings, the money would all be expended long before he would have completed his work. So he determined to follow the " Chicago trail," -the old pathway which the Indians had followed for ages. This he did so faithfully that it is said there is not an angle, bend, or turn of the Indian trail which is not pre- served by the present road from Chicago to Detroit, except for a short distance in Washtenaw County. This is a somewhat exaggerated statement, but a glance at the map will show that there are angles enough in the present road to give some color of truth to it.

The Indians had avoided the worst marshes, which were the principal obstructions to road-making, and, what was equally important, they had selected the best fording places of the creeks and rivers. The trail, and consequently the road, passed from Detroit southwesterly, crossing the orig- inal southern boundary line of Michigan surveys* in range 9 west, continuing westward between that line and the present boundary line of Michigan, crossing the St. Joseph River at the mouth of Pigeon River, continuing westwardly, nearly in a direct line, to " Parc aux Vaches," the Bertrand trading post, on the St. Joseph River, and west through the village of the Indian chief Pokagon, passing out of the State of Michigan five and a half miles west of the St. Joseph River. This route was surveyed through Cass and Berrien Counties in 1832 and 1833 by Daniel G. Garnsey, afterwards one of the proprietors of Bertrand village. The road was not completed until 1836.

In the period extending from 1829 to the erection of Michigan as a State, the Legislative Council of the Territory authorized the laying out and establishment of a number of roads leading to the St. Joseph, Black, and Galien Rivers, and to other objective points within the counties of Berrien and Van Buren. The first of these (authorized by act ap- proved Nov. 4, 1829) was a " Territorial road, commencing in the Chicago road, at or near the inn of Timothy S. Shel- don, in the township of Plymouth, in the county of Wayne;

thence west, on the most eligible route through the village of Ann Arbor, by Samuel Clement's, to Grand River, where the St. Joseph trail crosses the same, and also through the Cohgwagiac and Grand Prairies ; thence westerly, on the most eligible route to or near the Paw Paw, to the mouth of St. Joseph River, of Lake Michigan." The commissioners appointed by the act " to lay out and establish" this road were Seely Neal, of Panama, Orren White, of Ann Arbor, in the county of Washtenaw, and Jehial Enos, of Grand Prairie of Kalamazoo.

A road was authorized by act approved July 30, 1830, " commencing where the township road laid out by the commissioners of Ontwa township, Cass Co., from Pleasant Lake, in a direction to Pulaski, in Indiana, intersects the southern boundary line between the Territory of Michigan and the State of Indiana; thence on the road laid out as aforesaid until it intersects the Chicago road a few rods east of the post-office, near the house of Ezra Beardsley, running thence, on the most eligible and practicable route to the entrance of the river St. Joseph, into Lake Mich- igan." The commissioners appointed to lay out and estab- lish this road were George Meachem, John Bogert, and Squire Thompson.

By act of the Legislative Council, approved in June, 1832, two Territorial roads were authorized to be laid out and established partially in Berrien County, viz. :

A road "commencing at the county seat of Branch County, running westerly, on the most direct and eligible route, through the seats of justice for St. Joseph and Cass Counties, to the mouth of St. Joseph River." Squire Thompson, C. K. Green, and Alexander Redfield, commis- sioners. And " a territorial road commencing at Jackson- burg, in the county of Jackson, thence running southwest- erly, on the most direct and eligible route, to or near the north bend of St. Joseph River, in range 5, west ; thence westerly, on the most direct and eligible route, through Big Prairie Ronde, to the mouth of St. Joseph River." Lyman J. Daniels, Edwin H. Lathrop, and William E. Perrin were appointed commissioners to lay out and estab- lish this road.

In March and April, 1833, the council passed acts au- thorizing and directing the laying out of the following Ter- ritorial roads :

1. " A road beginning at the village of Niles, in Berrien County ; thence running, on the most direct and eligible route, through the county-seat of Kalamazoo County, to the village of Saginaw, in Saginaw County." Lucius Lyon, Jacob Beeson, and Ephraim S. Williams, commissioners.

2. " A road commencing at or near the mouth of the St. Joseph River, in the county of Berrien, thence to the northern boundary of Indiana, on the most direct and eli- gible route, towards South Bend, in Indiana ; provided the commissioners appointed to lay out the road do not cause it to be laid through the reservation belonging to the Potta- wattamie Indians without their consent." James F. Law, Lemuel L. Johnson, and Jehial Enos were the commis- sioners appointed to lay out and establish.

3. A road " from at or near the mouth of St. Joseph River, in Berrien County, thence running to the northern boundary of Indiana, on the most direct and eligible route

# The south boundary of the original surveys of the public lands of Southern Michigan was three and a half miles north of the present southern boundary of the State. This line, as well as the route of the Chicago road, is shown on a " Plat of the Northern Boundary of Indiana, Surveyed in Conformity to Act of Congress, ' To authorize the President of the United States to ascertain and designate the Northern Boundary of Indiana,' passed March 2d, 1827."

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

to Chicago, in the State of Illinois." John Wittenmyer, Jehial Enos, and Fowler Preston, commissioners.

4. " A road from the village of Schoolcraft, in Kalama- zoo County, on the most direct and eligible route, by the Paw Paw Landing, to the mouth of Black River, between the mouth of St. Joseph and Kalamazoo Rivers." Joseph A. Smith, John Perrine, and Abiel Fellows, commissioners.

5. Sterling Adams, Charles Jones, and Lyman J. Daniels were appointed commissioners "to lay out and establish a road from Adamsville, in Cass County, on the most direct and eligible route, to the Paw Paw River, at or near the centre of Van Buren County."

6. George Meachem, Elijah Lacey, and Fowler Preston were appointed commissioners " to lay out a road from Ed- wardsburg, in Cass County, through the village of Niles, to the mouth of St. Joseph River, in Berrien County."

On the 7th of March, 1834, the three following-named roads were ordered laid out and established, viz. :

1. A road " to be laid out from Mottville, through St. Joseph, Cass, and Berrien Counties, to the mouth of St. Joseph River." Henry H. Fowler, Hart L. Stewart, and John Woolman, commissioners.

2. " A road from Niles, in Berrien County, on the most direct and eligible route, to the mouth of Galien River, in that county." Erasmus Winslow, Jacob Beeson, and Ben- jamin Redding, commissioners.

3. A road " from Marshall, in Calhoun County, through Climax Prairie, on the most direct and eligible route, to the county-seat of Van Buren County." Michael Spencer, Benjamin F. Dwinnell, and Nathaniel E. Matthews, com- missioners.

An act, approved Jan. 30, 1835, appointed James Cowen, Michael Beedle, and D. McCamly commissioners " to lay out and establish a road from Jacksonburg through Casso- polis to the mouth of St. Joseph River;" and by the same act, James Newton, Henry Jones, and Elijah Lacey were authorized to lay out a road from Cassopolis to Galien River.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 11

Author: D.W. Ensign & Co. pub; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Johnson, Crisfield Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia, D. W. Ensign & Co. Number of Pages: 821

Author: D.W. Ensign & Co. pub; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, D. W. Ensign & Co.
Number of Pages: 821