USA > Michigan > Branch County > History of Branch county, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 10
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'That autumn Mr. Allen Tibbits, the well-known resi- dent of Coldwater, then a young local Methodist preacher at Plymouth, twenty-five miles west of Detroit, set out to seek a new habitation. Traveling, as did almost every one, on horseback, he followed an Indian trail from Jack- son to Allen's Prairie, losing one day on account of taking the wrong trail, and falling in with Benjamin Smith, Martin Barnhart, and a Mr. Freeman on the way. The four came to Morse's tavern, and thence to Cocoosh Prairie. Barnhart and Smith selected land on West Cocoosh, which
they soon bought, but Tibbits did not become a resident of the county till the next year.
In December came another of the oldest of the old resi- dents, Harvey Warner, now of Coldwater township. After determining to make his home in the county, he returned to Clinton, in this State, and sent Barnabas Wilkinson and James S. Brooks to build a new hotel for A. F. Bolton. This was the first framed building in the county, and was situated on the Chicago road, on the east side of Coldwater River, where the county-seat had first been located.
Loren Marsh came this spring and established a trading- post in the east part of the present township of Coldwater. He afterwards moved to the old post west of Coldwater River, where he remained several years, having a large trade with the Indians, and great influence over them. Ile is well remembered by many old settlers.
The taxes of the township of Green (that is, of the whole county of Braneh) for the year 1830, eolleeted by Collector John G. Richardson, and turned over to Super- visor Seth Dunham, amounted to seven dollars and thirty- six cents. The supervisor's commission on it, at five per cent., was thirty-seven cents.
The second school in the county was taught by Colum- bia Lancaster, whose permanent home was in St. Joseph County. Columbia Lancaster was a well-known man in Southern Michigan between forty and fifty years ago. He was somewhat celebrated as a lawyer, and still more so as a hunter, being reported to have killed three hundred and sixty-six deer in one year. He frequently acted as prose- euting attorney of this and St. Joseph Connties, and was regularly appointed to that position in the latter eounty by the Governor in 1835. Many years afterwards he removed to Washington Territory, and in 1854 was elected delegate in Congress from that Territory. Even while teaching school, as he did in the beginning of his professional career, he managed to inerease his revenue by trapping, besides killing all the venison needed by the neighborhood.
In April, 1831, the township-meeting of Green was hell, according to the recollection of Mr. Adams, at the Indian trading-post just west of Coldwater River. Mr. Adams did not go himself, but his partner, Willard Pierce, did, and was elected to one of the minor offices. Mr. Pierce, however, returned East that same season. Some doubt has been expressed regarding the holding of this meeting at the trading-post, but a town-meeting was certainly held somewhere in the county that year, Seth Dunham being re-elected supervisor, and John Morse being chosen both collector and township elerk, as appears by subsequent records. It seems probable that Mr. Adams' recollection is eorreet as to the location.
In the spring of 1831 a new land-district was established, consisting of all that part of Michigan west of the principal meridian ; the office being at White Pigeon, St. Joseph Co. This was somewhat more convenient than Monroe had been, being not more than fifty miles from the most distant part of Braneh County.
In the forepart of 1831, also, another effort was made to establish a county-seat for Branch County. New commis- sioners were appointed, under an act of March 4, 1831, who again came to view the ground. Again Mr. Bolton
.
43
IHISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
explained the situation and facilities of his location, but without avail. For reasons best known to themselves, the commissioners decided to locate the county-seat at a point on the west side of the west branch of Coldwater River three-fourths of a mile down stream (north ) from the Poca- hontas Mills before mentioned. The " stake was stuck" in the forest where not a tree had been ent, near the line between sections 19 and 30, township 6, range 6 (Cold- water).
Messrs. Elisha Warren and others speedily purchased a traet of land around the stake in question, and laid out a village, to which they gave the name of Branch. We be- lieve, however, that a single log house, and a clearing large enough for it to stand in, constituted the improvements at the new county-seat for the year 1831. It will be remem- bered that the county was still unorganized, and the county- seat had no official business to support it, but must depend on the glories of the future.
The population of Branch County was increased by what seemed quite a large number of settlers in 1831. Mr. Warren returned with his young wife, and began keeping hotel in Bolton's new building on the Coldwater. Allen Tibbits also returned, and located on the site of Coldwater City. Samuel Craig-whose widow, Mrs. Eliza Craig, is still living in Girard-moved to that township from Al- len's Prairie ; Joseph C. Corbus came with him, exchanging farms with his brother Richard ; Benjamin Smith came to the place he had previously selected the same season ; and Henry Van Ilyning moved into a house he had erceted the year before. James B. Tompkins, a surveyor, came to the same township in July, and has resided there till the pres- ent time. In fact, the population of the county had by this time become so numerous that we must leave the men- tion of individual emigrants to the writers on the various townships, except in some marked cases.
Dr. Enoch Chase, who came in 1831, and located at Cold- water, was the second physician in the county ; and, as Dr. Hill soon left, Chase had the field to himself for a short time.
The " mark" records were continued in 1831 ; the next after the one before copied being the following :
" Wm. II. Cross, his mark for cattle, sheep, hogs, a swallow fork in the left car.
" COLDWATER, April 4, 1831.
" JOHN MORSE, Clerk."
Another mark was recorded by R. J. Cross the same day. The above not only shows that town officers were acting in 1831, but that the name of Coldwater had already been adopted for the locality to which it now pertains. Another evidence on the question of officers is the following from the same book :
"This may certify thnt Jabo Bronson has taken the oath as over- sver of the poor for the town of fireen.
" April 12, 1831.
" JOHN MORSE, Cler! . "
The next entry shows the division of the township (that is, of the county ) into road-districts, though in rather awk- ward language :
" For the township of Green. This may certify that the district No. I and district No. 2 and distriet No. 3, also No. 4 and 5, which are recorded this twenty-third day of April, 1831.
"JOHN MORSE, Clerk."
The next step in regard to roads was the one described in the ensuing record :
" At a meeting of the commissioners of highways, for the town of Green, on the 11th of May, 1831, the following persons were appointed overseers of highways [pathmasters] : District No. I. Martin Barn- hart; No. 2, Robert Cross; No. 3, John Allen: No. 4, Jeremiah Tillotson ; No. 5, Williard Pierce.
" May 16, 1831. " Jons Mouse, Cierk. " W's. H. Cross, " E. S. HANCHETT, " Commissioners of Highways."
The first record of the establishment of a road in the county is the one given below. (It will be understood that the Chicago road, being laid out by the general government, needed no action by town or county officials. ) The ensuing record was made in 1831, but the exact date is not given :
"Survey of a road established by the commissioners of highways of the town of Green, county of St. Joseph [strictly speaking, it should have been county of Branch, attached to St. Joseph] : commencing at the line at corners of sections 33 and 34, township 4 south, range 6 west, and sections 3 and 4, townships 5 south, range 6 west; and runs thence south on section line nine miles to the corner of seetions 15, 16, 21. 22, township 6 south, range 6 we-t.
" J. B. TOMPKINS, Surreyor. " WILLIAM H. CROSS, " EDWARD S. HANCHETT, " Commissioners of Highway .. "
The above is now known as the Marshall road, running from the centre of Coldwater City north to the county line. Two other records of 1831 were the following :
" The township of Green to Seth Dunham, Dr. To one day's ser- viec as inspector of election, $1; travel forty miles and make return to clerk's office, 82,50; canvassing votes at clerk's office, $1; travel forty miles, 82.50."
" Township of Green to John Morse, Dr. For serving as clerk for electing delegate, July, 1831, $1."
"JOHN MORSE, Clerk."
All these items show beyond question that there was a fully-organized township in 1831, a point which has been disputed by several persons.
The Indians still remained in their old locations, occupy- ing their bark huts in summer, and going on hunting ex- cursions in winter. They were sometimes inclined to be troublesome, but not extremely so. A piece of land which the Indians had used for their gardens and corn ground happened to be a part of the tract which Mr. Van Hyning purchased. The latter proceeded to plow it up, with the intention of planting it to corn. A stalwart Indian stopped him, and declared that the cultivated ground was his, and Van Ilyning must not use it. A serious quarrel seemed likely to ensue. One of the Corbuses mediated between the con- testants, and at length Van Hyning agreed to give the In- dian half' the corn raised on the cultivated ground, which was only a small tract.
The Indians seemed to have a kind of idea that, although they had sold their land, yet they had a special right to whatever improvements might have been put upon it by them. Another and more marked example of this occurred on the land of Mr. J. B. Tompkins, within a short time
44
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
after his settlement. This inclosed the Indian village at Girard, and there were four good-sized apple-trees upon it. Some of the squaws frequently came to Mr. Tompkins and demanded pay for those trees. The Indians, they said, might have sold the land, but they (the squaws) had planted those apple-trees and taken care of them, and they insisted on having pay for them. Mr. Tompkins naturally under- stood that when he bought the land he bought all the trees there were on it, and declined to pay further.
One morning, about day-break, he was told by one of his family that some one was cutting down his apple-trees. Hurrying out, he found an old squaw and a young one busily at work with their rude, light axes, commonly called " squaw hatchets." They had already eut down three of the four trees, and not only that, but, apparently fearing lest the white man's art might set them growing again, they had cut the branches in small pieces and had carried off the trunks and hidden them.
When Mr. Tompkins reached the spot the younger squaw had raised her hatchet to attack the last tree. Mr. T. ealled a halt, and obtaining the services of his neighbor, Mr. MeCarty, who could talk Indian, proceeded to hold a parley with the aboriginal champions of woman's rights. After a good deal of palaver the squaws agreed not to cut down the last tree, in consideration of a liberal donation of flour. It was afterwards girdled twice,-onee at the roots and onee higher up. Yet the Indian hatchets were so dull that the girdling was not thoroughly done, new bark grew where the old had been eut away, and the tree continued to bear fruit.
Indians were quite as repugnant to the white men's horses and cattle as they were to the white men themselves. The first cattle that Mr. Tompkins brought into the county were almost certain to run away if an Indian approached them. When driving along in the night, if they threw up their heads and began to show signs of fear, the owner was pretty sure that one or more Indians were coming, even be- fore he could see them himself. Dismounting from his wagon, he would at onee nnhitch his oxen, and chain them to a tree until the cause of their fright had passed. Other old residents give the same account of the antipathy of their animals for the red men. Hon. Harvey Haynes gave us an amusing account of this antipathy, and although it occurred several years later than the time now under con- sideration (Mr. Haynes came to the county in 1836) yet it will be most apposite here :
Mr. Haynes says he never was tempted to be a missionary but once, and that was shortly after he came into the county. He was then a youth of about sixteen or seven- teen years. Among the Indians who frequently passed his father's house (on the premises now occupied by Mr. Haynes) was a peculiarly smart, bright-looking boy, a little younger than himself. The family showed a liking for the eute-looking son of the forest, and he became a frequent visitor, generally managing to get something to eat at each visit.
" Now," thought young Harvey to himself, "if I can teach my aboriginal brother how to work on a farm, it will be a great blessing to him ; it will enable him to earn a eiv- ilized subsistence during life, and may, perhaps, bring some recompense for the board he manages to obtain." Accord-
ingly the white boy, beginning cautiously, showed his red friend how to do some simple chores about the house and barn, which the latter did without demur.
At length one morning, late in autumn, the Indian came bright and early and obtained a good breakfast, when Ilar- vey decided to carry forward his education another step and employ him on a more important task than before. His own work for the day was to attend to the threshing of' a quantity of grain by the old-fashioned method of " treading it out;" driving horses back and forth over it, and changing the straw when necessary. He thought he would have Master Indian drive the horses, while he him- self would attend to shaking up the straw, changing the " floorings," etc. So the two went to the barn together, and young Haynes threw down a flooring of grain and ex- plained to the other by signs and such few words of English as the latter could understand what was to be done. The youth was perfectly willing.
" Yes-yes-good-Indian drive horse-all right."
Accordingly Harvey brought the horses on to the barn floor,-a young, active, powerful team, full of life and vigor. But no sooner had they got a fair sight of the young aboriginal than they began to snort and dance. The more young Haynes tried to hold them the more they would not be held. They reared and jumped and bounded, and tore around the barn-floor more like wild animals than civilized, Christian quadrupeds. The Indian cowered in a eorner and Harvey was soon obliged to give up all attempts at managing his steeds. It was hard to tell which was the most frightened : the furious horses, the would-be mis- sionary, or the intended neophyte.
The animals grew worse and worse, and Harvey was compelled to seek safety by climbing up the ladder between the barn-floor and hay-mow. As he did so he saw the In- dian darting ont through a hole in the back of the barn. As soon as he was gone the horses began to cool down. In a few moments their master was able to descend from his perch, and he immediately ran out-doors to see what had become of his pupil. He saw him running northward at full speed across the fields, turning neither to the right nor the left, never looking behind him, and having already almost reached the shelter of the forest. Beneath its friendly shadows he soon disappeared, and never more were his dark features seen at the home of his former friends. It is doubtful if he ever visited Coldwater again from that time till the removal of his tribe to the Far West. Ile had enough of civilization, and young Haynes was equally well satisfied with his one effort as a mission- ary, and never again attempted that rôle.
Wolves as well as Indians were numerous and trouble- some. Mr. Tibbits mentions driving them out of his barn- yard after there was quite a little settlement at Coldwater. They were mostly of the ordinary gray species, but once in a great while a huge black wolf would be seen, the largest and fiercest of his race.
By the end of 1831 there was a population of thirty or forty families in the county, mostly, if not entirely, in the present towns of Bronson, Coldwater, and Girard. Pros- perity seemed to be assured, and schemes of laying out villages began to be talked over with great confidence.
45
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
In the beginning of 1832, Silas A. Holbrook, whose amiable and venerable widow still resides at Coldwater, came to the place where that city was to be, and established the first store in the county, aside from the Indian trading- posts. It was a diminutive affair, but it marked the be- ginning of an important commerce.
On the 2d day of April, 1832, the third town-meeting of Green was held at a small cabin near the Pocahontas Mills. This was the meeting which has generally been considered as the first in the county, perhaps because it was the first of which there was any direct record, though in fact it was two years subsequent to the first meeting.
Before giving the record of this third meeting, we will transcribe here the consolidated account of the supervisor for the two previous years, presented by him to the town- ship board at this time. It is copied from the township book of Coldwater, being evidently taken from the original document :
" The Supervisor of Green Township in account current with said township from Feb. 10, 1830, to April 1, 1832.
" Dr.
" 1$30. 'To amount of town tax received this year from John G. Richardson, collector. [This extended into 1831]. $7.36
To amount of tax received for 1832 [that is, 1831-32], per John Morse, collector. 48.96
56.32
Under charge on town tax.
50
56.82
" Feb. 10. By commission on $7.36. nt 5 per cent 37
Paid on town order in favor of J. Brunson. $1.00
Commission on $48.96, at 5 per cent. 2.45
Paid order in favor of J. B. Tompkins 14.00 5.25
By paid urder in favor of Jabe Bronson.
William H. Cross
E. S. llanchett.
A. P. Bolton
John Morse ..
6.00 6.00 6,00 4.00 3.25
Seth Dunham
4
J. Hanchett. 3.00
= Seth Dunham. 7.00
=
Town Book 1.00
$59.32
Balance due the Supervisor for 1831 [that is, 1831-32] 2.50
" SETH DUNHAM, " Supervisor.
" This may certify that we, the undersigned, members of the town- ship board of the township of Green, have examined the above ac- count, und find it correct.
"JOUN MORSE, Clerk. " ABRAM F. BOLTON, J. P.
"JAUK BRONSON, J. P."
Below we give a copy of the record of the election, copied from the town book of Girard, which was probably the original book of Green :
" The eleetors of the township of Green met at the mill on Cold- water River the 24 of April, 1832, for the election of township offi- eers and for other purposes, and Lemuel Bingham was chosen mod- crator, who, with Abram F. Bolton, justice of the peace, and John Morse, town clerk, composed the board. The following officers were cleeted by resolution : Seth Dunham, Supervisor; John Morse, Town Clerk ; Allen Tibbits, John Corbus, Wales Adams, Assessors; Robert J. Cross, James B. Tompkins, David J. Pierson, Commissioners of Highways; Seymour L. Bingham, Constable and Collector; James L. Guile, Constable on Bronson's Prairie ; Lemuel Bingham, Poor- master ; William II. Cross, Treasurer ; William MeCarty, Benjamin Smith, E. S. Hanchett, Allen Tibbits, Commissioners of Schools ; Seth Dunham, Asel Kent, Inspectors of Schools.
" Orerseera of Highways .- E. S. Hanchett, District No. 1 : Joseph lanchett, District No. 2; John Allen, District No. 3; Jabe Bronson, District No. 4 ; Horace D. Jndson, District No. 5; Martin Barnhart, Distriet No. 6; Samuel Smith [poundmaster], on Bronson's Prairie. Joseph C. Corbus, on Coquish Prairie ; Ilarvey Warner, on Coldwater Prairie.
" Moved and carried that all fences four rails high shall not be laid to exceed four inches apart.
" Moved and carried that no stud horse or colt over two years old be allowed to run at large.
" Moved and carried that one dollar is bid on wolves.
" Moved and carried that the next anouil township-mecting will be held at the house of John Morse."
"The board of town auditors for the year ending Sept. 25, 1832, composed of Seth Dunham, Supervisor : John Morse, Town Clerk ; Robert J. Cross, Justice of the Penec, allowed the following accounts of township officers: Joseph Hanchett, SI; Robert J. Cross, $5; Phineas Banor [Bonner], SI; Seth Dunham, $7; Allen Tibhits, 84.374; James B. Tompkins, $7; John Morse, $2."
Substantially the same records are to be found in the town book of Coldwater, but in different order and more elaborate form.
It was in the spring of 1832 that the first person of wide-spread reputation selected a home in Branch County, and among all the prominent men who have resided there, few, if any, were as widely or favorably known as the one of whom we speak. While young Wales Adams was en- gaged in his business on Prairie River, toward the close of a spring day, there arrived at the log tavern near his mill a portly, dignified, well-dressed, middle-aged gentleman, showing in his face and manner the evidence of both culture and authority, who, with one companion, rode up on horse- back (the usual mode of traveling then ) from the eastward over the Chicago road. This was Right Reverend Philan- der Chase, uncle of the great statesman, Salmon P. Chase, first Episcopal bishop of Ohio, founder of Kenyon College, in that State, and the man who may also be considered as, to a great extent, the founder of the Episcopal Church west of the Alleghanies. Bishop Chase was then fifty-six years old, having been born at Corinth, N. Il., on the 14th day of December, 1775. His life had been a very active one ; he having resided several years in Louisiana, in which State he was the first Protestant minister; and having afterwards performed great services in building up Epis- copaey in the West. Ilis companion was Bezaleel Wells, Esq., of Steubenville, Ohio.
Mr. Chase had resigned the bishoprie of Ohio and the presidency of Kenyon College, and was now seeking a loca- tion for a farm, with perhaps some intention of establish- ing a similar institution in the wilderness. He had had reason to expect that he would be appointed bishop of Michigan, and was anxious to find a suitable place for his intended work in that Territory.
The circumstances attending the bishop's settlement in Branch County are so graphically related by him, in his published "Reminiscences" or autobiography, that we quote a few sentences from that work. It will be observed that he speaks of himself in the third person :
" It was Friday night when they [Messrs. Chase and Wells] reached a place called 'Adams' Mills,' on one of the streams of St. Joseph's River. Here Mr. Wells heard of his sons on Prairie Ronde ; that they were doing well.
""'And who is this?' said the landlord of a log-cabin
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
tavern to Mr. Wells, in a low voice; ' who is this whom you have with you ? Is he come out to purchase lands ?'
" Mr. Wells replied, 'He may purchase if he finds some that suits him.'
" Mr. Judson, for that was the man's name, then raising his voice, said aloud, as if still speaking to Mr. Wells, 'I believe most men are fools; for they go on in flocks, and follow each other like sheep in search of good land ; when, if they would stop, they would find much better in the regions through which they pass so rapidly. Much more beautiful scenery and richer land are to be found in this neighborhood than farther west. And men would find it so, if they would only stop, go about, and examine.'
" These words were meant for the ear of the writer. He took them so, and inquired,-
"' Where is this good land you speak of?'
"' Within eight miles of this, to the southeast, there is a charming limpid lake, surrounded with rising burr-oak and prairie-lands, interspersed with portions of lofty timber, fit for building. The streams are of clear and running water ; and, like the lake, abound in the finest kind of fish ; and, what is quite an essential point, these lands are now open for market, and (excepting some choice sugar-tree eighties already taken by persons from Indiana) may be entered by any one going to White Pigeon, where the land-office is kept.'
"' Will you show me these lands if I stay with you a day or two ?'
"' If I do not, Mr. Adams, the owner of the saw-mill, will. I will furnish him with a horse, and Thomas Holmes, who lives near us, shall go along with you on foot, with his rifle, to kill game and keep off the wolves.'
" The whole of this speech of Mr. Judson seemed so in- viting and practicable to one in the condition of the writer that he could not resist the invitation offered."
The next day (Saturday) Mr. Wells proceeded to Prai- rie Ronde. On Sunday the bishop held services at Mr. Judson's log house.
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