USA > Michigan > Branch County > History of Branch county, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 11
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On Monday, Messrs. Chase and Adams set out on horse- back along an Indian trail, followed by " Tom Holmes," before mentioned, a noted woodsman and hunter of the locality. The two gentlemen conversed together as they rode on, the bishop relating how he had visited England, interested the English in the support of Episcopacy in the great Western field, and obtained liberal gifts of money to enable him to found and sustain Kenyon College. Owing to dissensions among his people, he had felt impelled to resign his charge. He informed Mr. Adams of his expec- tations of becoming bishop of Michigan, but at the same time appeared to be extremely downcast in regard to the future, saying he would be glad, if he could, to make his home amid the deepest recesses of the Rocky Mountains.
Pursuing their way, they reached the shore of Gilead Lake, where the bishop was delighted with the lovely scenery, then in all the pristine beauty of nature. John Crory, who had begun a cabin in the present township of Gilead only about a month before, was then the only resi- dent in all the four fractional townships on the south line of Branch County. The bishop was so well pleased with the country to which Mr. Adams had piloted him, that he soon
after purchased a section of land there, and moved thither with his family, remaining nearly four years. During this time he again visited England, but did not carry out his supposed scheme of founding a college in Gilead. In fact, not being appointed bishop of Michigan, his plans were necessarily changed. In April, 1835, he was appointed bishop of Illinois, and in July, 1836, his family removed to that State.
Another event of the spring of 1832 was the laying out by Tibbits and Hanchett of the village which has since become the city of Coldwater. It was then called Lyons, in honor of Mr. Tibbits' native town in New York. Not long afterward the name was changed to Coldwater, the Coldwater post-office was moved thither, and the name has ever since adhered to that locality ; the original Coldwater on the river-bank being completely overshadowed and at length absorbed by its more prosperous rival.
In May of the year 1832 an event occurred which startled from their propriety all the people of Branch County, together with most of those throughout Southern Michigan, and for a short time seemed likely to put a stop to all the improvements so rapidly being planned and prosecuted. This was the outbreak of the celebrated " Black Hawk war." The scene of actual strife was far away in Illinois and Wisconsin, but the white population was very sparse from Branch County thither, and Indians bent on vengeance have long arms. Besides, no one could tell whether the Pottawattamies, scattered through Southern Michigan, might not make common cause with the warriors of Black Hawk, and turn their tomahawks upon their white neighbors. No hostile disposition, however, was manifested by these ancient enemies, and the whites seem generally to have trusted to their friendship.
Scarcely had the first news of the troubles arrived, than a dispatch went through from the government agent at Chicago, asking for the aid of the Michigan militia to de- fend that place, then an insignificant hamlet in a marsh at the head of Lake Michigan. The brigade of militia in the southern part of the Territory was commanded by Brig .- Gen. Joseph W. Brown, a near relative of Maj .- Gen. Jacob Brown, the hero of the war of 1812 and at one time com- mander-in-chief of the United States Army. Gen. J. W. Brown possessed much of the martial fire of the soldier of Lundy's Lane, and promptly responded to the call. He ordered his brigade to take the field, the rendezvous being at Niles, in Berrien County. The militia regiments of Monroe and Lenawee Counties readily obeyed his orders, and in a few days company after company was to be seen marching westward over the Chicago road, each man clad not in bright blue clothes with brass buttons, but in the rude garb of a backwoodsman, with rifle, or musket, or shot- gun, on his shoulder, as chance might determine, and with accoutrements equally varied at his side.
Beniah Jones, Jr., of Jonesville, ITillsdale Co., was at this time major, commanding a battalion of militia, con- sisting of one company in Hillsdale County and two in Branch. On the 22d day of May he received orders from Gen. Brown to call out his battalion and march westward to repel the enemy. The order must have been very promptly obeyed, for the men were called out, got together
47
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
in companies, and marched to Niles by the 25th of that month. We are indebted to Harvey Warner, Esq., of Coldwater, for a copy of the muster-roll of the battalion, furnished him by Dr. Enoch Chase, formerly of Coldwater, who was both surgeon and adjutant of Maj. Jones' com- mand.
We give below a copy of the roll (omitting the Hillsdale County company ), both as an interesting relic of itself and as showing the growth of Branch County up to that time:
" May 220, 1532, Major B. Jones received orders from Gen. Joseph W. Brown to muster his Battalion in the 3d Brigado, 2d Division, M. M.
" May 25th, present on duty-Major, Beniah Jones, Jr .; Adt., Enoch Chase ; Q. M., Edmond Jones ; Surgeon, Enoch Chase, M.D. ; Q. M. S., Abiel Potter ; - , Ambrose Nicholson, Staff Officers.
"John Morse, Fife Major, sick ; absent.
" Abram F. Bolton, Capt. of Ist Company ; John Allen, Lieut .; Harvey Warner, Ensign.
" Non-com. officers .- E. S. Hanchett, Ist Sergeant ; James M'Carty, Isaac Eslow.
" Privates .- Seymour Bingham, Jonas Tilapan, George llanchett, Moses llerriek, Wm. 11. Cross, John Wilson, Philip Ledyard, Henry Johnson, James Craig, Martin Barnhart, Benjamin II. Sinith, Robert J. Cross, Henry Van Hyning, John Parkinson, James B. Tompkins, Joseph C. Corbus, Phineas Bunner, John Cornish, Hugh Alexander Chauncey Morgan, Mr. Decrow, Marvin Hill, Newell Hill, Joseph 1I. Fowler."
Note on margin : "This company was mustered into service May 24th, and dismissed June 3d, 1832.
" Second company ( Hillsdale) omitted.
" 3d company .- Seth Dunham, captain ; Jeremiah Tillotson, lient. ; Wales Adams, ensign.
" Non-com. officers .- James M. Guile, Ist Sergeant; Thomas Holmes, 21 Sergeant ; George W. Gamble, 3d Sergeant; Philip Omsted, Ist Corporal ; Frederick Lyons, 2d Corporal.
" Privates, Horace D. Judson, Dauphoneus Holmes, Elizer Lan- easter, Isaac Smith, Daniel Smith, David J. Persons, David Clark, Moses Omsted, Joseph Edwards, Joshua Ransdell; John G. Richard- son, John Rose, Alfred S. Driggs, Sylvester Brockway."
Note on margin: " Mustered into service May 26th, and dismissed June 3d, 1832.
"The above is a true copy of the returns made by the captains ef . the several companies to me.
" COLDWATER, June 4th, 1832.
" ENOCH CHASE, Adt." Mem. on back of roll : " Col. Bitman, Dr.
16 horses, to hay, stabling. $4.00
To house-room ... 2.00
$6.00 **
Indorsement on back :
" Battalion Roll,
" May, 1836,
" Mustered at Niles."
Some of the foregoing names are marked "absent" on the roll, but as it does not specify whether the men so designated had remained at home or were merely out of camp temporarily, we have not marked them in the copy. We infer from other data that only those who marched with the company were placed on the roll, as some who are known to have gone with it are marked " absent."
According to this roll there were in Branch County in May, 1832, at least fifty-six males capable of bearing arms, and supposed to be between eighteen and forty-five years of age. In fact, however, we are informed that some entered the ranks who were above the latter age, and others who were less than eighteen.
The women, children, and old men left behind were for a few days in a state of great dismay lest their friends
should be destroyed by the bloody Indians, and terrifying rumors flew through the scattered settlements by the score. Scarcely, however, had the militia reached Niles, when messengers from the West brought the welcome news that Black Hawk and his bands had been utterly defeated, and that all danger was over. As appears by the roll, the troops returned and were mustered out at Coldwater on the 4th of June. There were two or three hundred Pottawat- tamirs encamped where Orangeville ( Union township) now stands, during a large part of the spring, and this did not tend to decrease the nervousness of the inhabitants. They manifested, however, a perfectly peaceful disposition.
Later in the season there was another alarm, and a draft of a hundred men was ordered from Jones' battalion. Fifty or sixty responded, and were placed under the com- mand of Capt. Bolton, being encamped for two or three weeks at his place on Coldwater River.
Black Hawk, the cause of all this trouble, is said by Drake, the Indian historian, to have been a Pottawattamie by birth, but to have been brought up among the Sucs. The Black Hawk war caused the people and the government to be all the more anxious to have the Indians removed beyond the Mississippi. Another treaty was made in October, 1832, by which nearly all the lands to which the Pottawattamies had any claim in Michigan were ceded to the United States, except the Nottawa-seepe Reservation. This treaty provided for an individual grant of a square mile to " Topenibee, the principal chief," and another to " Pokagon, the second chief." This is the last mention we find of either of them in the treaties, and shortly after- ward " Penaishees, or Little Bird," became the head chief of the Pottawattamies.
The " war" put a sudden stop to emigration for that year, and its effects were seriously felt for two years more. Easteru people could not discriminate between the warlike Sacs and the peaceful Pottawattamies, and looked upon the whole West as dangerous ground. The stages which had been running over the Chicago road during the spring of 1832 had so little business after the excitement that the owners were obliged to take them off at heavy loss. The line was, however, soon re-established by a firm of which Gen. J. W. Brown was the head.
1832 was also celebrated as the cholera year. The people were almost as badly alarmed by it as by the war, but, like the war, we believe it did not enter Branch County. though it came close to its borders: a whole family dying just over the line in Calhoun County.
It was now deemed that there was, or soon would be, people enough in Branch County to justify the formation of two townships. For some unknown reason the name of " Green" had become unpopular, and it was decided to drop it. The passage of the following act was accordingly procured :
" An Act to organize twe townships in the county of Branch.
" Be it enacted by the Legislative Council of the Territory of Michi- gan, That all that part of the county of Branch known and distin- guished on the survey of the United States as townships numbered 5, 6, 7, and fractional township 8, south of the base line, in ranges numbered 5 and 6, west of the principal meridian, be a township by the name of Coldwater, and the first township-meeting shall be held at tho house of John Morso, in said township.
48
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
" SEC. 2. That all that part of the county of Branch known as town- ships numbered 5, 6, 7, and fractional township numbered 8, south of the base line in ranges numbered 7 and 8, west of the principal meridiao, be a township by the name of Prairie River, and the first township-meeting shall be held at the house of Jabez Bronsen, in said township.
"SEC. 3. That this act shall take effect and he in force from and after the last day of March next.
" Approved June 29, 1832."
This divided the county into two equal parts by a north and south line. It will be observed that the vast territory north of Branch County, which was at first a part of Green township on its organization, had been formed into other townships before this period.
The first grist-mill in the county was ereeted in the summer of 1832, being located beside the Pocahontas saw- mill before mentioned, three-quarters of a mile south of Branch. The principal proprietor was Dr. Hill. It was a very small affair, with one stone, about two feet in di- ameter, and the people still frequently sent their grain to Teeunisch, seventy miles distant, to get it ground. Some- times, indeed, as Mrs. Holbrook says, they went to mill in a " ealdron-kettle,"-that is, they took a vessel of that kind to pound their grain in instead of a mortar.
The following record shows the hotel-keepers of Branch County in 1832-33, and also the price of wolf-sealps at that time :
" At a meeting of the Towu Board of Audit for the town of Green, held at the house of John Morse, Jan. 1, 1833, present, Seth Dunham, supervisor, Silas A. Holbrook, deputy town clerk, Robert J. Cross and Jabe Bronson, justiees, licences to keep tavern were granted to Ellis Russell, John Morse, Harvey Warner, Jeremiah Tillotson, Frederick Lines, Jabe Bronson, and Clarissa Judson.
" After which the following necounts were audited and allowed :
" Luke Camp, 2 wolf-scalps. $2.00 Eleazer Laucaster, 1 wolf-scalp. 1.00 John Allen, services as school commissioner .. 1,00 John Corhus, services as assessor (1831, 1832). 6.00
Abram F. Bolton, services ns school eviumissioner and town board 2.00""
By this time the seventy or eighty votes of the county felt as if they were strong enough to have a county govern- ment of their own. Accordingly, in January, 1833, they petitioned the legislative council to that effeet, and that body passed the following aet :
" An net to organize the county of Branch :
"Section 1. Be it enacted by the legislative council of the Terri- tary of Michigan, That the county of Branch shall be organized from and after the taking effect of this act, and the inhabitants thereof entitled to all the rights and privileges to which by law the other counties of this Territory are entitled.
"Section 2. That all suits, prosecutions, and other matters now pending before the courts of record of St. Joseph County, or before any justice of the peace of said county of St. Joseph, shall be prose- cuted to final judgment and execution in the same maoner as though the said county of Branch had not been organized.
"Section 3. That this act shall take effect and be in force from and after the 1st day of March next.
" Approved Feb. 1, 1833."
The county of Branch accordingly began its independent existenee on the 1st day of March, 1833. That date therefore naturally marks the beginning of a new era, and we adopt it as the beginning of a new chapter.
CHAPTER IX.
FROM ORGANIZATION TO 1840.
Change of Name of Prairie River-First County Officers-First Record of Deed-Deed of Earliest Date-First Mortgage-First Court of Record-Prohite of First Will-The County Clerk's Office -First Marriage Record-A Certificate by Bishop Chase-First Record of Board of Supervisors-First Circuit Court and Grand Jury-Opening the Chicago Road-Sale of Nottawa-Seepe Reser- vation-In ligoation of the Band-Attempted Assassination-First Settlement in Uoion-First Lawyer iu County-Formation of Gi- rard-Prevalence of Sickness-Fluctuation of Prices-Increase of Emigration in 1835-County Bounty on Wolves-New State Con- stitution-Dispute with Indiaua affecting Branch County-Emi- gration in 1836-Formation of Quincy and Batavia-Indian Mur- der-A Fantastic Funeral-Murder of Qansett-A Unique Sepul- chre-Whortleberries for the Dead-Seizing the Skeleton-Running a Durwin-Ansou Burlingame-Speculation-Masonville-Guod- winsville-State Conventions-The Branch County Delegates- Admission of the State-State Roads-Great Excitement in 1837- Grand Scheme of Internal Improvements-The Southern Railroad -Five New Townships-Building a Jail-Wild-Cat and " Red- Dog" Currency-First Newspapers-Wonderful Number of Tay- erns-The Great Crash-Hard Times-Three more Townships- More about the Jail-Good Crop of Wolf-Scalps-Board of County Commissioners-Terrible Sickness-The Poor-Farm-Ilabits of the Indiaus-Murder of Sauquett-Arrest of the Murderer-Removal of the Indians-Their Subsequent Fate-Beginning of a New Era.
As was stated in the last chapter, the aet dividing Green into the two townships of Coldwater and Prairie River took effeet on the 1st day of March, 1833. The latter township afterwards became Bronson. As Green eon- prised the whole county, we have recorded a large part of its official proceedings in the general history, but now that separate townships have been established we must leave their story to be told in their respective township histories. We will mention one somewhat eurious faet, however, as it involves the resuscitation of the old uame, Green. Among the Territorial laws is an aet approved April 23, 1833, changing the name of the township of Prairie River to that of Green. The law changing the uame back to Prairie River is not given in the statute-book, but must have been passed that same session, as at the meeting of the super- visors the ensuing autumn that township was represented under the uame of Prairie River. This was not changed to Bronsou till several years later.
At the first election for county officers, held in April, 1833, William McCarty was chosen sheriff, and Wales Adams elerk, Seth Dunham treasurer and register of deeds. Peter Martin was appointed probate judge by the Governor. The new register and treasurer moved to Braneh, the county- seat, in the woods, and established an office in temporary quarters there. Clerk Adams also appointed Mr. Dunham deputy elerk ; so that he performed the duties of three offiees.
The first publie records in the county were made in the register's office. The first record of a deed was made on the 4th day of April, 1833, the deed itself being dated January 28 the same year. The grantor was John Allen, and the grantee was the register himself, Seth Dunham. The consideration was two hundred dollars, and the prop- erty was described as follows :
" The equal individual one-fourth part of a mill privi- lege, together with three acres of laud, situate and lying
49
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
on the east side of Coldwater, being a part of section 30, in township 6, south of range 6 west, beginning at a cherry- tree on the mill-dam across Coldwater, and thence running north three chains to the creek ; thence north twenty-one degrees east, three chains and eighty links to a stake on the bank of the creek ; thenee east four chains and forty- seven links to a stake; thence south seven chains and twenty-five links to the pond; thenee north sixty degrees west to the place of beginning,-containing three acres, more or less." This was part of the " Pocahontas" Mill property above Branch.
The deed, which contained a covenant of warranty, was exeented in presence of William Dunham and Robert J. Cross, and was acknowledged before Robert J. Cross, jus- tice of the peace, on the day of its date.
The deed of earliest date which we could find recorded in the book was dated Jan. 19, 1831, more than two years before the organization of the county. The grantors were flugh Campbell and Emma, his wife; the grantee was Joseph C. Corbus. It was acknowledged on the day of its date before Beniah Jones, Jr, who described himself as a justice of the pence for Lenawee County, his residence being at Jonesville, Hillsdale Co., then attached to Len- awee. It was filed for record on the 10th day of June, 1833, and covered the east half of the northeast quarter of section 21, township 5 south, range 6 west (now Girard).
The first mortgage on record was dated Jan. 25, 1833, being made by James B. Stuart, of Ypsilanti, Washtenaw C'o., to Abram F. Bolton, then of Napoleon, Jackson Co. The consideration was twelve hundred dollars, and it covered the southwest quarter fraction of section 17, in township 6 south, range G west, containing a hundred and sixteen aeres. This was the site of Mr. Bolton's un- fortunate city, where the county-seat was first located. The mortgage in question was signed in presence of II. Warner and Robert J. Cross, acknowledged before Robert J. Cross on the same day, and filed for record on the 13th day of May, 1833. The fee was one dollar, being somewhat higher than at present. It was discharged on the 9th day of January, 1836.
The first court (higher than that of a justice of the peace), a session of which was held in the county, was that held by Peter Martin, judge of probate. The record is as follows :
" Estate of John Corbus, deceased.
" At a special session of the probate court, held for the county of Branch, at the store of Silas A. Holbrook, in the township of Cokl- water, on the 20th Iny of August, A.D. 1833.
" In the matter of the estate of John Corbos, decensed : Upon the petition of Silas A. Holbrook and Joseph C. Corbus, praying to be appointed administrators on the estate of the said John Corbus, de- ceased, late of Branch County : the court hnving duly considered the said petition : ordered that administration be committed to the said petitioners, on said estate, and they are hereby authorized to settle the same as the Inw direets, and to make a final return to this court on the 20th day of August, 1834; said administrators having been duly sworn.
" Attest, SETH DUNHAM, Register."
" TERRITORY OF MICHIGAN, 3 BR.
REGISTER'S OFFICE, BRANCH COUNTY. S
" To Joseph C. Corbus and a Silas A. Holbrook. You are hereby appointed joint administrators of the estate of John Corbus, late of the township of Coldwater, in the county of Brunch, and Territory of 7
Michigan, deceased, and you are hereby required to have a true in- ventory taken of all the said estate, and that you make due returns to this court within three months from the date hereof, and also make n final return of all you shall do in the premises within one year from this date.
" Dated Branch, Aug. 20, 1833. " PETER MARTIN,
[I. S.] " Judge of Probate, Branch County, Michigan Territory."
" Fees, Administration bond .. .50
Letter of administration .37%
Scaling same .. 95
Warrant of appraisal. .25
Seal .25
Oath .25
Filing bond .. 61
$1.94"
The second letters of administration were granted to Dr. Enoch Chase, on the estate of Paul Dewitt, on the 21st day of October, 1833, and no more were granted till Sep- tember, 1834. Ouly forty-eight letters of administration were granted down to December, 18-11.
The county clerk and his deputy had very little to do down to the holding of court in the autumn of 1833. One of his duties was to record marriage certificates. The fol- lowing is a copy of the first one on record :
" TERRITORY OF MICHIGAN, ! MM . COUNTY OF BRANCH.
" 1, Robert J. Cross, n justice of the peace for the county aforesaid, do hereby certify that on the Hith day of July, 1833, I married Allen Stoddard, of Detroit, Michigan Territory, to Mary Estlow, of Branch County, Recording to the act to regulate marriage. Coldwater, 28th September, 1833. ROBERT J. Cnoss, J. P."
The second certificate was recorded by Alfred I .. Driggs, justice of the peace, certifying the marriage of the worthy clerk, Wales Adams, and Polly Waterman, both of Prairie River township.
We also go forward a year and insert here the sixth record on the book, and the first one made by a minister of the gospel, a very brief one, signed by Bishop Chase, which reads as follows :
" MICHIGAN TERRITORY, } BRANCH COUNTY.
" I certify that on the 25th day of December, 1834, I joined Samuel Chase and -- Russell in holy wedlock, in presence of a congregation Rssemble for Christian worship. PHI. CHASE."
It may be added that two hundred and twenty-four mar- riage certificates are recorded in the first book devoted to that purpose, extending from July 14, 1833, to the 2d day of August, 1842.
Supervisors were duly elected for the townships of Cold- water and Prairie River, who constituted the whole board. At the first meeting the " board" consisted of one man, as appears by the record for that year, which we give entire :
"Silas A. Holbrook, supervisor for the township of Coldwater, did appear at the Court-House in the village and county of Branch on the first Tuesday in October, the day appointed by law for the meet- ing of the Board of Supervisors of the respectivo counties in the Ter- ritory of Michigan.
"There not being a quorum present, the meeting of the board was adjourned to the house of James B. Stuart, to meet on the fifteenth of said month.
"The board met according to a ljournment ; to wit, on the fifteenth day of October, A.D. 1833. Present-Silas A. Holbrook, from Cold-
50
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
water, and Jeremiah Tilletson, from Prairie River Township ; Jere- miah Tillotsen being appointed president of the board, and Seth Dunham elerk.
" The board then preeceded te the transaction of business. Ordered that the following accounts be allewed and erders drawn on the treas- urer for their respective amounts :
To William McCarty, sheriff of said county, for put- ting up notices of delegate election .. $5.00
Summoning grand jury for Oet. term, 1833 10.00
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