USA > Michigan > Calhoun County > History of Calhoun county, Michigan : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 21
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school and is exerting a grand influence over the pupils. He is a student of human nature and his knowledge of "Boy Nature" is apparent on the athletic field, on the streets, in the homes and wherever his boys con- gregate. He is their leader in the Boy Scouts, and in their division of the county Y. M. C. A. Where the boys go, Flint is invited and Flint goes.
Ten teachers are employed in the schools.
CHAPTER XI
THE INDIANS.
The Indians furnish an interesting but comparatively colorless chap- ter in the history of Calhoun county. From about 1800, the Pottawat- tomies occupied the lower part of Michigan territory. A remnant of this once numerous and powerful tribe still live near the village of Athens, in the southwest part of the county.
In the second war with Great Britain, the Chippewas were friendly to the United States, while Ottawas and Pottawattomies were hostile; but in later years the last named tribe assumed and maintained a very friendly attitude toward the Americans.
In the Black Hawk War of 1832, that in which Abraham Lincoln served as Captain, the Sacs sent their runners among the Pottawattomies of Calhoun and other counties in the southern part of Michigan, seeking an alliance against the whites. The Indians in this section for a time seemed restless and sullen. The latter attitude particularly gave rise to the rumor that they were about to go on the war path. The citizens were apprehensive of trouble and it was deemed best to take some precaution- ary steps. Accordingly, a meeting of citizens, a sort of council of war, was called in Marshall. It was held in one room of a double log house, in the spring of 1832. It resulted in organizing, arming and equipping a company from the county, which soon after marched away to partici- pate in the anticipated war. The captain was Isaac N. Hurd, a native of New York state, and by education a civil engineer. He was among the first comers to Marshall. Isaac E. Crary was chosen second lieuten- ant. Crary was a young man who had recently come into the then wil- derness of southern Michigan. As credentials to the pioneers who had preceded him, he brought a college diploma from his Alma Mater, and a certificate of membership of the bar of his native state. Fortunately the war was of short duration and the soldiers from Calhoun County did not get beyond their native state. They were soon back and follow- ing their accustomed pursuits.
An interesting character among the Indians at this time and to whom there attached a pathetic interest was one Johnson, a white man, who, when a little child, was stolen from his parental home somewhere in Kentucky and carried away by the Indians into the northwest country. Growing to maturity among his captors, he married an Indian girl, who became the mother of several children. In his later years, it became known from whence he had been taken as a child. He was induced to
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return on a visit to the home of his childhood. Endeavor was put forth to get him to return and live among the people of his own race; but nothing could induce him to abandon those who had so long been his associates and companions and some of whom were bound to him by the ties of blood. He lingered among them till the end of life and dying, was laid to rest in the Indian burying ground near Climax.
A mission and school was long maintained in the vicinity of Athens. The Rev. Manassah Hickey, one of the early students at the Wesleyan Seminary, now Albion College, and still well remembered by the older generation in our midst, preached among them for years. Mr. Hickey's sister, who was also educated at Albion, was the Principal of the school. A number of Indian maidens from the Pottawattomie tribe were educa- ted at Albion. One of them, who is reputed to have become a very skill- ful interpreter, was later Preceptress of the school for her people.
As a rule, the Indians in Calhoun County were friendly to the whites. When not under the influence of the red man's "fire water" (the white man's whiskey), they were kind and generons, accomodating and help- ful to the early settlers. As a race, here and elsewhere, all things con- sidered, they were more sinned against than sinning.
CHAPTER XII EVOLUTION OF THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.
THE WASHINGTONIAN MOVEMENT-WASHINGTONIANISM IN BATTLE CREEK -THE RED RIBBON MOVEMENT-THE WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPER- ANCE UNION-LEGISLATION.
It is a long stride in temperance reform from the year 1804 when Benjamin Rush, of Philadelphia, published an able paper on "An In- quiry into the Effects or Ardent Spirits on the Mind and Body," and the year of 1912 when in Michigan the battles are fought by counties, and many of them successfully, in favor of the absolute prohibition of the liquor traffic within their boundaries. The way of temperance reform has been a tortnous one, but however crooked, however many seeming reverses, the trend has been constantly forward. It was not until 1808 that the first temperance society was organized in the United States. At that time a pledge was exacted that would by no means satisfy the orthodox temperance people of today.
A new standard was set up and the flag planted far in advance of the then existing battle line, when the Rev. Dr. Lyman Beecher, father of Henry Ward Beecher and of Harriet Beecher Stowe, introduced and successfully earried through a resolution in the Congregational Associa- tion of Massachusetts against the then prevailing custom of ministers drinking.
THE WASHINGTONIAN MOVEMENT
had a very humble and obscure origin but its beneficent influence was far reaching and in a way permanent. A tailor, a carpenter, a black- smith, a coach maker and a silver plater, each and all hard drinkers, were on the evening of April 3, 1840, assembled in a tavern on Liberty Street, Baltimore, partaking of their usual potions, when they fell to discussing the temperance question. The same evening in a nearby church a minister was delivering a leeture on that theme and it was agreed by four of the number, that they would go and hear what was said and return and report. They went and on coming back made a favorable report. Before they went to their homes that night it was de- termined to form a temperance club and one of their number was deputed to draw up a pledge and present for consideration on the following Mon- day evening. When they convened at the appointed time and place, the following was presented and adopted: "We, whose names are hereunto
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annexed, desirous of forming a society for our mutual benefit, and to guard against a pernicious practice, which is injurious to our health, standing and families, do pledge ourselves as gentlemen, that we will not drink any spiritnous or malt liquors, wine or cider."
They called their organization "The Washingtonian Society." That little cluster of men in Baltimore "sct the clock of temperance reform ahead, a quarter of a century." It was the beginning of the first great temperance revival in our country. It led to many thousands of men in all parts of the country abjuring the drink habit and becoming total abstainers. Many of the most effective and famous temperance advocates the cause has had were from the ranks of men who had been addicted to strong drink.
"The Washingtonian movement struck Michigan in 1841 and spread from town to town converting great numbers by the irresistible power of its advocates. Never before had there been such an awakening in this county. A cry went forth, an alarm sounded out like a fire bell in the night, arresting the drinker in his downward career. # #
* There was no disagreeing or separating into opposing parties in regard to the plan or means used in suppressing the rum traffic."
WASHINGTONIANISM IN BATTLE CREEK.
A well known Michigan writer of the last generation says, "One of the memorable incidents in the history of Battle Creek is the introduction of Washingtonianism in that village in the winter of 1841-42. Mar- shall had succumbed to the reform and had sent three of her representa- tive citizens to carry the glad tidings to the neighboring village of Battle Creek. The meeting was held in the Methodist church and it was crowded to its utmost capacity to seat those who came. The first speaker was Thomas Gilbert.#
He represented that class of gentlemen who take the "occasional glass." His speech was direct and forcible. He said the habit of taking the occasional glass would lead to taking one much oftener and that to the drunkard. The next speaker was Bath Banks, Marshall's main liquor dealer. He said he had abandoned the liquor business. Wash- ingtonianism had opened his eyes to the evil of liquor selling and now every time he turned the faucet the gurgling of the liquor sounded to him like cutting men's throats. The last speaker was Mr. Robert Hall, a farmer living near Marshall. IIe stated in plain and honest words the reason of his conversion to temperance. He had been for years an habitual drunkard. He had gone home drunk one winter evening on his ox sled. His faithful beasts had taken him to the door of his house, but they could do no more. When discovered by his family he was near- ly frozen to death. He said when he came to Marshall and settled on a farm they called him Mr. Robert Hall. He began to tipple and they called him "Bob Hall." Tippling led to deeper drinking, and they
* Mr. Gilbert was for many years after one of the foremost citizens of Grand Rapids, dying a few years ago universally respected by the citizens of that city .- [ EDITOR. ]
Vol. 1-11
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called him "Old Bob Hall." He became an occasional drunkard, and they called him "Old Hall." Finally he became a gutter drunkard and they called him "Old Alco-Hall."
Marshall had not only signed the pledge herself but she had sent her representatives to Battle Creek and other places in the county where they introduced the new gospel and set the work to going. From Battle Creek there went out Erastus Hussey, Dr. John L. Balcom, William H. Coleman and others to proclaim the new way and secure signers to the pledge. The whole county was stirred by the earnest advocates and large numbers forsook the drink habit forever and the cause of tem- perance took a long step in advance through the influence of the Wash- ingtonian movement.
Interest in the cause of temperance was kept alive by the formation of local temperance societies and by the tours of able and eloquent ad- vocates of the cause. In 1849 a great impetus was given the cause by the visit to America of the famous Irish priest and apostle of temperance, the Rev. Father Theobald Mathew. As a temperance advocate he had re- markable success in Ireland. In this country he not only taught Catholics but Protestants as well the wonderful power of personal influence when brought to bear on the drinker. Father Mathew's societies were every- where formed and through the impulse given by this remarkable ad- vocate vast numbers of people were induced to abandon the "cup" and many young men were so influenced as never to form the habit of drink- ing intoxicants.
THE RED RIBBON MOVEMENT
In 1876 a wave of temperance swept over the county and, indeed, the whole State under the leadership of Reynolds and the red ribbon. Every signer of the pledge was designated by the sign of a red ribbon. That badge became very popular. None were too proud nor too great to wear it. It seemed to take on new influence and new honor every time it was seen in the lapel of the coat of a reformed drunkard and of these there were large numbers.
Michigan has furnished several advocates of the temperance cause of more than local reputation. Among these may be mentioned the Rev. John Russel, who was long the foremost leader in our State. Robert E. Frazer, of Detroit, who came to the front during the red ribbon move- ment, was an advocate of rare power and very effective in pleading with his fellow men. The Michigan man of widest reputation among the temperance leaders of national prominence at this time, 1912, is Samuel Diekey of our own county, now and for some years past, President of Albion College.
THE WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION
Perhaps the longest sustained and most effective influence for tem- perance in these later years originated in a crusade organized among the women in the little town of Hillsboro, Ohio, in 1874. What was supposed to be but a local and spasmodic protest against the saloon became, after
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it had spread through the various states, Michigan among the number, and exhausted the impulse that gave it the appearance of a revolutionary force, a well organized, disciplined and effective power under the name of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. The Union is made up of a body of Christian women, drawn together from the various churches, whose common bond is the promotion of temperance and the prohibition of the saloon. The organization is national in its scope, having local so- cieties in all the principal cities and towns. It is self-perpetuating. Deaths, removals, nor discouragements seem not to effect it. With cumulative force it moves resistlessly forward. It is a power that must be reckoned with by all who undertake to estimate influences that make for or against the canse of temperance in this country.
LEGISLATION
The cause of temperance legislation not only in Michigan but in many other states in the Union, has been exceedingly varied. It has had almost as many phases as Joseph's coat is supposed to have had .colors. Laws have been enacted providing for state prohibition, county prohibition, township and ward prohibition. These have been amended, repealed or re-enacted in some other form. The courts have been resorted to and contested cases carried to the Supreme Court of the United States. Bat- tles have been waged on the hustings, at the ballot box, in the legisla- tures and the congress. These battles have been fought at times under partisan and again under non-partisan banners. Men have rallied at times around the standards of moral suasion and the signed pledge, again around regulation by license or tax and the enforcement of law and again by absolute prohibition. At other times the ardor of the people has blazed up and spread like a consuming flame and again they have seemed to lose all interest. All men recognize the evils of intemperance but they differ greatly as to the best method of coping with those evils.
Michigan tried prohibition from 1853 to 1875. In the winter and spring of 1886-87, another state wide contest was held that aroused the entire commonwealth. At the spring election a total of 362,775 votes were cast, of these 178,470 were for prohibition and 184,305 against, the majority against being but 5,835. In that election Calhoun county cast 5,458 for and 3,424 against, or a majority of 2,034 for. Under the present law, known as county option, the county has fluctuated. In 1909 the county was carried under the local option law by 91 majority and the prohibitory law was in force within the county for two years. In 1911 an appeal was again taken to the people and the returns showed a majority of 25 for license. At this writing, 1912, the county is again under the license system, but petitions are being circulated asking the board of supervisors to again submit the question to the people of the county at the spring election of 1913.
CHAPTER XIII
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
ALBION AND ATHENS TOWNSHIPS-ATHENS VILLAGE- BATTLE CREEK TOWNSHIP (BY MRS. LAURA RINGES)-BEDFORD AND BURLINGTON TOWNSHIPS-VILLAGE OF BURLINGTON-CLARENCE, CLARENDON, CON- VIS, ECKFORD, EMMETT AND FREDONIA TOWNSHIPS-HOMER TOWN- SHIP AND VILLAGE-IIOMER BANKS-LEE, LEROY, MARENGO, MAR- SHALL, NEWTON AND PENFIELD TOWNSHIPS-A FEW PIONEER Ex- PERIENCES-SHERIDAN AND TEKONSHA.
ALBION TOWNSHIP
By the surveyors' description, Albion township is known as township 3, range' 4 west. In 1834, by an act of the territorial legislature, it was comprised within the township of Homer. In pursuance of an act of the legislature, April 1, 1837, it was organized as Albion township. The surface of this section is in general undulating. The soil is a rich black loam well adapted to the cultivation and production of grains, fruits and grass. The Kalamazoo river entering the township from the southwest, flows towards the northeast and uniting at Albion with the east branch forms an excellent water power. The latter was a determin- ing factor in originally locating the site of the present city of Albion. There are a number of small lakes in the township and many never failing springs.
The pioneers made no mistake when they selected Albion township as the locality in which they would make homes for themselves and their descendants. The township too was fortunate in the class of men and women who constituted the early settlers. The influence of the Robert- sons, the Howells, the Holmes, the Knickerbockers, the Kinneys, the Far- leys, the Balls, the Sheldons, and later the Andersons, the Parsons, the Havens, and many others both among the earlier and later comers, has done much to make Albion township one of the best and most desirable residential sections of the county. Minard and Garfield Farley, grand- sons of David Farley, one of the prominent early settlers, have dem- onstrated the value of an education in agriculture, and particularly in the knowledge and culture of fruits. The renovation of old orchards, the care of the new, the perfecting of the quality and the increase of the quantity of fruit by these young men have demonstrated possibilities before scarcely believed.
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While the township has no village, nor church, nor high school within her present limits, her close proximity to Albion city, to Homer and Concord places all these within easy reach of her people. Many of her sons and daughters are graduates of the high school or the college or both, while the average degree of intelligence, morality and religious character make her people to rank in these respects among the foremost.
The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad traverses the town- ship from the southwest to the northeast nearly through the center of the town diagonally. The Michigan Central touches its borders on the northeast while the Cincinnati Northern passes through the southwest corner, and the Air Line road runs within a few rods of the southeast corner. The interests and history of Albion township have always been closely related to those of Albion city and Homer village, which are treated more fully elsewhere. For many years the township has furn- ished to both city and village named some of their formost citizens.
ATHENS TOWNSHIP
One of the earliest sections settled in Calhoun county was that por- tion embracing what is now Athens township. Originally it included LeRoy and Burlington townships. Probably no finer prospect was held out to the pioneer than that which Athens presented. About one-sixth of its area was fine prairie. About ten sections were heavily timbered with whitewood, black cherry, black walnut and oak. In the way of timber it is said there was nothing better in the county. That which was not prairie or heavily timbered was beautiful stretches of "oak openings," presenting to the early comers the appearance of an extended park. At certain seasons of the year the wild flowers added much to the charm of the scenery.
The principal streams are the Nottawasepi and Pine creeks, which unite on section 29 and form a large tributary to the St. Joseph which they enter in Kalamazoo county a few miles below.
It was in the month of June, 1831, that the three Nichols brothers, viz: Warren, Ambrose and Othorial, together with Benjamin F. Ferris, Alfred Holcomb, Isaac Crossett, Asahel Stone and a Mr. Brown, came into the township and located their claims on what is now called Dry Prairie. During the summer, honses were built of hewn logs and shelter for the limited quantity of stock was provided before winter set in. These resolute men and women seemed abundantly satisfied with the progress they had made in the short time since they had come into the new country and the future appeared full of promise. All eagerly an- tieipated the coming of spring, the planting of crops and development of their lands. While in the midst of this work suddenly a pall fell upon the people of the entire section. They had read of the ravages the cholera was making in the east and among the troops enronte to the scene of the Black Hawk war in the west, but had no thought the dread disease would search out their little colony so secluded and distant from the rontes of public travel. Their consternation can be imagined when at the close of a sultry day in June, 1832, just a year from their first coming, a report spread through the settlement that the malady which
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all feared but which no one thought would come, had entered the home of Warren Nichols. It laid its hand with fatal touch on five members in a family of eleven. Father, mother and three daughters followed each other in quick succession until there were five vacant chairs in the home and five new graves on the farm that now lies within the corporate limits of Athens village. Isaac Crossett was another numbered among the victims and his body was cared for and buried by Alfred Holcomb and Benjamin F. Ferris in a grave which is also within the present
Photo by J. H. Brown
TWO WHITE OAK TREES, NEAR ATHENS
village limits. The gloom which hung over the settlement was not lifted during the entire summer.
The year 1833 brought reinforcements from the east. Among others who came about this time were Hiram Doubleday from New York, Peter Beisel from Pennsylvania and Lot Whitcomb from Vermont. The two last named in the year 1835 built the first saw mill in the township. About 1837 came Francis A. Mann, who with Asahel Stone were political factors of importance in the town for many years. Each was the leader of the opposing factions and many a battle royal was fought on the local political arena.
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The first postoffice in the township was kept by Lot Whitcomb. Later there were established a number of postoffices, but under the free rural delivery system these have all been taken up. Athens village has the only postoffice in the township. This office has been for several years in the presidential class. Newton E. Miller, the first postmaster to be appointed by the president, has conducted the business in a manner satisfactory to both government and the people.
Athens is still the home of the Pottawattomies, a remnant of the ancient tribe that possessed this fair land long before the white man ever looked upon it. Only a few, about sixty, are left where once there were many. Peaceful, fairly industrious and reasonably prosperous, the traits of their race considered, they form an interesting link in the chain that binds the present to a fast fading past.
The first township meeting was held in 1835. At that meeting Hiram Doubleday was chosen moderator and Benjamin F. Ferris, clerk. All persons residents of the township were declared to be lawful voters. Henry C. Hurd was elected supervisor; Benjamin F. Ferris, township clerk; George Clark, Granville Beardsley and William Adams, assessors; Franklin C. Watkins, collector; Isaac Watkins and Richard Tuck, di- rectors of the poor; Horton Warren and F. C. Watkins, constables; Alfred Holcomb and Robert McCamly, fence viewers; Isaac Watkins and Joseph Watkins, pound masters; John C. Ferris and David Dexter, overseers of highways.
ATHENS VILLAGE
One of the best towns of its size in southern Michigan is the village of Athens. It was incorporated in 1896. William Lehr was the first and Elmer E. Overholdt, the present president. The village has a fine electric lighting plant operated by the Athens Mill and Power Company. The power is developed from the Nottawasepi river which runs through the town. The streets are well lighted by two large Tungsten burners on every corner. There is also a fine water system installed some six years ago, by which excellent drinking water is furnished the citizens and fire protection afforded to property. Its school house is probably not surpassed by that in any community of a like number of people in the state. For several years past, the young men of its high school have given the school and town a state reputation in the field of athletics defeating nearly all comers, whatever the size of the school or town they represented. The several churches of the village are housed in substantial structures and both the public services and the Sunday schools are well sustained. Athens has one bank which is in a sound condition. It has an excellent class of business houses and its merchants and business men generally are prosperous. One steam railroad, the Goshen-Michigan branch of the Michigan Central, constructed in the year 1888, runs from Battle Creek on the north to Goshen, Indiana, on the south. The proposed electric line from Coldwater to Battle Creek will run through Athens. The line is promoted by the Michigan-Indiana Traction Company. There seems to be strong probabilities that this road will be built at an early day.
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