USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > History of Detroit and Wayne County and early Michigan: A Chronological Cyclopedia of the Past and Present, Vol. I > Part 114
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Montgomery H. Throop wrote "The Future," and " Statute of Frauds."
C. S. Tripler, M. D., and G. C. Blackman, M. D., were authors of a " Handbook for the Military Sur- geon," published at Cincinnati in 1861.
Rev. George Taylor wrote "The Rumseller's Indignation Meeting," a satirical essay, also " Nar- rative of Life and Experiences of François Pepin," and " A Poem on the Satanic Agency in Drunkard- making."
J. S. Tibbets compiled the " Fee Guide."
Joseph Taylor, now connected with the Michigan Car Co., wrote "A Fast Life on the Modern High- way." 30,000 copies were issued in two editions.
M. P. Thatcher is author of " A Hundred Battles in the West."
Rev. J. A. Van Fleet wrote "Old and New Mack- inaw."
A. C. Varney is one of the authors of " Our Homes and their Adornments," published in 1882.
A. B. Woodward was the author of " Epam- inondas on the Government of the Territory of the Columbia," was published at Alexandria in 1802 : a work "On the Substance of the Sun," in 1809; "The System of Universal Science," at Phila- delphia, in 1816; and "The Presidency of the United States," at New York, in 1825.
Colonel Henry Whiting, of the U. S. A., wrote " The Emigrant," a poem of 27 pages, descriptive of Michigan, published by Sheldon & Reed in 1819; "Sanilac," another poem, 154 pages, was published at Boston in 1831, and "Ontwa, the Son of the Forest," in 1822 ; " Revolutionary Orders of General Washington in 1778, 1780, 1781, and 1782," was published in 1844.
Joseph Whiting wrote "Principles of English Grammar," published in 1845.
General James Watson Webb was at one time sta- tioned here. His book, " Altowan, or Incidents of Life and Observations in the Rocky Mountains," two volumes, was published by Harper Brothers in 1846. Ten years later he published a work entitled " Sla- very and its Tendencies."
B. F. H. Witherell contributed many valuable articles on the early history of Detroit to the daily papers, some of which are published in the collec- tions of the Wisconsin State Historical Society,
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VISITING AUTHORS.
R. S. Willis, brother of N. P. Willis and Fanny Fern, is author of " Our Church Music," " Waifs of Song," " Church Chorals," and other musical works. A volume of his poems, entitled "Pen and Lute," was published in 1882.
C. I. Walker's most widely known work is a pamphlet history of "The Northwest during the Revolution."
William Ward published a work at Detroit in 1829, entitled "The Rise of the West and the Ages of Michigan."
Charles Ward published a political pamphlet of about fifty pages in 1863, entitled " Rattlesnakes and Copperheads; or, Rhymes for the Times. By Vindex."
Rev. James V. Watson, pastor of the First M. E. Church in 1844, wrote "Tales and Takings" and " Helps to Revivals."
Colonel O. B. Willcox is the author of a story of Detroit known both by the names of "Walter March" and "Shoepac." He also wrote "Foca, an Army Memoir," and " Instructions for Field Ar- tillery."
Joshua W. Waterman is author of a " Michigan Justices' Guide."
William Warner wrote a pamphlet, entitled " Restoration, the Two Methods.
Alvan Wilkins compiled the "United States Dic- tionary for Bankers and Underwriters," 334 pages, published at New York in 1856.
Andrew Wanless is author of "Poems and Songs," 192 pages, issued in 1873.
O. W. Wight, M. D., has edited or translated the following published works :
Cousin's "Course of Modern Philosophy" and "Lectures on the True, the Beautiful, and the Good," "The Philosophy of Sir William Hamilton," the "Romance of Abelard and Heloise," the works of Chateaubriand, De Staël, Fénelon, La Fontaine, Montaigne, Pascal, and Voltaire, also lives of Cæsar, Vittoria Colonna, Columbus, Joan of Arc, Milton, Mohammed, Pitt, Socrates, Tasso, and others. Also a number of novels and Martin's Hi .:- tory of France.
D. K. Winder published " The Fungi of Canada," and a work on " The Aurora Borealis."
Rev. W. W. Washburn, D. D) .. is author of " Im- port of Jewish Sacrifices," issued in 1883.
S. R. Woolley prepared and published " Woolley's Practical Bookkeeping."
W. T. Young wrote a " Life of Lewis Cass," 420 pages, published by Markham & Elwood.
John H. Young compiled " Our Deportment." Two hundred thousand copies have been sold. It is published by F. B. Dickerson & Company.
John Zundel, who was here as organist of the Central M. E. Church, is author of " The Church
Friend," "Christian Heart Songs," and "The New Introit."
Visiting Authors.
The romantic history and delightful situation and surroundings of Detroit, and its location on the natural highway of travel, have brought many visit- ors to enjoy its hospitality, and not a few persons of note in the literary world have left on record their impressions of this, the most historic city of the West.
We have accounts of the visits of LaSalle and Galinee as early as 1670. Hennepin and LaSalle were here in 1679, and in September, 1687, La Hontan and Tonty came. In the next century we have a full account of the visit of Charlevoix in June, 1721, and of E. Crespel, another French priest, in 1729. Major Robert Rogers published an account of his arrival here in 1760. Jonathan Carver came in June, 1768, and Heckenwaelder and Zeisberger were brought here in November, 1781.
Lord Edward Fitzgerald visited Detroit in June, 1789, in company with Joseph Brant. He wrote to his mother on June 20 that he had been adopted by the Bear Tribe, and made a chief. C. F. Volney, the noted infidel author of " Volney's Ruins," was here in September, 1796, and Isaac Weld, an Irish author of note, was here in October of the same year. Jacob Burnet, author of "Notes on the Northwest Territory," came here frequently as an attorney from 1796 to 1802.
In the present century we have been still more highly favored ; every decade has brought scholars among us. George Heriot, author of a volume on Canadian Life, came about 1806. From July 2 to 21, 1818, Elkanah Watson, author of several valu- able works, was here on a visit. On September 6, 1818, Thomas Douglass, fifth Earl of Selkirk, and author of several works of note, while on a visit here was arrested on account of trouble in connec- tion with his Red River settlement. In 1819 W. Darby made a tour from New York to Detroit. Rev. J. Morse, the noted geographer, and author of Morse's Geographies, with his son, Rev. R. S. Morse, United States Commissioner arrived on June 2, 1820, to inquire into the condition of the Indians. During the next year, Rev. J. B. Finley, a widely known Methodist author, was frequently in Detroit as a presiding elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church. On June 16, 1826, Thomas L. McKenney, author of "A Tour of the Lakes," arrived in Detroit ; he left on June 23. C. Colton, author of "Tour of American Lakes," was here for about two weeks in July and August, 1830. Mrs. J. H. Kin- zie, author of "Waubun; or, Early Days in the Northwest," was here in September, 1830.
Alexis de Tocqueville with M. M. Beaumont, com- missioned by Louis Philippe, King of France, to
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VISITING AUTHORS.
visit the prisons of America, made a three days' visit to Detroit from July 20 to 23, 1831. Charles Fenno Hoffman spent a week with us in November, 1833. Harriet Martineau arrived on June 13, 1836, and left the next day. Captain Frederick Marryatt, the prolific novelist, spent nearly a month in Detroit, in May and June, 1837. O. H. Marshall, of Buffalo, author of several important monographs connected with the early history of New York and the West, arrived here May 27, 1836, spending several days, and in 1881 he was again here on a brief visit. In July, 1837, Daniel Webster came to visit his son, Daniel F. Webster, who was then practicing law in Detroit. Two days before he left, on July 8, Mrs. Anna Jameson came. She was detained ten days by sickness. In August, 1837, George P. Marsh, on his way to Lake Superior, made a brief tarry at Detroit.
General R. B. Marcy, author of "Border Remi- niscences," was here with his regiment in 1838. J. Stanley Grimes was here on July 16, 1839. The preface of James H. Lanman's "History of Michi- gan" is dated at Detroit, and he spent some weeks here in 1839. J. S. Buckingham, author of a valuable work on "Eastern and Western States of America," arrived July 6, and left July 11, 1840. He said many pleasant things of Detroit. Hon. Henry Barnard, the educational writer, delivered an address here on Monday even- ing, December 5, 1842. Margaret Fuller was de- tained here half a day on her trip to Lake Superior in September, 1843. In 1845 Francis Parkman spent two weeks in Detroit collecting material for his "Conspiracy of Pontiac." He was here again in 1867. Dr. Lyman Beecher and Professor C. E. Stowe were here at a Church Convention in June, 1845. In July or August, 1847, the now well-known Dr. Geikie paid our city a brief visit. His father's family then lived near Moreton, Ontario, opposite what is now the Somerville School at St. Clair. J. Fenimore Cooper visited us in June, 1848, and in his "Oak Openings" there are various references to the city.
On March 1, 1848, Horace Greeley was here, and also at other times. Professor Louis Agassiz, with sixteen graduates and professors from Harvard Col- lege, the Lawrence Scientific and the Dane Law schools, among them our own townsman, Jefferson Wiley, arrived June 21, 1848, on their way to Lake Superior, and stayed about four hours. On their return they reached Detroit August 20. Mr. Wiley kept a daily journal of the trip, and this was largely used by Professor J. Elliott Cabot in the account of the journey which accompanies Agassiz's descrip- tion of Lake Superior. Caleb Atwater, author of "History of Ohio" and several educational works, was here for some days in August, 1848.
George Bancroft was here on his way west on October 6, 1849.
Frederika Bremer, in her "Homes in the New World," speaks of the city, and of her arrival here on the steamer Ocean from Buffalo on September II, 1850.
William H. Seward was here for some time in 1850, at the Great Railroad Conspiracy Trial. Mrs. E. F. Ellet, author of "Pioneer Women of the West," came early in July, 1850, and left on the 20th. Two years later she again visited the city. Rev. D. P. Kidder, author of "Brazil and the Brazilians" and various other works, was here on November 6, 1850, and also in 1852 and 1853.
William Chambers, of the noted Edinburgh pub- lishing firm of W. & R. Chambers, himself an author, was here in the fall of 1853. Robert Cham- bers was here in 1860. J. J. Ampère, of the French Academy, was here October 12, 1854. In 1856 James R. Albach spent several days in our city collecting information for his " Western Annals." In Septem- ber, 1858, President Mark Hopkins, of Williams College, and Dr. Leonard Bacon were here, and the first named was here again in October, 1883.
Rev. J. H. Vincent, D. D., author of the S. S. Les- son Leaf system, and of scores of helpful works for Bible students, and originator of the "Chautauqua Literary Circles," has been here a dozen times or more since 1860.
R. G. Pardee, another noted Sunday School author. was here several times between 1860 and 1870. Ben- son J. Lossing was with us October 7 and 8, 1860, gathering notes for his " History of the War of 1812." A Methodist anniversary in October, 1860, brought together Rev. Dr. Daniel Wise (Francis Forrester), Rev. Dr. T. M. Eddy, Dr. J. H. Vincent, and Rev. D. W. Clark, all of them widely known authors, Anthony Trollope and his wife were here in the fall of 1861. Sir Samuel Morton Peto, the railroad magnate and also an author, visited Detroit in 1865. Bishops Gilbert Haven and E. O. Haven, both well- known littérateurs, have been here several times. General George A. Custer, whose "Life on the Plains," entitles him to an author's place. visited Detroit repeatedly.
Edward Eggleston was in attendance on the In- ternational Convention of the Y. M. C. A. in 1868, as was also Rev. J. P. Newman. Rev. Dr. Luther Lee, author of " Elements of Theology," "Universal- ism Examined and Refuted," and "Immortality of the Soul," has been an occasional visitor.
A. Bronson Alcott held several " Conversaziones " in Detroit in January, February, and November, 1870. Fanny Fern and her husband, James Parton, were here in 1870. Rev. William Taylor, the missionary bishop, known all over the world, and author of numerous works, has visited Detroit several
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VISITING AUTHORS.
times. J. Disturnell, author of various works of reference, was here in 1873, and also in other years. On November 16, 1873, Rev. Newman Hall, of London, preached in several of our churches.
In 1879 we had a lengthy visit from Rev. Richard Newton, of Philadelphia, a noted writer of sermons to children, and from Rev. George Mueller, author of " Mueller's Life of Trust."
On September 25, 1879, the city was honored by a visit from Rev. W. M. Thomson, author of "The Land and the Book." In November, 1879, I). R. Locke, better known as Petroleum V. Nasby, made a lengthy visit.
On March 4, 1882, Professor A. D. White was in the city on his way east. Mary J. Holmes was here on February 23, 1880, Dr. James McCosh on April 10 and 11, and the Abbé H. R. Casgrain, a Canadian author, in the fall. On May 20, 1881, W. H. Russell, the well-known correspondent of the London Times, with the Duke of Sutherland, arrived in Detroit, and stopped at the Russell House.
In May, 1882, at the semi-annual meeting of the bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Bishops Hurst, Simpson, Merrill, Peck, Foster, Warren, and Wiley were present, - all of them known as authors.
Benjamin Sulte and Abbé Cyprian Tanguay, of Ottawa, both widely known Canadian authors, arrived on June 25, 1883, and spent several days. Lieut. D. H. Kelton, U. S. A., author of the "Annals of Fort Mackinac," has been here several times.
Henri Ferdinand Quarre d' Aligny, Bishop Samuel Fallows, J. Russell Webb, Rev. J. Atkinson, and Rev. S. W. Duffield, all of them authors, have vis- ited Detroit at various times.
The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor may almost be claimed as a part of Detroit, and many of the faculty have frequently visited the city. Some of them resided here.
Among the University authors are James B. Angell, Charles K. Adams, Frances Brunow, James R. Boise, T. M. Cooley, B. F. Cocker, M. L. D'Ooge, Edward S. Dunster, S. H. Douglas, E. P. Evans, E. C. Franklin, Corydon L. Ford, Henry S.
Frieze, George E. Frothingham, Asa Gray, Mark W. Herrington, O. C. Johnson, Donald McLean, George S. Morris, Edward Olney, William H. Hayne, Alonzo B. Palmer, A. B. Prescott, W. G. Peck, P. B. Rose, C. H. Stowell, H. P. Tappan, V. C. Vaughn, Alexander Winchell, J. C. Watson, D. D. Whedon, A. D. White, and De Volsen Wood.
The list of literary visitors who have appeared on the rostrum of the Young Men's Society embraces the names of many noted authors. The names of some of the lecturers and the dates of their visits are: Wendell Phillips, December 16, 1856; B. P. Shillaber (Mrs. Partington), November 25, 1857; I. I. Hayes, December 15 and 16, 1857; E. L. You- mans, January 20 and 21, 1858; T. Starr King, February 3, 1858; G. D. Prentice, February I, 1858; M. F. Maury, December 16, 1858; Bayard Taylor, February 1, 1859; Professor A. D. White, February 8, 1859; John P. Hale, November 9, 1859; Anson Burlingame, November 10, 1859; Bishop Simpson, January 6, 1860; H. J. Raymond, January 26, 1860; Ralph Waldo Emerson, February 18, 1860; G. W. Curtis, November 22, 1860; Dr. J. G. Holland, January 14, 1861; Edward Everett, May 28, 1862; W. G. Brownlow, September 27, 1862; C. F. Brown (Artemus Ward), December 3, 1862; J. S. C. Abbott, November 26, 1864; Horace Greeley. December 22, 1866; Paul DuChaillu, De- cember 11, 1867; Mark Twain, December 22, 1868; Justin McCarthy, December 16, 1869; Kate Field, February 10, 1870; Fred Douglass, July 26, 1870; Joseph Cook, May 27, 1878; Frances E. Willard, 1879: Thomas John Capel, November 4, 1883; Matthew Arnold, January 17, 1884.
In addition to the above, we have had lectures from Park Benjamin, O. S. Fowler, Elihu Burritt, H. W. Shaw (Josh Billings), J. G. Saxe, Rev. J. Milburn (the blind preacher), George W. Bungay, Rev. William Morley Punshon, Dr. Thomas Guard, Henry Ward Beecher, Anna E. Dickinson, B. Waterhouse Hawkins, Richard A. Proctor, Robert Morris, George Francis Train, Rev. T. De Witt Tal- mage, Theodore Tilton, George Vandenhoff, Rob- ert G. Ingersoll, and John B. Gough.
CHAPTER LXXII.
LITERARY, HISTORICAL, AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES.
THERE is no apparent natural connection between lotteries and literature, but one of the earliest Acts of the Governor and Judges provided for four lot- teries for the purpose of raising $20,000 "for the promotion of literature and the improvement of De- troit." The only literature, however, that resulted therefrom is a copy of the Act itself. The earliest practical endeavor for the founding of a public library secured the establishment of the
City Library of Detroit.
The society was organized in March, and incor- porated on August 26, 1817. It is remarkably cred- itable to the citizens of that time that, the next day after the organization of the society, ninety shares of the stock were sold at five dollars each. The library was located in the old University building, and the teachers of the University acted as librarians.
On July 15, 1831, the Detroit Athenaeum, a club reading room, was organized with the following officers : Lewis Cass, president ; John Biddle, vice- president ; R. S. Rice, treasurer ; and H. S. Cole, secretary. The rooms were on Griswold Street, in the rear of Newberry & Kercheval's store, where the First National Bank is now located. The effects of the City Library were transferred to this new organization. It is probable that Mrs. Jameson refers to the rooms of this society in her " Winter Tours and Summer Rambles," where, speaking of Detroit, she says :
There is also a great number of booksellers' shops, and I read in the papers long lists of books, newly arrived and unpacked, which the public are invited to inspect. Wishing to borrow some books to while away the long, solitary hours in which I am obliged to rest, I asked for a circulating library, and was directed to the only one in the place. I had to ascend a steep staircase, so disgustingly dirty that it was necessary to draw my drapery carefully around me to escape pollution. On entering a large room, unfurnished except with book-shelves, I found several men sitting, or rather sprawling, upon chairs and reading the newspapers. The collection of books was small, but they were not of a common or vulgar description. I found some of the best modern publications in French and English. The man - gentleman I should say, for all are gentlemen here - who stood behind the counter neither moved his hat from his head, nor bowed on my entrance, nor showed any officious anxiety to serve or oblige ; but with this want of what we English consider due cour- tesy, there was no deficiency of real civility, - far from it. When I enquired on what terms I might have some books to read, this
gentleman desired I would take any book I pleased, and not think about payment or deposit. I remonstrated, and repre- sented that I was a stranger at an inn-that my stay was uncertain; and the reply was that from a lady and a stranger he could not think of receiving any remuneration, and then gave himself some trouble to look out the book I wished for, which I took away with me. He did not even ask the name of the hotel at which I was staying : and when I returned the books persisted in declin- ing all payment from " a lady and a stranger."
Soon after her visit, this society was merged into the
Detroit Young Men's Society.
The history of this organization is as follows : Near the close of 1832 a few young men met in the store of Messrs. John Clark & Company, on Jeffer- son Avenue, between Woodward and Griswold, to devise means for greater intellectual improvement. A second meeting was held at the office of Charles Larned, on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Larned Street. These preliminary meetings resulted in the holding of a more formal meeting at the ses- sion room of the First Presbyterian Church, where, on January 18, 1833, a constitution and by-laws were adopted, and the Detroit Young Men's Society organized by the election of the following officers : president, Franklin Sawyer ; vice-president, Douglas Houghton ; corresponding secretary, George E. Hand; recording secretary, J. R. Scott (soon suc- ceeded by Jacob M. Howard) ; treasurer, S. S. Haw- kins ; auditor, W. A. Wells ; managers, Charles W. Penny, John M. Hunter, Aaron B. Rawles, Silas Titus, Silas P. Griswold, H. M. Roby, and Ira Van Nortwich. After the organization, meetings for literary exercises and debates were held every Fri- day evening during the winter months. Either at the session room or the council room, Dr. Douglas Houghton delivered their first lecture, and from time to time other citizens engaged in debates and literary exercises ; in fact, most of our older and leading lawyers and politicians, living and dead, made their first speeches before this society. Anson Burlingame, afterwards United States minister to China and Chinese ambassador extraordinary, then a law student here, made his maiden speech in the old session room. The library was kept at the store of Mr. Hallock, and subsequently, until the erection
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7II
LITERARY, HISTORICAL, AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES.
of the Hall, at such places and under the charge of such persons as could be secured with little or no expense. On March 26, 1836, the society was in- corporated by the Legislature, and authorized to hold property to the amount of $25,000, and the same year the Governor and Judges presented the society, for a nominal consideration, with Lot 56, Section' I, on Woodward Avenue. In 1848 it was determined to erect a hall, and in 1850 the lot on Woodward Avenue was sold, and another procured on Jefferson Avenue, between Bates and Ran- dolph Streets. On this lot a hall forty-five by ninety-five feet was erected. It was completed on November 27, 1850, at a total cost of about $8,500. The erection of the building brought the society heavily in debt, but still, as they had the rentals of two stores under the hall, the out- look was hopeful. Seven years passed away, and then, in 1857, was begun the evil practice of rush- ing members into the society upon election day without regard to their moral or mental fitness. The initiation fees were paid by candidates for office, and the names of the new members soon disap- peared from the roll. In 1859 the Act of Incor- poration was so amended that the society could hold property to the amount of $200,000. It was now proposed to erect a new hall, and a contract was entered into for a lot held by the University on the corner of Larned and Bates Streets. The city also claimed the lot, but a suit which followed terminated in favor of the University. On account of business depression, the society was unable to fulfil its con- tract for the lot, and the plan was abandoned. A vacant lot, eighty by one hundred and fifty feet, in the rear of the Biddle House and fronting on Wood- bridge Street, together with a corridor sixteen feet wide, running through the Biddle House to Jeffer- son Avenue, was then leased for a term of twenty- five years, with the privilege of renewing for further periods of twenty-five and fifty years, the owners of the land agreeing to take the building at an ap- praisal at the expiration of the term. On this lot a hall was completed, and first opened to the public on November 21, 1861, with an address by Hon. Jacob M. Howard and a poem by D. B. Duffield. The total cost of the building was $24,106. The old lot and hall were turned over to Messrs. Shearer & Chapoton in part payment, and they sold the property to Walter Ingersoll, in January, 1861, for $11,000. The balance of the funds required to erect and furnish the new hall was raised by selling stock to the amount of about $17,000, in shares of fifteen dollars each. The hall seated about fifteen hundred, and nearly two thousand were at times accommodated. It was at first very popular and was in great demand for various purposes. Other and newer halls and opera houses soon caused a
serious loss of revenue from rentals, and the society was unable to meet its obligations.
In 1875 the property was sold to Luther Beecher for $16,000. The library was moved to the second story of the Merrill Block, and new rooms opened on August 2. At this time they had about sixteen thousand volumes, five hundred annual and one hundred and fifty life members. The dues of two dollars per year were payable semi-annually. The annual meeting was held on the first Tuesday in April. The society was governed by the officers and a board of eight directors, four of whom were elected yearly for terms of two years each. Soon after moving to their new location it became evident that the society could not compete with the Public Lib- rary, and after a struggle of a few years it was decided to sell the property, pay the debts, and dis- band. Accordingly, during the months of August and September, 1882, the books were sold singly to whoever would purchase, and on September 30, the organization ceased. Many of their books, and some other property, including a marble bust of General Cass and oil portraits of several of the presidents of the society, were obtained by the Public Library.
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