USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 56
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" These, in my recollection, not to forget Elisha Holmes' blacksmith-shop, were among the first buildings, and mostly finished in 1837-38. The lumber was sawed principally at the old mill, and the new, after it was up,-including some pine logs from Long Lake. Whitewood and basswood were used to a considerable extent, but the better quality of pine required, including sash- and door-stuff and shingles, were hauled from Flint.
" This spot showed in that year all the bustle, activity, and enterprise of a village soon to grow into large propor- tions ; and here let me remark, as a well-known fact, that but for the pecuniary embarrassment and want of capital of the carly proprietors, Fentonville in its first three-years' growth would have increased in population at least fourfold beyond what, with its limited means at hand, it was des- tined to reach. But there was no lack of perseverance and unity of feeling then among its population ; all labored late and carly, and when any public occasion called them out none remained behind.
The Fourth of July was celebrated that year in perhaps as gay and festive style as it ever has been since. The hotel was unfinished, but its roof was on and sides inclosed and floors laid, and Esquire McOmber invited to deliver the usual address. Marshal Hamilton, as he was called (a car- penter, since removed to Tuscola), in the red sash of one of his ancestors, directed the procession, and an extensive one, rest assured, it was ; not a pioncer-wagon for ten miles around had deposited its load in the forest but it was here that day, with all its former living freight, and the new- born infants to boot. F'ifes and drums, too,-the reminders, perhaps, of some York State militia-training,-were in re- quisition, and guns were fired from Holmes' anvil. Shia- wassee, Livingston, and Oakland turned out in numbers large for the time, and seats of rough boards were placed for the assemblage as they gathered to that promising building -the hotel. Esquire McOmber delivered one of his finest speeches, a free lunch was zealously partaken, the toasts were jutriotie to the core, and, to crown all, we had, as usual, not only great heat, but a violent thunder storm just at the
close of our feast, which shook the earth and heavens, and made the building tremble and dishes rattle, whereat Esquire McOmber, being in his happiest mood, turning his eyes upward, poured forth a stream of fervid eloquence. and made use of some tremendous expletives which it be- comes not a veracious writer of history-to be read by all the human family hereabouts-to relate. The old settler, if any read this, will remember and supply the omission.
" Philip H. McOmber, the father of the MeOmbers now known in Fenton, was a lawyer from Saratoga Co., N. Y. At an early day (say 1835 t) he settled in Genesee County. Long Lake was the spot he selected, and upon its banks, where now stands the Long Lake Hotel, he erected a dwell- ing. Enterprising and talented as a lawyer, he soon became widely and favorably known, . . . and it is due to Philip II. McOmber, as well as to his sons, that honorable mention in this sketch of our early history should be made of one who, with others, made the wilderness 'to bud and blossom as the rose.' For many years, on the banks of Long Lake, a hospitable mansion welcomed all who came, and the deli- cious peaches raised by him for many years on the banks of the lake were freely bestowed, and gratified the palates of all who ranked among his friends, or who made his house their home for the time being. He, with many other pio- neers of this region, has gone to his last resting-place, and to him, with others, we who survive should not hesitate to award the meed of praise for their untiring energy in bring- ing into notice this region of country, now teeming with its busy population and its industrious citizens.
. . . "Among the many incidents of interest in the carly settlement of this town, let me not forget to name the fact that the first piano, the tones of which were heard in Fentonville, was brought here in 1837 by Mrs. Benjamin Rockwell, a sister of W. M. Fenton. It was placed in the hotel (now Riggs House), in the large room southeast cor- ner, second story. Mrs. Rockwell and Mrs. Fenton were both good players. At a place north of Long Lake resided a band of Indians; many of them were well known, but more especially the one called 'King Fisher.' He was the chief of the tribe, and from year to year received the pres- ents of his tribe, not only from the United States, but from Canada, traveling annually for that purpose to Detroit and Malden. The band was large. Fisher, the chief, was, on occasions of his visits, dressed in a frock coat of navy blue, a tall hat of furs, ornamented with silver bands and medals, rings pendent from his ears, gaiters and leggings of deer- skin, and strings of wampum and beads appended. Take him all in all he was worthy of his name. Small in stature, but with a bold, manly bearing, erect and dignified, he trod the carth as one of nature's noblemen, which he certainly was. Ilis house (of logs) was always open to welcome and cherish the weary traveler, and no more hos- pitable board or convenient lodging was found in all the country round. The traveler was furnished with the skins and furs of the wild beasts of the forest for his bed ; and as by magic, when he retired to repose, around him fell, in gentle folds, the light gauze protection from the enemy of sleep (mosquitoes), in those days so little known to ordi-
+ 1831; had livel two years in Grovetan I, Oakland C'o.
« Present " Everett ttouse."
27
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IHISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
nary inhabitants, but carefully provided for his quiet by 'King Fisher.' Would you know how in those days he looked, find the portrait of Aaron Burr, or one who has seen him as he trod Wall street in his failing days, and the one is a counterpart of the other. Fisher, with some of h's family (now living and known to most of the readers), came down to hear the music of which he had been told. Hle in his full dress was, with some of his tribe, ushered up, and in his kingly majesty took the chair offered him and sat, but without uncovering ; his attendants stood respect- fully about him and a little retired. Petowanoquet, an Indian and a good deal of a joker, familiar to the pioneers and usually full of fun, awed by the presence of majesty, stood back in respectful silence. Mrs. Rockwell struck the keys; the Indians generally seemed enchanted ; King Fisher's muscles were rigid, not a movement or sound of surprise from him; he was all dignity, and bore himself as a king; the piece played, the song sung, and he turned to Mrs. Fenton and, through Dan Runyon, who was present as his interpreter,-for he disdained to speak English, al- though he fully understood it, as in his squiby (drunken) moods was readily seen,-asked her to dance ! Of course this was too much, and was respectfully declined, but it was about as much as kingly dignity could do to prevent all the little Indians from tripping it on the light, fantastic tue, to the music of the piano as played by Mrs. Rockwell. Arising with the dignity peculiar to his race, Fisher ex- claimed, as he gazed on the piano, ' Man could not make it ; Manitou made it ! .
" In front of the Riggs Hotel, and near the sidewalk, stood then two or three oak-trees of medium size and fine shape. In preparing for building, these were carefully preserved until after the hotel was completed, and travelers and others began to hitch their horses near, when the con- stant stamping of horses and cattle about their roots caused their decay. I have often thought it would have been money well invested to have inclosed these trees with a substantial fence, far enough from their roots to have pre- served them. Like the one which still remains at the house of Ben. Birdsall, those trees would now have towered up in the grandeur of the ' tall oak of the forest,' and spread their branches wide, and shaded and sheltered and protected from storm and sun not only the hotel, but many buildings near, and the traveler and pedestrian as they passed along Le Roy Street. But they have gone ; the doom of decay was upon them, and, like all things terrestrial, they were soon passing away.
" My recollection is that the first preaching we had in Fentonville was from Elder Jones (late of Holly, and whose sons are settled there, or near), a Baptist minister, and that he held forth at the house of Dr. Patterson.
"On the north side of the river, about where David Smith's house is, was a log school-house. Ministers of other denominations made occasional visits, and preached there. The want of some convenient place for church and public meetings was soon seen, and a house for that purpose was built by William M. Fenton on the southwest corner of Elizabeth and Le Roy Streets. It was a one-story building of fair length and width, fitted up with seats and a plain desk, and answered the purpose, not only for relig-
ious but public meetings for some years, and was free of rent. The first Presbyterian minister was Mr. Van Ness, who was succeeded by Mr. Burghardt, and all seemed very glad to have a place for worship. Several political meet- ings were heldl there also, and a debating-school was started with headquarters in the same building. It may be that the numerous young men of Fentonville who have become somewhat eminent in the legal profession gained their first ideas of oratory in that same first church edifice, which, after the building of the First Presbyterian church, was sold to Robert Le Roy, who removed it to where Roberts' Hotel is, and it now constitutes his bar-room. Among the young men, graduates from Mr. Fenton's law-office, which stood adjoining, may be named Thomas Steere, Jr., now of Woon- socket, R. I., and late United States consul at Dundee, Seot- land ; Thomas A. Young, late a soldier in the 13th Michi- gan Infantry, killed and buried on the battle-field of Shiloh ; J. G. Sutherland, of Saginaw, now judge of that circuit ; and Henry Clay Riggs, Esq., well known among us, now journeying to the far West, seeking perhaps a new home and more room for his ambition to soar in. They have all done themselves credit in their profession, and we need not be ashamed that their first training constitutes part of our early history. Among the merchants of Fentonville may be named Samuel N. Warren and William M. Thurber, now of Flint, and David Shaw, of the same place. Phy- sicians of an early day were Dr. Patterson, before named ; Dr. Thomas Steere, long and favorably known, whose re- mains, with those of his wife, now repose in the cemetery ; Dr. Gallup, now principal of a female seminary in Clinton, N. Y., all intelligent and highly respectable as practitioners and as citizens, and doing themselves and the residence of their adoption credit while among us.
" The log house was soon found too small for the rising generation (for be it known that pioneers are generally young married people, whose offspring come fast upon the stage, and require schooling), and a school-house of fair dimen- sions and tolerable appearance was erected near the site of the First Presbyterian church. The lot for this, as well as the church, were donations-so was the cemetery-to the public, but church and school-house have disappeared. The title to the lots is vested in private persons, but the cemetery remains a monument to those who have passed away, and there are none among us who visit its scenes without being reminded of the familiar and beloved faces of friends, relations, and companions, who once trod the stage of life and mingled in the busy scenes of the little village in its incipient enterprise and gradual development.
Among the earlier mechanics were one Sage, a very neat joiner ; Snapp, a millwright, living now, I believe, and one of the first who helped to start East Saginaw in building its first mill. David Smith was prominent among them, and could then do more work in a day than any man I ever knew ; perhaps he can now,-at all events, he is reliable every way. Ed. Franks was another; he is father-in-law of Russell Bishop, of Flint, and keeps hotel at Mackinac. Mrs. Bishop was born in Fentonville (I believe in the second story of the store, corner Le Roy and Shiawassee Avenue, where Franks kept house). Let me not forget Seth Rhodes, who was a timber-hewer, and one of the best ever known.
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FENTON TOWNSHIP.
It was said after a stick was tolerably scored and Rhodes had struck his line, each blow of his broad-axe (and it was a very broad one) would carry the keen edge through the stick, leaving a surface as straight and smooth as if counter- shaved. Rhodes had forty acres of land adjoining Wilbur's, enough to have made him comfortable, could he have kept it. But, alas ! hke many others, his running expenses outran his income, and after he had got out and hewed the timber for the first grist-mill and settled his accounts, he found it necessary to sell out to pay his debts ; and it was familiarly said of him that he with his family (all huge eaters and provisions high) had eaten up his year's work and forty acres of land. Ile, too, has gone from among us,-peace to his ashes,-yet history would be imperfect without men- tion of his name.
" The first regular hotel-keeper was Thomas Irish, and at that hotel the first town-meeting was held after the organi- zation. Irish was a carpenter also-in fact, there was no man among us who could not turn his hand to building fences, putting on siding, laying floor, painting, etc., and this all who participated in the earlier settlement of our place will remember well. In the early part of March, 1838 (say 5th), the ground between Ben Birdsall's house and the west line of the village, extending from Shiawassee Avenue down north to the marsh, had been plowed and was sowed with oats. It was protected by a rail fence. During the mouth there was no rain in the daytime, but, like the period in the building of King Solomon's temple, gentle showers watered the earth at night. The air was balmy and warm as in the months of June and July, and vegetation was far advanced, until before the close of the month (say 25th) there could be seen, where now stand several fine dwellings, a beautiful green field-oats spring- ing up luxuriantly, and the oak-openings all around pre- sented to the eye the beauties of spring. In the early his- tory of the country it was not unusual to plow in February, but in this year (1838) crops were generally sown in March. The variation of the seasons then was remarkable, for the preceding year ice was upon the ground up to April.
" Some one who has preceded ine in relating the his- torical incidents of this town has said that the changes in streets have created some confusion, and that the record thereof could not be found. For the convenience of refer- enee to inquiring minds in that regard, I have caused ex- amination to be made, and find that the record exists among the archives of the Circuit Court for the county of Genesee, in the first volume, on page 75. It is an order vacating certain streets, and was made the 7th of March, 1842. Before that time the highway commissioners (in 1839) had altered Shiawassee Avenue, and the dwelling- house of Judge Le Roy had changed ends. Its front, once north, had been reversed to face the new street, and in a short time after, by the aid of the first church moved to its new front, was converted into the ' Le Roy House,' and kept for a while by Robert Le Roy. It is a little curious to ex- amine that old record. It was made at a time when the court had what the lawyers called epaulettes-that is, asso- ciate judges. At that time the counties kept in office by election two judges, who sat upon the beach with the cir- cuit judge (who was also a justice of the Supreme Court,
as then formed), and that is about all they did, viz. : to sit on the bench with the presiding judge. True, the two conkl, being the majority of the bench, overrule the pre- siding judge, but they seldom did it. Sometimes their sympathies for their neighbors involved in litigation, per- haps under indictment, would lead them to act, and in such case, if they happened to differ with the learned circuit judge, he would, after consultation, give the judgment of the court accordingly, but with a frown and a distinct an- nouneement that it was not his opinion, but he was over- ruled by his learned (?) associates.
" In the court where the order referred to was made sat only one, as the records show,-Lyman Stow, formerly of Flint, now sleeping that long sleep that knows no waking. No one accused Judge Stow of any remarkable legal acu- men, but he was one of the earliest of the pioneers of our county, and as such deserves honorable mention. When the red man was almost the only human being in all the country round, Judge Stow penetrated the forest and pre- ceded at first, but ultimately lived to see developed the march of civilization which levels the forest and brings in train enterprising villages, mills, and manufactories, and converts the wilderness into productive farms. May he be as happy in the home to which he has gone as his honest worth in this world would seem to entitle him !
" One of the earlier settlers of the town was Joseph A. Byram, who lived on a lake bearing his name (Byram Lake). Ile was from Flushing, Long Island, and with his family had lived in luxury. The quiet of his grounds was seldom disturbed by the white man's tread until Augustus St. Amand-then a young Frenchman, just from Paris, who by the way of New Orleans and the Mississippi had reached Michigan-made Byram's acquaintance. The result was he came out with Byram from Detroit and purchased near him. His fowling-piece and fishing-rod brought with him afforded him amusement, and in the bachelor's hall which he erected out of logs were all the various articles of lux- ury he had been able to bring with him. He was hospit- able and glad to entertain any friend who might visit him- indeed, we found in the first experience of pioneer life a real treat and pleasure in visiting the beautiful openings and clear lakes, as well as the hospitable dwellings of both Byram and St. Amand. Not the least romantic of the earlier scenes of pioneer life was what befel St. Amand. In one of his journeys to Detroit for provisions (for be it known what little money a man brought here was soon used up in that way), on his return, when on the Saginaw turn- pike, near Springfield, he found a carriage broken down ; a gentleman and lady were there-father and daughter ; the lady appeared to be in distress, the gentleman taking things easy as was his wont. But the chivalrie feelings of St. Amand could not be restrained, especially as he gazed on that young form and saw the youth and beauty, with the intelligence and sparkling eye of a damsel in distress, and quick as thought he was upon his feet, rendering such as- sistance as was required to repair damages and see the travelers on their way to Pontiac. St. Amand could at that time speak but few words of English, but a look of gratitude and admiration beamed in tender eyes, and St. Amand felt the dart of love piereing his heart, as moving
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HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
his hand he bade the damsel adieu, and exclaimed, 'au revoir.' It was indeed with them & au revoir,' for the attachment formed on that then romantie and forest road soon culminated, and Augustus St. Amand became the husband of Caroline Le Roy. Sweet girl she was, and became the mother of sons, one of whom has laid down his life in the cause of his country, falling a sacrifiee in the war to restore the Union.
" Farewell, Caroline ! You rest in your quiet grave, but there is hope you will meet in the realms of bliss those you loved so well and so kindly cared for in this world.
. . . " In times gone by there was an excitement known as ' Anti-Masonry,' in Western New York, and there was a place called Stafford, near Batavia. At the first-named place dwelt, among others, a man named Elisha Holmes, who removed to and became one of the pioneers of Fenton- ville. In the days of our carly settlement, after Holmes had finished his labors in his shop (he was a blacksmith), he would regale his listeners with racy anecdotes, and many a tale of how Morgan was supposed to pass through Staf- ford, inside the stage-coach of the 'Swiftsure Line,' gagged and manacled, on his way to ' that bourne from which no traveler returns,' just before the dawn of day, and, as he was postmaster, he would say, ' If there was anything of the kind, wouldn't I have known it?' And so he would defend those who had been accused of the high crime of abduction, and wind up by saying that ' Weed, the whis- ker-clipper, circulated the story, and boasted that the body he found was a good enough Morgan until after elec- tion.'
" Elisha Holmes was a man of strong memory, and espe- cially in the political history of the country unequaled. From his post-office of Stafford he brought barrels of newspapers, and, if ever at a loss for facts (which seldom happened ), would ransack the barrels until he found the document,-and he was always right, his memory infallible.
" The first mail obtained in the new village was by a mail-route, procured after a long effort, running from Pontiac ria White Lake twice a week. I well remember, in those days of slow mails, the anxiety we experienced on the eve of any important event. One with which Hohes was connected is illustrative of many :
" The national convention of Democrats was assembled for nomination of a President in 1844, and anxiety to hear the result was general. Cass was a candidate, and others. A crowd had assembled, waiting for the expected mail, which was sure to bring the news, and after much specula- lation, Ilolmes, in his dry way, said, 'Gentlemen, you are all mistaken. The nominee will be a new man; guess who.' Many names were mentioned, but not the right one. At last Hohes said, 'Gentlemen, I have got the history of this country, and its statesmen in and out of Congress, in my head, and the nominee will be James K. Polk.' 'Polk-Polk-who is he?' ' Why,' said Holmes, 'you don't read the newspapers : it is James K. Polk, of Tennessee.' Yet the bystanders were not satisfied ; indeed, they all agreed that for once Holmes was mistaken. But the mail came, and Holmes was right. The old anvil was brought out, the nomination saluted in ancient style, amid shouts of
' James K. Polk, of Tennessee,
The very man I thought 'twould be,'
and Holmes was triumphant. But the town goes on; enterprise still exists. Even at an early day David L. La- tourette, Esq., now an enterprising eitizen and banker among us, came to a Western home. Ile was the first to encourage the growth of flax, and entered into the manu- facture of linseed oil. Like many other pioneers, this didn't make him rich, but his enterprise in another sphere of action did (so said) ; and now, with new life and energy, he is putting his shoulder to the wheel to open another iron road to our pleasant village. May his efforts meet the suc- cess they deserve !
" Among the men of Pontiae who came here at an early day was Judge Daniel Le Roy, of whom mention has be- fore been made. He was singular in many things, not the least of which was that he became pious, joined the church, and thereupon became one of the abolitionists of the old stamp, who, though in a very small minority, thought they were right, and went ahead, believing that time would, with patience and perseverance, accomplish all things, and, like Wellington at the battle of Waterloo, that they could pound the longest,-and so they have. . . . This is a digression, perhaps, but illustrative of the times when the judge took the only abolition paper circulated in Fentonville,-the Star in the East,-published in the State of Maine.
" While on this subject let me call to mind some of the seenes of 1840,-' Tippecanoe and Tyler too.' There was an immense gathering and great excitement in our usually quiet village. Tom Drake and others were here, and the frame of the new flouring-mill was up and the roof on. There the people began to assemble. Drake walked to and fro in front of the hotel,-hands in his pockets, eyes on the ground,-digesting the matter for the coming speech and preparing, as well as he could, to digest the pork and beans and hard cider with which the crowd was to be re- galed. Wagons with hard cider were drawn up in front, the kettles were on the fire, the pork and beans were boil- ing, and one team had arrived from Flint with a load of shingles to be used in dealing out the refreshments; for be it known that knives, forks, and spoons were alike inter- dieted, and pork and beans were served on shingles, and from a split shingle spoons were formed. The speechies went on in the usual way; the people were told that in the White House goll spoons were used,-that Van Buren eon- templated a standing army of at least 20,000 men, and in- sisted on that odious scheme called the 'Sub-Treasury,' whereby the money of the people was to be locked up and we were all to be reduced to beggary,-a shilling a day and a sheep's pluck for wages and meat,-and 'that same old coon,' dead but stuffed, was run up on a pole, and all the people shouted and roared, and drank hard cider, and pulled out their 'latch-strings,' and ate pork and beans off a shin- gle with a split shingle for a spoon, while Elisha Holmes, quietly hammering away at his anvil, looked down the vista of time, ransacked his memory for a parallel, and, with prophetic vision, exclaimed, ' Go it while you're young, boys ; feel good while you may ; but if my name is Elisha Holmes, your " Tyler too" will be a Tartar ; for my history tells me Tyler is a life-long Democrat, and you will find
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