History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 75

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Everts & Abbott, Philadelphia, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Abbott
Number of Pages: 683

USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 75

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Mrs. Alger was born in Troy, Oakland Co., Dee. 25, 1842. Was one of ( a family of seven children. Her parents cmigrated from Manchester, Eng- land, in 1841. There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Alger two children,- John J., born Aug. 14, 1863, and Agnes A., born Dec. 12, 1864.

In religion and local politics Mr. Alger can well be called a liberalist. In national matters he votes the Democratic ticket. lle is one who makes friends among all classes, and especially among the poor and unfortunate, to whom he has ever extended a helping band. Ile has been supervisor three terms, having been elected on the People's tieket by a large majority, in the strongest Republican town in the county, and has filled the office with credit to himself and his constituents. Ile is a strong temperanee man and a moralist. Is well read historically and otherwise. und possesses the traits necessary to make him a leader among men.

VIEW FROM THE SOUTH.

WM.R.ALGER.

MRS. WM.R.ALGER.

RESIDENCE OF WM. R. ALGER, MUNDY, MICHIGAN .

284

HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

" William Odell, from Southport, Tioga Co., N. Y., came to what is now the township of Mundy in the year 1834. The 6th day of December he purchased 160 acres of land from government. In March, 1835, he built a log house, and in April bis mother eame. He was then twenty-three years of age. In November, 1836, he was married to Miss Mary Sly, of Oakland County. HIe voted at the first town- meeting, and attended the first court held in Genesee County as petit juror. Ile has cleared 140 acres of his land, and still lives upon it. Hlas had ten children, of whom five are living. Ilis wife died in August, 1872, and he is now living with his second wife, whose maiden name was Lois II. Leach. She came to Mundy in 1835, being then six years of age.

" Jeshurun Leach came from Ohio to what is now the township of Mundy in April, 1835. He was formerly from Clarence, Erie Co., N. Y. Ilis family at the time he eame consisted of his wife, three sons, and two daughters. HIe purchased 80 acres of land at $1.25 per acre for his wife's sister, Mrs. Conant, who came with her family the following June. Mr. Leach did much towards improving the country while here. Was one of the first voters in the township. In October, 1837, he returned with his family (to which had been added one more son) to Ohio. In April, 1843, Mrs. Leach returned to Mundy (Mr. Leach and the oldest daughter having died in Ohio) with five sons and two daughters, the youngest two born while in Ohio. The youngest daughter died soon after; the rest lived to act in various capacities. Several school districts in the township remember them as teachers, the oldest three sons and the daughter having taught. The second son, D. C. Leach, taught as many as twelve terms in the Baldwin district. He was in the State Legislature, and was also sent from the Sixth Congressional District two terms as member of Congress. He is now in Springfield, Mo. The eldest son, M. L. Leach, has been a practicing physician in Clinton County for more than twenty years. A. J. Leach, the third son, has settled in Nebraska. William H., the fourth son, who was a Methodist minister, died in 1876. The youngest son, W. H., has settled in Kalkaska Co., Mich. The only remaining daughter is the present wife of William Odell, of Mundy. Mrs. Leach died in 1872."

Mrs. Odell mentions that her father (Mr. Leach) used to go to Pontiac to mill, and on one occasion heard her mother say they were out of flour. She suddenly imagined herself very hungry, but felt better after her father procured some flour of George Judson. At one time provisions were so scarec that the family lived for two weeks on potatoes and salt.

It was not unusual for an Indian to come in and lie by the fire during a cold night, and, as the latch-string was always out, their red neighbors eame as they pleased. The children knew not the feeling of fear in the presence of the Indians. Fisher, the chief, is described as being a noble specimen of his raee.

Hon. D. C. Leach, who for a number of years resided at Traverse City, Mich., is now living at Springfield, Mo., where he is engaged in the publishing business, being ed- itor and proprietor of the Patriot Advertiser. In his con- nection with the Grand Traverse Herald before leaving

Michigan he won distinction among the journalists of the State.

John Remington, living near Mundy Centre, although but a short time a resident of this town, settled in Grand Blane in 1834, and lived there until 1865, holding nu- merous important offices.

It is related of Dr. Josiah Alger that at one time when provisions were very scarce in his neighborhood, and the settlers were glad even to gather cowslips and use them for greens, he made occasional trips to Pontiac, and brought back supplies of necessary provisions, and dealt them out to those who had neither money nor food, while those having funds he told to get what they wanted at the same place he did. As a remarkable case of ingratitude, it is stated that some of the poorer ones, who afterwards had plenty of money, never remunerated the doctor for his kindness in their hour of need.

The following " Reminiscences of Early Michigan" were furnished for the Fenton Gazette by W. I. Williams, of Mundy, and published in that paper in the spring of 1871. They are deseriptive principally of the experiences of the family during their residence of four years in Saginaw County, before coming to Mundy, yet are applicable to all cases of pioneer life, as those who participated in the scenes of forty and fifty years ago will readily acknowledge. The experience was, generally, nearly the same,-the actors only were different. Mr. Williams' article is as follows :

" I have often thought that, could every one having any experience, practically, of pioneer life in Michigan, be pre- vailed upon to furnish a written statement of those experi- ences, all, compiled in book-form, would make one of the most interesting works of the kind in existence.

" llow often do we dwell, more or less, upon scenes of early days, in our commonplace lives, where all has been smooth and placid, with naught to ' trouble or make afraid,' or drive us from the even tenor of our ways ! Ilow mueh more, then, should the vivid imaginations of the early set- thers of Michigan be interested in the past,-those recol- lections of early life in a new country, often beset with dif- fieulties and dangers connected with the hardships incident to a pioneer life in the wilderness !

" Living in the State of New York, in 1835, when a mere lad, I often heard strange stories of the wilds of Mich- igan,-of its Indians, wolves, and bears,-little dreaming that my experiences in after-life would be so closely allied with its interests. Well do I recollect the excitement of moving to Michigan, in the fall of 1836, and a brief sketeh of the journey may not be uninteresting My step-father hired a man with his team to move us and our household goods to Buffalo, a distance of sixty miles or more, starting from Mount Morris, Livingston Co., on or about the middle of September. We stayed two nights on the road, and after a tedious journey of three days over rough and muddy roads, we arrived at the port of' Buffalo just in time to take passage on the steamer 'Governor Marey,' which plied between Buffalo and Saginaw every two weeks, and which many of the early settlers of Michigan will probably recol- lect. Nothing occurred worthy of notice except a good deal of sea-sickness on Lake Erie (which, by the way, is about the stormiest of all the lakes), until we arrived at

...

OLD HOME.

MRS.WM.I. WILLIAMS.

WM.1.WILLIAMS,

RESIDENCE OF WM. I. WILLIAMS, MUNDY, MICHIGAN.

285

MUNDY TOWNSHIP.

Detroit, where we stopped for wood and passengers, and had a chance to see what there was of the City of the Straits. It was then, comparatively speaking, a small vil- lege by the side of its present dimensions, with but one business street of any importance, buildings mostly of wood, and small at that. While lying at the wharf, a negro, black as the ace of spades, left the boat with a large satchel in hand, and soon after a general stir was made to find him. A new overcoat belonging to one of the officers was missing, and the theft was laid to him, which proved to be true, as a general search brought him to light with the missing overcoat done up compactly in his large satchel. The negro showed some fight, which gathered quite a crowd on the quay, but he was soon brought under by putting the irons on his wrists and marching him off to jail, where he was probably dwelt with according to law. Thus ended quite an exciting seene to my boyish imagination.

" All went well as we continued our voyage until we ar- rived near the entrance of Saginaw Bay, when a severe northeaster eame swooping down upon us, making every timber in the old ship ereak and tremble, while many a stout heart quailed under the threatenings of the fearful tempest. Towards the close of the day preceding that fearful night there was strong talk among the passengers that the captain should put about for port, but he still kept on his course, regardless of the warring elements. We had strong hopes of weathering the storm, now we were so near our port of destination, but with increasing fury the wild storm sped, and, when nearly midnight, the violence of the gale forced our captain to return back to port, where we ar- rived next morning. The turning back was often spoken of as a critical moment in our existence, as we turned on the top of a huge wave, when, ifwe had turned in a trough of the sea, the probabilities are that none would have lived to tell the tale. But the horrors of that fearful storm, to- gether with the wailings of anguish which rose above the howling of the tempest, will never be erased from my memory. The scenes of that dismal night of storm, dark and rainy ; the loud eries of those bewailing their hapless fate, and wishing themselves on shore; and often when some bold dash of the elements, more furious than common, would override all barriers, and deluge the innermost cabiu to the tune of ankle-deep in water,-then you might hear, far above the roar of wind and water, the cries and wailings of the distressed, calling on the good Lord to deliver them out of the depths of the sea in all the agony of a broken and contrite spirit. Well do I recollect my sensations as I lay crosswise the boat in my berth, holding on to a stan- chion for dear life, as the old boat careened first to one side and then the other, describing the various gradations of an inclined plane with my head and feet. One of the eccen- tricities of our captain I will have to relate, although it may not be much to his credit. HFe was a very still sort of per- sonage as a general rule, rather rotund in form, apparently given to good living, as well as good drinking; you would think, to see him, there was (to use a common phrase), not much snap about him ; but when the storm broke upon us, a new spirit seemed to take possession of him. With oaths more dreadful than the storm itself to the tired sailors, his pent-up tongue was let loose with voluminous imprecations on

God and man, while with stentorian lungs he gave his com- mands about ship, and the louder the storm or the wail- ings of the fearful, still above all you could hear his all- powerful commands, efficiently setting the ship to rights ; but when the storm had ceased, the spell was broken, and once more the calm and placid serenity of manuer, before noticed, had spread its mantle upon him.

" After the storm on Saginaw Bay we arrived the next day safely in the harbor of Fort Gratiot. Here we had to lay over until the next morning, for some slight repairs and the lulling of the storm, which had been quite severe on all the lakes. Some few of our goodly company left us here to make the balance of the journey by land, feeling quite averse to a renewal of the preceding night's ' unpleasant- ness.' Ilere we had a chance to look about the premises, and, it being quite a pleasant day, the most of the passen- gers made good use of our delay in seeing the sights about the fort and vicinity. Long rows of bristling eannon. re- cently painted black, run out from under their rough sheds to dry, made things look quite warlike, and to those of us who never saw anything of the kind before, the sight was quite interesting. Each row of cannon had a number of soldiers on duty to guard them, and many times through the day would they have to speak sharply to some of the boys, whose curiosity demanded a closer inspection, to keep ' hands off,' and not a few had black hands to show for their pains. After a few days' sojourn on terra firma, the most of the passengers had regained somewhat their wonted equilibrium, and the pleasant weather, succeeding so severe a storm, made them feel more courageous in regard to re- newing their journey by water. The next morning, on awaking, the thumping of machinery and noise about the decks told us that we were once more on our journey. The bright sun overhead, and a steady breeze from off shore, gave us high hopes of reaching our place of destina- tion without again coming in contact with nature's warring elements. We had a pleasant day running up the bay, as near the land as was prudent, often looking with spy-glasses at the native Indians, gathered about their wigwams, watch- ing the ' big canoe,' or roaming the forest in all its pristine loveliness. The weather towards night changed somewhat, and we had the first snow of the season just as we were entering the mouth of Saginaw River. It turned to rain in the evening. Our journey up the river was rather dis- mal than otherwise,-the snow and the extensive marshes for miles inland, covered with water, looking more like a lake than a river,-with no human habitation on either shore to break the monotony of the scene. Some few miles below Saginaw City, all hands, as well as passengers, were called on deck to help get the boat adrift, as we had run out of the main channel and stuck in the sand. First to one side of the boat and then the other we were all ordered to run at the word of command, while the opposite wheel would turn a few strokes each time, helping us to wiggle the boat, like some huge anaconda, through the sand. After an hour's struggle, where all got some tired,-although having considerable merriment at each other's expense,- some tumbling about like porpoises, as the boat careened nearly on her beam ends, we finally shoved into deep water and steamed on our course, by where East Saginaw now

286

HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

stands (which, by the way, was a howling wilderness down to the water's edge); and soon arrived at the only dock in Saginaw City. A sightly place indeed to be called a eity ! A clearing in the woods, extending in area perhaps two hundred rods back from the river, and about three hundred in length, with a very few houses,-a large majority of which were log, or block, as some were called, being made of hewn timber, with port-holes, and the frame houses small and inconvenient.

" We landed Oet. 1, 1836, having been nearly eight days in making the passage from Buffalo, and you may suppose that it was a great relief to many anxious hearts when we arrived ; for all, more or less, had friends, relatives, and acquaintances whom they were anxiously expecting on this boat, which was the only one then plying between Saginaw and Buffalo, making the trip generally in two weeks. As we landed the whole city turned out en masse to welcome us, offering us the best hospitalities it afforded, and its free range-if we had a mind-afoot in the mud. As it was about the time that cities generally lighted up their gas, we looked in vain for any intimation of such a state of things, except what was bandied between the crew and some jolly fellows on shore. It was said we were a city within a city, for the population aboard the boat num- bered nearly as many as those on shore, there being about thirty families. The boat had brought up quite a number of influential men-men of eapital-representing the most of the real valuation of the city, and speculators in lands of the surrounding country. This great addition to the place in population and capital bade fair to make it one of the most thriving cities of the then far West. Thriving, I say, and safely so, for who ever heard of a eity doubling its population in so short a time ? Among those most con- spicuously governing its interests were the Littles, the Rich- monds, the Millers, and a few other forehanded gentlemen, who came to make this their permanent abiding-place. But the main question was, after we had all debarked, Where are we going to lodge ? Where are all the taverns ?- the Metropolitan, the National, the Waverley, anywhere to get out of the pitiless storm that was drenehing us to the hide ? In vain we listened for runners to these different hotels, but we soon had the unwelcome assurance that there were none, except the Saginaw Hotel, and there we proceeded, tramp, tramp, through the mud ankle-deep, and soon ar- rived at-what ? A common double block-house, the only tavern in the city. The old stockade fort, with its heavy- built block-houses, were still in passable order, but rather on the decaying list, as might be noticed in the mossy roof and in the decayed pickets, here and there one falling over by its own weight. On a closer inspection you might see the traces of the leaden missiles that years before, perhaps, were sent with deadly intent, marring the houses and pickets in many places. One general dry-goods store, two or three groceries, one or two saloons, one steamu saw-mill, and one log tavern constituted the principal places of business in the city.

" At the date of which I write there was no farming community of any importance settled about the vicinity of Saginaw, as that branch of industry was in its first stages of infancy. Consequently we had to depend almost entirely

on receiving our supplies of provisions from regular trips of the steamboat ' Governor Marcy,' which made the round- trip-generally-once in two weeks.

" At one time during the summer of 1837, some acei- dent happening to the boat, its trip was delayed nearly four weeks, which caused nearly a famine in our community. Famine prices were necessarily prevalent, and glad was many a poor family if it had a potato even to still the ap- peals of hunger. More than one family was known to have dug up its seed potatoes after planting, so great were their necessities, to keep from starving. Some instances were known where they had planted potato-parings and were forced to exhume them to satisfy the demands of nature. Money seemed to be plenty among the business portion of the community, but that we could not eat, and a few who were dealers in provisions made small fortunes on what they had to sell. But when the boat did arrive, was there not a day of rejoicing ? Some men in eanoes brought the in- telligence up the river, ahead of the boat, that she had been sighted on the bay, and such a turnout, according to the population, is seldom witnessed as that which gave them welcome. Provisions generally were about the following priees, to wit : $15 per barrel for flour ; $40 per barrel for pork ; 75 cents per pound for butter ; $1.50 for potatoes; and other things in proportion. So, you perceive, it wanted no small eapital to set up housekeeping in the line of the necessaries of life.

" This was about the period when ' wild-cat banks' were plenty, and speculations of all kinds were in vogue on the high-pressure principle. Especially was this the case in real estate. Agents were continually sent East with the avowed intention of swindling the Eastern capitalists out of their money, and the chief outfit of an agent would be his map of Saginaw City, or perhaps a map of some im- aginary city gotten up for the occasion, penciled and colored in the highest style of perfection that art could produce, showing the many hundreds of bloeks and streets you might search for in vain, even with a map and compass,- not forgetting a guide,-for you would be likely to find some of the best pictured avenues or blocks an hour's walk in the dense forest, where you would need some expert to guide you out into the sunlight. And so it was in numer- ous instances where there was not the least foundation for such a swindling operation. Some ' very eligible' sites were located on the extensive marshes lining the shores of Sagi- naw River, and you might search for them in almost any season of the year, and there would be nothing to be seen but one wide expanse of water. But the excitement of speculation was in its zenith, and many a fortune was made easily by the sharpers of the day in duping Eastern men who had taken the Western fever, which nothing but a step off into one of their imaginary streets would eure. It was rather laughable, sometimes, to see a trio of Eastern men starting out on a voyage of discovery, with canoes and guides, in quest of real estate, and more so to see them on their return, chopfallen and disheartened, though puttting the best face they could on the matter, hoping to dupe somo one else to get their money back; and instances were known where they doubled on their money instead of losing.

JOHN L. JENNINGS

MRS. JOHN L. JENNINGS

ملة وغير مبع اليد

RESIDENCE OF JOHN L. JENNINGS , MUNDY, MICH.

287

MUNDY TOWNSHIP.

" Under the wild-cat excitement Saginaw must needs have a bank, and men and money were on hand in plenty to in- vest in the speculation. The denomination of twenty-five dollars was to be called a share, and it was within the reach of all to participate to some extent. But the speculation, after running a few months, culminated in the absorption of the little fish by the larger ones,-the ' busting' of the bank,-and some one made money out of it. So ended the first experiment of the banking system in Saginaw City. At that time the place looked very well, as far as the site was concerned, from the river for perhaps a half-mile back, when it degenerated into a rather low, wet, and heavy-tim- bered country, where oue commodity was easily raised by simply presenting your card in person, viz. : mosquitoes. When planting-time came it was a common practice to wear gloves and veils, and have them well tied on, or it was im- possible for human nature to stand the pressure. While speaking of the natives of the forest I will give you a short chapter on wolves. It was nothing uncommon, almost any evening, to listen to a serenade from their melodious throats, and as they could be heard the whole length and breadth of the city, the music was rather too cheap to be popular. Many an evening, while their melodious voices were in full concert, have I sat and listened to highly-wrought pictures of their ferocity and deadly encounters with some of the first settlers as well as Indians, which would make one's hair seem to stand on end. The first day after our arrival, to- wards evening, having just moved into a house near the suburbs of the city, our people saw something they took to be a dog, resting its forepaws on a log some ten rods from the door, but which some of the neighbors, who happened to be present, told us was a wolf,-a rather early call on neighbors, we thought, before we could get settled. While living at Saginaw, which was nearly four years, my step- father caught about a dozen in large traps, which I used to go with him to set just in the edge of the woods, and many an exciting time did we have in dispatching them. On going near them, when fast in the trap, they would look sneaking enough, and would hardly make the least resist- ance while we dispatched them with hand-spikes.

" I recolleet one large gray wolf which we had trapped and killed, and which we brought up to the door as usual and laid down on the doorstep, caused quite an excitement among the bystanders who happened to be present. A large cat happening to pass by the wolf and smell of it, some one of the company picked it up and threw it with full force on the wolf as it lay stretched at full length in front of the door, upon which the wolf immediately sprang up, as with a new life, gave a leap in the air, and with one long-drawn sigh breathed his last. You can readily guess there was a scattering among the curious who stood immediately over, and some screeching among the ladies, who were considera- bly frightened.

" There was one very large wolf which we caught in the trap, and concluded to take him bodily to town for a show while alive, to receive the bounty, which I believe was $8. So we got some bark for cords, and after lassoing him around the nose he gave up completely, while we bound him securely ; then, running a long pole between his legs and under the thongs, carried him in triumph to the city.

After interviewing him to their hearts' content, some of the citizens, who had lost quite heavily by the devouring na- ture of him and his brethren, concluded to make an exam- ple of him. So, after making up a purse to replace the bounty, which could not be drawn from the State unless the wolf was killed, they commenced to treat poor Mr. Wolf after the manner of the barbarous savage. First they cut off his cars close to his head, next his tail close to his body, otherwise making him look as hideous and unlike himself as it was in their power to invent ; then they put on his neck a loud-sounding cow-bell and sent him on his way re- joicing (they, not he) to 'see his friends once more.' It is hardly possible to conceive the alteration made in his Jooks, and I am sure his most intimate friends would not have recognized him. The result was the wolves were cleaned out of the adjoining forests for a long time after- wards. About six months afterwards the famished remains of a wolf with a bell on were found in the edge of a clear- ing in the city."

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History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 75

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Everts & Abbott, Philadelphia, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Abbott Number of Pages: 683

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Everts & Abbott, Philadelphia, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Abbott
Number of Pages: 683