History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Part 34

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott
Number of Pages: 761

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At this point Turner and Hughes became convulsed with laughter. The doctor looked in a bewildered way, first at them and then at the stranger on the lounge, who was get- ting very red in the face, and seemed to ask what was all this uproar about. At length Turner controlled himself sufficiently to rise, when he turned to the doctor and said, " Dr. Lamborn, allow me to introduce you to Abner Pratt." It was now the doctor's turn to look embarrassed, but he proved equal to the emergency ; extending his hand to the judge, he remarked, " Abner Pratt, what I said of thee I only meant politically."

It is related that the judge used unparliamentary lan- guage for a moment, but finally his features relaxed, and he acknowledged the jokes even. During the remainder of their stay, Hughes was master of the situation.

In this connection we venture to give another item, which, though not classical in its language, is at least fully as characteristic of the man. At one time, when the doctor was well along in years, and becoming more and more eccentric, he visited Kalamazoo, when the boys treated him with less respect than he was wont to claim. At length they gathered around him, and, remarking upon his outré appearance, jokingly inquired who he was and what his business was. The doctor turned upon them a withering look, and, in his inimitable way, replied ;-

" I am an agent of his Satanic Majesty, who has commissioned me to look up a new place to locate Hell, and I think I shall recommend Kalamazoo."

Mr. Van Buren tells a good one in which he was an un- willing actor. At a Free-Soil meeting in Centreville, St. Joseph Co., in the autumn of 1848, after several speakers had addressed the gathering, suddenly, from an obscure corner of the room, came the sound of a squeaking voice, exclaiming, "Fellow-citizens." The peculiar, nervous, tremulous, but deliberate tones, attracted all ears, and the assembly beheld a medium-sized man of sixty years, earn- estly and emphatically pouring forth a torrent of eloquence which astonished them all. At length the president of the meeting, Hon. Albert Metcalf, turned to Mills Hammond, the secretary, and in an earnest tone exclaimed, " Who in the name of Free-Soilism have we got among us ?" Ham- mond, who knew the fiery stranger, replied, " We've got old Dr. Lamborn among us, and I see he is on the aggressive, and unless we get rid of him soon there will not be much of Free-Soilism left." He then whispered to Mr. Van Buren, who was assistant secretary of the meeting, and said, " Van, do you know that we have caught a Tartar ?" Van Buren replied that he was well aware of it, and unless he was stopped soon he would make havoc of the previous speeches and use up a good amount of time.

In the mean time the doctor was warming to his subject, and slashing right and left with a blade as keen as Saladin's of old. Great political questions were being manipulated

under his dexterous logic in a manner worthy of a Chatham or a Mirabeau.

His eloquence and wonderful reasoning thrilled and aroused the Free-Soil element to indignant resentment, which the old doctor seeing, he poured out his vials of wrath and biting sarcasm more profusely than before. Said he, " You are displeased when I tell you that you are un- true to the fundamental principles of republican liberty,- principles for which Al-gernon Sidney died, for which Lord William Rus-sell suffered, and for which John Hampden fell !"

Time was precious, and finally the president spoke and said he hoped the gentleman would be brief, as others de- sired to speak ; but the doctor went on, until some of the audience, getting exasperated at his screaming invectives and unsparing sarcasm, began to shuffle their feet to drown his voice or disconcert him. At this he turned in their direction, and, pointing his index finger, exclaimed, “ Ye do the work of your masters well ! Ye would hiss them for a bribe, ye hireling brood ! ye recreant sons of Mich- igan ! I have the floor, ye cannot hiss me down !"

Thus he went on until he exhausted himself, and finally sat down, to the joy of all.

At the noted malpractice trial at Kalamazoo in 1844, before Judge Ransom, wherein Dr. N. M. Thomas was de- fendant and a Mr. Beals, of Schoolcraft, plaintiff, Dr. Lamborn was subpoenaed as a witness. Among the eminent medical men present and interested were Dr. Brainerd, president of Rush Medical College, Chicago; Professor Meeker, president of the Laporte Medical College, Indiana ; Dr. Z. Pitcher, of Detroit; Professor Shipman, of Cin- cinnati ; and many others from various parts of Michigan. The counsel consisted of Hon. Charles E. Stuart for the plaintiff, and Messrs. Balch and Gordon for defendant.

The question was, Could a fracture be so successfully treated that you could not determine whether the bone had been broken or not ?

Dr. Lamborn gave his testimony so understandingly and so composedly-never faltering or found at fault under the most searching examination-as to completely surprise everybody. He showed conclusively that Sir Astley Cooper had made the statement in his writings that a fracture may be so successfully treated that it cannot be told by observa- tion whether the bone has been broken or not.

After the trial, Sam Rice, to please the doctor, told him that Charles E. Stuart, N. A. Balch, and Dr. Stone had said that he gave the most learned testimony of any phy- sician who had been upon the stand. He replied, " Thank God, Samuel, that there are three men in Kalamazoo who can appreciate talent !"

The doctor always rode an Arabian horse, and wandered about throughout the southwestern counties of Michigan as long as he could ride. He was very simple in his habits, ate but little, and that of the plainest kind of food. A thousand pages might be written of him. It has been said that no man could hear him converse five minutes without being convinced that he was a remarkable man. He was a man whom a Scott or a Dickens would have been delighted to encounter, and of whose characteristics they would have woven pages of romance more interesting than

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" Ivanhoe" or " Little Dorrit." He was of medium stat- ure, stoop-shouldered in his latter days, light-complexioned, and light-haired. He wore the brown Quaker garb. He was a great admirer of John Quincy Adams. G. B. Turner, of Cassopolis, says of him, "He was everywhere a welcome guest, because of his quaintness, simplicity, in- telligence, and honesty." He died in the Cass County poor-house in the summer of 1873.

The following anecdote is furnished by G. B. Turner, of Cass County :

" In one of his rambles through the county the doctor put up at the house of Wm. Jones, of Penn township, a wealthy and influential far- mer. During the conversation of the evening Jones stated his intention of looking up and purchasing the best blooded Durham bull that could be found. The doctor professed to know all of the celebrated stock- raisers in the United States, and all about their herds, and suggested to Jones that for a moderate commission he would make the purchase for him. At first Jones seemed greatly taken with the idea ; but as the doctor grew earnest and demonstrative, and began to talk business in the shape of dollars and cents, he began to look for some hole to crawl out of, and after arguing for some time with the doctor, bluntly announced his intention of making his own selection, and thus save the commission. The doctor was disgusted at this result, and, pick- ing up his budget, went to Vandalia, a neighboring town, where he met an old acquaintance, to whom he told the story of his interview with Jones, concluding as follows : ' Friend Stephen, thee has heard my story. Now, which does thee think is possessed of the greatest amount of common sense, William Jones, of Young's Prairie, or a well-bred Durham bull ? I leave that question for thee to determine. Farewell.' Picking up his budget and throwing it over his shoulder, he moved on and was soon lost to view."

CHAPTER XX.

COUNTY SOCIETIES.

Agricultural-Kalamazoo Town Agricultural Society -Patrons of Husbandry-Pioneer Association-Bible Society-Insurance Com- panies.

IT appears from old files of the Kalamazoo Gazette of 1837 that a county agricultural society was organized in that year. The first meeting, which was merely a prelim- inary one, was held in Kalamazoo, May 27th in that year.

Roswell Ransom was chairman and George A. O'Brien secretary of the meeting, which resolved to organize a county society, and appointed a committee of five to draft a constitution. The committee were A. G. Hammond, A.' H. Edwards, Isaac W. Willard, P. Grey, and Luther H. Trask. The meeting adjourned to meet on the 10th of July following.

At the regular meeting held on that day a society was formed, and the following officers were chosen : E. H. Loth- rop, President ; Mitchell Hinsdell, 1st Vice-President; Ros- well Ransom, 2d Vice-President; F. W. Curtenius, 3d Vice-President ; Isaac W. Willard, 4th Vice-President ; George A. O'Brien, Secretary ; A. G. Hammond, Treas- urer ; H. H. Comstock, G. Torrey, E. B. Anderson, L. H. Trask, J. H. Smith, Caleb Eldred, Trustees.

As we find no further notice of its proceedings, we con- clude that the society never held any fairs, and possibly never did any further business.

A club known as the Kalamazoo Jockey Club, " for im- proving and training horses," was also formed in the same

year ; but we find no further notice of it. Gen. Burdick was president, and Charles E. Stuart secretary.

KALAMAZOO COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY .*

This is the oldest county organization of a similar kind in the State. The Adrian Horticultural Society antedates it two years, but that had nothing to do with agricultural matters, strictly speaking.

The society was organized at a meeting of the citizens of Kalamazoo County, held on the 10th day of January, 1845, in the village of Schoolcraft.

Hon. Edwin H. Lothrop was chairman of the meeting, and William H. Edgar acted as secretary.

The following preamble was adopted :

" We, the undersigned, citizens of the County of Kalamazoo, to promote the more general dissemination of the true principles and science of Agriculture throughout the County ; to encourage the in- troduction of superior stock and improved modes of culture, and, by a generous rivalry, to foster and advance that interest which is para- mount to all others in our County, - The Farming interest,-do hereby, by our mutual agreement, form and constitute an Agricultural Soci- ety, and adopt a Constitution," etc.

The following persons were then chosen officers for the ensuing year : President, Andrew Y. Moore; Treasurer, Samuel P. Cobb; Secretary, William H. Edgar; Corre- sponding Secretary, Edmund Rice.

The records of the earliest fairs have not been preserved, but it is presumed that they were held in 1846, '47, and '48, at the village of Schoolcraft. The fourth annual fair was held at Kalamazoo, Oct. 10 and 11, 1849, upon grounds leased of Dr. Starkweather, adjoining the lot occu- pied by the Axtell race-course. The address was delivered by Hon. Joseph R. Williams, of Constantine, Mich.

The total amount of premiums awarded was one hundred and sixty-nine dollars and twenty-five cents.

At the meeting of 1849, John Milham was chosen Pres- ident; Alexander Shelden, Secretary; and John Sleeper, Treasurer.

At the annual fair of 1850, held at Kalamazoo, Hon. Lewis Cass delivered the address. The aggregate of pre- miums paid was one hundred and ninety dollars. The re- ceipts were seventy-four dollars for membership and gate- money, and one hundred and sixty dollars from the Board of Supervisors, making a total of two hundred and thirty- four dollars.t

From 1850, for a period of eight or ten years, the affairs of the society were in a prosperous condition, though the amount of its receipts and expenditures was not large. Addresses were delivered in 1851, by Hon. Frederick W. Curtenius; in 1852, by Hon. Edwin Lawrence; and in 1853, by Hon. Charles E. Stuart.

In 1856 the total receipts were seven hundred and thirty- three dollars and ninety-four cents, and the expenditures

# The first attempt at the formation of an agricultural society in the county was made in the spring of 1837. The following notice ap- pears in the Kalamazoo Gazette of April 29th, in that year :

" NOTICE .- The farmers and other citizens of Kalamazoo County are requested to meet at the District School-house in Kalamazoo on Saturday, the 27th of May next, for the purpose of forming an AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY."

t It is probable that in the preceding years the Board of Supervi- sors had appropriated about one hundred dollars annually for the use of the society.

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HISTORY OF KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

seven hundred and nineteen dollars and fifty-nine cents, leaving a surplus of fourteen dollars and thirty-five cents. In 1857 the receipts were eight hundred and fifty-three dollars and fourteen cents, and the disbursements eight hundred and fifty-three dollars and twenty-one cents. In 1860 the receipts, including one hundred and twenty-five dollars received from the county, exceeded the disbursements by three hundred and seventeen dollars and ninety-two cents; but in 1861 the disbursements exceeded the receipts by two hundred and thirty dollars and sixteen cents.

Owing to the great civil war then raging, no fair was held in 1862. The lease of the grounds also expired in that year. The amount of funds in the hands of the treasurer at that date was one hundred and one dollars and thirty-three cents.

In the mean time an institution which seriously interfered with the Agricultural Society had sprung into existence in the county. This was the " National Horse Association,"* which was formed at Kalamazoo in 1858, with a paid-up capital stock of ten thousand dollars, and a like amount in- vested in grounds, buildings, track, etc. This association had purchased and fitted up the fine and extensive grounds known as the " National Park," and the result was that the attention of the people of the county and surrounding region was largely diverted from the more commonplace and slower-going county fair to the splendid show of horses and the grand races, where the presence of Flora Temple, Dex- ter, and Goldsmith Maid constituted an immense attrac- tion. But, notwithstanding this rivalry, the Agricultural Society continued steadily along, and made the best of the situation.

In 1863 and 1864 the Michigan State Agricultural So- ciety held its fifteenth and sixteenth annual exhibitions on the grounds of the National Park. In the mean time the County Society had sold the material'on the old fair- grounds, and the amount received, together with the bal- ance remaining in the treasury,-in all, two hundred and fifty-one dollars and thirty-three cents,-was donated to the State Society, to be used in the erection of Floral Hall, now standing in the park.

In 1864 the society, having leased the grounds of the National Horse Association, resumed their annual fairs, but the result was not encouraging, only enough money being received to pay thirty-five cents upon the dollar of its expenses. In 1866 the receipts improved so much that the society was enabled to pay seventy cents on the dollar. In September of the last-named year a new board of offi- cers was chosen, with Hon. Charles E. Stuart as president and Frank Little, Esq., as secretary. The new officers assumed their duties Jan. 5, 1867, " with an empty treas- ury, a broken credit, and a constituency apparently more hostile than friendly."

Upon the recommendation of Col. Stuart, it was resolved to try once more to awaken an interest in a good old-fash- ioned county fair, and at his suggestion a new plan was adopted.

One thousand tickets were printed and distributed among good men in the different towns of the county,

who offered them for sale at the various polling-places at the annual township elections in April of that year, but their utmost efforts resulted in the actual sale of only thirty tickets. Upon this result, at an executive meeting held on the 17th of April, 1867, it was

" Resolved, That the effort to raise the requisite funds for carrying on the Kalamazoo County Agricultural Society, among the farmers, mechanics, and people generally of the county, having failed, the officers will make no further effort to sustain it, and the secretary will settle its affairs."

The resignation of all the officers, except the secretary, Mr. Little, followed, and the society virtually ceased to exist. The secretary nominally occupied his position and kept the records, in order that the society might not entirely disappear.

A few adherents still clung to the idea that the associa- tion might be made prosperous, and under their manage- ment attempts were made to revive it.

In the years 1868, '69, and '70 three exhibitions were given at Galesburg, but with only partially successful re- sults. In the last-mentioned year the receipts amounted to eighty-four per cent. of the expenses.

In 1871 and 1872 the Michigan State Fair was held on the National Park grounds, at Kalamazoo, and in conse- quence the County Agricultural Society suspended oper- ations in those years.

In January, 1873, the secretary of the society called a meeting at Corporation Hall, in Kalamazoo, of all persons throughout the county who might be interested in the suc- cess of the Agricultural Society. This meeting was largely attended, the people having evidently become awakened to the value of an annual fair, which, it was decided, should be held at Kalamazoo on the first, second, and third days of October following.

At this meeting the society was resuscitated, and the following persons were elected officers for the ensuing year : President, W. H. Cobb; Secretary, Frank Little ; Treasurer, Wm. H. McCourtie; Executive Committee, H. G. Wells, D. B. Merrill, Kalamazoo; Henry King, Comstock ; E. R. Miller, Richland; A. N. Le Fever, Climax; A. W. Inger- son, Cooper. These gentlemen, with the exception of the executive committee, have held their various offices since.

With the premium-list, the following circular was ad- dressed to the citizens of the county by the secretary :

" To the people of Kalamazoo County :

" In presenting the within Premium-List of an Annual Fair of the Kalamazoo County Agricultural Society, proposed to be held this fall, the officers of the Society most cordially invite the hearty co-opera- tion of all classes of citizens. We feel constrained to urge this matter upon your attention, that you may realize the importance of doing all in your power to make the proposed exhibition complete and at- tractive in all its various departments, and creditable to yourselves as citizens of one of the most intelligent and best agricultural Counties in the State. The future welfare of the Society must of necessity be materially affected by the coming fair, and we shall wait and watch in earnest solicitude, yet, at the same time, believing that you will nobly and promptly respond to our appeal.

"To the business men of Kalamazoo whose cards appear in this list, we desire to extend our sincere thanks for the material aid they have furnished to our enterprise, and we respectfully commend them and the various branches of business they represent to the considera- tion and patronage of the farmers of Kalamazoo County.

" F. LITTLE, Secretary."

* Technically the " Kalamazoo Town Agricultural Society."

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COUNTY SOCIETIES.

The fair of that year was a decided success. The attendance was large, and an able address was delivered by Hon. J. C. Burrows, member of Congress for the district. The total receipts were two thousand five hundred and sixty-two dol- lars and twenty-five cents, and the disbursements two thou- sand two hundred and forty-two dollars and sixty-three cents. The total premiums paid amounted to an aggregate of one thousand and one dollars and fifty cents. The bal- ance in the treasury on the 10th of January, 1874, was five hundred and thirty-nine dollars and twelve cents.

The fair of 1874 was held on the 29th and 30th of Sep- tember and 1st and 2d of October. Like its immediate predecessor, it was a successful one. The total number of entries reached eleven hundred and sixty-two ; the total re- ceipts aggregated three thousand five hundred and seventy- three dollars and eighty-seven cents, and the disbursements three thousand and fifty-three dollars and fourteen cents, leaving a balance of five hundred and twenty dollars and seventy-three cents. Premiums paid, thirteen hundred and nineteen dollars and fifty cents.

A peculiar and most interesting feature of this fair was the " baby-show," brought together by premiums offered for the " finest and handsomest babies" in the county. There were thirty-eight entries in this department, and the winners of the four prizes offered were : Mrs. E. M. Wheeler, first, twenty dollars ; Mrs. J. W. Glover, second, fifteen dollars; Mrs. Edwin Anderson, third, ten dollars ; Mrs. George W. Stafford, fourth, five dollars. The exam- ining committee consisted of Dr. A. T. Metcalf, Mrs. C. E. Stuart, Mrs. Henry Bishop, and Mrs. Alexander Cameron.

The fair for 1875 was held on the 28th, 29th, and 30th of September and 1st of October, and was a very success- ful one. The total entries aggregated thirteen hundred and fifty-two, an excess over those of the previous year of one hundred and ninety. The total receipts were three thou- sand and thirty-six dollars and thirty-five cents; total ex- penditures, two thousand seven hundred and thirty-one dollars and ninety-one cents, leaving a balance of three hundred and four dollars and forty-four cents. The total premiums paid were fourteen hundred and twenty-four dol- lars and forty-five cents. Among the attractions of this fair were horse-trotting and running, hurdle-racing, and running and jumping contests by boys and girls.

On the 9th of December, 1875, a convention of the agri- cultural societies of Western Michigan was held in Cor- poration Hall, at Kalamazoo. The societies represented were those of Kalamazoo, Van Buren, Berrien, Branch, and Ingham Counties, and the Plainwell Union Agricultu- ral and Industrial Society of Allegan County. The meet- ing was quite largely attended, and the proceedings were interesting. An association was formed, called the " Asso- ciation of Agricultural Societies of Michigan," of which Frank Little, Esq., of Kalamazoo, was elected secretary.

The total receipts of the fair of 1876, held on the 26th, 27th, 28th, and 29th of September, were two thousand six hundred and forty-four dollars and sixty-five cents. Total expenditures, two thousand four hundred and eighty-four dollars and thirty-two cents. Total premiums paid, thirteen hundred and ninety-three dollars and seventy-five cents. Total number of entries, fifteen hundred and ninety-three.

On the 23d of May, 1877, a sheep-shearing festival and basket-picnic was held at the fair-grounds, which was largely attended and produced much interest. Some lively trotting was also indulged in on the race-track.

The annual fair held in 1877 was very successful, though; owing to almost a total failure of the apple crop, the show- ing in the fruit department was inferior to former years; but, with this exception, the display was fully equal to that of any previous year. The entries numbered fourteen hundred and ninety-two ; premiums awarded, thirteen hun- dred and forty-three dollars. The total receipts were two thousand six hundred and nineteen dollars ; and the total disbursements, two thousand six hundred dollars and forty- five cents.

Among the attractions of the fair of 1877 was the display made by the Kalamazoo Light Guard, who enlivened the grounds by their fine appearance and drill.

The balance to the credit of the society in the treasury, including former balances, on the 12th of January, 1878, was fifteen hundred and fifty dollars.

The annual sheep-shearing festival again came off on the 23d of May, 1878. The entries of sheep numbered twenty- six, including thirteen fine wool. The shearing took place in Floral Hall, on the fair-grounds, and was very largely at- tended. The heaviest fleece was taken from a four-year- old buck, owned by W. G. Kirby, American merino, which weighed twenty-two pounds. Premiums were awarded to R. Bishop, W. G. Kirby, W. H. Patrick, W. R. South- worth, and J. M. Neasmith.

The annual fair for 1878 was held on the 26th, 27th, 28th, and 29th days of September, and was a very success- ful one, as all the fairs held since the reorganization of the society in 1873 have uniformly been.

The whole number of entries was 1591; total receipts, $2609.99 ; expenditures, $2609.99; premiums awarded, $1354.

Mr. W. H. Cobb, president, received the diploma of the society for the best-cultivated farm.

The business transactions of the society for the year 1879 are here summarized, as follows :

EXHIBITORS.

Whole number of exhibitors at the fair of 1879 298

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History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Part 34

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott Number of Pages: 761

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott
Number of Pages: 761