History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Part 58

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

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The year 1833 opened with an appropriate ceremony, the marriage on the first day of January-said to have been the first in the village-of Ethan French and Ma- tilda Hounsom. The good example was followed, on the 9th of February, by James M. Parker and Tamar Walters, and on the 17th of the same month by the veritable John Smith and Jemima Edgington. The necessary licenses were granted by Stephen Vickery, clerk, and the solemn ceremonies were performed by "Squire" Lovell,-presum- ably Cyrus, the resident attorney.

Among the new-comers of 1833 were George Patterson, from Cassopolis, who built a house on the northeast corner of the lot since occupied by William B. Clark ; and John Hays, Sr., from Prairie Ronde, where he had lived a few months, with his family-(he was originally from the same section of country in Ohio with the Harrisons). The mi- gration of these last-named individuals was said to have been induced by the wonderful stories of a soldier named Sumner, who had served in this region, and had seen the beautiful prairies of Southern Michigan.

Hays' first dwelling was built, in the early spring, on the corner of what are now Main and Pitcher Streets. A

# There have been more rich stories told and more burlesque scenes portrayed concerning the "Black Hawk war" than of any other in the history of the nation. It is wonderful "how great a matter a little fire kindleth." The whole grand scare, reaching from the Mis- sissippi to Lake Erie, grew out of a solitary barrel of whisky. The brave fellows from Central Illinois,-from McLean, Tazwell, Peoria, and Fulton Counties,-who buckled on their armor and followed Maj. Stillman to the "tented field," to fight the terrible " Mu-ca-ta Mu-hi- ca-tah," were something like the "moonshiners" of Northern Georgia, -they made whisky "down thar,"-and when ready to

"Mount, mount, and away o'er the green prairie wide,"

very naturally took along a " bar'l" of the "critter." This barrel unfortunately found its way with Stillman's command on its memor- able scout, and it was when they were all tolerably "enthused" in the camp by Stillman's Creek that they got into the shameful affray and stampede where Black Hawk, with about 100 sober braves, put about 300 of them to rout, and frightened the whole Northwest, except the soldiers in the field, out of their senses. Eleven soldiers and three Indians were killed in this " dreadful battle," and the value of undisciplined militia was once more demonstrated. The "extract of corn" was as demoralizing as Maj. Horrey's "apple water" in the days of Marion.

t Another statement is that Mr. Robe preached first in the slab school-house on South Street, in 1833 or '34 ; and that Abner Jones, the first Presbyterian, also preached in it the same year. Mr. Robe is called a " circuit rider."

little way south from this spot was an Indian field where the natives had cultivated corn and vegetables, and of this Mr. Hays made a fine garden-spot.

It is said that the first "importers" of stock to this region were John F. Gilkey and Mumford Eldred, who, in the spring of 1833, brought in a drove of cattle from Illinois, -mostly cows. These men remained two weeks, in the mean time pasturing their stock in the marsh. Cows brought from $50 to $80, and working oxen from $50 to $100 per "yoke." Cows were apparently considered of prime value, and it is doubtful if similar prices have ever been realized since.

Harrison's ferry, which, some accounts say, was put in operation in 1832, and others in 1833, did an extensive business, though it is quite probable that the fording-place below was still used, more or less, in low water.

In the spring of 1833 there were about fifteen families in the place, and probably about one hundred people,-men, women, and children (not counting Indians, who were quite numerous in the vicinity). Crops now began to be raised in quantities sufficient to supply the immediate needs of the settlers, and the grist-mill at Comstock was kept tolerably busy grinding grain for the settlers.

The second merchant in the place was Robert McIntosh, who seems to have located at some period between 1832 and 1836 .¿ The old Indian fields, near the village to the south, supplied large quantities of delicious wild strawber- ries ; and it is related that a small party, among whom was one of Mrs. Hays' daughters, afterwards Mrs. Charles Gibbs, gathered in a few hours three large tubs full of the fruit. They found so many that the services of an ox-team were required to bring them in. The Indians brought game and fish to the village, where they exchanged them for money, or such goods and commodities as the store of Col. Huston afforded.

Although the place had been established as the seat of justice for the county, yet the settlement does not seem to have increased with very great rapidity previous to the re- moval of the land-office from White Pigeon to Bronson, in 1834. In 1833 village lots were selling at prices ranging from $1 to $50.

It is said that Gen. Burdick offered Judge Hinsdill, who arrived about this date, a partnership in his unsold village property at $5 per acre. The offer, favorable as it might seem, was declined, the judge preferring a farm at govern- ment price on Gull Prairie.

Among the settlers of 1833 were Deacon M. Heyden- burk, Silas Trowbridge, Rollin Wood, James and William E. Waite, Roswell Crane, and Edmund La Grave.

Trowbridge exchanged 120 acres of land, which he had taken about two miles north of the village, probably on section 3, Kalamazoo township (then Arcadia), for 4} acres of Bronson's plat of the village.

Other comers were Harrison and James Coleman, Wil- liam Martin, Ira Burdick, Russo King, and Abraham and Daniel Cahill. The Colemans, Martin, and others settled in the south part of the town. Ira Burdick became a part-

# McIntosh, according to the record, was indicted at the November term of the court in 1834, for "gaming," and also for selling liquor to the Indians.

Photo. by Van Sickle, Kalamazoo.

Very Respectfully Virus 4.S. Well.

HON. H. G. WELLS was born at Steubenville, Jefferson Co., Ohio, June 16, A.D. 1812; educated at Kenyon College, Knox Co., Ohio ; read law in the office of James & Daniel L. Collier at Steubenville, and was admitted to the bar in 1832. His father, Bezaleel Wells, was born at Baltimore, Md., April 4, 1768, and died at Steubenville Aug. 4, 1846. His mother, Sarah G. Wells, was born in Frederick Co., Md., May 17, 1778, and died at Steu- benville Feb. 10, 1839. His grandparents lived and died in Mary- land,-all well advanced in years. His great-great-grandfather, James Wells, was born in England in 1700, and removed to Balti- more, Md., in 1725. He had ten brothers and sisters, -all of whom are dead, except Mrs. Ann C. Kellogg, of Anaheim, Cal., and Francis A. Wells, of Steubenville, Ohio.

Judge Hezekiah G. Wells came into the county of Kalamazoo on the 15th day of July, 1833, and for the first two years resided with his brother, Samuel O. Wells, on a farm,-a part of section 36,-in what now constitutes the township of Texas ; subsequently removing to the village of Schoolcraft, and thence to the village of Kalamazoo, in 1856. He was married at Kalamazoo, Mich., Sept. 9, 1840, by Rev. O. P. Hoyt, to Achsah Strong, daughter of Asa and Delina Strong, of Perch River village, Jefferson Co., N. Y. The father of the subject of this sketch was a member of the con- vention (in 1802) that formed the constitution of the State of Ohio, and at one time the largest landed proprietor of that State. He failed in business in 1832, and the family were thrown upon their own resources.

While residing at Schoolcraft, Judge Wells held the office of supervisor, township treasurer, school inspector, county judge, and, in 1835, was elected a member of the first Constitutional Conven- tion of Michigan. In the division of the township into school districts, and in the organization of the schools, he always mani- fested a deep interest. In his duties as judge, more than four-fifths of all the civil cases were tried without the intervention of a jury, the law then requiring the party who desired a jury trial to so elect. In the Constitutional Convention of 1835, although the youngest member of that body, he served on several important committees, and was active in the discharge of his duties. He was also elected and served as a member of the Constitutional Convention of Michi- gan, in 1850, which prepared the constitution under which we are now living.

After his removal to Kalamazoo, he was elected and served four different years as president of the village board of trustees, and, in 1840, and again in 1860, he was elected one of the presidential electors of the State of Michigan. During the administration of President Lincoln, he was appointed " Minister Resident to the Central American States," which position he declined; subse- quently he was appointed, by President Johnson, consul to Man- chester, England, which appointment he also declined. In 1861, Judge Wells was elected by the Legislature a member of the State Board of Agriculture, having in charge the Agricultural College

of the State of Michigan, and subsequently elected by his associate members president of the board. His term of service on this board has been again and again renewed by successive Governors of Michi- gan. Up to the present time the Agricultural College of Michigan has worked its way against many adverse influences and severe at- tacks of members of the Legislature ; but has continued to grow in favor until it is now admitted to be the best-managed and most successful institution of the kind in the United States. This is the attestation of learned men from abroad, and wise and thoughtful men at home, thousands of whom have visited it during the past three years. Judge Wells has been a member of the executive committee of the State Agricultural Society of Michigan for several years, and served one term as its president. He is now, and has been for many years, clerk of the board of trustees of the " Michi- gan Female Seminary," established on the Mount Holyoke plan, and located at Kalamazoo. At the last annual meeting of the " Michigan State Pioneer Society" he was elected its president. This society is carefully collecting, in published papers, facts that will prove great aids to the future historian of Michigan, and which would have ceased to be known when the pioneers had gone down to their graves. In 1873 he was appointed by Governor John J. Bagley one of eighteen commissioners to prepare and report a constitution for the State of Michigan, to be voted upon by the people. The labor of the commission was ably and faithfully per- formed, making changes in the features of the present constitution, giving simplicity, clearness, perspicuity, and proper arrangement, in lieu of double meaning, ambiguity, and bad arrangement as in the constitution of 1850. The newly-prepared constitution also provided for fair salaries to the Governor and State and judicial officers, in place of the niggardly provisions of the present consti- tution in connection with these offices. The people had a right, by their votes, to reject this proposed constitution, which right they exercised, possibly to their own disadvantage.

In August, A.D. 1862, Judge Wells raised in western Michigan the 25th Infantry Michigan Volunteers, which greatly distin- guished itself during the war of the Rebellion, under the command of Col. O. H. Moore. In June, A.D. 1874, Judge Wells was ap- pointed by President Grant, and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate, presiding judge of the " Court of Commis- sioners of Alabama Claims." This court held its sessions for two years and six months in Washington city, and entered judgments in two thousand and sixty-eight cases ; distributing of the amount awarded to the United States at Geneva the sum of $9,316,120.25.

Commendatory notices of the action of this court are found in the annual messages of President Grant to Congress in 1875 and 1876. In the latter year the President said, " ' The Court of Com - missioners of Alabama Claims' has prosecuted its important duties very assiduously and very satisfactorily." After the final adjourn- ment of the court, Judge Wells returned to Kalamazoo, where he now resides.

RES. OF HON. H.G. WELLS, KALAMAZOO.

217

VILLAGE OF KALAMAZOO.

ner with Cyren Burdick, as before stated, in the Kalamazoo House. Abraham Cahill soon after established the first tan- nery near the river ; and Daniel Cahill opened a furniture- store.

The year 1834 was another memorable one in the history of Bronson, and the one which of all others gave the village its first grand start as a business point. Up to this time it had been but a straggling hamlet of a score of families. In June of this year the United States land-office for this district, which had been located at White Pigeon since 1831, was removed here, and with it came many prominent men,-Maj. Abraham Edwards, Register, and family ; Thomas C. Sheldon, Receiver ; Theodore P. Sheldon, Chief Clerk ; Lawrence Vandewalker, Isaac W. Willard, T. S. At Lee, and others. Mr. Willard had been in the mercantile business with John S. Barry (afterwards Governor) at White Pigeon.

A branch of the State Bank was also established here by act of the Legislature passed March 7, 1834. It was opened in April following, and was located on the northeast corner of Main and Rose Streets.

Maj. Edwards purchased a dwelling which had been erected by Nathaniel Foster, and moved his family into it soon after his arrival. This continued to be his home until his death, in 1860.

The year 1834 was also remarkable for a disastrous tor- nado, or cyclone, which passed over Bronson on the after- noon of October 18th. It approached the village by way of the narrow valley of Arcadia Creek, and seemed to de- ploy, as it debouched upon the plain, like a charging column into line of battle, and swept with terrific violence over the frightened hamlet. We copy a description of its progress and effects from the history of the town published in the county directory for 1869 :

" The western sky suddenly assumed a strange and awful appear- ance; a reddening shadow mantled the earth, a warm gust of wind swept over the valley, and then a peculiar whistling sound was heard, while above, the contorted clouds put on more awful shapes. Pres- ently the moaning of the wind, the sudden shaking and swaying of the trees, the glistening of the leaves, abruptly smitten and upturned against the darkened sky, in the narrow valley of the Arcadia, west of the village, gave the first evidences of the wild rush of the swoop- ing tornado. Down it swept across the plain, gathering strength and velocity as it sped onward. Its movement, swifter than the flight of swiftest bird, was singular and hideously sportive in its character. In width it was hardly more than a hundred feet, yet it would rise and fall, now turn to the right, then to the left ; here skimming over a house or tree, there sweeping away impediments as though they were gossamer.

"The first building struck was one owned by Dr. H. Stark weather, which stood near the east end of the Burdick House block,-a low dwelling, within which a sick woman was lying upon a bed. The roof was taken, but the woman was left uninjured. The corner of the Kalamazoo House barn was its next objective point, and the po- sition was carried with a great crash and the flying of boards and shingles. Next it charged furiously upon Maj. Edwards' kitchen, and only the stove, with several white and swelling loaves preparing for the oven, were left to mark its former abiding-place. Striding across Main Street, the tornado snapped away the tops of the great oaks, and, turning, rushed upon the house of Mr. Hays, utterly demolished and wiped out the rear building, toppled the chimneys of the main part, the falling bricks severely injuring two of his daughters, who had not, like the other inmates, fled to the cellar. Articles of furni- ture and bedding from this house were found east of the river. The roof of Mr. Northrop's heavy block-house, some twenty rods east, was lifted and moved around at right angles to its proper place. Thence

the blast proceeded to Nathan Harrison's, lifted and carried some dis- tance a wagon without a box, performed other queer antics, and then all at once died away on the hill-side east of the river. The whole was the work of a moment. It was immediately followed by a severe snow-storm."

It was a most remarkable phenomenon, considering the season of the year, and it would almost seem as if the storm- fiend of the sultry months, finding stern winter close upon him, had revenged himself by a last expiring blow.

We continue the quotation :

" After the storm, Mr. Hays was obliged to find a place of shelter for his family until his own house, twisted and torn, could be made habitable again. The only refuge that could be found was the new school-house, on South Street, then not wholly finished. The family used the back part of the house to live in, and Judge Fletcher used the front part for holding a session of the Circuit Court, the partition being nothing more than suspended sheets and blankets. Several weeks elapsed before their own house was made ready again. David Hub- bard and family at the same time occupied the old slab school-house* adjoining, and the scenes and incidents of those days are by no means the least pleasant ones in the memories of the survivors of these two families."

The most prominent individual arrival of 1834 was that of Epaphroditus Ransom, subsequently a man of distin- guished reputation as a jurist and legislator. He was a na- tive of Hampshire Co., Mass., but came to Michigan from Vermont, arriving at Bronson late in the autumn. A few days later the family went to Grand Prairie, where they re- mained a few weeks, when they moved into Titus Bronson's first log house, he having recently completed a more preten- tious one and vacated the first.t

In this primitive dwelling the family passed the first winter in Kalamazoo, with the snow and sleet drifting through the roof, and the long-drawn howl of the famished wolf resound- ing frequently beneath their windows.

Of that winter Mr. Torrey says,-

" But a merry winter it was, diversified by wolf-fights, dances, and merry-makings of various kinds. To these festivities people came from every quarter, and well does the writer remember the different ones that graced the boards with their presence. There was Stephen Vickery, resplendent in blue coat and brass buttons; Lawrence Van- dewalker, with unexceptionable pumps; Col. Huston, with wolf-skin coat; Lora J. Rosecrantz, of Prairie Ronde, the gayest buck of them all; while Tom Sheldon, Gen. Burdick, Attorney Ransom, and Isaac W. Willard (him of the hundred hounds) did not hesitate to trip it with the rest, to the inspiring tones of the Whitlock fiddles, none the less inspiring because two of them were scraped by rosy girls. On these festive occasions, Johnson Patrick, Ira Burdick, and Lot North were not far off; while Dr. Starkweather and Sam Ransom were watch- ing opportunities to practice some sly joke on those of the ' light fan- tastic toe.' Glorious old days were those, full of joy and hilarity ; and thrice happy he who could ' cast his lines in such pleasant places.'"

Soon after Judge Ransom's arrival he purchased a large share of the front upon Main Street, extending from the crockery establishment of C. S. Cobb & Sons to the corner of Burdick Street, and running north to Water Street, for all of which he paid only $600. The plat was about 200 feet on Main Street, by 264 on Burdick Street, and included lots Nos. 92, 94, 243, 244, and 245. In 1835 he erected upon this plat a plain dwelling, but at that time considered

* These school buildings stood upon the lot originally set apart by Bronson and Richardson, in 1831, for a burial-place. The Jewish church now stands upon a part of the same ground.

+ For full information of Governor Ransom see Chapter XIX., " The Professions."

218

HISTORY OF KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

one of the best residences in Western Michigan. A stately block of business buildings now occupies the entire front on Main Street, and the old dwelling is crowded from its com- manding position and reduced to menial purposes. The judge filled many important State offices, and was elected Governor of the State in 1847. After his term expired, he retired to his fine estate, now constituting the Den Blyker additions to the village, where he lived until 1851, when he sold the property to Paulus Den Blyker. In 1856 he removed to Kansas, where he died in 1859. His remains were brought to Kalamazoo for interment .*

Another prominent arrival in 1834 was that of Dr. Horace Starkweather, from Massachusetts, who came to Michigan, intending to settle in Berrien County ; but upon his arrival he found Dr. Porter lying dangerously ill at the Kalamazoo House, and upon pressing invitation remained and attended him. Dr. Porter dying soon after left an opening for another physician, which Dr. Stark weather finally concluded to fill. His family followed him the next year, and he occupied a portion of Dr. Abbott's residence for about one year, when he erected a dwelling on ground now occupied by the Burdick House, where he resided until about 1845, when he built another dwelling on the south- west corner of Main and West Streets, where he resided until his death, in 1851 .*

A new plat of the village was made in 1834, and the eastern portions were materially changed from the original plat of Bronson and Richardson, which showed all the streets crossing each other at right angles.

In the new plat Main Street was changed at the Kala- mazoo House, and made to diverge from an east line at an angle of about 35 degrees north, while a new Portage Street was laid out from Main Street, at the Kalamazoo House, diverging at an angle of about 45 degrees south of east, or running directly southwest as far as Lovell Street, from whence it bears still more to the south. This new street led towards Portage, and thence south to Schoolcraft and Prairie Ronde, and it is said that the change was made by the proprietors of the Kalamazoo House, Messrs. Bur -- dick & Sheldon, in order to concentrate the rich trade of the southern part of the county in its vicinity.

Main Street, diverging to the northeast, also connected with great thoroughfares running to Gull Prairie and Gales- burg, or Toland's Prairie. The scheme was well planned, and no doubt met the expectations of the enterprising pro- prietors, for it made the centre of business at the point of intersection, from whence it has since spread in various directions. But it certainly would have made a finer thor- oughfare of Main Street had it been continued directly east towards the river, as seems to have been the original intention of Bronson and Richardson.

Kalamazoo Avenue, subsequently laid out, was expected to be the principal street of the village, running, as it did, directly west from the bridge on the river. It was accord- ingly platted about 100 feet wide, but its projectors were disappointed in their expectations, for business persistently clung to Main Street. Willard Street, next north of the avenue, was also laid out the same width, preparatory to a

great business, but here again the proprietors were disap- pointed, though its occupation by the tracks of the Great Central Railway has, since 1846, made it a street of enor- mous traffic in one sense.

The year 1834 was undoubtedly the first of the really business seasons of the village. Among the improvements were the erection by Mr. Willard of a new store, on Main Street, and two dwellings, nearly alike : one in a grove on Portage Street, built for Thomas C. Sheldon, and for many years the residence of Bissell Humphrey ; the other was the dwelling situated below the Kalamazoo House, and for many years occupied by Caleb Sweetland. Lewis R. Davis, a tailor, and John H. Everard, a harness-maker, moved up from Schoolcraft and engaged in business ; and Rollin Wood, also a tailor, was carrying on business in Stephen Vickery's office, near Pitcher Street. On the south side of lower Main Street, Andrew B. Gray, the village blacksmith, was located, and his ringing anvil made music for the dwel- lers in that vicinity.

Alexander Cameron was another settler of that year; and Dwight C. Grimes, a house-builder, also came about that time. The Hays', father and two sons, were in the mason business, plastering buildings and putting up chim- neys; and among other residents were S. H. Ransom, George Patterson (sawyer in the Burdick mill), Lot North, the first baker, William H. Welsh, Isaac Vickery, Mrs. Sarah Weaver, James Green, Albert Saxton, A. B. Gray, Silas Gregg, John Losey, Hiram Owen, and Artemas W. Rich- ardson. James Shea, from England, came in 1833, and entered land on sections 1 and 22.

The " boom" in land speculation did not immediately set in upon the removal of the office to Bronson. The sales of land for 1834 were a little over 128,000 acres, and the receipts therefor $160,000. In 1835 these amounts were increased to about 746,000 acres, and $932,000; and in 1836 the culmination was reached, with sales of 1,634,511 acres, and receipts aggregating $2,043,866.87 .;

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History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Part 58

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