History of Macomb County, Michigan, Part 30

Author: Leeson, Michael A., [from old catalog] comp
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, M. A. Leeson & co.
Number of Pages: 952

USA > Michigan > Macomb County > History of Macomb County, Michigan > Part 30

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THE KEG OF GOLD.

He looked for gold in the streets, and found none! He searched the alleys of the city for silver and found not a groat! Thus it was with those who searched for a Keg of Gold, near where now is the railroad bridge, in olden as well as modern times. It is related, that about the years 1810-13, the paymaster of the British garrisons along the lakes, left Detroit, en route to the Indian villages, then in the vicinity of Mount Clemens, to distribute the price of American scalps among the tribes. The old trail was by the river ford in the immediate vicinity of the pres- ent railroad bridge and the Morass House. The river was swollen at the time, so that it was necessary to requisition a canoe for the transfer of the officer and his golden charge to the left bank of the river. This resulted in the capsizing of the birchen craft, in the drowning of the officer, and the loss of the leg of gold. Of course a search was at once instituted for this token of wealth; but the searchers are said to have failed to find it. In more recent years a quantity of metal, said to be lead of a peculiarly hard quality, was found ; which would lead one to sup- pose that the real paymaster stayed at Detroit, clothed some unfortunate private in an officer's uniform, and dispatched him on a trial trip, with this keg of little value, just to learn what would be his own fate were he to venture into the wilderness with the golden treasure. He learned it, and it is said that British blood-money was ever afterwards paid at Malden.

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THE RECLUSE OF THE MARSH.

It is well known that north and west of the light-house, above the ruins of the ancient city of Belvidere, stretches a vast muskeg, bordering on the lake, and fringed all round with a deep and lovely forest. This marsh is the home of the wild-duck, the musk-rat, and the wild-goose during the winter and spring seasons, and of the rice-feeding black-bird during the summer. It seems like the last of places, man would select for a dwelling place its flat and uninviting landscape wearying the eye with its monotony every season ; while, in winter the freezing breeze of the ice encumbered lake comes sweeping across it with an Arctic breath that makes the bones ache, and the human frame tremble. In such a place the relics of a shanty could be seen-the timbers covered with earth and mould, and the broken or pul- verized clay-mortar of the chimney or fire-place scattered round. Here, it is related, dwelt the recluse of the marsh, a solemn, solitary man, whose life seemed centred in one single thought, even as it was passed in that solitary wilderness. What a tale might be told of his reasons for this mode of life ; what sad or romantic disap- pointments that sickened him of life's pleasures! Whatever his story may have been, all that remains is a little mound of earth, raised by the action of time and the decay of vegetable mould over the hearth, where the sad man brooded away so many years of his life. The name of the solitary man-the recluse of the marsh, was Tuckar.

A MOTHER-IN-LAW'S JOURNEY TO THE HURON.

In the fall of 1827 Judge Bunce's wife's mother advised his departure from her home in the Empire State for Detroit, en route to the Huron. The Judge met the old lady at Detroit, and there hired a Frenchman to take them to the mouth of the Huron in his cart. At the latter point he hired another Frenchman to take them in his canoe via the Snibora channel to Mons. Chortier's dwelling. This canoe navigator said he knew the route well, yet he missed the Snibora and was com- pletely at sea. The sky became overcast, wind and wave arose, they began to ship water, the guide became bewildered, and the Judge told him to give up the paddle and the stern of the canoe. He refused, saying, " I spaddle my own canoe." The Judge repeated his order to give up the paddle, take his hat, and pour out the water. The Frenchman ultimately complied, the Judge took the paddle, and after a desperate struggle with the storm, beached the frail bark. They were saved.

DETROIT TO MT. CLEMENS.

In the spring of 1819, while in Detroit, Judge Bunce hired a man by the name of Jackman, and started on horseback for his St. Clair home. The lake was nearly free of ice but some remained in the bogs. At the mouth of Clinton River he made inquiries as to the soundness of the ice across the bay to Salt River, and was

HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

told that an Indian had just come down on the ice, and he hired him to go back with them as their pilot. They found the ice firm enough to within half a mile of the shore, when looking back they saw their Indian in full run for the Clinton River. This admonished them that something was wrong or the Indian would not have deserted without his pay. They soon found that the field of ice which they were on had loosened itself from the shore and was floating out into the lake. The Judge sounded the depth of the water with his rifle and found it three feet; then jumping his horse into the water mounted him, taking Jackman on behind, and af- ter fording about a quarter of a mile, reached the shore in safety. Found a French- man cutting wood for a man in Mt. Clemens, and stayed with him over night. He gave them corn soup for supper and breakfast. When asked in the morning what his soup was made of, he said he had shot a wild goose a few days before, and with the entrails had made this soup. They were in the same predicament with the man who, in swallowing a raw egg, heard the chicken peep, and exclaimed, "one minute too late."

In the year 1818, Judge Bunce had occasion to visit Mt. Clemens from Detroit twice. Once he met a large, white-faced bear, but the bear did not molest the Judge, nor the Judge the bear.

FORTUNATE HUNTERS.

In the early days of our county, pests in the form of beasts of prey abounded, a source of annoyance and vexation to the settlers. For the destruction of such pests bounty was offered by the State, county, and still farther by some of the townships. These combined bounties, in the case of wolves, made the sum large enough to call forth skill and energy in the hunting craft. Over fifty years ago Colatinus Day, an old settler of Bruce, set a trap with the intent of catching a fox. On looking for the trap next morning he saw that a wolf had been entrapped and carried it off. He pursued the animal's trail over the snow. He was joined by Jesse Bishop, Lyman Bishop, another neighbor, and the latter's dog. About three miles north of Bishop's house, while passing a tamarack swamp, a bear with two cubs appeared. As she passed them, Mr. Day, who had a gun, fired without even taking aim, and hit the animal, and as the dogs sprang upon her at that moment, she was captured with the cubs. The hunters divested Mrs. Bruin of her furs, and wrapping up the little ones in the skin, sought a neighbor's house for dinner. There they left the cubs. Returning to the trail, they followed it about two miles farther, when they discovered that the wolf with the trap had entered a hollow bass-wood tree, and made her home far away up in the trunk. The men could not reach up to her location, the dog could not pull her out ; at length one of the men ent a sapling with a hook upon it. With this instrument he entered the tree, and

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creeping upwards hooked the trap. This done he called upon his comrades to pull; they in turn tugged at the first hunter's feet, and together they succeeded in draw- ing forth the trap. There was nothing to do until one of the party procured an axe. Then a hole was cut in the log-but they must not kill her there, as they were in Berlin Township, St. Clair County, in neither of which was a bounty offered. By good management the hunters captured the wolf alive, when they bound her head with bark thongs, tied her to a pole and started for Macomb County, town of Bruce, but she would not lead. They tried to drag her, but that was too hard work. They tied her feet together and took turns in carrying her to the house where they left the bear skin. Here they found a team going south near the line of Bruce. After reaching this township the wolf died ; the men proceeded home with the two skins and the cubs. One of the cubs crawled into the fire that night and was burned to death ; the other lived to mature bearhood, and died of too much zeal in wrestling -an old man brained him with a poker, because he persisted in his favorite amuse- ment before the old man had dressed himself. The hunt resulted in bringing them $16, together with the fun.

DEER HUNTING,

In early times, a hunter of Macomb County set out one day on a deer-hunting expedition, accompanied by a large dog, which had not been trained for the chase. In order to check the animal's impetuosity after game, he tied a cord to the dog's neck, fastening the other end round his own waist, so that in his tour of the woods the dog would quietly follow. As they were passing through a clearing, a bear sprang from behind a log and offered fight. The dog, frightened almost to death, started on retreat, dragging the hunter after him. The bear followed them, and in a battle between the bear and dog the old man was deprived of his hunting clothes. During the struggle Mr. Warner contrived to unloose the rope, when the dog departed, leaving his master to continue the battle with the bear. Bruin observing the dog in his flight, left the hunter and pursued the dog. The dog beheld his pursuer and redoubled his pace, with the result of reaching the homestead just in time to escape the anger of the bear. The hunter made a detour, and reached home satisfied that his battle with the bear would have proved his last, had not the dog attracted the animal.

HARRINGTON'S COON HUNTING.

About the year 1840 Alfred Harrington went forth coon hunting. Having reached the coon habitation he had no difficulty in finding an object for his aim. He fired at a coon, but the charge had scarcely gone on its message, when he dis- covered his dog making sundry cowardly demonstrations. Looking forward, he beheld a bear rushing on the dog, which useful animal took up a position between

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the hunter's feet. The bear came on, however, when Harrington clubbed the gun, and entered the arena with Bruin. The hunter was evidently succeeding in the contest, when the bear considered it better to retreat. This retreat he carried out in a most precise manner, though the hunter pursued him for over sixty rods.

BUNCE AND O'KEEFE.

Counsellor O'Keefe and Judge Bunce were returning from Mount Clemens in the spring of 1826, when, near where New Baltimore now stands, they were over- taken by a blinding snow storm. It was near sundown, and they could neither see land nor prairie. They steered for Swan Creek, hoping to reach the wigwam of Shommenegoblin before night, but unfortunately brought up at the open water, in the north channel, far out in the lake. They followed up the channel, and when yet a half-mile from the shore, broke through the ice in three fect of water. The horse and judge succeeded in climbing on to the ice, but O'Keefe was so benumbed with cold that he remained in the train. After one more little break they came to the mud, and wallowed through that several rods before they found solid ice on the prairie. They reached old Capt. Pierre's at two o'clock in the morning, thoroughly wet and weary. Capt. Pierre then lived two miles below Mons. Chortier, and chose that location whenever he came from Canada for the purpose of fishing.

PARKER'S BEAR EXPERIENCES.

While dining at the old homestead with his family, a terrible complaint was heard to arise from the habitants of the hog-pen. Each member of the family ran to the rescue, each armed with a club. On arriving at the pen, they found that a huge bear had seized on one of the hogs, and was in the act of carrying him off when the Parkers attacked the bear in turn, and forced him to relinquish his prey. They did not succeed in capturing him, however ; but for years after the event the hog, whose rescue was so timely, never ventured to lift her nose from the ground.

DR. GLEESON AND THE REPTILE.

Among the early physicians of the county was Dr. Gleeson, a man of large practice in the northern districts of Macomb, and one very favorably known to the people. In those early days the physician seldom or never appeared on a vehicle, his usual means of travel being a horse, which just knew enough to proceed cautiously along the trails of the land. That horse was too thickskinned to understand what a Michigan rattlesnake or Massassauga really was, and so he was free to proceed at his leisure. The reptiles seemed to know this horse well, and after repeated assaults on him gave up the business, determining, as it were, to direct their attacks against the medical man. This programme was evidently adopted about the year 1839, for the doctor experienced a few rare adventures during that year. Riding along the

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trail to Armada one day he thought that a bush had caught in his stirrup. Stoop- ing to extricate himself, he saw a large snake enfanged, and on further examination was pleased to learn that the poisonous reptile had only reached the pants at the heel of the boot, and had therefore been unable to inflict the wound which he medi- tated. It is unnecessary to state that the doctor directed his efforts so as to insure the destruction of one Massassauga of the Michigan tribe.

DEER HUNTING MADE EASY.

An incident of pioneer life witnessed by Mrs. Julia Manley when a small child, is thus related. In the year following their removal from New York to the town- ship of Shelby, her father getting up one morning in warm weather opened the door before putting on any clothing, and what should he behold but five deer, about fifteen or twenty rods distant, one of them a splendid buck. He stepped back, took his rifle, and noiselessly passing out, leveled his trusty piece and brought down the coveted leader. In order to be sure of his game (the barrel of pork brought with them being all gone) he dropped his gun, called on his helpmate to bring the butcher knife, and then made all possible speed for his victim. He seized the deer in his struggles, and the knife being speedily at hand he at once made surety doubly sure. When the blood was sufficiently passed ont, they took the animal by the horns and hauled the carcass to the house. Not until the little drama was over did they stop to think that neither of the trio (the little girl being along and seeing the whole affair) had on any article of clothing except the single innermost garment.

REMINISCENCES OF THE BAILEY SETTLEMENT.

Owing to the notoriety which the Hoxies won wherever they effected a settle- ment, that portion of Macomb, which should be named after the first permanent settler was called the Hoxie Settlement. Ashael Bailey had merely made himself a home in the wilderness, when the Hoxies became his neighbors. A short time had elapsed, and other spirits of a kindred character came among them, one of whom was a bold and desperate man. One Sunday morning as Ashael Bailey essayed to act the nurse for his only little daughter, while Mrs. Bailey was engaged in preparing breakfast, the door was suddenly opened, and a stranger entered. This rough visitor seemed to be enraged ; he appeared to be a creature of whom violent gesture and appalling blasphemy were the constituent parts. Mr. Bailey did not pay any attention to the white savage, but on the contrary paid more attention to his little girl. This policy he pursued until his visitor became calm. This new terror of the settlement stopped as suddenly as he began, and resuming his coat, said, " Mr. Bailey you are not the man you have been represented to be. I was told if I came here and abused you, yon would fight me." This said, the stranger walked off. Sub-

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sequently, it transpired that this would-be Hector, Hiram Jennings by name, was here with the intention of engaging in counterfeiting. The Hoxies represented this as a fine retired place for the business, and they said, "There is but one man there that will give us any trouble, and you can frighten him, no doubt." This was done ; with what success has been related. Mr. Bailey, when told the purport of that strange visit, said he would expose them to Gov. Cass. Jennings was enraged at the Hoxies for misrepresenting Mr. Bailey, and exposed the whole plan ; he was a bold, desperate man-apparently well educated and physically well developed ; his penmanship was like an impression from engraved plate. He remained at this

place until he wrought, in a measure, his sweet revenge. Providence frustrated his most diabolical attempt on Mr. Bailey's life, through the faithful kindness of Freeborn Healey, a good man and an excellent neighbor, living a long mile south, who came late one Saturday night to reveal to Bailey the design of Jennings to murder him. The plan of the counterfeiter was to lie in wait in the cedar swamp, where Bailey had a quantity of rails, which he intended to commence drawing out on Monday morning ; as he entered the swamp Jennings would shoot him. Healey besought his neighbor Bailey not to go, but he was loth to consent ; at last Mrs. Bailey said to Healey, " Do not fear, if he goes I shall go," so he went home sat- isfied with his mission. Mr. Healey is ever remembered with gratitude for this kind act.

Later, in a very friendly mood, Jennings told Mr. Bailey this : " I watched for you to come all that Monday morning, as I laid in wait in your cedar swamp, and had you come, I should have shot you dead, and I think," added he, "I am glad you did not go." He afterward stole Mr. Bailey's only horse, left the country, and everyone drew a breath of relief.

An incident of an amusing character, certainly of a more social one, is thus related : Bailey's eldest daughter, then about three or four years old, was an object of interest to an Indian mother. Her little boy, Neianquette, often came with her to the Bailey homestead, and one day she, in a most solemn manner, betrothed him to Prudence, and made him give her beads and moccasins. After that he often gave her presents. Mrs. Bailey did not like to refuse them, fearing the Indians would be angry ; yet they watched their child carefully lest the Indians might not be as friendly as they seemed, and would carry her off. In time the visits of the Indian mother and her boy ceased, and they heard nothing more of them.

Reference has been previously made to the trust the Indians reposed in Mr: and Mrs. Bailey. In the following incident, related by Mrs. Bailey, the fact is portrayed more fully : The chief of the tribe at this time was Macompte ; he came to their house one winter's day with a quantity of jerked venison, in packs, asking permission to leave it in their care, with especial injunctions not to permit the In-

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dians to have it; if he died before the time to plant corn, his women, who were with him, would come for the packs. Bailey showed him where he could place the provisions in the upper room of the house. Then Macompte knelt and prayed over his venison, making the sign of the cross. They said their farewells, and went away. The following spring the squaws came for the venison. Macompte was dead. The younger squaw cried bitterly-her grief was most pathetic ; the elder only laughed at her ; that laugh was nearly as affecting, but it told its own story.

THE DEER OF PROVIDENCE.

During the trying year of the Michigan Narrows, the people who settled in the northwest part of Armada, suffered in common with the immigrants of that time located throughout Michigan. Ira Phillips with his family, then resided near the Day Homestead in Armada Township. The provisions of the settlers were almost consumed before any definite preparations were made to replenish their stores, so that many of them were driven to experience most terrible anxieties, if not actual want. At length the worst fears of the people were realized. There was nothing to feed the many hungry mouths, except that which a small piece of ripening wheat on the Taylor farm promised. The settlers watched this field become golden under the summer sun ; but the necessity of the time prompted them to outdo nature herself; and so they cut down the semi-ripened wheat, let it lay in swaths, and turning it day after day before the sun, succeeded in drying the grain. This much accomplished the wheat was thrashed, and the grain distributed among the waiting neighbors. One of the farmers loaded his wagon with the grist sacks of the people, and went forth to the mill at Stoney Creek, via the blazed trail, expecting to return on Friday night, or at furthest on Saturday morning. An accident, however, set all his plans at nought. Mrs. Ira Phillips, who relates the incident, states that the messenger was expected to return by Friday night, or Saturday morning at the farthest. Friday night came, yet no tidings of him was heard. All through the following Saturday anxious eyes looked forward along the trail ; anxious ears listened for the rumbling noise of the pioneer wagon. The last morsel of food was eaten, his arrival alone could dissipate the darkening cloud which hung over the people, could avert the horrors of starvation. But yet no tidings of him who went to mill were heard. When the sun arose on the Sabbath morning, Mrs. Phillips arranged her house as usual, then lapsed into that silent mood which precedes despair. She took a seat before the open door, where she was soon joined by her two little boys, each clamoring for something to eat. The woman wept ; she thought to bury her face in her hands, and thus hide her sorrows from the youths, but the trickling tears told their young hearts that mother's heart was bowed with anguish, that fears for her little ones were upper-

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most in her mind. The occasion was full of instruction ; the boys ceased repining, and played, as was their wont under brighter circumstances, but their merry gambols appeared rather artful than natural. The parents saw and noted all this, and felt doubly sorrowful. At this moment, when the woman's heart beat slowest, she summoned courage to look forth into the forest, when to her joy she beheld a deer standing quietly opposite the open door. She turned to her husband, saying in a subdued tone, " Ira look !" The man raised his weary body from the chair, took down the fowling piece from its place, fired, and the most beautiful of forest animals lay dead in his track. This appearance of the deer at that moment, and the ease with which the hunter killed him, seemed to partake of some supernatural character. Providence directed the proceedings, and loaned a new spirit to the pioneer parents and their little ones. Later in the day the messenger returned from the mill with the grist; the darkest hour was with the past, and where gaunt famine threatened on the morning of that Sabbath, peace and plenty shed their rays in the evening. The story was related to the writer by E. F. Sibley, of Armada.

THE POLITICAL TURN-COAT.

During the campaign of 1844, James Parker was expected to vote the Free Soil ticket in the local elections. He promised James Thurston to vote in accord- ance with his wishes, which were decidedly those of James G Birney, the Presi- dential candidate. On the day of election, Parker voted for Henry Clay, contrary to the expectations of his friends. On returning to his home that night, one of his sons got hold of his coat, turned it completely, and then placed it on the hook where the old man was accustomed to hang it. Next morning the owner put on this coat hurriedly, and went to work. After a little time he noticed the change, and, asking his family what was the matter, was informed that he came home in that style from Romeo the night previous, and that he must have his coat turned during the election. The old man saw the point, very plainly. Shortly after this a poem appeared on the subject from the pen of Joseph Thurston, each stanza of which ended with the telling line, When he got home his coat was turned.

INWOOD'S BEAR HUNTING.

It is related of Uncle William Inwood, that on one occasion, while traveling through the wilderness accompanied by a few neighbors, he roused a bear from her lair. The animal had two cubs in charge, and was not at all disposed to seek a quarrel with her enemies ; so to Inwood's great relief she sought refuge in a large tree and remained there surveying the new settlers of her old domain, determined only to guard her cubs. After a little while this old settler and his friends became sufficiently cool to take in the situation. The party was unprovided with a gun ;

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but to meet this want one of them ran toward his home with the object of procuring one. On his way he shouted vociferously, and succeeded in getting out all the large and small boys of the settlement. They left him to look after the gun, and were. soon at the scene of action. There they found Mr. Inwood, the bear, and Mr. In- wood's comrades. The big boy arrived with the gun. Uncle Inwood took the responsibility of charging the destructive weapon ; but in his hurry beat down the bullet first, and then learned for the first time that there was no powder. He des- patched the big boy for powder ; the messenger was faithful; the powder was brought, a charge was placed in the gun, and everything made ready for an assault on the position held by the bear. Mr. Inwood took deliberate aim, pulled the trig- ger ; and wondered " why the animal didn't go off." He forgot all about the first bullet. However on being reminded of the fact that he had hitherto beaten a bullet into the rifle, he cast the piece away as useless, and prepared to return to his home. "Not yet, Uncle Inwood," said one of the boys, "you were saying just awhile ago if the powder was not brought quickly you would climb into the tree and have a tustle with the bear yourself." "Now Uncle Inwood," said another, "you must carry out your promise. You said if the boy didn't come quickly with the powder, you would climb into the tree and knock the bear down." Mr. Inwood could not tolerate the taunting of the Washington boys any longer, so he began to ascend the tree. In a little while he approached Bruin. The latter growled, jnst allowed Uncle Inwood to see his teeth, and in another little while the gallant forester began to descend that tree with lightning rapidity. On reaching firm earth he saw the boys make sundry grimaces. " Why," said one of them, "I thought you would knuckle down to Bruin." " Ah" responded Uncle Inwood, " I'll go'ome fur my hold jacket first." The boys and neighbors saw the joke, and were so occu- pied in attentions to him who was retreating in such good order, that they per- mitted Bruin to elope with her cubs unharmed.

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History of Macomb County, Michigan, Part 30

Author: Leeson, Michael A., [from old catalog] comp Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, M. A. Leeson & co. Number of Pages: 952

Author: Leeson, Michael A., [from old catalog] comp
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, M. A. Leeson & co.
Number of Pages: 952