USA > Michigan > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Michigan : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume I > Part 34
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
COUNTY SEAT ESTABLISHED
Monroe county, as established, comprised all of the present county together with all of Lenawee and Washtenaw counties and the place of holding the county court was designated "at such place not exceeding two miles distant from the house of Francois Lasalle, on the bank of the River Raisin as the court might select." On September 4th, 1817, the town of Monroe was established and made the county seat of Monroe county. There being no building available or suitable for temporarily being used for county purposes, holding of courts or confining criminals, steps were at once taken to remedy this deficiency and in December fol- lowing, provision was made for the construction of a court-house, which was to be located on the southwestern corner of the public square, near the present site of the Presbyterian church. The ground to be devoted to this "public square" was donated by Joseph Lorauger in the deed of conveyance. This instrument is recorded in the office of the register of deeds of Monroe county, Liber "C" and is called "the bond of Joseph Lorauger, yeoman, of the River Raisin, county of Monroe, territory of Michigan, on consideration that the commissioners appointed his excel- lancy, Lewis Cass, governor of the territory of Michigan to locate the "scite" for the county seat and court-house and gaol in said county have
located the same upon my farm, situated on the south-side of the River
Raisin, in said county, the same laying nearly opposite the dwelling of Col. John Anderson, and in consideration of one dollar," etc., etc. The deed conveying one acre of land "for the use of the public, for the pur- pose of erecting a court-house and. gaol," towards the erection of which he also agreed to give $1,000 in cash. This instrument is dated August 9th, 1817. This, however, is not the first deed recorded in Monroe county for the record is found of a mortgage deed, executed January 14th, 1809, between Hubert La Croix of the district of Erie, territory of Michigan, and Mungo Kay, and James Smith of the city of Montreal, province of Canada, which covers several pages in the French language. The instruments of conveyance were not numerous during that and the few following years.
FINANCES AND FINANCIERS
The financial affairs of the territory were by no means satisfactory. The currency chiefly in circulation was Ohio paper, which was becoming of very low credit, and private bills or "shin plasters," which very soon became far more abundant than the prosperity of the country required. In certain portions where the newspapers had not penetrated, business was carried on upon the system of barter or "dicker," as it was then gen- erally called and occasionally specific articles became practically legal tender. Among other things it is related that in one community, nests of wooden bowls, became current for small change, as shingles were, a little later. Maple sugar and peltries were so common a medium of exchange with the traders that these articles answered very well the uses of money.
There were "financiers," nevertheless, who understood their position, and an instance of modern "high finance" is told of one shrewd gentle- man who, being in an adjoining state where he was personally unknown and where some of the shin plasters, in which he was interested. cir- culated, he took part in the abuse lavished on them and induced some of his traducers to join with him in manifesting proper contempt for such trash by burning it-he setting the example by throwing a large bundle of the stuff into the flames. This was, of course, not only exceedingly gratifying to the indignant holders of the bills, as showing their out-
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
raged feelings, but in a greater degree to the issuers of the obligations which thereby became quite beyond all danger of presentation for redemption.
The county of Monroe is divided into fifteen townships which, arranged alphabetically, are as follows: Ash, Bedford, Berlin, Dundee, Erie, Exeter, Frenchtown, Ida, Lasalle, London, Milan, Monroe, Raisin- ville, Summerfield, and Whiteford; these were settled by an industrious class of farmers, many of them at an early day when the country was sparsely settled and the county covered by tracts of heavy forests, inter- spersed by oak openings and extensive sand and marsh areas; the date of their organization and historical notes of their development will be found under another division.
THE OLD COURT-HOUSE
An old citizen says of the ancient court-house: "The old court- house can only be regarded by one who was acquainted with its exterior
Monroe Golta
court House.
BUILT IN 1839; BURNED FEBRUARY 28, 1879*
and with its precincts, with very little reverence; it occupied the present site of the Presbyterian church. I think the body was of logs, two stories in height, of a dingy yellow color. A door in the center with a hall through and a stair-case. On one side was the jail and on the other, in the first story, was the residence of the jailer, and in the second story was the court-room, also devoted to religious and public meetings. The jail was dark, dingy, dreary and forlorn ; and on its entrance should have been inscribed, as on the portals of the inquisition, "He who enters here, must leave all hope behind."
.
"The old court-room is replete with historic facts and reminiscenes. only a few of which I remember. It was there commenced the difficulties in the Presbyterian church, which finally resulted in a division and the establishment of the second church. A Mr. Dunbar, who flourished as a teacher of music, the leader of the choir and the sole proprietor of a shop on the upper bridge where he manufactured clothes-pins, or some other luxury of family use, was determined to introduce a "big fiddle" into the choir. Some of the old gentlemen who were of more puritanic proclivities, were determined that he should not. They considered it a.
* The cut represents the fine stone building which replaced the original log structure.
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scheme of Belial, who is supposed to be that mythical gentleman with the forked tail and clubfoot. But the battle "waxed loud and long," and although it did not come to downright blows, it stirred the community. Mr. Dunbar and his "big fiddle" had to "vamoose the ranch," and play in another arena.
"At another time the old court-house was the scene of some excited religious meetings. A sensational preacher who rejoiced in the name of Weed, was the leading man. On the occasion to which I refer a num- ber of outsiders had been listening to him and he was very enthusiastic on the subject of Hell, which has attracted the attention of great and small lights of the present day. He closed his discourse by stating "that there would be an anxious meeting after the benediction was pronounced and all were invited to attend; but those who crossed that threshold might find hell gaping for them." These might not have been the exact words, but they were substantially the beautiful and Christian senti- ment of the man. Myself and a few other sinners who were sitting together and who did not believe in the authority of any human biped- although he might be crammed with theology, dressed in a swallow-tailed coat and a stove-pipe hat-to limit, even by supposition, the prerogatives of the Almighty, concluded to venture over the threshold and see what kind of a prophet he was and if we saw any kind of a "gape" we would return and join the insiders. There was nothing startling occurred at this after meeting except the incident of a pugnacious individual con- siderably under "the influence" who offered to "thrash" the speaker then and there. The offer was declined and the fierce combatant ejected.
"It is a well established fact that there never was a place, in the memory of any person who has resided here for the last fifty years, so prolific in men of education, or of practical talent, intellectual strength and so great in political power as many of those who have flourished dur- ing that period. Hence it was the "independent state," and it governed the state politically for several years. Of course that assertion applies more particularly to the years from about 1840 to 1855. During the best days we had such men as Austin E. Wing, Col. Anderson, Chas. Noble. Col. Johnson, Dr. Robert Clark, Col. Lamson, Major Bulkley, Judge Lawrence, General Humphrey, Daniel S. Bacon, P. P. Ferry, Dan B. Miller, T. G. Cole, D. A. Noble, and I might enumerate twenty more. I assert without fear of contradiction that no such practical, intellectual and superior men were ever gathered together in a new country.
"General Humphrey was a man of marked character. He was a native of Vermont. and settled in this city when a young man. His education was limited but he had the happy faculty of concealing the want of it. His perspicacity was strongly developed, being an acute judge of men and character ; had great power of political combination as well as acquisitiveness; a man of strong prepossessions and kind hearted ; physically a splendid specimen of a man, he stood over six feet, was of great strength, lithe as an Indian and quick as a tiger, and was not subject to anger or excitement. On one morning when he and Charles Humphrey kept the Mansion House, three loafers who had been drink- ing and were very boisterous and ugly in the bar-room were ordered out by the clerk. But they would not go and he called General Humphrey. He came in and ordered them out, but they only replied with black- guardism. As quick as lightning he picked up the three in rotation and piled them in the corner of the room with such velocity and force that I thought every bone in their bodies would have been broken. He then placed his foot upon the top man and asked them 'if they were ready to go now?' To which they all replied in the affirmative. And they went about as quick as they could get out of that corner. He did not seem
On the County
MONROE COUNTY BUILDINGS
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
excited but smiled, and remarked, 'men must be quiet in this house.' On another occasion he had a dispute with Chapman in reference to a bag of flour. Chapman fled into the street and General Humphrey pursued him and caught him, in the center of Front street. He collared him with one hand, a grip not to be trifled with, then he held the flour over his head, shook the bag thoroughly and Chapman emerged from that shower a whiter and a sadder man. One anecdote of a political character which can hurt nobody, as the parties and politics have all passed away. During the Tyler administration he was United States marshal of this state, and one day he called on the postmaster, who, with himself, were supposed to constitute the Tyler party, and informed him confidentially, 'that something must be done and a meeting held, or the party was gone to the dickens.' So the party immediately proceeded to hold a meeting."
MONROE COUNTY FARM AND INFIRMARY
The county farm has always proved a good asset to the taxpayer, and the infirmary, or "poorhouse," a beneficent institution to the dependent poor and the other unfortunates of the county's care.
Previous to 1878 the buildings were of wood, built many years before, enlarged and altered from time to time, to meet increasing necessities, but they were constructed simply for the requirements of housing and protecting those who were involuntary recipients of charity. But the accommodations gradually became inadequate and the sanitary provisions wholly out of character for an institution of this kind, in a community like Monroe county.
Finally in 1878 the board of supervisors, believing that they were fully justified in taking steps to provide much needed improvements and better accommodations in many ways, issued an address in pamphlet form to the qualified voters of the county, explaining the existing con- ditions, and lack of proper arrangements for the decent care of the in- mates of County House, and presenting a plan for remedying the exist- ing evils and shortcomings, viz: the building of an entirely new infirm- ary, at the same time submitting estimates of the cost of same. An extract from this address of the board of supervisors will explain the proposed action : "It is proposed to build a plain, substantial brick edifice at a cost not to exceed ten thousand dollars. For that sum, with the facilities which the farm affords in furnishing timber and other materials, a good, suitable and permanent building can be erected. The supervisors wish the people to understand this as an assurance that the cost is to be kept within those figures."
The proposition met with favor and at the polls the vote was largely in support of the movement, authorizing the appropriation of $10,000 for the purpose stated. The building operations were promptly be- gun and the work completed before the close of the year. The contrac- tors were Monroe men, honest and interested in the work, and the result was a creditable institution more in accordance with the importance of the county. Though built nearly forty years ago it stands a credit- able and substantial monument to its builders and the conscientious efforts of the contractors, and has met all the requirements of an institu- tion of this character. It has accommodations and cares for about forty to fifty inmates, as an average for the year, and, as a rule, the keepers have proved well qualified to fill this responsible and trying position. The present steward, or keeper, is Mr. Jacob Lambert. who has been in charge about three years. The term of service of this official is optional with the board of supervisors and rests somewhat directly with the com-
ยท
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
mittee on infirmary and the "poor farm"-which was constituted in 1912 of the following: Fred C. Nadeau, city ; J. S. Knapp, Ida; C. C. Maxwell, Carleton. The county farm is situated on the River Raisin in the township of . Raisinville, about three and one-half miles west of Monroe, and comprises about three hundred and fifty acres of very pro- ductive land, yielding diversified crops common to this locality. The stock raised in the farm, of all classes, is of the most approved breeds, and the beef especially, marketed with local dealers during the holiday season, is of superior quality, and the dressed carcasses when exhibited at the holiday season never fail to attract marked attention.
The infirmary was equipped for electric lighting in May, 1912, at a cost of $1,770.75, and arrangements made with the city for the neces- sary current which will be supplied by the municipal lighting plant.
CHAPTER
BENCH AND BAR
THE TERRITORIAL PERIOD AND BEYOND-LEGAL "'NOTIS"-EARLY MEM- BERS OF THE MONROE BAR-HON. ROBERT MCCLELLAND-HON. ALPHEUS FELCH-HON. WARNER WING-HON. DAVID ADDISON NOBLE -HON. WOLCOTT LAWRENCE-HON. JEFFERSON G. THURBER-JAMES Q. ADAMS-GOUVERNEUR MORRIS-TALCOTT E. WING.
THE TERRITORIAL PERIOD AND BEYOND
The bench and bar became prominent in the affairs of Monroe at an early day, and grew rapidly in importance, as events developed the necessity for able and honest men to properly construe the law, and to protect the interests of the common people against injustice and hard- ships in the conduct of their affairs, and to guide them in safety through litigation which might work wrong and loss to them. This being a por- tion of the experience in the history of every new community. The bar of Monroe has always been recognized as a peculiarly strong one ; from its numbers men have been called to occupy elevated positions in the state and nation, whose responsible duties they discharged in such satisfactory manner as to command the approval and hearty commendation of their fellow citizens. The bar of Monroe county has furnished able and learned men to the Supreme Court of the state, to the United States senate, the cabinets of presidents, and other exalted positions, including important boards and commissions in the service of the general government and of the commonwealth.
The early history of legal practice in the territory is largely embodied in the biographies of the judges and lawyers of the times, and in the in- teresting narratives which they have left covering their experiences in the stirring events of that period. Unfortunately, but few of the greater men felt an interest in preserving records like these, but those which have been handed down to us, and by men of the higher type and of scrupulous honesty and integrity, which adds value to their writings. There was something to be deplored in the manner of administration of justice in the primitive times, when there was so much need of ability and rec- titude-in the formation of laws and in the administration of them. The procedure in many cases savored too much of ignorance, prejudice and cupidity ; of laxity in moral perception; while the element of broad humor was not lacking to lighten the often sombre and tedious court trials.
The earliest court of record established in the county was on May 8, 1807, when the Court of Common Pleas was organized by the author- ity of the governor and judges. This court differed from the present Circuit Court, and other forms of judicial organizations as then known or as they are at present constituted. It consisted of a chief justice, and two associate justices, appointed by the governor and judges. These
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
positions were filled, in organizing the first court by the appointment of John Anderson, chief justice, and Moses Morse and Francois Navarre as associate justices. These men were continued in office during the years 1809 and 1810. The sessions of this court, in the absence of a courthouse or other suitable public building were held either at the house of John Baptiste Lasalle, on the north side of the River Raisin or at the house of Col. Francois Navarre, one of the associate justices, situated on the south side of the river, on the site of the Sawyer residence. In 1818 Isaac Lee was chief justice, and John Anderson and Francis La- salle served as associate justices. Charles Noble, a young lawyer was at this time prosecuting attorney.
LEGAL "NOTIS."
In talking with the early settlers about the forms of legal procedure that prevailed here in the period immediately succeeding the organiza- tion of Monroe county and along about 1830 one gets the idea that tri- bunals were conducted on rather a primitive plan in those days; but as for that justice was probably no more recklessly dispensed with than it has been in later years. It has been contended even by such massive intellects as Daniel Webster is generally credited with having possessed, that of the most hazardous things known to the workings of the huinan mind nothing is more uncertain than the conclusion of a petit jury and many amusing incidents are related to confirm this.
A pioneer form of legal notice notifying "all persons" of the capture and impounding of a stray "creetur" in a remote part of the county which was printed in wonderful hieroglyphics on a rough unpainted board and nailed to a roadside tree :
NOTIS
We the ondersined has kild an old mischeveous brown stra Kreeter, purportin to be Long to some Non-resanented inhabitant of This townshipp, which we judged the same to be a newsence! all persons consarned in said Kreetur or Otherwise, is hereby Notyfied to govern themselves Ackordingly. Witness cur return hereon Indorsed. July 2d, 1855.
EARLY MEMBERS OF THE MONROE BAR
The names of a number of the early prominent members of the legal profession in Monroe will be recalled by events with which they were identified when Monroe was attracting attention in the northwest, and the young state was forging rapidly to the front. One of these who attained high honors in the state and nation was Governor Robert Mc- Clelland, who came to Monroe from Pennsylvania in 1833. Upon his arrival he formed a partnership with James Q. Adams, which existed for two years when he opened an office in 1835 and commenced a lucrative practice alone.
HON. ROBERT MCCLELLAND
was born at Green Castle, Pennsylvania, August 1, 1807. He was the son of an eminent physician of that place. He graduated at Dickinson Col- lege (Carlisle, Pennsylvania) in 1829; was admitted to the bar at Cham- bersburg in 1831, and after practicing there a short time went to Pitts- burgh and practiced his profession there for about a year, and then re- moved to Monroe, Michigan, in the summer or fall of 1833. He went into partnership for about two years with James Q. Adams, then in 1835 opened an office and practiced alone and with great success.
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Mr. McClelland was a member of the constitutional convention of Michigan in 1835; a member of the state legislature in 1838, 1840 and 1843, and speaker of the House in the latter year (and the Michigan legislature, never had a more accomplished speaker), a member of Con- gress for three successive terms (Twenty-eighth, Twenty-ninth and Thir- tieth Congresses), from 1843 to 1849; member of the constitutional con- vention of 1850; the first governor for the short term under the new con- stitution for 1852, elected in 1852 for the term of two years, and went into office as governor January 1, 1853. On the inauguration of Frank- lin Pierce as President, March 4, 1853, McClelland was appointed Secre- tary of the Interior, in which he continued till the end of Pierce's admin- istration, March 4, 1857. This was his last public office. This list shows of itself that he must have been above the average of men in ability and fidelity to the public interests. And when it is further stated that he performed the duties of these various offices with credit to himself and a high reputation among all parties for ability and integrity, little more need to be said of him in this direction.
In 1836 Mr. McClelland married Miss Elizabeth Sabin, a beautiful and estimable lady, who died at Detroit in 1884. He had removed to Detroit prior to his election as governor, and resided there afterwards till his death, August 30, 1880. As a politician he was eminently cautious and conservative, and when he thought his party was going to extremes in any direction, he used his best efforts to restrain them; but like a true politician, if in spite of his efforts they persisted, he did not denounce them or leave them, but went with them, though against his better judgment, probably believing that by so doing he could have a more salutary influence in restraining them from dangerous ex- tremes than by coming out in open and direct opposition by which that influence would be lost. Doubtless many other patriotic men of all par- ties have honestly acted upon the like principle. As a man and a citizen he was strictly just and fair, and while exacting what was his due he was careful to exact nothing more. He was of a cheerful and social disposition, of pleasant address and popular manners, never morose or fretful, and if ever melancholy or despondent he would successfully con- ceal it.
HON. ALPHEUS FELCH
Among the distinguished men who stand at the head of their profes- sion and in the councils of the state and nation who are proudly remem- bered as early members of the Monroe bar conspicuously stands the Hon. Alpheus Felch, who was born at Limerick, York county, Maine, Septem- ber 28, 1804. After an academic course at Exeter Academy, New Hamp- shire, he graduated at Bowdoin College in 1827, and immediately be- came a student-at-law at Freyberg, Maine, and was admitted to the bar at Bangor, Maine, in autumn, 1830. Commenced practice at Houlton, Maine, in the fall of that year, where he continued in practice until the spring of 1833. He came to Monroe, Michigan, in the summer of 1833 and opened an office there in August of that year, and continued to re- side there until September, 1843, when he removed to Ann Arbor, which has since been his residence.
Governor Felch was elected to the house of representatives of Michi- gan in 1835 and again in 1836. Early in 1838 he was appointed bank commissioner. In February, 1842, appointed auditor general of this state, but soon after entering upon its duties was appointed by Governor Barry associate justice of the supreme court, and in January, 1843, was nominated and confirmed as such justice to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William A. Fletcher and also for the succeeding full term. Vol. I-17
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In November, 1845, he was elected governor of the state. In 1847 was elected United States senator.
After expiration of his term as senator in March, 1853, Governor Felch was appointed by the President one of the commissioners to settle land claims under the treaty of Guadaloupe Hidalgo, and was president of the board. He returned to Michigan in June, 1856 (the labors of the commission being closed), and from that time to 1873 engaged in pro- fessional business as a lawyer. From this time for several years he became nearly blind and was unable to do business. But in 1879, having partially recovered his sight, he was appointed professor of law in the law department of the University of Michigan and continued to act in that capacity until 1883, when he resigned and did not afterwards en- gage in any official business.
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