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 66
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Another cargo of the welcome farm produce was prepared and satisfactorily delivered to the waiting boats, anchored between Put-in- Bay and West Sister Islands. This was the scene of the conflict, and Captain Harvey describes the appearance of the waters after the battle as strewn with debris of the shattered vessels, broken spars, blood stained matresses and clothing, and other fragments, while the wrecked hulls of the British vessels showed the effect of the murderous broad- sides which Perry had poured into them. The British flagship "Detroit and the "Queen Charlotte" lay close together, the shrouds of the former cut to pieces, and hanging like vines about her foremast; the masts were all shot away and the rudder also. The "Lawrence" was prac- tically a hospital, where the wounded of both sides were cared for by British and American surgeons. The destruction was awful, and the loss of life dreadful. Harvey saw the action from a distance and describes it as something terrible. Perry was on one of the gunboats in great distress at the loss of so many brave officers and men.
At the last visit of Harvey to the fleet, after the battle, Commodore Perry, requested him to pilot a large boat, carrying a hundred Ken- tucky soldiers to the Canada shore and thence up to Malden. Harvey pleaded his ignorance of the Canadian coast, which he had never visited and also the anxiety of his family at his prolonged absence, but the commodore would accept no excuse or plea, and compliance became a duty. Upon landing at Malden which had been the headquarters of the British from whence they had retreated, the men fired and destroyed the house of Colonel Elliott, the Indian agent, whom they considered mainly instrumental together with one Simon Gurty in the horrible massacre at the River Raisin in the January previous.
Captain Harvey went to Detroit from Malden, and describes it as a very disagreeable, dirty little place, built mostly of log and block houses ; the troops encamped along the street (now Jefferson avenue).
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He saw this street plowed for the first time preparatory to grading. In 1815, the whole family removed to Monroe, this was two years before the county was organized. Here Mr. Harvey settled and opened a tavern. His first "Fourth of July" in his new home, was spent in a manner quite different from the usual custom. The men and boys of the settlement spent the day in gathering up the bleached bones of the victims of the massacre of two years previous. They were scattered all about the wooded banks of the Raisin and over an area of a mile or more, as far south of the river as Plum creek. Tomahawks, cannon balls, muskets, bayonets, soldiers caps and all manner of equipment were picked up, which had been overlooked by the savages. The bones were gathered and placed in large boxes and buried in a lot on Monroe street, by Mr. Harvey and his neighbors. Mr. Harvey's pursuit in 1817 to 1821 was largely with the lake shipping interest, owning or sailing several sloops and schooners. No man living in Monroe county, enjoyed the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens to a greater degree than Captain Luther Harvey.
GENERAL LEVI S. HUMPHREY
General Humphrey was one of the early pioneers from the state of Vermont. He was a man of large frame, six feet or more in height, and of impressive appearance, who identified himself very actively with the business and political movements of Monroe. He was landlord for a few years of. the Exchange, the "big" hotel, and later, when the large brick structure was built by the business men of Monroe for a hotel, which is now the "Hubble block" on Washington street, he was the first landlord and the house was named the Humphrey House. General Humphrey gained considerable notoriety in connection with the Toledo war, in which he took part; also during the construction of the Southern Railroad, when two factions were bitterly contending for supremacy ; one of them was led by General Humphrey and the other by R. M. Mor- rison ; between these parties occasional encounters made lively incidents in business circles, but politics was the game that the general liked to play, and he won quite a following.
A local friend or enemy would now and then "drop into poetry," on the theme, and we find in an old newspaper of the day the following, as a sample stanza dedicated to the modern Talleyrand :
Talleyrand the great, the grand, Talleyrand the dickerer, For him we'll either fall or stand, As long as he's the liquorer.
General Humphrey was given the sobriquet of Talleyrand because of his suave manner and other characteristics. It may be stated in this connection, that whatever he might have had to do with "liquoring" others, he was a very temperate man himself, seldom taking liquor in any form. His daughter, Miss Annette Humphrey, was a very agreeable and accomplished woman, most popular among all the young women of the city. She married Jacob L. Green, a lawyer of Monroe, who subse- quently became adjutant general on General Custer's staff, and after the war was connected with the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, of which corporation he became the president. His death oc- curred in Hartford, Connecticut.
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HENRY DISBROW, PIONEER
Henry Disbrow was one of the earliest American pioneers to reach Monroe, and was endowed with the qualities that at once gave him prominence among men who appreciated not only physical strength and great powers of endurance, but the higher mental and moral quali- ties that proved such pronounced factors in the building of govern- ments and communities in the midst of the howling wildernesses of the great "Northwest Territory." Henry Disbrow was that kind of man. He was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on the ninth day of July, 1773, where he passed his boyhood, and received his early education. He married Miss Sarah Anderson on May 30, 1794, in his native town, who
MR. AND MRS. HENRY DISBROW (From a daguerreotype)
bore him four children, one son and three daughters. The family re- moved to Dayton, Kentucky, where the son, Henry V. Disbrow, was born. He entered upon commercial pursuits at an early day, and at the time of the declaration of war between the United States and Great Britain in 1812, was trading between Sandusky and Detroit, commanding a vessel loaded with provisions bound to the latter place. He preserved a diary of this particular trip, which is a graphic description of an historic voyage. It is as follows :
EXTRACT FROM DIARY OF HENRY DISBROW
June 29th, 1812.
"Received the news of the declaration of war between the United States and Great Britain (at Sanduskey) and on the first day of July entered in the service of the United States and took on board the boat Dolfin of Sanduskey, as passenger, Rev. Wm. Hughes of Dellaware, Chaplin of the army under General Hull of Detroit. Set sail the same day for that port July 4th, came in sight the British Ship of war
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mounting 24 nine pound cannonade. Sailed in site of her the whole day with a very lite brease about 12 o'clock lay to under cover of an island (the "Midle Sister"). She passed within 1/2 mile of us when lying here. She stood on for Malden, the wind coming a head. She came to in the mouth of Detroit river about sundown. About an hour after this time we passed her about one mile to the leeward and lay to on account of the wind being ahead. July 5th at break of day the wind came fare we hoisted sail and run up the Detroit river a short distance the wind heading her we were again obliged to lay too under cover of Hickory Island near the American Shore where General Hull's Armey of about twenty seven hun- driad men had passed about one hour before. Here the Reverend Mr. Hughs & his lady expressed some anxiety to join the Armey was landed at the big rock; as our Situation was rather disagreeable laying within about two miles of all the British force in this Country consisting of six armed vessels 250 regulars, 300 Malitia and about 400 Indians and only Six men on board my Small boat including myself. We kept a strict watch the whole night expecting every Moment an attack from Indians that were on an Island about one mile from us and was almost continuely shout- ing the war whoop in our ears, we passed the night without any other interruption. The next mornin being the 5th of July, about ten o'clock, the wind came fare for Detroit (the brig Hunter Commander Capt. Bulett Cohow was watching our menuvers. (as well as we his) hauled out in the middle of the river for the purpose of attacking us as we passed. We hoisted Sale in order to run by the brig at all haszerds or perish in the attempt. We arrived at Detroit about 4 o'clock the same day where General Hull had just arived with his army consisting of about 27 hundred men which crossed the Detroit river on the 12th and hoisted American flag in Canada, threw up breastworks and built a small garrison which was evacuated again on 12th of Augs. and the whole force recrossed the river to Ft. Detroit on the 15 the fort of Detroit, was summoned to surrinder by Gener. Brock the commander in Chief of his Brittanic majesty's forces at Fort Malden and on the same day the massacre at Shicago or Fort Derbourn took place. 16, the Fort Detroit, surrendered a force of about twenty-five hundriad effective men, about 40 peaces of Cannon 11 of which were 24 pounders 7 of which were well mounted and a very large quantity of ammunition of all kinds to Gen. Brock who had under his command about 300 reg- ulars, 400 militia and 300 Indians, and on the 22 of January, 1813, General Win- chester's division consisting of about 750 men were defeated at the River Basin by about 2,000 Brittish and Indians, under the command of Cols. Procter and St. George. The British took 262 prisoners, all the wounded that cold not travel were tomahawked by the Indians. The Indians took a great many prisoners (40 or 50) whilst the British lost about 150 killed and 100 wounded (principally regulars). The American citizens of Detroit purchased prisoners for between 50 and 100 dols each and made them as comfortable as possable, the British took them from the Americans and took them to Sandwitch where we saw them no more. The Indians Defeated at Massassinwa on the 17 and 18th of December the Americans lost 8 killed 40 wounded. The Indians lost 32 dead on the field a number of towns burnt by the Americans.
Mr. Disbrow left his home in Kentucky, expecting to be absent on this trip about three weeks, but did not return for more than two years, having been taken prisoner in Sandwich, Canada, opposite Detroit, while visiting his wife, who was a guest of Major Caldwell's family at their residence, in that place. Mr. Kinzie was captured at the same time, and with Mr. Disbrow was placed under guard of a party of Indians. Mr. Disbrow was soon released, but Mr. Kinzie was sent on to Montreal, in irons and imprisoned.
Henry Disbrow was by profession a civil engineer, and was so engaged in Monroe; in 1817 he platted the village, and prepared a large map which is still in existence, and in the possession of the author of this history. It is a most interesting old relic of the busy days, embody- ing the elastic ideas of its founders, when it was expected that Monroe would certainly become the metropolis of the great west, with the "City of Brest," as a close second. There was no wagon bridge across the river at that time except at Monroe street, a foot bridge being the only other means of crossing; this was located at Macomb street. The wagon road to La Plaisance Bay is shown as starting from the intersection of Sixth and Scott streets. The town was platted and laid out into streets and city lots, eastward, to Lake Erie, portions of which are marked as "wet pasture"-of course no marsh appeared! The names of owners
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appear, including those of well known men of that day, "A. E. Wing, Geo. B. Harleston, Nadeau, Navarre, Robert, Mc Vikar, Godfroy, Law- rence, O. Johnson, Hatch and others."
Anderson street was then known as "Road to Detroit," with a large tract on the west side of this road marked: "Catholic Church Lands," and on the east side of the road appear the names of C. Noble, John Anderson, etc; Elm avenue was " River road." The block of church land seems to have extended north for eight blocks or more; beyond that it was "commons," or open country. All the city streets were named as at present, running north and south, and those running east and west being numbered. In the marsh there is seen a quite large body of water marked "Shallow Lake." Mr. Disbrow was also engaged in mercantile pursuits, and occupied a large store on Front street, in what was then known as the "Disbrow Block"-this was also the block in which was afterwards established the "Merchants and Mechanics Bank." Mr. Disbrow is spoken of by his contemporaries as a man of great strength of character, wonderful force and industry, greatly esteemed in the city. He was a member of the Presbyterian church in which he was ordained an elder in 1818. He occupied for many years, as a residence, the Macomb Street House, which he had purchased before its completion. Mr. Disbrow's death occurred in Monroe, July 7, 1855, four years prior to that of his wife. Their children were Henry V. Disbrow, who died in Galesburg, Illinois; Achsah, who married Colonel Green of Kentucky ; Elizabeth, who was born in Kentucky, December 16, 1796, and married Colonel Oliver Johnson, at the River Raisin in 1818; and Mary E., who was born in Dayton, Ohio, February 13, 1809, and came to Monroe when a young girl, with others of the family, making the entire journey on horseback; she was married to Thomas G. Cole, January 27, 1828, and died in the home where she had spent all her married life. Of the children now living are Mrs. Sarah E. Raynor of New York city, Mrs. Eliza Armitage, Mrs. Harriet Tryon, Mrs. John M. Bulkley, and Henry T. Cole, who reside in Monroe. Mrs. Cole was a member of the First Presbyterian church, having united with that society in January, 1832.
COLONEL OLIVER JOHNSON
Probably no man among the early American settlers on the River Raisin was more active in the affairs of Monroe, during the formative period of its history, nor whose influence in the business and religious activities of that time continued to be more distinctly felt, during the stirring events which followed, in the upbuilding of the community in which he had made his home, than Oliver Johnson. Born at Harrington, in the state of Connecticut, on February 29, 1784, of New England ancestry, he inherited the positive and staunch principles, the sturdy religious character and the business acumen which were the marked characteristics of that remarkable race. He was one of eleven chil- dren born to Robert and Sarah Blake Johnson, all of whom reached maturity, and were found in various pursuits in New England. Colonel Johnson came to Monroe soon after the close of the War of 1812, and be- came deeply interested in the struggling new town, then just emerging from the clouds of misfortune which darkened its beginnings-and at once identified himself with every effort that was being made to improve the immense natural advantages of location, which he was not slow to discover, and which he felt certain would place Monroe conspicuously upon the map. He at once made judicious investments in real estate, and commenced the building of a home. In 1818 he purchased from
COL. OLIVER JOHNSON
Father of Charles Greene Johnson and grandfather of Kate Eliza Johnson Phinney
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the original owner, Jos. Loranger, a lot on the corner of Front and Washington streets and erected the first brick residence in that portion of the town, which he occupied for five years, when he purchased the lot on First street, fronting the public square, east of the court house, and upon it built a large frame dwelling, which still stands on its original site, and is owned and occupied by his granddaughter, Mrs. Rufus E. Phinney. This was the residence of Colonel Johnson until his death on January 18, 1868.
On the twenty-third of July, 1818, Oliver Johnson was married to Eliza, daughter of Henry Disbrow, sister of the late Mrs. Thos. G. Cole. The ceremony was performed by Rev. John Monteith, English preacher at Detroit, who signed the marriage certificate as John Mon- teith, "Bishop of Detroit." (Of course there was no bishop of Detroit, and Rev. John Monteith was a Presbyterian clergyman, the first, prob- ably, who ever preached in Michigan.) In the records of the First Pres- byterian church of Monroe, under date of February 17, 1821, is this entry : "Sermon by Rev. John Monteith; church meeting after sermon, voted to receive Oliver Johnson and Mrs. Desire West as members of this church, in full communion." Also on October 3, 1825, this interesting family incident : "Mr. O. Johnson's infant child was christened ( Eliza- beth), before sermon in the afternoon by the Rev. Stephen Frontis." Colonel Johnson was elected an elder in the Presbyterian church of Monroe previous to 1830, and continued until his death, a valuable and discreet adviser and loyal supporter of the cause in this part of the country. He was a merchant as early as 1825, and occupied the brick building which he originally built for a residence on the present site of the First National Bank. The old structure which was a substantial brick, was remodeled many times, and occupied for many purposes, be- ing finally destroyed by fire in January, 1868. His store was the largest in the town, and an extensive trade was carried on in furs-which was the principal medium of exchange in those days; and formed a large pro-
portion of the exports from Monroe, for many years. Oliver Johnson was averse to mingling in politics and never held but one public office, which was by appointment, as judge of probate, by the governor of the territory ; notwithstanding, he was most active in all public affairs, and prominent in the councils of the Whig party, and one of the original founders of the Republican party at Jackson, Michigan. He was elected a presidential elector in 1856, on the Fremont ticket. Mrs. Eliza Disbrow Johnson, wife of Colonel Johnson, was one of the pioneers of the River Raisin, born at Dayton, Kentucky, and as a young girl, with her family made the journey to Monroe, in 1817, on horseback, and re- sided with her father's family on the Stewart farm in Monroe until her marriage to Colonel Johnson in 1818. Mrs. Johnson was one of the orig- inal small number of twenty which founded the First Presbyterian church of Monroe, and which was organized by Rev. John Monteith on the 12th of January, 1820, "in Colonel Johnson's brick house," as the record states. She was an active member of the church and active in all its affairs, her home was the place where all visiting ministers and church people were entertained. Mrs. Johnson died in the home which she had made so notable at the advanced age of eighty-seven.
MAJOR GERSHOM TAINTOR BULKLEY
Major Bulkley was born in Colchester, Connecticut, March 8, 1781. The founder of the Bulkley family in America, and the distinguished ancestor of the subject of this sketch was Rev. Peter Bulkley, B. D., who came from England with his young wife Grace Chetwood, to Cam-
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G. T. BuMl
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bridge, Massachusetts, in 1634. Peter Bulkley was a staunch Puritan, though his father, Doctor Edward Bulkley was a prominent clergyman of the Church of England and a distinguished minister of the large parish of Odell, where the beautiful stone edifice in which he preached, still stands. Reverend Peter Bulkley built at Concord, Massachusetts, where he settled in 1635, the fourth Protestant church in the colonies from his own private means, and afterwards sustained it for a long time in the same manner.
Gershom T. Bulkley, removed from Colchester, Connecticut, to Wil- liamstown, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, the seat of Williams College, where he married Julia A. Kellogg, a daughter of Judge Kellogg, one of the leading professional men of the county. He was here actively engaged in farming, manufacturing and mercantile pursuits. Though not a politician, nor a seeker after political preferments in public affairs, he served his county and district faithfully when called upon. He was for a few years a representative in the legislature of Massa- chusetts, and received the commendation of his fellow citizens. A number of other civil appointments were conferred upon him, two commissions from presidents of the United States being among the honorable recognition of his public services in Massachusetts and Michi- gan. Major Bulkley was ever an ardent friend and supporter of Williams College, and contributed of his means and influence liberally, at times when the skies were dark with this now famous and prosperous college. Upon the declaration of war with England by the United States, in 1812, he volunteered his services in the defense of his country on the northern frontier. He was commissoned by President James Madison a major of cavalry, recruited all the men of his command in his own county, and served with them, so long as their services were required. The nearness of the Canadian border, and the activity of military operations in that vicinity rendered this service highly valuable and necessary.
After the declaration of peace with England, the military forces were disbanded. Shortly after this he was appointed postmaster at Williams- town, which office he held until his removal to Michigan in 1833. Arriv- ing in Monroe, with his family, which was then an ambitious village of the territory, he at once engaged in business and thoroughly identified himself with the business interests and entered actively into the public and private enterprises of the town. There were many other Massa- chusetts men among the new arrivals, and with one of these from Williamstown, Mr. Daniel Noble, he formed a copartnership in the mercantile business, their store at first being located on the west side of Washington street, the site of the building of the old First National Bank, but afterwards in a large frame building on the southwest corner of Front and Monroe streets. This building was destroyed by fire in 1875, while occupied as a store by Gershom Bulkley, a son. Major Bulkley became deeply interested in the extensive harbor and canal projects to promote the commercial interests of Monroe. He was one of the commissioners chosen to visit Washington in the interests of the city, in connection with the improvements in the harbor, and with Hon. D. A. Noble and others was also instrumental in securing funds necessary for the completion of this work. The permanent organization of the canal commission was effected in 1844, and at the first election of officers the following were chosen : President, Gershom T. Bulkley ; secretary, Moses B. Savage; treasurer, Norman R. Haskell; acting commissioner, John Burch. Major Bulkley was reelected for two successive terms. Alpheus Felch, George W. Strong, Harry V. Mann, M. B. Savage and other
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citizens serving with him. He was without solicitation on his part, appointed by President Andrew Jackson, receiver of the United States land office in Monroe, this being one of the three land offices in the state, the others being located in Detroit and White Pigeon. The sales at the Monroe office exceeded those of both the others combined. His first clerk in this office was Isaac P. Christiancy, who was afterwards an eminent jurist of the state, and senator from Michigan, succeeding Zachariah Chandler. The building used as the land office was a small one on the south side of the public square adjoining the court house. In 1845 Major Bulkley was elected recorder of the city of Monroe, suc- ceeding Hon. David A. Noble, and reelected the following year.
Major Bulkley was a member of the First Presbyterian church of Monroe, uniting with that society April 19, 1839, the elders being Colonel Oliver Johnson, Charles Noble, Dr. Harry Conant, and Colonel John Anderson. The pastor at that time was Rev. Conway P. Wing. He was the father of ten children, six sons and four daughters, all of whom with his widow survived him. Their names were as follows: Henry Chester, Gershom, Marcia A., Eliza, Caroline A., Edward W., Charles Sabin, George Francis, and John McClelland, none of whom, except the last named, are living. He died in Monroe in 1862 after a brief illness, and was buried in the family lot in Woodland cemetery.
The following tribute to Major Bulkley was written by Judge John Logan Chipman, the editor of the Detroit Free Press at the time of his death, and appeared in the editorial columns of that paper in October, 1862: "The Monroe papers report the death, after a short illness in that city, of Major Gershom T. Bulkley, an old and well-known citizen of this state, at the advanced age of eighty years. Few men were more universally esteemed by those who knew him than Major Bulkley. He was a prominent resident of Williamstown, in Massachusetts, and lived in that state, we believe, until when he went to Monroe. He served his country in the War of 1812 as a Major of Cavalry on the frontier, was afterwards a large manufacturer in his native state and at one time a member of her legislature. In Michigan he held various public positions, among others that of register of the United States land office. He was a generous, liberal and charitable gentleman-one of that class of men who came on the stage of action in this country just after the Revolution, and who cherished with reverential affection the memory and the principles of the fathers of the republic. His life covered nearly the entire period from the day of the immortal declaration of his country's independence down to the day of his death. He may literally be said to have seen the birth and the infancy of this great nation. God grant that the struggle amid which he died may not be the premonition of her destruction. It is at least a sad reflection that one who lived at the birth of the con- stitution lived to witness the efforts to overthrow it."
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