History of Monroe County, Michigan, Part 14

Author: Wing, Talcott Enoch, 1819-1890, ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: New York, Munsell & company
Number of Pages: 882

USA > Michigan > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Michigan > Part 14

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Beseau, John, 80.

Lazarre, Francis, 82.

Boroff, F., 100 yrs. 7 mos. Mason, Henry, 79.

Clapper, John, 76. Nadeau, James B., 77.

De Chovin, Jean, 77. Navarre, Peter, 82.

Deland, Hall, 75.

Navarre, Robert F., 80.

French, Bronson, 82.

Foulke, Joseph, 80.

Van Pelt, David, 89. Walters, William, 88.

Whelpley, Thomas, 73.

Guyor, Joseph, 88. Hixon, Charles, 76. Younglove, George, 77. Jacobs, Louis, 96.

Peter Navarre and Robert Navarre con- tinued to reside in this vicinity until their deaths. Frank Boroff, the centenarian, was born in Pennsylvania in 1770. The united ages of the group were 1,158 years -the aver- age being nearly 90 years.

The pleasure derived at this assembly gave rise to extensive preparations for welcoming to the old battle grounds the survivors of the War of 1812. July 4, 1872, 121 veterans of Harri- son's army, serving at Fort Meigs and elsc- where in this section during the War of 1812, responded in person to the invitations.

The arrangements for celebrating the 4th in Monroe, in connection with a grand re-union of the veterans of 1812, and the pioneers of the Raisin valley, were fully completed on the night of the 3d, and everything gave promise of a large crowd and a successful celebration. The evening train from the south brought a large delegation of veterans from Kentucky and Ohio, some seventy-five in number, with repre- sentatives of the Kentucky press, accompanied by General G. A. Custer, one of the members of the Committee of Invitation. These were met at Toledo by other members of the Com- mittee of Invitation, and on their arrival at Monroe Junction were received by the Com- mittee of Reception, headed by the Monroe band, and were escorted in carriages to the Young Ladies' Seminary, where arrangements had been made for their comfort while tarrying among us. Among this " goodlie companie " of venerable patriarchs were General Leslie Combs, of Kentucky, aged seventy-eight, Gen- eral Samuel Williams, of Kentucky, who bore a conspicuous part in the war of 1812, aged

[82]

1 JOHN BESEAR. 2 JOHN CLAPER. 3 GEN'L CUSTON.

4 FRANCIS LAZARRE.

5 JEAN DE CHOVEN.

6 JNO. BESAN. 7 GEO. YOUNGLOVE. 8 JOHN BUROFF. 9 DAVID VAN PELT. 10 LEWIS JACOBS. 11 CHIS. HAVEN. 12 HENRY MASON, 13 THO, WHELPHY. 14 JOS. GUYON.

15 PETER NAVARRE. 16 JAMES NEDEAU. 17 EMANUEL CUSTON. 18 ROBERT NAVAN. 19 JOSEPH FORLKE. 20 BONSON FRENCH.

VETERANS OF THE WAR OF 1812.

ninety-one, and Henry Gaither, of Cincinnati, aged eighty-two.

The morning of the 4th opened a little cloudy and cooler than the preceding day, giving promise of the best of weather for the festivi- ties of the day; and though the middle of the day proved warmer than was necessary for comfort, yet very little complaint could reason- ably be made on that score.

The day was ushered in with a national salute of thirty-eight guns at sunrise, fired from the military encampment, in the west grove, and the gun was fired every five minutes while the procession was moving.

The Committee of Arrangements had made ample preparations in Noble's Grove, east of Washington street, for the ceremonies and the banquet. A large stand, with raised seats, had been erected, with a stand for the speakers, and tables sufficient to seat 1,000 people were ar- ranged in a hollow square, under the spreading bonghs, at a short distance from the grand stand.

At the entrance to the grove an arch of ever- greens was erected, on which was the motto, " Welcome, brave defenders," and another and larger triumphal arch was erected over Wash- ington street, at the public square, with the motto, " Welcome, veterans." This arch was covered with evergreens, and tastefully decora- ted with shields, flags, etc. Many of the busi- ness blocks and private residences, especially along the line of march of the procession, were handsomely decorated with the national colors, evergreens, mottoes, streamers, flags and ban- ners.

At an carly hour the people from the country came flocking in, by wagon loads, on horseback and on foot, and before the arrival of any of the trains, the streets seemed crowded with people. The first train from the north brought the National Guards of Detroit, Governor Bald- win, Judge Campbell, Hon. C. C. Trowbridge, Hon. Levi Bishop, Judge Cooley, and other celebrities. The train from the west brought the Adrian Commandery of Knights Templar, and the train from the south brought Mayor Jones, Ex-Mayor Kraus, the Toledo Cadets, with thousands of people to join in the festivi- ties of the day.

The procession commenced to move soon after eleven o'clock, and was formed as follows, headed by General George Spalding, Chief Marshal :

Chief of Police. Chief Marshal and Aids.

FIRST DIVISION. Colonel I. R. Grosvenor, Marshal. Monroe City Band. National Guards, of Detroit. Monroe Light Guards. Toledo Cadets.

SECOND DIVISION. Colonel C. Luce, Marshal. Martial Band.

Adrian Commandery, Knights Templar. Monroe Commandery, Knights Templar.

THIRD DIVISION. Flat Rock Band. Monroe Fire Department-Captain F. Waldorf, Chief Engineer.

FOURTH DIVISION. Charles F. Frank, Marshal.

St. Joseph's Benevolent Society, of Monroe. German Workingmen's Society, of Monroe.

FIFTH DIVISION. Major S. W. Curtis, Marshal. Pioneers of the Raisin Valley to the number of 150.

SIXTHI DIVISION. Major J. G. McBride, Marshal. Veterans of the War of 1812 in carriages.

SEVENTHI DIVISION. The Hon. Thomas Doyle, Marshal. Citizens in carriages.

The National Guards of Detroit made a fine appearance, and the Toledo Cadets (a company of mere lads) attracted much attention during the entire day, for their soldierly bearing and generally excellent behavior. The Knights Templar, too, were an attractive feature of the procession. The route of the procession was from the corner of First and Macomb streets, north to Elm avenue, thence west to Monroe street, thence south to Front, thence west to Cass, thence south to Seventh, thence east to Monroe, thence north to Front, thence east to Washington, thence south to the grove.

As the procession passed the Monroe street cemetery, where the Kentuckians who fell at the battle of the River Raisin are buried, it halted, and the bands played a dirge, the flags were drooped, the military came to a " shoulder arms," the Knights Templar made the "salute" of their order, and the veterans and citizens generally uncovered.

A short distance from the entrance to the grove a reviewing stand had been erected, where Governor Baldwin, the orator and dis-

HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

tinguished guests, and the officers of the day, reviewed the procession as it passed.

Arriving at the grove, the organizations formed in open order, and the veterans and in- vited guests passed to the grand stand with appropriate military honors.

The grand stand was erected with the tim- bers, planks and boards from the recent resi- dence of Dr. A. I. Sawyer, which was the building in which General Winchester had his headquarters at the time of the celebrated battle and massacre of the Raisin, January, 1813.

After the veterans and guests had been seated and the assemblage was called to order, the Hon. Warner Wing, president of the day, de- livered the following opening address :

" FELLOW CITIZENS: It has been customary with all nations to perpetuate the memory of great events, either by the erection of temples, monuments, triumphal arches, statues, or the gathering of the people together on stated days. Such events are not unfrequently the glorious achievements of armies, the death of great men who have been public benefactors, the destruction of cities or of nations.

" Should a stranger from foreign lands come among us this day and inquire what means this great gathering of the people from every part of our land, and why this great excite- ment, let him know that ninety-six years ago this day our forefathers, who were colonists from England, after struggling long with the injustice of the home government, and finding their burdens greater than they could bear, threw off their colonial dependence, renounced all allegiance to the parent government, and made and published to the world a declaration of their independence ; to the support of which they pledged their fortunes, their lives and their sacred honor, by which the connection of the colonies with the parent government was forever severed and they were left free to govern themselves, and free to worship God as they pleased; and this freedom is the common heritage of every citizen of these United States.

" We have met together on this 4th day of July, the anniversary of our Nation's indepen- dence, to exchange friendly greetings with each other; to receive and take by the hand, and render thanksgiving and homage to our soldiers of many wars, who have so gloriously fought the battles of our common country, and signally aided in redeeming the solemn pledge which

our fathers gave; and, above all, to render thanks to God that notwithstanding all the sore trials through which our Nation has passed, our liberties have been preserved to us - that this land is a sure refuge to the oppressed and down-trodden of all nations, and is in very deed ' the land of the free and the home of the brave.'

"I will not enlarge on any of these topics. To the orator of the day is assigned the duty and the honor of rehearsing to you the story of our revolutionary struggles, and of sketch- ing the history of our National and State Gov- ernments, and of the legislation by which our civil rights are defended and protected, having their foundations deep in the hearts of the people.

"To another is assigned the pleasing duty of addressing (for us) the war-worn veterans who have gathered with us from many a dis- tant State of this Republic, and who at the call of our rulers in the hour of adversity and peril -actuated by feelings of patriotism -rushed to the front and bore back the invading enemy of our country, and finally triumphed glori- ously, in which triumph and glory we claim an honorable part. He will greet them in our behalf with a cordial welcome. He will express to them our joy at being able to meet them here on the ground where they fought, and some of them shed their blood, and where their. comrades and some of their brothers laid down their lives in defense of this (then) frontier. It is the ground where other soldiers, now present, at a later period, at the call of our late Presi- dent, first enlisted under our National banner, and joined that great army - 600,000 strong - and marched to many a field of battle. They fought to repel a great wrong and to establish and perpetuate a great good, and by their courage and the blessing of God they achieved victory, and saved our country from anarchy, and aided to place on a more firm foundation our liberties and our institutions, under which every living being is now free. Our orator will welcome them to our festive board, to the hos- pitalities of our houses, and to our hearts - and may we learn from the absence of many a loved one who laid down his life for us, and from the scars and wounds of those present, what is the price of liberty. .

" There is also committed to another the reading of the Declaration of Independence- the palladium of our liberties. And as we

VETERANS OF THE WAR OF 1812.

listen to its masterly statements, embodying the principles of civil liberty, and especially to the closing personal pledge of those who signed it, may we all realize that not alone upon those honored delegates was the pledge binding -- by their act and deed we are also bound to maintain and perpetuate what they pledged themselves and their constituents to observe and maintain.

" We have recently passed through a deso- lating civil war. Peace now reigns in all our borders. The Ship of State seems to be put on its true course under full and flowing sails. We are greatly increased in wealth, and with it we may expect its usual concomitants - cor- rupt counsels and a low state of morals -- re- quiring of every lover of his country and its institutions, increased watchfulness, knowing that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

" We have met under the sound of our cannon and with many imposing ceremonies, to be ac- companied with the singing of anthems and our merry song of Yankee Doodle, which to those who are not well acquainted with Amer- ican character, may savor of frivolity and thoughtlessness. Well, suppose it does -- we are free, and we have the right to do as we please on this, our Fourth of July, our Inde- pendence Day. We choose to be merry now and wise afterwards -- therefore we are not afraid to sing this song as expressive of our happy light-heartedness ; but let cavilers and our enemies beware when they hear their own national music on the decks of our war ships, or at the head of our armies, as they move to battle -- it will then have a different meaning and will then be a warning to all, and espe- cially to our enemies, that our soldiers and sailors are terribly in earnest. It will then mean fight, not fun.

" When we shall have concluded our cere- monies, may no one of us fail of being impressed with the solemn conviction that as we enjoy so many blessings we are under renewed obli- gation to guard with serupulous vigilance, in- stitutions which have secured and will secure the continuance of them to us and to our pos- terity. Let us resolve, in the words of the old song, that

" We-freemen will live, we freemen will die,

This oath we'll renew on each Fourth of July."

The President's address was followed by the singing of the "Red, White and Blue," by a

chorus of 150 voices, young men and young ladies of the city, led by Professor C. C. Zeus, and accompanied by the orchestra. This fea- ture was a great success, and reflected credit upon those who conceived it and carried it out.

Prayer was then offered by the Rev. C. W. Fitch, U. S. A., Chaplain of Fort Wayne.

After the prayer the choir sang " America," and Mayor Redfield being introduced, delivered the following address of welcome:

" VETERAN VOLUNTEERS, PIONEERS AND GUESTS : It is appointed to me as the execu- tive officer of this ancient and honorable town -in the name of the Floral City and all its people - to thank you for the honor of your presence and in their name to bid you a hearty welcome and a most carnest and joyous greet- ing.

" Above all words of mine this great con- course of the people of the State -its high officials, its eminent jurists, its pioneers and yeomanry, its honored mothers and young men and maidens - speaks a welcome, based upon gratitude and affection, spontaneous, deep and genuine, and warrants me in embracing the name of the State of Michigan in our wel- come. The day itself in all its pleasant char- acter - every branch and leaf above dip and whisper their gladness at your coming. The united melody of our historic lake and river greets you. Every plank and timber in this platform, which in that cold dismal winter of 1813 formed the. walls within which Winches- ter surrendered, seem to vibrate with the story of that terrible tragedy, when Proctor fled, leaving your companions to be massacred with pitiless ferocity. [Cheers.]

" The uncompleted history of that scene and of those days welcomes you to this place and demands its vindication through you to-day in this, that the war was carried on and the Fed- eral Government supported by volunteers alone, from June, 1812, to October, 1814; and that in all that time the only assistance we had upon this frontier was from Ohio, Kentucky and other Southern States, while Northern and Eastern States held back from the contest, even until after this and the New York frontier had been desolated and laid waste, and the capital of the Nation was sacked and burned. [Cheers. ]

" And this celebration and this welcome and these facts are dues to the memory of those

HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

brave men who fought, and to the memory of their brave comrades who left their bones on the Miami, the Raisin and the Thames. From these groves and fields and from the graves of those 300 victims of the slaughter come a sad and solemn welcome to these old companions and comrades.

" Welcome to you of Kentucky, who in our day and youth, baptized as the 'dark and bloody ground,'-from savage cruelty ; in your old age again denoted ' the dark and bloody ground' in a contest for the Nation's life. Welcome, and thank God that you are permit- ted to pass over the river of the Ohio no longer a vexed and fettered boundary of institutions social, domestic, or municipal, antagonistic to Christianity, and that where you encountered in your early march the wild forest and still wilder savage, flourishing towns and cities and fruitful fields delight to mect and welcome you. The lonely line of the Hull Road is to-day a great highway of travel and one succession of fertile farms. The seat of Winchester's camp is there before you ; behold its spires, its towers, its broad fields and busy life. All around you in earnest devotion behold its generous people. [Cheers. ] Beside you are the noble band of pioneers whose strong will and sturdy arms have caused this their wilderness to blossom into such rich profusion, and they from their hearts do welcome you. And so as they and all. of us in our daily round of life-cares, duties and memories, think of the past and of you, we remember, that the battle cry of Kentucky and Ohio, under Green Clay at Fort Meigs, the gallant Croghan at Sandusky, Harrison at the Thames, Jackson at New Orleans and in every field was, Remember the River Raisin. We, of Monroe, all honor to him whose patriotic heart and liberal hand gave impulse, have caught up the slogan of your youth and day ; we will re- member the River Raisin and have resolved in your presence, over the graves of fallen braves, to pledge that veneration for your toils and sacrifices still lives with us, that gratitude to you and all the fathers of the Republic is as strong, quick and deep a sentiment with us as with our fathers. And so remembering the River Raisin, and you and your dead in our care and keeping, we will build a monument. [Cheers.]

" We know that in the larger sense we can not dedicate-we can not consecrate - we can

not hallow this ground. The brave men who died, and you patriots who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The world will little heed nor re- member what we say here, but it will never forget what they did here. It is therefore for us to be dedicated to the task before us; and four years from this day, with the blessing of God, upon the one-hundredth anniversary of American independence, we will complete our welcome and perpetuate onr gratitude in an enduring monument, and once more gather you in who are left, and bid you to behold our finished work. In memory of the River Raisin upon its northern face -in letters large and deep and lasting - so we may read :

" This is for the blood that was shed for us by Southern heroes in defense of a com- mon country against a foreign foe and savage allies.

" And upon its other face, looking out over all the sunny South : This in remembrance of blood that was shed for all - that which was saved from the condition of dependent colonies in the first war-and preserved for us by you in 1812, was not lost through sedition, privy conspiracy and rebellion." [Cheers.]

General Leslie Combs, of Kentucky, was then introduced, who replied on behalf of the visitors, and made a very happy and telling speech. He narrated many incidents of the War of 1812 connected with the campaign of General Harrison and the movements of Gen- eral Winchester, in many of which he took a personal and active part, and some of which have never been placed on historic record. In all of these movements the brave sons of Ken- tucky bore conspicuous and honorable part. General Combs was frequently interrupted by vociferous cheers, and his remarks were listened to with close attention.

During General Combs' remarks he made some pleasant allusions to General S. L. Wil- liams, and to the prominent part he took in the campaign under General Harrison; when General Williams was called for by the audi- ence, and as the veteran arose from his seat on the speaker's platform, he was greeted with prolonged and furious applause and cheers.

The roll of veterans was then called by Gen- eral Custer, each one rising in his seat and answering to his name. The following is the list, with their ages :

VETERANS OF THE WAR OF 1812.

Armstrong, Jas. R., 85. Johnson, Moore, 77. Armstrong, S. J., 84. Jones, Thomas, 80. Ball, Lewis, 79. Kirk, James, 83.

Barrett, Jos. C., 78.

Baute, Peter, 81.

Beall, Leonard, 75. Beach, Lewis, 79.

Benson, E. W., 75.

Beseau, John B., 81. Bisnett, Joseph, 79.

Bittinger, Henry, 78

Blanchard, S., 77.

Bolivar, Thos., 76.

Boroff, Fred., 101}.

Bortine, Benson T., 79. McNain, C. H., 84. Burns, Andrew, 77. Carrick, Robert, 77. Clapper, John, 77. Clusin, Jas., 85. McNain, Chas., 85. McNeil, Robert, 77. Mc Vay, Solomon, 76. Martin, John, 75. Conseign, A. C., 82. Combs, Leslie, 78. Correy, Jas., 75. Mason, Henry, 80. Mount, Thos., 78. Moyer, N., 77. Craddock, J. G., 84. Mulhollen, John, 75. Nadeau, J. B., 77.

Crawford, Alex., 81. Crawford, A. B., 82. Curtis, Alvah, 76.

Curtis, Dr., 78.

Davis, Henry, 82. Davis, H. M., 79.

Navarre, Alex., S2.

Davis, Thos. A., 83.

Davis, W. B., S1. Deland, Hall, 76.

Dewese, Samuel, 80. Drayor, W. L., 82. Duncan, Jere., S0.

Puller, B. J., 81. Quinsberry, Roger, 79. Reid, J. C., 75. Ressenet, Isaac C., 79. Rogers, J. R., 80.

Eddleman, Aaron, S1. Ewalt, Joseph, ST. Foulke, Joseph, 83. French, Brown, 83. Fultzna, Isaac C., 74. Gaither, Henry, 82. Ganarke, Simeon, S2. Gebhart, John, 78. Gibson, Matthew, 83. Goatney, Robt. S., 82. Suane, Louis, 89. Goodright, Michael,78. Talbot, Oliver, 79.

Root, John, 78. Rowell, F., 77. Santour, Francis, 76. Shafer, William, 89. Shapine, George, 84. Shearer, Jona., 76.

Thomasson, J. P., 74. Van Aiken, Simon, 82. Vance, Joseph, 84. Vanderwalker, Jas., 82. Van Pelt, David, 91.

Verkies, Joseph, 82. Walters, W., 78.

Hayes, D. S., 72. Helwig, Daniel, 82. Hixson, W. D., 91. Holly, Jesse, 72. Hudnut, E. P., 78. Ivor, Charles, 77. Jacobs, Louis, 97. Jameson, John, 70.

Warring, Edward, 79. Webster, Larken, 80. Whelpley, Thos., 97. Williams, Elisha, 86. Williams, Sam. L., 91. Younglove, Geo., 79. Younglove, Jas., 74.

When the name of Frederick Boroff, who resides in Bedford, Monroe county, was called, and his age announced (101 years and 6 months), calls were made from all parts of the crowd that he should show himself; and as the old veteran, comparatively smart, climbed up- on his seat, three hearty cheers were given him, and a shower of bouquets began to fall around and among the veterans, and on the speaker's platform, from the ladies of the orchestra, until it seemed that the veteran sol- diers were fairly covered with flowers.

After more music by the orchestra, Hon. Edwin Willits announced that owing to the lateness of the hour, and the proceedings yet to follow, he would read only a portion of the Declaration of Independence. He then read in a clear and distinct voice, a portion of this time-honored instrument, and after more music, the Hon. James V. Campbell was introduced, who delivered the oration. Judge Campbell recounted in a very happy and felicitous man- ner many of the events preceding the War of 1812, with facts and incidents concerning the war, as relating especially to the operations in Michigan, Northern Ohio, and Canada. The oration was listened to with marked attention and eagerness by the gray-haired veterans who clustered around the speaker, and who seemed to drink in every word with great satisfaction.

As the oration was quite lengthy we omit the major part of it, giving the closing portion, merely, as follows :

"Now, after more than half a century, we meet here beside the Raisin and in sight of the scene of Perry's victory, to recall those event- ful times, and to honor those who fought there.

" On the lake that was then almost solitary, the waves that roll over the place of the battle are disturbed by the keels of laden vessels, bearing heavy and costly freights of timber, and grain, and merchandise. The lonely bay that sheltered Perry's fleet is girt about with fair houses and green vineyards, and thronged by thousands in search of health and rest. This

Goodwin, J. K., 80. Grant, L. Y., 77. Guyor, Joseph, 85. Hall, C., 77.

Hall, Joseph, 88. Hamilton, Wm., 80. Harvey, James, 80.

Kolfuss, J. W., 77. Laforge, John B., 76. Lewis, Shubael, 70. Lindsley, Thos., 83. Locke, W. R., 79. Love, James Y., 74. McChesney, David, 79. McDowell, J. C., 78. MeGoodwin, J. C., 80. McLean, John B., 77. McLock, Francis, 78.

Navarre, Nap., 81. Navarre, Peter, 86. Nedmore, Perry, 82. Parker, J. C., 77. Pasko, A. A., 78. Pendleton, Edward, 84. Penwick, James, 78. Postwood, John, S4.

HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

field of blood, that was then too far off for suc- cor, is passed by heavy trains that reach the sea in one circuit of the sun. The great North- west had then less people than any one out of scores of its pleasant cities has now. This State of Michigan, that owed its deliverance to a few thousand volunteers from Ohio and Ken- tucky, has sent out more than ninety thousand of its citizen soldiers, to defend the Union which those generous helpers then maintained.

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History of Monroe County, Michigan, Part 14

Author: Wing, Talcott Enoch, 1819-1890, ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: New York, Munsell & company Number of Pages: 882

Author: Wing, Talcott Enoch, 1819-1890, ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: New York, Munsell & company
Number of Pages: 882