USA > Michigan > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Michigan > Part 20
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119
Daniel Mulhollen, the youngest son of James Mulhollen, inherited from his father the home- stead farm, situated two miles south of Monroe on the main road from Monroe to Toledo. IIe resided thereon up to the time of his death, at the age of seventy-four years. He was a very successful farmer. Married Elizabeth Choate, of Monroe. Had a family of eight children. The son Daniel married Selena Iveson, owns the farm directly south of the old homestead, and has built a handsome and spacious two- story brick house, with fine barns, and is re- garded as one of the best and most prosperous
118
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
farmers in the county. They have two chil- dren : Allen, aged 16; Gertrude, aged 9.
JAMES BENTLEY
Was born November 5, 1784, in England ; was a soldier and fought in the battle of Copen- hagen, but deserted in August, 1803, and came to the River Raisin, joining the American army under Captain Isaac Lee. He enlisted the same day with the " Robb boys," neigh- bors on the farm next adjoining on the west (the Downing farm). James Bentley, imme- diately after the surrender of Winchester's army, with sixteen others joined Harrison's army at Maumee, and fought at the battle of Fort Mcigs. While stationed at Fort Meigs he frequently ran the gauntlet with others to pro- cure water for the fort from the river. Sur- rounded as it then was by the British and Indians, it proved very hazardous, as many thus employed were picked off by Indians concealed in ambush. He was regarded as very courageous, and was often sent on the most hazardous enterprises in carrying orders from post to post through the then vast wilder- nesses of Ohio and Michigan. He carried the mail from Maumee to Detroit, sometimes on horseback by the Indian trails, and often in a canoe with an Indian to paddle the boat. He fought at the battle of the Thames, and saw the body of the Indian chief Tecumseh soon after he was killed by Colonel Richard M. Johnson, assisting James Knaggs and Medard Labadie in carrying Colonel Johnson from the battlefield when wounded. During the war the same trio captured a British officer, Mc- Culloch by name, on account of which a re- ward of five hundred dollars was offered for the capture and delivery at Malden of each of them.
James Bentley was married in 1816 to Amanda Barker, who came to River Raisin in May, 1815, with her step-father, H. Brooks, in an open boat from the Huron river. Stephen Downing, father of Nelson Downing, now in Montana, accompanied them on their bois- terous and dangerous trip. James Bentley was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1817 he settled on the farm in the town of Monroe commonly known by the family name as the " Bentley farm," and lived
thereon until his death, which occurred August 13, 1864, leaving four sons and six daughters. Samuel A. Bentley was born in 1819; now re- sides in Allegan, Michigan. James was born August 14, 1822; now resides in Kent county, Michigan. John was born September 18, 1824; resides at Rock Falls, Illinois. William, born January 15, 1839, resides at Ipswich, Dakota. The oldest daughter, Trypbena, was born in 1817; married Harlow P. Hawkins, who re- sided until very recently on his farm on the Plaisance Bay road, near the city of Monroe. Clymene Bentley was born January 11, 1827 ; married Robert Clark, now living in Lasselle, in Monroe county. Mary M. Bentley, born in 1829, married James M. Martin, now residing in Monroe. Emmie, born February 18, 1832, resides with her mother in the city of Monroe. Amanda, born April 9, 1841, married William Stoddard, the son of one of the pioneers, Orson Stoddard. Eliza was born September 25, 1844 ; married Jabez Smith ; resides at Saline, Wash- tenaw county, Michigan.
JACQUES LASSELLE,
Brother of Colonel Francis and Antoine Las- selle, was the most enterprising and shrewdest Indian trader of the three brothers, and became by far the wealthiest man in the Territory outside of Detroit. He always had in his em- ploy a large number of Indians, half-breeds and Canadian Frenchmen. Some forty log- houses were built by him on the north side of the River Raisin, about five miles above the then town of Frenchtown, now city of Monroe, on the land known as the Caldwell tract. As late as the year 1836 forty-five farms, mostly on the north and south banks of the River Raisin, were owned by Mrs. Major Caldwell, inherited from her father, Jacques Lasselle. At an early day quite a controversy arose between the settlers located on the Caldwell tract (it being quite a village) and those on the banks of the River Raisin (constituting now the city of Monroe) as to where the first Catholic church should be placed. A compromise was effected by locating it midway between the two on the Momonie and Hivon farm, two and a half miles above the city.
The Lasselles were natives of Montreal, allied and related to the celebrated explorer and ad-
119
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
venturer, Robert De La Salle, prominent in all histories and sketches of the early explorers and adventurers in the northwest territory. The Lasselles made all their purchases at Montreal for stocking their trading-posts and stores with goods and merchandise for traffic with the Indians, and transported them by large pirogues and canoes, or small boats man- ned by four or six half-breeds and Frenchmen. On one of the return trips Mr. Jacques Las . selle accompanied his two daughters, Marie Antoinette and Julia, to Montreal, and placed them in the convent, where they remained a number of years and returned very attractive and accomplished young ladies. Julia married a Mr. Percy, died young and without issue. Marie Antoinette inherited the large fortune of her father, and married Major Caldwell, an officer of the British army. It is said by the early settlers that he was (with what authority I cannot state) an officer under Colonel Proctor at the battle of the River Raisin. Major Cald- well retired under half pay from the British Government on the farm four miles west of the present city of Monroe. He was a very cour- teous, refined and cultivated gentleman of elegant leisure, unaccustomed to labor, and spent the most of the latter part of his life in his library ; also made extensive collections of minerals, birds and Indian relics. Well do I remember how wonderful and interesting the collection appeared to me, having never before as a boy witnessed anything to me so marvelous. The eldest daughter, Adeline, married the late Hon. Frank Johnson, who was for years before his marriage employed by Major Caldwell as a private teacher in his family. The major had a large family of sons and daughters; all of those now living reside in the county of Mon- roe. Mrs. Caldwell lived to a good old age, and died at Monroe Dec. 31, 1881, one of the most accomplished ladies of her day. Charles HI. Caldwell, a grandson of Major Caldwell, resides in Monroe, and is now associated with the office of the Monroe Democrat, published in this city, and at this time clerk of the county of Monroe.
ANTOINE LASSELLE,
One of the earliest Indian traders before the War of 1812, settled on the farm on the north side of the River Raisin, and built the first two-
story brick residence in the settlement. The farm was owned for many years and known as the Noyes W. Wadsworth farm; the latter gentleman set out the maple trees that consti- tute the beautiful grove in front of the Ives farm (so called), now owned by the Hon. Samuel P. Williams, of Lima, Indiana.
COLONEL FRANCIS LASSELLE
And his brothers Jacques and Antoine were the earliest Indian traders in this vicinity. Colonel Francis settled on the farm on the north side of the River Raisin commonly known as the Humphrey farm, now owned and occupied by the heirs of the late Hon. David A. Noble. His store was in a log-house on his farm, situated on the north border of the river, on the north side of the road - the road in those days following the bank of the river. I well remember him as an exceedingly cour- teous old gentleman, with a very pleasing ad- dress. His beautiful and accomplished daughter married the late David Navarre, son of Francis Navarre, and father of Frank Navarre. The latter has been for many years and is now the deservedly popular baggagemaster at the Lake Shore depot in this city.
JAMES MOORE
came to the River Raisin in the year 1809, and settled upon the farm known as the Gale farm. He had but one child, Martha, who inherited the farm. In the summer of 1812, he, in com- mon with the Americans on the River Raisin, escaped to Ohio. At the time of his escape the country south of the River Raisin was in- fested with Indians, and communication with Ohio intercepted. Mr. Moore, with his wife and daughter, took a northerly course on horse- back; swam their horses from Trenton to Grosse Isle, pursued by the Indians. Previous to leaving, the Indians had plundered the house of everything excepting a set of silver spoons. Mr. Moore and his family escaped from Grosse Isle in a bark canoe, paddling along the lake shore until they reached Cleveland. He re- turned with his family to the River Raisin in 1814, with Messrs. Samuel Mulhollen and Egnew. Mr. Moore died in 1826; his wife
120
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
survived him until the year 1842. His daugh - ter married, late in the fall of 1817, Samuel Gåle, who subsequently sold the east part of the farm to the county of Monroc. He was a millwright, and built most of the mills on the River Raisin. Died in the year 1848. The west part of the farm was afterwards sold by the estate to the county of Monroe, and is now known as the poor-house farm.
Samuel and Martha (Moore) Gale had eleven children : William P. Gale, the father of Austin Gale ; the latter now resides in Monroe, a very successful teacher in vocal and instrumental music. Mary, who first married Mr. Frisbee, to whom Edgar and Emma were born; she subsequently married Luther Bisbee; Nellie was the daughter of the second marriage. Hib- bard, who married and had three children ; moved to Wisconsin, and from thence to Kansas. James, now deceased, has three chil- dren living at Ludington. Jerusha and Martha died unmarried. Joseph Gale married Mrs. Harrington ; now residents of Monroe. Nathan' lived on the homestead farm, where he died, leaving five children, who now reside in the State of New York. Lydia married Henry Younglove, and resides on the farm on the south side of the River Raisin, in Raisinville, on the east part of the farm known as the Farwell farm. Henry was shot in a battle near Richmond in 1864. Franklin was killed at the battle of Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862.
SAMUEL EGNEW,
In consequence of the contests in Ireland be- tween the Orangemen and Defenders or Rib- bonmen, felt the necessity of seeking a home elsewhere. He came to America, and first settled in Steuben county, in the State of New York, where James Mulbollen resided, who had preceded him about ten years. In 1806 he came to the River Raisin with James Mul- hollen, who had married his daughter, Sarah. They together purchased at six dollars per acre the tract lying between Monroe street and Smith street, the German Catholic church property being on the west line, and fronting on the river, and extending south to Plumb Creek, comprising the eastern part of the first ward of the city of Monroe. This tract was divided, Egnew taking for his part the west
half, and James Mulhollen the east half. Jared, the son of Samuel Egnew, a prosperous and highly esteemed farmer, is now living in the town of Erie, for many years an elder in the Presbyterian church of Erie. Samuel Egnew was a very courageous and energetic pioneer, and for some time prior to and during the War of 1812, enjoyed the confidence of American officers, and frequently carried messages and orders between the different posts of the Ameri- can army.
JACQUES NAVARRE,
Brother of Colonel Francis . Navarre, joint owner with him of the large tract ceded by the Pottawatomie Indians by deed, a fac-simile of which may be found opposite page 94, occupied that portion of the tract which adjoins, and is bounded on the east by the Hull road, now Lake Shore railroad, which he occupied to the time of his death. Mrs. Mary Ann Navarre, widow of the late Mr. Jacques Navarre, was born in Detroit, and was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lafertier, one of the oldest and most respectable French families of that city, and therefore participators in many of the thrilling scenes incident to those early times in the frontier of Michigan. Her hus- band was a brother of the late Colonel Fran- cis Navarre, and was one of several brothers of the Navarre family, who, by their valor and manly daring in the defense of our country against the enemy in the War of 1812, have given their name a conspicuous place in the history of that war and of Michigan, and by their high sense of honor in their private deal- ings with men, as well as by their warm hos- pitality in sharing their home comforts and social pleasures with the weary traveler and pioneer of the West in their early times, have endeared their memory to the old inhabitants of River Raisin and Detroit, and secured for their descendants a high respect from all who knew them. Mrs. Navarre died October 20, 1863; she was a very fine old lady, much loved and estecmed by a large circle of friends and relatives for her kind and amiable disposition and Christian devotion to her church. Those of us who knew something of the courtly manners and social characteristics that dis- tinguished the early French of Detroit and River Raisin, note with sadness their rapid
ASTO '
7
Gabriel Bissonette
121
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
disappearance from our midst, giving place to a more heartless and speculative generation that succeeds them. We look upon and think of the noble and generous with admiration, but seldom to emulate; yielding rather to the corrupting influence of the busy throng that surrounds us.
JOSEPH BISSONETTE,
A Canadian, first settled in Detroit. About the year 1800 he removed to the River Raisin, and settled upon the farm on the south side of the river, containing about two hundred acres, the front of which farm is now owned and occupied by Mr. Kline. Joseph married Eunice Robert. The children of this marriage were Joseph, Alexander, Gabriel, David and Antoine ; Mary, who married Joseph Chovin ; Catharine, who married Peter Vallequet; Pelisha, who married Alexis Nadeau; Julia, who married William Brown; and Victorie, who married Richard Mettez.
Joseph Bissonette lived on this farm during the War of 1812, but sent his family for safety to Detroit. He was a great favorite with the Indians by whom he was surrounded, and quite intimately acquainted with Shawenaw-Bah, Wassagan and Ponette, the chiefs of three of the tribes, through whose influence he was protected from depredations of the savages. Gabriel, one of the sons, then a little boy, was adopted by one of the chiefs, Shawenaw-Bah. The child was a source of amusement to the chiefs, who enjoyed making him dance. The chiefs ceded his father for the benefit of Gabriel one-half section of land on the Macon, all signing a parchment conveying the tract. But Joseph, the father, then owned two large farms, and as land was at that time considered of little value, the gift was not appreciated. At this time Father Richard, when in this vicinity in discharge of his duties as a priest of the Catholic church, generally made it his home with Mr. Joseph Bissonette, and usually had the services of Mr. Bissonette, who was familiar with the Indian trails as guide to the various tribes of Indians. Father Richard suggested to Mr. Bissonette a gift of this tract on the Macon to the Catholic church, as he then had more than he and his family could cultivate. He readily complied with the suggestion, and
ceded the tract, expecting it would inure to the benefit of St. Mary's Catholic church, of Monroe, but by some mistake it was ceded to St. Anne's church of Detroit. This tract was for many years known as the Macon Reservation, and was subsequently sold by St. Anne's church of Detroit to the Hon. Isaac P. Christianey, who opened and developed the stone quarry thercon of a very superior quality for building purposes ; he also built a two-story stone dwelling and mills thereon.
Gabriel Bissonette, the son of Joseph Bisso - nette, was born in the year 1810, on the home- stead farm; was very well acquainted with Major Caldwell, from whom he learned his catechism. Major Caldwell was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church prior to coming to Michigan, but became here a member of the Catholic church, to which he adhered the rest of his life. He was an officer under Colonel Proctor in the British army at the time of the massacre at the River Raisin ; was from a wealthy and influential family in Montreal, at which place he made the acquaintance of Miss Lasselle, who subsequently became his wife. She survived the Major a number of years, and died at the residence of her daughter in Monroe in 1885. Major Caldwell during life received a pension ' from the British Government, and was in sympathy with the British Government and regarded by the American citizens for some time after the war with suspicion.
To return to Gabriel Bissonette from this digression. He was married to Mary Davis, to whom were born Charles and Daniel, now living in Grand Rapids ; John, now living at Stillwater, Minnesota; Martha, married Mr. Beach, living at Midland ; Mary, married John Golden, who resides at Bay City, a justice of the peace. By his second marriage to Bridget Navy, were born James and Joseph, who reside at Grand Rapids ; Louis Napoleon, lives at Bay City ; and Richard, now living with his parents ; the daughter, Margarette, was married to Thomas Adams, Esq., an attorney and conn- selor-at-law in Monroe ; Annie Victorie, mar- ried William Fisher, now resides in Bay City ; and Emily, now single. Mr. Gabriel Bissonette at the age of forty removed to Ionia, in Michi. gan, and remained there eighteen years, then returned to Monroe county and purchased of Elleroy Cicott, one of the sons of John Bt. Cicott, the farm on the north side of the river
9
122
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
about one and one-half miles west of Monroe, generally known as the Cicott farm.
The houses on the Lasselle farms (afterwards Caldwell farms), as well as those on the river, were one story and a half log-houses, with a chimney built of clay. A very capacious fire- place was at one end of the building, a gable window at the other end, accessible by a rough ladder from the outside; a front door with a window on each side, and opposite it a looking- glass, with a fiddle on one side and a crucifix on the other.
Mr. Gabriel Bissonette still lives with us in good health, with the manners of a Parisian gentleman, one of the most intelligent of the French citizens, highly esteemed, and a very exemplary and devoted member of the Catholic church.
BENJAMIN TIBBETTS
Was born at Frenchtown, November 9, 1804. His parents were natives of Rhode Island. His father was a sea-captain before his removal to the then far West. He was in command of a vessel at the time of his death, which was acci- dental, the result of falling through an open hatchway in the darkness at the dock at De- troit. The mother of Benjamin Tibbetts re- moved immediately after her husband's death to Frenchtown, three months prior to the birth of Benjamin. Benjamin, though a youth at that time, remembers distinctly the burning of the buildings in which the Kentuckians were confined, and from his home could hear the shrieks of the doomed men. He frequently accompanied his mother on her errands of mercy to relieve the wants and provide for the comfort of the imprisoned captives, which gave the family a deep personal interest in their welfare. The succeeding horrors made a per- manent impression on the mind of the youth- ful Benjamin. A full and connected account of his child life would exceed in interest and hairbreadth escapes many works of fiction. His life and the lives of the family were in many instances saved by their ability in speak- ing the French language. The Indians in a number of instances lifted him up by his light hair, and flourishing their scalping knives asked him whether he was French or Yankee. His fluent French with his blue eyes and fair complexion puzzled them, and they were un-
certain as to duty. The period after Hull's surrender, when the country was in the posses- sion of the British, was a time of especial peril.
Mr. Tibbetts' experience with a half-breed Indian boy, the son of a British officer, nearly resulted in his capture and death. He acci- dentally shot an arrow which hit the boy over the eye, making a black and blue spot. The boy went to his mother with the grievance, and she, a fierce squaw, took an older son and a large rope and immediately started on the war-path to revenge the insult. The grandmother of Benjamin saw her coming and hid him between two feather beds. A six-acre field of oats opposite their house was trodden down and served as an encampment for about fifty Indians. Benjamin's mother fled to seek the protection of the British officer command- ing. He did not choose or dare to cross as a rule the inclinations of the Indians, but in this case told her if she would hide the boy near a high board fence which separated their yard from the street, that he would ride by on horse- back; to be on the lookout for him, and if the boy could be on the fence at the moment he rode by he would take him on his horse to the fort, as he could not protect him elsewhere. In an opportune moment his mother removed him from the house to the shelter of some large cur- rant bushes in the garden. While waiting there for the noise of approaching hoofs, the In- dians passed within six feet of them. At a signal given by his mother he mounted the fence, so high that the feat at any other time seemed impossible. The officer took him to the fort, where he remained until Detroit was again in the possession of the American forces and the Ironsides family were back in Canada. While in the fort the soldiers amused themselves by trying to hire him to become a British boy, but the inducements were indig -. nantly repelled.
HENRY DISBROW
Was born in Trenton, New Jersey, July 9, 1773. He married Sarah Anderson at Trenton, May 30, 1794; she was born August 30, 1775, and died at Monroe December 7, 1859, aged eighty-four. They had one son and four daughters: Henry V. Disbrow was born in Dayton, Kentucky, November 1, 1798 ; married Harriet Cummings, of Detroit, where he was
123
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
a merchant for many years, then removed to Galesburg, Illinois, where he died July 7, 1851. Achsah was born in Trenton, New Jersey, February 16, 1795; married Colonel Green of Kentucky. Elizabeth was born in Kentucky December 16, 1796 ; married Oliver Johnson at the River Raisin July 23, 1818; they had one son, Charles G. Johnson, now residing in Mon- roe, and one daughter, Elizabeth, who married Talcott E. Wing, of Monroe, and died Septem - ber 26, 1857. Mary was born at Dayton, Ohio, February 13, 1809; married to Thomas G. Cole, a merchant of Monroe, January 27, 1828; Thomas G. was born February 24, 1806, and died at Detroit January 25, 1862.
The children of Thomas G. and Mary (Disbrow) Cole were as follows : Sarah E., born October 22, 1828, who married James A. Rayner at Monroe October 19, 1853; died in New York January 21, 1885, leaving two daughters - Anna, who married Mr. Wells, of New York, and Lizzie, who married Mr. Bush, of New York, now deceased. James Luther, born August 25, 1830; died April 25, 1880. Eliza was born August 9, 1832 ; married George W. Armitage December 7, 1853; had one son, Thomas, and two danghters, Harriet and Mary ; Mary was married to Nelson Phinney, a lawyer, who resides in Kansas. Henry T., born Decem- ber 9, 1834 ; married Emily Paulding, daughter of Morrison Paulding, of Monroe; had three sons, William, Thomas and Morrison, all resid. ing in Monroe; married for his second wife Mary Kendall, daughter of Nathan N. Kendall, of Monroe. Daniel T., born January 19, 1837; now residing in Monroe. Harriet Francis, born February 8, 1839; married Frank Tryon, a merchant of New York, July 25, 1865 ; had two daughters, Sarah and Anna. Mary Dis- brow, born February 17, 1846; married John M. Bulkley June 22, 1865, merchant of Monroe ; has one son, Henry Conant Bulkley, and one daughter, Mary, living.
Henry Disbrow was in Detroit at the time war was declared with Great Britain ; he had gone there with a load of provisions, and did not return to his family for about two years. He was made a prisoner of war while visiting his wife in Sandwich, Canada, at the residence of Major Caldwell. Mr. Kenzie was captured at the same time and was with Mr. Disbrow placed under a guard of Indians. Mr. Disbrow
was released, but Kenzie was placed in irons and sent to Montreal.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.