History of Monroe County, Michigan, Part 22

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 22

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).

George Kedzie resided in Deerfield, highly esteemed, until April 13, 1886, when he de- parted this life, stricken down with typhoid pneumonia, after an illness of eight days - the first male in the family called by death since that of the father in 1828.

The Reverend A. S. Kedzie, still living, re- sides at Grand Haven, Michigan, and is editor of the Grand Haven Herald.

The Kedzie family have contributed as largely as any family in Southern Michigan in laying the foundations for moral, religious and educational institutions in this portion of the State.

CHAPTER XII.

EVENTS IN MICHIGAN FROM 1814 TO 1834-POPULATION --- PUBLIC ROADS-GENERAL CASS S EXPEDITION IN 1820 -- GOVERNOR MASON APPOINTED-ASIATIC CHOLERA-ADDITIONAL

TERRITORY -- CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION-APPOINTMENT OF JOHN S. HORNER

NOT RECOGNIZED BY THE STATE.

T THE majority of the population of Michigan 4 continued to be French until the year 1818, when a portion of the public lands was thrown upon the market. The moderate price and easy terms of payment, based upon a credit system, encouraged a wonderful emigration of thrifty and energetic Americans from the Eastern States, as well as New York. The pioneers immediately turned their attention to surveying public roads and facilitating com- merce.

The 27th day of August of this year, 1818, the first steamboat made its appearance in the straits of Detroit. She was named Walk-in- the-Water, and was built at Black Rock, and when finished was taken to Buffalo, not by her own motive power, as steam then had limita- tions, but by what was called the "horned breeze "- several yokes of oxen being em- ployed to tow her. The Indians were told " the ship was drawn by sturgeons," and they swarmed along the shores to witness the won- der. This steamboat made weekly trips, and often brought one hundred passengers, which crowded her to her utmost capacity.

Gradually roads were constructed for the passage of emigrant wagons which came through Ohio, or were loaded on schooners at Buffalo. A military road extended ten miles beyond Monroe. Still the use of pack animals was necessary to penetrate the interior along the lesser streams. Judge Campbell's history tells us " The ponies which abounded in the woods were very serviceable for traveling through the country upon the trails. They ran at large, and droves of them were met near all the settlements. When the seasons were dry they would come to the streams for water in large troops, and would gallop through the streets at night with a great clatter, but doing no harm unless salt barrels were left exposed, when they would break them in to get at the salt. On. a journey they were usually span-

celed with a strap or fettered at night, and the bell which each one wore was freed from the straw which had bound its clapper through the day. The horses seldom strayed from camp, and lived on what they could pick up on the road." The surveyors and voyageurs, on their journeys through the wilderness along the Indian trails, took nothing superfluous with them. Their food consisted of parched corn, pounded fine and mixed with maple sugar, pork or tallow in small quantities. They added to this simple diet such fish, game, wild plums or other fruit as they might secure on the route. Quite a number of our prominent men and women came hundreds of miles on these small ponies, and settled in Monroe and adjoining towns.

During the year 1818 an effort was made to obtain a popular vote to make Michigan a State, but was not successful.

General Cass, who was Governor over the Territory during eighteen years, was one of its most public spirited men, and in every way ad- vanced the interests of the people The land had been represented as worthless tamarack swamps, bogs and sand-barrens, not worth giving as bounty lands to the soldiers of the War of 1812, who instead received their grants in Illinois and Missouri.

In order to do away with the mischievous representations made in regard to the resources of Michigan, Governor Cass organized an ex- pedition by way of the lakes to the headwaters of the Mississippi. He communicated his plan to the Secretary of War, Mr. Calhoun, with the objects and purposes of his expedition, which were : First, a personal examination of the different Indian tribes, of their moral and social condition, of their feelings toward the United States, of their numerical strength ; second, to procure the extinction of Indian title to the land in the vicinity of the Straits of St. Mary, Prairie du Chien and Green Bay,

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and open the communication between the two latter places ; third, the examination of the body of copper in the vicinity of Lake Supe- rior; fourth, to ascertain the views of the Indians in the vicinity of Chicago respecting the removal of the Six Nations to that coun- try ; fifth, to explain to the Indians the views of the Government respecting their intercourse with the British authorities at Malden, and dis- tinctly announce to them that their visits must be discontinued ; sixth, to ascertain the state of the British fur trade within that part of our jurisdiction.

General Cass asked for no compensation for his time and services, and one thousand dollars, which had been appropriated for the expedi- tion, was scarcely enough to defray the actual expenses of the trip.

The expedition left Detroit, May 24, 1820. General Cass was accompanied by Captain Douglass of the Engineer Corps, Lieutenant McCay of the Corps of Artillery, Alexander Wolcott, physician, James Duane Doty, Major Robert A. Forsyth, and Henry L. Schoolcraft, a scientific geologist and topographer, with Charles C. Trowbridge as his assistant, and Alexander R. Chase. Three bark canoes, each adorned with a flag of the United States flying from the stern and propelled by Indians and voyageurs, carried the notable expedition from the wharf at Detroit, where the citizens all assembled, well aware of the importance and hazard of the undertaking. The canoes were paddled into the stream amid the cheers and huzzas of the multitude, and seemed to fly against a strong wind and current, the voyageurs regulating the strokes of their paddles to the time of their inspiring row songs, and the Indians encouraging cach other by shouts of wild exultation. An effort was made by the Indians, who propelled one of the large canoes, to take the lead, and an exciting boat-race was improvised over the now fashionable race- course, in which the Indians by their superior skill soon left the other canoes far behind.

The party reached Mackinaw on the 10th of June, where they divided the company and freight among four canoes, and added to their escort a number sufficient to fill a twelve- oared barge, then proceeded to the Sault Ste. Mary, where Governor Cass negotiated a treaty with the Chippewas and secured a cession of sixteen square miles of land for the purpose of

establishing a military post. But it was not accomplished without danger to himself and small band of sixty men. A chief appeared in the council at St. Mary's in the full dress of a British officer of rank, and during the confer- ence showed the greatest contempt for the Americans. When the chiefs were about to retire after General Cass had explained his mission, and demanded no more interference upon American soil of those who were subjects of the British Crown, the chief in British colors spurned with a kick the presents which were laid in the center of the marquee where the council was held, and rushing out raised the British flag over the Indian lodges. When Governor Cass beheld this insult, he walked over to the lodge over which the flag was fly- ing, where the discontented chief stood, and seizing it, dashed it to the ground and trampled it under his feet. The Indians were panic- struck by the indignation of Cass. He called his interpreter and addressed the chiefs ; said a repetition of such acts would not go unpnn- ished. In less than fifteen minutes the squaws and children abandoned their camp and were landed on the British shore, and everything pointed to an immediate attack by the In- dians. Preparations were made for defense, but a chief who had not been present at the council interposed and brought the Indians to a more favorable mind, and in a few hours after the sun had gone down the treaty was signed.

From the Sault they prosecuted their explora- tions; visited the great copper bowlder on the Ontonagon river; penetrated the St. Louis river to a portage near Savannah river, down that stream throngh Sandy Lake to the Mis- sissippi, and ascended that river through Lake Winnipeg and beyond. The knowledge of the country and its resources derived from the exploration was of great value. General Cass returned from Chicago to Detroit by land over a road for which he had secured ap- propriations from Congress as well as aid from the Territory. The construction of the vari- ous roads through the Territory encouraged the young men prospecting for cheap lands to settle in Michigan, and the population which had remained nearly stationary for fifty years increased to twice the number of a previous census.

In 1823 an act of Congress provided for the

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GOVERNOR MASON APPOINTED.

establishment of a legislative council. Nine members were to be selected (out of eighteen elected by the people) by the President, and to be confirmed by the Senate. This number was increased to thirteen, and in 1827 the choice was left entirely to the people of the Territory.

When in 1825 the Erie canal was finished - that gigantic work conceived by the far-seeing and liberal-minded Gouverneur Morris, a new and direct route through the State of New York, connecting at Buffalo with a line of boats across Lake Erie -indeed the first grand and decided avenue to the prosperity of Michigan was opened. Settlers were now provided with cheap and comfortable transportation for their families and merchandise, and the line was crowded by those who had left the hard and stony soil of the East for the more generous and promising land of Michigan. The Indians continued to cede their domains to the Gen- eral Government and retired farther into the wilderness. Their canoes sought the winding rivers, while our white sails dotted the lakes and navigable streams Capitalists sought out the most eligible tracts to establish prospective cities and towns. Villages sprang up as if by magic along the streams affording commercial advantages.

President Jackson summoned General Cass to a seat in his cabinet in 1831, which gratified the territorial pride although they parted with him reluctantly. According to the Jacksonian policy, " To the victors belong the spoils of office," General Cass's successor was chosen from Virginia, " passing over men of ability and education who were familiar with its affairs and fully possessed of the public confi- dence." Judge Cooley in his history of Mich- igan writes: "The appointment of any one of these to the vacant office would have been rec- ognized as that of a competent and suitable person. Some of them -as for example, Wil- liam Woodbridge, who had been secretary of the Territory, and as such had occasionally acted as governor in the absence of Governor Cass, and who, after resigning the office of secretary, had been successively delegate in Congress and judge ; and Austin E. Wing, who had also been delegate to Congress - were already well known at Washington, and others might have been known through Governor Cass had he been consulted." John T. Mason was appointed, but did not serve, desiring to go

abroad on business of a private character. His son, Stevens T. Mason, was appointed secretary in his place. He was but nineteen years of age, and not, therefore, of legal majority. A committee of citizens called upon him to in- quire into the facts. Mr. Mason frankly told them he was under age, but that the President very well knew the fact when he made the ap- pointment, and ingenuously justified the act, saying the emoluments of the office were needed for the support of his father's family during his absence abroad. The papers of the day took the matter up and great excitement prevailed that a boy should be put over the heads of ex- perienced men ; but nothing moved the deter- mined President, and the people, finding they appealed to deaf ears, made the best of it. At a banquet given by Governor Cass, after the wine had flowed freely, and good-nature reigned, the elder Mason appealed to the guests to " give the boy a chance," and they heartily promised their support. When the "Toledo War" broke out young Mason threw himself into the cause of Michigan with all his heart, and completely won the good-will of her people.

Perhaps no State in the Union was ever blest by a more stable and creditable number of set- tlers. They came from the older States where they were accustomed to self-rule, and valued highly the privileges of the ballot. The census taken in 1834 showed the population to be 87,273, more than the number authorizing them to apply for admission into the Union, two years before the question was agitated and a vote obtained in its favor.

The Black Hawk war had diverted the at- tention of those actively engaged in politics. Many sharp fights occurred, and our Michigan volunteers rendered important service. Black Hawk was taken prisoner and confined in Fortress Monroe for several months. Black Hawk was a treacherous chief of the Sacs in the employ of the British, upon whom he de- pended in his last campaign. He had been engaged in the War of 1812, and was familiar with the localities about Detroit. On his return from prison, his surprise was great to see the advance of that city and villages near.

There was a more silent enemy at work in the Territory and quite as alarming as the Indians. The Asiatic cholera reached Detroit early in the summer of 1832, and although every pre- caution was taken by boards of health author-

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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

ized by the Michigan legislative council, it was impossible to avert its ravages. People fled from Detroit into the country. A church was converted into a hospital. Business was para- lyzed. Seven per cent. of the population of Detroit died in a single month. At night, by the street crossings, along the roads at inter- vals, and before private houses, great kettles of burning pitch blazed and filled the air with the smoke, in a vain endeavor to disinfect the oppressive atmosphere. The returning vol- unteers were attacked, and hundreds of them died in the woods on their return from the West. Such was the horror and consternation of the inhabitants, the passing bell was silenced. The continuous tolling for the departed added to the general panie, as it was heard early and late during those oppressive and solemn days.

Governor Porter was among the cholera's last victims. He died July, 1834. Governor Por- ter had been appointed from Pennsylvania. He took great interest in agricultural pursuits, and encouraged the improvement of stock, introducing into the Territory a fine breed of cattle.

The boundary question, treated in the chap- ter on " The Toledo War," continued to be agi- tated with more or less heat.

In May, 1835, a constitutional convention met in Detroit and framed a State constitution to be submitted to the approval of the people. An election was called for the first Monday in October to vote for a governor, lieutenant-gov- ernor, members of the State legislature, and a representative in Congress. The constitution gave the right of voting to all free adult white male inhabitants, then residents of Michigan, whether citizens of the United States or not. The legislature consisted of a senate and house of representatives, over whose acts the gov- ernor possessed the power of veto. The governor and lieutenant-governor were to be elected for terms of two years. The courts were to consist of one supreme court, and such inferior courts as the legislature might deem necessary. Provision was made for courts of probate and justices of the peace. Cabinet officers and other State officers were to be ap- pointed by the governor and senate. County and town officers, judicial and ministerial, were made elective. Education was to be encour- aged, and a superintendent of public instruc- tion was provided for. State officers and judges

in cases of criminal and corrupt conduct were subject to impeachment. Slavery and involun- tary servitude were not to be countenanced, except on conviction of crime.

The constitution was plain and well adapted to the necessities of an ambitious and growing State. It was ratified, and Stevens T. Mason was elected governor ; Edward Munday, lieu- tenant-governor, and Isaac Crary was elected representative in Congress. Judges were ap- pointed and courts organized. The legislature elected Lucius Lyon and John Norvell United States senators.

Michigan constituted herself a State, but as she would not consent to the conditions relat- ing to the southern boundary, she still remained out of the Union, and President Jackson, who was greatly displeased with Governor Mason in regard to his action on that point, appointed John S. Horner, of Virginia, governor of Michi- gan. The president directed him not to recog- nize the pretended State officers or judges, and in accordance with these orders, Mr. Horner magnified his office and met with little or no respect. He found no one who would co- operate with him, and after addressing a meet- ing at the Detroit city hall, giving his views with much self-assertion, those present organ- ized and resolutions were adopted. One by Jacob M. Howard (who esponsed the cause of Michigan on the boundary question, and had gone to Toledo in battle array ) was as follows :

" Resolved, That if our present secretary of the Territory should find it beyond his control, either from the nature of his instructions, his feelings of tenderness toward those who had, for a long period of time, set at defiance as well the laws of the Territory as those of the United States, or any feelings of delicacy entertained toward the executive of a neighboring State. who has in vain endeavored to take a foreible possession of a part of our Territory, to enable him to properly carry into effect the existing laws of this Territory, it is to be hoped he will relinquish the duties of his office, and return to the land of his nativity."

Mr. Horner soon adopted Mr. Howard's ad- vice and retired from Michigan.

Congress passed an act to admit Michigan as a State, June 15, 1836, but with a proviso " that this act should not take effect until the State of Michigan shall be admitted into the Union according to the provisions of the act

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CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

entitled, 'An act to establish the northern bound- ary of the State of Ohio, and to provide for the admission of the State of Michigan into the Union on certain conditions.'" (See chapter on Toledo war.) The legislature directed an election for a convention to meet at Ann Arbor the fourth Monday of September, and the con- vention refused to purchase admission on those terms. Soon another convention, originating

in the caucuses of the Jackson party, assem- bled at Ann Arbor. Many absented them- selves as it was not lawfully called, and was known as the " Frost-bitten convention," only those favorable to admission being present. They gave assent to the conditions and for- warded their action to Washington, and Michi- gan was finally admitted as a State, January 26, 1837.

CHAPTER XIII.

EVENTS IN MONROE COUNTY FROM 1825 To 1834.

IN the year 1825 Edward D. Ellis established the Michigan Sentinel, the first paper pub- lished in Southern Michigan, and published it until 1836, when he sold the press and office to Abner Morton and son. Mr. Ellis, though quite young when he came to Monroe, took an active part and great interest in the prosperity not only of the then small but growing vil- lage, but also of the entire Territory of Mich. igan. He became a leading man in the village and county, frequently holding offices of re- sponsibility and trust ; was one of the delegates chosen to form the State constitution, and was one of the first State Senators from the county of Monroe.

A very important service was rendered by bim in the constitutional convention to the people of the State of Michigan. When an enactment was under discussion for establish - ing libraries in all the townships in the State, without any provision either to receive books or sustain the libraries, it was Mr. Ellis who proposed and carried through the idea that all fines imposed for the violation of the penal laws through the State, and all sums assessed for the non-performance of military duty, should be set aside as a fund for the support of said libraries. The idea was original with him, and has frequently been mentioned to his credit. He died in Detroit May 15, 1848.

On the first of June, 1825, Governor Cass passed through Monroe on his return from the Indian council at Wapakoneta, Ohio. The object of the council was to purchase the reser- vations in the State of Ohio and to induce the Indians to join their red brethren west of the Mississippi. It was convened at the request of the Cherokees and some of the Shawnees, who were anxious that all the Indians east of the Mississippi should be removed to the country west of that river. But the Indians in Ohio were not prepared for such a measure. Many of them were respectable farmers and lived com- fortably ; were indisposed to remove among the

remote western Indians, with some of whom they had carried on hereditary hostilities for ages. But when compact white settlements surrounded the reservations, the Indians re- ceded as they have always done before the ad- vancing tide of civilized population, and sought refuge in the ocean of desert stretching along the bed of the Rocky Mountains.

During one day in the third week of June, 1825, the sales at the land office in Monroe amounted to $2,300 - a large amount for those early days. The purchasers were from the State of New York.

During the same week Monroe Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons was constituted, and the officers installed by A. G. Whitney, Grand Master, by the authority of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. The instal- lations and constitution took place at the court- house, where an appropriate address was de- livered by the Grand Master to an audience of ladies and gentlemen. The proceedings were preceded and closed with prayer by the Rev. Noah H. Wells. The following officers were installed : Seneca Allen, Master; Hiram Brown, Senior Warden ; Harry Conant (father of our present Secretary of State), Junior War- den ; John Anderson, Treasurer; Charles Noble, Secretary ; together with subordinate officers. The members of the lodge, together with a number of the fraternity from the adjoining counties, after the installation partook of an excellent dinner, prepared by Alcott C. Chap- man of the Mansion House, then located where the banking office of B. Dansard & Son now stands.

On the 22d of July, 1825, a bateau arrived at our wharf from the River Thames, U. C., with one hundred and fifty bushels of wheat for grinding, having come a distance of one hundred and eighty miles in consequence of the searcity of water in that vicinity. This may be considered a striking evidence of the singular changes which are sometimes effected

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EARLY EVENTS IN MONROE COUNTY.

by time. The depredations of our enemies twelve years previous had caused flight from their friends in the depth of winter to save their lives and those of their families; now, in the enjoyment of independence and comfort, happy were they for the opportunity of ren- dering to their former enemies good for evil, not forgetting to take a reasonable amount of toll for the grists.

September 16, 1825, there arrived at the port of Monroe a pine pump log seventy feet in length from the River St. Clair for James Halc, who was then building a distillery in the pres- ent first ward. It was drawn from the River Raisin wharf by six yoke of oxen.

January 26, 1826, the River Raisin was cov- cred with very thick ice, and colder weather had not been experienced for a number of years. Most business men were compelled to suspend operations in consequence. In the printing office of Edward D. Ellis, boiling water congealed instantly on being applied to the type.

February 17, 1826, the trial of Na-a-ga-bo or Jock-nes-brow, an Indian of the Ottawa tribe, for the murder of Ambegnaw, a squaw of the Pottawatomie nation, on the evening of the 6th of January, 1826, at Swan Creek, came on in the Circuit Court for Monroe county, IIon. Solomon Sibley presiding. The prosecution was managed on behalf of the Government by Charles Noble, district attorney, and A. M. Robertson, Esq. The prisoner was defended by Messrs. Wolcott Lawrence and Whitney, who were assigned him by the court. It was proven that the accused committed the murder, but drunkenness was pleaded as an excuse. The jury brought in a verdict of not guilty of mur- der, but guilty of manslaughter. The sentence of the court was declared, that the prisoner be confined at hard labor in the county prison for one year and pay a fine of one hundred dollars, together with the costs of prosecution.

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History of Monroe County, Michigan, Part 22

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