USA > Michigan > Oakland County > History of Oakland County, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories > Part 32
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HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
present lot of Mrs. Dr. Hudson, in the direction of the Congregational church ; then passed along the west line of Walnut street to the present dwelling of Mr. Kirby ; thence to the site of Lambertson's store; thence to Mrs. Hutaf's present location, partly down the east line of Main street, taking in the site of the stone store of Dr. Sprague ; then southerly to about the corner of Second street ; and contained about eight acres. Mr. Graham then purchased the west half and southwest quarter of section 15, where he lived a number of years. His wife dying he married again, sold out his property, and moved to Oakland, on section 5 or 6, and died there, and was buried with his family in the cemetery at Rochester. He was a genial companion, always ready for sport, and was known for many years as " Elder" Graham. He once went to Pontiac, riding a small bay pony, at a time when long-continued rains had swollen the waters of the Clinton, and, during his absence, the planking of the bridge at Auburn had been swept away. The night on which he returned was very dark, but notwithstand- ing the pony carried his rider safely across the flood on the sleepers of the bridge. The pony thereafter became a household treasure, and remained in Graham's possession until the latter's death. Mr. Graham had become familiar with the Indian language, and was many times employed as an interpreter.
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Christopher Hartsough married one of the daughters of James Graham, and, after stopping a short time with his brother-in-law, Alexander, settled near Plymouth, Wayne county, where he died shortly after.
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The next comer to the site of the future village of Rochester was John Her- sey, who located on the north bank of Paint creek, in the fall of the year 1818; and on the 29th day of October in that year entered at the land-office in Detroit the south half of section 10, township 3, range 11 east, under the act of Congress which fixed the price of the public lands at two dollars per acre, and gave the pur- chaser time to make his payments, the first quarter of the purchase-money being paid at the time of the entry. This entry was the first one made of public lands in the county, and the sale at which it was made was the first public land sale in Michigan. In the summer of 1819, Mr. Hersey sold his claim on the southwest quarter of section 10 to Benjamin Woodworth, a hotel-keeper in Detroit, and William Russell, the latter only residing in Rochester. This summer (1819) the saw-mill was built on Paint creek, by Hersey, Russell, Woodworth, and Graham, as detailed elsewhere.
John Hersey was a native of Cummington, Massachusetts, and later a resident of Erie county, New York, and his family, which came with him to Oakland, con- sisted of three sons and five daughters. James A. Hersey, now a resident of Oakland township, was one of those sons.
When the mill of Hersey and others was built there was no other mill nearer than Mount Clemens, where grinding was done, some twenty miles distant. The Mount Clemens mill was owned by Mr. Tremble (pronounced Trombley), and was built about the same time as the Hersey mill ; perhaps earlier, by a year. Joshua Sly, a resident of Rochester in 1842, was a miller in Tremble's mill. The pio- neers relate the following incident concerning the Tremble mill, in connection with the Graham boys, John and William, which is as follows: These two pioneers having occasion to get a large grist ground, took a sufficient number of bags to hold the bran, and agreed upon a certain course of action, to ascertain the reason of the excessive shrinkage such large grists were invariably subject to at this mill, which conundrum had been puzzling the brains of the settlers for some time. They arrived at the mill, where the grist was received, but could not be ground until late in the night. William had taken a good supply of buffalo-robes and blankets, and resolved to sleep in the mill, and made his bed near the hopper. Tremble wanted the customers to go to Mount Clemens for some whisky, and John went, while William slept with one eye open. Tremble took the required toll ; and after John returned, as the night wore on the mill-stones ground slowly, and the grist was again tolled; whereupon William arose and replaced the last tolling, and as much more. An hour or so passed and another tolling was required and performed; and again the sleeping sentinel arose and replaced the tolling and its duplicate. Still the mill went round slowly, and the grist lingered; and the toll- ing was again made by the indefatigable miller, and again replaced with interest by the zealous watcher ; and still another toll, and another return was made; the guardian of the grist dumping into the hopper all the wheat he could find in the mill. The grinding at last was done, and the bags the Grahams had brought would not suffice to hold the flour their grist had made, and they left the surplus and the bran to be called for at another time, but failed to call ; and thus was the shrinkage of ancient grists turned into excess.
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William Russell was the next comer to the future village, and he located there in 1819, and built himself a log house, and, as has been before stated, erected, in company with Hersey, Woodworth, and Graham, the saw-mill, and subsequent grist-mill. "Father" Russell, as he was familiarly called, was a candid, unas- suming man, an example of sociality, and benevolent and just in all his ways. Benjamin Woodworth never lived in Rochester, but was a constant friend to the
inhabitants of Oakland. He was for many years the proprietary host of the Steamboat hotel in Detroit, and "had a heart full of kindness, and a hand always ready to help the distressed." He died November 10, 1874, at his home in St. Clair county, aged ninety-one years.
Previous to the laying out of the village, in 1826, but few settlers came, and among them were, beside those already named, John Shippey, the Jacksons, and Hill, on the Clinton. In 1823-24 the flouring-mill was built on the Clinton by Perrin and Mack, and David Dort was the resident miller.
In 1826, Governor Cass, Austin E. Wing, and Charles Larned, of Detroit, laid out the original plat of the village. Apropos of these gentlemen, the following incident is related concerning their tour of observation through Oakland, when the village plat was selected :
Daniel Le Roy, afterwards a prominent figure in the history of the county, was living at the time of the incident on his farm in Avon, and the party before named, accompanied by Colonel Mack, of Pontiac, on their tour down the Clinton, called on Mr. Le Roy some time before dinner, and in the course of the conversa- tion which followed told the host what their business was, whereupon he invited them to partake of his hospitalities, proposing in the interim to accompany them on their quest, which was acceded to by the party, much to the mortification of Mrs. Le Roy, who, knowing the destitution that reigned in her larder, was in tears at the prospect of providing for a governor, a delegate to Congress, and a member of the Detroit bar, and in her extremity she called Mr. Le Roy aside and reproved him sharply for his inconsiderateness ; but he reassured his weeping dame, and told her to give them the best she had, and he would guarantee satisfaction on the part of the visitors. The party proceeded with their prospecting, and returned to the house betimes, where Mrs. Le Roy, with much trepidation, placed before her distinguished guests the very best, and all, she had in the house for their entertainment, which was partaken of with a zest only to be awakened by a long tramp or ride such as the hungry travelers had just indulged in. The bill of fare was simple, but palatable, and consisted of baked potatoes and milk,-" only this, and nothing more." No words of apology were offered, or deprecating remarks made; the guests knew well it was the best the hospitable host had to give, and they partook of the hospitality in the spirit in which it was tendered, and departed. A week or so afterwards a Frenchman, riding a pony and leading another bearing a pack, stopped before the door of Mr. Le Roy's house and inquired if it was Mr. Le Roy's residence, and on receiving an affirmative answer commenced to unpack his animal. As package after package of flour, meal, tea, sugar, coffee, pork, etc., were placed on the ground by the side of the cabin, Mrs. Le Roy protested there must be some mistake committed, but Johnny Crapeaud shook his head and said he was ordered to deliver his charge safely to Mrs. Le Roy ; whereupon the lady, still more astonished, proceeded to call her liege, but on his arrival the pony and his master had departed, and Mr. Le Roy at once discovered that the bread-i.e., the potatoes and milk-he cast upon the waters (spread before his guests) had indeed returned to him, and not many days after. There was one happy woman in Avon that day, certain.
George M. Shaw came to the village in 1825, or earlier, and Gad Norton built his saw-mill on the Clinton in 1824-25.
Seneca Newberry came to the village in 1826-27, being the first merchant of the place. He was for many years a prominent citizen, not only of Rochester, but also of the county. He was born in Connecticut, where he spent his youth. About 1826 he came to Detroit, and engaged in mercantile business for his cousin, the late Oliver Newberry, a noted merchant and steamboat-man of De- troit. After spending about a year in Detroit, he bought a general stock of goods suited to the demands of the pioneer trade, and located in Rochester, where he conducted a flourishing business for years.
He was a member of the first constitutional convention of Michigan, in the labors of which he bore a conspicuous and influential part. He was also a dele- gate in the second constitutional convention, wherein he added to his previous fame. He was afterwards State senator.
Soon after his location in Rochester, he was united in marriage to a most esti- mable lady, who bore him four sons, all of whom survive. Mrs. Newberry died about 1847.
Mr. Newberry died in Rochester, May 13, 1877, aged seventy-five years.
Lyman J. Willcox came to Avon township in 1824, from Oneida county, New York, on foot and alone, through Canada. He located near Chipman's Corners, and in 1828 was married to Hopey Green, of Ontario county, New York, and took up his residence in Rochester, since which time, until quite recently, he has been actively engaged in business there. His manufacturing history is detailed elsewhere. At the time he was conducting his mill and distillery he was also engaged in cultivating a section of land in the township.
In 1833-34 he was the collector of taxes of Oakland township, comprising then the present townships of Oakland, Avon, Addison, and Oxford ; the inhab-
140
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
itants of which township came to Rochester to hold their town-meetings. In 1834 the population of the four townships was 1701. When he arrived at Rochester, he found resident there, beside those previously named, William Bur- bank and Dr. Morrison.
Mr. Willcox had four children born to him by his wife, Hopey Green, who are now living: Randall J. and Lyman G. (twins), born in 1831; Elliot R. Will- cox, now a resident of Rochester, and a prominent manufacturer of the village, and lawyer; and a daughter, now living in Bay City. His second wife died in 1872. He now resides in Rochester.
Dr. Morrison came to Rochester from Vermont in 1827, and built the first frame house in the village. He continued to reside there for a few years, and removed to his farm near Utica, where he died.
William Burbank came to Rochester with his family in March, 1828, and began cabinet-making. He was born in Maine, resided in his youth in Vermont, and grew to manhood in New York, and came to Michigan in October, 1822, and located on a farm two miles southwest of Rochester, the same being now owned by Mr. Taylor. He is, at an advanced age, still a resident of the village, in the family of his son-in-law, C. H. Green.
Mr. Burbank is one of the original members of the Congregational church of Rochester, formed fifty years ago,-July 1, 1827,-and has been one of its stanchest and most steadfast supporters. He was one of the first justices of the peace of Oakland County, being commissioned in 1824 by Governor Cass.
The first constable in the township was John F. Hamlin.
Edwin T. Wilcox came to Avon township in 1825, in the spring of that year, from East Bloomfield, Ontario county, New York, and located in sections 23, 25, and 26, which tract of land he still owns. He was born in East Bloomfield, No- vember 5, 1799, and that township and that of Avon are the only townships he has ever resided in. He is now a resident of the village of Rochester. He was married in 1831, in Ontario county, New York, and has been mainly engaged in farming, though he learned the art of cloth-dressing, and followed the trade for a time; and has also been engaged as a merchant and a miller, and in his younger days was a teacher.
In September, 1830, the village gained an inhabitant who for forty-seven years has gone in and out before the people, either in a public or private capacity, and who still lives among them honored and esteemed. We refer to Honorable Almon Mack, who opened the second stock of goods for sale in the village on the first day of September in the year last named, and continued in active trade until 1853. He is the son of Colonel Stephen Mack, deceased, one of Pontiac's earliest and most prominent citizens. He put his stock in the front room of the main building now occupied by Dr. Wilson as a residence. In the rear room George M. Shaw and a family of twelve persons resided, while Mr. Mack's family and clerk occupied the upper back chamber. At this time there were not a dozen houses in the place, about one-half of which were frames. Mr. Mack was born in Tunbridge, Vermont, and was educated at the military academy at Nor- wich, under the instruction of Captain Partridge, the last two years of his resi- dence there. He came to Michigan in 1822, when sixteen years of age, and was married in 1827 to an orphaned girl,-Alvira Jemison,-who had found a home in his father's family. She died at Rochester, January 21, 1876, aged nearly seventy years. Although childless themselves, Mr. and Mrs. Mack have per- formed the duties of parents to three orphaned children,-Mrs. Wm. Parmelee, of Grand Rapids, Mrs. J. E. Wilson, and Mrs. E. S. Cook, of Rochester. She was a member of the Rochester Congregational church for thirty-eight years. Her charities and hospitalities were without stint, and, together with her intelligence and amiability, won her the affectionate regard of all who had the pleasure of her acquaintance. Mr. Mack, in 1824, was prostrated with sickness for nearly the whole summer, and has never enjoyed robust health since. He has been a promi- nent public man in the county, and has held many positions of honor and trust. In 1848 he was a member of the legislature, and dispatched business intrusted to him with rapidity and accuracy. The legislation on plank-roads was on the tapis that session, and the Pontiac people desired a charter for a road to Lapeer, and by some fatuity the utmost celerity was required in the passage of the bill. Mr. Mack received the letter one evening after the adjournment of the legislature, and prepared the bill, presented it the next morning, and the next night the bill was a law, and a copy of it on its way to Pontiac, having passed through the various stages of its passage-the first reading, second reading, engrossment, and final reading and passage in both houses, and the approval of the governor, and its enrollment among the public laws of the State-inside of six hours.
In 1824, Mr. Mack was tendered the position of secretary to the first legisla- tive council of the Territory, but owing to his ill health he was forced to decline the same. He, at the request of a caucus of politicians, wrote the names of nine candidates for the first legislative council, who were selected by the president of the United States out of eighteen nominees to form that council. The nine names
he wrote were those of the appointees. He was the main-stay of his father, Colonel Stephen Mack, in the management of his latter's extensive mercantile and manu- facturing business; kept the books of the concern, and was general manager, and settled up the estate of his father on the latter's decease. He is still vigorous in intellect, though feeble in body, and discusses with all the interest of his youthful · days the various subjects of public importance which arrest the attention day by day. He has a twin sister living in Utah, between whom and himself there has ever existed a remarkable physical and mental sympathy, the same diseases afflict- ing each, and at the same time, though removed from each other by long distances.
Hosea B. Richardson came to Rochester in 1832, from Rochester, New York. He has been interested in manufacturing, mainly in the village, to the present time, as will be seen in connection with the history of manufactures of the vil- lage. He was born in Vermont, but removed to New York at an early age. He was married in Oakland County to Sarah Le Roy, sister of John P. Le Roy, by whom he had two sons and two daughters born to him, all now living in Roches- ter or Avon township. Both of the sons are in the Rochester woolen-factory. · One daughter is married, and one is at home in charge of the household, her mother being dead. She died in 1841, and the second Mrs. Richardson died in 1874.
Calvin Chapel came to the village in 1830, and Dr. Rollin C. Sprague about or soon after that time. Edward P. Harris located in the village in 1833. More detailed sketches appear elsewhere of these last-named settlers. In 1832, Chris- tian Z. Horton came to the village from his father's farm, to learn the black- smithing trade, when nineteen years old, and has resided in the village ever since, marrying there, and raising his children around him. Benjamin Horton, the father of C. Z. Horton, emigrated from Northampton county, Pennsylvania, where he was born November 10, 1783, to Canada, in 1809, together with his father, George Horton, a Revolutionary soldier in 1783. The son, Benjamin, married, May 10, 1810, Jane Zavitz, at Port Colborne; moved to Yarmouth, Elgin county, Ontario, in 1820, and in March, 1825, arrived in Detroit, and came to Avon township, and settled two miles south of the village of Rochester, on sec- tion 22, which location he subsequently exchanged for the west half of the north- east quarter of section 7, whereon he died November 6, 1858. He was a justice of the peace eight years, and about 1828-29 was interested in manufacturing in the village. Mr. C. Z. Horton is prominently identified with the pioneer history of the township of Avon, having written several articles on the pioneers and Indians, which have been published and preserved in the records of the Avon Pioneer Society, of which Mr. Horton is secretary, and also in the records of the Oakland County Pioneer Society.
Among the prominent citizens of Rochester not otherwise particularly men- tioned was General Charles M. Griffin, who was a native of New Jersey, and who came to the village in or about the year 1850, and engaged in milling. He was prominent also in politics, and, though moving quietly and without bluster, made his influence felt in the Democratic party for years. He was of a genial nature, and the very soul of hospitality. He returned to New Jersey during the war (1863-64), where he died.
Henry M. Look, Sr., though a late-comer to Rochester, making his residence there in 1873, is an early pioneer of Lapeer county, coming thereto May 10, 1834, being ten days on the road from Avon, New York, via steamboat from Buffalo to Detroit. Hon. Henry M. Look, of Pontiac, a leading and eloquent lawyer and charming poet, his son, was born at Farmer's Creek, now called Had- ley, in Lapeer county. The family is of Scotch extraction. Mr. Look removed from Lapeer county to Avon township in 1853.
Orange Foote was an old resident of the village, and a justice of the peace many years.
Lambertson was an early comer to the village, and he and his sons, John V. and Hiram, have been prominently engaged in business for more than thirty-five years. J. V. Lambertson & Brother are private bankers, and also carry the heaviest stock of general merchandise in the village. Joseph Reimer, C. S. Goodi- son, Thomas Sprague, Wm. J .. Weir, Theo. C. Cook, J. C. Baker, Wm. L. Barnes, F. M. Holman, Harvey Green, John B. Martz, Geo. W. Vandeventer, in business in the village at the present time, are all of long standing, some of them dating their residence in the village as early as 1840.
John M. Mack, a son of Colonel Stephen Mack, was the first landlord in the village, and came thereto in 1828, and opened the hotel. He remained but about two years, or thereabouts, and is now a resident of Hamtramck, Wayne county, where he has resided for many years past. James Newberry is one of the leading business men of Rochester, of several years' standing.
THE ABORIGINES,
who used to make their home about Rochester, buried their dead in three dif- ferent places within or near the present limits of the village. One burial-place
EDMUND L. GOFF .
MRS. EDMUND L.GOFF
RESIDENCE OF EDMUND L. GOFF, (SEC. 12 ) AVON TP., OAKLAND CO., MICH.
LYSANDER WOODWARD
MRS. L. WOOD
WARD.
RESIDENCE OF L. WOODWARD, ROCHESTER, OAKLAND CO., MICH.
141
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
was on the site now occupied by the store of Mrs. Rollin C. Sprague, one on the hill north of Barnes & Bro.'s paper-mill (which was demolishod by exca- vating for the canal), and the other was north of Green & Son's saw-mill, on the brow of the hill, about midway between the mill and the fence of Mrs. Perrin. Some five or six persons were buried in each of the first and last places ; in the second, three persons, two males and one female, were buried. In the spring of 1825 the Indians encamped on the ground now occupied by Hartson Gillett, and occupied it during the fishing season. Many of them were expert spearmen. Here, too, they used to have their dances, which continued for several evenings. On those occasions there would be assembled twenty-five or thirty persons, and but few children. They had one drummer, his drum being made of a hol- low log about a foot in diameter, nearly two feet in length, dressed quite thin, and a raw skin of some kind drawn over it, the drummer using but one drum- stick, with which he made one continued succession of strokes, like the beating of a clock. They had also a flute or flageolet, upon which they could make three or four different tones by means of finger-holes with desperate blowing. They would build two fires about ten or twelve feet apart, and between the fires drive a stake, on the top of which a piece of red flannel, about a foot square, would be placed, and a plug of tobacco laid on the flannel. When the ceremo- nies were to begin they sat down around the fires, excluding the children, lighted a pipe, and passed it around the circle for each one, male or female, to whiff. It was the pipe of peace or calumet dance. As soon as the smoking was over, at which ceremony guests are expected to participate, the chiefs or head men, or guests, made an address, cach one speaking who desired ; but always short speeches were made. The speaking being over, the terpsichorean pleasures began. Each person would have the skin of some small animal, a weasel, or black, gray, or red squirrel, prepared for the purpose, and which were used to extort a " treat" from the bystanders, who must respond to the request or dance, and sometimes both. When the " treat" went around all stopped dancing and joined in the more imperative demands of hospitality. Their dancing was something between the modern " Boston dip" and " Kangaroo dive," and was brought about by stepping on one foot and slipping it forward once; then the other foot in a similar man- ner, and so alternately. The dances were pleasant for the participators as long as they kept sober, but became scenes of confusion, and frequently of bloodshed, by reason of too freely partaking of the " fire-water" of the pale-face.
In 1824 an interesting ceremony was conducted by the Indians south of Barnes Bro.'s mill, near the hill, on land occupied now by Ezekiel Dewey. The Indians cleared off all of the flat and built a large log-heap and set it on fire, leaving an opening in the centre of the heap, as they constructed it. Then they brought forth two white dogs, fantastically decorated with red flannel around their necks, in their ears, and around their legs and tails, and when the pile had become fairly ignited they threw the canines into the aperture in the midst of the blazing pile. They then began their songs and dances, which they kept up all night, making hideous and horrible noises.
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