History of St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources, its war record, biographical sketches, the whole preceded by a history of Michigan, Part 36

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, A.T. Andreas & Co.
Number of Pages: 818

USA > Michigan > St Clair County > History of St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources, its war record, biographical sketches, the whole preceded by a history of Michigan > Part 36

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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

trespassed on the public domain, robbed the mails and harbored counterfeiters, and that the kingly pretensions of the leader constituted a veritable case of high treason. Suddenly the United States steamer Michigan entered Beaver Harbor, bearing the officers of the national courts. Strang surrendered gracefully, and, with several others, was taken to Detroit under guard. A trial of some length followed, in a crowded court room and amid much public inter- est, Strang aiding in conducting his own defense, making a dramatic speech, in which he postured before the jury as 'one persecuted for righteousness' sake,' and being rewarded by a verdict of acquittal. The downfall of the Beaver Island Kingdom came not from a foreign foe, but from domestic sedition and conspiracy. Its ruler's discipline was at times severe, including the corporal punishment of adults in its list of penalties. His determination to compel compli- ance with the minutest article of church law also grew more resolute, and in the conference of 1855 he sternly denounced the tea-drinkers and tobacco-users of his flock, and said: 'The laws of God shall be kept in this land, or men shall walk over my dead body.' To these sources of disaffection should be added his systematic efforts to make polygamy popular. At intervals, some of his zealous followers would fall away and join the ranks of his Gentile enemies. The most capable of Strang's disciples was Dr. H. D. McCulloch, of Baltimore, an educated physician, an ex-Surgeon of the United States Army, a man of social position at home, but one of unfort-

unate habits. In him Beaver Island nihilism found an organizing head.

In the winter of

1855, chronic differences with Strang ended in his deposition from offices in the church on the charge of renewed intemperance. In the spring, he left the island, and headed a movement to overthrow the Mormon Kingdom. He found two Mormons, Thomas Bedford and Aleck Went- worth, ready to join him in any scheme of vengeance. One of them was horsewhipped by an angry husband, with the approval of Strang, and the other had been publicly rebuked for vi- olation of some church law. On June 16, 1856, the United States steamer Michigan was at anchor in Beaver Harbor. King Strang left his home in the afternoon to call upon her officers. As he was stepping upon the deck, Bedford and Wentworth sprang from behind a convenient wood- pile and fired upon him with a navy pistol and a revolver. He fell wounded, but his death was not immediate. He was removed to Vorce, and there died July 9, 1856. The same boat which carried the wounded King away also brought many of his followers. Before all had determined to evacuate the kingdom, the settlers along the main land shores made a descent upon the island, burned the tabernacle, sacked the printing office, pillaged the royal castle; but the most ignoble act of all was the destruction of the King's library. The Mormons were given one day to leave their homes, and next day Beaver Island was in possession of the Gentiles.

THE GERMAN IMMIGRATION OF 1845.

The extensive German immigration of 1845 brought to Michigan a number of Franco- nians and Bavarians, who felt themselves oppressed at home. These, under the advice of Pastor Loche, resolved to emigrate to the United States, there to follow the profession of the Lutheran creed, and to essay the conversion of the Indians. Within a few years, the first col- ony of fifteen succeeded in attracting five times that number to our land, and of the second and third bodies of immigrants a few settled in St. Clair County-the greater number locating in Saginaw.

The immigration of 1849, the result of an attempt made by the people to cast away the tyrant, marked the history of that year. The Revolutionists sought refuge in the United States, not a few of them finding a home of liberty in this county. The German immigration of later days brought us Pomeranians and Mecklenburghers.

Louis Bloedon, the historian for the Saginaw German Pioneer Society, says: " Ever since our first appearance in history, from the year 303 B. C. to the present day, the Germans have been fond of emigrating. The main reasons for this have always been the too crowded condi- tions of the old country, the inherited love of living free and independent, and, last but not least, the desire to have a home or establishment of their own, no matter how small. German explorers, colonists and artisans are, therefore, to be found everywhere.

"Our forefathers went to Rome, to Carthage, to Jerusalem, as conquerors, and the best thing our German citizens here can do is to teach their children and descendants to take Wash-

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ington, not as conquerors of old, but in order that they might bring back the Government to what it was when the grand old fathers of this republic left it to its purity and simplicity to all that's grand and noble. The most favored place to which the Germans could emigrate, if not misled by others, has always been the United States of North America. And why not? Climate, soil, fertility of land, a free and almost too mild Government are attractions which no country in the world offers as does this one of our adoption. For all these things we should, most assuredly, be gratified; and especially should we seek to create for the General Govern- ment no trouble which could reasonably be avoided.

" Have we all succeeded in establishing for ourselves a happy home ? and have we all lived up to the requirements of good citizenship? These are questions which, I hope, could be answered by us with smiling faces and without fear."

HOLLANDERS.

In October, 1848, the New York Sun noticed the arrival at that port of a party of Hol- landers, who came in the ship Garonne from Rotterdam; and who, having been forced, by religious persecutions, to leave their homes, settled near their countrymen at Freedrop and Grand Haven, in this State. The Sun says, they came under the direction of their pastor, the Rev. D. Budding, a very talented, eloquent and wealthy clergyman, who was, for many years, conspicuous in Holland for his advocacy of liberal opinions, and his opposition to the tyranny of the Government.

When the Government passed a law that no synod of more than nineteen members should be allowed to assemble, he denounced it repeatedly from the pulpit. For doing so, he was fined altogether over 40,000 guilders, and was imprisoned for a considerable time. The com- pany which he brought out were all from the city of Dordrecht. They were seventy-seven in number, and, though poorly dressed, brought with them over $100,000 in specie.

Another company of twenty-five Hollanders, who came in the ship Madeline, brought with them over $40,000, and went to Grand Haven. Within a year past, the Rev. Drs. Van Rualte and Stickkice have brought over and settled colonies at New Holland, Mich .; the Rev. Drs. Niphen, Bolks and Vander Meule, colonies at Freedrop, Mich .; the Rev. Dr. Scholten a colony in Iowa, and the Rev. Dr. Sonne a colony in Wisconsin; all of which are in a most flourishing condition. From these centers of Dutch colonization, the immigrants spread out, some set- tling in St. Clair County.

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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

PIONEER REMINISCENCES AND SKETCHES.

THE character of the pioneers of St. Clair, the manners and customs of their times, the Indians and traders who were known to them, are all referred to in former chapters.

The forest, the fertile oak openings, the hard but happy labors of the husbandman and his family, and the bright hopes which burned, combined to impress a distinct character, to bestow a spirit of enterprise, a joyousness of hope and an independence of feeling. The community formed an admixture of many nations, characters, languages, conditions and opinions. All the various Christian gods had their worshipers. Pride and jealousy gave way to the natural yearnings of the human heart for society; prejudices disappeared; they met half way and embraced, and the society thus gradually organized, became liberal, enlarged, unprejudiced, and naturally more affectionate than a community of people all similar in birth and character. In the following pages these facts will appear more manifest. The tales of the olden time point out that time as one where solidarity of interests marked the character of the people, and leave little doubt that the ideal of good-will to man ruled in their hearts.

THE FIRST FOUR VILLAGES.

The following reminiscences of early days in St. Clair County were written by the Rev. O. C. Thompson, now of Detroit, formerly of St. Clair:

Within the memory of those now living there were three or four families of pioneer resi- dents on the River St. Clair who had been there since Wayne's victory at Monroe in 1796. At what precise date these persons commenced their residence there cannot now be ascertained. They lived in what is now called the township of Cottrellville, a few miles below the Belle River. Their names were Capt. Cottrell, Capt. Alexander Harrow, Capt. William Thorn and a Mr. Paschal. Capt. John Cottrell was a captive among the Indians and was adopted by a man .of the name of Cottrell, and from him received the appellation. His real name was Haven, and he was kidnaped by Indians from Kentucky. His first name is supposed to have been John, but he always went by the name of Captain.

Capt. Alexander Harrow, a young adventurer, located himself on the river a little below Capt. Cottrell's. He was unmarried, and, fortunately for him, there was among the Indians in the neighborhood a captive white girl, whom they had stolen from her parents in Kentucky. She was only fifteen, intelligent and handsome. Young Harrow offered the Indians a barrel of rum for their captive. The offer was accepted and she became Mrs. Harrow after the manner of wedlock in those regions at that time. After raising a family of children, they were married in the form that civilization requires. The family were quite respectable, and many of them are still living. Capt. William Thorn was the father of John Thorn, who afterward owned and platted the first part of the village of Port Huron.

At the close of the last war with England, many new settlers came to the St. Clair country. Among these were Charles Chortie, Dominique Minnie, Joseph Beesna, William Hill, Joseph Minnie, William Brown, Andrew Westbrook, Capt. Robertson, Gilbert Yax, Joseph Record, Mr. St. Barnard, L. Z. W. Bunce and Mr. Petit. These all occupied farms on the mainland between Point Aux Trembles and Black River. About this time, Jacob Harsen, a gunsmith, associated with a Mr. Graveraet, a silversmith, came to Harsen's Island. Harvey Stewart, the father of Capt. John Stewart, the well-know sailor of those times, generally in the employ of Oliver Newberry & Brother, and of Henry P. Stewart, still living at Algonac, came from York State on foot through Canada in 1810, had many adventures with the Indians and British during the war, and finally settled on Harsen's Island in 1815. A Mr. McDonald, one of the Selkirk colony on the Thames, settled immediately after the war on what is now known as Dickenson's Island. He was a British subject in heart and soul, so bitter toward the Yankees that he could

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by no reason be induced to live outside of the British Dominions. Therefore he bought on this island because it. was on the British side of the north channel, not doubting but that the dividing lines would run through the union channel and leave him in the government of his choice. He was greatly dissatisfied when the Commissioners fixed the line in the south channel. The daughter of McDonald became the wife of John H. Smith, who settled at Point du Chien, and was a prominent man in his day. He held offices of trust from the time he came to the day of his death. The family still have in their possession the original document from Gen. Cass, then Governor of the Territory, appointing him Justice of the Peace in Macomb County, which then included all of St. Clair County. Suits were brought before him from all the country around, frequently from Black River, now Port Huron, thirty miles away. He was the first Postmaster in St. Clair County, and held the office thirty-three years. The mail was brought across Lake St. Clair in a canoe to his office, and Abraham, his son, carried it to Pine River, now St. Clair. Mr. Smith was appointed Collector of Customs in 1832. Mrs. Smith, who came with her father from Scotland in 1804, is still living at Algonac, hale and hearty.

St. Clair was the first village on the St. Clair River. James Fulton bought the land of Meldrum & Parks, and laid out the village Subsequently he sold out his interest to Thomas Palmer, of Detroit. This was the site where Gen. St. Clair built his fort. It stood on the rise of ground south of Pine River. The ruins of this fort were plainly visible when I first went to St. Clair. Judge Brewer says he saw a chimney of one of the old fort buildings standing, twenty feet high, when he came into the country. About a mile above Pine River there lived a Frenchman by the name of St. Bernard. He was at one time a particular friend of Father Richard, and was engaged by the Rev. Father to get out timber for building St. Ann's Church in Detroit. The venerable priest frequently visited and encouraged the men in their work, until the job was completed and timber delivered in Detroit.

Father Richard had made payments from time to time, until more than half of the account was paid, and then ceased. St. Bernard went to Detroit for the balance of his bill, and was met by Father Richard, who in his inimitable, affable and good natured way assured St. Ber- nard that so much was certainly his due, but that he could do no less than give it to the church. St. Bernard, thus diplomatically beset, was obliged to forego his little account. About this time he was running for Congress, and a neighbor of St. Bernard asked him who he was going to vote for. 'Don't know! don't know!' answered St. Bernard. 'Father Richard very good man for religion, but him bad man for business.'

At the time of the writer's first visit to St. Clair, in 1831, the Gratiot Turnpike was being built by the United States Government, and had been completed as far north as Mt. Clemens. For many years after this, no road from the River St. Clair communicated with the turnpike below Port Huron.

Our best way of getting to Detroit in the winter was by the river and lake on the ice. On one occasion, I took the ice at St. Clair, and did not leave it until I came ashore at the old tavern then three miles above Detroit. We drove out into Lake St. Clair five or ten miles from shore. It was not always safe, on account of seams in the ice. On one occasion, with Deacon S. S. Barnard and Mr. Coffin in my cutter with me, we were far out from land, and came to a . seam where the ice was raised up like the roof of a house. It appeared perilous to venture over, so we voluntarily turned in toward shore, and finally found a track where a man had ventured over. Following this, when our horse was fairly on the ice, it began to settle down. The horse was up to his knees in water, and when the solid ice was reached the cutter was afloat.

Frequently, persons made this trip up and down the river and across the lake on skates. Sometimes there were air-holes in the ice, both on the lake and the river. On one occasion a man under the influence of liquor was driving furiously across from the Canada shore to the village of St. Clair (his daughter being with him), and drove directly toward one of these air- holes. It was several rods across it. Several persons standing on the shore of St. Clair saw the operation and they held their breath as the horse plunged into the water; but neither the horse nor driver entirely disappeared, but gained the solid ice and came ashore. It appears that a large field of ice was floating down under the air hole, on which the horse found footing.

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Often deer were chased by the dogs from the forests back of St. Clair, and caught by them on the ice, and in the summer men would capture them in the water by going out in cances or boats.

The deer is a poor swimmer. On one occasion a great buck, followed by hounds, came bounding through the village green one Sabbath morning. The boys did not go to church that day, but to atone for this they presented their pastor with a ham of venison. The bears were very plenty, and disputed with the inhabitants the right to fresh meats which were not under lock and key. A citizen was out one morning early looking for his cow, and came across a very large bear with two cubs. The cubs ran up an elm tree, the old bear remaining as sentinel at the foot. The discoverer summoned a neighbor, and the two, with an old fowling-piece loaded with slugs such as they could find, with much trouble captured the three black "var- mints." A bear -- as we afterwards discovered -- came to our cellar, stealing nothing, however, but soap-grease. I suppose he was manufactaring bear's oil and needed 'more grease.' I fixed the doors to capture the beast, but never succeeded. About this time, I changed pulpits for a Sabbath with Mr. Hyde, of Rochester, and Mrs. Thompson related to him the circumstance of the bear. Brother Hyde said that he would like very much to see such an animal. That night the bear came to the porch of the house and Mr. Hyde was taken with such a sudden fear that for a time he could not get up. Later in the night, Mrs. Thompson was awakened by a noise at her window, and there, directly before her face, was the old fellow himself, with both paws and his great nose pushing against the glass. Some young men in the village undertook to capture one of these fellows in this wise: They killed a pig and laid him out on the common, and, building over it a high scaffold as a tower of safety, waited for their visitor. He came, but his presence put the boys into such a trepidation that they both fell from their loft directly upon the bear, who ran away, carrying the pig with him.

Capt. Samuel Ward came to the mouth of Belle River in 1820, and laid out the village of Newport (now Marine City) in 1831. This was the second village on the St. Clair. Although it did not grow much for several years, it has recently come to be quite a town, and is noted for its ship-building. More steamboats and sail vessels have been built in these ship-yards than anywhere else in the State. The following are the names of some of these boats: The Huron was the first, then the Champion, Detroit, Sam Ward, Frank Moore, Pacific, Atlantic, Ocean, Arctic, Oregon, Traveler, Cleveland, Caspian, Pearl. Ruby, Montgomery, Wade, Water Witch, Forester, Forest Queen, Susan Ward, Milton D. Ward, Marine City, Alpena, Keweenaw, Planet, St. Paul, Coburn, Minneapolis, E. H. Collins, Geo. S. Frost, Salina, A. E. Bissell, River Queen, Rose, James Lord, Eastabrook, Geo. Hart, William Conway, Birckhead and Bay City. A recent published account placed the whole number of steam and sail vessels at ninety- seven. The cost of these vessels was not far from $3,000,000. This is pretty well for a town that is not yet forty years old.

There has been a remarkable success in business men who have begun operations here. E. B. Ward stands at the head of these, and is supposed by some to be worth $10,000,000. Sev- eral others are worth $500,000. Some fifteen, at least, can be put down as worth over $100,000. Very many $50,000, and so on. When I first became acquainted with E. B. Ward, forty years ago, I suppose his entire earthly inheritance would be put at less than $100. The inquiry has been made, Why the remarkable success of so heavy business men at Newport or Marine City? I think it originated mainly from old Capt. Samuel Ward. He was scrupulously honest, frugal and industrious, and he spared no patience to impress the importance of these things upon everybody around him. He seemed to magnetize everybody with his spirit, and inculcate them with an insatiable desire to make money. When I first knew him, he was a man of very mod- erate means, and kept a tavern at Belle River, on one of the old French farms which he had bought, and on which he had laid out his village. When he died he was a millionaire.

Port Huron was the third village on the St. Clair. The beginning of this village was made by John Thorn, on the north side of Black River. Some years after this, Daniel B. Harrington and F. C. White, of Whiteboro, N. Y., bought the strip of land lying between the Indian reservation and the St. Clair River, on the south side of Black River, and laid it out into village lots. Subsequently Dr. Noble and some others bought the Indian reservation and added it to

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the village. This has come to be the important place on the river. In 1832 the Black River Mill Company put up a large steam mill that greatly aided the growth of the place. The next and fourth village on the St. Clair was Algonac, laid out in 1836. Dr. Justin Rice, Degarmo Jones, Mr. Luce and Dr. Clark were engaged in this enterprise. Judge Bunce, aged eighty-six, and apparently good for ten or fifteen years more, has lived in the vicinity of Port Huron since its settlement. At one time he knew personally every man who lived in the Territory of Michigan. He was Presiding and Associate Judge of St. Clair County till his presence seemed a fixture in the court-room. He was chosen to the first Legislature in Michi- gan, and served as a member of that body from 1821 to 1824.

The same year of his arrival here he built a mill for cutting pine lumber on Beaver Creek, now called Bunce Creek. But this was not the first mill; a mill was built there 130 years ago. All these were propelled by the waters of the creek.

The fourth and last mill is now taken down. Meldrum & Park, mentioned in the chapter on French Pioneers, built a mill on the creek called by their name, and another about a mile below the old Jerome Mill on Pine River. Both these mills were in ruins more than half a century ago. The work of getting out pine logs for these mills was performed without any team whatever. The logs were cut twelve feet long and flattened with a broad-ax on two sides, and drawn to the mill by men.

In 1823, a mission was established at Fort Gratiot for the purpose of educating and Chris- tianizing the Indians, who occupied the buildings at the fort, there being no troops there at the time. This mission was conducted by Hudson and Hart. It was never very successful. A score or more of Indian children were gathered into the school. There is now living on the Canada side of the St. Clair River an old Indian preacher who was educated at Hudson and Hart's mission school. This mission was continued three and a quarter years only. About this time, the mission at Mackinac was established, which was far more successful.

" George Mcdougal, the keeper of the light-house above the fort, was somewhat noted in his day. He was a member of the Detroit bar, but so exceedingly rough and severe in his caustic speeches that they determined to get rid of him, and so they had him appointed to this station with a salary greater than his services would command in Detroit, and so he was disposed of.

In these early days, there were few roads. The birch-bark canoe of the Indian and the batteau of the French trader were the only conveyances. For many years after Judge Bunce lived on the river, his method of getting to Detroit was in a canoe. He would start so as to reach Lake St. Clair in the forepart of the evening, and at bed-time wrap himself in a blanket and sleep while the men rowed through the whole night, and reach Detroit in the morning. The night was chosen because the lake was then least disturbed by winds, and it would bring him to Detroit in time to attend to business. In the winter, the ice was used, and a French train drawn by an Indian pony took the place of the canoe and batteau.

Once while crossing Lake St. Clair on the ice, driving nearly across the middle of the lake, Judge Bunce saw an animal in the beaten road before him and he gave chase, but the animal kept ahead for miles. The snow was deep on each side of the track. After a long drive the brute tired out and jumped into the snow and stood on his haunches. The Judge raised his heavy hickory whip stock and struck at the animal's head, and so stunned the beast that he cut the animal's throat without difficulty, and put him in his train. When reaching the store he inquired of a French settler what it was. The astonished man asked the Judge where it came from. 'Oh, I got him back here on the ice.' 'Got him,' shouted the Frenchman, 'got him alone! Mon Dieu! you must thank the Virgin that he did not get you!' It was a huge wild cat. In 1834, the writer of this paper was installed pastor of the Congregational Church at St. Clair, the county seat of the county. A court house had been built previous to this time, containing on the first floor the county jail and the residence of the Sheriff as jailer. On the sec- ond floor was the court room and jury room. The court was held in the jailer's family room, . and the grand jury in the chambers, to which they ascended by means of a ladder on the ont- side, and entered through a window. This house was finished when I went there. In the court room religious meetings were held, and for that matter almost all meetings were held there. Although my parish was St. Clair, and the distance of a Sabbath day's journey across it,

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History of St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources, its war record, biographical sketches, the whole preceded by a history of Michigan, Part 36

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, A.T. Andreas & Co. Number of Pages: 818

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, A.T. Andreas & Co.
Number of Pages: 818