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 41

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 41

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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

My father was married to Miss Mary Graveraet in the winter of 1814, and remained in the city of Detroit during the war, which ended in February, 1815. The people who had aban- doned their homes made preparations to return, and in the month of April, 1815, my father moved his family and goods up to Harsen's Island, and took possession of the house and lands of his wife that had been abandoned during the war. The settlers on the border of Lake and River St. Clair were, at the breaking out of the war, compelled to remove all their stock of horses, cattle and hogs to Detroit (to protect such from the Indians), where all were consumed; and while many were deliberating how, and where they were to be supplied, Capt. Andrew Wesbrook went to the State of Ohio and purchased cattle, selecting such as were most required to meet the immediate wants of the inhabitants; this he continued to do until all were supplied. As Capt Wesbrook was in his day a very prominent man in St. Clair County, I will here mention a few incidents of his life. Before the war with England, he was a wealthy farmer and busi- ness man, residing near the Moravian town on the River Thames; in his immediate neighbor- hood, there lived one Maj. Tawsby, who was an aspirant for Government favors. At the breaking-out of the war the British Government, took immediate steps to organize the militia of Canada, and at such organization, Tawsby received a Major's commission, and Wesbrook was offered a Captain's commission under Tawsby, which he indignantly refused. Wesbrook was born in the State of New York, and his sympathies were with the American cause; and he, on the appointment of his enemy, Tawsby, determined to leave Canada and join the Americans; he had counted the consequences of this act; and, knowing that the confiscation of his valuable prop- erty would follow, he collected his goods together, and all that he could not remove he burned with his house and barn. On Wesbrook's arrival in Detroit, he stated his case to Gov. Hull and received a Captain's commission, and was found to be a very useful man in the Commissary Department in collecting supplies for the troops. There were many reconnoitering parties sent up the River Thames during the war, or before the surrender of Detroit, and Capt. Wesbrook was a valuable guide to such parties. On one of these expeditions, Capt. Wesbrook, learning that Maj. Tawsby was at home, surrounded his house, and took him prisoner. The hatred that Wesbrook and Tawsby bore toward each other was mutual and violent. After this reconnoiter- ing party had gone into camp for the night, and the guns all stacked, Tawsby seized a musket and made a lunge at Wesbrook with intent to kill him, but in the act he stumbled and the bayonet entered Wesbrook's boot; for this act Tawsby was put in irons until he reached Detroit. Capt. Wesbrook, at the close of the war, purchased a farm of a Frenchman joining the Recor farm, and other lands adjoining, from which he made one of the best farms then in St. Clair County. Our first Representative to Congress from the Territory of Michigan made known to that body the loss of Capt. Wesbrook's property in Canada, and on such representa- tion an act was passed granting him two sections of land, which he selected mostly in the town- ship of Clay. in St. Clair County, which lands passed through several purchasers, and now comprise the valuable farms of Seva and Dana Richardson.

My father, soon after his settlement on Harsen's Island, and in the month of May follow- ing, was visited by his brother, Daniel Stewart, who had determined to make his home in Michigan; after a short visit, he returned to West Bloomfield, N. Y., to settle his business af- fairs there before he sought a permanent home here; he was to bring with him Aura P. Stew- art (the writer) and John H. Stewart, the two boys that father had left in care of their grand- mother at West Bloomfield. Uncle Daniel spent the months of June, July and August in preparation for his journey. He had purchased several crates of earthenware, several barrels of salt, and other articles which bore a great price in Detroit, hoping to realize a good profit on his arrival there. On the 1st of November, he placed his goods in wagons, and, with his boys in charge, left for Michigan. On our arrival at Buffalo, there were no vessels in port bound to Detroit; a little craft, that hardly could be called a vessel, was lying in Buffalo Creek taking on a cargo of salt for Detroit, and our uncle engaged a passage on board the miserable, shabby thing; she was not ceiled inside, had no cabin, and her bulk-head was formed of salt barrels, leaving a space in the afterpart which was called the cabin; a platform was made on which some buffalo robes and blankets were spread at night on which to sleep. The whole ship's crew consisted of three persons, to wit: Mr. Mason, the owner, Capt. Thomson, master, and

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Jack Bachallor, sailor. In his contract, uncle was to furnish his own board, a large part of which he had brought with him; the stores of the vessel's crew consisted of a bucket of beef, six loaves of bread, and a small bag of hard tack. There were not ten buildings in Buffalo on our arrival there; the British had, during the war, burned the town. My brother and I amused ourselves on our arrival in looking down the cellars and up the chimneys; there were no ware. houses in town, at any rate near the creek; the freight was brought to the vessel in carts drawn by oxen -- rather a novel sight this would be in the great city of Buffalo to-day ! On the second day of our arrival, the miserable thing called a vessel put to sea; how long we were in reach- ing Put-in-Bay Islands I do not remember, but I well remember that my brother and I, on the day before, were told that the ship was placed on short allowance; that thereafter our portion would be one cake of hard tack a day, and as much water with it as we wished to drink. I in- quired after grandmother's butter and cheese, and was informed that they were reserved for the night watch.

I was awakened one morning by a loud noise on deck, and I crawled out of the hole, called a cabin, to ascertain the cause; on reaching the deck, I saw that we were near land, and was told the vessel was aground on an island; I inquired if my father lived on that island, and was disappointed on learning that he did not -- that it was one of the Put-in-Bay Islands. All on board were pushing with poles and rolling barrels of salt over the deck, trying to get the vessel off; not succeeding, the captain declared that the craft could not be gotten off unless the anchor was carried out into deeper water; there was no boat on board and it was decided that Jack, the sailor (who was a tall, stout man) should get overboard, and carry the anchor on his back out into deeper water. Jack refused at first, but finding by measurement that the depth of water where the vessel lay was hardly above his hips, consented, and a rope was tied under his arm and he was lowered gently into the water, where he received the anchor on his broad shoulders; with it he waded cautiously out until the water reached his armpits, when he dropped his heavy load; a few turns at the windlass sufficed to float the vessel.

The wind being favorable, the vessel was steered up Sandusky Bay, and when near the head of the bay it was judged that we had passed Detroit River; the vessel's course was changed, our navigators thinking it best to keep along near the shore, hoping in that way to find the river. On the day after leaving Put-in-Bay, a gale of wind sprang up, overtaking the vessel on a lee shore. Recognizing the impossibility of weathering the storm, the captain beached the craft. As soon as the shore was reached she commenced pounding, and the oakum began to work out of the seams, letting the water into the cabin; our bedding and clothes were wet, notwithstanding my brother and I endeavored to force the oakum back with our jack- knives to prevent such a catastrophe. The seams appeared to give way all at once, and the water came in upon us so fast that we yelled lustily to be taken out of the miserable coop. At every dash of the waves the vessel was thrown nearer the shore, and when she appeared motion- less, Uncle Daniel jumped overboard and took us ashore on his back. Soon the vessel became immovably fixed in the sand, and then commenced a search for our clothes and other effects, but the vessel was full of water and nothing could be found. Brother and I lost our extra suit of clothes, in which we expected to appear on meeting our father; the captain, on learning that the bedding in the cabin was getting wet, secured his clothes and blankets, which were all that were saved. The only things got ashore that night were the foresail and jib, of which a tent was made in which to sleep, the jib composing the bed. In coasting along the shore we had noticed, some three miles below where we were wrecked, a number of tents, and, as we had nothing to eat, my uncle and Mr. Mason determined to find them that night and procure food, promising to return at an early hour next morning. We boys were unused to long fasting, and thought it hard to go to bed without our supper, especially after having been on short al- lowance for two days previous, but, being weary, we soon forgot our troubles in sound sleep.

On awakening next morning, we found we had been sleeping in the water, and that the vessel had been stranded on a sandy beach formed by the waves; also, that on the other side of us was a great marsh extending inland several miles, covered over with muskrat houses. Soon uncle and Mr. Mason arrived; they brought with them a little bag of flour, a dozen dressed muskrats and a camp kettle. Sailor Jack immediately went to work preparing breakfast; hav-

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ing no kneading pan nor anything to bake in, his only alternative was to make some balls of dough and place them in the kettle along with the muskrats; the kettle was hung over a quick fire, for all were famously hungry, especially we boys. After the contents of the pot were thought ready to serve, they were placed in portions on a piece of sail cloth by Jack, and broth- er and I went at work to satisfy our famishing stomachs. Good old grandmother's puddings and pumpkin pies never relished better ! we ato without reserve, and when completely gorged, threw ourselves on the sand and rolled and laughed for very satisfaction. I afterward learned that this shipwreck occurred in Sandusky Bay, at a place between Soder and Stony Points. The next day we had another feast on like delicacies, and about 8 o'clock A. M., a man from the camps arrived with a canoe, having been previously engaged to take uncle and Mr. Mason to the River Raisin-to Frenchtown, now the city of Monroe.

Capt. Thompson, when two days out from Buffalo, was seized with ague chills and every other day confined to his bed on the cabin floor. When camping on the beach, his at- tacks were more violent; these ague attacks may have been the main cause of running the ves- sel past the Detroit River. In the absence of uncle, Capt. T. was cross to us and interfered with our play; in his sick state the poor man appeared to be deranged, and it seemed to be a relief to him to give us boys a blowing up, and at length we became frightened; having learned the whereabouts of the hunters' camp, we determined, the next morning, to leave at an early hour. Accordingly we left Jack and the captain sound asleep on their bed of sail cloth and sand. The distance was about three miles, and we hurried our steps, hoping to reach the camp at the breakfast hour, hoping to get a change of diet. On our arrival, the hunters received us very kindly; the first thing we asked for was something to eat, and they gave us what was left of their breakfast, which we ate with a good relish. That day for dinner we had ducks and potatoes stewed in a pot, and bread baked in a pan before the fire; this, to us, was an extra and delicious meal, for half fed as we were we had begun to dislike boiled dough and muskrat, of which we complained to our hunter friends. They tried to persuade us that muskrats were excellent eating, provided they were properly cooked, and promised to give us some of their cooking for our supper. Their manner of cooking was to run a sharp stick through them, and then place the other end in the ground near the camp fire, turning them around as occasion re- quired until thoroughly cooked; this we found to be an improvement and ate of them very heartily. Next morning after breakfast, we prepared to return to the wreck, hoping to meet with uncle, but before leaving, we had obtained liberty from the hunters to return if uncle had not arrived. On our arrival we were glad, not only to find uncle, but to see a large boat and a nu:nber of men at work taking on board the stuff saved from the wreck. Uncle had brought some fresh beef, a number of loaves of bread, and some cooking utensils, and before leaving one of the men was selected to prepare what was to be our dinner and supper; this was hastily eaten and all jumped on board the boat glad to get away from the wreck; brother and I began to calcu- late on soon reaching home and meeting, our father, whom we had not seen for the past three years. We had a calm and beautiful evening, and our French boatmen enlivened the hours with song after song, as they tugged at the oars. I had never seen any Frenchmen, or listened to their speech and song; we boys were so much amused and delighted that we could not sleep, though comfortably stowed away in the bow of the boat. At about midnight, the boat reached a little sand island in the mouth of Miami Bay, where we rested until daylight the next morn- ing, when we continued our journey and that day reached Frenchtown. on the River Raisin. Uncle, on making inquiry for a place to lodge his boys, found a man who offered to board us for a stipulated sum for two days, and on going to our boarding-house we found but one room in the log cabin, only one bed and the children covered with rags. The place appeared more dismal than the tent in the sand we had so gladly left. Our disappointment increased when supper time came, for that meal consisted of a slice of bread, roasted potatoes and salt. If we could have made a selection we should have preferred the muskrat stew on the beach we had left. Being dissatisfied with our supper and weary, we asked to go to bed, and here our aston- ishment and disgust was increased when our landlord, from a corner in the house, brought out an old buffalo robe and spread it out before the fire; he told us not to undress as he had no covering for us; that we would not be cold, as he kept a good fire burning all night. The next morning

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we went to find uncle and make our complaint, and he procured an ordinary meal of victuals at another place. The large batteau in which we came was engaged to take us to Detroit, and we got liberty from our French boatmen to lodge and have our meals with them We boys had taken a great liking to the Frenchmen and were amused at their speech, which was broken English; they appeared to be a jolly, good-natured set. The day after our arrival at French- town, we wandered about and fell in with some French boys who showed us the stockade or picket fort commanded by Gen. Winchester, who, during the last war with England, was de- feated and most of his men massacred by the Indians. The boys in broken English, which we could hardly understand, told us frightful stories about that transaction, and we were so terror- stricken we dared not enter. On the morning of the third day after our arrival, we left for De- troit and reached Detroit River that night; the boat was run ashore for the night, and brother and I laid down in the place assigned us in the bottom of the boat, but were awakened to find ourselves and bedding wet; the men had neglected to keep the old leaky boat free from water; our blankets being wet, there was no more sleep for us that night. On attempting to move the boat, it was found that ice had formed for some distance around it, the thickness of window glass. It was so cold the men and all on board were glad to get at the oars to keep warm. At about 8 o'clock, we reached a tavern where we were to get breakfast. The tavern was the most comfortable and respectable house we boys had entered since we left Buffalo, and we were kindly received by the landlord and lady who appeared to be hurrying forward our breakfast. Jack bought a half pint of liquor and drank it all down, which soon after altered his step and manner; on going down to the boat, he commenced scolding me, which I resented, and Jack, being irritated at my replies, slapped me in the face, causing the blood to flow freely from my nose. On seeing and learning the cause, uncle became very angry, and was about to have Jack arrested and punished, but he pleaded his cause so well against me, that uncle thought I deserved further punishment, although my crime consisted of accusing Jack of drinking too much liquor and being fuddled. Uncle having procured an apple-tree sprout, led me out, but the good land- lord came to the rescue, took me away and led me into the house, where the landlady washed the blood from my face, and led me to the breakfast table; a good breakfast and the kindness of our landlord and his wife restored me to my usual good spirits; and anxiety to reach home only remained. We had been a month on our journey, as I was told, and would reach Detroit that day; one day's sail more would bring us to Harsen's Island, the home of my father.

After partaking of our breakfast, all hurried to the boat and proceeded up the Detroit River; at about noon, Mr. Mason and uncle determined to walk the remaining distance to De- troit; brother and I asked to accompany them, but uncle refused, telling us that we could not walk that distance. There were only two men at the oars. Capt. Thompson had rolled him- self up in his blankets and lain down in a snug corner of the boat. The boat moved very slowly, and brother and I became lonesome and disheartened; Capt. Thompson was asleep; there were two hard-looking men, with my enemy, Jack, to propel the boat, and under this state of things I felt for the first time a disposition to cry-the first time since I left the home of our grandmother. Our tears moved the boatmen to put us ashore, and on reaching the road, we ran and jumped and shouted for a few rods in expression of our gladness; when these little freaks were over, we struck off into a fast walk, determined to reach Detroit as soon as possible.

We had not proceeded far before we came to the River Rouge; we felt disappointed to find the river in our way, and asked an elderly looking Frenchman to ferry us over. He seemed surprised to see two boys of our age traveling alone. He questioned us very closely, and from his broken English we knew him to be a Frenchman. His questions were: 'Where you go, you little boy ? what your name? where your father live?' etc. We answered his questions promptly, and gave him a short history of our travels; but he shook his head doubtingly and said: 'I believe you be runaway boy.' At this moment, looking up the road he saw a company of men on horseback approaching, and told us that we could cross the river with them. On the arrival of these men, we were questioned again, and all being well acquainted with our father, our story was readily believed; of these men, there were eight in number, and all but one belonged to the Indian Department. Among them were Mr. Noggs, Indian agent; William Macomb (son of Gen. Macomb) and Francis Harsen, an uncle to my step-mother. Now we had

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fallen into the hands of real friends, who appeared to take special interest in our comfort and welfare. They had been out to recover some horses that had been taken by the Indians during the war, and were now returning with them. We were each given a horse to ride, and soon ended our journey, entering Detroit in fine style. We found Mr. Henry Graveraet in town making preparations to go to Mackinac, having an appointment to the Indian Department there. He took us in charge, and agreed with uncle to land us at father's residence on Harsen's Island. The next day we boys went to examine the vessel in which we were to go, having, from hard experience, a poor opinion of watercraft generally. But this one pleased us greatly, being well fitted out, and our opinions on the subject underwent a change. In looking around the vessel, I lost sight of brother John, and called to him; receiving no answer I became frightened, and searched everywhere, but no John could be found. Fearing he had fallen overboard, I ran on the dock, when he called to me, and on looking up found him standing on the top sail-yard, swinging his hat. I called to him to come down, which he did after laughing at my fears for awhile. When eight years old, he climbed the center-post of a church steeple said to be 150 feet high, and did it because one of the workmen had performed the same feat, gaining much no- toriety thereby. We returned home, and the next day got on board the vessel and left at an early hour for father's, arriving there at about 8 o'clock in the evening. Father was not at home, but Uncle Charles Stewart was there, and the kind manner in which we were received by our step-mother made us feel that we were at home and our journey ended.

For many years, I saw but little of Michigan, except that portion bordering on the shore of Lake and River St. Clair. I came from an inland and thickly-settled district, and had seen no flowing water save brooks and rivulets; I had seen no forests but in the distance, and though but a boy of twelve years of age I could not but feel impressed with the wild beauty of my new home. The dense and almost impenetrable forests, the magnificent River St. Clair, the count- less number of every variety of waterfowl flying over my head or resting and sporting on the bosom of the beautiful waters, the howling of wolves at night, the constantly passing and re- passing canoes of the strange-looking Indians, their stealthy tread through the woods and their unintelligible shouts as they passed each other, and, last but not least, the merry songs of the French voyageurs toiling at the oar, propelling their boats swiftly over the blue waters-these were new scenes to me, and called forth my wonder and delight. I have now entered upon the seventy-second year of my life-nearly sixty years thus far have been spent in Michigan. I have witnessed the improvements made in the county of St. Clair: flourishing towns have sprung up, and a large portion of our older settlers have become wealthy; all have shared in the con- veniences of modern improvements and comforts, but yet, for my own part, I could enjoy no greater pleasure than for a short time to see Michigan as I saw it in 1815, wild and romantic as it then was; to traverse its dense forests, to paddle my canoe over its waters, surrounded by game of every description on river, lake and shore; and at night, while partaking of a supper of game taken through the day, hear the howling of the wolves, the hooting of owls and other voices of the night. Fancy ofttimes leads me back to the dear old primitive days, and then I am a boy again! Alas! the vision lingers not! I am an old man with increasing infirmities, and nothing is left to me but the memories of the past!

It appears that there were no permanent settlements made on the River St. Clair prior to the conquest of Canada by the British forces, but immediately following that event lands were located and permanent residences made. At Point aux Trembles, there were four families; on Strumness Island (Dickinson's) there were three families, and three, also, on Harsen's Island; between Point aux Trembles and Recor's Point were fourteen, and five families were settled be- tween Recor's and Black River. The names of the residents on Point aux Trembles were Chor- tier (Shirkey), Minne, Basney and William Hill. [Since Mr. Stewart wrote his memoirs, Mr. Hill departed this life at the ripe old age of ninety years.] Mr. Chortier appears to have been the most prominent man of the Point aux Trembles settlement. The names of the residents of Harsen's Island were William Harsen, Jacob Harsen, Francis Harsen and Mary Stewart, formerly Mary Graveraet. Capt. Peter Laughton was the first settler on Strumness Island; he was a retired British naval officer, and had selected the island as a part of the land he was entitled to draw from the British Government. Mr. James Harsen and

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his son-in-law, Isaac Graveraet, were the first settlers on Harsen's Island. Mr. Harsen was a gunsmith, and Mr. Graveraet, a silversmith; they came from the city of Albany, N. Y., for the purpose of dealing with the Indians, and selected Harsen's Island as their place of business; they purchased the island from the Indians, under the sanction of the British Government.

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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 41

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