USA > Michigan > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph County, Michigan; Volume I > Part 5
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In the year 1829 one hundred and sixty entries were made, among the principal being the locations of Judge Meek at Constan- tine; Henry Powers, Henry and Russell Post, William Connor, William Hazzard and John W. Fletcher, Nottawa prairie; Jacob McInterfer, at Lockport and Three Rivers, and Joseph R. Williams, Robert Clark, Jr., and the Stewarts, at Mottville.
LAND OFFICES.
From their first settlement until June 1. 1831, the pioneers of St. Joseph county were obliged to go to Monroe to enter their lands; but at that time a land office was established at White Pig- eon, of which Abram S. Edwards was register and T. P. Sheldon, receiver. In 1834 the office was removed to Kalamazoo. It is said that the United States surveyors took advantage of their knowledge of the lands they had surveyed, and entered for themselves and their friends some of the best sections in the county. Among them were Robert Clark, Jr., Prange Risdon, Musgrove Evans and John Mullett; and the above statement is no intimation of dishonest con- duct, for since the United States government has sent out its sur- veyors, the practical use of the knowledge which they gain in the course of their professional work has always been considered one of the chief advantages of their position in a new and unknown country.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
FIRST ORCHARDS.
Leonard Cutler planted the first apple seeds for nursery pur- poses, in the spring of 1828. When three years old, the young trees were grafted by a Mr. Jones, who on Cutler's arrival in 1831, transplanted them on the Disbrow farm five miles east of White Pigeon. Many of the first orchards in the county were supplied from this nursery.
The first orchard in the county was set out in 1829, by Mr. Murray on White Pigeon Prairie. The trees came from Fort Wayne.
IMPROVED LIVE STOCK.
The first improved live stock was introduced by Elisha White from Connecticut, in 1835-6. He first brought some short-horn cattle and an improved breed of hogs to his farm on White Pigeon Prairie. The hogs were known as White's breed.
The father of J. J. Davis, of White Pigeon, brought the first blooded horse on that prairie for stock purposes, from Ulster county, New York, in 1833.
PIONEER AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS.
The first plows used were of cast iron, but soon thrown aside.
In 1841, A. C. Fisher invented a plow with heavy castings and timber, measuring about fifteen feet from handle to clevis and re- quiring ten yoke of oxen to work it.
The first grain was cut with cradles. The first reaper was brought into the county in 1842, but did not work well, and was discarded. The next year a McCormick was introduced which frightened the horses so that they ran away, breaking the machine, and they had to finish the work with the "Kirby," which they had discarded.
FIRST MILLS OF THE COUNTY.
In the summer of 1823 Arba Heald, living near the east end of White Pigeon prairie, put up against a tree near his house a large pepper mill, with double cranks for two persons, which would grind about half a bushel of grain in half an hour. It was purely a neighborhood affair, and evidently built on very small lines.
Also in the summer of 1828, Judge Luther Newton built a saw- mill one mile south of the Chicago road on Fawn river, then called
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
Crooked creek; but the dam went out, the mill was undermined and fell into ruins before any work was done. It was rebuilt, how- ever, in 1829, and the first sawing was done in the fall of that year. The mill was built so a run of stones for gristing could be added, but no grinding was done until after Judge Meek's mill commenced operations at Constantine.
FIRST REAL GRIST MILL.
The first grist mill worthy of the name was the one put in operation by Judge William Meek, in 1830, on Crooked creek,
REMAINS OF AN "OLD-TIMER"
near the present site of the railroad bridge at Constantine. He located the water-power and mill site June 15, 1829, and in the following spring built a mill, or rather, Hugh Wood erected it, and from him the historian obtained a description of this pioneer industrial "plant" of St. Joseph county.
The mud-sills of the dam were large logs sunk to the bottom of the stream and puncheons hewn out of other large logs, pinned upon them. Then a large log was placed on either side of the creek, one of them forming the foundation of the mill. Upon these two logs was hung the water-wheel, which was eighteen inches long and six feet in diameter. Brush and straw were thrown in above the mud-sills, and the water was thus raised
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
about eighteen inches to form the current, or water-power which carried the wheel. The wheel-shaft was a hewn log, with arms mortised into it, upon which the floats or buckets were withed. The gudgeons were made of wood, banded with iron that had performed a similar service for water-wheel hubs. The bed-stone was made of a flat boulder found in the river, about two feet in diameter, and the runner was made of a similar one taken from the creek about three miles up. The wheels by which the stones were driven were entirely of wood. The wheel was stopped by floating a log under it, and when motion was again required, the log was drawn out. The mill structure was a log building eighteen feet square and a story and a half high.
St. Joseph's first grist mill was completed in twenty days of the spring of 1830. Originally it had no bolt, but Judge Meek made one himself, consisting of flattened poles covered with ash bark; there was no iron in the bolt except the spindles. The meal was carried by hand from the stones to the bolt, which was turned by the hands of the owners of the grist, whether male or female. During the second season, the proprietor made a per- manent improvement of his water-power, putting in a more sub- stantial dam just above the first mill across Fawn river, digging a race and taking the water to the bank of the St. Joseph, where he built a saw mill. Into one end of it he put the stones of the primitive mill for a short time. He then erected a small building into which he put a run of good burr stones, subsequently enlarg- ing the building and installing two runs. The saw-mill went into operation in the summer of 1831.
OTHER EARLY INDUSTRIES.
The first wool-carding and cloth-dressing factory in St. Joseph county was built by W. W. Bliss, on Pigeon creek, in 1831.
First fanning mill made in the county, at White Pigeon, in 1830.
First wood corded by W. W. Bliss, in 1831, east of White Pigeon.
Samuel Pratt and Philander A. Paine made the first brick, in 1829.
Edwin Kellogg, at White Pigeon, was the first shoemaker in the county.
The first distillery was built on Crooked creek in 1832, by Mr. Reed.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
The first wagon shop, built in 1830, was on White Pigeon prairie.
The first founderies were put in operation in Constantine, Flowerfield and Sturgis in 1836.
The first flour barrels were made at Centerville in 1834.
COMMENCEMENT OF BUSINESS.
The first stock of goods for sale in the county were brought to White Pigeon by Hart L. and Alonzo C. Stewart in 1829, but before being opened for sale were transferred to Mottville, where the Stewarts were located. It consisted of codfish, one keg of tobacco and five barrels of whiskey.
The business of the pioneer merchant was almost entirely conducted by exchange. Money was scarce and the dealers took wheat, had it made into flour, and shipped to their eastern creditors.
The first and only safety-fund bank was chartered in 1836, at Constantine.
THE HOTEL APPEARS.
The first hotel was a log house erected in 1828 on the present site of the Union school, in the village of White Pigeon, called "Old Diggins," built by A. Savery, and kept by him as long as he lived in the county.
The first postoffice was established on White Pigeon prairie in 1828; the second on Sturgis prairie in 1829. For some years the mails received at each place were kept in candle boxes.
ENTER POSTOFFICE AND MAIL ROUTE.
The first mail route was established from Tecumseh to White Pigeon in 1829, by John Winchell, of White Pigeon. He was re- quired to carry the mail once a week each way in summer, and once in two weeks in the winter, the service being performed on horseback.
The proprietor of the "Old Diggins" owned and operated the first stage coaches on the Chicago road in 1831-2, and himself
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
drove, cutting out the roads and building bridges to get through from Tecumseh to Niles.
FIRST RAILROAD.
The first railroad in the county was the Lake Shore & Michi- gan Southern, then known as the Michigan Southern, which was completed through Sturgis and White Pigeon in 1851; the Grand Rapids & Indiana in 1867, and the Michigan Air Line in 1871. The Goshen & Battle Creek was built in 1888.
LIFE AND DEATH.
The first couple married in the county were Joseph Knapp and Martha Winchell, daughter of John Winchell, the only magis- trate in southwestern Michigan at that time, and by whom they were married.
It had not been definitely ascertained as to the first white per- son born, but the honor seems to lie between Selinda Reichert and a child born in Leonard Cutler's family, both births occurring in 1829.
In the same year the first deaths recorded were George Buck and Levi Waterman, who were buried in a well they were digging.
The funeral service was the first ever held on Sturgis prairie by the whites.
COUNTY SEAT LOCATED.
In 1830 the governor appointed a commission to locate a county seat, and a report was made recommending what was then called George Buck's village, and now Lockport or Second Ward of Three Rivers, the proprietors, George Buck and Jacob McIn- terfer, donating the necessary lots. The location not proving satis- factory to the county at large, the legislative council set aside the report and appointed a new commission, which reported in favor of Centerville, and on November 22, 1831, the governor, by proclamation, officially declared Centerville the county seat.
CIVIL, POLITICAL, JUDICIAL.
First deed recorded 1830, Allen Tibbitts to Hubbel Loomis. First mortgage given by A. Heald to Nehemiah Coldrin in 1830.
.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
First election, at which fourteen votes were cast, was held at White Pigeon.
First sheriff was Elias Taylor, of Mottville.
First judge of probate was Hubbel Loomis, of White Pigeon.
First term of court was held at Centerville, 1833.
First county judge was Epaphroditus Ransom, holding office from 1833 to 1845.
First jail built of logs, in Centerville, 1833, burned in 1854.
First divorce granted to Catherine Hecox from Adney A. Hecox in 1834.
RELIGIOUS.
The Methodists organized the first church society at New- ville, about two miles east of White Pigeon, in 1829, David Craw- ford being leader.
The first Sunday-school, organized at White Pigeon in the early days of the Methodist and Presbyterian churches. was a union school and well attended; date not known.
First cemetery laid out in White Pigeon, 1830.
EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL.
White Pigeon has the honor of building the first school-house, which was constructed of logs, in 1830. The same year a school was taught in the upper room of the double log house of Philip H. Buck, in the village of Sturgis, (then called Sherman) by Dr. Henry. In 1832 a log house was built on the east side of Nottawa street, as now laid out.
White Pigeon claimed the first physician, Dr. Page; also the first lawyer, Neal McGaffey.
The first newspaper was called the Michigan Statesman and St. Joseph Chronicle, issued in 1833; edited and owned by John D. Defrees a few months, then sold to Henry Gilbert.
The St. Joseph County Temperance society was organized March 25, 1835. The society flourished for a time. This was followed by the Washingtonians, Sons of Temperance, Good Tem- plars, Red Ribbon and White Ribbon movements, and lastly by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
MEDICAL SOCIETY AND PHYSICIANS.
The St. Joseph Medical Society was organized about 1835. It was succeeded by the St. Joseph Valley Medical Association.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
The first physician to practice in St. Joseph county was Dr. Page, who came to White Pigeon prairie in the fall of 1827, fresh from an eastern college. Although he was twenty-five, he was at first considered remarkably "fresh" by the bluff old pioneers of the county. The story told of his first coming into these parts is almost too good to be true; it is to the effect that he was once directed to a spring by the "blazed" trees around it, and returned after some time from an unsuccessful hunt for burning trees. In the summer of 1828 Peter Klinger was injured by falling down a well he was digging for Judge Sturgis, and Dr. Page performed the first surgical operation in the county, when he set some of Mr. Klinger's misplaced bones.
In 1828 Dr. Hubbel Loomis located at Newville for a time, but subsequently moved to White Pigeon, and combined the duties of a probate judge with those of his profession.
Dr. Alexander McMillan, who came to Sturgis paririe in 1829, spent more time in working out his various theories of life than in the practice of medicine, but was a well-meaning gentleman.
Dr. W. N. Elliott, who settled at White Pigeon in 1832, prac- ticed for fifty years. During the Civil war he went out as surgeon of the Eleventh Michigan Infantry.
Dr. Watson Sumner, who came to Constantine in 1834, was noted both as a physician and a politician, but his health failed, after several years of activity, and he left the county.
Dr. Nottram was a widely known member of the profession, who practiced on Nottawa prairie from 1834 to 1850.
Dr. Cyrus Ingerson, Dr. Johnson and Dr. S. W. Truesdell represented the profession at the county seat after 1834. Dr. Truesdell died in 1844, while holding the office of judge of probate.
Dr. Ira F. Packard was one of the ablest physicians in the county, his best and most active work being accomplished at Sturgis from 1839 to 1850. His son, Dr. Nelson I., went out with the Eleventh Michigan regiment as assistant surgeon.
Dr. Van Buren was probably the first homeopathic physician who practiced in the county, settling at Centerville in 1836.
Dr. Eagerly became a resident physician of Three Rivers in 1836, and Dr. Hurd about the same time. Among those of a later day, but still of an early date, to settle in that city were: Dr. C. W. Backus, Dr. E. B. Graham, Dr. Lawrence D. Knowles, Dr. Vol. 1-4
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
William M. Ikeler and Dr. W. A. Clark. Dr. Ikeler located in 1873, and died December 12, 1902. Dr. A. W. Scidmore, the mayor of the city, came to Three Rivers in 1889.
Dr. Edwin Stewart and Dr. Hyatt were early physicians of Mendon, and Dr. Isaac Sides, Dr. A. J. Kinne and Dr. Mitchell of Colon.
Following is a list of the practicing physicians of St. Joseph county : Leon S. Barney, Leonidas; P. Leroy Hartman, Charles Stockhouse , Edward L. Godfrey and W. E. Doran, Colon; Blanche M. Haines, Thomas J. Haines, Lawrence D. Knowles, Whitman E. Clark, F. K. Meyer, Arthur W. Scidmore, John H. O'Dell, Ray E. Dean and Guy L. Bliss, Three Rivers; John R. Williams, Will- iam C. Cameron and William H. Snyder, White Pigeon; Samuel R. Robinson, John H. Moe, Fred W. Robinson, William H. Howard, Peter H. Van Vleek, David V. Runyan, Peter Radebaugh and David M. Kane and Alfred A. Wade, Sturgis; Samuel H. Bennett, William A. Royer and James W. Barnebee, Mendon; Homer H. Throop, Edward P. Partlow, Leal K. Slote, Bela P. Scoville and Amar J. East, Constantine; Marden Sabin, Darius C. Gee, Bryant Weed and Frank Allen, Centerville; Charles E. Barringer, Park- ville; John C. Rollman, Charles D. Parsons, Rozilla Crofford, J. J. Kelley, Carl J. Rollman and Floyd W. Clements, Burr Oak ; John J. Sweetland, Mottville.
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
The St. Joseph County Agricultural society was organized November 27, 1849, by several citizens of the county, who met at the courthouse in Centerville and elected Mark H. Wakeman chairman. Mr. Wakeman was the first president; Samuel Chip- man, treasurer, and J. Eastman Johnson, recording secretary. The first fair of the society was October 22, 1850, the prizes in- cluding not only rewards for the best live stock and agricultural implements on exhibition, but for the most meritorious specimens of patchwork contributed by the women and girls. Hon. Joseph R. Williams, of Constantine, delivered the first address.
For many years the fairs were well attended, the grounds in- cluding about twenty acres adjoining the village of Centerville. Of late years there seems to have been a gradual falling of in- terest, and the society is in rather a torpid state.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
Since 1860 the presidents of the society have been as follows : Jere H. Gardner, Charles Betts, Samuel Frankish, Henry Tracy, J. B. Dimick, N. S. Johnson, David D. Antes, Thomas Cuddy, Volney Patchm, H. S. Leinbach, Alonzo Palmer, Joseph Farrand, Henry Sevison, A. Sharp, A. W. Scidmore, Bruce Hart, F. S. Cummings, W. F. A. Bolender and Jeff Hull. President Antes held office from 1869 until October, 1880 (with the exception of one term), when he moved to Mississippi.
THE OLD LOG HOUSE. BY L. D. WATKINS IN "MICHIGAN PIONEER COLLECTIONS."
"The old time log house was the typical modern house of the early settlers. Note the porch in front and the huge rain- trough reaching along the entire end of the house. You can hardly see the latch-string that comes through the hole in the door above the wooden latch, or the great wooden hinges on which the door swung. The latch-string above referred to served a double pur- pose-to open the door and to fasten it shut at night, or when de- sired. All that was necessary was to pull it through from the in- side, and the great wooden latch did the rest. Hence, when the door was not fastened, was inaugurated the old saying, 'the latchstring is out.'
"These log houses were built just high enough for a bed to stand along the side of the chamber, and so near was the sleeper to the roof that he could easily touch the 'shakes' (long shingles) with the hand without rising. Early settlers will remember the tremendous clatter of rain storm upon these 'shakes,' or the snow sifting through the roof, sometimes in such quantity that in the morning there would be an inch or two all over the chamber floor and bed. The only safe place to deposit our clothing was under the bed. It would be hard to make people realize the delight in making a toilet in a room the temperature of which is near zero, and the putting on of clothing filled with sifted snow.
"Still more vivid will be the recollections of the lower story with its great stick chimney built of split sticks laid up cob-house fashion plastering with clay on both sides; a fire back was built of undressed field stones, against which a great log was placed, 'the back log,' with a smaller log in front, 'the fore-stick.' Between
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
these smaller wood was piled. At night the remnants of the logs were covered with ashes to keep the fire over night. In the olden time, neighbors borrowed of each other in case their fire went out over night. This was before matches were invented. In one corner, pinned to the wall, was a ladder to climb to the chamber above. A partition was made across the end opposite the fire; this was again divided and one-half used for a bed-called a bed-sink-the other part for a pantry. The bed-sink referred to was simply a space in the board partition the length of the bed and was closed by cur- tains from the one main room. It was in this Itttle space that there was often found the bedstead with one post only. This bed- stead was a great puzzle to the uninitiated; letters to their old eastern homes often told how impossible it was to get furniture (in fact, there was none to sell or buy) and that they slept upon a bedstead having but one post. This was true. It was made by boring holes in the logs at a suitable height for a bed, in a corner of the house, the side pieces were fitted, one end to these holes and the other to the straight post, making a one-post bedstead. The overhanging roof, making a rustic porch, was often omitted, though a luxury.
"There was still a lower story in the old log house, the only entrance to which was by a trap-door formed by sawing a section about three feet square from the floor, that was formed into a door which was made to swing upward by a strap or ring. A ladder instead of stairs gave access to the cellar bottom which was a square hole under the center of the house, far enough from the outer walls to be safe from caving, as there were no walls under the house or around the cellar.
"In this cellar was stored the vegetables for the winter, the housewife's crocks of butter, lard, jars of wild honey and fruit, and in one corner stood, high above all others, that king of kings, the old time pork-barrel. None but pioneers can fully compre- hend the importance of the pork-barrel to the early settlers. Even in the villages there was no such thing as a meat market known; but the pork barrel reigned supreme. From its briny depths came the crisp and savory accompaniment of every morning meal and dinner of baked beans and boiled vegetables. It seems to me to- day that there was never a more delicious dish served than the buckwheat griddle-cakes, garnished with pork gravy, having the rich savory taste of the hickory nut, beech nut and sweet acorn which formed the fattening food from which the winter pork was
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
made in pioneer days. And finally we must say to the old log house, farewell, for its day has passed. The next generation will only know of its existence through the pictures and pens of the pioneers."
PIONEERING IN SOUTHERN MICHIGAN.
Land was to be had of the United States for a dollar and a quarter per acre. In numerous instances people spent most of their money for land and had not enough left with which to buy an outfit for farming. Then they were said to be land poor. Ev- erything was to be done in a new country. There were no houses, no fences, no roads. Most people had little money.
ANOTHER LOG CABIN.
At first small unhewed logs were laid up cob-house style, ex- cepting that notches were cut near the ends of the logs, so that cracks between would not be large. The cracks were chinked with strips of wood and made tight each fall by plastering with wet clay. The roof consisted of "shakes" split from oak. They were about two and one-half feet long and not shaved or smoothed. They were held in place by horizontal poles, one coming over the laps of each two rows of shakes. These poles on the sloping roof were kept in place by numerous short props, the lower ones of which were near the eaves of the house. Sometimes bark or elm or basswood was used for a roof. No nails were used, as none were to be had. Floors were at first made of puncheons, which consisted of plank split from soft wood and hewed, but saw mills soon made it possi- ble to secure boards. The door was hung on home-made wooden strap hinges. The catch and latch were of wood. To lift the latch from the outside, a string went through a gimlet hole a little above. To lock the house at night, the latch-string was pulled in by those inside, but the latch-string was usually left outside at all times, as tramps and thieves were almost unknown. To permit the cat to go in and out at all times of day or night, a small notch was cut near one of the lower corners of the door and the piece of board was hung over the opening so it would swing in either direction. This was known as the cat hole. One window containing four lights of glass, six by eight or eight by ten, was considered gener- ous.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
At one end of the house was a huge fire-place five to six feet across, the back consisting of flat stone, the sides or jambs of curved beams, above which rested a square stick chimney, the slender sticks piled up cob-house fashion often on the outside of the house. The inside of these sticks were well plastered with clay mud, in which was mixed a little chipped hay or straw. As this clay was washed off by rain, it was replaced. Sometimes the sticks would get bare and catch on fire. To use in case of such emergencies, a squirt gun was kept handy with which to shoot water up the chim- ney and put out the fire. Stones or rough andirons kept large sticks of wood three and four feet long up out of the ashes. Over the fire-place swung a great iron crane or bar, on which were hung half a dozen more or less of S-shaped pot-hooks and short pieces of chain. These hooks the housewife used supporting kettles, pots, tea-pots, and griddles. The crane was swung out, the kettles hung on the hooks, and back again went the crane with pots over the fire. Pigs, chickens, and spare-ribs were roasted splendidly by suspend- ing them by a wire before the fire. In some places baking was mostly done in the old-fashioned brick oven. Johnny-cake (corn cake) was often baked on one side of a small board tipped up lean- ing toward the fire. Potatoes were baked or roasted in hot ashes. A little later tin bakers were in vogue. in which the baking tins were supported about eight or ten inches above the hearth, while slanting above and below were tins for reflecting the heat from the fire to the baking tins. At best, cooking over an open fire was no easy or pleasant task. Still later, but not much later, crude cook- stoves arrived, costly, clumsy, heavy, and inefficient.
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