USA > Michigan > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph county, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories > Part 5
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The Cowen brothers, unmarried young men in Leonidas, while engaged in building their mill, were both stricken down with the fever, and were sick some days before the news of their condition got abroad. Upon hearing it, Mrs. Wm. Fletcher, then nearly, or quite, seventy years of age, gathered together such things as she had, and which her motherly experience sugges- ted would be beneficial for poor, distressed, and fever-stricken boys, and mounting the " buck-board," behind a pair of oxen, rode ten miles to carry cheer and healthful influence to her neighbors. This lady stayed with those boys until the next afternoon, washing their clothing, cooking provisions for them, and doing more for their recovery, by her cheerful and health-giving presence, than all the formulas of materia medica combined, and then rode
back to her own home on the top of a load of lumber. Verily she hath her reward, for there is not a pioneer in whose heart her memory is not enshrined, and her deeds remembered.
Mr. I. F. Ulrich relates the following touching incident of his pioneer life in Park township. Himself and his family were all stricken down, and the neighbors, being at great distances, and all having more or less sickness in their own families, no assistance came to them until the day a daughter died ; the mother lying very ill at the time, and Mr. Ulrich but just able to get out of bed. The neighbors came in, and found the family's condition, and assisted in burying the daughter, none of the family being able to be present at the funeral. The night following the burial was a fearful one. Mr. Ulrich, left. alone with his apparently dying wife, imperative necessity calling the neigh-
bors elsewhere, passed the hours in agonizing suspense. In his extremity he fell on his knees and prayed to the All-Merciful One, for help in this his greatest time of need. The hours passed slowly by, and about midnight the fever-flush began to abate, and soon after a gentle perspiration bedewed the hot cheeks and parched lips of the sufferer, and she fell into a quiet, restful slumber. The crisis was safely passed, and she gradually recovered her health and strength, and the aged couple are still living on the same farm that witnessed their terrible sorrow.
Such experiences as these gave good grounds for the orator of the Pioneer Society of the county, to base the assertion he made in his historical address delivered in June, 1876, in which he characterizes the pioneer as being
" Men like the unmoved rock, Washed white, but not shaken by the shock."
They were indeed true men and women when sorrow called, and by their deeds showed that in those days they were truly
"Such as could feel a brother's sigh And with him bear a part, When sorrow flowed from eye to eye, And joy from heart to heart."
But not only were they brotherly and generous in times of sorrow and grief, but as a general thing they were just to one another. An instance of this kind will serve to show how the majority of the settlers were disposed to deal with one another. When the first entry of lands was made on White Pigeon prairie, Asahel Savery and Hiram Powers wished to enter the same tract, and rather than bid against one another, or, take any undue advantage to get the precedence, they agreed to submit to a proposition to give or take . a certain sum for the privilege of entering the tract. Powers offered to give or take fifty dollars for the chance, not having money sufficient to pay any " bonus " and purchase the land too, and Savery, to his great relief, accepted the offer, and Powers entered other lands on Nottawa prairie afterwards. This was not always the case, but, to the credit of the pioneers, it was seldom that any one had his location entered over his head after he had begun to improve it, though there were many lively races to the land-office to get a certain tract before another should secure it.
A few personal items of the earliest pioneers will not be amiss here. John Winchell was appointed a justice of the peace of Lenawee county by Gov- ernor Cass in 1827, and his juridiction from July of that year until Novem- ber, 1829, was co-extensive with the territory acquired by the Chicago treaty of 1821, which included all of southwestern Michigan, south of Grand river and west of the principal meridian. He held this position until the adoption of the State Constitution in 1835, at which time he removed to Door prairie, now La Porte, Indiana, where he lived many years, and proved to be a most useful man in his day.
Leonard Cutler removed to Door prairie in 1831, where he lived for some years, and then removed to Decorah, Iowa, where he is still living at an ad- vanced age. His sons became somewhat noted in La Porte and Waukesha, Wisconsin-the son, Morris, being one of the original proprietors of the latter city. Arba Heald was the first actual settler to feel constrained by the in- creasing settlement of the county, and sold out his farm to Dr. Isaac O. Adams in 1830, and removed to Door prairie, where land was plentier.
Asahel Savery was a unique character. He was born in Vermont, but was a true borderer ; he drifted away from the Green Mountain State early in his life, and Cass found him as a teamster in his army in 1812. He vibrated back and forth on the border until the Chicago road was surveyed, when he struck the trail for " Pigeon" and brought up there in 1828, and put up his log-hostelry, known for years as the "Old Diggins," where he pro- vided good entertainment for man and beast; and in 1832 went to Wash- ington to solicit the contract for carrying the mail from Tecumseh to Chi- cago, which he procured through the assistance of General Cass, then at Washington, who introduced him as "Colonel Savery, of Michigan." The title preceded the contractor to White Pigeon, and on his arrival he was
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
greeted as "Colonel" Savery, and the title adhered to him ever afterwards. He left St. Joseph county and went to Texas, and fought under Houston all through the struggle for independence, and was at the capture of Santa Anna. He joined the United States army under Taylor, and was General Scott's wagon-master in his campaign against the city of Mexico, and returned to Texas, where he resided until the rebellion broke out, when he was ostra- cised and driven out on account of his Union sentiments, escaping with his life. After peace was declared he returned from St. Joseph county, where he had been staying among his old friends for a few years, to Texas, where he still resides, if living. He led companies to California, Montana, Colo- rado, Nevada and Idaho. Wherever the discoveries of gold or silver lured men to delve for them, there the old pioneer and soldier led the way ; his skill in wood-craft, and experience in mountain and border life, making him an invaluable guide.
Amos Howe was a pioneer of Michigan in 1817. He came from Chat- auqua county, New York, in the winter season, walking all the way, follow- ing the lake-shore, and carrying his knapsack and axe on his shoulder. On his last day out from Monroe, he met about noon a party of men going back, connected with the government business, who gave him a good dinner from their own commissariat, and a " swig" of good brandy to wash it down with, which Mr. Howe often said was the best meal and drink he ever had, and did him most effective service, as on the strength of it he made over twenty-five miles of travel, getting into Monroe before night. He located on Huron river, in Wayne county, in 1817, and was a tenant of Governor Cass for several years. He was the first purchaser at the land sale in 1819, in Detroit, and the register made him pay four dollars per acre for his location, because it joined the school section ! Mr. Howe, after his family joined him, and the supply of clothing began to wear out, having some flax on hand which he had managed to get swingled by a contrivance of his own, also set about making a spinning-wheel, which he completed-the wheel being one he found on Grosse Isle. He then had his thread wove at Ecorse, and had thirty-seven yards of cloth, enough for clothing, towels and sheets. Mr. Howe removed to Nottawa prairie in 1829, and was soon afterwards appointed a justice of the peace by Governor Cass. He was the second president of the Pioneer Society, and died in 1875.
Alvin Calhoun came to Michigan when he was but five years old, in the year 1807, his father settling on the Raisin, where he remained until after Hull's surrender in 1812, when the family removed, but returned to Monroe again in 1817. In 1829 Mr. Calhoun came to St. Joseph county and en- gaged in farming, though after the arking began on the St. Joseph, he fol- lowed the river for a while, where he gained his title of captain, by which he is familiarly greeted by his old friends, his brother pioneers. He was the third president of the Pioneer Society.
CHAPTER V.
CIVIL ORGANIZATION OF COUNTY AND TOWNSHIPS-FIRST LEGAL DOCU- MENTS EXECUTED AND RECORDED-VILLAGE PLATS-FIRST TAX SALE.
On the 20th of November, 1826, the legislative council of the territory of Michigan attached to Lenawee county all of the territory the Indian title to which was extinguished by the treaty of Chicago in 1821, and on April 12th following, constituted and organized the township of St. Joseph's, with boundaries including the same territory, and ordered the first town-meeting to be held at the house of Timothy S. Smith. This house was in the present vicinity of the present location of Niles.
On September 22, 1828, the lands ceded by the treaty at Cary's Mission the same year, was attached to Lenawee county, and made a part of St. Joseph's township. On October 29, 1829, the council constituted the terri- tory within the lines of townships 5, 6, 7 and fractional 8, south of the base line in ranges 9, 10, 11 and 12, west of the principal meridian, into the county of St. Joseph, and on the 4th of November following organized the county judicially, by ordering a circuit court to be held within the county, at the house of Asahel Savery, on the White Pigeon prairie, and also by establishing a county court with the same powers as given by the general act of the Assembly to such courts. On the day following the council attached to St. Joseph county the counties of Kalamazoo, Barry, Branch, Eaton and Calhoun, and all of the country lying north of townships num- bered 4, west of the principal meridian, and south of the county of Michili- mackinac, and east of the lines between ranges 12 and 13 and Lake Michi- gan-where said line intersects with the lake-and proceeded to divide the territory into townships. Government townships 6 and 7, and fractional
township 8, in ranges 11 and 12 west, now known as Lockport, Florence, Fabius, Constantine, Mottville and White Pigeon, were constituted the town of White Pigeon, and the first town-meeting ordered to be held at the house of A. Savery ; townships 6 and 7, and fractional township 8 south, in ranges 9 and 10 west, now known as Colon, Nottawa, Burr Oak, Sherman, Fawn River and Sturgis, were constituted the town of Sherman, and the first town-meeting called at the house of John B. Clarke; townships num- bered 5 south, in ranges 9, 10, 11 and 12 west, now known as Leonidas, Men- don, Park and Flowerfield, were constituted the town of Flowerfield, and the first town-meeting called at the house of John Sturgis. The counties of Kalamazoo and Barry, and the country north of the same attached to St. Joseph county, were called Brady township; and the counties of Branch, Calhoun and Eaton, and the same country north of Eaton, were called Greene township. July 28, 1830, the township of Nottawa was constituted, and included the present towns of Nottawa and Colon, and the first town- meeting was ordered to be held at the house of Hiram Powers, and the sec- ond one in Sherman, at Samuel M. Stewart's.
On March 3, 1831, the legislative council attached to St. Joseph county all that part of Cass county lying east of the St. Joseph river, and west of the township line-being the southwest triangular corner of Mottville-and made it part of White Pigeon township.
In 1833 several changes were made in the civil status of the county. March 21, the present towns of Leonidas and Colon were constituted into the township of Colon, and the present town of Mendon was given to Not- tawa. Fabius and Lockport were taken from White Pigeon, and formed into the town of Bucks, reducing Flowerfield to its present limits, and those of Park. The first town-meetings in the new sovereignties were ordered to be held at the house of Roswell Schellhous, in Colon; at the house of George Buck, in Buck's, and at Joshua Barnum's, in Flowerfield.
The next change in the county kaleidoscope, was in 1836, when Leonidas came into the circle.
Its example was contagious, and in 1837, Constantine, Mottville and Florence all struck out for popular sovereignty. Constantine and Florence were unshorn of any of their full territorial rights, but White Pigeon re- tained the eastern tier of sections of township eight south in range twelve west, and in lieu of this loss Mottville was compensated by receiving the triangle of township eight, range thirteen west, which lies east of the St. Joseph river.
The first town-meetings were held in Mottville and Constantine, at the school-houses in the respective villages of those names, and in Florence, at the house of Giles Thompson.
In 1838, another trio, to wit : Burr Oak, Park and Fawn River, concluded they were equal to the responsibility of self-government, and made a suc- cessful venture of the same, and the first opportunity for tasting the delights of independent sovereignty was given the people of the respective towns by town-meetings in April of that year, in the mansions of Julius A. Thompson, of the first named town, James Hutchinson of the second, and Freeman A. Tisdel of the third. Lockport came into the sisterhood of organized towns in 1840, leaving Bucks a single government township. But a change was imminent in Bucks, and as a territorial one was not advisable, the people determined on one of nomenclature, and so in 1841 the Legislature was in- voked, and, per consequence, the title of Bucks disappeared from the map of the county, and the more classical one of Fabius took its place. The first town-meeting of Lockport was held at the house of Solomon Cummings, and that of Fabius at Alfred Poes.
In 1843 township 5, south, range 10 west, gently knocked at the door of the Legislature for admission into the county counsels, and the request was granted it under the corporate name of Wakeman, with which name, how- ever, the people were not long satisfied, and in 1844 sought and obtained relief from their dissatisfaction under the present name of Mendon. Sturgis was the tardiest of all the family circle to make claim for a separate corporate existence, and not until 1845 did she come into the county legislature as the last of sixteen splendid, independent sovereignties, which conduct their own domestic affairs inside their own geographical limits without interference or discord, levying and collecting their own taxes for state, county and local purposes, and sending their supervisors up to the capitol of the county to act as the managing head for the next higher grade of municipal existence.
The towns still retain the geographical limits assigned them in the final organization of all, with the exception of Lockport and Florence, the former suffering a diminution of her territory in the east halves of sections 25 and 36, which were added to Nottawa by the board of supervisors in 1856, and the latter giving up the three full sections 34, 35 and 36, in the southeast
18
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
corner of the township, to White Pigeon, for the convenience of the inhabi- tants of both localities.
The first movement of the legal machinery of the county was made when John W. Anderson, register of probate, (appointed by Governor Cass) filed for record in his office in White Pigeon, a deed conveying lands, on the 15th day of February, 1830. Deeds and other instruments, conveying real or personal property absolutely, or for security, were recorded in the office of the register of probate from the first beginning of the territorial government until January 29, 1835, when the legislative council abolished that office, and provided for the election of registers of deeds, since which time all such instruments have been recorded in the offices of the latter officials.
The first deed above mentioned was a warranty deed from Allen Tibbits and Nancy his wife, of the town of White Pigeon, to Hubbel Loomis of the same place, dated February 11, 1830, and which, for a consideration of one hundred dollars, conveyed twenty-three and a-half acres off of the west side of the southeast quarter of section 5, township 8 south, range 11 west. The execution thereof was witnessed by John Winchell and E. Taylor, and ac- knowledged before John Winchell, justice of the peace, the same day of its date, and it is recorded in liber A, page 1.
The second deed recorded was one from John Foreman and Elizabeth his wife, to H. L. and Alanson C. Stewart, dated April 6, 1830, which, for a consideration of two hundred dollars, conveys the west half of the northeast quarter of section 1, township 8 south, range 12 west, the execution whereof is witnessed by Duncan R. Clark and Avery Brown, and acknowledged before Luther Newton, a justice of the county court, and was filed for record on the day of the date thereof, and recorded in liber A, page 2.
The earliest dated deed on record in St. Joseph county, is probably one recorded in liber A, page 204, which is dated May 4, 1829, and acknowledged ten days later before John Winchell, justice of the peace. It was given by Robert Clark, Jr., of the "township of Frenchtown, county of Monroe," to Leonard Cutler of the "township of St. Joseph, county of Lenawee," and for the expressed consideration of one hundred and fifty dollars therein, conveys the east half of the southeast quarter of section 6, township 8 south, range 11 west. It is witnessed by John and Lyman P. Winchell. The next earliest dated deed recorded is one executed October 12, 1829, whereby the same Robert Clark, Jr., of Monroe township, conveys to Arba Heald of "the township of St. Joseph, in the county of Lenawee," the north half of the southwest quarter of section 5, township 8 south, range 11 west, which deed is recorded in liber A, page 20. The next oldest three are all dated November 4, 1829, the very day the county. was organized, and were from John Winchell and Amy, his wife, to Luther Newton; Luther Newton and Anna, his wife, to Hart L. and Alanson C. Stewart; and from Hart L. and Alanson C. Stewart and their wives to John Winchell, and con- vey lands on sections 9 and 10, township 8, range 11, and on section 2, town- 8 range 12 west. These deeds are recorded in liber A, pages 5, 6 and 38, respectively.
The earliest dated mortgage is recorded in liber A of mortgages, page 2, and was dated January 18, 1830, by which Niles F. Smith conveys to Joshua Gale, to secure the payment of one thousand two hundred dollars, ten and a-half acres of land on the southeast quarter of section 1, township 8 south, range 12 west, in White Pigeon village. It was acknowledged before Neal McGaffey, justice of the peace; recorded May 8, 1830, and discharged Sep- tember 13, 1833, as per record in liber A, page 183. The first mortgage re- corded is one from Arba Heald to Nehemiah Coldrin, dated May 7, 1830, executed to secure the payment of a note for one hundred dollars, due August 1, 1830, and conveying the east half of the southwest quarter of section 5, township 8 south, range 11 west, and recorded in liber A of mortgages, page 1. The first release recorded was one to discharge this last-named mort- gage, and which was executed September 18, 1830, by Coldrin to Heald, and recorded on page 6 of the same book.
The first village plat recorded was that of White Pigeon, located on the east half of the southeast quarter of section 1, township 8 south, range 12, and the west half of the southwest quarter of section 6, township 8 south, range 11 west, the proprietors being Robert Clark, Jr., Asahel Savery, Niles F. Smith and Neal McGaffey, who acknowledged the plat before Luther New- ton, justice of the county court, May 6, 1830. It was recorded the next day in liber A of deeds, pages 15 and 16. The plat is variously shaded to show the interest of each proprietor.
Mottville was the second plat recorded, and was surveyed and platted by Orange Risdon, surveyor, May 31, 1830. John R. Williams, proprietor, ac- knowledged the same plat before Esquire Winchell.
Centreville was platted and recorded November 7, 1831.
The first sale of lands in the county for delinquent and unpaid taxes, commenced the 18th day of February, 1840, and was continued till the 28th of the same month, under the direction of W. W. Brown, county treasurer. The amount of taxes realized by this sale was four hundred and twenty-two dollars and fifty-two cents, and were of those levied for the years 1832 to 1836 inclusive. There were twenty-three different purchasers ; but Messrs. Moore and Coffinberry were the heaviest buyers. The first five sales were made to L. S. Slater, of lands in Coldwater, for the delinquent taxes of 1832. The first sale of lands in St. Joseph county was of the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 5, township 7 south, range 11 west, for two dollars and fifty-five cents-taxes of 1832-to C. T. Gilbert, but these taxes, as it appeared subsequently, had been previously paid, as shown by the receipt of the collector for 1834. Mr. Gilbert's next venture, on the south- east quarter of the southwest quarter of section 19, in the same township (Florence), wherein he invested two dollars and six cents, netted him better results, as he received a tax-deed for the said premises on the 8th day of April, 1842. The earliest dated tax-deed was one to Henry Gilbert, the purchaser, for the whole of section 17, township 5 south, range 11 west, ex- ecuted by John W. Talbot, county treasurer, February 22, 1842.
CHAPTER VI.
FIRST FARMS OPENED-LAND ENTRIES-A TRAGEDY-FIRST ORCHARDS- NURSERY - IMPROVEMENT OF LIVE STOCK - AGRICULTURAL IMPLE- MENTS-MINT-OIL DISTILLATION-AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
The first farms opened in St. Joseph county were those of John Win- chell, Leonard Cutler and Arba Heald, on White Pigeon prairie, and John Sturgis, on Sturgis prairie, all in the year 1827. Mr. Winchell located on the western end of the prairie, in the spring of that year, and Cutler and Heald on the eastern edge of the same prairie, later in the same season, but still early enough to get in corn and buckwheat, from which they harvested a good crop. Mr. Sturgis broke up ten acres on his location, on the eastern side of Sturgis' prairie, in August, 1827, sowed the same to wheat, and reaped a good harvest therefrom the year following.
The first farms opened on Nottawa prairie were those of Judge William Connor, John W. Fletcher and Aaron McMillan, who broke up a portion of their locations in the spring of 1830. The first farms were located on the edge of the prairies, with the timber for a shelter, in which the cabins and sheds of the settlers were built, and it was not until such locations were all appropriated that the pioneers ventured out upon the prairies to build their homes.
The lands in St. Joseph county were surveyed into townships in the years 1825-6, and subdivided into sections in 1827. The only settlers who occu- pied their land before its subdivision into sections, were Winchell, Cutler and Heald. The land came into market in 1828, the first entry being made by Ezekiel Metcalf, of Cattaraugus county, N. Y., on the 14th day of June of that year, of the east half of the northeast quarter of section one, town- ship eight south of range ten, west of the principal meridian, in what is now known as the town of Sturgis. Metcalf sold this tract to DeGarmo Jones, of Detroit, November 3, 1830. A portion of this tract is included in the corporate limits of the village of Sturgis.
The other entries made in 1828, were in the following order: John Stur- gis, October 22, southwest quarter of section 6, in Fawn River township; on October 24, Arba Heald, east half of the southwest quarter of section 5; Robert Clark, Jr., west half of the southwest quarter of section 5, and east half of the southeast quarter of section 6; John W. Anderson and Duncan R. Clark, west half of the southeast quarter of section 6; Asahel Savery, southwest quarter of section 6-all in the township of White Pigeon, as at present constituted. On November 24, George Buck entered the west half of the southeast quarter of section 1, in Sturgis, and on the 29th of the same month Luther Newton and John Winchell entered the east half of the southeast quarter of section 9; and December 11, Leonard Cutler bought the east half of the northeast quarter of section 6, in White Pigeon. December 18, Ruth A. Clarke entered the east half of the southwest quarter of sec- tion 1, and Hart L. Stewart entered the west half of the southwest quarter of same section, in Sturgis. Alanson C. Stewart on the same day entered the west half of the northeast quarter and the east half of the northeast quarter of section 7, in Fawn River, which closed the entries for the year.
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