History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan, Part 42

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1457

USA > Michigan > Washtenaw County > History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan > Part 42

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Romig, Abram, killed in action at Concord Station, Tenn., Nov. 16, 1863. Row, Horace, died at Washington, D. C., of wounds, June 15, 1864. Ringe, John, died of disease at Washington, D. C , April 21, 1864. Ryder, Stephen C., died at Washington, D. C., of wounds, June 19, 1864. Roe, Alva, killed in action at Smithfield, Va., Aug. 29, 1864. Rose, Albert P., died of disease at Memphis, Tenn., Feb. 4, 1864. Reule, Martin, died of disease at Milldale, Miss., July 3, 1863. Rumble, William, died of disease at Milldale, Miss., July 2, 1863. Rouse, Charles A., killed in action, at Gettysburg, Pa., July 2, 1863. Russell, Charles E., died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 24, 1863. Reed, Henry, died of disease at Burksville, Va., April 19, 1865. Russell, James F., died of disease at Washington, D. C., May 10, 1865. Rolls, John P., died of disease at Mount Saratoga Hospital, Dec. 9, 1863. Riggs, Joseph D., died of disease at Morgan Miss., June 24, 1865. Rombell, William, died of disease at Snyder's Bluff, Miss., July 3, 1863. Ruckman, Webster, killed in action at Antietam, Md., Sept. 17, 1862. Roth, Charles, died of disease at Farmington, Miss., June 16, 1862. Rorebeck, Edward H., killed in action at Baton Rouge, La , Aug. 5, 1862. Reeves, Charles, killed in action at Gaines' Mills, Va., June 27, 1862. Sanford, Orlow, died at Washington, D. C., Oct. 10, 1862. Stockwell, Stephen S., killed in action at Gaines' Mills, Va., June 27, 1862. Stockwell, William, died of disease at Annapolis, Md. Stanfield, Joseph, killed in action at Gaines' Mills, Va., June 27, 1862. Sutton, John, killed in action at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec 13, 1862. Silsbury, Charles M., died of disease at Alexandria. Va., Dec. 4, 1862. Snow, Levi, died of disease at Andersonville, Ga .. May 28, 1864.

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

Shannon, John, died of disease at Andersonville, Ga., April 13, 1864. Sissons, Foster P, died at Goldsboro, N. C., of wounds, March 31, 1863. Swift, George, died of disease at Savannah, Ga., Jan. 28, 1865. Sprague, F. S., killed by explosion on steamer Sultana, April 28, 1865. Stock well, Charles M., died of disease at Newport News, Va, March 5, 1863. Smith, Daniel W., died of disease at Salisbury, N. C., Jan. 6, 1863. Sidnam, Abram, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn.

Shrig, William, killed in action at Gaines' Mills, Va, June 27, 1862.

Spencer, Tennant R , died of disease at Washington, D. C, December, 1862. Short, Charles, died of disease at San Antonio, Tex., Dec. 25, 1862.

Shaw, Henry W., died of disease in Michigan, while on furlough.

Self, James H., died of disease at Murfreesboro, Tenn , Feb. 16, 1863. Simmonds, Albert O., died at Andersonville, Ga., while prisoner, Oct. 3, 1864. Smith, Thomas S., died at Richmond, Va, while prisoner, March, 1864. Smith, Monroe, killed in the Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1864.

Schwalzried, Frederick, died at Washington, D. C., of wounds, Jan. 28, 1863. Spear, Freeman, killed in action at Gettysburg. Pa., July 3, 1863.

Smith, Zina, died of disease at Hickman's Bridge, Ky., Aug. 11, 1863. Spawn, Louis, died of wounds received.

Shutz, Frederick A., died at Gettysburg, Pa., of wounds, July 2, 1863. Sloat, Edward, died of disease at Stevenson, Ala., July 8, 1864.

Smith, Marcus, killed in action May 20, 1864.

Spoor, Stephen H., died of disease at Duvall's Bluff, Ark., July 10, 1864. Sanderson, Lyman, died of disease at Louisville, Ky., Feb. 22, 1864. Smith, Francis, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., Feb. 8, 1864. Smith, John H., died of disease at Fort Gaines, Ala., Sept. 20, 1864. Smith, Fenton W., died of disease at Little Rock, Ark., May 10, 1864. Sherman, Caleb, killed in action at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, 1864. Sumner, George, killed in action at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, 1864. Stevenson, Washington P., died of disease at Sylvan, Mich., Jan. 27, 1865. Townsend, Charles E., killed in action at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, 1864. Turner, Decker, died of disease at Lexington, Ky., Sept. 20, 1864.

Talcott, Joseph, died of disease at Milldale, Miss .. July 20, 1863. Travis, William H., died of disease at Nashville, Tenn.

Tichnor, William H., died of disease at Cincinnati, O., Dec. 29, 1862. Turner, Alfred, died of disease at Camp Butler, Ill., April 22, 1865.

Vanatta, Aaron, died at Knoxville, Tenn., of wounds, December, 1863. Van Geesen, James H., died at Washington, D. C., of wounds, June 17, 1864. Vanderwaker, George, killed in action at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862.

Vansickle, Milton. died of disease at Andersonville, Ga., Aug. 2, 1864. Vanluvan, Martin, killed in action, July 1, 1862.

Vogle, Jacob, died of disease at Salisbury, N. C., May 29, 1864. Vorhees, Peter, committed suicide at Camp Anderson, Nov. 26, 1861. Vorce, Newton, died of disease at New Orleans, La., Aug. 14, 1862. Walker, Morris G., killed in action at Peach Orchard, Va., June 30, 1862. Winans, Halsey M., killed in action at Malvern, Va., July 1, 1862. Williams, Edwin K., killed in action at Gaines' Mills, Va., June 27, 1862. Williams, Henry R., killed in action at James Island, S. C., June 16, 1862. Woodard, William A., killed in action at South Mountain, Sept. 14, 1862. Willis, David, died of disease at Dallas, N. C., June 24, 1865.

Wood, Charles H., died of disease at Cairo, Ill., Aug. 13, 1863.

Weed, jr., Dennis, died of disease at Alexandria, Va., Sept. 8, 1864. Weekly, John, died of disease at Washington, D. C., June 10, 1864. Webster, Daniel D., died of disease at Camp Butler, Ill., March 9, 1865. Waldron, Samuel, died of disease.

Wilson, Albert M., died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 18, 1865.

Wells, Willard, killed by explosion of the steamer Sultana, on Mississippi river, June 1, 1865. *

Wagner, Charles A., died of disease at Andersonville, Ga.

Whitman, Hiram, died of disease at Grand Rapids, Feb. 8, 1863.

Weaver, William P., died of disease at Beaufort, S. C., June 28, 1864. Wofram, Chauncey, died in a Southern prison, Dec. 20. 1864.

Whitmore, Lewis F., killed in action at Gettysburg, Pa., July 2, 1863. Wahl, John, died at Washington, D. C., of wounds, Jan. 12, 1863.

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

Webb, Frederick S., died of disease at Washington, D. C., Feb. 14, 1863. Walker, Madison O., killed in action at Port Hudson, La., June 30, 1863. Wilson, Robert, died of disease.

Wise, Harmon J., killed in action at Chancellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863. Ward, Calvin, died of disease at Columbia, Tenn., May 31, 1863. Wallace, Charles A., died of disease at Falmouth, Jan. 5, 1863.

Winslow, Nelson, died of disease at Washington, D. C., July 1, 1864. White, Franklin, died of disease at Oberlin, O., Oct. 26, 1863. West, John H., died of disease at Cumberland Gap, Tenn., Jan. 21, 1864. Weatherwax, Walden, died of disease at Dauphin Island, Oct. 24, 1864. Winslow, John, killed in action July 24, 1864.

Wetherbee, Erastus, killed in action at Cold Harbor, Va., May 6, 1864. Warner, William H., killed in action at Cold Harbor, Va., June 30, 1864. Wade, John, killed in action at Honey Hill, S. C., Nov. 30, 1864. White, John, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., April 1, 1864. Wilderoder, John C., killed in action at Trevillian Station, Va., June 12, 1864. Winans, James, died of disease at St. Louis, Mo., April 7, 1864. Yawger, John, died of disease at Powder Spring Valley, Ky., Jan. 28, 1864. Young, Samuel, died of disease at Columbia. Tenn., Sept. 15, 1864. Young, George A., died in Michigan, of accidental wounds.

Yocum, Joseph M., died of disease at Falmouth, Va., Dec. 27, 1862. Zurich, George T., died of wounds, July 15, 1864.

CHAPTER XV.

REMINISCENCES.

The pioneer reminiscences of the early settlers are always read with interest. In this connection is presented a few, with the re- gret that space forbids an increase of the number:

BY MRS. HARRIET L. NOBLE.

My husband was seized with the mania, and accordingly made preparations to start with his brother in January. They took the Ohio route, and were nearly a month in getting through, coming by way of Monroe, and thence to Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. Mr. John Allen and Walter Ramsey with his wife and two men had been there some four or five weeks, had built a small house, moved into it the day my husband and his brother arrived, and were just preparing their first meal, which the new-comers had the pleas- ure of enjoying. They spent a few days there, located a farm a little above town on the River Huron, and returned through Canada. They had been so much pleased with the new country that they imme- diately commenced preparing to emigrate; and as near as I can recollect, we started about the 20th of September, 1824, for Michi- gan. We traveled from our home in Geneva to Buffalo in wagons. The roads were bad, and we were obliged to wait in Buffalo four days for a boat, as the steamer Michigan was the only one on the lake. After waiting so long we found she had put into Erie for repairs, and had no prospect of being able to run for some time. The next step was to take passage in a schooner, which was con- sidered a terrible undertaking for so dangerous a voyage as it was then thought to be. At length we went on board the Prudence, of Cleveland, Captain Johnson. A more inconvenient little bark could not well be imagined. We were seven days on Lake Erie, and so entirely prostrated with sea-sickness, as scarcely to be able to attend to the wants of our little ones. I had a little girl of three years and a babe some nine months old, and sister Noble had six children, one an infant. It was a tedious voyage; the lake was very rough most of the time, and I thought if we were only on land again I should be satisfied, if it was a wilderness. I could not then realize what it would be to live without a comfortable home through the winter, but sad experience afterward taught me a lesson not to be forgotten.

We came into the Detroit river; it was beautiful then as now; on the Canada side, in particular, you will scarce perceive any

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

change. As we approached Detroit, the "Cantonment," with the American flag floating on its wall, was decidedly the most interest- ing of any part of the town; for a city, it was certainly the most filthy, irregular place I had ever seen; the streets were filled with Indians and low French, and at that time I could not tell the dif- ference between them. We spent two days in making preparation to go out to Ann Arbor, and during that time I never saw a gen- teelly dressed person in the streets. There were no carriages; the most wealthy families rode in French carts, sitting upon the bottom upon some kind of seats, and the streets were so muddy these were the only convenient vehicles for getting about. I said to myself, " If this be a Western city, give me a home in the woods."

I think it was on the 31st of October we started from Detroit, with a pair of oxen and a wagon, a few articles for cooking, and such necessaries as we could not do without. It was necessary that they should be as few as possible, for our families were a full load for this mode of traveling. After traveling all day, we found our- selves but 10 miles from Detroit (at what is now Dearborn); here we spent the night at a kind of tavern, the only one west of the city. Our lodging was the floor, and the other entertainment was to match. The next day we set out as early as possible, in hopes to get through the woods before dark, but night found us about half way through, and there remained no other resource but to camp out and make ourselves contented. The men built a large fire and prepared our supper. My sister and myself could assist but little, so fatigued were we with walking and carrying our infants. There were 15 in our company. Two gentlemen going to Ypsilanti had traveled with us from Buffalo; the remainder were our own families. We were all pretty cheerful, until we began to think of lying down for the night. The men did not seem to dread it, how- ever, and were soon asleep, but sleep was not for me in such a wilderness. I could think of nothing but wild beasts. or something as bad; so that I had the pleasure of watching while the others slept. It seemed a long, long night, and never in my life did I feel more grateful for the blessing of returning day. We started again as early as possible, all who could walk moving on a little in ad- vance of the wagon; the small children were the only ones who thought of riding. Every few rods it would take two or three men to pry the wagon out of the mud, while those who walked were obliged to force their way over fallen timber, brush, etc. Thus passed the day; at night we found ourselves on the plains, three miles from Ypsilanti. My feet were so swollen I could walk no further. . We got into the wagon and rode as far as Woodruff's grove, a little below Ypsilanti. There were four or five families at this place.

The next day we left for Ann Arbor; we were delighted with the country before us ; it was beautiful in its natural state, and I have sometimes thought that cultivation marred its loveliness. Where Ypsilanti now stands there was but one building -- an old trad-

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

ing house on the west side of the river ; the situation was fine; there were scattering oaks and no brushwood. Here we met a large number of Indians, and one old squaw followed us some distance with her pappoose, determined to swap babies. At last she gave it up, and for once I felt relieved. We passed two log houses between this and Ann Arbor. About the middle of the afternoon we found ourselves at our journey's end, but what a prospect! There were some six or seven log huts occupied by as many in- mates as could crowd into them. It was too much to think of asking strangers to give us a place to stay in even for one night under such circumstances. Mr. John Allen himself made us the offer of sharing with him the comforts of a shelter from storm, if not from the cold. His house was large for a log one, but quite unfinished; there was a ground floor and a single loft above. When we got our things stored in this place, we found the number

sheltered to be 21 women and children, and 14 men.

There were but two bedsteads in the house, and those who could not occupy these slept on feather-beds upon the floor. When the children were put in bed, you could not set a foot down without stepping on a foot or hand; the consequence was, we had music most of the time. We cooked our meals in the open air, there being no fire in the house but a small box stove. The fall winds were not very favorable to such business ; we would frequently find our clothes on fire, but fortunately we did not often get burned. When one meal was over, however, we dreaded preparing the next. We lived in this way until our husbands got a log house raised and the roof on ; this took them about six weeks, at the end of which time we went into it, without door, floor, chimney or anything but logs and roof. There were no means of getting boards for a floor, as everything must be brought from Detroit, and we could not think of drawing lumber over such a road. The only alternative was to split slabs of oak with an ax. My husband was not a mechanic, but he managed to make a floor in this way that kept us from the ground. I was most anxious for a door, as the wolves would come about in the evening, and sometimes stay all night and keep up a serenade that would almost chill the blood in my veins. Of all noises I think the howling of wolves and the yelling of Indians the most fearful,-at least it appeared so to me there when I was not able to close the door against them. I had the greatest terror of Indians, for I had never seen any before I came to Michigan but Oneidas, and they were very different, being partly civilized. We had our house comfortable as such a rude build- ing could be by the first of February.

It was a mild winter ; there was snow enough to cover the ground only four days, a fortunate circumstance for us. We enjoyed uninterrupted health, but in the spring the ague with its accompan- iments gave us a call, and by the middle of August there were but four out of 14 who could call themselves well. We then fancied we were too near the river for health. We sold out and

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

bought again 10 miles west of Ann Arbor, a place which suited us better, and just a year from the day we came to Ann Arbor moved out of it to Dexter. There was one house here, that of Judge Dexter ; he was building a saw-mill and had a number of men at work at the time ; besides these there was not a white family west of Ann Arbor in Michigan Territory. Our log house was just raised, forming only the square log pen. Of course it did not look very inviting, butit was our home and we must make the best of it. I helped to raise the rafters and put on the roof, but it was the last of November before our roof was completed. We were obliged to wait for the mill to run in order to get boards for making it. The door-way I had no means of closing except by hanging up a blan- ket, and frequently when I raised it to step out, there would be two or three of our dusky neighbors peeping in to see what was there. It would always give me such a start, I could not suppress a scream, to which they would reply with "Ugh!" and a hearty laugh. They knew I was afraid and liked to torment me. Sometimes they would throng the house and stay two or three hours. If I was alone they would help themselves to what they liked. The only way in which I could restrain them at all, was to threaten to tell Cass ; he was Governor of the Territory and they stood in great fear of him.

At last we got a door. The next thing wanted was a chimney; winter was close at hand, and the stone was not drawn. I said to my husband, " I think I can drive the oxen and draw the stones, while you dig them from the ground and load them." He thought I could not, but consented to let me try. He loaded them on a kind of sled; I drove to the house, rolled them off and drove back for another load. I succeeded so well, that we got enough in this way to build our chimney. My husband and myself were four days building it. I suppose most of my lady friends would think a woman quite out of "her legitimate sphere" in turning mason; but I was not at all particular what kind of labor I performed, so we were only comfortable, and provided with the necessaries of life. Many times I had been obliged to take my children, put on their cloaks, and sit on the south side of the house in the sun to keep them warm; anything was preferable to smoke. When we had a chimney and floor, and a door to close up our little log cabin, I have often thought it the most comfortable little place that could possibly be built in so new a country, and but for the want of pro- visions of almost every kind, we should have enjoyed it much. The roads had been so bad all the fall, that we had waited until this time, and I think it was December when my husband went to Detroit for supplies. Fifteen days were consumed in going and coming. We had been without flour for three weeks or more, and it was hard to manage with young children thus. After being without bread three or four days, my little boy, two years old, looked me in the face and said, " Ma, why don't you make bread;

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

don't you like it? I do." His innocent complaint brought forth the first tears I had shed in Michigan, on account of any privations I had to suffer, and they were about the last. I am not of a de- sponding disposition, nor often low-spirited, and having left New York to make Michigan my home I had no idea of going back, or being very unhappy. Yet the want of society, Church privileges, and in fact almost every thing that makes life desirable, would often make me sad in spite of all effort to the contrary. I had no ladies' society for one year after coming to Dexter, except that of sister Noble and a Mrs. Taylor, and was more lonely than either of them, my family being so small. The winter passed rather gloomi- ly, but when spring came, everything looked delightful. We thought our hardships nearly at an end, when early in the summer my husband was taken with the ague. He had not been sick at all the first year; of course he must be acclimated. He had never suf-' fered from ague or fever of any kind before, and it was a severe trial for him with so much to do, and no help to be had. IIe would break the agne and work for a few days, when it would return. In this way he made his gardens, planted his corn, and thought he was quite well. About August he harvested his wheat and cut his hay, but could get no help to draw it, and was again taken with the ague. I had it myself, and both my children. Occasionally we would all be ill at a time.

Mr. Noble and I had it every other day. He was almost dis- couraged, and said he should have to sell his cattle, or let them starve. I said to him, "To-morrow we shall neither of us have the agne, and I believe I can load and stack the hay if my strength permits. " As soon as breakfast was over, I prepared to go into the meadow, where I loaded and stacked seven loads that day. The next day my husband had the ague more severely than common, but not so with me; the exercise broke the chills, and I was able to assist him whenever he was well enough, until our hay was all se- cured. In the fall we had several added to our circle. We were more healthy then, and began to flatter ourselves that we could live very comfortably through the winter of 1829; but we were not des- tined to enjoy that blessing, for in November my husband had his left hand blown to pieces by the accidental discharge of a gun, which confined him to the house until April. The hay I had stacked through the summer I had to feed out to the cattle with my own hand in the winter, and often cut the wood for three days at a time. The logs which I alone rolled in, would surprise any one who had never been put to the test of necessity, which compels people to do what under any other circumstances they would not have thought possible.

The third winter in Michigan was decidedly the hardest I. had yet encountered. In the spring Mr. Noble could go out, by carry- ing his hand in a sling. He commenced plowing, to prepare for planting his corn. Being weak from his wound, the ague returned again, but he worked every other day, until his corn was planted.

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

He then went to New York, came back in July, and brought a nephew with him, who relieved me from helping him in the work out of doors. Although I was obliged to stack the hay this third fall, I believe it was the last labor of the kind I ever performed. At this time we began to have quite a little society; we were fortu- nate in having good neighbors, and for some years were almost like one family, our interest being the same, and envy, jealousy and all bitter feeling unknown among us. We cannot speak so favorably of the present time.

When I look upon my life and see the ups and downs, the hard- ships and trials I have been called upon to endure, I feel no wish to be young again. I was in the prime of life when I came to Michigan, only 27, and my husband was 33. Neither of us knew the reality of hardships. Could we have known what it was to be pioneers in a new country, we would never have had the courage to come; but I am satisfied with all the disadvantages of raising a family in a new country, there is a consolation in knowing that our children are prepared to brave the ills of life, I believe, far better than they would have been, had we never left New York.

BY MRS. N. H. PIERCE.

Moved like others gone before him, by a spirit of unrest, My beloved Yankee father, with his family journeyed west, Seeking other fields of labor, and 'mid other scenes to roam, And, mayhaps, a site securing for a pleasant, prosperous home. In the rush of emigration, following still the hand of fate, Leaving old-time friends and neighbors, came to this new-growing State, Which was yet a Territory, with resources vast and grand, 'Twas the nucleus of wonder in its rich and varied land, And its climate, pure, salubrious, and its timber, salt and coal, With a thousand ways thrown open leading on to wealth untold, As the hand of earnest labor should its treasures rich unfold. In the spring, if I remember ('twas the year of '38), We arrived upon the borders of our yet wild Indian State, To the small but growing city (such the city of the straits), Where we pitched our tents a season, thinking there to make our home, But again not quite contented, on still farther west would come.

On the cars as far as Ypsilanti, from thence we were conveyed in lumber wagons over rough roads, through wild woodlands. There were few cultivated farms or human habitations all along our route to Ann Arbor, which was then a small village.

My father, John Monroe, was contractor on the railroad, building it in sections from Ypsilanti to Ann Arbor, and also in the years following between Ann Arbor and Jackson, employing many men grading the road bed, laying the ties and getting it ready for the iron. About the third year after we came here my father pur- chased the farm known as the "Tagg farm," about one mile east, on the Ypsilanti road. Dwight Kellogg was our nearest neighbor; his home, a fine large brick residence, still stands, although he and his wife have long since paid the debt of nature, and his children are scattered far and wide. On the other hand we had Col. White

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History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan, Part 42

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co. Number of Pages: 1457

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1457