History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan, Part 44

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 44

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The Doctor got the Governor inside the house, and protected him from personal violence, as any well-bred landlord should; but to receive such a welcome from his political friends was too much. Early in the morning he took the back track, and it was said he did not stop until he reached Detroit. He found that his Jackson men were all Mason men; and when he left Detroit again, he went from whence he came -- Pennsylvania.

Some may say, What has this to do with the pioneers of Washte- naw? Is it not a part of the history of our State and county? And were they not all pioneers then? And what great event has ever happened in the State, that the pioneers of Washtenaw county have not had their hand in?

Look at the cholera war in which there was blood shed. (Mr. Goodrich says there was none in the Toledo war.) Our Legislative Council got scared at the approach of the cholera, and passed a law -- and it was duly signed by Stevens T. Mason, then acting Gover- nor -- that the authorities of each town or village might prohibit emigrants and travelers from entering their villages, and gave authority to call out the militia for that purpose.

When it became known at Ypsilanti that the cholera was in Detroit, and many were fleeing-some had come to Ypsilanti, and died in a few hours after arriving -- the authorities did, according to the law, call out a company of militia. The company was com- manded by a Yankee from Vermont, by the name of Josiah Bur- ton, and he meant to do his duty. The company was stationed at Bowen's tavern, three miles east of Ypsilanti, on the Chicago turn- pike. When the stage owned by Samuel Stackhouse came along from Detroit with the mail and passengers, it was stopped, and a parley ensued; but there was no arrangement made, and the driver started to run by. Captain Burton gave the order to fire, when one of the leading horses fell. There was supposed to be one dead horse at least, but when he was examined he showed signs of life, and was helped up, when the driver put whip to his horses, and he was allowed to go without another shot. The ball had gone through the horse's head, between the skin and forehead bone, so he was knocked down, drawing some blood.

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

Was not this done by the pioneers of Washtenaw? Where are the actors in that scene now? Captain Burton is supposed to be alive, and if so, is living at a place called Clay Bank, in Oceana county, on the shore of Lake Michigan, north of Muskegon.

As he is the only one that I know of, I will give a brief history of his life. Born in Manchester, Vermont, he lived there until he came to Ypsilanti, where he lived a few years. He then went to Grand Rapids, located land that is now worth several thousand dollars per acre, on which he could not get rich fast enough, sold out, and built a few saw-mills. When the gold fever raged he went to California. Not succeeding, he started for Australia, and brought up at the Sandwich Islands. He lived several years among the na- tives, was heard of by our minister, Mr. Ten Eyck, was put on board of a ship coming to New York, and on his way called at Ypsilanti. When he arrived at Grand Rapids he found his estate administered upon, divided and spent.

The cholera brought up another circumstance, that some of the old settlers will remember some part of.

The writer, at that time, lived east of Bowen's tavern on the Chicago road, and the news of the fight with the stage occasioned many to wish to avoid the guard and the village; so I often acted as pilot, to run them past Ypsilanti. A few days after the battle with the stage, along came the Governor, Stevens T. Mason, on his way, he said, to Mottville, on the St. Jo. He wanted to run the guard and shun Ypsilanti. We went across the north part of the plain, crossed Huron at the upper bridge, and came into the Chicago road on top of the hill west of the village. It was four miles to the first tavern west, and only half a mile back into the village, and by going around we had not passed a tavern after leaving Sheldon's. The pressure was too great-he must go back to the village. He was arrested by Eliphalet Turner, who brought him to the sheriff, Dr. Withington, and after a stormy and short discussion, the Governor was allowed to depart, and he instantly started for Mottville. The first official act the Governor was known to do, was to take away the Doctor's com- mission as sheriff, and he appointed in his stead William Anderson, of Ann Arbor.

I now think of only one great political movement but what the pioneers of Washtenaw county started, and many of them carried out in this county. Look at the convention that was gotten up in this county, that voted to give up Toledo for the sake of becom- ing a State. A most liberal election was had, when men, women and children were invited to vote, and negroes did vote.

Look, again, at the mass meeting in this county that started the great Whig party. Were they not the farmers and pioneers of Washtenaw ?

I would venture a small wager, that the most prominent men of the county, the most wealthy, and as much respected for being good citizens, as any others, were a larger portion of them runaways from York State than in any other county.

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

I see different ones are giving short sketches of their arrival and privations in Michigan. I can say that when I arrived in Detroit, in 1830, I was without a penny, but by doing a few jobs of survey- ing I obtained a few dollars. I returned to Onondaga county, and on the 12th of February, 1831, started again to come to Michigan, with only one dollar in my pocket. At Canandaigua I borrowed five dollars of an old acquaintance, and came through Canada, ar- rived in Detroit the 1st day of March, penniless, and in the same condition started for Ypsilanti, and slept that night on Conrad Ten Eyck's bar-room floor. The next day, arrived at Ypsilanti. My boots were worn through so that the water inside came as high as it did on the outside. On the Chicago road I waded for 40 rods to- gether, with the water a foot deep, or more.

In April I started for White Pigeon land-office. At Tecumseh was overtaken by a severe snow-storm, on the 12th, which made good sleighing for several days. Was persuaded by General Brown not to go any further, as travelers from the West said the snow was 18 inches deep. In July was attacked withthe ague, came back to Ypsilanti, and went into the town of Superior, to my cousin's, where I had a long run of fever. In October I met my family in Detroit, and took them to Superior. Went to Detroit and located in company with Charles Ball, an 80-acre lot, seven miles east of Ypsilanti-the last lot unsold between Ypsilanti and Detroit. Took my family of wife and three children into the neighborhood, put up the body of a log house, got trusted for 1,000 feet of green white- wood lumber, at Pine's mill, laid down a floor and chamber floor, and partitioned 12 feet from the back end-the snow a foot deep, and very cold-and moved in between Christmas and New Year, without any roof, door, or windows, no chinking, and no chimney but a space in the chamber floor for the smoke to go up. Shook two hours, three days in the week, with the ague, and did not get on a shake roof until into February. The Black Hawk war and cholera drove me to Ypsilanti, where I stayed several years.

In the Black Hawk war there were a hundred or more Indians, mostly on horses, passed along the Chicago road, on their way to Detroit. After getting whisky at Ypsilanti, they were in a good condition to scare the women. My wife gave them all she had in the house to eat, when they went to the next house. They were partially drunk, and very saucy. The fright she never recovered from.

BY MRS. ALVIN CROSS.

I was born in the year 1805, in the town of Colerain, near Boston. My maiden name was Elona Rogers. My father's name was Thomas Rogers. When I was about four years of age my parents removed to New York. They settled in Steuben Co., in the town of Cohocton, from which place they removed to Blooming- ville, Ohio, in 1816. Here my parents both died, leaving five

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children. Having no one to care for the family we were soon scattered, and I found a home with the family of Mr. Oronte Grant.

Mr. Grant owned a large prairie farm, not far from Sandusky, which was well cultivated and valuable. Unfortunately the title was not good, and after paying for the land, improving, stocking it, etc., he was obliged to give it up. Three years were allowed him in which to provide a new home, and he determined that it should be situated where no previous title would disturb him -- in the wilds of Michigan.

At the time of which I write there resided on a part of Mr. Grant's farm a Mr. Benjamin Woodruff, pettifogger and school- teacher, whose wife had just fallen heir to several hundred dollars from her grandfather's estate. They wished to invest this in a home where land was cheap, and he decided to accompany Mr. Grant.

A wagon was loaded with provisions, and driving Mr. Grant's large stock of cattle they started for Monroe. The company con- sisted of four men, Messrs. Woodruff and Grant, William Eiclor- Mrs. Woodruff's brother -- and Hiram Tuttle, a neighbor, who also had cattle to drive.

At Monroe they sold the cattle, reserving only such as would be needed on the farms which they intended to purchase. Here also they were joined by four men, Mr. Stiles, Mr. Willard Hall, Mr. George Hall and Captain Fair, who were fishing at Monroe. These men were former acquaintances of Woodruff and Grant, and were familiar with the new country along the course of the Huron river, having been up as far as a place called Godfrey's trading post, now City of Ypsilanti.

From their representations it was thought best to view that part of the Territory, and thither the company proceeded, leaving Mr. Eiclor in charge of the cattle and provisions. After selecting and locating their farms it was necessary to return to Monroe for the oxen, provisions, etc., leaving Mr. Stiles and his party to subsist by hunting and fishing until their return, they being the only white inhabitants of the region.

On the first of June, 1823, they were ready to commence the building of Mr. Woodruff's house. The unbroken forest lay before them, and with the sound of their axes began the new settlement, afterward called Woodruff's Grove.

When the work was well cominenced, Woodruff and Grant went back to Ohio, leaving the building to be finished by the others of the party, under the supervision of Mr. Tuttle. Mr. Woodruff in- tended to return with his family -- which consisted of wife, six children and hired woman, Mrs. Snow-before the fourth of the next month, that they might celebrate the great national holiday in their new home. They failed to accomplish this, not arriving until the sixth, and the festivities were postponed until the follow- ing year.

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

Detroit was their only postoffice, and wishing a more definite address for letters, Mr. Woodruff visited the city, and after consult- ing the Governor, gave the settlement the name of Woodruff's Grove.

He then purchased a boat, which was their only means of pro- curing supplies of provisions, lumber, etc., until fall, when a road was cut through to Detroit.

Early in the following spring of 1824 Mr. Grant made prepara- tions to return with his family, which consisted of Mrs. Grant, a young girl named Jane Johnson, and myself. Mr. Tuttle's wife and child were also of our company. We shipped at a small place called Venice, in the vessel Costello, and took with us provisions enough, as Mr. Grant supposed, to last until crops could be raised.

There were four bushels of flour, one barrel of meal, one of shelled corn, one of honey, two barrels of potatoes, one barrel of wheat, one cask of pork, one barrel of oats, and a large box of beans and garden seeds. We also had a half barrel in which were carefully packed, in moist earth and moss, small apple-trees, currant bushes, rose bushes, lilac, snowball and other shrubs. There was also a large box of carpenter's tools and such bedding and furniture as was con- sidered most necessary.

We were three days in reaching Detroit; there we were obliged to wait three days for the boat to come up from the Grove after us. We were six days in reaching the Grove, stopping the first night at Willard's tavern. The second day we reached the mouth of the Huron, and stopped at a French house. The third night we were kindly entertained at the house of a half-breed, named Parks. The next day we reached King's settlement; this was Saturday, and here we spent the Sabbath, the men who poled the boat being glad to rest.

Monday night we camped in the woods; and Tuesday about noon reached our destination, on the flats, about half a mile down the river from the Grove, where Mr. Tuttle had prepared a home for his family. When we were ready to land, the men began to exchange smiling glances; and Mrs. Tuttle and Mrs. Grant realiz- ing all at once that this wilderness must now be to them home, began to cry. Jane and I were too young and light-hearted to sympathize with such feelings, and gaily started to see the house, but soon returned, not being able to find anything but a small building, which we supposed to be a sheep-pen. Our ignorance was quite excusable, for the low, rough log pen, without floor or windows, did not resemble a human habitation. It taxed our inge- nuity to prepare dinner on a fire of blazing logs built at one end of the room. There was no fire-place and no chimney, a hole in the roof allowing the smoke to escape. Mrs. Woodruff came down before night to welcome the new arrivals, and I returned with her .. That night I first heard the howling of wolves, and was una- ble to sleep. Next morning, as I stood in the door of Mr. Wood- ruff's house and looked around, I felt homesick.

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

During the previous fall, several families had been added to the settlement. Daniel Cross, John Bryan, Mr. Noyce and Mr. Brain- ard. There were now in sight eight small log huts, built in the same manner as Mr. Tuttle's, except that those of Messrs. Bryan, Cross and Woodruff had rough floors and stick chimneys. Mr. Grant's house was the one occupied by Mr. Stiles, and as soon as Stiles could move on to his farm, Mr. Grant came to the Grove to live.

George Hall and his brother, and a Mr. Beverly, had built on the west side of the river, near the place now occupied by the paper mill.

Work now began in earnest. Roads were cut in different direc- tions, a landing made for boats where Rawsonville now is, land cleared, etc. In May, Mr. Jason Cross and his brother-in-law, Avery, came in. They both had families of grown up children, who were quite an addition to the working force of the place. Mr. Grant owned the farm now belonging to Mr. E. King, and there are still standing there some of the apple-trees we brought from Ohio. Daniel Cross owned the farm which now belongs to Benja- min Emerick. Mr. Tuttle's place is occupied by his son John Tuttle; on these farmns land was broken and corn planted. A young man named McCord, who lived with Mr. Tuttle, also planted corn on the farm now belonging to Mrs. Crittenden.

On the Tuttle and Grant farms were old Indian corn-fields, which were easily put under cultivation. Mr. Woodruff did not work on his farm, but rented it, and gave up his time to helping people who were coming in.

The Indians passed through the place in June, the company numbering between 300 and 400, all marching in single file. They were peaceable and inoffensive, and continued so, until they were furnished with whisky by the white people.

Deer were plenty, and bears, wolves and wild-cats abounded. Venison was the most common article on our bill of fare.

A few logs, together with bark scattered around, which had the appearance of having been used for a roof, was all that remained of Godfrey's trading post, in the spring of 1824. Near by this, on the bank of the river, was a fine spring, and here a Mr. Stewart built the first house. On the west side of the river, in Ypsilanti, others soon joined him, and quite a settlement sprang up during the summer.

Mr. Woodruff sent out an invitation to every one in the county. to celebrate the Fourth of July at the Grove. He brought up from Detroit such articles for the dinner as were considered necessary, and could not be found in the settlement. Among these were loaf- sugar, cheese, raisins, rice, and last, but not least, a half barrel of whisky.

Mrs. Woodruff's oven was the only one in the place. It was built out of doors, of stone, plastered with mud. Here the baking was done. All joined in the work of preparation. A beef was

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killed, and when the meat was ready to roast, lo ! the oven and every bake kettle were already full. Logs were rolled together and a fire quickly made out of doors. Two large kettles were turned on the side before this fire, and on sticks laid in these the meat was roasted to perfection. The company gathered in Mr. Woodruff's yard where a log had been set up to resemble a cannon; on this the boys fired their rifles and ushered in the day with wonderful salutes. From a stump near by, Mr. Woodruff read the Declaration of Inde- pendence and made a speech. Then all who could sing joined in singing " Hail Columbia," and we were ready for dinner. Our table was made of rough boards, covered with the whitest and smoothest of home-made linen. We were all proud of our success in preparing the dinner, and it certainly was very inviting. There were roast beef and chickens; new potatoes, green peas and beets; warm biscuits with butter and honey; cheese; rice puddings and loaf cake, both well filled with raisins. The following are the names of those who partook of the dinner, as nearly as I can remember: Mr. Woodruff and family; Mr. Grant and family; Mr. Hiram Tuttle and family; Mr. John Bryan and family; Judge Fleming; Arden H. Ballard; Thomas Sackrider; Mr. Stiles; Mr. David McCorel; Sanders Beverly; Mr. Leonard Miller; Captain Phair; Mr. Stoddard; Orange Crane; Mr. Mayhey; Mr. Ecklor, and Mr Harwood.

The dinner passed off well, and Delia Woodruff and I had the hot sling ready for toasts. This was new work for us and we for- . got our instructions and put in a double portion of whisky. The effect of this mistake was soon apparent on the toast drinkers, in increased liveliness and good humor. Everything passed off pleasantly, and in the afternoon we were joined by Mr. Mallett and his sister, from Brownstown. Mr. M. was the fiddler, and we had a lively dance in the evening, being joined by others who had not been present at the dinner. Harmony and good fellowship reigned throughout the day, and it was a time long to be remembered by those present.

Death visited the settlement that summer for the first time, and cast a gloom over every heart. A young Irishman named Oakman, who had come to the place with John Phillips, was taken sick and lived but a short time. Chills and fever now commenced and some families were not able to do anything for themselves. Mrs. Wood- ruff made a large kettle of porridge every day and sent me with it to those who were sick. The supplies brought with us were divided with those whom sickness had made destitute, and were soon exhausted. Money was scarce, and we now began to see hard fare. The corn yielded well, but there was no way to grind it. Hulled corn was our staple for a long time. Those who had been able to work had made gardens and raised plenty of turnips and some beans and potatoes. In the winter, mortars were made by burning a hollow in the top of stumps, where the corn was placed and pounded with a pestle fastened to a pole which worked like a

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well sweep. The fine and coarse parts of the pounded corn were carefully separated, the fine used for bread, the coarse for samp. Mr. Cross and Mr. Grant had each sowed a piece of wheat, and after harvest we had pounded wheat, which was quite a wel- come change. The cold weather abated the sickness, and we beguiled the long winter evenings by meeting together at the dif- ferent houses to dance, sing and play. This was enjoyed by old and young, and was an excellent preventive of homesickness, a disease we carefully guarded against. Work again progressed, fields were cleared and fenced, door yards enclosed, and by spring Mr. Rawson had a saw-mill running at the landing (now Rawson- ville). The surrounding country was rapidly settled; wild animals were not so numerous. In the fall of 1825 I returned to Ohio, and was absent from Michigan about two years.

It might be mentioned that from the time of our coming to Michigan we had no religious meetings of any kind. It was Mrs. Grant's custom to gather in all the younger people of the place on the Sabbath and read to them out of the Bible, and teach them to sing and spell.

An incident occurred at Mr. Woodruff's that served as a stand- ing joke. Mr. Ballard and Judge Fleming were about retiring for the night, when they heard a terrible noise, and supposed that some wild animal was about to spring upon them through the win- dow. They quickly dressed, and pale and trembling hastened to Mr. Woodruff's room, only to learn that they had been frightened by a screech owl.

After Mr. Grant went on to his farm he made inaple sugar, and a party of us, all girls, in sugaring off, set fire to the woods. Rails were burned and much damage done. It was always spoken of as the Indian fire. We kept our own counsel and no one knew that we caused it.

I returned from Ohio again to Michigan in 1827, was married to Alvin Cross in the autumn of 1828, and moved on the farm where I now reside, on section 14, township of Ypsilanti, in 1829. Mr. Cross died the 18th of February, 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff died in Ypsilanti over 40 years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle lived upon the farm that he purchased in 1823, on section 23, until their deaths. Mr. Tuttle died , and Mrs. Tuttle died six or seven years ago. Mr. Grant, after living on his farm purchased in 1823, on section 15, Ypsilanti, some eight years, sold it to Edward Phelps and removed to Indiana, and soon after Mr. and Mrs. Grant both died. The first burial service at the Grove was that of Mr. Oakman; there was no one present to offer a prayer; Mrs. Grant read a chapter in the Bible, and after singing a hymn he was buried. Rev. John Baughman preached the first sermon at the Grove at the house of Mr. Brooks, in the year of 1825. The first grist-mill built in the county was by Major Woodruff, about half a mile down the Huron river from the Grove. It was built of hewn

palm Lowry

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logs; the building was some 20x30 feet square, and he commenced running the mill in the fall of 1825, and it was a day of rejoicing among the settlers, having had a hard time previous to this to pre- pare their corn fit for use. The year of 1825 could truly be called hard times, as there was no store near them, and if there had been, the inhabitants of the Grove and vicinity had nothing to buy with, and consequently had to go without many of the necessaries of life, to say nothing of the luxuries that the present generation now enjoy.

CHAPTER XVI.

AUTHORS AND ARTISTS.

In the world of letters and in the world of art, Washtenaw county presents the names of some who have attained more than a national reputation. In the world of letters the names of Watson, Cooley, Angell, Cocker, Williams, Palmer, Franklin, Frothingham, and Winchell are known wherever the English language is read. Randolph Rogers is famous as a sculptor the world over. There are many others, known, perhaps, to but a few, whose contributions deserve a place in the literature of the country, who, from innate modesty, will probably never be known. In this connection it is proposed to present the names, accompanied by short sketches, and now and then selections from their works, of some who are well known in the community in which they reside and who have some reputation abroad. There are doubtless many others equally mer- itorious with those mentioned. They are only omitted from the fact that the attention of the historian has not been called to them.

PROF. JAMES C. WATSON.

Prof. Watson, a biographical sketch of whom is given under the head of "Some of Washtenaw County's Illustrious Dead," was the author of a number of scientific works, among which were a " Pop- ular Treatise on Comets," published in Philadelphia in 1860, "Theoretical Astronomy," published in Philadelphia and London in 1868, and which has since been the standard work on the subject. It was this work which won for him the degree of Ph. D., which was conferred upon him by Leipsic University. He was also the author of a " Report on Horological Instruments," and of " Tables for the Calculation of Simple and Compound Interest and Dis- count," the latter having been published in Ann Arbor. He was also a frequent contributor to astronomical, educational, and scien- tific journals. Among others, to Gould's Astronomical Journal, Brunnow's Astronomical Notices, American Journal of Science and Arts, Reports of the United States Coast Survey, The Michi- gan Journal of Education, The Horological Journal, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (London), Astronomis- che Nachrichten, Germany; Comptes Rendus de l'Academie des Sciences, Paris Bulletin, International de l'Association, Scientifique de France, Memorie della Societa degli, Spettros co pisti Italiani, (Palermo).

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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 44

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