History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan, Part 46

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 46

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PROF. C. L. FORD.

Prof. Ford is the author of "Questions on Anatomy, Histology and Physiology," "Questions on Teeth," and "Chart of the Mus- cles in the Human Body." The design of these works is to aid

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the student in acquiring a knowledge of the subjects treated. No answers are given in the works to the questions, it being expected of the student he should search out the knowledge from the various works on the given subjects.

CLARA DOTY BATES.

This lady is a daughter of Samuel R. Doty, and was born in Ann Arbor. At an early age she evinced a poetic talent, which found vent in the publication of some beautiful gems in the various papers and magazines of the country. Prior to 1860, Graham's Magazine was considered one of the best literary magazines of the country, and one of its most valued contributors was Mrs. Bates, then Miss Clara Doty. The following comments and quotations are from that magazine in 1858:

There is no young writer of poetry at present before our public whose lyrics are more decidedly characteristic than those of Miss Clara Doty, of Ann Arbor, Mich- igan. If the reader will imagine a clear, yet sensitive mind, which has perfectly appreciated the purest and most sparkling flashes of German poetry, in the deepest and sweetest lyrics of Heine, and which has then, forgetting all models, studied nature, retaining no more of art than is found in our Indian legends, he will have an accurate idea of the impression which her songs convey. There are many sweet little poems of the present day which look like Clara Doty's, but hers have the peculiarity that they are based on a deep, generally a semi-mythologic, thought. They are never rococo. Take for instance the following:

WHITE VIOLETS.

A star fell from the sky at night, Through the dim stillness of the blue, And sank, a transient gleam of white, Where beds of early violets grew.

It left no vacant place on high, It gave to earth no added light; But flowers, of color like the sky, Were changed into a starry white.

With another poet, we should call this a pretty figure; with Clara Doty, it is something deeper. Ever-changing nature, its waving, glittering forms,"ever sink- ing themselves in each other's natures, beautiful transmigrations, dying in beauty, and reappearing in other beautiful forms an eternal symbolism of life, -all of this we find in her poetry, quiet and modest as it is. It is never set forth, -all her lyrics are eminently simple and unassuming,-but it is there. Less marked, but not the less there, we find the same blending of symbols in the following fantasy:

Gold-ribbed, and silken-sailed, from rose to rose, With honey laden, fairy wild bees break The currents of the air with steady prows, Leaving a surge of humming in their wake.

The wind sways with its music all the trees, Whose leafy whispers make the bird-hearts beat; While soft cloud-fleets sail heaven's azure seas, Vast phantom navies ride the billowy wheat,

The fishes stirring In the water clear Bind nets of sunlight on their golden scales; The water lilies ride at anchor near, With sides of shining green and waxen sails

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I hear no tiny mermen's laughter sweet, Sporting the swaying water-weeds among, But in the rushing brook are sounds of feet, Quick beat of drums, and shouts of merry song.

With click of many a pebble castanet, As in an eager multitude, they flee, Through the pure freshness of the rivulet, On to the bitter, million-peopled sea.

* * * Plato's argument for the immortality of the soul is no stronger than the one of eternally beautiful, ever-reviving nature-the oldest and most beautiful of all-yet ever new and fresh and lovely, as Clara Doty shows in the following, where, as in everything else which she writes, lies a deep and delicate mystery:

RESURGAM.

If I could die when all the flowers died, Be buried with them when the autumn rain Beats out the rose's last red flush of pride, And stains the late fresh greenness of the plain,

Oh, then it seems that as the buried seed, Calm I might sleep through Winter's chilly reign, And when the merry Spring his captives freed, Throw off the sod, and look on earth again.

I cannot sleep an everlasting sleep, I cannot have the earth for ages bloom With flowers and forests, and lie buried deep, My eyes and heart in dust, within a tomb.

With the fair violets and the cypress flowers, With the sweet roses planted over me, My dust shall spring in warm sunshine and showers, And as a flower I shall live and see.

Time has not dimmed the lustre of Mrs. Bates. The same poetic genius that was shown in youth, has developed as the years have flown. The following quotations are from her pen of a late date:

DARK DAYS AND FAIR.

One day goes clouded to its close, At setting, dall as when it rose; Another has the sunny blue Arched over it from dew to dew; More have their mingled phases ;- rare The wholly dark or wholly fair.

So lives their little orbits run, Either in shadow or in sun ; This glad one noon-day tempests smite; This sad one evening glories light With unexpected radiance ;-- rare The wholly dark or wholly fair.

But Faith has wings for any sky ! Send her abroad her powers to try When th' uplifting airs are warm, That, should her flight encounter storm, With trial made strong, her wings may dare Boldly alike the dark and fair.

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Secure the soul that rests on Faith! Upborne as by an animate breath, She soars beyond earth's loss and gloom, Beyond the shadow of the tomb, With rapture, where is Heaven's free air Wholly unclouded, wholly fair !

GRANDMOTHER'S BIRTHDAY.

BY CLARA DOTY BATES.

Just seventy years ago A little baby smiled, And they gave the sweet old Bible name Of Hannah to the child.

She slept, no doubt, such sleep As only falls on eyes That still have shut within their lids The light of paradise.

No doubt the little hands Lay passive on her breast, As, with the cradle's lullaby, She hushed her to her rest.

Ah me! who could foretell What work those hands should do ? How many they should help to lead Life's troubled mazes through ?

What never-faltering part Their tender strength should take; What burdens for the tired ones bear, What barriers help to break ?

And ah! who could foresee Upon that baby brow, Where lay the dark and silky locks, Its crown of silver now ?

Peace, as at first, is there ; The world has never set One single line of its hard seal Upon that forehead yet !

The constant shadow of pain Has dimmed perhaps the eyes ; Yet still they hold within their lids The light of paradise.

Just seventy years ago Since the little baby came, And now her children's children bless That sweet old Bible name.

Of late years Mrs. Bates has given much attention to the prepa- ration of juvenile literature. The firm of D. Lothrop & Co., Boston, have issued from her pen "Classics of Baby Land," "Collections

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of Nursery Tales, versified for Little Folks," and "Heart's Con- tent," a story for older children. E. B. Smith & Co., Detroit, issued " Songs for Gold Locks," illustrated by Mrs. Finley, of that city, a sister of Mrs. Bates.

REV. MARTIN L. D'OOGE, PH. D.,

Professor of Greek Language and Literature, in the University of Michigan, is a regular contributor to the "Transactions of the American Philological Society," and to the " American Journal of Philology." In 1875 he published an edition of " Demosthenes on the Crown."

MRS. CHARLOTTE FINLEY.

Mrs. Finley is the fourth daughter of Samuel R. Doty, of Ann Arbor. She has attained quite a reputation as an artist, her crayon work being especially fine. A portrait of her father, and also of her mother, are especially admired. Mrs. Finley has done a large amount of work in illustrating children's papers and magazines. The illustrations in a juvenile work by Mrs. Clara Doty Bates, entitled "Songs for Gold Locks," are from her pencil.

PROF. GABRIEL CAMPBELL.

The principal work of Prof. Campbell is that of a " New German Course, or Grammar," published in 1867. He is also the author of a sermon on "Future Retribution," which received favorable notice, and a poem entitled "War Pictures," published in 1865.

CHAPTER XVII. PIONEER ASSOCIATION.

The young live in the future, the middle-aged in the present, and the old in the past. The youth looks forward with bright anticipations, believing he can grapple successfully with the prob- lems of life, and that his name will be enrolled among the famous in the world's history; those in the prime of life feel that every- thing with them is the living present; the aged person sits by the fire and dreams of the past, when he was strong of limb, with un- dimmed eye, fighting his way through life, and overcoming every- obstacle placed in his path. It is with him a glorious thought, that he has come off conqueror in life's battle.

The memories of the past recall to the minds of the pioneers those who were associated with them in the work of building up waste places, and where there has been a co-partnership of suffering and endurance, the feelings of kinship and fellowship spring up, and there is a drawing together. This feeling has resulted in the formation of the various State, county and township pioneer so- cieties now in existence.

In response to a call issued by Gen. Edward Clark, President of the Ann Arbor Pioneer and Historical Society, some 15 or 20 of the old settlers and pioneers of the county assembled at the court- house, Saturday morning, Aug. 16, 1873, at 10:30 o'clock, for the purpose of organizing a county pioneer society.

The meeting was called to order by Gen. Clark, who stated its object, and suggested that in order to obtain the early history of the county, it would be necessary to take immediate steps, ere those who had assisted in making the history were laid in their graves, and had become traditional.

Gen. Clark and M. H. Goodrich, Esq., of Ann Arbor, were ap- pointed temporary Chairman and Secretary, respectively.

Gen. G. D. Hill made a few remarks relative to the object of the society, and as to co-operation with the State society. Committees of five on Permanent Organization, and three on Constitution and By-laws, were appointed as follows:

Permanent Organization .-- J. Q. A. Sessions, Ann Arbor; C. H. Wines, Sylvan; Calvin Wheeler, Salem; James Davidson, Sylvan.

Constitution and By-laws .- M. H. Goodrich, Ann Arbor; John Geddes, Ann Arbor; William A. Jones, Dexter.

After adjournment and reassembling in the p. m., a constitution and by-laws were adopted, and the society named "The Pioneer Society of the County Washtenaw."

The following permanent officers were duly elected:

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Thomas Holmes .

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President .- Ex-Governor Alpheus Felch, Ann Arbor.

Vice-Presidents .- E. Clark, Ann Arbor city; John Geddes, Ann Arbor town; A Childs, Augusta : D. W. Palmer, Bridgewater ; William Jones, Dexter ; E. Haire, Freedom ; Darius Pierce, Lima; C. H. Wines, Sylvan; William M. Gregory, Sa- line ; James H. Fellows, Sharon; A. D. Crane, Scio; Allen Crittendon, Pittsfield ; John Peebles, Salem ; B Case, Manchester ; J. R. Arms, Webster : J. D. Pierce. Ypsilanti city ; E. D. Lay. Ypsilanti town; Peter Cook. York; Lyman Wood, Lodi ; George Gale, Superior; Joseph Pray, Northfield.

Secretary .- George S. Wheeler, Salem.

Corresponding Secretary .- M H. Goodrich, Ann Arbor.

Treasurer-Joshua G. Leland, Ann Arbor.

Executive Committee .- John J. Robison, Sharon ; Edwin Lawrence, Ann Arbor; Darius Pierce, Lima; William Cross, Ypsilanti; Orange Risdon, Saline.

The following constitution was adopted :

SECTION 1. This society shall be known as the "Pioneer Society of the County of Washtenaw."

SEO. 2. The objects of the society are to cultivate social relations, collect and pre- serve biographical sketches, statistics and historical facts, and reminiscences, and to preserve and transmit the same to future generations.

SEC. 3. The officers of the society shall consist of a President, one senior Vice- President, and one Vice-President from each of the townships and cities of the county, a Corresponding and Recording Secretary, a Treasurer, an Executive Com- mittee of five, of which the President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer shall be ex-officio members, who shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting in each year ; in case of a failure to elect at that time, then as soon thereafter as may be ordered by the Executive Committee, and they shall hold their office unless removed by the society or executive committee, until their successors are elected.

SEC. 4. Any person, male or female, who shall have been a permanent resident of the County of Washtenaw, or its vicinity, twenty years or more, whether at one time or at different times, may become a member of the society on paying twenty- fivecents to the Treasurer as an initiatory fee, and continue a member by paying an annual fee of twenty-five cents, and all special assessments of the society. Each person on becoming a member shall sign his name in a record book of the society with a statement of the date and place of his birth, his present residence, and, if not a native of the county, the time of his emigration to the county.

SEG. 5. The President shall preside at all meetings of the society and conduct the business according to parliamentary usages, countersign all warrants properly drawn on the Treasurer, and perform such other duties as appertain to the presiding officer of a deliberative body.

SEO. 6. The Vice-President shall assist the President at all meetings, and in the absence or other inability to act, then the senior Vice-President, and in case of his inability to act, then one of the Vice-Presidents in the order of their elections, shall perform the duty of presiding officer.

SEC. 7. It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary to attend to all the correspondence of the society, and such other duties pertaining to his office as the society shall direct and report at each meeting, and at such other times as the society shall direct.

SEC. 8. The Recording Secretary shall record all the proceedings of the society and of the Executive Committee in a book to be procured and kept for that pur- pose; receive and safely preserve all papers and documents and memorials pre- sented to, or belonging to the society ; draw all the warrants on the Treasurer on properly audited accounts, and take and preserve proper vouchers therefor, and re- cord the death of each deceased member and the date thereof.

SEO. 9. The Treasurer shall have custody of all moneys belonging to the society, collect all dues and assessments and pay over the same on proper warrant of the Sec- retary, countersigned by the President. If required by the society he shall give bond with sureties in such sums as the society shall direct. He shall keep an account of his receipts and disbursements, and report the same at each regular meeting, and at such other times as the society or the Executive Committee may direct, and at the expiration of his term of office make a full report of all the proceedings of his office.

SEO. 10. The Executive Committee shall have the general direction and manage- 30

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ment of the affairs of the society in pursuance of the constitution and orders of the society ; call special meetings by giving notice thereof ; audit all claims against the society and present the same to the Recording Secretary, and at the expiration of their terms of office make a full report of all the proceedings of their office.

SEC. 11. There shall be an annual meeting and festival on the first Monday in September, and one regular meeting on the first Monday in each alternate month thereafter, commencing with the first Monday in October of each year.

SEC. 12. This constitution may be altered or amended at any annual meeting by a majority vote of all the members of the society, but any alteration or amendment shall be proposed, at least, at one regular meeting previous to action being taken thereon.

J. Q. A. Sessions read a paper prepared by Jonathan Morton, entitled " The First Settlement of Ypsilanti," which was highly appreciated by those present.

The second quarterly meeting of the society was held at the court-house in Ann Arbor, Oct. 6, 1873, Hon. Alpheus Felch in the chair.

Gen. Edward Clark, of Ann Arbor, read a paper entitled "An Indian Scare," which caused some amusement and several confes- sions from those participating in the scare.

Ex-Gov. Felch spoke upon the subject of the Toledo war. Lo- renzo Davis next entertained the society for about three-quarters of an hour in narrating in a humorous manner many incidents in the settlement of Ypsilanti, wherein it appears he was engaged in three wars,-the Toledo, the Cholera and the Black Hawk wars, in which he rose from a humble citizen in the private walks of life to the position of 4th Corporal, and in the celebrated attack on the village of Ypsilanti, in the Cholera war, actually saw two stage horses mortally wounded.

William M. Gregory read a paper in which he urged upon all the importance of perpetuating the labors of the pioneers.

The third meeting was held Dec. 1, 1873, at the Firemen's hall in Ann Arbor.

Alvin Cross, of Ypsilanti, presented a paper which was read by Lorenzo Davis, entitled " My Introduction to Michigan."

John Geddes, of Ann Arbor township, also read a paper in which he narrated his experience in coming to and settling in Washtenaw county.

Letters were read, and ordered to be spread upon the records of the society between the Greek Minister and the Mayor of Ypsi- lanti, in reference to the origin of the name of the city of Ypsilanti.

A biographical sketch of Mark Norris was also read and ordered spread upon the records.

The fourth meeting of the society was held Feb. 2, 1874, at Ann Arbor.

On motion of Nathan Webb, of Pittsfield, the following resolu- tion was adopted:

Resolved. That the Pioneer Society hold a festival or picnic in commemoration of the semi-centennial location of the county seat of Washtenaw county, in the city of Ann Arbor, on the 24th day of February, 1874.

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A committee of nine persons was appointed to make all necessary arrangements for the festival or picnic, and R. A. Beal, Nathan Webb, William A. Jones, J. Q. A. Sessions, M. H. Goodrich, John J. Robison, Ezra D. Lay, William M. Gregory and C. H. Wines were appointed said committee.

Interesting and instructive papers from Mrs. R. B. Norris, Will- iam A. Jones, Morrell Goodrich, William Gregory and John Ged- des were read before the meeting.

THE CELEBRATION.

The semi-centennial celebration of the location of Ann Arbor as a county-seat by the Pioneer Society of Washtenaw County. was held in the basement of the Methodist Episcopal church, on Tues- day, Feb. 24, 1874. The opportunity for the fathers and mothers of Washtenaw to meet together and review old acquaintance and rehearse the pleasing memories of bygone days was improved to the fullest extent.

At the time announced for the opening of the festival the parlors of the church were rapidly filled with the pioneers, who had come from every township in the county to do honor to the memory of John Allen and Walter Rumsey, the first pioneers of Washtenaw county. And it was well that they should meet in reunion for their own sakes. The struggles and activities of early life in Michigan, though not without their enjoyable phases, and which, though the sturdy men and women that were represented in the festival have been productive of so much character and real worth among the people and have given to Washtenaw a pre-emi- nent rank in the counties of the State, deserve to be commemorated and the memory of them handed down to future generations.

The oldest gentleman present on the occasion was Orange Risdon, of Saline. He was early identified with the history of the county and the State, being particularly engaged in the numerous surveys of those days between Detroit and Chicago. Calvin Bliss, who came in 1834, established the first jewelry store in the State west of Detroit. It seems that Calvin Chipman put up the first log house in Ann Arbor, in 1824. He was instrumental in securing the present name of the city. Mr. Rumsey occupied the present site of the Episcopal church, and, as the story goes, his wife, whose name was Ann, said one day to her husband, in reply to his remark, " What a beautiful arbor we have!" "Mr. Rumsey, let's call it Ann's Arbor." Mr. Chipman being present, arose and in the usual form of deliberative assemblies put the vote, which was carried unanimously. The documents to this effect were afterward drawn up and deposited in the office of Major Kearsley, the land agent at Detroit.

Of the antiquities brought out on this occasion, none, perhaps, excited more interest than the first piano ever brought west of Detroit, which was on exhibition in the rear end of the reception

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hall. From the historical paper which accompanied the same it was learned that it was brought from Detroit in 1827, by John Anderson, with an ox team, for Miss Lucy Ann Clark, and set up at Mr. Harvey Austin's house, which stood on the northwest corner of Second and Liberty streets, where Mr. Anderson was treated to music before leaving. Shortly afterward it was taken to a house standing on Main street. Here large numbers of the Potta- watomies and Tawas Indians enjoyed and frequently danced to its music. This instrument originally cost $75.

Moses Boylan produced some interesting relics of former days in the shape of a family Bible and record bearing the date of 1740, his grandmother's wedding slippers, teaspoons, etc., made in 1765. Mr. Boylan set up in the tailor's trade in 1830, in Ann Arbor, and had at home the shears, pressboard, and other implements of the trade at that time. He had also the oldest jail record in the county. A peculiar incident was related by Mr. Boylan in respect to his son, Arthur E. Boylan, who was born in jail, raised in the poor-house, educated in Michigan University, and was then practic- ing law in Brighton, Michigan.

Mr. John S. Nowland, who claimed to be the first white child born in Ann Arbor, presented for inspection a needle-case, imported from Scotland 150 years ago; also some scrip of the State of New Jersey, bearing date of 1781.

About three o'clock the pioneers and others in attendance, to the number of 500, sat down to the bountifully laden tables which had been prepared by the ladies of Ann Arbor, with an abundance of everything that could tempt the palates of the epicure. Many compliments were passed on the ladies for their successful efforts in preparing for the wants of the inner man.

The chairman then called for five-minute remarks illustrative of early pioneer life, from the representatives of the various townships. Nearly all called on responded and interested the meeting with the recital of the condition of things in Washtenaw county in its younger days. At the conclusion of the remarks, and after the singing of " Auld Lang Syne," the meeting dissolved, thus ending an occasion which will be remembered by all present as one of the most enjoyable in a social way in the history of the county.

The society again met in convention April 13, 1874, at Fire- men's Hall, in Ann Arbor.

At this meeting Charles A. Chapin reported that Mark Howard had generously donated his file of the Western Emigrant to the society. The thanks of the society were tendered Mr. Howard for his excellent gift.

Requests were made of various gentlemen to prepare sketches of the townships in which they lived, and after listening to papers read from E. W. Whitmore, E. D. Lay, Samuel Pettibone and John Thompson the society adjourned to meet on the first Sunday in June.

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

At the meeting held June 1, 1874, Lorenzo Davis, E. D. Lay, and John Geddes were appointed a committee to take the necessary steps toward organizing under the act to provide for the incorpora- tion of State, county, or municipal biographical and geographical Societies.

A committee consisting of one member of the society from each township and city was appointed to make arrangements for attend- ing the semi-centennial anniversary of the settlement of Ypsilanti. The following named were appointed: Ann Arbor city, Charles A. Chapin; Ann Arbor township, John Geddes; Augusta, Aaron Childs; Bridgewater, David W. Palmer; Dexter, William A. Jones; Manchester, J. D. Corey; Pittsfield, Nathan Webb; Northfield, George Sutton; Lyndon, Osman Clark; Lima, Morrell Goodrich; Lodi, Charles Allmendinger; Saline, William M. Gregory; Salem, George S. Wheeler; Scio, James W. Wing; Sylvan, Charles H. Wines; Sharon, John J. Robison; Superior, S. Cuppen; York, Peter Cook; Ypsilanti township, E. D. Lay; Ypsilanti city, Sid- ney S. Derby.

On Monday, Aug. 3, 1874, the society met pursuant to ad- journment at the court house in Ann Arbor.

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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 46

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