USA > Michigan > St Clair County > History of the St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources.. > Part 46
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Lewis Chadwick was born in Massachusetts in the year 1799, and when one year old his parents moved to Vermont. He left home at the age of fourteen, and lived the most of the time in Randolph, Chatham, Hogensburg and London, Canada, till the year 1834, when he moved to Newport (Marine City), in this county, where he remained one year, when he came to Knapp's Mills, on Black River, then called the township of Desmond. which extended as far north as the North Pole. He bought a farm abont one mile east of what is now called Jeddo, which he owned till his death. This farm was first in the township of Desmond, then in Clyde, Lexington, Burtchville, and now is in Grant. His death occurred November 10, 1875.
David Robertson was born on the St. Clair River, four miles below the site now occupied by this village, in 1796; the house in which he first saw light was a primitive yet comfortable log cabin: it stood near the present residence of Warren Robertson, and was torn down about twenty years ago. He died at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Nancy Howard. of Marine City. September IS, 1875. He was one of the first white children born on the River St. Clair. his parents having removed to this (then) wilderness but a short time prior to his birth. He grew up a vigorous youth, and at fifteen years of age we find him an enlisted soldier in the American Army, detailed for duty on the fortifications of Fort Gratiot, then building. In 1820 he married Madeline Myers, by whom he had fifteen children, eleven sons and four daughters.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Mrs. James Robertson died at the residence of her son, Capt. Hiram W. Robertson. April 19, 1875. Miss Theodate Potter (which was Mrs. Robertson's name before her first marriage) was born in the village of Pompey, Onondaga Co., N. Y .. on the 2d day of October, 1798. At that early day that county, in Central New York, was yet undeveloped, and was in a great measure a frontier settlement. The Indian in his war paint, with his deadly tomahawk and glittering scalping knife in his belt, was no rare sight, and amid these wild scenes, and the de- privations accompanying them, were the girlhood days of Miss Potter passed. She was in Pompey when the attitude of the savages became most alarming, and finally culminated with the outbreak of the war of 1812. Alike with the residents of her town. she shared the hopes and fears of that struggle, Miss Potter was married to Mr. Cyrus Millard, of the village of Pompey, when she was but sixteen years of age, and while the war of 1812 was in full progress. She remained a resident of the town of her birth until 1836, when, leaving the scenes that were familiar to her from the first, she made the journey to Michigan. Here again, she was destined to meet and overcome the hardships of frontier life, for the " lovely peninsula " was then even more wild than Onondaga County. N. Y., in 1795.
Michigan was then a Territory, and was engaged in settling the question of her southern boundary with Ohio, which was the one obstacle that kept her without the sisterhood of States nntit the following year. Mr. Millard. with his wife and family. settled at Newport (now Ma- rino City), on the St. Clair River, but he did not long survive. He died in 1837, abont one year after his arrival. Mrs. Millard remained a widow twelve months, when she was married to Mr. James Robertson, of Cottrellville, with whom she lived until his death. One year there- after she removed to St. Clair, where she resided at the time of her death.
Chester Rankin was the son of Otis and Mary Rankin, who emigrated to this county from Madison County, N. Y., in the year 1533, and settled in the town of Cottrellville, a short dis- tance west of Newport, now Marine City. Here Chester Rankin was born, October 21. 1537. While quite young he, with his father's family. removed to the town of China. near Belle River Mill, and near the place where he resided at the time of his death. April, 1575. He was mar- ried in the spring of 1863 to Miss Annie E. Kirk, who resided with her parents in the same neighborhood. He had one brother and one sister: Mr. Henry Rankin, of East China, was his brother, and Mrs. Slyfield, wife of Capt. Luther L. Styfield, of St. Clair City, was his sister.
Conrad Denio, one of the veterans of the war of 1812, resided on the town line between Casco and Columbus, with his son-in-law. William A. Fulton, died January 8, 1875. Mr. Denio was born in Alburg, Grand Isle County. Vt .. December 7, 1781. When a young man. he re- moved to New York State, where he married and resided. rearing a family and devoting his time to farming, until 1852. He made a trip to this State in the latter year, remaining with his son in-law, Mr. Fulton, one year. In 1853, he returned to New York and lived with his children their until 1562, when he again came to Michigan and took up his residence with Mr. Fulton. From that time until his death Mr. Denio was a member of Mr. Fulton's family. He was one of the veterans of the war of 1512, having served in Capt. I. Pette's company of Vermont Militia in the last struggle with Great Britain. He was among those whose services to the country in that conflict were recognized by the Government at the last hour. He drew a pension of $S per month since the Lith of February. IST1.
Richard Allington, aged seventy nine years, died at China December 15, 1875, Ho was born at Thetford, England, in 1796, and came to America in ISH. shortly after enlisting in the United States Army. During his enlistment, he was in the Black Hawk war and helped to build the barracks at Fort Gratiot. In IS3I, he married Elizabeth Hannan, daughter of Will- iam Baird. AAfter serving his country faithfully for fifteen years, in 1535 he got his discharge. He then moved to China and settled on the farm where he died. In ISI5, he was left a wid- ower with six small children. With the help of kind friends, he struggled with the ills of life with his little family till 1819, when he married Sophia Browning.
John Swartout died at the residence of his son, Martin Swartout, in Clay Township. De- cember 27. 1875. in the ninetieth year of his age. Deceased was a man remarkable alike for per- severance and industry. He was born in Ulster County, N. Y .. in 1757. In 1536, he emigrat- ed to the then Territory of Michigan with his wife and a family of six boys. He bought half
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a section of land three miles from Algonac. Here, with the aid of his boys, for the third time in his life, he entered an unbroken forest and cleared himself a farm. At this time, Algonac (then called Manchester) contained one frame house and a few huts. After years of hard labor he had the satisfaction of reaping the golden grain from his own acres, and gathering fruit from trees which he had planted. In 1862, his partner, who had shared with him the hardships of his pioneer life of half a century, died. One of his leading characteristics was his anxiety to provide for the future. Upon one occasion, after becoming an old man. while planting apple seeds he was accosted by a neighbor, also quite old. who inquired if he expected to derive any benefit from his labor; his rely was characteristic of the man - " If I don't, somebody else will!" Thanks to his strong constitution and temperate habits, he lived to eat fruit from the trees for a number of years.
Capt. Eber B. Ward of Detroit, died from an attack of apoplexy January 2, 1875. No citizen of Michigan conld have died whose decease would have caused so great a commotion. His immense wealth and business interests were such that hardly a city of any importance in the Northwest but will be more or less affected by his death. His capital was so large that of necessity it was employed in a variety of ways. His enterprises extended through a number of States reaching from the cold and icy northern shores of Lake Superior to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. His wealth was chiefly invested in iron, silver and copper mines, in pine lands and saw mills, in rolling mills and silver smelting works. in railroads, in farming lands. in glass works and numerous other enterprises. Capt. Ward was nominally the wealthiest man in the whole Northwest, his capital being estimated all the way from $7,000,000 to $22,- 000,000, but $10,000,000 undoubtedly covers all that was realized from his estate. although it was not sufficient to meet all liabilities.
Mr. Ward took quite an active part in politics, acting with the Republican party and making his influence widely felt. Mr. Ward made his will, in which T. C. Owen, of Detroit. Mr. Wy- man, of Cleveland, and Orin W. Potter, of Chicago, were named as executors. These gentle- men were all partners of the millionaire, and were fully acquainted with his vast business in- terests.
William Luck, born at Albany, N. Y., April 17, 1797, died May 11. 1975. He came to Michigan in November, 1846. After looking around a little, he settled upon the farm on which he died, and which is situated about five miles northwest of St. Clair, In the town of the same name. Here on the high banks of Pine River he built his residence and commenced clearing his farm. This was then indeed a wild region. St. Clair City was but a small settlement and the farms surrounding it were but mere garden patches. The road from the village to Mr. Lnck's farm was nothing but a lumber road, over which the boughs of the trees on either side met overhead. and entwining made an almost complete roof to this pioneer highway. Game in abundance, of nearly every description, roamed through the almost unbroken forests at will, bnt seldom startled by the sharp report of the hunter's or the Indian's rifle. In the winter season the echo of the Inmberman's ax was heard within the present corporate limits of St. Clair City, and in the summer the hunter of pine traversed its immediate vicinity locating Government lands. But few sail vessels and still fewer steamers ruthed the waters of the bean- tiful St. Clair, and the chief sonree of travel and transportation was man's faithful servant- the horse. At that time the settler endured many privations, but for this he was compensated by the wild grandeur of the scenes which surrounded him. He enjoyed the rich beanties of nature before they were marred by the hand of the irreverent pioneer. It was indeed a roman- tic life, with charms that could not but be appreciated by the inhabitant of a palace. Grad- nally Mr. Luck subdued the giants of the forest and in a few years he had wrought him a very pleasant home in a comparative wilderness.
Many of the pioneers are under the impression that this old settler was an Englishman, as both he and his wife possessed the brogne of that nation.
Mrs. Mary K. Chamberlain, wife of E. C. Chamberlain, and consin of Frederick L. Wells, died October IS, 1875. at Stanford, Dutchess Co., N. Y.
Capt. John Clark died February 3. 1876. He was born at Bath, Maine, July 29, 1797. At fifteen years of age he left school, became clerk in a store in Angusta, and at eighteen years was
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ordered to travel by his physician, his health being very poor. Ho accordingly made a trip to Europe: in returning he was shipwrecked, and reached Philadelphia after experiencing many hardships. In 1818, he married Miss Mary Shorbun.
Ho settled in Detroit in 1830, remained there three years, and then removed to Port Huron to take charge of Dr. Rice's steam mill on Black River. He next figured as Captain of the steamer Gon. Gratiot and sailed her a part of two seasons. Ho bought a large tract of land in China on the River St. Clair and permanently settled there in 1835, building a dock and store, and doing a general trading business, buying furs, ete. He was the first Senator elected from the Fifth Senatorial District of the newly admitted State of Michigan, in 1835, and has since served a number of times in the Legislature, holding the chairmanship of various impor- tant committees, always discharging his duties with credit to himself and his constituents. In 1556 he joined the Republican party and supported Fremont.
Ho was probably better versed in Masonry than any man in the State, and was the sup. posed oldest member of that order residing in Michigan. It is said that having taken all the degrees American Masonry could bestow he went to Europe and received two additional higher degrees. It is certain that he has held the third highest position in the General Grand Com- mandery of the United States, that of Vice Eminent Grand Captain General. The Commandery at St. Clair was named after him.
Mrs. Flora Stafford died at Point aux Trembles JJanuary 27, 1877. When about thirteen years ohl, her father brought her from Scotland in Lord Selkirk's colony to Canada. She was married three times respectively to Messrs. Skinner, Ainsworth and Stafford. She was married to her second lmsband, Captain Henry Ainsworth, then a Quartermaster in the American Army, in 1817, and spent the next two years at Green Bay, Wis .. in the Government employ. Here Henry Ainsworth, Jr., was born. When an infant, he narrowly escaped death by the tusks of a wild boar, who caught him up one day when ho happened to be playing outside of the blockhouse and was making for the woods. The unerring aim of an Indian, however, who happened to see the performance, brought the animal lifeless to the earth, and the child was saved. In 1821, Capt. Ainsworth purchased a farm and settled at Point aux Trembles. His house was one of the first preaching places for Methodist preachers on the River. He was a well-informed, energetic man, and had he lived, would have been a valuable acquisition to the community. He died in 1824. In a few years.his wife married Mr. Stafford, but in about two years was left a widow again. Sho survived her last husband about forty years.
John Stillson, an old citizen of Port Huron, and well known throughout the lumbering regions of the State, died at the Dexter House, Gratiot Centro, March 14, 1577.
He married Miss Lucinda Tuttle, in Middleton, Me., from which place he went to Califor- nia in 1849, and was gone for three years. In 1853, he came to Michigan and resided in this city most of his time after. Lumbering and milling were his principal occupations, en- gaging in the latter at Brockway Centre and Wyandotte, and residing at each place a short time. His wife died in June, 1874, and in August, 1575, he married Lucy C. Cooper, sister of Isaae C. Cooper, of the Dexter House, at which place he made his home.
Marcus H. Miles died December 13, 1877. Fow men have been so closely identified with the affairs of St. Clair County for the forty years preceding his death as the deceased. He was a native of New York. He arrived in this county from Skaneateles, N. Y., about 1536, coming first to Port Huron, and was in the employ of Edward Bancroft (father of Hon. W. L. Ban- croft), then in business at this point. He remained here but a short time, and early in the spring of 1837, removed to Newport (now Marine City), where he engaged in mercantile busi. ness with James Robinson. He remained in Newport about two years, and was known as an enterprising, stirring citizen. He was an earnest Whig in polities, and his political activity brought him into prominence in that party, which was in the majority at that end of the county, though parties were about evenly divided in the county, the north part of which was heavily Democratic. During the last days of his residence in Newport he was Postmaster, with S. A. Jones, now of this city, as Deputy His excellent penmanship and clerical ability made him a suitable candidate for County Clerk and Register of Deeds, which two offices were then asso- ciated together, and he was nominated for the place in 1838. being elected over Horatio James
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
(father of Amos James) by a vote of 405 to 370. He removed to St. Clair, the county seat, at the beginning of the year 1839, so that he might devote himself to his official duties. He was re-elected Clerk and Register in 1840, over Curtis Bellows. In 1842, he again ran for County Clerk, but was defeated by E. C. Bancroft. the county in that off year, on a light vote. giving a considerable Democratic majority. He was not candidate for the office in 1844, but entered the field again in 1846. and was defeated by a majority of three votes by Daniel Follensbee, the political complexion of the county having changed to Democratic by this time; Bingham's majority over Wisner for Congress in that year being 119. Two years later, however, Mr. Miles tested strength again with Mr. Follansbee, and carried the county bv a vote of 771 to 764-a majority of seven. In 1850, he was again elected Clerk, this time over Smith Falken- bury, making four times that he was elected to that office, besides twice that he was an unsuc- cessful candidate.
His long service as Clerk so familiarized him with court practice that he was adinitted to the bar in March. 1852, and began the practice of law. He did for some years a very con- siderable business in the way of convevancing and collections, but did not seek prominence as a court advocate. In 1854, he was elected Circuit Court Commissioner over Cyrus Miles, and in 1856 Judge of Probate over Joseph P. Minne. In 1863, he entered the Eleventh Michigan Cavalry under Gen. Brown, as a Lieutenant. During nearly the entire time of his military service, he was on detached duty as Judge Advocate at headquarters, in the department of Ken- tucky, we believe, and gained a good reputation for efficient service in his responsible position.
The year following his return from the war, he was elected Representative from the First District, and made an efficient member in the House, serving on the Committees on State Affairs and Elections. So well did he satisfy his constituents that in the succeeding year he was elected, along with Judge Conger and Mr. Hazen, a member of the Constitutional Convention. There he served as Chairman of the Committee on Cities and Villages, and also as a member of the Committee on Counties.
In 1870, he was appointed Inspector of Customs and stationed at Toronto, where he served until the office was abolished two years ago. He proved in that position. as he had in the oth- ers he had held, an excellent officer. Collector Sanborn stated that he was one of the most faithful and efficient officers ever in the customs service. He was thoroughly familiar with his duties and performed them with the strictest fidelity and promptness. In this service, while in at- tending to some of the duties of the place, he met with quite a serious accident by the backing of an engine against a freight car in which he was at work. It was a severe shock to his sys- tem, and it is thought by some that it had a marked influence on his future health. Mr. Miles was married in 1841, to Miss Partridge, daughter of Asa Partridge, of St. Clair, and sister of Gen. B. F. Partridge, Commissioner of the State Land Office.
Allen Fish was born near Montreal, Canada. February 14, 1524; he died May 26, 1877. His parents were of New England birth, but removed to Canada at an early day. In the year 1836, the family came to Michigan and settled in Macomb County. In 1848, Mr. Fish removed to Port Huron, where his brother Allen had located some years before, and the two brothers entered into mercantile and lumbering business under the firm name of A. & H. Fish, which has been maintained to the present time, or nearly thirty years. Mr. Fish's greatest prom- inence before the public has been as an active member of the Prohibition party. He was earnest and conscientious in his support of the principles of prohibition, never swerving from it, or proposing any compromise in the hope of political preferment. In 1870, he was the ean- didate of the party for Governor, and again in IS72. He was active in the movement for the formation of the National Prohibition party at an early date. During the war, he acted with the Republican party.
Ralph Wadhams, whose prominent connection with public affairs at the time the State of Michigan was admitted into the Union, and earlier business interests, gave him a popularity and influence in those days which the present generation can scarcely appreciate. He was born at Goshen. Litchfield Co., Conn., in 1798, being at the time of his decease, April, 1877, in his seventy ninth year. His father is believed to have been of Dutch and his mother of English descent. When about seven years of age, his parents removed to Leicester, Livingston Co., N. Y.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
In that vicinity he obtained a good normal education, and being of a business turn of mind left his father's farm to enter the store of one Nicholas Ayrault, in that vicinity, where he served an apprenticeship which titted him for the active business of life, which he entered on arriving at manhood.
In company with one Reese, he landed at Detroit in 1523. and for several years the firm of Reese & Wadhams, general merchants, occupied the first brick store built in Detroit, on the corner of Jefferson and Woodward avenues. Detroit, at that carly day. had about 2,500 inhab- itants, and was the base of supplies for this portion of what is now the State.
Later, the firm became Howard & Wadhams, and a largo tract of pine land, some 7.000 acres, was entered by them under the act of Congress by which it came into market, with Innds furnished by the Trust Company of New York, who were secured by a mortgage. Through a subsequent assignment of Howard, Mr. Wadhams came into possession of the mortgage, and the Trust Company compromised by giving him the fract of land on Black River, which included his present estate. He also became interested in the Inibering operations that had been pro- vionsly carried on by Smart. Miller & Scott, at the site of what is now Clyde Mills, where a dam and saw-mill had been built, and also other buildings and improvements made.
For several years ho conducted the lumubering operations on Black River, while engaged in general mercantile trade at Detroit, going back and forth frequently. The journey was then made on the ice in the winter, and by sail boats during the season of navigation, there boing no public highway to Detroit for some years after. At that time, too. Clyde Mills was considered the head of navigation on Black River.
It was not till 1529, or thereabouts, that he located permanently in this county. In 1530, he built the first grist-mill at his place, and for many years thereafter his business was extensive and required the services of a large number of men.
His political influence was considerable, being, in 1532. elected Supervisor for the town of Desmond, which then included the district from Macomb to Saginaw. He was delegate to the convention which framed the constitution under which Michigan was admitted to the Union. Capt. John Clark, of China, who died last year, was the other delegato from here. Under President Jackson. ho was appointed Postmaster at. Clyde Mills, which office he hekl thirty-six years, resigning in I>74.
In spite of his business tact and energy, he failed once, and when his lumber, cattle and other assets were sold, his father came to his rescue and bid them in for him, so that he was enabled to go on and accumulate an unincumbered estate to-day worth many thousands of dol- lars, and comprising, among other things, fifty head of fine blooded cattle. He met with many adverse circumstances, to which men of loss energy would have succumbed. The expenses required annually to keep up the dam and bridge across the river, and the damages from foods and fire, requiring his mills to be rebuilt twice, were very heavy. But Mr. Wadhams was
respected by all who knew him and bore an unblemished reputation. He was a good account- ant, and had a very prompt business way which conduced to success.
When Dr. Nash used to preach in the schoolhonse at Clyde Mills, he was a regular attend- ant upon its services, but never made an open profession of religion.
Mrs. Lydia Rix, wife of Oel Rix, was born in Genesee County. N. V .. September 23. IS11; came to Michigan with her husband in 1535 36, and was one of the first white women seen in the neighborhood of Memphis. Her death took place February 2. 1977.
Newell Avery, of Port Huron, died March 13, 1577. Mr. Avery was born in Maine Octo- ber 12. 1517. His parents were poor, and he enjoyed no early advantages of education, some three months of instruction at an old- fashioned district school comprising all the privileges of this sort secured At the age of fourteen, he hired out to labor in a saw-mill in the woods of Maine, agreeing to take whatover his employer-who seemed to doubt the capacity of the white. headed boy, who applied for work - should see fit to give. So diligent and " handy " had the new employe become, however, before the year was ont, that he was getting nearly as large wages as any of the men around the mill. This was the beginning of a remarkable business career. All his earnings were carefully treasured up, all his opportunities diligently improved, so that he soon know the business of lumbering as then carried on in Maine to its minntest details. Soon,
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