USA > Michigan > Jackson County > Jackson > Jackson city directory and business advertiser. With a history from the first settlement of the city, and a general portrait of its business at the present time, for 1867-1868 > Part 3
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The travel so increasing over the Territorial Road, it was deemed a matter of good policy, in order to encourage that stream of emigration, to do something upon the roads, scarcely any work ever having been done, more than " blazing" trees and some slight removal of obstructions. A number of places beyond Jackson- burgh had sprung up, even as far west as Kalamazoo, and the difficulties which beset the path of the emigrant were made more severe by reason of bridgeless streams and other " bad places."
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
The Jacksonites, too, were fully alive, not only at this time but for a number of years after, to the value of entertaining emigrants, and the opportunity of showing them about their village, offering them inducements to locate here, and persuading them to abandon any project of going any farther into the wilderness. Persuasive, indeed, was the eloquence of landed proprietors, and soothing, plausible and seductive the story these seers told of the future greatness of Jackson, already the county seat of the finest county in the West, and soon to be the capital of the new Empire State. Was the emigrant a farmer ? no more productive soil lay under the stellar system-a mechanic ? there would be no end to the work he would have to do at exorbitant prices-a professional man ? the very place for him to grow up with, and become wealthy and great. And the more of such hearers that came in their way the better the chances of increasing the population of Jackson- burgh, and with it the advancement of their own interests. And like shrewd, enterprising men as they were, they saw that to im- prove the road between this place and Ann Arbor, would be a good investment for Jackson in several ways. Therefore, during the fall and winter of 1830-31, a party started out and bridged several streams to the east, including a pole bridge across the Grand River at the Trail street crossing. And these were the first beginnings of road work in Jackson county. In the village, at that time, there were no streets, people going about without much regard to right angles. The stakes of the surveyor had been stuck, and in some places log houses had been erected on a line, but the course of travel was not directed by arbitrary lines. For several years our present lordly city was a mere huddle of houses in a wide wilderness, encroaching upon the squatter rights of beasts of prey.
There were only two cases of sickness in 1830, viz: Mr. Hiram Thompson and Mr. Geo. B. Cooper. Both were attacked with chill fever, and were the first here to become acquainted with that " popular" and subsequently almost universally " adopted" disease known as "fever and ague," the scourge of the new settlement, and that, for many years, made the name of Michigan synonymous with that of this dreaded illness. It was not until a year or two C
Carlton & Van Antwerp, Printers, Jackson.
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after this that this sickness became one of the " institutions" of the new city.
Before the close of this year, 1830, Jacksonburgh had all the organic elements and many of the institutions of a perfect and well-planned colony. In the fall of thi. year a Post Office was established, Isaiah W. Bennett being commissioned as the first Postmaster of the new village at that time. The Post Office was first held in a log building erected by Bennett and Thompson, on the present site of W. R. & S. C. Reynold's store. This was his residence and office. As trees and stumps were abundant in front and all around the building, and as Main Street west was thickly set with trees and undergrowth, and offered the traveller little more than a path or trail to guide him onward, we may conclude that the location was in "the rural district." The mails being light, the duty of distributing and making up was not very oner- ous on Mr. B. and, we are credibly informed, did not seriously interfere with his other business. The mail on its arrival was spread upon the floor and a few moments sufficed to look over and assort the packages. So much of the same as belonged in the office was carefully deposited in a basket, there to await the demand of those to whom it was directed. Letters, in those days, did not take shape, as at the present time from a neatly folded envelope. In form, they were squares more or less square, triangles more or less triangular, and possibly an approach to other mathematical figures. But rude or homely in figure though they were, as they. brought tidings of " the old folks at home." in the distant East, and told of the events transpiring out in the world, they were welcome. The arrival of a letter was an event in any household, and furnished topics for thought and conversation for weeks and months, not only to the family, but to the entire settlement. In those days there were but few family secrets in Jacksonburgh.
Mails came in from Detroit once a week, and were at first brought in a man's hat or coat pocket. Postage at that time was twenty-five cents for letters, and even at this rate the Postmaster's per centage was not very large per quarter. The present Post- master, with his 1400 boxes, and his three or four assistants, and the millions of packages and letters that pass through his hands annually, affords a marked contrast to the postal business of this
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primitive era. Mr. Bennett held the office until 1834, when he was succeeded by Mr. Coleman, who served until his decease in 1836, and was succeeded by Mr. George B. Cooper. Mr. Cooper removed the office to his store on the ground afterwards used for the Porter block. Subsequently it was removed to a place one door east of the Court House. Mr. Cooper held the position until the summer of 1846, and was succeeded by Wilbur F. Storey.
A few remarks relative to mail facilities, and the establishment of postal and stage lines, may not here be inappropriate. A coach or wagon of some kind. was soon put upon the route between this place and Detroit, Mr. George Mayo being the contractor, at first carrying the mail on horseback, between Ann Arbor and this place. West of Jackson, through Marshall, Gull Prairie and Prairie Ronde to White Pigeon, the Government of the United States supplied a mail, for three years from the summer of 1831, once a week, the mail being carried on horseback or on foot- when the streams were high and the roads bad ; and where there was no post-offices along the route, the mail carrier delivered to settlers such letters as were intended for them and received others in return, as he passed along, being both postmaster and mail carrier. At first his coat pockets or hat-crown afforded ample ac- commodations for his trust, mail bags being unnecessary. A man named Darling, of Neal's Prairie, in Calhoun County, was the first carrier west of Jacksonburgh. He was succeeded, in 1832, by Lucius Barns, of Gull Prairie, the mail being then carried in a covered wagon, the contract specifying that mode of conveyance. Thus was established the first stage line from Jackson to Kala- mazoo and Prairie Ronde, via Gull Prairie, an office having been established at Kalamazoo on the 14th of July, 1832, by an order of Amos Kendall, P. M. General. Barns was succeeded in 1836, by W. R. Thompson and Wadsworth, of Jackson. During the year 1836, so noted for the great land sales, the amount of travel to Kalamazoo increased very greatly. To accommodate this travel, Messrs. Thompson & Wadsworth decided to put on the route a line of coaches, and in the Summer of this year the first stage coach was run through to Kalamazoo. In 1840, Zenas Til- lotson succeeded Messrs. Thompson & Wadsworth on the route from Jackson to Kalamazoo. The same year the route to St.
Carlton & Van Antwerp, Printers, Jackson.
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Joseph was let to Tillotson, Davis & Patrick. Patrick was, I think, interested with Tillotson in the Jackson and Kalamazoo route. To show what competition there was for this route, the fact exists that the bids were put in very low, while on the route to St. Joseph, where there was no opposition, the rates for carrying the mail were extremely high. Patrick, at this time, was local mana- ger of the road, with headquarters at Paw Paw. In 1838, a line of stages, P. Stone of Adrian, and Ring and Hibbard of Jackson, proprietors, was in successful operation between Jackson and Adrian, advertised as follows : " Through by daylight. Leave Jackson every day on the arrival of the Western stages, and Adrian every day on the arrival of the cars from Toledo. By this arrangement passengers from Toledo will find comfortable conveyance across to the Detroit and St. Joseph road at Jackson, where they meet the daily line of stages. This is also the best route from the south and east to the Ionia Land Office, to Eaton and Ingham County Seats, to the Rapids of Grand River, to Kal- amazoo and the mouth of the St. Joseph River." The Jackson Exchange was the stage office of this line. Post Office at this date, 1838, was one door east of the Court House, G. B. Cooper, Post- master. Just the time when the lines east and west became DAILY we have not been able to ascertain, but probably about the year 1836.
We also had mechanics, manufacturers, merchants, (saw) mil- lers, professional men and farmers ; and thrift and prosperity marked the efforts of all. John Wickham was the first carpenter who settled here, having been employed on Thompson & Bennett's Mill. Josephus Case, with his forge under the blue sky, and his coal the shaggy bark of the hickory tree-an excellent substitute when charcoal was not at hand-was our pioneer blacksmith. Drs. Stoddard and Russ, above alluded to, both intelligent and well educated physicians, attended to the physical well-being of the colony. Dr. S. remained a number of years in Jackson, and bore a prominent part in the history of the place, and was elected the first County Clerk of the County. He afterwards removed to a neighboring town in this county, where he now lives. Dr. Russ is still remembered, by all old residents, as a kind-hearted, genial, able physician and an excellent neighbor. We have mentioned
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the locality of the first house he built, in 1830. The following spring he erected a log house on the east side of the Grand River, on the north side of Ganson street, for his brother, Nathan Russ, who came with his family in 1831. A brick house has recently been built on the site of this primitive dwelling. The Doctor seemed to be a man that was full of resource, and ready for any emer- gency. The boards used for making the doors of this house were carried by the Doctor, on his back, from Bennett's Mill, more than a mile away, crossing the river at Main street, on a log bridge. He visited professionally every house in the county in 1831, 2, 3 and 4. In 1832, there being several cases of Cholera in the little settlement at Marshall, he was sent for, and traveled there and back again on foot. Dr. Russ combined, with his other accom- plishments, the art of making shoes, and it is remembered that he it was that made the first pair of shoes in Jackson county, and that the little feet of Emeline Thompson were graced with the same. The Doctor's modest and unpretending mansion, had one distinguishing characteristic by which it was known at home and abroad-the doors were painted red. He continued in practice here until his decease in 1846. Dr. Russ was not without his eccentricities and loved a good joke, whether upon himself or an- other. There are many stories of a mirthful character that tradi- tion has handed down from those remote and early times to the present day, which not only illustrate his general character, but also hold the mirror of the settlement up to Nature. One day a farmer came into Bennett's store, purchased a few articles, and was about leaving, when Doctor R. said to him, " My friend, you are owing me a balance of account for doctoring in your family, and I should like to have you pay me." The man thus accosted turned upon the Dr., and in a voice of great firmness, replied : " Dr. Russ, I have paid you all I ever shall on that bill !" and went out of the store. Dr. Russ sat with his head down for a moment or two, as though reflecting what steps it would be neces- sary to pursue after such a rebuff. At last he looked up to the merchant, saying, in a tone of injured innocence and mock serious- ness : " Well, well, the ingratitude of some people is perfectly unaccountable ! Now, just look at that man ! He had a poor, weak, sickly wife, that was nothing but a bill of expense to him,
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and I killed her off. And now he refuses to pay me ! What can one expect in this world ?"
In the days of military law, when the citizens were warned out to fit themselves for soldiers, and there was some chance that a draft would be made for recruits for the Seminole war, Mr. B., a well known citizen of Jackson, now as well as then, was among those upon whom notice was served. He had been under the influence of the "ague," however, for some time, and, though able to be around, did not care to risk exposure at the training ; consequently he did not appear at the rendezvous. In due time a notice was served upon him to appear at a Court-Martial and show cause for non-attendance, etc. Dr. Russ happened to be near when the cit- izen was thus notified, and Mr. B. said to him, "Doctor, you under- stand my case pretty well. Now, in your opinion, was I in a proper condition to do military service ?" A merry twinkle was just per- ceptible in the doctor's eye, as his face assumed a grave cast, " Plainly, sir, plainly, it would not do."
" Take a drink, Doctor, won't you ?
"Well, yes, I don't care if I do.
" You see, Doctor, they want to fine me," said the citizen, enjoy- ing the "situation," "which, you know, would be rank injustice."
The citizen and doctor met quite often and "smiled" over the matter, and on the day of trial they went together to the Court- Martial, Mr. B. proudly confident of acquittal. When called upon he said he was in ill health. " And here is my medical attendant, who will confirm my statement." The Dr. took the stand, and a close observer might have seen the fun he was revolving in his mind if he had watched his eyes. "I AM acquainted with Mr. B., , and understand his case very fully. THERE WAS NOTHING TO PREVENT HIS COMING OUT ON TRAINING DAY, and I have often thought if he had been sent down there to fight the Seminoles it would have been the best thing in the world for-
" You old scoundrel !" exclaimed Mr. B., "is this your testimo- ny ? Here I have been treating you and fitting you for this occa- sion for three or four weeks, and now- -"
But it was of no use. The Court and all in attendance, includ- ing the doctor and Mr. B., broke out into loud laughter the mo- ment the "goak" flashed upon them. The delinquent paid his fine,
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and the doctor, for years after, enjoyed telling the story on Mr. B.
Messrs. Mills & Prusia, of Ann Arbor, established a tannery here in 1830, but, after being continued two or three years, it was abandoned, and Mr. Gavin's brewery is now built upon its ancient site. Mr. Wm. D. Thompson, from Batavia, N. Y., opened a boot and shoe store in the fall of 1831. Mr. Kline was our first cabi- net maker; Lemuel Woolsey our first turner and chair maker. They were succeeded by John Penson, Mr. Collamer and others. Mr. Collamer did not appear among us until three years after the period of which we write, but he was a much more important ac- cession to the cabinet-ware trade, manufacturing quite extensively for those times, and has continued in the business until the present time. Mrs. John Wellman was our first maker of garments, being among the colony of 1830, and continuing in the same business to this day. A Mr. Champion, who came in 1833, was the first regu- lar tailor. Mr. Hogan was our first merchant, commencing trade on Blackstone street, corner of Luther street, in the house of Mr. W. R. De Land, the first settler on Blackstone street. In the year 1831 Mr. Hogan removed his goods to a store which he had meantime built on the north side of the public square-this being the first framed building in Jackson. Mr. Hogan sold out to Mr. David Dwight soon after, and went to Prairie Ronde, in Kalama- zoo county. Mr. Dwight remained in the "old stand" for a little more than a year, when he removed into a new store which had been built on the south side of Main street, near Jackson street, and Mr. John N. Dwight became associated with him in the busi- ness.
The first sermon delivered in Jackson county, was in October, of 1830, and was preached to a small congregation, in a barn, by the Rev. John D. Pierce, a Congregational minister. Mr. Pierce was on his way to Marshall, where he was going to settle, being one of the first white men to locate in Calhoun county. He had stopped on Saturday night at the house of Mr. Lemuel Blackman, and Mrs. B., learning that he was a minister, invited him to preach on the Sabbath. He accepted the call, the neighborhood was imme- diately notified of the fact, and the barn was put in order for the meeting, which was joyfully attended by people who for months had been without the blessing of hearing the Gospel expounded.
Carlton & Van Antwerp, Printers, Jackson.
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Mr. Pierce afterwards became Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion, and held other prominent positions in the State. The Rev. Mr. Pilcher and Mr. Colclazer were, however, the first regular preachers of the Gospel in Jacksonburgh, being appointed by the Methodist Conference, as circuit preachers, in the fall of 1830; this religious denomination being the first to form a Church here. The School master had not yet arrived-the time for his work had not come. Nor must we forget to record an important event that took place in September of this year, to wit: the first birth in Jacksonburgh. The name of this first " native to the manor born" was Sarah Chapman, daughter of Mr. Elizur B. Chapman, now the wife of Squire Putnam. The first death which occurred, was in the spring of 1831, Wm. D. Thompson, a son of Mr. William R. Thompson, aged about twelve years. He was killed by the falling of a tree. The men were engaged in clearing the grounds about the American Hotel, (then the Blackman House,) and it became necessary to remove a large double oak tree that stood a few feet south west of the corner of the house. As one arm of the tree was cut away, it was expected it would fall across the street, but it caught upon a huge limb of the other trunk, and was wheeled round to the eastward, striking young Thompson a blow, which caused his death in a few hours. Several others narrowly escaped a like accident from it. A Mr. Samuel Roberts, a layman of the Methodist Church, came up from Sandstone, and conducted the funeral services. The next death was that of Mrs. Isaiah W. Bennett, in 1832.
The winter of 1830-31, closed in upon our little colony. Food was scarce and high, and the utmost frugality and management was necessary on the part of the citizens to get through the winter safely. The Indians were now a great aid to the people in furnish- ing venison, game and fish. Dr. Russ, this winter, paid as high as 25 cents a piece for potatoes ! Mr. Sterling, of Grass Lake, heretofore spoken of, had brought in a drove of swine, but they got loose, strayed into the woods, and became so thoroughly wild as to be dangerous for man to meet with, unless he was armed. They fed upon shack and such other food as the woods afforded. As any of these porcine animals would chance to stray into the
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neighborhood of Jacksonburgh, the settlers would shoot them, skin them, and appropriate the meat to their own use.
Wolves and bears were quite troublesome. Often they would come up to the very door yard. Mrs. Russ tells us that wolves have come into the yard, climbed up to the windows, put their paws upon the window panes and looked curiously, greedily at the inmates of the house. The trials and privations of the settlers were quite severe, but at last the spring came and with it new hope, brighter prospects and seasons of promise that the danger of scarcity had forever passed away, and that seed-time and harvest should follow each other, and want no more should be known in the land.
The following account of the first township election is furnished by William R. De Land, who was present at the said election, and "all of which he saw and part of which he was :"
Up to the spring of 1831 our settlement had been a little repub- lic by itself, under the rule and authority of a single magistrate, having had no political or municipal organization. But in the win- ter of 1830-31, during the session of the Legislative Council, an act was passed, organizing the county of Jackson into a township under the name of Jacksonburgh (the name of the village), attach- ing the same to Washtenaw county for judicial purposes. The first township meeting was appointed to be held at the house of Wm. R. Thompson, in the village of Jacksonburgh, in said town- ship, on the 4th day of April, 1831. We had now arrived at a period at which the political sentiments of the settlers were to be made known by an election. Politics at this time were a good deal mixed, being divided into three or four distinctive parties- " Jackson men"-" Adams men"-and again subdivided into the Mason and Anti-Mason party, the two latter constituting the dis- tinguishing antagonism of party at the time.
The manner of voting then, was to ballot separately for each office or candidate, until a choice was made, and then for the next in regular rotation. If no choice was made on the first ballot, a second was taken, and so on till all the offices were filled. It was, in fact, the " caucus," as well as the election .of the people, and altogether more democratic than the present system, as it enabled those who wielded the political franchise to vote for MEN instead D
Carlton & Van Antwerp, Printers, Jackson.
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of THE TICKET. This was the "modus operandi" by which elec- tions were conducted in these early days, and by which the fairest expression of public sentiment was obtained. At this time we were without any "Board of Election" or township officers except a Justice of the Peace. The Statutes of the Territory and En- abling Act for Organization, made provision in such cases, that any Justice of the Peace or legal township officer might call the meet-
ing to order, and proceed to choose a Moderator and Clerk, who being duly sworn, together with the Justice of the Peace, should form a Board of Inspectors of Election, and were thus authorized to canvass the votes and declare the result of such election Under these provisions the first Township Meeting in Jackson County, for the township of Jacksonburgh (then embracing the whole county,) was held at the Tavern House of Wm. R. Thompson, in the village of Jacksonburgh, April 4th, 1831. The meeting being called to order by Wm. R. De Land, Justice of the Peace, proceeded to elect Alexander Laverty, Moderator, and Hiram Thompson, Clerk, who being duly sworn, by said Justice of the Peace, constituted the Board of Election. Notice of said Election having been duly given, was read, and proclamation of the opening of the polls, etc., was made. On motion, the meeting proceeded to elect a Super- visor, the first officer to be elected. Now came the tug of war, when freeman should meet freeman in open ballot. Great anxiety was felt in regard to the issue by both parties, as it would deter- ยท mine the future supremacy of that party which should predominate.
Anti-Masons were equally confident that the choice would pre- The Masons were certain that they would carry the election. The
ponderate in their favor. Every one knows the palpitations of heart that are experienced by all politicians on the eve of every election, and the relief felt when the result is declared. The ballots for Supervisor being called for and counted by the Modera- tor, it was ascertained that the whole number of votes cast was 31, of which Ralph Updike (Anti-Mason,) received 17, and Wm. R. Thompson (Mason,) 13. Mr. Updike voting for Capt. John Durand. Mr. Updike was declared duly chosen. The result of the first ballot being proclaimed, revealed the doom of the Masonic party, and they affected to surrender with very good grace, by saying, that they thought it best in the infant state of our com-
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munity, not to create or establish any party distinctions, but to unite in the choice of township officers, selecting, irrespective of party, those best qualified, trustworthy and capable of discharging the duties of office, having no regard to party feelings or prefer- ences. This proposition for "quasi" surrender, as it might properly be called, was generously accepted by the Anti-Masons, as will be seen in the subsequent proceedings. For Township Clerk, Chris- tian Prusia, (Anti-M.) 17, David Striker, (M.) 13, H. Thompson, (M.) 1. Assessors, Horace Blackman, (Anti-M.) 14, Ezekiel T. Critchet, (Anti-M.) 14, but 1 vote given in opposition. Collector and Constable, Horace Blackman, (Anti-M.) 28, no opposition. Highway Commissioners, Isaac Sterling, (M.,) Alex. Laverty, (Anti-M.,) Isaiah W. Bennett, (M.,) no opposition. Overseer of Poor, Lemuel Blackman, no opposition. School Commissioners, Wm. R. De Land and Samson Stoddard, (Anti-M's.) Oliver Russ, (M.) School Inspectors, O. H. Fifield, H. Thompson, W. R. De- Land, Isaac N. Swain and James Voluntine. Fence Viewers, John Durand, Martin Flint, Samuel Roberts and Timothy Wil- liams. Pound Master, Martin Flint. After establishing some municipal bye-laws for the proper regulation of the town in regard to cattle, etc., running at large as free commoners, bounty on wolf scalps, etc., etc., the meeting was adjourned. Thus the first township meeting ever held in Jacksonburgh, passed off to the general satisfaction of all, the political status of the town being made known and established, put a quietus on all political strife for the time.
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