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 4
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Jacksonburgh had now become a celebrated place among the vil- lages of the West, its fame and that of the country surrounding it having been sounded in the old communities of the East, creating in many a desire to see this land of promise and test the stories of this wilderness paradise, where one only had to "tickle the earth with a hoe and it laughed with a harvest"-a story which, though com- paratively true of some of the prairie lands, was, as experience proved, a great hyperbole if applied to the timbered lands of Michigan. Emigration steadily increased to the new country, and although our young village and its surroundings were eclipsed by the more attractive lands farther west, along the St. Joseph and Kalamazoo valleys, we derived a great benefit from the travel
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which halted here to rest after the tedious journey from Detroit, and also to purchase supplies for the journey beyond. Not that we did not get our full share of settlers, for that would be untrue to say, but we were hardly satisfied with the numbers that did re- main here-we wanted them all; we tried to persuade them that if there were an elysium on earth it was here, and we made so many believe it that, as is well known that Jackson county was more rapid- ly filled with settlers than any of the western counties. Bennett & Thompson's and Blackman's hotel was then the favorite stop- ping places, as well as the headquarters of the village, the home of the land speculator, the politician, and the adventurer looking around for a chance to make a location. They were the head cen- ters of the village for news, both of the colony and of "foreign af- fairs," and often have they been "overflowing full" of weary trav- elers, who had to be disposed of upon the floors, upon benches, or in any other way, to rest themselves for the next day's tramp.
The Thompsons, W. R. and Hiram, did a good deal of teaming at this time for new comers, such as would contract in Detroit to be brought (with movables, etc.) to Jackson, and there would be obliged to obtain the services of other carriers at this point to carry them still further west, even as far as Kalamazoo. There are very few of the old settlers of Western Michigan now living who do not well remember Jacksonburgh and its hospitable and enterprising residents of that early period.
In the summer of 1831, Miss Silence D. Blackman, now the wife of John T. Durand, Esq., opened a school in her father's (Lemuel Black- man) house, for the instruction of her younger brothers and some four or five other children. These were Levi, Francis and George Blackman, Harvey and Emma Thompson, children of W. R. Thomp- son, Sarah Thompson, daughter of Hiram Thompson, Mary Ann Semantha De Land, W. R. De Land's daughter, and a daughter of Mr. Case, the blacksmith. The school was continued at Mr. E. B. Chapman's house the next summer with a few additional children, and soon after Miss Blackman taught a school in a building that had been used for a store, that first public school, in the fall of 1832, was located on Main street on lot number eleven, on block one south of range one east. The first school house was contracted for by the township authorities in the year 1832, but the person
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who took the job ran away without completing the work. Miss Blackman's school was a private one, begun more for the purpose of improving her own brothers and the children of relatives and friends. At the close of her 3d term she had about twenty schol- ars. This was the beginning in the great work of educating the young which has since that time been carried on from one great success to another until now Jackson has become famous for the excellence of her schools and institutions of learning, even in a State where mental improvement seems to be the ambition and highest aim of her citizens.
The year 1831, has a less stirring history than its predecessor. Considerable additions were made to the little hamlet, now very widely known either by its own christened name of " Jackson- burgh," or by its other cognomen, for which it was indebted to the Post Office Department, that of "Jacksonopolis." This latter name was inscribed upon all letters and newspapers carried in the mail bags for our early settlers, the Department finding it neces- sary to give the new post office in the wilderness a distinctive ap- pelation to prevent confusion, there being at that time so many towns named after the GREAT Andrew. The OPOLIS and BURGH, however, was dropped in 1835-6, and plain JACKSON has since remained and doubtless ever will, the title of our city. There were more settlers who came in this year to the county with the purpose of locating farms, than of the class that preferred village life, and consequently many " clearings" and improvements were made, and the county began to assume a more promising appear- ance. Jackson, however, lost nothing by this. It was the nucleus, the commercial center, and all who took up land or made " im- provements" had to report here and pay tribute to our " merchants" and mechanics. The saw-mill of which we have spoken, soon had considerable business to do in furnishing lumber for the various settlements.
The new township officers set themselves about the discharge of their duties, the most important work, however, being in the hands of the Road Commissioners. Heretofore all work upon roads had been done by volunteers, who turned out for a few days, under the leadership of one of their number, and performed such labor as was absolutely necessary to enable teams to pass over
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" bad places" and reach the "BURGH." It was now time that roads should be regularly surveyed, established and worked. A few State roads or " post routes" only had been laid out up to this time, and these were but a short remove from a state of nature.
The first road recorded as having been surveyed and established, was one leading from Jackson to Spring Arbor. Mr. John Durand was the surveyor of these days, although as yet there was no county organization by which such an officer could have been elected. Roads were thereafter opened and worked as the neces- sities required, though it must be remembered that this required a long time to be thoroughly done. The Indian trails to the dif- ferent sections of the county and beyond, were the real roads, and nearly all our oldest highways are laid very nearly upon these once deeply worn and smooth tracks. The absence of the town- ship records, which important source of information the writer has been unable, after dilligent search to find, will account for the want of official data.
Jeremiah Marvin, who came to Jacksonburgh in the spring of 1831, commenced work very soon after his arrival as a sawyer for Bennett & Thompson, in their saw-mill. The same year he pur- chased Mr. Bennett's interest, and subsequently he purchased Mr. Thompson's interest, and carried on the business of lumber-making by himself. Mr. Marvin still lives, a little ways out of the city, and is remembered by all old residents as a stirring pioneer and enterprising man and esteemed by his present neighbors. The old mill was widely known by the title of "Jerry Marvin's Mill."
Mr. A. B. Gibson settled in Spring Arbor township in the spring of 1831. That township embraced then the eight towns west of Jacksonburgh. There were three families besides himself at the time he located there, viz: Mr. Isaac N. Swain's, Mr. Smith's and Mr. Van Fossen's. At the Spring election in 1833, held in Spring Arbor, Mr. Gibson received the full vote of the eight townships in one, for the office of Supervisor, and the entire number of votes was eleven. The next year he was elected to the same office, receiving the entire vote, which had increased to thirty-one. An Indian trail served as the road for three or four years, and streams had to be forded between here and the principal settlement in Spring Arbor.
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In 1832, there were two causes of excitement which agitated our little community deeply-the prevalence of the Cholera at the East and even West, the village of Marshall having been afflicted, and the Black Hawk War. By the latter even all of southern and western Michigan was kept in a continual state of fear and suspense for months from the countless rumors afloat, and from the danger which all the settlers seemed to regard as imminent. Men were summoned in the spring time, during the plowing and plant- ing season to appear, with what firearms they could obtain, at some distant rendezvous, where they would be obliged to remain for weeks, while their families were left at home in the woods without protectors, to bear for weeks together suspense and fright. A company was organized here under Capt. O. H. Fifield, consisting of about 30 men. The rendezvous was at Blackman's tavern, that place being chosen on account of its supposed invulnerability to Indian assault-it being a very stout and substantial edifice of logs, well put together, and meriting the exclamation of one of the Lieutenants who, after making a reconnoissance in force around it, and taking an account of the ditches which nature had provided in profusion-reported " Our castle's strength would laugh a seige to scorn !" Here the embattled farmers of Jackson remained for some time, and served to confirm the fears of the people that danger threatened. Rumors of incursions and massacres spread over the country, gathering terrors as they went, and quite a num- ber of people actually moved back to the East, through fear, oc- casioned by these stories. It was a great blight to emigration, and many who would have this year settled in Michigan, were diverted to Ohio because of the alarming stories which were told of the " troubles in Michigan." Even the Indians about here were suspected, and it was imagined that their deportment with the whites had undergone a change, that they were more reserved and grave than before. It is needless, however, to remark that all- the stories of Savage incursion were without the slightest founda- tion, but the tidings of the defeat and capture of Black Hawk, were joyfully received, and brought great relief to the harressed settlers. Quite a number of our citizens of Jackson County still live to tell of their martial exploits in the Black Hawk War, and the thrilling scenes enacted at Fort Blackman.
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Mr. D. T. Warner built this year, 1832, an edifice which he used for a drug store on lot eleven, near where the old Reynolds store afterwards stood. Wm. Perrine had a store on the west part of lot twelve the same season. Very little building was done this year in the village. Emigration did not come up to the expecta- tions entertained by the people of Jacksonburgh, the prevalence of cholera and the reign of fear from Indian massacre not entering into their calculations.
. In the year 1833 the Legislative Council divided Jackson, which had heretofore been one township under the name of Jackson- burgh, into four towns and organized the county. Heretofore the county had been attached to Washtenaw for judicial purposes. Judge Fletcher held a court here that year, Squire De Land being one of the Associate Judges, he having been appointed such by the Council. There were no "cases" of any prominence at that time, but the establishment of a Court was an event which elevated sev- eral degrees the dignity of the settlers and the County.
The first marriages took place in Jacksonburgh this year, Squire De Land performing the "silken tie that binds two willing hearts" in the case of Mr. John T. Durand and Miss Silence Blackman. Others immediately imitated the worthy example of union thus set before them, and the good work has gone on increasing, even to this day.
The Methodists held regular services in a school house that had now been erected on the site of the present Union School house. A good school was also in operation, and the morals of the commu- nity were thus well looked after and protected.
In 1834 Mr. Amasa B. Gibson removed from Spring Arbor into Jackson. He soon after went into. partnership with Messrs. Dan- iel Coleman and George B. Cooper in the mercantile business. Mr. Gibson says there was then but one other store in the village, that of the Messrs. Dwight, heretofore referred to. The store occupied by Messrs. Coleman, Cooper & Co. was where the engine house now stands, the site long known as that of the Porter Block. Dan- iel Coleman was appointed Postmaster to succeed I. W. Bennett in 1834-5, and was also appointed by the Territorial Government Sheriff of the county in 1833. In the spring of 1836 Mr. Coleman went to Buffalo to be married to a young lady there, to whom he
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had been some time engaged. While riding out in the village of Levona, Livingston County, New York, with his wife, after the marriage, he was thrown from his buggy and killed. Mr. Cooper was appointed Postmaster in his place. Mr. Gibson had been ap- pointed in 1835 as Sheriff, and was elected in the fall of 1836, by the people, to the same office.
Among those who came in 1835 was Mr. James A. Dyer. He first engaged as a clerk to Mr. William Richardson. Mr. Richard- son at that time owned a store on lot No. 11, Main street, and kept a general assortment of dry goods, groceries, hardware, and the articles generally to be found in a "country store." With him Mr. Dyer remained about three years. In 1838, he was elected Sheriff and held that office two years. In 1839 Mr. Dyer and Mr. Charles Derby formed a co-partnership and purchased the stock in trade of Mr. Richardson, and removed to a store on the north side of Main street, nearly opposite where Richardson had carried on business.
Jackson, of these days, is described as the opposite of inviting, and far from promising the results we now see. Main street was a veritable "slough of despond," like unto that which Christian, the Pilgrim, found such difficulty in crossing. Teams would often become so embeded in the soft but tenacious road bed as to require the efforts of a "posse" of able-bodied men to extricate it from the mire. In 1835, there were two hotels-Bascom's UNFINISHED log building and the old stand built by Isaiah Bennett, and at this time kept by Thompson. This house was situated near the public square, a little back from Main street, Mr. Thompson was succeed- ed by Mr. Bothwell, and he by Paul B. Ring, and the Blackman House, near where the Marion House now stands, kept by Lemuel Blackman and his son Russell. Mr. Dyer thinks there was only one store, the one above named, when he came to Jackson in 1835. The country is still described as very wild and wilderness- like, and much sickness prevailed-every man, woman and child taking their turn at the fever and ague. Every thing looked dis- couraging and unpropitious. Business was exceedingly limited, and " dicker" was the ruling currency. The roads were few and almost impassable, except in the most favorable weather. In fact, Jacksonburgh from 1832 to 1836, seems to have scarcely had any E
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history of interest except such as is common to most of the vil- lages in Michigan at that date-that of hard times, and was with- out any exciting events save that of the great land speculation era, which affected us as it did most of places in the west at that time. To a casual observer there was for several years but little if any progress made in the growth of Jackson.
The grounds were springy and low about Main street; there was a sort of tamarack swamp where the Durand block is now, and waving cat-tails nodded gracefully in the summer wind their plumed heads and trenchant blades. Mr. Gibson tells us that he was half an hour getting his horse from the bridge on the river to Thompson's tavern, the ground was so miry. One day, while he was at Blackman's, old Mr. Blackman set upon Mr. Gibson to buy his property, offering to sell him the whole of the north half of the village of Jackson, one hundred and sixty acres, for eleven hundred dollars. Mr. Gibson, who was pretty well acquainted with the village, declined the offer, saying, " I would not, Mr. Blackman, take it as a gift if I should be obliged to live here." Mr. Blackman was very indignant at this disparagement of his property, and replied very curtly-" No ! I didn't suppose you would buy it-nobody ever buys any thing of me !" He was evidently on the lookout for a customer to take the property off his hands for that figure, and would not have lost the trade if the offer should have been an $100 less.
In 1830, a real old-fashioned fourth of July celebration was held. Several persons had been invited from Ann Arbor to come out and see the new Blackman settlement, principally merchants and the friends of Bennett and Thompson. They finally settled upon the fourth of July, thinking it would be a novelty to cele- brate it the small distance of 40 miles from home in the woods. This determination was made public to the Jacksonburghers by Horace Blackman, about the middle of June. A preliminary meeting was immediately held, at which Wm. R. De Land and Hiram Thompson of Jacksonburgh, and Anson Brown of Ann Arbor, were made Committee of Arrangements, under whose auspices the affair was managed to a successful termination.
On the evening of the 3d of July, the Ann Arbor delegation, numbering about thirty persons, marched into the place, headed
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by Mr. Anson Brown, with banners flying. Among them were Misses Dix and Trask of Dixboro', who came the entire distance on horseback ; Messrs. Allen, Clark, Maynard, Cyrus Lovell, Dix, Willcoxson, Col. Jewitt, Ramsdall, Dr. Packard, Geo. Corselius, Editor of THE EMIGRANT, and a large number of others.
The exercises of the day were opened by a national salute from Josephus Case's anvil, which was periodically repeated times too numerous to mention during the day, accompanied by dozens of muskets and rifles to put in the filling. Isaiah W. Bennett, was President of the Day, assisted by H. Thompson. The Declaration of Independence was read by George Mayo. An excellent Ora- tion was delivered by Gideon Willcoxson, Esq., of Ann Arbor. The Committee had requested Gen. Cass, then Governor, who was previously engaged, but honored them with a letter and senti- ment, Capt. Durand officiated as Chaplain ; Lieutenant Edward Clark, of Ann Arbor, and Horace Blackman were Marshals of the Day, and Capt. A. Laverty, Master of Ordnance. The Oration was delivered upon the hill near the south end of Jackson street. The dinner was prepared at Bennett's tavern, then kept by Mr. Torrey and lady, and served in a bower south of the old tavern. Over 80 persons sat down to the first table. There were present on this occasion, (it is said) all the white persons there were at that time within the limits of the County.
The account of this Celebration is particularly interesting, as showing the patriotic feelings of the settlers then in Jackson County. A " Celebration" of the " glorious Fourth" that would bring out the entire population of a county, and even ladies on horseback through a wilderness for 46 miles now-a-days, would be worth remembering.
The Legislative Council, in January 26th, 1832, among other counties, organized that of Jackson.
. Section 1. Provides "that the. County of Jackson shall be organized from and after the taking effect of this act, and the inhabitants thereof entitled to all the benefits, to all the rights and privileges to which by law the inhabitants of the other counties of the Territory are entitled.
Sec. 2. Provides " that all suits, prosecutions and other matters now pending before the Courts of Record of Washtenaw County,
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or before any Justice of the Peace of said County of Washtenaw, shall be prosecuted to a final judgment and execution, and all taxes heretofore levied, or which may hereafter be levied for the year 1832, shall be collected in the same manner as though the said County of Jackson had not been organized."
The Act to take effect and be in force from and after the 1st day of August, 1832. The boundaries and limits of the county were declared sometime previous to this, as we find in an Act to lay out certain counties, viz : " That so much of the country as is included within the following limits, to wit: South of the base line and north of the line below townships four and five south of the base line, and west of a line between ranges two and three east of meridian, and east of the line between ranges three and four west of the meridian, be and the same is hereby set off into a separate account, and the name thereof shall be JACKSON.
While upon the subject of Legislative enactments, the Act re- specting the establishment of Courts in the County, will be appro- priate. This Act, approved March 5th, 1834, in its first five sec- tions states the general powers of the Courts, etc. Sec. 6. Provides that the terms of the Circuit Court shall be held in the several counties, giving the days. "In the County of Jackson, on the Tuesday after the first Monday in June and December."
In 1836, the State government did a great amount of organic and prelimenary work for the incipient towns and villages of Michigan. In an extended act for laying out different State roads, the following concerning Jacksonburgh is found :
Sec. 21. There shall be laid out and established a State road from the village of Adrian, in the county of Lenawee, running northerly to the State road from Clinton to Jacksonburgh, at or near Elba Post-Office in Washtenaw county, intersecting the Chicago road at or near Nelson's tavern.
Sec. 32. That there shall be laid out and established a State road from Jacksonburgh, the County Seat of Jackson, by the most direct and eligible route, to Howell, the County Seat of Livingston county, and that Wm. R. Thompson, Oliver Russ and Geo. B. Cooper be, and are hereby appointed Commissioners for that pur- pose. That there shall be laid out and established in the County of Jackson a State road through the centers as near as may be of
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the Counties of Ingham and Shiawassie to Saginaw, and that Daniel Coleman, David Scott and Wm. R. Thompson be, and are hereby appointed Commissioners. Approved July 26th, 1836.
The first Court held in the County of Jackson, was on the 3d day of June, 1833, and the following is the Journal entry :
" At a Session of the Circuit Court of the Territory of Michigan, held in and for the County of Jackson, on Monday the 3d day of June, A. D. 1833, pursuant to law, at the Court House in said County, were present Hon. William A. Fletcher, Presiding Judge, and William R. De Land, Assistant Judge.
The Circuit Court for said County was opened by the Sheriff, when the Commissions of the Presiding and Associate Judges, were read in open court. These commissions were signed by Gov. G. B. Porter, and Secretary Stevens T. Mason, of the Territory of Michigan, dated at Detroit, April 23d, 1833. The commissions are in the usual form, and it is not deemed necessary to copy them.
The following persons composed the first Grand Jury : Zenas Fuller, Lemuel Blackman, Jotham Wood, John Laverty, William P. Worden, Charles Herrington, Elizur B. Chapman, William D. Thompson, Solomon Brill, Wesley W. Laverty, Samuel Wing, Hiram Austin, Nathan Russ, Abel Barrett, William Pool, Nathan Z. Latimore, Caleb Chapel, Ira Kellogg, Timothy Williams, Eze- kiel T. Critchet, Russell Blackman, James Jacobs, William H. Pease.
Solomon Brill was appointed foreman, and authorized by the Court to swear such witnesses as might appear before the jury.
The following persons composed the first Petit Jury : Nathaniel Bayn, Moses Bayn, George Woodworth, Edward Morrell, Aaron Evans, John Daniels, Josephus Case, Alexander Laverty, Isaac Carier, Joseph Sutton, John Eamon, Ethan Allen, James Fifield, Jeremiah Marvin, David Riley, Orrin Gregory, Leander M. Cain, Sanford Marsh, William Worth, Stephen Rowen, Martin Flint, Major.D. Mills.
.O. Hawkins was appointed District Attorney for the term, and S. Stoddard was the Clerk.
The first Cause before the Court was that of Abel Millington vs. Sanford Marsh and Daniel D. T. Warner, in an action of trespass on the case, which continued to be litigated until Jan. 13th, 1836,
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when it was discontinued by the plaintiff, the costs amounting to $6.31}.
The first Criminal Cause was The United States of America vs. William Savacool, indicted for larceny. The prisoner pleaded not guilty, was tried by jury and found guilty, and sentenced "to imprisonment in the goal of the County of Washtenaw, at hard labor, for the period of three calendar months from this day, and that he pay the costs of this prosecution, and that he stand com- mitted until this sentence be complied with."
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