USA > Michigan > Michigan official directory and legislative manual for the years 1905-1906 > Part 8
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OFFICERS.
JOHN BIDDLE, - CHARLES W. WHIPPLE,
President.
MARSHALL J. BACON, 5
Secretaries.
OLMSTEAD HOUGH, -
Sergeant-at-Arms.
DELEGATES.
First District .- Wayne county .- John Biddle, John Norvell, John McDonnell, John R. Williams, Alpheus White, Amos Stevens, Conrad Ten Eyck, Louis Beaufait, Peter Van Every, Jonathan D. Davis, Caleb Herrington, Ammon Brown, Theophilus E. Tallman, George W. Farrington, Asa H. Otis, Charles F. Irwin, William Woodbridge.
Second District .- Monroe county .- David White, Edward D. Ellis, Peter P. Ferry, Lemuel Colbath, Josephus V. D. Sutphen, Robert McClellen, Eliphalet Clark, Samuel Ingersoll, James F. Godfroy.
Third District .- Lenawee county .- Ross Wilkins, Seleck C. Boughton, Allen Hutchins, John J. Adam, Joseph Howell, Joseph H. Patterson, Darius Comstock, John Whit- ney (a), Alexander R. Tiffany (b).
Fourth District .- Washtenaw county .- Gilbert Shattuck, Abel Godard, William Moore, Robert Purdy, John Brewer, Alpheus Collins, Michael P. Stubbs, Richard Brower, Rufus Crossman, Nathaniel Noble, Russell Briggs, Orin How, Emanuel Case, Edward Mundy, Orrin White.
Fifth District .- Oakland county .- Isaac I. Voorheis, Randolph Manning, Seneca Newberry, Joshua B. Taylor, Elijah F. Cook, Ebenezer Raylıale, John Ellenwood, Jeremiah Riggs, Benjamin B. Morris, William Patrick, Jonathan Chase, Samuel White, Thomas Curtis, Norman Davison.
Sixth District .- Macomb county .- Samuel Axford, Jacob Tucker, Henry Porter, John S. Axford, Ephraim Calkin, Solomon Porter.
Seventh District .- St. Clair county .- Ralph Wadhams, John Clark.
Eighth District .- Jackson county .- Townsend E. Gidley, Rosevelt Davis (c), Roswell B. Rexford (c).
Ninth District .- Hillsdale and Branch counties .- Lewis T. Miller.
Tenth District .- Calhoun county .- Isaac E. Crary, Ezra Convis.
Eleventh District .- Kalamazoo county .- Hezekiah G. Wells, William H. Welch, Lucius Lyon.
Twelfth District .- Cass county .- James Newton, James O'Dell, Baldwin Jenkins. Thirteenth District .- St. Joseph county .- John S. Barry, Hubbell Loomis, Martin G. Shellhouse.
Fourteenth District .- Berrien county .- Elijah Lacy, Titus B. Willard.
Fifteenth District .- Mackinaw county .- Michael Dousman.
Sixteenth District .- Chippewa county .- Bela Chapman.
It was this convention that formed the first constitution of the state.
(a) Held seat in convention until May 16, 1835.
(b) Seated by the convention May 16, in place of John Whitney
(c) The vote for Davis and Rexford was a tie. Matter referred back to district for special election, when Rexford was elected, and seated by convention, June 3 1835, Davis acted until June 3.
48
MICHIGAN MANUAL.
The delegates were elected April 4, 1835, in pursuance of an act of the territorial council of January 26, 1835. The constitution was adopted by a vote of the people in October, 1835, there being 6,299 yeas and 1,359 nays (a). It remained in force as the fundamental law of the state until the constitution of 1850 went into operation.
FIRST CONVENTION OF ASSENT.
(Convened at Ann Arbor, September 26, and adjourned September 30, 1836.)
OFFICERS.
WILLIAM DRAPER, - CHARLES A. JEFFERIES,
President.
SAMUEL YORK AT LEE,
Secretaries.
MARTIN DAVIS,
Sergeant-at-Arms.
DELEGATES.
Allegan and Barry .- Richard Weare.
Berrien .- Titus B. Willard.
Branch .- Harvey Warner.
Calhoun .- Lorenzo B. Collamer.
Cass .- James Newton, James O'Dell.
Chippewa .- Stephen R. Wood.
Hillsdale .- Zachariah Van Duser.
Jackson .- Ethan Allen.
Kalamazoo .- Joseph A. Smith, William H. Welch.
Lapeer .- Mason Butts.
Lenawee .- Darius Comstock, Joseph Rickey, Ross Wilkins, John Hutchins.
Macomb .- Jacob Tucker, John S. Axford, Linus S. Gilbert.
Monroe .-- Austin E. Wing, Robert Clark, Edward D. Ellis, Wolcott Lawrence.
Oakland .- Origen D. Richardson, William Draper, S. A. L. Warner, Samuel Satter- lee, Edward W. Peck, John L. Brownell.
Ottawa, Kent, Ionia and Clinton .- William A. Richmond.
Saginaw, Genesee and Shiawassee .- Thomas J. Drake.
St. Clair .- Charles Kimball."
St. Joseph .- Columbia Lancaster, Watson Sumner.
Washtenaw and Livingston .- Seth Markham, Michael P. Stubbs, Marcus Lane, Ebenezer H. Conklin, Geo. P. Jefferies, Elnathan Noble, Geo. W. Glover.
Wayne .- Titus Dort, David C. Mckinstry, Louis Beaufait, Benjamin B. Kercheval, Ammon Brown, Eli Bradshaw, Horace A. Noyes, John McDonell.
The act of congress, of June 15, 1836, establishing the northern boundary line of the state of Ohio and providing for the admission of Michigan into the union, required that the assent of a convention of delegates elected by the people for that purpose be given.
The delegates were elected September 12, 1836, in pursuance of an act of the state legislature of July 25, 1836. The conditions presented by the aforesaid act of congress, cutting off Toledo and vicinity from the limits of Michigan and giving that territory to the state of Ohio, were rejected by this convention.
(a) These figures were taken from senate documents of 1835, and do not include the vote of Kalamazoo county-453 for and 15 against the constitution, as per re- turns in the secretary of state's office.
49
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS.
SECOND CONVENTION OF ASSENT.
· (Convened at Ann Arbor, December 14, and adjourned December 15, 1836.)
OFFICERS.
JOHN R. WILLIAMS, KINTZING PRITCHETTE, ( J. E. FIELDS,
President
Secretaries.
DELEGATES.
Allegan .- Silas F. Littlejohn, Orsemus Eaton.
Berrien .- Hart L. Stewart, George W. Hoffman.
Branch .- James B. Tomkins, Peris A. Tisdel.
Calhoun .- Benjamin Wright, Justus Goodwin.
Cass .- Edwin N. Bridges, Jacob Silver, Joseph Smith, Abiel Silver.
Hillsdale .- Rockwell Manning, Zachariah Van Duser.
Jackson .- Joab Page, Benjamin H. Packard.
Kalamazoo .- Samuel Percival, Ira Lyon, Isaac W. Willard, Ambrose Searle.
Kent .- Samuel Dexter, Charles J. Walker.
Lapeer .- Norman Davison, Harvey Gray.
Lenawee .- John Hutchins, Jeremiah D. Thompson, Joseph Rickey, Addison J. Com- stock, Peter Morey, John J. Adam, Oliver Miller, Darius C. Jackson.
Oakland .- Gideon O. Whittemore, Hiram Baritt, Joseph Coates, Charles Grant, Parley W. C. Gates, John S. Livermore, Henry S. Babcock, William K. Crooks, Samuel White, James B. Hunt, David Chase, Benjamin B. Morris.
Saginaw .- Gardner D. Williams, Samuel G. Watson.
St. Clair .- Ralph Wadhams, Joel Tucker.
St. Joseph .- Phillip R. Toll, Aaron B. Watkins, William H. Adams, Stephen W. Truesdell.
Van Buren .- Charles B. Avery.
Washtenaw .- Nelson H. Wing, Salmon Champion, Jr., Nathaniel Noble, Lyman Downs, James Houston, Esek Pray, George W. Jewett, Solomon Sutherland, Samuel Denton, Samuel B. Bradley, Elisha Congdon, Stoddard W. Twatchell, Jesse Warner.
Wayne .- John R. Williams, Ross Wilkins, Charles Moran, Marshal J. Bacon, Daniel Goodwin, Benjamin F. H. Witherell, John E. Schwarz, Reynold Gillett, Eli Bradshaw, Horace A. Noyes, Elihu Morse, Warren Tuttle, Archibald Y. Murray, James Bucklin, Josiah Mason, Charles F. Irwin.
The delegates to this convention were elected December 5 and 6, 1836, in pursu- ance of a recommendation of the people, and ostensibly in compliance with the act of the state legislature of July 25, 1836. They met in convention at Ann Arbor, December 14 and 15, 1836, and adopted a resolution giving the assent of the state to the requirement of the act of congress of June 15, 1836. The resolution was signed by the above named delegates, excepting those whose names are printed in italics, who were returned to the secretary of state as elected, but do not appear to have taken part in the convention. The above information is obtained from the record of the election returns and canvass of 1835-45, now in the office of the secre- tary. of state.
CONVENTION OF 1850.
(Convened at Lansing, June 3, and adjourned August 15, 1850.) ,
OFFICERS.
DANIEL GOODWIN, JOHN SWEGELS, JR., HORACE F. ROBERTS, CHARLES HASCALL, DAVID HUBBARD, JR., 7
President.
Secretaries.
Sergeant-at-Arms.
50
MICHIGAN MANUAL.
DELEGATES.
Allegan .- Oka Town.
Barry .- Joseph W. T. Orr.
Berrien .- Calvin Britain, Jacob Beeson, Charles W. Whipple.
Branch .- Wales Adams, Alvarado Brown, Asahel Brown.
Calhoun .- Isaac E. Crary, Milo Soule, William V. Morrison, John D. Pierce, Nathan Pierce.
Cass .- George Redfield, Mitchell Robinson, James Sullivan.
Chippewa .- Elijah J. Roberts.
Clinton .- David Sturgis.
Eaton .- Charles E. Beardsley, John D. Burns.
Genesee .- John Bartow, Elbridge G. Gale, Dewitt C. Leach.
Hillsdale .- John P. Cook, Daniel Kinne, John Mosher, Jonathan B. Graham.
Ingham .- Charles P. Bush, Ephraim B. Danforth.
Ionia .- Henry Bartow, Cyrus Lovell.
Jackson .- Robert H. Anderson, John L. Butterfield, Jerry G. Cornell, Elisha S. Robinson, Wilbur F. Storey.
Kalamazoo .- Hezakiah G. Wells, Samuel Clark, Volney Hascall.
Kent and Ottawa .- Rix Robinson, Thomas B. Church, Timothy Eastman.
Lapeer .- Noah H. Hart, Jonathan R. White.
Lenawee .- Addison J. Comstock, Alexander R. Tiffany, Peter R. Adams, Charles Chandler, George C. Harvey, Nelson Green, Ebenezer Daniels.
Livingston .- Daniel S. Lee, Robert Crouse, Robert Warden, Jr., Ely Barnard.
Mackinac .- William Norman McLeod.
Macomb .- DeWitt C. Walker, Charles W. Chapel, Andrew S. Robertson, Hiram Hathaway.
Monroe .- Robert Mcclellan, Alexander M. Arzeno, Emerson Choate, Henry B. Marvin.
Oakland .- James Webster, Alfred H. Hanscomb, Seneca Newberry, Jacob Vanval- kenburg, Ebenezer Raynale, Gideon O. Whittemore, William Axford, Zebina M. Mowry, Elias S. Woodman.
Saginaw .- Jabez G. Sutherland.
Shiawassee .- Francis J. Prevost.
St. Clair .- John Clark, Lorenzo M. Mason, Reuben B. Dimond.
St. Joseph .- William Connor, Joseph R. Williams, Edward S. Moore.
Van Buren .- Isaac W. Willard.
Washtenaw .- James Kingsley, Elias M. Skinner, Earls P. Gardiner, Daniel Hixson, Morgan O'Brien, William S. Carr, Benjamin W. Waite, James M. Edmunds.
Wayne .- Daniel Goodwin, Benjamin F. H. Witherell, John Gibson, Ammon Brown, Henry J. Alvord, Henry Fralick, Peter Desnoyers, Henry T. Backus, Joseph H. Bagg, Ebenezer C. Eaton.
The delegates to this convention were elected May 6, 1850, in pursuance of act No. 78 of the laws of 1850. The constitution as revised by the convention was submitted to the people November 5, 1850, and adopted by a majority of 26,736 votes. It is the constitution now in force. It has been amended from time to time.
CONVENTION OF 1867.
(Convened at Lansing, May 15, and adjourned August 22, 1867.) i
OFFICERS.
CHARLES M. CROSWELL, -
President.
THOMAS H. GLENN,
G. X. M. COLLIER,
Secretaries.
T. P. MILES,
D. B. PURINTON, SEYMOUR FOSTER,
Sergeant-at-Arms. Postmaster.
51
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS.
DELEGATES.
Allegan .- William B. Williams, William E. White.
Barry .- Harvey Wright, Adam Elliott.
Bay .- James Birney.
Berrien .- William S. Farmer, Lorenzo P. Alexander, Henry H. Coolidge.
Branch .- Cyrus G. Luce, Asahel Brown, Julius S. Barber.
Calhoun .- Charles D. Holmes, Eden F. Henderson, George Willard.
Cass .- Levi Aldrich, Jacob J. Van Riper.
Clinton .- Alvah H. Walker, Nathaniel I. Daniells.
Eaton .- Joseph Musgrave, Milton P. Burch.
Genesee .- Sumner Howard, Henry R. Lovell, Thaddeus G. Smith.
Grand Traverse, etc .- De Witt C. Leach.
Gratiot .- De Witt C. Chapin.
Hillsdale .- Lewis J. Thompson, Daniel L. Pratt, Simeon P. Root.
Houghton .- John Q. McKernon.
Huron .- Richard Winsor.
Ingham .- John W. Longyear, Lemuel Woodhouse.
Ionia .- George W. Germain, Sanford A. Yeomans.
Jackson .- Eugene Pringle, Freeman C. Watkins, William F. Goodwin.
Kalamazoo .- Marsh Giddings, Delamore Duncan, Milton Bradley.
Kent .- Solomon L. Withey, Jacob Ferris, Milton C. Watkins, Lyman Murray. Keweenaw .- Robert F. Gulick.
Lapeer .- Myron C. Kenney, John M. Lamb.
Lenawee .- Jacob C. Sawyer, Perley Bills, Martin P. Stockwell, Horace J. Sheldon, Charles M. Crosswell.
Livingston .- Benjamin W. Lawrence, Edwin B. Winans.
Mackinac, etc .- Bela Chapman.
Macomb .- Dexter Mussey, Thomas M. Crocker, William W. Andrus.
Marquette .- Eleazer S. Ingalls.
Midland, etc .-- Perry H. Estee.
Monroe .- Edward G. Morton, William A. Rafter, William Corbin.
Montcalm .- George F. Case.
Muskegon .- Henry H. Holt.
Newaygo, etc .- William S. Utley.
Oakland .- P. Dean Warner, Edward P. Harris, Willard M. McConnell, Jacob Van- valkenburg.
Ontonagon .- James Burtenshaw.
Ottawa .- John Haire, Hiram Jennison.
Saginaw .- Jabez G. Sutherland, Hiram L. Miller.
Sanilac .- John Divine.
Shiawassee .- Josiah Turner, S. Titus Parsons.
St. Clair .- Marcus H. Miles, Ezra Hazen, Omar D. Conger.
St. Joseph .- William L. Stoughton, Comfort Tyler, Levi T. Hull.
Tuscola .- Benjamin W. Houston, Jr.
Van Buren .- Samuel H. Blackman, Charles Duncombe.
Washtenaw .- Thomas Ninde, Charles H. Richmond, Lyman D. Norris, Daniel Hixson. Wayne .- Robert McClelland, Daniel Goodwin, Peter Desnoyers, William A. Smith, Jonathan Shearer, William E. Warner, George V. N. Lothrop, Peter Henkel, William Purcell.
The delegates to this convention were elected April 1, 1867, in pursuance of act No. 41, of the session laws of 1867. The constitution as revised by this convention was submitted to the people April 6, 1868. It was rejected by a vote of 71,733 yeas, to 110,582 nays.
52
MICHIGAN MANUAL.
CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSION OF 1873.
(Convened at Lansing August 27, and adjourned October 16, 1873.)
OFFICERS.
SULLIVAN M. CUTCHEON, HENRY S. CLUBB, STEPHEN B. MCCRACKEN, WILLIAM BURNHAM,
Chairman.
Clerk. Assistant Clerk.
Door Keeper.
Congressional districts.
Members.
Counties.
1
Elijah W. Meddaugh. Ashley Pond.
Wayne. Wayne.
2 Edwin Willits. Sullivan M. Cutcheon (a)
Monroe. Washtenaw.
3 Isaac M. Crane. Charles Upson.
Eaton.
Branch.
4 Henry H. Riley Hezekiah G. Wells.
St. Joseph. Kalamazoo.
5 Solomon L. Withey. Lyman G. Mason (resigned September 2, 1873) William M. Ferry (6) ..
Kent. Muskegon. Ottawa.
6 Ira D. Crouse. Lysander Woodward.
Livingston. Oakland.
7
Edwin W. Giddings (resigned October 8, 1873). John Divine.
Macomb. Sanilac.
8 Herschel H. Hatch David H. Jerome.
Bay. Saginaw.
9 James R. Devereaux Seth C. Moffatt.
Houghton. Leelanau.
(a) Elected chairman. (b) Appointed October 2, 1873, vice Mason.
This commission consisted of two members from each congressional district of the state, who were appointed by the governor, pursuant to joint resolution No. 19 of the legislature of 1873. It completed its labors October 16, and made a formal report to the governor. The constitution as revised by the commission was submitted to the people November 3, 1874, in pursuance of joint resolution No. 4 of the session of 1874, and was rejected by a vote of 39,285 yeas to 124,034 nays.
53
AN OUTLINE HISTORY OF MICHIGAN.
AN OUTLINE HISTORY OF MICHIGAN.
NOTE .- This outline history of the state is Hon. H. R. Pattengill's " Primer of Michigan History " in condensed form, the use of which in the MANUAL was courteously permitted by Mr. Pattengill.
FRENCH PERIOD-1634 TO 1760.
Exploration .- It is believed that the first white man who visited any part of the territory embraced in the present state of Michigan was Jean Nicolet-who was in the service of Governor Champlain-and that he first set foot upon the soil at the spot now oc- cupied by the town of Sault de Ste. Marie. Nicolet ascended the Ottowa and Mattawan rivers, passed through Lake Nipissing, descended French river, coasted the northern shore of Lake Huron and ascended the strait to the falls, where he probably arrived in the sum- mer of 1634. After a few days of rest and some friendly interviews with the natives, Nicolet descended the strait, made a brief visit at Michilimackinac *- the Moche-ne- mok-e-nung of the Indians-and passed on to other fields of exploration not immediately connected with this narrative.
Missionaries .- The next Europeans that came to this region were the Jesuit mission- aries, Raymbault and Jougues, who arrived at the Sault in 1641. They found about two thousand Indians there, who gave them a warm welcome and urged them to remain; but this they could not do, and after suitable religious ceremonies the priests returned to the eastern missions.
In 1660, Pere Réne Menard resolved to found a mission on Lake Superior, and after a long and tiresome voyage he reached the head of Keweenaw bay, in October. He spent the winter with the Indians in that vicinity, and in the spring resumed his travels, intending, it is supposed, to visit La Pointe, on Madeline island. He was accompanied by a single Indian guide and was either lost or murdered near the modern waterway known as the Portage lake ship canal.
Five years later, Pere Claude Allouez reached La Pointe, established a mission and erected a chapel, which was the first church edifice west of Lake Huron.
The second mission on Lake Superior was founded at the Sault de Ste. Marie, by Pere Marquette, in 1668. Inhabited by Europeans and Americans from that time forth, the Sault is the oldest settlement in the state.
In 1669 Marquette was joined at the Sault by Pere Dablon, superior of the mission, and they were soon " established in a square fort of cedar pickets *
* enclosing a chapel and a house," with growing crops of wheat, maize, peas, etc., in their clearing.
In the fall of the same year, Marquette took charge of the mission at La Pointe, Allouez went to Green bay, and Dablon remained at the Sault.
For the purpose of gaining a better foothold in the region of the great lakes, and in order to foster and perpetuate the spirit of friendship in which the Ottawas had received the early missionaries and explorers, M. Talon, Intendant of New France, sent messengers to call a great council of the Indians at the Sault, in the spring of 1671. Fourteen tribes of the northwest sent representatives to meet the French officers, who, with due ceremonies, took formal possession of the country. After raising the cross and the lilies of France, Pere Allouez, who acted as interpreter on the occasion, made a speech, in the course of which he pronounced a glowing panegyric on his king, Louis XIV, representing him as the " chief of chiefs," who had not " his equal in the world."
During the year (1671) Marquette lost the greater portion of his La Pointe people through removal, and himself accompanied a band of Hurons to the straits of Mackinac, where he founded the mission of St. Ignatius. (Now St. Ignace.) Father Marquette's
Afterwards shortened by the English
to Mackinac, and sometimes written Mackinaw.
-
54
MICHIGAN MANUAL.
grave is situated near the site of the mission which he founded here, more than two centuries ago.
For the next nine years (1671-1680) Pere Druilletes was the leading spirit at the Sault. On several occasions his little chapel was burned to the ground, but the aged missionary was full of energy, and continued to work until, " broken by age, hardships and infirmities," he found it necessary to return to Quebec, where he died in 1680.
Fur traders .- As the first settlements in New France were made under the auspices of companies organized for the carrying on of the fur trade, the enterprising followers of this traffic were early and frequent visitors in the region of the great lakes. Induced by the prospect of gain, and having perhaps a keen relish for adventure, the trader embarked with his merchandise in birch canoes, coasted the shores of the lakes, followed the winding courses of the rivers and penetrated the secluded retreats of the vast wilder- ness.
Voyage of " The Griffin."-On the 7th of August, 1679, the schooner Griffin set sail for the first voyage ever made by a vessel on the great lakes. The Griffin was com- manded by La Salle,-who was accompanied by Hennepin, the missionary,-and manned by a crew of fur traders. They were ignorant of the depth of the water, and felt their way cautiously. They reached the mouth of the Detroit river on the 10th of August, and sailing northward passed the Indian village of Teuchsagrondie, on the site now occupied by the city of Detroit. `The place had been visited by the French missionaries and traders, but no settlement had been attempted.
They passed on through Lake St. Clair, ascended the St. Clair river, and experienced a severe storm on Lake Huron.
At length the tempest-tossed Griffin reached the harbor of St. Ignace.
Early in September, La Salle resumed his voyage, crossed Lake Michigan and cast anchor at some point on Green bay.
The Griffin was loaded with furs, and sailed for Niagara, with orders to return to the mouth of the St. Joseph river as soon as possible, but was never heard of more. It is probable that she foundered the night of her departure, as a violent storm swept over the lake at that time.
La Salle, with a few men, coasted Lake Michigan to the mouth of the St. Joseph- the site of the city of the same name-and built a rude fort. After spending nearly a month at Fort St. Joseph, where they were joined by a party from Mackinac under Tonty, La Salle's trusted agent, they lost hope of the return of the Griffin with needed supplies. The near approach of winter made further delay dangerous, and the explorers at once began the ascent of the St. Joseph river. Near the site of South Bend, Indiana, they made the portage, and descended the Illinois to the point where they built Fort Crevecoeur.
Founding of Detroit .- On the 24th of July, 1701, Antoine de la Motte Cadillac founded the first European settlement at Detroit. He brought fifty soldiers and fifty traders and artisans. "A stockade fort was immediately constructed, which *
* * was named Fort Pontchartrain, and log houses thatched with grass soon went up, in which the settlers found shelter and a home."
Cadillac remained in charge at Detroit until called away from the colony in 1710. Detroit continued to exist, but did not grow much during the period of French control.
French and Indian War .- Meanwhile the rival claims of France and England to the same territory, in the valley of the Ohio and elsewhere, led to quarrels which finally culminated in war. During the struggle the French lost the forts of Niagara, Ticon- deroga and Crown Point; and the surrender of Quebec in the fall of 1759 practically decided the contest. In September, 1760, the vast territory was abandoned to the English, and New France became a British province.
General note on the French period .- The most prominent feature of the French manage- ment, or rather mismanagement, of the territory was the neglect to develope the agricul- tural and other resources of the country. Very little land was cleared, few permanent improvements were made, and the settlements were small and weak. The fur trade, which was the chief occupation of the people, was not calculated to build up and sustain large and thriving settlements. Hence, at the close of the French and Indian War, the little trading posts of Sault de Ste. Marie, Michilimackinac and Detroit were the
55
AN OUTLINE HISTORY OF MICHIGAN.
meager results of a hundred years of French colonization and control in the future state of Michigan.
ENGLISH PERIOD-1760 TO 1796.
British occupation .- Shortly after the surrender of the territory to the English, Major Robert Rogers was sent, with a military force, to take possession of the post at Detroit.
After reading the articles of capitulation signed by his superior officers, M. Bellestre, the French commandant, surrendered Fort Pontchartrain (Detroit), in November, 1760, and the English took quiet possession of the post. The population of Detroit and vicinity at that time was estimated at 2,500 persons.
The forts at Michilimackinac, Sault de Ste. Marie, and St. Joseph were not occupied by the English until the fall of 1761.
PONTIAC'S CONSPIRACY.
Condition of the province .- Although the French had surrendered the territory, and their chief military leaders had returned to France, the English were not long permitted to possess the land before a dangerous and secret foe sought their destruction. Less than three years of intercourse served to deepen the hostility of the Indians.
Many of the French inhabitants remained in the settlements, and as no effort had been made to win their favor they had little attachment for the new government, but -in common with the Indians-hoped for its speedy overthrow.
The leader .- Pontiac, the originator and leader of the conspiracy, was an Ottawa chief. He was well fitted for the daring enterprise,-an effective speaker; a bold and crafty warrior, who had won the first place among the Indians of his day; and, more than all, a thoughtful and far-seeing general who could originate and manage complicated plans. In the latter qualification he was probably the greatest chief that his race has produced.
The plan .- Pontiac's plan was to attack all of the English posts west of the Alleghany mountains at about the same time. The Indians were to massacre the soldiers of the garrisons, and thus, at a single stroke, they hoped and planned to rid themselves of the presence of a people whom they hated and looked upon as intruders in the valleys of the west. The plan of operations included a line of posts scattered from Niagara to Chicago, twelve forts in all, three of which-St. Joseph, Michilimackinac and Detroit -were in Michigan. Pontiac's ambassadors visited the various Indian tribes between the Ottawa and the lower Mississippi, and succeeded in enlisting all of the Algonquins, most of the Wyandots and some of the southern tribes in the enterprise.
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