Past and present of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Part 76

Author: Beakes, Samuel W. (Samuel Willard), 1861-; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 886

USA > Michigan > Washtenaw County > Past and present of Washtenaw County, Michigan > Part 76

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"This income will continue to increase until the whole section under consideration shall have been brought under cultivation, when it will, of course, be double, unless the present income has been estimated too low. Another source of in- crease will be found in the gradual introduction of superior cultivation, which must greatly in- crease the production of this whole region.

"It is proper to observe that in the conclut- sions at which your committee have arrived, and

which have already been presented, they have confined their views to the effects of the pro- posed work on that section of the country lying in the immediate vicinity of the work, and in re- gard to which they believe no well grounded doubts can be entertained. They cannot, how- ever, believe that they will have fully discharged the duty of their appointment without noticing what they believe will be the result of the pro- posed improvement on a more extended scale. Preparatory to this view of the matter the first and most important inquiry is, will the pro- posed improvement place our village on a foot- ing possessing equal advantages for transacting the general commercial business of the interior with those points that now enjoy the exclusive benefits of that business ?

"For the accomodation of the large extent of territory on our west, the productions of which now pass to Detroit or Monroe and which in return receives its merchandise through the same channels, your committee believe that with the aid of the proposed improvement this channel of communication with the eastern markets does possess such advantages from its position alone as will secure to it permanently a large share of the business, and for the obvious reason that it is a shorter ronte, and we believe would be a cheaper route. But in addition to this the manu- facturing power that would be created along the route would draw the raw material of every description that might require the employment of such power to fit it for market. To this we may add that the harbor of Gibraltar (the ter- mination of this improvement) is the most con- venient, secure and accessible for sail vessels of any kind at the head of the lake,-that it can be reached by this class of vessels with greater cer- tainty, ease and security than any other in its vicinity.

"With this combination of circumstances is it not a well founded conclusion that this work would command a large proportion of the coun- try beyond the district embraced in the estimate submitted in the previous part of this report ? Your committee will not hazard an estimate based on this view of the subject. but dismisses it by calling the attention of their readers to

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the facts and leaving them to form their own conclusions, -- they will, however, remark that, in their opinion, as tributaries to the employment and profits of this work in case of its comple- tion, the means and causes last noticed will be found to be the most extensive and profitable sources of its patronage.

"To the citizens of this village and the vicinity. the importance of this work in all its bearings we will not attempt to calculate. Suffice it to say that, unless the judgment of your committee in the matter is most fearfully perverted, the calculation is altogether within the range of probability that its population, its business and the value of its real estate will be more than doubled by means of this improvement ; that a permanent and increasing business will be se- cured that will keep pace with the growth and improvement of the county and render the value of the Huron river what nature seems to have de- signed it to be-an avenue for the transmission of agricultural wealth of the interior to the mar- kets of the east and the great manufacturing point for the southeastern section of our state. Your committee believe that the benefits to re- sult from the improvement of this river are similar in character and their effects, as obvious and certain as those resulting from the clearing up and cultivating a rich and productive section of our native domain, and that in neglecting to avail ourselves of the natural advantages placed within our reach by means of this river we re- ject one of the richest benefits and sources of wealth and property that nature has provided for our use and comfort, and act the part of a slothful and improvident tenant who permits the richness of a luxurious field to be wasted in the production of thistles, briers and weeds, while he seeks from precarious sources his supply of bread, and when, by the application of his time and labor in its cultivation and improvement, it might be made the source of wealth and pros- perity. Of the practicability of this work there is no doubt, of its utility we believe there is none. Let us then set about it, and we believe that two years will not pass until its completion will have been witnessed, and we shall find our-

selves in the participation of even more than we contemplated."

"W. A. BUCKBEE, "J. M. EDMUNDS, "JOHN VAN FOSSEN."

At one time the people of the county, after holding a number of public meetings, appealed to the legislature for an appropriation of $75,000 out of the $5,000,000 internal improvement fund, for which the state had issued bonds. Com- mittees were appointed to wait upon the legisla- ture and work this measure through, but before this could be done the project of the state carry- ing on internal improvements was checked by the discovery that the $5.000,000 for which the bonds sold had vanished with the fall in value of the script in which they were paid. The wild cat banking period, through which the state had just passed, had this prevented the developing of the resources of the state as was intended when the $5,000,000 bonds were authorized. The dis- appearance of this fund was the main reason why the Huron river was not dammed in such a way as to make it navigable for small boats much above Ann Arbor.

The water power rights on the Huron are now being purchased by two companies, each of which claim to have for their object the raising of the level of the lakes which form the head- waters of the Huron river, and the placing of dams at convenient points to store the great quantity of water passing down the river, so that it may be utilized the year round. The pro- ject includes provision for making the river navigable for pleasure parties, raising small elec- tric launches or other boats over the dams by means of cranes. The Huron river is believed to be capable of furnishing more power than any other river in the state, and it is extremely probable that within a short period it will be used more than now for the development of electric power, and that this will lead to the es- tablishment of a vast number of factories along its banks to utilize this electric power, which it is planned to develop by the building of im- mense dams. If these projects are carried out,

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Washtenaw county will enter upon a new era of manufacturing.

CHAPTER XI.

WASHTENAW IN THE WAR.

Washtenaw county did not take a very promi- nent part in the Mexican war, but the Regimental Commissary of the First Regiment, Michigan, was William S. Brown, of Ann Arbor, and Moses K. Taylor of the same city was second lieutenant in Company I of that regiment. The war was so short and victory so quickly gained that the fighting spirit of old Michigan was not thoroughly aroused. However, it is probable that this county furnished its proportion of the Michigan volunteers in the Mexican war.

Washtenaw county furnished more than its quota of volunteer soldiers in the war of the re- bellion. Out of 89.173 soldiers from the state of Michigan, 4.084 were accredited to Wash- tenaw county. There are known to have been others, residents of the county, who enlisted in the regiments in other states and were not charged to Washtenaw. The aggregate expenses of the various towns, cities and wards of the county for the war, in addition to their propor- tion of the state and general taxes, was in Washtenaw county $458.563.54. besides $155 .- 043.15 for the relief of soldiers' families. The county was quick to respond to the call to arms and was not subject to the early drafts, its quota having been more than filled. When President Lincoln called for troops. after Fort Sumter had been fired upon, the state had no money with which to equip them, and there was no way in which the state treasurer could float a loan legitimately. Michigan citizens, however, came to the rescue and loaned the state $81,020 for the purpose of equipping troops. Of this amount $2.550 came from Ann Arbor, $230 from Dexter and $50 from Ypsilanti.

When the first call was made for three months' troop. Michigan was called upon for one regi- ment. A call for this regiment was made April 16th. Of the ten companies constituting it there were three from Washtenaw county, two from

Wayne, one from Jackson, one from Coldwater, one from Burr Oak, one from Marshall and one from Adrian. It will be seen that Washtenaw, as usual. furnished more than her share. The three companies called from Washtenaw were the Manchester Union Guards, under Captain Isaac L. Clarkson, known afterwards as Com- pany D ; the Steuben Guards of Ann Arbor, un- der Captain William F. Roth, known as Com- pany E, and the Ypsilanti Light Guard, under Captain Franklin W. Whittlesey, known as Com- pany H. The regiment was mustered in May I, 1861. It reached Washington May 16th, the first western regiment to reach the capital. It led the advance of the Union forces into Virginia, cross- ing Long Bridge May 24th, and shortly after- wards captured 150 rebel cavalry. It fought bravely in the battle of Bull Run and charged three times. Its loss was, 6 killed, 37 wounded and 70 missing, of whom 52 were made prison- ers. This regiment was mustered out August 7th. The reorganization of the First Regiment commenced before the return of the regiment, and the rendezvous was at Ann Arbor. It was recruited from all parts of the state, the re- cruits joining the ranks at Ann Arbor. The officers of the regiment from Washtenaw were: Major Franklin W. Whittlesey, of Ypsilanti; Quartermaster David A. Wise, of Ypsilanti ; Captain Russell H. Alcott, of Manchester, Com- pany A; Captain George P. Sanford, of Ann Arbor. Company C: First Lieutenant Eben T. Whittlesey. of Ypsilanti, Company D; First Lieutenant Emory W. Belton, of Chelsea, Com- pany F; Second Lieutenant Philander C. Perry, of Ann Arbor, Company G; Second Lieutenant Edward D. Judd. of Saline, Company I; First Lieutenant George C. Mogk, of Ann Arbor, and Second Lieutenant Henry C. Arnold, of Ann Arbor. Company K. The regiment left Ann Arbor for Virginia September 16. 1861.

We have the names of 83 commissioned offi- cers and 2,990 men who donned the blue from Washtenaw. They were found in nearly every regiment that went out from Michigan. Of this number. 2,059 were in the infantry, 783 in the cavalry. 142 in the artillery and 128 in the en- gineer and mechanics' corps and the sharpshoot-

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ers. Washtenaw men were present in every bat- tle of the war and participated in the final cap- ture of Jefferson Davis. Many of them were unfortunate enough to find their way into rebel prisons. Four hundred and seventy-five of them were either killed in battle or died in the field from disease or wounds. Many returned home with shattered health. A number, after the war was over, never returned to Washtenaw, but the majority came back, took up their daily avoca- tions and took part in the upbuilding of the county. Civic patriotism burned high in their breasts and many of our foremost and most pub- lic-spirited citizens in later days had served their country under arms in the hour of its greatest need.

In the original enlistments of the Michigan regiments, Washtenaw furnished more men to the Twentieth Michigan Infantry than any other, 16 commissioned officers and 406 men from this county being in the original enlistment which left Jackson for Washington, D. C., September I, 1862. It was in the battle of Fredericksburg, fought with Morgan in Kentucky, was with Grant at Vicksburg, at the siege of Knoxville, rejoined the army of the Potomac and was at the battle of the Wilderness, Poplar Grove church and the siege of Petersburg, taking part in 30 battles and skirmishes.

Washtenaw furnished II commissioned offi- cers and 188 men to the First Michigan In- fantry, which lost its colonel in the second bat- tle of Bull Run, fought at Antietam, Fredericks- burg, Manassas Gap, and fought in nearly all the battles of the last campaign of the army of the Potomac.

In the Second Infantry of the original enlist- ment, 4I men were from Washtenaw, and these took part in some of the most desperate battles of the war.

Only 2 of the original Third Infantry came from Washtenaw, but in the old Fourth Michi- gan Infantry there were 9 officers and 183 men from this county, who fought in the first battle of Bull Run, at Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mills, Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and the Wilderness.

In the Fifth Michigan Infantry there were 3

officers and 28 men from Washtenaw, who fought in 28 battles with the army of the Po- tomac.

In the Sixth Michigan Infantry there were 3 musicians and 115 men who left in August, 1861, occupied New Orleans and took part in all the operations from that center during the war.

The Seventh Infantry started out with 10 Washtenaw men, and the Eighth Infantry con- tained 2 officers and 27 men. This later regi- ment in two years traveled 5,000 miles. It fought at Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Vicksburg. Chancellorsville. Wilderness and Petersburg.

The Ninth Michigan Infantry left the state October 22, 1861, with 102 men from Washte- naw. It fought among other places at Murfrees- boro, Chickamauga, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain and Atlanta.

The Tenth Infantry contained but 5 Washte- naw citizens.

The Eleventh Michigan Infantry contained 84 Washtenaw men, and it fought at Stone River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge. Resaca and Atlanta.

The Twelfth Michigan Infantry contained 13 Washtenaw men and the Thirteenth contained 34. The latter fought in Kentucky and marched with Sherman to the sea.

The Fourteenth Michigan Infantry contained 129 men from this county and was organized at Ypsilanti, whence it moved April 17. 1862, to join the army at Pittsburg Landing. After skirmishing in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennes- see it fought at Stone River and marched with Sherman to the sea, having been in 18 battles.

The Fifteenth Michigan Infantry contained 10 men from this county, and the Sixteenth had 79. The Sixteenth, originally Stockton's Indepen- dent regiment, participated in 52 battles and skirmishes, including those of the Peninsular campaign under McClellan, Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville. Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Petersburg and Appomattox.

The Seventeenth Michigan Infantry left De- troit in August, 1862, with 3 officers and 85 men from Washtenaw, was at the battle of South Mountain, Antietam, was in the campaigns in

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PAST AND PRESENT OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

Kentucky and Tennessee and returned in time for the battle of the Wilderness and Spottsyl- vania, taking part in 30 battles and skirmishes.

The Eighteenth Michigan had 37 men from Washtenaw.

The Twenty-first Michigan had 10 men from this county ; the Twenty-second had 12, and the Twenty-third also had 12.

The Twenty-fourth Michigan Infantry con- tained 93 men from Washtenaw, who took part in 20 battles and skirmishes, including Freder- icksburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spottsyl- vania, Cold Harbor and Petersburg.

To the Twenty-fifth Michigan only Assistant- Surgeon Francis W. Oakley was furnished, and to the Twenty-sixth Michigan 5 officers and 23 men.

The Twenty-seventh Michigan's rendezvous was at Ypsilanti, and on April 12, 1863, 51 men from Washtenaw left with it for the front in Kentucky and Mississippi. It was with Grant in the final Richmond campaign and participated in 30 battles and skirmishes.

The Twenty-eighth Michigan was with Sher- man with 48 men from Washtenaw. The Twenty-ninth Michigan had 8 men from Wash- tenaw and the Thirtieth had 47.

In the First Engineers and Mechanics' Corps there were 65 men from Washtenaw. The One Hundred and Second U. S. Colored Troops con- tained 96 men from Washtenaw.

Washtenaw furnished 19 men to the First Michigan Sharpshooters, 13 to the Stanton Guards, 3 to the First U. S. Sharpshooters, 5 to Duesler's Sharpshooters, I to Stuart's Sharp- shooters, I to Mather's and 11 to Willett's Sharp- shooters.

In the First cavalry were 136 Washtenawians who left Detroit September, 29, 1861, and par- ticipated in 41 battles and skirmishes, including Bull Run, Gettysburg, Falling Waters, where it captured 500 prisoners, Winchester and in Grant's final campaign. The Second cavalry contained 15 from this county. The Third cavalry contained 121 Washtenaw men, who were in 25 battles and skirmishes, including Iuka, and with Sherman to the sea. The Fourth cavalry contained 89 Washtenaw men. This

was the regiment that captured Jefferson Davis. It was in 94 skirmishes and battles. The Fifth cavalry contained 114 from this county, and was in 57 battles and skirmishes, including Chan- cellorsville, Malvern Hill and Cold Harbor. The Sixth cavalry contained 30 from this county, and the Seventh 67, who participated in 58 battles and skirmishes. The Eighth cavalry contained 68 Washtenaw men. It fought with Morgan and participated in 39 engagements. The Ninth cavalry contained 33 Washtenaw men. The Tenth cavalry contained 60 from this county and participated in 55 battles and engagements. The Eleventh cavalry contained 43 from Wash- tenaw.

The Washtenaw men in the artillery were dis- tributed as follows: 71 in the First Light ar- tillery, 5 in the Second (Roos) battery, 13 in the Third (Dee's) battery, 5 in the Fifth (Dennis') battery, 3 in the Eighth (De Goyler's) battery, I in the Ninth (Daniel's) battery, and 44 in the Fourth battery. Besides these, 4 Washtenaw citizens belonged to the Merrill Horse.

The following officers, residents of Washte- naw, were killed in battle during the civil war: Colonel Harrison H. Jeffords, of Dexter, at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863; Colonel Norvil E. Welch, of Ann Arbor, at Poplar Grove church, Va., September 30, 1864; Captain Richard G. De Prey, of Ann Arbor, at Gaines Mills, June 27. 1862; Captain Russell H. Alcott, of Man- chester, and Captain Eben T. Whittlesey, of Yp- silanti, at Bull Run, August 30, 1862; Captain Roswell P. Carpenter, of Ann Arbor, and Cap- tain Walter McCollum, of Lodi, at Spottsyl- vania, May 12, 1864: Captain Oliver Blood, of Scio, and Captain James H. Wheaton, of Chel- sea ; at Poplar Grove church, September 30, 1864: Lieutenant H. Clay Arnold, of Ann Ar- bor, at Bull Run, August 30, 1862; Lieutenant James Clark, of Ann Arbor, at Fredericksburg, December 13. 1862; Lieutenant Amos M. Ladd. of Ann Arbor, at Gettysburg. July 2. 1863: Lieutenant David E. Ainsworth, of Ann Arbor, at Spottsylvania. May 12, 1864. Besides these, Captain William H. Loveland, of Ann Arbor, died May 31, 1864, of wounds received at the battle of the Wilder-

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PAST AND PRESENT OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

ness ; Captain Wendell D. Wiltsie, of Ann Ar- bor, died November 27, 1863, of wounds re- ceived at Knoxville; Lieutenant William A. Brown, of Ann Arbor, died of wounds received at Chantilly, September 1, 1862; Lieutenant Joseph Kirk, of Ann Arbor, died of wounds re- ceived at Athens. Ga .. August 7, 1864, and Lieu- tenant James Duncan, of Northfield, died in mili- tary prison at Charlestown, October 26, 1864.

Among the higher officers furnished during the Civil war by Washtenaw were: Brigadier- General William H. H. Beadle, of Ann Arbor ; Brigadier-General Byron M. Cutcheon, of Ypsi- lanti; Brigadier-General Jairus W. Hall, of Ann Arbor : Colonel Claudius B. Grant, of Ann Ar- bor ; Colonel Franklin M. Whittlesey, of Ypsi- lanti; Colonel George Lockley, of Ann Arbor; Colonel Harrison H. Jeffords, of Dexter; Col- onel Jonathan W. Childs, of Augusta ; Lieuten- ant-Colonel Norvil E. Welch, of Ann Arbor ; Lieutenant-Colonel Russell H. Alcott, of Man- chester : Lieutenant-Colonel George P. Sanford, of Ann Arbor ; Lieutenant-Colonel John Cordon, of Saline ; Lieutenant-Colonel Edwin J. Buckbee, of Ypsilanti; Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas B. Wier, of Ann Arbor; Lieutenant-Colonel John E. Clark, of Ann Arbor ; Surgeons A. B. Palmer, of Ann Arbor ; Robert A. Everett, of Ann Ar- bor : W. F. Breakey, of Whitmore Lake ; William Fuller, of Ann Arbor: Richard S. Vick- ery, of Ann Arbor: Alexander Ewing, of Dexter ; Amos K. Smith, of Ann Arbor ; William H. Young, of Ann Arbor ; Ma- jors William C. Stevens, of Whitmore Lake; Cicero Newell, of Ypsilanti; Albert A. Day, of Ann Arbor; Seymour Howell, of Saline; John M. Randolph, of Ann Arbor ; Levant W. Barn- hart, of Ypsilanti : William V. Richards, of Ann Arbor, and Samuel Griscom, of Ann Arbor.

Many soldiers of rank, who saw service in this war, became residents of the county since the close of the war.

CHAPTER XII.

MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY.

"Religion, morality and knowledge being nec-

essary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." This was the opening sentence of that great instrument, the ordinance of 1787, creating the northwestern territory. This is the sentence which, in old English text, appears above the speaker's head in the university auditorium. It was in pur- suance of the policy thus early laid down in that famous ordinance of congress, years before any white settler had set foot in Washtenaw county. that the University of Michigan was created and has now become the largest American univer- sity, the greatest of the state universities, and this year the university that contained more students than any other university in the coun- try. In 1800 a township was reserved in what afterward became the Territory of Michigan, by congress, for a seminary of learning, and a year later a still larger grant was made. In 1817 the people of the young territory began talking of a university and of locating the township which had been conveyed to them in 1805 within the territory when it was organized, but which had not been located. It was found that this town- ship must be located on land the title to which had been ceded by the Indians before 1805, and that the lands earliest abandoned by the Indians were the lands least desirable for the univer- sity. It was also determined that it would be better for the cause of education if the 36 sec- tions of land could be located in various parts of the state, rather than in one complete town- ship, and congress was memorialized for relief. On May 20, 1826 congress annulled the previous grant and in its place gave two entire townships and conferred the privilege of locating the land in detached portions and of selecting it from any part of the public domain. A committee was ap- pointed by the territory to examine the country and to report fully their opinion in regard to the location of the land." A competent surveyor was employed and much wisdom and judgment was shown by the committee in completing their work. Other territories have been granted even larger proportions of land, but have not shown the results that Michigan has. Within 10 years from the time the grant was made the superin-

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PAST AND PRESENT OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

tendent of public instruction estimated that the land thus located had attained an average valute of $20 per acre. In January, 1837, the super- intendent reported that the first 20,000 acres could be sold at once for $20 an acre and that the remaining 26,080 could be sold at the same rate as soon as the funds would be needed, and the legislature of the young state, on March 21. 1837. passed an act authorizing the superinten- dent "to sell at auction so much of the university lands as should amount to the sum of $500,000." and none of which were to be sold lower than $20 per acre. By the following year sales amounting to $150,000 had been made at an average rate of $22.85 an acre, and it was con- fidently believed that at no very distant date, at least, the sum of $921,600 would be realized from the sale of land thus generously given by the government as a permanent endowment. But in this the friends of the university were doomed to be bitterly disappointed. It was found that much of the university lands had been occupied by settlers, after being located by the university. and the occupants were allowed, in their clam- ors to the legislature, so that in 1838 the legis- lature released over 100,000 acres of university land, which had been located in 1830, promising to give the university an equal amount of new land to be appraised of equal value, but it was after- ward found that this could not be done, as there was no land left of the value of the land which the state had thus taken away from the univer- sity endowment ; and in 1838 a large quantity of university land was authorized to be sold at $1.25 an acre, but Governor Mason happily vetoed the act, intimating that the bill had been carried by "a wholesale propagandism in the interest of adventurers to claim university land." In 1839 the legislature extended the time of payment to purchasers of university lands. In 1840, 5,000 acres were authorized to be sold for $6.21 an acre. In 1841 the minimum price was placed at $15 per acre, and in 1842 at $12 per acre; and the county judges and surveyors were anthorized to reappraise land already sold and if the ap- praisal was lower than the price which had been agreed upon the superintendent of public instruc- tion was authorized to accredit the purchaser

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Past and present of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Part 76

Author: Beakes, Samuel W. (Samuel Willard), 1861-; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago : The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 886

Author: Beakes, Samuel W. (Samuel Willard), 1861-; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 886