USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 7
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For several weeks no one appeared to take charge of the Ingham Democrat. Some time in May, Mr. Child, of the Herald, en- tered into articles of agreement with Storey and Cheney to publish the Democrat in their name until the conclusion of the advertising and to purchase the establishment. About
one-third of the purchasing price was paid down. Whatever amount was realized from publishing the list was to be placed to the credit of Mr. Cheney. After the list was placed in form ready for publication, Storey and Cheney replevined and removed the materials. Again appeared the obnoxious youth before referred to as employed by another Jackson firm to print their paper in Mason, and who had suddenly disappeared from the village.
These proceedings created a good deal of ill feeling and excitement. But a few days passed, when one night most of the mater- ials were removed from the Democrat office, no one knew whither. After a series of years some of them were found secreted in several places about town. The proprietors of the Democrat sent on other material and concluded the advertising. Soon after Mr.
Stillman withdrew from the Herald, and, · with the assistance of Judge Danforth and Dr. McRoberts, purchased the Democrat of- fice and continued the publication of the paper until October, 1847. The names of E. B. Danforth and Minos McRoberts ap- peared as proprietors.
Mr. Child continued the publication of the Herald for one year or more after the withdrawal of Mr. Stillman."
It seems the Democrat suspended about 1849, and no Democratic paper was pub- lished in Mason until on June 2, 1876, the present Ingham County Democrat was es- tablished by J. V. Johnson, who after about two years sold to David P. Whitmore. Mr. Whitmore sold a half interest to A. L. Rose in 1885, and his remaining interest to Wm. L. Clark, September 26, 1899. Mr. Clark had purchased Mr. Rose's interest April 8, 1893. Since Mr. Clark became sole pro- prietor, he has also been sole editor and pub- lisher. In 1895 he built the present con- venient and pleasant Democrat office build- ing. The present Ingham County Demo- crat cannot be classed as a pioneer, but, as it seems to have followed the Ingham Tele- graph, in succession, rather late, to be sure, we have given the above mention, and hav- ing done so, we will say of the Republican- Ingham county News, not a pioneer, that it was established in 1859, by D. B. Har- rington. Mr. Harrington in a series of ar- ticles, written for the News, regarding his experience in starting the paper, says he reached Mason, June 1, 1859, having his printing materials in a wagon. It consisted of the debris of the office of what had been known as "The Public Sentiment," a small paper that had been printed at Grass Lake," Jackson county, during the "great conspir- acy" troubles. The type had previously been used in printing "The Michigan Es- say," established in Detroit in 1809. It was
52
PAST AND PRESENT
French type and its age could only be guessed at. When Mr. Harrington began to unload his printing office he found his type in "pi" in the bottom of the wagon. He took it into the office in pails and oc- cupied ten days in sorting "pi." He said Mason then had only seventy voters.
Mr. Harrington was succeeded in 1866 by Mr. K. Kittredge, in 1875 by W. F. Cor- nell, in 1877 by Otis Fuller, in 1880 by V. J. Teffts, December 1, 1887, by John A. May and December 1, 1889, by Job T. Campbell. Albert L. Rose bought in with Campbell in December, 1893. Mr. Campbell died April 13, 1899, after which Mr. Rose continued the paper under the firm name until Feb- ruary 1, 1901, when he rented the interest of Mr. Campbell's estate and has since been the proprietor, editor and publisher.
OTHER COUNTY NEWSPAPERS.
Sketches of the Lansing Journal and the State Republican will be found under the head of "The Pioneer Press in Lansing." The other county newspapers are :
The Capitol City Democrat, a weekly pub- lished in Lansing.
The Industrial Enterprise, a monthly pub- lished in Lansing.
The M. A. C. Record, a weekly published in Lansing.
The Michigan School Moderator, a semi- monthly published in Lansing.
Timely Topics, a weekly published in Lan- sing.
The Local Republican, a weekly pub- lished in Leslie.
The Stockbridge Brief, a weekly pub- lished in Stockbridge.
The Stockbridge Sun, a weekly published in Stockbridge.
The Williamston Enterprise. a weekly published in Williamston.
The Michigan Odd Fellows; a semi- monthly published in Williamston.
THE HOGSBACK.
Upon request, Mr. Alfred C. Lane, State Geologist, has furnished the following. He evidently will not subscribe to the common, homely and only name known by most of the people, "hogsback." but prefers the scientific "Esker :"
Once upon a time Ingham county was covered by a sheet of ice which extended far to the south, even at times crossing the Ohio river. This ice came from the north and spread southward, moving at a greater or less rate and extending to a greater or less distance according as the climate for the · term of years was more or less favorable to ice accumulation. Finally the climate so changed that the ice gradually retreated, but this retreat was not steady; sometimes it would remain at a certain point for a term of years and at other times the front of the ice would retreat north quite rapidly. The ice covering this part of Michigan came down from the Saginaw valley and spread out from it in all directions and underneath and in front of the ice were left deposits of stony clay known as till. Where the ice tar- ried for longer time the till was piled up in ridges which ran more or less around or par- allel to Saginaw Bay, known as moraines. Of course the ice did not melt only at the margin ; it also melted from the surface and the water was carried off by deep rivers which ran in, on, or under the ice. Some- times the deep cracks or tunnels formed by these streams were filled or choked with gravel washed down by them. In such cases when the rest of the ice was melted away these gravel deposits were left as ridges, known as eskers, winding back more or less at right angles to the moraines or ice front.
53
INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
A very well marked esker ridge extends through the county. It is first seen some- where down at Rives Junction and runs thence northerly. It passes up to Mason where it spreads out into quite a broad gravel plain, probably indicating that the ice halted there a while and made more or less of a delta to the streams which make the esker, as these ridges are known. Thence the course of the ridge is northwest and is followed by the Mason and Lansing road as far as Holt. From Holt, it runs down, cross- ing and along the east side of Sycamore Creek, to Mt. Hope Cemetery near Lansing. Here it is cut off by the valley of the Cedar, but the gravel deposits east of Lansing show that the deposits continue and they have probably been simply cut away. However, here we have a curious phenomenon. The ridge is smoothed down and covered with two or three feet of stony clay. This may indicate that after a good part of the gravel was formed there was a little retreat of the ice or it may be that this till has merely set- tled down from the ice when it melted. When we go up toward North Lansing, however, we find in the gravel there that it is once more a well marked ridge and it passes north into Clinton county.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
(Circuit and Probate Judges will be found under the head of "Courts.")
SHERIFFS.
Richard R. Lowe, elected 1838; Amaziah Winchell, 1839; Nathaniel R. Hammond, 1842; Joseph Hunt, 1844; Joseph L. Hunt- ington, 1846; Chauncey A. Osborne. 1850; Perry Henderson, 1844; Richard R. Lowe, 1856; Edy Baker, 1858; Truman Spencer, 1860; Frederick P. Moody, 1862; Truman Spencer, 1866; Horace Angell, 1868; Wil-
liam Spears, 1870; Allen R. Burr, 1872; James R. Dart, 1876; Harry O. Call, 1878; Thomas McKernan, 1880; Harry O. Call, 1886; Chas. E. Paddock, 1890; Frank C. McEwen, 1892 ; J. J. Rehle, 1896; William H. Porter, 1898; Shubael Hammond, 1900; William A. Steele, 1904.
CLERKS.
Valorous Meeker, elected 1838; Peter Lowe, 1839; George W. Shafer, 1841 ; An- son Jackson, 1841 ; Peter Lowe, 1842; John Coatsworth, 1844; Henry P. Atwood, 1848; Peter Lowe, 1850; Philip McKernan, 1852; A. R. L. Covert, 1856; Lucian Reed, 1860; Stephen P. Mead, 1862; H. P. Henderson, 1864; Stanley W. Turner, 1866; Daniel D. Bolton, 1870; John C. Squiers, 1874 ; Claude C. Walker, 1878; John W. Whallen, 1880; John F. Rouse, 1888; James Blackmore, 1892 ; H. E. Gunn, 1896; F. D. Woodworth, 1898; George W. Jewett, 1902 and 1904.
REGISTER OF DEEDS.
Dr. Minos McRoberts, elected 1838: Zac- cheus Barnes, 1840; Thomas North, 1842; William H. Horton, 1844; William Wood- house, 1850; Zaccheus Barnes, 1856: Joseph S. Pierson, 1860: William Woodhouse. 1862; Charles H. Darrow, 1866; Henry J. Haight, 1870: Milton Ryan, 1872: John C. Cannon, 1874: Robert G. C. Knight, 1880; Thomas R. Mosher, 1882 : Charles C. Fitch, 1884: A. R. Hardy, 1888; Bert L. Rose- crance, 1892; Ira J. Kellogg, 1896: Frank A. Lester, 1898: Christian Krentel, · 1902 and 1904.
TREASURERS.
Hiram H. Smith, elected 1838: John W. Burchard, 1840; John B. Packard, 1842; George Mathews, 1844: Samuel Skadan, 1848: Franklin LaRue, 1852: John H. Mul- lett. 1856; Lemuel Woodhouse, 1858; Abram Hayner, 1862: John A. Barnes,
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PAST AND PRESENT
1866; Thaddeus Densmore, 1870; Lemuel Woodhouse, 1874; Jackson P. Bond, 1878; Whitney Jones, 1880; William D. Longyear, 1886; Silas H. Phillips, 1890; Horatio J. Bond, 1892; Myron H. Daniels, 1896; Dan- iel D. Kingsbury, 1898 ; William C. Nichols, 1902 and 1904.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Appointed by the Governor previous to 1850, John W. Burchard and Daniel L. Case. William W. Upton, elected 1850; O. M. Barnes, 1852; George I. Parsons, 1856; Stephen D. Bingham, 1860; G. M. Hunting- ton, 1862; R. C. Dart, 1864 ; H. B. Carpen- ter, 1868; Henry P. Henderson, 1874; Ed- ward Cahill, 1876; Russell C. Ostrander, 1880; Jason E. Nichols, 1882; Charles F. Hammond, 1886; George F. Day, 1888; A. D. Prosser, 1890; L. B. Gardner, 1892; A. M. Cummins, 1896; Arthur J. Tuttle, 1898; Louis B. McArthur, 1902 and 1904.
CIRCUIT COURT COMMISSIONERS.
Griffin Paddock, elected 1852; Horace B. Williams, 1856; Griffin Paddock, 1858; Horatio Pratt, 1860; Mason D. Chatterton, 1864; John R. Van Velsor, 1868; Dougal Mckenzie and Moses A. Hewett, 1870; Dougal Mckenzie and William H. Francis, 1872; Edward C. Chapin and George W. Bristol, 1874; Russell C. Ostrander and George W. Bristol, 1876: John C. Squiers and Lucius D. Johnson, 1880; John C. Squiers and Albert F. Rouse, 1884; A. F. Rouse and P. J. Dolan, 1886; P. J. Dolan and L. T. Hemans, 1888; J. C. Squiers and H. E. Thomas, 1890; W. A. Fraser and H. E. Thomas, 1892; W. A. Fraser and G. E. Saunders, 1894; Frank E. Talmadge and Hugh E. Root, 1896; L. B. McArthur and C. W. Foster, 1898; Harry A. Silsbee and Orr C. Trask, 1902 and 1904.
SURVEYORS.
Anson Jackson, elected 1838; Lewis D. Preston, 1848; Anson Jackson, 1850; Thomas J. Brown, 1856; James G. Stafford, 1860; William H. Rayner, 1864; John H. Mullet, 1870; Thomas J. Brown, 1872; Dwight A. Harrison, 1874 ; Aaron P. Drake, 1876; Louis D. Preston, 1882; John Mul- lett, 1884; John McCreary, 1888; George E. States, 1890; H. D. Bartholomew, 1892; William A. Rowe, 1894; John McCreary, 1896; William A. Rowe, 1898; Edwin R. Meech, 1902 and 1904.
THE CITY OF LANSING.
The lands where the City of Lansing now is were located by entries in the United States Land Office, in . the years 1835, 1836 and 1837, principally by Isaac Town- send, Frederick Bushnell and James' Sey- mour, not jointly, but each locating separate tracts. They were wild, very wild lands, heavily timbered, and infested by wolves, bears, wild cats and many other kinds of wild animals, and there was not a house or building of any kind upon any of it, or within miles of it.
October 13, 1841, John W. Burchard pur- chased of James Seymour the southeast fractional quarter of section nine, town four, north of range two west, including the ad- jacent water power, and in 1843 he built the first house in what is now the City of Lansing. It was, of course, a log house, as all the houses that were built in the woods, and it stood on the east side of Grand river at what is North Lansing, a few rods west of what is now Center Street, and north of what is now Wall Street. It has been gone many years, but is well remembered by many men and women now living. Mr.
-....
55
INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Burchard, with his family, consisting of a wife and two young children, a boy, John, and a girl, Louise, moved into the house and began the erection of a dam across the river, where the present dam is, and com- pieted it the same year, and was making preparations to erect a mill, when the spring rains, in 1844, caused a flood which made a break in the dam, and, on April 7, he went out in a canoe to make an examination and decide how he might repair the dam- age, when he, with his canoe, was drawn under the fall of the water and he was drowned. Soon after this the family moved away, and the land and water privileges again became the property of James Sey- mour.
Mr. Seymour, desirous of continuing the work of building the mill, induced Joab Page, then living in Vevay, this county, to remove to the locality, with his family, and his sons-in-law, Whitney Smith, George Pease and Alvin Rolfe, came with him. All of these men are well remembered, by many people now living, as men of sterling character and physically and in every way very competent men, just the best kind of men to start and build up a new settlement. Mr. Page and Mr. Smith were experienced millwrights, and all of them were first-class mechanics. Mr. Rolfe remained only a short time, and moved back to his farm in Vevay, but the others remained until about 1853; though when they came it was not their in- tention to remain longer than they had com- pleted the mill.
These men, with their families, and a few others, were the only inhabitants, until after the location of the capitol here in 1847. After that there was a rush of people to the capital ; and board shanties, put up for temporary occupancy, and temporary hotels and business places were constructed. The Grand River house, quite a respectable
building for those times, had already been built by Messrs. Page and Smith, at the northwest corner of Center and Wall Streets.
In 1847-8, three or four quite respectable hotels were built; the Seymour House, at the present southwest corner of Center and Franklin Street, a two and a half-story frame, extending on Center Street about half way to Wall Street, with rooms for stores south of the hotel office or bar-room, as it was then called, parlor and sleeping rooms in the second story and a dance hall ran the whole length in the upper half or two-thirds story, for it seemed too high for a half, and too low for a full story. The building is now owned by E. S. Porter, and is remodeled into sixteen apartment houses. It was the scene, in the early days, of many pleasant and enjoyable occasions, lasting from "early candlelight" until daylight.
The Michigan House, a two-story frame, on the northwest corner of Main and River Streets, was built in 1847. At that time the most extensive business section was on Main Street, from the Michigan House south, principally, on the south side of the street.
The Benton House, a large brick hotel, on the northwest corner of Washington Ave- nue and Main Street, where the palatial resi- dence of Ransom E. Olds was erected in 1903, was commenced in 1847, and com- pleted in 1848.
It was the best hotel in the village, and. winters, was filled with many of the great men of the State; State officers, Senators, Representatives, candidates for United States Senator, lobbyists and politicians, and it was the scene of many exciting senatorial campaigns, and very many jovial occasions, and amusing incidents ; one of which the writer remembers to have been told: Wm. Hinman was the proprietor. A stuttering
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PAST AND PRESENT
1
character, but a prominent and intelligent gentleman, in the State, known as "Old Salt Williams," was a guest. One morning, when he was at breakfast, he sent for Mr. Hin- man, and, when he came and asked what was wanted, said, "M-M-Mister Hin-Hin- man yu-yu-your cow n-needs shingling, the-there is wa-wa-ter in the m-m-milk." The Benton House, of late years, has been
The National Hotel, a commodious two- story frame, was built on the northeast cor- ner of Cedar and Main Streets in 1848. At that time Bush and Thomas (Charles P. Bush and John Thomas), had a general store-all stores were general then. and for many years thereafter, selling dry goods, groceries, hardware and sometimes drugs and liquors-on the west side of Cedar
-
BENTON HOUSE-LATER KNOWN AS THE EVERETT HOUSE. IT STOOD AT CORNER OF WASHINGTON AVE. AND MAIN ST.
named the Everett House. It was taken down in 1902.
The Columbus House, a three-story frame, was built in 1847 and 1848, by Christopher Columbus Darling, who came here in 1845, and built a permanent dam for James Sey- mour, the one built by Mr. Burchard not be- ing considered sufficiently secure for per- manency. The Columbus House was what is now the Hudson House, a brick front having been put upon it, and it has been re- modeled in other respects.
Street, a few rods south of Main Street, and there were one or two other stores there. This part of the village, including the busi- ness on Main Street, west of the river was called "Uppertown," that part between Ionia and Kalamazoo Streets was "Middletown," and what is now North Lansing was "Lowertown."
The first Lansing House was a log tavern, kept by Henry Jipson, on the southeast cor- ner of Washington Avenue and Washtenaw Street. It was removed in 1848, and the
57
INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
second Lansing House, a large three-story frame, was erected on the same site. It was destroyed by fire about 1859.
The third Lansing House, erected by Col. Baker, is the present Hotel Downey, direct- ly west across Washington Avenue from where the others were.
Back of the Hotel Downey, on the south side of Washtenaw Street, the Ohio House
ceptions, notably three houses built in 1848 and 1849 and still standing. One is that on the northeast corner of Grand and St. Joseph Streets, built by a Mr. Sweet ; one, that built by Hiram H. Smith, on the west side of Washington Avenue between Kil- bourne and Maple Streets, now owned by Mrs. George W. Peck; and the other the house built by Dr. Daniel Johnson, on the
LANSING HOUSE, LANSINGHOUT
LANSING HOUSE-ERECTED IN 1848 AT SOUTHEAST CORNER OF WASHINGTON AVE. AND WASHTENAW ST. IT BURNED IN 1859.
was built in 1848. It was about where Piatt's Power Plant is. It was afterwards used by the Misses Rogers for their female college, and, still later for tenements and was burned many years ago.
People at once began the erection of better dwellings, generally small, single-story or two-story upright and one-story wing, frame, all of them painted white, that were painted at all. This was the general architecture for many years, with a few ex-
southeast corner of Washington Avenue and Hillsdale Street. It has been greatly changed and modernized, but was always a fine colonial style mansion.
Not many of the white, upright and wing style of houses are to be seen in Lansing at the present time. They have, generally, given place to larger, modern houses of architectural beauty ; of which few, if any, inland cities in the country of the size of Lansing can boast of more. The change
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PAST AND PRESENT
seems wonderful, and, almost magical to one who has known the place from the first to whom the time seems so short as the mem- ory runs quickly back through the fifty-six years and sees everything as it was and com- pares with what is. Then the streets were long mud holes in wet times and dust heaps in dry times. Imagine Washington Ave- nue a newly cut-out country road, the
lengthwise on three cross pieces, 4x4 scant- lings, one at each end and one in the center. After about two years the ends of many of the planks had got up in the world and be- came a menace to pedestrians, and often a plank would be out when the walk was only a foot wide. The walk was very much ap- preciated, especially by young couples, who would not have had it any wider. -
HACK
LANSING'S FIRST FRAME HOUSE-WHERE JAMES M. TURNER WAS BORN- BUILDING, WHICH HAS BEEN REMODELED, STILL STANDS ON TURNER ST.
stumps still standing and the roadway wind- ing around and between them and loaded wagons frequently stuck in the mud.
There were no sidewalks or crosswalks until 1849, when a two-plank walk was laid on the west side of Washington Avenue, from the Benton House, corner of Main Street, to Franklin Street (afterwards changed to avenue), and on the south side of Franklin Street to the Seymour House, corner of Center Street. The planks, about a foot wide and sixteen feet long, were laid
THE CAPITOL.
The story of the removal of the capitol from Detroit, and its location here, in the woods, forty miles from anywhere, has been told over and over again in histories and papers. Therefore, the writer will not go into details, but will give a brief statement regarding it.
The State Constitution of 1835 located the capitol at Detroit until the year 1847, and provided that then it should be per- manently located by the Legislature. The
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INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
question as to the continued location in De- troit or removal began to be seriously agita- ted early in 1846. Of course, there were Legislators who wanted it to remain in De- troit, but a majority thought and argued, and rightly, as has been proven by subse- quent events, that its location in the interior of the State would tend to and result in the settlement of the surrounding unsettled part of the country and the sale of the wild State lands, thus putting money in the State's purse. A large number of places sought to secure the location.
On January 6, 1847, George B. Throop, a member of the House from Detroit, intro- duced in the House, a bill providing for the location, but with the name of the place of location left blank, and it was referred to the committee of the whole January 7; it was taken from the committee and referred to a select committee February 4; the select committee reported it back with- out amendment, and it was again referred to the committee of the whole, and by it reported with blank filled with Saginaw city. The report was not concurred in, and thir- teen votes were taken to fill the blank. On the third vote it was filled with Lyons, Ionia county. But the motion that the bill be engrossed and placed on the order of third reading was lost by 29 ayes to 32 nays. Votes on other places were had, and on the thirteenth, Lansing was chosen by a vote of 35 ayes to 27 nays, on February II, 1847.
The following shows the votes in the or- der in which they were taken :
Ayes.
Nays.
Grand Blanc
23
35
Byron
2.
31
Lyons
30
28
Detroit
18
43
Marshall
20
32
Jackson
27
31
Ann Arbor
18
44
Battle Creek
03
38
Alblon
27
34
Corunna
17
44
Eaton Rapids
'7
34
Dexter
17
44
Lansing
35
27
On the twelfth a motion to reconsider was lost, and by a vote of 40 to 24 the bill was ordered engrossed and placed on the order of third reading, and on the thirteenth it was passed by a vote of 48 to 17. On the thirteenth the bill was received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on State Affairs. The Senate had a bill of its own that it tried to agree upon, naming, on different motions, several of the above mentioned places and others, among them : Flint, Owosso, Charlotte, DeWitt, Onon- daga and Pontiac.
The House bill had a rough time in the Senate. Lansing was stricken out, and, on different votes, Marshall, Jackson and Lyons were inserted, but each of these votes were reconsidered and lost. Finally, Lan- sing was reinserted, and, on March 9, the bill was passed as it came from the House, by a vote of 12 to 8, and it was approved by Governor Greenly, March 16, 1847.
The following is a copy of the bill :
"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Michigan : That the seat of government of this State shall be in the Township of Lansing in the County of Ingham. Approved March 16, 1847."
It is evident that the friends of the bill did not intend that it should be incumbered or contain anything aside from question of location, and it was necessary to pass a sup- plemental bill which provided, that the orig- inal should take effect December 1, 1847. and for removing State property, and for the necessary offices and rooms for the Sen- ate and House. There being no rooms in the woods, an appropriation of $10,000 was made for the erection of a temporary capitol. Commissioners were appointed by the Gov- ernor, in compliance with an act of the Leg- islature, to select a suitable site, containing not less than twenty acres on which to erect
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