USA > Michigan > Huron County > Pioneer history of Huron County, Michigan > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8
Another well known pioneer William Holmes, came in 1868 from Lockport, N. Y. He made the journey by means of three teams and sleighs. They traversed lum- ber roads and finally the last part of the route was traced by means of blazed trees. Such men as these put their axes on their shoulders and marched into the virgin forests and built their homes and their independence.
91
PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
by their own sturdy hands. Mr. Holmes owned 1,000 acres of timber land on which he lumbered for many years. He had a saw mill near the southern line of the township, built in 1881.
MCKINLEY TOWNSHIP
Since that early period Mckinley township has been organized. Its territory being taken from that of Case- ville, while White Rock has been absorbed into that of Sherman.
A PIONEER FAMILY OF NOTE
Among the pioneers in Huron county there are those who have been identified with more than one place. Especially deserving of mention is the Desjardins family, who lived for many years in the county. Much of the history of this family is the story of many another who came to the wilds of Huron County after a struggle so overwhelming that it left them stripped of their equip- ment and compelled them to begin a much greater strug-
gle to regain property and position. In 1856 Gregoire Desjardins left Quebec and came direct to the wilder- ness of Bingham township. Forestville at that time was the nearest trading post and all goods had to be taken over by ox teams through a winding forest path with its unbridged creeks and swamps. Later a road was built with its old time corduroy bridges and mail carried and other elements of civilization became available. John Zacharie, the oldest son was the mail carrier for many years. Samuel E., who became a noted architect in Chicago, was born while they were waiting at Forest- ville. Benjamin was the first to arrive at the new hill- side home. He became an inventor. Paul, so well known in Huron County, was an older son. He taught school for a few years and then entered Albion college where he trained himself for the ministry.
92
PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
During the early years the small clearing around the log cabin gradually began to widen, keeping pace with the growth of the family. They had their logging bees at which the neighbors joined to pile up the trees already cut into logs and burn them. The mother and daughters spun the wool and flax. These were sent out and woven and after that they had the fulling bees when the woolen homespun cloth was shrunken. The Des- jardins family at the beginning had practically its own school and the Sunday gatherings, the early Sunday school and the study of the Bible extended to the neigh- bors. It was under these difficulties that this remark- able family was raised. In 1863 Marie, the oldest daughter, married James Shepherd, living one mile and a half across a thick forest. In 1864 Persis, the only one who did not survive her mother, married James M. White, living six miles away. John H. White was her son. On account of the lack of schools Mr. Des- jardins moved not far from Port Austin and later to the then thriving village of Port Crescent. It was from this place that three of the boys, Paul, Samuel and Benjamin went to begin their life work. In 1880 Mr. Desjardins sold the property at Port Crescent and purchased a farm near Filion. In 1884 they once more changed their residence going to Bad Axe where they spent the last years of their life.
The father and mother of this family coming to Michigan in middle life never acquired such mastery of the English language as to be able to participate in the religious worship of their neighbors. Mr. Desjardins often opened the session of the first Sunday school they were instrumental in organizing with prayer and reading the scriptures in French, after which such of the neigh- bors as could read, taught the lesson in English. The descendants of this family numbered nearly 100 at the time Mrs. Desjardins died in 1903. Mr. Desjardinis dying 15 years before. This family were no common influence in their day and generation along social, spir- itual and intellectual lines.
93
PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
Another familiar name in the county is that of Robert Winterbottom, who came to Willow Creek in 1855. Here he worked as a sawyer and shingle maker for six or seven years. Then entered the hotel business but lost everything he owned in the great fire of '71. Even his children were left destitute of the necessary clothing. He was compelled to send them to Port Austin where clothing and money had been sent to the fire sufferers by outsiders. After this he worked in various towns in the county, finally in 1876, moved to Port Hope, where he opened a hotel. He was elected sheriff of the county in 1884.
Richard Winsor, the first representative from Huron County in the Michigan Legislature made his campaign over trails in the woods in 1860. He said some of the incidents of that trip would no doubt astonish the pres- ent citizens of the county.
In the legislature of 1866 we find H. C. Gallup rep- resenting the interests of the people.
AN EARLY MILLIONAIRE
One of the few millionaires who have lived in Huron County was George W. Pack. At the meeting of the board of supervisors in 1864 he was on the equalization committee and the valuation of the county was $539,733, Caseville having the highest valuation, $72,524. It was at this meeting that Port Austin was selected as the county seat.
=
11
94
PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
CHAPTER IV Timber Industries. Early Agricul- ture.
LUMBER AND SHINGLES
The people of today can scarcely realize the im- mense amount of lumbering done in the county for many years. The varied and various branches of that indus- try; lite in the logging camps where men toiled from dawn to dark measuring their accomplishments, not by the eight-hour day but by the possibilities of their ef- : forts. The stories of the cooking, the river driving and the "drives" would all be interesting to the inhabitant of the county today. In the beginning of lumbering here as elsewhere only the cream of the timber was brought to the mills, leaving the rest to be wasted in the fires of later years. In order to give some idea of this industry we give the following statement of the log crop of 1874: Thomas Snell & Co.
Bay Port Salt & Lumber Co.
2,000,000 feet 500,000 feet
F. Crawford
- 12,000,000 feet
E. and J. Erskine
1,000,000 feet
Ayres, Learned & Co.
1,000,000 feet
R. B. Hubbard & Co.
- 5,000,000 feet - 1,400,000 feet
W. R. Stafford
Hick & Fuller - 600,000 feet
Pack, Jenks & Co.
3,000,000 feet
Other parties, small lots
2,000,000 feet
Total 36,000,000 feet
95
PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
The log crop of 1873 was 80,000,000 feet. All logs were floated down the various rivers to the saw mills. Much of the success of getting the drives down depended upon the amount of water in the river in the early spring. All lumber camps were situated upon the banks of creeks or rivers. The logs were marked with the initials of the owners in readiness for the drive in the spring.
SHINGLE MANUFACTURING
The manufacture of shingles was also an important industry. The shingle mill of Puddock & Co., at Verona, had a record of making 35,000 shingles per day. The amount of wages paid to employees in the village of Caseville during 1874 was over $7,000 per month.
We find that the earliest location of land in the county was made by Aaron G. Pier, then of St. Clair, on June 18, 1839.
Probably the longest continuous ownership of land is that of the T. J. Philp farm on section 36 Verona township. This land was taken by Mr. Philp's father in 1857 and has been owned and occupied by the family ever since.
The land the county buildings are on was taken by Richard Winsor in 1863 under a land warrant issued to a soldier for service in the war of 1812. The last patent issued in the county was to Richard Gwinn, September 25, 1907, covering land at the foot of Sand Point in Caseville township. It was signed by Theodore Roose- velt, then president of the United States.
FIRST SETTLERS IN THE COUNTY
The first settlers in the county were John Allen, Alanson and John Daggett in the spring of 1837 at Rock Falls, just below Sand Beach. They had a saw mill there. The first school was opened in Port Austin with Emma
96
PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
Smith as teacher. As the county began to be settled school districts were organized, log school houses built and a three month term of school secured in the winter. In the earliest times the teacher boarded around. Then the terms lengthened to five months. Finally some of the more progressive districts had a summer term of three months also. The studies generally taught were the three R's, reading, 'riting, 'rithmetic and a little grammar sprinkled in. No language lessons in those primitive times.
A BIT OF CHURCH HISTORY
The history of the various churches in this county is co-extensive with the history of the county itself. Following the example of the early missionary and with something of the spirit of the heroic age of Methodism the pioneers of that church in the face of the most ob- stinate difficulties penetrated the dense forests, forded rivers, waded swamps and carried the "bread of life" to the cabins of the very first settlements of the Huron Peninsula. As early as the year 1854 the Methodist min- ister followed the trail of the lumbermen and laid the foundations of Methodism. Among those heroic men might be mentioned, Varnum Tuttle, Campbell, Bird, and others to whose zeal the church of the present day owes much of its standing and influence. The first circuit extended from Lexington to Bay City and included White Rock, Rock Falls, (now Harbor Beach), Port Hope, Hur- on City, Port Austin, Port Crescent, Caseville and other early settlements along the shore.
No sooner had some Catholic families settled in the county than that church sent them a man to keep alive in their hearts the eternal truths which they were apt to neglect in the wilderness. By their united efforts they were enabled to build the first church at Port Austin to which belonged 50 families.
The first Baptist church was built at Sand Beach. This society was organized in 1874. In 1882 it had a
97
PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
membership of 197. A society was organized at both Port Austin and Verona in 1875. The forest fires de- stroyed many of the houses of worship owned by the Baptists in 1871 and 1881 but with commendable ener- gy and self-sacrifice they rebuilt larger and more com- modious buildings.
The first Presbyterian church in the county was organized at Grindstone City under the direction of the Presbytery of Saginaw by Rev. B. B. Woods, of Indian- apolis, July 30, 1871. On August 6. 1874 the first Pres- byterian church of Port Austin was organized by the same party. This latter church soon after called Rev. E. P. Clark to its pastorate. During his stay of five years the membership increased to 50 and they built a large and substantial house of worship with the aid of the Presbyterian board of church erection. Rev. W. W. Smythe, the Episcopal minister at Port Austin, opened many of the missionary stations of that church in Huron county. The fire of '81 did much to retard the work of this denomination.
Some of the first roads were built along the sand ridges to escape the swamps and bogs. Such was the old Sand Ridge Road from Sebewaing to Harbor Beach, over which a stage coach carried mail and passengers for several years. This was the swiftest means of inland travel. No railroads, telegraphs or telephones or even a daily newspaper, in those good old days. After night- fall the land was lighted by tallow candles. The mower and harvester were unknown. Instead they had the scythe and cradle and to thresh, the flail. The man who could make a good ox yoke was in demand. The settler's equipment consisted of axe helves, beetles and wedges for rail splitting, handspikes for rolling logs. Harrows were made from the crotches of trees. Often men pre- ferred to work in the saw mills rather than clear land for farms which was much harder work and would not bring them money for a long time. Much of the land was low and swampy with no way of draining it. Potatoes were the principal crop as they could be planted between the
98
PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
stumps. The climate was thought to be too cold for corn. The stock rambled at will through the woods. In many places the marshes proved to be a veritable God-send to the settlers for here he secured his hay for winter. Men would go to these marshes before daylight in order to cut a swathe around the portion they wished to secure.
THE COMING OF THE RAILROADS
A great event in the history of transportation was the coming of the railroads before which the people had to depend upon water routes for practically all transpor- lation for many years.
The first train to enter the county came over the Port Austin and Northwestern R. R. on September 23, 1880. The Saginaw, Huron and Tuscola R. R. was built as far as Sebewaing in 1883 and the next year extended as far as Bay Port Quarries. The work on the Pontiac, Oxford and Port Austin R. R. was commenced in 1881 and completed in 1883. The road now belongs to the Grand Trunk System, while the other roads mentioned are the property of the Pere Marquette.
The first meeting of the board of supervisors was held at Willow Creek, now Huron City. Hiram Whit- comb was the first justice of the peace in the county, receiving his appointment from Sanilac county.
FIRST COUNTY OFFICERS
The first officers of Huron County were Robert Ir- win, clerk; Wesley Armstrong, sheriff; H. Gallup, prose- cuting attorney and Samuel Lander, treasurer.
Records of the first meeting in the county were destroyed by the fire so it is impossible to give a full re- port of the election of 1860.
99
PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
SALT MANUFACTURE
The manufacture of salt was started at Port Aus- tin in 1863. Later there were wells at Port Crescent, Caseville and Port Hope.
Among the things which led to the settlement of the county was the passage of the Graduation Act in 1854. Many of the settlers located their land under this act. Wild lands in Michigan and other states had been on the market for 20 to 40 years without a purchaser. This condition of affairs was brought to the attention of the Congress of the United States and after due delib- eration an act was passed to reduce the price of lands on the market for 20 years or more, the price to vary from $1.00 to 121/2 cents per acre, according to a graduated scale, governed by the length of time the land had been on the market. Many of the early settlers thus obtained their land for 25 cents per acre.
Huron county is favorably located. The map re- veals that it has the longest shore line of any county in the state with deep waters upon three sides. This water stretch, constantly in motion and coming in contact with the surrounding atmosphere modifies the climate both in summer and winter. Indeed it is a notable fact that the Huron Peninsula enjoys the most delightful autumns of any portion of the whole country. This gives all kinds of fruits and cereals ample opportunity to mature. Its summer resorts are fast becoming noted for the excel- lent bathing facilities. Tourists come from many places to spend their vacations here.
Agricultural interests have steadily developed, the pioneer gradually giving place to the more advanced farmer and the land which was once only considered valuable for its pine timber has been transformed into excellent farms. The soil and climate are well adapted to the raising of wheat, oats, barley, peas, beans, sugar
100
PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
beets, corn and potatoes and most kinds of vegetables, while apples, pears, plums and other fruits are success- fully grown.
MARVELOUS CHANGES
The changes that have taken place in the past half century are marvelous. To call this region wild in that early period is to state the fact tamely. Wild beasts roamed the forests and the thick growth of trees shut out the sight of the sky except in the little clearings around the primitive homes. With pleasure and satis- faction we can look back to scenes of pioneer life and contrast them with the present. As these men laid the foundations, firm and deep, so must their sons and daugh- ters carry on and build them up to their final consuma- tion of glory and usefulness. Some one has said that "the pathway they carved out has become the highway upon which the world is traveling, bearing in its train the civilization of the twentieth century, laden with the love of liberty and freedom." In the late war the boys of Huron county did their part in securing freedom not only for this country but for the world. The early pio- neers were conquerors not only of men but of nature itself. Through persistent and courageous efforts they subdued the wilderness and made the comforts of civil- ization possible for the people of today.
(MRS.) FLORENCE MCKINNON GWINN,
Pigeon, Michigan.
TRIBUNE PRINT, BAD AXE
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.