USA > Michigan > Isabella County > Portrait and biographical album of Isabella county, Mich., containing portraits and biographical sketches > Part 54
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at Delton, that State, traveled a few months, and taught the same school the ensuing winter. In the spring, on account of the death of his brother Orrin, he returned to Florida, N. Y., for a short time, then he went to Minnesota and bought So acres of land near Rochester, that State, which he afterward sold. Later in the season he went into Iowa for the pur- pose of locating several hundred acres of land for a friend in the East. After going as far south as St. Louis, Mo., he returned to Delton, Wis.
In the fall of 1859 he went to the neighboring town of Newport, Wis., and entered the law office of Jonathan Bowman, who was formerly a resident of Charleston, Wis. After reading law there about 14 months he attended the Albany (N. Y.) Law School about six months, and soon afterward opened a law office at Kilbourn City, Wis. In the spring of 1862 he, in company with others, started for Oregon, but on account of unforeseen difficulties they turned their course southward, toward Nevada. The party di- vided, and Mr. Fancher, with his party, settled near Minerville, staking out a lot and building an adobe house. But soon afterward he made a short visit to San Francisco and returned via the isthmus to New York city, arriving Jan. 24, 1863, having been 24 days on the ocean. Contracting chills in that city, he hastened to his mother's in Schenectady County, where he remained seven weeks.
In the spring of 1863 he spent a fews weeks at Kilbourn City, Wis., settling up business, and July 4, following, he arrived at Mt. Pleasant, having heard favorable reports concerning this locality. He im- mediately bought three lots, erected a frame house and moved his family hither from Wisconsin, by team, being 23 days on the route. He opened an office and began the practice of his profession, and took an active interest in the welfare of the place. Having studied civil engineering, he also engaged somewhat in surveying, as the country was new and law business light. For several years he was State Road Commissioner. In 1868 he was awarded a certificate of election to the Legislature by the Dis- trict Commissioners, but his opponent, Mr. Newman, contesting, he let the matter go, as he was not anx- ious for the seat; but he nevertheless got in all his public measures, which were carried through. He paid his own expenses. In 1873 he was elected Representative to the Legislature with only two op-
posing votes. In 1875 he was elected Senator from this district, and served one term, with honorable distinction. He introduced a joint resolution author- izing the Auditor General of the State to credit the county of Isabella with upward of $10,000, which had been, in the detaching of Clare County, wrongly charged to this county. This money was appro- priated to the building of the court-house at Mt. Pleasant. He has also served the county as l'rose- cuting Attorney, and for a time was Postmaster at Mt. Pleasant. In 1870 he was Census Commissioner for this and Clare Counties, and he has been honored with many other public trusts during his sojourn in this county. He was a man of enlarged views, busi- ness energy and philanthropic spirit.
He was largely interested in laying out roads in Isabella and adjoining counties, so that all the im- portant roads would center at Mt. Pleasant. Also took great interest in the proposed Lansing, St. John's & Mackinaw Railroad, and worked for it until over $400,000 was raised in municipal bonds, when such paper was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. He was a Director in the company proposing a road from Owosso through this county, which is now being built by the Toledo, Ann Arbor & North- ern Company. He also greatly aided in the con- struction of the Saginaw & Mt. Pleasant Railroad, being Vice-President of the same until it was trans- ferred to the Flint & Pere Marquette Company.
He bought the first mill site in 1865, which he had sought out, and afterward sold it to Hapner Bros., who built a mill there, and subsequently Mr. F. pur- chased the property. He sold a half interest in the water-power to Harris Bros. for a Government mill, and afterward sold his remaining interest to George W. Bowen, and purchased the steam saw-mill built by Owen & Clinton, which he subsequently sold to A. B. Upton, and is now owned by Upton & Leaton. At one time Mr. Fancher owned 169 lots in Mt. Pleasant.
Mr. Fancher was married in Wyoming Co., N. Y., June 6, 1860, to Miss Althea May, daughter of Wil- liam and -- (Fisk) Preston. Mrs. F. was a native of that county. She and Mr. F. have become the parents of three children, namely : Preston Schuyler, born June 10, 1861; Blanche, deceased; and Bessie Rhea, born June 9, 1874.
In 1882 Mr. Fancher changed his residence to
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Detroit, where he bought a fine dwelling and is now practicing law. In general politics he is a staunch Republican, was Chairman of the Republican County Committee most of the time for 15 years, and from 1878 to 1880 was a member of the State Central Committee of that party. He is a member of the Order of Odd Fellows, being one of the oldest men- bers of Wabon Lodge, No. 308, at Mt. Pleasant.
illiam E. Redfield, farmer, section 10, Deerfield Township, is a son of Josiah and Eliza A. (Lane) Redfield. His father was a native of Connecticut, and died March 15, 1862 ; his mother was born Jan. 12, 1813, and is now living with him. There were three children in their family, of whom the subject of this
sketch, Mr. Wm. E. Redfield, is the only one living.
He was born Nov. 20, 1852, in Twinsburg, Summit Co., Ohio, and lived there until he was 26 years of age; he arrived in this county May 5, 1879, where he now owns 60 acres of land,-20 on section 10 and 40 on section 15.
Dec. 22, 1878, he was married to Clara A., daughter and only child of Franklin and Mary Cal- ista (Ballard) Barker, who was born in Oakland Co., Mich , Feb. 4, 1858. To them have been born two children, namely: Ethel Grace, Dec. 20, 1880, and Josiah Franklin, Sept. 9, 1883. Mr. Redfield and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a Republican, in his political views. Her father participated in the last war, being in the bloody battle of Chickamauga: he died in the hospi- tal at Chattanooga.
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HISTORICAL
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INTRODUCTORY.
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CARCELY a score and a half years have passed since the un- broken forests of Northern Mich- igan were thought of as a possi- ble home for civilized man. The Government surveyors re- ported that it was an irreclaim- able waste and not fit for cultivation in any quarter, the soil being of that character which precluded the prop- agation of cereals. The rapidity of settlement and enormous crops of every- thing in the line of cereals demonstrated ALULILL conclusively their mistake, for no acre- age surpasses Northern Michigan in pro- ductiveness. Notwithstanding the oft re- peated tales of want and hardships told by their sires, men of energy, with their families and all their earthly possessions loaded upon a wagon drawn by oxen, pushed their way step by step, through the unbroken forests of Isabella, until they found suitable locations. With a spirit of heroism have they toiled until the forests were laid low, and their herculean labor is manifest in the broad acres of highly cultivated land, upon which stand palatial res- idences and outbuildings of the most expensive char- acter. Over the grounds where the red man chased the bounding deer, and the wildcat and wolves held their nightly vigils, may be seen the husbandman
gathering the golden harvests; where the Indian's wild war- whoop was heard, stands the stately house of worship. Transportation of goods by ox-teams has given way to the power of steam, and a commerce has been opened up with all parts of the civilized world. Prosperity in a high degree has smiled upon her people, who are fortunate in living in the most healthful, beautiful and productive State in the Union, taking age into consideration.
The history of this county is possessed of no small degree of interest. While other counties were con- nected with the frontier by large bodies of excellent lands, these seemed shut off from the gaze of shrewd speculators by reason of its heavy growth of timber. They were destined to become the heritage of an honest, industrious people, and the income derived from the timber and products of the soil has given many of the first comers a handsome competency.
This was the dark forest primeval : But the pioneer came in his might. And down through the vast leafy temple Spread gleaming the pioneers' light. With his ax on his shoulder, he came From the hills and valleys away; Where the sun in his splendor uprising Lights Bunker Hill's columns to-day.
No marble-paved cities here shone. No costly built palace here stood ; But above and around, the dark forest rose, With majestic, huge pillars of wood. No highway that led through the grove Had bright little flowers scattered there, But narrow paths, skirted with thorns, Their naked feet ready to tear.
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ISABELLA COUNTY.
Value of Local History.
8 UT few of the present generation realize the great value of local history, living as they do in an age of industry and thrift. The opportunities for speculation and the haste to become wealthy take precedence of everything else, and the fact is not taken into consideration that the pioneers are rapidly passing from the scene of their labors, leaving but little time for the compilation of biographical sketches which constitute the heretofore unwritten history of Isabella County. Their children have heard from the lips of their aged sires the story of privation and toil of those who were first at the front in the settlement of the county, but their children will lose sight of the facts unless they be recorded in such manner as to become intelligible and kept fresh in the minds of succeeding generations.
Surrounded, as we are, with everything which wealth and taste can suggest, the fact is almost lost sight of that here were the best years of the lives of our ancestry devoted to the development of one of the
best agricultural counties in the State. As the vir- tues, privations, toil and hardships the pioneers have undergone are well worthy of a more fitting memorial than can be secured by a granite monument, the design of the publishers is to record a history of in- estimable value to every citizen of the county.
The facts mentioned have been carefully culled from every source; neither pains nor expense has been spared in the compilation of this work, which, although not without error, is as correct as can be gathered from the pioneers themselves, and men are very apt to be mistaken in data.
Upon local history depends the perpetuation of facts heretofore unwritten, as well as the biographical sketches of every worthy pioneer in the county that could be procured. Each sketch speaks volumes; and a history of one man's life, perhaps of an entire family, is now recorded where naught can efface or destroy it. From this will all future volumes of like import take their data. Those who have volunteered the information from which this work is compiled, will live in the history of this county as long as time lasts. No manlier hands e'er drew a sword than they who faced privation and danger while engaged in the subjugation of the dense wilderness which once cov- ered this now beautiful land, and to them is this vol- ume dedicated.
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INDIAN HISTOR
By Major James W. Long, formerly U. S. Indian Agent.
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HOEVER attempts to write concerning the history of our North American Indians, with any knowledge of what he is writing, the result of either experience, observation or in- vestigation, does so with a regret that civilization has demanded so much of them and returned so little. Their origin, how they came here in this country in ad- vance of intelligent and scien- tific discovery, and where they came from, is a subject that has challenged the attention of the antiquarians and historiographers ever since the discovery of this country ; and the writer of this ar- ticle, during the time that he had charge of the Michigan Indians as their Agent, gave considerable attention to this, being singularly, but unconsciously, aided by the Indians themselves.
One of the best tests in tracing descent where histo- ry is silent on the subject, lies in idiomatic expressions, hyperboles and in rhetorical tropes. Added to these, we can readily call to our aid the prophecies of the Scriptures, and notice their fulfillment in this peculiar people. My idea about them is that they are de- scendants of the princes, sultans and califfs of Ara- bia, so graphically described in the book so dear to
all juvenile readers, "The Arabian Nights' Enter- tainments," and I shall endeavor to state my reasons for believing so.
In the first place, the Arabians are recognized as the descendants of Ishmael, of whom it was said in Genesis xvi, 12, "And he will be a wild man : his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand will be against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren." What has been true of the Arabians, has been singularly true of the North American Indians; for, until overpowered by numbers and modern implements of warfare, their hands were against every man, and now every man's hand is against them, and they also dwell in the presence of their human brethren.
In A. D. 622, the Arabians, under the name of Saracens, began their course of conquest, under Mo- hammed. Their methods of warfare were, no quar- ter to prisoners, the debauchery of female captives and their destruction afterwards, physical torture and no mercy. The Indians in their natural state have adopted this very method, as the result, I think, of a natural inheritance.
Then again, the Arabians, as Mohammedans, were taught to believe in a heaven of perfect sensual and physical enjoyment, where they would not only be surrounded by beautiful houris whose only mission would be to minister to their animal enjoyment, but that there, in that land, they would be all brave war- riors, invincible and unconquerable. What more of a simile can we find than the idea the untutored
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Indian has always had of the "happy hunting grounds ? "
Then, again, as to the similarity of their figures of speech. Instead of the Arabian salutation of, "Com- mander of the Faithful," our Indians substitute the equally poetical appellation of, " My Great Father." In oriental poetry and oratory, the simplest methods of comparison were used, so as to come within the comprehension of an ignorant people. Brightness of character, of visage or of mechanism was com- pared to the sun. Loveliness of character, or beauty of countenance, was compared to the moon ; grace- fulness, to some animal, such as a gazelle; swiftness, to a deer, -- all homely comparisons, but easily under- stood. To this day, our North American Indians use the same figures of speech, and they did not learn them from their white conquerors.
Another thing which tends to show their ancestry is their ceremonial observances. The Indian in his wild state has been compared by some persons to a brute. But brutes do not hold war and peace dan- ces; they do not have ceremonial observances in honor of victories, or dejection over defeats ; and the question is, where did they receive these ideas? A noted Mason in this country has said that even among Bodouins of the Desert he has observed Ma- sonic rites and symbols; that while they lacked the perfection and finish of those of civilized Masonry, still they were sufficient for mutual recognition. Now, Free Masonry is older than civilization, and is de- scribed as having had a being " ever since symmetry began, and harmony displayed her charms;" and the Arabian and his descendant the Indian have, I believe, a valid claim to the same antiquity. We have every reason to believe that during the war of the Crusades, the ultimate friendship of Saladin, the Saracen chief, and Richard Cœur de Leon proceeded from their mutual recognition as Masons.
Another thing is to be considered in this connec- tion ; and that is, the existence of the law of prino- geniture among them, and the right of succession established of rulership or kingship from father to son. If they had been the original inhabitants of America from all time, and isolated from the rest of the world, with their savage, untaught natures, the strongest and most daring of them would have been chiefs, always providing they had even thought of the expediency of dividing themselves into bands, tribes and nations.
But in Arabia they had this division from time im- memorial.
How did they come here? is the next question which will naturally arise; and this brings us to a natural comparison of the habits of the two people. The Arabians were a restless, nomadic and migratory people, of a decidedly warlike nature. If they could have no other, they indulged in internal war, to keep their hands in. Just so with the Indians. With the Arabians, the possession of women began to be the result of physical prowess. Just so with the Indians. With the Arabians, woman was a slave, not only de- pendent entirely upon her male lord, but simply a creature to gratify his lusts. Just so with the Indians.
Then look at the similarity of names. The Ara- bians used the hyphenated syllabic method, each name meaning something; and so do the Indians. Where did they get this? Did they pick it up by chance? Here are two samples. One is the Arabian "Abd-el-Wahhab," or "The Servant of the Beauti- ful," and the other the Indian "Naw-o-quay-ke- thick," or "The Noon-day Sun," both descriptive of some personal attribute, and of the same ortho- graphical system.
In A. D. 929, Arabia was disorganized and suf- fered for two centuries from internal warfare, and we have every reason to suppose that with escape pos- sible, the defeated chieftains and their followers did not remain to be subject to the bastinado or the scimitar. The sea on one hand and the northern passage on the other was preferable to this, and with their traditions, their political and tribal divisions and other attributes they came to this country.
I have space in this article to mention no more than generally and briefly my reasons for supposing that our American Indians are of Oriental origin ; and having done so I will now be more definite and come down to our local Indians in Isabella County.
The Chippewas of Saginaw Valley, Swan Creek and Black River.
The above tribal designation is of comparatively recent date, the present tribe being the result of inter-marriage, and they lack both tribal descent and features.
The old Iroquois blood is flowing in the veins of many of them, and here and there one can trace a descendant of the Miamis, the Senecas and oftener
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the old and once powerful Pottawatomies. The old Etowah and Ojibways (now corrupted into “Otta- wa " and "Chippewa ") are also represented largely ; so, as we said before, the present tribe designated as "Chippewas of Saginaw, Swan Creek and Black River," is an amalgamation of several tribes which were once distinct.
Ne-gaw-ne, an old man over 100 years old, was a warrior under Pontiac, and describes with great ac- curacy the part he took in the siege of Detroit, in- cluding the historical game of foot ball. These and others, whose names escape my memory, have told me about the big falling waters (Niagara Falls) and of Red Jacket, the famous chieftain and orator; and again others will tell of the fertile lands of the Ohio, and of the rivers which rose so high every spring that they could paddle their canoes over the land.
The time of separation seems to have been at the treaty of the River Raisin ; but this time is after the segregation of many of the forefathers of our present Indians. In the Detroit treaty of Nov. 17, 1807, the lands in the Saginaw territory were set apart for the Ottaway, Chippeway, Wyardotte and Pottawatomie nations of Indians, as part of a general and divided concession (?) from the Government; but it is not until the treaty made at Washington, May 9, 1836, that we see our Indians classified as "Chippewas of Swan Creek and Black River."
During these years the Wyandottes and Pottawat- omies seem to have wandered westward, though many of the latter tribe settled in the Michigan Territory, south of what is now the line of the Mich- igan Central Railroad. But among the new tribe of Chippeways of Swan Creek and Black River, there was a large number still of Wyandottes and Pottawat- omies, although the prevailing number were divided between Ottawas and Chippewas, while occasionally to this day a Seneca Indian can be found. Civiliza- tion had been driving them remorselessly before its cultivated fields,-first from the beautiful valley of the Miami, up towards the Maumee; from there to the River Raisin where Monroe now stands; from there towards the Detroit River, but urging them both westward and northward; from there to the Flint and Saginaw Rivers,-but with all these tem- porizings urging them westward by offers of large an- nuities, which many of them accepted.
On arriving at Swan Creek, Black River and Sagi- naw, this conglomeration of tribes, under their new name, began to clear land, to hunt and to fish; but even in what was then a wilderness they were not allowed to remain undisturbed; for the American Fur Company began the election of trading-posts, and buying their valuable furs of the Indian hunter and trapper; they and the subsequent traders paid them off in poor whisky and cheap goods at an exorbitant price.
As civilization (?) advanced, many of the whites took Indian women as concubines, living in this un- holy alliance as long as it suited either their con- venience or inclination to do so, thus giving to these untutored people their first lesson in civilization by teaching them the prostitution of their young women!
But after a while this land became valuable to the whites. The steamboat appeared where before the waters of the Saginaw had known no more disturb- ance than the paddle of the Indian in his canoe. Business began to prosper, settlers to come in, and in 1855 these Indians were all called together and told practically that it was to their interest to give up land, then worth Sioo per acre, and to move again northward into Isabella County, then almost a wil- derness; and to this they consented and moved up here ; and had it not been for the efforts of the writer in securing them their patents in fee simple, the prob- ability is that before now they would have been re- moved from here to Isle Royale in Lake Superior, or some other equally undesirable locality. As it is, their present condition as compared with the past is bad enough. They are dwindling away or migrating each year; some of them have gone with their old rel- atives, the Ottawas on Lake Michigan, the straits of Mackinac and Sault Ste. Marie; others can be found among the Chippewas of Lake Superior, while those remaining earn a precarious living in either amateur farming, hunting, fishing, basket-making or, later, in working in the lumber woods in winter and on the drive.
They are undoubtedly the victims of the inexorable logie of events; but it seems a pity that they, the original possessors of the soil, should have been com- pelled to give up so much when they received so little. At present they are living upon this reserva- tion under the provisions of the treaty of October 18, 1864, which was supplemental to the treaty of
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August 2, 1855. This treaty provides for the per- manent settlement of these Indians and the disso- lution of their tribal relations to the United States Government. It gives to each head of a family 80 acres of land, and to each Indian, male or female, arriving at the age of maturity, 40 acres, with a pro .. viso that the Indian Agent shall classify them as "Competent " and " Non-competent." In case they are reported as competent, then a patent in fee sim- ple is issued to them, and they can transfer their land, or alienate the title, just the same as any ordi- nary freeholder; but if reported as non-competent, then, while a patent is issued to them, they cannot transfer the title without the consent of the Secre- tary of the Interior, who bases his opinion very great- ly on the recommendation of the local Probate Court, about the same as in the case of minors at law.
The reservation embraces the following Congres- sional townships, all being in townships north by ranges west of the meridian line; 16, 3, entire; 15, 3; 15, 4; 15, 5, entire; 14, 5, entire, and the north half of 14, 3, and 14, 4. There are exceptions to even this territory, being in the way of entries made by speculators in pine lands previous to the treaty.
In the preparation of the first list for patents, the writer was embarrassed by the large acreage with- held from selections by what is known as the "Rust purchase;" but, this being subsequently removed by these gentlemen releasing to the Government their valuable investment, the Indians were allowed to se- lect this land.
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