USA > Michigan > Grand Traverse County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 31
USA > Michigan > Leelanau County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 31
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FIRST STEAM SAW-MILL.
The saw-mill had only a single muley saw. Finding from a few months' experi- ence that it was too small and too slow for their purpose, Hannah, Lay & Company
determined to construct a new one, to be run by steam power. A site was selected on the narrow strip of land lying between the lower part of the river and the bay, where, on the one hand, logs could be floated in the stream directly to the mill, and, on the other, the lumber could be loaded on vessels by being conveyed only a short distance on trucks. The project was executed in 1852, and the next year the mill went into success- ful operation. This mill, which stood a few rods west of the mill now owned and oper- ated by J. H. Ott & Company, was torn down several years ago. About the first work done by the steam mill was to saw up the pine timber on that portion of Traverse City that was originally laid out and platted into a village.
In those days the lumber was all carried across the lake in sail craft. The first vessel that carried for the firm, and brought in the boilers for the steam mill, was the "Maria Hilliard." No lake surveys had been made in the region of Grand Traverse bay and the masters of vessels were guided more by guess than by charts. Amusing anecdotes are told of their experiences, one of which we repeat. The "Richmond," one very dark night, was beating up the bay against a light head wind. On attempting to tack, for some unaccountable reason she would not come in stays, and, as she seemed to be fast, the captain was forced reluctantly to let her re- main. When daylight revealed the situa- tion, what was his surprise to find his vessel lying close to a bold, wooded shore with her bowsprit entangled among the trees. .
When the pine in the immediate vicinity of the mill had been worked up, Hannah, Lay & Company commenced the system of lumbering common at that time on all the
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streams of northern Michigan. A short de- scription of a lumber camp in those early days and the way the work of getting out the logs and floating them to the mill may not be uninteresting to the present reader.
The Boardman river had been cleared as far up as the pine forests. At the begin- ning of winter gangs of men were sent into the woods to establish camps. A gang con- sisted of twenty men, more or less, a fore- man, or boss, a cook, a stable-boss, and per- haps a chore-boy. A number of teams, either horses or oxen, were kept at the camp. A house was built of pine logs, large enough to accommodate the company. A part of the interior, perhaps separated from the rest only by a simple railing, constituted the do- main of the cook, upon which no one was allowed to trespass. Another part was de- voted to the accommodation of the men. Bunks were arranged in tiers, one above another, against the wall, for sleeping places. A huge stove made the apartment comfort- able in the coldest weather. Rough benches for seats, and a long table, with the plainest and most durable kinds of dishes, consti- tuted the bulk of the furniture. A large stable, built also of logs, afforded shelter for the animals. Provisions for the men and forage for the animals were brought to the camp from time to time, during the winter, by teams employed for the purpose.
The first faint gleam of day usually found the men at their work and, except for dinner, there was no cessation of labor till night had again spread her dark mantle over the scene. Some cut down the pine trees, others divided them with the saw into logs of suitable length, and others again loaded the logs on huge sleds and drew them to the river bank, where they were tumbled into
the stream. When the work of the day was done, the teamsters took care of their ani- mals, receiving from the stable-boss the ra- tions to which they were entitled. In the house, wet garments were hung up to dry, every man made himself as comfortable as he might without intruding on his neighbor. When supper was over, various amusements served to while away the time till the hour for retiring. Some read, by the light of a lamp, such books and papers as they could get, some played cards, chess, or checkers, and sometimes a song enlivened the spirits of those who sang, if not of those who heard. Joke, raillery and repartee passed freely round. If a visitor called, he was made wel- come and hospitably entertained. If a min- ister of the gospel paid them a visit some- time in the winter, all amusement was laid aside to listen to a sermon in the evening, and when he departed the following morning he was not allowed to go away empty handed.
When spring opened, the camp was de- serted. The men, except the log-drivers, re- turned to work in the mill, which was now put in operation for the season, or went to their several homes.
It was the business of the log-drivers, or river-drivers, as they were sometimes called, to run the logs down the river to the mill. Not infrequently, at the place where the logs had been put into the stream, the channel was filled with them from bank to bank to a great height. To break this "jam," or loosen the logs so that they would be carried away by the current, which was usually strong from the melting of the snow at this season, involved no small amount of labor, and was sometimes dangerous. When the logs were all finally afloat in the stream,
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the drivers followed them down, pushing off those that stranded on the shore, and break- ing the temporary "jams" that formed wherever obstructions were met with. Fre- quently the men rode considerable distances on the floating logs, keeping their position
by the aid of sharp spikes in the thick soles of their boots, and by balancing themselves with their long pike poles. At night they slept in temporary camps on the bank of the river, to which supplies were conveyed for their use.
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CHAPTER IX.
MORE OF THE FIRM OF HANNAH, LAY & COMPANY.
In 1852 a fourth partner, William Mor- gan, who had accompanied Mr. Hannah on his prospecting tour, was received into the firm of Hannah, Lay & Company. After- wards, in 1859, Mr. Smith Barnes, a former resident of Port Huron, was admitted to partnership in the mercantile department, but without any connection with the lumber trade.
Francis Hannah, a brother of the mem- ber of the firm, came to the bay in the fall of 1851, with a view of becoming a partner. After spending the winter in the settlement, he concluded that the financial advantages of a connection with the firm would not be a sufficient compensation for the seclusion of a life in the wilderness, and finally de- clined the proffered partnership. While there he had charge of the business of the firm.
After Francis Hannah retired from the employ of the firm, Mr. Lay and Mr. Han- nah for several years took turns in the man-
agement of. the business at the bay and in Chicago, Mr. Lay remaining at the former place during the summer and Mr. Hannah in Chicago, the two changing places for the winter. Finally the oversight of their inter- ests was permanently divided between them, Mr. Hannah residing constantly in Traverse City and Mr. Lay in Chicago.
COMMENCEMENT OF MERCHANDISING IN TRAVERSE CITY.
From the commencement of their busi- ness at the bay, they kept a small stock of goods for supplying the wants of persons in their employ. Their first store was kept in a log building, sixteen feet long and twelve wide, that stood at the side of the old Boardman boarding-house, near the water mill on Mill creek. From that they removed to a small frame building, erected for the purpose, on the north side of the river, just east of what is now the corner of Bay and
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Union streets. In order to make room for a larger structure, as business increased, the building was afterward moved to the north side of Bay street, and was for many years used as a tin shop. A lady who went shop- ping to this building in 1853, described the stock as consisting of "few pieces of calico, and just dry goods enough to supply the lit- tle community."
After the erection of the steam saw-mill it was found convenient to have some place near it where those employed by the firm who were without families could be accom- modated with board and lodging. Accord- ingly a boarding-house was commenced in
the spring of 1854, and by the last of August was so far advanced as to be habitable. The original building, with its subsequent addi- tions, occupied a site on the south side of Bay street, a short distance west of the corner of Bay and Union streets, and a little north of the present Manistee & Northeastern depot. After its use for a boarding-house was abandoned by Hannah, Lay & Com- pany it was for many years used as a hotel, at first by William Fowle, as the Bay House, and afterwards by Mr. Pangborne and others as the Pangborne House. Having served its purpose well, it was razed to the ground and removed several months ago.
CHAPTER X.
PIONEERS OF TRAVERSE CITY.
The names of all who came to the new settlement in an early day have not been preserved. Some remained only a short time and then returned to the places whence they came or wandered to other parts ; others identified themselves with the interests of the community and became permanent citizens.
At the setting in of winter, in 1851, the following families are known to have been in the settlement : Michael Gay's, John Lake's, Henry Rutherford's, Benjamin Austin's, T. D. Hillery's, William Voice's, Seth Nor- ris's, Robert Pott's, a family named Barnes, a German family whose name has been for- gotten and an old couple of the name of Lowery. The following names of unmar-
ried persons, residents at that time, have been preserved: Henrietta Baxter, who aft- erwards became Mrs. J. K. Gunton; Cath- erine Carmichael and Flora Carmichael, sisters to Mrs. Hillery and the former after- wards wife of H. D. Campbell; Dominic Dunn, William Rennie, Cuyler Germaine, Dougald Carmichael, brother to Mrs. Hill- ery, James K. Gunton and Richard Meagher. Francis Hannah was also there, having charge of the business of Hannah, Lay & Company, D. C. Curtis, foreman in the em- ploy of the firm, Thomas Cutler, who had come out as engineer, to take charge of the engine of the steam saw-mill about to be built, and John B. Spencer, who was getting
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out saw-logs for the mill and timber for building a dock, and soon afterwards re- moved to Elk Rapids. Thomas Cutler's family arrived the following year. There ar- rived also in 1852 John Garland and two men of the name of Evans, with families, and, unmarried, Henry D. Campbell, Thomas A. Hitchcock, R. Mclellan and Hugh McGinnis. Dr. Charles Holton and wife came either in the spring of 1852 or the fall previous. Dr. D. C. Goodale, with his family, arrived in April, 1853. Many of the persons named came for the purpose of entering the employ of Hannah, Lay & Com- pany, and most of them were, at one time of another, engaged in some capacity in the service of the firm. Mr. Voice, who had been in the country before, contemplated, in connection with his partner, Luther Scofield, the building of a saw-mill at East Bay, a project which was soon after carried into successful execution.
The population of the settlement was yet small. They were surrounded and shut in by an almost impenetrable wilderness. But few improvements not demanded by the im- mediate exigencies of the lumber trade had been attempted. Only one public road- that from the head of the bay to Old Mission -- had been opened. This road had been made in fulfillment of an agreement between the inhabitants of the two places, entered in- to, probably, at the raising of Boardman's saw-mill. The people at Old Mission were pleased to have a mill so conveniently near, and all could see that connection of the set- tlements by means of a passable road would be a public advantage. The inhabitants of each settlement, by voluntary contributions of labor, built the half of the road nearest themselves.
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ORIGIN OF THE NAME TRAVERSE CITY.
Up to 1853 the postoffice at Old Mission was the only one in a vast region of country around the bay. In the winter of 1852-3, Mr. Lay, while in Washington, was success- ful in his efforts to get one established in the new settlement. The name of the one at Old Mission was Grand Traverse. The new settlement at the head of the bay was begin- ning to be known as Grand Traverse City. When Mr. Lay proposed the latter name for the new postoffice, the clerk with whom he was transacting the business suggested that "Grand" be dropped, and it be called simply Traverse City, as the name would have less resemblance to that of the office at Old Mission, to which Mr. Lay acceded. Thus originated the name Traverse City. The mail was carried once a week, coming to Traverse City from Manistee. Mr. Lay was the first contractor, his compensation be- ing four hundred dollars per year. At first it was carried by an Indian, called Old Joe, in a pack upon his shoulders. Before the expiration of Mr. Lay's contract, however, the quantity of mail matter had so increased that a horse had to be employed. Hugh Mc- Ginnis was then employed as carrier, who cut out a trail as far as Herring creek, the first move in road-making between Traverse City and the lake shore.
FIRST POSTMASTER.
Dr. Goodale was chosen the first post- master, and chose H. D. Campbell as assist- ant. Dr. Goodale continued to hold the office until after Lincoln's election to the presidency, when, in the course of events in- cident to the change of administration, he was removed.
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Previous to the establishment of the post- office at Traverse City, whenever any one had occasion to visit Old Mission he was ex- pected to bring, on his return, whatever mail matter was found waiting in the postoffice there. Ann Dakin, a woman employed in the boarding-house, had relatives at that place, whom she frequently visited. Being strong of frame and a pedestrian of great endurance, she thought nothing of walking to Old Mission at the end of a week's labor, returning in time to enter promptly upon the duties of the following week. On these visits to her friends she was accustomed to carry a satchel slung over her shoulder, in which she brought back the mail for the settlement.
The society of the settlement was pe- culiar. Most of the married people were young. The unmarried men were intelli- gent, moral and well disposed, but bent on having their full share of sport. As not un- frequently happens in border settlements, where the male population is apt to greatly outnumber that of the gentler sex, their recreations sometimes assumed a somewhat mischievous character.
On New Year's night, in the winter of 1851-2, "the boys" determined to amuse themselves by waking up, in a startling man- ner, the more sedate citizens. Secretly col- lecting all the firearms, they found they could muster thirteen guns. With these they went round to several of the houses, firing volleys under the windows, to the utter consternation of the more timid inmates, who, living in constant fear of a hostile visit from the Mormons, thought their dreaded enemy was upon them.
Card-playing and the habits of negli- gence and idleness to which it leads, had
been among the causes that made Mr. Board- man's enterprise unsuccessful. In the board- ing house of Hannah, Lay & Company it was strictly prohibited. Some of the young men, however, were not to be easily deprived of a favorite pastime. At Austin's they found a convenient rendezvous, where card playing and general hilarity, through the lat- ter was sometimes a little boisterous, were not considered out of order.
Michael Gay could play the violin and play it very well, too, and usually as often as once in two weeks his services were put in requisition. The ladies, married and single, were invited and music and dancing served to while away the long winter evening.
It is not to be supposed that flirtations, love-makings and courtships, generally un- derstood to be normal accompaniments of social parties in fashionable life, flourished in a society where the men outnumbered the women three of four to one, and where nearly all of the latter were married, yet the meetings at Austin's were not without their romance. Jim Gunton, as he was familiarly called, seems to have been the sly dog of the pack. Henrietta Baxter lived at Austin's. While his companions, deep in the attrac- tions of euchre or old sledge, were oblivious of all things around them, Jim, fully awake to the main chance, found opportunities to whisper unobserved in the maiden's ear that which sometimes deepened the blush on her cheek. Ere the winter had passed it became known that there was an engagement of marriage. Henrietta was the daughter of a Mormon lady, who was a widow. Mrs. Baxter had been inveigled into joining her fortunes with those of the Mormons of Beaver Island, only to find, in a short time,
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her property held fast in the clutches of the authorities of the Mormon church. The sit- uation on the island for young, unmarried women, not in full sympathy with the pecu- liar doctrines and practices taught by Strang and his associates was far from pleasant. Henrietta found employment in the family of James Cable, a "Gentile" living on the isl- and, between whom and the Mormons there existed a strong dislike, if not a bitter hatred. In common with some of the Gentiles with whom she was associated, she at length be- came alarmed for her personal safety. Her fears, in their full extent, may not have been well founded. Be that as it may, she resolved to take advantage of the first opportunity to escape. One day a vessel touched at the wharf. Though its destination was to her unknown, she determined, if possible, to get on board, and take the chances of reaching a desirable haven. As the vessel was about to sail, she took in her hand a bundle of such personal effects as she could carry, and started on a run towards it. Before reach- ing it, however, she was intercepted by some of the Mormons, who took away her bundle, after which she was allowed to proceed, glad to get off the island, even with nothing but the garments upon her person. The next port at which the vessel touched was Old Mission, where the fugitive was set on shore. Living in the vicinity of Old Mission was a family of Mormons of the name of Bowers, who, it was understood, had in some way incurred the displeasure of Strang and his associates, and had consequently been com- pelled to leave the island. In this family Henrietta found a home. From Bowers' she came to the head of the bay, where she found employment in the family of Austin, who also was known as a Mormon exile.
As Henrietta regarded Bowers' house as her home, it was arranged that the marriage rite should be performed there, Rev. Dough- erty to officiate. For a wedding party to get there in the depth of winter was not easy. The best preparation Mr. Gunton could make was to procure from the Indians of Old Mission two roughly made pungs, each drawn by a diminutive, shaggy, half-starved Indian pony. One pung was intended for the conveyance of himself and bride, the other for Mr. and Mrs. Austin. It was the intention to return to Austin's at night, but the ponies were slow, the roads in places were almost impassable from drifted snow, and it proved to be all they could do to reach Bowers' in the course of the day, not to think of returning. In the meantime, the "boys" at the head of the bay prepared to give the newly married couple a rousing charivari on their return, watching for them in vain till late into the night. When they finally did return, the next day, the issuing of a general invitation to a party at Austin's in the evening turned the contemplated charivari into a more civil and more enjoy- able infair, the first ever held in what is now Traverse City.
MARRIAGE, BIRTH AND DEATH.
The first marriage in which the ceremony was performed within the limits of the set- tlement was that of James Lee and Anna Dakin, which took place, probably, in 1853. William M. McKillip, a justice of the peace, officiated.
The first white child born at Traverse City was Josephine Gay, daughter of Michael Gay, afterwards Mrs. Neil Mor- rison. The date of her birth was May 15, 1849.
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There is something peculiarly sad in the contemplation of death occurring in a 'small and isolated community, cut off from the sympathy of the great, kindly throbbing heart of the world of humanity, and separated, it may be, from the religious consolations that come through the agency of those noble in- stitutions of our Christian civilization, the church and the Christian ministry.
In the winter of 1852-3 a young man was accidentally killed at the camp on the Board- man. Early in the following summer an- other young man was taken sick in the boarding-house. He was kindly cared for, under the supervision of Mr. Lay, and at- tended by young Dr. Holton, who, though employed in the store of Hannah, Lay & Company, gave his attention, when called on, to the few cases of sickness occurring in the settlement. Comfortable quarters were pro- vided for the sick man in the old Board- man boarding-house, at Mill Creek, where, after lingering for a few days, he passed away. A little later in the season a vessel came into the harbor, having on board a family, in destitute circumstances, of the name of Churchill. Mrs. Churchill was taken ashore dangerously sick, and, though everything that kindness could suggest was done by the women as nurses and Dr. Good- ale as physician, she lived only a few days. The three early victims of the grim mes- senger were buried near the south bank of
Boardman river, nearly opposite the present residence of Hon. Perry Hannah. This site was used as a burying ground until 1861, during which time some twenty or more per- sons were buried here. In the summer of 1861 the township board of health, com- posed of Hon. Perry Hannah, supervisor ; the late Governor Morgan Bates, justice of the peace, and E. L. Sprague, located the present Oakwood cemetery, the forty acres comprising it being donated to the town by Mr. Hannah. To this the bodies buried on the bank of the Boardman were subsequently removed at the expense of the township.
At the burial of the unfortunate young man accidentally killed there was no funeral service. At the burial of the one who died of disease, religious services were conducted by Rev. H. C. Scofield, a young Baptist min- ister, who was residing for a time at East Bay, in charge of the business in which his brother, Mr. Luther Scofield, was a partner. At the funeral of Mrs. Churchill, Mr. Lay read the Episcopal burial service at the grave. There is a tradition, not well authen- ticated, that Mr. Whitcher, who was early in the employ of Mr. Boardman, sometimes conducted religious services for the benefit of the men, but the funeral of the young man at the old boarding-house is the earliest oc- casion, so far as we have reliable proof, on which such services were ever had in Trav- erse City.
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CHAPTER XI.
RELIGIOUS INTEREST AWAKENED-METHODIST EPISCOPAL CLASS ORGANIZED AT OLD MISSION.
The several deaths occurring so near to- gether produced, perhaps, a feeling of sol- emnity in the community and a desire on the part of some at least for regular religious services. Mr. Scofield consented to preach. An appointment was made for a certain Sun- day at the log house which had been fitted up for a school-house. Mrs. Goodale, who took an active interest in the matter, went around and gave notice to the people.
To some of the residents a religious meeting was a novelty. The children who attended went to it with something of the feeling of expectant curiosity with which they would have visited a traveling show. An amusing incident, preserved in mem- ory by some who were present, illustrates this fact. While Mr. Scofield was of- fering opening prayer, two boys watched him very attentively. As he pronounced the "amen," one of them, with a comical look, gave his companion a punch, and said, so loud that all in the house could hear, "There, didn't I tell you 'amen' would be the last word he would say?"
Mr. Scofield preached a few times dur- ing the summer of 1853. After that there was no stated religious service at any point
in the Grand Traverse region till June, 1857, except at the several Indian mission stations.
Rev. D. R. Latham, a young local preacher licensed by the Methodist Episcopal church, came from New York and on the 2Ist of June, 1857, began to hold regular services in the mission church at Old Mis- sion, the building which had been built and occupied by Mr. Dougherty previous to his removal to the west side of the bay. This building has been moved to another location, repaired, and is still owned and used by the Methodists at Old Mission as their house of worship.
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