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 42
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 42
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"Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the sev- eral boards of township inspectors in each of the townships of said county to conduct the
*elections authorized by the provisions of this act and to make returns thereof in accord- ance with the general provisions of the law for conducting the elections in this state, so far as the same may be applicable thereto.
"Sec. 6. The board of county canvassers for the special election for locating the coun- ty seat shall consist of the persons appointed on the day of such special election by the sev- eral boards of township inspectors, and said board of county canvassers shall meet on the second Tuesday succeeding the day of said special election at the house of Otto Thies, in the village of Leland, and, having ap- pointed one of their number chairman, and the county clerk of said county acting as sec- retary, shall proceed to canvass the votes and determine the location of the county seat in accordance therewith, and it shall be the du- ties of the clerk of said board to file a copy of the determination of said board as to the location of the county seat, signed and certi- fied by him and countersigned by the chair- man, with the secretary of state and with the township clerks of the several townships in said county.
"Sec. 7. All that part of the county of Leelanaw which lies south of the south line of township 28 north shall be and remain the county of Benzie, and the several town- ships thereof shall be attached for civil and municipal purposes to the county of Grand Traverse.
"Sec. 8. The secretary of state is hereby directed to furnish the township clerk of the township of Leelanaw with a certified copy of this act, and it shall be the duty of said clerk to give the same notice of the elections to be held under the provisions of this act that is required by law .to be given by the sheriff of unorganized counties.
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"Sec. 9. That the said county of Leela- naw when so organized shall be attached to the tenth judicial circuit, and the judge of said circuit shall hold courts in said county as by law in such cases made and provided.
"Sec. 10. All acts and parts of acts con- travening the provisions of this act are here- by repealed so far as any provisions therein may conflict with this act.
"Sec. II. This act shall take immediate effect.
"Approved February 27, 1863."
COUNTY OFFICERS ELECTED.
In accordance with the provisions of the above act elections were held on the first Monday of April, 1863, and the following named persons were elected : Judge of pro- bate, John E. Fisher; sheriff, Edward Friend; treasurer, John I. Miller; clerk and register, Gerhard Verfurth; prosecuting at- torney and circuit court commissioner, E. Cromwell Tuttle; surveyor, Joseph C. Glen; coroners, George N. Smith, George Ray.
This completed the organization of the county. These men served until January I, 1865. In November preceding their succes- sors were elected as follows: Judge of pro- bate, L. D. Quackenbush ; sheriff, John Bry- ant ; treasurer, William Gill; clerk and regis- ter, John E. Fisher ; prosecuting attorney and circuit court commissioner, E. Cromwell Tuttle; surveyor, Kassan Freeman ; coroners," William E. Powers, Harvey. C. Sutton.
The county officers elected at the several elections held since 1864 are as follows :
1864-Sheriff, Samuel Wilson; clerk, John I. Miller ; register, John I. Miller ; treas- urer, William Gill; prosecuting attorney,
Seth C. Moffatt; judge of probate, L. D. Quackenbush.
1866-Sheriff, Samuel Wilson; clerk, Archibald Buttars; register, John I. Miller; treasurer, William Gill; prosecuting attor- ney, Seth C. Moffatt ; judge of probate, John Dean.
1870-Sheriff, Valentine Lee; clerk, John E. Fisher; register, Jonathan Dewing; treasurer, William Gill; prosecuting attor- ney, William H. 'Bryant ; judge of probate, John Dean.
1872-Sheriff, Eusebius F. Dame; clerk, Alfred John; register, Simeon Pickard; treasurer, William Gill; prosecuting attor- ney, Seth C. Moffatt; judge of probate, John I. Miller.
1874-Sheriff, Eusebius F. Dame; clerk, Alfred John; register, Simeon Pickard; treasurer, William Gill; prosecuting attor- ney, George A. Cutler; judge of probate, John I. Miller.
1876-Sheriff, George T. . Carr; clerk, George Ray; register, Alfred John; treas- urer, William Gill; prosecuting attorney, Benjamin H. Derby; judge of probate, Charles W. Williams.
1878 Sheriff, John Scott; clerk, George Steimel, Jr .; register, Alfred John ; treasurer, Charles W. Williams ; prosecuting attorney, Abijah B. Dunlap; judge of probate, Charles W. Williams.
1880-Sheriff, Moses C. Cate; clerk, Charles A. Rosman; register, Alfred John; treasurer, Robert Lee; prosecuting attorney and circuit court commissioner, George A. Cutler ; judge of probate, Charles W. Wil- liams.
1882-Sheriff, John A. Bryant; clerk, Alfred John; register, John A. Lee; treas-
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urer, John I. Miller; prosecuting attorney, George A. Cutler ; circuit court commission- er, John E. Fisher.
1884 -- Sheriff, John A. Bryant; clerk, William H. Beeman ; register, John A. Lee; treasurer, John I. Miller; prosecuting attor- ney, David T. Eddington ; circuit court com- missioner, E. P. Johnson; judge of probate, Charles W. Williams.
1886-Sheriff, Henry Dunkelow; clerk, Charles A. Hannaford; register, William Hitchcock; treasurer, John Power; prose- cuting attorney, Alfred John; circuit court commissioner, Alfred John; surveyor, C. P. Tuller; judge of probate, Charles W. Wil- liams.
1888-Sheriff, Nathaniel W. Herring- ton; clerk, Alexander J. Goffar; register, William Hitchcock; treasurer, John 1. Mil- lar; prosecuting attorney, Myron A. Knee- land ; circuit court commissioner, Michael A. Hews; surveyor, C. P. Tuller; judge of probate, James E. Campbell.
1890-Sheriff, Nathaniel W. Herrington ; clerk, Alfred John; register, William Hitch- cock; treasurer, Charles W. Williams ; pros- ecuting attorney, Alexander McKercher; circuit court commissioner, Alfred John; surveyor, John Porter; judge of probate, James E. Campbell.
1892-Sheriff, Barton B. Ellis; clerk, Edward P. Johnson; register, William Hitchcock; treasurer, David Tweddle; pros- ecuting attorney, Alexander McKercher ; cir- cuit court commissioner, Alfred John; sur- veyor, John Porter; judge of probate, James E. Campbell.
1894-Sheriff, Barton B. Ellis; clerk, Zimri E. Hinshaw; register, William Hitch- cock; treasurer, Lars R. Sogge; prosecuting
attorney, Clinton L. Dayton; circuit court commissioner, Alfred John; surveyor, Kas- son Freeman; judge of probate, James E. Campbell.
1896-Sheriff, Adam Belinger; clerk, Zimri Hinshaw; register, Carson Warner; treasurer, Lars R. Sogge; prosecuting attor- ney, Clinton L. Dayton ; circuit court com- missioner, Alfred John ; surveyor, John Por- ter ; judge of probate, James E. Campbell.
1898 -- Sheriff, Adam Belinger; clerk, Zimri E. Hinshaw; register, Carson War- ner; treasurer, Dennis Hoxsie; prosecuting attorney, Archibald F. Bunting; circuit court commissioner, Alfred John ; surveyor, John Porter; judge of probate, James E. Campbell.
1900-Sheriff, Martin Brown; clerk, Zimri E. Hinshaw; register, Carson War- ner ; treasurer, Dennis Hoxsie; prosecuting attorney, Archibald F. Bunting; surveyor, Frank E. Fisher; judge of probate, James E. Campbell.
1902-Sheriff, John Deuster; clerk, Zimri E. Hinshaw; register, Carson War- ner; treasurer, Joseph Hahnenberg; prose- cuting attorney, Clinton L. Dayton; circuit court commissioner, Alfred John; surveyor, John Porter; judge of probate, Steiner C. Garthe.
The election of Mr. Garthe for judge of probate was contested, but he assumed the office on the first of January following his election and performed the duties of the office for several months. The matter was tried in the circuit court and was taken to the supreme court, and he was ousted and the place given to James E. Campbell, who is now holding the position.
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GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
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EARLY ACTS OF THE SUPERVISORS.
....
The first meeting of the board of super- visors of Leelanaw county after its organi- zation was held in May, 1863, the record of which is as follows :
"County of Leelanaw and state of Mich- igan : The supervisors of the county of Lee- lanaw in the state of Michigan held their first meeting at the house of Otto Thies, itt the village of Leland, in said county, on the 9th day of May, A. D. 1863. Present, Sam- tiel Wood, supervisor of the township of Lee- lanaw, and Otto Thies, supervisor of the township of Centerville. The meeting pro- ceeded to organize by appointing Samuel G. Wood chairman of the said board, when the following business was transacted :
"The bond of the county treasurer, John I. Miller, was approved by the said board and the amount of said bond was fixed at the sum of six thousand dollars.
"James M. Burbeck, John I. Miller and George Ray were appointed superintendents of the poor.
"It was resolved to hold a meeting of the boards of supervisors of the several counties of Leelanaw, Grand Traverse and Antrim for the purpose of having a settlement between said counties.
"The county clerk of the county of Lee- lanaw was appointed to procure a seal for the county of Leelanaw.
"The sum of five thousand dollars was fixed to be raised by tax in the year 1863, on the taxable property of said county for a vol- unteers' family relief fund.
"The meeting then adjourned sine die."
It will be noticed that one of the import- ant acts of the board at this meeting was to provide for the relief of the families of the
soldiers who were absent fighting to suppress the rebellion. In this praiseworthy action the new county followed the example set by Grand Traverse county, which was kept up until the close of the war and the discharge of the soldiers.
TOWNSHIPS ORGANIZED.
At the annual meeting of the board, held in October, 1863, the township of Bingham was organized. Other townships were or- ganized from time to time as follows. Elm- wood township was organized in December, 1863 ; Kasson was organized in 1865, in Jan- uary; Empire was organized in October, 1865 ; Solon was organized in October, 1871 ; the township of Leland was organized in October, 1875.
In 1871 the name of Glen Arbor was changed to Cleveland, and Sleeping Bear to Glen Arbor.
The county of Leelanaw is now composed of the following named townships, each com- prising the territory named :
The township of Leelanaw embraces town 31 north of range 11 west, and frac- tional towns 32 north, ranges 10 and II. North and South Fox islands are attached to this township.
Sutton's Bay township lies directly south of Leelanaw and embraces town 30 north, range II west, and sections 25 and 36, town 30 north, range 12 west.
Bingham township lies directly south of Sutton's Bay and consists of town 29 north, range II west, and all of that part of town 29 north, range 10 west, lying east of Carp lake.
Elmwood township lies in the southeast corner of the county, and embraces fractional town 28 north, range II west. -
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GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
Solon joins Elmwood on the west, and embraces town 28 north, range 12 west.
Centerville, lying north of Solon, is com- posed of that part of town 29 north, range 12 west, lying west of Carp lake.
Leland township, lying north of Cen- terville, on the shore of Lake Michigan, com- prises all of town 30 north, range 12 west, except sections 26 and 36, and all of fraction- al town 31 north, range 12 west. North Manitou Island is attached to this township.
Cleveland township lies on Lake Mich- igan, west of Centerville, and comprises all of town 29 north, range 13 west, except sec- tions 19, 30 and 31, and all of fractional town 30 north, range 13 west.
Kasson township lies directly south of Cleveland, and comprises all of town 28 north, range 13 west.
Empire township lies on the shore of Lake Michigan, west of Kasson, and com- prises all of town 28 north, range 14 west, and fractional town 28 north, range 15 west.
Glen Arbor township is bounded on the north by Sleeping Bear bay, on the east by Cleveland, on the south by Empire and on the west by Lake Michigan, and embraces sections 19, 30 and 31 of town 29 north, range 13 west, all of fractional town 29 north, range 14 west, and also all of frac- tional town 29 north, range 15 west. South Manitou island is attached to this town- ship.
Thus it will be seen there are eleven or- ganized townships in the county.
THE COURTS.
The first term of the circuit court for the county of Leelanaw was held at the village of Northport May 5, 1864, by Judge F. J. .
Littlejohn. It was held in a schoolhouse. No cases were tried, and the only business transacted was the appointing of the neces- sary officers and the entering of an order designating the common jail of Grand Trav- ers county to be used as the common jail of Leelanaw county.
The second term was held on the 15th of September, 1864, at Northport, Judge Little- john on the bench, during which term three civil cases were tried. The first criminal case appearing on the court journal is that of the People vs Peter Drew, for adultery. The case is entered on the docket under date of September 14, 1865. It was continued until the June term, when a nolle prosequi was entered.
The first criminal sentenced from Leela- naw county was an Indian named Louis Ash- que-gah-bowe, convicted of burglary at the June term, 1866. He was sentenced by Judge Ramsdell to Jackson for one year.
Hon. F. J. Littlejohn was judge of the tenth circuit, of which both Leelanaw and Grand Traverse were at that time a part. The records show that he held four terms of court in the county, the last, September 15, 1865.
About this time the thirteenth circuit had been formed by act of the legislature, of which both Leelanaw and Grand Traverse became a part, and have remained so ever since. Hon. J. G. Ramsdell was the first judge of the new circuit, and the various judges who have occupied the bench of Lee- lanaw are the same as those of Grand Trav- erse county.
While the first term of circuit court was held in Leelanaw county, in 1864, at which there were no cases tried, the people of the county had not lived all the time previous to
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GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
that entirely without litigation. The first litigation of which there is any record was a suit tried as early as December, 1856, before Justice S. G. Wood, at Northport. The case appears on the justice's docket as Wadene- mah vs. Mr. Tuece. The suit was brought by the plaintiff to recover damages for the loss of a dog killed by the defendant. The
amount of damages claimed was one hun- dred dollars. George N. Smith was attorney for the plaintiff and won his case, securing a verdict for twenty-five dollars and costs. While this was only one-fourth of the amount claimed, it seems to indicate that the price for dogs was rather high in those early days.
CHAPTER IV.
VILLAGES OF LEELANAW COUNTY.
NORTHPORT.
The village of Northport, which now in- cludes the Indian village of Waukazooville, founded by Rev. George N. Smith, of which some account has already been given, is the largest village in the county. Mr. Smith's efforts were connected with the Indians, while the first business operations looking to settlement by the whites and the planting of a village were begun by Deacon Joseph Dame, who first platted the village of North- port. Deacon Dame is so intimately con- nected with the early history of both Leela- naw and Grand Traverse counties that a short sketch of his life and efforts to develop the country will be of interest.
Joseph Dame was born in Barnstable, New Hampshire, July 23, 1796. He was in early life engaged in brick-making and lum- bering. From New Hampshire he went to Searsmont, Maine, where he was engaged in lumbering business. He moved thence
to Erie county, New York, where he re- mained several years in the same business. In 1840 he went to Mackinaw, Michigan, on a trading expedition, dealing in lumber and in goods, including clocks, of which he brought with him a considerable stock. He was for awhile employed by the government in the instruction of the Indians. He re- moved from Mackinaw to Old Mission, where he was employed in teaching farming to the Indians. He remained there until 1845, when he removed to Wisconsin, where he spent seven years, and then returned to the Traverse region, and, leaving his family at Old Mission, bought a tract of land where now stands a good portion of the village of Northport. He platted a village and com- menced the construction of a dock. About that time an article appeared in the New York Tribune derogatory to the character of the country and its soil. To this article Dea- con Dame responded with a letter to the same publication, in which he gave such a descrip-
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tion of the country and its advantages for settlement that it speedily attracted attention, and from this and other causes the tide of im- migration turned in this direction.
This was the' opening of the country about Grand Traverse bay to farm settle- ment, Northport being the landing for the whole country around and the distributing point of travel and supply. Mr. Dame built and for several years kept Traverse Bay Ho- tel, afterwards known as the Exchange Ho- tel and later as the Waukazoo. It was de- stroyed by fire only recently. This was the first house built in Northport for the purpose of a hotel, although Mr. Dame had previous- ly kept a hotel in his own house.
Deacon Dame assisted at Old Mission in organizing the township of Peninsula. He was married November 19, 1819, to Ursula Mitchell, of Maine. They had seven chil- dren-three boys and four girls-all born before the family came to Grand Traverse. Two of the girls lived here for many years, and one son, Eusebius F., spent all his life here, dying only recently at his home in Northport. Deacon Dame died January 1I, 1884, and his wife died February 21, 1877.
Deacon Dame, as has been said, com- menced the construction of a dock in 1853 or '54, which was afterwards completed by Hi. O. Rose. At the opening of navigation in 1855 it was still in an unfinished condition, a part of it, for the want of plank, being coy- ered with poles. A list of residents of the settlement for 1855 and '56 contains the fol- lowing names: Joseph Dame, H. O. Rose, Amos Fox, William Voice, Captain Peter Nelson, A. B. Page, S. W. Wilson, Thomas Retford. J. M. Burbeck, O. L. White, Henry Boyes, A. C. Stevens, Theodore Woodruff, Hiram Beckwith, Jesse Morgan, William
Gill and William Thomas. The most of . these were heads of families, although a few were unmarried men. In 1855 there was not a frame house in Northport. The first one completed was built by Mr. Thomas for Mr. Woodruff in 1856. Mr. Voice commenced in 1855 the construction of a saw-mill, which was got to running the following summer. In 1855 no roads were opened except one leading to the Indian settlement called Cat Head village, some three miles distant. Dur- ing that year only one propeller, running be- tween Grand Haven and Buffalo, made calls at the half-built wharf.
H. O. Rose came to the place in June, 1854, and purchased the wharf privilege owned by Deacon Dame and pushed to com- pletion the wharf already commenced. In September, 1855, Mr. Rose sold a half inter- est in the property to Amos Fox, the two forming a partnership under the firm name of Rose & Fox, their principal business being dealing in wood. To this they added soon after a general merchandise business. At that time the steamers running on the lakes depended almost wholly on wood for fuel. The wharf built by Mr. Rose was the first in Grand Traverse bay, except one owned by Hannah, Lay & Company at Traverse City, at which a propeller could stop. It was easy of access and not far off the route of steam- ers plying between the ports on the lower lakes and those on the western shore of Lake Michigan. In 1856 the firm supplied by con- tract the Northern Transportation Com- pany's line of boats plying betwen Ogdens- burg and Chicago, handling that season about five thousand cords of wood. After- wards contracts were made with other lines of steamers. In 1858 the firm handled from thirteen thousand to fifteen thousand cords,
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and for several years after the amount of wood annually sold did not materially dimin- ish.
In the winter of 1856-57 Messrs. White & Burbeck built a wharf three miles north of the village and engaged in selling wood and shipping hemlock bark and cedar posts. Mr. White afterwards became sole owner of this wharf.
There are now three docks at Northport, owned, one by Kehl Brothers, one by the Traverse City, Leelanaw & Manistique Railroad, recently purchased of H. E. Gill, and the other by the Northport Lum- ber Company. While there is comparatively little wood now going over these docks, there is a large amount of merchandise coming in over them and an immense amount of farm products, including fruits, annually shipped out over them.
In 1855 Northport was organized into a school district, being the first regular public school district organized within the present limits of Leelanaw county. It still remains District No. I of Leelanaw township.
In 1855 the postoffice of Northport was established, with A. B. Page as postmaster. J. M. Burbeck attended the business of the office, and afterwards became postmaster. He was succeeded by Rev. S. Steele, and he by William Gill, who held the office for many years.
The Congregational church society was not formally organized until February, 1863, although there had been Congregational preaching since Mr. Smith began in 1849. In 1863 the society was or- ganized with about fourteen members. A Sunday school had been organized about three years previous. Mr. Smith preached at intervals, and sometimes
the society was without a pastor. In 1868 a movement was made toward building a church, but it was not completed until Au- gust, 1870. The cost of the structure was two thousand five hundred dollars. The so- ciety is in a flourishing condition.
In 1858 Rev. Lewis Griffin came to. Northport and organized a Methodist class, and services were held in the schoolhouse .. The next year Rev. S. Steele came as pre- siding elder. The early ministers were Revs. N. M. Steele, E. Baird and J. W. Miller. Soon after Mr. Steele came to this district Mrs. Steele organized a Sunday school with forty scholars. She procured books from various sources and the school has continued without interruption until the present time. In 1870 Rev. S. Steele was resident pastor. He preached that year without compensation and gave two hundred dollars toward the building of a church. The corner-stone for a church was laid in May, 1871, with Ma- sonic ceremony, Rev. S. Steele acting as grand master. There was placed in the stone an official record of the Methodist Episcopal church at Northport, a copy of the discipline of the Methodist Episcopal church, transac- tions of the Masonic Grand Lodge of the state of Michigan, a copy of the Traverse Bay Eagle, a copy of the Benzonia Citizen, va- rious silver and copper coins of the United States, Canada and Norway. At the close of this ceremony the sum of one thousand three hundred and fifty dollars was pledged by the audience toward the erection of the building. The building was pushed forward to completion, and Rev. Mr. Deitz was the first pastor. The membership has increased and the society is in a prosperous candition. Mr. Steele was one of the pioneers of the re- gion, a more extended notice of whom is
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given elsewhere. In 1869 there were three hotels in Northport, all of them small except the Traverse Bay Hotel, a portion of which was at that time still unfinished.
The Roman Catholics have just com- pleted a fine church, and there are also two Norwegian churches here.
The county seat was located at Northport from 1863 until 1883, when it was removed to Leland. Northport Lodge No. 265, Free and Accepted Masons, was instituted March 7, 1869. The first officers installed were J. M. Burbeck, worshipful master; Rev. S. Steele, senior warden; H. W. Nelson, ju- nior warden; Rev. L. W. Calkins, secretary. The lodge was subsequently moved to Sut- ton's Bay, but has since been moved back again to Northport. It has a good member- ship for the size of the place, and is in a very flourishing condition. There is also a flourishing lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Daughters of Rebekah here. Northport also has a Knights of the Maccabees tent, a Ladies of the Maccabees hive, a Grand Army of the Republic post and a Woman's Relief Corps.
There is now one newspaper at North- port, the Leader, published by Wilber E. Campbell. It is a good local paper and is doing a good work for Northport and Lee- lanaw county, not the least of which was its efforts to secure the building of the Trav- erse City, Leelanaw & Mainistique Railroad from Traverse City to Northport.
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