USA > Michigan > St Clair County > St. Clair County, Michigan, its history and its people; a narrative account of its historical progress and its principal interests, Vol. I > Part 15
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From the time the troops left in 1852 the fort remained unoccupied until 1866, except that during the Civil war it was used to some extent as a rendezvous in recruiting various regiments, especially the Twenty- seventh Michigan Infantry. It was during this period that Samuel Edison, the father of the celebrated electrician, Thomas A. Edison, oc- cupied a house upon the reservation which had been built about 1841 by Chancellor Walworth of New York, for his daughter, Mrs. Edgar Jenkins, the wife of the post storekeeper.
In the summer of 1866 Captain David L. Montgomery, shortly suc- ceeded by Captain and Brevet Major Fergus Walker, with Captain William P. Atwell and Lieutenants John L. Worden and John J. O'Con- nell, and a small company, took charge of the fort. Captain Walker remained for about two years, and it was while he was in charge that a bloody affray took place between some of the soldiers and some mem- bers of the volunteer fire brigade of Port Huron. Several men were severely injured, and it became known in local history as The Riot.
Captain Walker was followed in 1869 by Lieutenant Colonel Pink- ney Lugenbeel, who after remaining about a year was succeeded by Major Martin D. Hardin. With the latter was Captain Calvin D. Me- haffey, who retired in December, 1870, because of failing health, and was succeeded by Captain Thomas M. Tolman, who had command until July, 1874. During this period of occupancy Captain Alfred E. Bates and William H. Sterling, First Lieutenants George H. Zeigler and John Hamilton, with Second Lieutenants George Duff, and Hugh T. Reed and Edward W. Casey, son of the Silas Casey stationed here in 1834-6, were also stationed at the fort, Lieutenant Duff coming in 1869
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and continuing to make his home at Port Huron after his retirement from the army in 1878.
In July, 1874, Captain Francis Clarke with Lieutenants William Conway, and Edward W. Casey brought a company to garrison the fort, but during most of the two following years the troops were away, first in fighting the Indians in the western territories, and then in pro- tecting property during the labor riots in Pennsylvania. Captain Clarke returned in October, 1877, and remained until Fort Gratiot was finally abandoned as a military post in the spring of 1879. From 1877 to the abandonment, Lieutenant Conway and Lieutenant John J. Crit- tenden were at the fort, and the latter followed the worthy example of some of his predecessors, marrying the daughter of Judge William T. Mitchell. In 1907, after distinguished service in the United States, Cuba and the Philippines, Colonel Crittenden retired from the army to make his home in Port Huron.
The abandonment and the sale of a part in 1870, and the balance in 1881 of the military reservation by the government form the last scene of the military occupation of this county, and thus passed away forever the visible evidence in this county of the nation's power in arms. When first established it was literally an outpost on the frontier, a defence against the British and the Indians, and with only a few scattered white people between it and Detroit. Sixty-five years later it was hemmed in and encroached upon by all the evidences of modern civilization. The frontier had many years before retreated farther and farther west and finally vanished. The Indian, once an uncertain friend or danger- ous enemy, had ceased to exist so far as concerned this part of the country, and the extensive and increasing friendly relations with Canada have made unthinkable the need of any defence against her aggression or of any basis for attack upon her.
A considerable number of the officers stationed at Fort Gratiot dur- ing its existence became distinguished in the history of the United States, at least twenty having obtained sufficient reputation to justify their inclusion in the ordinary biographical dictionary of Americans.
Captain William Whistler, who was stationed at the fort in 1815, with a company of Third U. S. Infantry, was the son of an Irish soldier who served in the English army and was serving under Burgoyne at the latter's surrender. After the close of the Revolutionary war, he entered the American army and becoming captain, was stationed for some time at Detroit. The son was appointed a lieutenant in 1801 when he had just become of age, and in 1812 was promoted to a captainey. He took part in the war of that year near Detroit and was among the officers surrendered with General Hull. After long service he retired and at his death in 1863 he was, with one exception, the oldest army offieer in the United States.
General John MeNiel, who was in command in 1816 was at the time a major U. S. A., but had been brevetted colonel in 1814 for notable services at the battles of Chippewa and Niagara, having been severely wounded in the battle of Lundy's Lane, so that he remained lame dur- ing his life. He was brevetted brigadier general in 1824 but resigned from the army in 1830 and was appointed by President Jackson, sur-
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veyor of the port of Boston, which position he held for several years, dying in 1850 at the age of sixty-six. His name is perpetuated in the McNiel tract in Port Huron, his connection with that property being more fully referred to in another chapter.
Major Alex R. Thompson, who was in command from 1828 to July, 1832, was the son of a Revolutionary soldier and after graduating from West Point in 1812 became a captain in 1814, served in the Black Hawk war, leaving Fort Gratiot in 1832, and was killed December 25, 1837, in the Seminole war in Florida.
Samuel P. Heintzleman served at Fort Gratiot at two periods in different capacities, in 1828 as second lieutenant, and in 1846 as cap- tain until the force was withdrawn and sent to Mexico. After distin- guished service in the Mexican war, he was stationed some years in California and among the Indians in the west, and at the breaking out of the Civil war was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers. He served during the war and was retired in 1869 by special act of con- gress with the rank of major-general.
Silas Casey served as second lieutenant at the fort from 1834 to 1836. He took an active part in the Seminole and Mexican wars and was promoted for gallant conduct and thanked by the legislature of Rhode Island, his native state. During the Civil war he occupied im- portant positions and in 1865 was brevetted major-general in the regu- lar army. He retired from active service in 1868 and died in 1882 at the age of seventy-five. He was a leading authority on "Tactics," hav- ing published two books on the subject, which were much used and highly commended. A son. Edward W. Casey. also served at the fort as second lieutenant in 1874.
Major John L. Gardner entered the army in 1812, serving first in Canada, later in the Florida war, and after serving at frontier posts, including Fort Gratiot, commanded a regiment throughout the Mexican war. In 1860 he was stationed at Charleston harbor and in command of Fort Moultrie. Although he had less than fifty men, he announced his intention of defending the fort to the last extremity against the se- cessionists. Thereupon Secretary of War Floyd relieved him from com- mand and he was succeeded by Major Anderson, who removed the gar- rison to historic Fort Sumter. In 1865, at the age of seventy-two, he was brevetted brigadier-general for long and faithful service.
Benjamin Alvord was a native of Vermont, born in 1813; graduat- ing from West Point at the age of twenty, he served in the Seminole war, and then for two years as instructor in mathematics at West Point. In the Mexican war he was promoted for gallantry in several engagements, and after return from there, came to take command of Fort Gratiot where he was stationed four years, and until the fort was abandoned in 1852.
In 1854 he became paymaster, serving for eight years, and served during the Civil war as brigadier-general of volunteers. From 1872 until his retirement in 1881 he was chief of the pay department, with rank of brigadier-general. He ranked high in authority on mathe- matics and kindred subjects, having written several treatises.
For about a year prior to May, 1852, Fort Gratiot was under the
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command of Major Gabriel J. Rains, who was born in North Carolina in 1803, and graduated from the Military Academy in 1827. He was severely wounded in the Seminole war, and his death in 1881 was the result of these wounds. He served with high reputation through the Mexican war and then for several years was in the west, chiefly en- gaged with the Indians. He was made lieutenant-colonel in June, 1860, but resigned in July, 1861, and entered the Confederate army in which he was made brigadier-general. He rendered valuable service in many directions for the Confederates.
Charles S. Merchant, captain at the fort, in 1838-9, was the first cadet at the West Point Military Academy in 1812. After serving on the northern frontier posts, he was placed in command of Fort Brown on the Rio Grande, during the Mexican war. . In 1853 he was sent with troops to California on the steamer San Francisco, which was wrecked off Cape Hatteras, and Major Merchant, as he was then, proved himself a brave and capable officer and was the means of saving many lives. IIe re- mained in active service throughout the Civil war, and at the time of his death in 1879 he was the senior officer of the army in date of orig- inal commission.
Other distinguished officers who served at the fort were Colonel James S. McIntosh, Lieutenants Kingsbury, Patten, Morris, Wessels, Marcy, Nichols, Drum, Dodge and Eaton, all of whom established rec- ords of efficiency and gallantry, which are a source of pride to the army and to the people of the United States. In addition to his military service, Marcy was a famous hunter and sportsman and also wrote a number of books, the best known of which is "Border Reminiscences."
CHAPTER IX
EARLY GOVERNMENT OF THE COUNTY
FIRST COUNTY COMMISSIONERS-FIRST COMMISSIONERS' MEETING-JAIL BUILT-THREE ROAD DISTRICTS CREATED-SAMUEL WARD-JUDGE GEORGE A. O'KEEFE-JUDGE Z. W. BUNCE-EXTRAVAGANT COMMIS- SIONERS-MISCELLANEOUS COUNTY LEGISLATION (1824-1827)-BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CREATED-SINCLAIR BECOMES ST. CLAIR-STATUS OF COUNTY BUILDINGS (1827-8)-PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP CHANGED TO CLAY-FIRST BRIDGES BUILT-RALPH WADHAMS-SIX SUPERVISORS IN 1836-PINE RIVER BRIDGE AT ST. CLAIR-BELLE RIVER BRIDGE AT NEWPORT-COURT HOUSE IMPROVEMENTS.
When the county of St. Clair was organized in 1821 it eame under the operation of a law which had been in force since May 8, 1820, pro- viding for the appointment by the governor of three county commis- sioners in each county who were to hold sessions on the first Mondays of March, June, September and December in each year, and on other days to which they might adjourn.
They were to adjust all claims against the county, determine what property should be assessed, divide the county into townships, sub- mitting the same to the governor for his approbation, recommend per- sons for constables, and divide the townships into road distriets and appoint overseers of the districts. For these duties they were to receive the salary of thirty dollars a year. while their clerk, who was the elerk of the county court, was to receive fifty dollars yearly.
FIRST COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Shortly after the proclamation organizing the county, Governor Cass performed the duty of appointing the county commissioners, and he selected Andrew Westbrook, George Cottrell and John K. Smith. This was a trio of notable pioneers.
Andrew Westbrook was a native of Massachusetts, born in 1771, and while a child, was taken by his father to Nova Scotia. When about twelve years of age he came with his parents to Delaware, on the Thames, Upper Canada, where, as he grew to middle age, he acquired consider- able wealth, several thousand acres of land, and good buildings. includ- ing a distillery, which seems to have been in those days a not uneommon property. When the War of 1812 broke out he was offered a commission
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as captain in the Canadian militia, but refused, and came to Detroit and offered his services to Governor Hull, which were accepted, and he per- formed many and valuable services as captain of a company of scouts. The British official despatches of the time contain frequent reference to the "traitor Westbrook," as they almost invariably term him. Shortly after leaving his home to join the American army, his merchandise was destroyed by the British, and a company of American soldiers was sent to bring away such of the remaining personal property as they could. Westbrook accompanied the foree, and as the enemy was near, he himself set fire to his buildings and property to prevent their use by the British. His landed property, for which he had paid over thirteen thousand dollars, was confiscated by the British government. He had at that time a large family of twelve or thirteen children, and after the war, came up the St. Clair river in 1815 and purchased two private claims, Nos. 243 and 303, in what is now the township of East China, and soon be- came the largest and most prosperous farmer in the district. He became a considerable owner of land in the county, buying among other tracts a part of what became the Fort Gratiot Military Reservation, which he sold to the government, and about 200 acres in the south part of section 15 in the city of Port Huron. In 1828 congress passed an act granting him two sections of land in consideration of his services in the War of 1812, and he selected the largest part of it from public lands in the township of Clay.
While this county was still a part of Macomb county he was ap- pointed, by Governor Cass, supervisor of highways.
His first wife having died in 1815, he married Nancy Thorn, daugh- ter of William Thorn and sister of Major John Thorn, and after her death married Margaret Ann Crawford, whom he divorced in 1834 and he subsequently married a fourth time.
In June, 1826, Thomas L. McKenney, United States commissioner of Indian affairs, on his way from Detroit to the Indian tribes near the head waters of the Mississippi in the schooner "Ghent." was becalmed not far from the Westbrook farm. In company with Colonel Croghan, Westbrook's old commander, McKenney called upon Westbrook, whom he described as being "about six feet two inches tall, his hair once sandy or rather fox-colored, but the fierceness of the reddish cast now softened by an intermixture of gray. A fine face, the features moderate in size. and well proportioned, the expression of the countenance mild but firm. He has a quick moving intelligent eye; his form is good, with broad shoulders and chest. He has no education, yet talks well and is precise and graphic in his expressions." He was then in his fifty-fifth year. married to his second wife, and had a family of fourteen children. "If he once resolves upon the accomplishment of any object he is sure to realize it; the means are mere materials to be judged of by his coneep- tions of right, and these are generally made to obey the impulses of the moment, come from what quarter or involve what consequences they may." He died in 1835.
George Cottrell was born in Detroit in 1783. the son of George Cottrell, Sr., who in 1781 had obtained from the Chippewa Indians a deed to a considerable tract of land upon St. Clair river, to which he
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moved in 1784. In September, 1805, he was appointed ensign in a com- pany of militia to be raised in the district extending from Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair. In January. 1806, the territory from which his com- pany was to come was changed to commence at the mouth of Belle river and extend to the mouth of St. Clair river, and include the most south- ern and western inhabitants in that vicinity. April 8, 1818, Governor Cass appointed him supervisor of highways of St. Clair township, which then included all of what is now St. Clair county. George and four of his brothers, Henry, John, James and David, were granted private claim No. 187, containing 420 acres. James died young, unmarried, and John's interest was bought by his brothers and he removed to Grosse Point, Wayne county. George remained a commissioner until the board was abolished in 1827. He was elected supervisor for 1829 and 1830 for Cottrellville township, and was during his life a man of much in- fluence in his community.
George Cottrell. Sr., was either the son of a Captain George Cottrell of the English army or may have been the son of a German by the name of Hoover. The doubt arises from the fact that when an infant he was taken by the Indians who massacred both the Cottrell and Hoover families then living in the Mohawk valley, and as there were Cottrell and Hoover sons of about the same age, there was no absolute certainty of identity. It is also said that the boy was redeemed from the Indians by a man named Cottrell who brought him up. Mr. Cottrell spelled his own name Cotterall. While a young man he came to Detroit, about 1770, and afterwards settled on the St. Clair river on land some of which is still in the possession of his descendants, obtaining a deed from Chip- pewa chiefs dated October 5th, 1781, and afterwards presenting claim based on long possession to the board of land commissioners and ob- taining patent from the United States.
John K. Smith was born in Westchester county, New York, Novem- ber 29, 1785. His parents removed to Chittenden county, Vermont, when he was three years of age. Although he had a crippled arm and leg he was active and acquired a fair education and practiced law at Pottsdam, N. Y. for a time. Shortly after the breaking out of the War of 1812 he performed service of value to the American army near him, and at the suggestion of the colonel in charge he became the forage master and licensed trader of the regiment, coming with it to Detroit in 1815, where it was disbanded the following year. Finding that no brown earthenware was manufactured in Michigan and believing there was a good market for such goods, he arranged with two of the newly discharged soldiers who were practical potters, to join with him, and in search for suitable clay, found a deposit on Stromness or Dickinson's Island. He leased the property from one of the Laughton heirs and in the spring of 1817 was actively at work. continuing through that year. The following winter he taught school on Harsen's Island. and in Febru- ary, 1818, began his official career in Michigan, with his appointment by Governor Cass as justice of the peace for Macomb county. Two years later, while St. Clair county was still attached to Macomb, he was ap- pointed commissioner.
In May, 1821, when the county of St. Clair was organized, Mr. Smith
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was appointed one of the three county commissioners, and also associate justice of the county court, and in addition, justice of the peace. He fulfilled all these duties to the great satisfaction of the people, and was continued as justice until his death in 1855.
In 1826, when the postoffice of Plainfield was established, he was commissioned the first postmaster, holding the office until September, 1841, and beginning again in August, 1843, with the name changed to
JOHN K. SMITH
Algonac, he held the position until his death in 1855. He was appointed judge of probate in May, 1828, continuing in that office by reappoint- ment in 1832 until Michigan became a state in 1836, and was the first elected probate judge of the county. holding the office four years.
Mr. Smith was a man of high character, unblemished reputation. striet impartiality and an active influential man in the community. In 1819 he married Catherine McDonald, daughter of Angus McDonald, who had come over to Baldoon, Lord Selkirk's settlement on the Chenail Ecarte, in 1804, and later moved over on Stromness Island.
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FIRST COMMISSIONERS' MEETING
The first meeting of the new commissioners was held June 4, 1821, all being present. Their first official proceeding was to determine what property should be assessed, which they did by the following resolution : "Resolved, that the following property be assessed for taxation the present year (to-wit) : Improved lands, wild ditto, orcharding, build- ings, distilleries, grist mills, saw mills, horses, three years old and up- wards; horses, two years and not three years; oxen, cows, young cattle, two years old or not four years ; hogs over one year old, household furni- ture, callashes, carrialls, wagons, carts, gold watches, silver watches, brass cloeks and wooden clocks."
To the modern reader the very names of some of the articles to be assessed suggest a condition of life long sinee passed away. The caleche now survives only at Quebec for the benefit of the tourist. The wooden clock is a curiosity found only in historical museums, and the cariole, anglicised into carryall, has joined the caleche.
Joseph Mini, who had been appointed by the governor, supervisor of highways, was by the board appointed one of the assessors and directed to assess and return his assessment the first Monday in July.
The board then directed the supervisor to open the highway from the mouth of Belle river to Pine river, or appropriate for that purpose half the labor required by statute for that year, and adjourned. The new county was now fairly under way.
The assessment roll made by the sheriff. James B. Wolverton, and Assessor Joseph Mini, in pursuance of the direction of the commis- sioners, the first assessment of the county, is of great interest and is reproduced in full in another chapter.
An interesting commentary upon the state of settlement is shown in the action of the board in fixing at their meeting of August 29, 1821, a bounty of one dollar for wolves under the age of six months, and two dollars for those over six months.
JAIL BUILT
Mr. James Fulton, the proprietor of the land upon which the town of St. Clair was placed and the county seat located. had agreed as an inducement to have the county seat put at St. Clair, that he would donate the necessary land for county buildings and also erect the court house. He was very dilatory in his movements, but had built his own house in the block just south of the public square in St. Clair, and it appears from subsequent proceedings-although there is no record of the action under the proper date-that on October 26, Fulton agreed with the commissioners to erect a building at the rear of his house to be used as a county jail. On December 3, the board voted to pay him for the building $35, and to Mr. Westbrook, two shillings per pound for the hinges and bolts, and on December 10th, they declared the building to be the common jail for the county until further action.
The first prisoner confined in the new jail was John Harrow, who was under indictment for assault and battery upon a peddler. His
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confinement, however, was not very close and he doubtless enjoyed his sociable visit which was not long, with the jailer and his family. Ap- parently up to this time it had been the custom to have prisoners "boarded around," as three different persons are allowed sums for that purpose.
At the meeting of March 4, 1822, they voted $100 for public expenses, and raised the bounty on wolves twenty-five per cent. The same elasses of property are directed to be assessed for 1822 as were assessed the preceding year.
THREE ROAD DISTRICTS CREATED
At this meeting the board divided the township of St. Clair, which had theretofore included the whole of the county, into three road dis- triets, and appointed supervisors for them, at the same time directing that the division be submitted to the governor, that he might incorporate them into townships to be named respectively, Plainfield, Cottrellville and St. Clair. Upon this being communicated to the governor, he issued a proclamation in March, 1823, erecting the townships as requested.
The name of Plainfield was taken from the town of that name in Vermont in which Mr. Smith had lived. Cottrellville took its name from the family name of one of the commissioners.
At the meeting of the board, December 2, 1822, Mr. Harvey Stewart, who had been appointed in the place of John K. Smith, appeared to complete the board.
Mr. Stewart, born in Massachusetts, came to Harsen's Island in April, 1815, moving on land belonging to his second wife, Mary Grave- raet, a grand-daughter of Jacob Harsen, the original proprietor of Harsen's Island. He was supervisor of Clay township from 1828 to 1833, the father of Aura P. Stewart, and an influential man.
At this meeting appears the first mention in the official proceedings of another of the notable pioneers of the county, Samuel Ward, who had been previously in the same year appointed by the governor one of the associate judges of the county court.
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