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 3
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"Port Huron Times-Herald," 296, 29S. Port Huron township, 245.
"Port Huron Tribune," 290.
Port Huron Union church, 317.
Portraits-Sinclair. Patrick, 21; John K. Smith, 109; Zephaniah W. Bunce, 114; Emily Ward, 306.
Postoffice and custom house, Port Huron (view), 254.
"Postmaster Everywhere," 292, 29S. Potter, Henry S., 284.
Powers, Hosea, 203.
Pratt, James II .. 499,
Present light house, 419.
Press of St. Clair county-First terri- torial paper, 280; Michigan's earliest newspapers, 281: the "St. Clair Whig." 281; the "Lake Huron (Port Huron) Observer,' 282; "St. Clair Banner," and its successors, 283; "Port Huron Commercial," 284; "St. Clair Republican," 286; "St. Clair County Press," 286; "Port Huron Press," 287 ; short lived Port Huron papers. 289; "Port Huron Times," 287; Marine City papers, 291; Capac newspapers, 291; Brockway Centre and Yale, 291; Memphis journalism. 292 : Algonac newspapers, 292; "Fort Gratiot Sun." 292; the "Postmaster Everywhere" and its publisher, 292; the "Sunday Herald." 293; German journalism in Port Huron, 293; fra- ternal society journals, 294; monthly publications. 294: Iiiel B. Bucke- ridge's papers. 295; "Port Huron Daily Herald," 295; periodicals of 1911. 298.
Probate courts, 201.
Proclamation of 1763. 63.
Proclamation of 1786, 66.
Productive soil, 379.
Public lands, SO.
Purcell, Edward, 146.
Purdy, Delos, 730. Putney, Frank O., 510.
Quebec, 63. Quebec Act, 18. Quick, Orville M .. 751.
Racine, Jean Baptiste, 142. Radonsky, Anthony, 859. Railroad lands, 82. Rains, Gabriel J., 102, 105. Raisings, 128. Rankin, James M., 571.
Rapid Railway, 242, 394. Randall, William, 26S.
XXV
INDEX
Rathbone Sisters. 355. Raymond, J. S., 265. Recor, Edward C., 691.
Recor, Lambert, 797.
Reed, Orange B., 343.
Reeves, Francis E., 527.
Reid, Michael, 266.
Reigliley, Charles, 318, 319. Reineche, August F., 268.
Religious history-First two church
buildings. 312 ; how the M. E. church was built, 312: a union church, 317;
Port Huron Presbyterian church, 317; Protestant Episcopal church,
318; First Baptist church. 319; Methodists in the county, 320; St. Clair Congregationalists, 321 ; Baptist church of St. Clair, 323; Episcopal church, 324; St. Clair Methodist Episcopal church, 324; Universalist church. 325; Marine City churches, 326; the Catholic church in the county, 326.
Residence of D. B. Harrington, Port Huron (view), 256.
Residence of Ralph Wadhams (view), 123.
Residents of 1830. 485.
Rice, Frances M., 728.
Rice. Justin, 265, 371.
Rickert, Mr., 158.
Richard, Father Gabriel, 144, 154. 327. Richardson, B. E., 275.
Riebling. Frederick A., 716. Riley, John, 49, 116, 155, 176, 247.
Riley, township. 247. River a De Lude, 140.
Riverside Turnpike Company, 386.
Riviere a Chines, 13.
Riviere au Sapine, 13.
Rix, Henry. 267. Roach, William. 273.
Road districts. 111, 227.
Robbins, Charles W .. 275.
Roberts, Charles R., 286.
Roberts, Napoleon, 761.
Robertson. J. C., 265. Robertson, John M., 265, 802. Robertson, May, 505.
Robeson, H. J., 274. Robeson, William B., 559.
Roby. John S., 211.
Rodd, "Mother," 49, 153. Romeo, 124. Romeyn, T., 197. Rood, Reuben J., 801. Ross, A. Hastings, 318.
Ross, David, 94. Ross, John A., 846. Ross, R. B., 286.
Rowe, Isaac, 365.
Rowland, Thomas, 212, 213. Royal Templars of Temperance, 355. "Ruby." 236, 399.
Ruff, John F., 574. Ruff, Theodore. 259. Rnh, William F., 261.
Rummels, Daniel N., 257.
Russell. W. P .. 267.
Rust. Aloney W., 373.
Rust. David W .. 373. Ryan, Thomas F., 266.
Sabin, Jeremiah, 340.
Sable Baptiste Point de, 94.
Saginaw & St. Clair River Railroad Company. 396. "Sainte Claire." 22.
"St. Clair," 171. St. Clair, 216, 220. 420.
"St. Clair Banner," 283. St. Clair Baptist church, 323. St. Clair Congregational church, 321. St. Clair Episcopal church, 324. St. Clair Methodist Episcopal church, 324.
St. Clair city schools, 274.
St. Clair county-Limits of original county, 17; international boundary complications, 18; county reduced, 19; origin of name, 20.
St. Clair county under three flags- French fortified post under Duluth. 87; Fort St. Joseph abandoned by Lahontan, 89; sketch of Duluth, 90; the English Fort Sinclair.
92; Patrick Sinclair. 92: the American Fort Gratiot, 95; Charles Gratiot. 96; in 1820, 130; in 1821, 1830, 137; county organized, 211.
St. Clair County Medical Society, 332. 336.
"St. Clair County Observer," 283.
"St. Clair County Press," 286.
St. Clair flats, 27, 84.
"St. Clair Herald." 283.
"St. Clair Observer." 283.
St. Clair region in 1815, 161.
"St. Clair Republican," 282, 286, 298. St. Clair county residents in 1830, 485.
St. Clair river, 25, 28. St. Clair Salt Company, 374.
St. Clair town, 157, 252, 257.
St. Clair township, 248.
St. Clair village, 249.
"St. Clair Whig," 281.
St. Clair Tunnel Company, 393.
St. Clair & Chicago Air Line Railroad Company, 396.
St. Clair and Romeo Railroad Company, 387.
St. Clair Sanilac and Lapeer Medical Society, 332, 335.
St. Clair, William M., 259, 370. St. Felicity church, 312.
St. George's Society, 355.
St. Joseph's German Catholic parish. 329.
xxvi
INDEX
St. Michael's Society. 355.
St. Patrick's Society, 355.
St. Stephen's parish. Port Huron, 327.
Sales, Edward, 143. 255.
Salt springs' land. 81. 239.
Sanborn, Cummings, 125, 366.
Sanborn, James W., 125.
Sanborn, John M., 275.
Sanborn, John P., 287.
Sanborn, J. W., 214.
Sanborn, William, 372. 863.
Sanderson. Arthur H., 652.
Sanson, M .. 2.
Sanson's map, 44.
Saph, Hale P., 799.
Saph, Valentine 1., 260, 261.
Satler. G. S .. 324.
"Saturday Morning Journal," 289.
Sauber, William F .. 261.
"Savage," 172. Sawher, Thomas II., 599.
Sawpine river. 14.
Scarritt, James J., 202, 287.
Scene on the St. Clair river (view). 28.
Schepferman, Frank. 259, 286.
Schlinkert, John, 578.
Schnoor, Henry C .. 374.
Schoales, William L., 556.
Schoolcraft, Engene J., 737.
Schoolcraft, Henry R .. 14. 99, 265. School lands, SO.
Schools (see educational history ).
Schultz. August W .. 718.
Scott. Ephraim. 625.
Scott, James E., 650.
Scott, William J., 722.
Seaborn. Frank B., 354.
Selkirk. Avery W., 739.
Sewart, Arthur A .. 831.
Shattuck. J. C., 275.
Shaw, Luther, 321.
Sheldon. Diodorns, 259.
Shepherd. John L., S44.
Sherman, Frederick N., 289.
Sherman, Fred W., 296.
Sherman, Loren A., 280. 285. 288. 206, 311, 495. Ship building, 403.
Shipmasters' Wives' Club, 356.
Shipping-Indian and French craft. 402; English and American vessels, 403 ; ship building in St. Clair county, 403; passenger traffic and freight business, 404; boats built in Marine City, 405; boats built in Port Huron, 408; boats built in St. Clair, 411; boats built in 'Algonac, 413: boats built in Marysville. 414; boats built in Lakeport, 414: boats built in Fair Haven. 415; boats built in Fort Gratiot. 415: boats built in Burteh- ville, 415; boats built in China. 415; boats built in Cottrellville, 415; boats built in Harsen's Island, 415; boats
built in Clay, 416; boats built in Swan creek. 416. Shirkey, George. 562. Short-horns, 381.
Sibley, Solomon, 97. 142, 255.
Siegel, Herbert C., 614.
Silverthorn, William A., 595.
Sims, David. SS5.
Simmons. Constant, 267.
Sinclair, Patrick, 21, 71, 92.
Sinclair township, 228.
Slaughter. Lieut., 102.
Slay, A. Morton, 597.
Sleneau, Kathryne. 279.
Sleneau, Talbert. 813.
Smart. Robert, 235, 244. 365.
Smead, Morgan J .. 712.
Smith. A. and S. L .. 373.
Smith. Abram, 265, 815.
Smith. Andrew J .. 724.
Smith, Angus M., 265, S14.
Smith, Barnabas D., 892.
Smith, Elisha, 372.
Smith, Engene, 224, 259. 372.
Smith. Frank J .. 759.
Smith. Fred .. 758.
Smith, George W., 605.
Smith. Henry T., 622.
Smith, John A., 265.
Smith. John K., 108, 111, 121, 156, 163, 1SS, 189.
Smith. John K .. 202, 264, 271, 421, (por- trait) 109. Smith, S. K., 336.
Smith, William D., 672.
Smith, William H., 789.
Smith, William J., 704.
"Smith's Creek," 220. 244.
Snybora channel, 28.
Sny, Cartey, 27.
Soldiers from St. Clair county in Civil war, 443. Soldiers from St. Clair county in Spanish-American war, 483.
Soldiers monument, Port Huron (view ), 183.
Sommerville school, 276.
Sons of Temperance, 355.
Southern. Central and Northern Rail- roads, 3SS.
Spalding. Edgar G., S54.
Spanish-American war, 185.
Spanish-American war soldiers, 483.
Spencer, Clark E., 257.
Spencer, Francis E., 267, 611.
Spencer, Melvin, S27.
Sperry, Merritt, 267.
"Split Log," 403. Stacey, J. W., 36.
Stansbury, Alta, 279.
Stapleton, Martin, 747.
Starkweather, Charles, 261.
Stead, Benjamin, 210.
Steamboats (pioneer), 171.
INDEX
xxvii
Steele, Salmon, 321, 324. Stevens, Fred W., 285. Stevens, Herman W., 200, 257. Stevenson, Elliott G., 257. Stevenson, Joseph, 267. Stewart, Alexander T., 297. Stewart, Aura P., 159. Stewart, Daniel, 120. Stewart, Harvey, 111, 120.
Stewart, John A .. 274. Stewart, O., 334, 335. 336.
Stewart, Shirley, 795. Stewart, Weaver, 166. Stewart, William R., 264. Stockton, John, 121. Stockwell, Charles B., 332, 334, 335, 715. Stockwell, Cyrus M., 334, 335, 336. 344. Stockwell, Elmer E., 689. Stone, Fanny E., 311. Stone, James H., 287, 288. Stone, ( Mrs.) L. II., 276. Straight, Robert S., 273. Strauss, Gustavus, 259. Streit, Jacob G., 154. 270. Strevel, John M., 872. Strevel, Norman, 687. Stringer, Thomas L., 630. Stromness. 28, 79. Stromness Island, 164. Sturgess, Martha A., 275. Sugar beets, 380. "Sunday Commercial," 285. Sutherland, Thomas, 264. Swamp lands, 83. Swan creek, 47. Sweetser, Alvah, 257.
Taft, Seth, 146. Taggart, Joseph P .. 807. Talbot, Harry L., 285. Talbot, James, 284. Talbot, James II .. 285. Talbot, John F., 285. Tappan, Harvey, 202. Tarte, John R., 650. Tawas, Chief, 153. Taylor, James, S7S. Taylor, Oscar, 612. Taylor, S. G., 267. TenEyck, Conrad, 211. Tenney, A. M., 283. Ternes, Peter J., 779. Territorial road, 385. Terry. H. D., 203. Thatcher, Emerson B., 838. "The Old White Hat." 289. Thomas, Nahum E., 201, 202. Thompson, Abigail, 272. Thompson Academy, 275. Thompson, A. E., 334. 336. Thompson, Alexander R., 100, 104. Thompson, James, 79. Thompson, Major, 153. Thompson, Mary A., 276.
Thompson, O. C., 275.
Thompson, Oren ( .. 317, 321. 819. Thorn, John, 138, 191, 201, 212, 240. 253. 255, 258, 317. Thorn, Martha, 148. Thorn, William, 150, 211. "Threshermen's Review," 295. Tibbals, Elbert P., 652.
Tierney, Father, 330. Titus, Jonas HI .. 231. Tobacco nation, 45. Tolman, Thomas M., 102. Tompkins, Joshua, 250.
Tonty, 89. Toulouse, Jacques, 72. Townsend, Bernard D., 782.
Township organization-Three road dis- tricts erected into townships, 227; Sinclair and Desmond townships, 228; Berlin township. 228; Brock- way, 230; Burtchville, 230; Casco, 231; China, 232; Clay, 233; Clyde, 235: Columbus, 236; Cottrellville, 237; East China, 238; Emmet, 239;
Fort Gratiot, 240; Grant, 240; Greenwood, 241; Ira, 242; Kenockee, 243; Kimball, 243; Lynn. 244; Mus- sey, 245; Port Huron, 245: Riley, 247; St. Clair, 248; Wales, 250. Township surveys, 80. Transportation-Early road supervi- sors, 382; first highways in county, 383; new road system, 383; the mili- tary road, 384; state roads, 385; toll roads, 386: railroads, 387; William L. Bancroft, 391; St. Clair Tunnel, 303: Pere Marquette railway, 393; Port Huron Southern, 394; Rapid Railway, 394; city street car lines, 396; river boat lines, 398; ferries, 400. Travers, J. T., 334, 335. Travers, John T., 342. Treadway, Alfred, 197. Treaty of 1807. 47. Trip, Manley, 273. "Tri-Weekly Times," 2SS. Truesdail, Wesley, 184, 370, 835.
Trumble, Walter J., 726. Tucker, Laban. 334, 341. Tucker, True P., 197. 203. Turner, Henry B., 340. Tyler, J. C., 276.
Uniforms of officers and soldiers, 180. Upchurch, John Jordon, 352.
Vance, Lucy, 157. Vance, Samuel W., 200. Van Lanwe, Edward E., 329. Vanneste Brothers, 523. Vanneste, Charles E., 524. Vanneste, Jerome, 524. Vanneste, Josepli, 524.
xxviii
INDEX
Vanneste, Julius, 524. Vanneste, Leon, 524.
Verhoff, P. F. & Company, 152. Vickery, 246. Vickery, E. P., 372. Vicksburg, 246.
Views-Scene on the St. Clair river. 28; mounds at the head of St. Clair river, 51; residence of Ralph Wad- hams, 123; Soldiers' Monument, Port Huron, 183 ; Black river looking west from Military street bridge, (1863), 219 ; court house St. Clair (1856.) 218; city hall and court house, Port Huron, 252; post office and custom house, Port Huron, 254; residence of D. B. Harrington, Port Huron, 256 ; Brown's Hotel or City Hotel, St. Clair, 258; city hall, Marine City, 260 ; Port Hur- on high school, 272; public library, Port Huron, 278; Diamond Salt Block. St. Clair, 375 ; Truesdail's flour and sawmill No. 2, St. Clair, 370. Vincent, Edward L., 549.
Wade, Russell N., SOS.
Wadhams, Ralph, 123, 235.
Wagenseil, William F., 603.
Wagner, Carl A., 679.
Wales township, 250.
Walker, Dewitt, C., 202. 265, 266.
Walker, Fred J., 840.
Walter, Bernhard, 515.
Walton Salt Company, 376.
Walpole Island, 27.
Walsh, Joseph, 185.
Wands, Hazzard P., 225, 286.
War of 1812. 5, 173.
Ward, David, 305.
Ward, Eber B., 112, 146, 170, 303, 305, 306.
Ward, Emily, 303, (portrait) 306.
Ward fleet, 403.
Ward, George J., 563.
Ward, Milton, 324.
Ward, Nathan, 306.
Ward, Samuel, 111, 142, 144, 168, 193, 232, 303, 305, 373, 403, 422.
Wards, The, 168.
Waring, George W., 261.
Warren, George E., 560.
Warren, Robert S., 624.
Warren. Tobias S., 266.
Washington Guard. 184.
Waterloo, Charles H .. 259.
Waterloo, Stanley, 30S.
Waters, George, 267. Waters, James T., 792.
Watson, Joseph, 142.
Watson, Robert W. F., 678.
Weaver, Charles S., 275. Webb, James Watson, 99.
Weed, Thurlow, 404. Weil, Herbert L., 297, 29S.
Weil. Louis A., 289, 295, 296, 297. Wellman, Thomas, 706. Wells, 26. Wells, Anthony, 266.
Wells, Frederick L., 257.
Wells, the F. L., well, 27.
Wells. James, 266.
Wells. John, 369.
Wells,' Settlement, 266.
West. A. Edgar, 594.
West. Bina M .. 742.
West. Jay O., 772.
Wesbrook, Andrew, 97, 106, 160, 166.
Westbrook. Ebenezer, 316.
Westcott, Charles H., 259. 431.
Westcott. David II .. 554.
Western Farm and Home, 290.
Western fur trade, ST. W'estrick, Charles .1., & Son, 537.
Westrick, Charles A., 537.
Westrick, Elzear B., 537.
Wharton, Thomas W., 261.
Wnipple, C. W., 203.
Whipple. Frank, 200.
Whistler. William, 103.
White, 216.
White, Edgar. 215. 216, 220. 221, 257.
White, Fortune C., 321, 427. Whitefish, 377.
"White School House," 274.
Whiting. Henry, 274, 371, 70S.
Whiting, John P., 259, 719.
Whiting, Justin R., 259.
Whitney. Andrew G., 202.
Wilkinson, Ellsworth E., 897.
Williams and Mills, 372.
Willson, George B., 347.
Willson, M .. 334, 335, 336.
Wilson, John N., 13S.
Wilson, Joseph M., 268.
Wilson. Samuel, 183.
Winchell, Alexander, 36.
Winchell, Newton H., 274.
Wing, Warner E., 197.
Witherell, B. F. H., 174, 202.
Witherell, James, 5. 189.
Wittliff, John S., 616. Wolcott, Frank T., 202.
Wolverton, James R., 145.
Wolverton, James B., 110, 191, 193.
Wolvin, George E., 544.
Wolvin. John F., 774.
Woman's Relief Corps, 356.
Wonch. Charles, SS7.
Woodbridge, William, 203.
Woodmen of the World, 357.
Woodward, 6S. Woodward, Augustus B., 5, 189.
World's Maccabee Temple-Headquar- ters of the Ladies of the Maccabees of the World, 358. Worthington, Albert, 321. Wright, Archibald M., 686.
INDEX
xxix
"X-Rays." 295. Yale. 423. Yale City, 230, 261. "Yale Democrat." 292. "Yale Expositor," 291, 298. 299. "Yale Hustler," 292. "Yale Record." 292, 299. Yale State Bank, 432.
Young, Alexander T., 786. Young, Marcus, 287. Yaill, William R .. 781.
Zeli, Charles M., 342. Zemmer, Albert J., S18. Zink, J. George, 259.
History of St. Clair County
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
FRENCH CONTROL OF GREAT LAKES REGION-ENGLISH-IROQUOIS ALLI- ANCE-ENGLAND SUPPLANTS FRANCE-AMERICAN GOVERNMENT ES- TABLISHED-TERRITORY OF MICHIGAN CREATED-INDIAN TITLES Ex- TINGUISHED-NATURAL RICHES FINALLY RECOGNIZED-MICHIGAN BECOMES A STATE-PROGRESS UNDER STATEHOOD.
The history of St. Clair county comes at so many points in contact with that of the state and Great Lakes region, that a brief sketch of their history seems desirable.
The settlement of North America after its discovery proceeded slowly. America was discovered because it lay in the way of the sup- posed short and direct route to the East, the source of the luxuries of the old world. The discovery of the metallic wealth of Mexico and Central and South America, and the fruitless expedition of De Soto, concentrated the efforts and attention of the Spaniards upon the mid- dle sections of the continent, and detailed and accurate maps of the coast and interior of Central America and Mexico were common for a century when the United States and Canada west of the Appalla- chian Range were as unknown as the interior of Africa.
FRENCH CONTROL OF GREAT LAKES REGION
The Frenchman, Cartier, discovered and sailed up the St. Lawrence river as far as Montreal in 1534, but it was three-quarters of a cen- tury later before any use was made of that remarkable natural path- way leading far into the interior of the continent.
It was in 1608 that Champlain, the "father of New France," as Canada was long called, established at Quebec the beginnings of the French settlement, and this was upon an entirely different theory and conducted in an entirely different way from the English settlements just begun on the soil of Virginia. The latter carried with them as little as possible of the English government. They came to occupy the land, till the soil, grow its natural products and develop the coun-
1
2
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
try ; the French came as wards of their government-their wants sup- plied by it, their actions controlled by it to the minutest degree. In- stead of producing wealth from the soil. they calculated upon a rich return from a source unknown to and unappreciated by the Span- iards on the south-the abundant supply of fur-bearing animals, and the Indians at hand trained in their capture. From the very begin- ning the government at Paris issued minute rules and directed indi- vidual actions. It was not intended that any person within French dominion should trade with the Indians, or trap or buy furs, except under government supervision, and when some of the more lawless or independent broke away from these petty and confining restrictions and engaged in business on their own account, stringent regulations were issued against them and they became in faet almost outlaws.
Such a system was doomed to failure from the outset. A king or his minister three thousand miles across the sea cannot successfully prescribe the daily actions of the man upon the ground, nor so far as he could do this would it be wisely done. While the difference in results between the French and English colonies in America was not wholly due to the difference in governmental interference, this had a very important influence.
It is difficult to realize how much the fate of America would have been altered if the French, to their characteristics of bravery, hardi- hood, facility with the savages, and acuteness of intelligence, had added the liberty, freedom of action and of religious thought enjoyed by the English. If the situations had been reversed. with the French upon the coast and the English upon the waterways into the interior, it is safe to say that by 1760 there would have been such a formidable string of forts and settlements upon the Great Lakes and streams emptying into them, that no force could have dislodged them.
Champlain, the first governor of New France, was as well an earn- est, intrepid explorer. In 1615, ascending the Ottawa river, by way of Lake Nipissing, French river and Georgian bay, he came to Lake Huron, the Mer Douce of the early French maps. Already the French priests, zealous and heroie, had preceded him among the Huron In- dians at the foot of Georgian Bay, and in all the early French history we find the warrior and the priest pushing together out into the un- known, suffering martyrdom and death. the one to extend the sway of his king over new territories. the other to convert the heathen, and bring them safe into the Christian fold.
Further exploration by Brulé, Nicollet, and the priests and traders rapidly followed, and there was published at Paris in 1650 the first map of America in which the Great Lakes region was delineated. It is evident that M. Sanson, "the geographer of the king," as he is termed, and the author of this map, had received much information of which no record is now known, as he shows all the Great Lakes, even including Lake St. Clair, although Joliet, who explored Lake Michigan and returned to Montreal in 1669 by way of Lake Huron. Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie, has been supposed the first white man to know of all those lakes.
In 1671 the French formally laid claim to all this region by a great
·
B
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
ceremony at the Sault, to which all the Indian nations who could be reached were invited. Missions and trading posts were established at Mackinac, the Sault. Green Bay and other places, the Mississippi re- discovered, the country west and northwest of Lake Superior explored, and a vast tract of territory thus became subject to French rule.
ENGLISH-IROQUOIS ALLIANCE
In the meantime the English, having come into the possession of New York, had taken over the dominion of the Dutch and formed a friendly connection with the Iroquois Indians-those "Romans of the West." as they have been termed-and this connection was to mean much.
Champlain had early come into conflict with the Iroquois, and the enmity thus created was extremely injurious to the French: as the Iroquois who occupied all central New York and were banded together into the most formidable Indian confederacy ever known, fierce and implacable warriors, so controlled Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and con- necting streams, that for many years the commerce of the western In- dians with the French was necessarily conducted through the Ottawa river, a roundabout and hazardous route. Secure in the friendship of the Iroquois, the English pushed their trading expeditions westward until they reached the Niagara river, and as early as 1686 a party had gone up the lakes and rivers to Mackinae. Free from the petty and harassing restrictions of the French government, the English traders were able to pay better prices and offer better bargains to the Indians for their furs, and it required all the French diplomacy and taet, and religious influence with their savage friends, to retain their trade, and even then they were continually losing.
In 1649 the Iroquois virtually annihilated the Huron Indians and from that time, by numerous and generally successful war expeditions as far west as the Mississippi, they greatly terrorized most of the Indian tribes under French influence.
The importance of controlling the inland waterways was early seen by the French leaders, and in 1866 under the orders of Denonville. the French governor, a fort was established at the entrance of St. Clair river, and in 1701 Cadillac, who had successfully represented to the French government the necessity of the step, established at Detroit a post, to which he brought for trade many of the tribes.
ENGLAND SUPPLANTS FRANCE
The age-long rivalry of the French and English came to a termina- tion in America by the defeat of Montcalm in 1759, and the region of the Great Lakes passed under English rule. Possession of Detroit and other French posts along the Great Lakes was taken in 1760. The American Revolution was already preparing, and England was soon to see a large part of the territory which she had wrested from France turned over to become a part of her former colonies, now formed into an independent nation.
4
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
It was soon after the English obtained control at Detroit and Mackinac that the famous Pontiac war occurred. The capture of Mackinac and the unsuccessful siege of Detroit have formed the theme of one of Park- man's most delightful volumes-"The Conspiracy of Pontiac."
During the period of English control the fort at Mackinac was trans- ferred at enormous expense from the south mainland to the island, the fort at Detroit was rebuilt, and a few Scotch and English traders and army men settled at the forts, or along the waterways.
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED
By the treaty of peace between Great Britain and the United States, made in 1783, the boundary line between the two countries in this region was to be the Great Lakes, but the actual possession of the forts control- ling the lakes was not delivered until 1796, and as all the population re- siding in what is now Michigan was around or near enough to the forts to be controlled by them, the result was to leave this section of country under British control for thirteen years after it was theoretically a part of the United States. In the meantime, the famous ordinance of 1787 had been adopted by the congress of the confederation organizing all the territory belonging to the United States lying northwest of the Ohio river, into what is always referred to as the Northwest Territory, al- though in the ordinance itself no name is given to it; but this was inoperative over what is now Michigan until the forts were surrendered.
In 1800 the territory of Indiana was created to include all of the Northwest Territory west of the line between the present states of Ohio and Indiana, and the formation of the state of Ohio out of the remain- ing Northwest Territory followed in 1802, when the territory of In- diana was extended to take in the present Michigan, and the "North- west Territory" ceased to exist.
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