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 49
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1845-Schooner St. Clair, 35 tons.
1848-Scow Fair Trader, 38 tons.
1849-Schooner Deer, 48 tons.
1852-Schooner Anna, 48 tons.
1859-Scow Anna, 48 tons.
1863-Scow-schooner J. B. Chapin. 160 tons; Schooner Rosa, 33 tons.
1866-Scow Louis, 31 tons; Scow Josephine, 26 tons; Scow Elizabeth, 23 tons.
1867-Scow St. Stephen, 93 tons; Scow Rosa Ann, 39 tons; Schooner Sippican, 121 tons.
1870-Scow Red Bird, 19 tons; Scow St. Catherine, 26 tons.
CHAPTER XXVII
NATIONAL INTERESTS
PROTECTION OF LAKE COMMERCE-EARLY LIGHT HOUSE KEEPERS-NEW LIGHT HOUSE-PRESENT STRUCTURE-KEEPERS FOR SEVENTY YEARS- POST OFFICES-CUSTOM HOUSE-LIFE SAVING STATION-GOVERN- MENT CANALS-GOVERNMENT BUILDING-BUSINESS OF DISTRICT.
The national government has long had within this county visible evi- dences of its power and forms of activity. In 1814 it built Fort Gratiot and maintained it for sixty-five years.
PROTECTION OF LAKE COMMERCE
From an early date it recognized its obligations for protecting com- merce on the Great Lakes, and although the number of boats traversing Lake Huron in 1825 was small, it was determined in the spring of that year that a light house should be erected near the entrance of St. Clair river. Plans were prepared and after advertising in the Detroit Gazette, the contract for building and equipping the Fort Gratiot light house was let to Winslow Lewis of Massachusetts, who seems to have made a spe- cialty of that line of business. Lewis in turn, employed Daniel Warren of Rochester, N. Y., to construct the light house and keeper's dwelling, and they were finished and the light lit for the first time August 8, 1825. The light house had a diameter at the base of 18 feet and at the top of 91/2 feet, with a height of 32 feet from the surface of the ground.
EARLY LIGHT HOUSE KEEPERS
When completed the building was turned over to Rufus Hatch, who together with Jean B. Desnoyers, a Frenchman who lived on the Bon- homme tract upon which Fort Gratiot was built, operated the light until the arrival on December 2nd of George McDougall from Detroit, who had been appointed the official keeper. Mr. Hatch had applied for the position which paid the munificent salary of $350 ycarly, but political pull even in those days had its influence and MeDougall had too much pull and secured the place. McDougall was a noted character for many years. Born in 1766 he was the son of George MeDongall who came to Detroit in 1761 as a lientenant in the British army, and married a Mlle. Navarre, daughter of one of the most influential French citizens of De- Vol. I-27
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troit, and who is said to have retained during his entire life his British preferences, but managed to conceal them so successfully that he ob- tained and held various offices under both state and national govern- ments. He was about five feet nine inches in height, but weighed fully 200 pounds, and during all his latter years was much troubled with the gout. He held a number of offices. civil and military, while living in Detroit, and practiced law there for a number of years after 1811, but was of an extremely irascible temper and although he had a considerable practice, was often in trouble. In 1810 he was a member of the grand jury and caused the judges and Governor Hull to be "pre- sented" on account of tyrannical conduct in office. He was charged with contempt, but was discharged. Later, in 1816, he again had trouble with the supreme court by his abusive personalities, and they suspended him from practice for a year. This was almost fatal to his business, and not long after his friends interceded for him, he humbly apologized and was reinstated. His habits grew dissipated, his gout came on, his business fell off, and his friends, professional and other, were glad to secure for him this position which proved to be an asyhun for the rest of his life. as he continued the keeper of Fort Gratiot light house until his death in October, 1842.
Like most office holders, when once settled in his position, he began to think his salary too small, and set about obtaining an increase. At that time light houses were under the jurisdiction of the United States treas- ury department, and the keeper at this point was required to report to the customs collector at Detroit. MeDougall arrived at his post Decem- ber 2nd, and on the 25th he writes to William Woodbridge, later gov- ernor and senator of the state, and then the collector, suggesting that there was considerable traffic across the river. and probably much smuggling, and that it would clearly be to the advantage of the govern- ment to have a capable and alert deputy collector on the ground to pre- vent smuggling and collect the revenues, and proffering his willingness to accept the position and the emoluments. This suggestion seems to have met with favor, as a little later we find him exercising the duties of collector and receiving the salary of $150 yearly.
When MeDougall arrived at his post he made it his first duty to thoroughly inspect the buildings and the light, and he made a char- acteristic report of the results to Collector Woodbridge. He found the tower building differing from the specifications in a number of partic- ulars, especially in the matter of size. which to a man not more than 534 feet in height and weighing over 200 pounds was of some importance. He says, "I find the third stairs in going up in some places so steep as to compel me to force up sideways and then comes the tug. being a ladder of narrow iron nearly perpendicular. leading to a small trap door or entry into the dome which is precisely 18 inches by 2114 inches through which I, with very great difficulty. squeeze up and examine the whole apparatus, and by sitting in one corner on a small circular seat I examined the whole, there being scarcely enough room in this apartment for me to walk around the lamps without rubbing."
The tradition goes that this was the only time he did go up to the lamps, but always had that work done by his hired man or helper. Navi-
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gation was late that season, as a vessel passed down December 9th. On the 6th the Washington went by loaded with shingles. and on the 9th a vessel supposed to be the Harriet passed down, and upon information supplied by Captain Ward and Mr. Wadhams, that the Commodore Perry was still above, the light was kept burning until after the 15th.
This light house not only fell short of the specifications in size, but it was poorly located, being too far to the south, with the result that it was not visible until boats came near the mouth of the river. It seems that the builder used his own diseretion in the location, and that consid- erable fault was found with it, and Mr. MeDougall refers to it quite fre- quently. The foundation was insufficient for such a building. and in the summer of 1828 the keeper reports that the building already has craeks in the walls and sags toward the east. The current was also eat- ing away the ground and in early September came a terrible storm which blew with great fury for three days and nights. At that time Judge Bunce was operating a mill in Burtehville for Thomas S. Knapp of Detroit, and had made a road to it along the lake shore from Fort Gratiot. At one place the road passed through a grove about fifty rods long and twenty-five rods wide, of heavy white oak timber. This grove was entirely swept away by the violence of the storm, which greatly damaged the light house and put it temporarily out of commission. and before it could be repaired, in the latter part of November it fell entirely down.
NEW LIGHT HOUSE
Steps were immediately taken to have new buildings erected and at a better location, and in April, 1829, a contract was given to Lucius Lyon, afterwards one of Michigan's senators, to build the light house and dwelling house for $4,445.
This light house had a diameter at the ground of 25 feet and a height to the focal plane of 69 feet. It was constructed of brick and finished in December of the same year, and with some alterations made in 1861. stands today a solid well-built structure, capable of defying all the winds that blow, and sending out in all kinds of weather its signals of warning to the anxious mariner.
The few vessels braving the lakes in 1825, the largest of which did not have a capacity of 100 tons, have given way to the hundreds of im- mense steel steamers of 250 times their capacity, but the beacon light is as welcome a friend now as then.
PRESENT STRUCTURE
The present light house stands some distance farther north han did the first one, and upon what was originally a part of private claim No. 244, confirmed to Francois Bonhomme. It lies within the limits of the tract recommended by General Macomb November 10. 1828. to be re- served for military purposes. The light house reservation itself. or that part within the private claim, contained about 50 acres and by act of congress of January 24, 1873, the secretary of the treasury was author-
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ized to plat and sell all the reservation except a small part surrounding the light house buildings.
The outfit is known officially as Fort Gratiot Light and is located at latitude 43° 22" N., longitude 82° 24' 44" W. The light itself is of the 3rd order, 2,000 candle power, fixed white, varied by white flash every minute. It is 76 feet in height above the base of the tower, and is visible at a distance of 16 miles.
The present dwelling is double, being intended for two families, the keeper and his assistant and was first used in 1825.
There is in addition to the light a complete fog whistle outfit.
KEEPERS FOR EIGHTY-SIX YEARS
George McDougall remained as the first keeper until his death in October, 1842. Owing to his gout and other infirmities, he always em- ployed a helper to do the actual work of caring for the light. For many years Reuben Hamilton, who came up from St. Clair in 1829, per- formed that service, living in the keeper's dwelling, McDougall being always a bachelor. Following McDougall the keepers have been: Col. George McDougall, November 1825, to October, 1842; William Church, October, 1842, to May, 1843; Eber Ward, May, 1843, to July, 1845; William Wright, July, 1845, to June, 1849; Elijah Crane, June, 1849, to December, 1850; William Taylor, December, 1850, to June, 1853; Elihu Granger, June, 1853, to May, 1857; Elijah Burch, May, 1857, to August, 1859; P. McMartin, August, 1859, to July, 1861; Eber Lewis, July, 1861, to September, 1864; Jno. W. Vanhorn, September, 1864, to September, 1865; David W. Cooper, September, 1865, to October, 1865; W. H. Sutherland, October, 1865, to June, 1866; Jno. W. Vanhorn, June, 1866, to November, 1869; John Sinclair, November, 1869, to April, 1881; John Sinclair, Jr., April, 1881, to March, 1882 ; Israel T. Palmer, March, 1882, to October, 1894; Frank E. Kimball, October, 1894, to date.
Assistant keepers (position authorized in June, 1870) : Jno. P. Hutton, June, 1870, to April, 1872; Jno. Sinclair, Jr., April, 1872, to April, 1881; Frank Cowan, April, 1881, to April, 1882; Samuel C. Palmer, April, 1882, to May, 1887; Frank F. Palmer, May, 1887, to March, 1888; Daniel Carrigan, March, 1888, to August, 1900; H. N. Bur- rows, August, 1900, to May, 1901; Otto Redman, May, 1901, to March, 1911; Emil E. Kohnert, March, 1911, to date.
POST OFFICES
St. Clair-The government began its activities in this county by the erection of a fort as a means of offense and defense; it followed that by the erection of a light house, an aid to commerce not only for the benefit of Americans but also of their neighbors across the line; its third step was an important one in the developing and uniting the interests of the county, the establishment of post offices and mail routes. As might be expected the county seat received the first attention and a post office was established there with the name Saint Clair, February, 1826, and Mark Hopkins as postmaster. Although the name of the settlement was
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
changed in 1828 to Palmer and so remained until 1846, the name of the post office was never changed. Mark Hopkins remained postmaster until his death in the fall of 1828, and on January 14, 1829, his son, Samuel F. Hopkins, was appointed and held the office for six years. The suc- eeeding postmasters have been: Sargent Heath, May 16, 1835; Horatio James, February 3, 1837; William B. Barron, April 29, 1839; J. D. Chamberlin, July 28, 1841 ; William B. Barron. August 17, 1848; Hora- tio N. Monson, March 31, 1849; J. D. Chamberlin, August 26, 1852; Edwin D. Kitton, April 28, 1853; Harmon Chamberlin, July 13, 1861; Robert H. Jenks, May 11, 1865; William Black, September 4, 1866; Robert H. Jenks, May 21, 1869; Franklin Moore, May 9, 1881; T. D. Barron, February 19, 1886; Franklin Moore. February 6, 1890; William M. Barron, February 21, 1894; Hannibal A. Hopkins, February 25, 1898, to date.
Algonae-The second office to be established within the county was at Algonae, where an office was established August 5, 1826, under the name of Plainfield, John K. Smith, postmaster. The name was changed to Clay December 23, 1835, but Mr. Smith remained in office until Septem- ber 15, 1841. After an interval of about two years when the position was filled by Sherman S. Barnard, Mr. Smith again took charge August 17, 1843, at which time the name was changed to Algonae, and held it until his death, April 14. 1855. thus having the record of holding the of- fice of postmaster for nearly 27 years, a record not approached elsewhere in the county. The succeeding postmasters have been : Samuel L. Smith, Deeember 6, 1855: Charles C. Folkerts, September 26. 1861; F. C. Fol- kerts, 26, 1864; Daniel G. Jones, October 2. 1866; F. C. Folkerts, May 18, 1869; Daniel G. Jones, September 15. 1885; Christopher C. Smith, July 17, 1897, to date.
Fort Gratiot-The third post office in the county was established in the same year, December 16, 1826, and this was Fort Gratiot, with the capable and eeeentrie light house keeper. George McDougall, as post- master. Mr. MeDougall was a prolific correspondent, his friends were all in Detroit, and he did not like the idea or expense of being compelled to entrust his correspondence to the chance of an occasional boat, or a passing traveller, and although the fort was then unoeeupied and the number of persons in the vicinity very small, the light house keeper had a strong influenee with the politieal powers in Michigan, and secured the establishment of a post office and of himself as the offieer, and he held the position until the office was discontinued November 22. 1837, at a time when the fort was again unoeeupied. The office was re-established July 18, 1838, and again discontinued November 19. 1845. From that date until March 18, 1870. the nearest post office was at Port Huron, but upon that date the post office of Fort Gratiot was again established and continued until June 13, 1895, when it was discontinued probably forever.
Sinee George MeDougall, the postmasters have been : Edgar Jenkins, July 11. 1838; George C. Watson. April 23, 1842; Joseph A. Emerson, February 16, 1843; discontinued November 19, 1845; Robert C. French, March 18, 1870; W. T. Busby, February 20, 1885: Julius Granger, August 11, 1886; Clayton G. Brown, March 19, 1891.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Port Huron-May 12, 1831, the post office of Desmond was estab- lished with Z. W. Bunce as postmaster. At that time there was no settlement of any size anywhere within the township of Desmond, a few people along Black river, at the Wadhams saw mill, and at the Morass mill in Clyde township, but the Fort Gratiot office was not convenient for any one except the keeper and the fort, and Judge Bunce probably officiated as a general convenience, his office nominally at his residence. but actually traveling around with him. He held the office two years, until he removed to the Abbott mill in what is now the township of Clyde, but was then in the township of Desmond, and yielded up the lucrative office to Jonathan Burtch, who had a fixed location for it in a store on the north side of Black river, in what is now Butler's plat of Port Huron. Burtch retained the position until November 4, 1834, when he was succeeded by D. B. Harrington, who had bought out the Burteh business. It was while Mr. Harrington held the position that the name of the office was changed from Desmond to Port Huron, and he was re- appointed to the new named office and was succeeded by the following postmasters : John Wells. May 31. 1841 : William L. Bancroft. August 2, 1845 : Cummings Sanborn. February 11. 1846; John McNeil. June 19, 1849; George W. Pinkham, June 21. 1853; IIenry S. Potter. July 22, 1857; Martin S. Gillett. May 23. 1861: William Hartsuff. August 10, 1865; Edgar White. March 3. 1883: William Springer, March 8, 1887; Alexander R. Avery, April 2. 1891 : John Murray, May 16, 1895; Loren A. Sherman. March 10, 1899; Burton D. Cady, August 4, 1909.
Marine City-The same year. 1831, that saw Desmond established as a post office, saw the office of Belle River created. December 27, 1831 ; Samuel Ward was appointed to fill that position. Though Mr. Ward, when he laid out his village of Newport in 1834, would have liked to change the name of his post office to correspond. he was prevented by the regulations which prohibited duplication of post office names within the state and there already was one Newport below Detroit. and Belle River as the post office name remained until May 20, 1865. when it was changed to Marine City. Mr. Ward was succeeded December 7, 1836, by James H. Tallman, one of the men from Ohio who had bought out his plat. When the purchasers were compelled to surrender back the village property to Mr. Ward. Mr. Tallman was succeeded by Marcus H. Miles, after a six month's tenure of office. Marine City has had a greater num- ber of postmasters than any other city or village in the county. as appears from the following list: Marcus H. Miles. June 17, 1837; Cur- tis Bellows, January 19, 1839; Selden A. Jones. October 4, 1841; M. B. Kean, June 18. 1846; T. C. Owen. April 11. 1849; M. B. Kean, May 24, 1853; Pierce G. Wright. April 19, 1854; Ansel B. Clough. August 6, 1855 ; Calvin A. Blood, August 23, 1861: Nathan S. Boynton, July 10, 1868 ; John J. Spinks, December 15, 1868: John F. Wedow. June 25, 1885; Frank MeElroy, January 9, 1890; John Drawe, January 31, 1894; William Baird, March 1, 1898; Joseph L. Baird, February 26, 1903; Charles L. Doyle. December 11, 1907, to date.
Memphis-Memphis post office was established December 7. 1848, and has had the following postmasters: Henry Rix. December 7, 1848; L. S. Gilbert, September 29, 1849; Thomas Robson, January 23, 1857;
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George Robson, October 8, 1858; S. P. Spafford, June 15, 1861; James M. Beach, November 28, 1865; William Jenkinson, October 2, 1866; Orrin Granger, June 3, 1868; H. C. Mansfield, December 17, 1868; James Carman, January 28, 1879; George W. Carman. February 3. 1879; Con- stant Simmons, May 26, 1884; S. G. Taylor, November 30, 1885; George Roberts. December 12, 1887; Fred G. Coburn, June 20, 1889; George S. Fries. July 11, 1893; Fred G. Coburn, July 12. 1897; Frank A. By- water, February 2, 1904, to date.
Capae-A post office was established near the present village of Capac May 15, 1852. under the name of Pinery, with Daniel Alverson, who owned a saw mill. as the postmaster. This office was discontinued in September of the same year and re-established with William B. Pres- ton as postmaster, Angust 8, 1853. Mr. Preston remained, through the change of name, to Capac, January 5. 1858. until February 26, 1858. and was succeeded by the following officers: George A. Funston. Feb- ruary 26, 1858; D. C. Walker, March 13, 1859; John Neeper, July 16. 1861; J. J. Wilder. July 15, 1862; John Neeper, July 21, 1863; C. H. Smith, September 6, 1864; William F. Praker, September 10, 1868; Adolph Cohoe, November 3, 1885; Julius A. Jonas, December 16, 1885: A. J. McNaught, May 21, 1889; Charles S. Warn, July 24, 1893; A. J. McNaught, July 17, 1897; William Hunter, July 27, 1901, to date.
Yale-Yale post office was established as Brockway Center May 11. 1865, and remained under that name until June 24, 1889, when it was changed to Yale. It has had the following postmasters: Orrin P. Cham- berlin, May 11, 1865 ; James Ferguson, October 26, 1885; James E. Lutz, November 22, 1887 ; John D. Jones, June 24, 1889 ; James E. Lutz, March 20, 1894; James Wallace, March 31, 1898; E. Harvey Drake, May 7, 1906, to date.
Emmet-Emmet post office was established December 13, 1869. and has had the following postmasters: Oel N. Sage, December 13, 1869; Laban Hawse, April 3, 1873; Frank Brogan, May 14, 1874; William E. O'Neill, December 28, 1885 ; Henry P. MeCabe, October 3, 1898; Peter E. Neaton, June 16, 1908, to date.
An interesting comparison of the growth of the postoffice business is afforded by these facts. In 1830 postage was charged according to weight and distance, and no stamps were used. In that year the total amount of postage aceruing at all the post offices in St. Clair county was $170.67, distributed as follows : Cottrellville, $6.24; Fort Gratiot. $124.84; Plainfield, $9.94; St. Clair, $29.65. Five years later, when two more offices had been established, the receipts had grown to $433.39. Fort Gratiot still retaining the lead with $185.12. but St. Clair followed with $128.41 ; Desmond. $92.68 : Plainfield, $17.16: Belle River. $14.66: Cott- rellville, $5.26.
The receipts of the Port Huron post office alone for the year ending September 30, 1911, were $79,814.90.
Free delivery was established in Port Huron September 3, 1887, and at St. Clair. December 1, 1906. Port Huron post office was made a postal savings bank office October 7, 1911, and had on deposit January 1, 1912, $2.045.50.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
CUSTOM HOUSE
In the territorial days the collector of customs at Detroit had juris- diction over a very extended territory. The commercial intercourse across St. Clair river was quite small, but in the eyes of the light house keeper, George McDougall, it and the possibilities of smuggling and the conse- quent injuries to the revenues of his country, loomed so large that im- mediately after his arrival at his post in December, 1825, he began to impress on the mind of the collector at Detroit the great need of a vigilant and active guardian stationed at the head of St. Clair river, and although he was troubled severely with the gout, he felt himself capable of overtaking any immigrant who had anything subject to duty. It is possible the salary attached to the position may have had something to do with his views. At any rate his arguments were effective, the posi- tion was created, and he was appointed at a yearly salary of $150, and for some years the total amount of duties would often be as much as half his salary.
As early as 1821 James Fulton wrote to the collector suggesting the advisability of a deputy collector at the lower end of the river and sug- gesting the appointment of John K. Smith, who during his life time filled so many offices, and all satisfactorily. At that time the collector did not see the necessity for an officer, but by 1832 he was convinced and appointed Mr. Smith, who held the position until his death.
After the construction of the Grand Trunk Railway the customs busi- ness done within this county increased greatly, and it was felt neces- sary to create a separate district for this and the counties on the lake shore above, all of which had been from the earliest times under the jurisdiction of Detroit, and by act of congress approved April 13. 1866. the customs district of Port Huron. was established. By the act of June 25, 1868. the name of the district was changed to Huron, which it still retains. The district was not organized until the fall of 1866, and there was some difficulty in the selection of a collector. the president and senate not being very harmonions. President Johnson appointed John Atkinson collector in the fall of 1866, but this failed of confirmation ; the president then appointed Edgar G. Spalding, but this also failed of confirmation, and finally Mr. John P. Sanborn was appointed, and con- firmed, March 2, 1867, and he held the position until March 3, 1883, when William Hartsuff was appointed and held until December 11, 1886. Will- iam L. Bancroft was appointed as a recess appointment June 18. 1885, but was not confirmed by the senate. August 6, 1886, the president ap- pointed Charles A. Ward and this became permanent by confirmation on December 20, 1886. He was succeeded in 1889 by Harrison Geer, who held four years. by Thomas M. Crocker, who held four years, by A. R. Avery. who held from June 2, 1897, until his death. May 6. 1901, by Lin- coln Avery from June, 1901. to December. 1908, when he was succeeded by John T. Rich. the present incumbent.
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