USA > Michigan > Genesee County > Flint > The book of the golden jubilee of Flint, Michigan 1855-1905. Published under the auspices of the Executive committee of the golden jubilee and old homecoming reunion > Part 3
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In July, 1876, the Centennial year, that estimable and pop- ular gentleman, Mr. Leroy C. Whitney, then freight agent at Saginaw station, was transferred to Flint at his request, I think, as agent at this station; which position he held until 1882, when he was appointed traveling agent and in 1883, general western agent, at Milwaukee, Wis.
Mr. Whitney first entered the employ of the F. & P. M. R. R. Co. as agent at Mt. Morris station, May 19th, 1867; a year later promoted to similar duty at Clio, and soon after, to Saginaw, as ticket agent. Hence the earlier history of the new F. & P. M. was very familiar to this gentleman.
The older citizens will remember the enthusiasm and con- gratulations when the news was circulated that the first train from East Saginaw had reached the little station at the foot of McFarlan's street, near the old McFarlan mill. Visitors were many and smiling, and the kodak fellow should have been there. The engine with its two cars appeared formid- able surely, and yet, only a Shetland pony beside the monster Percherons in modern railroad service,-those powerful and majestic machines one sees any day, dragging with apparent ease seventy or eighty laden cars through the town. It were difficult to realize the wonderful improvements in rolling stock, the elegance and comfort of passenger coaches, the carrying facilities of modern freight cars, the appliances for safety and strength of all cars perfected and adopted since the day Flint citizens discovered that they were connected with the outside world by rail; nor were they slow to avail themselves of the means of travel they had so long desired and were now schooled to appreciate.
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27
TRAFFIC AND TRAVEL.
To fully comprehend the benefits, and intelligently review the history of this splendid enterprise, I believe one were better prepared to understand and correctly estimate its advan- tages, who had watched its progress from its inception and establishment, to the magnificent and commanding position it now holds among the great railroad lines of America.
But alas, the proud city title, once familiarly associated with the modest lines, "Flint & Pere Marquette," and "Flint & Holly," is now eliminated forever; nor coach, nor engine will longer bear it forth through the land. The fair city- the natal city-of this lusty youth, must needs now seek for other vehicles to convey and perpetuate the name and fame of our loved and thrifty city. All Hail! "Great Central Route."
The Flint Harmonia Club
A Musical Society Association of Fifty Years Ago
By M. S. ELMORE
There are yet living in this city, and in other places more or less remote, people who will smile should they read the headlines to this chapter of retrospection.
In running over in my memory the names of either ladies or gentlemen who, during the period of prosperity and popu- larity of "Flint Harmonia Club," this renewal of old acquaint- ance is saddened by the consciousness that only a few of the merry personnel of that organization, will read, perhaps, to criticise, what I may set down.
The era of multidinous clubs for varied amusement, literary, musical, dramatic, or indulgence in games had scarcely dawned. Dancing and cards were introduced into but few parlors; and the social amusements wherein these were omitted appealed to the greater number of citizens, young and old, whose education had rather compelled a renunciation of them, or at least sanctioned but little public participation.
The popularity of the "Musical Club" was doubtles due, in a considerable degree to its attractiveness as a fortnightly social center for the elite and society favorites, to gather, whether especially interested as members likely to appear on the program, or drawn thither in the expectation of meeting other genial spirits who were pleased to be accounted mem- bers, for encouragement of the Club, and the fun there was in it. For, indeed, the "Club" was the first and foremost function for refined amusement in the little city.
The "few" to whom I have alluded will voice my assertion, I am sure, that at no time since "those good old days," could xxviii
29
THE FLINT HARMONIA CLUB
the society of Flint claim more intelligence, refinement of manners, or the culture derived from good reading and dis- cussion, than when comprising the families and society youth of Flint forty or fifty years ago.
Facilities for cultivation derived from travel, from easy communication with centers of art and musical interpreta- tion, it is true, have shown their advantages within the last two decades, while of the days I recall these aids were limited. But it will likewise be recalled that society lines were drawn more exacting then than now they seem to be.
The Harmonia Club was organized with a view to per- manency, with a president, secretary, program committee, and sometimes a critic; their election annual; the president was always a lady, the secretary a gentleman. Meetings were fortnightly, being held at private residences where a piano was found. Flint was proud in the possession of more pianos than most towns of its population in this State, despite the handicap of a necessary transportation by wagon, from Fen- ton, Holly, or Pontiac, and the first piano came through mud, from Detroit, when four days was good time in transit.
Among the places popular for club recitals were Mrs. Rus- sel Bishop's commodious music room, on Beach street; this lady, a sister of Col. E. H. Thomson, being an excellent pianist and a favorite accompanist; at Mrs. Col. Fenton's, where is now the McCreery homestead; Mrs. E. H. Thomson's, whose dwelling, and the Colonel's famous library, were where now stands A. G. Bishop's residence; with Mrs. E. H. McQuigg and daughter, where soon the new postoffice will displace the old house; Miss McQuigg, now Mrs. Stewart, was an active member ; Mrs. William Hamilton, then on Court Street, whose daughters, and sister, Miss Maram, were frequently on programs; the Misses Crapo, at the Crapo homestead, now Dr. Wilson's residence. Of several young ladies, Miss Rhoda and Miss Emma only appeared in vocal numbers; the Misses Moon, on Garland Street, Miss Hattie's name for piano solos frequently appearing; the Stewarts on Detroit Street. In
30
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF FLINT.
this family Miss Ellen (Mrs. Henry Seymour), and her brother, Will, played many fine duets. This popular youth followed his brother Damon to the front, early in the war, and was killed at Ressaca.
The Payne mansion on Third avenue (new version) was sometimes thrown open for club recitals. Mrs. Geo. M. Dewey's was likewise opened for club meetings. Mrs. Town- send's, Mrs. A. Thayer's, Mrs. George T. Clark's, Mrs. H. M. Henderson and daughters, Mrs. J. B. Walker and daughter; and yet a number of other houses were open to these popular society functions.
I readily remember the familiar faces of society gentlemen, with but little claim for musical criticism, perhaps, but who enjoyed the social feature, and who seldom failed to attend and heartily applaud every number: Hamilton, Robert Page, Turner, Thompson, Fenton, Avery, Newton, the Bishops, Russell and Giles; Pettee, Eddy, Witherbee, et al.
Miss Hulda Johnson (Mercer), Mrs. M. E. Church, Misses Belle Jenny, Julia Saunders, Jenny Williams, Kate Decker, Helena Walker, Emily Beecher, Ada Fenton, Maggie and Jennie Henderson and other ladies; Messrs. Harley Clark, Elmore, Dewitt Parker, Hammersley, McAllister, Wool- house and Deary, assisted in the programs.
Mr. Le Roy Parker and Mr. Damon Stewart, I remember as secretaries. Mrs. H. J. Mercer has kindly handed me two programnes,-that is the way they spelled it then, which I would feel glad to reproduce here. They are at dates a decade apart, which shows "The Club" not a fad for a season; most of the members appearing in the later program of 1871, not yet citizens of Flint in 1861, the date of the earlier, or too young to join : Sanderson, Dawson, Seymour, Butrick, Miss Maude Atwood, Misses Addie Seymour, Hamilton, Holmes, etc. A number of patrons and participants arrived before date of the last recital.
The Development of Flint.
By W. R. BATES
The preparation of a chapter on the development of the city of Flint necessitated the examination of all available sources of information, and in this search so much attracted attention, it is difficult to decide what to eliminate.
The character of its citizens, their early struggles for livelihood, the upbuilding of local institutions, the courts, the press, transportation facilities-all of this and more-go to make the town, and in preparing what follows it has been the endeavor only to touch, in this chapter, the things that in the judgment of the writer had to do with the beginnings and then to trace a few of the salient conditions down to our day.
The first obtainable semi-official information occurs in the Michigan Gazetteer, published in 1838, all of which I quote :
"FLINT: A village, post office and seat of Justice for Genesee county, situated on Flint river. It has a banking association, an edge tool factory, saw mill, two dry goods stores, two groceries, two physicians, a lawyer and the land office for the Saginaw land district. The United States road passes through it. There is a good supply of water power in and around it. The emigration to this place has been very great the past two years, and still continues. The village is flourishing, and the country around it excellent. It is esti- mated to contain three hundred families. Distant from Detorit 58 miles northwest and from Washington City 584 miles northwest."
The Indian names of the settlement and of the river are somewhat in doubt. Evart and Abbott's History of Genesee County calls the location of the city "Mus-ca-ta-wingh," or burnt plain, and the name of the river "Pa-wan-unk-ing," or the river of Flint.
xxxi
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FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF FLINT.
Judge Albert Miller, who worked for John Todd in the early thirties, records, in the Pioneer Reports, the name of the settlement as having been "Pe-wan-a-go-seeba."
William R. McCormick, who was a boy living with his parents at Flint River in 1832, gives in the Pioneer Reports the name of the settlement as "Sco-ta-wa-ing," or burnt open- ing, and of the river as "Pe-wan-a-go-wing-see-ba," or flint stones in the river.
Col. E. H. Thomson in his very accurate article in the Detroit Post and Tribune in 1878 gives the names as "Mus-cu- ta-wa-ing" or "open plain burned over" and the river's name as "Pa-won-nuk-ening" or the River of Flint ..
Rev. R. E. Macduff in his history of St. Paul's parish gave Scootawanag, as the Indian name of the settlement.
It is evident that whichever name in the Indian tongue was the correct one, it meant Flint in some form. Just why is not evident as the river seems not to have been a flinty one. Referring to this Col. Thomson wrote: "After wrestling for several years with these Chippewa jaw-breakers, the early settlers ended the struggle by calling both river and settle- ment Flint, and Flint they are."
The name of the county was in all probability given in honor of Genesee County, N. Y. Whether apropos or not, it can do no harm and possibly may serve to cause investiga- tion to add that "Chennussie" was the name of a tribe of Indians belonging to the famous Six Nations, and that in the Seneca language "Je-nis-he-yuh" signified "the beautiful valley."
COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
When Genesee county was formed, Flint was one of the townships. Strange as it may seem, there never was an incor- porated village of Flint. So, Flint never had a village presi- dent nor a board of trustees. It was always a part of the town-
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COPY OF THE SURVEYED PLAT OF THE INDIAN RESERVATIONS .ON THE FLINT RIVER MICH. :
33
THE DEVELOPMENT OF FLINT.
ship and was satisfied to have a supervisor and other township officers until it became a full fledged city in 1855. Conse- quently, there are no village records to consult in regard to the early days here. There are very few of the old time citizens left. John Sutton, who still resides in the house built by him in 1844, and Edward A. Todd, a gentleman of nearly eighty years, a resident of Owosso, seem to be about the oldest "settlers." James Van Vleet's arrival in the county was in 1844, Mr. Sutton's in 1838 and Mr. Todd came with his father and mother, John and Polly Todd, in 1829. All of these gentlemen have a general remembrance of conditions existing in the early days but nothing at all definite as to the so-called village affairs. All of those who were actively engaged in the formation of the rural settlement have passed away and in many cases even their names have passed into oblivion.
"So fleet the works of men, Ancient and holy things Fade like a dream."
VILLAGE PLATS AND NAMES.
There were several village plats filed in the office of the Register of Deeds. The first one was filed by A. E. Wathares in 1830. He called it a plat of the village of Sidney. The territory embraced in this plat covered four blocks-from Saginaw street to Clifford, east and west, and from the river to First street, north and south. This was followed by a re-survey in 1833 and the name of Flint River was substituted for Sidney. The new plat covered the territory embraced in the Sidney plat and extended to the present Fourth street and on the east to Harrison street. In 1836 this village plat was extended to East street and included thirty-two blocks.
The village of Grand Traverse was platted on the north side of the river in 1837 and the plat was filed on January 16
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FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF FLINT.
of that year. It extended from the river to Seventh avenue, north, and from Smith's Island-St. John's street-to West street, now known as Stone street. This was platted by Chauncy S. Payne.
The village of Flint was platted by Wait Beach, July 13, 1836. It extended from the river to Eleventh street, south, and from Saginaw street to Church-all being west of the Saginaw Turnpike-now Saginaw street.
Elisha Beach filed a plat extending the limits of Flint village on September 22, 1836, to Pine street adding twenty blocks and on February 28, 1837, Gen. C. C. Hascall platted an addition to the village, east of Saginaw street to Clifford and from Court street south to Eleventh-sixteen blocks. But while all these plats showed villages there really never was an incorporated village of Sidney, Flint River, Grand Traverse or Flint. There was always a township organization and then a city.
There have been over sixty "Additions" to the territory originally embraced in the limits of the City of Flint. These additions vary in size from a few lots to nearly fifty blocks. Among the most important may be mentioned: McFarlan & Co.'s Western addition, 49 blocks; Thayer & Eddy's, 16 blocks; Stockton's 11 blocks; Fenton and Bishop's, 14 blocks; West Flint, 12 blocks and Oak Park addition embracing 34 blocks. When the present site of the Water Works was selected that location still remained in the township of Burton but it was subsequently added to the city.
Judge Albert Miller says in Pioneer Reports, Vol. 13, page 361, in writing of the routes proposed for the Northern Railroad: "The proprietors of the land about where the Court House was located at Flint called it 'Flint Center' and desired to make it what the name purported, the center of the village of Flint but the change in the route prevented." This was in 1836-7.
35
THE DEVELOPMENT OF FLINT.
One reason for the difficulty experienced in obtaining reliable data is that when the city was chartered in 1855, the former township of Flint was divided into the present towns of Burton and Flint and the records of the old township which embraced the city were transferred to the officials of the new township of Flint, but they cannot be found and it is supposed that they were lost years ago. A rather interesting fact appears in this connection: In 1855, when the territory embracing the present city and the towns of Burton and Flint was divided, the township now forming Flint township was mentioned in the proceedings of the Board of Supervisors as the township of "Garland" but at a subsequent meeting of the board it appears to have been re-named Flint. In the pro- ceedings of the board, March 9, 1843, there appears the name of "Kearsley township" but I conclude that its name was changed to "Richfield," as the proceedings of the board, October 25, 1843, fail to mention "Kearsley" and do mention "Richfield." I found no mention, however, of the action taken to change the names. In all subsequent records the name of Richfield appears but the name of Kearsley does not.
The gradual growth and development of a community is always interesting in the retrospect and this is particularly true of this locality.
INDIAN OCCUPATION.
The Sauks and Onotawas held in peace the streams and lakes and forests of the Flint, the Tittabawassee, the Cass and the Saginaw.
The Chippewas and Ottawas of Mackinac formed an alliance with the Ottawas about Detroit and by preconcerted agreement met near the mouth of the Saginaw and proceeded to destroy the Indian villages along its banks. Succeeding there they at once turned their attention to the remainder of the Sauks. One of these battles, and it is stated "the big-
36
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF FLINT.
gest," was fought on the high bluff overlooking the Flint, one-half mile below the present city, and almost directly across the river from the School for the Deaf. Another battle was fought down the river one mile above Flushing, and still another sixteen miles below Flushing on the Flint. The allied forces became masters of this territory and eventually joined the British troops with a view to the extermination of the Americans who had settled on the St. Clair, the Huron and the Detroit rivers. This alliance continued to the close of the war of 1812. But with the success of the Americans the spirit of the Indians seems to have been broken and when the first white settlers came to the banks of the Flint the Chippe- was were not only inclined to be very friendly but at times annoyingly so. Years ago the writer heard from the lips of the Patricks and other early settlers stories of the begging proclivities of these Indians. There are none left in this immediate locality, but in Bay and Arenac counties there are small settlements still remaining. They are civilized and reasonably industrious, but are gradually disappearing.
THE FIRST WHITE SETTLER.
The first white men to visit here were two Catholic priests who were soon followed by a Frenchman named Bolieu, they did not remain here but went farther north. The next white man to come was Jacob Smith, whose name runs through all of the litigation over title to the lands now occu- pied by the city and which dragged its slow length along through many years, retarding the development of the north side of the river and causing family and neighborhood heart- burnings for a quarter of a century. Smith was a native of Quebec, by birth a German, the husband of a squaw and the father of a half dozen half-breed children. Prior to the war of 1812, Smith had made a number of trips from Detroit to the Saginaw river and had become friendly with the Indians.
37
THE DEVELOPMENT OF FLINT.
He was, during the war, selected to visit this part of the country to ascertain the intention of the Indians as to joining forces with the British, but one of his men, excited by too free indulgence in fire-water, disclosed the object of the journey and the party found it necessary to at once make an attempt to escape, leaving their barter behind them, and after many days of great suffering and narrow escapes from the pursuing Indians, they finally succeeded in reaching Detroit. Later Smith became a captain in the American army and is credited with having done excellent service. In 1819 he located here and continued to reside here until his death in 1825. His Indian name was Wah-be-sins and the translation is said to be "Young Swan," just why is not stated. So, Jacob Smith, a German, born in the French city of Quebec, the husband of a Chippewa squaw, was the father of the city of Flint.
General Cass went to Saginaw in 1819 to negotiate a treaty with the Indians of whom there were about three thou- sand present. He had a conference but the Indians were slow to see the particular advantage to be derived from the proposed treaty and the talk was adjourned for a day or two. In the meeting Jacob Smith to whom the Indians were some- what obligated, was asked to use his influence with them. This he successfully did and secured for himself, although indirectly, a little more than seven thousand acres of land. This land was located at the Grand Traverse of the Flint river. This name of Grand Traverse was applied to that portion of the river where the best fording place existed at that time and later was applied to all of the land embraced in Smith's reservation, which lay on the north side of the river, which still later was known as the village of Grand Traverse. The Indian name for Grand Traverse was "Squo-ta-wi-ing." This reservation embraced eleven sections of land, or 7,040 acres. It was surveyed by the United States surveyor in 1820,
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FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF FLINT.
six sections being on the north and five on the south side of the river. The subsequent litigation, after Smith's death, affected only one section on the south side of the river, but all on the north side was in dispute until 1860, the final decision being in favor of the owners who derived title from the heirs of Smith. C. S. Paine, Col. T. B. W. Stockton, Judge C. P. Avery, Col. Garland, William Hamilton, etc., etc., were actively interested in the contest.
THE TODD FAMILY.
After the death of Jacob Smith in 1825 there were no permanent white settlers on the banks of the Flint until the latter part of 1829 or early in 1830 when John Todd came. Evart and Abbott's History of Genesee County, 1879, says that Mr. Todd came in 1830, but in a very recent conversa- tion with his son, Edward A., of Owosso, he said that the family came here in 1829. I found Mr. Todd a vigorous man of eighty years, engaged in a game of chess. His memory is unimpaired and it was a pleasure to converse with him concerning the early days. The Todd family consisted of the father, John Todd, Polly, his wife, and Edward A. and Mary, (Mrs. David Gould of Owosso), both of whom are living. In 1830 Archibald Green, accompanied by his wife, his brother-in-law, Benajah Tupper and a cousin named Pres- ton, came and occupied the deserted cabin of Jacob Smith. Mrs. Green died soon after their arrival and Mr. Green very soon left for his former home in New York state. Tupper and Preston had engaged in trading with the Indians and their principal stock consisted of whiskey and tobacco. Quite naturally, this merchandise brought about a quarrel with the Indians and both white men took their departure. There is no record of their having ever returned. Mr. and Mrs. Todd came here from Pontiac and they were three days en route, having to cut through the brush in order to get their teams,
39
THE DEVELOPMENT OF FLINT.
etc., through. Mr. Todd had purchased from Edouard Cam- pau of Detroit 785 acres for $800 and his outfit consisted of two horse teams, an ox team, several cows, pigs, chickens, etc. besides necessary farming implements. A shack had at an earlier day been erected by Campau and had been partially dismantled but was soon made habitable by the combined efforts of Mr. Todd and "Aunt Polly," as she came to be affectionately called. Mr. Rufus Stevens constructed a dam on the Thread and built a saw mill there in which was sawed a portion of the material which went into the construction of the justly celebrated hostelry known far and wide among the early settlers as "Todd's Tavern." This building, con- structed principally of logs, stood exactly where the Wolverine Citizen office now is. The Todds were not troubled by the exactions of the beef trust, for a pint of whiskey would purchase a saddle of venison and a quart would secure a brace of wild turkeys. Mr. Todd sold a part of this tract of land to John Clifford, and later about 300 acres to Wait Beach and removed to the present site of the First National Bank. He resided there when he was postmaster in 1837-9. Mrs. Todd was of the stuff of which the wives of pioneers are made. In speaking of his mother, Edward A Todd alluded to the Chippewa chief "Ton-a-da-ga-na," (this spelling is Mr. Todd's and he says it is correct, other authorities notwithstanding), and the sub-chief "Pero," not "Mabin," as given by Evart and Abbott's History, both of whom were inclined to be very ugly when intoxicated. His version of the fight between Mrs. Todd and the chief differs somewhat from that contained in Abbott's History. He says that the chief called through the door for whiskey and Mrs. Todd, who was alone, refused him. The chief then forced his way into the room, drew a long knife and was about to attack Mrs. Todd when she struck him across the face with a heavy splint broom, knocking him down,
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