USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Vol. I > Part 72
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Askin families were closely related, as Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Askin were sisters. The late Judge Robert Woods of Chatham, Ontario, was a descendant of Com- modore Grant, and the Askin family is represented in Detroit today by the descendants of Elijah and Edmund A. Brush and on the Canadian side of the river by the various branches of the Askin family.
With the final treaty of peace with the United States in 1783, England gave up all hopes of ever becoming the permanent possessor of Detroit and from that time her attention was directed towards maintaining it as a military post only. No permanent improvements were made by the British and the only work that was done by them was to keep the fort in repair for their own protection. No lands were granted to encourage the farmers to develop the country and civilians were not induced to come here to settle. One election to parliament was held in Detroit and there were three men representing this part of the country in the first parliament of Upper Canada. They were: Commodore Alexander Grant, who was appointed a member of the upper house; William Macomb; and D. W. Smith (afterwards Sir David W. Smith) who lived at Niagara, Canada, but was elected in Detroit. The two last-named men were members of the lower house. Macomb died in 1796, just before his term was to expire.
This parliament hesitated to pass laws that were required for the government of our village, as they knew they did not rightfully control it. They did pass a very few necessary acts, but in very unsatisfactory form. They passed no laws for the establishment of schools, and left the people here who were progressive along that line, to attend to the matter privately and personally.
Hugh Holmes is mentioned as a schoolmaster in the fall of 1790 and he kept school for several years. He charged 6s:Sd per year for each pupil.
François Houdou kept a French school in 1793 and 1794. He gave instruc- tion to children and slaves. There were many slaves in the district at that time and some of their owners, notably John Askin, believed that they should be educated. In an old account book kept by Mr. Askin is an entry under the date of September 30, 1794:
"Paid François Houdow, French schoolmaster, one year's account for teaching children and slaves, £15 1Cs."
Mr. Askin was born in the north of Ireland and came to America as a young man. After arriving at Detroit, some time after 1760, he found it difficult to get along with the people without acquiring a knowledge of the French language. This language he then studied so diligently that he was able to write and con- verse in French, with ease. His trade was very extensive, his correspondence large and his letters numerous. His books of account were kept in both lan- guages. The French trader had his account rendered in his own language and the Englishman was similarly treated. Askin was also a master of many of the Indian dialects and could act as interpreter when required. His children were all educated in both French and English; one of his daughters usually wrote to her mother in the former language and to her father in the latter.
In 1793 Joseph Roe kept a school. We have no information as to the number of pupils he had, but an old account book shows that on November 10, 1794 he purchased twelve spelling-books at three shilling each. This would indicate that he had, at least, twelve scholars. He continued to teach until 1797.
Miss Adhemar kept a school for girls in 1795. It was probably under the patronage of Ste. Anne's Church, of which she was a member.
Mrs. Pattinson (possibly the wife of Richard Pattinson) kept a school in
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1795 and 1796. John Askin paid one-third of the expense of maintaining her school, and Commodore Grant paid the remaining two-thirds. The bill from October 7, 1795 to March 5, 1796 was £35, 10s of which the Commodore paid £22, 13s 4d and Mr. Askin £11, 16s & d. Probably Grant and Askin guaranteed to pay this sum and then collected in turn from the parents who sent their children to this school. There is also a credit item to Mrs. Pattinson:
"March 5, 1796. By schooling Com. Grant's 4 daughters 133 days at £60 per annum. £21, 17.3."
and also a debit entry:
" 1796 Feb. 20. To cash per Miss Alice. £8, 4."
The "Miss Alice" was Adelaide Askin, who became Mrs. Elijah Brush. She was usually called Aliee.
Commodore Grant lived on his farm at Grosse Pointe and his four daughters may have lived with Mrs. Pattinson when they were at school.
MATTHEW DONOVAN
Matthew Donovan began to teach in 1794 and continued until 1798 or 1799. A number of citizens subscribed to a fund to pay for his employment. He was to receive £30 per annum and tuition in addition. To him Commodore Grant sent his son, Alexander, and for the boy's twenty months of schooling the teacher was paid £16, 13s 4d. Donovan had somewhat irregular habits, which were of such a nature that it was thought best to employ another teacher. He wrote the following pathetie letter to Mr. John Askin:
"Detroit, Nov. 15, 1798.
"Dear Sir:
"I have been informed that you are concerned in establishing a school in this town in opposition to me, which amazingly surprises me, for I eandidly declare that I always persuaded myself that you would be the last man in this town that would do me the least injury. I acknowledge that my conduct of the . 29th of October was irregular, but partly was owing to the want of wood and to the inelemeney of the weather, for it was not the concurrence of the will alto- gether. but rather a fatality impending over me. No man is his own keeper. neither is any man altogether perfeet. I am not very subject to this erime, neither do I approve of it, nor is there any person existing more grieved or con- cerned for it than I am. I hope never to be guilty of such a crime, for I have made an absolute promise never to taste any spiritous liquors as long as I keep school in Detroit, and hope, with the concurrence of Heaven, to maintain that promise. I am bold to say that I have kept a good school these four years past and my scholars will prove it upon examination, and to sum up the total loss of my time in that irregular way, it will not exceed four days. Notwithstanding, I am censured, but I censure none. I own my faults, since few from faults are free. I perfectly recollect to hear you say that you had a tender feeling. I believe you have. Pray let it not be extinguished towards me, who am willing to serve you to the utmost of my power.
"Matthew Donovan."
Donovan's pleading did not persuade Mr. Askin of his sincerity and he had to seek another employer. Mr. Askin removed his children from Donovan's school. The latter was exasperated and undertook to over-charge Askin for past services. This over-charge brought the following letter from Askin:
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"I am sorry to find that you made out your account for the schooling of my children, and Commodore Grant's boy, higher than our agreement. It cannot serve you, but may be harmful, which I do not wish, for it may lead others to think that when they remove their children to another school you will charge them much higher, therefore may take precautions to put it out of your power, which may be injurious to your interests."
It is said that Donovan continued to keep a school for several years longer. In 1804 he still had "Aliek" Askin as a pupil. He was living in Detroit at the time of the fire in 1805 and was a donee under the act of Congress of 1806 for a lot in the new town. Shortly after this he moved to Amherstburg, where he died, before July 31, 1809. He left a wife, Mary, and five daughters: Catherine Welsh, in Ireland; Mary Fullerton Donovan, unmarried; Sarah Elliott, second wife of Matthew Elliott; Elizabeth Nelson, wife of Capt. Jonathan Nelson; and Margaret Innes, wife of Robert Innes.
Before leaving the time of British occupation, which lasted until 1796, attention ought to be called to Robert Nichol, who came to Detroit as a youth in the year 1795. He was for some years in the employ of John Askin. At the time of his arrival he wrote a very beautiful hand. He probably came from England, but that is not certain. There is no direct evidence that he ever taught school in Detroit, but he received much of his education here and was possibly self-taught. The book kept by him for recording his work in geometry is still in existence, and plainly shows the intense application of the young man, who was obtaining an education under the most adverse circumstances. The neatness and accuracy of his mathematical drawings are a surprise to everyone who examines them and knows their history. Robert Nichol's name should be added to the list of Detroit's early teachers, for it can scareely be believed that he did not impart to others some of the education he received. The people with whom he associated were, perhaps unconsciously, his pupils. Nichol was accidentally killed by falling over a precipice near Niagara Falls.
Many of the better class of citizens sent their sons, and possibly their daugh- ters, to Montreal to be educated.
Whoever has had occasion to examine the records of these early days will be surprised at the fine penmanship shown. There were no gold or steel pens in those days, but the drawings and writings were all made with quill pens. Joseph Campau wrote an elegant seript. He could write in English, but he preferred his native French and he generally wrote in that language. Barnabas Campau, brother of Joseph, also wrote a very good business hand. John R. Williams, whose mother, Cecile, was the sister of Joseph and Barnabas Campau, wrote a hand to be envied by everyone except the most expert penman. He excelled also in composition and was a voluminous writer. He kept copies of all the letters and documents he issued in a long life full of activity. There are few writers, not professional, who can put words and sentences together more effectively than could John R. Williams. To him we owe much of the progress towards popular education in common schools which has come to our city and state. He was proficient in both the English and French languages. His sister, Elizabeth Williams, was one of the early teachers in the Indian mis- sions; she will be referred to later.
Detroit was evacuated by the English garrison in 1796 and the Americans, under Gen. Anthony Wayne, and Secy. Winthrop Sargent, took possession of
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the place. The ordinance of 1787 made provision for the encouragement of popular education throughout the Northwest Territory, and the people who came here with General Wayne and those who came shortly afterward were imbued with the idea of schools and schooling for everyone.
Mrs. Dillon had a school in 1798 and the following year. One of her pupils was Alexander Grant. Ile attended from the 19th of November, 1798, to August 19, 1799, "@ 24s", equal to £10:16s. He was credited with one cord of wood, sawed into stove lengths, for the school, £1:4s.
PETER JOSEPH DILLON
The following year, 1799, Peter Joseph Dillon made the following proposal to open a school:
"August the 24th 1799. "Sir:
"On consulting my own mind I do not like to advertise, but I have taken the liberty to send you a memorandum of an agreement, requesting you to be so kind as to show it to any of your acquaintances who, you think, would sub- scribe to the conditions. I know that any writing, to become binding in law, for exceeding twenty dollars, must be written on stamped paper, but I hope none will be permitted to subscribe, who is not of both known principle and ability to comply punctually with the agreement; nor do I wish any to subscribe who have not pupils to send to school; for I cannot be under obligations of a pecuniary nature, except for a time after which restitution is to be made, but where no return is to be made, I will receive no money. I forgot to mention in the memorandum that I would continue for another half year, if desired, but that is supplied by an additional article on the back of the paper.
"I am, sir, "Your most obedient, humble servant, "Peter Joseph Dillon. "Mr. John Askin, Sr."
This agreement or proposal which Dillon mentions has not been preserved. We first find mention of Peter Dillon as assisting Hugh Callahan in driving a herd of branded cattle from Hamilton to Detroit in 1798. He is not mentioned as a citizen in Detroit at the time of the fire in 1805 and had probably left before that date. Dillon engaged in keeping school during the winter, but had some trouble as the spring opened. Mr. Abram Cook had become inter- ested in the school and wanted it moved to a new location on premises owned by him. The "stockade" was the name applied to the entire village, sur- rounded by pickets. There was a principal street, Ste. Anne Street, on which the school room fronted. The lots were very shallow and all, or nearly all, of the buildings reached through from street to street. Mr. Dillon thought that the scholars would have their attention taken from their studies by the crowds passing the open door. A letter was written to George Meldrum, one of his employers, who had a numerous family, some of whom probably attended Dillon's school. (Meldrum died March 9, 1817, leaving eight children, whose names were Nancy, John, James, William, David, Jane, George and Robert.) Following is a copy of the letter from Dillon to Meldrum, reciting some of the troubles he had in getting a school room:
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"May the 11th 1800.
"To George Meldrum,
"Sir:
"I have just now learned by Mr. Cook that it is intended to move the school to the house where he keeps store. It will be very agreeable to me to have it moved to any place within the stockade where there is room and light enough; and this is the only thing which would induce me to choose one place before another; but neither of these can we have here, where the light comes from one side only. It is next to the windows alone that we can have a suffi- cient share; and this very defect has obliged me to give up general instructions in geography, because I can only do it in the evening, and thus has the school suffered in this particular. The room in which I first taught was offered me a few days ago, but as I had written on that subject and received no answer, I did nothing in it, not being willing to mention the same matter too frequently to any employers. I do not know whether it is now vacant. Please to take my word for it, much depends, of the progress of the scholars, on light and room enough. Where they are crowded they are always driving one against another and there is a continual murmur. I wish to have all inconveniences removed from my scholars that they may have nothing to mind but their progress, especially if it can be done as cheap. If even the partition were taken down, that is in the store, I could not conduct the school in that house, both for want of light and proper room, of which I think it is my duty to inform you in time; besides for the purpose of having air we would be obliged to have the doors and windows continually open and of course the eyes of the scholars always in the streets. With assuring you that I am altogether disinterested but for the school, I remain
"Sir, your most obedient, humble servant, "Peter Joseph Dillon."
About one week later the following agreement was made:
"Articles of agreement made and entered into at Detroit, in the County of Wayne and Territory of the United States Northwest of the Ohio, this nine- teenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred, between Peter Joseph Dillon, of Detroit aforesaid, of the one part, and John Askin, George Meldrum and Mathew Ernest, of the same Detroit, on the other part, witnesseth-that the said Peter Joseph Dillon, for and in consideration of the covenants and agreements hereinafter mentioned and contained, and which on the part of the said John, George and Mathew are to be observed, fulfilled and kept; hath engaged and by these presents doth engage himself as a school- master to said John, George and Mathew for one whole year next ensuing the date hereof and fully to be compleated and ended, during which said time as aforesaid the said Peter Joseph Dillon is to teach and instruct the children of the said John, George and Mathew (and such others as they may please to send, not exceeding twenty-two in number)-the science of reading, writing and speaking the English language gramatically, in arithmetic, geography and trigonometry; and in any other branch of literature that may be thought most useful. And should it so happen that the said Peter Joseph Dillon at any time during the time aforesaid, through sickness, or any other necessary cause, suffer a temporary discontinuance in his school, the time which he may so lose shall be made up at the expiration of the aforesaid time of one year. In con- sideration of which said service the said John, George and Mathew hereby obli-
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gate and oblige themselves to pay, or cause to be paid, unto the said Peter Joseph Dillon, the sum of five hundred dollars in the manner following (that is to say) fifty dollars to be paid on the opening of his school and four dollars per week during the time aforesaid and the remainder of the said sum of five hundred dollars shall be applied towards the discharge of a demand which the said John Askin and Mathew Ernest now have against the said Peter Joseph Dillon for advances already made. He shall keep a fair and just account of all moneys he may receive for instructing any other children that may be sent to him (except those of his employers) and a true statement render thereof every three months; and the money he may so receive shall be considered as applied towards the payment of the said four dollars per week; and should it so happen that the expiration of six months he shall not have suffered a suffi- cient discount in his wages to satisfy the aforesaid demand, which is now due the said John and Mathew, by drawing the aforesaid sum of four dollars per week, this said sum of four dollars shall be subject to such further discount as will discharge him from debt at the expiration of the time aforesaid. They shall also find and provide the said Peter Joseph Dillon with a commodious school house and fire wood as the season requires it. And further it is con- sented and agreed upon by and between the parties to these presents, that no children shall be received into the said school but such as are sent or approved by the said John, George and Mathew; neither shall any be dismissed or turned out of the said school but with their approbation. And for the true and faith- ful performance of all and singular the covenants and agreements hereinbefore contained and set forth, the parties to these presents bind themselves each to the other in the penal sum of five hundred dollars.
"In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals at Detroit, aforesaid, the day, month and year first above written.
"Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of
"Peter Joseph Dillon, Schoolmaster. "George Meldrum. "John Askin."
It seems that this paper was not signed by the three men until some days later, when the following note was sent:
"May the 24th, 1800. "Sir:
"As I can no otherwise acknowledge your unabated friensdhip but by complying with what you recommend. I have signed the articles, and will attend anytime when desired to acknowledge the signature. It is not necessary to take a copy. I want none and this may be left with you. If it is agreeable with you to send me 50 dollars in the course of the day, you will greatly oblige me; and I will take care to call for money only according to the quarterly sums mentioned in my last, nor even for that, except that I should really want it; and not to trouble you with more on this subject, I subscribe myself,
"Sir, With great respect, your most obedient humble servant, "Peter Joseph Dillon.
"Matthew Ernest, Esq."
The letter was sent to Mr. Ernest, although he did not sign the original agreement. . Mathew Ernest was the U. S. collector of customs. He subse-
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quently defaulted in his accounts and ran away to avoid arrest. He owned a large farm, now called the Williams farm, located in the western part of the present city limits of Detroit. The Government seized the land and sold it to satisfy, in part, the defalcation of the collector. His bondsmen had to pay the remainder of the defalcation. The Government kept the farm for several years and the Rev. Gabriel Richard maintained a school on it for some time. Then it was sold to John R. Williams, who kept it during his life and it was partitioned among his children. It still bears the name of the Williams farm. Some years after the Government seized the land, and after Mathew Ernest was dead, his children began suit to recover possession of the property, but they failed in their undertaking.
The papers of Mr. Dillon show that he expected about twenty-two pupils, though there were many more than that capable of attending school. Dillon seems to have been a simple, confiding and somewhat educated person, who had placed himself within the power of his employers by borrowing money from them. They did not exactly take advantage of his circumstances, but they drove a harder bargain with him than they would if he had been free to accept or reject their terms as he might wish. He needed a guardian to look out for his interests.
As schools were then conducted, parents were obliged to pay tuition and furnish a portion of the expenses of heating and lighting the school room. As there was no compulsory school law, it can be readily understood that no pupils attended except those of well-to-do parents, or of parents who were eager to have their children educated and were willing to make sacrifices of personal comfort to attain that object. Children who had indifferent parents or who disliked school were apt to grow up in illiteracy.
About the year 1800 an association was formed to provide a school house or school room, and employ a teacher. We do not have the names of the "Proprietors of the School," but any person could become a member by paying his portion of the expenses of conducting the school and this portion depended upon the number of pupils he sent for instruction.
There was certainly one other school, perhaps more, in the village at this time. An old account rendered includes John Burrell among the early teach- ers. The following is a copy of the account:
"John Askin Esq. To John Burrell. Dr.
"To four months instruction of Miss Nellie from 2St Novem. 1799 to 28 March 1800 - 16. £3, 4.
"To your proportion of fuel 8.
"1799.
£3,12. Cr.
"Decm. 2. By a/c March 27th- Sugar - 16 1,16
N. Y. Currency 1,16
"(Endorsed) Detroit April 22d 1800.
"Mr. John Burrell, Schoolmaster, his a/c for schooling to yr. 28th March last."
Mr. Burrell was in this instance engaged in teaching young ladies.
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DAVID BACON
In the year 1800 David Bacon, father of the late Dr. Leonard Bacon of Yale University, came to Detroit. David Bacon can be reckoned as one of our early school teachers and his name is more familiar to us than most teach- ers, because of his learned and illustrious son. He was the son of Joseph Bacon of Stoughton, Massachusetts, and Abigail (Holmes) Bacon of Woodstock. David was born at Woodstock in 1771 and was baptized September 15th of that year. He studied to prepare himself for the ministry and for teaching school. He taught a school in Washington County, New York, in 1798. In 1800 he was chosen by the "Missionary Society" of Connecticut to do mis- sionary work among the Indians west and south of Lake Erie. He left Hart- ford on this expedition August 8, 1800, and arrived at Detroit on the 11th of the following month, and was entertained at the home of Maj. Thomas Hunt, then commander at the post. He did not, at first, intend to stay in Detroit, but started for Mackinac, being somewhat assisted by Mr. John Askin and Mr. Jonathan Schieffelin, Indian agent at Detroit. He was becalmed in Lake St. Clair and while there his interpreter, Bernardus Harsen (son of Jacob Har- sen, then owner of Harsen's island) persuaded him to remain with the Indians in this neighborhood. After remaining some time with the Indians, teaching, learning their language, and preaching, he returned to Detroit and in Decem- ber went back to Hartford. On December 24, 1800, he was married to Alice Parks of Lebanon; she was the daughter of Elijah Parks and his wife, Anna Beaumont, and was born at Bethlehem, Connecticut, in February, 1783. David Bacon was ordained as a minister December 31, 1800, in the North Presbyte- rian Meeting House in Hartford and was appointed to continue the missionary work he had commenced the previous year. In February, ISI, he set out upon his westward way, accompanied by his wife and her brother, Beaumont Parks, and reached Detroit on the 9th day of May following.
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