USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a chronological cyclopedia of the past and present, Vol I > Part 30
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The name of Springwells has reference to the numerous springs which there abound. The early settlers called this region Belle-fontaine.
Brownstown derived its name from Adam Brown, an Englishman, who, when about eight years old, was captured in Virginia in October, 1764, by the Wyandotte Indians, among whom he grew up, be- coming one of the principal chiefs of the tribe. He lived at, or near, what is now Gibraltar, and had charge of the archives of the tribe. He was living as late as 1812 or 1813.
Monguagon, or Maguagon, was the name of a Potowatamie chief, who lived on the Detroit as early as 1755.
Plymouth township was probably named in honor of the first American settlement at Plymouth Rock.
Ecorce takes its name from the river Ecorce, or Bark River, which flows through the township. It was so called by the French and Indians because of the birch and other barks procured along its banks.
The name of Huron comes from the old Indian tribe which frequented this region.
Bucklin was named after William Bucklin, a jus- tice of the peace, and the first white settler in the township which bore his name.
Concerning the names of Nankin, Pekin, and Canton, the following facts appear in the Legislative Journal. A law of April 12, 1827, prohibited the incorporation of any township having the same name as any post-office then existing in the United States. The legislative council, ignorant or forget- ful of this law, on October 20, 1829, passed an Act creating the townships of Lima and Richland out of the township of Bucklin. Governor Cass returned the bill the next day, unapproved, for the reason that it conflicted with the law in question. The council then determined to select names that would dupli- cate no others in America. Thereupon the names of Nankin and Pekin were substituted in the bill, and the townships were duly created. It is a coinci- dence worth noting that in 1829, the year these townships were named, the first American mission- ary started for China. The name of Pekin was changed to Redford in 1833, but the next year the township of Canton was created, the council being apparently determined to have two Chinese names.
Redford, or Rouge-ford, is probably so called because of the fording of the river Rouge, which
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flows through this township, by the Indians when on their way from the north to Fort Malden, to receive the annual gifts of the British Government.
Dearborn was named in honor of General Henry Dearborn, of the United States Army.
The very name of Greenfield suggests its origin, and its green fields are both beautiful and produc- tive.
Livonia, as a township name, is doubtless the result of an effort to procure a name not duplicated elsewhere in the United States; it is probably named after one of the western provinces of Russia.
Romulus reminds us at once of the founder and king of ancient Rome.
Van Buren is named after Martin Van Buren, eighth President of the United States, who was nominated the year the township was created.
Sumpter, although incorrectly spelled by the addi- tion of the letter p, commemorates the name of the revolutionary patriot, General Thomas Sumter, one of the independent Southern generals, who, with Marion, did such valiant service.
Grosse Pointe is so named because of its size, and its projection into Lake St. Clair.
Taylor was named in honor of General Zachary Taylor, twelfth President of the United States, and hero of the Mexican War, which closed the year the township was organized.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Under the Northwest Territory, a law of January 18, 1802, provided for the election in each township, on the first Monday in April, of one or more super- visors, a township clerk, three trustees or managers, two or more overseers of the poor, three fence- viewers, two appraisers of houses, one lister of tax- able property, and one or more constables. Under Michigan Territory the same offices existed. By law of March 30, 1827, town elections were held as before, and the following township officers were provided for : a supervisor, town clerk, three or five assessors, a collector, two overseers of the poor, three commissioners of highways, and as many fence-viewers, constables, and pound-masters as the people chose to elect. By Revised Statutes of 1838, the town officers were to consist of. a supervisor, clerk, treasurer, three assessors, a collector, three school inspectors, two directors of poor, three com-
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TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
missioners of highways, and such number of justices as the people desired. By Revised Statutes of 1846, the officers were the same, except that there was to be no treasurer or collector, and but two assessors.
The Constitution of 1850 provided for the election, on the first Monday of April, of a supervisor, a clerk, a commissioner, and an overseer of highways for each district, a treasurer, not more than four constables, and a school inspector,-this last office to be filled by the clerk. A law of April 13, 1871, provided for drain commissioners.
The supervisor is at the head of the township government. He makes the assessment roll, and is allowed $2.00 a day for his services. The town clerk keeps the town records and a register of chattel mortgages; he receives $1.50 a day for the time employed in his duties. The commissioner of highways determines the number of road districts, and receives $1.50 a day for time employed. There is an overseer of highways, or path-master, for each road district; he is elected by the people, viva voce, the number of such officers being determined by the number of road districts. They serve without pay. The township treasurer collects the town taxes, and receives one per cent on all amounts collected be- fore January I of each year, and four per cent on amounts collected after that date. The inspector of schools determines the bounds of school districts, and receives $2.00 per day. A township superin- tendent of schools was provided for by Act of March 20, 1875. He inspects the schools, and, with the inspector, may change the bounds of school dis- tricts. He receives $2.00 a day for time spent in his duties.
Excepting those for Detroit, the only names found of supervisors serving prior to 1827 are as follows :
Hamtramck : 1818, Henry Connor and John Mel- drum; 1819, William Little ; 1823, P. Van Every.
Springwells : 1818, Warren Howard; 1819, Fran- cis Cicotte ; 1821, James May.
Monguagon : 1818, Jason Thurston ; 1819, A. C. Truax ; 1820, B. Rowley; 1822, Artemas Hosmer.
The names of the supervisors of all townships and cities, except Detroit, since 1827 are as follows :
HAMTRAMCK :- 1827-1833, C. Moran; 1833- 1837, P. Van Every ; 1837-1841, Louis Beaufait ; 1841, John Kirby ; 1842, Louis Beaufait; 1843, Anthony Damito ; 1844, W. B. Hunt ; 1845, George Moran ; 1846, L. Moran ; 1847, Jed. P. C. Emmons; 1848, A. Damito ; 1849-1862, John M. Mack ; 1862- 1869, Henry W. Deare ; 1869-1871, Lawrence W. Dalton ; 1871, H. W. Deare; 1872-1875, James Holihan ; 1875, John Keveny; 1876-1883, James A. Visger; 1883-1886, W. C. Mahoney; 1886, Henry Hitchins; 1887, Roger Echlin.
SPRINGWELLS :- 1827-1830, Peter Godfroy ; 1830,
R. A. Forsyth ; 1831-1837, William Woodbridge ; 1837-1840, Peter Godfroy; 1840, George W. Bedell; 1841, Peter Godfroy ; 1842-1845, Samuel Trudell; 1845, William Harsha ; 1846, Joseph Baron; 1847- 1849, Samuel Medill ; 1849-1851, S. Trudell ; 1851- 1855, W. W. Irwin ; 1855, Bernard Hackett ; 1856, S. Trudell; 1857-1859, H. Haggerty; 1859, B. M. Davis; 1860-1863, H. Haggerty ; 1863-1869, Ernest Ranspach ; 1869-1875, H. Haggerty ; 1875-1881, Conrad Clippert ; 1881-1884, L. D. Haggerty ; 1884, J. H. Clixby ; 1885, L. D. Haggerty ; 1886- , J. H. Clixby.
MONGUAGON :- 1827-1829, A. C. Truax ; 1829, James Williams ; 1830-1832, Ara Sprague ; 1832, H. P. Powers ; 1833, Henry Raymond ; 1834, Richard Smyth; 1835-1838, H. P. Powers; 1838, John A. Rucker; 1839-1842, A. C. Truax; 1842~ 1844, Thomas Lewis ; 1844, W. J. Alvord ; 1845, H. Saunders ; 1846-1849, G. B. Slocum; 1849, H. Gray ; 1850, H. Saunders ; 1851-1855, J. I. David ; 1855, Thomas Lewis; 1856, H. Saunders ; 1857- 1859, James Campbell ; 1859, Dallas Norvell; 1860- 1864, William Ives; 1864-1866, Dallas Norvell ; 1866, A. Dudgeon ; 1867, Wm. Ives; 1868, C. Ives; 1869-1871, John Clee; 1871, James I. David; 1872, Alvin A. Turner ; 1873-1875, James H. Vreeland ; 1875-1877, Daniel Reaume; 1877-1879, William J. Duddleson ; 1879, James H. Vreeland ; 1880, W. J. Duddleson; 1881, John Clee; 1882-1887, Louis Groh ; 1887- , J. H. Vreeland.
BROWNSTOWN :-- 1827, Moses Roberts; 1828- 1830, Seth Dunham; 1830, G. Brown; 1831, D. C. Vreeland; 1832, D. Smith ; 1833-1835, John Forbes ; 1835-1837, Thomas Harryman; 1837-1840, John Forbes; 1840, John Cook; 1841-1844, Thos. Harry- man; 1844, D. C. Vreeland; 1845, H. P. Van Cleve; 1846, John Forbes; 1847, Joseph Selden; 1848, J. Forbes; 1849, John Cook; 1850, B. F. Knapp; 1851, J. L. Near; 1852-1854, George Carson ; 1854- 1857, B. F. Knapp; 1857, J. W. Van Riper ; 1858, B. F. Knapp; 1859-1861, J. N. Hitchcock; 1861- 1865, John W. Van Riper ; 1865-1868, J. N. Hitch- cock; 1868, B. F. Knapp; 1869, W. H. Hooper ; 1870-1875, William Stoflet ; 1875, John Wood; 1876-1878, Samuel T. Hendricks ; 1878-1886, Wm. F. Stoflet; 1886- , A. R. Reading.
PLYMOUTH :- 1827-1830, William Bartow; 1830, R. Root; 1831, James Purdy ; 1832-1834, Philo Taylor ; 1834, Roswell Root ; 1835, J, M. Mead; 1836, H. A. Noyes ; 1837, Jonathan Shearer ; 1838, James De Mott ; 1839, Roswell Root ; 1840-1842, Henry B. Holbrook : 1842-1845, E. J. Penniman ; 1845-1847, H. B. Holbrook ; 1847-1849, J. Shearer; 1849, H. Fralick ; 1850, E. J. Penniman ; 1851, J. B. Covert ; 1852, H. Fralick ; 1853-1855, J. S. Tibbets ; 1855, G. A. Starkweather ; 1856, J. S. Tibbets; 1857, H. Bradley : 1858-1860, G. A. Starkweather ; 1860-
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TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
1862, William Tafft ; 1862, G. A. Starkweather; 1863-1866, Winfield Scott; 1866-1872, Hiram B. Thayer ; 1872, Winfield Scott; 1873-1875, H. B. Thayer ; 1875-1878, W. Scott; 1878, Henry Hurd; 1879, W. Scott; 1880-1882, S. J. Springer ; 1882, H. B. Thayer, 1883-1887, C. D. Durfee; 1887- W. H. Ambler.
ECORCE :- 1827-1829, J. Cicotte ; 1829-1833, D. Goodell; 1833-1836, John Palmer; 1836-1839, Jonas Goodell; 1839, Charles Steward; 1840-1842, Rich- ard Sutliff ; 1842-1846, John Biddle; 1846, J. Visger; 1847, J. Goodell ; 1848-1856, L. Cicotte ; 1856-1862, E. Visger; 1862-1867, James A. Visger ; 1867- 1887, Hyacinthe F. Riopelle; 1887- G. A. Raupp.
HURON :- 1827-1829, Prosper Lawrence ; 1829, Amos Howe; 1830, A. McNath ; 1831, J. Craw- ford; 1832-1834, E. Bradshaw; 1834-1836, John Crowfoot ; 1836, S. H. Downs; 1837, Artemas Hos- mer; 1838, E. Bradshaw; 1839, Martin H. Ford; 1840, Erastus Priest ; 1841, John Crowfoot; 1842, T. J. Downs; 1843-1846, John Crowfoot; 1846- 1849, Joseph Evans; 1849-1852, L. Severance; 1852-1854, W. S. Hosmer; 1854-1868, Joseph Evans ; 1868-1871, Moses R. Nowland; 1871, Theo. T. Evans ; 1872, A. P. Thayer ; 1873-1875, G. W. Smith ; 1875, Joseph Waltz; 1876, Henry Wager ; 1877-1879, H. L. Stoflet; 1879, Myron H. Ellis ; 1880, H. L. Stoflet ; 1881-1883, M. H. Ellis; 1883- 1885, Joseph Waltz; 1885- , H. L. Stoflet. BUCKLIN :- 1827-1830, Marcus Swift.
NANKIN :- 1830-1833, Marcus Swift; 1833, G. D. Champ; 1834, Adolphus Brigham ; 1835-1838, Ammon Brown ; 1838, G. D. Chubb; 1839, Marcus Swift ; 1840, V. Wightman; 1841, S. P. Cady ; 1842, M. Swift; 1843, Ammon Brown; 1844-1846, Volney Wightman ; 1846, E. Hawley, Jr .; 1847 1850, A. Brown; 1850-1855, W. Edmonds; 1855, D. Walker; 1856, W. Edmonds ; 1857-1859 D. Walker; 1859 -- 1861, William Edmonds; 1861 D. Straight ; 1862-1864, W. Edmonds; 1864, David Walker ; 1865-1868, J. J. Palmer ; 1868-1870, Geo. H. Stellwagen; 1870-1872, William Edmonds ; 1872, Samuel A. Cady ; 1873-1875, Geo. H. Stellwagen ; 1875-1878, John B. Wallace; 1878, Oscar S. Straight; 1879-1881, Charles H. Cady; 1881, William H. Haywood; 1882- , C. H. Cady.
PEKIN :- 1830-1832, C. Ten Eyck ; 1832, G. W. Ferrington.
REDFORD :- 1833-1840, G. W. Ferrington ; 1840- 1842, Hiram Segur ; 1842-1845, G. W. Ferrington ; 1845, A. Stockwell; 1846, P. R. Thompson; 1847- 1849, G. W. Ferrington ; 1849, A. Stockwell; 1850, G. W. Ferrington ; 1851, D. Walker; 1852-1856, D. Sackett ; 1856-1862, Alfred Harris ; 1862-1864, David Sackett ; 1864, Alfred Harris ; 1865, J. J. T. Ziegler ; 1866-1868, J. J. Prindle ; 1868, William A.
Smith ; 1869, A. J. Wixom; 1870-1872, Jeremiah Sheahan ; 1872-1874, Alfred Harris; 1874-1876, Ansel B. Pierce ; 1876, John M. Lee; 1877, A. S. Woodruff ; 1878, Asa H. Wilmarth; 1879-1881, H. I. Burgess; 1881, David Geney ; 1882-1885, John M. Lee ; 1885- , G. C. Lawrence.
DEARBORN :- 1833-1839, C. Ten Eyck; 1839, Cyrus Howard ; 1840, Martin Vrooman ; 1841-1844, W. G. Porter; 1844, Titus Dort; 1845, T. M. Sweeney; 1846, Joshua Howard; 1847-1850, Titus Dort ; 1850, Cyrus Howard ; 1851-1855, H. Wight- man ; 1855, T. Dort; 1856-1858, H. Wightman ; 1858, T. Dort ; 1859, H. Wightman; 1860-1862, R. Gardner ; 1862, T. Dort ; 1863-1867, William Daly ; 1867, T. Dort; 1868-1870, William Daly; 1870- 1872, Jared A. Sexton; 1872, Charles N. Brainard ; 1873-1876, William Daly ; 1876-1878, John Crosby , 1878-1881, W. Daly; 1881, Charles N. Brainard . 1882-1885, W. Daly; 1885, J. A. Sexton; 1886-
S. B. Long.
GREENFIELD :- 1833, N. P. Thayer ; 1834, John Burbank ; 1835, Jacob Banager ; 1836-1838, N. P. Thayer; 1838, L. Goodman ; 1839, Isaac W. Fulton ; 1840, David Smart ; 1841, William C. Maples; 1842- 1846, John Blindbury; 1846, John C. Williams ; 1847-1852, A. H. Otis; 1852-1854, J. McFarlane; 1854, A. H. Otis; 1855, J. McFarlane ; 1856, John Strong ; 1857-1864, James McFarlane ; 1864-1869, Peter Ternes ; 1869-1871, George F. Pillard ; 1871, Anthony Ternes; 1872-1878, George F. Pillard; 1878, Walter Henderson ; 1879, William A. McFar- lane ; 1880-1882, Walter Henderson; 1882-1884, William A. McFarlane ; 1884-1886, W. Henderson ; 1886- , W. A. McFarlane.
CANTON :- 1834-1836, James Safford; 1836-1838, A. Y. Murray ; 1838-1845, Philander Bird ; 1845, A. Stevens ; 1846, D. D. Cady; 1847-1852, J. Safford; 1852-1856, David Cady; 1856-1861, J. Safford ; 1861-1873, Bradshaw Hodgkinson; 1873-1878, John Huston, 2d : 1878-1884, James A. Safford; 1884- 1887, H. F. Horner ; 1887- , O. R. Pettengill.
LIVONIA :- 1835-1839, Adolphus Brigham; 1839- 1841, C. C. Leach ; 1841, Joshua Bailey ; 1842, W. Tuttle ; 1843-1845, Luther Dean ; 1845-1847, C. C. Leach ; 1847-1850, S. B. Smith ; 1850-1853, Charles Noble ; 1853, A. J. Crosby ; 1854-1857, C. C. Leach; 1857, C. Noble ; 1858, S. Smith ; 1859, C. C. Leach ; 1860-1862, J. S. Tibbetts ; 1862, S. B. Smith ; 1863 Charles Noble ; 1864-1867, Alexander Blue ; 1867, R. L. Alexander; 1868-1870, S. B. Smith ; 1870-1872, Ira J. Bradner ; 1872, William H. Smith; 1873-1875, Ransom L. Alexander ; 1875-1881, William T. Rat- tenbury ; 1881-1883, John L. Vrooman; 1883, W. B. Ewing ; 1884-1887, Abraham Stringer; 1887-
, R. L. Alexander.
ROMULUS :- 1835-1839, D. J. Pullen ; 1839, Seth Marsh ; 1840, N. W. Pullen; 1841, H. B. Adams ;
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TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
1842, N. W. Pullen ; 1843, John F. Smith ; 1844- 1847, John Carr; 1847, N. W. Pullen ; 1848, A. P. Young; 1849, L. Bigelow ; 1850-1853, G. W. Moore ; 1853-1857, A. J. Pullen; 1857-1859, J. C. Winkleman ; 1859-1868, A. J. Pullen ; 1868, Ambrose P. Young; 1869-1872, Edward Bingle ; 1872, George Frost; 1873, Hugh Bradburn ; 1874- 1877, Wm. Whitacre; 1877-1879, Robert C. Bird ; 1879-1881, Wm. Whitacre ; 1881, E. Bingle ; 1882- 1887, Peter C. Bird ; 1887- , F. D. Whitacre.
VAN BUREN :- 1835-1837, Ebenezer C. Eaton; 1837, J. C. Vaughn ; 1838, E. C. Eaton ; 1839, Job Smith ; 1840-1843, J. C. Vaughn ; 1843-1845, Eli Bradshaw : 1845-1847, George Jewett ; 1847, J. Burt; 1848, J. C. Vaughn; 1849, E. C. Eaton; 1850, R. P. Clark; 1851-1855, L. S. Anderson ; 1855-1865, William E. Warner; 1865, James C. Vaughn ; 1866-1868, L. R. Brown; 1868-1873, C. J. Barlow; 1873-1877, W. E. Warner; 1877, Gilbert Brown ; 1878, W. E. Warner ; 1879-1881, J. A. Stev- ens ; 1881-1886. Henry Davis; 1886- , F. Robbe.
SUMPTER :- 1840-1842, Ira P. Beach; 1842, Robert Merrill ; 1843-1847, M. H. Ford ; 1847-1849, S. Bennett ; 1849, M. H. Ford ; 1850-1858, T. P. Martin ; 1858, H. Plumb ; 1859-1863, T. P. Martin; 1863, Murray Sherman ; 1864-1871, T. P. Martin ; 1871-1875, Wellington Ellis; 1875-1878, T. P. Martin ; 1878, Joseph C. Merrill ; 1879, Elias T. Ingersoll ; 1880, J. Burnap; 1881-1887, Charles Merrell; 1887- , A. V. Jones.
TAYLOR :- 1847-1849, Jared Sexton ; 1849-1851, Peter Coan; 1851-1864, Charles Steward; 1864, G. C. Putnam ; 1865-1871, James Evans; 1871, John A. Vrooman; 1872, James Evans; 1873- 1878, J. J. Vrooman ; 1878-1880, Peter Boltz; 1880, G. P. Coan; 1881-1883, Peter Boltz; 1883-1885, F. A. Schumann; 1885, R. Graden ; 1886- , F. A Schumann.
GROSSE POINTE :- 1848, George Moran; 1849, Daniel Corby ; 1850, George Martin ; 1851-1858, R. M. Kirby; 1858, R. H. Connor ; 1859, J. Apply ; 1860-1863, R. M. Kirby; 1863-1871, John C. Pulcher ; 1871-1875, R. M. Kirby ; 1875- , David Trombley.
CITY OF WYANDOTTE :- 1870, John Morgan and Isaac Strong ; 1871, Leander Ferguson and Charles Wilks; 1872, George Marx and Louis Stilzer ; 1873, George Marx and H. H. Eby; 1874, George Marx and James Keusch ; 1875, George Marx and Oscar Sanborn; 1876, Francis Murphy and Joseph Girardin; 1877, George Marx and Patrick Fury ; 1878, R. W. Leighton and J. J. Thon; 1879, R. W. Leighton and J. P. Debo; 1880-1882, R. W. Leighton and R. Mason; 1882, Jer. Drennan and S. D. Hinds ; 1883, J. Drennan and S. J. Lawrence; 1884, Charles Schuffert and S. J. Lawrence ; 1885, C. Schuffert and G. Stormount ; 1886- , R. W. Leighton, D. Sullivan and James Cahill.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE EARLY GOVERNMENT OF DETROIT .- INCORPORATION AS A TOWN .- RULE OF THE GOVERNOR AND JUDGES .- REVIVAL OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THE EARLY GOVERNMENT OF DETROIT.
The government and the local affairs of Detroit have always received attention. Kings, queens, and cardinals, archbishops, ladies of high degree, gov- ernor-generals, and generals of the religious orders, all in turn have given heed to matters concerning the "Colony of the Strait."
Religious projects, commercial enterprises, grave political schemes and court amours were inter- woven with the management of the post. At different times, patriarchal, military, autocratic, and representative methods have here held sway. De- tails of some of the doings under these different forms of power afford rare items in the history of the past.
The growth and progress of local government under American rule is shown in the chronological table of charters and laws.1 During the French régime, local authority was vested almost exclu- sively in the commandants. Under the later years of English rule, the Court of General Quarter Ses- sions exercised many of the prerogatives appertain- ing to recent municipal governments.
INCORPORATION.
After a township organization was obtained, the same court that granted it administered the few simple regulations that the small settlement required.
In January, 1802, a petition of citizens of Detroit was presented to the Legislature of the Northwest Territory, at Chillicothe, asking for the incorporation of the town. To this end a bill was introduced in the Assembly by Solomon Sibley. The Upper House or Council proposed various amendments, but the Assembly would not agree to them. Finally a committee of conference was appointed, and as the result of their deliberations, the bill was passed in its original form on January 18. The Act was to take effect on the first of February. At the first election of the corporation, the freedom of the town was conferred upon Mr. Sibley in recognition of his efforts in behalf of the bill. The Act named the following persons as officers, and they were to serve until an election should be held :
Trustees, John Askin, John Dodemead, James Henry, Charles Francis Girardin, and Joseph Cam- pau ; Secretary, Peter Audrain; Assessor, Robert Abbott ; Collector, Jacob Clemens ; Marshal, Elias Wallen.
At the first meeting of the trustees, on February 9, 1802, Messrs. Girardin and Wallen were absent from home, James Henry was appointed chairman, and John Dodemead, treasurer. James Peltier was made messenger of the trustees.
The first election, on May 3, 1802, resulted in the retention of all the old trustees except John Askin, George Meldrum being elected in his stead. The secretary, assessor, and marshal were continued in office. William Smith was elected collector; he resigned, and the trustees appointed Conrad Seek. The old chairman and treasurer were reappointed.
On May 2, 1803, the following officers were elected : Trustees, Robert Abbott, Charles Curry, James May, D. W. Scott, E. Brush; Secretary, Peter Audrain; Assessor, T. McCrae ; Collector, John Bentley; Marshal, Richard Smyth.
James May was appointed chairman, Robert Abbott treasurer, and Louis Peltier messenger.
The election of May 7, 1804, resulted in the ap- pointment of the following officers: Trustees, Solomon Sibley, James Abbott, Henry Berthelet, Joseph Wilkinson, Frederick Bates ; Secretary, Peter Audrain ; Assessor, John Watson ; Collector, Peter Desnoyers ; Marshal, Thomas McCrae.
At a meeting of the trustees on May 11, 1804, Solomon Sibley was made chairman, and the former treasurer and messenger were continued. On August 6, 1804, J. Bte. Piquette was appointed col- lector in place of Mr. Desnoyers, who was absent, and on December 3, 1804, John Connor was appointed marshal in place of T. McCrae, "who has left the country."
The last officers elected under the Act were chosen on May 6, 1805, and were as follows : Trus- tees, James Abbott, Dr. William Brown, Dr. Joseph Wilkinson, Fred Bates, and John Williams; Secre- tary, P. Audrain ; Assessor, J. Watson; Collector, J. Bte. Piquette; Marshal, John Connor. The trustees were sworn in on May 11, and on the same
1 See Appendix B.
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RULE OF THE GOVERNOR AND JUDGES.
day appointments were made as follows : Joseph Wilkinson, chairman; James Abbott, treasurer ; L. Peltier, messenger; and John Connor, clerk of market and police officer.
Just one month later the fire of June II wiped out not only the town, but the corporation as well, and introduced the administration of the Governor and Judges.
RULE OF THE GOVERNOR AND JUDGES.
This title designates a form of government unlike anything afforded by the history of any other place in the United States. An irresponsible and uncon- trolled autocracy fastened itself upon the people, and for a long series of years this anomalous government, a strange compound of legality and assumption, held absolute sway, exercising almost unlimited con- trol over the lands and laws, the persons and property, of the town. A condition of affairs ex- isted, at once so exceptional and so singular, that the relation of actual facts seems like a record of feudal times. To obtain anything like a clear conception of those days this article should be read in connection with the chapters on "Legislatures and Laws," " Public Domain and Governor and Judges' Plan," "Supreme Court of the Territory," "Banks and Banking," and " Militia."
By a strange conjunction of circumstances, the Governor and Judges of the Territory, who had been appointed January 11, just five months previous to the fire, arrived on the day following that event. There was but little left in the town for the old trustees to exercise authority upon, and both trustees and people naturally turned for assistance and counsel to their territorial rulers. The Governor and Judges, having a whole Territory to care for, might very appropriately have availed themselves of the services of the officers of the town in the en- deavor to bring order out of chaos, especially as the very Act that created the corporation of 1802 had been passed upon and approved by the body that appointed the Governor and Judges, and besides, there were among the trustees and citizens men who were the equals of the new territorial officers in learning and ability, and fully capable of acting in any capacity.
Governor Hull and Judge Woodward, however, seeing an opportunity to obtain increased power and patronage, did not fail to improve it. They passed by all the prominent citizens of Detroit, ignored the officials and the corporation of 1802, and procured the passage of the Act of April 21, 1806, which gave to them alone the power to lay out a new town and dispose of the town lands. From this time they acted in a dual capacity, becoming, in fact, the executive officers of the town, as well as of the Ter-
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