Alpena County, Michigan - Preliminary Remarks, 1903

Preliminary Remarks

In order to show the progress and development of Alpena county, it will be necessary to go back to the earliest days of its settlement by white people, and to show the circumstances, conditions and influences by which they wtre surrounded at the time of such settlement, as these have much to do with their future prosperity and happiness, and determines in no small degree the character of their popular institutions. And hence this work would be incomplete without referring to the History of the State of Michigan - at the time and since its admission into the Sisterhood of States.

An act was passed by Congress, on the loth day of June, 1836, for the admission of Michigan as one of the States of the Union ; but with the then humiliating condition, that it would relinquish its claim to the southern boundry, (which was a narrow strip or land extending from Lake Michigan to Lake Erie, and claimed by Indiana and Ohio, ) and accept instead thereof, the Upper Peninsula, which was then an unexplored region, and considered of no probable value. In December, of the same year, a paclced convention met and agreed to the con- ditions imposed by Cougress; and Micliigan was admitted as one of the States of the Union, on the 26th of January, 1837. In the winter of the same year, Canada became involved in a quasi rebellion, and the country becoming too warm politically for the healthful exercise of the writer's American proclivities, he resolves to quit the Queen's Dominions, (as he was only a visitor,) and he crossed the dividing line, at Port Horon, into the State of Michigan, which was then undergoing some material changes, financially and politically.

Steven T. Mason was elected first Governor. He was a young man, of more than ordinary ability, - had been Secretary and acting Governor of the Territory while in his minority ; and now, with the young State, was merging into manhood and freedom, with many wants and ambitions to satisfy ; and the young State and its young Governor, without experience, launched out into many extravagances, and committed many errors, which resulted in financial ruin to the State and its inhabitants. There was some question at the time, as to who got the money; but there was no disputing the fact that the State got the experience. At this time, (1876), when we have railroads and telegraph lines traversing the State in every direction, it is impossible for the present generation to fully comprehend the situation or feelings of the people of our State in those days. Then there was no railway communication with the east; nor was there any convenient way of traveling by land between Detroit and Chicago.

A large portion of the State of Michigan, at this time, (1838,) was an immense forest, the most of which was unsurveyed, and but little known. It was, therefore, not only desirable, but necessary, that the lands should be surveyed and explored; and that certain improvements should be carried into effect, in order to develop the resources of the country. Uncle Sam was doing his part. The public lands Avere being surveyed by Deputy United States Surveyors, who done the work under contracts, at a certain price per raile. In the fall of 1838, the writer hired with Messrs. Alvin and Austin Burt, who had a contract for surveying lauds on the Aubetsies river, in the northwestern part of the Southern Peninsula. We started - fourteen in number, and four pack horses - from Washington, in Macomb county, and traveled west througli the counties of Oakland, Shiawassee, Livingston, Ionia and Kent, to Grand Rapids. Sometimes we traveled in a road, and other times in an Indian trail; and much of the way through wood and marsh, without trail or road.

The first night out, we camped where Fenton now is. This was the first time that tke writer had ever camped out in a tent, but not the last. Here was a log house and a small clearing. The next day we passed through Shiawassee county, near the village of Owosso, where there was a clearing in the oak woods, and a small cluster of buildings; but the people were in excellent spirits and good working order, for the survey of a railroad had been made through their town only a short time before, and they felt confident that it would be made in a very short time.

We struck another clearing near the Lookingglass river, but clearings were "few and far between" on our line of march. In passing through Livingston county, we were terrorized by snakes. In the marshes and low lands we found in profusion a species of rattlesnake called the massasauga, many of whicii we killed, and which kept us in constant dread. On the plains wb had some experience with the blue racer. One day, one of the advanced party saw a large snake of this kind, and gave chase, but the snake kept at a safe distance ahead of the man, running with his head high above the ground and small bushes. Finding he could not overtake the snake, he gave up the chase and started to return, when, to his astonishment and terror, he found the snake returning also, and with a loud yell, he started on double quick to reach the rest of the party. When, almost breathless, he came to a lialt among us, Ihere was his snakeship at a respectful distance, his head above the bushes, his tougue flashiug derision at the whole party. He looked immensely good natured, and as though he was king of snakes, and was out on a reconnoiter. Capt. Darius Cole was one of the party and one of the packers, and who proposed to unpack one of the horses and surround and capture the snake, as it was a very large one, or run it down with the horse. But his snakeship seemed to understand what was transpiring, as well as the ancient one in the Garden of Eden, and before we were ready to surround and take him in, he respectfully withdrew, and could not be found. -

In Ionia county, we met Douglass Houghton, the then State Geologist. He was on one of the early geological surveys. He had an Indian for a packer, and his pack-horse was a coalblack one, and his camp tins were new and bright and were hung on both sides of the animal, making a singular appearance, and rattling when he traveled, as though he belonged to a charivari party. In due time we reached Lyons, which we found quite a lively little town in the woods, containing about five hundred inhabitants, who were hoping for and expecting a railroad in a very few years. From this place to Grand Rapids we traveled in a very passable road for a wagon, and saw some settlements, placed at long intervals. We halted at Grand Rapids a short time, to make some purchases and recruit our provisions, as this was the last village we would see for many months. Grand Rapids, at this time, (1838,) had the appearance of a growing little village, with say fifteen hundred inhabitants. It had water communication, by boats on the river, to Grand Haven. It had a bank, a sawmill and two painted buildings, which were used as stores. It was the center of considerable trade in general merchandise and peltry. From this place to Aubetsies river, a little over one hundred miles north, was a howling wilderness, with only an Indian trader at

The writer has given a short sketch of this trip across the State, in order to show the condition at this time (1S38) of that strip of country over which the palace cars of the Detroit <t Milwaukee railway now (187G) travel, and conveying the tiaveling public M'ith dispatch and comfort. The travel west, at this time, was very large, and most of it was by steamboats, around the lakes. Some of the boats were large and commodious, and although they would not compare in structure with those of the present day, yet they conveyed passengers with comfort, safety and dispatch.

Judge Campbell, in his excellent work, "Outlines of Political History of Michigan," says, in regard to improvements: "The first State legislature was chiefly directed to the development of the resources of the country. Roads were laid out in every /direction, and placed under local supervision, so that the people most nearly interested might have means of preventing neoflect and dishonestv. Railroads were chartered whenever asked for. The University and School lands were put in market on long time. The State prepared, as soon as possible, to enter upon a general system of internal improvements, whereby all parts of its jurisdiction would be made readily acceptable and be broiight within easy reach of market and business facilities." "One of the first and best schemes devised to further the development of the State resources, was the organization of a complete geological survey. In February, 1837, an act was passed for the appointment of a State Geologist, to conduct such survey, and annual suras, increasing from $3,000 the first year, to §12,000 the fourth, were appropriated. Doctor Douglass Houghton was selected to fill the office." * * *

"In addition to some smaller debts, it was determined to borrow five million of dollars to expend in various public works. It was expected that by the aid of this sum and such other do- nations as miorht be received from the United States, three trunk railroads could be built across the State, two canals made, several rivers improved so as to be navigable, some small rail- , roads finished, and a ship-canal opened round the falls of the Ste. Marie river.

"A Board of Commissioners of Internal Improvemeuts had already been appointed. On the 20th of March, 1837, this Board was directed to survey three railroad routes across the peninsula. The first was the Michigan Central, from Detroit to the mouth of St. Joseph river, in Berrien county. The second was the Southern, to run from the mouth of the River Raisin, through Monroe, to New Buffalo. The third was the Northern, to run from Palmer, or Port Huron, to Grand Rapids or Grand Haven. A purchase was to be made of the Detroit & St. Joseph railroad, which had gone partly through Washtenaw county. Five hundred and fifty thousand dollars were appropriated to these roads at once, - four hundred thousand for the Central, one hundred thousand for the Southern, (both of which included private railroads to be purchased,) and fifty thousand for the Northern. Twenty thousand was appropriated for surveys of a canal, or combined canal and railroad, from Mt. Clemens to the mouth of the Kalamazoo river, a canal from Saginaw i-iver to Maple or Grand river, and river surveys on the St. Joseph, Kalamazoo and Grand rivers, for slack water navigation. Seventy-five thousand dollars more were to be expended on some of these and other works."

When the geographical position of the State is studied, it will be seen that this scheme of improvemeuts was not Avithout merits, was within the range of possibilities and usefulness, and within the means of the State, had the five million loan been properly negotiated and expended. The State, at the time of its admission, was out of debt; was entitled to five per cent from the sale of the public lands, which then amounted to §4:50,000, and it had received and was receiving large donations of laud from the geneival Government; and these, with the five million loan, and the accumulating earnings of the improvements as they progressed, would have been ample for finishing the contemplated work; and this wdl more fully appear, when we take into consideration that railroads were not then as perfect and costly as at presen t. Judge Campbell says in regard to them : "In a level country, well snp[)lied with wood, the cost of building and ironing a railroad was very trifling, and its rolling stock was also cheap and scanty. The original capital stock of the Detroit & St. Joseph Railroad Company, the corporation which began the Michigan Central railroad to Marshall, was recorded in ISIG, as having been two millions of dollars. ' In private hands it would probably have been less; and the capital stock of the §1,500,000, aided by the earnings properly managed, would have been adequate, according to the plans first devised, to build the road; although the subsequent improvement in track and stock vrould have made new ai'rangemeuts necessary, if the road had been built as slowly as was then customary. Twenty miles a year was, in those days, rapid railroad building. The passenger cars were small vehicles, holding no more than from eighteen to twenty-four passengers, and not much, if any, heavier than the large stage coaches. The iron was flat bar iron, from half to three-fourths of an inch tliick, spiked on wooden sleepers which Avere'lightly tied, and on tracks not perfectly graded or heavily ballastftd. The locomotives weighed from two to six or seven tons, and drew corresponding loads.''

The emigrants and settlers in Michigan were mostly from New England and the State of New York ; were intelligent and enterprising, and well calculated to advance the material interests of the State, and to build u^) strong communities. They had unbounded confidence in the disposition and ability of the State to perfect its plans of improvements, and had not the remotest idea that there was a possibility of a failure. They pur- chased lands in the midst of the forest, but on the lines of the proposed railroads and canals, and commenced to clear farms, erect mills and factories, and to build up towns and cities, with the hope and expectation that the day was not far in the future when they would hear the breathings and snorts of the iron horse. Their wealth was more in the future than the present, and depended largely, if not wholly,*upon the State completing its railroads and canals. Another institution, which depended for its life and usefulness on the internal improvements, was unlimited banking. It was a scheme calculated to help develop the resources of the State, but the foundation of its security rested in real estate, the value of which depended entirely upon the completion of the improvements promised by the State.

Judge Campbell, in speaking of the law, says: "In 1837, a general banking law was passed, which was supposed to contain better securities than any other similar scheme, and included the safety fund plan, in addition. Any persons residing in a county of the State, including among them at least twelve freeholders, could organize banks of from $50,000 to $300,000 capital; and care was taken that at least one-third of the stock should always belong to county residents in good faith, and for their own use; and on executing the preliminaries and paying in thirty per cent in specie, they could proceed to business. Ten per cent was* payable on the stock every six months, until all the capital was paid in. Before beginning banking business, bonds and mortgages, or personal bonds of resident freeholders, satisfactory to the County Treasurer and County Clerk, were to be filed with the Auditor General, to the full amount of the circulation and indebtedness. Neither the circulation nor the loans and discounts were to exceed twice-and-a-half the amount of the capital stock."

During the years 1837, '38, '39, hope and expectation were standing on tip-toe. Surveying parties, employed by the State and United States, could be seen moving in every direction, and large districts of the State were surveyed and brought into market. Large, anxious crowds assembled at the land sales, many of whom, for want of better accommodations, lived in tents during the time the sale lasted. At these sales, large purchases were made, sometimes as high as thirty thousand acres a day, and the utmost activity was manifested in every part of the State, in regard to its general improvements, and everybody had his pockets filled with engravings which passed current for money. But in 1840, a reverse came, like the shock of an earthquake; and but very few in the State escaped without injury. When the people learned the true state of affairs, and that the State would go no further with its improvements, all business became at once paralyzed. Real estate dropped to nominal values, while the banks that were secured by it became worthless. No greater commercial calamity ever overtook the people of the State. Those who were considered wealthy in money and property, suddenly found they had but very little. Their property was in the midst of a forest, without a hope of communication, and they could not work, for they had nothing to work with, as their money was worth less than their real estate. The laborer could get nothing for his work, and what he had alread}' earned was worth but little, if anything. Many made their exit from the State, while others, like the Roman Senators, resolved to stay and die with their property, as they could not sell it, and afterwards their property made them rich, and thus it was some could not be poor when they would. Otiiers refused to be rich when they could.

In the spnng of 1839, the surveys in the State of Michigan were continued. Lewis Clason and Thomas Patterson, of Cincinnati, Ohio, had the sub-div-ision of townships 27, 28, 20 and 30 north, and from range 4 east, to Lake Huron ; and John Hodgson, Esq., of Detroit, Michigan, had the contract to run township lines north of the third correction line. The writer hired with Mr. Clason, for eighteen dollars per month, to carry the chain, which was considered fair Avages in those days. The parties of Clason and Patterson left Poutiac, in Oakland county, Michigan, in the early part of April, 1839, some of them in a lumber wagon in advance, and the balance with the packhorses, brought up the rear. We traveled with the wagon as far as Pine Pun, as it was then called, and this being the terminus of the wagon road, each one was compelled to "make his pack and play it alone." The road from Pine Run to Saginaw City was in progress of construction, under the system of internal improvements, and was one of continual variation, changing from dry land to low, wet swamp, and back to dry land, and from an Indian trail up through every stage of progress, to a good wagon road.

After much hard traveling, we reached Saginaw river, and were ferried across to Saginaw City. Here was an isolated town of about seven hundred inhabitants, who were all very hopeful and sanguine in the future gi-owth and prosperity of the place. Their only communication with Bay City, or Lower Saginaw, as it was then known, and the outer world, was on the Saginaw river; in the summer by small boats and vessels, and in the winter by sleighs and dog trains on the ice. They had a large public house, a bank, two or three sawmills, and as many stores. The principal occupation of the people was fishing, hunting, lumbering, and trading with the Indians for furs, which were then very plentiful in the northern part of the Southern Peninsula. Harvey Williams and a man by the name of McDonald were the principal Indian traders, who made yearly visits along the shore, to buy furs; and sometimes came as' far north as Thunder Pay river. From this place we went down the river to Lower Saginaw, now Bay City, where we found a half dozen or so of frame buildings, a warehouse, a dock, and a small steam sawmill, called the "McCormick Mill." We camped in a beautiful oak grove wdiere the city of Wenona - West Bay City - is now located. Here Mr. Clason chartered an open scow of about

It is remarkable to observe with what sagacity the early settlers made their locations. There is scai'cely a place that the writer has visited, not even the solitary log house situated in the midst of the forest, that has not grown to be a place of considerable importance.

After staying at Bay City a few days, to let the ice move out of Saginaw Bay, we embarked on board this champion of the Saginaws, for Thunder Bay. Mr. Clasou and his party were landed at Au Sable river, and Mr. Patterson and bis party continued their voyage to Devil river, in Thunder Bay, where they built a depot for the supplies. The survey work was all finished in due time, and we all met at the depot, near the mouth of Devil river, to wash up, and to determine how to get home. "While we were thus ensaj^ed, Pete Wa Watum, au Indian from the Au Sable river, came along with a large birch canoe, and Mr. Clason hired him to take all of us to Thunder Bay Island, where we could take a boat for Detroit; excepting the packers and their horses, who would travel to Presqae Isle, and take a steamboat there. This was the writer's first sailing in a birch canoe, and on the waters of Thunder Bay. On Thunder Bay Island was a lighthouse, kept by Jessey Muncy, a very clever man, who lived there with a large family, and done some fishing with gill-nets. Here we were treated very kindly by Mr. Muncy and family ; and after feasting on whitefish for a few days, we weie put on board of a schooner, which was bound for Detroit. William Ives, Esq., who subsequently run the first lines of survey for the United States in the Territory of Oregon, was second in the party and compass-man for Mr. Clason. Messrs. Clason and Ives had the misfortune to have all their spare clothing stolen, so that wlieu they came out of the woods they had no change of clothes. The writer's clothes, fortunate- ly being Id another place, escaped the hands of the thief, and so he was favored with a presentable suit, and enough to lend Mr. Clason, who was nearly of the writer's size, to make him look respectable. When dinner was ready, - this being the first meal on board the schooner, - ^Mr. Clason and the writer were notified for the first table, with officers, while Mr. Ives, who ranked much higher in employment than the writer, waited for the second table, with sailors and common hands, simply because he had the misfortune to have his clothes stolen. The thief, perhaps, with the stolen clothes on, was seated at first table somewhere, and enjoying himself hugely, in the company and confidence of the wise and good. This little episode taught the writer the fact, which he then noticed, and from which he never has been compelled to retreat, that people, as strangers, are judged by their fellows, more by the purity of the clothes they wear, than the purity of heart, character or employment.

This was the first Government survey made in Alpena county. It was conceded by the whole survey party, that the entire tract that we had surveyed v/as worthless; that the Government would never realize enough from the sale of the lands to pay for the surveying. Mr. Clason was so confident of this, that he said: "I live in Cincinnati, and am able to do what I agree, and I will give any of you a good, warranty deed of any township of land that we have surveyed, for your wages, and will bind myself to purchase the land of the Government for you, should the land ever become so valuable that the Government could sell it to other parties." Not one of the party would accept Mr. Clasou's offer. This is not the only report of the kind on record. Judge Campbell, in his History of Michigan, has the following: "The first necessity of the country was more people. No lands had been surveyed before the war, except the old private claims. In 1812, among other war legislation, an act was passed, setting aside two million of acres of land in Michigan, as bounty lands for soldiers. As soon as the war was over, aud circumstances permitted, Mr. Tiffin, the Surveyor General, sent agents to Michigan, to select a place for locating these lands. Their report was such as to induce him to recommend the transfer of bounty locations to some other part of the United States. They began on the boundary line between Ohio and Indiana, which was the western limit of the lands surrendered to the United States by the Indian treaty of 1807, and following it north for fifty miles, they described the country as an unbroken series of tamarack swamps, bogs aud sand barrens, with not more than one acre in a hundred, and probably uot one in a thousand, fit for cultivation. Mr. Tiffin communicated this evil report to the Commissioner of the General Land Office, Josiah Meigs; and he and the Secretary of War, Mr. Crawford, secured the repeal of so much of the law as applied to Michigan. They were stimulated by a second report of the surveyors, who found the country worse and worse as they proceeded. In April, 18 IG, the law was changed, and lands were granted instead, in Illinois and Missouri. This postponed settlement, but it saved Michigan from one of the most troublesome sources of litigation which has ever vexed any country. It was in that way a benefit. But the report of the surveyors is one of the unaccountable things of those days. Surveyors are usually good judges of land, and not likely to be deceived by the water standing on the surface of the ground where the nature of the vegetation shows the soil cannot be marshy or sterile."

In the spring of 1840, the Surveyor General gave contracts to survey about half of Alpena county, the whole of Presqne Isle county, the most, if not all, of the county of Cheboygan, to John Hodgson, Sylvester Sibley, Henry Brevoort and Henry Mullet, all of whom, with their surveying parties, left Detroit soon after the opening of navigation in the spring, on the steamer Madison, for Presque Isle. Tlie writer was employed by John Hodgson, as an assistant surveyor or comi)ass-man.

Hodgson bad the sub-division of towns 31 and 32 nortb, and from range 4 east, to Lake Huron sbore. We all bad a jolly time on tbe boat going up, and were all landed, with our supplies, at Presque Isle. This w^as a wooding station for tbe steamboats going round the lakes, and the only inbabited spot at that time, between Mackinaw and Bay City. It was also the first fishing station on Lake Huron shore, north of Saginaw- Bay. The fishermen used hooks, seines and gill-nets, and bad considerable trade with tbe boats, in furnishing them with fresh fish. After stopping a few days at Presque Isle, to make arrangements for leaving tbe supplies, and packing tbem to tbe w'ork, which supplies were to be carried on the backs of men and horses, the several parties started for their work. The writer, in making the survey near the mouth of tbe An-a-makee-zebe, or Thunder river, as it was called by the Indians, discovered the site of a bouse that had been burned, some square timber, and an excavation for a mill-race; and on enquiry since, was told that Mr. Donseman, from Mackinaw, with other parties from the State of New York, had, some time prior, attempted to build a sawmill at tbat place, and were driven away from their purpose by tbe Indians. In running the section line between sections 22 and 23, on approaching the river near the foot of Second street, city of Alpena, we were discovered by some Indians, who were camped a little further down tbe river, and who were all drunk. They consisted of tbe Tbunder Bay band, excepting Sog-on-e-qua-do and bis family, who were camped at the "Ox-Bow," a peninsula made by a large bond in Thunder Bay river, and who gave us our dinner of boiled sturgeon the day before, which we all ate with a relisb. It was the first sturgeon the writer had ever eaten, and being very hungry, thought it very nice. As soon as tbe Indians saw us, they began to gather themselves up as best they could, and approached us, having the old chief, Mich-e-ke-wis, or Spirit of tbe West AVind, at their bead. They all looked very sour, and did uot return our salutations. The old chief came very close to the writer, and said, in the Indian lancruage: "White man no good. This place is all mine; you go away." The writer replied that the Great Chief at Washington had sent us to run lines and explore the country, and we did not like it, and as soon as we had done our work we would go away. He, finding I could answer him in his own language, and noticing that the writer gave some orders to the men, which they obeyed, said to the writer; "Are you chief?" and being answered in the affirmative, he said, "You are welcome to do your work." Up to this time not a word had been spoken by any of the accompanying Indians; but when the old chief said "You are welcome to do your work," their countenances changed, and they all said, "avv-ne-gwi-naw," which is "certainly." Then each one took our hand and said, "bo-zoo." The old chief then said: "We have had a big drunk; we can give you nothing to eat or drink, for we have used up all the women left us to eat; but if you Avill go to the wig-wam, I will show you my regalia." We went with him, and he showed what the white man seldom gets a look at. The old chief took from a trunk, a large broadcloth blanket, worked with beads and ribbons, a large otter skin tobacco bag, called a "koosh-kip-it-aw-gun," and elaborately worked with beads and ribbons, a large peace-pipe, beaded leggings, cap and moccasins. He had a splendid worsted sash, which was presented to him by the British Government, and beaded belts to wear round his leggings, to keep them in place, and some other things of minor importance. For the writer this was a feast. We borrowed the Indians' only canoe, and crossed the river to camp, putting it out of their power to annoy us during the night. In the morning, we used the Indians' canoe to cross the river, and after establishing the corner of sections 23, 24, 2(5 and 27, in township 31 north, of range 8 east, and doing some meandering on the bay and river, we bid, as we supposed, a long adieu to the first experiences at the mouth of "Thunder river." The Thunder Bay band of Indians then numbered about twenty-five, with Mich-e-ke-wis as council chief. He had seen nearly, if not quite, one hundred winters; was admired by his people for the wisdom of his counsel, and had much influence over them, in favor of the British Government, whose friend he was, and continued to be as long as he lived. He drove Mr. Douseman and his party away from the river, and showed the same disposition toward the writer, who probably saved himself and party some trouble, in being able to speak a little of the Indian language. He was the father of a large family, some of whom were then - 1840 - grown up men and women. The names of his older sons were Wa-gamaw-ba, Ba-ga-nog-ga, and Nee-zhe-was-waw-ba. If his record was right, he had seen one hundred and ten years, ere he went to his Father, in the beautiful "hunting grounds towards the setting sun." He once said to the writer, at Ossineke: "I remember when these pine trees here were very small." Some four or five years prior to his decease, which occurred about 1857, he called all his children and people together, and told them that he was nearly blind, and no longer of any value to his family or his people. He then gave one of his sous, whom he had educated for his successor, his regalia, before described, and installed him in his office as council chief, and presiding over all their religious ceremonies. He then distributed his goods among his children; and never after was he seen dressed in anything but a common Indian blanket. He thus prepared himself to meet the "pale horse and rider," worthy the admiration of those who, in a Christian point of view, think themselves much wiser and better, and who style him

Sog-on-e-qua-do, or Thunder Cloud, was a war chief. He was an O-taw-waw. He was not very well liked by his people, on account of his temperance proclivities; he was very much opposed to the Indians getting drunk, and he lectured them too severely to please them. He was the only Indian the writer knew who could keep whiskey in his wig-wam and not get drunk. He was brave and independent; none of his people ever wished to oppose him, or measure war clubs; nor did any avaricious trader ransack his shanty for furs, without his consent; and he could quiet an Indian drunken row in "double quick." He was honorable and scrupulously houest, as the following incident will show: In 184:8, the writer cut and put up two stacks of wild hay, at Squaw Point. Late in the fall, Sog-on-e-qua-do's boys were playing near one of the stacks, and set it on fire, and it was consumed. He immediately came to see the writer, at Ossineke, and enquired of him what the certain stack of bay was worth. The writer, not knowing what his object was, mentioned the value of the hay to him. Sogon-e-qua-do then said: "My boys, in their play, set it on fire and have burned it, and I have brought you these furs to pay you in part for it, and next spring I will bring you the balance." Being somewhat surprised at so beautiful an example of the Golden Kule, by a savage, the writer said to him, that, as he had been honest enough to come and inform him of the fact, and had offered to pay for the hay, he, the writer, would charge him only what the hay cost him to put it up; and that the furs he had brought would pay the amount. He looked at the writer a moment, and then putting his hand on his breast, said: "I am a man; I will pay the balance in the spring." The winter passed and spring came, and so did Sog-on-e-qua-do with a bundle of nice furs, worth much more than the whole stack of hay. and threw them dowui, and insisted that the writer should take them for the balance on the hay. Here is an act that challenges our admiration, and which is worthy to be placed on record as parallel with that instructive one related in the twenty-third chapter of Genesis, where Abraham bought the cemetery of Ephron, among the children of Heath. He bought a lot in Alpena, and built a frame house on it. He also built a small house at Squaw Point, where he lived much of his time, using a cook stove in his house, and cultivating a small piece of ground. He died, believing in the traditions and religion of his fathers, and was buried after the manner of the Indians, except that the Eev. F. N. Barlow preached a funeral sermon, and he was laid in the cemetery of the whites. Shortly after he was buried, his grave was desecrated by some unscrupulous thief, who took from the grave his gun and some other things that had been deposited in the grave with him, to use on his journey to the hunting ground beyond the setting sun. He left one son, by the name of No-quash-cum, who lives on the same lands that his father occupied before him.

Ba-zhick-co-ba, or Put Down One, was a strong, athletic man, who supported himself and family entirely by hunting and fishing. He was much in favor of the Canadian Government; despised the idea of living like a white man, and loved his "Scho-ta-waw-boo," - fire soup - dearly.

Naiu-a-go, or Ant, was a good hunter and a companion of Ba-zhick-co-ba in his trapping and hunting expeditions, and lived after his fashion. These men and their families composed the Thunder Bay band of Indians.

After finishing up the survey work with Mr. Hodgson, the party went out to Presque Isle. Here the writer hired with Sylvester Sibley, to help him finish up his surveys. The imjirovements at Presque Isle were owned by Lemuel Crawford, of Cleveland, Ohio, and consisted of a dock, store, and frame dwelling, a log barn, and a few log shanties. They were all built on Uncle Sam's land, which had not yet been surveyed, and therefore it was thought advisable by those in command, that they should be on the best of terms with the surveyors. As the survey of the harbor and its vicinity was assigned to the writer, he was treated with very kind regard by the proprietor and his people. Here the writer made the acquaintance of Simeon M. Holden, William Cullings and Robert McMuUen. Tbey were mechanical geniuses, and well calculated to live in and promote the growth of a new country. Mr. McMulleu had the greatest variety of talent, working when occasion required, in the blacksmith shop, the carpenter shop, the cooper shop, at boat building, and millwriting. Mr. Holden subsequently moved to Thunder Bay Island, where he built the first frame dwelling in Alpena county, in 184G. He was the first permanent settler in the county, his occupation being fishing with gill-nets. After residing on the island a few years, he moved to where Harrisville is now located, where, in company with Crosier Davison, he built the first sawmill in Alcona county. After working the mill a few years, he sold his interest in the property, and moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he was waylaid, murdered and robbed of five hundred dollars. Messrs. Cullings and McMullen still survive, and reside in Alpena and Alcona counties.

It was late in the fall when the surveyors finished their work and returned to Presque Isle, on their way home. It had been blowing a gale of wind for some time, so that no boats had gone up the lakes for a while, and only one or two was expected down that season. Among the steamers expected down was the Madison, which brought the surveyors up, and which was a high pressure boat, the exhaust of which could be heard for fifteen miles away. We were all very anxious to get tliis boat, for should we miss it, we might be compelled to travel on foot to Flint, if not to Pontiac, a distance of about two hundred miles. A watch was set, day and night, to catch the first sound of the Madison's exhaust and signal her in, and to make doubly sure of her calling. After anxiously waiting for about a week, at 9 P. M. the watch yelled "Steamboat," and for ten minutes every one shouted at the top of his voice, "Steamboat! Steamboat!" Such a shout Presque Isle never heard before, anel probably will never hear again. The Madison came into the harbor, and we nil boarded her for Detroit.

The Govern ment lands in Alpena and adjoining counties were offered for sale by the United States, in 1843. In the fall of the same year, the writer again visited Alpena county, accompanied by a man by the name of Youngs, whom the writer hired as a hunter and trapper, for the purpose of studying the nature and habits of animals, and obtaining their skulls as specimens of phrenology. Yonngs stayed in the woods until February, when he came out to Thunder Bay Island, leaving the writer alone in the forest, who stayed until May, and obtained many fine specimens, some of which he now has, of the otter, beaver, lynx, marten, raccoon, fisher, bear and mink. These animals were then very plentiful, and easily taken. The writer learned much in regard to the nature and habits of these animals, and unlearned very much that he had learned from books prior to his going into the woods.

Many who write works on Natural History, are not themselves acquainted with the animals or things they describe, for they have never interrogated or examined nature for themselves, but have taken their knowledge from the schools, and the repositories of dead men's hearsay knowledge and speculation. The writer's inexperience in trapping did not afford him a very large quantity of furs, but what pleased and paid him for his trouble and privation, was the fact that he found, upon examination, and comparing the phrenological formation of the skulls of those animals he had studied, with their nature and habits, they harmonized beautifully, and in every respect with each other, and established in the mind of the writer, beyond a cavil, the f imdamental principles of phrenology. If any man, however skeptical he may be, but willing to know truth, will go with me into the forest, and there study the habits of the beaver and the fisher, and compare their skulls with their habits, and with each other, he can not hesitate one moment to acknowledge the principal truths claimed for that science which enables us to know ourselves. In order to further prosecute his studies.

and at the same time make a living, the writer prepared himself as well as he knew how, for the further study of animals, and trapping for their furs. He hired a Frenchman, who pretended to understand trapping, but when the little schooner was ready to sail for Thunder Bay river, he refused to go. The writer, supposing he would find some one on his way, that he could hire, continued his journey, without finding any one to hire, and was landed on the 18th day of September, 1844, at the mouth of Thunder Bay river, alone. From that time to the 20th of May following, he saw not the face of a white man - for he had no glass - or heard the crack of any rifle but his own. On coming down to the mouth of the river, in the spring, he found Washington Jay, his wife and daughter, and a man by the name of William Dagget, who had moved there late in the fall, from Thunder Bay Island, for the purpose of making some staves for fish barrels. They built a log house, near Second and River streets, in Alpena, and cut timber and made some staves, on the present site of the city; but the most of their cutting was done near the great bend in the river, called the "Ox Bow." This was the second house built by white men on the present site of Alpena, and Mrs. Jay and her daughter Emma were, in all probability, the first white women that had ever visited the place; they certainly were the first to live here. In September, 1844, Jonathan Burtch and Anson Eldred purchased two pieces of land at the mouth of Devil river, it being the first lands purchased of the United States in Alpena county, and the patents were issued in 1848. In the fall and winter of the same year - 1844 - they erected a water-mill on Devil river, with two upright sash saws, and driven by two old fashioned "flutter wheels," and cut with both saws, when run twenty-four hours, the large sum of eight thousand feet of lumber. This was the first sawmill erected in Alpena county. At this time mulley saws were more generally used, and were receiving many improvements; but large circular saws, for cut- ting lumber, were yet iu the creation of genius. The mill that cut two million feet of lumber was Al on the list, and those were "few and far between." Lumbermen did not then buy large tracts of timber lands, to lumber on, for they could cut all they wanted on Government lands, without being called "timber thieves," or asked for pay for the timber. This state of things continued until 1850, when Uncle Sam came down upon the lumbermen, like an avalanche, and threatened destruction to them all. But a compromise was had, by which the lumbermen were to pay the costs made by the Government, and a promise "to do so no more." In 1845, Mr. Burtch located forty acres more at Devil river, and Mr. Eldred located two fractions on Thunder Bay river.

The writer sold his winter's catch of furs, in Detroit, for two hundred eighty dollars in silver, by stipulation, and two hundred eighty dollars in paper money. Furs being sold in foreign countries, were about the only product that would command the specie at this time. The writer then purchased a small stock of goods of B. G. Stimson, Theodore H. Eaton and Moore & Foot, of Detroit, Michigan, and took them to Thunder Bay Island, where he built the first store in Alpena county. Thunder Bay Island had now grown to a large fishing station, numbering thirty-one fishing boats and one hundred and sixty persons. Their catch of fish in 1846, was a little over twelve thousand barrels. The people were mostly from Ohio and the Saginaws. In the summer of 1847, the writer purchased the Devil Kiver mill property of Jonathan Burtch, and moved there late in the fall of the same year. The place was called by the Indians, "Shing-gaw-ba-waw-siu-eke-go-ba-wat." Shin-gawba was, as the Indians believe, the name of a Divine Chief, who lived a long time ago. He told his people that, after his death, his spirit would come back to where these stones were placed, for the presents his people might deposit near them. The Indians do verily believe that his spirit does come back to these stones, to receive the spirit of the things they present to him near these stones. This belief has the coloring of Spiritualism. Waw-sin-eke, signifies Image Stones. Go-ba-wat, signifies to put down more things than one. When the writer first visited Devil river, in 1830, he saw, near the mouth of the river, two large stones standing together. One was a gneiss rock, with bands of quartz, and having the appearance of being worn into its present shape by the action of the water. It weiglied about three hundred pounds. The other stone was about four feet long, and in shape like the trunk of a man's body, minus head, legs and arms. It had very much the appearance of being moulded from lake sand, and concreted with some substance having the a[)pearance of bark. It was hard on the outside, but soft and easily crumbled where excluded from the atmosphere. At this time, near and around the stones, were large quantities of pipes, tobacco, beads, ear jewels, silver broaches, bell-buttons and other kinds of trinkets. When the township was organized, the writer named it "AYaw-sin-eke," but, like many other Indian names, it was misspelled Os-sin-eke, the Avhole Indian name of the place being too long to retain. A fisherman came to Devil river while the writer was absent, and, wanting some anchor stones for his nets, seized the Shin-gaw-ba stones and carried them to the bay, thus depriving the place of valuable relics and Shin-gaw-ba of his presents. These stones are found through all the country of the Chippewas. The Indians say, that a long time ago, some Iroquois captured two Chippewas, near Devil river, and |)ut them and their image stones in a canoe, and started across the hay. When they reached near the middle of the bay, they threw the stones into the water, when, suddenly the water boiled and spouted up, and capsized the canoe and drowned the Iroquois, while the Chippewa prisoners succeeded in saving their lives, retaining the canoe and reaching the place fiom whence they started. When they went upon the land, they found, to their surprise, the stones bad preceded them, and were stauding in their places, as they did before they were moved. Wliether their story is true or false, the stones failed to capsize the fisherman when he threw them into the bay, or came out of the water since. The river was called "Reviere Au Diable," by the early mail carriers, who spoke the French language, and who sometimes in the fall and spring found much difficulty in traveling the large marsh between the river and the south point of Thunder Bay. So the river was named after his Satanic Majesty, not because it was a bad river, but because it kept bad company.

Location Of Lands

In 1849 and 1850, Robert Dunlap and E. Baily, of Chicago, Illinois, purchased of the United States, the lands round the mouth of Thunder Bay river. In 1855, they sold these lands to John Oldfield, James K. Lockwood, John S. Minor and George N. Fletcher, for thirty dollars per acre; Oldfield owning a quarter interest, Lockwood and Minor a quarter interest, and Fletcher owning a half interest.

The following letter, handed the writer by G. N. Fletcher, Esq., indicates the first visit of the proprietors to Alpena, prior to making the "Baily purchase":

I propose to take my vessel, the John Minor, and in company with my partner and other parties interested at Thunder Bay river, to make an exploring expedition to that place. Ample time will be given to make all necessary observations at that place, at as moderate expense and with as much comfort as circumstances will permit. Your company, together with any persons you would like to take with you, will be acceptable. Please to advise me, by note, if you will or will not go, so that I may give you notice of our sailing, which we propose to make about the 1st Sept.

David D. Oliver purchased some lands at Devil river, in 1851, and in August of the same year, W. L. P. Little, of East Saginaw, purchased a fraction or two, on the bay shore, v/hich would be in the northeast fractional quarter of section 27, in town 31 north, of range 8 east, in his own name, as security for the purchase money; but the purchase was made for Walter Scott, for a fishery. Scott moved his family to Thunder Bay river in the fall of the same year and tried the fishing, and found it a failure, on these lauds. Scott then, considering the lands of no value, failed to pay for them, and Little, as he thought, was left with a piece of poor property on his hands. Scott traded with the Indians and looked up pine lands for Lewis & Graves, John Trowbridge & Bros., and some others, until September, 1856, when Messrs. Lockwood & Fletcher & Co., desirous of getting him away with his whiskey, before their men should come up to work, bought all his buildings, and some other things, for the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars. Scott left Alpena in the spring of 1857.

Early in 1857, Mr. Little offered his property at Thunder Bay river, to the writer, for five hundred dollars, half down, and the balance in a year. Although the writer was considered by some of his contemporaries as extravagant and "luna" in regard to the value of property in Alpena county, and its future growth, yet he was not controlled by the moon, or any other influences, enough to accept this Liiilc property, which now comprises a large portion of the best residences in the city.

The writer thinks it will now be conceded by those who have noted the rapid developement and growth of the city and county, that his ideas did not reach the reality by as much as they thought him above it. Subsequently Mr. Little came up in the price of his property at Alpena, to fifteen hundred dollars, and sold it to S. E. Hitchcock, who now resides upon a portion of it. He subsequently made it an addition to the village, now city, of Alpena. The Union School house stands on a portion of this property.

In 1850, Congress passed an act, granting all the swamp lands to the several States, but the United States Land Offices continued to sell the lands as before the grant was made, until the latter part of 1859. In 1852, Congress passed an act, granting seven hundred and fifty thousand acres of land for the purpose of constructing a ship canal around the falls of the Sault Ste. Marie, and thereby connecting the commerce of the lower lakes with that of Lake Superior. A company was duly organized to prosecute the work, known and styled the "Sault Ste. Marie Ship Canal Co.," and in 1853, commenced selecting their lands. Parties of "land lookers" were sent out by the company, into all parts of the State, and finding large bodies of good pine in Alpena county and vicinity, it led other parties, desirous of purchasing pine lands, to look in the same direction. In 1853, George N. Fletcher employed Daniel Carter, Esq,, to look up and locate some pine lands on the waters of Thunder Bay river. Mr. Fletcher purchased the lands in the name of Thomas Campbell, of Boston, Mass., about eight thousand acres, up to 1857, in which he owned an interest, and he has been a purchaser and holder of pine lands in Alpena county ever since. John Trowbridge & Bros, commenced locatinof pine lands in 1851 or '55, and in two or three years had purchased about thirty thousand acres. Frank H. Page and David D. Oliver located and purchased about two thousand acres. G. S. Lester purchased, near Turtle Lake, about nine hundred acres. Lewis & Graves, of Detroit, purchased about three hundred acres; and Elisha Taylor, of Detroit, purchased about five hundred acres, near the rapids; and Capt. J. J. Maiden purchased a lot in section 27, town 31 north, of range 8 east. This comprises most, if not all, the land holders and lands purchased in the county, jirior to its organization, in 1857.