Alpena County, Michigan - Organization, 1903

Organization

At the time the public surveys were made in Alpena, Presque Isle and Cheboygan counties, all that part of the peninsula was known as the Thunder Bay region, and was attached to Mackinac county, for judicial purposes. In 1854 or '55, the land district was divided, and a Land Office was established at the village of Duncan City, in Cheboygan county. Subsequently these land districts were sub-divided, with offices at Traverse City, East Saginaw, Ionia, and Detroit, Alpena county being in the Detroit district. In 1840, boundaries were made, and names given to twenty-nine northern counties. One of these counties was named after an ancient chief of the Thunder Bay band of Indians - "An-a-ma-kee," or Thunder. The name was changed to Alpena, in 1843, but for what reason, is not known to the writer, but he thinks the name a phonetic rendering of the word "Aw-pe-ua," which means Partridge, in the Indian language. The point of land between Squaw Bay and Alpena is known by the Indians as "Aw-pe-na-sing," or Partridge Point, and the name of Alpena was probably taken from the name of this point, through the influence of the Hon. Henry Ashman, who was well acquainted with the Thunder Bay coast, spoke the Indian language, and was subsequently a member of the State Legislature, from Midland county. In seems to be a word of recent coinage, as the writer can find no place on the globe of the same name. The word should be spelled "Awpena," to mean Partridge, and if rendered into English, as it is 7ioir spelled, would be, "not quite a Partridge."

In speaking of Squaw Bay, reminds the writer of the origin of the name. Places sometimes receive their names from trifling circumstances. The writer named the bay "Squaw Bay,'' from the following incident: In the winter of 1850 or '51, Kobert McMullen was traveling across the bay, and when about the middle of it, he discovered some one fishing through a hole in the ice; and on approaching near, he found it to be Na-o-tayke-zhick-co-quay, the daughter of the old Chief Mich-e-ke-wis, who was then camped on Partridge Point. The Indian maiden was fishing, with her head covered with a blanket, and when she heard approaching footsteps, she bounded to ber feet, with a frightened look, and without waiting for any apology from Mc, she started for the point, with the fleetness of the antelope. When McMullen told the writer of his adventure, he said to him: "We will call that bay 'Squaw Bay,' and since that time it has been known by that name.

In 1853, Cheboygan county was organized, and Montmorency, Presque Isle, Alpena, Oscoda and Alcona counties were attached to Cheboygan county, for judicial and municipal purposes. In the spring of 1855, the first assessment of taxes was made in Alpena county. The assessor from Cheboygan came as far as Presque Isle, and returned, having assessed the whole territory, without seeing any of it, as many assessors have done since, and are now doing in most of the northern counties. No tax was collected in Alpena county for this year. In 1856, the second assessment, and the first collection of taxes, was made by Cheboygan county, and which tax so collected, amounted to a little over five hundred dollars.

After making the Bailey purchase, the proprietors deemed it advisable to have a county organization for the success and convenience of their enterprise; but it required considerable "cheek" to ask the State Legislature to organize a county where it was a dense wilderness, and where men had to be immigrated to hold the offices for conducting the first election, and where there was only one resident freeholder in the district sought to be organized. It also required not a little courage, and liberality, to incur at such a time, the expense of organiz- intr and runuiug a new county, where their property would eventually have to pay a large proportion of the expense. In order to make a fair showing before the State Legislature, the proprietors, in 1(S5G, came to Thunder Bay river, bringing with them E. A. Breakenridge, a surveyor, to make a temporary survey of a village, to give it a name, and ascertain where the two squares were that they intended to offer to donate to the county, as a site for the county buildings, in the event of, and as an inducement for establishing the county seat at this place. This was in the year of the Fremont campaign, and Messrs. Fletcher, Lockwood and Breakenridge, being "Fremont men," and the Canada parties, Messrs. Oldfield and Minor, having no prejudices, they had resolved to call the prospective village "Fremont." They had brought with them a Fremont flag, which they raised on a pole when naming the town. Daniel Carter was one of the party, but being opposed to Fremont, he refused to help raise the pole, declaring that he "would not help raise a flag that he would not support." He moved his family to Thunder Bay river in November, 1856, and the same fall obtained signers to a petition for the organization of the county of Alpena. In regard to this petition, Mr. Carter says, in a letter to G. N. Fletcher, under date of February 14th, 1857: "I got the petition, and went up and down the shore, and the folks were all glad to see it. I got fifty-one names. Mr. Harrison, owner of the mill at the Highlands, would not sign it. He wants the county seat at his place, or be set in Saginaw district."

In February. 1857, through the energy of the proprietors and the personal efforts of Hon. J. K. Lockwood, the Legislature passed the following act, organizing the county of Alpena:

Sec. 2. The county seat of said county is hereby established at the village of Fremont, at the mouth of Thunder Bay river, in said county: Provided, That the proprietors of lands therein shall convey to said county, for the exclusive use thereof, for county buildings and county purposes, free of all charge, the following described lots, to wit: Two entire blocks, each twenty-four rods square, lying between Eighth and Ninth streets, and Eiver and Lockwood streets, in the village of Fremont, as surveyed by E, A. Break enridge, Esq., in the year (1856) eighteen hundred and fifty-six, on section twenty -two (22), in town thirty-one (31) north, of range eight (8) east, in said county.

Sec. 3. There shall be elected in said county of Alpena, on the first Tuesday of November, eighteen hundred and fiftyseven (1857), all the several county officers to which, by law, the said county is entitled; and said election shall, in all respects, be conducted and held in the manner prescribed by law, for holding elections for county and State officers: Provided^ That the county officers so to be elected, shall be qualified, and enter upon the duties of their respective offices, on the first (1) Monday of January, eighteen hundred and fifty-eight (1858), and whose term of office will expire at the time prescribed by the general law.

Sec. 4. The board of canvassers of said county, under this act, shall consist of the presiding inspectors of election from each township therein ; and said inspectors shall meet at said village of Fremont, on the first Tuesday after the election, and organize, by appointing one of their number chairman, and another secretary of said board, and shall thereupon proceed to discharge all the duties of a board of county canvassers, as in other cases of election for county and State officers.

Sec. 5. The Sheriff and County Clerk, elected by the provisions of this act, shall designate a place in the village of Fremont for holding the Circuit Court in said county, and also suit- able places for the several county offices, as near as practicable to the place designated for holding the Circuit Court; and they shall make and subscribe a certificate, in writing, describing the several places designated, which certificate shall be filed and preserved by the County Clerk; and thereafter the places thus designated shall be the places of holding the Circuit Court and the county offices, until the Board of Supervisors provide suitable accommodations for said court and county offices.

Sec. 6. The counties of Alcona, Oscoda, Montmorency, and that portion of the county of Presque Isle lying east of range 4 east, be and the same are attached to the county of Alpena, for judicial and municipal purposes.

Mr. Lockwood, finding that "the presiding inspectors of elections from each township therein," referred to in the fourth section of the above act, had declared "non est inventus," procured, ten day later in the session, the passage of an act, as an amendment to the fourth section of the first act, which is as follows:

See. 1. The People of ihe Stale of Michigan enact, That this act shall stand in lieu of section four (4) of said act, and that Daniel Carter, Harvey Harwood and D. D. Oliver are hereby made and constituted a board of county canvassers, who shall act as inspectors of election; and said inspectors shall meet at the said village of Fremont, on the first Tuesday after the election, and appoint one of their number chairman, and another secretary of said board, and shall thereuix)n proceed to discharge all the duties of a board of county canvassers, as in other cases of election of county and State officers, and shall have the power to act as a Board of Supervisors in and for said county, for the organization of townships therein, and for other purposes, and to hold their office until there be three organized townships in said county, and until other supervisors are elected and qualified: And provided, That from any cause a va- cancy occurs in said board, before any township is organized, the two remaining members of the board shall appoint; but if there be one or more townships organized and supervisors elected, the vacancy shall be filled by said supervisor or supervisors. The compensation of said board shall be the same as that received by supervisors elected according to law. All acts and parts of acts contravening the provisions of this act, be and the same are hereby repealed. This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

It will be seen, by reference to the above amended act of the Legislature, that the first Board of Supervisors of Alpena county was made by special act, the members being Daniel Carter, of Fremont, Harvey Harwood, of Thunder Bay Island, and D. D. Oliver, of Devil river. They were authorized to act as a board of county canvassers, as well as a Board of Supervisors, and were to hold their offices until three towns were organized in the county, and to fill any vacancy in the board, if one should occur.

After being duly notified of their appointment, and about the first of June, 1857, the members of the new Board of Supervisors for the county of Alpena, met for business, and organized by making Daniel Carter chairman, and, having no County Clerk, D. D. Oliver was made secretary. Mr. Harwood soon moved out of the county, and left the chairman and secretary to have it their own way. They were both inexperienced in county business, and were at least one hundred miles from a precedent; without books, or anything to guide them in their new position; and not a man in the county that could legally administer an oath, and but one in the county who knew anything about township business, and his knowledge done them no good as a Board of Supervisors, and they had no townships organized; but something mtisi be done by the Board of Supervisors, and they did it as well as they could.

The first and most important business before the board, was to settle with the neighboring Board of Supervisors of Cheboygan county, and get back a part, if they could, of the $500 tax which the county of Cheboygan had collected of Alpena county and its territory the preceding winter. Carter and Oliver made two trips to Cheboygan, in a sail boat, at a large expense, to meet the supervisors there, who avoided them, and they failed to make a settlement. Oliver then went to Lausiug, and had a talk with the Auditor General, in regard to the matter, who told him if he would forward certain papers from Cheboygan, before the fourth day of July, 1857, he would charge back the tax to Cheboygan county, and credit Alpena county with the same. Oliver then made another expensive trip to Cheboygan, procured the necessary papers, and sent them to Lansing; but heard nothing from the Auditor General, until he was threatened with publication, and then he received the following letter:

Dear Sir: - I have just received your letter of the 11th inst. I am not conscious of any neglect in answering your letters, I received your letter of July 10th, with statement of the Board of Supervisors of Alpena county, and certain transcripts from the records of Cheboygan county. I answered you at once, stating that I had not the power to help your county, referring you to Sec. 09 of the Tax Laws of 1848, as giving the Auditor such, and all the power he has to concel the sale of lands. You wrote me again on the 21st August, which was attended to by repeating the answer made to yours of July 10th. I understand a letter was received, in my absence, a few days since, and which has been mislaid, but from what I learn of its contents, I could have answered only as heretofore, that I have not the poirer to do what you wanted me to do. I am, very respectfully, etc..

This letter from the Auditor General explains the inwardness of the whole matter, and closed up the tax business between Cheboygan and Alpena counties. The next business before the Board of Supervisors, was the organization of the town of Fremont, but the board could not act without a petition, and as there was not freeholders enough to sign the petition, the organization of the township was tabled, to wait for the further growth of the place. The next care of the board, was to provide suitable books for the county records, and to obtain the statutes from the Secretary of State, and other matters, as the following letter from the writer to G. N. Fletcher, Esq., will show:

Dear Sir: - A small craft, chartered by Craig & Bro., left for Sugar Island, the night I arrived down. I told them you wished to send something up, but could not tell how much, or what it was. I shall leave for the upper country in a few days, and would like to meet you before I go. I learn by some persons from the shore, that the vessel arrived there safely, and that it brought but little, and took most of the folks away with her. I have written to the Governor, to appoint a Notary Public, and also written to the Secretary of State, for some books. I hope to get returns in two or three daj^s. What is to be done about the county books? If they go up this fall, they must go up soon. I think you had better come down and see what can be done, for I cannot get them. I am using my time and money in doing the county business, and that is all I feel able

To be a supervisor then, was to work without pay and pay your own expenses; and it wore the seat from many a pair of supervisor's pants before the board became smooth enough to

In August of 1857, the schooner John Minor came into Thunder Bay river, bringing Mr. Addison F. Fletcher, who came in the interest of G. N. Fletcher, Esq., and who superintended the structure of a rough board store, which was located on Water street, at or near its junction with Second street, the schooner having brought the lumber for that purpose. He - A. F. F. - took an active part in the early affairs of the town and county, being the first clerk of both. He assisted the writer in designing the seal of the Circuit Court, and suggested that, "If we have the river, we should have the pine trees.'' He, at one time, owned the best property and residence in the village of Alpena; but he never had much faith in the large growth of the place, and has, up to 1876, persisted in remaining a noun in the singular number.

In September, 1857, Mr. Joseph K. Miller came to Fremont, aud with him came a number of settlers. He was a man beyond the middle age ; was well educated, and experienced in business. He was a theologian of the severe school, and an inveterate hater of tobacco and whiskey. He was from Boston, "The Hub of the World," and having some fanciful notions of himself and the place he came from, he placed but little value in the people among whom he came to live. He was very scrupulous in doing what he supposed to be right; but he differed with many of his neighbors in what was right. It is evident that man has no standard of right and wrong, for what is right in one part of the world, is wrong in another part. What is right in one nation, is wrong in another; what is right among one class of people, is wrong among another class; what is right in the manifestations of religion of one people, would be wrong in the manifestations of religion of another, aud what would be right with one person, would be wrong with another. Eight and wrong seem to be fictions, invented by parents, so- cieties and nations, for their guide and government, and a person is said to be doing right when obeying those rules or laws, and doing wrong when violating them. Right and wrong with the individual depends upon his phrenological make-up - his education and growth, and his surrounding influences. These form the conscience which the individual is bound to and will obey. In proof of the above remarks, the writer refers to the fifth chapter of Matthew, and the history of the political struggle between the northern and southern States, from 1860 to 1865.

Soon after Mr. Miller arrived in Fremont, he was appointed to fill the vacancy in the Board of Supervisors, made by the moving away of Harvey Harwood, Esq. ; and now, the board, being full, was prepared to obey the organic law. Without observing technicalities, the board proceeded to organize the township of Fremont. This township was made to comprise the whole of Alpena county proper, and all the territory attached to it, for judicial and municipal purposes. Mr. Miller, in a letter to George N. Fletcher, Esq., and dated at Fremont, Oct. 23d, 1857, says, iu regard to the petition necessary to be presented to the Board of Supervisors: "On examination of the statutes more minutely, I find it requires twelve freeholders to organize a township, as that number must petition the supervisors for organization. We had our petition signed by sixteen electors, but there are only two freeholders among them all - Mr, Oliver and myself - so we must make ten of the others freeholders before the day of election, the first day of November." On the 4th day of November, 1857, as provided by the organic law, the first election took place in Alpena county, and the township officers entered upon the duties of their several offices as soon as they could be qualified, there being no person in the county who could legally administer the oath of office. Mr. Miller says, in a letter to Mr. Fletcher, dated Nov. 4th, 1857: "We had our county election to-day, and all passed off pleasantly aucl satisfactorily. Addison, County Clerk; myself County Treasurer and Kegister of Deeds, &c. Our neighbors down the shore came up, and we had quite a respectable turn-out; one boatload from Messrs. Harris' place, at the Highlands, and one from Black River. If Addison has not left to return, tell him he must ascertain where he must go to be qualified for County Clerk, by taking the oath of office, and take it before coming up, as his services are wanted immediately."

The official records of the election read as follows: "In pursuance of notice for the first township election, posted according to law, in the township of Fremont, in the county of Alpena, and State of Michigan, held on the fourth day of November, 1857: Present, David D. Oliver, Joseph K. Miller and Daniel Carter, the board of insi)ectors, appointed by the supervisors, to hold said election. Chose David D. Oliver, <hairman of said board, and Jose[)h K. Miller, secretary, and appointed Addison Fletcher, clerk; also Isaac Wilson to officiate as constable for said election. Polls were opened, and the following persons were elected to the several township offices:

It will be observed that in the list of township officers, the clerk is "Addison Fletcher," and the clerk of the board of election has signed his name "Addison Fletcher," while in the list of county officers his name is written "A. F. Fletcher." This discrepancy can be explained by saying the clerk of the board of election neglected to write his name in full.

At the general election, held on the 2nd day of November, 1858, the whole number of votes cast was thirty-five, and were all cast in favor of the general banking law. The county officers were all re-elected; and party politics showed itself, only in the State ticket. Moses Wisner, Republican, for Governor, received twenty votes, and Chas. E. Stewart, Democrat, for Governor, received fifteen votes; the balance of the State ticket run about the same, except for Representative in the State Legislature, and for that office, Daniel Carter, received twenty -one votes. At the time Alpena county was organized, all the northern counties had been thrown into a Representative District, without any regard to their condition, location, or convenience. The election returns for the district were to be made to Traverse City, in Grand Traverse county, that being the largest town in the district. The people of Alpena county, finding it impracticable to make returns of election to Traverse City, in time to be used in the canvass, resolved to have the pleasure of voting for a Representative peculiarly their own, and so gave their first vote for Daniel Carter. In 18G0, Alpena having grown to some importance, resolved to send a Representative to the State Legislature, and request a seat for him in that body, not in opposition to the regular candidate for that office, who was a resident of Grand Traverse county, but conjointly with him, as the territory was ample for two districts, with divided interests. Capt. A. E. Persons was nominated for this important and experimental position, and was elected, receiving nearly all the votes of Alpena county and its territory. Captain Persons accepted the nomination and election, as complimentary, but was not a little surprised when requested by his constituents to go to Lansing. He regarded the matter of going to Lansing but little better than a farce, and that, as a matter of course, he would be rejected. But being assured and encouraged by his friends, who thought ditferently, and who agreed to fund his expenses, in case he was not seated, he made up his mind to ''Try the thing on," and prepared him.self with his credentials; went to Lansing; presented himself at the bar of the House of Representatives; was administered the oath of office, and took his seat with as much freedom and matter of course as if he bad been a regularly elected member from the oldest counties. No questions were asked, and he was addressed as "The member from Alpena." This affair, for boldness of conception and execution, has few, if any, precedents in the annals of legislation. This gave importance and notoriety to Alpena, among her sister towns, and brought to her shore many seeking for labor, settlement, or speculation.

Captain Persons was a man of energy, with good judgment, and kind and obliging manners. He was a faithful friend to his Government during the long struggle with rebellion, and by attending to the wants of his county, he gave pride and satisfaction to his friends and constituents.

Subsequently, the district was changed, and in 1867, was composed of the counties of Midland, Isabella, Iosco and Alpena and their territory. The right of selecting a man for Representative from this new distt'ict was claimed by Alpena, and conceded by the other counties; and the Hon. James K. Lockwood was elected. No better man could have been selected to take care of the scattered interests of this district, the combined population of which numbered about five thousand. Ten years of experience bad made him familiar with the wants of people livintr in new counties. While he was a member of the Legislature, he did what he could for the scattered interests of his district, and gave general satisfaction. He made a strong effort to secure the swamp lands to the exclusive use and benefit of the several counties in which they were located; but he was opposed by the southern districts, which had no swamp lands, and was defeated. He was always a persistent guardian of the interests and well being of Alpena, and ready at all times to encourage and assist in any and every enterprise that had for its object the improvement of the place. When he now looks back over two decades, to the time he was lobbying for the organization of a county with only one resident freeholder in it, in contrast with the present city - 1876 - and county, with their organizations, improvements and wealth, he can feel a conscious pride that he was one of those who were instrumental in bringing around these grand results; and the writer thinks he sometimes whispers to himself, "Who thanks me for all this? If I had done more for myself, and less for the county, I would be the better off for it."

In 1874-, the Hon. AVorthy L. Churchill was elected a Representative in the State Legislature, ostensibly from Alpena. He was a young man, and mostly a stranger to the people of his district and their wants; had then but little interest in the growth of Alpena, and has the credit of being instrumental in defeating a bill for the appropriation of land to aid in the construction of a railroad from Alpena, and to connect with the Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw railway. If this be true, the people of Alpena have reason to say to him, in spirit, as Balak said to Baalim, "I called thee to curse mine enemies, and behold, thou hast altogether blest them."

The people becoming dissatisfied with the name of Fremont, petitioned the Legislature to change it to Alpena, and in February, 1S59, it was so changcJ, by the following act:

Sec. 1. The People of the Slate of Mid lig an enact, That the name of the village of Fremont, in the county of Alpena, and State of Michigan, be and the same is hereby changed to Alpena.

The first township organized after Alpena, was Ossineke, in 1867. Prior to this, Harrisville had been organized into a township, and subsequently was made the county seat of Alcona county. The township of Corles was organized at the same time that Ossineke was, but lived only a brief period, and then returned to the embrace of Alpena. The organic territory of Ossineke consisted of town 29 north, of ranges 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 east. The first meeting was held at the boarding house of D. D. Oliver, on the first Monday in April, 1867, D. D. Oliver, George B. Melville and G. W. Hawkins being inspectors of election, and G. B. Melville to post notices.

The Board of Supervisors was now composed of Daniel Carter, of the county; Obed Smith, of Alpena; D. D. Oliver, of Ossineke, and L. R. Dorr, of Harrisville. As soon as these towns were organized, Messrs. Carter and Oliver ceased to be county members of the Board of Supervisors, as by the law organizing the county of Alpena, their terms of ofiice should expire as soon as three towns were organized in the county. They had been on the board together a full decade. They differed in politics. Carter being a Democrat and Oliver a Republican ; but they made it a standard principle never to allow party politics to interfere with the interests of the county. They had always worked together in harmony, for the benefit of the Thunder Bay region, and especially Alpena; and now, when they retired from the Board of Supervisors, they did so with the consciousness of having performed the duties of their trust without fear or favor, and at all times to the best of their abilities. They left no bonds for the county to provide for, except those given to the brave men who volunteered to help silence the thunders of a southern rebellion, and give freedom to three millions of slaves. Their names are as follows: James J. Potter. Moses Bingham, Arthur Irwin, Denton Sellick, James Whalen, Frank Squires, John Kaufman, Solomon Evans, John Ellsworth, George Plude and Jolm Dawson.

The township of Corles, having failed to keep up its organization, the Board of Supervisors was convened, on the lOth day of May, 1808, to take some action in regard to the matter. James K. Lockwood, Ira Stout and David D. Oliver were appointed a committee to present the matter to Judge S. M. Green, for his advice. The committee made its report to Judge Green, and the organization was restored to Corles. At this session of the board, a resolution Avas passed, to purchase a piece of land at Harrisville, on which to erect buildings for a poor house and farm, at a cost of 3^,000, to be raised by tax of 81,000 a year, until paid. The board at this session was composed of Ira Stout, of Alpena; Lawrence K. Dorr, of Harrisville, and David D. Oliver, of Ossineke, Oliver having been elected Supervisor of that township.

Some time in 18G8, the township of Alcona was organized ; and after the spring election of 1809, the Board of Supervisors was composed of the following gentlemen: James K. Lockwood, of Alpena; L. R. Dorr, of Harrisville; D. Stewart, of Corles; E. R. Haynes, of Alcona, and David D. Oliver, of Ossineke. On the 20th of May, 1870, the Board of Supervisors was called together, for the purpose of organizing the township of Rogers, in Presque Isle county. Heretofore Alpena had taken the lead of all the towns, in political matters; but now a shadow was stealing over it, calculated to injure, if not to crush it. During the past winter, Alcona county had been organized, taking with it the unorganized county of Oscoda and the or- ganize"d towns of Harrisville and Alcona; and the township of Corles Laving failed to keep np its organization, it left only two organized towns in the county of Alpena, the Supervisors of which were Charles W. Richardson, of Alpena township, and George J. Robinson, of Ossineke. The petition for the organization of the township of Rogers was signed by many of the best men iu Alpena, they little dreaming that they were furnishing means for much annoyance, if not for their own destruction. A remonstrance had been made, but Supervisor Robinson had it his own way, and wishing to befriend Mr. Molitor, organized the township. Alpena, like the bird after which it was named - partridge - had now grown to good size, and had grown fat and plump, under the fostering care of its old guardians, was now watched by a number of Hawks, who were only waiting for its protectors to be absent, to pounce upon and gobble it up. One of these Hawks had his nest at Rogers City, and another at Ossineke, and a third had a temporary nest in Alpena, but carried all his spoils to a more permanent one, in Canada. After considerable maneuvering, the time came for the descent, when the bird dodged under a city charter, and was safe.

The Board of Supervisors again met on the 20th of Septemder, 1870, and there were then present, Chas. W. Richardson, of Alpena; George J. Robinson, of Ossineke, and Albert Molitor, of Rogers City, and the Clerk. At this session commenced a series of aggressions by the majority of the board, which was so continued that it compelled the people to seek relief iu a city organization. In a speech made by Hun. Seth L. Carpenter, at a caucus held in the Evergreen Hall, March 29th, 1871, where the people threw aside party politics to put in nomination the best men from both parties to fill the first offices of the new city, and at which caucus he, who was nominated for the first Mayor, said: "So far the organization of the city of Alpena has been a necessity, urged upon us by the aggres- sive majority of our Board of Supervisors, whom we charitably believe misrepresented the small minority of the inhabitants of the county. But their aggressions have been of such a character as to drive our citizens en masse, without regard to party politics, to seek relief by a city organization."

Among the aggressive acts of the Board of Supervisors, passed at this session, and subsequently, before the 20th of January, 1871, were resolutions giving the Sheriff the illegal salary of $1,000 per year; to the County Clerk the large salary of $1,200 per year; to the County Treasurer $1,000, and the Prosecuting Attorney $1,000 per year. They detached large territory from Alpena, and attached the same to the townships of Ossineke and Kogers. They considered favorably a petition of J. B. Tuttle and S. E. Hitchcock, for locating a site for a court house on lauds belonging to Hitchcock, and for raising money for building the same. They also passed a resolution, making S. L. Carpenter, George J. Robinson and Albert Molitor a board of commissioners of immigration ; and, also, "It shall be the duty of said board to encourage immigration, by such measures as they may, in their discretion, deem proper." Supervisor Robinson offered a resolution to purchase a tract of land at Ossineke, for the poor farm. After these aggressions had been continued for some time, the citizens of Alpena became alarmed, and held several meetings, to determine what course to pursue. They finally held a meeting on the 8th day of February, 1871, "To take into consideration the propriety of having a city corporation. At tins meeting, William Jenney, Esq., was called to the chair, and P. M. Johnson was made secretary. The meeting passed a resolution, requesting the Board of Supervisors "To take no action for the purpose of incorporating the village of Ali>ena." A committee was appointed by the chair, to draft a charter for the city, to be presented to the people of Alpena, for their consideration. Messrs. S. L. Carpenter, J. H. Stevens, J. A. Case, A. W. Comstock, D. McRao,

J. D. Holmes and A. Hopper were appoiuted such committee. They were instructed to present such charter to the adjourned meeting. "The deficiencies of our present township government" were the cause which led to these proceedings. Soon after the committee report was made, a petition was signed by one hundred and twenty-one citizens of Alpena, and forwarded to Lansing, asking the State Legislature for a city corporation. A remonstrance was also sent, signed by forty-nine persons; and Mr. Bostwick and five others who signed the petition, also signed the remonstrance, saying, "They did not know the character of the petition when they signed it." An efficient corps of lobbyists accompanied the petition, and it was not long before the attention of the Legislature was given to the pressing demands of the citizens of Alpena, and a charter was granted them, the first section of which reads as follows: "That so much of the township of Alpena, in the county of Alpena, as is included in the following described territory: The southwest quarter of section 13, the south half of sections 14-, 15 and 16, the whole of sectons 21, 22 and 28, the west fractional half of section 24, and fractional sections 23, 26 and 27, in town 31 north, of range 8 east, in the State of Michigan, be and the same is hereby set off from said township of Alpena, and declared to be a city, by the name of the City of Alpena, by which name it shall hereafter be known; and by that name may sue, and be sued, implede and be impleded, complain and defend in any court of competent jurisdiction. May have a common seal, and alter it at pleasure, and may take, hold, purchase, lease, convey and dispose of any real, personal and mixed estate, for the use of said corporation." The law provided also, that there should be three wards in the city, and so giving it three Supervisors. The city charter provided, also, that the annual election of city officers shall be held on the first Monday of April of each year. The Mayor, Comptroller and Treasurer were to be elected annually ; the Recorder every two years, and the full term of the Justice of the Peace was three years. Ou the ward tickets two Aldermen were to be elected at the first election, one for one year, and one for two years, and thereafter one Alderman to bo elected each year, and to hold office for two years; the Common Council to be composed of the Mayor, Recorder and Aldermen, The officers to bo appointed by the Common Council were Attorney, Marshal, Street Commissioner, Director of the Poor, and Engineers of the Fire Department. At the first city election, the following gentlemen were elected to fill the first offices: Seth L. Carpenter, for Mayor; Abram Hopper, for Recorder; James A. Case, for Comptroller; Albert L. Power, for Treasurer; George Richardson, Justice of the Peace for three years, and Ira Stout for two years. In the First ward, Alexander McDonald, for Supervisor; George Richardson, for Alderman two years; John H. Stevens, for Alderman for one year, and Frank Drew for Constable. In the Second ward, James J. Potter, for Supervisor; Henry S. Seage, for Alderman for two years; Ira Stout, for Alderman for one year, and Richard Campbell, for Constable. In the Third ward, James McTavish, for Supervisor; Samuel Boggs, for Alderman for two years; Gordon Davis, for Alderman for one year, and Timothy Crowley, for Constable.

The incorporation of the city was thought, at the time, to be a fearful experiment; that it would subject the citizens to a large increase of taxes, and result in financial ruin and death. But this was their only alternative, and the people preferred to take the chances of committing suicide, than to endure uncertain torture and ruin that threatened them by the aggressive acts of the majority of the Board of Supervisors. Contrary to the expectations of the most hopeful, the experiment has proved a success, paying for all it cost, if not more.

The city government, with few exceptions, has been conducted with wisdom and economy, and if the citizens have to pay more taxes, they have more conveniences and better protection for life and property. While it required the united eflPorts of ail the people to make the experiment a success, yet the city is largely -indebted to the integrity, economy and perseverence of its executive officers, who were leading business men, and personally interested in the growth and prosperity of the city. Their names are given in succession, up to and including the centennial year of 1876. The first Mayor was Seth L. Carpenter; the second Mayor was Albert Pack; the third Mayor was Andrew W. Comstock, and the fourth Mayor is George L. Maltz.

The following is a list of city officers in 1876: Mayor, Geo. L. Maltz; Recorder, A. R. McDonald; Comptroller, J. D. Turnbull; Treasurer, Charles B. Greely; Justices of the Peace, Paul Dane, A. R. McDonald and Chas. A. D'Aigle. Supervisors - First ward, Thomas G. Spratt; Second ward, Ira Stout; Third ward, Marshall N. Bedford. Aldermen - First ward, Charles H. Rice and George Richardson; Second ward, James Tims and J. P. Healy; Third ward, Jason Gillett and J. D. Sheahy, Board of Education - First ward, B. F. Starbird and H. R. Morse; Second ward, J. C. Yiall and Ira Stout; Third ward, Paul Dane and D. McRae. City Attorney, Y. C. Burnham ; City Marshal, Douglass Scott; Chief Engineer, A. L. Power.

The incorporation of the city had detached a large portion of the inhabitants from the township of Alpena, yet there remained enough to keep up the organization, and N. M. Brackinreed was elected Supervisor, He was a good scholar, a persevering business man, and well calculated to build up the much reduced interests of the township. On May 8th, 1871, the Board of Supervisors of Alpena county, met for business, it being the first session of the board after the city election, and was composed of the following members: N. M. Brackinreed, of Alpena; A. McDonald, First ward, city; J. J. Potter, Second ward, city; J. McTavish. Third ward, city; G. J. Robinson, Ossineke, and Albert Molitor, Rogers. At this session Messrs. Robinson and Molitor were absent. The Hawks did not care to meet the bird they had so much sought to maim or destroy, which, retaining its name, had changed to an Eagle of formidable dimensions, and on which the Hawks could now have but little impression. One of the Hawks, through the influence of the people of Alpena, who wished to be rid of him, obtained a quasi organization of the county of Presque Isle, where he continued to depredate, until he became so intolerable that he was shot. But little inquiry has been made in regard to who it was that did the shooting, the people all seeming to say, "<S/c semper iyrannisy

On the 15th of March, 1873, the Board of Supervisors met for the purpose of erecting two townships - one to be called Long Eapids, and the other Wilson. The territory embraced in the township of Long Rapids is as follows: The north half of town 31 north, of ranges 1, 2, 8, 1, 5, G and 7 east, and the whole of town 32 north, of ranges 1, 2, 8, 4, 5, 6 and 7 east. The first annual meeting was to be held at the Jones school house, in the Louden settlement, on the 7th day of April, 1873. W. H. Marston, J. O. Carr and John Louden were appointed to act as a board of inspectors of election, and William E. Jones to post notices. The territory embraced in the township of Wilson was as follows: Commencing at the southeast corner of section 3G, in town 30 north, of range 7 east, running thence northerly on the town line between ranges 7 and 8 east, to the northeast corner of section 1, in town 80 north, of range 7 east ; thence easterly on town line to the southeast corner of section

30, town 31 north, of range 7 east; thence northerly on town line, to the northeast corner of section 24, in town 31 north, of range 7 east; thence westerly on section line, to the meridian; southerly on meridian line, to the southwest corner of section

31, in town 30 north, of range 1 east; thence easterly on town line, to the place of beginning. The first annual meeting was to be held at the boarding house, on the Luce f.irm, on the 7th day of April, 1873. ^Noble M. Brackinreed, George Herroii and Charles B. Greely were made inspectors of election, and N. M. Brackinreed to post notice of election. The members comprising the board at this time, and who voted for the erection of these townships, were, G. J. Robinson, of Ossineke; N. M. Brackinreed, of Alpena; D. McRae, City Comptroller; A. L. Power, First ward, and John D. Potter, Second ward. At the end of this chapter is given a list of the connty officers and a list, also, of the several township officers from the time of their organization, up to and including the centennial year of 1876, so far as the writer is in possession of the facts. This is done for the benefit of those who may wish to use this work for reference. The first officers elected in the township and county of Alpena, are given in full before in this chapter, and also the city officers of 1876.

County Officers Elected In 1860

Supervisor - J. K. Lockwood. Township Clerk - A, Hopper. Township Treasurer - H. R. Morse. Justice of the Peace - Martin Minton. Commissioner of Highways - S. E. Hitchcock.

Justices of the Peace - James Cavanagh ; to fill vacancy of F. N, Barlow, Meade N. S. Macartney; to fill vacancy of Martin MintoD, P. M. Johnson.

Overseers of High wa3^s - First district, George Ricliardsou ; third district, Albert Merrill; fourth district, Geo. C. Herron; fifth district, James O. Carr.

Highway Commissioners - David Oliver and Amasa Chaffee, Constables - John Ellsworth and Amasa Chaffee. School Inspectors - David D. Oliver and R. E. Gallup,

At the spring election, this township cast one hundred votes; nearly three times as many as was cast in the county of Alpena and all her territory in 1858.