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SOLOMON SIBLEY
1769-1846




HISTORY OF DETROIT
1780 to 1850
FINANCIAL
and
COMMERCIAL

Report of Historiographer, Clarence M. Burton
1917
Detroit, Michigan.







(.) I)L' *i
FOREWORD.
In the following pages an attempt has been made to
depict some of the most interesting and important
financial events that have transpired in the city under
American control prior to the year 1850. The fluctuations of business as shown by the real estate sales, tax
levies, business disasters and building reports have
been noted and these and many other matters of the
same general character have been gathered together.
The study of these items is interesting and the knowledge that through every decade our city has made material progress makes the study still more interesting
and instructive.
Detroit, January, 1917.

63YJ




II
~ I.; I
~ I
i
iii~:-i
I: i
ir: i




INTRODUCTION

The following pages are reprinted, with some additions, from a series of articles published in the Detroit
News in 1913. At the time the publications began there
were faint rumblings of financial depression in various
parts of the United' States and Canada, but only rumblings were heard at Detroit, and the people there did
not want to listen and refused to hear the storm that
was coming. The attempt of the writer was to show
the periods at which disasters had overtaken the city
in the past, and without attempting to foretell, to indicate the probability of another period- of depression in
the near future.
If in the past these periods had occurred at nearly
regular intervals of twenty years, there was at least a
probability that we would not pass by the.year 1913
without feeling the commencement of a new term. In
the fall of that year the banks suddenly began to fear
for the immediate future, and for some time refused to
extend further credit on real estate loans unless they
were assured that the money would not be used for
speculative purposes. Soon the bank funds began to
accumulate and in the early spring too much money was
on hand and loans were freely made on commercial
paper.
Proceedings in Congress were of such a nature that
little inducement was held out to business in general.
The larger factories in Detroit, like the stove works,
bridge and iron works, automobile factories and others,




HISTORY OF DETROIT

were forced to dismiss a part of their working force
or curtail the hours of labor.
In the first part of the year the building plans, begun
in 1913, were being carried out, so that there was no
appreciable diminution of work. The great buildings,
the Whitney Block, Statler Hotel, Tuller Hotel and
Kresge Building, all fronting on the Grand Circus, were
projected in 1913 or earlier, but the work did not begin
until late in 1913 or in the early part of 1914. A great
number of smaller buildings were likewise planned
at an earlier date and work on them was begun in the
early part of 1914. These buildings kept the list of
building permits up to the average of former years. As
soon as these buildings were under way the permits
began to drop off.
Now began the sight of stores, flats and buildings
"for rent," a thing unknown in the city for five or six
years previously. Families began to "double up" and
soon there were two or more families living where one
had lived before. Cheaper quarters were sought by
those who were out of work, or who worked only a portion of the time. Rents also began to decline somewhat, though landlords were quite as unwilling as
others to acknowledge that there was anything the matter with the "times."
Politically, efforts were made by the party out of
power to fasten responsibility for the coming depression upon the party in power. This effort was made
solely for political purposes, for, as we see by the past
history, this depression was due anyway and would
have arrived at this time no matter what political party
was in power.




1780 TO 1850

3

These periods of depression do not "happen." They
come in obedience to the laws of human nature and of
trade.
It is useless here to enter into a discussion of the
reasons for these financial revolutions, but it might be
stated, as a starter for debate, that people at work
think that they earn more money than they receive for
their labor. They by various methods compel an increase in their wages and use the increase in the purchase of things they have not heretofore had. This increases the demand for such articles and hence opens
new factories and gives employment to additional persons. Wages being increased, employers are compelled
to increase the selling prices of articles manufactured.
This increased price is cheerfully paid by the consumer, who is living better than he ever has before by reason of his increased wages. So the wheel turns around
and at each revolution there is an increase of wages and
a corresponding increase in the cost of production and
of selling. The limit is reached. The manufacturer being
forced to pay more wages than he should, can make
no profit and either closes his shop or fails. In either
case the employee is forced into idleness and suffers
from want much more severely than if he had not lived
in affluence. One failure produces another and soon
the staple business houses and factories of a few years
ago, are tumbling down like houses of cards.
No political party-no single individual-no society
is to blame for the disasters that follow. We are all
to blame-each one for the little part he, plays to bring
about the dire results. Let us reach the bottom quickly
now and on a firm foundation begin to build anew. A




4               HISTORY OF DETROIT
few will remember the years of depression and take
heed for the future, but the many will forget.
And now again comes before us, as of old, Pharaoh's
dream of the seven fat kine and of the seven lean kine,
and his dream of the seven good ears of corn and of the
seven thin ears.
"Behold there come seven years of, great plenty
throughout all the land of Egypt; and there shall arise
after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty
shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt and the famine
shall consume the land; and the plenty shall not be
known in the land by reason of the famine that followed for it shall be very grievous."




1780 TO 1850

The above introduction was written in the early part
of 1914, when the business interests of the city began
to feel the depression that had started in the preceding year. Soup houses for the multitude of unemployed,
aiid public kitchens for the poor, were opened in various parts of the city and in the basement of the City
Hall itself. Poverty, destitution, want and hunger were
parading the streets and afflicting many who were in
fairly good circumstances in the preceding year. Long
lines, of unemployed sought the many employment
agencies in the city in-attempts to find work, and in
most cases their applications were in vain. In August came the startling' news of the Great European
War that is now upon us. The world was frightened.
The stock exchanges were closed and a business stagnation worse than ever, settled down at once.
Our government declared its neutrality in the conflict. The first idea of neutrality was to avoid dealing
with either side in conitraband goods or munitions, but
very soon the manufacturers and bankers argued themselves into the belief that they could remain neutral
if they expressed a willingness to supply both sides
without discrimination. No matter how ingenuous this
argument was, it was accepted by all the neutral nations, and in a short time contracts were made for supplying the allies with articles of all kinds. It is out
of place here to argue that this was not a fair expression of neutrality, but it was accepted. Great loans
were made to England, France, Russia and Italy, and
the moneys loaned were expended in manufacturing
munitions, and in purchasing food and clothing for
those countries. Shops that had manufactured machines for domestic use were hastily turned into muni



HisTOrY OF DETROIT

tion factories and very soon employment was given to
every man who would work. In Detroit, old factories
that had long been idle were opened for this new work,
and soon everyone was employed. Skilled labor was in
great demand and, in Detroit, became scarce.
Thousands flocked to Detroit from all over the world,
for wages were excessive and the demand could not
be supplied. Young farmers and persons living in the
small cities and villages came, leaving farm houses
empty and villages partly deserted.
The population increased so rapidly that houses
could not be built fast enough to accommodate them.
More than $50,000,000 was expended in building in the
city in 1916. Flats and apartment houses were filled to
overflowing, and many people found homes outside the
city in Birmingham, Royal Oak, Wyandotte and the
surrounding country. Temporary tents were erected
where many families lived during the warm weather,
hoping to find better quarters for the winter. This is
the situation of Detroit at the present time. What will
happen when the war ends, no one can foretell.
January, 1917.




RISTORY OF DETROIT, 1780 to 1850.
Financial and Economical.
The real estate dealers have for the past ten years
enjoyed a great business in our city. We estimate
the sales in millions of dollars, but in proportion to
the size and value of the place, the transfers are not
as large as they have been on some previous occasions.
Periods of inflated values and of depression follow
each other at intervals of about 10 years. That is,
when a period of inflation has reached its limit, there
follows about 10 years of slow decline in the market,
and then the bottom is reached and the ascent begins,
so that it takes about twenty years to complete the
cycle.
Looking back over the history of Detroit we find that
this climax of prosperity was reached in the years 1780,
1798, 1819, 1836, 1856, 1873 and 1893.
FIRST BOOM IN 1780
The earliest record we have of a local boom in real
estate was in the year 1780. The war of the American
revolution was in progress. Detroit was the distributing point for the goods to the Indians in the west.
Here, at that time, was a large garrison in the new
fort. The fort was built partly to protect Detroit from
an anticipated American invasion from the south, and
partly to care for the great number of prisoners brought
up from the Ohio and Pennsylvania regions. The
British government was sending here great quantities
of goods and money to maintain the place and keep the




HISTORY OF DETROIT

Indians friendly, and that money was flowing into the
hands of our merchants. The more important firms were
James Abbott & Co.; Thomas Finchley; Graverat & Visger; Macomb, Edgar & Macomb; Thomas Williams;
John Askin; Alexander Dyce; Sampson Fleming; James
Sterling, and William Sterling. Some of these men
became quite wealthy.
In the year 1780 both the American colonies and
Great Britain were exhausted by the long struggle, and
were willing to give up and quit fighting if some way
could be pointed out to honorably end the conflict. It
was generally understood, at that time, that the United
States would soon be independent. It was also generally conceded by those who watched affairs in the
west, that Michigan, and possibly all of Canada, would
form a part of the independent United States. With
such a change of government and with anticipations
that prosperity would come, as it never before came
to Detroit, the values of real estate rose and transfers
were made in great number and at ever increasing
prices.
ONLY SMALL TERRITORY IN THE VILLAGE
Understand that the entire village of Detroit, at that
time, was confined within the narrow limits of a picket
line, or palisade, bounded on the east by the present
Griswold street, on the west by Wayne street and extending from the river at Woodbridge street to the
Chemin de Ronde, or road around the village inside the
picket line, at about Lamed street.
All of Detroit was huddled into this little place. The
soldiers were in the fort on top of the hill, where the




1780 TO 1850

postoffice now stands, and the prisoners of war, when
in confinement, vere in the citadel, on the west side
of the village, near the present corner of Cass and
Jefferson avenues.
There were at times as many as 500 prisoners here.
A short abstract of the transfers of village lots in
the year 1780 indicates how large the business was,
much larger in proportion than it has been in any subsequent year.
Feb. 11, 1780, Madelaine Chevalier, widow of Jacques
Dumay, sold to Alexis Campau a farm on the southwest
side of Detroit. This is probably private claim 78, the
Alexis Campau farm at Twenty-fourth -street, consideration, 7,000 livres, equal to ~1,300 6s 8d, current
money of the post, about $3,250.
March 2, 1780, Benjamin Chapin sold to Antoine Soumade, a farm three arpents front, on the south side
of the river, for 2,000 livres, "ancient shillings of the
province of Quebec."
Dec. 10, 1779, (deed recorded in 1780), Pierre Drouillard sold to King George III, for ~150, New York currency, "a lot of ground lying without the fort, containing half an arpent in front along the highway, and
an arpent in depth, bounded on the east, northeast, by
Simon Gendron, alias Poitvins' lot; on the west, southwest, by the king's domain and the lands of John
Askin." This lot was near the intersection of the
present Randolph and Atwater streets probably a residence for Capt. Richard Beringer Lernoult, of the
King's or Eighth, regiment. Itwas Lernoult who built
the fort which, at that time, bore his name.




10

1ISTORY OF DETROIT

March 17, 1780, Samuel Dollwood, a soldier in the
Eighth Regiment, for ~150, New York currency, sold to
Richard Cornwall, shipwright, a lot within the fort, 48
feet wide and 57 feet deep (French measure), bounded
in front by St. Joseph street, and in rear by the Chemin
de Ronde, on the west by Joseph St. Marie's house
and lot, and on the east, northeast, by the lot belonging
to William Edgar.
March 20, 1780, Jacques Peltier sold to Antoine
Robert, Jr., a farm three arpents in width by 40 arpents
in depth, on the south side of the Detroit river, for
3,660 livres, equal to ~244, New York currency.
March 22, 1780, Francois Billet, mason, sold to Joseph
Greenwood, sergeant in the Forty-seventh regiment,
for ~221 N. Y. C., a lot within the fort of Detroit, 34
feet in width, by 58 feet in depth, bounded in front by
St. Jacques street, in rear by the Chemin de Ronde, on
the east by Charles Lafleur's house and on the west by
Isaac Gagnier's house.
April 27, 1780, Collin Andrews acting as attorney for
Daniel Campbell, of Schenectady, N. Y., sold to Charles
and Antoine Campau, brothers, a farm on the Detroit
River, between the land of James Cassidy and the farm
of Capt. George McDougall, for 5,000 livres equal to
~200 pounds N. Y. C.
April 29, 1780, Charles and Gabriel St, Aubin sold
to Louis and Joseph Tremblay, a farm three arpents
wide by 40 in depth, on the Detroit River, between the
farms of said Joseph Tremblay and that of Jacques
D     (?) with a mill and other buildings, for 13,500
livres, equal to ~900 N. Y. C.
May 18, 1780, Margaret Cassety, with the consent of
her son Thomas, sold to Julien Parent, a farm three




1780 To 1850

11

arpents wide and 40 arpents in depth, fronting on the
Detroit River, between the farms-of Martin Leviel and
that of George Me Dougall, for 3,500 livres, equal to
~223 6s 8d, N. Y. C.,
May 21, 1780, Thomas Williams sold to Alexander and
William Macomb, a lot in the village 46 feet front on
St. Louis street and 63 feet deep (French measure),
bounded on the southwest by Thomas Cox house, on the
northeast by St. Antoine street, and in the rear by
Francois and Michel Catten's house, for ~500, N. Y. C.
May 21 1780, Edgar and McPherson sold to Thomas
Reynolds, a lot in the fort of Detroit, 42 feet front on
St. Louis street, bounded on the northeast by the late
George McDougall's lot, on the west by a small street
without a name, and in rear by vacant ground, for
~500, N. Y. C.
June 2, 1780, Madam Le Sage Chatelain sold to Henry
Duvernet, lieutenant in the royal artillery, a house and
lot in Detroit on St. Joseph street, eight feet wide and
50 feet deep, adjoining land of the purchaser, for ~20,
N. Y. C.
July 6, 1780, Gregor McGregor sold to Norman Mc
Leod and John McNamara, a lot in the village 42 feet
wide on St. Ann street, and 48 feet on St. Louis street,
bounded on the east by a lot of John Campbell and on
the west by a small street without a name, for ~200, N.
Y. C. Gregor Me Gregor was a Scotchman, born in
1747, and died in Sandwich Nov. 30, 1810. He was
sheriff of the Western District of Upper Canada, which
included Detroit.
July 6, 1780, Norman McLeod and John McNamara
sold the same property to John Me Pherson for ~100.
This was probably a mortgage.




12

HISTORY OF DETROIT

July 11, 1780, Alexander Grant sold to Richard
Cornwall for ~210, N. Y. C., a lot in the fort 120 feet
long, whereof 90 feet is 24 feet in width and the remaining 30 feet is 40 feet wide, fronting on St. Louis
street, and bounded in rear by unlocated lands, on the
east by Thomas Cox's lot and on the west by St.
Peter's street.
July 11, 1780, Richard Cornwall sold the same parcel
to Thomas Cox for ~310, N. Y. C.
July 13, 1780, Forsyth & Dyce, merchants, sold to
Isaac Williams, a lot in the fort, 46 feet wide by 45
feet in depth, fronting on Ste. Anne street and extending to St. James street, bounded on the east by the
lot of Edward Ridly and on the west by the lot of St.
Martin, for ~520, N. Y. C.
July 14, 1780, Sarah Willcox, wife of James Willcox,
sergeant in the Forty-seventh regiment, sold to Antoine
Bernard, alias Lafontaine, for ~250, N. Y. C., a lot in
the village, 42 feet square, bounded by St. Honore
street, on the east by lot formerly owned by Charles
Moran and on the west by the Chemin de Ronde.
July 14, 1780, Isaac Williams sold to Nathan Williams,
for ~380, N. Y. C., a lot in the fort, 45 feet wide on Ste.
Anne street, extending to St. Louis street, and 42 feet
deep, bounded east by the house and lot of James Abbott & Co., and on the west by the house and lot of
Chapman Abraham.
July 14, 1780, Nathan Williams sold to William
Brown, for ~900, N. Y. C., a lot and tenement 46 feet
wide on Ste. Anne street, by 49 feet in depth extending to St. Louis street, bounded east by the house and
lot of Sanschagrin, baker, and on the west by the
house and lot of Graverat & Visger.




1780 TO 1850

13

July 15, 1780, William Brown sold to John Cornwall
and William Miller, for ~700, N. Y. C., a parcel of land
40 feet wide on St. Joseph street, by 120 feet in depth,
bounded on the northeast by Gobbiel's house and lot,
on the west "by, Philip Belanger's house and lot, and in
the rear by the Chemin de Ronde.
July 15, 1780, William Brown sold to William Edgar
for ~630, N. Y. C., a lot in the fort, bounded in front
by Ste. Anne street, in rear by St. Louis street, on the
east by the house and lot of Jean Baptiste Duberge and
on the west by Graverat and Visger's house and lot,
being 46 feet front and 49 feet deep.
July 17, 1780, Antoine Bernard, alias Lafontaine, sold
to Ridley & Bennet for ~152, N. Y. C., a lot fronting on
St. Honore street, bounded on the east by ground formerly belonging to Charles Moran and on the west by
the Chemin de Ronde, being 40 feet square.
Sampson Fleming sold -to Alexander and William
Macomb for ~700, N. Y. C., two houses on Ste. Anne
street, next to a lot belonging to the king, now in possession of said Macombs and next to the new St. Germain street, bounded in rear by St. James street, being
30 feet front by 64 feet deep. The other lot is between
St. James and Ste. Anne streets next to the house of
Lawrence Parent and on St. Germain street, being
30x65 feet. St. Germain street is sometimes called
Rencontre street and is laid down on the map as Lernoult street.
Sept. 7, 1780, Isaac Gagnier sold to Walter Hume, a
lot 38 feet front on St. Joseph street, between Sergt.
Greenwood's house and Henry Devereux' house, for
~110, N. Y. C.




14

HISTORY OF DETROIT

Nov. 1, 1780, Isaac Williams sold a parcel of land,
nine arpents by 150 arpents, equal to 1,350 arpents or
acres, to Pierre Drouillard for ~100 N. Y. C. Pierre
Drouillard was interpreter for the King, in many Indian languages. He was the son of Jean Drouillard.
He married Angelique Descomps dit Labadie, Nov. 20,
1776. They had six children. He died April 14, 1803,
at the age of sixty years.
LARGE SALE OF FARMS
The sales of village lots were small transactions compared with the sale of farm lands by the Indians. There
were several large tribes owning, or claiming to own,
the lands on the River Rouge, Detroit river, Lake St.
Clair and the River St. Clair. The white inhabitants,
both English and French, seeing that a change of government would soon take place, attempted to obtain
from the Indians their titles to these lands. Thousands
and thousands of acres were conveyed by the savages
to their white friends. The record book of the year
1780 is well filled with the deeds that were then ob-,
tained and recorded, and there were many conveyances
left unrecorded at that time that have since come to
light. These deeds conveyed-or pretended to convey-anywhere from 240 arpents to 20,000 acres.
'The French arpent is a little smaller than the English
acre.
No consideration is expressed in the deeds other
than the love and affection which the Indian chiefs
bore to their white friends. The chiefs alone claimed
the right to these lands, but, on one occasion at least,
the entire tribe was called into council to give its consent to a sale.




1780 TO 1850

15

BUYS BELLE ISLE
George Me Dougall married Marie, the daughter of
the royal notary, Robert Navarre. Through the influence of the notary, Me Dougall obtained the Indian
title to Belle Isle (then called Ile au Cochon, Hog
Island).  The citizens of Detroit claimed that the
island was public property and that the Indians did
not own it or have any right to convey it. Me Dougall's
claim was submitted to the privy council of Great
Britain and was allowed on condition that he would
obtain the consent of the entire Indian tribe. He called
the entire tribe into council and purchased its rights.
He then obtained a deed from the chiefs. The island
was, however, claimed as belonging to the crown and
Mc Dougall was allowed to occupy it only so long as
the government did not require it. The island was
subsequently taken by the commandant and the improvements placed on it by Mc Dougall were appraised
and paid for.
It would be too long a record to include a description of all of the lands that were bought in 1780, and
the name of the purchasers only will be given:
Duperon Baby,
Thomas Hemar,
Alexander Macomb, father of Gen. Alexander Macomb,
William  Macomb, brother of Alexander Macomb.
(He died in 1796, leaving a large family-his three sons
were William, David and John).
Alexis Delisle,
Thomas Williams, father of John R. Williams, first
elected mayor of Detroit;




16

HISTORY OF DETROIT

Antoine Chene, Sr.,
Pierr Chene,
James Rankin,
Fontonay Dequindre,
Jean Bte. Cicot,
Nicolas Lasselle,
Alexis Labadie,
Chevalier Chabert (de Joncaire),
Hyacinthe Lasselle,
Isadore Chene,
Antoine Catlin,
Meni Chene,
Bernard Campau,
Charles Chene, Jr.,
Jacques Godfroy,
James Abbott, father of James Abbott, who resided
where the Hammond building now stands;
Isaac Williams,
Sampson Fleming, married Alice Haliburton, halfsister of John Kinzie (many of their descendants became prominent in New York City);
Arent Schuyler De Peyster, major in the king's regiment, born in New York, died in Scotland (was the
author of "Memoirs of an Officer");
Thomas Cox,
Porlier Benac,
Joseph Bourdeaux,
Jacques Portier,
Pierre Labadie,
Henry Tucker,
Claude Solant,
Baptiste Sanscraint,




1780 TO 1850

17

Charles Cabacier owned the Thompson farm at the
present Twelfth street.
Isidore Bienvenue,
William Tucker,
Joseph P. Benac,
William  Forsyth, a soldier in Wolfe's army, was
wounded in the battle on the heights of Abraham. His
wife was Ann Haliburton Kinzie, mother of Alice Haliburton and John Kinzie. They had six sons. Maj.
Robert A. Forsyth, of Detroit, was a grandson.
William Groesbeck,
John Visger,
Garret Filler,
Alexander Dyce,
David Button,
John McGill,
George McBeath,
Robert McWilliams,
Sarah Ainse, (half-breed Indian);
James Thompson,
Margaret Cox,
William Dawson,
Jean Bte. Chapoton,
Alexis Chapoton,
Charles Gouin,
Richard Cornwall,
Alexander Grant, commodore of the lakes, and
Rev. Fr. Pierre Potier, S. J., in charge of the Huron
church, on the south side of the river.
During the latter half of the year 1780 only two or
three sales of village property are noted. In the following year there were many transfers of lands made
by the Indians, but as it was discovered that the say



18

HIISTORY OF DETROIT

ages sold the same lands two or three times over to
different parties, no credit was given to their deeds
and they soon ceased to be placed upon record.
By the year 1783 the times had fallen on evil ways.
The end of the war came. Great Britain ceased to
send money or goods here for the Indians. The garrison was reduced. The fort was allowed to fall into
ruins. Public property was not maintained or repaired.
The palisade around the village had become so dilapidated that the Indians could push the pickets apart
and squeeze between them and so enter the town. Those
citizens who favored the new government, like the
Flemings, Sterlings, Edgars and Scheffelins, left for
New York or remained here only in anticipation of
the coming of the Americans.    England refused to
give up the post to the Americans and everybody-both
American and British adherents-were uneasy and disappointed. The times got worse and worse.
It was not until 1796, two years after Jay's treaty
was signed, that the Americans came, under Gen. Anthony Wayne, and occupied the place. A few discontented Englishmen moved across the river, so as to remain
under the British flag, but the great influx of newcomers more than made up this loss. Business began to
increase and in a few years everything was exceedingly
prosperous. Again the real estate dealer was the important man in the community. Within the village
there were many sales, but as the boundary lines had
not been changed, and the quantity of land was very
limited, the sales were not as numerous as were the
transfers of farm lands. It was expected that the
new government would soon take active measures to
confirm the titles to the farms, and many sales that




17,80 TO 1850

19

were made, were to actual settlers on the river front.
These lands extended along the river from Port iLuron
to the Maumee river and there was soon not an unoccupied farm within that district.
PETER AUDRAIN, FIRST REGISTRAR
The office of registry of deeds was opened shortly
after the transfer of government to the Americans in
1796 and Peter Audrain was appointed the first register.
Audrain, as his name indicates, was a Frenchman. He
was well educated in English as well as French, and
was a fine penman. He held almost all the clerical offices
of his time. He was prothonotary, judge of probate,
justice of the peace, register of probate and of deeds,
clerk of the courts and kept all the records that we have.
Some of his records, though written with a quill, are as
regular as copper plate and quite as legible. Born in
France, he took the oath of allegiance to the United
States Oct. 2, 1781. He lived for a time in Pittsburgh.
We first find him employed in America in taking the
testimony in the investigations concerning the "Whisky
War" in Pennsylvania.
He came to Detroit with Gen. Wayne in 1796 and
the journal of his journey has been printed in the State
Pioneer and Historical society proceedings. He died in
Detroit Oct. 6, 1820, at the age of 95 years. His wife
was named Margaret Moore. Of course, little appears
in the records to indicate a man's private character,
but among the old papers I have been examining in
connection herewith, I found a letter which gives a bit
of gossip of the times, and an extract will show a little




20

I2HISTORY OF DETROIT

of the character of Pierre Audrain. The letter is dated
at Detroit, March 14, 1801. It reads as-follows:
"The day before the writ (of restitution) was issued
Mother Audrian being prompted, I presume, by malice
at the loss of the farm, caused one dwelling house, and
the only one worth a farthing, to be torn to pieces and
the stable floors to be taken up and the materials transported over the creek upon Baby's land; therefore any
compromise with Audrian is out of the question. I
have threatened Audrian with an action, but the poor
henpecked fellow declares that it was done without his
knowledge and against his will.
" 'Tis his poverty alone which can plead an excuse."
AUDRAIN FAMILY
Peter (Pierre) Audrain married Margaret Moore.
Their children were:
James H. Audrain, born in Bucks Co., Pa., Dec. 29,
1781.
Elizabeth (Rebecca) born in same place, Nov. 14,
1783; married Robert Abbott, 24 May, 1798. She died
24 March, 1858. He died at Coldwater in 1853.
Maria Caroline, born in same place, Sept. 24, 1785.
Peter Duponce Audrain, born in Pittsburgh, Nov.
24, 1787.
Margaret, born in same place, Jany. 24, 1790, married George Hoffman. He died in 1810, and she subsequently married William Me Carty.
Francois Audrain, born in same place, Nov. 10, 1791.
Fanny Audrain, born in same place, July 13, 1793,




1780 To 1850

21

married Lieut. Edmonson. They moved to Nashville,
Tenn.
Peter Audrain, born in same place, April 13, 1795,
married Ann May, daughter of Judge James May, 3
August, 1824. He died 16 June, 1838.
St. Clair Audrain, born in Detroit, May 6 (year
omitted).
FEW TRANSFERS IN 1796
There were very few transfers recorded in 1796 -only 10 in fact, but commencing with 1797 we find the
number increasing rapidly. There were 188 transfers
in that year. The following names are noted among
the land owners:
Peter Audrain,
David Powers; came from Tioga county, New York,
to practice law.
The sons of William   Forsyth were already here
when the Americans came. They were William; James,
John, George, Thomas and Robert A. Forsyth, and
'their half-brother was John Kinzie, "the first white
man in Chicago except a darkie." There was also a
half sister Alice Haliburton who married Sampson
Fleming.
Walter Roe was also here. He practiced law and
lived on the south side of the river, though at one time
he owned a lot in the village. Later in life he became
dissipated and fell into the river and was drowned.




22

HISTORY OF DETROIT

Herman Eberts, a physician, was sheriff. His descendants are among 'the business men of Detroit today.
John Sparkman,
Robert Gouie,
William Harffy owned a parcel of land that had been
given him by Maj. Arent Schuyler De Peyster, the
British commandant, during the last year of the war.
Then there was Jonathan Scheffelin, whose Indian
name was Ottason. The Scheffelins moved to New
York and founded the great drug house that has borne
their name for more than a century.
Alexander Henry never lived in Detroit but was a
frequent visitor here with his friend, John Askin. He
was a large land owner here. In 1795 and 1796 Henry
and the two John Askins, father and son, and a few
others, engaged extensively in buying land from the
Indians. They obtained a deed conveying land near
Adam Brown's village (Brownstown) at Grosse Roche,
40 French leagues or 120 miles in depth, by six miles
wide, on the Detroit river. Imagine such a farm,
460,800 acres!




17,80 TO 1850

23

1795
TRIED TO BUY THE LOWER PENINSULA
A chapter in the history of Michigan of great interest to the student, has been passed over with slight reference or complete silence by nearly all of our historians-an attempt, at an early date, to appropriate to
the private ownership of a few individuals, the entire
country we now call the lower peninsula of Michigan
and the northern portion of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
The original French inhabitants of America did not
undertake to subdue to private ownership more land
than each proprietor could actually take charge of and
use for his private benefit. There were no large tracts
granted to individuals or companies. Associations were
formed to whom sections of the country were granted
for the purposes of hunting and fur gathering, but
these companies did not claim to be owners of the
soil, and, further than striving to keep out other hunters, the lands were left to the control of the Indian occupants.
After the fall of New France and after the country
came under the British control, companies and syndicates were formed to take possession of large tracts
with the intent to divide them into small parcels and
sell them to colonies and individuals.
Shortly after 1760, the Ohio River Company was
formed to take the territory south of the Ohio River
and divide it up and so dispose of it, and later on, and
during the revolution, we find a plan for dividing
20,000,000 acres, at the intersection of the Ohio and
Mississippi Rivers, into parcels, and selling the parcels




24

HISTORY OF DETROIT

under the lottery scheme, the avails to go to the government to assist in carrying on the war.
When the war was ended and people began to crowd
west along the Ohio valley there were several grants
of very large tracts made to companies in the Northwest Territory, and the ordinance of 1787 was gotten
up, in part, to protect these grants.
In New York, also, we find these large grants occasionally made; the government selling a large tract to
some individual or company and the individual selling
to the smaller holders; thus relieving the government
of the detail of looking after the small sales, and leaving private enterprise to found colonies, build towns
and people the country.
The territory we now know as Michigan formed a
part of Canada, and although Great Britain agreed to
surrender it to the United States by the Treaty of
1783, she clung to it as a rich possession and refused to
permit our government to have it until the summer
of 1796.
It appears from contemporary correspondence between the Canadian officials and the Home government
that the chief value of the country to the English at
this time was the fact that it was the entrance to the
western fur country and that if Canada lost possession
of it, the fur trade would be diverted from Montreal
and Quebec and would go south through the states.
Jay's Treaty of 1794, effectually settled the right to
the country in our government, and the year 1796, was
designated as the time for the surrender of all the
posts. Detroit was the most important post thus to be
given up.




1780 TO 1850

25

Until the year 1760 there were no people in the Detroit district other-than the French and Indians, but
after it became a British possession the English, Scotch
and Irish traders arrived in great numbers and, by
their greater business activity and enterprise, drove
the French from the occupation of 'traders to that of
farmers and hunters.
It is stated that in the year 1767, only seven years
after the advent of the English, there were only ten
French families still remaining within the enclosure of
Detroit. The village increased in size, wealth and importance, but its new inhabitants were not French.
The Canadian.French were never very strongly attached to Great Britain and during the Revolution,
although they remained outwardly as neutral as circumstances would permit, their sympathies were clearly
with the Americans, and upon the consummation of
Jay's Treaty, they almost unanimously decided to become citizens of the United States.
The British inhabitants were imbued with a different
spirit, and although very many of them remained subject to the American flag many others chose to remain
subjects of Great Britain and either removed from Detroit or lived here as subjects of a foreign nation.
After the final execution of Jay's Treaty, but before
it had gone into effect, a number of the traders residing at Detroit conceived the scheme of obtaining a grant
from the United States of twenty millions of acres of
land forming the entire lower peninsula of Michigan
and the Northern parts of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
They did not expect to pay for this land anything
like its adtual value, but undertook to obtain the title
by wholesale bribery and the payment of a few dollars




26

HISTORY OF DETROIT

in money and a few promises of removing or quieting
the Indian inhabitants. The Detroit traders actively
engaged in the enterprise were John Askin, John
Askin, Jr., Richard Pattinson, Robert Innis, William
Robertson, David Robertson and-Jonathan Schieffelin.
It is impossible to tell whether these men were actual participants in the bribery scheme, but they were
largely interested, and their partners were the persons engaged in the job at Philadelphia, then the seat
of government.
In the spring and summer of 1795 a certain doctor
Robert Randall, of Philadelphia, visited Detroit and
got the persons above named interested in the matter.
An agreement- was drawn up and signed by them all.
As this document has but recently (1914) been found,
'the entire paper will be given rather than an extract
from it.
COPY OF THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT FOR' THE PURCHASE OF MICHIGAN
"Articles of Agreement entered into and concluded
at Detroit this Twenty-sixth day of September, in the
year of our Lord, One Thousand Seven Hundred and
Ninety-five For the purpose of obtaining the Pre-emption right from 'the United States of America and extinguishing the right of the Native Indians to a certain
Territory hereinafter defined, between Ebenezer Allen
and Charles Whitney of the State of Vermont and
Robert Randall of the City of Philadelphia on one part,
and John Askin, Jonathan Schieffelin, William Robertson, John Askin, Jr., David Robertson, Robert Innis
and Richard Pattinson, all of Detroit on the other part.




1780 TO 1850

27

"The said Territory is situated on the lakes Erie,
Huron and Michigan, bounded by a Line commencing at
the Miamis Village, thence down the River of that name
till it falls into Lake Erie, thence along the said lake
up the channel of the River of Detroit through Lake
St. Clair up the Channel of the River St. Clair, thence
along Lake Huron to Old Michilimackinac and thence
along Lake Michigan on a southwesterly direction to
Chicagou, thence across the Portage there, and down
the Illinois River, till a Line drawn due East from the
said River strikes the Miamis Village aforesaid, comprehending all the Lands, Islands and Waters within
the said Boundary line.
"Article 1st. The said Territory shall be divided
into Forty-one equal Shares, whereof the said Allen,
Whitney and Randall shall hold Thirty-six shares for
themselves and their associates in consideration of their
obtaining thro' the Interest of Themselves and the Influence of their connexions, the Right of Pre-emption to
the said Territory on the most advantageous and moderate terms from the United States, and the said John
Askin, Jonn Schieffelin, William Robertson, John Askin,
Junr., shall each hold one share and the remaining
share shall be held by David Robertson, Robert Innis
and Richard Pattinson in equal proportions in consideration on their part of the influence they have over the
Indian tribes, who are the Native proprietors of the
said Territory, and over those connected with them,
which influence they bind and oblige themselves to
exert in that manner 'that they most effectually extinguish the Indian Right on the most reasonable and
least expensive terms, and at the same time tend to ensure to the settler peacable possession, and unmolested




28

HISTORY OF DETROIT

enjoyment: All this to be done at the general expence
of the Forty-one Shares.
"Article lid. Each holder of a Share is bound to
pay his quota of the sum that may be Covenanted for
with the United States according to the terms thereof
as the price of the pre-emption right to the said Territory, and also the Fees of Office, if any, but no other
expences or charges whatever.
"Article IIId. Should any of the Parties to this
Agreement residing at Detroit, be unable to pay or think
the price given or agreed to be given to the United
States too high, He may upon declaring the same in
writing to the proper Parties, Resign and be as effectually exonerated from every part of this Agreement
as if it had never been; and such share so relinquished
becomes the general property of the United Associates,
or Parties, and must be accordingly at their disposal.
"Article IVth. Each Party has free and entire right
to dispose of his Share, of which however he is bound
to give the refusal to the General Association should
they choose to purchase it, but should such person be
one of those whose influence and knowledge of the Indians and Their connexions, is deemed essential to the
promotion of the general views and Interest of the Association He cannot divest himself of such share, till
the Indian Rights are extinguished agreeable to the
Intent and meaning of the first Article.
"Article Vth. It is fully understood that all expences and charges whatever-that may be incurred in
extinguishing the Indian Right or Title to the said
Territory, shall be borne by the Forty-one Shares respectively, but as it may be found particularly necessary for the general association, that some of those




1780 TO 1850

29

Gentlemen residing at Detroit whose long habits of
intimacy with the Indian Chiefs and Tribes, with their
Families and Connexions, whose knowledge of their language as well as acquaintance with the Situation of the
said Territory should devote their time to this business
-for the purpose of making the purchase from the
Natives, as well as to accompany those who may be
appointed to see that the Transaction is fair towards
the Indians, and satisfactory to the Association as also
to accompany and protect the Surveyors, or others,
whose business it may be to lay out, or examine the
lands, such Persons are bound and obliged to perform
such Services upon being allowed a proper Compensation from the Company or Association for so doing.
"Article VIth. As Certain Tracts within the said
Limits have been already Conceded by the Indians to
John Askin and Jonathan Schieffelin and their Associates and of course the Indian Titles to such TractsExtinguished, no steps they may have or shall hereafter
take to obtain for such Tracts the Right and Claim of
the United States in their behalf shall be deemed an
Infringement of anything herein contained. It is in
the mean time however agreed, and understood, That
for such Tracts as the Indians shall acknowledge to
have divested themselves of, in favor of said John Askin
and Jonathan Schieffelin and Their Associates, the
said Association of Forty-one shall make them a fair
and equitable compensation in proportion to the limits
and extent so extinguished.
"The Parties at Detroit declare and They wish to
be fully understood by all the World, That as far as
they are, or may be concerned in this,business, they
will on no account whatever be instrumental in taking




30

HISTORY OF DETROIT

any advantage or any steps that could deprive Their
neighbours and friends the Indians, who in the eye of
Nature and Reason, must ever be considered as the
sole proprietors of these Lands, of any Comfort or
means of enjoyment they have heretofore possessedThat on the contrary it is their Intention at once to
conciliate their affection and promote their Comfort,
connecting with these the gradual and peaceable Settlement the Territory in.question, The extension of
Trade and Agriculture, without Outrage, Bloodshed, or
depredation on the part of the Natives.
"Article VIIth. If the said Allen, Whitney and
Randall and Their Associates shall not have obtained
the pre-emption Right from the United States in three
months after the expiration of the second Session of
Congress counting from~ the day of the date hereof then
this Agreement to be null and void.
"The above Agreement is reciprocally binding on all
and every one of the contracting parties according to
the true Intent and meaning thereof, which Intent and
meaning is to be explained without Equivocation or
Strained Interpretation, according to the usual sense
and acceptation of the words; And in failure of any
part (torn) the Party so failing, shall forfeit his Share
of (torn) advances (torn) or disbursements as effectually as if he had never entered into the (torn).
"In Witness Whereof, We the said (torn) set Our
hands, and Affixed Our Seals to four (torn). Same
Tenor and date, at Detroit the day and (torn).
EB'N ALLEN & Associates.            (L.S.)
CHARLES WHITNEY & Associates.       (L. S.)
R. RANDALL for Self & Associates. (L. S.)
JOH   ASKIN.                           (X)




1780 TO 1850

31

J. SCHIEFFELIN.                        (X)
for John Askin Jr., John Askin.        (X)
'WILLIAM ROBERTSON.                    (X)
DAVID ROBERTSON.                       (X)
ROBERT INNIS.                          (X)
for Richard Pattinson,                 (X)
J. SCHIEFFELIN.
Signed and Sealed
in presence of
HUGH PATTINSON.
RoB NICHOL."
It was proposed to offer five thousand dollars for
the tract and it was thought that this money could be
derived from the thirty-six shares, most of it by a
sale of the twelve shares with some slight contribution
from the members to whom the twenty-four shares were
given.
The members of Congress who did not participate in
the profits, were to be led to believe that the removal
or quieting of the Indians was a sufficient payment for
the land.
After leaving Detroit, Randall proceeded to Vermont
and interested in his behalf Charles Whitney, Col.
Ebenezer Allen and Col. Pepune of Vermont, and
Israel Jones of Adams, Massachusetts.
Whitney is the only man besides Randall, who seems
to have taken an active part in the affair. Before Congress assembled in the fall, many of the members had
been seen, either by Whitney or Randall, and urged to
vote for the proposed bill.
On the 28th of December, 1795, William Smith, member of Congress from South Carolina, and chairman




32

HISTORY OF DETROIT

of the Committee for bringing in the land office bill,
rose in his seat in the house and after stating that he
understood a memorial would that day be presented
asking for a grant of all land lying between Lakes Erie,
Huron and Michigan, to the amount of twenty millions
of acres, he disclosed the formation of the scheme and
the attempt of Robert Randall to bribe himself, and
perhaps other members, to vote for the grant. He
explained the inducements that were held out to him,
which were that the Detroit parties, who were Canadian
merchants of great influence over the Indians, would extinguish the Indian title. The property would then be
divided into forty-one shares, twenty-four of which
would go to members of Congress favoring the scheme;
twelve of the shares would go to the southern members
and 'twelve to the eastern, some shares would go to the
Canadian merchants "who had an unbounded influence
over the Indians occupying those lands, and would, if
this plan succeeded, pacify those Indians who were the
most hostile to the United States.
"Wayne's Treaty was a mere delusion, and without
the co-operation of those influential persons the United
States will never have peace in that quarter."  Mr.
Murray from Maryland and Mr. Giles from Virginia
immediately disclosed like infamous proposals that had
been made to them by Randall. One of the inducements
held out by Randall was that the transfer of this
country to an association of the United States would
change the course of the fur trade through the States.
He told Giles that he could see no impropriety in a
member of Congress being concerned in the.scheme if
the public good was to be promoted by it and thirty or
forty members were already engaged in its support.
Mr. Buck of Vermont, said that he believed Mr. Charles




1780 TO 1850

33

Whitney was equally guilty with Randall, as Whitney
had made similar proposals to him.
The speaker directed the sergeant-at-arms to take
Randall and Whitney into custody and bring them before the bar of the House on the succeeding day. No
other conspirators were arrested.
The examination and debates on the subject occupied
the almost exclusive attention of Congress from December 28, 1795, to January 13, 1796.
Of the eighty printed pages of the records of the
house in that period, five are taken up with the subject
of the presentation of a flag by the French government,
and the remainder are almost exclusively devoted to
the subject of Randall and Whitney.
It is very evident to one who carefully reads the
motions and debates that many members were implicated in the scandal and undertook to stifle it there,
without permitting a thorough investigation. Among
the members who were approached by Randall and
Whitney and'who disclosed the matter in the house were
William B. Giles of Virginia, Gabriel Christie of Maryland, Daniel Buck of Vermont, Theodore Sedgwick of
Massachusetts and James Madison of Virginia. The
entire investigation is a good illustration of Dickens'
circumlocution office, "How not to do it."
Each member was manifestly afraid lest some one
should think that one of his colleagues might be guilty.
Mr. Murray said that "so rapid were the communications of the press, so keen the appetite for scandal, that
when once the story was circulated, it might be impossible to get rid of it."




34

HISTORY OF DETROIT

In the course of protracted debates on the subject it
was determined that the house had no authority or machinery to adequately punish the offence and it would be
well to let the courts take. the matter in hand. So Randall and Whitney were placed under arrest on a warrant stated to be issued from the District Court at the
request of President Washington. In the examination
farce that took place before the bar of the House the
prisoners were represented by two prominent Philadelphia attorneys, Mr. Lewis and Mr. Tilghman. Every
question put to the prisoners had first to be presented
to the speaker and, by him submitted to the House and
if considered proper was then required to be answered.
By this proceeding members were able to prevent any
unfortunate disclosures being made, and when Mr.
Blount proposed to ask the prisoners the names of the
members who were secured to vote for the grant, he
was compelled to modify his interrogatory and strike
out the objectional passage, lest the answer to it bring
forth an accusation.
Whitney acknowledged making the alleged proposals
but denied any wrong intention. Randall denied the use
of language imputed to him in making the proposals,
but acknowledged generally the fact of the proposals,
though denying any corrupt intentions. His attorney
(Lewis) in his closing argument before the House,
ridiculed the idea of any intention to bribe the members and said "if the gentlemen to whom this application was made had KICKED MY CLIENT OUT OF
THE ROOM they would have served him right, and
there, I think, the matter ought to have ended."
Randall and Whitney remained in the custody of the
Sergeant-at-arms for a few days and were discharged.




17,80 TO 1850

35

Impressed as I was with the belief 'that the whole
investigation was intended to cover up, rather than
disclose the facts of the case, I took the opportunity of
a visit to Philadelphia to examine the court records in
this matter. I rummaged through all the old court
files and records in the attic of the magnificent City
Hall of Philadelphia, through the Mayor's Court, the
Court of Common Pleas, through all 'the files that existed in 1795.
After a thorough examination here, I went to the
United States District Court and obtained access to
and examined every paper and record from the commencement of the Court in 1797, civil and criminal, and
I found just what I expected, absolutely nothing. There
is no paper or record in any court showing that such
men as Randall and Whitney ever lived, or were ever
brought into court. The bribery was so thoroughly
spread among the members that they used every effort
to keep it from the public records, and by their influence
they were nearly successful.
While these proceedings were pending in Congress
the Detroit people were not idle.
John Askin and the others obtained several other
deeds from the Indians. One deed dated Jan. 18, 1796,
conveyed three million acres in the northern part of
Ohio extending from the Cuyahoga river (Cleveland)
westward to include Sandusky.




36

HISTORY oF DETROIT

THE DODEMEADS
In the list of the village people at this period we find
John Dodemead and his wife, Jane. It would seem
that Jane was the better man of the two, for she kept
the family in good circumstances during John's life
and left a good fortune to a large family at her death.
Some may still remember "Aunt Jane Dyson." I remember her well. She was a grand-daughter of John
and Jane Dodemead and has told me many times of her
grandmother. Aunt Jane was born on the day that
Perry achieved his great victory over the British on
Lake Erie-Sept. 10, 1813. Her grandmother at that
time, and until her death, lived in the old homestead
on the southeast corner of Shelby street and Jefferson
avenue. The house was built on the brow of the hill
-Shelby street was not opened through at that time.
Adjoining the house in front and on the east side was
a fine orchard of fruit trees. The house that was then
on the spot was not the first one built there, for there
was another house there before 1805 that was destroyed
by the fire of that year.
PRINCIPAL STREET STE. ANNE
In 1805 the principal street in the town was Ste.
Anne street. It was about 15 feet wide and was located
nearly in the center of the present Jefferson avenue.
The Dodemead house before 1805 fronted on Ste. Anne
street and extended southerly some 50 feet to another
street called St. Louis street that ran along the brow of
the hill.




1780 TO 1850

37

The house had two entrances, one on each street, and
at the St. Louis street entrance there was a saloon which
John Dodemead managed. At the Ste. Anne street entrance was the home and tavern of the family, and the
upper story was rented for holding the village courts.
Some of the soldiers of the garrison were wont to frequent the saloon end of the establishment, much to
the annoyance of Maj. Strong, who was in command
of 'the fort. The major issued orders that his soldiers
should not visit the place, but they disobeyed him and
so, one day, he ordered a soldier sentinel to be stationed at the St. Louis street entrance. Dodemead was
angry. So were some of the citizens, for they thought
the military department was trying to interfere with
their civil rights. Just how to prevent the interruption
of business in the saloon was a question. The judges
who were holding court complained to Gov. Arthur St.
Clair, then at Cincinnati, that they could not hold court
under duress and asked that Strong be complained of
for interferring with the wheels of justice. There was
a good deal of excitement in the little town.. The sentinel was taken away but the charges against Maj.
Strong were not dropped at that time. He was subsequently removed to some other post and nothing further
appears on the matter. The correspondence, which has
never been printed, is very interesting. I have selected
one letter on the subject:




38

HIISTORY OF DETROIT

A LETTER FROM MAJOR STRONG
Detroit, 24th January, 1799.
Private.
MY DEAR SIR:
I have only time to tell you that I'm in the land of
the living, and hope soon to hear from you, and of your
welfare and how the business stands between you and
that beast who went to endeavour to deprive you of
your just rights, etc., etc. Col Shebert, Visger and
Wisewell were candidates at the last election. If Shebert is not eligible, of course Wisewell takes the seat.
He has thought proper not to go on, and I think he
is right, for this reason, if the colonel don't take the
seat, of course he comes in, and can go forward the
next session.
The devil to pay, and no pitch hot since you took
your departure from hence.
I found it necessary to put a stop to the inhabitants
selling liquor to the soldiery without permission. I
issued an order and made it known to the people within
the chain of my sentinels, that any person whatever,
without respect to persons, should be tried by a general court-martial, etc., etc. Dodemead and others who
have often been guilty of violating similar orders, are,
with the assistance of that dam'd Ptr. A-d-n., endeavoring to sour the minds of the people, and I am told
that they are writing to the governor, etc. I only wish
you to let the old gentleman know what my wishes are
in regard to my taking measures to put. a stop to drunkenness, which has been the cause of the desertions
which have so frequently taken place, owing entirely to
those evil-minded persons who are constantly selling
liquor to the men. However, I have had no drunken




17.80 TO 1850

39

men since the orders were published. Pray write me,
and tell me all that is going on at Cincinnati, and what
you may get from other parts of the world. Mrs. S.
wishes to be remembered to you. You have the compliments of all the gentlemen of the garrison and town.
God bless you, etc., etc.,
I am, Dear Sir,
With the greatest 'esteem,
Your humble servant,
DAVID STRONG."
The persons referred to in this letter are, the
"beast," George Mc Dougall who was contesting the
right of Sibley to a seat in the Assembly; Col. Shebert
was Col. Chabert de Joncaire; Visger was Jacob Visger; Wisewell was Oliver Wisewell, a lawyer in Detroit and Ptr. A-d-n. was Peter Audrain.     David
Strong was lieutenant in the regular army Jany. 1,
1777; Captain in Connecticut Continental Infantry
July 15, 1785; Lieutenant Colonel in Second Regiment
of Infantry Feb. 19, 1793. Died Aug. 19, 1801.
The name of Dodemead has disappeared from the
Detroit records. The information we have regarding
the family is as follows:
John Dodemead, died in 1821. His wife, Jane, survived him. Their children were:
Elizabeth (Betsey), married Charles Jouet and died
in 1809. They had a daughter Jane who married
Samuel Northington.
Robert M. Dodemead, who died in 1828, without issue.
David, who died in 1836, without issue.
Isaac, who died in 1818, without issue.
John, who died in 1813, without issue.
James, who died in 1818, without issue.




40

HISTORY OF DETROIT

Alice, married Dr. Joseph Wilkinson and died in
1853.
Ann, married Capt. Samuel Dyson, and after his
death she married Charles Jackson.  She left three
children, Samuel T. Dyson, Jane M. Dyson and Ann
Jackson (who married (1) Leonard B. Watkins and
(2) Jonathan Thompson). Ann Jackson died in 1854.
Marie, died in 1821, without issue.
Catherine, married Jacob B. Varnum. They had a
son Dr. Peter Varnum.
There are many more names that occur in the list
of real estate owners in these years. In 1799 there
were 77 conveyances and in 1800 there were only 55.
EXTRACT FROM A LETTER WRITTEN AT DETROIT,
AUG. 7, 1798
"The town of Detroit is situated on the strait connecting lake St. Clair and lake Erie-eighteen miles
from the latter. Altho' the town of Detroit makes but
an indifferent appearance, being built without taste or
elegance, yet there is a something in its appearance exceedingly pleasing as you approach it. The country on
both sides of the Strait as you sail the river, is exceedingly beautiful, equaling any prospect I ever beheldbeing one extended village for a distance of 30 miles.
But unfortunately for the country the settlers are almost to a man French and exceedingly ignorant and
lazy. Fruit of every kind is plenty. Provisions scarce
and dear owing wholly to the idleness of the farmers
and not, as some have alleged, to the barrenness of the
soil. Frenchmen here in cultivating the land make no
account of manure, sooner putting it in the river than




17,80 TO 1850

41

on their farms; notwithstanding, they raise from 20 to
25 bushels of wheat from an acre. Many persons have
affirmed this country unhealthy, a charge wholly unfounded. The physician of the garrison informs me
that during the time the American troops have occupied this post, not one man of them has died of sickness. '.
MANY ADDITIONAL NAMES
We find the following additional names in 1799:
Margaret Wood. She had been in Detroit for some
time, and there appears on record the settlement of a
suit she had with James Donaldson for servant's wages.
He paid her ~200 in the settlement,
James Donaldson,
Joseph Cerre dit St. Jean, a tailor. He owned the
land we now call the St. Jean farm.
James Henry was a brother of Judge John Joseph
Henry, of Lancaster, Pa., whose narrative of the incursion into Canada and the attempt to take Quebec in the
revolutionary war is one of the authentic histories of
that event.
A hilarious time. That "life was worth living in Detroit," even inthe early days, is evident from some of
the bills occasionally found. The following is an example:




42

HISTORY OF DETROIT

"James Henry, Esq.
To J. Dodemead,             dr.
To Dinners............................ ~ 5: 0: 0
To profit on eight gals. wine............... 3: 4: 0
To one cut decanter broke 24/-............. 1: 4 0
To one ditto tumbler do 6/-...............     6: 0
To  3  ditto  glasses  do  2/6...................  7: 6
N.  Y.  C.............  10: 1: 6
By amount of your act.................    5: 6: 0
Balance  due........................  4:15: 6
Rec'd payment April 14, 1806
J. DODEMEAD."

SOME MORE NAMES
George Cottrell,
Charles Poupard,
George Meldrum, owner of the Meldrum farm, member of the firm of Meldrum & Park.
William Park, a partner of George Meldrum,
Charles Girardin,
Patrick Me Niff, the surveyor. One of his daughters
(Margaret) was the wife of Lieut. Porter Hanks, who
was in charge of the fort at Mackinac when the war
of 1812 broke out.
James Fraser,
Conrad Seek was a tailor. He was a prisoner among
the Indians for some time.
Angus Mackintosh, sometimes referred to as the Earl
of Moy. His daughter, Ann, was the wife of Henry




17,80 TO 1850

43

Jackson Hunt, the second mayor of Detroit, and who
died in 1826. Another daughter, Catherine (or Kittie)
Mackintosh, was for some years connected with St.
Luke's Hospital and Church Home.
George Me Dougall did not live in thi city at that
time, though he did both before and after that date. He
was the great uncle of the late Alexander Macomb
Campau.
William Macomb died in 1796 just before the coming
of the Americans. Some members of the family were
still living here in 1797 and many of the descendants
are here today.
Thomas Smith, another old-time surveyor. One of
his daughters married John McDonell and many of their
descendants are in Detroit at the present time.
Solomon Sibley, a lawyer and later a judge of the
United States Court. He was born in Sutton, Mass.,
and came to Detroit among the very first of Americans.
He was a member of the upper house in the assembly
of the northwest territory. The meeting of this assembly was held in Cincinnati and in Chillicothe, 0. It was
largely through the efforts of Judge Sibley that the
first charter of Detroit was passed, Jan. 18, 1802, as
almost the last act of the last session of the assembly
of the territory.
When Judge Sibley returned home from Chillicothe
the citizens illuminated their houses, by placing lighted
candles in the windows. The freedom of the town was
voted to him and a general jubilee welcomed him. He
died in 1846. He was the first appointed mayor of Detroit and the second delegate to congress fromnR Michigan territory.




4A4

H4ISTORY OF DETROIT

Francois Gaubeille,
Thomas Reynolds,
Benjamin Huntington moved to New York City and
became a promninent business man there.
Robert Reynolds,
James Mc Danell,
James Baby,
James Vincent.
ABBOTT IS REMEMBERED
James Abbott, not so long departed but that many
of our people remember him. The famous brick dwelling located on the corner of Griswold and Fort streets,
was removed only a short time since to make way for
the Hammond building. Here Judge Abbott had moved
in 1836-as he then said, to be so far removed from
the tumult of the city that he could enjoy life. His
former home was on the west side of Woodward avenue
below Woodbridge street. The center of the city was
at the corner of Woodbridge and Randolph streets.
Judge Abbott had a large number of beehives about
his new residence on Griswold Street, and the neighbors
used to complain of them, and even went so far as
to complain to the common council.
William Simpson.
John Harvey, owner of the Reeder farm, noted in
later years for the famous and long continued law
suit, Crane v. Reeder.
Robert Innis.  Mr. Innis. carried on business in
Sandwich and died there.




1780 TO 1850

45

The following is a very interesting letter showing
local incidents of the town in 1799:
"Detroit, 21st Sept., 1799.
Dear SirI embrace this opportunity Pr. Mr. Ruland to drop
you a few lines, altho' I have nothing new to communicate. Should Mr. Secretary Harrison come to this
place, some of our Judges, on whose abilities I need not
expatiate, you being (from experience) sufficiently acquainted therewith, have told me in confidence, that they
will in that case resign there appointments. This I
humbly conceive a fortunate circumstance, the future
welfare and happiness of this Country in a great measure depending upon such an event.
Colonel Strong has this day ordered me to hold myself in readiness to proceed to Fort Miamis, and I am
to take my departure with the remainder of the Annuities in a few days, although my Brother, and friends
at New York and Philadelphia, have advised me in the
strongest terms to quit this Country immediately. My
duty to my Country, and the promise which I made to
my friend General Wilkinson could not justify such a
step in these trying times-I have this day, by request
of Colonel Strong, sent speeches to the different Nations of Indians requesting their chiefs to attend at
the foot of the Miamis Rapids on the 15th of next
month for the purpose of receiving their Annuities.
Several of the principal Chiefs of the Ottawas, Chippowas and Poutowatamies have been here, on their way
to visit his Excellency the Governor, but I took the
liberty to advise them to remain here 'till they proceed to the Miamis-conceiving their going forward at
this time would be merely importuning his Excellency,
particularly as I am informed that either the Governor




46

HISTORY OF DETROIT

or Mr. Secy. Harrison will be at the foot of the Rapids
shortly.
The Magistrates have recently received a Packet from
the War Office enclosing "The Articles of War," the
contents of the letter not known-I am surrounded with
a number of Chiefs of different Nations, and I cannot see to write any more at present for the intolerable
smoke proceeding from their Pipes-I must therefore
conclude, wishing you health and happiness-and believe me sincerely your affectionate friend and humble
servant,
J. SCHIEFEELIN.
Solomon Sibley, Esq.
P. S. I have enclosed William Pawlings Acct. Current with William St. Clair & Company-with sundry
other letters, etc., which will be handed to you by Mr.
Ruland.
P. S. Doctor Brown's Compliments-he is too busy
to write at present being engaged making l'argent
content."
There are many more names, but these will suffice
to show that Detroit was growing in population and
that the new names were mostly English, Irish and
Scotch.




17.80 TO 1850

47

MORE NEWCOMERS IN 1800
In the list of sales in 1800 we find a few new names
and we also find the names of others who have lived in
the village for years. Here we have:
Reuben Hunt,
John Ash,
Jessie Hunt,
Abigail Hunt,
Hugh Callahan,
Oliver Wisewell, a lawyer and candidate for membership in the assembly of the northwest territory.
James May we have spoken of before. He was a
judge, trader,. tanner and occupied many positions of
importance in the place. He was a native of Birmingham, Eng., and was born in 1756. He was present at
the capture of Ethan Allen at Montreal, Sept. 25, 1777.
May came to Detroit the following year. His son,
Samuel, died in Mt. Clemens in 1912. James May married Margaret Labadie Sept. 30, 1797, and Augusta
Caroline May, one of his daughters, was the wife of
Alexander D. Fraser, the "Nestor of the Detroit bar"
for many years.
George Leith,
William Shepherd,
Alexander Duff.
Jacob Visger was from    Schenectady. He was the
father of Joseph Visger and grandfather of James A.
Visger,' who was deputy register of deeds for some
years.
Nathan Williams, who had lived in the village for




48

HIsTORY OF DETROIT

some time, died in 1800, leaving a widow, Eleanor, who
administered his estate.
Mathias Dolson lived in the Nathan Williams house
in the village.
-Joseph Voyez, a Frenchman, lived next door.
James Peltier,
Stacy Horner,
Jacob Clemens,
Thomas Mc Crea,
Ilon. Alexander Grant. In those days it was a matter
of a good deal of importance to annex the prefix "Honorable" to one's name. No other person in Detroit
bore it. Alexander Grant was the "commodore of the
lakes" under the British during the revolution. He was
always an important man in the British service, and
when upper Canada was formed in 1791 he was appointed a member of the council. This was a life position,
so that his stay in Detroit at this time was only temporary. He owned a farm in Grosse Pointe and had
there built "Grant's castle."  He was acting governor
of Upper Canada at one time. His wife was a Miss
Theresa Barthe, sister of the wife of John Askin..
Commodore Grant died in Amherstburg.
But again the overselling had reached a climax, and
the down grade began about the year 1801.
We still formed a part of the Northwest Territory, and
our first town charter was not granted till a year later.
We had many good men in the community who could
see a great future for the place, but they were unable
to bolster up the falling prices or stem the tide of adversity that was setting in. There were James May,
Jacob Visger, Solomon Sibley, James Henry, Elijah




17,80 TO 1850

49

Brush and many others; good business men, who bought
and held property at that time, who still held it in the
years of depression that followed.
One of the largest land owners of the time was John
Askin. He was a British subject, and when the change
of government came he wanted to move across the river
to enjoy British freedom. He did not move, however,
until 1802. He was named as one of the first trustees of
the village of Detroit in the charter of 1802; but never
served. He owned the land we know as the Brush
farm, fronting on the Detroit river at Randolph and
Brush streets and extending three miles in depth, nearly
to the railroad crossing. When the hard times came
he practically failed. He conveyed the Brush farm to.
his son-in-law, Elijah Brush, and portions of it are still
owned by his family.
ASKIN OWNED MANY TRACTS
Askin owned many large tracts of land along the
river, but was compelled to let most of them go to
satisfy his creditors. Among his creditors were James
McGill, founder of McGill university, in Montreal; Alexander Henry, the noted traveler, and Isaac Todd, a
wealthy Irish landlord. It was to these men that most
of his property was conveyed.
A letter written in Detroit, March 12, 1801, indicates
the state of business affairs, and shows how sluggish
the times were. The writer says:
"I hope that your not receiving the residue of the
demand will be no material disappointment to you. It
was not in my power to send more, as I could not procure either bank notes or gold. Money of every de



50

HIMSTORY OF DETROIT

scription is exceedingly scarce in this place and almost
impossible to be obtained on any conditions." -
There were many events of importance that served
both to aid and to injure the village and the country
in the first few years of the new century.
The first village charter of Detroit was granted in
1802. The same year Ohio applied for admission into
the Union, and on her admission in 1803 Michigan became a part of the territory of Indiana, of which William Henry Harrison was governor.
DETROIT COMMONS
An early controversy over the "Commons," that is
the lands lying between Griswold and Brush streets, is
discussed in a petition to be presented to Congress.
The petition as drafted is as follows:
"Detroit, Sept. 20, 1803.
There is one further object of consequence more
immediately to the Citizens of Detroit, which is the
Domain around and back of sd Town-altho' the Domain was intended by the French Govr. for the use of
said Town, and has ever since been enjoyed as such
by the Citizens. Yet it is believed that no evidence can
be obtained, proving a grant-However we do not believe that the United States will ever attempt to take
sd Domain from the said Town, but-will suffer it to be
enjoyed by the Citizens as it ever has been-Yet Sir,
we are desirous and we believe, we are warranted in
saying that it is the wish of the Citizens generally that
a Law may pass, granting sd Domain to the Inhabitants of sd Town, ever to be occupied as Common by




1780 TO 1850

51

them, with a clause permitting the Inhabitants of sd
Town in their corporate capacity to extend sd Town
eastward by laying out parts of said Commons into
Lots as shall be considered necessary, and that said
Corporation be authorized either to make sale of sd
Lots or to Lease them at a long period, reserving certain quit rents, and the proceeds of such Lots, either
if sold or rented, to be for the benefit of said Corporation, and be expended either in public improvements,
in wharves, streets, etc., that it be appropriated to the
purpose of schooling and educating of youths, etc. It
is evident that the measure would be greatly to the advantage of this place. At present our Lots are entirely filled up with houses and unless some measures
similar to the above lines are adopted, the Town must
remain upon its present contracted scale, much to the
injury of both the health and happiness of its Citizens.
We have been thus particular in stating our Ideas
and wishes respecting this Country, under a full belief
that you will interest yourself in its fate, and cannot
make any other apology for troubling you with our
affairs but the want of some person in Congress whom
we might call our immediate Representative, and whose
particular business it would be to look to the interest
of his constituents.
Wishing you, Sir, compleat success,
we have the honor to be your
most obed. and very hub. sert.
P. S. We shall be happy of appending you every
information in our power if you should require it-And
to learn often what success attends our petition."




52

HISTORY OF DETROIT

SEPARATE TERRITORY
In 'the early part of 1805 Michigan was formed into
a separate territory, with a territorial government consisting of three judges to form the judicial department
and a governor with the same three judges to constitute the legislative department. William Hull was the
governor and the three judges were Augustus B. Woodward, John Griffin and Frederick Bates.
Just as the four men, the governor and the three
judges, were convening in Detroit for the first time, the
little village was entirely destroyed by fire, June 11,
1805. At the time this was considered a great misfortune. Th-e inhabitants lost everything. But great good
came from the disaster, for a new and larger city was
planned on the ruins of the old, and the century that
has passed has witnessed the wisdom of the new plan.
We have no means of knowing whether the city retained all of its old inhabitants or not.
The following is a contemporary account of the fire.
"Upon the llth inst. about half past nine in the
evening we were alarmed by the cry of fire. It was
discovered in a stable, at the westerly end of the Town,
the wind at southwest. Every exertion was made by
the Citizens to extinguish the flames, but to no effect.
Several of the adjoining buildings being caught in the
meantime, which communicated with others adjoining,
and in spite of every exertion that could be made, the
whole town was on fire in the space of three hours.
Much merchandize and other valuable property has
been consumed. By this unfortunate event, many




17,80 TO 1850

53

families, but a few moments previous in easy, affluent
circumstances, have been reduced to extreme indigence
and exposed to the burning rays of the sun. It is impossible to state with accuracy the amount of the loss
we have sustained. It is believed that it will exceed
One hundred thousand dollars. The loss will prove a
serious evil, not only to the individual sufferers, but
to the interest of the U. States. Detroit was the only
commercial Town belonging to our Govt. in this quarter and unless it can be rebuilt shortly the whole trade
will centre in the towns in the british province opposite.
We have suffered to that extent, that we have not left
sufft. means to rebuild the Town, unless we can receive pecuniary aid from abroad.
We are aware of the uncertainty of this mode of relief, particularly as applying to us, and our situation
which can be but imperfectly known in the United
States. Yet we trust that every Benevolent Citizen
will feel for our distressed situation and contribute a
trifle from the abundance of his property for our relief.
Whatever the amount, it will be received with gratitude."




HISTORY OF DETROIT

LIMITS EXTENDED
The village limits were extended over the king's
commons, from Randolph street to Wayne street, and
very soon houses dotted the entire plat. A new picket
line, or palisade, was erected around the enlarged village, bounded on the north by Michigan avenue and
Michigan Grand avenue (Cadillac square).
The Indians were troublesome and the people were
afraid of them  and erected the picket line to keep
them out.
There was a bank organized in 1806 that issued a great
quantity of bills and sent them to Boston to be distributed, probably hoping that few of them would ever
reach Detroit for redemption.
The stockholders of the bank were James May, John
Griffin, Solomon Sibley, James Henry, Samuel T. Dyson,
William Hull, William Brown, Elijah Brush, Richard
Pattinson, Robert Abbott, James Abbott, Henry B. Brevoort, William Me Dowell Scott and Augustus B. Woodward. Judge Woodward was president and William
Flanagan was cashier when the bank began business.
The banking house was on the northwest corner of
Randolph street and Jefferson avenue. Congress decided that the act of the governor and judges allowing
the formation of the bank was illegal and the- bank
was forced to close its doors. A bank was greatly
needed in the place, but it was more than ten years before another one was organized.




17.80 TO 1850

55

OFFICIALS AND CITIZENS AT WAR
The governor -and judges quarreled among themselves and the citizens took sides, so that the community was divided. The place resembled a frontier post
of more modern times. Some of the people accused
Judge Woodward (the chief justice) of being interested in the scheme of Aaron Burr to establish a new
government in 'the southwest, but the only effect the
accusation had on Woodward was to make his enemies
hate him worse than ever, while his friends clung the
closer to him.
Robert Sanders, a trader in the place, in a letter to
his father, John Sanders, at Scotia, near Schenectady,
N. Y., March 28, 1807, says:
"Great doubts are entertained as to the charter of our
bank's not beiig sanctioned by congress. I dare say
you have before this seen and read the history of Michigan territory written by some private person (not yet
known) residing here and printed by Duane in the
Aurora. You will, by reading that, be able to judge
of the situation of this country, and the dissatisfaction
of the people with the government appointed by congress to govern them. Judge Woodward is despised
and hissed at by every person, and I think in some
respects merits the treatment he receives, though I must
confess the people are not very backward in catching
at the least thing that will give them a plausible reason to murmur. We have most every morning papers
posted on the corners of the streets scandalizing the
governor and judges.   The author of them   is not
known."'




56

HISTORY OF DETROIT

INDIANS THREATEN
Sanders wrote interesting letters and an extract from
another one written to his father, Aug. 11, 1807, contains the following:
"We are at this present time very much alarmed at
the movements of the Indians in the Indian country.
Information from different quarters has been received
by the governor which all agree in stating that the
Indians have a line of communication from St. Joseph's
to the Lake of the Woods, and that they have collected
in some places in great numbers with intention to
strike on some American post or settlement. It is
generally believed that their object is this place. We
are all employed in picqueting in the town and building block houses for the defense of the town. Should
they attack the town I am of opinion it will not be able
to hold out but a short time. We have in the post only
80 soldiers, which are not sufficient to man more than
half the fort at one time. The inhabitants are determined to fight to the last man before they will give up
to the savages.
"It is reported that there are at Sagana 1,000 in one
body waiting for the order to strike. I have subscribed
for you $25 for the defense of the town, which I hope
will meet with your approbation, as I considered it my
duty so to do, as your property here was at stake in case
the Indians succeeded in their attempt on this town.
"I have uniformed and enrolled myself in the infantry company in -the legionary corps. We were this
morning alarmed about 2 o'clock by a man from the
country who reported the Indians were within half a




1780 TO 1850

57

mile of the town. The drums beat the alarm and the
whole town gathered together, amounting to about 200
men, not half of them armed and some with axes, etc.,
when we had the satisfaction of being told by the governor the alarm originated from a quarrel between two
straggling Indians and a Frenchman and that it was
a false alarm. I am just going to work with the rest."
The picket line he refers to was composed of posts
set firmly in the earth and extending 12 or 15 feet above
the ground and set close together. The block house
was in the center of Jefferson avenue, east of and near
the intersection with Randolph street. It was subsequently used as a jail.
BELLE ISLE IN 1810.
William Macomb died in 1796, just before England
surrendered Detroit to the Americans. He and his
brother Alexander had been in business in Detroit for
many years, though they had ended their partnership
some time before William died.
At the time of his death William was the owner of
several large tracts of land in and near Detroit. He
owned Hog Island-which we know as Belle Isle-our
beautiful city park. He owned Grosse Isle-covering
6,040 acres of farm lands. He owned the Grand Marais
farm-that is the "farm at the big marsh"-now occupied, in part, by the Waterworks and extending back
from the river about three miles. This farm included
nearly 500 acres. He also owned what we know as
the Cass farm. This included all the lands between
Cass avenue and Third street, reaching from the river




58

8HISTORY OF DETROIT

to the railroad crossing near the boulevard of the
present city. This farm had formerly been owned by
the family of St. Martin, and was sometimes called the
St. Martin farm. It was also sometimes called the
Macomb farm, and was later known and is now called
the Cass farm from  Gen. Lewis Cass, who bought it
from the Macombs and owned it till the time of his
death in 1866. The Cass farm covered about 500 acres
of land.
William Macomb left a will, which was probated in
the Canadian courts at Detroit, and the will and court
records were carried across the river at the time of
the exodus in 1796 and are now resting with the court
records at Sandwich or at Windsor.
By his will Mr. Macomb devised all of his real estate
to his sons, William, David and John W. Macomb. For
some reason he did not permit his daughters-and he
had several-to inherit any of his real property.
The writer of the first of the subjoined letters was
Alexander Macomb, the father of General Alexander
Macomb, and the uncle of John W. Macomb to whom
he refers. The two letters were written nearly at the
same time, but from the greater distance the second
letter had to travel the interval between the arrival
of the two letters in Detroit was more than a month.
The first letter reads as follows:
"New York, June 20, 1810.
Sir:
I enclose a mortgage from John W. Macomb to me
and transfer'd to John Anthony Rucker, who is married
to Sarah, John W.'s sister. He wishes you would have
it recorded and return it by post. I have written to




1780 TO 1850

59

Mr. Angus Me Intosh to pay you the expense of recording and have taken the liberty of troubling you, being
emboldened so to do from the friendly manner in which
you have always acted towards the family.
I will thank you to inform me what is the value of
those lands, and if a sale could be made of John's third.
He has established himself in the Island of Cuba, in the
town of Trinidad, where he is now cultivating a coffee
plantation in company with my son William, and he is
desirious of disposing of his property at Detroit. I am
of opinion, however, that he would do better at Detroit than at Trinidad.
I am, respectfully, Sir, yr. ob. st.
Alex Macomb."
The second letter from John W. Macomb, the son
of William Macomb, mentions his companion, William
Macomb, his cousin, and another -by the same name of
Detroit, his brother. His letter reads as follows:
"Trinidad de Cuba, June 27, 1810.
Dear Sir:
As my business in this part of the world will not
permit my attendance to my property in your territory,
and as you have the agency of the estate, by power of
attorney from Mr. Mackintosh, one of the executors of
my late father, it is incumbent on you to account to such
of the heirs as have become of age.
On the first day of May last I became twenty-one,
since which I have never received any benefit from the
estate, although entitled to one-third of the net income,
which must be something handsome. I have therefore
to request you will (as soon as possible) transmit me a
statement of the receipts and expenditures of the estate
during your agency, and whatever the balance may be




60

HISTORY OF DETROIT

of my proportion (be it ever so small) to remit it to
Mr. Alex. Macomb of New York in my account, his
acknowledgment will be a sufficient receipt.
I will thank you likewise to inform me what is the
supposed value of-the property in general, as I have
some idea of disposing of part of it. I presume my
brother, Wm., is not with you, as my last letter from
the family mentioned his intention of paying them a
visit. I shall write him  by way of New York. In
writing you will direct your letters to the care of Mr.
Alex Macomb, who will forward them to this place.
Mr. Wm. Macomb joins me in wishing you much happiness.
With respect, I remain, your most obedient
servant,
John W. Macomb. "
A reply to both letters was forwarded to Alexander
Macomb in New York February 28, 1811. In that letter
valuations were placed upon the Macomb properties
here, as follows:
Seven sections of 640 acres each,
on Grosse Island, $3 per acre.............$13,440
Farm below Detroit (the Cass farm now socalled)..........................     7,500
640 acres on Hog Island (now Belle Isle),
at $3.00 per acre........................ 1,920
Grand Marais farm (about 500 acres,
including Henry Gladwin park)............ 1,500
Total.............................. $24,360
Try to imagine buying all the land between Cass
avenue and Third street, extending from the river to
the railroad, at the boulevard, for $7,500!




17.80 TO 1:850

61

While you are drawing on your imagination for the
prices of land in 1810, remember that the population of
the city in that year was 1,650, and that it now reaches
700,000 or 800,000.
Imagine buying all of Belle Isle for $1,920!
BRITISH TAKE DETROIT
The real war came in 1812 and the place fell into
British control in August, 1812, -and so remained until
September, 1813.
No business of any account was done during -the
years 1812 and 1813, while the British soldiers were
in the city. People were exiled from the post by the
British general, Henry Procter, and driven from their
farms by the Indians. Fields were overrun and left
uncultivated, cattle were driven off and killed and
houses and fences were burned.
When the American again took. possession the country
was like a place visited by a tornado. Nothing useful
remained save the bare earth. It meant commencing
over again from the very start and building anew a
devastated country. In the village the deserted houses
bore the marks of Indian intruders and reckless foreign soldiers.




62

HISTORY OF DETROIT

TELLS OF CONDITIONS
As an illustration of the state of affairs at this time
we will copy a letter from   Col. John Anderson, who
lived at the River Raisin, but who spent the year 1813
in Detroit:
"Amherstburgh, 6th Decb. 1813.
Sol. Sibly, Esq.:
Dear Sir-I received your letter of the 20th Nov. and
paid due attention to the contents. I am sorey to find
that the prospects is so gloomey for your progressing
in your journey home, I was in grate hopes that you
would have arrived to take possession of your house
and property before we left it, & on that account we
waited as long as possible, to move from it, as soon as
I understood by Col. Brush & Mr. Abbott, that you
would be on, I made my arrangements to deliver it
up, and would have left it seven weeks before I did,
which was on the 27th Nov., but seeing the grate destruction which was made by the soldiers whareever
thay was quartered, houses, piquets, stabis, palisading,
&c., all destroyed. Col Brush, McCombes, Bobeans, &c.,
farms all striped of fences & piquets, also the two grave
yards, and all the guardings in town, with a few exceptions, and when I left yours not a thing was touched, and as the most of the troops are in their new
houses, I hope nothing will be hurt. I would have
stayed longer, but wood, hay and all other artickles was
so hard to come at, that it was empossable, as wood
small lodes 10s., bread 2s., pork 2s., beef is., pots, i2s.,
butter 4s., hay 2s. pr. bundle, oats 8s., wheat 12s., flour
48s., and none of them lade in as I was expecting you




1780 TO 1850

63

every day. I think the reason how I saved your property, was we had two goods cows, which gave a good
dale of milk to the seek, & I took two officers to live
with us, and every night I went out "and cautioned them
about the property; but all that the Indians had left in
the gardens they took; Mrs. Anderson had it in contemplation two or three times last summer to leave the
house on account of the Indeans, who lived in the Council House and round the governors, which was occupied
by Capt. McKee and him and the Indeans yoused to get
drunk, and you may think how it was for a woman
alone, but when she thought of the house and property,
how it would be destroyed, she was determined to hold
out. A number of nights she never went to bed. I delivered the kees to Col. Brush, I left in the house all
your salt, two barks of suger, three loves of suger, one
of the barrels of Cherey bounce is ]ost, the hoops on one
end give way and it all run out, which was the first
knowledge Mrs. A. had that their was any liquers in
that place, it run out to the other apartment, and also
by the smell, the ballence is all to the good except two
gall. of whiskey which I took on my arrivel, and will
replace it to you when we meet. Mrs. Anderson used
the remains of two barks of suger twenty-nine pounds
which I will also replace, I delivered the salt to Mr.
Jas. Abbott yesterday-the house and all the property safe, I should be happy to see you at home, but
it is so seekly that I was pleased to leave the town as
the hospital is kapt in the governor's house and from
two to three every day died. Yeasterd evening Col.
Brush's life was despaired of. Doct. Brown told me
he was doubtful as to his fate, John Whistler died since
I left town-and a number of other citizens the onethird of the people from River Raisin is dead, so I




64

HISTORY OF DETROIT

think if you remain until the seeson is good it will be for
the beast, as the frost will kill the priveland disese.
I think provisions at the before mentioned prises
could be procured but not for less.
I did not see Mr. Guane, but Mrs. Abbott, who will
write you, promised me to see him.
General Cass has given me the office of sheriff over
the western destrict of Upper Canada, and auctioneer.
We have no news worth your attention in this place.
Mrs. Anderson joins me in our kind love and best respects to Mrs. Sibley and all the family and all friends.
I have the honour to be your most obd't & Hum. Svt.,
John Anderson.
P. S. The Indeans brok one part of the porch as you
go up the stapes, took one ax, 2 howes & their horses
eat some of the bark of the treas.            J. A.
Sol. Sibley, Esq., Cleveland, Ohio."
The house of Judge Sibley, referred to in the above
letter, was located on the northeast corner of the present Randolph street and Jefferson avenue. It fronted
on Randolph street, with a fine dooryard. In later
years there was a large brick kitchen on the easterly
end of the house, with the entrance from Jefferson avenue. This kitchen was a favorite resort for many of
the political friends of the judge-for he was somewhat of a politician withal. In this kitchen many of
the schemes for the political government of the city
and the. territory were hatched and brooded.
Across the street from  the kitchen was the governor's mansion erected in 1806 by Gov. William Hull,
and later converted into a hotel, called the American
house. It was destroyed in the great fire of 1848. At
the time Col. Anderson's letter was written he says




17,80 TO 1850

65

the house was occupied by Capt. Me Kee. It is probable that he refers to the time when the British were
in control of the city, before Sept. 28, 1812, and that
the occupant was Capt. Thomas Mc Kee, a British officer, whose home was in Sandwich.
He also refers to the Indians in the council house.
The council house was where the office of the water
board is located, on the southwest corner of Jefferson
avenue and Randolph street. No Indians were housed
there after Proctor left the city in September, 1813.
The Governor's house was used as a hospital by the
Americans in 1813.
-Col. Elijah Brush, referred to in the letter, was the
father of the late Edmund A. Brush, and died Dec. 14,
1813. His physician, Dr. William Brown, lived in Detroit for many years after this date. His home was
on the north side of Jefferson avenue, between Bates
and Randolph streets. He died in July, 1838.
John Whistler was the brother of Sarah Abbott (Mrs.
James Abbott), and the uncle of James Abbott Mc
Neill Whistler, the famous artist, lately deceased.
Major John Whistler died at St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 3,
1829. The person here referred to was his son.
After the Americans came in and peace was declared,
the people began to return to their old homes and
gather the remnants of their property to begin life
anew. It was a slow process. Courts were re-established, a new governor and secretary were appointed.
The old judges returned and the courts were opened.
A session of the Supreme Court was held May 18th,
1812, and no subsequent session was held until September 19, 1814, when the Marshal called the Court in




66

HISTORY OF DETROIT

session at the house of John Kinzie. James Witherell
was the only judge present. A grand jury was called
composed of the following persons:
Robert Abbott,
Gabriel Godfroy, Jr.,
Jacob Visger,
Henry J. Hunt,
Joseph Campeau,
John W. Macomb,
Samuel Abbott,
Richard Smyth,
John Palmer,
George Mc Dougall,
Denis Campau,
De Garmo Jones,
Conrad Ten Eyck,
William Russell,
Abraham Cook,
Robert Smart,
Oliver Miller.
Several members of the Grand Jury were not present.
They were:
Gabriel Godfroy, Sr.,
Christian Clemens,
Jean Marie Beaubien,
John Whipple,
Shubael Conant.
The only business transacted was the admission of
Charles Larned as a member of the Bar.




17:80 TO 1850

67

A NEW CHARTER FOR DETROIT
A new charter was granted to the city of Detroit in
1815. New people began coming in and local and national improvements assisted the place to grow.
Reference has already been made to the charter of
Detroit passed by the Assembly of the North West Territory at Chillicothe in January, 1802. That was "An
Act to incorporate the Town of Detroit." The principal
provisions of the act were that the town should be governed by five trustees, who were to be elected annually;
the other town officers were a secretary, assessor, collector and marshal. Electors must be free holders or
house holders paying a rent of forty dollars per year.
All officers -were to be elected by popular vote excepting the treasurer and he was to be appointed by the
village trustees. The trustees could enact all laws and
ordinances necessary for the convenience and good government of the place.
At the annual election all of the electors were called
together and the- acts-passed by the trustees during
the previous year were submitted to them for their approval. If any law or ordinance was disapproved by a
majority of those present and voting, it thereby became
void.
The free holders, at this annual meeting, had the
power 'to vote such sums of money as the majority
thought proper, for the use of the town for the ensuing
year. The assessor was to assess the amount in such
manner and upon such objects as: the meeting might
direct.




68

6HISTORY OF DETROIT

The little money that was necessary for the proper
conduct of the place was derived from licenses, fines
and levies upon personal property, such as house hold
goods, stocks in trade, etc. No taxes were levied on real
estate for the purpose of defraying the expenses of
the village government. Real estate was not exempt
from taxation, but the tax was levied against the individual owner and not against the land as it is now
assessed.
Within a very short time after the passage of the
Chillicothe charter, Detroit, in consequence of the admission of the State of 'Ohio, became a part of the territory of Indiana. In 1805 on the formation of Michigan Territory, Detroit was selected as the capital.
The charter of Detroit was not changed by these
changes of territorial government, but in 1806, September 13th, "An Act concerning the City of Detroit" was
passed. This provided that what had heretofore been
the "town of Detroit" should thenceforth be a city,
the government thereof to be vested in a Mayor to be
appointed by the governor of the territory, and to
hold office for one year. There should be a City Council of two chambers. One chamber to be composed of
three members to be elected annually by ballot in the
month of September. Electors were to be inhabitants
of the city above the age of twenty-one years, who
have paid their public taxes.
The second chamber, also of three members, was to
be elected by similarly qualified inhabitants in the month
of March each year. The chambers were not to be
Sunited in their work. Laws could be enacted by a majority vote of each chamber.




17.80 TO 1850

69

The mayor could veto the action of the two houses
and there was no provision for over riding the veto.
The Council could regulate the City affairs in general
and in particular, "provide for the education of youths;
lay and collect taxes and pass all necessary laws to give
effect and operation to their powers."
Nothing is said about the manner in which the tax
budget was to be made up and one can infer that this
entire matter was left to the Council.
The Charter contained no provision for the levy of
taxes on real estate and it is probable that the authorities did not then understand the process that is in
vogue at the present time. There was no provision that
the laws enacted by the Council should be submitted to
the people or to any other authority for approval. If
'the laws were satisfactory to the Council and were not
vetoed by the Mayor, they remained in force until repealed by some subsequent Council.
Solomon Sibley was the first Mayor appointed under
the provisions of this charter and the second and last
appointment was Elijah Brush.
ELECTION OF 1806
Under the Charter of 1806 the first election for the
first chamber was held at the house of Richard Smyth
on the last Monday of September, 1806, under the direction of Solomon Sibley, Mayor of the City. The
Mayor opened and counted the votes on September 30th.
The ticket voted was a joint ticket for three candidates.




70

HISTORY OF DETROIT

There were 61 ballots cast divided as follows:
Stanley Griswold........61 votes.
John Harvey............55 votes.
Peter Desnoyers.........49 votes.
James Abbott...........10 votes.
William Brown.......... 6 votes.
Whereupon   Stanley Griswold, John Harvey and
Peter Desnoyers were declared elected members of the
first chamber of the City Council.
On the first Monday in October, 1806, an election
was held in similar manner for members of the second
chamber. The polls were opened at 4 o'clock and closed
at sunset. The ballots were counted October 7th, by the
Mayor, aided by the members of the First Chamber
of the City Council. There was a joint ballot cast for,three members, with the following result:
James Dodemead........ 34 votes.
Isaac Jones.............35 votes.
John Gentle.............20 votes.
James Andrews..........14 votes.
John Conner............ 1 vote.
James Abbott........... 2 votes.
George Me Dougall...... 1 vote.
John Watson............ 1 vote.
Whereupon James Dodemead, Isaac Jones and John
Gentle were declared elected members of the Second
Chamber of the City Council.
The law did not work satisfactorily and on February
24, 1809, the Governor and Judges. repealed it.
It is unfortunate that there were no newspapers
printed in Detroit at that time that would give us some
information -as to the reasons for repealing this act.




17,80 To 1850

71

The repeal provision covers two lines in the printed
act of the last mentioned date and no reasons whatever are given.
The government of the City now fell under the direct
control of the Governor and Judges and so remained
until October 24, 1815, when the Act of 1802, passed at
Chillicothe, was revised and re-enacted, changed only
slightly and providing that what, in the original act
was called the "Town of Detroit" should be the "City
of Detroit." It is a remarkable evidence of the wisdom of the Assembly of the Northwest territory that
although the territory had increased in population
and perhaps in wisdom and experience, the old act of
1802 was re-enacted in 1815. The people again had the
right to fix the budget and to pass upon the laws enacted by representatives elected by themselves. There
was no mayor or officer higher than the members of
the board of trustees. No person appointed by the
Governor could longer control their action. No veto
could prevent them from carrying out their wishes and
the wishes of the people they represented. The act
was a re-investment of the powers of government in
the people who were governed, and it was a signal
victory for home rule.
The Council House was appointed for holding the
first election and here on October 30, 1815, the first five
trustees were elected.  Solomon Sibley was chosen
Chairman, and James Abbott presided whenever Sibley
was absent.
It was under this form of City Government that Detroit existed until, in 1824, in the general upheaval of
the time, a new form was adopted, and a mayor and




72

IHISTORY OF DETROIT

council, elected by the people, came into vogue. Then
began the form of municipal government that has subsisted, without material change, until very recently.
STATUTES OF MICHIGAN TERRITORY
Within a short time after the passage of the act for
the organization of Michigan Territory, the Governor
and three judges were appointed and assembled in Detroit in June, 1805.
The necessity for proper laws to govern the territory was satisfied by a compilation made between that
date and the eighth day of the following October.
This compilation is generally referred to as the
Woodward Code, taking its name from Judge Woodward who had a great deal to do in its formation.
The law of Congress provided that the Governor
and Judges might adopt laws from the States, and in
this compilation the Congressional act was quite closely followed.
After this compilation was completed the legislative
body proceeded, from 'time to time, to adopt other
laws' and they were not very scrupulous to copy the
laws of the states, but would take a word or phrase
from the laws of one state and a portion of an act
from  another State, and thus evaded the provisions,
laid down by Congress. In 1816 'these laws were collected and published. This compilation is called the
Cass Code.
The third code or compilation was published in 1821,
and in 1824 the laws of the territory were compiled by




17,80 TO 1850

73

the Legislative Board. In the following year there was
a complete compilation of all laws of the Governor and
Judges, of Congress, and of the Legislative Council,
made by direction of the Legislative Council.
We soon had a newspaper-the Gazette. The first
number was issued July 25, 1817. It had a circulation
of 120 copies. The first steamboat to plow the waters
of the western lakes came the same year. The University of Michigan was established and 'the corner stone
of the first university building was laid Sept. 21, 1817,
by the Hon. Augustus B. Woodward. A long-needed institution-a bank-was organized June 2, 1818, but did
not issue bills until January 1, 1819. This was the
Bank of Michigan; John R. Williams was president
and the other directors were Solomon Sibley, Stephen
Mack, Henry J. Hunt, Philip Lecuyer, Abraham Edwards and William Brown.
The Erie canal, although a New York enterprise, was
believed to be of untold value to our territory.
The general government had been engaged for some
years in settling the titles to the old French farms
along 'the river and now (in 1818) it opened the farm
lands in the rear for sale to the general public. The
lands were sold on favorable terms and at moderate
prices.  Roads were projected from   Detroit in various directions. As an illustration of the values of
lands at this time a correspondent of the Gazette compared lands with farm produce. A turkey was worth
one acre of land; two pigs equaled on-e acre; two
geese equaled one acre, two bushels of potatoes equaled
one acre; four bushels of turnips or two bushels of beets
equaled one acre.




74

HISTORY OF DETROIT

PONTIAC IS FOUNDED
One of the most important of the roads leading from
Detroit, was the Saginaw road, now known as Woodward avenue. Some of the Detroit citizens had purchased the lands now occupied by the City of Pontiac,
and laid out a town site.
The men who composed the Pontiac company were
largely instrumental in laying out the Saginaw road.
They were William Woodbridge, Stephen Mack, Solomon Sibley, John L. Whiting, Austin E. Wing, David
C. Me Kinstry, Benjamin Stead, Henry Jackson Hun't,
Abraham Edwards, Archibald Darragh, Alexander Macomb and Andrew G. Whitney, of Detroit, and a few
other gentlemen from Macomb County. The organization of the Company is dated Nov. 5, 1818.
It took but a short time to set affairs moving in the
right direction-for business was "picking up" rapidly and the men who were interested were good business men and very energetic.
Andrew G. Whitney shortly afterwards became the
brother-in-law of Dr. John L. Whiting. Their wives
were sisters, the two daughters of Mr. John Tallman,
of Hudson, N. Y. (Andrew G. Whitney married Eliza
Tallman April 3, 1820). Mr. Whitney was at this time
a partner of Solomon Sibley, in the practice of law
in Detroit. It is to him we now resort for a description
of Pontiac in 1819, contained in a letter written to
William Woodbridge, who was then in Washington,
the first delegate from Michigan to Congress.




17,80 TO 1850

75

The following is a copy of the letter:
"Detroit, Jan'y 10th, 1819.
Saturday Evening.
My Dear Sir:
I have just now called on Mrs. Woodbridge. She and
Julianne and little Leverett are all in perfect health.
Mrs. Woodbridge says she intended to have written
today, but the children have occupied her attention too
much to allow time. Mr. Deming was going to write
till Mrs. Woodbridge mentioned she should. Mr. Lanman, who has been with us during the setting of the
court, was going to write also, but he has taken it into
his head to start for the Raisin this afternoon and can't
write. Mr. Sibley intended to write, but is too unwell
and has been for some days and wished me to make his
excuse and present his compliments. In consequence
of which promises you will get no letter from Detroit
this mail unless I write myself.    In - consequence
of which I hope this letter will be so acceptable that
you will pardon my neglect to write sooner. On the
last mail day and when the Detroit party started for
Washington, I was too much absorbed and harassed
with our county court business to write-and in fact
my brain is not entirely disentangled yet from the
quips and quiddities, cramps and knots with which it
was snarled during court week.. The business of this court was hurried through in a manner
unknown in this county. His honor the cheif was
determined to outdo the supreme court in relieving the
burdens of jurymen and witnesses and the public.
Mr. Sibley mentions to me that the president and
directors of ou'r bank have made proposals to the government to negotiate their money concerns in this ter



76

HISTORY OF DETROlt

ritory, and to have their notes taken at the land offices,
and wishes me to mention this to you and request you
to give any assistance in your power in this behalf. The
bank began to issue bills the 2nd of Jan'y. But, as
yet have been very spairing in discounts. Your humble servant has had the honor of being appointed attorney to the bank. Commissioners have been appointed to run the road to Pontiac-made their report. But
the settlers have not accepted it, but have actually laid
out a road beginning about nine miles from Detroit
through to Pontiac on the Saginaw trail. The commissioners had run a road about 14 miles on -a straight
line. Several log houses are now building between here
and Pontiac, and between 30 and 40 quarter sections
taken up on the road.
Maj. Mack has contracted with the land board to
turnpike the road through the 10,000 acres, and Col.
Leavenworth, I understand, will set out tomorrow
with a large detachment of troops to cut a causeway
the remainder of the road, from Mack's contract to
Oak Upland, where the actual settlers have commenced
theirs:
We have finished a good log house 20 feet square at
Pontiac, and have a family settled in it. Of the six
donation lots we offered to the six first settlers being
mechanics, who would build on their lots within six
months, four are already applied for by a tanner and
currier, a blacksmith, a millwright and shoemaker.
Two farmers from New York also have applied for
farms to rent on our purchase, and go immediately to
work. We have sold one-fourth of the millseat for
$250 and the purchaser is to superintend the erection
of a sawmill immediately. We have advertised our lots
in Pontiac for sale on next Thursday. We shall, how



17,80 TO 1850

ever, sell but few at auction. Some will go as high as
$100, we think.
The governor has set off the new county by proclamation and called it very appropriately the " County
of Oakland.'"  Commissioners are appointed to fix
the county seat-we think it must be at Pontiac.
I received $115 from Mr. Deming and paid it to the
land office for our fraction on the Huron and have
taken the. certificate. Many entries of land have been
made by actual settlers since your departure.
I shall endeavour to procure a good tenant from New
York to go on our fraction next spring, but lest I should
fail, had you not better get one, if you can, from Ohio,
as you come home, and if we get two I have another
quarter section near Le Roy's that one of them may
have.
My hopes of the prospects of this county, sir, rise
every day. I shall not be idle while in New York, for
the public good of Michigan.
Before this reaches you, you will probably see Mr.
Wing, who started away suddenly and unexpectedly for
Washington four days ago. From him and the gentleman who is also on the way to W., you will learn the
little incidents of each day here before you would receive them from me.
I shall accompany Mrs. Wing by Mr. W. Request
to Massachusetts. We shall set out as soon as 'there
shall be good sleighing through to Albany, probably
about the middle of February. I should be very happy
if you will write to me before you leave Washington
and also on your arrival in Ohio or at Detroit. If you
should arrive here early please direct your letters to
me at "Hudson, Columbia county," New York, and I




78

HISTORY OF DETROIT

shall receive them immediately wherever I may bebut I shall most probably be there.
I think it is very doubtful whether I shall return to
Detroit before the 'lake opens.
Should you please to write me immediately on the receipt of this I shall probably receive it before my departure, and if not it would follow me to Hudson.
The slovenliness of this scrawl must be placed to the
credit of procrastination.
I forgot to mention it in proper place that when I
left your house just now Julianne gave me a kiss for
papa.
With most sincere respect & esteem, I am, your
most obedient servant,
A. G. WHITNEY.
To the Hon. Wm. Woodbridge, Esq."
(The river Huron, mentioned in the above letter, is
now called the Clinton River).
CENSUS OF 1819
A census of Detroit was taken in January, 1819, which
made the following fair showing of the place at that
time:
Population of Detroit exclusive of the garrison:
Heads of families 142 males, and 139 females:
Males. Females.
Under 10 years of age................139,156
Of 10 and under 16................ 86         68
Of 16 and under 26.................177       119
Of 26 and under 45..................152       70
Of 45 and upwards................. 42         31
596    444




17,80 TO 1850

79

Total white  population........................1,040
Total  colored  population.......................  70
Grand total............................ 1,110
There were 142 dwellings and 131 shops and public
buildings.
Catholic clergymen, 2 (Gabriel Richard and Joseph
Janvier); Protestant clergyman, 1 (John Monteith);
attorneys-at-law, 12; physicians and surgeons, 3; teachers and instructors, 6; scholars, 170; blacksmiths, 13;
watchmakers and jewelers, 7; gunsmith, 1; carpenters,
60; coopers, 6; cabinet makers, 3; coach maker, 1;
wheelwrights, 5; tanners, 3; saddlers, 5; shoemakers,
12; masons, 23; tailors, 13; hatters, 6; tinners, 3; printers, 3; innkeepers, 3; dry goods merchants, 24; wholesale grocer, 1; groceries and ale houses, 16; bake
houses, 5.
The exports from Detroit in 1818 were $69,330.82 and
the imports were $15,611.86. Money was scarce and
the merchants issued "accommodation tickets" that
passed for currency.
BUSINESS AFFECTED
But already the coming depression had set its mark
on the city and territory. As early as the preceding
March the change in affairs had affected some people
and some kinds of business.
Abraham Edwards, who had always been prominent
in business and politics, concluded either to leave Detroit or find a situation in the government employment.




80

HIISTORY OF DETROIT

His letter indicates his situation, and serves also to
denote the general trend of business affairs. In this
letter, which is dated at Detroit, March 22, 1818, and
is directed to William Woodbridge, Mr. Edwards says:
"As mercantile business is exceedingly dull and the
prospects of its continuing so in this place, I have made
up my mind to apply for the appointment of a Dept.
Qr. Master Gen. for this deptm't, and therefore take
the liberty to request from you on my behalf, letters,to Mr. Barber or any other member or members of congress you may deem proper to address on this subject."
Mr. James Barbour, to whom he refers, was Secretary of War under President John Quincy Adams.
The Detroit Gazette in its issue of Sept. 24, 1819,
says:
"The distress which pervades every portion of our
country is variously accounted for.
"When you deal in generals, indeed when you declaim against overtrading, luxury and extravagance,
and recommend reform, assent is yielded with willingness.
"There is one cause in the western country which
has operated very powerfully in producing the present
state of things and which must continue to operate in
the same way, I mean speculation in the public lands."
And the same paper in an article published Nov. 5,
1819, says:
"Notwithstanding the extreme pressure of the times
in every portion of the Union, several families have
found means to emigrate to this territory since the first
of September."




1780 TO 1850

81

And on Dec. 10, 1819, it said:
"The embarrassments and losses which are daily experienced by many of our fellow citizens in consequence of the great quantity of depreciated Ohio bank
notes which are now circulating among them, will, it is
to be hoped, cause a general attendance at the council house this evening, when some measures will probably be entered into that will in a great degree prevent the impositions to which a large proportion of
this community are subjected, by the speculation of
Ohio bankers and bank agents."
CITY DEBT IN 1819
The City Treasurer made a report May 10th, 1819,
showing the state of the- City's finances at that date.
The amount received from    Market
Stalls, fines and tavern licenses
was...........................         $254.24
Expended for the market..........$ 13.19
Fire  hooks.......................  64.13
Services of the Treasurer and Marshal and percentage for collections........................  176.17
Sheet iron for Council House........75
254.24
Balance on hand...............          000.00
The politicians, as usual, cleaned the larder. Nor
was this the worst part of the report. The Board of
Trustees had incurred debts that left the city in a
financial "hole."




82

8HISTORY OF DETROIT

There was due Isaac W. Day for services as
M arshal................................. $  65.57
Due George Mc Dougall as Secretary........     3.00
Due Thomas Rowland as Secretary......... 15.00
Due Sheldon & Reed for printing............   20.87
Due J. W. Tompkins building engine house.... 130.00
Due Henry Sanderson for repairing engine..... 87.10
Due Henry J. Hunt for rope for hay scales...    4.84
Due Melvin Dorr on settlement................ 27.05
$353.93
Old City orders of 1817 still unpaid......... 230.00
$583.93
The only offset to this indebtedness was two items
of notes due from individuals and the Board of Trustees aggregating $180.77.
It was also stated that the accounts of Asa Partridge,
a former Clerk of the Market, were still unpaid.
As an illustration of the times in Detroit as compared with other cities, the Gazette of September 17th,
1819, stated that great destitution existed in other
places. In Philadelphia people were working on the
turnpike roads at one shilling per day and fifty persons had been discharged from a single factory because there was no work to be had. In Detroit affairs
were much better. "We all complain, to be sure, and
assert that the times are terrible-but what are the
facts? We pay a common laborer one dollar a dayA mason or a carpenter gets from twelve shillings to
two dollars twenty-five cents a day, and some get $2.50.
We pay the women who do housework from six to eight
dollars per month."




1780 TO 1850

83

"We also pay a shilling a pound for poor mutton;
eight and ten cents a pound for poor beef; $20 to $25
per bbl for ordinary pork."
"Nothing can be purchased for less than sixpence,
and it is believed that on an average there is not a
copper coin in the possession of more than one individual out of three hundred in this territory."
"Two years ago we saw five dollars put into our
pocket book oftener  than we see one dollar placed
there now."
From this time on for several years the times continued to grow worse. Every effort was made to revive business. Many changes and improvements in the
city and in its laws were made to that end. The second
form of government for the territory was obtained.
This provided that the legislative powers of the governor and judges should be transferred to a body of
men elected in the territory, called the legislative council. The first legislative council, elected in 1823, was
composed of nine members, but two years later the
number was increased to 13 members. Michigan was
granted the right of representation in congress and
William Woodbridge was elected the first delegate in
1819.
The finances of the country had fallen into such a
shape that, in 1821, the prisoners in the County Jail
were threatened with, death from freezing. The orders
of the County Commissioners were twenty-five per cent
below par. The jailor was furnished with these, orders
to obtain fuel. The Commissioners were unwilling to
allow the jailor a credit for the discount of twenty-five
per cent and as he was unwilling to suffer the loss, no
wood was obtained and the prisoners suffered the con



84              HISTORY OF DETROIT
sequences. The County Commissioners were Abraham
Edwards, Peter J. Desnoyers and John P. Sheldon. In
1822 they reported that the indebtedness of the County
in 1820 was $1303.82.   They had uncollected some
$1157.41, but a good portion of this was worthless. In
1821 they expended $1565.93 and had collected only
$992.69. A portion of the remaining unpaid taxes for
that year could not be collected. In consequence of
this unfortunate state of affairs it would be necessary
to levy a tax of $3000 for the next year. This was an
unheard of amount and its levy would be resisted by
the taxpayers.
The following year (1823) the receipts were $2223.30
and the expenses $3795.03, showing a rapid accumulation of County debt and no funds in sight to pay it.




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17.80 TO 1850

85

Few persons of the present generation ever heard of
the village of Woodwardville-a paper city projected
on land on Woodward avenue six miles distant from
the river. Such a city was projected and platted in
the year 1825. It was the first effort in Michigan to
boom the lands adjacent to the cities and large places.
That the effort was a failure and reached only the
"platting" stage may be accepted as an evidence of the
wisdom of the early citizen, but as it was followed, a
few years later, by many such paper cities, where
swindles were consummated in great numbers, it may
be inferred that the failure of the first attempt was
due, either to apathy or to poverty.
Judge Woodward was an energetic, capable and eccentric man and judge. A sketch of his life with some
allusions to the Bank of Detroit, Slavery in Detroit,
the University of Michigan and to other matters connected with his life, can be found in the publications
of the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society in volumes 29, 37 and 38. His eccentricities led him into
continual quarrels with his associates, Hull, Witherell
and Griffin. He would not agree with them on the
passage of laws, and sometimes he refused to associate
with them. He absented himself from his duties many
times and not infrequently refused to hold Court for
months at a time. He was chief justice from 1805 to
1823 and at the latter date was superseded upon a reorganization of the judicial system  of the territory.
The territorial judges in 1823 were Woodward, Griffin
and Witherell and upon the re-organization Witherell
only was re-appointed. The two new judges were Solomon Sibley and John Hunt. The Governor and Judges,
in addition to their legislative and judicial powers un



86

HISTORY OF DETROIT

der the Act of Congress of 1805, were also the Land
Board under the Act of 1806.
It was one of their duties to sell the Ten Thousand
Acre Tract which Congress had donated for the purpose of building a Court House and Jail. After the
jail was built it was some years before any effort was
made to build the Court House. In 1818 a start was
made towards selling the lands in the Ten Thousand
Acre Tract and they were put up at auction. About
the only purchaser at this Auction sale was Judge
Woodward. Anticipating that in a few years the land
would be very valuable and that the increase in price
would be very great, he bought twelve hundred and
eighty acres. The deeds were not made to carry out
these sales until four years later. The lots purchased
at this sale, the quantity of land in each lot or section
and the price paid by him were as follows:
Section  4, containing 160 acres sold for $100
Section  5, containing 160 acres sold for 100
Section 44, containing 160 acres sold for 100
Section 45, containing 160 acres sold for 100
Section 55, containing 160 acres sold for 100
Section 56, containing 160 acres sold for 644
Sedtion 57, containing 160 acres sold for 536
Section 58, containing 160 acres sold for 100
Making a total of 1280 acres for $1780.
Sections 4 and 5 of this tract, containing 160 acres
each, are located on either side of Woodward avenue.
Lot 4 extends from Woodward avenue to Oakland avenue and the northerly part of it is now occupied by the
Ford Motor Company.
Lot 5 on the westerly side of Woodward avenue,
extends to Hamilton boulevard and the upper portion




1780 TO 1850

87

is now occupied by the D..U, R. for car barns and
yards. These two sections (4 and 5) constituted Woodwardville.
Sections 55, 56, 57 and 58, containing 640 acres, extend a distance of two miles along the northerly side
of the Grand Boulevard, from Linwood avenue to
Dequindre street. They extend northerly one-half mile
from the boulevard.
Sections 44 and 45 front on Woodward Avenue at
about the location of Virginia avenue. Each section
has a half mile frontage on Woodward Avenue.
Judge Woodward held this land in an uncultivated
condition, save only for the cutting of fire wood, from
1818 until his death in 1827. The Saginaw turnpike,
now called Woodward avenue,.was opened through
the entire length and was graded and used as a road,
before 1825.
In 1823 Woodward ceased to be judge of Michigan
Territory and was appointed judge of the United
States Court in the territory of Florida.
Upon leaving Detroit he undertook to dispose of his
real estate but was not successful.
Believing that the part of his land lying the farthest
from the city could be sold if laid out into a village,
he had a portion of sections 4 and 5, containing 320
acres, platted into small lots.
This plat and the plat of Ypsilanti, which the judge
also owned and named, are the first attempts in Michigan of the wild sub-division of outside lands made for
the purpose of sale to speculators.
The Woodward avenue land, called Woodwardville,




88

HISTORY OF DETRO&IT

was advertised for sale in the Michigan Herald, July
14, 1825. In the advertisement the judge says: "On
this land I projected a village under the name of Woodwardville. It lies about six miles northwest from-the
City of Detroit and is thought a good stand for a
variety of establishments calculated to contribute to
the accommodation of that splendid and rising metropolis."
The lots were offered at from $10 to $50 each, according to location.
In the plat of this village again appears the idea that
Judge Woodward had attempted to carry out in his plan
of Detroit, of having numerous small interior parksa breathing place in each block. The plan, a copy of
which is here shown, was drawn by John Farmer and
the original is in the manuscripts of the public library.
The plat was not recorded and no sales were ever made
of its lots.
Judge Woodward died in 1827. He was never married. His heirs were his brother, John Woodward and
sister, Maria Pease. In 1833 the heirs sold the entire
lands owned by Judge Woodward in the-Ten Thousand
Acre Tract, to Thomas E. Davis for $7455.
This tract of land originally cost Judge Woodward
$1780, or less than one dollar and fifty cents per acre.
If he had placed that amount of money out at compound
interest in 1818 and it had continually drawn six per
cent and there had been no expense of caring for it,
nor losses from bad investments, it would, in 1918, have
accumulated- to $402,702. It would not be unfair to
suppose that this land would have, in part, taken care
of itself during this time by the sale of its timber and
by its rentals for farming purposes. There were 1280




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1780 TO 1850

89

acres of it. Some of this today is worth $800 to $1000
per foot front and much of it is worth from $5000 to
$10,000 per acre. In 1914 I submitted the valuation of
this land to two of our leading real estate dealers, Mr.
W. W. Hannan and Mr. Homer Warren. Mr. Hannan
placed a value of $6000 per acre on the entire tract.
That would amount to $7,680,000.
Mr. Warren made quite an extensive computation of
all of the parcels and arrived at a somewhat different
conclusion. He thinks it worth at least $10,080,000. It
is probably now (1917) worth double the latter sum.
Section 56 alone is valued, on the assessment rolls, at
more than $2,000,000, exclusive of improvements.
The difference between the increase in value of the
land and its value in money compounded over a long
term of years is a striking example of the proper investment of money in Detroit. It is not alone this
parcel of land, but almost all other lands in the city.
Take as an illustration, the school sites and public
grounds. As an investment the City has made millions
of dollars in the increase in value of lands purchased
and held and for use.
The plant of the Ford Company and the Car Yards
of the D. U. R. are occupying the Woodwardville of
1825.




90

HISTORY OF DETROIT

NEW CITY CHARTER
In 1824 a new city charter was granted and John R.
Williams, the first mayor, elected in the spring of that
year.
In 1825 a second newspaper-the Michigan Herald,
was established in the city. It lasted about four years.
It was owned and published by Henry Chipman and
Joseph Seymour.
CITY GETS NEW LANDS
In 1826 congress was persuaded to give to the city
the lands that had, until that time, been occupied by
the military department, consisting of all the lands
lying west of Griswold street, north of Larned street,
and south of Michigan avenue, extending westerly to
the Cass farm, on Cass avenue. This was a.very valuable tract of land and had on it a good many dwelling houses formerly used by the officers and soldiers
in the garrison. The land was platted into dwelling
lots, but was not put upon the market for sale until
about 1830.
The fort was demolished and the land graded down
and streets opened. The surplus earth was used to fill
in the river front. The land was described in the
Herald as follows:
"This cession contains 30 or 40 acres upon a handsome elevation in the heart of the city and includes
the fort and cantonment and all the military buildings,
with the exception of the arsenal, public store and
house occupied by the public storekeeper. This is a
most valuable acquisition to the city. The military




1780 TO 1850

91

buildings will be put up for rent at public auction on
next Saturday."
The terms upon which lots in the Military Reserve
were offered for sale on May 14, 1827, were thus set
forth in the Herald: "Those desirous of purchasing
will deposit with the clerk of the City a description
in writing of the lot or lots, upon which they are disposed to bid; to which due attention will be given, in
selecting the lots to be offered, to the extent which it
may be thought expedient to sell.
The terms of the sale are one-fourth to be paid in
ninety days; one-fourth in one year; one-fourth in two
years and one-fourth in three years, with interest. No
title shall vest until the land is fully paid for, and unless a store, brick or frame house, two stories in height,
shall be erected upon each lot before the expiration of
the time of the last payment the previous payments
and the right to the lot shall be forfeited."
The court house and capitol, located on what is now
called Capitol square, has been in process of erection
for several years. It was completed and occupied in
1828.
The stone church of St. Anne, located on the northerly side of Lamed street, between Bates and Randolph
streets, was in process of erection for many years. It
was occupied for religious services in 1828.
The Presbyterian church on the corner of Lamed
street and Woodward avenue and the Episcopal church
in the same block on Woodward avenue, were openedin 1820 and 1824, respectively. There was a Presbyterian church on the same site in 1818, but it was moved
as mentioned later on.




92

HISTORY OF DETROIT

BURIAL GROUNDS MOVED
The erection of these buildings and the opening of
Congress street necessitated the removal of the old
burying grounds that occupied the lands on Woodward
avenue and Congress street in this neighborhood. These
improvements were indications of the revival of business and the increase in population of the city. In
1830 a census was taken which showed the population
to be 2,222-quite an increase over the census of 1819.
Business was now in a prosperous condition and everything was advancing.
At a meeting of the Freemen held in Military Hall
December 16, 1826, a committee of three was appointed
to select a suitable site for a burial ground and report
at the next meeting of the Freemen.
The committee consisted of Eurotas P. Hastings, De
Garmo Jones and Shubael Conant.
They made their report at the adjourned meeting of
the Freeman held at Woodworth's Hotel December 30,
1826. They reported "in favor of purchasing a certain
lot of five acres belonging to Dr. William Brown, lying
upon Adams avenue, and adjoining the farm of Gov.
Cass, the same being offered to the city for the sum
of eight hundred dollars."
This land extends along the northerly line of Adams
avenue north   of the   Grand  Circus from   Woodward-avenue to Cass avenue, and reached in width to
Elizabeth street. It was acceptable to the citizens and
the price as we now see it, was exceedingly moderate.
Something, unknown at the present time, and quite as




1780 TO 1850

93

mysterious as the inducement that led the officials of
a later date to select the present site of the Court
House in the hole at the foot of Cadillac square, prompted a change in the location of the cemetery on Woodward avenue, to the more remote and then inaccessible
location at Clinton Park. The approach to the Clinton
Park Cemetery was over a narrow lane thirty feet wide,
extending from  Jefferson avenue.   No cross streets
were opened and there was no better approach to the
cemetery for many years.
Francis P. Browning was one of the foremost men
in the city at that time. He was engaged in many of
the important ventures and was looked upon as a successful merchant and great confidence was placed in him.
He purchased the lots on the corner of Larned and Griswold streets, now occupied by the old postoffice, the
present United States custom house, and here erected
a fine brick residence. His wife was a Miss Caroline
Colt, daughter of Samuel D. Colt, of Pittsfield, Mass.
Mr. Browning, although not a church member, took an
active interest in church affairs and was one of the
leaders in procuring for the Baptist church the lots
owned and occupied by that society on the corner of
Fort and Griswold streets now occupied by the Dime
Bank building. In the midst of a very useful life he
was suddenly cut off by the dreaded cholera in 1834.
At the time of his death he was one of the principal
owners of the steam   mill at the foot of Woodward
avenue.
In 1825 there were 58 buildings erected in the city,
divided as follows:
Two-story buildings, 22.




94

HI94ISTORPY OF DIETROIT

Story and a half buildings, 17.
One-story buildings, 19.
The following appeared in Detroit Courier, May 1,
1833:
"The City.-With the return of Spring and the opening of lake navigation, have reappeared all those indications of business that are the life of growing places.
Go into any part of the City, down by the waterside,
back by the commons or along the magnificent avenue,
and your eyes are greeted with anything but inactivity.
Several fine buildings are already up-many more are
under way in all directions-and we believe it is contemplated to erect three new churches during the season.
Most of our city merchants have either sent or gone
east for their spring supplies; and we see no reason
why the ensuing year should not witness an increase
of business, commercial and mechanical, proportioned
to the anticipated increase of population."
On April 20, 1833, a resolution passed the Legislative Council,
"That a select committee be instructed to inquire
into the expediency of establishing a Savings Bank to
be styled the Savings Bank of Michigan, and that said
Committee shall at any time have leave to report by
bill or otherwise."
It was not, however, until sixteen years later that the
first savings bank, the present Detroit Savings Bank,
was organized.




1780 TO 1850

95

POPULATION DOUBLES
The population more than doubled in the four years
between 1830 and 1834. At the last mentioned date
a census was taken with the following result:
Total white population...............4,448
Blacks.............................  138
Strangers in the city....................  87
Aggregate............................4,973
There were 12 schools in the city and the encouragement was held out that "in the coming season new
dwellings, stores and churches, together with a new
market house, will be erected."
All of these schools were private, select or parochial,
not public schools.
Detroit was visited by the cholera in 1832 and again
in 1834.
The financial statement from  1825 to 1834 showed
that the city had received, principally from the sale
of lots in the military reserve, in the ten years,
$57,620.66. It had expended during the same period,
$56,483.02. And had on hand, $1,137.64.
It had, however, issued warrants and had corporation
bills in circulation and a debt due to the Farmers' Insurance Company aggregating $4,390.66, so that it had
a considerable debt for so small a place.
A municipal ownership enthusiast in the Courier of
November 13, 1833, thus demonstrated, to his satisfaction, the advisability of public ownership of the Central Railroad.




96

HISTORY OF DETROIT

"A correspondent from Marshall advocates the building of a railroad from Detroit to the mouth of the St.
Joseph River, through Wayne, Washtenaw, Jackson,
Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Van Buren and Berrien counties,
175 miles. There would be 10,000 farmers reached by
such a road who would contribute each 500 bushels of
wheat, ten barrels of pork, making 5,000,000 bushels of
wheat and 100,000 barrels of pork, besides 100,000 barrels of other goods and grains each year. The whole
equal to 1,200,000 barrels in bulk of the value of
$5,000,000. To transport this from Detroit would employ between 300 and 400 vessels.
Let the government set apart the unsold lands for
five miles on each side of the proposed road and sell
the lands to pay for making the road as it progresses.
This would make 1,120,000 acres, but some lands are
already sold, so that, say 746,676 acres still remain undisposed of. These lands will increase in value to say
$5  per  acre,  or........................... $3,733,335
Deduct cost of land at $1.25 per acre........  933,331
Increase of land by reason of the railroad.. 2,800,004
175 miles of railroad will cost at $10,000
per mile............................... 1,750,000
Surplus for constructing road.............. 1,050,004
By this plan the railroad would become the property
of the territory and the tolls could be made very low."
It was within a very few years after this time, that
Michigan undertook to carry out the ideas above set
forth. The scheme failed and with its failure drew- the
state into the vortex of bankruptcy, repudiation and
disgrace. Has this lesson been forgotten and will the
people again go through the disgraceful failure of




1780 TO 1850

97

municipal ownership that we passed through in the
years from 1837 to 1847?
NAVIGATION ON THE GREAT LAKES
During the entire period of territorial days in Michigan the lake navigation played a very important part
in the progress of the country.
Practically all of the freight and much the larger
portion of travelers reached Detroit and Michigan over
the waters of Lake Erie. Those who returned eastward
from Detroit generally went by boat. Only a few from
-the great number proceeded overland through Canada
and a much smaller number passed overland through
Ohio.
-The lake traffic was quite extensive before the advent of the steam boat. The sail vessels of the period
before 1830 were quite small, as we reckon vessels of
a later date, but they were quite large for the time.
The General Gage was the largest vessel built by the
English before 1796. It was of 154 tons burthen, and
began to sail in 1772.
During the Revolutionary War there were quite a
number of sail vessels, none larger than the Gage.
The British government compelled all freight to be
carried up from Niagara in government vessels. There
were many little boats like the Beaver and Weazel that
carried on a coasting trade, but for many years the
prohibition against carrying- freight prevented  the
building of private boats of any considerable size, on
the lakes.




98

HISTORY OF DETROIT

After the Americans came in 1796, vessels began to
multiply in number and to increase in size.
Silas Farmer in his history says that the first boat to
carry the American flag was the Swan, owned by James
May. This was in 1796. A writer in 1843 says that
the Sloop Detroit, of 70 tons, was the first one to carry
the flag in 1796.
In 1797 there was the schooner General Wilkinson
of 80 tons.
There were two government boats in 1799, the John
Adams and Tracey. In 1800 the Good Intent of 35 tons
was put on the lakes. The next was the Nancy in 1805.
In 1806 the Contractor was built and in 1810 the
Catherine came out. None of these exceeded 100 tons.
In the years 1817 and 1818 sixty vessels were on Lake
Erie of a combined tonnage of 2180. Only two of this
number exceeded 100 tons and those were the Michigan
of 132 tons and the Union of 104 tons.
The first steamboat on Lake Erie was the Walk-inthe Water, (340 tons), so named from the Indian chief.
The boat was built at Black Rock and reached Detroit
on its first trip August 28, 1818. It was wrecked Nov.
21, 1821. Its successor was the Superior (300 tons)
which arrived in Detroit in May, 1822. The Chippewa
(100 tons) came in 1824, and in 1825 there were the
Henry Clay (348 -tons) and the Pioneer (230 tons).
Three vessels were built in 1826, the Niagara (180 tons).
William Penn (275 tons) and Enterprise (250 tons),.
From this time they began to multiply quite rapidly
and by 1843 there had been all told 101 steamboats of
27,000 tons and of a value of $3,510,000 on the upper
lakes. The largest was the Great Western (780 tons)




1780 TO 1850                 9
which.ran only one year and was burned at the wharf
in Detroit. The Buffalo (613 tons), the Missouri (612
tons) and the Nile (600 tons) come next in size.
The Nile was wrecked by the explosion of her boiler,
at the foot of Second street, Detroit.
Sail vessels increased rapidly in number during this
time, but the tonnage did not equal that of the steamboats.
In 1841 twenty-four sailors came out. The largest
was the brig Rosa of 165 tons.
In 1842, seventeen came out, of which the A. Winslow
of 205 tons was the largest. The next- year there were
13 new vessels, the Ashtabula of 250 tons being the
largest. In 1841 it was estimated that there were in
commission fifty steamboats and 300 sailing vessels.
In 1835 there were owned in Detroit:
13 steamboats, tonnage.................. 1811
1 brig, tonnage......................... 117
33 schooners, tonnage................... 2154
35 sloops, tonnage..................... 831
4913
Both the Argo and the General Brady were ferry
boats at Detroit, and one authority states that the
Brady was the first steam boat built at that place. It
was of 100 tons burden and in charge of Capt. John
Burtis. Burtis had a ferry boat in 1825 propelled by
horses which is thus described in the Herald: "On Friday a handsome and commodious boat made its unexpected appearance on our river and was brought alongside Berthelet's wharf among the cheers of the multitude whom the novel spectacle had called to the spot."




::  HISTOrSY OF DETROIT
The boat was built in Cleveland by Capt. Burtis. It
was 50 feet long by 37 feet beam, with double keel, between which the paddles were plied. It was calculated
for six horses and was intended to ply between Detroit
and the Canadian shore."   The number of people carried by the boats is frequently mentioned in the newspapers. The Courier of May 21, 1834, contains this
item: "Our streets are again thronging with life and
crowds of emigrants are daily arriving."    "On Friday and Saturday of the past week, alone, not less than
2000 strangers arrived in the different boats at our
wharves. "
The first attempt at running a regular line of boats
from Detroit to Chicago, was made in May, 1834.
1835 IS BIG YEAR
The year 1835 saw many new things in our city and
state. The opening of the new academy on the site of
the present city hall; the erection of the new city hall
and market building; arrangements for the entrance of
two railroads, the Detroit and St. Joseph (now called
the Michigan Central) and the Detroit and Pontiac
(now called the Grand Trunk) into the city; the calling of a constitutional convention, adoption of a constitution and election of state officers; the demand that
Michigan be admitted into the union as a state.
These and many other important events occurred in
1835.
The Free Press, in January, 1836, referring to the two
railroads about to enter the city, said:
"Real estate is still rising in value. Since the ef



1780 TO 1850

101

ficient action in relation to the Detroit & St. Joseph railroad much property has changed hands. Sales have
been effected at and near the termination of the road
and in the upper part of the city to the amount of
$75,000 within a few days, the terms of sale being, in
most instances, one-third to one-half cash, and the time
only six months or a year, shows that there is no fictitious value. Should the Pontiac railroad be completed,
the lots near its termination will, of course, increase
some three or four hundred per cent."
THE BUSINESS CENTER
It is somewhat curious at this time to note the location of business in Detroit in 1835-6. The center of
trade had been at the foot of Randolph street, or at
least below Jefferson avenue on that street. Gradually
business had reached Jefferson avenue, but was largely
confined to the streets below that avenue and extending
to Woodward avenue. When it was proposed to put
the new market building and city hall in the center of
Michigan Grand avenue (now Cadillac square), facing
the Campus Martius, it was seriously objected to on
the ground that it was too far out. The location, however, was selected and very soon the National hotel
was built on the site of the present Hotel Pontchartrain.
This greatly encouraged the people to acquiesce in the
selection of the site for the city hall. In the newspaper
article above referred to, the "upper part of the city"
meant the lots on the north side of Michigan avenue
where the Majestic building now stands, and the lots
across the street, occupied by the Detroit Opera House,
and other lots in the immediate neighborhood.




102

HISTORY OF DETROIT

The Central Railroad occupied the Woodward and
Michigan avenue sides of the present city hall site for
many years and the Pontiac Railroad depot was on the
site of the Detroit Opera House, the track being laid
down Gratiot avenue and terminating on the south side
of that street opposite the Hudson building.
The Free Press of Dec. 23, 1835, has this to say:
"The railroad subject is all the go at the last. Business of Detroit has greatly increased the last year. Hundreds of dwellings and stores would be immediately
tenanted if erected.'  "From the view of our windows
we observe 24 large three-story stores have been completed and are now all profitably occupied. Jefferson
avenue has become the Pearl street of the west. While
Buffalo boasts of her rapid improvement, Cleveland of
her increase on population; with due deference it must
be acknowledged that Detroit has outdone them."
The Free Press office was at 63 Jefferson avenue.
TAXATION IN EARLY TIMES
Intimately connected with the buying and-selling of
real estate is the matter of taxation. Taxes have been
levied from the very earliest time, and must continue
to be levied as long as civilization exists. There are
certain duties that must be performed by the public
authorities for the benefit of communities in settlements, villages and cities. The larger the settlements
grow in population, the greater are the demands for
public improvements. In the early Detroit the streets
were very narrow and it was neither an inconvenience
nor a hardship to compel every citizen to keep the
street adjacent to his premises in good order. There




17,80 TO 1850

103

were no sewers, but there were regulations for keeping
premises in order, supplying fire buckets for use in
case of fire, for keeping chimneys in repair and for
other like measures that affected every one in the village. When these village rules were violated the guilty
parties were brought before the magistrate and fined,
and these fines-although, they were trivial-were a
source of revenue. The most important public concern
in the old village was that of keeping the palisade, or
picket line, around the town in repair. In 1750 each
citizen was compelled to furnish annually one picket for
each front foot of ground he owned in the fort. He
also paid two sols per foot quit rent. The sol was a
cent-the smallest coin in common use in the community. The pickets so furnished were sufficient to keep
the palisade in good repair and the two sols were used
for paying for the planting of the pickets, keeping the
village gates up and such public work. The village
officers received no salary and the pay"they got was in
the way of fees. When the British troops were first
brought to Detroit, in 1760, a tax of one cord of wood
per acre was levied upon the farms. This wood was
used for the soldiers in the fort. Under the first years
of British rule taxes rose enormously. In 1763 the
entire tax of the settlement, both the village and the
farm lands, was ~184 13s 4d. So much complaint was
made that the next year it was reduced to ~158.




104

HISTORY OF DETROIT

TAXES ONE SHILLING PER FOOT
In 1768 the village tax was placed at one shilling per
foot. The people were unable to pay so much money,
and the burden was more than they could stand. A
committee was appointed to see the commandant and
obtain relief. A large part of the tax was remitted.
The tax roll for the year 1771 shows that in the village
the tax levy was 456 livres, 2 sols, equal to ~30 8s 11/~d.
There is on record in the office of the register of deeds
a tax receipt given by order of Maj. Henry Basset, Feb.
28, 1773, for three bushels (minots) of wheat and 24
livres, 12 sols, in money for a farm  four arpents in
width by 20 in depth. The farm for which this tax was
paid is now known as the Porter farm, at Twentyfourth street.
After the revolutionary war was over the garrison
was reduced, and the tax for furnishing wood was
abated in part. The palisade was not kept in repair,
so that while the taxes were lightened somewhat, the
protection to the town was allowed to decay.
The first tax law of the Northwest Territory that affected Detroit was passed Dec. 19, 1799. This provided
that all farm lands should be divided into three classes,
according to the quality of the soil and the improvements on it. There should be annually levied on each
100 acres, 85 cents for land of the first class, 60 cents
for land of the second class, and 25 cents for land of
the third class. As a farmer seldom owned more than
200.acres, the ordinary tax per individual could not
have exceeded $2 per year, and yet this tax was deemed
so burdensome that in 1802 it was reduced so that each




1780 TO 1850

105

100 acres of first class land should pay 60 cents, and
the same quantity of second class land should pay but
40 cents. The third class land remained at 25 cents
per hundred acres. Horses were taxed at 50 cents
each, and cattle at 121/- cents, A  bond servant, or
slave, was taxed $1 and single men (unmarried men)
not more than $2 and not less than 50 cents each, according to their ability to pay.
NEW   CODE ADOPTED
In the village, taxes were levied at the rate of 50
cents for each $100 of value, and this rate held for
mills and other improvements outside of the village inclosure.
These were the taxes provided at the time the territory of Michigan was organized in 1805.
Very soon after the organization of the governor and
judges as a legislative body in 1805, the Woodward
code of laws was adopted. The act of Sept. 10, 1805,
provides for a specific tax on carriages of $1 for every
wheel, on sleighs of $2, on horses of from $1 to $3,
on dogs 50 cents for the first, $1 for the second and
50 cents for each additional dog.
No taxes were levied on real estate under the Woodward code, nor was any sort of tax law passed until
Jan. 17, 1809. Under this act improved lands were
assessed at $1.75 per acre and orchards at $10 per
acre. Every house of the value of $200 was assessed
at 2 per cent of its value. Personal property was assessed at various sums. Clocks and gold watches at
$10 each, and other watches at $3. It is recorded that




106

HISTORY OF DETROIT

Archibald Horner, a cabinet maker, was the owner of
a diamond, the only one in town, and he was assessed
for the jewel
When it was ascertained how much it would be necessary to raise by taxation each year, the sum was apportioned according to the value of the property in the
county at the valuations as above specified. This is
practically our present form  of levying taxes, except
that the value of each parcel is fixed for itself and
not by any rule.
If the taxes were not paid within the proper time,
the personal property of the owner could be distrained
and sold.
PROPERTY APPRAISED
In 1817 it was provided that the real estate should
be equitably appraised and the taxes should be spread
on the roll in proportion to the assessed value, but
the rate should not exceed one-half of 1 per cent. This
rate was changed in 1828 so that in Wayne and Monroe counties it was fixed at one-fourth of 1 per cent
and in other counties at one-half of 1 per cent. No
provision was made in the early laws for assessing
property at its real value.   In effect the amount
of the tax levy was first ascertained and then the valuations were arranged so that at the rate of one-half of
1 per cent the requisite amount was raised.. There
were a lot of licenses, poll taxes and others that could
always be relied upon to help out in an emergency.
In 1829 the rate for Wayne county was raised to
one-half of 1 per cent. There was no specific pro:




1780 TO 1850

107

vision made for the collection of county taxes in Detroit until April 13, 1827. The act of that date provides that the taxes of the city were to be collected as
in other parts of the county, and should be paid to the
county treasurer.
In the new charter of 1824 provision was made for
levying a tax to be voted upon at a meeting of the freemen of the city. The amount of this tax could never
exceed one-fourth of 1 per cent of the assessed value
of the real and personal property on the assessment
rolls.
CITIZENS MEETINGS
The citizens or freemen's meetings were the source
of all authority for levying taxes. The people were
called together at least once each year, and sometimes
several times a year, to vote on the amount of taxes to
be raised. The items for which moneys were needed
were submitted to the meeting and voted upon. In
the early days when the city was small this worked very
well, but as the city grew in population the citizens
lost interest in the subject. A few only would attend
the meetings-sometimes a few only could be accommodated in the hall or meeting place. These few represented themselves as the "citizens of Detroit," and
they frequently misrepresented.
The law at first fixed the tax rate at-1/~ of 1 per
cent, and later it was provided that the citizens might,
if they so voted, raise an annual and additional sum
of $8,000 per year to pay interest on the city debt.
After a time the rate was raised to 1 per cent, and




108'

HISTORY OF DETROIT

finally it was limited to 2 per cent. It practically so
stands at the present time, but the chicanery of law
has evaded the provision by excluding the school tax
and some other taxes from the 2 per cent limitation.
FIRST BOARD OF ESTIMATES
The freemen's meeting was superseded some years
ago (1873) by the formation of the board of estimates.
The Board of Estimates still remains but was greatly
altered by a vote of the citizens in 1916.
CITY INDEPENDENT OF TAXATION
Twice during the existence of the city it has been
the owner of sufficient property to have maintained itself for all time, if not entirely free from taxation, at
least subject only to a nominal tax.
After the fire of 1805 the general government donated
to the city of Detroit all of the land known as the
"Governor and Judges plan," extending from Griswold
street to Randolph street, from the river to Adams
avenue; all of the "park lots" extending from Adams
avenue to the railroad south of the boulevard, and
10,000 acres north of the present boulevard, called the
"Ten Thousand Acre Tract." Each of the residents in
the new town before the fire was entitled to a donation
lot in the new town. Out of the sale of the remaining
lots the city was to build a court house and jail.
After all obligations attached to the grant had been
paid, a large amount of property was left. The city




17,80 TO 1850

109

authorities, instead of preserving the residue as a nucleus for a fund to be used for public purposes in the
future, sat quietly down and ate up the donationpaying the running expenses of the city government
from the principal of this great gift. No taxes of importance were levied until the city awoke from its,dream of fortune to find its property dissipated and
gone.
GIVEN MILITARY RESERVE
A further and very large present was made to the
city in 1826 when the military reserve was turned over
to it. Again the great good fortune of the city turned
the heads of the people and they frittered away and
ate up a fortune which, if it had been husbanded and
preserved, would have placed our city for all time
above want.
But these are not the only foolish things the city authorities have done in the past.
In 1835 the city was nearly out of debt. It had
never been in debt to any considerable extent. It had
no permanent improvements of any account excepting
the capitol building and the jail, and these had been
paid for from the sale of city lands. The new city hall
cost about $9,000 in the first place and with additions
cost about $20,000. This was partly paid by taxation
and partly paid in city scrip. The city debt was represented by this city scrip, which was not excessive in
amount, and which passed as currency.




110

HISTORY OF DETROIT

FIRST CITY BONDS
The "good times" of 1835 set some of the people at
work trying to find out some way in which they could
get the city into debt. We have a number of that class
of people in Detroit at the present time, and they had
some of them in 1835. The water works, or hydraulic
system, was then owned by private parties. The "municipal ownership" enthusiasts of that day proposed
that the city should buy the waterworks. The city had
no money, so it was proposed to ask the legislative
council for permission to bond the city for the purpose of raising the necessary funds. The city had never issued any bonds.
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP
It was known that the waterworks could be bought
for about $25,000.
On an application to the legislative council permission
was granted to the city to bond itself for $100,000. Half
of this amount was to be used for buying the waterworks and extending,the system and the other half
for building common sewers.
To the citizens in general money raised by the issue
of bonds is just like finding it. They never reckon that
they have to pay it back-it must be paid by their descendants-and what do they.care about posterity?




17,80 TO 1850

ll

VOTE $100,000 BONDS
A freemen's meeting was called on June 5, 1835, and
a few men, styling themselves the "citizens of Detroit,"
readily voted to raise the entire $100,000 by the sale
of bonds. A few days later the common council ordered the bonds issued, and instructed Henry S. Cole,
then a prominent attorney of the city, to go east and
dispose of them. Mr. Cole was sick at the time (he
died a short time later), and he declined the appointment. Charles C. Trowbridge, president of the Bank
of Michigan, was selected to take the job offered to
Mr. Cole.
When the bonds were first authorized to be issued, the
rate of interest they bore was fixed at 5 per cent. Mr.
Trowbridge visited New York, Boston and Philadelphia
in an earnest effort to sell the bonds, and was entirely
unsuccessful. He spent the time from July until October
in this fruitless work anfd finally gave it up. His bill of
expenses ultimately allowed by the council was $245.89.
One of the difficulties he met with was the rate of interest.
Detroit bonds could not be floated at 5 per cent. The
city authorities did not know what to do. They wanted
to spend the money and were troubled because they
could not get it to spend.




1-12

HISTORY OF IDETROIT

BUYS ENTIRE BOND ISSUE
After Mr. Trowbridge returned from his trip down
east, he was called upon by Oliver Newberry. "Admiral of the Lakes" everybody called him. Mr. Newberry said that he would take the entire bond issue of
$100,000 at 6 per cent if the city would accept the money
in five installments, reaching over about a year. There
was no hesitation on the part of the city to accept Mr.
Newberry's offer. People did not know that Mr. Newberry had so much money, but the plan, as he carried
it out, was to purchase an installment of bonds and
place them on sale in New York. They were all disposed of at a profit and the money was ready for the
subsequent installments, just as he had agreed. He
saved the day for the city.
Being now possessed of a lot of money, the city proceeded to get rid of it. The water works were purchased for about $25,000, and a new site at the foot of
Orleans street was selected. This site cost over $5,500,
and extensive improvements were at once made or
planned, so that nearly all the first $50,000 was used
in that way.




17,80 TO 1850

113

LEVI COOK NEW MAYOR
There was a city election in the spring of 1836, and
Levi Cook became the new mayor. Something prompted Mr. Cook to try to tie up the other $50,000 so that
Sit should only be used for the purposes for which it was
- originally intended-namely, for the building of common sewers.
Mayor Cook introduced in the council, on May 4, 1836,
and had adopted, a resolution "that the unexpended
balance on the loan of $50,000 authorized by the legislative council, be and is hereby especially appropriated
for the construction of permanent sewers through the
city, and that the treasurer be directed to draw upon
the same for no other purpose."
Notwithstanding this resolution, the well-grounded
fears of Mr. Cook became a reality. This was just the
time that the Michigan Central railroad was becoming
prominent in state affairs.
MICHIGAN TO BECOME A STATE
The leading topic of discussion throughout the state
in 1835, 1836 and 1837 was that of the admission of
Michigan into the union. Michigan claimed admittance
as a matter of right in the fall of 1835 and adopted a
state constitution, elected a governor and other state
officers and refused to elect territorial officers, or to recognize the territorial form of government provided by
congress. Congress disregarded the application for
admission and it was not until January, 1837, that
Michigan formally became a state.




114

HISTORY OF DETROIT

One of the objects that Michigan and its friends had
in forcing congress to recognize its statehood was to
allow the state to participate in the distribution of funds
of the general government that had accumulated and
were not required for present expenditure and were
about to be divided among the states.
FIRST RAILROAD INCORPORATED
Some time before this the Michigan Central railroad
-then called the Detroit & St. Joseph railroad-was incorporated as a privately-owned organization.   The
railroad was projected in 1830 and incorporated in
1832. The first officers were John Biddle, president,
and De Garmo Jones, Oliver Newberry, Edmund A.
Brush, Benjamin B. Kercheval, Eurotas P. Hastings,
J. Burdick, Mark Norris, David Page and Samuel W.
Dexter, directors. It was one of the earliest railroad
organizations in the United States. Its route was from
Detroit across the state to St. Joseph on Lake Michigan, whence communication was to be had with Chicago
by boat.   Chicago at this time was just beginning to
find itself on the map.
The great good that would come to the state from the
running of this and the other projected railroads was
advertised all over the state and all over the United
States, and was one of the excitements of the day.
A meeting of Detroit citizens was called, in December,
1835, to aid in the sale of stock of the company. The
Free Press of December 14, 1835, says:
"It would seem that the people of Detroit cannot but
realize that the continued prosperity of the city is most




1780 TO 1850

115

evidently identified with the immediate construction of
the Detroit & St. Joseph railroad."
The city was divided into wards and prominent citizens were chosen to solicit subscriptions in each ward.
Robert E. Roberts and Elon Farnsworth were appointed in the First ward; John Palmer and James Williams
in the Second ward; John Garrison and Peter J. Desnoyers in the Third ward; Levi Brown and Thomas
Palmer in the Fourth ward, and Charles Moran and
Justin Rice in the Fifth ward.
The secretary of the railroad company, Charles C.
Trowbridge, reported that the subscription to Dec. 21,
1835, amounted to $112,000, of which $55,000 was subscribed in Detroit, $15,000 in Ann Arbor, $15,000 in
Ypsilanti and $4,000 in Marshall.
PROTEST PRIVATE OWNERSHIP
Some people thought the railroad should be owned
by the state and that the legislative council had done a
grievous wrong in permitting a private corporation to
organize such a public utility.
A public meeting was called on Jan. 16, 1836, to
protest against the act of the legislative council, in
granting to private parties the "right of constructing,a railroad across the peninsula of Michigan."
"Contrary to the great interests of the people, it
is an infringement of legislative right, and demands
to be corrected by succeeding legislatures."
The legislature was in session in the summer of that
year and a joint resolution was passed July 26, re



116

1HISTORY OF DETROIT

questing the governor (Stevens T. Mason) to receive
proposals from the railroad company to sell its interests to the state. As the legislature adjourned before
anything along this line was accomplished, the road
continued the work of grading its track.
The contract for grubbing the first six and one-half
miles of the track westward from the city was let at
"King's Corner"* on the 18th of May and thus the
work was actually commenced. Great difficulty was
encountered in obtaining the right of way for the road.
People were not willing to donate their lands, and when
settlements were made with the land owners the prices
demanded and paid were so great that it was seriously
considered to abandon the project entirely.
Finally on July 17, 1836, the stockholders held a
meeting to discuss the abandonment, and it was then
proposed to ask permission of the state to occupy the
Chicago road (Michigan avenue) for a right of way
for the railroad track.
SUSPEND WORK ON ROAD
Work was suspended on the road for some time.
Many public meetings were held. The people generally
were willing to aid an enterprise which, it was conceded, would be very profitable in a short time.
The citizens, or some of them, thought the city
should contribute, to aid the railroad. Mayor Cook was
* "King's Corner" was the southeast corner of Jefferson and
Woodward avenues, so-called from the owner, Jonathan L. King. The
southwest corner of the same street was called Curry 's corner from the.owner, Charles Curry.




17,80 To 1850

117

much in favor of the road and worked for its success, but thought the city, as a municipality, should
not become involved in its construction. He was compelled to leave the city for a considerable time and
gave notice of his intention on July 22, 1836. Shortly
after this he left the city, and on Aug. 5, the common
council passed the following resolution:
"Resolved that the recorder, now acting mayor of the
city, be and he is hereby authorized and empowered
to subscribe $10,000 to the stock of the, Detroit & St.
Joseph Railroad Company, for and in behalf of the
corporation of the city of Detroit."
Thus one-fifth of the entire amount of the remaining
bond issue was disposed of.
CITY BUYS RAILROAD STOCK
The friends of the railroad were greatly elated at
this action of the council. The paper of the same
date says: "It is a calumny upon the inhabitants of
this city to suppose that they will, by any act of theirs,
allow the progress of the Detroit & St. Joseph railroad
to be again long suspended.
Ten days later another resolution was put through
the council, directing the recorder to subscribe for $40,000 more of the stock of the same railroad.
The entire $50,000 of bonds intended to be issued
for sewers, was diverted from its proper course, and
subscribed for other purposes. It was only by good
fortune, 'that any of the fund was ultimately restored
to its proper uses.




il8

HISTOIRY or DETROIT

The next session of the legislature began at Detroit
in January, 1837. Governor Mason in his message,
said that he had requested the Detroit & St. Joseph
railroad to submit a proposition to him for the sale of
their charter. The stockholders of the railroad agreed
to surrender their stock upon repayment of the sums
advanced, "under such an arrangement as will secure
the completion of the work within a reasonable time."
STATE TAKES CONTROL
Governor Mason's first plan was not to buy the road
outright, but to purchase a controlling interest in it.
The legislature, refusing to accept the plans of a better balanced mind than their own, created a commission
on internal improvements and authorized it to purchase the road. Bonds of the state were issued to pay
the original stockholders and to complete the work.
The amount of money that had been paid by the city
was repaid to it on-May 16, 1837. The city itself lost
no money by reason of its subscription to the railroad,
but the state was not so fortunate. The $5,000,000 in
bonds which the state had issued were stolen or dissipated within a few years and the work was not completed.
Only a small sum remained unexpended when the
commission made its report in 1840. The commissioners, in this report stated that they had not money
enough to complete their work and that it would be
necessary to abandon most of it and complete a little.
"If this is not done," they said, "the entire work
will have to be abandoned in a short time. In other




17.80 TO 1850

119

words, we have nothing for it but to reconcile our minds
to the utter prostration and ruin of the state."
"We have expended or wasted, three-fifth of our $5,000,000 loan, and what have we to show for it?"  Not
more than 50 miles of the central road was completed.
Up to that time the total amount of expenditures was
$13,897.92 in excess of the appropriations and the situation was growing worse every day.
MORE MONEY GRANTED
Notwithstanding  the discouraging  statement, the
state appropriated $450,000 for continuing the work.
The depot in the city was located on the site of the
present city hall, on the Michigan avenue side, and a
track was laid down Woodward avenue to the river to
assist shippers in reaching the wharves. The grade
at Jefferson avenue (although sunk nearly below the
roadway) was so heavy that the cars could be hauled
up only with the greatest difficulty. The track was
practically useless and was taken up in 1842.
The road was completed to Dexter, but could not compete with the stage lines from Ann Arbor west, and
no more income was derived by the road than had been
derived in the previous year when the road ended at
Ann Arbor. The commissioners reported in 1842 that
when the road was completed to Jackson it would overcome the stage competition.
The legislature directed the commissioners not to
enter into new contracts for work on the road, but to
carry all old contracts out to completion.




120

HISTOIRY OF DETROIT

SALE IS DISCUSSED
In 1845 the sale of the railroad by the state was discussed to some extent, but nothing was done to bring
it about,  In 1846 Governor Alpheus Felch took up
the matter and discussed it at length in his annual message. Every report of the department of internal improvements had shown the great increase in the income
of the railroad over the previous year, and every report had shown a net surplus of from $50,000 to $150,000 per year.
FALSIFYING PUBLIC ACCOUNTS
No account, however, had ever been submitted.that
included any item for depreciation or for interest on
investment. No one who studied the report would be
deceived by these misleading statements. The general
public only found out that the road was not paying expenses, when they found their taxes were yearly increased -to pay the expenses of a bankrupt and failing
institution.
The total cost of the Central railroad up to the first
day of January, 1846, deducting all receipts, was $2,238,289.72. This sum only included 10 per cent, for depreciation. It cost more to send a bushel of wheat by
railroad than it would cost to send the same amount by
horse and wagon.




1780 TO 1850

121

ROAD SOLD FOR $2,000,000
Governor Felch,, in advocating the sale of the road,
said:
"The conducting by the state of such works, involves
the ordinary hazard attending the ownership of large
amounts of property, the necessary risk of extensive
business operations and the employment of numerous
officers, agents and laborers, who are paid from avails
belonging to the public treasury.
"The business of transporting passengers and freight
by railroad is clearly not within the ordinary designs
of a state government, and it is believed that that system is best which is the most strictly confined to its
necessary and simple duties, and participates least in
the matter of ordinary business. A sale of these works
would have the effect to simplify the operations of the
state, to reduce the number of officers and servants in
its employ, and to render less complicated the whole
machinery of government."
The matter of the sale of the property was by the
legislature referred to committees, and their reports
are interesting and instructive.  The committee on
finance, in the course of its report, referred to the
opinions of some that the railroad, if in private hands,
would soon become so large and employ so many people, that it would become a menace to the state. The
committee pointed out that if the concern remained the
property of the state it would employ just as many
persons, and then this great army of engineers, firemen,
agents, runners, surveyors, appraisers and commissioners and the superintending of all the financial concerns
of this vast system, would indeed form a nucleus




122

HISTORY OF DETROIT

around which would gather a horde of greedy, halfstarved, political hacks, whose sole aim would be selfaggrandizement-in whose midst corruption, intrigue
and deception would riot in unlimited freedom.
The state offered to sell the road for $2,000,000, reserving the buildings at Detroit, which were on public
property. On Sept. 23, 1846, the Michigan Central
railroad, then incorporated, made its first payment to
apply on the purchase of the road at the price fixed by
the legislature of $2,000,000. A part of this payment
was made in state scrip a face value, which the railroad purchased at about 80 cents on the dollar.
STATE SAVED FROM REPUDIATION
The state was saved from repudiation of its debt
and from bankruptcy.
The act for the incorporation of the Michigan Central Railroad Company was passed March 28, 1846.
The incorporators were from New York and New England. Among the incorporators were William Sturges, John E. Thayer, Josiah Quincy Jr., Erastus Corning, John Carter Brown and Rufus H. King.
There was a census of the city taken by Noah Sutton in February, 1836.
According to his report there were in the city:
Men.......................................3815
Women..................................3112
Total.............................. 6927
Brick buildings 4 stories high............ 22




17,80 TO 1850

123

Brick buildings 3 stories high............ 21
Brick buildings 2 stories high........... 12
Total..........................  55
Frame Stores........................   140
Frame dwellings......................774
Brick dwellings....................... 39
Total  dwellings...................953
Total buildings.................1008
Building erected during the past year... 251
PROSPERITY OF THE CITY IN 1836
The year 1836 was a busy year for the city. The
rush of immigrants from the east began early in the
season. The news items convey some idea of the excitement that was prevalent. The Free Press of Jan.
20, 1836, has this:
"Real estate.-Land speculations for a few    days
past have been large and frequent. Never have the
prospects of this city been so flattering as at present. Such is the ordinary bustle of business that we
forget how much we are really bound up by the cold
and ice of winter. Spring, with its reviving energies,
seems to have anticipated us.
"Six acres, on the Gouin farm  sold last week for
$12,000, and that -part of the Riopelle farm lying between Jefferson and Gratiot avenues, sold yesterday
for $50,000 to Buel & Bacon." (Alexander H. Buel
and Marshal J. Bacon.)
Nearly every issue of the paper contained some item
of extensive real estate sales, new buildings, and the




124

HISTORY OF DETROIT

dearth of buildings that were needed and might be
used.  The city was growing too fast to be taken
care of.
MANY REALTY DEALS NOTED
This appeared Jan. 26, 1836:
"City speculations-real estate to the amount of
$64,000 changed hands on Saturday. Real estate sales
in the city for the last month have exceeded $350,000."
Feb. 18, the following appeared: "It is not our purpose or intention to bolster up, by exaggerated accounts,
predicted from  rumor alone, the legitimate advances
of real estate in Detroit. As a proof of the rapidly
increasing prosperity, of our city we would instance a
sale of 10 acres of land situate upwards of one mile
from  the Detroit river, on the Pontiac road without
any -buildings upon it, for $1,000 per acre. This, as
all other sales which have come to our knowledge, indicates more clearly the real prosperity of our city, as
in almost every instance a large portion of the purchase price is paid down."




1780 TO 1850

125

NATIONAL HOTEL
March 24, 1836, the following appeared in the paper.
"New Hotel-We are gratified to learn that a large
and commodious brick hotel will be commenced immediately, on the southeast corner of Military Square in
this city, next to the new market and city hall. It will
be ready for the inspection of travelers on the first
of September. Extensive and convenient stabling will
be attached to the establishment."
And a few days later we find this article:
May 5, 1836.
"The cry is Still They Come. The arrival of the
first steam boats from Buffalo have made a very sensible difference in the animation and bustle of our city.
Our numerous public houses are filled to overflowing
with enterprising and enthusiastic emigrants to the
fertile plains of our beautiful peninsula.
The number of passengers who came up in the Webster, New York and United States,-if embodied and well
equipped, would form an army, powerful enough to conquer Texas. We have been happy to perceive that a
very large proportion of those who have already come
in this spring are actual settlers. If emigration continues during the season as it has begun, Michigan will
soon be able, if she pleases, to boast of her million of
freemen."
Not least among the improvements in the city during
the years 1835 and 1836, was the filling in of the Cass
farm front. Something has been said about that work
in another publication and there will be given here
only an outline of the work and some new matter.




126

HISTORY OF DETROIT

THE CASS COMPANY
In 1835 the line of the river on the Cass farm ran not
far from the present Lamed street. Behind it was a
hill and in front the water of the river with several
small islands. The filling in of this water front was a
great task. The land had been purchased of Gen. Cass
by Oliver Newberry, Shubael Conant, De Garmo Jones
and a number of other wealthy citizens, who formed the
"Cass Company."     The land was purchased in 1835
and in August a contract for grading the embankment
was made, of which the following is a copy:
"Article of agreement made the twenty-second of
August, 1835, between Abraham Smolk, of the city of
Detroit, M. T. and Augustus S. Porter, trustee of the
Cass Company, so-called, of said city, witnesses: That
the said Smolk doth covenant and agree with the said
Porter, for the consideration hereinafter mentioned, to
excavate and remove all the earth from the bank in
front of the Cass farm in the city of Detroit, and embank and grade the entire water front of said farm; that
is to say, the entire premises, land and water conveyed
by Lewis Cass to the Cass company, so-called, according to a plan made by John Mullett and in accordance
with the plan adopted and sanctioned by thie common
council of the said city of Detroit. The said contractor
shall commence the said work upon the north side of
Lamed street and shall excavate and remove the earth
therefrom  and well and permanently grade the said
north side of Lamed street according to the plans aforesaid and complete that portion of the said grading on
or before the first day of November, next. The said
contractor shall excavate, embank, fill up and well and




17,80 TO 1850

127

permanently grade and finish, in accordance with said
plans, the whole of said front of said Cass farm (being
the premises so as aforesaid conveyed by the said
Lewis Cass to the said Cass company, as by reference
to their deed may appear) on or before the first day of
March, next, it being understood, however, that the
contractor is not, nor shall not be required to furnish
any earth for embankment and grading exclusive of
the earth embraced within the premises herein mentioned.
"And the said Augustus S. Porter, trustee as aforesaid, covenants and agrees with the said Abraham
Smolk to pay him at and after the rate of eighty cents
per cord of earth for the whole of said work, to be paid
as follows, viz: At the expiration of each month from
the commencement of said work, the said Porter shall
pay to the said contractor at least three-fourths of the
estimated value of so much of said work as may be then
completed according to the rate aforesaid, to be determined by disinterested persons, one to be chosen by
each party, who, in case of disagreement, may choose
an umpire,. so that at least one-fourth of the, entire
amount, so as above covenanted to be paid to the said
contractor, shall and may be reserved until the full and
final completion, of the said contract according to its
terms. And it is further mutually covenanted by the
parties that if the said Porter shall, for the purpose
of enabling the said contractor to commence with
promptness and prosecute with greater vigor the said
work, advance to the said contractor any sums of money
for the purchase of cattle, horses, tools or any other
necessary matter or thing relating to this contract,
all such purchases shall be made in the name of said
Porter, and that he, the said Porter, shall have the en



12S8

HISTORY OF DETROIT

tire and exclusive ownership thereof and the control
and disposition thereof until the amount thereof shall
be allowed to the said contractor and applied on account of the said contract in manner hereinbefore provided, at which time the ownership thereof shall vest
in the said contractor.
And for the security on either part for the faithful
performance of this contract, Shubael Conant, on behalf
of said Smolk, and Enoch Jones, on behalf of said Porter, have, with the parties aforesaid, executed these
presents, the day and year aforesaid.
Abraham Smolk.
A. S. Porter.
Shubael Conant.
Enoch Jones."
The bills rendered for some of this work in 1835
show that a man with an ox team was paid 12 shillings
per day and a man with a span of horses got 24 shillings. In 1837 the ox teams were paid $2 per day.
SMOLK CAME HERE IN 1833
Abraham   Smolk was born near Johnstown, N. Y.,
Jan. 25, 1780, just a few years after the death of Sir
William Johnson, and while the war of the revolution
was still in progress. As a young man, in 1805, he
went to Auburn, N. Y., where he lived for many years.
He came to Detroit in 1833, and contracted for all
kinds of work of the nature of the agreement above. He
employed a good maniy men at the work of filling in the
Cass farm  front. These men were mostly foreigners
and some of them not of the best quality as citizens.




1780 To 1850, 129

BRADY GUARDS
Gen. Friend Palmer recalls an incident of this time
as follows: "In 1835 a force of 100 men or more was
employed in grading down the high river bank in
front of the Cass farm. One day having been given an
unlimited amount of whisky, they got into a fight. They
were too drunk to do much injury to each other, but
blood flowed freely. The sheriff's posse was powerless
to stop the fight or make arrests,, and as there was no
military organization to call upon, there was nothing
to do but to let them fight it out, until night put an
end to the battle. This disgraceful scene showed the
importance of having a military company to call upon
in such cases."
The effect of the riot was the formation of the Brady
Guards early in 1836.
On the front of the Cass farm, and almost on the river
bank, was the residence of Gov. Cass. This building
became the property of Mr. Smolk and was moved to
the north side of Larned street and fixed over to form
a double tenement.




130

HISTOY oF DETROIT

BUILD NEW HOTEL
In the Free Press of March 23, 1836, is a statement
that the owners of the Cass front were "making preparations for the erection of a splendid hotel on the site
of Gov. Cass' old residence."   If the hotel, in later:
years called the Cass House, the site of the present
Wayne Hotel, was the building above mentioned, then
it would appear that Gen. Cass' house stood on the
southeast corner of Jefferson avenue and Third street.
CASS HOUSE
It was in this house of Gen. Cass that Gov. George B0
Porter died in 1834, being suddenly taken ill as he wa
going down the river road to see the work then being
done on his mansion on that road, near Twenty-fourt
street.
After the work of filling in the Cass farm front: w
ended, Smolk was engaged in other contract work. It
is said that he was one of the contractors for r ilding the first 30 miles of the Michigan Central Railroad,
and that he constructed a large portion of the Detroit
and Howell plank road. He was in partnership with
Samuel Pitts (as Pitts & Smolk), in 1839, in cutting
and delivering ice in Detroit.
Like many other business men of the years of depression that followed 1836, he was forced to take advantage of the bankrupt act of 1843. He was then 63 years
old.  His son, George, kept a livery stable on the
grounds now covered by the Union Trust Co.'s building before the Howard house was erected.




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1780 TO 1850

131

LIVED OVER 100 YEARS
Abraham Smolk lived during many of the later years
of his life with his daughter, Mrs. Frank, on Mackinac
Island, where he died July 9, 1881, aged 100 years and
7 months.
The picture herewith inserted is from a photograph
of Abraham Smolk and his great granddaughter, Miss
Gertrude Kane. It was made in 1880 when he was
100 years old. It might well be called Old Age and
Youth.
BY-GONES OF DETROIT
George C. Bates, a prominent lawyer for many years
in this city, in a series of articles on the "By-Gones of
Detroit," dwells entertainingly on the flush times of 1835
and 1836. "Everything was on the mountain wave of
success. One had only to obtain the refusal of a-piece
of land on Jefferson avenue and to find a purchaser,
who was always at hand, to become rich in a single
summer.
He said that he, "a young, curly-haired enthusiast,"
made and had in bank between May, 1834, and May,
1836, $17,000. "Nearly everybody became wild and
extravagant on the strength of fancied wealth; at the
hotels champagne took the place of water, and bottles
popped and cracked like pistols in California."
It was planned to buy the Reeder farm    (private




132

HISTORY OF DETROIT

claim 39, near the fort) for $150,000 and lay out a city
there as a rival to Detroit, but the title to the property was found to be defective.
"But while the streets were full, and the hotels were
full and the land offices were full of such financial sellers, the young merchants of Detroit of that day, with
here and there an exception, were level headed, and
being possessed of sterling principles, sound judgment,
discriminating minds, they foresaw the future bankruptcy and explosion of all this speculative folly, and
so they avoided it."
WILD SPECULATIONS IN 1836
In 1836 was inaugurated a species of speculation that
was extensive, wild and disastrous. The mania for
buying village lots became so rabid that in many instances farm lands in the country, remote from villages, were platted into small lots and placed upon the
market, and some of the lots sold. Purchasers never
expected to use these lots themselves, but hoped to be
able to turn them over to some other speculator at an
advance on the first price. So the merry game went
on, always upward, until the end came with a crash and
the Court of Bankruptcy followed in the wake. All over
Wayne County-in fact all over the State of Michiganthese paper towns appeared over night..They lasted
but a, few days and the land reverted to its original
use for farm purposes.
The Village of Cassandra, laid out by Judge Benjamin
F. H. Witherell in 1836 is now and has been since 1837,
a farm. It lies in the township of Greenfield outside
of the present boundaries of Highland Park. (By the




1780 TO 1850

133

recent'vote it was included within the corporate limits
of Detruoit, 1916). In 1836 the owners of the property
"salted" it by drawing on the land a load of iron ore
which they scattered over the ground. They then advertised the property as being very valuable because
iron had been found on it and it was proposed to open
iron mines.
The village of Catville-so-named from the initials
of the owner of the property-Charles A. Trowbridgewas laid out as a city in 1836. It is now the village of
New Boston. Within the limits of the present City of
Detroit, was laid out the City of Belgrade. The land
long since has ceased to bear evidence of this early plat
and the present owners are scarcely aware that they
live upon the remains of that ancient city.
Belgrade was owned by Henry M. Campbell-father
of the late Judge James V. Campbell, and Thomas
Clark. It was located on Jefferson avenue west, a short
distance west of the Dearborn road, in the later village
of Delray, now in the city limits.
These are only.a few of the many villages and cities
that were born in 1836 and died the following year.
With the passing of 1836 into the subsequent years,
the good times passed also, and again the solemn years
of depression, want, stagnation of business and discouragement followed.
An affair that happened in 1841 will show the state
of the city's finances. It will indicate also the business
of the community and state-for the city was as prosperous as its citizens, and the state became bankrupt.
The state scrip in 1842 sold at 781/2 cents on the dollar
and it was almost impossible to keep the city scrip




134

HISTORY OF DETROIT

floating at any price, although it was receivable for city
taxes and debts due to the municipality.
Noah Sutton and Charles Jackson were contractors
for erecting the water works at the foot of Orleans street
in 1841. When their work was completed a dispute
arose between the contractors and the city as to the
balance due on the contract. The parties finally agreed
to submit the matter to arbitration. The arbitrators
were Levi Cook, Reynolds Gillett and Thomas Palmer.
The articles of arbitration were dated March 11, 1842,
and were signed, on behalf of the city by the mayor, Dr.
Zina Pitcher.
On May 25, the arbitrators awarded the contractors
$2,129 and costs.
Even after the award was made the city authorities
proposed_to resist the payment of the debt and refused
to settle. This was in part due to the inability of the
city to spare even $2,000 from its treasury. It had
little money, not enough even to pay interest on its
bonds.
The city was the owner of quite a number of small
parcels of land in various parts of town that had come
to it from the Governor and Judges. These lots were
not of much value, but if they could be sold, the money
derived from the sale might be sufficient to pay the
judgment.




1780 TO 1850

135

CITY UNABLE TO PAY ITS DEBTS
Jackson & Sutton had an execution issued for the
amount of their award, and levied upon the most valuable of the city's real estate. They also attached the
fire engines belonging to the fire department.  The
mayor called a special session of the council on June
15, 1842, "for the purpose of devising some means to
prevent the sale of the fire engines."  At this session
it was resolved, "That a committee of three be appointed, of which the mayor shall be chairman, to receive proposals from and confer with 'The Fire Department of the City,' relative to the sale to them of
the fire engines, hose and hose carts and other apparatus now in use of the fire department, and that the
said committee be authorized to make such sale and
conveyance for such consideration as they may deem
for the best interests of the city."
At the time there was an incorporated organization
called "The Fire Department of the City of Detroit."
It was a tontine insurance organization. Its members
Were the firemen of the city, but it was a private and
not a public corporation.
The attempt of the city to convey the city property
to such a private organization for the purposes of evading payment of a just debt indicates to what depths of
poverty the city had sunk through extravagance and
profligacy.
The Fire Department declined to accept the property,
but Sutton & Jackson were persuaded to release it
from their levy, for the public good. The city now
undertook to appeal to the Supreme Court from the




136

HISTORY OF DETROIT

arbitration award. In perfecting the appeal it became
necessary for the city to file a bond, and it was found
somewhat difficult to obtain sureties on the bond. No
one wanted to go on such a document, with the probability of having to pay the judgment of the higher
court and await the slow action of an impoverished
city to make reimbursement. The state of the city's
finances was demonstrated by a resolution of the council,
passed Aug. 9, 1842, as follows:
"Whereas, the depressed condition of the finances of
the city requires not only the strictest economy in expenditures, but also a resort to all the resources of the
city to enable the council to redeem the floating debt in
the form of treasury warrants and the city due bills,
and also to pay the interest on the outstanding bonds of
the city; and,
"Whereas, it is suggested that it may be expedient
to fund the said floating debt by issuing bonds payable
at a period not very remote, and also to fund the interest due on such outstanding bonds; therefore,
"Resolved, that the acting mayor be requested to
call a public meeting of the citizens at the city hall, at
such time as he may deem most convenient to whom
shall be submitted the expediency of levying a temporary tax on the public sewers of the city, also of funding the floating debt and interest aforesaid."
With such an acknowledgment of poverty as this,
fresh upon the records, it is small wonder that every one
hesitated to go upon the city's appeal bond. However,
the bond was finally signed, in the following February, by Henry N. Walker, John Owen and Chauncy
Hurlbut, and to secure them   the mayor executed to
them a mortgage on the property of the city.




1780 TO 1850

137

The proceeding is so extraordinary that a reference
to the records and files in the case, that those interested
in the matter can examine for themselves, may not be
improper. The case, carried to the supreme court, was
decided in favor of the contractors, and is reported in
1 Douglas, page 108. The file in the circuit court is
No. 5461/2. The mortgage to the sureties is recorded in
liber 13, on page 131, city records.
This mortgage is dated Feb. 6, 1843, and covers the
old water works on Fort street (lots 7 and 8, military
reservation); the new water works on the Dequindre
farm, at the foot of Orleans street, with all engines,
machinery, pipes and apparatus of every description
connected with the hydraulic works; the Washington
market on Larned street, and the several little parcels
of land on Woodbridge street that formed the intake
for the old water works.
When the case was tried in the supreme court at
Kalamazoo, the award of the lower court was sustained
and an execution was issued for the original amount
with interest, $2,204 and costs. Again the city property was levied upon.
The council now sought to "effect an amicable settlement" with Jackson and Sutton by turning over to them
the city property in satisfaction of their claim. Nothing came of the attempt and the sheriff was directed
to proceed and sell the property under his execution.
-The city marshal was, on November 21, directed to
advertise and sell all the property levied upon. This
sale was in the interest of the city. Whatever sums
were obtained in excess of the judgment were to be
paid to the city and the purchasers were to pay the
levy.




138

HISTORY -OF DETROIT

The lands were sold at the following prices:
Lot 7, S. Fort St. (old water works), to Henry H.
Brown, $450.
Lot 8, S. Fort St., (old water works), to John Scott,
$445.
Lot 36, section 7, Charles Jackson, $70.
Lot 28, section 8, Samuel Bates, $160.
Lot 25, section 12, Silas A. Bagg, $41.
Lot 26, section 12, Silas A. Bagg, $51.
Lot 27, section 12, Silas A. Bagg, $70.
Lot 28, section 12, Noah Sutton, $71.
Part of lot 79, section 7 (rear part of Detroit Opera
House), H. R. Andrews, $51.
Lot 13, North Woodbridge street, (intake of old water
works), D. J. Campau, $245.
Making a total of $1,654.
From   the avails of these sales and money in the
treasury and the sale of the old engine. at the water
works for $200, the judgment of Jackson & Sutton was
satisfied.
As another illustration of the profits arising from the
purchase of real estate in Detroit and holding it for
a long period, the present values of these lots has been
ascertained.
Lot 36 in section 7, sold in 1842 for $70. It is now
assessed at $640,000.
Lot 28 in section 8, was sold for $160. It is now assessed at $640,000 and is worth $1,000,000.
Lot 25 in section 12, on Bagley avenue, sold for $41,
and is now assessed at $50,000.
Lot 26 in section 12, sold for $51. Is now worth at
least $60,000.




1780 TO 1850

139

Lot 27 in section 12, sold for $70-is' now worth at
least $60,000.
Lot 28 in section 12, sold for $71-is now worth at
least $60,000.
CITY DEBT
The city debt began in the year 1835. Before that
time the city authorities were in the habit, from time
to time, of issuing scrip that passed as currency, and
was receivable for taxes and accounts due to the city.
This scrip was never issued to any great amount and
was readily taken care of as soon as the taxes began
to be paid.
In 1835, however, the city authorities got their first
taste of money borrowed on long time bonds.
The city was prosperous and most of the people could
see nothing but perpetual good times ahead of them.
But all this was changed in a few years and in 1843 the
debt had grown to $230,000, and the city could not pay
the interest on it. The unpaid interest coupons were
collected in the bank and demand was made for payment.
The inability of the city to pay its small debts and
the interest coupons resulted in the calling of the freemen to take the matter into consideration and, if possible, to find a remedy.
The first meeting was called December 3, 1842, and
the mayor, Douglas Houghton, explained the situation.
A committee, consisting of Reynolds-Gillett, John Scott
and Peter Desnoyer, was appointed, and they were in



140

HISTORY OF DETROIT

structed to report, at the adjourned meeting to be held
December 10th, "some suitable means for the funding
of the city's debt."
At the adjourned meeting this committee made a
report, which was accepted and adopted, authorizing
the common council to fund all floating debts of the city
that were due or might become due to the end of the
fiscal year, "including interest on city bonds," by issuing bonds payable within ten years bearing seven per
cent interest. No bond to be issued for less than one
hundred dollars.
The mayor at once gave notice of the ratification of
this report by the council and bonds were issued as
called for. These bonds were issued to individuals for
the amount of the indebtedness to them, and were not
issued and sold as bonds are usually disposed of. There
might have been some question as to the legality of
the bond issue for there was no law permitting this
form  of bonds. As the bonds, however, were only
acknowledgments of debts previously and legally incurred, with an agreement to defer payment and to pay
interest, they passed unquestioned. The city clerk, who
(with the mayor), issued the bonds, was Caleb F. Davis,
and the city treasurer was Daniel J. Campau. Mr.
Campau records, with precision, the issue of each bond,
to whom and for what given.
The first bond for $120, was issued to Henry B. Brevoort, January 17, 1843, and a second bond for $100
was also issued to Commodore Brevoort February 1,
1843.
No more of these little bonds were given out until a
settlement was had with Joseph W. Brick, July 11, 1843.
Mr. Brick had furnished iron pipe for the water works




1780 To 1850

141

(hydraulic department), and he wanted his money to use
in his business. While he was not very clamerous, he
was insistent and as he could not get money, he took
these bonds.
Bonds Nos. 3 to 12, inclusive, were issued to him as
follows:
No. 3, for $1,592.50, for overdue coupons on old
bonds.
No. 4, for $380.35, for the same purpose.
No. 5, for $1,908, for the same purpose.
No. 6, for $600, for the same purpose.
The other bonds, 7 to 11, inclusive, were for $500
each and number 12 for $300 for indebtedness for iron
pipe sold the city. The bonds all became due in ten
years from the date of issue, with seven per cent interest.
CITY SCRIP OR SHIN PLASTERS
In 1840 a committee of the senate was appointed to
inquire into the issuance of small bills or shin plasters
by the city of Detroit. The report of the committee is
without date and may be found on page 260 of the
Senate Documents. It is signed by S. V. R.-Trowbridge,
chairman.
The report states that there was no law authorizing
the issuing of these shin plasters. The amendment to
the charter in 1827 authorized the council to issue bills
in payment of debts, redeemable at pleasure, and these
bills are receivable for debts due the corporation. This
act was repealed by the "act to prevent the circulation
of bills or tickets of a less denomination than one dollar," approved March 22, 1830.




142

HISTORY OF DETROIT

The history of the shin plasters is as follows:
The recorder, Ross Wilkins, on 27 May, 1837, introduced an ordinance providing for the issuanoe of $5,000
in due bills. This was passed. On July 8, 1837, the
mayor, Henry Howard, proposed that the city issue
$5,000 more in due bills. This was passed on condition that the city effect a loan from one of the banks
"upon the same terms as the loan was made on which
the former issue was based." There was no record of
any "former loan."
On August 8, another issue of $2,000 was authorized.
August 28, $5,000 was authorized.
October 21, $3,000 was authorized.
On February 17, 1838, the mayor was authorized to
procure engraved bills for $10,000, of which $1,500 was
to be used to repair the University building and the
remainder to redeem bills in circulation.
It appears from  the city books that shin plasters
issued up to March 31, 1838, were.......... $22,605.67
Bills returned and paid....................  6,990.63
Outstanding March 31, 1838................ 15,615.04
No new issues were made, but new bills were put in
place of old and mutilated bills.
The circulation was reduced by March 30,
1839, to...............................   $12,323.45
Since that time new due bills were issued..  506.35
12,829.80
and the treasurer has destroyed............ 2,172.90
leaving outstanding July 25, 1840...........$10,656.90




1780 To 1850

143

The total debt in 1844, including the refunding bonds,
was raised to $268,670.40.
In connection with this statement one can read with
interest the warning that a committee of the common
council gave in 1841. This special committee consisted
of Zina Pitcher, Alvah Ewers and Charles Moran, three
as "level headed" men as the city contained at that
time. The report is dated December 28, 1841:
"The special committee to whom was referred a resolution of the common council on the subject of ways and
means,
Respectfully reportsThat the amount of interest annually due from the
city of Detroit and payable in the city of New York is
$14,900. The amount due and payable at home is $595,
making the sum total of $15,495.
The resources of the city are:
1st. Direct taxation, which at one-half of one per
cent on the present valuation of property, will give
$13,119.08.
2nd. Water assessment on 500 families, without deducting expense of running, $5,000.00.
3rd. Revenue derivable from the grand and lateral
sewers if assessments equal to the interest of the cost
of construction are levied upon the property of those
who drain into them, $18,119.08.
The general tax of 1/ of one per cent, and the water
tax of 1841 having been mostly paid in outstanding
checks upon the treasurer of the city, which cannot. be
reissued, there is no available means in the treasury
for the payment of interest, of which there is at this
time due and unpaid, $8,050.
To meet existing liabilities the committee see no
course for the common council to pursue but to impose




144

HISTORY OF DETROIT

an assessment at once upon all who drain into the main
or lateral sewers, having reference to the benefits derived from their use, equal to the interest of the money
expended on their construction; to be paid annually
hereafter, unless commuted by the payment of a present
sum to be fixed by the common council as an equivalent
for the annual tax; from the payment of which the
person so choosing to commute shall be forever thereafter exempted; or to dispose of certain lots owned by
the city, or as a last resort, apply to the freemen for
permission to impose a general tax of such a fractional
part of one per cent as in the opinion of the common
council may be required."
The total assessment of the city for the year 1843
was $1,892,070.25, and the total tax levy was $17,501.66,
of which $2,365.11 was for school purposes. The rate
of taxation was $9.25 cents on each one hundred dollars.
At this time the assessed value was equal to thirty per
cent of the real value, so that the taxes were heavier in
proportion than they are at the present time.




1780 TO 1850

145

BANK FAILURES
Detroit and Michigan have been more than usually
unfortunate in their bank; failures.
In the early years the corporate names of the banks,
given in full, were, "The President, Directors and Company of the           -Bank."   Thus the names of
our first bank organized in 1806 was: "The President,
Directors & Company of the Bank of Detroit," and the
next bank, in date of organization, in 1818, was the
"President, Directors & Company of the Bank of Michigan."  The official name was too long to be used on
ordinary occasions and we will follow the custom of
omitting most of the prefix.
The Bank of Detroit was organized under an act of
the Governor and Judges in 1806. The act was disallowed or vetoed by Congress and the bank went out
of existence as a corporation within a short time after
it was organized.
The Bank of Michigan was organized in 1818 and
carried on a successful business for many years.
In 1838 its official report shows that it had
Capital authorized......................$850,000.00
Capital paid in......................... 500,000.00
Number of depositors....................      391
Circulation of bills...................... 342,573.00
Deposits............................... 274,373.20
In 1841 the bank was unable to redeem its bills in
specie and was forced to close its doors. It continued
an existence for several years in winding up its affairs.




146

HISTORY OF DETROIT

The Farmers & Mechanics' Bank was organized in
1830.
In 1838 it had capital, authorized..........$700,000.00
Capital paid in......................... 400,000.00
Circulation.............................. 148,913.50
Deposits................................ 191,164.18
It was forced to close its doors in 1839.
(It subsequently resumed business and existed until
1869).
The Michigan State Bank was organized March 26,
1835.
In 1838 it had an authorized capital of.... $500,000.00
Of which there was paid in.................. 200,000.00
It had bills in circulation...............  114,474.00
And deposits of........................ 244,028.30
The bank was closed in 1839.
Frederick H. Stevens was president and John Norton, Jr., was cashier.
(It subsequently resumed business and continued until
the expiration of its charter in 1855).
The Bank of St. Clair was organized at St. Clair
March 28, 1836, and moved to Detroit under an act of
the legislature of February 11, 1842.
It was not in Detroit in 1838. Its statement in that
year showed:
Capital authorized......................$100,000.00
Paid  in...............................  40,000.00
Circulation.............................. 64,211.00
Depositors.........................  10
Deposits.........................  5,471.58
Coin owned by the bank.................... 14,532.09
The report of the examiners regarding the "coin"




1780 TO 1850

147

states that: 'It is impossible to specify the amount in
kind, the same'being deposited under the seals of this
bank, in the vaults of the Farmers and Mechanics'
Bank of Michigan, for greater safety during the excitement on the frontier, caused by the Canadian war."
The bank ceased to exist in 1$45.
BANK FUND
There was a provision included in the banking law
in 1836 that every bank, thereafter organized, should
pay, annually, one-half of one per cent of its capital
stock to the Auditor General to create a fund which
was to be used for paying the debts of any bank that
failed.
This was called the "Bank Fund."
Each bank was to continue its annual payments to
this fund until the bank had paid in an amount equal
to three per cent of its capital, and it had thereafter to
keep this amount good. When any bank failed its
assets should first be exhausted to pay its debts, and
the amount not so paid was to be taken from the "Bank
Fund."
This Bank Fund in 1838 amounted to.......$ 145.14
and during that year the following amounts
were added to it:
Bank  of  Oakland.........................     24.05
Farmers & Mechanics' Bank of Pontiac......      1.23
Genesee  County  Bank.......................    1.70
Bank of Brest...............................   75.00
Bank  of  Saline..............................   12.74
Bank of Coldwater.........................      9.00




148

HISTORY OF DETROIT

Bank of Marshall............................   27.94
Detroit City  Bank............a........... 4. 4.10
Farmers' Bank of Oakland....................    1.23
Bank  of  Lapeer.............................   5.13
Bank  of  Goodrich...........................   8 8.65
Bank of St. Clair........................    143.28
Wayne County Bank........................      7.80
Saginaw  City  Bank........................   2.05
Bank of Utica..............................  23.21
Bank  of  Gibraltar.........................  150.00
Bank of Ypsilanti...........................  414.38
Farmers' Bank of Homer...................     188.92
Bank  of Constantine.........................  65.83
Making a total of........................$1,311.38
Paid for printing.........................    51.00
STotal of fund.........,...............$ $1,260.38
But the bank failures came so rapidly and were so
disastrous that the "Bank Fund" could neither. stay the
tide of destruction nor satisfy depositors and creditors.
The state first exhausted the fund and then permitted
overdrafts on the account.
The bank report of 1841 on the "Bank Fund" shows:
Overdrafts...............................$4,205.49
Amount of warrants drawn on the treasurer...  187.51
$4,393.00
Amount received.........................     280.00
Amount now overdrawn...................$. 4,113.00
Thus another-attempt at communistic protection of
the public came to a disastrous end.




1780 TO 1850

149

Bank failures became so numerous that an act was
passed June 22, 1837, suspending any action that might
be taken to forfeit a bank charter, till May 16, 1838.
Where a bank had failed to pay specie for its own
notes, it was prohibited from paying dividends to its
stockholders until specie payment was resumed.
A general Banking Act was passed March 15, 1837,
and the former banking law was repealed.
Under the new law there was organized, in
1837, the Detroit City Bank. In 1838
this bank had capital, paid in........... $60,000.00
Bills in Circulation.................. 18,600.00
Deposits..............................  64,964.25
Michigan Bank Safety Fund...........      4.10
In 1839 the bank failed.
While it continued in business it was very popular
and its officers were of the best known citizens. The
president was Henry M. Campbell. The other directors were Andrew T. Mc Reynolds, Edward Brooks,
Cullen Brown, Julius Eldred, John Truax, and Charles
Bissell. The cashier was F. H. Harris and the teller
Dewitt C. Holbrook.
It was under the "Wild Cat" banking act of 1837
that banks, almost without capital, sprang up all over
the state.
The law was all right in its inception but many persons who knew nothing about banking, went into the
business with the idea that it was a short road to
riches. Many others undertook the business with dishonest intent as they found that the law was loosely
drawn and they could evade its safety provisions. The
result of the banking was so disastrous that in 1839
the establishment of more banks under the act was pro



150

HIISTORY OF DETROIT

hibited. The bank act was attacked in the courts and
the law was declared unconstitutional and void.
The necessity for banks still existed and it was proposed to establish a state bank. This was, of course
(as many thought) the proper way to make banking secure and to take the affairs out of private hands and
place them out of danger in the control of the state.
An act was passed April 2, 1839, to establish "The
State Bank of Michigan." It was to have a capital of
$2,000,000 and was to have nine branches in different
parts of the state as follows; at Detroit, Monroe,
Adrian, Ann Arbor, Niles, Jackson, Pontiae, Mt. Clemens and Marshall. It was expected that some of the
Detroit banks would join the organization. This bank
was to be the depository for all state funds. The law
provided that the bank should be organized by February, 1840, but the distrust of banks and particularly
of a state institution, was so great that it was impossible to complete the organization and the act was repealed February 16, 1842.
So many wild cat banks had been organized upon
an unsound basis, that it became necessary for the
state to take action before all of the assets of the banks
were dissipated. Two acts were passed February 16,
1842, annulling the charters of sixty banks in the state.
All of these banks were named in the act and their charters were annulled. Only a very few banks were left to
transact business.  Of the banks in Wayne County
whose charters were annulled at this time there were
the:




1780 TO 1850

151

Wayne County Bank (established at Plymouth).
Detroit City Bank.
Bank of Michigan and
Michigan State Bank.
The only bank that survived the terrible ordeal was
the Michigan Insurance Bank. This was originally organized in 1834 to conduct an insurance business, but
its charter permitted it to engage in banking. Subsequent legislation permitted it to engage exclusively in
banking, and it carried on that business until it sold
out to the First National Bank. It made the proud
boast that it "never closed its doors during business
hours."
ECONOMY IN CITY AFFAIRS
The need of continued economy in the management
of municipal affairs was apparent to every one. The
council, in 1843, adopted the following resolutions for
that purpose:
"Resolved, That it is expedient and necessary to
introduce a system of retrenchment and economy in
the fiscal affairs of the corporation of this city, and
therefore that a committee be appointed to report on
the subject of the reduction of salaries and fees of all
officers of this corporation."
It was proposed to prohibit the further issue of
shinplasters and warrants, but the council would not
consent to it.
The officers appointed by the council, were notified in
advance of their appointment, that their salaries would
be reduced as soon as the council could arrange a




HISTORY 'OF DETROIT

schedule. The salaries of nearly all city officers were
reduced and several offices abolished or the work of
two offices combined in one appointee.
The interest on the city bonds could not be met as
it came due. A    freeman's meeting authorized the
funding of a portion of the interest coupons, thus increasing the bonded debt, but some bond owners wanted their money and were not willing to take new
bonds. William Dwight, who held $17,000 of bonds,
wrote that he must have the money as he had other uses
for it. John Jacob Astor also insisted on having his
coupons paid in money, but was willing to let the bonds
remain unpaid to suit the convenience of the city. To
Mr. Astor the mayor wrote in 1844, that the city had
not been able to pay the interest in the past, but, he
added, "the energetic and faithful efforts we have made
to meet our engagements and the continued struggle
we intend to make for that purpose," give the city encouragement that the coupons will soon be paid. The
coupons were protested in New York City for nonpayment.
The first detailed statement of the anticipated expenses of the city, appears in the council proceedings
for 1845, for the ensuing year.
The anticipated expenditures were:
Interest  on  bonds.......................... $18,247
Warrant due J. W. Brick (who had furnished pipe
for the water works)................... 1,117
Contingent expenses........................ 8,500
Total................................  $27,864
That is, it cost $8,500 to run the city for a year,




1780 TO 1850                153
while it cost more than twice that amount to pay the
interest on the public debt.
The revenues were:
$27,864
Water assessments...................$8,000
Licenses............................ 3,500
Delinquent  taxes...................... 1,000
Rents...............................  1,500 -14,000
Showing a deficiency of..................$13,864
Floating debt outstanding.........$3,410.59
Due bills outstanding.............. 6,411.94
$9,812.53
Of which there will probably be
-called  for..................... $5,000.00  $5,000
Making a deficiency of....................$18,864
One of the items in the list of assets of the city was
$1,408.28 in bills of the Bank of Michigan. These were
sold in 1845 at the rate of 30 cents on the dollar.




154

HISTORY OF DETROIT

EASTERN CREDITORS
Among the eastern creditors who held our bonds in
1845 were John Jacob Astor, Joseph W. Brick and
Cornelius Van Schaack Roosevelt, (grandfather of exPresident Roosevelt). I have many letters from all of
these men urging payment of the moneys due to them.
Some of the interest coupons were protested for nonpayment at the bank in New York.
Sometimes the city treasurer would get enough money
to pay a bond or some interest coupons and he would
send to New York, deducting one per cent for exchange.
The bonds were payable in New York and Mr. -Roosevelt thought it unjust that the exchange should be deducted.
Mr. Astor, in his letters, always appears to look on
the bright side of the future. He was willing to wait
for better times and requested the city authorities to
let him know when the bonds or coupons could be paid.
Mr. Brick's bonds came to him in'payment for iron
pipe used in extensions of the water works. He needed
the money for his manufacturing business and urged
its payment, but was not as bitter in his letter as was
Mr. Roosevelt.
General John R. Williams was mayor of the city. He
had been selected for that position because of his well
known ability to bring the city out of its slough of
despond, if any one could, a confidence never misplaced.
It took years of hard work and economy to'bring the
city into good financial condition. In 1845 its bonds
could not be sold on the market. All that were dis



1780 TO 1850

155

posed of were forced upon the present bond holders in
exchange for old matured bonds or for coupons overdue, and some of them protested.
LETTER FROM MR. ROOSEVELT
One of Mr. Roosevelt's letters reads as follows:
"New York, Nov. 14, 1845.
Dear Sir: Your several letters were received in due
course, together with the enclosures-a bond for eleven
hundred sixty-four and twenty-seven hundredths, and
check for six hundred sixty-three and twenty hundredths.
It were useless for me to express an opinion of the
honesty of the majority of the committee on ways and
means, who insisted upon putting off a creditor of their
city, with its worthless bonds, when it was in their
power to have paid the amount due. The bond in question, in which three parties were interested, has been
sold to the one who would give the most for it, which
was 801 cents on the dollar-the course the majority
of the committee thought proper to take has therefore
subjected the holders of this debt to the loss of the
difference. But it appears to me that the most disgraceful act on the part of the city is to make the
paltry charge of one per cent for a draft on New York,
after having pledged itself to pay its interest in that
city.
In these remarks you will, of course, understand me
as making no personal reflections on yourself, at the
same time you will please lay this letter before the
committee on ways and means.
Respectfully Yours,
C. V. S. Roosevelt.




156

HISTO RY OF DETROIT

Hon. John R. Williams, mayor of the city of Detroit.
I enclose 12 coupons $210, for which you will please
forward me a check on New York on the best terms
that you are enabled to do.
C. V. S. R."
During the next year the interest coupons, as they
were presented, were taken up and bonds issued in
their stead. It was not possible for the city to raise
money to pay the interest and those who were unwilling to accept the new bonds were permitted to hold
their coupons to await the coming of better times.
A committee of the council was appointed Jan. 19,
1847, to recommend alterations in the city charter "in
order to bring about a more economical and effective
administration of the affairs of the city."  The committee consisted of Edmund A. Brush, William Barclay
and Theodore Williams. The mayor, John R. Williams,
was added to the committee.
The report made Feb. 9, is long and very interesting.
The report begins by stating that "the resources of
the city carefully managed are adequate to its wants."
The system of conducting the city affairs was well
enough when, the place was small, but would not do
at the present time.
The debt of the city was $285,000, created for these
purposes:
Old hydraulic works, (producing no income)..$ 34,000
New hydraulic works, (producing $6,000)..... 117,000
Grand  sewer................................  23,000
Woodward avenue sewer......................    2,000
Lateral sewers.......................... 1,500
Alley sewers........................     7,000




1780 TO 1850

157

City hall market (produces $1,300)........   15,000
Berthelet market (produces $200).............  8,300
Washington market (produces nothing)........   3,200
Fireman's hall (pays in city use).............  3,000
Fire department.......................... 13,000
Funded  debt.................................  41,000
Floating debt, not on interest.................  5,000
"Unaccounted for and never will be"......... 12,000
Total.................................  $285,000
The expense of interest for the hydraulic works was
$10,570, and the return was $6,000, leaving an annual
deficit of $4,570. No return -was obtained from the
sewer system.
The income from the city hall market was $1,300 or
$150 more than the interest on the investment.
The interest on the investment in the two other markets was $805 and the income only $200. The fire department, of course, could not be expected to pay a
money return. The "unaccounted for" item of $12,000
is interesting.
Annual interest to be paid...................$19,000
Annual expenses............................    9,000
Annual floating debt......................... 5,000
Total.................................. $33,000
Annual ordinary tax......................... $12,000
Annual tax for interest........................ 8,000
Contingent  receipts..........................  11,000
Loss to city by "no license" system........... 5,000
$36,000




1.58

IHIISTORY OF DETROIT

The committee recommended that a sewer tax be
imposed upon every lot and cellar drained by the sewers,
of from 50 cents to $1.50 each.
The Washington market should be sold and the Berthelet market made available for some other purpose, so
as. to relieve the city from the incumbrance.
The water works should be made productive. It
should return $8,000 per year instead of $6,000. "It is
the fault of the system and not of any individual that
it is not productive."
BUSINESS AGENT FOR THE CITY
In order to accomplish what is desired, "it is indispensably necessary that the council have power to appoint a competent business agent whose relations to the
city can be expressed in a single phrase. It must be
that of an agent who devotes all his time to the business of his principal, whose compensation secures him
from personal cares of living, and the prominence of
whose situation, depends on the manner in which he
conducts and promotes the interest of his employer."
The object is to so conduct the business of the city as
to supersede the necessity of meetings of the council
oftener than once a month for the purposes of municipal
legislation; to receive and act upon the monthly reports of the superintendents and to deliberate and act
upon results and not upon details.
One of the evidences of economy in 1847 was the removal of the stalls from the Washington market and
the use of the building for a school house. The market
had never paid expenses, and a school building was
needed in that quarter of the city.




1780 TO 1850

159

MERCHANTS EXCHANGE
The legislature of 1848 made several changes in the
city charter and authorized the incorporation of the
Detroit Merchants' Exchange Co. The incorporators
were James Abbott, Benjamin B. Kercheval, William
Brewster, Charles Howard, Zachariah Chandler and
Samuel Lewis. The object of the company was to facilitate and promote trade and commerce by providing a
suitable place for the meeting of persons interested
in trade and commerce and a reading room and library
coniected therewith.
The Detroit Young Men's society was permitted to
join with them in the erection of a 'suitable building.
This was a forerunner of the board of trade, and was
one of the evidences of returning prosperity to our city.
The employment of a business agent was never discussed
by the legislature.
START PAYING DEBT
The council levied and collected a sewer tax; collected the water rates more carefully than it had done before this time; rented the City Hall for theatrical and
other purposes, and economized in many ways. The
citizens' meeting granted a larger appropriation than
usual, to take care of the city debt, and some headway
was now being made in reducing that incubus. When
eastern bondholders presented their bonds or coupons
they were no longer told that the treasury was depleted, but their claims were paid.




160

HISTORY. OF DETROIT

BETTER TIMES
The city treasurer, in March, 1848, reported that between the 24th of March, 1847, and the first of March,
1848, he had canceled $40,902.65 in warrants and due
bills; he had paid $22,688.33 in interest and had paid
$5,568 on the city debt.
At the meeting of the legislature in 1849 a bill was
introduced which, with some slight alterations, was
passed in February of that year. It greatly altered
the forms of local government. It was proposed to
elect by popular vote the recorder, attorney, clerk,
treasurer, marshal, superintendent and engineer of the
water works, city physician, director of the poor, sexton, clerks of the market, surveyor, inspectors of wood
and all other inspectors, weigh masters, supervisors
of streets and chimney sweeps. All of these offices
had, until this time, been filled by appointment.
ALL OFFICES ELECTIVE
In order that the "people should have a voice in the
selection of their servants," it was now determined
to take the appointing power from the mayor and
council and elect every officeholder.
One of the city papers said, concerning the matter:
"If the project succeeds, for which there can be no
argument but partisan purposes, a few years will exhibit
the, city finances in the old condition of confusion,
peculation, squandering and repudiation."




1780 TO 1850

161

It is not evident that the result so much feared ever
happened, for from this time forward for several years,
business increased and the city prospered.
The Detroit Savings Fund Institute, now the Detroit
Savings Bank, was organized in February, 1849, though
it did not begin business until later in the year.
The Michigan Central Railroad depot at the foot of
Third street, was completed, and in announcing that
event it was stated that the income of the railroad for
the preceding twelve months had reached the enormous
sum of $373,981.81.
The Detroit Gas Co. was organized in February.
The new Methodist church, a large building located
on the southwest corner of Woodward avenue and
State street, was completed early in the year, and the
little old Methodist church which was built on the
northeast corner of Woodward avenue and Congress
street, was moved off down Lafayette avenue, soon "to
be opened as a new church." The building lately occupied by the T. B. Rayl Co. was erected in 1849 on the
site of the little Methodist church. Work was begun
on the erection of the Biddle House in April. This
building was originally planned to be 112 feet on Jefferson avenue and 150 feet on Randolph street. It was
located on the site of the American House, or Wales'
hotel, which was destroyed by the great fire of 1848.
The Advertiser of April 18, 1849, had this to say:
"Pulling down and building up. In every part of the
city we see unmistakable signs of progress and improvement. The old wooden buildings are constantly
giving way to make place for new and elegant brick
ones. Yesterday the last of the wooden buildings in




162

HISTORY OF DETROIT

the center of the Oddfellows' hall block were moved and
their places will soon be supplied with a beautiful brick
block in a uniform style with the adjoining buildings."
The growth of the city was so rapid that the city
hall market was entirely inadequate and the council
was compelled to make additions to the market building. The hall was used for public meetings upon all
occasions for lectures, concerts and religious services.
Every Sunday it was used by some religious society
that had no building of its own.
The Mariners' church was erected on the corner of
Woodward avenue and Woodbridge street. The first
floor was built for commercial purposes and the second
floor was intended for religious purposes. As soon as
the building was completed the postoffice occupied the
ground floor.
The church was the gift of Mrs. Julia Anderson and
her sister, Miss Charlotte M. Taylor. Mrs. Anderson
had formerly lived on the corner of the street but there
was a long row of small stores, twelve in number, on
the north side of Woodbridge street, between Woodward avenue and Griswold street.




1780 TO 1850

163

THE-GREAT FIRE OF 1848
On the ninth of May, 1848, a fire swept over the
lands between Randolph street and Woodward avenue,
south of Jefferson avenue, destroying nearly every
building in that district. The fire also extended along
Jefferson avenue to Beaubien street. The loss was
estimated at $300,000. New buildings were springing
up in every part of this burnt district in 1849. Along
Jefferson avenue from the corner of Brush street four
large brick buildings were erected. The one on the
corner was occupied by Gideon Paull for a drug store.
Haigh's drug store was afterward located here.
CITY FINANCES IN 1849
In the Advertiser of May 18, 1849, is a statement of
the finances of the city.
Bonds of the city March 14, 1849..........$285,448.00
Annual  interest..........................  18,791.00
Property of the city assessed at........... 2,300,292.00
Tax levy under act of 1841.............     11,501.46
There was a balance of.................     9,254.00
Act of March 2, 1849, tax levy............  8,000.00
This still left unprovided for..............  1,254.00
A citizens' meeting was called to provide for the
deficiency.
Receipts of city March 21,. 1848, to March 21,
1849, were............................$41,882.74
Expenses.................................... 39,062.29
Receipts from licenses.................... 6,169.42




164

HISTORY OF DETROIT

W ater  works.............................   9,311.41
New cemetery on Gouin farm............    91.00
Total.............................  $15,571.83
Expenditures, water works..............$ 4,162.52
Interest.............................. 17,710.03
Fire  department..........................  3,965.64
Total.............................. $25,838.19
STATE FAIR
The first state fair was held in Detroit in 1849. The
grounds were on the west side of Woodward avenue between Columbia and High streets.
ST. MARY'S HOSPITAL ERECTED
St. Mary's Hospital-the new hospital-was built by
popular subscriptions in 1849 and was used, in part, for
the cholera patients of that year.
DETROIT AND PONTIAC RAILROAD SHOPS BURN.
The depot of the Detroit & Pontiac Railroad was on
Gratiot avenue. The passenger depot was on the south
side, between Farmer street and Woodward, and extended through to the Campus Martius. The machine
shop was on the opposite side of Gratiot avenue, where
the Hudson building now stands. The machine shop
was destroyed by fire May 22, 1849.




1780 TO 1850

165

The Catholic cathedral on the corner of Jefferson avenue and St. Antoine street, was completed in 1849,
though the corner stone was laid in 1845.
NEW BUILDINGS
June 9, 1849. "New buildings-it is a sure proof of
the rapid growth of the city to see the large number
of new brick blocks going up in every part of the city.
We notice that the large wooden building, corner of
Woodward avenue and Atwater street, formerly occupied by John Thompson, is being removed to give place
to a splendid five-story brick building."
John Owen was nominated for governor on the Whig
ticket. He declined the nomination, but it was several
weeks before the committee consented to receive his declination. Flavius J. Littlejohn was nominated in his
place, September 21, 1849.
Three old wooden buildings opposite the Michigan
Exchange were burned August 10, 1849.
The Second Presbyterian church, on the corner of
Wayne street and Lafayette avenue, was built during
the summer of 1849.




166

HISTORY OF DETROIT

CHOLERA DRIVES OFFICIALS AWAY
During the cholera scare in 1849, many of the officials
left the city. The newspaper in commenting on the laak
of. courage of these men said:
"Movements of the Unterrified-We take pleasure in
announcing that Deputy Marshal (Alexander H.) Stowell has returned to the limits of the city. The sheriff
is expected soon. One of our justice's offices has just
been reopened. Business generally begins to revive.
The county clerk has not been heard from   since he
slunk from view over the summit of one of the New
England mountains. We take pleasure in stating that
the chief of the city police has remained firm at his post
during the whole season."
TRINITY CHURCH MOVED
Trinity church-The Irish Catholic church-on the
northwest corner of Bates street and Cadillac square,
was, in 1849, moved to the corner of Porter and Sixth
streets. The building was erected in 1818 at the northeast corner of Lamed street and. Woodward avenue for
a Presbyterian church, but was later moved to the
corner of Bates street and Cadillac square where it was
used for a Universalist church and later for a hospital.
About 1843, it was sold to the Catholics.




1780 TO 1850

167

SHOW   WINDOWS-THE LARGEST GLASS YET
"George Doty, jeweler, has purchased and is fitting
up the building on the west end of the Daily Advertiser
block, corner of Jefferson avenue, in a style superior
to anything in the western states. His show windows
will be a curiosity. The main glass in each of them is
imported French plate, five by seven feet in size and
cost $300. We believe these are the largest glass west
of New York City, not excepting the large fine ones in
Cincinnati. Next door to him is our barberous neighbor, who also has a show window."
The "barberous" neighbor was Tate, the hair
dresser.
The city sextons reported 159 deaths from cholera
during the summer.
PENNY PAPER PUBLISHED
The Detroit Daily Herald, "a daily paper for the
million at one cent a copy," began its publication November 26, 1849. The paper ran for a little more than
a year. The printing office was on the west side of
Griswold street, two doors above the corner of Jefferson avenue.
The Detroit City Guards was organized in August.
Only one train each way ran daily, during the winter
of 1849, over the Michigan Central Railroad.
The track of the Detroit & Pontiac Railroad on Gratiot avenue was torn up by a mob of citizens December




168

HISTORY OF DETROIT

13, 1849. The track had long been a nuisance on the
street and the company had several times agreed to
remove it or repair it. They had done neither. The
mob was headed by respectable citizens, among them
Stephen B. Morse and Maj. John V. Ruehle. A number
of the rioters were arrested and brought before Justice Walker. They declined to give bail and applied
for a writ of habeas corpus to Recorder Marshall J.
Bacon. The recorder discharged the men from custody.
The railroad discontinued running cars because a part
of its track was torn up. The citizens were exasperated
and a line of stages was at once started between Detroit and Pontiac. The stages ran from Andrews'
Railroad hotel (where the Detroit opera house is now
located) in Detroit, to the Hodges house in Pontiac.
Here we will, for the present, leave the city on the
high road to prosperity.
OWNERS OF LANDS IN OLD DETROIT AT VARIOUS TIMES
BEFORE THE FIRE OF 1805.
The numbers refer to the numbers on the map.
1. Guard house lot belonging to the King.
2. Jean Bte. Chapoton and Felicite Cicire, his wife,
in 1770 and later by David Campbell and Samuel
Fynn. Lot was 34x66 feet.
3. David Campbell and Samuel Fynn. William Graham  and Gregor McGregor. After McGregor
died the executors of his will, James Rankin and
James Abbott, sold his interest to James Sterling. The lot was 30x70 feet.




1780 TO 1850

169

4. Marie Julie (Reaume) Hay, widow of Jehu Hay,
who was lieutenant governor of Detroit following
Henry Hamilton. It was said that Governor Hay
was buried on this lot. Mrs. Hay's heirs sold
the lot to John McGregor. The lot was 70 feet
front on St. Peter street.
5. Council House. This lot was at one time owned
by James Sterling.
6. Mess House. Owned, at one time by Catherine De
Ruisseau widow of Alexis DeRuisseau, and-later
by James Cassety (1769). The lot was 33x39
feet.
7. A long list of owners and frequent change in title.
The lot was 42x45 feet. The owners were: Isaac
Williams; Jacques Campau     (1774); William
Sterling; Robert Henry; John     Farrel with
James Abbott, 1768. Lewis Campau sold to
George Knaggs before 1768.
8. Conrad Seek. Seek was for some years a prisoner among the Indians. He left them and passed
the latter end of his life in Detroit. His daughter Maria married Martin Story.    Colin Andrews.
9. Legarde Goyur, Sept., 1725; John Steadman; William Edgar; John Edgar; Alexander and William
Macomb; George Meldrum.
10. Thomas Robinson, mariner; William Robertson.
11. Claude Thomas Gouin; James Sterling; Louis Campau, and his wife, Marie Robert; George Knaggs.
12. Pierre Barrois; Thomas Cox (inn keeper); Thomas
McCree; John Ash; Stacy Horner; Isaac Todd;
James McGill and John-Dodemead. The lot was
40x120 feet.




170

HISTORY OF DETROIT

13. Edgar and Rankin; same as lot 12. The entire
parcel was 86 feet by 186 feet in depth.
14. Sanschagrin: George McDougall; Campbell, Andrews and Meldrum (1773); Nicholas Stephens,
Jr.; Cornelius Van Schaack; Jacobus Taylor;
Anthony Van Schaack and Garrett Taylor. The
lot was 42 feet long. Alphonse de Tonty, the
commandant lived here and died in 1827. Jean
Chapoton, surgeon, also lived here, in 1725.
15. This lot was 40 by 118 feet, and apparently was,
at various times, divided and owned by different
parties. Some times the parcels were united in
one ownership. Baptiste Dubarge and Louise
Courtois, his wife (20x44 feet); Nicolas Lasalle;
Dufount; Courtways (east part of lot, 1767); William Edgar and Frederick Hambach.
16. Jean Baptiste Duberger dit Sanschagrin, a baker.
His wife was Marie Courtois. James Campau
and his wife Catherine Menard; James Cassety;
Lansing and Graverat; I-Iyacinth Reaume; James
Gordon and Alexander Macomb, east 21 feet.
The size of the lot is variously estimated. One
deed gives it 42 feet wide and another 30 by 34
feet.
17. This lot is given as 46 by 49 feet and was owned,
at different times, by William Brown (he was a
doctor for many years); William Edgar; George
Lyons; John Robertson; James Cassety; Nathan Williams.
18. Hugh Boyle (49 feet wide with a new house, Oct.
13, 1766); Robert Navarre    (Royal Notary),
granted to him Nov. 26, 1741; Alexander Ellice;
George McDougall, 1774. His wife was Marie
Francoise Navarre.




1780 TO 1850

171

19. Hugh Boyle, paid ~800 for the lot in 1768. Labadie
(owned the west part of the lot in 1768). George
McDougall and Marianne his wife (1768). She
was a daughter of Robert Navarre the royal notary. Alexander Ellice. James Thompson. The
lot was 49 feet wide and extended to the pickets
of the fort.
20. George Meldrum; Chapman Abraham; Graverat
and Visger.
21. Hyacinth Reaume; Oliver Wisewell; Hugh Callaghan.
22. Lot 31 by 24 feet. Thomas McKee; Alexander
and William Macomb; Teller and Groesbeck.
23. Lot 74 feet on St. Louis street and 271/2 feet on Ste.
Anne street. Catherine Trill; Isaac Todd and
James McGill as attorneys for John Strubuell.
24. Apparently the lot was at one time divided into
three parcels owned as follows:    West part,
Alexander Grant; middle part, Thomas Cox;
east part, Puperon Baby; other owners were:
Pierre Barrois, -Joseph Cabaccier, 96 feet wide,
extending to the picket line; Joseph Vissiere;
William Forsyth. There was a mortgage at one
time on the entire parcel held by McTavish and
Bannerman. Forsyth was a tavern keeper and
had a famous tavern on the land. His stepson
was John Kinzie of Chicago. Thomas Cox was
also an inn keeper and preceded Forsyth in that
"business.
25. This lot was 80 by 100 feet and was within the
citadel. The lot took in a portion of the barracks. The easterly nine feet was taken to open
St. Germain street.   The owners were: John
Steadman; Alexander and William      Macomb;




172

Hi7sisoY OF DETROIT

Duperon Baby had title to the west part of the
lot at one time. James Cassety owned a parcel
42 by 80 feet.
26. Picote de Belestre, the last French commandant
(1760), sold to Nicolas Vermette. Belestre purchased back from  Vermette and then sold to
Henry Van Schaack and Sampson Fleming in
1767. Fleming purchased the interest of Van
Schaack March 8, 1768. The size of the lot is
given as 30 by 54 feet.
27. Public property, belonging to the King.
28. George Cottrell.
29. James Phyn; Alexander Ellice; John Porteus;
Philip Dejean and Nicolas Perrot; Isaac Todd and
Richard McNeil, Sept. 9, 1767; Thomas Williams
and Richard Van Allen.
30. Sometimes owned in common with lot 29. Henry
Berthelet; Thomas Williams and Richard Van
Allen; Isaac Todd and Richard McNeil, bought
Sept. 9, 1767; Philip Dejean and Nicolas Perrot,
sold Sept. 9, 1767, for ~200; William Maxwell;
Alexander and William Macomb.
31. Chapman Abraham, in 1767; Robert McWilliams
and Montague Tremble; John Askin, Jr., and
William Robertson, April 4, 1799.
32. Jean Farrell; Pierre Lebutte, Jr., (Chene); John
Martin (Martin, Tremble and Co.); James Abbott.
33. Simon McTavish and James Bannerman; Norman
McLeod and John McNamara; John Wetherhead
(Jehu Hay, agent); James Sterling.
34. Zacharie Cicotte and his wife Angelique Godefroy;
George McBeath and Richard Wright; Richard




1780 TO 1850

Wright, David White and George Lyons; James
Rankin and William Edgar.
35. Angelique Godefroy, widow of Zacharie Cicotte;
Louis Bellair; Adhemar St. Martin (or Antoine
St. Martin); Alexis Desruisseau. His widow was
Catherine Godefroy. William Edgar and James
Rankin bought the west 21 feet in width by 25
feet in depth of this lot. Lot is 59 by 45 feet.
36. At one time owned by the Campau Estate, Jean
Baptiste Campau, Jacques Campau, Simon Campau, Louis Campau, Therese Campau who was
the wife of Charles Andre Barthe; Jehu Hay and
Marie Julie (Reaume) Hay, his wife; George
Forsyth, one of the sons of William Forsyth;
Alexander Dyce.
37. Cornelius Van Tice; Edward Ridley and James
Bennett; David Campbell; Vessier.
38. Church of Ste. Anne.
39. James Sterling; James Thompson.
40. James Sterling; James Thompson.
41. Jean Baptiste Creste; Grobb and Dauller. The
lot/was 32 feet wide by 55 feet deep. Sally
Ainse, a half breed Indian who had great influence with the Indians. She, at one time, owned 16 feet of lot 42.
42. Sally Ainse, east 16 feet of this lot. Therese La
Sage, wife of Doctor Chatelin Derigne. In one
deed he is called Antoine Chatelain; Gregor McGregor, who was sheriff of the western district,
which included Detroit; Mathew Dolson; Elijah
Phelps, a carpenter.
43. Part of the lot belonged to the Church of Ste.
Anne. Francois Gamelin, Jr., owned the west 30




174

4HISTORY OF DETROIT

feet, bounded east by the church. Theophilus
Le May and Jacob Schieffelein.
44. Pierre Belleperche; Jehu Hay.
45. Augustin Lafoy.
46. Louis Thibault,
47. Pierre Desnoyers.
48. Joseph Bondie (1741).
49. Jeanne Cardinal and her husband Laurent Parent
sold this lot in 1741 to Pierre St. Cosme.
50. The title to this lot passed through many hands,
and it was divided into various parcels. The
names of the various owners were:     Nicolas
Perrot; Abraham Chapman; Jean Pillett (or La
Barge) north part; Boutin; Pierre Descompte
Labadie and Angelique Laselle his wife; J. La
Salle, Jr. (1760); Simon Gendron, east part;
Etienne Languedoc, tailor; Nicolas Vermette and
Bourgongnon; Joseph Bondy, east part; Henry
Van Schaack and Sampson Fleming; Laurent
Parent, west part; Jeanne Cardinal was his widow; Pierre St. Cosme (1765); Philip Dejean, the
notorious justice of the peace; Thomas Robinson; Edward Mumford; John Wetherhead.
51. Picote de Belestre, the Commandant, occupied
this as the Indian store; James, or John, Witherhead in 1774; Henry Van Schaack and Sampson Fleming.
52. Public Jail. This is one of the parcels of land
that the British commandant claimed as public
property, alleging that the French commandant,
Belestre, had no right of private ownership in
the land as it belonged to the French government.
53. L'Enfant.




1780 TO 1850

175

54. Philip Belanger-From    Ste. Anne's records, he
was a master mason, living on St. Jacques street,
married Isabelle Valle.. He was a native of
Sainte Famille, in the city of Quebec, and died
Sept. 15, 1800.
55. Jean Bte. Creste, master tailor; William Brown,
doctor; John Cornwall and William Miller.
56. Francois Gobeille. His wife was Rose Fortier and
their daughter Marie Louise Gobeille became the
wife of Pierre Jean Desnoyers the grandfather of
Rev. Father Ernest Desnoyers Van Dyke.
57. Jean Baptiste Creste; Joseph Pouget; George Meldrum and William Park; Margaret Wood; James
Donaldson.
58. Joseph Serre dit St. Jean, master tailor, June 24,
1778; Presque Cote; Jean Bte. Pierre.
59. Pierre Bourgia dit Provencal; Alexander and William Macomb; Joseph St. Marie; Andre Bennite,
master mason; Pierre Drouillard; Presque Cote;
Joseph Serre dit St. Jean, tailor.
60. Jehu Hay, lieutenant governor; Philip Belanger;
Dedrick Brehm; Presque Cote; Richard Cornwall;
Samuel Dollwood; Chatelain Derigney; Charles
Reaume; James May, judge of county court.
61. George McDougall; John Welch; Charles Reaume;
Pierre Reaume; Isaac Gagnier; John Bte. Montreuil; James Sterling; Walter Hume; William
Edgar.
62. Francois Bellette; James Sterling, west part of
the lot; Elizabeth St. Aubin, widow of Charles
Poupard dit Lafleur; William  McDowell Scott,
physician. Possibly the church owned a portion
of this lot at one time. James (or Joseph)




176

HISTORY OF.DETROIT

Greenwood, east pai-t of the lot; William Park,
east part of the lot.
63. Charles Poupard dit Lafleur, -and Elizabeth St.
Aubin his wife; John Dodge and William Tucker; William Park; Francois Bellette.
64................
65. Duperon Baby; Michel Cattin dit Barron.
66. Thomas Cox.
67...............
68. Charles Moran.
69. Antoine Bernard dit Lafontaine; William Shaw;
Gregor McGregor, the sheriff, had a mortgage
on this lot.
70. Thomas Williams. He was justice of the peace
and register of deeds under British rule. He
married Cecile, sister of Joseph Campau. His
only son John R. Williams was the first elected
mayor of Detroit.




INDEX.

P
Abbott.................
Abbott & Co., James....... 7,
Abbott, James.... 16, 44, 54,
63, 65, 70, 159, 168,
Abbott, Robert......20, 54,
Abbott, Samuel............
Abbott, Sarah....... 64,
Abraham, Chapman.....12,

'AGE
62
12
172
66
66
65

Audrain, Rebecca..........
Audrain, St. Clair.........
Aurora, The.............
Baby, Duperon..15, 20, 171,

'AGE
20
21
55

171, 172
Academy...............100
Act of Congress........... 86
Adams, John Quincy....... 80
Ainse, Sally............17, 173
Allen, Ebenezer... 26, 27, 30, 31
Allen, Ethan..............  47
Americans came in 1796... 98
Anderson, John....... 62, 64
Anderson, Julia (Mrs.)..63,
64, 162
Andrews.................. 170
Andrews, Colin.........10, 169
Andrews, H. R............ 138
Andrews, James........... 70
Ann Arbor, Mich........... 119
Army, King's    or  Eighth
Regiment............ 10,  16
Army, Forty-seventh Regiment................ 10,  12
Army, Soldiers at Detroit.. 56
Ash, John.............47, 169
Askin, John..8, 9, 22, 26, 27.
29, 30, 31, 35, 48, 49, 172
Astor, John Jacob......152, 154
Auburn, N. Y.............. 128
Audrain, Elizabeth........ 20
Audrain, Fanny...........  20
Audrain, Francois........ 20
Audrain, James H.......... 20
Audrain, Margaret........ 20
Audrain, Maria Caroline... 20
Audrain, Peter....19, 20, 21,
38, 39
Audrain, Peter Duponce.. 20

172, 176
Baby, James.............   44
Bacon, Marshall J...... 123, 168
Bagg, Silas A........... 138
Bannerman, James.....171, 172
Bank...................54,  55
Bank failures............. 145
Bank fund.............147, 148
Bank notes..........75, 76, 81
Banking Act.............. 149
Banking, "Wild Cat"...149,
150, 151
Banks:
Brest...................  147
Coldwater...............  147
Constantine............. 148
Detrot...............85, 145
Detroit City.... 148, 149, 151
Detroit Savings Bank.. 94, 161
Detroit Savings Fund Institute...............  161
Farmers' and Mechanics',
146, 147
Farmers' and Mechanics'
Bank of Pontiac....... 147
Farmers' Bank of Oakland 148
Farmers' Bank of Homer. 148
First National Bank...... 151
Genesee County Bank..... 147
Gibraltar...............  148
Goodrich................  148
Lapeer................. 148
Marshall...............  148
Michigan..... 73, 111, 147,
151, 153
Michigan Insurance Bank. 151
Michigan State Bank..146, 151
Michigan    State   Bank
branches............ 150




ii.

PAGE
Oakland................147
Saginaw City Bank...... 148
St. Clair............146, 148
Saline..................  147
Savings Bank of Michigan  94
U tica...................  148
Wayne County Bank...... 148
Wayne County Bank (Plymouth)................  151
Ypsilanti............... 148
Barber, see Barbour........  80
Barbour, James........... 80
Barclay, William.......... 156
Barrois, Pierre........169, 171
Barron, Michel Cattin dit.. 176
Barthe, Charles Andre..... 173
Barthe, Theresa........... 48
Bassett, Henry............ 104
Bates, George C............ 131
Bates, Frederick.......... 52
Bates, Samuel............. 138
Battle of the Heights of
Abraham...............  17
Beaubiens.................  62
Beaubien, Jean Marie...... 66
Belanger, Philip........13, 175
Belestre, Picote de...... 172, 174
Belgrade, Mich............ 133
Bellair, Louis............ 173
Belleperche, Pierre........ 174
Bellette, Francois....175, 176
Belle Isle........15, 57, 60, 61
Benac, Joseph P..........  17
Benac, Porlier............  16
Bennet, Ridley and........  13
Bennett, James............ 173
Bennete, Andre........... 175
Bernard dit Lafontaine, Antoine................13, 176
Berrien County, Michigan.. 96
Berthelet, Henry.......... 172
Berthelet Market......157, 158
Berthelet's Wharf......... 99
Biddle, John..............  114
Bienvenue, Isidors.......... 17
Billet,  Francois...........  10
Bissell, Charles............ 149

PAGE
Birmingham, Mich........     6
Black Rock, N. Y.......... 98
Block houses...........5.6, 57
Blount...................  34
Board of Estimates....... 108
Boat, first to carry American flag............... 98
Boats from  Detroit to Chicago....................100
Boats in 1796............. 98
Boats:
Argo...................  99
Ashtabula............... 99
Beaver.................  97
Buffalo................ 99
Catherine...............  98
Chippewa..............    98
Contractor.............. 98
Detroit.................  98
Enterprise.............. 98
General Brady.......... 99
General Gage...........   97
General Wilkinson......   98
Good  Intent.............  98
Great Western.......... 98
Henry Clay............ 98
John Adams............ 98
Michigan............... 98
Missouri...............  99
Nancy................. 98
New York............. 125
Niagara............... 98
Nile..................... 99
Pioneer.................  98
Rosa...................  99
Superior................ 98
Swan...................  98
Tracey.................. 98
Union.................. 98
United States........... 125
Walk-in-the-Water....... 98
W eazel..................  97
W ebster................  125
William Penn.........     98
A. Winslow............. 99
Bondi, Joseph............. 174




iii.

PAGE
Bonding the city... 110, 111, 112
Boston, Mass...........   111
Bourdeaux, Joseph........ 16
Bourgia dit Provencal, Pierre................... 175
Bourgongnon.............. 174
Boutin....................  174
Boyle, Hugh............. 170
Brady Guards............. 129
Brehm, Dedrick........... 175
Brevoort, Henry B...... 54, 140
Brewster, William......... 159
Brick buildings........... 161
Brick, Joseph W...140, 152, 154
British in Detroit in 1812.. 65
Brooks, Edward.......... 149
Brown, Adam............. 22
Brown, Cullen.............  149
Brown, Henry H............ 138
Brown, John Carter....... 122
Brown, Levi.............. 115
Brown, William..13, 46, 54,
63, 65, 70, 73, 92, 170, 175
Browning, Francis P...... 93
Brush, Edmund A... 65, 114, 156
Brush, Elijah.... 49, 54, 62,
63, 65, 69
Brush  farm...............  49
Buck, Daniel........... 32, 33
Buel, Alexander H......... 123
Buffalo, N. Y............... 102
Building in 1825........93, 94
Building in 1849........ 161, 165
Burdick, J.............  114
Burr, Aaron..............  55
Burtis, John........... 99, 100
Business in 1818........... 80
Business in 1819..........80, 81
Business depression in 1913 -1914.............1, 2, 3, 4  5
Button, David............ 17

PAGE
Callahan (Callaghan), Hugh,
47, 171
Campbell................ 170
Campbell, Daniel.......... 10
Campbell, David.......168, 173
Campbell, Henry M.....133, 149
Campbell, James V......... 133
Campbell, John............ 11
Campau, Alexander Macomb    43
Campau, Alexis............  9
Campau, Antoine.......... 10
Campau, Bernard......... 16
Campau, Cecile............ 176
Campau, Charles.......... 10
Campau, Daniel........ 138, 140,Campau, Denis............ 66
Campau, Jacques....... 169, 173
Campau, James........... 170
Campau, Jean Baptiste.... 173
Campau, Joseph........ 66, 176
Campau, Lewis........... 169
Campau, Louis........ 169, 173
Campau, Simon............ 173
Campau, Therese.......... 173
Campus Martius.......... 164
Canadian War............ 147
Capitol Building........ 91, 109
Capitol Square............ 92
Cardinal, Jeanne.......... 174
Cass, Lewis..58, 64, 92, 126,
127, 129, 130
Cass  Code................  72
Cass Company............ 126
Cass farm....57, 58, 60, 90,
126, 127, 128, 129, 130
Cass farm front filled in... 125
Cass  House...............  130
Cassandra, Mich........... 132
Cassidy  (Cassety), James,
10, 169, 170, 172
Cassety, Thomas.......... 10
Cassety, Margaret......... 10
Catlin, Antoine........... 16
Catten, Francois......... 11
Cattin (Catton) dit Barron,
Michel.............11, 176

Cabacier, Charles..........
Cabacier, Joseph..........
Cadillac Square......... 54,
Calhoun County, Michigan..

17
171
93
96




iv.

PAGE
Catville, Mich............. 130
Cemetery...............92, 164
Cemetery, Clinton Park..... 93
Census......78, 79, 92, 122, 123
Central Railroad........95, 96
Chabert, Chevalier (de Joncaire)............16, 38,  39
Chandler, Zachariah....... 159
Chapin, Benjamin.........   9
Chapoton, Alexis.......... 17
Chapoton, Jean Bte..17, 168, 170
Chapman, Abraham........174
Chatelain, Antoine........ 173
Chatelain, Madam Le Sage. 11
Chene, Antoine............ 16
Chene, Charles............  16
Chene, Isadore............ 16
Chene, Meni.............. 16
Chene, Pierre............  16
Chene, Pierre Lebutte, Jr... 172
Chevalier, Madelaine......  9
Chillicothe, Ohio..... 43, 67, 71
Chipman, Henry.......... 90
Cholera.......  93, 95, 166, 167
Christie, Gabriel.......... 33
Churches:
Baptist.................  93
Episcopal............   91
Huron..................  17
Mariners'............... 162
Methodist.............. 161
Presbyterian........91, 166
Ste. Anne.......91, 173, 174
Second Presbyterian..... 165
Trinity................. 166
Universalist............. 166
Cicire, Felicite........... 168
Cicot, Jean Bte............ 16
Cicotte, Zacharie.......172, 173
Cincinnati, Ohio......37, 43, 167
Citizens' or freemen's meeting.....................  107
City offices elective......... 160
Clark, Thomas........... 133
Clemens, Christian........66
Clemens, Jacob............ 48

PAGE
Cleveland, Ohio...... 35, 100, 102
Clinton  Park..............  93
Clinton  River.............  78
Cole, Henry  S.............. 11
Colt, Caroline..............  93
Colt, Samuel D............ 93
Conant, Shubael..66, 92, 126, 128
Conner, John............. -70
Constitutional Convention of
1835.................. 100
Cook, Abraham........... 66
Cook, Levi........113, 116, 134
Corning, Erastus.......... 122
Cornwall, John......... 13, 175
Cornwall, Richard.10, 12, 17, 175
Cote, Presque............. 175
Cottrell, George.......42, 172
Council House.... 63, 65, 71, 169
County Commissioners..... 84
Court House..... 86, 91, 93, 108
Courtois, Louise............ 170
Courtois, Marie........... 170
Courtways................ 170
Cox, Margaret............ 17
Cox, Thomas.....11, 12, 16,
169, 171, 176
Crane vs. Reeder........... 44
Creste, Jean Baptiste...173, 175
Curry,   Charles  (Curry's
Corner)................ 116
Custom House............   93
Cuyahoga River........... 35
Darragh, Archibald........ 74
Dauller................... 173
Davis, Caleb F............ 140
Davis, Thomas E.......... 88
Dawson, William.......... 17
Day, Isaac W............... 82
Dearborn Road............ 133
Dejean, Philip.........172, 174
Delisle, Alexis............ 15
Delray, Mich............. 133
Deming, John J.........75, 77
De Peyster, Arent Schuyler,
16, 22




V,

PAGE
Depots..........102, 119, 161
Dequindre, Fontonay......   16
Dequindre farm........... 137
Derigney, Chatelain.... 173, 175
De Ruisseau, Alexis.... 169, 173
De Ruisseau, Catherine.... 169
Descomps dit Labadie, see
Labadie.
Desnoyers, Peter   (Pierre),
70, 139, 174
Desnoyers, Peter J. (Pierre
Jean)........... 84, 115, 175
Detroit & Pontiac Railroad
shops...................  164
Detroit:
Business center.......... 101
Charters... 50, 67, 68, 90, 107
City Council created...... 68
City Guards............ 167
City Hall rented......... 159
Commons.............50, 54
Debt.... 81, 110, 111, 112,
139, 140, 141, 142, 143,
144, 163
Education............ 69, 95
Finances..1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 18,
49, 81, 135, 136
Fire Department........ 135
Fires......36, 52, 53, 64, 135
Gas Company........... 161
Growth..8, 25, 51, 52, 54,
95, 123, 124
Hospital  in   Governor's
house...............63,  65
Made  a  city.............  68
Merchants' Exchange Company..................  159
Opera House.... 101, 102,
138, 168
Prosperity.... 6, 110, 114,
115, 123
Real estate values in 1780,
8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
Surrender of,........57, 61
United Railroad......87, 89
W ards..................  115

I
Waterworks............
Young Men's Society.....
Devereux, Henry..........
Dexter, Samuel W.........
Dexter, Mich...............
Dime Bank Building.......
Dodemeads................
Dodemead, Alice...........
Dodemead, Ann...........
Dodemead, Catherine......
Dodemead, David..........
Dodemead, Elizabeth   (Betsey)....................
Dodemead, Isaac..........
Dodemead, J...............
Dodemead, James.......39,
Dodemead, Jane........ 36,
Dodemead, John..36, 37, 38,

'AGE
57
159
13
114
119
93
36
40
40
40
39
39
39
42
70
39

39, 169
Dodemead, Marie.......... 40
Dodemead, Robert M...... 39
Dodge, John.............. 176
Dollwood, Samuel.......10, 175
Dolson, Mathew........48, 173
Donaldson, James........41, 175
Donation lots...........76, 108
Dorr,  Melvin.............  82
'Doty, George............. 167
Drouillard, Jean.......... 14
Drouillard, Pierre.... 9, 14, 175
Duane..................  55
Duberger dit Sanschagrin,
Jean Baptiste........13, 170
Duff, Alexander..........  47
Dufount..................  170
Dumay, Jacques..........    9
Duvernet, Henry, Lieut.... 11
Dwight, William.......... 152
Dyce, Alexander......8, 17, 173
Dyson, Jane M.........36, 40
Dyson, Samuel, Capt....... 40
Dyson, Samuel T....... 40, 54

Eberts, Herman, Dr........
Edgar & McPherson......
Edgar & Rankin...........

22
11
170




vi.

PAGE
Edgars...................  18
Edgar, John............. 169
Edgar, William..10, 12, 169,
170, 173, 175
Edmonson, Lieut........... 21
Edwards, Abraham... 73, 74,
79, 80, 84
Eldred, Julius............ 149
Ellice, Alexander......170, 172
Englishmen move across Detroit  River..............  18
Erie  Canal................  73
Ewers, Alvah............. 143
Farmer, John............. 88
Farmer, Silas.............  98
Farmers' Insurance    Company, see Banks.......... 95
Farnsworth, Elon.......... 115
Farrel, John.......... 169, 172
Felch, Alpheus........ 120, 121
Ferryboat in 1825.......... 99
Filler,  Garret.............  17
Finchley, Thomas.........   8
Fireman's Hall........... 157
Five-million-dollar loan.. 118, 119
Flanagan, William......... 54
Fleming, Sampson..8, 13, 16,
18, 21, 172, 174
Florida Territory......... 87
Ford Company.......... 86, 89
Forsyth & Dyce........... 11
Forsyth, George........21, 173
Forsyth, James........... 21
Forsyth, John............. 21
Forsyth, Robert A.......17, 21
Forsyth, Thomas.......... 21
Forsyth, William..... 17, 21,
171, 173
Fort Lernoult.............  9
Fort at Mackinac......... 42
Fort Miamis..............  45
Fort Shelby demolished..... 90
Fortier, Rose............. 175
Frank, Mrs............... 131
Fraser, Alexander D....... 47

PAGE
Fraser, James............. 42
Freemen..................  92
Fur  trade.................  24
Fynn, Samuel............ 168
Gagnier, Isaac....... 10, 13, 175
Gamelin, Francois, Jr...... 173
Garrison, John.............. 115
Gendron, alias Poitvins, Simon................... 9, 174
Giles, William B.........32, 33
Gillett, Reynolds.......134, 139
Girardin, Charles........ 42
Gladwin Park, Henry...... 60
Gobeille (Gaubeille), Francois...............13, 44, 175
Gobeille, Mary Louise..... 175
Godefroy  (Godfroy), Angelique................172, 173
Godefroy, Catherine....... 173
Godefroy, Gabriel......... 66
Godefroy, Jacques.......... 16
Gordon, James............ 170
Gouin, Mr................. 64
Gouin, Charles............ 17
Gouin, Claude Thomas..... 169
Gouin farm...........123, 164
Gouie, Robert............. 22
Governor and Judges.... 72,
85, 105, 108, 134, 145
Goyur, Legarde........... 169
Graham, William......... 168
Grand  jury...............  66
Grand Marais..........57, 60
Grant, Alexander.... 12, 17,
48, 171
Graverat & Visger.....8, 12,
170, 171
Greenville treaty.......... 32
Greenwood, James......... 176
Greenwood, Joseph......10, 176
Greenwood, Sergt........... 13
Griffin, John........ 52, 54, 85
Griswold, Stanley.......... 70
Grobb......................  173
Groesbeck, William......17, 171




Vi.

PAGE
Grosse Isle.............57, 60
Grosse Pointe............. 48
Guard house............. 169
Haliburton, Alice..... 16, 17, 21
Haigh's drug store......... 163
Hambach, Frederick....... 170
Hamilton, Henry.......... 169
Hammond Building..... 16, 44
Hanks, Porter, Lieut....... 42
Hannan, W. W............ 89
Harffy, William........... 22
Harris, F. H..............  149
Harrison, William Henry.45,
46, 50
Harvey, John...........44, 70
Hastings, Eurotas P.... 92, 114
Hay, Jehu.169, 172, 1,3, 174, 175
Hay, Marie Julie (Reaume),
169, 173

Howard, Charles.........
Howard, Henry..........
Hudson Building.......102,
Hudson, Columbia Co., N. Y.
Hull, William.... 52, 54, 64,
Hume, Walter........13,
Hunt, Abigail.............
Hunt, Henry Jackson.... 43,

'AGE
159
142
164
77
85
175
47

Hemar, Thomas...........
Henry, Alexander.......22,
Henry, James.... 41, 42, 48,
Henry, John Joseph (Judge)
Henry, Robert............
Highland Park...........
Hoffman, George..........
Hog Island (see Belle Isle),
15, 57,
Holbrook, Dewitt C........
Horner, Archibald.........
Horner, Stacy..........48,
Hospitals..............164,
Hotels:.
American House...... 64,
Andrews' Railroad.......
Biddle  House...........
Hodges House, Pontiac...
Howard House.........
Michigan Exchange...
National............ 101,
Pontchartrain...........
Wales' Hotel...........
Wayne Hotel...........
Woodworth's Hotel......
Houghton, Douglas........

15
49
54
41
169
132
20
60
149
107
169
166
161
168
161
168
130
165
125
101
161
130
92
139

66, 73, 74, 82
Hunt, Jessie.............. 47
Hunt, John...............  85
Hunt, Reuben............. 47
Huntington, Benjamin..... 44
Hurlbut, Chauncey........ 136
Huron River............ 77, 78
Hydraulic works (see Waterworks)..... 156, 157
Ile au Cochon (see Belle Isle,
Hog Island)............ 15
Illinois, purchase of northern
part.................... 25
Immigrants............ 123, 125
Indiana.............. 25, 50,  68
Indians.......14, 15, 35, 56, 63
Chippewas.............. 45
Ottawas................ 45
Poutowatamies.......... 45
Indians lived in council house,
63, 65
Innis, Robert.....26, 27, 31, 44
Jackson, Ann.............  40
Jackson, Charles.... 40, 134,
135, 137, 138
Jackson, Mich........... 96, 119
Jail........83, 86, 108, 109, 174
Janvier, Joseph........... 79
Jay's Treaty...........24, 25
Johnson, Sir William....... 128
Joncaire, Chevalier Chabert
de................... 16,  39
Jones, De Garmo.66, 92, 114, 126
Jones, Enoch.............. 128
Jones, Isaac.............. 70
Jones, Israel..............  31




viii.
Vill

PAGE
Jouet, Charles............  39
Jouet, Jane...............  39
Kalamazoo, Mich........96, 137
Kane, Gertrude........... 131
portrait facing......... 130
Kercheval, Benjamin B..114, 159
King, Jonathan  L. (King's
Corner)..............54, 116
King, Rufus H........... 122
King's or Eighth Regiment.   9
Kinzie, Ann Haliburton... 17
Kinzie, John..16, 17, 21, 66, 171
Knaggs, George........... 169
Labadie...................  171
Labadie, Alexis........    16
Labadie, Angelique Descomps
dit.....................  14
Labadie, Margaret........ 47
Labadie, Pierre........... 174
La  Barge................  174
Lafleur, Charles Poupard dit,
9, 175, 176
Lafontaine, Antoine Bernard
dit.....................  176
Lafoy, Augustin........... 174
Lake of the Woods........   56
Land  Board...............  86
Languedoc, Etienne........174
Lanman, Mr..............   75
Lansing..................  170
Larned, Charles........... 66
La Sage, Therese.......... 173
Laselle, Angelique......... 174
Laselle, Hyacinthe......... 16
Laselle, J., Jr............ 174
Laselle, Nicholas........16, 170
Leavenworth, Col......... 76
Lebutte, Pierre, Jr.   (see
Chene).................  172
Lecroyer, Philip........... 73
Legislative Council......73, 83
Leith, George............. 47
Le May, Theophilus........ 174
L'Enfant.................. 174
Lernoult, Richard Beringer

PAGE
(Capt.).................  9
Le  Roy's..................  77
Leviel, Martin............ 11
Lewis......................  34
Lewis, Samuel............ 159
Littlejohn, Flavius J....... 165
Lottery...................  24
Lyons, George...... 170, 171, 173
McBeath, George.......17, 172
McCarty, William......... 20
McCrea (McCree), Thomas,
48, 169
McDanell, James-......... 44
McDonell, John........... 43
McDougall, George..10, 11,
15, 39, 43, 66, 70, 82, 170,
171, 175
McGill, John.............. 17
McGill, James.....49, 169, 171
McGill University.......... 49
McGregor, Gregor...11, 168,
173, 176
McGregor, John........... 169
McKee, Thomas......63, 65, 171
McKinstry, David C........ 74
McLeod, Norman.......11, 172
McNamara, James........ 172
McNamara, John.......... 11
McNeil, Richard........... 172
McNiff, Margaret......... 42
McNiff, Patrick........... 42
McReynolds, Andrew T..... 149
McTavish, Simon......171, 172
McWilliams, Robert..... 17, 172
Mack, Stephen.......73, 74, 76
Mackinac...............42, 131
Mackintosh (McIntosh, Earl
of Moy), Angus........42, 59
Mackintosh, Ann..........  42
Mackintosh, Catherine (or
Kittie).................  43
Macomb (McComber)...... 62
Macomb, Alexander... 11, 13,
15, 57, 59, 60, 74, 169, 170,
171, 172, 175
Macomb, David........15, 58




ix.

PAGE
Macomb, John............ 15
Macomb, John W..58, 59, 60, 66
Macomb, Sarah........... 58
Macomb, William.11, 13, 15,
43, 57, 58, 59, 60, 169, 171,
172, 175
Macomb, Edgar and Macomb     8
Madison, James........... 33
Majestic Building......... 101
Map of Detroit before fire
of 1805.........back of book
Markets..100, 125, 137, 157,
158, 162
Martin, John............. 172
Martin, Tremble & Co..... 172
Mason, Stevens T.......116, 118
Maxwell, William......... 172
May, Ann,,...,........ 21
May, Augusta Caroline.,.   47
May, James..21, 47, 48, 54,
98, 175
May, Samuel.............. 47
Meldrum & Park........... 42
Meldrum, George.... 42, 169,
169, 171, 175
Menard, Catherine......... 170
Merchants' Exchange Co.... 159
Mess House............. 169
Miamis Rapids....... 19, 45, 46
Michigan, agreement to purchase... 23, 25, 26, 27, 28,
29, 30, 31
Michigan becomes bankrupt. 133
Michigan part of Indiana
Territory................  50
Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society.......... 85
Michigan Territory...52, 68,
72, 87, 105
Michigan University building 142
Military  Hall.............  92
Military Reserve..90, 91, 95,
109, 137
Militia in Detroit.......... 129
Mill, steam................ 93
Miller, Oliver..............  66

PAGE
Miller, William......... 13, 175
Montieth, John............ 79
Montreuil, John Bte........ 175
Moore, Margaret.......... 19
Moran, Charles..12, 13, 115,
143, 176
Morse, Stephen B......... 168
Mullett, John.............  126.
Mumford, Edward......... 174
Municipal ownership..95, 96,
110, 111, 113
Murray, Mr.............U 32
Navarre, Marie.......15, 170
Navarre, Robert........15, 170
Navigation  on   the  Great
Lakes............. 97
Newberry, Oliver-.. 112, 114, 126
New Boston -............  133
Newspapers:
Advertiser......161, 163, 167
Detroit Daily Herald..... 167
Courier........ 94, 95, 96, 100
Free Press..100, 102, 114, 130
Gazette........ 73, 80, 81, 82
Herald...........88, 90, 99
Nichol, Robert............. 31
Norris, Mark............... 114
Northwest Territory..24, 67,
71, 104
Northington, Samuel...... 39
Norton, John, Jr........... 146

Oddfellows' Hall..........
Ohio admitted into Union...
Ohio River Company.......
Ordinance of 1787.........
"Ottason".................
Owen, John....... 136,
Page, David...............
Palmer, Friend............
Palmer, John........   66,
Palmer, Thomas........115,
Parent, Julien...........
Parent, Lawrence.......13,
Park, William........ 42, 175,

162
50
23
24
22
165
114
129
115
134
10
174
176




F
Partridge, Asa............
Pattinson, Hugh...........
Pattinson, Richard.... 26, 27,

'AGE
82
31

31, 54
Paull, Gideon............. 163
Pawlings, William......... 46
Pease, Maria............. 88
Peltier, Jacques........ 10, 48
Pepune, Col.............. 31
Perrot, Nicolas........172, 174
Phelps, Elijah............ 173
Phyn, James.............. 172
Picket line about town... 56, 57
Pierre, Jean Bte.......... 175
Pillett, Jean.............. 174
Pitcher, Zina...........134, 143
Pitts, Samuel............. 130
Poitvins, Simon Gendron...   9
Pontiac Company..........  74
Porter, Augustus S.....126,
127, 128
Porter, George B.......104, 130
Porteus, John............. 172
Portier, Jacques...........  16
Potier, Pierre, Father...... 17
Pouget, Joseph............ 175
Poupard, Charles (dit Lafleur)............42, 175, 176
Powers, David............ 21
Prisoner...... 7, 9, 42, 83, 169
Procter, Henry..........61, 65
Provencal, Pierre  Bourgia
dit.....................  175
Quincy, Joseph, Jr......... 122
Railroads:
Central...........95, 96, 102
Detroit & Pontiac.... 100,
101, 102, 167
Detroit & St. Joseph..100,
101, 114, 115, 117, 118,
119, 120, 121
Grand Trunk.......... 100
Michigan Central..... 100,
113, 114, 122, 130, 167

Randall, Robert..26, 27, 30,
31, 32, 33, 34
Rankin, Edgar &.......... 170
Rankin, James.....16, 168, 173
Rayl Co., T. B........... 161
Reaume, Charles.......... 175
Reaume, Hyacinth.....170, 171
Reaume, Marie Julie...169, 173
Reaume, Pierre........... 175
Reeder farm............44, 131
Revolutionary War.......   97
Reynolds, Robert.......... 44
Reynolds, Thomas....... 10, 44
Rice, Justin.............  115
Richard, Gabriel, Rev....... 79
Ridley & Bennet........... 13
Ridley, Edward........ 12, 173
Riots.............129, 167, 168
River Raisin...........62, 75
River Raisin, one-third  of
people  dead.............  63
Roads......................73
Chicago.................  116
Dearborn............... 133
Detroit &   Howell plank
road..................  130
Pontiac road.........76, 124
Saginaw................74
Robert, Antoine, Jr....... 10
Robert, Marie............. 169
Roberts, Robert E......... 115
Robertson, David.....26, 27, 31
Robertson, John........... 170
Robertson, William...26, 27,
31, 169, 172
Robinson, Thomas.....169, 174
Roe, W alter...............  21
Roosevelt,  Cornelius  Van
Schaack............ 154, 155
Roosevelt, Theodore....... 154
Rowland, Thomas......... 82
Rucker, John Anthony...... 58
Ruehle, John V............ 168
Ruland, Israel........ 45, 46
Russell, William.........  66
St. Aubin, Charles.......... 10




xi.

PAGE
St. Aubin, Elizabeth...175, 176
St. Aubin, Gabriel......... 10
St. Clair, Arthur, Governor. 37
St. Clair, William........... 46
St. Clair  &  Co.............  46
St. Cosme, Pierre.......... 174
St. Jean, Joseph Serre dit,
41, 175
St. Luke's   Hospital  and
Church Home.........     43
St. Marie, Joseph.....10, 175
St. Martin, Adhemar...12, 173
St. Martin, Antoine........ 173
St. Martin farm........... 58
Sanders, John.......... 55
Sanders, Robert............ 55
Sanderson, Henry......... 82
Sanschagrin, Jean Baptiste
Duberger dit..12, 13, 16, 170
Sawmill in Pontiac.........  76
Scheffelins (see Schieffelin),
18, 22
Schieffelein, Jacob......... 174
Schieffelein, Jonathan.,..22,
26, 27, 29, 31, 46
Scotch at Detroit........... 25
Scott, John............138, 139
Scott, William McDowell.54, 175
Sedgwick, Theodore........ 33
Seek, Conrad...........42, 169
Seek, Maria..............  169
Serre dit St. Jean, Joseph,
41, 175
Sewers,...... 110, 114, 156, 158
Seymour, Joseph.......... 90
Shaw, William............ 176
Shebert Chabert), Col...38, 39
Sheldon & Reed............ 82
Sheldon, John P............ 84
Shepherd, William......... 47
"Shin plasters"........ 141, 142
Sibley, Sarah.............. 64
Sibley, Solomon..39, 43, 46,
48, 54, 62, 64, 69, 73, 74,
75, 85
portrait........frontispiece

Simpson, William.........
Slavery in Detroit..........
Smart, Robert.............
Smith, Thomas............
Smith, William............
Smolk, Abraham... 126, 127,

44
85
66
43
31

128, 129, 131
portrait................ 130
Smolk, George............ 130
Smyth, Richard.........66, 69
Solant, Claude............ 16
Soumade, Antoine.........   9
Soup house in basement of
City Hall in 1914........  5
Sparkman, John.......... 22
Stage line.............119, 168
Stead, Benjamin.......... 74
Steadman, John....... 169, 171
Steamboats (see Boats)..97, 99
Steam  mill..............  93
Stephens, Nicholas, Jr...... 170
Sterling, James..8, 168, 169,
172, 173, 175
Sterling, William........ 8, 169
Sterlings.................  18
Stevens, Frederick H....... 146
Story, Martin............. 169
Stowell, Alexander H....... 166
Streets:
Adams avenue........92, 108
'Atwater street.........9, 165
Bagley avenue........   138
Bates street.......65, 91, 166
Beaubien street.......... 163
Brush street.....49, 50, 163
Cadillac square......101, 166
Campus Martius.....101, 164
Cass avenue...57, 60, 90, 92
Chemin de Ronde..10, 12, 13
Columbia street......... 164
Congress street.......92, 161
Dequindre street......... 87
Elizabeth street......... 92
Farmer street.......... 164
Fort street...44, 93, 137, 138
Grand Boulevard........ 88




xii.

PAGE
Gratiot avenue...102, 123,
164, 167
Griswold street..44, 50, 90,
93, 108, 163, 167
Hamilton boulevard....... 86
High street............. 164
Jefferson avenue... 36, 54,
57, 64, 65, 93, 101, 102,
119, 123, 130, 131, 133,
161, 163, 165, 167
Lafayette avenue..... 161, 165
Lamed street.. 90, 91, 93,
126, 129, 137, 166
Lernoult street.......... 13
Linwood avenue........    87
Michigan avenue...54, 90,
102, 116, 119
Michigan Grand avenue.54, 101
Military Square........125
Oakland avenue..........  86
Orleans street... 112, 134, 137
Pearl street............. 102
Porter street............ 166
Randolph street..9, 44, 49,
54, 57, 64, 65, 91, 101,
108, 161, 163
Rencontre street......... 13
Ste. Anne street... 11, 12,
13, 36, 37, 171
St. Antoine street.... 11, 165
St. Germain street....13, 171
St. Honore street....... 13
St. Jacques street........ 175
St. James street...... 12, 13
St. Joseph street...10, 11, 13
St. Louis street.... 11, 12,
13, 36, 37, 171
St. Peter street......12, 169
Shelby sireet............ 36
Sixth street............. 166
State street............. 161
Third street....57, 60, 130
Twelfth street..........  17
Twenty-fourth street.. 104, 130
Virginia avenue..........87
Wayne street.........54, 165

PAGE
Woodbridge street.....44,
137, 138, 162
Woodward avenue..74, 85,
86, 87, 92, 93, 101, 102,
119, 161, 162, 163, 164,
165, 166
Strong, David......37, 39, 45
Strubuell, John............  171
Sturges, William........... 122
Supreme Court...........  65
Sutton, Noah..122, 134, 135,
137, 138

Tallman, Eliza............
Tallman, John.........
Tate....................
Taverns (Inns), see Hotels.
Taylor, Charlotte M......
Taylor, Garrett:........
Taylor, Jacobus...........
Taxation in early times.,102,
103, 104, 105,
Teller.....................
Ten Eyck, Conrad.........
Thayer, John E...........
Thibault, Louis...........
Thompson, James.... 17, 171,
Thompson, John..........
Thompson, Jonathan.......
Tilghman, Mr............
Todd, Isaac....49, 169, 171,
Tompkins, J. W,..........
Tonty, Alphonse de.........
Treaty of 1783...........
Tremblay, Louis...........
Tremblay, Joseph..........
Tremble, Montague.......
Trill, Catherine...........
Trowbridge, Charles A.,...
Trowbridge, Charles C..111,
112,
Trowbridge, S. V. R.......
Truax, John..............
Tucker, Henry............
Tucker, William........ 17,

74
74
167
171
162
170
170
106
171
66
122
174
173
165
40
34
172
82
170
24
10
10
172
171
133
115
141
149
16
176




xiii.

PAGE
University of Michigan...73, 85
Valle, Isabelle............. 175
Van Allen, Richard........ 172
Van Dyke, Ernest Desnoyers (Rev.).............. 175
Van Schaack, Anthony..... 172
Van Schaack' Cornelius.... 170
Van Schaack, Henry...172, 174
Van Tice, Cornelius....... 173
Varnum, Jacob B.........   40
Varnum, Peter............ 40
Vermette, Nicholas.... 172, 174
Vessier....................  173
Vincent, James............ 44
Visger, Jacob..38, 39, 47, 48,
66, 171
Visger, James A........... 47
Visger, John..............  17
Visger, Joseph............ 47
Vissiere, Joseph........... 171
Voyez, Joseph............. 48
Walker, Henry N......... 136
Walker, Justice.......... 168
Walk-in-the-Water......... 98
War of 1812.........42, 61, 62
Warren, Homer........... 89
Washington Market.... 137,
157, 158
Waterworks...110, 111, 112,
137, 138, 140, 152, 158, 164
Watkins, Leonard B........  40
Watson, John............. 70
Wayne, Anthony (Gen.)..18, 19
Welch, John.............. 175
Wetherhead, John.....172, 174
Whipple, John............. 66
Whistler, James Abbott McN eill...................  65
Whistler, John.......... 63, 65

PAGE
Whistler, Sarah.......... 65
White, David............. 173
Whiting, John L........... 74
Whitney, Andrew G......74, 78
Whitney, Charles..26, 27, 30,
31, 33, 34
"Wild Cat" banking........ 149
Wilkins, Ross.............. 142
Wilkinson, James, Gen..... 45
Wilkinson, Joseph......... 40
Willcox, James............ 12
Willcox, Sarah............  12
Williams, Eleanor......... 48
Williams, Isaac. 12, 14, 16, 169
Williams, James........... 115
Williams, John R..15, 73, 90,
154, 155, 156, 176
Williams, Nathan....12, 47,
48, 170
Williams, Theodore........ 156
Williams, Thomas..8, 11, 15,
172, 176
Wing, Austin E.........74, 77
Wisewell, Oliver..38, 39, 47, 171
Witherell, Benjamin F. H... 132
Witherell, James........66, 85
Wood, Margaret........41, 175
Woodbridge, Julianna... 75, 78
Woodbridge, Leverett...... 75
Woodbridge, William..74, 78,
80, 83
Woodward, Augustus B..52,
54, 72, 73, 85, 86, 87, 88
Woodward, John........... 88
Woodward Code.........72, 105
Woodwardville....85, 87, 88, 89
Woodwardville plats.....*...... facing pages 84, 88
Wright, Richard.......172, 173
Young Men's Society....... 159










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