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Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Page 1 Complete History of Alpena County ________________________ EARLY HISTORY Alpena county was first laid out in 1840, at which time it was attached to Mackinaw, and remained so until the year 1853. Alpena was then unsettled and almost uninhabited - the only inhabitants being a few transient fisher- men. It derived its name from an Indian word meaning a "good partridge country." Among the fishermen present at that time, was W. F. Cullings, who arrived at Thunder Bay island about the year 1835. Mr. Cullings had resided in the county more or less ever since, and is yet a citizen of Alpena, so that he is fully entitled to the credit of being the first settler. Cullings states that the first buildings erected on the site of the present city, were built some three or four years after his arrival by some hunters from Mackinaw, and consisted of three log shanties. The next building was erected by Walter Scott, and consisted of a fish-house (where Johnson's warehouse now stands) and a sort of trading post, which was built some- where near Mr. David Plough's present residence. Mr. Scott's business was to trade with the Indians, his principal commodity being whiskey. In 1836 Johnathan Birch visited Alpena for the purpose of making arrange- ments for building a saw-mill. He examined the rapids and finding that there were good facilities for building a dam, commenced getting out tim- ber for the enterprise he had in view. The Indians, however, objected to the improvement, and drove Mr. Birch away. Mr. Birch and party went off to Sulpher Island, and, while there, held consultation as to whether it would be the most profitable to put up the mill at Devil river, or go back to Alpena and commence over again, as an Indian chief had assured them of his protection. - Alpena was certainly the best place for lumbering, but then a dam could be built at Devil river with --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 2 considerably less money than it could at Alpena, and this was a very important consideration to the enterprising mill men. At last they determined to leave it to chance, so they stuck a stick in the ground, and resolved to commence operations at the point towards where the stick fell. The stick fell towards Devil river, and the first mill in the county was built there. In 1840, Mr. J. W. Paxton landed on Thunder Bay island, and in 1842 Mr. O. S. Warner paid a visit to the Indians at the mouth of Thunder Bay river, for the purpose of trading with them. Mr. Paxton engaged extensively in gill-net fishing about the year 1856. Soon after he purchased Sugar island, and removed his fishing, rig and buildings thereto in 1858. Mr. Paxton has remained a settler ever since, and was the first to make gill- net fishing a regular business. - Fishing prior to that time had been carried on by means of six or eight nets in a gang, and small, sprit-sail boats. There was a light-house on Thunder Bay island at the time of Mr. Paxton's arrival, but it was not the present magnificent structure, built in 1857. In 1853 the county of Alpena was attached to the county of Cheboygan, and remained so until 1857, when Alpena was organized as a separate county. Mr. Daniel Carter arrived in Alpena, November 26th, 1856. He was looking after Mr. Geo N. Fletcher's interests, and when he had accomplished his mission, he started for Thunder Bay island, intending to take the first steamboat that passed that place and to go below, as this was the only direct communication between Alpena and the lower ports at the time. When he arrived at the island, he found Mr. Geo. N. Fletcher, Mr. J. S. Minor, Mr. J. K. Lockwood, Mr. E. A. Breckenridge, and another gentleman. These gentlemen were on their way to Alpena for the purpose of locating and sur- veying the place, and, also, to look after the valuable property they had acquired in that part of the country. At this time the Fremont election fever was running very strong, and as Messrs. Fletcher, Lockwood, and Breckenridge were Republicans, they, of course, were strong Fremont men, and so they had brought up with them a Fremont election flag. Messrs. Minor and Oldfield were neutral, and Mr. Carter, a strong Democrat. As soon as the party had landed at the little clearing near the mouth of the river, they commenced making preparations for raising their Fremont flag. They cut a good-sized cedar pole, nailed the flag to the top end of it, and then en- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 3 deavored to raise the flagstaff and plant it in the ground so that the emblem of their political faith migh wave defiantly above the newly named village of Fremont. The flagstaff was not very heavy, and, if it hadn't been election time, the party of Fremonters could easily have set it up- right; but, somehow or other being affected by the water they had imbibed, they were unable to manage, so they requested Mr. Carter, who, during this time had been looking on, to help them. Mr. Carter being a strong Democrat refused, declaring, "that he wasn't going to help them raise a Fremont flag," and, going a little way from the party, sat down and watched the performance. Several times the Fremonters succeeded in nearly raising the pole, getting it almost up only to have it tumble down again, but they were determined to succeed, and after several futile attempts, the Fremont flag waved proudly above their heads. This was the first introduction of politics into Alpena. After the party had rested a little, they proceeded to survey the village of Fremont, but so jubilant were they with their political successes, that instead of commencing at the section corner, they started from the first place that suited them, and laid out the street now known as River street. When they had surveyed the street a short distance, they found it would interfere with the mill privileges on the south side of the river, so they made a short turn, near the present site of Golling's brick block, and then proceeded with the survey. This was the commencement of the first survey of Alpena, and the greater part of what they surveyed was covered with green woods. Sometime after the events just narrated, the settlers began to be much annoyed by the noisy howling of the Indians who were camped on the north side of the river. Walter Scott, the trader, had considerable whiskey in his shanty, which he used to give the Indians in payment for their furs, etc., and as long as the Indians were able to purchase it, they kept up a constant pow-wow, howling, whooping, and raising "cain" generally. At last the settlers determined to put an end to the cause of the disagreeable annoyance, and so one night Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Trowbridge went over to Scott's store house and finding no one in it, proceeded to bore holes in the whiskey barrels and let the liquor run out. There was considerable disturbance next morning when the Indians came over to get their morning bitters, and Scott found his whisky all gone; but the damage could not easily be repaired, for communica- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 4 tion with the lower ports was very uncertain, and by the time another supply of fire-water could have been received, the Indians would have been on their way to Mackinaw to receive their annual gifts from the government. Scott, after threatening to set the Indians on the settlers declared that the place (containing less than a dozen white persons) was too thickly settled to suit him, and so he left. Thus ended the first whisky struggle in Alpena - the second had a far worse ending Mr. A. F. Fletcher arrived in Alpena in August, 1857, and Mr. J. K. Miller in September of the same year. During the summer of 1857, Mr. Carter built a small house on River street. This was the first regular residence erected, as the preceeding ones were only temporary structures. In 1857 Alpena county was organized into a separate county by the following act of Legislature: AN ACT to organize the county of Alpena, and locate the county seat thereof. SECTION 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, That the county of Al- pena shall be organized, and the inhabi- tants thereof entitled to all the rights and privileges to which, by law, in in- habitants of other organized counties of this State are entitled. SEC. 2. The county seat of said county is hereby established at the village of Fremont, at the mouth of Thunder Bay river, in said county; Provided, That the proprietors of lands therein shall convey to said county, for the exclusive use thereof, for county buildings and county purposes, free of all charge, the following described lots, to wit: two en- tire blocks, each twenty-four rods square, lying between Eighth and Ninth streets, and River and Lockwood streets, in the village of Fremont, as surveyd by E. A. Breckenridge, Esq., in the year (1856) (22) twenty-two, in town (31) thirty-one north of range (8) eight east, in said county. SEC. 3. There shall be elected in said county of Alpena, on the first Tuesday of November, (1857) eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, all the several county of- ficers to which, by law, the said county in entitled, and said election shall in all respects be conducted and held in the manner prescribed by law for holding elections for county and State officers: Provided, That the county officers so to be elected shall be qualified, and enter upon the duties of their respective offices, on the first (1) Monday of January (1858) eighteen hundred and fifty-eight, and whose term of office will expire at the time prescribed by the general law. SEC. 4. The board of canvassers of said county, under this act, shall con- sist of the presiding inspectors of elec- tions from each township therein; and said inspectors shall meet at said village of Fremont, on the first Tuesday after the election, and organize by appointing one of their number chairman, and another secretary, of said board, and shall there- upon proceed to discharge all the duties of a board of county canvassers, as in other cases of election for county or State officers. SEC. 5. The sheriff and county clerk, elected by the provisions of this act, shall designate a suitable place in the village of Fremont for holding the circuit court in said county, and also suitable places for the several county offices, as near as practicable to the place designated for holding the circuit court; and they shall make and subscribe a certificate in writ- ing, describing the several places thus designated, which certificate shall be filed and preserved by the county clerk; and thereafter the places thus designated shall be the places of holding the circuit court and the county offices, until the board of supervisors provide suitable accommo- dations for said court and county officers. SEC. 6. The counties of Alcona, Osco- da, Montmorency, and that portion of --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 5 the county of Presque Isle lying east of range four east, be and the same are here- by attached to said county of Alpena for judicial and municipal purposes. SEC. 7. All acts, and parts of acts, contravening the provisions of this act, be and the same are hereby repealed. Approved February 7, 1857 As Alpena county was not divided into townships it was impossible to elect a board of canvassers as provided for in section 4, so the Legis- lature, during the same session of 1857-58, passed the following amend- ment to section four of the above act: AN ACT to amend an act to organize the county of Alpena, and locate the county seat thereof. SECTION 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, That this act shall stand in lieu of section (4) four of said act, and that Daniel Carter, Harvey Harwood, and D. D. Oliver, are hereby made and constituted a board of canvassers, who shall act as inspectors of election; and said inspectors shall meet at said village of Fremont on the first Tuesday after the election, and appoint one of their number chairman and another secretary of said board, and shall thereupon pro- ceed to discharge all the duties of a board of county canvassers, as in other cases of election for county and State officers, and shall have the power to act as a board of supervisors in and for said county, for the organization of townships therein, and for other pur- poses, and shall hold their offices until there be three organized townships in said county, and until other supervisors are elected and qualified: And provided, That from any cause a vacancy occurs in said board before any township is or- ganized, the two remaining members of the board shall appoint; but if there be one or more townships organized, and supervisors elected, the vacancy shall be filled by said supervisor or supervisors. The compensation of said board shall be the same as the received by supervisors elected according to law. All acts, and parts of acts, contravening the provisions of this act, be and the same are hereby repealed. This act is ordered to take immediate effect. Approved February 14, 1857. From the above acts of Legislature we find that the first board of supervisors of Alpena county was formed by special act, the members being Daniel Carter, Harvey Harwood, and D. D. Oliver, the first and last being well known to our citizens; that Alpena was then known as the village of Fremont; that the county was not divided into townships, and that the first election in the county of Alpena was ordered on the first Tuesday of November, 1857. The act also provided that the county officers should enter upon their respective duties on the first Monday of January, 1858. The first act of the new board of supervisors was to establish the township of Fremont. It comprised the whole of the present county of Alpena, and soon after its formation the first election as provided for by law, took place. The official record of the election reads as follows: In pursuance of notice for the first township election, posted according to law, in the township of Fremont, in the county of Alpena and State of Michigan, held on the fourth day of January, 1858. PRESENT - David D. Oliver, Joseph K. Miller, and Daniel Carter, the board of inspectors appointed by the supervi- sors to hold said election. Choose David D. Oliver, chairman of said board, and Joseph K. Miller, secre- tary; appointed Addison Fletcher, clerk --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 6 also choose Isaac Wilson to officiate as constable for said election. Polls were opened and the following persons were elected to several township offices, as follows: Supervisor - James S. Irwin. Town Treasurer - Daniel Carter Town Clerk - Addison Fletcher Highway Commissioners - Daniel Carter D. D. Oliver, and Jas. Thomas Justice of Peace - Russel R. Woodruff, David D. Oliver, Lewis Atkins, and Isaac Wilson. School Inspectors - David D. Oliver and Geo. B. Melville. Constables - James Thomas, Robert Bowman, and Willis Roe. Path Master - William Sherman D.D. Oliver, Chairman Addison Fletcher, Clerk J. K. Miller, Secretary The first meeting of the Highway Commissioners took place March 26th, 1858, and "on motion of D. D. Oliver it was voted to form two road districts; road district No. 1 to be bounded as follows: Commencing on Thunder Bay, where the east and west center line of T.30 N.R.8 E., intersects the bay; thence west to range line between ranges 7 and 8; thence north to town line between thirty-one and thirty-two; thence east to range line between ranges 8 and 9; thence south to Thunder Bay; thence on margin of bay to place of beginning. Road district No. 2 to be bounded as follows: north by road district No. 1; thence east by Thunder Bay to the town line between sections twenty-eight and twenty- nine; thence west to range line between Twenty-seven and twenty-eight; thence north to the south boundary of district No. one." At the first meeting of the Highway Commissioners the first petition for a highway was laid before them, being a petition for a road from near the mouth of Thunder Bay river to Devil river. The petition was excepted, and the surveryor ordered to ascertain the best route for said road. At the next township meeting, April 5th, 1858, the following motion was passed; "voted to raise the sum of one hundred dollars, according to the report of the Highway Commissioners, for the purpose of laying out a road from the mouth of Thunder Bay river to Devil river." The first general election in Alpena county was held November 2nd, 1858, and from the official records of the township of Fremont we find that for the office of Governor, Moses Wisner received twenty votes, and Chas. E. Stewart fifteen. The vote for the rest of the State ticket ran fifteen and twenty all through, except for the Representative to State Legislature, and for that office Daniel Carter received twenty-one votes. The following is a list of the first county officers elected: Sheriff - Wm. R. Bowman County Clerk - A. F. Fletcher County Treasurer - J. K. Miller Register of Deeds - J. K. Miller County Surveyor - D. D. Oliver Circuit Court Com'r - D. Plough Coroner - A. F. Fletcher --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 7 Every vote, thirty-five, were cast in favor of the general banking law. From the first tax roll made out in 1858, we glean the following interesting statistics of the value of the resident tax at that period: Total valuation of real estate in the township of Fremont, or more properly speaking the present county of Alpena, $16,881.95; total personal tax, $4,076; Number of acres assessed, 5,532.62-100. In the township of Fremont, $425 was raised for township purposes; $100 for highway, and $364.62 for county purposes. There were only 9 real estate holders, who were residents. The residents were D. D. Oliver, Devil river mills, assessed at $3,300; Geo. N. Fletcher, J. K. Lockwood, J. Oldfield, J. S. Minor, Andrew Horn, Beans & Evans, and two persons named Campbell and Chisholm. The last two are not the ones who live in Alpena at present. Of personal tax payers there were ten, as follows: J. J. Wilder, $170; J. W. Paxton, $976; Daniel McDonald, $534; John Cameron, $263; Miller, Fletcher & Co., $750; Daniel Carter, $225; Lewis Atkins, $100; Geo. B. Melville, $65; J. J. Shaw, $115; Geo. N. Fletcher, $195. For the incidents just narrated, we are indebted to Messrs. Lockwood, Carter, Cullings, Paxton, and other early settlers. The following is from the ALPENA WEEKLY ARGUS of May 24, 1876: If our readers will try and imagine what the situation was in this region some twenty or thirty years ago, what would be the contrast between then and now. Where now stands the city of Alpena, twenty years ago was a dense forest, inhabited only by the red man and wild birds and beasts. Probably very few if any of our early settlers, who came to this region, less than twenty years ago, had the slightest idea that the then vast wilderness which formed Alpena city and county, would in so few years be converted into the most thriving and prosperous city on the shore and some of the most valuable farming land in the whole State of Mich- igan. Let our readers look back even sixteen years, and there was but little to show that the prospects were at all favorable for much of a settlement at the mouth of Thunder Bay river. But how different the situation now, - when we have a flourishing city of 5,000 hu- man souls, and the number increasing every year. When parties first talked of farming in Alpena, the idea wa ridiculed by nearly everybody, as it was thought that the land in this vicinity was en- tirely worthless, except for the timber growing upon it. But in this those who laughed at the adventurer who went forth into the wilderness to carve out his fortune and make him a home and a farm, have lived to see, within the short space of ten years, Alpena county dotted here and there with many farms, the productiveness of which cannot be excelled in the Union. And still, year by year, the woodman dives deeper and deeper into the forest, and as he marches on is left behind him the clearings, houses and broad acres of beautiful land that produces crops far in excess of his brightest anticipations. Nor does it stop here, for while those who have become farmers in this county are meeting with such success, many others are induced to follow in the wake, and it seems that the time is not very far in the future when farming in Alpena county will attract as much, and even more, attention than the manufacture of --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 8 lumber, which is now our principal pro- duction. There are thousands upon thousands of acres of State lands yet in this coun- try, awaiting for enterprising men to take them up and convert them into valuable farms; and this they are doing at a rapid rate. ===========================================================================