Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2012, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. 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 16 (cont'd) Complete History of Alpena County ________________________ At the spring election of 1866 one hundred and nineteen votes were cast, and during the same year three shingle mills were erected, one of which, built by Thompson & Co., near Campbell & Potter's saw mill has an estimated capacity of 10,000,000 shingles per year. - At the fall election, in November, 220 votes were cast. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 17 The townships of Ossineke, Alcona, and Corlies were organized during 1866, the first tax rolls being made out in 1867. The county was now composed of the townships of Alpena, Corlies, Ossineke, Alcona and Harrisville, the county seat being the village of Alpena. Ossineke still remains a township of Alpena; Alcona now belongs to Alcona county, while the township of Corlies existed only one year. The township of Corlies was situated within the county of Alpena and consisted of the following territory: The north half of Town 21, ranges 5,6 and 7, and town 32, ranges 5,6,7,8 and 9. In 1868 the mill of A. F. Fletcher & Co., was erected, and at the general election, Nov. 3rd, 396 votes were cast. The steamer Metropolis made her first trip to Alpena, June 4th, 1868 In 1869 Frank Gilchrist's saw mill was erected, and the county of Alcona set off from Alpena and organized into a separate county. Commenting upon the difference between the prospects for Alpena in 1864 and at present, the ALPENA WEEKLY ARGUS of June 7, 1876 says: There are many of the residents of this city and county who can look back to the year 1864, when the population of the entire county of Alpena was but 674, and the farming prospects of the community were decidedly unfavorable, as people in those days were turning their attention to other pursuits than tilling the soil of a seemingly worthless country. The principal business of Al- pena in those days of early settlement was the manufacture of lumber, for which this region is so justly celebrated. Farming was of no account, and no one would make a venture or commencement in that direction. But times have changed since then, and now Alpena county can boast of some of the best farms under a state of cultivation in any of the new counties of the whole State. Where only six years ago the grand forest stood in all her majesty, now is seen the evidence of all the forward marching of civilization toward the interior of the State, and year after year the number of farmers is increasing at a rate that shows that Alpena county possesses the facilities for making farming one of the most profita- ble pursuits in this or any other part of Michigan. Many of the people who sought the pursuits of the city when they first came to this section, having since learned that there was much more in store for them, in this world's goods, to be gained by making farms of our good timbered lands than by any other means, besides making a comfortable and independent living, are now ac- cummulating a property that will in a few years be of great value, not only to themselves, but to the community. At the fall election of November 8, 1870, the highest vote cast was 519, and the population, according to the State census, amounted to 2,756, and increase since 1864 of 2,082 - a little over four times. We have given the number of votes cast at different elections in order to show the increase of population. For this reason we selected the town- ship of Alpena which up to 1866 contained all the present county. The assessed valuation of the county of Alpena in 1870 was $1,488,729.92. This included the present county of Alpena and the unorganized counties of Montmorency and Presque Isle. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 18 During the long winters, when the men were all away in the lumber woods, the ladies and what few men remained in town, were dependent upon themselves for amusements. The people, however, were very sociable and friendly in their communications with each other, no marked division of social classes existed, and so they had many a pleasant gathering which helped to make the long winters pass agreeably. Among other amusements, the ladies organized sewing societies, principally for charitable purposes. At one of the sewing societies some of the ladies got up a tableau entitled the "Flour of the Family," the price of admission being five cents. Only one lady was admitted to see the tableau at the same time. The company who were assembled went into the room where the scene was exhibited, one by one, and each person on returning declared it to be well worth seeing, doing so in order to induce those who hadn't witnessed the tableau to go and see it. The tableau consisted of a little flour sprinkled on the table, and as soon as the observer saw it, she knew she had been sold, but wishing to sell the rest she kept silent as to what it really was until all present had been in. The result was a merry laugh. The winters were further enlivened by social dances in which mos of the residents took part and as the lumber camps were not far distant, it was nothing unusual for the boys to hitch up their teams of an evening and drive to town to join in the amusement. Towards spring the supply of provisions would get very small, and money would not purchase many of the common necessaries of life. The inhabitants, therefore, looked with much more interest for the arrival of the first boats than now, and the arrival of the first steamboat with supplies was the cause of a general rejoicing. At such times the one who possessed a few barrels of flour would run up prices to a very high rate, having a complete corner in the flour trade. The flour would be dealt out to the inhabitants in small quantities, no person being allowed to purchase more than a few pounds at a time. The boys delighted to play practical jokes on Mr. Miller, and they often indulged their mischievous inclinations. One day Dave bet Mr. Miller 25 cents that he could throw a heavy anchor into the river and then dive down and bring it up. The bet was accepted and the anchor tumbled off the dock into the river. Dave paid the bet, but Mr. Miller didn't see the joke until he had to pay a few dollars in order to get the anchor up again. ==========================================================================