Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2026 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== USGenNet 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 USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. ============================================================================= History of Bay County Michigan pub. H. R. Page & Co., Chicago - 1883 [p. 27] WILLIAM R. McCORMICK, another son (of JAMES McCORMICK) and one of the very early pioneers of the Saginaw Valley, and Bay City, was born near the city of Albany, N.Y., August 16, 1822. He came with his parents to Michigan in 1832, and first settled at Flint, Genesee County. In 1834 his parents removed to Saginaw County and settled near the Indian village of Pewanagowink, where he helped his father on the farm up to 1837. For a short time after his parents removed to this place there were two other settlers, a MR. HAYDEN, and MR. NELSON, but they soon removed to Saginaw; then their nearest neighbors were Messrs. CHARLES and HUMPHREY McLEANS, of Pine Run, some fifteen miles off. So all the playmates WILLIAM had when a boy were the young Indians. He often joined them on their hunting excursions, and became so familiar with their language, that, in the Fall of 1837, he was employed by Messrs. COBURN, DIXON, and others, as Indiain interpreter and clerk in their store, at Green Point, at the mouth of the Tittabawasse River, for trading with the Indians for furs, in opposition to the American Fur Company at Saginaw. While at this point he read everything of book kind he could find in that outpost of civilization, and while here he improved all his leisure time he could, to acquire an education. After remaining here for some time, the company failed, not being able to compete with the extensive firm of the American Fur Company, which was backed up by JOHN JACOB ASTOR, of New York City. After the company had failed he returned home to help his father on the farm another year, when he wanted to do for himself. He wanted to go to Illinois to his brother's, as he had got tired of living in the wilderness, where he could not get an education or make any money; but his father objected, saying it was a long journey and he would have to stage it most of the way. So, to compromise with him he got a place in Saginaw, with MAJ. MOSLEY, who lived in one of the block houses inside the old fort, where he was to do chores night and morning for his board, and go to school through the Fall and Winter. In the Spring of 1838 he re- turned home again to help his father on the farm. In June, 1839, after the Spring work was all done, he again asked his father to let him go to his brother's in Illinois, and he again objected. This worked on his mind so much that he determined to go, let the consequences be what they might. So in his father's absence, he got his clothes, put them in a pack on his back, and with what little money he could raise he started on foot. He went to Detroit, and then took the old Chicago road, which he followed as far as Laporte, Ind., when he left it and turned south to Valparaiso, when his money gave out and his feet became so sore traveling that he could go no further. Here he went to work until his feet got well, when he started again for Vincennes, Ind., near where his brothers lived. This was a long tramp. The next Winter his father made his sons a visit, and WILLIAM returned home with him with a span of horses and a wagon. It took eighteen days travel for the return trip home. He remained with his father on the farm until 1841, then with his father removed to Portsmouth, now Bay City, where he remained until 1816, when he was offered a situation with a wealthy uncle East, where he married a Miss ANGELICA WAYNE, of Albany Co., N.Y., and after some years returned to Bay City, where he has since resided. In 1860 a company was formed in Portsmouth, of which MR. McCORMICK was one of the stockholders, to bore for salt. MR. McCORMICK was elected superintendent and secretary, with full power to proceed with the work to see if salt water could be found. It proved to be a success. Salt water was found at the depth of 600 feet, and the manu- facture of salt was soon commenced. This was the first salt well in Bay County. Afterwards MR. McCORMICK turned his attention to the inspection of lumber, which he followed up to 1873, when he was offered the deputy state salt inspectorship, which he held up to 1882, since which time he has turned his attention to the care of his real estate. No man is better known in Bay County than MR. McCORMICK, the oldest pioneer living in the Saginaw Valley, except JUDGE ALBERT MILLER. He has filled many posi- tions of trust and responsibility, to the entire satisfaction of the state and county, and is yet a hearty, jovial old gentle- man. He has lived to see Bay County grow from one house to a population of over twenty thousand inhabitants. He still re- sides at the old home he built many years ago, corner of Mc- CORMICK aud Twenty-third streets, surrounded by his children and grand-children, with the comforts of life around him. In 1832 MR. McCORMICK made a journey from Flint to Saginaw, in company with one COL. MARSHALL. During this trip the Indian propensity for fire-water was illustrated by a young son of the forest, who assisted them in getting their canoe across a shallow place in the river, and in return for his kindness was given a pull at the canteen. The party proseeded with their journey, and after going a distance of about twelve miles, halted for dinner. Just as they had settled down to their meal up came the Indian who had assisted them in the morniug. Upon inquiry it was found that he had come the dis- tance of twelve miles for another drink of whiskey. While at Saginaw, COL. MARSHALL wanted to go to the mouth of the river, and MR. McCORMICK accompanied him. Of this trip, he says: "As we proceeded down the river, in our canoe, we found great quantities of ducks; the river was fairly black with them. We met an Indian who had killed thirty-seven at seven shots with a 'squaw gun.' The first house we saw after leaving Saginaw was a two-story log house below where Carrollton now stands, called the Mosby House. The next house we came to was a small log house on the bank of the river, near where the Wooden Ware Works now stand, at South Bay City. This was occupied by a Frenchman named MASHO, who had married a squaw, and had a large family of children. We continued down the river two or three miles, and came to a little clearing on the bank of the river, where we found a log house standing near the pre- sent corner of Water and Fourth Streets. This was where LEON TROMBLEY lived. These were the only two houses where the city of Bay City now stands." MR. McCORMICK has devoted a great deal of time and careful attention to the collection of early history pertaining to the Saginaw Valley. He has a large portfolio of manuscript, which he has prepared at leisure, and which contains a large amount of valuable and interesting history relating to the Saginaw Valley during the last fifty years. A number of his sketches are given in this work, and will be found faithful and inte- resting representations of pioneer life. He has six children, all living in Bay City. H. W. McCORMICK is a lumber dealer and inspector, and has been in business here about fourteen years. W. J. McCORMICK is a lawyer, in good practice, and LOUIS H. H a lumber inspector. The eldest daughter, MATILDA, is the wife of Mr. F. B. CHESBROUGH, an extenseve lumber manufacturer; and the two other daughters, HATTIE and ADDIE, live with their parents. ===============================================================================