Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Data Repository 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. =========================================================================== Portrait and Biographical Album of Huron County Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1884 [page 429] GENERAL HISTORY Coming to the history, we find Huron County located in the Lower Peninsula, and forms what is called the "Thumb of the Michigan Mitten," and is composed of twenty-seven townships, having an area of 480,000 acres. Its location is pre-eminently good, having a coast line on three sides, formed by the waters of Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay, which make a junction at the north. On its southern border lies Sanilac and Tuscola Counties. This peninsula is an alluvial formation, and, in a geological sense, of very recent date. The county is very liberally watered by rivers and small streams. The Cass, Pigeon, Pinnebog and Shebahyonk (or Chebeong, now corrupted to "Sebewaing") Rivers all head near the center of the county; and Willow Creek, further toward the east. The Pigeon, Pinnebog and Shebahyonk, after completing their circuitous courses, empty into Saginaw Bay. Willow Creek empties into Lake Huron, and Cass River into Sagi- naw River. This drift soil, which in this Peninsula is chiefly composed of a mixture of clay, sand and gravel, is exceedingly well adapted to the growth of plants and fruit. It is easily tilled, holds the moisture well, and yet is sufficiently porous to allow proper drainage. All this territory once belonged to Virginia, and extended to the western boundaries of that State, and was known as the "North- west Territory." It was ceded to the United States in 1787. The first white settlers in the county were JOHN and ALANSON DAGGETT. This was in the spring of 1838. They were lumbermen, and located on the eastern coast of the county at a place which they named "Rock Falls" and put up a water-power saw-mill there. Later came HENRY WHITCOMB, followed by others. Then came along fishermen and "shingle-weavers," who preyed upon Uncle Sam's timber domain. Mr. LUCE came in 1839, and located as saw-mill water-power, at Willow Creek, now called "Huron City." The pioneers came up along this coast in small skiffs, and some on foot. JOHN HOPSON was the first man that drove a wagon into Sand Beach. He came up along the shore with it. This was in 1849. The "Charter," Capt. ANDERSON, master, was the first boat to land passengers or goods on this side of the coast, which was in 1848. JOHN HOPSON put up the first steam saw-mill in the county, at Rock Falls, in 1850. This mill was burned down the following year by an incendiary, because Mr. HOPSON would not allow him to have [page 430] GENERAL HISTORY whisky. Mr. HOPSON used to have some pretty hard conflicts in those old days, with some of the lumbermen and the "shingle- weavers," on account of his fearless opposition to drunkenness and debauchery. While this side of the coast was being settled up, they were not idle on the Saginaw Bay side, where Sebewaing now is. Rev. J.J.F. AUCH settled near there as a missionary to the Indians in 1845. He was soon followed, as is stated in the history of Sebewaing, by a little colony of Germans. As with the east and west coasts, so it was with the north. A pretty full and detailed account of the early settlement, growth and development of the county is given in the history of the townships, and it is not our purpose now to go again over this ground, but we will be confined to general matters. This county was first attached to Tuscola and Sanilac Counties for judicial purposes, and was organized from them under an act of the Legislature passed in 1859. Sand Beach was then made the county seat. The first election held in the county was in the fall of 1860, when ABRAHAM LINCOLN was running for President. The officers elected entered upon the discharge of their duties Jan. 1, 1861. E. B. WARD gave two acres of land in Sand Beach whereon to erect the county building, with the proviso that it should remain the property of the county as long as it was used for county purposes; when otherwise, it was to revert to him. WARD, LUDINGTON and others put up the building, the different towns contributing mat- erial. The county seat remained at Sand Beach until 1865, when it was removed to Port Austin. It remained there until 1873, when the Board of Supervisors located it permanently at Bad Axe. The first meeting of the Board of Supervisors was held at Willow Creek, now Huron City. HENRY WHITCOMB was the first Justice of the Peace in the county. He received his appointment from Sanilac County. ROBERT W. IRWIN was elected the first County Clerk. For many years subsequent to the first settlement, the manu- facture of lumber and shingles was the principal business along the coast, upon which grew forests as fine as an ax ever struck. Soon the farmers began coming in, locating lands, clearing them up and putting in crops. Some of the lumbermen in the early days made gardens around their cabins, and it was soon discovered that the soil was good for some- thing other than growing trees. One by one, from the early settle- ment, the townships have been set off and organized, until they are now all complete; one by one the towns and villages have sprung up into existence, until the county has become dotted all over with them. Good farms and fine farm buildings are seen in every part of the county. This branch of industry has since the fire made rapid development. The old farmers have improved with time, and those that have recently come in are more experienced. It is a rare thing to see a farm now without good buildings, at least good barns, and without an orchard. Of course the orchards must be young. In putting up their houses, if the farmers could be induced to break away from the old stereotyped pattern of farm-houses, and put up something new, a structure with some architectural design, it would add much to the beauty of the country. A few have done this: may there be more. Huron County has no separate war record. It had but just com- pleted its organization when the war broke out. There were about seventy enlistments from the county, and they went into the regi- ments of Tuscola and Sanilac Counties, and were mustered into the 10th, 5th and 23d Michigan Infantry, and 6th Michigan Cavalry. When the draft came on, many of those who were subjects of it had business in Canada. During this period Canada became a favorite place of resort for many. HUNTING TRESCOTT, who was then Provost Marshal for this division, says he looked in vain for parties for whom he had papers. He would shove his papers into the cabins through the crack of the door or crevice. When the war was over and thes truants returned, the draft papers were still there in their cabins waiting for them. There were a few Indians here in the early days, only a few, something over a hundred. They did not remain long after the white man came, but roamed around the country for awhile and then left, about the year 1847. They belonged to the Sebewaing and Chippewa tribes. They had some lands here which they sold. They were peaceful, with the usual traits belonging to their race. The county was aided in its early growth by the State, which inaugurated a system of building through different parts of the county what was called "State roads." For this purpose the State donated 170,000 acres of swamp lands in the county. These lands were [page 431] GENERAL HISTORY ceded to the State under an act of Congress passed in 1850. With- out this aid the county, especially the interior, would not have been settled to-day. The land was so low and swampy, the forests were so heavy and thick, that it would have been impossible for settlers unaided to make an entrance. If the farmers would go more generally into dairying, it would be much better for them, and much more lucrative. The lands are well adapted for this business. It is well watered, and the soil is fitted for grasses. In this business they would make two dollars where they make one now; and their lands would be growing richer instead of poorer. The millions upon millions of feet of lumber that have been taken from the county, and the fires, have made her mighty forests look thin; yet, although there is a large amount of timber left, the palmy days of the lumber trade are past. A new industry has come up, which promises to excel the lumber trade in its magnitude, and that is the salt manufacture, which is bringing into the county hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. With this are the grindstone manufactories, at Grindstone City, second only in mag- nitude. These grindstone, scythe-stones and ax-bits are known and sold throughout the country. For excellence of quality and work- manship they have no superior in the United States. Another impetus to the growth of Huron County was the intro- duction of railroads. These, with her superior water advantages, afford the people of the county ample means of transportation. The county has a good system of schools, and good school buildings. The teachers through the different departments are well qualified for their duties. The scholars are above the average in bright- ness and intelligence, and appear attentive to their studies. If they would introduce more generally into the schools, maps and charts, and have well selected libraries in them, it would be found to produce beneficial results. The citizens of Huron County never did better than when they looked after the education of their young. To this rising gene- ration they must look to perpetuate what they have so ably com- menced. The churches have not been neglected. Places of worship for the people have been generously distributed in the county. Many of the edifices, though not costly, are very neat and attractive, and show a cultivated taste by those who constructed them. The people of Huron County are above the average for new counties, in intelligence and refinement. As a class they are industrious, sober and attentive to their own business. Very few loafers are seen about the county, and we have yet to see in the county a drunken man, or a fight. The cultivation of flowers is most gen- eral throughout the county. In all the hotels, in the dining- rooms or parlors, those sweet companions of the refined greet the eye. The climate is all that could be desired by those who prefer a northern latitude. Michigan is about the same latitude as South- ern France and Northern Italy. It is colder on account of its higher elevation, being about 800 feet above the sea. The other reason, as given by scientists, is that the climate of Michigan, like the American climate in general, as the peculiarities of in- land regions, in its not being modified and controlled by the warm breath of the oceans. The Huron peninsula is remarkable for its fine autumns and its freedom from early and late frosts. Its location makes it especially adapted to fruit culture. The frosts here are not so severe as in the locality of Chicago. The moisture from the Saginaw Bay tones down the winds from the west and south- west, the same effect is produced on the north and northwest winds by the waters of Lake Huron. With all those advantages, Huron County is a most desirable place of habitation. The early settlers planted better then they thought, perhaps, when they located here. Their struggles and privations are over, and the want for the many delicacies and refinements pos- sessed by older countries, and which the ladies especially so much missed, is supplied. The pioneers can look back with complacency to their hardships and toils, to the days when they had to depend upon the wild game of the forests or the fish from the waters for their means of subsistence, and to the rude cabins for their pro- tection from the cold blasts of winter. They have witnessed in one generation a wilderness transformed into civilized and popu- lous communities. Though their shadows fall toward the east, they have many years yet to enjoy the blessings that come from their labors and reflect on the results of their grand achieve- ments. =========================================================================== If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access more of our growing collection of FREE online information by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/ ===========================================================================