Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, 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. =========================================================================== PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY, MICHIGAN by Florence McKinnon Gwinn Huron County Pioneer & Historical Society, 1922 [page 7] CHAPTER I THE FIRST WHITE MAN ON THE SHORE The first white man we have any record of travel- ing around the shores of Saginaw and Wild Fowl Bays is EDWARD PETIT, whose history is given by Mrs. B. C. FARRAND in her sketch of St. Clair County in 1872. She states that EDWARD PETIT was the first white child born in what is now Port Huron on February 7, 1813, in a log house built by his father near the foot of Court street. The chief amusements of EDWARD'S boyhood days were those of the Indian, hunting and fishing. The Indians were very numerous and from them he learned the language. He was well fitted for his trade among them in later years. He began this work when only 15 years of age near the Sauble. Mr. PETIT had a post on the bend of the Cass river when in the employ of G. and W. WILLIAMS. On one occasion special interest had been awakened by the failure of all the traders to find an encampment of five or six families of Indians who had been gone all winter and must necessarily have great quantities of furs. Party after party went out and returned without finding them. The head of the camp was TAWAS, a cunning old fellow. Young PETIT resolved to secure this prize if perseverance would accomplish it, and started out with provisions on his back for a week, together with articles for barter. He took with him as guide an Indian with one arm. The two started off and passed over to where Shebeyonk was situated. Here the WILLIAMS company had established an out post for furs in 1829, under the management of [page 8] PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY Indian women. (4) Leaving this post they followed along the shores of bay and lake until they reached the present site of White Rock. Here they camped after building a bark lodge. Before morning a drenching rain set in and they had only one loaf of bread left. This, however, did not prevent them from renewing their search which was rewarded after a tramp of five miles (5). TAWAS and his families were preparing to make maple sugar when they found them. These Indians had kettles of brass of all sizes which had been given them by the British Government. Undoubtedly it was one of these kettles that ROBERT MORSE, of Bad Axe, found some years ago under an overturned root of a large tree on his father's farm in McKinley township. In the 50's, WIL- LIAM HANDY, digging out the basement of a house for WILLIAM RATTLE in Caseville, also found one of these ket- tles which his wife used for many years. These Indians had selected this location where Mr. PETIT found them for its fishing facilities. They were in almost a starving condition, having no food other than some moose tallow. PETIT divided his loaf with them and purchased 500 martin skins for $1 each, which readily sold at $2. He could only take the best furs leaving the coarse ones for some other trader. On re- turning to the post on the bend of the Cass, Mr. PETTIT'S employers quadrupled his wages. This incident oc- curred in 1831. ------- (4) The Fur Trader, page 139. (5) Michigan Historical Collections. ===========================================================================