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 91] CHAPTER III EARLY TOWNSHIP HISTORY McKINLEY TOWNSHIP Since that early period McKinley township has been organized. Its territory being taken from that of Case- ville, while White Rock has been absorbed into that of Sherman. A PIONEER FAMILY OF NOTE Among the pioneers in Huron county there are thos who have been identified with more than one place. Especially deserving of mention is the DESJARDINS family, who lived for many years in the county. Much of the history of this family is the story of many another who came to the wilds of Huron County after a struggle so overwhelming that it left them stripped of their equip- ment and compelled them to begin a much greater strug- gle to regain property and position. In 1856 GREGOIRE DESJARDINS left Quebec and came direct to the wilder- ness of Bingham township. Forestville at that time was the nearest trading post and all goods had to be taken over by ox teams through a winding forest path with its unbridged creeks and swamps. Later a road was built with its old time corduroy bridges and mail carried and other elements of civilization became available. JOHN ZACHARIE, the oldest son was the mail carrier for many years. SAMUEL E., who became a noted architect in Chicago, was born while they were waiting at Forest- ville. BENJAMIN was the first to arrive at the new hill- side home. He became an inventor. PAUL, so well known in Huron County, was an older son. He taught school for a few years and then Albion college where he trained himself for the ministry. [page 92] PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY During the early years the small clearing around the log cabin gradually began to widen, keeping pace with the growth of the family. They had their logging bees at which the neighbors joined to pile up the trees already cut into logs and burn them. The mother and daughters spun the wool and flax. These were sent out and woven and after that they had the fulling bees when the woolen homespun cloth was shrunken. The DES- JARDINS family at the beginning had practically its own school and the Sunday gatherings, the early Sunday school and the study of the Bible extended to the neigh- bors. It was under these difficulties that this remark- able family was raised. In 1863 Marie, the oldest daughter, married JAMES SHEPHERD, living one mile and a half across a thick forest. In 1864 PERSIS, the only one who did not survive her mother, married JAMES M. WHITE, living six miles away. JOHN H. WHITE was her son. On account of the lack of schools Mr. DES- JARDINS moved not far from Port Austin and later to the then thriving village of Port Crescent. It was from this place that three of the boys, PAUL, SAMUEL and BENJAMIN went to begin their life work. In 1880 Mr. DESJARDINS sold the property at Port Crescent and purchased a farm near Filion. In 1884 they once more changed their residence going to Bad Axe where they spent the last years of their life. The father and mother of this family coming to Michigan in middle life never acquired such mastery of the English language as to be able to participate in the religious worship of their neighbors. Mr. DESJARDINS often opened the session of the first Sunday school they were instrumental in organizing with prayer and reading the scriptures in French, after which such of the neigh- bors as could read, taught the lesson in English. The descendants of this family numbered nearly 100 at the time Mrs. DESJARDINS died in 1903. Mr. DESJARDINS dying fifteen years before. This family were no common influence in their day and generation along social, spir- itual and intellectual lines. [page 93] PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY Another familiar name in the county is that of ROBERT WINTERBOTTOM, who came to Willow Creek in 1855. Here he worked as a sawyer and shingle maker for six or seven years. Then entered the hotel business but lost everything he owned in the great fire of '71. Even his children were left destitute of the necessary clothing. He was compelled to send them to Port Austin where clothing and money had been sent to the fire sufferers by outsiders. After this he worked in various towns in the county, finally in 1876, moved to Port Hope, where he opened a hotel. He was elected sheriff of the county in 1884. RICHARD WINSOR, the first representative from Huron County in the Michigan Legislature made his campaign over trails in the woods in 1860. He said some of the incidents of that trip would no doubt astonish the pres- sent citizens of the county. In the legislature of 1866 we find H. C. GALLUP rep- resenting the interests of the people. ===========================================================================