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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. =========================================================================== Source: Memorial Record of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan Chicago; Lewis Pub. Co., 1895 p. 5-10 MEMORIAL RECORD AMOS ROGERS HARLOW, deceased, as one of the honored pioneers of the Upper Peninsula, was inseparably connected with the history of this sec- tion of the State, and was a prominent factor in its development and advancement, taking an active part in all that pertains to the welfare of the community. He was born in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, April 23, 1815, and was a lineal descendant of CAPTAIN WILLIAM HARLOW, who came to the Plymouth Colony in the year 1642. It is related in Thatcher's history of Plymouth that at the close of King Philip's war, when the fort built by the pilgrims at Plymouth was no longer needed as a defense against the Indians, it was taken down and its timbers sold to WILLIAM HARLOW, who used the same in the constructiion of his house. The old house is still standing, and during the summer of 1887 was identified as the one built and occupied by WILLIAM HARLOW more than 200 years ago, the fact being established by one of his descendants, WILLIAM T. HARLOW, of Worcester, Massachusetts, and HON. WILLIAM T. DAVIS, ex-member of Congress, and the auther of the Landmarks of Plymouth. An interesting letter, giving an account of the discovery and identification of the house, was published in the New England Home Journal at Worcester, and copied into the Marquette Mining Journal of August 22, 1887. Many of Mr. HARLOW'S ancestors on both sides lived in the town of Duxbury and Marshfield in the old colony. His parents, ABNER and PERSIS (ROGES) HARLOW, were born in Plymouth county, and removed to Shrewsbury in 1813. Here Mr. HARLOW received a common-school education, and in 1830, at the age of fifteen, went to Worcester, Massachusetts, to learn the trade of machinist, the terms of his apprenticeship being that he should serve until he was twenty-one years of age, and should receive, in addition to his board, six weeks' schooling and $40 in money per year. The failure of his employer in 1834 released him from the un- expired part of his engagement; but, having been a diligent and apt apprentice and withal pleased with his occupation, he had made such rapid progress that in 1835 he was qualified to engage in the manu- facture of woolen machinery on his own account, which occupation he followed successfully until June, 1849. In the meantime Mr. HARLOW was married. On the 23d of April, 1839, he wedded ELIZABETH M. BARBER of Worcester, who died at that place, January 29, 1840, leaving an infant son, GEORGE PRENTICE HARLOW. On the 28th of September, 1843, Mr. HARLOW married OLIVE LAVIRA BACON, who still survives him, - a most estimable lady, and who was his companion for nearly half a century, sharing with him the privations and hardships incident to the settlement of a new country. She is now seventy-two years of age, but is still bright and active, both in mind and body. When the discovery of iron ore on Lake Superior became widely known, companies were formed for the purpose of developing and utilizing the ore. The first company of the kind to operate in this region was the Jackson Iron Mining Company, organized in 1846, in which year it took possession of the Jackson mines, twelve miles west of Marquette. Mr. HARLOW and others at Worcester had in contemplation the organization of a company to operate in the section known as Moody's location. They deemed it advisable to move with caution. Mr. HARLOW went to Boston to consult with Professor WHITNEY, who with Professor FOSTER had conducted the geological survey of the Upper Peninsula, but whose valuable report had not been published. On the 5th of March, 1849, Mr. HARLOW organized the Marquette Iron Company, consisting of himself, W. A. FISHER and EDWARD CLARK of Worcester, Massachusetts, and ROBERT J. GRAVERAET of Mackinac, Michigan. While the company was making preparation for the shipment of its supplies and equipments, Mr. GRAVERAET, with nine others from Mackinac, went forward to secure possession of the mines and to begin operations, arriving at Moody's location early in May. Among this party were HON. PETER WHITE, then a lad of eighteen years, Dr. E. C. ROGERS, a brother of RANDOLPH ROGERS, the sculptor, JAMES CHAPMAN and others. SAMUEL MOODY, proprietor of the location, and JOHN H. MANN, had been there during the previous summer and winter. Mr. HARLOW and his party from Worcester, consisting of his wife, daughter, mother-in-law, Mrs. MARTHA W. BACON, Mr. EDWARD CLARK, and a number of mechanics and employes, arrived at Sault de Ste. Marie, July 2, 1849 by steamers from Buffalo and Detroit. It was the cholera season and excessively hot on the lower lakes. The disease broke out on board the steamer which brought them to the West, and the Captain died on that trip. Mr. HARLOW'S party, however, had changed boats at Detroit, but cholera also broke out on this trip and one of the passengers died before reaching Mackinac. Mr. HARLOW made arrangements to leave his family at Sault de Ste. Marie in care of the Baptist mission, and came on with the rest of the party with such provisions as they could take on board the little schooner, Fur Trader, arriving at Carp River, now Marquette, July 6, 1849. Casting anchor ten miles out in the lake in a dead calm, they fired the little swivel on board as a signal, and were met and rowed to shore in the Mackinac boat by some of their men who had preceded them, - LORENZO WHEELOCK, MAJOR CLARK, and a carpenter named JACOBS. There were on board at this arrival AMOS R. HARLOW and EDWARD CLARK, of the com- pany; CHARLES JOHN, of the Jackson Forge; SAMUEL MOODY, one of the pro- prietors of Moody's location; JAMES KELLEY, a carpenter; PIERSON COWEE; and a man named GATES, a machinist. At the Jackson Forge, twelve miles west, were PHILO M. EVERETT, superintendent of the works, A. N. BARNEY and family, EDWARD KIDNEY and family, JOSHUA HODGKINS and family, JAMES PETERS, JAMES McKERCHIE, and NAHUM KEYES. CHARLEY KOBOGUM, the Indian landlord, kept the only place of entertainment at the landing, - the Cedar House referred to in Mr. WHITE'S reminiscences. Both Mr. WHITE and Mr. HARLOW testified to the good fare of fish, duck, fresh venison and vegetables from the Indian garden near the lake shore, with which they were regaled after their surfeit of salt pork and stale bread on board the boat. CHARLEY KOBOGUM was very famous as a landlord, and Mr. HARLOW boarded in the Indian shanty with him until he had erected a small house of his own. PETER WHITE, who went to Moody's location in May, thus refers to the arrival of Mr. HARLOW: "On the 10th of July we came away from the mountains bag and baggage, arriving at the 'lake shore,' as we then termed it, before noon. Mr. HARLOW had arrived with quite a number of mechanics, some goods and lots of money, and what was better than all we got a glimpse of some female faces. We were all much excited and buoyant with the hope of bright and dazzling prospects before us. At one o'clock that day we commenced clearing the site of the present city of Marquette. We began by chop- ping off the trees and brush at the point of rocks near the blacksmith shop just south of the shore end of the Cleveland ore docks." On the 13th of July, Mr. HARLOW started on his return trip to Massa- chusetts, and Mr. GRAVERAET and Mr. CLARK went by way of Lake Michigan to Milwaukee to hire laborers. The former returned in due time with a large number of employees, mostly German and French, but Mr. CLARK was taken with cholera and died on his way back to Sault Ste. Marie. At least his disease is supposed to have been cholera, although it may have been the malignant ship fever, which made a hospital of the little settlement upon the arrival of the emigrants from Milwaukee, and so frightened the Indians that most of them fled precipitately up the lake in their canoes. In the latter part of August, Mr. HARLOW returned. His family had preceded him by a few days, having met with an opportun- ity to come from the Sault Ste. Marie, for the chances to reach here at that time were very uncertain, as there were but few boats on the lake and none made regular trips to this point. Most of the Lake Superior boats went to Ontonagon, and if any of them turned aside to convey either freight or passengers here, it was because extra inducements were offered them. The small propellers, Napoleon and Independence, were the only ones then plying on Lake Superior, and the little schooner, Fur Trader, was about the only resource of the settlers at Iron Bay. Mr. HARLOW brought on from Worcester a thirty-five-horse-power engine and boilers, sets of machinists' tools, the necessary machinery and appliances for a forge, circular-saw mill, etc. After some delay, they arrived here on the Fur Trader, commanded by CAPTAIN CALVIN RIPLEY. There was then no dock or land for vessels, and the rock in the harbor, afterward known as Ripley's Rock, was used as a dock for the time being. The schooner, being of light draft, was brough alongside of the rock and the heavy machinery unloaded thereon, and a slide or track constructed thence to the shore. In this manner the engine was landed, and the boilers were plugged at both ends and floated or rolled to the shore. Not merely in getting their first plant established, but in the progress of their work, many difficulties arose which it was impossible for men inexperienced in mining and making iron to anticipate, and then the distance was too great to get anything that was needed. Mr. HARLOW was a good machinist and perfectly at home in a well ordered machine shop; but here were conditions which his experience had not encountered. To all of them the business was new, to be prosecuted under new circum- stances, and many necessary appliances had to be improvised; yet "Yankee genius," as on thousands of other occasions, was equal to the emergency. In October, 1849, Mr. HARLOW put in operation a steam sawmill - the first in Marquette - and the night following sawed the shingles and shingled the first house in the place by moonlight. Those who have wit- nessed an Indian summer moonlight upon the soft autumn landscape near the bay well may imagine the beauty of the scene, but it is probable that Mr. HARLOW was so anxious to secure shelter for his wife and family that the thought of utility, more than of beauty, was with him. It is ever thus. We think of things and experiences in the light of whatever most absorbs us at the time. In order to appreciate the beauties of nature we must have leisure from the pressing demands made upon us by daily labor. Previous to this Mr. HARLOW'S family had occupied the little cedar hut upon the bank. The Indians here at that time were kind and hospitable, and friendly relations existed between them and the settlers. On the 30th of November, 1849, the first post office was established, under the name of Worcester, in honor of Mr. HARLOW'S Eastern home, and Mr. HARLOW was appointed postmaster. The first settlers seem not to have been aware that the name of Marquette had been given to the county and township, which now bear the memorial name of the famous Jesuit father, as early as 1843, but such was the fact, although it was not known by whom the name was proposed in the legislature. The act esta- blishing the county was passed March 9, 1843, and that establishing the township March 16, 1847. Marquette county was at first attached to Houghton for justical purposes and was not organized as a separate county until September 4, 1851. The township of Marquette was not organized until July 15, 1850. The first election was held at the house of Mr. HARLOW, in accordance with a notice signed by ROBERT J. GRAVERAET, SAMUEL MOODY, LORENZO HARDING, E. B. ELY and AMOR R. HARLOW, at the date last mentioned. Mr. HARLOW was chosen Supervisor, Highway Commissioner and Justice of the Peace. Soon after the organization of the township the name of the postoffice was changed to Marquette. The mails at first were received monthly, being carried by packers in winter on snowshoes and deposited in a tree at Lake Michigamme at the junction of the Carp river and Menominee trails to L'Anse. Supplies for Marquette at this early time were mostly procured - at great risk in stormy weather - from Sault Ste. Marie. In November, 1849, Mr. HARLOW dispatched thither a Mackinac sailing boat for some necessary articles. The boat was wrecked near White Fish Point and all on board perished. Of the five bodies three were found, - two on the boat and one the next spring on the beach where it had been cast up by the waves. HON. S. P. ELY, in his historical address, dates the founding of Marquette from the arrival of Mr. HARLOW and his party in July, 1849. Our subject, therefore, is justly regarded as the founder of the city. Of those who came with him or were sent by his company none remain save HON. PETER WHITE, who was his contemporary and active coadjutor in building up the city from its foundation. The Marquette forge, at which Mr. HARLOW produced the first iron bloom, was located near the lake shore, just south of Superior street, and was put in operation by him July 6, 1850, the anniversary of his arrival. It continued in operation somewhat irregularly until the spring of 1853, when the Marquette Iron Company was consolidated with the Cleveland Iron Company. The latter continued to operate the forge until it was destroyed by fire in the winter of 1858. About the same time that he started the forge he laid out the first plat of the village of Marquette. The plat, somewhat modified and changed as to its streets, was recorded by the Cleveland Iron Company September 8, 1854, and was known as the Cleveland Plat. In August, 1852, Mr. HARLOW purchased of the Government the land and interest known as the New York mine. It is situated at Ishpeming, and is still the property of the HARLOW estate. After the consolidation of the Marquette and Cleveland companies he turned his attention to lumbering, and the management of his large estate in the city and his farms in the vici- nity. He made six additions to the city. The diary kept by Mr. HARLOW during the first six years of his resi- dence here furnishes excellent data respecting the pioneer days of the city. The first religious service held in Marquette was by Professor WILLIAMS, of Allegheny College, who came to the peninsula for his health, and in August, 1849, by invitation of Mrs. HARLOW, preached in her home. The Indians brought in logs and placed them round the room for seats, covering them with cedar boughs for cushions. There was but one corner of the room floored, and that was a sort of platform for the stove; on a part of this the preacher stood. In 1850 the Marquette Com- pany sent hither Dr. MORSE, a regular Congregational minister, and also a physician, holding a diploma from the Vermont Medical College. He preached here one year and returned to New Hampshire. In 1857 Mr. HARLOW and his family aided in organizing the first Presbyterian Church of Marquette, and have since been exemplary members. Mr. HARLOW was an official in the church and one of its most liberal supporters. In poli- tics, in early life he was a Whig, but was a supporter of the Republican party from its organization. He never sought or held office except such as was conferred upon him without his seeking, he having then acted as Justice of the Peace, Supervisor, County Clerk, Alderman, Notary Public, etc. His honor and integrity were above question and his influence on the side of morality and religion were strongly felt. As a business man, Mr. HARLOW was successful. Unlike many who have devoted their energies to pioneer industries under the hard and exhaust- ing conditions of a new country, he was able to save out of his various enterprises a comfortalbe competence. It is true indeed that he did not continue wholly in the mining interests, and it is perhaps due to the secret of his success that his versatile mind enabled him to manage a variety of interests and to turn to account whatever seemed most promising. Thus, while others clung to their dead mining stock and sank with it, he turned to the live interests of lumbering, farming and real estate. He was the owner of large real-estate interests in this city, including some of the best business blocks, and the ample and most beautiful private park, in which stands his residence. This is called Crescent Park from the form of the main terrace or embankment which circles nearly around it. On the top of this is the principal drive. The central portion is in the general form of a basin, diversified with slopes, terraces and mounds. The highest mound is called Lily Hill, and is crowned with a large granite bowlder. Near the center of the basin is a trout pond, formed by a living spring which flows out from among ferns and mosses. The Park, which is about seven acres in extent, is covered with every variety of native tree, shrub, plant and flower. Mr. HARLOW had the ground laid out as a surprise to his wife upon her return from one of her visits to the East, his design being to furnish her with a beatiful and healthy open-air retreat, in which she might drive her own horse and carriage at her leisure. Although the natural situation favored his design, it was made with considerable expense and has served as the family botanical garden. It is now occupied by Mrs. HARLOW and her son-in-law, HON. F. O. CLARK, a distinguished member of the Mar- quette bar. Mr. HARLOW died October 3, 1890. His son by his first marriage, GEORGE P. HARLOW, resides in Omaha, Nebraska. His daughter, ELLEN J., is the wife of HON. F. O. CLARK. This narrative would be incomplete without a word in regard to Mrs. HARLOW'S mother, Mrs. MARTHA W. BOEM, who came with Mr. HARLOW and family to this northern shore in 1849. She was one of the noblest of the pioneer women of our county. Through all the hardships of the early settlement she afforded a constant example of cheerfulness, courage and business energy. She lived to see the prosperity of the place which she had no small share in founding, and passed to her rest full of years and honors. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Biographical Record of Leading Citizens of Houghton, Baraga and Marquette Counties, Michigan Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago - 1903 [162-165] AMOS RODGERS HARLOW Amos Rodgers Harlow. For generations the Northern Peninsula of Michigan, with its picturesque scenery and tonic breezes, remained the home of the wild beast, the Indian and the fisher- man, hunter and trapper, while its great mineral wealth lay unsuspected beneath Nature's covering. When the discovery of iron and copper attracted attention to the Lake Superior region, scientists and geologists from the East made investi- gation which would have been of little value to the world had not men of means, enter prise and unbounding energy come for- ward, and engaged in the practical development of the marvelous hidden wealth of these hitherto neglected regions. One of the earliest as well as most notable of these pioneers, one whose memory is cherished as the real founder of the city of Mar- quette, was the late AMOS RODGERS HARLOW. MR. HARLOW'S life covered a period of 75 years, his birth taking place at Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, April 23, 181 5, and his death at Marquette, Michigan, October 2, 1890. He was a lineal descendant of CAPTAIN WILLIAM HARLOW, who came to the Plymouth Colony in 1642; the old house the latter erected is still standing and during the summer of 1887 was identified as the one built and occupied by this pioneer forefather, more than 200 years ago. On August 22, 1887, appeared a communi- cation in the Marquette Mining Journal, which had been copied from the New England Home Journal, which was prepared by WILLIAM T. HARLOW, of Worcester, Massachusetts, and Hon. WILLIAM T. DAVIS, ex-member of Congress, giving an account and identification of this historical landmark. Many of Mr. HARLOW'S ancestors on both paternal and maternal sides resided in the towns of Duxbury and Marshfield, in the old colony. His parents were ABNER and PERSIS (ROGERS) HARLOW, natives of Ply- mouth County, who removed to Shrewsbury in 1813. It was in the quaint old town of Shrewsbury that MR. HARLOW received a district school education, and in 1830, at the age of 15 years, went to Worcester, Massachusetts, to apprentice himself to the machinist's trade, the terms being that he should serve until he was 21 and should receive, in addition to his board, six weeks of schooling and $40 in money per annum. The failure of his employer in 1834 released him from the un- expired part of his engagement. He had been an apt and diligent pupil and had a natural capacity for the work and had made such marked progress that in 1835 he was sufficiently qualified to engage in the manufacture of woolen machinery on his own account, which occupation he followed until June, 1849. The discovery of iron ore in the Lake Superior region caused the immediate organization of companies all over the East for the developing of mines. The first company of this kind to operate in this region was the Jackson Iron Mining Company, which was organized in 1846 and took possession of the Jackson mine, located 12 miles west of Marquette. Two eminent scientists of Boston, Professors WHITNEY and FOSTER, had con- ducted a geological survey of the Northern Peninsula, but their valuable reports had not yet been published. It was MR. HARLOW who prudently visited and consulted with these scholars and, returning to Worcester, reported favorably to capitalists who, with himself, had been contemplating the formation of a company to operate in what was then known as "Moody's Location." On March 5, 1849, MR. HARLOW organized the Marquette Iron Company, consisting of himself, W. A. FISHER and EDWARD CLARK, of Worcester, Massachusetts, and ROBERT J. GRAVERAET, of Mackinac, Michigan. MR. HARLOW and his party from Worcester, consisting of his wife, daughter, his motherin-law (MRS. MARTHA W. BACON), EDWARD CLARK and a number of mechanics and employees, arrived at Sault Ste. Marie July 2, 1849, by steamers from Buffalo and Detroit. Leaving his family at the "Soo," he proceeded to Carp River (now Marquette) and arrived July 6, 1849. On looking over the ground, MR. HARLOW, with the foresight and good judgment which ever characterized him, saw immediately the absolute needs of the region, and on the 13th of the month started back to Massachusetts. When he returned to Carp River he brought from Worcester a 32-horsepower engine and boiler, sets of machinist tools and the necessary machinery and appliances for a forge, a circular sawmill and other articles wThich he realized would be in demand for the great enterprise planned. In October, 1849, MR. HARLOW put in operation a steam sawmill - the first of its kind at Carp River, - and on November 30th in the same year he had succeeded in having a post office established in these then remote regions, officiating as post- master himself. The Marquette forge, where MR. HARLOW produced the first iron bloom here, was located near the lake shore, just north of the present Superior street, and was put in op- eration by him July 6, 1850, and was made use of until it was destroyed by fire, eight years later. It was in 1853 that MR. HARLOW laid out the first plat of the village of Marquette. In August, 1852, MR. HARLOW purchased from the government the land and interest known as the New York mine, situated at Ishpeming, which is still a part of the Harlow estate. He became the owner of much real estate in the country, now valuable farming land, and made six additions to Marquette. Many of the present large business blocks in the thriving city were his property and of his construction, and he also owned a fine park of seven acres, known as Crescent Park, in the center of which he placed his magnificent home. In addition to vast mining and lumbering interests, few enterprises of any moment were inaugurated without his connection with them. His dom- ination was also shown in the management of the public affairs of the rapidly settling town and county, and with the greatest efficiency he administered the offices of justice of the peace, supervisor, county clerk and alderman. He was also concerned in the establishing of educational and religious advantages and in 1857, with his family, was prominent in the founding of the First Presbyterian Church of Marquette, which, until his death, he most liberally remembered. On April 23, 1839, MR. HARLOW was united in marriage with ELIZABETH M. BARBOUR, of Worcester, Massachusetts, who died at that place on January 29, 1840, leaving an infant son, GEORGE PRENTICE HARLOW, who is a hotel proprietor at El Paso, Texas, and has one daughter. On September 28, 1843, MR. HARLOW married OLIVE LAVINA BACON, who was his congenial companion for nearly a half century. MRS. HARLOW is a lady of remarkable physical and mental activity, and although 80 years of age still manages her vast property with ease and superior business ability. She resides in the beautiful home in Crescent Park, this also being the home of her son-in-law, Hon. F. O. CLARK, who married her daughter, ELLEN J. Mr. and Mrs. CLARK have one daughter, - MARTHA BACON, - and one son, - HARLOW ALDEN, who is a student at Oberlin College, preparing for a legal career. =========================================================================== If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access more information about Marquette County, Michigan by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/mi/marquette/