HISTORICAL AND PIONEER SOCIETY. CHRONOGRAPHY OF- NOTABLE EVENTS IN THE History of the Northwest Territory AND WAYNE COUNTY. PERIOD EMBRACED, 1531-1890. TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE EARLY COMPILED AND ARRANGED BY FRED. CARLISLE. DETROIT: O. S. GULLEY, BORNMAN & Co., PRINTERS. 1890. PREFACE. This compilation was undertaken and is completed in the interest of THE WAYNE COUNTY HISTORICAL AND PIONEER SOCIETY, for two objects—to preserve a record of those through whose instrumentality Wayne County and the whole lake country was discovered, occupied and brought to its present populous and prosperous condition; and, second, in the hope that the profits from the sale of the publication would furnish the means to provide a suitable depository for the historical relics, papers and mementoes heretofore and hereafter presented to the Society. In the arrangement of the work it is divided into four periods or epochs, viz., from 1603 to 1760, when France ceded to England; from 1760 to 1796, when Great Britain ceded to the United States; from 1796 to 1837, when Michigan was admitted as a State, and from that period to the present, narrating in chronological order noted historical events and short sketches of the prominent characters who figured as principal factors during those several periods. So far as the matter contained herein, there is but little that is original with the compiler, hence is subject to criticism only as to the arrangement. The historical references are: Lanman and Tuttle, Lanman's THE WAYNE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Was organized in 1824, LEWIS CASS being its first President, and The object of the Society was the collection of historical matter concerning the Northwest, and the formation of a library. The sketches of Michigan owe their existence, as does a large collection of old memorials and relics now in the State Library, to it. These collections, owing to the lack of a proper room to preserve them, and a loss of members interested in their care, were deposited at Lansing, in the expectation that at some future period a suitable place for their safe keeping would be provided in Detroit, when they would be brought back. While frequent efforts were made to this end at different times, nothing was accomplished, and April 21st, 1871, pursuant to public notice, a number of the members of the Wayne County Historical Society assembled at the Biddle House in the city of Detroit to consider the recent action of the State Society, by which the Historical Society of Michigan was merged into the Pioneer Society of Michigan, and all records, papers, memorials and other property was transferred by the former to the latter. Owing to the death of Judge Witherell, the last president of the Historical Society of Detroit, the Hon. Levi Bishop was chosen to preside and Mr. Samuel Zug was made Secretary of the meeting. After some discussion a preamble reciting the foregoing facts and action of the State Society, and resolutions were passed recommending similar action on the part of Wayne County Historical Society, and directing the transfer of all papers, files and other documents to an organization to be known as the Wayne County Pioneer Society. Upon the adoption of the preamble and resolution, it was moved to proceed to the election of officers, which resulted in the choice of the Hon. Levi Bishop, President, and Mr. Samuel Zug as Secretary. Such was the origin of the present Wayne County Historical and Pioneer Society. Mr. Bishop continued as President until death, and Mr. Zug as Secretary until ill health compelled his resignation. Professor J. C. Holmes succeeded Mr. Bishop as President, and James Girardin as Secretary, upon whose decease they were in turn |