county, which they named Pontiac Hill, and commenced operations. These were the first hill diggings opened in California. The history of Nevada county gives to them the credit of finishing the first water race for gold washing in the county. It ran from Nevada to Rough and Ready. Gold was found within thirty feet of where they commenced work, and ten feet below the surface they took out a ten quart pan of earth which yielded 126 pennyweights of gold. They remained at this place for two years, then sold their claim and returned to Owosso. In May, 1852, they again went to California sending a party of men with horses by the overland route-and purchased a water right in Sierra county which they worked successfully, and on which over half a million dollars have been expended; as has been stated, they left their interests there in charge of two brothers and returned to Michigan.

In 1863-4, B. O. accompanied Col. Hayden, of Ohio, on a tour for the discovery and working of gold and silver mines in Honduras, Central America. They made a very thorough exploration of that region, but no extensive operations resulted from the discoveries made.

B. O. Williams was always a staunch democrat, and, until bodily infirmities compelled him to decline, scarcely ever was a democratic state convention held without "B. O." as a delegate. From the casting of his first vote, in 1832, till his death he remained true to the democratic party. He was not ambitious for political honors; had he been aspiring he would have been foremost among those in political prominence in the state. At one time his name was mentioned as democratic candidate for governor, but he would not permit it. He was the third mayor of Owosso, has served as supervisor, and in various positions of trust and honor. He took great interest in our public schools and was a member of the school board for several years. Mr. Williams was a firm supporter of the Episcopal church, a vestryman for several years, and at the time of his death an honorary member of the vestry.

The Williams brothers gave Fayette Square to the city; to the Episcopal. church the ground on which the church edifice stands; and to the Ladies' Library Association a lot for a building.

March 22, 1887, Mr. Williams passed out from these familiar scenes forever, leaving the faithful wife of his pioneer days and later enjoyment, and three sons, James A. and Charles S., of this city, and B. O., who is living at Denver, Col. A daughter, Mary, first wife of Hon. Wm. Kilpatrick, died in 1869.

Notwithstanding a severe storm on the day of the funeral the church was filled to overflowing by those who would do honor to Owosso's departed pioneer father. Many persons from other portions of the county braved the

storm to be present. Business places were closed and the city authorities and members of the board of supervisors attended in a body.

The city council at a special meeting passed memorial resolutions which will be found in the official proceedings.

AUGUSTIN S. GAYLORD.

BY HON. D. H. JEROME.

Hon. Augustin S. Gaylord was born on the 9th day of February, A. D. 1831, at Jefferson, in the state of Ohio. He came from sturdy Puritan stock and was the oldest son of Harvey Russell and Stella Maria Gaylord. The father was born in Harpersfield, in the state of New York, and the mother in the state of Ohio.

Mr. Gaylord, the subject of this sketch, was liberally educated in the best institutions of learning in Ohio, and when he reached manhood was energetic and untiring in supplementing his early advantages by choice reading and research of all that would enlarge and cultivate his mind. In addition to his labors in the solid branches of history, literature, and the sciences, he had a superb taste for, and knowledge of the fine arts, especially music, and to these he could always resort for recreation. His well stored private library was proof of an exquisite taste and of liberal accomplishments. These acquirements adapted him to mingle with the most refined associations. In his social relations he was generous, courteous, and always the intelligent gentleman. Mr. Gaylord removed from Ohio to Saginaw in the summer of 1851, when he at once entered upon a course of study for his profession, as a lawyer, and as an aid to his training in this regard, in 1852 he accepted the position of deputy county clerk of Saginaw county, which appointment was made by the venerable Sanford M. Green, the then judge of the circuit. So intelligently were the duties of this position discharged that he was several times elected as clerk of the county during the years that followed.

Politically he was a whig until the formation of the republican party, when he became a member of the latter. In religion he was an Episcopalian and an honored member of that church.

About the year 1854 he entered upon the practice of the law and soon formed a copartnership with the Hon. John Moore, with whom he had been a student. From the beginning as a lawyer, he was a success. In acquiring his profession, the work was pursued in the broader manner. He grasped and mastered the philosophy of the science of the law, and in after life was diligent to add to it, in which effort he was rewarded by success.

Mr. Gaylord was married to Emeline E. Warren on the 21st day of October, 1856, at Ripon, Wisconsin. From this union a large family of children were born, four only of whom survived infancy; two daughters, Carrie and Elizabeth; and two sons, Augustin J. and Harvey Russell.

Mr. Gaylord held many official positions; was United States commissioner for the years 1864-5-6, and a member of the state legislature in 18621863. In the latter position he will be remembered by his associates and his constituents as one of the leading minds in the house, and as a member of the judiciary committee rendered service characterized by care and intelligence. His integrity as a man and his learning in the law induced the Hon. Zachariah Chandler, then Secretary of the Interior, to ask President Grant to appoint Mr. Gaylord as assistant United States attorney general, and assign him to act as solicitor for that department; the appointment was made and the position was held until his death. During his incumbency of this office Mr. Gaylord wrought many important changes in the modes or methods of conducting the work in the different bureaus of this department, which are still being followed with advantage to the service.

Perhaps the most marked evidence of Mr. Gaylord's broad elementary legal education was demonstrated in his report upon a case of importance argued before the Secretary of the Interior, touching the title to lands in the city of Chicago. The property in question had become of immense value and was used for railroad depots and yards. The title depended upon the action of the United States government long anterior to the organization of a state government covering this territory together with old possessory rights that could only be determined by most exhaustive investigation and application of legal principles. The case was argued by the ablest attorneys on both sides. Mr. Gaylord sitting with Secretary Chandler as the law officer of the department to hear the argument, the decision of course turned on the legal opinion covered by his report. This report in its application of the law, and the conclusions reached, was sustained by men strong in the law, and notably by some who had taken part in a prior argument of the same case, and whose

judgments were equal to any. This effort, supplemented by his entire professional work in behalf of the government, placed him unquestionably among the first men in the legal profession, and had he lived would have been a warrant for promotion.

In 1876 he was sent from the department by President Grant as the legal member and adviser of a commission to treat with the Sioux Indians for the territory known as the Black Hills in Dakota. This mission was successful, and the writer was present when the president paid a high compliment to Mr. Gaylord for the manner in which he discharged the trust thus reposed in him.

It is probable that from the exposures to which he was subjected on this journey in the west the fatal disease was contracted that terminated Mr. Gaylord's life in the following year. On June 21, 1877, Mr. Gaylord died at his home in the city of Saginaw, surrounded by a loving family, wife, two daughters and two sons.

He possessed the confidence of those who knew him, and was ranked among the first men of Michigan.

A HISTORY OF THE MILITARY RESERVATION AT FORT GRATIOT, WITH REMINISCENCES OF SOME OF THE OFFICERS STATIONED THERE.

READ BEFORE THE ST. CLAIR COUNTY PIONEER SOCIETY AT ITS ANNUAL MEETING IN PORT HURON, JUNE 28, 1887, BY WILLIAM L. BANCROFT.

When you requested me some days since, Mr. President, to make a few minutes' talk at this annual meeting of the County Pioneer Society on the subject of "Old Fort Gratiot," I readily consented, deeming it the duty of each member to contribute a share, however humble, in continuing and perfecting the history of our locality. I expected to limit my information, as you intimated, to a little talk which should be reminiscent in character, passing in rapid review the men and things of fifty years since, whose homes were within the old stockade, but whose social intercourse was largely with

denizens of our then little village. A noble galaxy of men flits before me. History unrolls her scroll, and I am impelled to inquire who were the predecessors of these men, when and why was this military post founded, what has become of its old landmarks, and what can be said to transmit the memory of those men and things, who made history, to those who are coming after us? There is too much for "talk," and notwithstanding my experience that there is sometimes too little in a memoir, I shall venture to offer a formal paper for your archives.

Ladies and gentlemen, Fort Gratiot is memorable as the site of one of the earliest military posts established west of Montreal, marking a reopening of that long and bloody contest between the French and English for domination on this continent. Denonville had succeeded the feeble La Barre as governor general of Canada. New Netherlands had just been restored to England and became New York, of which one Col. Thomas Dongan was appointed governor by the Duke of York, thus giving an Irish governor to an English colony, peopled by Dutchmen, with Frenchmen and Indians for neighbors. And herein you may note, Mr. President, that the Irishman was ubiquitous two hundred years ago, as he has been since, and this one seems to have been happy, as we all know a good Irishman should be, in finding himself environed with all the conditions favorable for an early fight. The French claimed a monopoly of the rich fur trade of the great lakes, the Dutch poached on the French preserves, and Parkman relates that Dongan did his utmost to promote the interests of his Dutch traders. Denonville desired to build a fort at Niagara. Dongan warned him against it. Their correspondence is spicy, and like good diplomats each veiled his real purpose.

"It's a thousand pities," writes Dongan, "that those Indians who have made such progress in the service of God should be disturbed for a little peltry."

"Think you," replies Denonville, "that religion will make any progress, while your traders supply the savages in abundance with liquor which you ought to know converts them into demons and their lodges into counterparts of hell ?"

"Certainly," retorts Dongan, "our rum doth as little harm as your brandy, and in the opinion of christians is much more wholesome."

The outcome of this epistolary fusilade was an order from Denonville to his commander at Mackinac, M. DuLhut, (after whom, by the way, the fair and flourishing "zenith city" of Minnesota took its name) to repair to the straits of Detroit and erect there a military post. All the waters between Lakes Huron and Erie were known as a single strait, although the names. of "Sainte Claire" had been given to our beautiful little lake ten years before,