remnant are left within its borders, and these are so well civilized as to be among the rest of us-citizens.

The real growth of Michigan dates back less than a hundred years, and its best growth to about sixty years. In that time it has increased in population two and a quarter millions of people, and its representation in congress from a single member to twelve representatives. Its school fund has increased from a few hundred dollars to upwards of five millions expended annually. Its great university from nothing until now it is third in size and importance in the United States, and the eighth in the world. It has the largest and best conducted eleemosynary institutions in proportion to its population on the American continent. In its In its moral equipment it has fully as many religious organizations and as much money represented in churches, denominational schools and colleges as any state in the Union.

In material prosperity Michigan also ranks high. In the production in minerals, copper, iron, gypsum, cement, salt and coal it produces large supplies of each, the value of which aggregate millions annually.

As an agricultural state it takes high rank in all departments and lines of production. The census of 1900 shows that in value of agricultural products, per acre, it is not exceeded by any other state.

In point of capital, banks and manufacturing, it holds a high place and all these interests are constantly expanding and increasing. In railroad development it has made great progress and the public wants are fully supplied. Electric lines are also extending rapidly in the thickly settled. the thickly settled counties.

Michigan has been a well governed state

from its organization. During its earlier years of statehood some mistakes were made, but the intelligence and patience of the people soon rectified these errors, and wise legislation soon retrieved prosperity. The rate of state taxation is now and always has been less than in any other new state and greatly below nearly all the older states.

The affairs of the state have been honestly administered. Only twice in its history. has it been called upon to punish any of its officials for fraud and dishonesty, and in both cases the results were swift and effective. What is true of state affairs is equally true of county and municipal conditions. In fact, the records of the state contain no instances of flagrant defalcation or dishonesty on the part of local officials.

Politically, the state was Democratic until 1854. In that year it became Republican, and has remained so, except at one election, and indications are that it will remain Republican for many years to come.

Michigan has always been loyal to the Union. Not only in the last war with England, but in the Mexican war, the war with the South, and the Spanish-American war, the state furnished its full quota of troops, and they proved among the bravest and most reliable defenders of the nation. The history of their bravery has been written on every battle field from the battle of the Thames, in 1813, to the capture of Santiago, in 1899. While its people delight in the pursuits of peace, they have been and will ever be ready to respond to the honor and defense of our common country.

In all these things we take a high and well founded pride, and it is the first inclination of all our people to say that first of all we are Americans and secondarily we are "Michiganders."

Much has been written in all the American histories about the Indians, whence they come, who they descended from and all other incidents, facts and surmises about the red men of America. We shall not attempt to repeat or renew these theories, but shall only say they were here when we came here, and there were plenty of them. What we shall write will be pertinent to the local history we are pursuing and are conversant with, preferring to individualize and give facts to exploiting theories.

Central Michigan was the home of the tribe known as the Pottawattomies. Their territory extended over northern Indiana, and southern Michigan as far as the Shiawasee river. The Hurons occupied the eastern part of the state, the Chippewas, the Saginaw valley and north, the Ottawas, the western portion. We frequently saw portions of all those tribes, but as Jackson county was wholly within the territory of the Pottawattomies, we shall consider them as especially our Indians.

The traditions of the tribe were that it came up from the south. They were pushed forward by the various tribes of Atchipews, Shawanos and Sacs, until they made a final stand upon the bank of the "Washtenong Sepe" and drove the invaders back. There was a tradition of a great battle among the hills, when the enemy re

treated until they reached a great prairie, where the final struggle took place, after which the Pottawattomies held their territory unmolested.

When the Indian wars incited by Tecumseh took place, the Pottawattomies joined that chieftain. They fought at the battle of Tippecanoe, and lost "a heap of warriors," and likewise in the battle of the Thames, but this was the last warfare they waged against the whites. When the Chippewas threatened hostilities in 1817, they refused to join them.

It was told by the Indians that two white soldiers captured at the battle of the Tippecanoe were brought to the Pottawattomie camps and tortured and burned. They were supposed to be men named McDonald and Lymp, two of General Harrison's scouts, but whether this took place on Grand river or near Battle Creek on the Kalamazoo is unknown.

The head chief of the tribe when Jackson county was settled was Whap-ca-zeek, "the fast runner." His wigwam or home was in Spring Arbor. He was a tall and athletic Indian, who lost his left leg in the battle of the Tippecanoe. His version of the fight was that he headed his braves in a charge upon the whites, and that when closing on them with the tomahawk, a white soldier shot him, breaking his leg. He lay

where he fell until the fight was over, and the Indians were driven off, when the white men found him and, instead of killing him, took him to the hospital and amputated his leg and nursed him until he was well, when they gave him a crutch and a pony and let him go home. He was always very grateful for the care he received and was always a friend of the "Che-mo-ko-mans" ever after. Whap-ca-zeek was a very active Indian. With his sound leg and crutch he would run like a deer, and in the chase or on the march would outstrip the best men of his tribe. We have often seen him take a few leaps and land astride of his horse, even when well filled with "scoota-wa-bue," or whiskey. He made and presented me, when a kid or "pappoose," as he called me, a beautiful Indian bow and arrow, and more than once was I a guest at his hospitable camp.

THE STORY OF THE FLOOD.

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Whap-ca-zeek was full of Indian lore. He had a tradition of the creation, that the earth was planted by the Great Spirit by taking it from the sun and cooling it off with the falling waters, and then peopled it with bad spirits who were tired of living in the clouds. He had a tradition of the flood, which is thus outlined by John Barnard, who was for many years an Indian trader:

"One morning water was brought to Manu, the Good Spirit, for washing, and after he had washed himself a small fish remained in his hand. And the fish addressed him in these words: 'Protect me and I will save thee and thine.' 'From what will you save me?' asked Manu. 'A deluge will sweep all living creatures away from the earth, but I will save thee.' 'But how shall I

protect thee? protect thee? The fish replied, 'While we are small we are in great danger, for fish swallow fish. Keep me at first in a cup; when I grow too large, dig a basin and put me into that; when I have grown still more, throw me into the ocean: then I shall be preserved from destruction.' Soon it grew to be a large fish and Manu took it to the sea, and it said to Manu, 'When I shall have reached my full growth, that very year shall the waters come. Then build a boat, and pray for me. When the waters rise I will come and save thee.' At the year indicated Manu built a boat and worshipped the fish, and when the waters came he entered the vessel. Then the fish came swimming up to him, and Manu fastened a rope to the head of the fish and it swam with him to the mountains of the north. The fish said. 'I have saved thee; fasten a cable to a tree so the waters shall not carry it off this mountain, and as the waters decrease thou shall descend with them and be safe.' Manu did as directed, and thus ends the traditions of the descent of Manu from the Mountains of the North."

AN INDIAN COUNCIL.

All the affairs of the Indians were settled in a council of the chiefs and braves. The council ground was in the open; its floor was the earth and its cover the dome of heaven. They were usually held at night. A huge fire was built, and each chief and his best men sat in a circle around it. A huge pipe was passed around and each sitter took a whiff in his turn. When this was finished the oldest chief made a speech, introducing the business to be done. Then each in his turn, and in the order of his age, gave

expression to the views of his clan. If a majority sided with the head chief, he was endorsed; if not, the plan of some other chief took its place. After the subject was decided the pipe was again passed and the decision was final.

At these councils there was some times. much speaking, highly metaphorical and some times emotional. The younger braves would grow fiery and impetuous until called down by the older heads. The response was usually by shaking the head for dissents, and grunts for approval.

OTHER CHIEFS.

There were a number of lesser chiefs who lived in and near Jackson. Baptiste, "the trader," was one who was at the head of a small band in the northeast part of the county. He lived near the lake that bears his name in the township of Henrietta. He was not a full blood, but was a quarter French. He was not a hunter, but a trader, but had a great influence with the tribe in his neighborhood. He had several daughters and no sons. His wife and daughters were often seen in Jackson, with the richest silks wrapped around them, and were subjects of envy. One of them married a Frenchman named Beaureaux. It is said that Baptiste-Beaureaux traded with the settlers in Jackson county as far back as 1815. They sold them fire arms, powder, lead and whiskey in exchange for furs. It was the usual custom for the French traders and half breeds to desert their Indian wives when they had acquired a competence, but here was an exception, and the Baptiste family remained long after the last Pottawattomies had disappeared.

CHIEF BAW BEESE.

Baw Beese was the second chief in rank among the tribes, and he lived on the beautiful lake that bears his name near the city of Hillsdale. He was a stately and dignified Indian, very friendly to the whites. He was frequently a visitor at Jackson and was always a welcome visitor.

OLD OKEMOS.

Among the sub-chiefs who often visited Jackson in an early day was Okemos, the head of the tribe on Cedar river in Ingham county. Okemos was a good Indian when sober, but a very bad one when drunk. At one of his visits he ran amuck in the settlement, which caused a good deal of terror, until he ran across Mr. John McConnell, and came out of the scrimmage a good deal the worse for wear. In 1831 General Cass visited Okemos, going down Grand river and up the Cedar in a canoe, and made a special treaty with him that cut off his control over the tribe, and was a source of much satisfaction to the white settlers.

CHIEF OWASSO.

This chief was born on the banks of the Shiawasee river, near where the city of that title stands. When a young man, he joined the British in the raid and massacre at Sandusky, and was very severely wounded. He lay for weeks in an Indian wigwam, with his head split open and a saber thrust through his lung, but he finally recovered. Owasso never afterwards went on the war path and remained to his death a good friend of the white people.

SOME OTHER INDIANS.

Man-at-cost-way was a cousin of Old Okemos, and had a record as a "heap big warrior." He was engaged in the fights around Sandusky, the massacre of River Raisin, the battle of the Tippecanoe, and on the Thames. He was several times wounded, and had an ugly scar on his head caused by a saber wound. He was not a popular Indian among the settlers and was never rated as friendly. He was finally removed to the reservation near Green Bay and was killed in a drunken row among his own people.

Chippewa Jack was another Indian with a bad record. His half brother was one of the Indians hung in 1821 for murder, and he was usually looking for trouble. He was finally disposed of by being sent to a reservation and cared for by government troops in 1832.

Pey-wi-tun was an Indian guide for years. He was employed as a pack bearer in all the government surveys, and had an intimate knowledge of all the trails and camps in central Michigan. He was a very powerful man, six and a half feet high and generally peaceful.

Ash-ke-na-bug-na-ka, or the "skunk hunter," was a noted Indian. He made a specialty of hunting skunks, and was usually clad in the skins. His cap consisted of skins with the heads sticking up on top of his head and the hind legs and tail hanging around his neck and face. It was said by It was said by the settlers that his garb did not smell to heaven, but it was plainly discernible a mile distant.

tives. He was indeed a wise Indian, and instead of barbarous enchantments he doctored with roots and herbs, prepared washes and salves, and carried quite a kit of remedies. edies. He was continually on the go from one camp to another, and the whites frequently called him to their aid. It was said he could set a broken arm or leg and bind it up in good shape. He remained in Michigan after his tribe was removed, and made his home near Dowagiac until he died, in 1849.

The marriage relations of the Indians. were peculiarly their own. Naturally and by tradition they were a virtuous people, and any transgression of their laws brought swift, certain and exemplary punishment, most often death as the revenge of the husband or father. But the mixture with the whites in this, as in almost everything else, brought immorality and degradation.

The forms of marriage differed with nearly every tribe. The most usual course was by purchase, and the price was generally one or more ponies. Some times it was paid in furs and skins, and some times a reward of personal bravery or sacrifice. The young squaw had little to say about it, the father having the right to dispose of his daughter as he chose. Generally it was a private bargain, and the young brave simply took his bride by the hand and led her out of the parental wigwam to his own tepee. They must keep hold of hands until the ceremony was complete or it was an ill omen. When the groom carried the bride away on horseback, the hands were unclasped at the horse and she was seated behind the husband. Occasionally there was a "pow-wow," participated in by the relatives of the bride, which was little else than