The first house of worship was the Catholic Church, erected a short time previous to 1795, on the south bank of the Huron, four miles distant from Mt. Clemens. The first Baptist house of worship was built in 1843. Two years previously, the Presbyterians erected their church at Mt. Clemens. François Tremble left the mouth of the Huron for the north, was stabbed by the Saginaws, and, in an effort to return to his home, was lost in Lake Huron, 1792. Onabouse, a fierce Otchipwe, was made captive near Mt. Clemens in 1806, taken to Detroit, convicted of many murders, and hanged. Louis Campeau and Jacob Smith passed some months in this county in 1811, trading with the Indians. The Boyer family, made captive near Mt. Clemens during the war of 1812, were rescued by Jacob Smith from their brutal jailors at the great camp of Saginaw. The village of Mt. Clemens was named by Gen. Macomb long before its incorporation, in honor of the pioneer, Christian Clemens. Macomb County was named at the suggestion of Christian Clemens in 1818, in recognition of Gen. Macomb's services to Michigan and the Union. It was The first frame structure in the county was raised in 1817 for John Stockton. an addition to the log house in which Judge Clemens dwelt, the attachment to his house being accounted for by the conciliating fact that immediately prior to its building Col. Stockton married Mlle. Allen, the Judge's step-daughter. The squatters on the lands in Macomb County were summoned to Detroit in 1808–10 to prove their occupancy of claims previous to 1796. Macomb County was organized in 1818. The Black Day rose over the county November 8, 1819. Kiskako, of Saginaw, the terror of Macomb, committed suicide at Detroit in 1825. In 1830, the Indians of the Clinton River entered on a Western movement. In 1837, an Indian of the Riley band, was killed by a falling tree. After months of searching, the body of the savage was found. In 1837-38, small-pox decimated the lodges of the Indians. In 1836, the Bank of Macomb received a charter from the Legislature. Under the law of 1837, the State Banking law was passed, when Representative Monfore, of Macomb, was one of the four members who opposed the dangerous law. A bill of complaint was filed for violation of law against the Huron River Bank, praying for injunction and appointment of Receiver. The prayer was granted by the Commissioners. Digby V. Bell, writing December 30, 1839, states: "The Macomb County Bank, it is said, has not closed its doors, and the amount of its circulation is very limited and trifling, which they redeem on presentation." Of the 1,060 muskets received by the military authorities of the Territory of Michigan, from Lieut. J. Howard, of the United States Army, in May and June, 1832, only 450 stand could be found in 1839, of which number fifty were in the armory or distributed among the people of Mt. Clemens. The aboriginal inhabitants of Macomb left their land forever in 1838. Mrs. Hoag was killed about the year 1850 by the splinters of a boiler which exploded in the Hoag saw-mill. Rev. Mr. Case, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of Detroit, was the first minister of the Protestant denomination who visited Macomb County, coming into the Tucker settlement in 1807. The First German Evangelical Church building was constructed in 1860. The Macomb Democrat was first issued at Mt. Clemens November 5, 1835. Abraham Donaldson was crushed to death by a falling tree, April, 1838. Harry Day, a son of Erastus Day, aged about three years. was drowned in a well May 27, 1844. The first copy of the Romeo Argus was issued May 10, 1857. Among the first correspondents was J. E. Day, of Armada, who says: "After an interval of six years' pressless silence, we are rejoiced with the prospect that the village of Romeo will soon be heralded by a weekly journal." In July, 1863, Col. Farrar, of Mt. Clemens, was in command of a division of the troops ordered out to suppress the anti-draft riots in New York. The tournament and celebration at Mt. Clemens, July 3 and 4, 1868, was participated in by over 5,000 people. A meteor passed over the county November 1, 1857. The visiting comet was seen June 30, 1861. The trains ran over the Grand Trunk Railroad, through Macomb County, in 1859. The Mt. Clemens Press was established under the name Macomb Conservative Press in the year 1864. Spencer B. Russell assumed control of the journal May 1, 1873, and has published it since that time. Lewis M. Miller inaugurated the Mt. Clemens Reporter in 1873. The Investigator was first published at Romeo in December, 1850. The first number of the Romeo Observer was issued May 3, 1866, J. Russell, editor and publisher. An old lady living within four miles of Romeo settled in the county at a very early day, yet visited Indian Village only once in thirty years, this visit being paid in the year 1844. Charles Bentley, son of Samuel Bentley, aged fourteen years, left home April 8, 1866, and was not heard of for some time. The citizens of Utica held a meeting June 2, 1866, for the purpose of maturing plans for the construction of a railroad from Detroit to their village. The German Lutheran Church, of Waldenburg, was dedicated June 24, 1866. The storm of June 14, 1866, resulted in the loss of 500 sheep in the northern towns of Macomb, together with the numerous losses to persons and property. A son of Mr. Geno, residing four miles southeast of Brooklyn, was accidentally shot by a boy named Ellis July 5, 1866. In July, 1866, Col. William Wilkinson received from the military department his commission as Brevet Colonel United States Volunteers, for distinguished services during the war. Freedom Monroe, of Romeo, patented a land-leveler, invented by him, April 17, 1866. The squirrel-hunting match between Washington and Ray came off September 2. 1866. The whole number of squirrels killed was 1,680. Ray claimed 180 squirrels over their antagonists. The Bottomley hoop-skirt factory was inaugurated at Romeo in September, 1866. Pearsall's stage, running between Ridgeway and Romeo, was upset September 10. 1866, and each of the nine passengers injured. A barn owned by the Widow Pierce, of Washington Township, was destroyod by fire September 11, 1866. The day previous, the dwelling-house of Richard Jersey, two miles east of Romeo, was partially destroyed by fire. The Boys in Blue signed a declaration of unswerving fidelity to the Union, and reiterated their credo, "no rebel bread and butter in our haversacks," September 15, 1866. The great address to the followers of the Republican party of Macomb was issued in September, 1866, signed by Edgar Weeks, Irving D. Hanscom and T. M. Wilson. The Washington and Ray Wolverine Sporting Club met September 22, 1866, when 4,265 squirrels were killed, of which number the Washingtonians killed 2,149, and the boys of Ray, 2.116. The Soldiers' Convention was held at Brooklyn in October, 1866. The Johnsonian policy of reconstruction created some excitement throughout Macomb County in September and October, 1866. George Cameron and Barton Bromley broke jail at Mt. Clemens November 5, 1866. Charles G. Tinsman, of Washington Township, husked 122 bushels of corn in the ear out of the shock within ten hours, in November, 1866. In November, 1866, Col. William Wilkinson entered a suit for $10,000 damages against. Ira S. Pearsall, on account of injuries received while traveling in a stage coach owned by the defendant. The plaintiff employed A. B. Maynard and E. F. Mead as at torneys. A child of William H. Brabb was rescued from a terrible death by burning, owing to the timely arrival of his mother, November 18, 1866. The stage-drivers between Romeo and Almont and Romeo and Ridgeway, in 1866, were called drunkards. William McBride attempted suicide within the State prison December 9, 1866. The annual meeting of the Macomb County Agricultural Society was held at the house of Stephen H. Davis, at Brooklyn, December 13, 1866. Dwight R. Andrus, son of Loren Andrus, of Washington Township, was accidentally shot at Central City, Colo., in November, 1866. The wounds were not fatal. The poisoning of the Culver family at Ripon, Wis., was recorded December 25, 1866. The Culvers were formerly citizens of Washington Township. Daniel B. Briggs, of Romeo, was appointed Clerk to the House Judiciary Committee, in January, 1867. The Young Men's Association of Romeo was organized January 16, 1867. George W. Powell, a youth of nineteen years, hanged himself February 13, 1867. Degree Temple, Independent Order of Good Templars, was organized at Romeo March 2, 1867. A man named Armstrong, employed by Ignace Morass, attempted to cut his throat February 24, 1867, which act his employer prevented. Two days later, however, he succeeded in drowning himself. Henry Seals was driving a team, loaded with hay, past the Rice farm, February 25, 1867, when the wagon glided from the slippery highway into the ditch, overturning the load and burying his wife and infant child, who were seated on the hay, beneath it. The infant was drowned, while the mother barely escaped a similar death. Major Henry Howgate, who succeeded Capt. William Hulsart as Postmaster at Romeo, was superseded by Col. William Wilkinson, in March, 1867. A horse thirty-two years old was shot by the owner, Nathan Rowley, of Armada, in March, 1867. An infant child of Charles Howland received a feed of blue vitriol from its little sister, and died March 16, 1867. The $10,000 action for damages entered by Col. Wilkinson versus Ira Pearsall was settled amicably in April, 1867, by a payment of $1,000 and a free pass over the stage line for life by the latter. F. Pole, a stranger in Macomb County, was drowned in Cusick Lake, April 29, 1867. A lodge of Good Templars was organized at Washington Village April 30, 1867. The Good Templars' Convention was held at Armada, May 14 and 15. 1867. A German named Hartwig was accidentally killed at Clifton May 2, 1867. |