The period has passed away forever when the once philosophic phrase--a thousand years scarce serve to form a State, could be used with propriety. The same may now be said of history. The busy activities of our days, the march of progress, the wonderful advances of science and art, contribute to the realization of ideas, and crowd into a period of fifty years a greater number of remarkable and important events, than fifty decades of olden times in the Eastern World could offer to the chronicler. Therefore, the compilation of history is not only justifiable, but also essential. It is the enduring record of years that can only through it be recalled. of men who will be honored by the American manhood of this and coming generations.

This work is dedicated to the people of Macomb County. With the exception of the first part, the history of Michigan, it is distinctively local, and as such must be considered a magnificent record of a worthy people. The work of the French and American pioneers of Macomb extends over a century. Within that period, they have raised it from its primitive condition to the rank of one of the first divisions of the State-cultivated its wild lands, built its villages and towns and brought into existence two important centers of population-Mt. Clemens and Romeo. They transmuted the marsh into firm earth, removed the forests, and decorated the river banks with happy homes and fertile fields. It is difficult to point out precisely the men who were foremost in contributing to this result: all share in the prosperity of the county, and take a special pride in its advancement; each citizen has experienced the luxury of doing good, and feels that life is not now a mere shadow of a dream. The alarms and anxieties attendant on the pioneer life have been changed to certainties and happy greetings. Those who saw the primeval forest waving over the land, lived on through the days of its destruction to see the clearings covered with the houses of merchants and manufacturers, or the fields and homes of a prosperous people. They wear the honors which justly belong to them; while those who died, obtained a glimpse of what they labored for before passing away, and live in the memory of the present. The pioneers who are gone beheld the budding desires of younger days expand into the flower, and, seeing, went to the undiscovered land beyond the grave, leaving their memories and their deeds to be carried down the stream of time.

In these pages, an effort has been made to treat the history of the county in a full and impartial manner. Doubtless a few inaccuracies may have crept in; but such must be attributed to other causes, rather than carelessness. In regard to the pages devoted to personal history, a large sum of money, much labor and time have been expended on them. Even after the personal notes taken by the township historian were rewritten, and in many instances submitted, this very copy was placed on type-writer and mailed to the person concerned for revision. The biographies given here, together with their collection, would necessitate the steady work of one experienced man for five years. The collection of such facts as appear in the State and County histories, would entail on an inexperienced writer ten years' steady work, while the compilation of township histories, as they appear

here, would doubtless occupy the attention of such a writer for a year. Within a few months, this work has been begun and completed. Notwithstanding this remarkable celerity, it will be evident that little or nothing, which should have a place in its pages, has been omitted. It will also be evident throughout that the writer of the general history, as well as the gentlemen who collected the biographical notices, have realized the simple fact of undeserved praise being undisguised satire. In some instances, this realization may have led to too brief references to many men, an account of whose lives might occupy many pages.

The plan of this work is specially adapted to a great record book. All things pertaining in general to the State are dealt with in the State history, and form, as it were, an introduction to the county history. The latter is carried down from the first Otchipwe invasion to the present time, treating fully and impartially every subject of general interest to the people. So with the cities and the villages-they have been very liberally sketched; while each township has just sufficient notice given it to render its history a most valuable record for the future.

We have been ably assisted in the work by the members of the county press. The written sketches of Judge James B. Eldredge, Edgar Weeks, John E. Day, Rev. H. N. Bissell, Dr. Hollister, were all requisitioned and yielded up a mine of historical information.

The reminiscences of early settlement were selected from the writings of members of the pioneer society, while the numerous anecdotes were written from facts obtained from the old settlers.

To the county officers our most sincere thanks are offered-first, for placing their well-kept records at our disposal; second, for the material aid rendered in searching old record books, and lastly, for the genial courtesy which marked their intercourse with us on all occasions.

To Chauncey G. Cady, George H. Cannon and John E. Day, members of the Historical Committee of the Pioneer Society, we desire to extend our thanks for the deep interest which they have taken in the work, as well as recognition of their faithful labors on the Committee of Revision and Correction.

The gentlemen engaged in the biographical department of the work were H. O. Brown, in Bruce and Washington; W. M. Bucklin, at Romeo; E. B. Belden, in Ray; F. A. Stitt, in Sterling; Thomas Mitchell, in Harrison and Erin; William Dicer, in Shelby; Jesse Cloud, in Utica; George T. Mason, at Mt. Clemens City; S. A. Stinson, in Chesterfield; John E. Day, Secretary of the Pioneer Society, compiled the general and biographical history of Armada and Richmond Townships; Horatio N. Richards. of Lenox, and Calv.n Davis, of Macomb.

The support extended to the history was not so general as it should be; yet we feel satisfied that the quality of our subscribers compensates in a great measure for the loss in number, by rendering our book so excellent in its biographical features. While the work deals with the county generally, it has, from a historical standpoint, been written expressly for those who supported it. The very few among the intelligent classes who did not order a book cannot now obtain a copy from us. To all we have given a history, which we believe is perfect in detail, and from the patrons of the work we ask only a careful perusal of the various chapters before their criticism.

CHICAGO, July, 1882.

M. A. LEESON.