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farm by the division fell to Mr. James Mulhollen, and the east to Samuel Egnew. The site of the first log-house is now occupied by the German Catholic school house, opposite the "Isle of Patmos," formerly the residence of Charles James Lanman, and subsequently that of George B. Harleston, adjoining the German Catholic church. The roads on the north and south borders of the River Raisin followed the meandering of the river for ten miles west. The site of the village (now city) of Monroe was at that time occupied as farming land, and ten years thereafter was platted by Joseph Loranger into village lots.

Of the family of nine children, five were born before the removal to the River Raisin; one of whom, Jane, died at the age of fourteen.

Polly, who married Otia Stowell, for many years resided on what is known as the Bacon lot, on Monroe street, now owned by Elizabeth Custer, widow of the late General George Custer.

Eliza married James Cornell, who followed the trade of a carpenter in Monroe. He purchased a farm on the United States turnpike leading from Monroe to Maumee, about eight miles south of Monroe,erected a two story brick house, the first in the town of Erie, and for many years kept a hotel.

John Mulhollen, son of James, for many years and until the infirmities of age disqualified him, was a very daring, courageous and efficient executive officer of the city and county. He married for his first wife Abby Choate, and for his second wife the widow of Silas Lewis, one of the pioneers of the county.

James Mulhollen purchased and resided upon to the time of his death, a farm about seven miles south of Monroe, upon which James, one of his sons, still resides.

Four children were born after the arrival of James Mulhollen on the River Raisin, viz.: Samuel, Sarah, Aurilia and Daniel.

Samuel, who married Miss Gager, of Monroe, purchased a farm one mile south of Vienna, which is under a high state of cultivation; was very prosperous and quite prominent as a politician in the town and county. One of his daughters married the Hon. Christian Hertzler, for many years supervisor of the town of Erie and member of the State legislature. His daughter Cora married Dr. Brigham, a practicing physician of Toledo.

Aurilia married Sylvester Brown, a very successful farmer of eminent piety. In his old age they sold the farm and purchased a residence in the city of Monroe, where they lived the remainder of their days.

Sarah married John P. Rowe, a gentleman of culture, a graduate of Middlebury College, who for some time after he arrived at the River Raisin, taught a very popular school in Monroe. He was very industrious, energetic and persevering, and accumulated a large fortune, owning at the time of his death a number of valuable farms in Erie. Their only daughter married George Kirtland, and is now a widow, residing on a highly cultivated farm four miles south of Vienna inherited from her father. Their only son, Charles Rowe, is like his father in many respects. He is the owner of a number of farms in the town of Erie, has an elegant brick residence near Vienna, with all modern improvements, capacious barns, very valuable improved stock of blooded cattle and horses, to which he has given much time and attention. He married Sarah Kinney, of Pennsylvania. They are highly esteemed as neighbors, and deservedly popular as citizens. Mrs. Sarah Rowe, the mother of Charles, was a lady of cultivation and refinement-eminent for her

piety and Christian virtues a very liberal contributor to all charitable purposes, espe cially in the interest she manifested in the prosperity of the First Presbyterian church of Erie, of which she was one of the early members and founders. To the building of the new brick church and parsonage she very liberally contributed. Her removal by death in the spring of 1887, aged over eighty years, was mourned by the citizens of Eric and Monroe, who appreciated her worth and Christian character.

Daniel Mulhollen, the youngest son of James Mulhollen, inherited from his father the homestead farm, situated two miles south of Monroe on the main road from Monroe to Toledo. He resided thereon up to the time of his death, at the age of seventy-four years. He was a very successful farmer. Married Elizabeth Choate, of Monroe. Had a family of eight children. The.son Daniel married Selena Iveson, owns the farm directly south of the old homestead, and has built a handsome and spacious twostory brick house, with fine barns, and is regarded as one of the best and most prosperous

farmers in the county. They have two children: Allen, aged 16; Gertrude, aged 9.

JAMES BENTLEY

Was born November 5, 1784, in England; was a soldier and fought in the battle of Copenhagen, but deserted in August, 1803, and came to the River Raisin, joining the American army under Captain Isaac Lee. He enlisted the same day with the "Robb boys," neighbors on the farm next adjoining on the west (the Downing farm). James Bentley, immediately after the surrender of Winchester's army, with sixteen others joined Harrison's army at Maumee, and fought at the battle of Fort Meigs. While stationed at Fort Meigs ho frequently ran the gauntlet with others to procure water for the fort from the river. Surrounded as it then was by the British and Indians, it proved very hazardous, as many thus employed were picked off by Indians concealed in ambush. He was regarded as very courageous, and was often sent on the most hazardous enterprises in carrying orders from post to post through the then vast wildernesses of Ohio and Michigan. He carried the mail from Maumee to Detroit, sometimes on horseback by the Indian trails, and often in a canoe with an Indian to paddle the boat. He fought at the battle of the Thames, and saw the body of the Indian chief Tecumseh soon after he was killed by Colonel Richard M. Johnson, assisting James Knaggs and Medard Labadie in carrying Colonel Johnson from the battlefield when wounded. During the war the same trio captured a British officer, McCulloch by name, on account of which a reward of five hundred dollars was offered for the capture and delivery at Malden of each of them.

James Bentley was married in 1816 to Amanda Barker, who came to River Raisin in May, 1815, with her step-father, H. Brooks, in an open boat from the Huron river. Stephen Downing, father of Nelson Downing, now in Montana, accompanied them on their boisterous and dangerous trip. James Bentley was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1817 he settled on the farm in the town of Monroe commonly known by the family name as the "Bentley farm," and lived

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thereon until his death, which occurred August 13, 1864, leaving four sons and six daughters. Samuel A. Bentley was born in 1819; now resides in Allegan, Michigan. James was born August 14, 1822; now resides in Kent county, Michigan. John was born September 18, 1824; resides at Rock Falls, Illinois. William, born January 15, 1839, resides at Ipswich, Dakota. The oldest daughter, Tryphena, was born in 1817; married Harlow P. Hawkins, who resided until very recently on his farm on the Plaisance Bay road, near the city of Monroe. Clymene Bentley was born January 11, 1827; married Robert Clark, now living in Lasselle, in Monroe county. Mary M. Bentley, born in 1829, married James M. Martin, now residing in Monroe. Emmie, born February 18, 1832, resides with her mother in the city of Monroe. Amanda, born April 9, 1841, married William Stoddard, the son of one of the pioneers, Orson Stoddard. Eliza was born September 25, 1844; married Jabez Smith; resides at Saline, Washtenaw county, Michigan.

JACQUES LASSELLE,

Brother of Colonel Francis and Antoine Lasselle, was the most enterprising and shrewdest Indian trader of the three brothers, and became by far the wealthiest man in the Territory outside of Detroit. He always had in his employ a large number of Indians, half-breeds and Canadian Frenchmen. Some forty loghouses were built by him on the north side of the River Raisin, about five miles above the then town of Frenchtown, now city of Monroe, on the land known as the Caldwell tract. As late as the year 1836 forty-five farms, mostly on the north and south banks of the River Raisin, were owned by Mrs. Major Caldwell, inherited from her father, Jacques Lasselle. At an early day quite a controversy arose between the settlers located on the Caldwell tract (it being quite a village) and those on the banks of the River Raisin (constituting now the city of Monroe) as to where the first Catholic church should be placed. A compromise was effected by locating it midway between the two on the Momonie and Hivon farm, two and a half miles above the city.

The Lasselles were natives of Montreal, allied and related to the celebrated explorer and ad

venturer, Robert De La Salle, prominent in all histories and sketches of the early explorers and adventurers in the north west territory. The Lasselles made all their purchases at Montreal for stocking their trading-posts and stores with goods and merchandise for traffic with the Indians, and transported them by large pirogues and canoes, or small boats manned by four or six half-breeds and Frenchmen. On one of the return trips Mr. Jacques Las· selle accompanied his two daughters, Marie Antoinette and Julia, to Montreal, and placed them in the convent, where they remained a number of years and returned very attractive and accomplished young ladies. Julia married a Mr. Percy, died young and without issue. Marie Antoinette inherited the large fortune of her father, and married Major Caldwell, an officer of the British army. It is said by the early settlers that he was (with what authority I cannot state) an officer under Colonel Proctor at the battle of the River Raisin. Major Caldwell retired under half pay from the British Government on the farm four miles west of the present city of Monroe. He was a very courteous, refined and cultivated gentleman of elegant leisure, unaccustomed to labor, and spent the most of the latter part of his life in his library; also made extensive collections of minerals, birds and Indian relics. Well do I remember how wonderful and interesting the collection appeared to me, having never before as a boy witnessed anything to me so marvelous. The eldest daughter, Adeline, married the late Hon. Frank Johnson, who was for years before his marriage employed by Major Caldwell as a private teacher in his family. The major had a large family of sons and daughters; all of those now living reside in the county of Monroe. Mrs. Caldwell lived to a good old age, and died at Monroe Dec. 31, 1881, one of the most accomplished ladies of her day. Charles H. Caldwell, a grandson of Major Caldwell, resides in Monroe, and is now associated with the office of the Monroe Democrat, published in this city, and at this time clerk of the county of Monroe.

ANTOINE LASSELLE,

One of the earliest Indian traders before the War of 1812, settled on the farm on the north side of the River Raisin, and built the first two

story brick residence in the settlement. The farm was owned for many years and known as the Noyes W. Wadsworth farm; the latter gentleman set out the maple trees that constitute the beautiful grove in front of the Ives farm (so called), now owned by the Hon. Samuel P. Williams, of Lima, Indiana.

COLONEL FRANCIS LASSELLE

And his brothers Jacques and Antoine were the earliest Indian traders in this vicinity. Colonel Francis settled on the farm on the north side of the River Raisin commonly known as the Humphrey farm, now owned and occupied by the heirs of the late Hon. David A. Noble. His store was in a log-house on his farm, situated on the north border of the river, on the north side of the road the road in those days following the bank of the river. well remember him as an exceedingly courteous old gentleman, with a very pleasing address. His beautiful and accomplished daughter married the late David Navarre, son of Francis Navarre, and father of Frank Navarre. The latter has been for many years and is now the deservedly popular baggagemaster at the Lake Shore depot in this city.

JAMES MOORE

came to the River Raisin in the year 1809, and settled upon the farm known as the Gale farm. He had but one child, Martha, who inherited the farm. In the summer of 1812, he, in common with the Americans on the River Raisin, escaped to Ohio. At the time of his escape the country south of the River Raisin was infested with Indians, and communication with Ohio intercepted. Mr. Moore, with his wife and daughter, took a northerly course on horseback; swam their horses from Trenton to Grosse Isle, pursued by the Indians. Previous to leaving, the Indians had plundered the house of everything excepting a set of silver spoons. Mr. Moore and his family escaped from Grosse Isle in a bark canoe, paddling along the lake shore until they reached Cleveland. He returned with his family to the River Raisin in 1814, with Messrs. Samuel Mulhollen and Egnew. Mr. Moore died in 1826; his wife

survived him until the year 1842. His daugh ter married, late in the fall of 1817, Samuel Gale, who subsequently sold the east part of the farm to the county of Monroe. He was a millwright, and built most of the mills on the River Raisin. Died in the year 1848. The west part of the farm was afterwards sold by the estate to the county of Monroe, and is now known as the poor-house farm.

Samuel and Martha (Moore) Gale had eleven children: William P. Gale, the father of Austin Gale; the latter now resides in Monroe, a very successful teacher in vocal and instrumental music. Mary, who first married Mr. Frisbee, to whom Edgar and Emma were born; she subsequently married Luther Bisbee; Nellie was the daughter of the second marriage. Hibbard, who married and had three children; moved to Wisconsin, and from thence to Kansas. James, now deceased, has three children living at Ludington. Jerusha and Martha died unmarried. Joseph Gale married Mrs. Harrington; now residents of Monroe. Nathan lived on the homestead farm, where he died, leaving five children, who now reside in the State of New York. Lydia married Henry Younglove, and resides on the farm on the south side of the River Raisin, in Raisinville, on the east part of the farm known as the Farwell farm. Henry was shot in a battle near Richmond in 1864. Franklin was killed at the battle of Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862.

SAMUEL EGNEW,

In consequence of the contests in Ireland be. tween the Orangemen and Defenders or Ribbonmen, felt the necessity of seeking a home elsewhere. He came to America, and first settled in Steuben county, in the State of New York, where James Mulhollen resided, who had preceded him about ten years. In 1806 he came to the River Raisin with James Mulhollen, who had married his daughter, Sarah. They together purchased at six dollars per acre the tract lying between Monroe street and Smith street, the German Catholic church property being on the west line, and fronting on the river, and extending south to Plumb Creek, comprising the eastern part of the first ward of the city of Monroe. This tract was divided, Egnew taking for his part the west

half, and James Mulhollen the east half. Jared, the son of Samuel Egnew, a prosperous and highly esteemed farmer, is now living in the town of Erie, for many years an elder in the Presbyterian church of Erie. Samuel Egnew was a very courageous and energetic pioneer, and for some time prior to and during the War of 1812, enjoyed the confidence of American officers, and frequently carried messages and orders between the different posts of the American army.

JACQUES NAVARRE,

Brother of Colonel Francis Navarre, joint owner with him of the large tract ceded by the Pottawatomie Indians by deed, a fac-simile of which may be found opposite page 94, occupied that portion of the tract which adjoins, and is bounded on the east by the Hull road, now Lake Shore railroad, which he occupied to the time of his death. Mrs. Mary Ann Navarre, widow of the late Mr. Jacques Navarre, was born in Detroit, and was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lafertier, one of the oldest and most respectable French families of that city, and therefore participators in many of the thrilling scenes incident to those early times in the frontier of Michigan. Her husband was a brother of the late Colonel Francis Navarre, and was one of several brothers of the Navarre family, who, by their valor and manly daring in the defense of our country against the enemy in the War of 1812, have given their name a conspicuous place in the history of that war and of Michigan, and by their high sense of honor in their private dealings with men, as well as by their warm hospitality in sharing their home comforts and social pleasures with the weary traveler and pioneer of the West in their early times, have endeared their memory to the old inhabitants of River Raisin and Detroit, and secured for their descendants a high respect from all who knew them. Mrs. Navarre died October 20, 1863; she was a very fine old lady, much loved and esteemed by a large circle of friends and relatives for her kind and amiable disposition and Christian devotion to her church. Those of us who knew something of the courtly manners and social characteristics that distinguished the early French of Detroit and River Raisin, note with sadness their rapid

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