country. The family household goods, with everything that would bear transportation, were boxed up in anticipation of leaving the next morning, the last washing preparatory to moving was done and the clothes hanging on the line to dry, when the house was approached by about 200 Indians. Mrs. Rowe, in common with the rest of the family, was frightened, and she well remembers as though it had occurred but yesterday, of escaping and concealing herself in the garret behind some old barrels. Resistance was useless, and Mr. Mulhollen was compelled quietly to submit to their ransacking the whole house, and with their tomahawks chopping open the boxes in which the goods were packed and appropriating everything to their own use, leaving the family destitute; pouring a quantity of tea on the floor for which they had no desire, in fact did not know its use.

Mr. Mulhollen and Egnew were captured, but soon released by Colonel Proctor. Immediately thereafter they, with their families, fled by small open boats, following the meanderings of the river to the lake, then following the shores of Lake Erie to Cleveland, camping by night on the shore and during the days when the lake was rough, and after many days of fatigue and suffering reached their destination.

When rowing along the border of the lake opposite Sandusky, Mrs. Mulhollen with a young child (Samuel, now living in Toledo) was nearly exhausted from exposure, and called attention to some burning embers on shore, and in compliance with her request they rowed ashore that she might, by the fire, make a cup of tea. She had but stirred up the fire and placed the teapot on the embers when they were amazed by the sight a few feet from the fire, of some ribbons which they recognized as having left in their house on the River Raisin. American scalps were then valuable to Indians, and knowing they had left these ribbons at home but a few days before, they concluded they were followed by Indians, who were probably lying in ambush awaiting their landing. Leav ing the teapot on the coals, they immediately sought their boats and with all haste shoved out into the lake and pursued their journey.

They remained in Ohio about sixty miles west of Cleveland, about two years, then returned to the River Raisin to find everything destroyed on the farm, fences burned and

naught remaining but the log house, which gave many indications of barbarous usage.

At this time and for many years thereafter, the land between First and Front streets, adjoining Monroe street on the west, was occupied as a burying ground, and a number of our citizens well remember the time when the bodies were exhumed and removed to the old cemetery between Sixth and Seventh streets, on the west side of Monroe street.

Mr. Mulhollen sold, reserving a few lots on Monroe street, his farm to Messrs. Anderson and Kirby, officers of the United States Army, and invested proceeds in wild lands in the county and State, purchased a large farm about two miles south of Monroe on the turnpike, where he resided until the time of his death, which farm was inherited by his son Daniel. The old homestead remains in the family.

July 3, 1805, Governor Hull, by proclamation, established the District of Erie, a portion of which constituted Monroe county, embracing the strip on the south of the width of ten miles, which was subsequently the cause of strife, and gave rise to the bloodless Toledo war.

On the 3d of July, 1805, the first United States District Court was held by Chief Justice Augustus B. Woodward; Frederick Bates, Associate Judge; George McDougall, Clerk; Solomon Sibley, Elijah Brush, attorneys and counselors, at the house of Jean Baptiste Jercaume, on the north bank of the River Raisin, below where the Canada Southern Railroad crosses the river in the eastern part of the present city of Monroe. The Grand Jury called at that session consisted of John Anderson, Francis Navarre, Israel Ruland, Ethan Baldwin, Alexander Ewing, Isidore Navarre, Jacques Navarre, Joseph Francis Mouton, Robert Navarre, Joseph Dazette, Joseph Jobin, John B. Lasselle, Barney Parker, Jean Chavet, Samuel Ewing, Samuel Egnew and Joseph Pouget. Well do I remember as a lad the familiar faces of most of these courteous French gentlemen constituting the first grand jury. Two years thereafter the demoralizing influence of liquors gave rise to the only presentment made by the grand jury against "those persons having license to sell whisky, deserving the intervention and authority of the court that they might be restrained from selling on the Sabbath."

During the year 1807, the Indian title was relinquished to all the lands in the county of

Monroe, excepting a tract of three miles square known as the "Macon Reserve," which was subsequently ceded by the Indians to the Catholic Church of St. Ann, Detroit, the title to which was subsequently acquired by the Hon. Isaac P. Christiancy, and called the Christiancy tract.

When war was declared, June 18, 1812, it was impossible for Americans to remain with any degree of safety, and for six weeks thereafter it was necessary for the wives and children of the American settlers to spend their time in the stockade or fort, on the premises now occupied and owned by Major Edward C. Chapman on Elm Avenue. So intolerable was the annoyance and danger, the Americans with their families fled to Ohio and Kentucky, the French to Detroit and Canada, and for the following three years this portion of the State was deserted. Immediately after their flight Col. Proctor ordered the stockade burned and destroyed, through fear it might fall into the hands of the American forces.

During the next three years mails, however, were regularly carried from Detroit to Sandusky, by the Indian trails, weekly, and three years after tri-weekly, by Francis Cousino, of Erie, and Mr. Barron, of LaSalle, contractors, on French ponies, who performed their trips with great regularity and speed when we consider there were no roads or bridges across the streams. Their approach to each postoffice on the route was announced by blowing the oldfashioned tin horn. Persons traveling then to or from Michigan timed their departure by these mail carriers, whom they followed as guides.

One after another of the families who had fled before the war of 1812, returned during the years 1816, 1817 and 1818 to Frenchtown, the principal settlement on the north side of the River Raisin. All of the stores and trading-posts were on the north bank of the river, on the front of the Campau, Godfroy and Lacroix farms, now occupied by residences of Louis Lafontain and E. B. Lewis, and the flourishing nurseries of Messrs. Reynolds, Lewis and Ilgianfritz. A strife then arose for the location of the county-seat on the site of Frenchtown on the north side of the river, but the proposition of Joseph Loranger to locate in town of Monroe in consideration of his granting public grounds, with streets and alleys, was accepted, and the county-seat was established

on the south side of the river, the present site of the city of Monroe.

It was during the three years that Daniel Mulhollen, Samuel Egnew, General Levi S. Humphrey, Lorin Marsh, Daniel S. Bacon, Col. Oliver Johnson, Samuel Felt, Almon Chase, Alcott Chapman, Thomas Wilson, Luther Harvey, Henry Disbrow, Dr. Harry Conant, Walcott Lawrence, Seneca Allen, Robert Clark, Col. Taylor and Col. Charles Lanman, names now familiar to our older citizens, came as the pioneers of Southern Michigan.

In 1816 Dr. Horatio Conant (uncle of exSecretary of State Harry A. Conant) settled at Maumee, and was appointed by Governor Cass Justice of the Peace. In 1819 Seneca Allen held a commission from the Governor of Ohio as Justice of the Peace, with jurisdiction over the disputed territory, and notified Dr. Conant that he must not attempt to do any business under his commission from the Governor of Michigan. But Allen, in December, 1819, had an engagement to marry a couple on the north side of the Maumee river. The river was high, full of running ice, and very unsafe to cross. Conant lived near the bank of the river on the Maumee side, Allen near the bank on the Perrysburg side and nearly opposite. Allen, finding it impracticable to cross to fill his engagement, called to Dr. Conant across the river and requested him to marry the couple. The doctor reminded him (Allen) of his former prohibition to act under his commission, but Allen insisted, on the ground that "necessity knows no law." Dr. Conant married the couple, and received. for his marriage fee a jackknife.

July 14, 1817, Monroe county was established, then including all of Lenawee and a portion of the present counties of Wayne and Washtenaw, and the county court was required to be held at such place not exceeding two miles from the house of Francois Lasalle, on the bank of the River Raisin (the site being the present residence of Peter Melosh), as the court might designate. September 4, 1817, the town of Monroe was established and made the countyseat of Monroe county. In December of the same year, provision was made for the construction of the first court house, on the southwest quarter of the public square, a little in front of the present site of the First Presbyterian Church. The second story of the court house was used for the court, while the east part

We

in pride of ancestry. Many of the first colonists belonged to the ancient nobles of France, retired officers and soldiers. Several of their descendants still preserve their name and tradition. The commandants at Fort Pontchar train at Detroit all belonged to distinguished families, and many bore historic names. find in every branch of the Navarres, whether in Florida, Canada, New York or Michigan, the tradition of a descent from the King of France. These old traditions were handed down from generation to generation, and can still be found in the remotest branches.

Glimpses of their domestic life become more valuable, as our knowledge of their manners and customs is very limited.

On New Year's eve a number of young men, masked, went from house to house singing a peculiar song, suitable for the occasion; the host and hostess brought out bundles of clothing, provisions and sometimes money, and filled the carts of the minstrels. These contributions were afterwards distributed among the poor.

On New Year's day the exchanging of presents was very universally followed; also the making of calls. The fair hostess always presented her rosy cheek to be saluted by the callers. The right of precedence was strictly observed, the oldest persons always being first and the officers according to rank. The wives of the English officers at first objected to the custom of being thus saluted, but soon adopted the style, though in trying to improve it, rather vulgarized it by kissing on the lips.

New Year's morning every child knelt to receive its parents' blessing, and even when married hastened with husband and little ones to receive this coveted benediction. The children were all sent this day to visit all their relatives. On entering a room room "Bon jour, Monsieur," "Bon jour, Madame," was the usual greeting of every French child to its parents. Children, constantly seeing the respect and deference their parents paid to their elders, soon acquired that graceful courtesy and affability of manners which is so distinguishing a trait of the old French habitant.

Mardi Gras evening was one of unusual mirth and enjoyment with the easy-going, funloving inhabitants. "Vives les crepes," the tossing of pancakes, was an old custom handed down.

A large number of guests were invi

ted to the house and all repaired to the spacious kitchen. cious kitchen. The large open fire-place with its huge hickory logs brilliantly illuminated the room. Each guest in turn would take hold of the pan with its long handle, while some one would pour in the thin batter, barely enough to cover the bottom of the pan. The art consisted in trying to turn by tossing it as high as possible and bringing it down without injuring the perfection of its shape. Many were the ringing peals of laughter that greeted a failure. The cakes were piled up in pyramid shape, butter and maple sugar placed between each layer, and formed the central dish in the substantial supper which took place later. After supper dancing commenced and at the first stroke of twelve all saluted the host and hostess and took farewell of pleasure until Easter, Lent being rigidly observed. The festivities of a wedding lasted for several days. The marriage bans were published for three successive Sundays in church, and formed the all-absorbing topic of conversation. Marriage was then a serious undertaking. Divorces were unknown among them.

At the betrothal the marriage contract was signed by both parties, their relations and friends. The health of the newly married couple was drunk in many a bumper. This signing of names and stating professions or occupations on cupations on the marriage certificate and church register was a usual custom. As soon as the marriage ceremony was over each one got into his cariole, calash or cart, according to the season, and headed by the newly wedded pair, formed a procession, and passed along the principal streets, then racing, if roads were suitable. Dancing and the great supper took place at the home of the bride. The bride opened the ball with the most distinguished guest-the stately minuets and graceful cotillions, French four, with fisher's hornpipe and the reel, concluding by filing into the supperroom by twos. Knives and forks were brought by each guest-often a spring-knife that would close and be carried in the pocket, or a dagger-knife suspended from the neck in a sheath.

Adjoining the kitchen was the bake house. The oven,built of brick, was generally plastered over with mortar. In the center was a wooden trough, in which the bread was kneaded. The front door always opened into the parlor. The

latch was raised by means of a long strip of buckskin hanging outside. Whenever the inmates were out no one, not even an Indian, would enter, to do so being considered a breach of hospitality. The clothes were taken to the river bank to be beaten with a mallet, the use of pounding barrels and clothes wringers being then unknown. The spinning-wheel was constantly used by the women; they made a sort of linsey woolsey which was the principal cloth used. The making of straw hats was the principal occupation of the children and maidens during the winter evenings.

The horses used were better known as Canadian ponies. The French were passionately fond of racing on the ice in the winter, and Saturday afternoons in the summer months in fair weather large numbers met for what we would now term scrub races commencing at the residence of E. P. Campbell and running to Macomb street, on the river road on the south side of the River Raisin. This was the resort for many years Saturday afternoons for fun and frolic. When horses of greater pretensions for speed and bottom, and for racing greater distances, came from Detroit, the Rouge or Maumee, the race grounds in front of the Jean Bt. Cecott (now Bisonette farm), one and onehalf miles above Monroe, on the north side of the River Raisin, were resorted to, affording a mile of track well adapted for racing.

The whipping post was common in Michigan. The post in Monroe was on the public square in front of the First Presbyterian Church, and many now living remember the scenes there enacted. Colonel Peter P. Ferry as justice of the often sentenced offenders to the post, and peace John Mulhollen and Miles Thorp applied the lash. The thrashing was generally effectual, and in most cases, those punished felt the disgrace of being publicly whipped on the bare back so keenly that they generally left for parts unknown, glad to escape from Monroe.

The facts in relation to the early settlement of the River Raisin are every day becoming more and more difficult to obtain, and after the older residents now living are gone--and they are rapidly passing away-the difficulty will be greatly increased.

September 10, 1822, Monroe county was established as it now is, including the "disputed territory," but attached to it was the present county of Lenawee. June 30, 1824, the seat

of justice for Lenawee county was established at Tecumseh, but the county was not fully organized until November 26, 1826. All suits then pending before the Monroe county court were to be considered before that court.

April 19, 1825, Laplaisance Bay Harbor Company was organized by Colonel John Anderson and seven others, and was the harbor for Southern Michigan until the completion of the Government canal in 1842.

December 25, 1826, our delegate in Congress was instructed to protest against any change of the southern boundary of the county-a premonitory symptom of the Toledo war.

As before stated, about 100 French families settled on the River Raisin in 1784, and from that time settlements spread with considerable rapidity to Otter Creek, about five miles south, and to Stony Creek, about four miles north, and Swan Creek, nine miles northeast. So that, as appears by the subsequent grants of donated tracts to these settlers under the act of Congress, March 3, 1807, which confined the right to such grants to lands occupied and in part improved prior to July 1, 1796, these settlements must, prior to the last named date, have extended all along both sides of the River Raisin almost continuously for eight or nine miles, and a few isolated tracts a little further up and along both sides of Otter Creek, from near the lake to some four miles into the interior and along Stony Creek. These early settlers, for the sake of security and protection from the Indians, had settled very near each other along the River Raisin and other streams mentioned, clearing only a small portion of But as the land in front along the stream. act of Congress confined each claimant to the lands the front of which he improved, and allowed him any quantity up to 640 acres, requiring him to pay the government surveyor for surveying his tract, several remarkable results followed: First, to get any considerable quantity of land each would be compelled to take a narrow tract, thus making up the quantity by extending a greater or less distance back from the river or stream. This resulted in ribbonmaking the tract of each a narrow, like piece of land, fronting on the stream. Second, as the claimant had to pay the government surveyor for surveying his claim, and most of the settlers, in the honest simplicity of those days, could see no use in extending