Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1837-02-08
From the Niles Gazette. Jar. II


"To,on and Country" Since our return
from the east, we have received number
of letters from friends in that quarter, with
whom we had not an opportunity of com.
municating verbally, and from others in
different parts of the country, requesting
information in regard to our village and Its
prospects and of the "St. Joseph country"
generrlly. The multiplicity of other mat
tiers to which our attention has been called
in the mean time, has precluded the posi-
bility of our answering all their inquiries in
the common course Of correspondence.
We therefore adopt the present mode of
giving the information asked for, hoping
that it will not only prove satisfactory to
our correspondents, but to the community
generally.
We shall endeavor to give a sketch of
the history Of our town, and Of the sur
rounding country, from its first settlement
to the present time. In doing this, we in.
tend our remarks shall be entirely free
from anything like local prejudice or over.
wrought description in favor of any partic.
uar section, as we had rather say too little
in commentator, than to mislead the
minds of people by exaggerated state
ments.
The county of Berrien is situated in the
south. western corner of the State bound.
ed on the north by Lake Michigan and the
county of Van Buren,, on the east by Van
Buren, and Cass, OH the south by the lndi-
ana line, and on the west by Lake Michi-
gan. The river st. Joseph, which is navi-
gable for steamboats,, runs through the
county from southeast to northwest. Be-
sides this there are many minor streams,
all of which furnish an unusual number of
mill privileges, which, with the uniform
and more than common fertility of the soil,
cannot but eventually make this one of the
richest counties in the state. The present
population of the county, will probably ex-
coed five thousand, being an increase since
the spring of 1895, of at least three thou
sand five hundred.
Niles is situated in the sonth.eust part of
the county, on the east bank of the ST. Jo-
seph, twenty-five miles from its mouth, (in
direct Iine,) $50 miles from Detroit, and
ninety miles from Chicago--on the Mail
Stage route between these two Places
Niles takes its name from Hezekiah Niles,
Esq. former editor Of Niles Register, in
Baltimore. The first tenement erected on
the present site was small log cabin, and
in 1929 frame house was put up, said to
be the Oldest one west of Tecumseh. AT
that time, there were few "squaters," on
the River above this place, and missiona.
~ family at what was called "Carey's Mis-
sion," on the west side of the River, about
a milo distant. For two or three years
these few families constituted the whole
population for many miles round. A few
traders came in about this time, and loca.
ted upon this spot as one offering some ad.
vantnges for trading with the Indians, be-
ing upon the point Of the river where they
usually crossed while on their way from
the "fnr west" TO Detroit and Fort Maiden,
TO get supplies and receive their annual
presents from the British government.
The Indian name Of the place was then
Poe-soa.tnge, !. G. Rapids, and in 1880,
Post Office was established, called the Pog-
wa-tinge Post Office, and a mail was brought
once in two weeks from Port Wayne, Ind.
ana.
No ono of that little community even