The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-03
Correspondence Of the True Northerner.
LOCAL HISTORY.
Heins' RNCOkectiOns and "Reminiscences
Of the Early settlers.

bSiHs hFCOfPctIOHS ana HPmiHISCFHcfS
Of the Early settlers.
At the close Of the last chapter we partly
promised to speak Of some scenes enacted in
former times on that beautiful sheet Of water
called Christle's Lake. one that we call to
mind was related of two young men returning
home from pleasure excursion, and to short
en- distance attempted to cross the lake in a
lesky boat which was caulked with rags. They
were warned Of their folly before starting by
Mrs. Christie, but they thought that they we're
abundantly capable of taking care O, them
Selves and accordingly turned the prov of the
little boat seward" Mrs. Christie took q
slightly seat on the shore and watched the re-
suit. Two Of her daughters. one Mrs, Hurl-
burt now Of South Haven, and her sister. were
out at the samo time fishing and riding for
pleasure on the quiet waters. The boys had
got about midway in the lake, when their In
efficient craft became disabled by the caukne
washing away and the boat filing with water
The cries OF the frightened crew arrested the
attention Of the girls on another part Of the
lake, and they applied their oars in haste and
went to the rescue. They reached the wreck
just In time to take them from the sinking boat
into their own, and bore them in safety to the
shore while the mother almost held her
breath in fear and excitement. We regret
that we are unable to give your readers the
names or these young men, or TO lnporm them
whether or not, now they have reached middle
sgo, they are advocates OF womans rights
We are safe at least in the assertion, thai they
we're grateful for their dehversIce from dro yn-
ing.
For the facts in the following "reminiscences
we are indebted to Major Heath, row q resi-
dent OF the township OF Bangor. He had
made three or four visite to this wilderness
territory before he fully made up his mind to
leave all ola associations and make home
here. His former residence was in Rodman,
Jefferson County, n. Y. From this place he
visited Michigan the first time as early Is 1926,
making his stopping place, for a few days only,
at Ann Arbor, where he visited an old friend,
Aaron Barney, afterwards a resident OF Ham
ilton in this county. From Sackett's Harbor
he came as far west as Lewiston in o steam
boat. and then went overland to the mouth of
Tonawanda Creek, where he embarked on the
famous canal boat Red Jacket for Buffalo-this
was the first canal boat that he ever saw, tho
he bad heard much discussion on the feasibility
OF the project which was sneeringly called De
Witt Cllntons ditch, by the numerous weak
kneed family OF Holdbacks. By the way, the
Holdbacks are not all dead yet. They are Just
as ready with their dish OF cold water TO throw
on every enterprise that bespeaks improve
ment in the arts, sciences, and mechanism. "a
they were when the grand project of the Erie
Canal was first conceived. They are OF the
same race who applied the respectful epithets
Of "fool, and madmau," to the immortal
Robert Fulton, because he had the impudence
to behave that he could propel boat with
steam at the astonishing rate OF four miles an
hour; about the same speed an old lady would
travel on foot.
WE'LL We pass by that era in our history and
try to keep pace with the times that have gone
by. The subject OF our sketch went through
with the exciting scene OF visiting the three
Ihayer brothera, the murderess Of John Love,
while confined in their cells in the city prison
at Buffalo; which was about q week before
their execution. Major Heath intended to
witness the awful scene, but he could not en-
dure 1T, after seeing the unfortunate brothers.
From Buffalo TO Detroit the journey was per-
formed on the old steamer Superior" 9th
ers OF his acquaintance in old Jefferson county
joined him at different points on the route
until the party numbered four persons--Capt.
Levi Heath, brother of the subject OF our
sketch, Dennis Waite and Vim. Hurd. At De-
troit the -four men hired two Indian ponies at
dollar day each, and took turns riding them
to Ann Arbor, the journey being performed in