The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-31
Jurisprudence Of the True Northerner.
LOCAL HISTORY.

RciRg HecOtiecfiOns ana "Reminiscences
Of the Early settlers.
For our present chapter of reminiscent
ces and facts, we are indebted to Robert
Nesbitt, a well known citizen of Hamil.
ton, in this county. But few men have
evinced that extraordinary activity ard
perseverance under difficulties, and there
by attained eminent success, as the sub.
ject of our sketch.
He came into Michigan the Bird of
March 1927, then boy not yet fifteen
years of age; and commenced in Te-
cumseh, of course wild place, as it
was the end Of settlements and civiliza-
ton in Michigan. There he worked the
first summer in the settlement, at joiner
work, and then went to Adrian work
ing with a hearty will that no dullard
ever enjoyed Here the boy carpenter
laid the first floor that ever was laid
with sawed lumber, in the now flourish
ing city of Adrian, made five batten
doors, and finished buttery in the same
log house, for man by the name of
Bixby. In the fall of that year, he
went back as far as Ann Arbor, and 10.
Gated two eighty acre lots of land, and
remained there at work little over
year. In the summer of 1929, in COM
pany With an older brother, he rode all
over western Michigan and northern
Indiana, each of them on small In
dian pony, looking land, and finding to
them, the most desirable location. They
did not see a white family during the
time; and only occasionally white
man who was on the same errand they
were. The Nesbitt brothers finally con-
Guided to locate some land by pre.emp-
zion on the west side of Big Prairie
Ronde, five miles north west Of School
craft probably in the present town of
Brady, then unorganized. In July
1880, their parents came there from
ireland, the boys had log house COM
pleted for their reception, where the
family lived several years, in the neigh
borhood of an Indian settlement of over
Ave hundred inhabitants including wo-
men and children. They were all friend
y and reliable when SOBER
As soon as the Nesbitt family arrived
in the settlement, one of the squaws
called at the house and made Mrs. Nes-
bitt a present of ham of dried veni-
son, as guarantee of friendship. This
tribe of Indians never used butter or
milk but "cocoche" (pork) was their ia
yorite food. Mrs. Nesbitt gave her
visitor a generous piece, with which she
vas greatly pleased and their friend,
ship from that time was firmly estab-
lshed. At times they INDUCED freely
in whiskey and had great sprees, which
sometimes lasted several days. Know
ing that their whiskey riots deprived
them of common sense they used the
precaution to keep two of their number
sober to look after the interests of the
bacchanalians, and when quiet was again
restored, these two sentinels would have
their bender on whiskey reserved for the
occasion. Some of our more respect
able (?) whiskey rings might take q
hint from this practice, and often save
themselves the disgrace and expense of
broken furniture, glass sware, &c., and
not unfrequently of broken limbs and
heads. W only venture this as sug-
gestion to white savages, not presuming
to dictate, for we are aware that most
people feel happier when they act out
themselves and not another.
In 1882 the Indian Black Hawk war
broke out Mr.. Nesbitt and three broth.
ers were ordered out to bear arms. The
Indians in this settlement surrendered
their arms to the whites, on condition
that they should be furnished with sup
plies of provision at home, where they
peaceably remained true to their word,
and did not disturb the property of the
whites. These pioneers turned their
cattle, horses and hogs, into the grass
on the prairies, buried their clocks, and
other valuables, and prepared with OK
en- and wagons, to move away. The
Nesbitt family were gone only three
days, when they returned to their home,