The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-10
Correspondence Of the True Northerner.
LOCAL HISTORY.
HCiwS' R6cOiiPctfOns and "Reminiscences
Of the Eariy settlers.


Look around you, reader. at the improve
ments in agriculture, horticulture archi 4eeture
and the fine arts, and reflect what the citizens
/ of Van Buren, County are doing now to make
their homes attractive and pleasant, and carry
your minds back IN contrast 10 forty years ago.
and try to think what they had in the way Of
small beginnings to wort from. They had one
essential requisite - SUCCESS aud that was per-
severance wlt4out it the primitive forest tress
would have been cked IN each others limbs
now; their tall forms resting IN the very
clouds shelter for the owls, wolves, and bears
as in those bygone days. when the first axe was
LAID at their roots. We are yet lingering in
retrospect on the banks Of the sluggish waters
of Brush Creek and the more restless Paw
Paw. near where the unpretending but thrifty
village Of Lawrance is Carrying out It's daily
round OF industries. The extreme fertility of
the soil in this locality and the superior advan-
tage OF the water privileges, seemed 10 make it
head centre for the emlgrant in the olden
time. 1t was three miles above Lawrence on
the bank of Brush Creek, that Hamilton Phelps
made his first permanent location in Michigan,
In 1888. Previous to this, however, in the year
1880, MIR Phelps ana his brother Nelson started
from thur home in Park man, GeauSa County,
Ohio, and went as far west as Cleveland in pur-
suit OF new location, being yet quite unde-
cide6 vh Their to bend their steps towards the
st. Joseph country, then called III Western
Michigan, or to Southern Ohio both wider
ness countries. Before reaching Cleveland
they talked the matter over, canvassing proba-
bilities, and listened TO all tho accounts that
came within their hearing from both places
Without any positive kno Wedge OF either To-
cality they agreed by Hamllton's suggestion, TO
set up stick. and, by the magic of it's falling,
take their hint of the direction to their untried
fortunes. The fates Of the experiment OF the
stick falling in q we-terly direction decided
their misgivlngs aud they came to the st. Joe
county; from Cleveland to Detroit on the old
steamer "Walk ia the Water" There they
fell IN company with seven other young men
westward boupd. The nine walked together to
Ypsilanti and blstered their feet, and they
we're so much swollen and inf AIMED that they
could not get their boots off until an appllca-
ton Of whisky was made. This was in the
HlOutu Oh April ana the clay muQ was nearly
knee deep, making the journey of pedestrians
extremely uncomfortable. They took the first
stage that ever went over that read from ps-
llantl to Tecrmseh At flat remote period
Tecumseh was the end OF the western world.
a Gtore. blacksmith shop, a few dwellings,
including hotel, all just buit, made up tho
centre aud suburbs OF that city.
Where there was place to stop between tie
long intervals OF travel, our entrants had
good fare, as farmers had begun 10 raise some
produce TO spare. They bred = msu and two
horse team to carry them from Tecumseh to
Jonesville, q distance OF forty mil 30. They
forded safely Raisln River and made an unsuc-
cessful attempt to cross the hesd waters of
che Grand River. In the middle OF the stream
they got swamped in tho quick aud, and their
horses sank almost out OF sight. By cutting
the harness on the horses were liberated. and
the wagon backed out bv the united strength Of
tho nine young men. At this point Of pro-
ceedure their teamster refused TO carry them
farther, though their journey Was but half sc-
osuplshsd- While he vas making propsrs-