CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

THE GREAT TRANSFORMATION

WONDERFUL COUNTRY OF LAKES-CASS AND ORCHARD-REMARKABLE
NATURAL PHENOMENON-THE LAKE ORION REGION-SUMMER RE-
SORT FEATURES-TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES-AS A FARMING AND
LIVE STOCK REGION-FEATURES OF THE TRANSFORMATION.

1

CHAPTER II

GENERAL PHYSICAL FEATURES

SURFACE AND ELEVATIONS—IMMENSE DRIFT AND FORMATIONS BENEATH
AND CLIMATE THE SURFACE GEOLOGY

-SOIL

COUNTY.

OF OAKLAND

9

CHAPTER III

INDIAN AND PRIMITIVE RECORD

ORCHARD LAKE AND THE GREAT CHIEF PONTIAC-The Legend of Me-
NAH-SA-GOR-ING— -PRIMITIVE TILLAGE AND INDUSTRIES-CONTACT
WITH KNOWN TRIBES-SCARS OF BATTLE-C. Z. HORTON'S CONTRI-
BUTIONS—INDIAN CAMPING GROUND AND CEMETERY QUEER CUS-
TOMS THE PASSING OF WE-SE-GAH.

19

CHAPTER IV

FIRST SETTLERS AND LAND OWNERS

GREAT SET-BACK TO SETTLEMENT—OAKLAND COUNTY'S FIRST SETTLERS
-THE MACK COLONY OF PONTIAC-"UNCLE BEN" WOODWORTH—
-FIRST SURVEYS-LOCATIONS UNDER THE "TWO DOLLAR” ACT—
THE "TEN SHILLING" ACT-GREAT EVENT FOR THE PIONEER LAND
OWNER-TOWN OF PONTIAC SETTLED ORION AND OXFORD-ROYAL
OAK AND TROY-AVON AND WHITE LAKE-SPRINGFIELD AND GROVE-
LAND FARMINGTON AND WEST BLOOMFIELD-WATERFORD AND IN-
dependence—BRANDON, SOUTHFIELD AND BLOOMFIELD.

27

CHAPTER V

PICTURES OF THE PAST

HERVEY PARKE COMES TO OAKLAND COUNTY-BLOOMFIELD AND ROYAL
OAK IN 1821-INFANT VILLAGE OF PONTIAC-GOVERNOR WISNER AND
HIS MULLET STORY-BECOMES HORATIO BALL'S ASSISTANT-JOSEPH
WAMPLER'S ASSIGNED TERRITORYA SURVEYOR'S HARDSHIPS-RE-
TURNS WITH HIS FAMILY-BIRTHPLACE OF JOHN H. PARKE-HOME-
STEAD AT Last-SurveyS FROM PONTIAC RUNNING LINES UNDER
DIFFICULTIES-FRESH TRAILS OF THE BLACK HAWK WAR-BETWEEN
SAGINAW BAY AND LAKE HURON-SURVEYS IN BLACK HAWK Reser-
VATION, IOWA-ANOTHER IOWA CONTRACT-CAPTAIN PARKE'S RE-
CAPITULATION-RECOLLECTIONS OF BENJAMIN O. WILLIAMS-INDIAN
Near Death-Dear Old OAKLAND, THE BEST OF ALLA PICTURE
OF MEMORY (BY JOHN M. NORTON)—ADVENT OF THE PIONEER-.
RAILROAD AS A FUN-MAKER-THE LIFE BEQUEATHED BY THE PI-
ONEERS FIFTY YEARS AGO AND NOW (BY S. B. McCracken) —
CONTRASTS OF LIFE—“GRANNY" MCCRACKEN-FATHER AND MOTHER
MCCRACKEN--THE SCHOOLS OF FIFTY YEARS AGO-MORMON VISI-
TATION OF 1832-AUBURN AND THE YOUNG PIONEERS.

CHAPTER VI

REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS AND "DAUGHTERS"

37

COUNTY'S FIRST SETTLER, A REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIER-THE GRAHAM
FAMILY NATHANIEL BALDWIN-GEORGE HORTON-STEPHEN MACK
-COLONEL MACK'S FAMILY-JOSEPH TODD AND PARTY—【THAMAR
SMITH WILLIAM NATHAN TERRY-JOSHUA CHAMBERLIN AND
ENOCH HOTCHKISS-ELIJAH DRAKE EZRA PARKER JEREMIAH
CLARKE BENJAMIN GRACE-CALEB BARKER MERRELL-LEVI GREEN
-JOEL PHELPS ELIAS CADY-SAMUEL NILES-SILAS SPRAGUE-
ESBON GREGORY-ZADOCK WELLMAN-CALEB CARR-HOOPER BISHOP
-DERRICK HULICK CALEB PRATT SOLOMON JONES - LYDIA
BARNES POTTER JAMES HARRINGTON AND JACOB PETTY-JOHN
BLANCHARD-ALTRAMONT DONALDSON-JOSEPH VAN NETTER
BENJAMIN BULSON-NATHAN LANDON-GENERAL RICHARDSON
CHAPTER, D. A. R.-THE REVOLUTIONARY GRAVES MARKED-MEM-
BERSHIP OF THE DAUGHTERS

72

CHAPTER VII

PIONEER RECORDS

COUNTY PIONEER SOCIETY FOUNDED THE SUPERVISORS' PICNICS-BET-
TER PRESERVATION OF RECORDS-SOCIETY INCORPORATED-PIONEER
WOMEN-OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY-PIONEER RELICS IN THE COL-
LECTION OF THE SOCIETY

99

CHAPTER VIII

DEVELOPMENT OF JUDICIARY

TERRITORIAL SUPREME COURT-OLD DISTRICT COURT-COUNTY COURTS
- CHANGE IN SUPREME COURT-CIRCUIT COURTS AND JUDGES-THE
“ONE-HORSE” COURT-UNDER THE 1850 CONSTITUTION—A SUM-
MARY-UNDER THE PRESENT CONSTITUTION.

CHAPTER IX

THE BENCH OF OAKLAND COUNTY

110

COUNTY COURTS AND JUDGES-PROBATE COURTS AND JUDGES CIRCUIT
COURTS AND JUDGES THE COURT OF CHANCERY CIRCUIT COURT
COMMISSIONERS.

CHAPTER X

THE BAR OF OAKLAND COUNTY

117

DANIEL LEROY-WILLIAM F. MOSLEY-THOMAS J. DRAKE-ORIGEN
D. RICHARDSON-GIDEON O. WHITTE MORE ROBERT P. ELDREDGE—
SETH A. L. WARNER-WILLIAM Draper-RanDOLPH MANNING-
CHARLES DRAPER-RUFUS HOSMER-GEORGE W. WISNER-ALFRED
H. HANSCOM-GOVERNOR MOSES WISNER-AUGUSTUS CARPENTER
BALDWIN JOHN S. GOODRICH-LEVI B. TAFT-HESTER L. STEVENS-
MICHAEL E. CROFOOT-HENRY M. LOOK-MARK S. BREWER-LIVING
MEMBERS OF THE BAR-JUDGE THOMAS L. PATTERSON-JOSEPH ED-
WARD SAWYER-George W. SMITH-ROBERT J. LOUNSBURY—Aaron
PERRY-DANIEL L. DAVIS--KLEBER P. ROCKWELL-ARTHUR R.
TRIPP-ELMER R. WEBSTER-JAMES H. LYNCH-JOHN H. PATTERSON
-F. L. COVERT-HENRY M. ZIMMERMAN-ANDREW L. MOORE—H.
H. COLVIN-PETER B. BROMLEY.
126

CHAPTER XI

BACKWARD GLANCES AT BENCH AND BAR

JUDGE CROFOOT'S RECOLLECTIONS-BENCH AND BAR PRIOR TO 1840 (BY
JUDGE BALDWIN)-CHIEF JUSTICE MOORE'S PICTURES-AARON
PERRY'S CONTRIBUTIONS.

CHAPTER XII

CIVIL AFFAIRS OF THE COUNTY

158

FIRST OFFICIAL ACT-COUNTY SEAT FIXED-ORIGINAL TWO TOWN-
SHIPS-PRESENT BOUNDARIES ESTABLISHED OAKLAND COUNTY
UNDER THE TERRITORY-TERRITORIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-LEGIS-
LATION AFFECTING TOWN AND COUNTY-TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT
ESTABLISHED FIRST SUPERVISORS' MEETING SOME EARLY ASSESS-
MENTS CIRCLE OF TOWNSHIPS COMpleted—RosTER OF COUNTY
OFFICIALS-ASSESSMENTS AND TAXES POPULATION FOR NINETY

YEARS INCORPORATED CITIES AND VILLAGES-THE COUNTY COURT
HOUSES-Cost of CountY BUILDING—Present Court House—THE
OAKLAND COUNTY HOME COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE
POOR.

CHAPTER XIII

OAKLAND COUNTY IN STATE POLITICS

188

QUESTION OF LAND TITLES-GOVERNOR CASS BRINGS STABILITY-
CHAMPIONS OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS-THE STATE CONSTITUTIONS—
OAKLAND COUNTY'S PART IN CONSTITUTION MAKING-DOCTOR RAY-
NALE, DELEGATE TO 1835 CONVENTION-SENECA NEWBERRY, DELE-
GATE TO 1835 AND 1850 CONVENTIONS-STATE OFFICIALS, ELECTED
AND APPOINTED TERRITORIAL COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES-SPEAK-
ERS AND CLERK OF THE HOUSE-MICHigan Legislators from OAK-
LAND COUNTY—STATE Senators-STATE REPRESENTATIVES—DIS-
TURBANCES OF WAR ISSUES.

CHAPTER XIV

THE COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM

214

BASIS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM-CENTRAL UNIVERSITY AND BRANCHES
-FIRST ACADEMIES IN OAKLAND COUNTY-HEADS OF THE COUNTY
SYSTEM-REMAINS A PERPETUAL FUND DUTIES OF THE TEACHER
OF TODAY-STANDINGS REQUIRED DISTRICT LIBRARIES HIGH

SCHOOL SCHOLARS-DISTRICT SCHOOLS OF THE COUNTY-PRESENT
STATUS OF SCHOOLS.

CHAPTER XV

MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION

227

FIRST OAKLAND COUNTY HIGHWAY-OTHER ROADS ESTABLISHED IM-
PROVEMENT OF THE CLINTON RIVER-FIRST MICHIGAN RAILWAY
CHARTERED DETROIT & PONTIAC RAILROAD COMPANY-FINALLY
COMPLETED TO BIRMINGHAM-DETROIT & MILWAUKEE RAILWAY
COMPANY-ESTABLISHMENT OF PRESENT SYSTEMS-COMING OF ELEC-
TRIC LINES THE GRAND TRUNK SYSTEM-THE MICHIGAN CEN-
TRAL-PERE MARQUETTE RAILROAD DETROIT UNITED RAILWAY—
SUMMARY.
234

CHAPTER XVI

BANKS AND BANKING

OAKLAND COUNTY'S FIRST BANK-THE "WILD-CAT" BANKS-ONE
"SAFETY FUND" BANK-NATIONAL BANKS IN THE COUNTY-THE
STATE BANKS-PONTIAC SAVINGS BANK-THE OAKLAND COUNTY
SAVINGS BANK-FIRST COMMERCIAL BANK OF PONTIAC-THE AMERI-
CAN SAVINGS BANK-FIRST STATE SAVINGS BANK OF BIRMINGHAM
FARMINGTON EXCHANGE BANK-ROCHESTER SAVINGS BANK-HOLLY
SAVINGS BANKS--FARMERS' STATE BANK OF OXFORD-ROYAL OAK
SAVINGS BANK-THE ORION STATE BANK-STATE SAVINGS BANK
OF SOUTH LYON.

242

CHAPTER XVII

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

PIONEER CONDITIONS-PRIMITIVE STATE OF MEDICAL PRACTICE-ALLO-
PATHIC PRACTITIONERS PRIOR TO 1837-DR. WILLIAM THOMPSON,
FIRST PHYSICIAN-DRS. OLMSTEAD AND JOHN CHAMBERLAIN—Dr.
EZRA S. PARKE-DR. CYRUS CHIPMAN-DRS. LAMB, LAMOND AND
ALGER-DR. JOHN C. EMERY-THE OLD COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY
—ALLOPATHIC PRACTITIONERS FROM 1837 TO 1866-THREE EARLY-
TIME HOMEOPATHS-PRESENT COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY-PONTIAC
MEDICAL SOCIETY-PRESENT PRACTITIONERS.

CHAPTER XVIII

WOMEN'S INFLUENCE IN THE COUNTY

249

WHAT WOMEN Have Done for Oakland COUNTY (BY Martha Bald-
WIN)-WOMEN'S WORK IN PONTIAC-THE PONTIAC CITY HOSPITAL
-PONTIAC PUBLIC LIBRARY-WOMEN'S LITERARY CLUB OF PONTIAC
-THE ROUND TABLE CLUB-WEST SIDE READING CIRCLE-WOMEN'S
CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION-BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY—
BIRMINGHAM LITERARY CLUB-GREENWOOD CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
-LADIES' LIBRARY ASSOCIATION OF HOLLY.

CHAPTER XIX

MILITARY MATTERS

259

OAKLAND COUNTY SOLDIERS OF THE WAR OF 1812-NAPOLEONIC SOL-
DIERS EARLY MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS-THE MEXICAN WAR-
THE WAR OF the RebellION-FIRST MICHIGAN INFANTRY-SECOND
INFANTRY-GENERAL I. B. RICHARDSON-THE SECOND REGIMENT-
THIRD INFANTRY-THE FIFTH INFANTRY-SEVENTH REGIMENT-
EIGHTH AND NINTH INFANTRY REGIMENTS THE TENTH INFANTRY
-DEATH OF ADJUTANT COWLES-THE FOURTEENTH INFANTRY-
THE FIFTEENTH AND SIXTEENTH-TWENTY-SECOND INFANTRY-
GOVERNOR MOSES WISNER-TWENTY-NINTH INFANTRY-THIRTIETH
INFANTRY AND "MECHANICS AND ENGINEERS"-CUSTER'S MICHIGAN
CAVALRY BRIGADE—THE EIGHTH CAVALRY-NINTH AND TENTH
CAVALRY REGIMENTS MICHIGAN LIGHT ARTILLERY-ONE HUN-
DRED AND SECOND UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS-MILITARY
MATTERS OF LATE.

271

CHAPTER XX
VILLAGE OF PONTIAC

COLONEL MACK'S COMPANY-FIRST PONTIAC SETTLERS-WORKS OF
MACK, CONANT AND SIBLEY-COLONEL'S MACK, FATHER AND SON-
SETTLERS OF 1822-1836-COUNTY SEAT AND COURTHOUSE—TOWN-
SHIP ORGANIZATION-THE VILLAGE OF AUBURN (AMY)-PONTIAC
VILLAGE INCORPORATED-EARLY TRUSTEE MEETINGS REAL EState