Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2021 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= USGenNet Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization.Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtainthe consent of the transcriber prior to use. ========================================================================= Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== History of Mason County, Michigan H. R. Page & Co., Chicago; 1882 -9- APPEARANCE OF THE FIRST WHITE SETTLER. In June, 1840, JOSEPH L. WHEELER entered a portion of the lake fronts, on Pere Marquette Lake, and in 1844 JOHN H. HARRIS entered thirty-seven acres at what is now called Free Soil Mills. In 1847, JOSEPH BOYDEN entered seventy-two acres fronting on Pere Marquette Lake, and the same year, CHARLES MEARS made his first entries of land at what is now called Lincoln. Some time in 1845 or 1846, a man named PORTER built a small mill at Free Soil Mills, and operated it for a little while. It afterwards burned down, and was not rebuilt until 1855, when FREEMAN and HOPKINS had it rebuilt, and Mr. S. K. HUTCHINSON CAME there in their employ to help rebuild it. When Mr. HUTCHINSON came there in 1855, there were but two persons living in that vicinity, a white man, named HOPKINS, and a negro woman, who had been his father's slave in Missouri. The region about Pere Marquette had been visited by white men, who came to hunt, fish and trade with the Indians for many years. As early as 1835, \VILLIAM QUIVILLON came here to trade with the Indians, but went away again, and did not retum until 1850 to remain, and in 1852 entered his farm, in what is now Summit Township. As early as 1846 there were white men temporarily employed up the Pere Marquette River, getting out shingles. The NORBURGS had a cabin up the river and were employed in this way. In 1845 BURR CASWELL came to Pere Marquette, and spent two seasons, most of the time fishing. One Winter he spent at Pent- water. In July, 1847, he entered the farm, which he still owns, and which is situated a short distance south of the Filer Mill. He im- mediately brought his family here and settled upon his land. It is held by some that the first settlement by white man with in the limits of what is now Mason County, was at Free Soil Mills. The operations at that point in 1845 or 1846, however, could hardly be called the beginning of a permanent settlement, as the mill built at about that time was only operated a short time, and after it burned nothing more was done until 1855, while at Pere Marquette a permanent settlement was begun in 1847, and for two years pre- vious to that time white men were at work in the woods on the river. There is no doubt but that the first actual white settler within the limits of what is now Mason County was BURR CASWELL He was born at Glens Falls, in the State of New York, in January, 1807. At an early age he learned the cabinet trade in his native village, and followed it for several years. In 1837 he was married at Glens Falls to Miss HANNAH GREEN. They remained at that place for a time, and then made several changes in the next few years. His health becoming poor, he tried trading on the lower Mississippi, and then came to Illinois and bought a farm in Lake County, where he lived six years. In 1845 he came to the region of Pere Marquette, as before stated, and in 1847 returned here with his family, which at that time consisted of himself and wife and four children, two girls and two boys. The girls were HELEN and MARY, who afterwards manied, the former SEWALL MOULTON, and the latter RICHARD HATFIELD. The boys were GEORGE A. and EDGAR B. CASWELL. GEORGE died in 1868, and EDGAR still resides in Ludington. Mr. CASWELL built a house of drift lumber, and began life among his dusky neighbors. He improved his farm as rapidly as possible, and worked some at lumbering. The Indians at once took a liking to him and were always his friends, ever ready to do him any favor or act of kindness. He remained on his farm until the death of his wife, in February, 1870, when he moved to Lndington, and had charge of a shingle mill for a time. In 1871 he was again married to Mrs. SARAH BILLINGS, and in 1873 he was given charge of the light-house at Big Point Sauble, and where he still remains. Nothing could be wilder and more uncivilized than the sur- roundings of the first family of white settlers. Their home was in the midst of dense wilderness, their neighbors a tribe of Ottawa Indians. There were two or three white men at work up the river, but there were no white settlers nearer than Manistee. The Indians introduced Mr. CASWELL into the mysteries of their religious rites, and were as friendly to the family as possible for them to be. Soon after Mr. CASWELL settled here the Indians changed their burying-ground to the spot near where the Filer mill now stands. The spot was enclosed with high pickets, and at night the Indians brought food, tobacco, pipes and trinkets, and placed upon the graves of their friends, for the use of spirits, which they believed returned at night. It was during 1848 that the Indian village was abandoned. The friction of a busy age is rapidly wearing away the green roofs of these early graves, and disclosing the skeletons and trinkets buried by the aborigines. The old apple tree planted by "GOOD JOHN’S" grandmother a century ago, still remains a faithful sentinel of historic ground, and a relic of days forever passed. In 1849 THOMAS SECOR entered forty acres at Free Soil mills, and the same year Messrs. BAIRD and BEAN built the mill at Pere Mar- quette, which ultimately came into possession of JAMES LUDINGTON. The building of this mill was the beginning of business at Pere Marquette. About this time CHARLES MEARS began operations at Black Creek, now called Lincoln. A log house aul blacksmith shop were first built. The dam that had been built was partially carried away in 1850, and work on the mill in process of construction delayed, so that it was not completed until 1851. In 1850 other white settlers began to come to Pere Marquette. RICHARD HATFIELD, DANIEL and DELOS HOLMES, J. F. PHILLIPS, WILLIAM QUIVILLON, WILLIAM WOODARD, and possibly one or two others came about this time, and most of them worked about the mill or at log- ging. CHAS. W. KING came soon after. In 1851 the mill was oper- ated by FARNSWORTH & BEAN. --------------------------------------------------------------------- -10- From 1851 to 1855 the mills at Pere Marquette and Black Creek, now Lincoln, gave employment to a number of men during the Summer, who during the Winter followed fishing. The few set- tlers who bought land, located on what is known as the Clay Banks. ===========================================================================