Washtenaw County Pioneer

Deforred from last week. -i-uu v iriMULuiiüw uuuiuy irioueer 00y held its annuul meeting at the court li use, Anu Arbor, 011 Wednesday, 3d. There was an attendanoe of about one hundred persons frotn different part of thecounty, notwith6tanding the hard rain storm whioh prevailed during the day. The pioneers were entertained by tho citizens at the Red Ribbon rooms, where a dinuer had been preparad for them. The committee appointed to report a list of offioers for tbe eusuing yeur submitted the following, who were olectod: President- Ohas. H. Wines, of Sylvan. Srfcrotary - Lorenzo Davis, of Ann Arbor Town. Corresponding Secretary and Necrologist - Chas. A. Chapín, of Ann Arbor. Treasurer- J. J. Parshall. Executive Committee- Jas. W. Wing, of Scio ; Plorus S. Fiuley, of Ypsilanti Town; A. K. Clark, of Saline; John J. Robison, of Sharon ; Horace Carpenter, of Ann Arbor. Vice-Presidents- Ann Arbor Town John Geddes; Ann Arbor City- R. A. Beal; Augusta -J. Webster Childs; Bridgewater- Maloolm McDougal; Manchester-J. D. Corey ; Lima - E. A Nordman; Soio - George A. Petera; Doxfcer Thomas Burkett; Freedorn- JohuG.Feldcamp.; Lyndon- John K. Yooum ; Sylvan- Samuel G. Ives; Lodi- Eli ard; Superior- L. L. Kimmel; Silein- Calvin Wheeler ; Northfield - Joseph Pray; Webster- Robert McColl; Ypsilanti Towa- Wm. Watling: Ypsilauti City - Wm. Wilsou ; Saline - lioriuau Niokoson ; Pittsfield- Grove Saunders ; York - A. H. Hotohkiu ; Sharon- James H. Fellows. A committee consisting of Lorenzo Davis, 0. H. Wioes, E. A. Beal, Hrs. N. H. Pierce, John Geddes, and J. D. Williams, was appointed to consider the feasibiiity of print ing a history of Washtenaw County. The committee will meet on the 27th inst. The rooms of the society in the court house were thrown open and the relies and document of the society were open forinspection. Thenaxt meeting of the Mociety will be held in Dextor Dc. 3. PAPER READ BY WM. lí. GKEG0KY OF SALINE. Yoars have passed sinoe the first meeting of our Wïishteuaw Ptoner org.mization. lts avowud object was a history of the county. Very few of us had expeoted that history would extencl (materially at least) beyoud the iirst purchase of goveruuient lands and the settleinent of our people of English descent upon those lands soine fit'ty years ago. Some material have boen gathered considerable has b,!en written but if I undergl ind our position, w are yet ciisUut f'roui oar object. A cioat, reliable and Buflioiently tuli tuodoru history even of the couuty we have not yet obUitie 1 Our men of etters had othor pursuits inore remunerativa taan this proinised to be. Our pioneera, the few remaining, were men of labor rather than of literature. Our plans have not alwuya been defiuite ; our lack of funda prevented the einployrneut of some gtrong miuded, original writer - a historian- who f rom the accessible materials inight conipose auch a volunio as we need - a volume which ahould commemorute more fully than hes yet been done the self-denyiug heroism of our pioneer women, mai.y ot' whom sank into premature graves frotn tho pressurfi of care, labor and exposure. Mauy more wero spared to oíd age to see their cbildren's children, rich cultivated townships, beautiful landscapes- but almost all are gone. A very few reinaii; they mark with interest our meetings and our progress although too infirm to cheer us with thmr preseuce. 1 would gladly name them ! We need a history which shall do justice to those noble women and men, also, who, under the inspiration of enterprise, patriotism, and humanity became the ad vanee guard to that wondertul wave of immigration, the ïnaguiticence of which has rarely been equalled in the movomeuts of men. The eignificance of which it will be diffiuult to coniprehend even by those who were sharers in its motives and results. The vaat majority of these men are dead ! The few remaining shrink f rom public labors or exhibitions, henee the small number of real pioneers who attend our meetings. So few, indeed, it has been suggested that to euliat more active mindsin our enterprise wo change our designatiou and be called " The Washtenaw Historioal Society." This is for you to dotermine. To arrange a history of Washtenaw county full and authentic: combiuing the clear, aolid, truthful facts with the classical aud romantic but woll substantiated incidents, a work that to evory successive generation shall become more and more attractive, -thia ia what we seek! May I add, such a work we neod and muot have ! The late Orange Risdon of Saline informed me that while engaged in the aurvey of the United States military road from Detroit to Chicago in the year 1824 old inhabitants of Detroit accompanied him. They stated aa a fact that one of the largest Indian villagos in the country had existed upon the Saline river at tlio aalt spring and its vioinity. That a trading post waa located here there can not be a reasonable doubt, and probably 20Ü years ayo. Dadley Miller, now dopart.prl, said, in plo '.ving tho first liol.l in this región, he Btruok the stoue foundations of "various buildings of different structure from the Indion: whethor they were the homes of tradors or tniêsiouarie we do not know. Ono thir.g i8 cerrain, the zeal of the Eouian Cutholio ohurch at this time equalled theeommfireialenterpriseof the Freiioh; they advanced totrother. Crosses of pare silver havo beon" turnod up at thin point. Mr. Norman Nickoson only last week unearthed a beautiful ono upou the site of the oíd departed town and npou the spot too where Wayne's anuy is said tú hve wintorej. Speakiug of Catholio zeal ; it wa admirable; leading soma to martyrdom rathor than desert tUeir old and "feeble couverts to tha vengeance of their cuemies. Soiuewhore in tbis eatern portion of our tto one vu boiled Dd tten by the eavget. Larga ron keltlei aied tfrs %go to boil ths lt water re gaid to bare rman ia by ! first exploran ince I820. Thee ksttlss are also said to hav beon buried in the banVe of the riyr by the Indians at the time of their western OUUfl. These and other historical statements roaehing fr back inlo obscure perioda of our national existeuce, need confirmation. Tho inhabitftnts of this county, more especially of thia particular portion, wili never accept as complete, a history in which theso statements and trnditions are not chronioled. Most of them can doubtlesa be esfnblisbed. "How; in what way?" istheiuquiry. By research, I reply. There are sjill lingering, aged Indiana wliose memories would possibly grasp the events of three-fourths of a century, whose kiiowledge of the languago would cast light pon obscure and unsettled questions. Who will find thom ? Among the old records of state and city oflicers in Detroit and Monroe, among the niissionary papers of those old Catholio ohurches, among tho carefully guarded papers of ancient Prench families, there must be stored away very much tbat would bear directly upon what might be termed our pro-hisioric age. Time is needed but while all will assist, one leading mind, and that one in liistorian's, must tuke the work in hand.