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The people of today can scarcely realize the immense amount of lumbering done in the county for many years. The varied and various branches of that industry; hie in the logging camps where men toiled from dawn to dark measuring their accomplishments, not by the eight-hour day but by the possibilities of their efforts. The stories of the cooking, the river driving and the "drives" would all be interesting to the inhabitant of the county today. In the beginning of lumbering here as elsewhere only the cream of the timber was brought to the mills, leaving the rest to be wasted in the fires of later years. In order to give some idea of this industry we give the following statement of the log crop of 1874:

Thomas Snell & Co - - - - - - - - 2,000,000 feet

Bay Port Salt & Lumber Go. - - - - - 500,000 feet

F. Crawford - - - - - - - - - - - 12,000,000 feet

E. and J. Erskine - - - - - - - 4,000,000 feet

Ayres, Learned & Co - - - - - - - 1,000,000 feet

R. B. Hubbard & Co - - - - - -- - 5,000,000 feet

W. R. Stafford - - - - - - - - - - 1,400,000 feet

Hick & Fuller - - - - - - - - - - - 600,000 feet

Pack Jenks & Co - - - - - - - - - 3,000,000 feet

other parties, small lots - - - - 2,000,000 feet

Total 36,000,000 feet

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The log crop of 1873 was 80,000,000 feet. All logs were floated down the various rivers to the saw mills. Much of the success of getting the drives down depended upon the amount of water in the river in the early spring. All lumber camps were situated upon the banks of creeks or rivers. The logs were marked with the initials of the owners in readiness for the drive in the spring.

SHINGLE MANUFACTURING

The manufacture of shingles was also an important industry. The shingle mill of Puddock & Co., at Verona, had a-record of making 35,000 shingles per day. The amount of wages paid to employees in the village of Caseville during 1874 was over $7,000 per month.

We find that the earliest location of land in the county was made by Aaron G. Pier, then of St. Clair, on June 18, 1839.

Probably the longest continuous ownership of land is that of the T. J. Philp farm on section 36 Verona township. This land was taken by Mr. Philp's father in 1857 and has been owned and occupied by the family ever since.

The land the county buildings are on was taken by Richard Winsor in 1863 under a land warrant issued to a soldier for service in the war of 1812. The last patent issued in the county was to Richard Gwinn, September 25, 1907, covering land at the foot of Sand Point in Caseville township. It was signed by Theodore Roosevelt, then president of the United States.

FIRST SETTLERS IN THE COUNTY

The first settlers in the county were John Allen, Alanson and John Daggett in the spring of 1837 at Rock Falls, just below Sand Beach. They had a saw mill there. The first school was opened in Port Austin with Emma

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Smith as teacher, As the county began to be settled school districts were organized, log school houses built and a three month term of school secured in the winter. In the earliest times the teacher boarded around. Then the terms lengthened to five months. Finally some of the more progressive districts had a summer term of three months also. The studies generally taught were the three R's, reading, 'riting, 'rithmetic and a little grammar sprinkled in. No language lessons in those primitive times.

A BIT OF CHURCH HISTORY

The history of the various churches in this county is co-extensive with the history of the county itself. Following the example of the early missionary and with something of the spirit of the heroic age of Methodism, in the pioneers of that church in the face of the most obstinate difficulties penetrated the dense forests, forded rivers, waded swamps and carried the "bread of life" to the cabins of the very first settlements of the Huron Peninsula. As early as the year 1854 the Methodist minister followed the trail of the lumbermen and laid the foundations of Methodism. Among those heroic men might be mentioned, Varnum Tuttle, Campbell, Bird, and others to whose zeal the church of the present day owes much of its standing and influence. The first circuit extended from Lexington to Bay City and included White Rock, Rock Falls, (now Harbor Beach), Port Hope, Huron City, Port Austin, Port Crescent, Caseville and other early settlements along the shore.

No sooner had some Catholic families settled in the county than that church sent them a man to keep alive in their hearts the eternal truths which they were apt to neglect in the wilderness. By their united efforts they were enabled to build the first church at Port Austin to which belonged 50 families.

The first Baptist church was built at Sand Beach. This society was organized in 1874. In 1882 it had a

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Membership of 191 1 . A . society was organized at both Port Austin arid Verona in 1875. The forest fires destroyed many of the houses of worship owned by the Baptists in 1871 and 1881 but with commendable energy and self-sacrifice they rebuilt larger and more commodious buildings.

The first Presbyterian church in tile county was organized at Grindstone City tinder the direction of the Presbytery (it' Saginaw by Rev. B. B. Woods, of Indianapolis, July 30, 1871. On August 6, 1871 the first Presbyterian church of Port Austin was organized by the Saint party. This latter church- soon after called Rev. E. P. Clark to its pastorate. During his stay of five year, the membership increased to 50 arid they built a large and substantial house of worship with the aid of the Presbyterian board of church erection. Rev. W. W. Smythe, the Episcopal minister at Port Austin, opened many of the missionary stations of that church in Huron county. The fire of '81 did much to retard tire work of this denomination.

Some of the first roads were, built along the sand ridges to escape the swamps and bogs. Such was the old Sand Ridge Road from Sebewaing to Harbor Beach over which a stage coach carried mail and passengers for several years. This was the swiftest means of inland travel. No railroads, telegraphs or telephones or even a daily newspaper, in those good old days. After nightfall the land was lighted by tallow candles. The mower and harvester were unknown. Instead they had the scythe and cradle and to thresh, the flail. The man who could make a good ox yoke was in demand. The settler's equipment consisted of axe helves, beetles and wedges for rail splitting, handspikes for rolling logs. Harrows were made from the crotches of trees. Often men preferred to work in the saw mills rather than clear land for farms which was much harder work and would not bring them money for a long time. Much of the land was low and swampy with no way of draining it. Potatoes were the principal crop as they could be planted between the stumps.

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The climate was thought to be too cold for corn. The stock rambled at will through the woods. In many places the marshes proved to be a veritable God-send to the settlers for here he secured his hay for winter. Men would go to these marshes before daylight in order to cut a swathe around the portion they wished to secure.

THE COMING OF THE RAILROADS

A great event in the history of transportation was the coming of the railroads before which the people had to depend upon water routes for practically all transportation for many years.

The first train to enter the county came over the Port Austin and Northwestern R. R. on September 23, 1880. The Saginaw, Huron and Tuscola R. R. was built as far as Sebewaing in 1883 and the next year extended as far as Bay Port Quarries. The work on the Pontiac, Oxford and Port Austin R. R. was commenced in 1881 and completed in 1883. The road now belongs to the Grand Trunk System, while the other roads mentioned are the property of the Pere Marquette.

The first meeting of the board of supervisors was held at Willow Greek, now Huron City. Hiram Whitcomb was the first justice of the peace in the county, receiving his appointment from Sanilac county.

FIRST COUNTY OFFICERS

The first officers of Huron County were Robert Irwin, clerk; Wesley Armstrong, sheriff, H. Gallup, prosecuting attorney and Samuel Lander, treasurer.

Records of the first meeting in the county were destroyed by the fire so it is impossible to give a full report of the election of 1860.

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SALT MANUFACTURE

The manufacture of salt was started at Port Austin in 1863. Later there were wells at Port Crescent, Caseville and Port Hope.

Among the things which led to the settlement of the county was the passage of the Graduation Act in 1854. Many of the settlers located their land under this act. Wild lands in Michigan and other states had been on the market for 20 to 40 years without a purchaser. This condition of affairs was brought to the attention of the Congress of the United States and after due deliberation an act was passed to reduce, the price of lands on the market for 20 years or more, the price to vary from $1.00 to 12 1/2 cents per acre, according to a graduated scale, governed by the length of time, the land had been on the market. Many of the early settlers thus obtained their land for 25 cents per acre.

Huron county is favorably located. The map reveals that it has the longest shore line of any county in the state with deep waters upon three sides. This water stretch, constantly in motion and coming in contact with the surrounding atmosphere modifies the climate both in summer and winter. Indeed it is a notable fact that the Huron Peninsula enjoys the most delightful autumns of any portion of the whole country. This gives all kinds of fruits and cereals ample opportunity to mature. Its summer resorts, are fast, becoming noted for the excellent bathing facilities. Tourists come from many places to spend their vacations here.

Agricultural interests have steadily developed, the pioneer gradually giving place to the more advanced farmer and the land which was once only considered valuable for its pine timber has been transformed into excellent farms. The soil and climate are well adapted to the raising of wheat, oats, barley, peas, beans, sugar

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beets, corn and potatoes and most kinds of vegetables, while apples, pears, plums and other fruits are successfully grown.

MARVELOUS CHANGES

The changes that have taken place in the past half century are marvelous. To call this region wild in that early period is to state the fact tamely. Wild beasts roamed the forests and the thick growth of trees shut out the sight of the sky except in the little clearings around the primitive homes. With pleasure and satisfaction we can look back to scenes of pioneer life and contrast them with. the present. As these men laid the, foundations, firm and deep, so must their sons and daughters carry on and build them up to their final consummation of glory and usefulness.

Some one has said that "the pathway they carved out has become the highway upon which the world is traveling, bearing in its train the civilization of the twentieth century, laden with the love of liberty and freedom." In the late war the boys of Huron county did their part in securing freedom not only for this country but for the world. The early pioneers were conquerors not only of men but of nature itself. Through persistent and courageous efforts they subdued the wilderness and made the comforts of civilization possible for the people of today.

(MRS.) FLORENCE McKINNON GWINN

Pigeon, Michigan.

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