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This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book
may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages,
poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the
original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We
believe this work is culturally important, and despite the
imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of
our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works
worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in
the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.
MICHIGAN TRAILMAKERS BY HENRY OEMAL SEVERANCE, Litt. D., LIBRARIAN
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI Author of History of the Library University
of Missouri. FOREWORD by FREDERICK BLACKMAR MUMFORD, Dean of the
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Missouri ANN ARBOR GEORGE
WAHR, Publisher 1930 Copyright 1930 By GEORGE WAHR MADE IN U. S. A.
FRANKLIN DEKLEINE COMPANY PRINTER AND BINDERS LANSING, MICHIGAN
DEDICATION THIS WORK IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE PIONEERS AND
TRAILMAKERS WHOSE LIVES AND DEEDS HAVE HELPED TO MAKE MICHIGAN A
GREAT STATE. FOREWORD THE historian who can accurately record the
ideals, ambitions, and achievements of the pioneers is rendering a
distinct public service. The second and third generations following
the original settlers have builded upon the character foundations
of the pioneers. The remarkable development of the United States
and the sweep of its population from the Atlantic to the Pacific is
one of the most romantic and moving pages in all history. The
fundamental causes of the peaceful occupation of a continent are to
be found in the rugged characters, integrity and tireless industry
of a pioneer race. The author of Michigan Trailmakers has made a
real contribution to our knowledge of this era. The account is the
more valuable in that it places before us the intimate, daily lives
of the early settlers. Their enthusiasms, their labors, their
pleasures, their devotion to religious ideals are very clearly
recorded in this interesting record. FREDERICK BIACKMAR MUMFORD,
Dean of the faculty of Agriculture, and Director of the
Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Missouri. PREFACE
THE purpose of this story is to put into perma nent form a picture
of the earlysettlement of south ern Michigan, particularly the
section embraced in the limits of Oakland County. Charles is a
repre sentative of this period and section. The story of his
settling in Commerce township, the clearing of the land, the
erection of the log house and barns, the raising of crops with
primitive tools such as the cradle, scythe and the three cornered
harrow, are typical of all the others. The story includes an
account of how the early settlers lived, what they ate and what
they w ore, the rearing of children, the organization of the
district schools and the church relations and the social activities
such as sports and games and bees, courtship, marriage and the
like. After the settlers became established on their farms, they
gave attention to fertilization of their soil the use of new and
improved machinery the importation and breeding of the best grades
of live stock. In the later period Charles L. is the representative
farmer and villager. We are and should be inter ested in how any
man solves his problems and acquits himself in his battles wrote F.
L. Mott in his Rewards of Reading. He was one of the thou sands of
farmers who, after the Civil War, trekked west over the western
frontiers and made homes on the prairies. They went with little or
no capital, with few tools and without comforts, built log and sod
houses, cleared and cultivated large acreages. They were subject to
conditions and circumstances over which, individually, they had no
control. The enormous over-production of wheat and other grains
from 1868 to 1873 forced prices to such low levels that hundreds of
farmers couldnt pay their taxes and interest on their mortgages.
The result was that farmers were soldout for the face of the
mortgages, losing all their improvements and buildings. Many of
them faced about, trekked back east as Charles L. did. Then
followed the organization of farmers into alliances, granges and
Patrons of Husbandry for their better protection against the
predatory inter ests of the country. The sources of information for
this work are books, especially the collection of the Michigm
Pioneer and Historical Society men and women whose lives spanned
the period of 1835 to date and from my personal recollections...
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