IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 1.0 
 
 I.I 
 
 IIM 112.5 
 
 ilM IIIII2.2 
 
 12.0 
 
 1.8 
 
 
 1.25 1.4 
 
 1.6 
 
 
 ^ 6" — 
 
 
 ► 
 
 v: 
 
 <p 
 
 // 
 
 .. "^ 
 
 W 
 
 /y 
 
 e-m 
 
 % 
 
 f ^ 
 
 A, 
 
 O 
 
 7 
 
 /A 
 
 Photographic 
 
 Sciences 
 
 Corporation 
 
 53 WEST MMN STRIBT 
 
 WEBSTER, NY 14S80 
 
 (716) 872-4503 
 
 <F 
 
 iV 
 
 ^ 
 
 <> 
 
 
 O^ 
 
 '^ 
 

 
 w- 
 
 w. 
 
 Vi 
 
 
 L\ 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques 
 
Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques 
 
 The Institute has attempted to obtain the best 
 original copy available for filming. Features of this 
 copy which may be bibliographically unique, 
 which may alter any of the images in the 
 reproduction, or which may significantly change 
 the usual method of filming, are checked below. 
 
 • 
 
 D 
 
 n 
 
 Coloured covers/ 
 Couverture de couleur 
 
 □ Covers damaged/ 
 Couverture endon 
 
 mmagee 
 
 □ Covers restored and/or laminated/ 
 Cou 
 
 verture restaurde et/ou pellicul6e 
 
 Cover title missing/ 
 
 Le titre de couverture manque 
 
 Coloured maps/ 
 
 Cartes g^ographiques en couleur 
 
 Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ 
 Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) 
 
 I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ 
 
 n 
 
 Planches dt/ou illustrations en couleur 
 
 Bound with other material/ 
 Reli6 avec d'autres documents 
 
 Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 
 La reliure serree peut causer de I'omhre ou de la 
 distortion le long de la 'narge int^rieure 
 
 Blank leaves added during restoration may 
 appear within the text. Whenever possible, these 
 have been omitted from filming/ 
 II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouties 
 lors dune restauration apparaissent dans le texte, 
 mais, lorsque cela dtait possible, ces pages n ont 
 pas Hi film^es. 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentaires suppl^mentaires; 
 
 L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exernplaire 
 qu'il lui a dt6 possible de se procurer. Les details 
 de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-etre uniques du 
 point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier 
 une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une 
 modification dans la m^thode normale de filmage 
 sont indiqui^s ci-dessous. 
 
 I I Coloured pages/ 
 
 Pages de couleur 
 
 Pages damaged/ 
 Pages endommag^es 
 
 Pages restored and/o 
 
 Pages restaur^es et/ou pellicul^es 
 
 Pages discoloured, stained or foxe 
 Pages d6color6es, tachet^es ou piquees 
 
 I I Pages damaged/ 
 
 I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ 
 
 r~> Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 
 □Pages detached/ 
 Pages d^tach^es 
 
 71 
 
 □ 
 
 D 
 D 
 
 Showthrough/ 
 Transparence 
 
 Quality of print varies/ 
 Quality indgale de I'impression 
 
 □ mcludes supplementary material/ 
 Comprend du materiel supplementaire 
 
 Only edition available/ 
 Seule Edition disponible 
 
 Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata 
 slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to 
 ensure the best possible image/ 
 Les pages totalement ou partiellement 
 obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, 
 etc., ont itdi filmdes it nouveau de fagon d 
 obtenir la meilleure image possible. 
 
 This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ 
 
 Ce document est film* au taux de reduction indiqud ci dessous. 
 
 10X 14X 18X 22X 
 
 J 
 
 26X 
 
 30X 
 
 12X 
 
 16X 
 
 20X 
 
 24X 
 
 28X 
 
 32X 
 

 The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks 
 to the generosity of: 
 
 Library of the Public 
 Archives of Canada 
 
 The images appearing here are the best quality 
 possible considering the condition and legibility 
 of the original copy and in keeping with the 
 filming contract specifications. 
 
 Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed 
 beginning with the front cover and ending on 
 the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All 
 other original copies are filmed beginning on the 
 first page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, and ending on the last page with a printed 
 or illustrated impression. 
 
 The last recorded frame on each microfiche 
 shall contain the symbol — ^> (meaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), 
 whichever applies. 
 
 Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at 
 different reduction ratios. Those too large to be 
 entirely included in one exposure are filmed 
 beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to 
 right and top to bottom, as many frames as 
 required. The following diagrams illustrate the 
 method: 
 
 L'exemplaire filmd fut reproduit grdce d la 
 gdn^rositd de: 
 
 La biolioth^que des Archives 
 publiques du Canada 
 
 Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduices avec le 
 plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et 
 de la nettet6 de l'exemplaire film6, et en 
 conformit6 avec les conditions du contrat de 
 filmage. 
 
 Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en 
 papier est imprim^e sont filmds en commen9ant 
 par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la 
 dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second 
 plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires 
 originaux sont filmds en commenpant par la 
 premidre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustraticn et en terminant par 
 la dernidre page qui comporte une telle 
 empreinte. 
 
 Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la 
 dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le 
 cas; le symbole — ♦- signifie "A SUIVRE ", le 
 syn.bole V signifie "FIN". 
 
 Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre 
 film^s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. 
 Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre 
 reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd d partir 
 de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, 
 et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre 
 d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants 
 illustrent la mdthode. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 : 4 
 
 • 
 
 6 
 
\ 
 
 .^ 
 
 
 K^oint au K^elee 
 1[6lan6. 
 
 ir 
 
 H1R Ibistorical ^hetcb 
 of ant> an account 
 of the fiDcCormtch jfamib, 
 who were the first Mhite 
 ©w^neve of the 1I9lan^. ^ 
 
 THADDEUS SMITH. 
 
 / 
 
 Li 
 
mmm 
 
 POINT AL 
 
 FELEE ISLAND 
 
 * 
 
 A Historical Sketch of and :ai .Vccoiint 
 ot the Aicl^orn^icJ: !^i!:^:!\, \v!io 
 
 were the First \\1iitc- Owner 
 on the Island. 
 
 s 
 
 * 
 
 .\Mlli;i(STI!IK(;: 
 
 TIIK I.CUd I KIN I IM, I (IMI'ASV, I IMI I |;|, 
 I Ml'. I. 
 
 /' 
 
DEDICATED 
 
 TO 
 
 CHARLES W, McCORMICK, 
 
 OF 
 
 CLEVELAND, OHIO. 
 
 GRANDSON OF THE 
 
 FIRST OWNER 
 
 OF 
 
 POINT AU PELEE ISLAND. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 The following "Sketches" have been put in the present 
 form simply to put on record the facts relating to the 
 matter treated, for any who may feel an interest in 
 them, and for future reference. 
 
 The material for them has been gathered under many 
 difficulties ; as there are no public archives froin which 
 to obtain records on the subject, and but little printed as 
 manuscript matter in private hands obtainable, the work 
 is necessarily imperfect in regard to the earlier history. 
 Such facts as have been handed down by tradition and 
 obtained by the writer, from some of the earlier actors 
 on the scene, over a quarter of a century ago, are used, 
 Believing that such a work is needed, and that the 
 longer it is put off the more difficult it will be to get at 
 the facts, these "Sketches" are presented to all who feel 
 an interest in the past history and present and future 
 welfare of Point Au Pelee Island. 
 
 With the Compliments of 
 
 THE WRITER, 
 
ERRATTA, 
 
 Papc 2, Chap. II, i;itli lint'— "As imploineiits", slioiild be— "as }\n 
 iini)lenu'iits," &c. 
 
 Page 3. i5r(i line from bottom— "Monetta" should be "Marietta, Ohio" 
 "Majorsville"— "Maysville," &e. 
 
 Page 9, 22ik1 line — "Woiild not seem"' should be "does n<t" . &c. 
 
 Page 10, 13th line— After "each other" should be a "period' . 
 
 Page 11, 9th line— "A busli" should be "ambush". 
 
 Page 17, 25th Hue— "To look him" shoiM be, "to hx,.. upon liim", 
 
 Page 21, 17;]! 'lae— "Aquatic grapes" should be "aquatie grass". 
 
 Pagi' 23, 20th line— "Thn.e rebels" should Ve "these rebels". 
 
 Page 25, Chap. XV, 1st line— "1854" should be "1804". 
 
 Page 26, next to last hue— "Havci now" should be "iiad now". 
 
 Page 2!>, 3rd paragraph, 2nd line— "One" before Thos. S. Williams 
 should not be there. 
 
 Page 33, Chap. XVI, 4th line-"Wild riee, grapes," &e., should be 
 "grass," &c. 
 
 Page 34, 9th line— "Ballart Island" sliould be "Ballast Island". 
 
 Page 35, 7tli line— "Dieting flies" should l)e "biting flies". 
 
 Page 38. 4th paragraph, 2iid and ;h-d Un(>— "In that" and "is" are 
 superfluous. 
 
 Page 40, 5th paragraph— Where "Island" occurs should be "Islands". 
 
 Page 41, 5th line— "Deeper worn" should be "deep worn". 
 
 Seventh line in Preface— "But little printed as nuinuseript" siiould be 
 "or manuscript". 
 
A Historical Sketch of Point au Pelee Island 
 
 and its 
 Early Inhabitants 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 Location and Formation. 
 
 Point au Pck't' Island, now Kt'i»'i'ally known simply as "Prlci' Island," 
 and also as tlu^ Townsliip of Pi'U'o, in the County of Essex, (Jutario, is onv 
 of that Kvoup of Islands hi the WoHtern end of Lak«^ Eric, composed of Pelee 
 Island, KiiUeys Island. Put-in-Biiy Island, the Bass Islands and other 
 smaller ones. Pelee is the most northern island and the largest one of the 
 group. It lies just across the international Ixmndary line between Canada 
 and the United States and conse(|uently helongs, nationally, to tlie Do- 
 minion of Canada. It is in latitudi; 41 decrees 'M minutes, and is the 
 most southern land in Canada, witli the exception of a small island just 
 south of it, known as Middle Island. It is separated from the main shore 
 of Ontario by a cliannel of tla^ Lake from 10 to IT) miles wide; and is 
 about the same distance from Kelhiys Island, Put-in-Bay and tiu! Ba.ss Islands 
 that are on the United States side of tiie international boundary line, iind is 
 alxmt '^5 miles from the main huid of the United y.tntes, and the niJi'tiiern 
 border of ilui state of UJuo. 
 
 When, and wliether or not, thest; islands were ever cdniiecti'd to^ivtiier, 
 or whether Point an Peh-e Island was ever attacheil to the main land, must 
 ever remain a subject of conjecture. But it seems probai)le 
 that when the main out-let of the waters of the norlli west was throuKh thc 
 Mississliipi Valley, as sonu^ scientists tell us tliat it oiici was, llnil tiiese 
 islands now in western Lake Eri(> were connected together and with thu main 
 laud totho south: and junssibly Point an Pelee Island may linvr been comiected 
 with tlie main .shore* to tin north, or more i)robably, only seiiarated from the 
 main shon* by a narrow stnwun or riv(*r. Tlie prehistoric conditions and 
 inliabitaiits of tla* Island can only be surmi.sed or read in its geological 
 formation and the nii.nerous aiuiient Imriiil mounds found upon it 
 Evideni-es of the great glaciiil period, when tlu> face of Ibis part of the 
 earth'.s surl'ai'e was covered with moving nniHseH of ice huiuU'ed,s of feet 
 
.o 
 
 thick, nrc tn be foniid in tlic niiirks iqxiii rlic rode of the Isliiiid. The 
 rock foriuiition is a sof'f liiucstonc, jiiid ^vh(■n th(; soil is rciuovcrl I'rcni the 
 surfjicf of the rock, grooves (mui he phiiiily seen that were cut l.y the 
 ice as it pushed its way over the sui'face. Tliese ^toovcs are 
 so evident and distinct that tliey are said liy Lreoloj/ists to lie a reniarkalile 
 (videiHc of the j;hicial jieriod. Tlie solid limestone strata cri>]) ont 
 n))on tile surface on some of tlie few rid<res of land aTid on the lake slior(>, 
 but the rock is visually covered by a soil of ricli h ;nn and disintcf^rftted limestone 
 from six inclies to u foot or more in deptli. The lower hind is fornu^d 
 of a ricli cah'aieons clay from fonr to forty feet deep, eov(>i*ed with a 
 vej,'etable mould. All the land is very fertile. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 Early Inhabitants of The Island. 
 
 Tliere are indisjiutable evidences tliat the Island was inliahited loni; liefore 
 U was known \<< flic \\ld(>- mail. Theie are to be found u])on tlie Island 
 immerous liurial mounds of jirehisloric orif.;in, containiiif; human bones, and 
 human skeletons, in ^ood perseivation, have been found where burial had Ikh n 
 made in tli(> clefts of the rock. These numerous graves would indicate that the 
 Island was once thickly poi)ulated. or that these aneient inludiitants had made 
 tlieiv home lieri' for a 1oh;i; time T'''j'n?> <nyn />f ♦Ivse bv.ri;\] mornds ]ar;_'e 
 trees liave been found f,'rowinjj, that had evidently taken root and f,n'own u]) 
 years after the mounils were made, and some of thise trees indicate a , mow I h 
 of hundreds of years. Some sui)])ose that these burial places were nuide b_\- a 
 lieojile known as the ancient mound builders, or Aztecs, before their mi;,'rali(in 
 Kimtli to Mexico and (Central America. But there is but little evidence to 
 substantiate this tliemv, us im])]emenl,^ of war or of domestic use have been 
 found in the tjraves. A few pieces of broken pottery, broken stone pi])es and 
 flint arrowheads are all that is known to have been found with the bones in the 
 luounils, but many flint arrow heads and stone hatchets or liaiinutU'S have Ik en 
 f(aind in the tiel<1< and roadways. These stone hatchets, made of the hardest 
 flint stones have a remarkably smooth surface and sharp e(lt:e, but for what 
 use they Were intended is uncertain. They may have lieeii used as instruments 
 of war or for killin.!.;' pinie; but it is supiiosed by scutie that the sharp .--moeth 
 ones wi're more [irohalily u.sed fur dressing skins for elolliin;;. 
 
 We have no record or tradition of (he tinm the first whit(< man ever 
 jait his foot upon the Island. There can be but little doubt that the first 
 white men to visit it, were sc n;e of these hardy Frencli Canadian adventurers, 
 ^vho paddled tiair caiio(-s from Montreal throUKh tlie lakes to the extreme 
 Western French settlement of Ii"Assum]ifion on the Detroit river. They 
 certainly pive the Island its name of "Point an I'elee" which is of French 
 oriKin. When iiaddliii;,' their canoes lhrouf,di the lake they hail to follow 
 (he shores, and stop on land during (hi' ni^ht ami in case of storms. 
 When they arrived at (he UtUK point of land juttiiiK out fnuu (he north 
 
— 3— 
 
 shoro into tho north wostoni cnl of Lake E^-i!', they no rVmltt pnllcrl their 
 canoes out npon the sand bi^ach to oanip for the niarht or wait until a 
 passint? storm was over. Tlie lonj? dreary sand point was any'hing but 
 invitinfj or cheeriiifj and they nailed it Point an Polee, which means either 
 a rocky, or baiTon point. From this desolate point th(>y eould see an 
 island some 8 or 10 mil(>s off, and to this they jrave the same name. 
 It is cpiite probal)le that some of these French discoverers of the Island, or 
 some of their adventurous successors, visited the place and stopi^tHl to hunt 
 or trade with the Indians, who then lived hen;, for furs. But as to whether any 
 of them ever made a settlement hero or lived lien^ with the Indians, or not, 
 hoth tradition and historj' are silent. Undoubtedly at the time when the 
 first white man saw tho Island and as far back before this as tliere is 
 any traditional or other evidence, the Island was inhabited by the native 
 American Red Indian, in considerable' immbers There were liands of the 
 Chippawa and Ottawa Indian Nations and probably of the Ojil)ewas and 
 some otlier tribes, who we.re the un listurbi.'d owners and occupants of th.> 
 Island up to within a few years of the closing of the last century. 
 
 Tliese Indians led their n>uiil rovinj? life, Koing from the Island to the 
 main land, lumtiug and tishing. They were in bands ruled by their 
 Chiefs and Sachiims and were peaceably incliiu'd and at peace wi-h the 
 white settlers both French and English. In the wars of the Am 'rican 
 revolution they were the friends and allies of tlie British. Alxmt the yeiir 
 ITHO tilt! Indians upon the Island had greatly decreased in numbers, the 
 scarcity of game, their isolation from their tribiis on the main land, and the 
 ditliculty of communicating with their fri(>nds across the water in their 
 light canoes, caused a great many to permanently leavi> the Island. On 
 the main land, ('specially in the white settlements on the Detroit river, 
 many of the indiaus and half breeds fraternized witli rlie white people, ai d 
 were becoming somewhat cinJized. 
 
 It is not known that any white S(piatters lived and fraternized with 
 rhe Indians on the Island uji to this time. But tli(>re is a legi^nd, lianded 
 down tlirough the traditions of the Indians, that prior to this time a young 
 Englishman, of good birth and education, came to the Island and lived 
 with the indiaus for some years, an account of whicii will be givi'U in 
 another chapter. 
 
 If 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The Island Becomes the Property of Thomas McKe:, 
 Indian Half/'Brecd and Chief. 
 
 The first ofHcial record we liave of Point au Pelee Island was made 
 in May, 17S8, and is a r(>cord of a di'ed (u- lease made by the Indian Oliiefs 
 and Sachems of the Island conveying all their right to tlie Island to ohv 
 Thomas McKee. 
 
 fcS" 
 
— 4— 
 
 Tlionias McKeu was an Indian lialf-bn-i'd and a Cliief in some of tlie 
 tribes. He was popular both with the whites and Indians, and had frreat 
 influence with the hittei*. He built liinisidf a mansion on the property ad- 
 joining,' where the Siindwifli Fish Hatchery now stands. Here he lived in state, 
 keeping his liouuds after i lie niaiuha- of an p]uf,disli f^^entleman and was one of 
 the greatest entertainers of lii.s day. McKee was well educatcnl and 
 was ai)pointed ])y the Canadian Govi'rnnu'nt a Deputy-Atrent for Indian 
 affairs in tlie West. He was an ally of the British in the war of IN! 2 
 and led his Indian braves at tlie battle of tht; River Thames against the 
 army of the United Stati's, l)iit suffered defeat with the rest of tlie 
 British force. He died soon after, in tlie year 1815. 
 
 In considiTation of the lii^h esteem in which McKee was held by 
 tlie Sachems and Cliiefs, both of tlie main land and the whole Island they 
 o'fered to give him tlie entire Island for liis sole individual bmefit an.l 
 c Hitrol. That the gift, or bargain, might be legal and binding, a lease 
 was drawn up in due fonn, conv(>ying tlie Island, for a nominal sum, to 
 McKet." for a term of Diti) years ; whi(;h leas(3 was duly recorded in a 
 registry book. 
 
 As tliis lease forms an important, as well as a curious document in 
 the liistory of the Island. A c;opy of it is here given. — 
 
 COPY OF INDTAN LP]ASF. 
 
 "Tliis Indenture made and made between tlie Chiefs and Sachems of 
 tlie ('hii)pewa and Ottawa Nations of Indians, on live one part; and 
 Tiiomas McKt!e, of D^'tfoit, of the other part, witnessed, that the said 
 chiefs and Sacliems of the Chippi!wa and Ottawa Nations, for and in 
 consideration of the rent and covenant liereinafter mentioned and con- 
 tained, wliicli on the part and l»ehalf of said Tliomas McKe(!, hi;* heii's, 
 oxocutors, administrators, are and ought to be paid and perfoiuned, hath 
 diMuised, and to form letters granted, and by these presents do demise, 
 grant, and to fonn let nnio the said Tliomas McKee his heirs, executors, 
 udminisrrators anil assigns, all tliat Island known by the name of Point 
 Pelee Island, near Point Pelee in Tialic Erie: To have and "to hold the 
 said Island unto the said Thomas McKeci, his executors, administrators, 
 or assigns, for and diiriiiu the term of U'.t'.t years and fully to be complete and 
 ended. To parcel out tlie said island into saeli lots and parcels as he may 
 think proper, and tenant the same with wliatsoever and wliomsoever they 
 please to i)ut thereon. Yielding and paying therefor, yi-arly and t'very year 
 dining the said term, unto thi" said Chiefs and Sachems of the Chippewa and 
 Ottawa Nations their heirs and assigns, thret^ iuisliels of Indian corn or the 
 value thereof, if demanded, annually, to and for the use of said Chiefs and 
 Siiehems, their nations, heirs anil assigns for and in full satisfaction and 
 payment of all mamu'r of n'tits wliatsoever: And the Chiefs, fin* tiiemselves 
 tlieir mitioiis, heirs and assigns do hereby covenant that the* said Thomas 
 M iCee's heirs executors, admiuistrators or assigns may demise, grant or sell 
 jiii.v part Of parcel of the saiil Islaiul for the term herein specified. 
 
 /!» 
 
In ^vitut\ss whereof etc at Detixtit the first day of May, in tlie year etc 
 1788 executed by seven Chiefs and Sai'lienis who attach their Totems. 
 
 Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of 
 
 ,r,- ,,\ JAMES ALLAN, 
 [Signed] ., p_ g^BY. 
 
 We have no knowledge or information what disposition, or of what use 
 McKee made of the Island for fifteen years after he became the owner of it. 
 In 1804 — sixteen years after he bought it, he leased it to John Askins, of 
 Amhtirstb'irg, who was also a Sub Agent for Indian Affairs in the West under 
 the Canadian Government. Askins sent some settlers and employees to the Island 
 aznong whom was Justus Allen and Robert Little and Battler, the first 
 
 whitt; settlers k!iown to have liv.)d upon the Ishind. He sent over with tin •m 
 horses, cattle a!id hogs, but whethc^r these were the first doni'stic animals intro- 
 duced t< ■ the Island is not known — tliey were the first we havi^ any recoi'd of. It 
 is not known how long Mr. Askins occupied th(> Island. Thomas McTvee died 
 in ISl.j and his only son and heir, Alexander MrKee, came to be the owner of 
 the Island. In the same year 1815, William Mc^Cormick, of Colchester, leased 
 the Island from Alexander McKee and is said to have taken possession of it. 
 In 182:} Wm. MeCormicik bought in fee simple all tlu' right and title to the 
 Island held by Alexander McKee for the sum of five hundred dohai-s, and the 
 transfer was duly made by deed and recorded. In IHM McConuick moved his 
 large faniiiy on to the Island. As the McCormick family is so intiiuiitcly 
 coniiecti'd with the Point Pi'.iw Island, as owners and occapants for niiiiiy 
 years, it is proposed to trace their family history as far back as we have any 
 date In the history of the first known members of the family many 
 romantic incidents and sceiajs in their lives will be found, where "truth is 
 .stranger than fiction," that would be interesting Anthout regard to their 
 coimection with the Island, but the association of their liistory with that of 
 the Island makes it of still more importance to be given. 
 
 O 
 
 Before entering upon this family history it is proposed to givi' some 
 of the Indian Legend heretofore mentioned. 
 
 account 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 Indian Legends. 
 
 tS 
 
 There is a legend of romnnc(^ connect(>d with Point Pehv' TslnTid 
 luinded down liy In ban tradition through several generations, that lias 
 b 'cii giitliered up anl eidargi'd, and publislied, botli in i)rose and in verse. 
 At tlie north west corner of tiie Island facing towards the main land, is a 
 large rock, ihai is known tosailorsands(Mtlersas"Hul(hi's Rock", but which hore 
 II more eupiOiiions French (a- Indian nani" in earlier times. The position of 
 this rock shows that it ivith^ntly was once cmmeeted with the land, from 
 
— fi— 
 
 wliicli it is now scparatcfl by a fow yards, it shows also that tlie top of it 
 was smootli, and projected ovor the water's edfje. From this rock, it is said, 
 an iiidian maid on account of unrequited love cast herself into the laki' 
 and was drowned. 
 
 It was customarj' in the early daj'S of the French occupancy of Canada 
 for Indian chiefs or prominent men of the triljes living in the great Westeru 
 District to maki^ voj-ages to Montreal for trade or pleasure. It was quite 
 common for the Indians to take whites captive and cany them off into their 
 secluded fastnesses, both male and female, as ^\'ill be seen from facts 
 narrated further on in this history. It is related that a chief and his band 
 from tlH> far west tliiis visited Montri'al and while there captui-ed a young 
 Frenchwoman who was of good birth and education andgrea: beauty and 
 brouglit her away with him To be more secure of his prize he brought 
 her to Pt)int Pelee Island as one of the most secluded spots in the couutrj". 
 The j'oung captive was treated kindly and adopted by the tribe as a 
 daughter. Time deadens or 83ars ovov sorrows, and this prisoner could only 
 submit to her fate with as much patience as possibles On the Island was a 
 a j'oung Chief who pleaded witli the Captive to baconiu his wife and make the 
 best of her imprisonment. This Chief won the respect and admiration of the 
 captive maid by his gallant bearing, his braverj' and his manly beautj' of 
 person and after years of waiting and seeing no hope of escaping from her 
 prison, she co/isented to become his wife. To them was borne a daughter in 
 whom tlie moth(>r found great consolation. As she grtiw up she taught her to 
 speak French and to read and write. About the time that .she was 17 or 18 years 
 old a young Englishman unexpectedly made his appearance on the Island. 
 This Englishman had come to Montn^al and being fond of adventure ana 
 hunting he joined an Indian band and came west, aiid th(> same adventurous 
 sj)irit liroiight him to Point Pehu! Island. He was greatly surprised to find 
 there a French woman of intelligence and her beautiful half breed daughter, 
 and he lingered on tlie Island much longer than he had intended. ***** 
 But the ivst of his c,onduct has been told in verse in a more condensed form 
 and will be given here instead of the more lengthy prose naiTative. The lines 
 were written bj' a young girl of the Island while she was away attending a 
 boarding school as a contribution to a school papiT published by pupils of the 
 school. 
 
 Once there lived on Point au Pelee 
 Ati Indian Maiden blythe and gay 
 
 Who often from her birch canoe 
 
 Would spear the spotted salmon tlirough. 
 
 Pride of lier Chieftain father's heart 
 
 She oft would thnmgh the w iid wood dart, 
 
 And with her bow and arrow rais .'d 
 
 Would pierce the deer that calmly grazed. 
 
 Joy i>f her mother's lo^'iug eyes 
 
 This dusky nuiid was a household prize 
 
 Whose beauty, grace and gentle arts 
 Won her a place in uiaulj hearts. 
 
 ' m\ 
 

 r 
 
 A pal*' faco to th(> Island caTiio 
 
 To catch the tish and kill th(> Ksimt;, 
 
 Aucl wliLiU this lovely maid he knew, 
 
 She won his heart — She loved him too. 
 
 •'Be mine dear maiden" then he cried, 
 "L:^t me hnt win thee for my l)ridtj, 
 
 And on this Isle I'll gladly stay"'— 
 The maiden did not say him nay. 
 
 Happy they lived from year to year. 
 
 Then tidings came of a mother dear, 
 Who dyin;,% lay on a distant shore 
 
 And longt'd to see her sou once more. 
 
 Then with the plodi^f> ro come atrain 
 Before another moon should wane, 
 
 The pale face parttnl from his bride 
 
 xVnd o'er the waves his oars he plied. 
 
 But many moons did wax and wane, 
 
 ' The yoiiui,' wife's heart grew sick with paiu, 
 And all her life grew dark and chill — 
 Her recreant hnshand tarriinl still. 
 
 At lenf,'fh a boat approached the shore, 
 
 Ih'v heart 1) uit lu.j:h with hope once more — 
 
 Bnt'ah! for lier tliat small white yawl 
 Bore a letter brief — that was all. 
 
 A letter that brotifxht a withering blight 
 And broke a faitlifn^ li'virt tliat niglit: 
 
 That told a tale of broken trust 
 
 And hnrled briglifc hopes down to the dust. 
 
 Hark! Hark! a wail of dark despair 
 Floats out upon tlie midnight uir: 
 
 A s])lasli is heard, and Pel(M''s jjrido 
 Floats out upon l)lue Erie's tide. 
 
 Upon the north of Peloe Isle, 
 
 TluMT stranger linger but a while; 
 
 View "Hiilda's Rock" — the mariners guide, 
 Tlmt marks the fate of the Indian bride. 
 
 It marks tliat death-leap into tlie sea, 
 And marlcs a wliite man's jierlldy. 
 
 The waves tliat gainst it foam and surge 
 Seem cliantiiig e'er M funeral dirge. 
 
— R- 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Alexander McCormick of Ireland, — He Comes to America 
 to Live, — A Sketch of his Life and Times. 
 
 In the closiiit,' ycai's of th« 17th ccutuiy in tlio reii^ii of James II., of 
 Si'otland, ahont tlic year I'iSS, tlio Duke of Scmmbnrir was sent on a military 
 oxpi'ditioii to Ireland. Witli his army wore many Scorcluncn who remaint'd 
 and settled in the north of Ireland — tlic ] yroj^enitors of that sturdy, 
 aetive and intelli^i'nt p,'i)))le known as the S /otch Irisli. With the Duke of 
 Sc'omburg eame oni> McCormick, who settled in the county of Down in Ireland 
 an I th ii\'i r ) ir ! 1 a fan'lv^ of six ch'Mr ';i— f >ar sois an I two daa^jc'iters. Th" 
 younfj;est son was named Alexander. Yoiinj,' Ah'xandt'r McConuick had such 
 a primary education as the; times and country afforded, l)ut which was mostly 
 of a commercial cliaractt'r. Hv liad a restless, speculative dispositi(jn and 
 before ho roaclr'd his mijoritj' hail dctermiued to leave the land of his 
 birth, and an older l)rother aj^TeeiuK with liim, tliey made their arrauffements 
 to come to the now English Colony in America. They probably reached 
 America about the year 1T(J1. After tlu-ir arrival in the English Colonics, 
 they sv,paraled — the elder brother going sinuli to the Caiulinas and was 
 not heard of aftt'rwards by any of th-' faniil}-, and has no further part hi this 
 narrative. 
 
 Alexander Mc(^orniick secured a position in business with a merchant hi 
 
 Plviladelphia and remained in tlie eastern states f(U- several years. But 
 
 following tlie bent of his restless ami roving disposition and his desu'e for 
 
 adventure he joined a companj" of traders to go into the western wilderness 
 
 acro.ss the Alleghany Mountahis to trade with tlie Indians for pelts and furs. 
 
 This was probably between the years 17(W and 1770. The whoh' of the western 
 
 country was tlien an almost viue.vplored wihlerness, inhabited only by tribes of 
 
 savage, roanung Indians. Tliere were few white settlements w(>st of the 
 
 Alleghanii's. One of the oldest of these was at the junction of the 
 
 Alleghany and Monongahcla rivers wlu-re they unite to form tlie Ohio rivi-r — 
 
 "LaI5elle Uiviere" of tln' early French .setth'rs. Here, probably as early as the 
 
 close of the 17tli century, was established a ftu't by French Canadian settlers, 
 
 whicli they called Fort Du(iuesne, and a trading station. In the war between 
 
 EnghuKland France, l75r)-17<)t{, the British were victorious, and iii 1703, France 
 
 ceded to England her Canadian and aU her other American possessions." In this 
 
 war old Fort Dutpiesne was cai)lured and demolisluMl in 17.")(S. But 
 
 afterwards under thc> British a new fort was built calUnl Fort Pitt, and around 
 
 it was established a small but important tradhig station about tht> year 17()1), 
 
 called Pittsburg. The site is now occupii'd by the gi'eat manufacturing 
 
 City of Pitlsbtirg and its twin city, Alleghany City. There was another 
 
 settlement still further west tliat was ohler, hirger and of more importance, 
 
 made by iUv Canadian Frencli at Detroit and along the Detroit River on both 
 
 sidi'S, There were some snniUer settlements further down tiie * Hiio river— at 
 
 Monetta, Ohio and Lunestone or MajorviUe, Ky., and hi Ci'utral Kentucky at 
 
 and near Li'xington tliere was a more extensive- settlement of Virginians and 
 
 Marylanders who had followed the footsteps of (he pioneer huutsnian and 
 
 <1 
 
— 9— 
 
 note I Iiiflian fi^'iitcr, D micl B )oiU!. Bnt to rvach any of tlicsi* s'ttlcm Mits from 
 tlie E ist;^*r!i S^at'.'s lui-iilrL' Is of miles of wildiTiiess had to 1h' passi'd tlirou;;!! 
 that were iiihabittrl In- tribes of hostile Indians, who also hung t-losely 
 aronn 1 tha outskirts of thi s.^ttkim'jiits watcliiug for their prey, 
 
 Uiid muted l)y the prosp.-t Alexander MeCormiek sc^t out on his perilous 
 trip to the west about the year 17T1 with a few eompanions, provided with surh 
 goods as were suitable for u-a(h' witli the Indians for skins and furs that were 
 thf!n in great demmd in E-iropa, W(! are not informed of the number of the 
 party, or th(! numl)er of horses used to traiis])ort their goods and chattels; Int 
 they must have made their way slowly and lal)ori(msly, wading streams and 
 climbing uumntaius, and no doubt uiet witii many adventures and perils to 
 life and liud) fnmi the many dan;c>>rs tliey enrouutered, It is probable that the 
 first white settlement he reaehed was Pittsburg; Imt of this there is no definite 
 certainty or any evidence that he stopp(>;\ there any length of time. 
 
 Beyond Pittsburg, westward, across the Ohio river, and north to the 
 great lakes and to tlu' D 'troit rivt-r, w.is tha*- vast un-xnlored region known as 
 the Western District or the North West Territory. It was inhabited by tribes 
 of the Wyandotte, Shawnee, Cherokee, Delaware and other Indiiins. We find 
 that MeOorniick had pas.sed over the Ohio river into tliis district and was living 
 with a band of Wyaudottes. But wlietlior lio was captured by th'.nn aiil made 
 a prisoner, or whether he voluntarily went among tliem to trade, it does not 
 appear. But there is no doul)t that they ])revented him from nuilcing his escape 
 and hidd him as a captive. It would not seem that McCormick was very mu(di 
 dissatisfied with tin; situation. In fact he st'ems to have been well plea.sed witli 
 his roving life and Indian compauion.shii), as he couhl probably liave made his 
 escape sametimMl'.iriiijf his l)n .J soji)uru wldi the Indians if lie had wished to 
 do so. The Indituis were also pleased with him and lie became a favorite and 
 "big injiin" am )ng thiMu, being formally adopted him into the tribe as a 
 "brother" with approjiriatc^ ceremony. To nuike their ndations still closer, the 
 Chief offered him his sister, a comely j'oung s(piaw, for a wife, and McCormick 
 ri'adil}' accepted tlie otl'er, and they wvvv duly nuirrit'd ac<'(mling to the 
 Indian ceremony tVn* such occasions, Tlie Indians were sagacious enough to 
 make McCormick useful. They told him that he was "no good" to hunt 
 or for war; but by making signs indicating writing and making figures tliej- 
 said he was good for that, and they ftmnd him of much stTVice to them in 
 making bargains with white traders wdiom they now occasionally met in their 
 wanderings and through him they carried on their trading with the whi:es at 
 Detroit, They trust(!d him to collect cargoes of skins and to take them from 
 the Maumee river in boats to the lake and on tt) Detroit and to dispose of tliem 
 there and bring back such supplies as thej' nei>d(Ml, without any fears of his 
 leaving them, so completely was he identified with them. McCormick tlms 
 made fre(pieiit trips to D,>troit during the 8 or 10 years of his ident ideation 
 with the Indians and on these trips he made the acquaintance of prominent 
 M'hite mi>nin Detroit, both French and English, someof whom were very useful 
 to him in after life. But he always ri'turiu'd to his Indian companions. In 
 due time a son was born to him by his Indian wife. It is said that she dic>d a 
 fewyear.s afterward: biit MtiOoi'inick took good care of his Indian off siiriiig; 
 and brought him to Canada with him many years after, when h(^ settled 
 down to civilized life. 
 
— 10— 
 
 111 McConiiick's waiulcnn^'s and tvadiiif? ainniif; tlic flilTcrfMit trihos. ho 
 often uu't wliitf men, traders and trai>i)i'rs, or captives and others adt)i)tinf,' the 
 Indian life. In a band of the Chippawa triht.! visitinj,' the Maiiniee conntiy ho 
 discovered a white scjuaw, and from liis intimate knowled^'e of the Indians he 
 l<ni w that she was some white j;irl wlio had been captured and adopted bj' the 
 tribe. The girl from all appearances had no donbt been with the Indians a 
 long time, and had l)ecom(! completely identified with them. McCormick soon 
 become very nuich interested in tlie white s(iuaw, and when he found an 
 opportunity to speak to lier and learn her historj', he ascertained that slu; had 
 been with th;; Indians about three yt^ars, tliat she was taken captive at Pittsburg, 
 and that her name was Elizabeth Turner. 
 
 It was but natural that .these two exil»>s from civilization sliould find some 
 interest in each other; sim'(> tlu^ captive maid in time became intimately 
 coimected with the sul)jeet of this history we shall now look back to her early 
 life and to the times in which she lived. 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 Indian DepredationSf Captives and Hardships. 
 
 It is hard for us at this date to realize the hardships and dangers that beset 
 the pione(!rs of 100 years ago in settling up this country. Coming into a 
 wilderness of vast foi'est filled with wild and vicious animals and wild Indians 
 still more \'ieious and savag(>, tluiy had ever to be upon the alert. It was 
 thr )ugli hard wo -k and gn>at self denial that tluw built a log cabin, cleared 
 up a little ground, and i)rocui'ed the injcessaries of life. Besides the natural 
 and physical difficulties incident to their situation, they were ever in danger of 
 th(ur lives from the savage and treacherous Indians, who would lay in wait 
 ready to shoot them down from behind some ti-ee or rock. When iliese pioneers 
 went into their ti'dds to plant or cultivat.; their scanty crops, they would cany 
 their trusty rifles with them for protection. M;iny lost their lives; others were 
 captured and taken away as prisoners to suifer great hardships, while some 
 were cruelly tortureil and Inirned at the stake. 
 
 In the case of Alexander McOormick's captivity and life among the Indians 
 h(>rt>tofore giv(Mi, thei'e is no evidence of cruelty practiced by his captors. But 
 from many other sourcc^s we learn of much cruelty practiced by the Indians 
 about this time, and (n-i>n many years later. A promiiKsnt historical case was 
 the burning of Col. Crawford of the United States army, near Sandusky, Ohio, 
 in the year 1783 or ITS:}. A notice has recently been given in a leading 
 magazine, of an old book published in 1827, writt(^nby one Charles Johnson, of 
 Virginia, in which he giv(>s an a(^(;ount of his capture by Indians and their 
 treatment of himself ami his companions in captivity. Johnson's capture was 
 in 17'.K), some tea years after the time that w^e found Alex. McCormick and 
 Elizabeth Turner in the hands of th(^ Indians. As it illustrates the dangers of 
 the period and the condition of the country at that tinii^, a condensed account 
 of Mr. Johnson's uarative of his experience may appropriately be given here. 
 
—II— 
 
 In May, 1790 Ohns. Johnson in cc nmny with John M.iy anl Jacob SkvTcs 
 left Eastern Vir.irinia for Kontnrky, jjoinur by the way of the Kanawa and Ohio 
 rivers. When tliey reached th(> Ohio river, rhey were joined liy a Mr. Fliiui and 
 t\V) f,'irls, Pe,','y and D )lly Fleming,', from Pittsbnrj;. All started down 
 the river to<;ether in a tlat boat. They kn'w the dan,'<ers from the Indians and 
 were on the lookoiit and kept well to the middle of t\v^ river. Ou the wav 
 down the river thoy were hailed by two white men on the shore, who made 
 sifjnals that they wislied to be taken on ])oard the boat. Bnt thest^ whit(^ 
 men were only decoys of the Indians and as soon as the boat neared the shore, 
 the latter, who were in a bush, ai)peared and bef,'an shootins; at those on tlie 
 boat. John May and Dolly Flenung w»'re killed and Skyles was wounded in 
 the shoulder and taken prisoner with Johnson, Fliiui and P»'KRy Fleming;. 
 Another boat with six men in it soon followed Johnson's party who were less 
 eaiitioiis and kept near the shore and were all killed, Johnson found that the 
 Indians were of several tribes and they divided the captiiri'd f,'oods ami jjrisoners 
 anion;,' the ditferent tribes. Johnson and Skyles were alotted to the Shawnees 
 FcKKy FleuuiiK' to the Clierokees, and Flinn fell to the more savage Wyandottes. 
 When Joluison and Skyles were taken to the Indian camps they were horritied 
 to sec the scalps of John Maj' and Dolly Fleming strctcdied before the tire to dry. 
 The Indians of the Shawnee tribe with whom Johnson was, l>roke up camp and 
 started on a long tramp north, to tlH> Sandusky and Maumee country, now in 
 Northern Ohio. Johnson and Skyles were tied together and closely guarded 
 every night. They sutfered ten-ibly, especially Skyles, who was wounded 
 Johnson finally became separated from Skyles and after many montlis of 
 suffering, eventually made his escape witli some traders to Detroit, But it 
 fared wor.se with poor Flinn \\-ith the cruel Wyandottes. He was tortured with 
 all the ingenuity the savages could employ and burned at the stake. 
 
 Johnson while at an Indian village upon the upper Sandusky, visited the 
 place where Col. Crawford had been burned to death, and a tree was pointed 
 out to him, said to be the one to which Col. Crawford was bound. While tliore 
 he heard of his former companion Peggy Fleming, that she had suffered 
 greatly and at one time was tied to a tree to be burned but was rescued l)y a 
 friendly band, and from the information that Johnson obtained he believed 
 that she at last reached her home at Pittsburg. 
 
 Such was the condition of the Indian country and of the temper of the 
 savages in ITflO some 8 or 10 years after the incidents to be related here 
 concerning the capture of Elizabeth Turner at Fort Pitt or Pittsburg. 
 
-12- 
 
 CHAPTER VIL 
 Elizabeth Turner, — Her Capture by the Indicins. 
 
 Pittslmrfj ahoiit tin- year 1780 was a stra^j^lini,' villafre ajirl rrarliii!; post> 
 that had ahvady ^,'0110 throuKh uuiuy clianKcs, as has bi'cii noted heretofore. 
 It was still an isolated scittlenieut siirronuded by a wilderness, with the Indians 
 lurking around its outskirts. Fort Pitt and a tVw 1 dock-houses and stockades, 
 answ(^red as a kind of protection and place of refnpe in case of an attack from 
 the hostih; Indians. At this time there lived in Pittshurj,' a fanulj- by name of 
 Turner who wex-e from Maryland. They had a nei^hlmr named McKevar. 
 In order to add to their scanty provisions many of these early settlers were in 
 the luibit ofmakin.LC maple suf^ar in the spring, to do which the}- would open a 
 c^amp in a near by sugar bush, using common open kettles to boil tlie sap down. 
 The Turners and McKt'vars .if)ined together and made a sugar camp, on the 
 s. pe of a hill not far trom tlndr dwellings. It consisted of a rude sliednuule 
 '.)y putting forked posts in the ground with poles in the forks to hold the cover 
 of nmgh boards, or Ixiughs. Kettles and pets were hung en a pole which was 
 iilso supported l)j- stalu's driven in the ground, and under these was kept up a 
 blazing lire of dry lind)s and faggots. To gather the sap or "sugar water" and 
 keep the kettles boiling and full, and at the .^ai; e time to prevent tliem fi'om 
 'boiling over' reiiuired the constant attention of some one all day, and 
 sometimes all night. This work was intrusted tlieir sons, two lads nearly 
 grown. In early March 1 780 j-oung Turner and McKevar were at work in the 
 sugar camp, and the parents s(>nt their two daughters and a smaller lad out 
 to the "sugar bush" to take the boys some needed provision and to assist them 
 somewhat in their work. It was the breaking iip of winter and the sun shone 
 brightly; the robins were twittering and hopping about in the dry leaves to 
 secure a meal of a grab or worm, and tlie l)lue birds, those bright harbingers of 
 spring-time, were whistling from an old dead tree full of holes made by the 
 woodpeckiu-s, in which thej' were seeking to make their nest. The girls were 
 en.ioying their outing and lingered on through the afternoon, assisting their 
 brotliers. drinking warm maple syruj), and in fun and frolic around the camjj 
 fire, without a thoiight of danger; but the declining sun warned them that it 
 was time to return home. Just th(>n the dog was heard to bark, which 
 indicated the approach of str.nigcrs and boded evil. The bark of the dog was 
 quickly followed by the crack of rifles, and the two young men fell pierced by 
 till' fatal bulli^t from the unerring aim of the savage Indians. The girls found 
 themsi'lvi's in the pvesencu of hidoously painted savagos with uplifted tomahawks 
 and before they could collect their thoughts, were seized and carried away 
 into the thick, dark woods, as was also the younger lad. As tLo girls did not 
 return to their homes at night the pari'Uts went to the camp in search, there to 
 find their sons (h'ad and the girls carried off. An alarm was given in the 
 settlement of the attack upon tlie sugar camp, but it was impossible to attempt 
 a I'escue. Should the few men who coiild be spared from the settlement pur.sue 
 the Indians into the woods in the darkness thej' would be liable to be shot from 
 ambush, or tomahawkinl by the wily foe. When morning came it was evident 
 that the Indians would be too far away to be overtaken easily, and there were 
 not men enough to be spared from the settlement for an expedition. The 
 
 i. « 
 
 II 
 
—13— 
 
 frit'iifls nf the yonii}? fjirls wore exceofliiiKly anxinns as to their fate, kiinwiiif; 
 till' charaftcr of thr Iiulians and their manner of ti'eatin;,' prisoners. Sonierinies 
 they niit^ht be treated kindly eiionj^h, thoiifjli roU!.'hly, and adopted as nienibcrs 
 of the tribe or band they were with; but should thc^}- become sick or faint and 
 unablt^ to t -avel, tliey would ruthlessly rid themselves of them by the use of the 
 deadly hatchet. Oneof these cai)ture<l ^\vU. Elizabeth Turner, lived to be 
 rescued from the Indians after beiufjwith them over three years, and to tell the 
 story of h'U* capture, of h'^r w.in 1 'riir,'s, sutf ■rin'.^s and a Iventures anion;,' them. 
 She lived to a trood old ajje to :tell these true storii'S— the truth of which is 
 "straugei than fiction" — to her chiklren, and to alarjje circle of j.ri'andchildreu. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII, 
 
 Elizabeth Turner's Life Among the Indians, 
 
 ». * 
 
 *■ • 
 
 Soon after the capture Elizabeth was separated from her companion. Miss 
 McKever, as '^^ i fell to the lot of a band of Wyandottes and Miss McKever to 
 some other tri \ They never mot ajjaiii. The j^ouuk lad wlio Wds cai)tured 
 alouf; with them soon became sick and unal)le to travtd and was slain by the 
 way. The Wyandotte.s, with Elizabeth Turner, immediattdy left the vicinity of 
 Pittsburg and slowly made their way to the Indian villages on the lower and 
 upper Sandusky rivers, and on the borders of Lake Erie, dwelling during the 
 summer at some one of these places. Elizabeth a]ipears to have bi>en blessed 
 with good health; she was not only physically well ecpiipped to stand the hard 
 life she was compelled to endure, though but a small woman, but she had gi-eat 
 moral courage and an indomitable spirit. She usiid to say the Indians woulil 
 often praise her for acts whi(^h they called brave; "but," said she, "It was not 
 bravery; it was simply desperation." Her heroic conduct, or as prol)ably she 
 would have put it, her stoic behaviour, and geniTal good conduct caused her to 
 find favor with her captors, and they formally adopted her into tlit/ir band as a 
 sister, and treated her kindly, after the Indian fashion. She had to take part in 
 most of the work and drudgery that usually falls to the lot of the scpiaws — the 
 "white squaw" had to do her part. On one occasion while working tbe corn 
 patch, her sciuaw companions quit work and retired to the shade, but told her 
 she must work on — that She was their slave — but Elizabeth also promptly left 
 the corn patch for the sliadt?. The scpiaws remonstrated and threatened to force 
 her to work, but with hoe uplifted she let them know that she would use it upon 
 them and throateirnl with so much show of deti^rniination that tiie scjuaws fled 
 to the camp and reported her to the Chief. Their story howi^ver only amused 
 the Chief and his companions, who praised I^lizalx'th for lii^r show of 
 bravery. At another time she had a (luaiTol and fight with a stpiaw from whom 
 slie tore the clothes and put her to flight. Tliis also amused the braves, who 
 applauded her for the act. Her spirited disposition, her readiness to resent any 
 indignities and to take care of herself and stand up for her rights, showed itstdf 
 m many other incidents ; and on account of these qualities she was given an 
 Indian name that meant a Chesnut BuiT. Sh(> would sting they said like a burr 
 whenever molested. With all of Elizabeth Turner's spirit and fortitude, slu- 
 
—14— 
 
 was not exoiiipt from tVcliiip tho hon-or of Jut tc^mblc situation, or from piniiifr 
 for home and kindred, and the hope against liopo for her deliverj-. Nor was slie 
 exempt from fatifjue and sickness. At one time she was sent to watch the corn 
 fiehl to keep tlie birds from eatiiifj the corn just as th(^ {,'rains bej^an to fill. Slie 
 was sick and wearj^ and almost desperate as to her fat(! and went to the field 
 alone. Her sickness {xn'W worse and she became delirious and unconcious. 
 8he could not tell bj' days nor weeks, liow lonj; she remained in this condition; 
 but when she be^ran to rt>cover she found tliat tlie youuf,' corn, that was jusf 
 c.ominff into the milk state when she was taken ill, was now well fjflazerl and 
 {jettiiiK hard. She could remember of only once being visited bj- a stpiaw 
 duri)iK her sickness. 
 
 c 
 
 Months and y(>ars were pa.ssing without Elizabeth Turner hearing from her 
 people and without any prospt>ct of her making lier escape. TIk^v were now in 
 the Indian settlement of the upper Sandusky in the northern part of whatjis now 
 the State of ( )hio, Imndreds of mih's through a wilderness, from Pittsburg. She 
 occasionally met a wliite trad(>r or prisoner, but they knew nothing of hei 
 ])eople or her cixintry. The war of the revolution was not yet ended in the West. 
 The Indians were the allies of the British and were emploped by them in bands 
 and companies and singly to fight the rebellious Yankees, either commanded by 
 Britisli officers, or under tlieir own Cl)it>f. The cruelties and atrocities tliat 
 the British ofiicers allowed their Indian allies to infiict upon prisoners and 
 non-cond)atants, is a blot upon our prided xVnglo Saxon civilization, that can 
 never b(^ erastul so long as historj- records the facts. 
 
 Elizabeth Turner was, at times, an unwilling witn(;ss to tortures inflicted 
 upon prisoners. Col. Crawford of the patriot army of tho revolution was a 
 pi'isoner of the Indians at the upper Sandusky villages while Elizabetli was there. 
 She sought a personal interview with him and warned him of.his imi)euding 
 fate and urged liim to try to }uak(* his escape. Crawford told her that ho did 
 not thiidc it possible to escape and said lu> was too old and feeble to atti'Uipt it. 
 He told lier that Simon (Jirty, a noted hunter and picnieer among the Indians 
 and an ally of the British luid offered to assist him to escape, promisnig to 
 furnish liim a luirse and guide. But he said it was of no use and sei'med 
 resigned to his fate. When the day arrived and preparations were being made 
 to burn ('rawford at the stake, Elizabetli nuide an excuse that she ought to go 
 oat early in the nun-ning to bring in a horse, fled to the woods and remained 
 complet(>ly concealed until tlie terrible busin(>sH was over. The Indians had 
 inti'iidi'd that she should be a, witness to the t'xecution. For tlu' first time they 
 accused her of cowardice, and told her that they believed Crawford was lier 
 father nnd that for that reason slie had hidden away. 
 
-13- 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Elizabeth Turner Meets Alexander McCormick- 
 
 and Marriage. 
 
 -Courtship 
 
 Tu rho fall or winter of IT-2 the baiid of Imliaiis with wiiom Klizalifth was. 
 li'fr the ?aii(Insky villafjres ami went north to the Mauniee eountry in tlie 
 neighbourhood of where tiie city of Toledo now is. They tiiere met with tiie 
 Shawnee trilie. amonfi' whom was a wliite man who, in dress and f,^Mieral 
 ajjpearanee seemed to be eom|(letely identified with the Sliawnees; in fact he 
 appeared to be one of them an 1 oni' of snm" pvomin^'iiee and anthirity. t!i'inj;li 
 he was white. He was later found to bi' an Indian trader, who had been 
 adopted by tlie tribe, and had been with them .some ei^ht or nine 3-ears, 
 Alexander MeCormick by name. 
 
 McCormiek was j^reatly sur]>rised to .see amon^' tlie Wyandottes a wliite 
 squaw and soon mudi' lier ae([iiaintaiire. ICli/abeth's hopes were buoyed up 
 with the expeetati(,n of la arin;,' soiie thinji' from her frii'iids, and i>ossibly 
 making' her eseajie throu;rh th" new-found ae(iuaiiitaiiee. INIet^ormiek could not 
 ^ive her any news from iier friends in Pitlsburj,'. but he showed frreat inrerest 
 ill her welfare, and it was a relief to her to have sonm white ]»erson's 
 companionship. As a few montlis passed Alcronnick's interest in the wliit(^ 
 s(iuaw increased, and as his Indian wife had died some time befin-e this, he now 
 tlioa,t;l;t of tryiiifjr to win her for his wift>. Elizabeth was j-dad to make a new 
 friend niuh'rtiie circumstances she was in. and did not discourai.;'!' liis attentions. 
 He was not lon;^' in makiiur a proposal of marria<ie, but she was not inc'iiared t,i 
 accept his ott'or then . Piefore she was captured she hi.d a lover in Pitt si mr^,' 
 to whom she was betrotl'.ed, and felt t'lat she ouj^ht to be true to iier lover 
 and her vows, and that a separation of thr(>e yt>ars ouj^ht not to release her 
 from them. Put McCormiek pled with her to overcome these scruples. H(» 
 told her that there was no itrobability of her ever seeing the youiiK niaii apain — 
 that doubtless he iiiul considered her dead and had married some one else, or he 
 mi^lit be dead himself— iirobidily killed by hostili! Indians, and finally 
 succeeded in pttiiif.^ hi'i' ."onseiit to marry him. 
 
 But tiiere was aiKthei difliculty in the way. The Wyandottes refused to 
 allow Klizabi th to leavo their tribe, or to jiive lier up to McCormiek. MeCor. 
 miek thon^di. to overcome this difliculty by [layin^'a liberal ransom for !ier; biit^ 
 wiien lie went to take her away they refused to let her k*', having re;j:retted 
 tiieir bai'Knin. McConnick's Scotch blood .vas now roused, and he ilcttiiniiied 
 to have her, even if lu had to steal iier and run away with her to Detroit ; ami 
 he laid Ills plans with this intention. I'ireumstanee favored his [a-ojict. He 
 was, thai Spring;, en^iiyed in collectinK furs and skins to be limded in row 
 boats at INIaiimee City, of which he was to have charge to take them to 
 Detroit, as he laid fretpiently (lone before. Wlien all was ready, by previous 
 arrangement with I01i/,al>elli, lie ^iot her into ont> of tlu^ boats, secreted lier in 
 the bottom and comiilelely v'overed herw'tii tlic skins. When tlie Wyandottes 
 missed their white sipmw tliey iinmetiiaieiy sn-;, r.ed McCormiek of spiriting 
 Iter away, and went to search his boats fc lier. They removed la arly ail the 
 skins from Uu! boat that she wuh iu, Heeii ed satisfied that she was not tiiere 
 
T 
 
 —1(1— 
 
 .und k'ft a fusv skins in t;i(! bottom; lint tlu'se few fomplctoly c'nnci'alcd her. 
 Wlicji tlitj Wyamlotlts witlidirw without tiiKiiiifj; Elizidxth, they both felt 
 «:ruatly relieved, for when oii(;e on their way in the boats there would be no 
 duii^'er of rescue. The vo.yuge by row-boats was a slow one. First down t!ie 
 Mauuiee riv(n- into Lake Erie, tlnuiee up the lake keeping alon;,' the shore and 
 ('.aini)inH: on land ar ni^nt, aul the .same way up the Detroit river agriinst the 
 (uirrent, they at last reach(!d Detroit safely. " 
 
 MeCorinick took Elizabeth to the house of one of the friends he had made 
 in Detroit on former visits--one Col. Allen. Tliere he bountifully pro\idi'd her 
 with the dress of civilization, to whicli she had been a stranger for three years. 
 He also provided her with the best wedding dress and outfit that could be 
 boui^ht in the town and they were married in the house of (Jol. Allen in May, 
 lTis;j, liy an E;if;Usli Churcli minister. Mrs. McCormiek often described to hvv 
 children and ^rand chihh'eu iier weddinj,' outlit in detail and it would now be 
 a curious costume. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 Alexander McCormick's Marrhd Life. 
 
 After th'.' marriage of Alexander McOormick to Elizabeth Turner tlmy s inn 
 b;'!.;a'i to m ikn pr'par.ition to retaru to th;- Inliat. settleni eit iu tli ■ ]Maam"e 
 country from wliieh he hud lately come; and with his yaun;;' wife and some 
 iie"ess:u'y arlieles that would b,' nei'led, he left Detroit and e^ubavked upon 
 their frail boats in the .same way that they Inid come. It seems tliat M:'(<ormick 
 preferred to live aiMonj; the Indians and keep up his fur trade. With his 
 Be )teh thrift he had maile mone3'', and proposed to take nj) land and 
 establi.sh a more permanent home than he had had with the Indians The>' 
 were both familiar with the Indian lite, inured to its hard.slups, and 
 apparently were (luite satisfied with it, so it was no great .sacrifice to tlunn 
 to live Ihns. 
 
 On May iioth, ITsf, a cldld was born to tliem, who/n tliey named William. 
 The veil of thi^ future of this child has been op-ned to us, and we know his 
 future career: but at tliat time the most sanjjjuine opiimist could not have 
 predicted th.it a child l)orii in such unfavorable circnmstatices w(mld become a 
 imimineiit man in his sjilu're— a member of the Canadian ParUami'iit, and the 
 first while owner of Point An Pelee Islanil. 
 
 A very nntnral desife came to Mrs. INTcCormick to visit her old home at 
 Pittsburg to see her relatives and friends, and to let tlu'm know that she was 
 Htill alive. IJut it would oe a dillicult undertaking. Pittsburg was some 200 or 
 more miles distant anil the wdiole route was throuwli a wihU'rni'SH without 
 t'oads and without inliabitants, save some rovln;.? bands of Indians. It was not 
 cj'ivenient for her husband to leave his business and ^,'0 with her. i?nt that 
 name hidomitable will and spirit that ha. 1 enabled her to (jo throuKh so many 
 trials, now cane to lier aid, and she levis 'd a plan lo aeeomnlish her desire and 
 ,i.s,eciited it. She sideeted a trusty s(iuaw to be her uuly companion on tlu' 
 
 I; 
 

 -17— 
 
 journey and McCannick pr ovidi-il thiiu wifh two horsos niiil snrh n small outfit 
 as tlu'v could cany with tluMii, i,t' little t!uii!,^s that would he most necessary 
 to thoui. Thus erpippod, with lu r younr child i;i her arms, Mrs. McCormick 
 (nee Elizaherh Turm'r) set out on liorsehack to make the journey to Pittshur>r 
 'The joui'ney was lon.t; and ttnlious and not without thrilliu.t? adVentures and 
 hardships. No friendly hous(\s along the rout(^ to shelter them at iii^ht and 
 for many days travellini^ not an Indian wiixwam to he, seen. When ni^dit 
 overtook them, they camped alone in the wilderness. It is hard ff)r us even 
 to ima<;ine a youni? mother with her hahe m dvin;jr such a journey, but Mrs. 
 McCormick's four vears experience of hulian life enabled her to do it success- 
 fully. 
 
 She found her father and mother alive, but tho appearance of their 
 dau.^'liter before them was lik(! om- rising' from the dead. Four ycai's had 
 passed since she was taken from tlu^ni an I they had not heard one word from 
 her. To sec^ lusr iTtnrn with a. child — a (;hild of her own, greatly added to their 
 .■surpri.s(!. Sho found her former lover, who was still uiuiiarried, but he said h(> 
 did not blam.' h,;r. uadi'r thecircumstances, for marrying McC(jrmick, and 
 ■t'i)a,''it t'.iit s'l ■ li 1 1 d ):i 1 ri,''ir. S'l ■ real ilu >! wit'.i her friends a lew weeks, 
 and then retnriiel to her husl)and iii the snm ■ way that sin' had come — on 
 horse back with her lone s(iuaw companion. 
 
 The war of tluM'evolution was now ovt.T and a ti'eaty of jieac' !u>d heeii 
 nmde. Whetlier IMcl'ormiek took an active part in lighting the revo!iitiunis;s 
 with the Britisli, or with their Indian allies is not known: but the Indians 
 W(>re the British allies, and he was tlun-ouglily ideiititied with them, and no 
 doultt strongly sympathi/.iiig with the British cause. He had perhaps, been 
 guilty of acts which led the Yankees to look him as an enemy, and as the 
 number of Yankees were increasing.it made it unjileasant for him to remain 
 among them. In the eastern I'oionies, made indt'iieiideiit states by the success 
 of the revolution, there wei'c a immber of Torjes who still ludieved in the 
 "Divine riglit of Kings," and refused to be disloyal to K'lig (reorge, wlio de- 
 termined to leave tln' New England States and seek a new home in the 
 Knglisii Province of (.Quebec, now Canada. 'JMiey gathered up tiuir families 
 .and elTects, s'look tlie ilirl from tlicir feet, and enti red British ti'rritcn'y. 
 Some entereil from New Ytu'k near Niagara, others jiushed on further west 
 to U((troit aiid crc),s.sed tlu^ river into Ih'ifish posses.sion and fornu-d a colony 
 in what is now the County of I'^s.se.x, Ontario. These Loyalists were eiicour 
 aged and rewanU'd l)y the English government with a gift of 200 acres of land 
 to each family. McCormick lieing loyal to tlie King and not salislied with 
 living among the Yankees determined to gather up his etl'ects, take them to 
 Detroitand crossihe rivt-r, and join this colony of Loj-alists on Hritisli ground, 
 and nuike himself and fumily a pi-rmanent lionie. He selected his '..'(M) aia-e.x 
 of goverinn>sn land in that part of thi' County jiow known as the Township of 
 Ook'hester, near the siiores of Lake Erie. Thin county was ahnoNt an uida-oken 
 wilderness (utvered with a very heavy growth of forest, with but few wliite 
 settlers in that part of the ccunty, but tliey were more immerous upon the 
 Detroit river, Then^ were Indians in abundance and Met'oimieic again 
 found iiimself in liis old elei lent, and there is no doubt but what he engaged 
 inliisold l>usini'ss of trading witli considerable sui'i'css, as well as <loing .i 
 little farminy. The writer luia nut been able to secure the exact (kite that 
 
-JN- 
 
 McConuick came to Caiiiulii. Homo place the date ahout the year ITST or 
 17'iS, wliilu' there are other evi(lt;n;'es th;it it was four or five years later— some- 
 wliere in tlie tuirly nineties. Wlieii M(^C.'<n'mick was marrieil to Elizabeth 
 Turner lie was at least 4!) years olil. wliile she wa.s but 21. There were l),)rn 
 to them N cliildren in all, 4 S(jiis and 4 (lau;,dit.ers viz., Williiun, Alexander, 
 Idatthow, John, Eliza.l)eth (Betsy.) Mary, Nancy and Sarah. Mary married 
 
 Jolui Ferriss, Nancy niiUTied Htockwell, Sarah married Price; 
 
 and their dest:endents by these names ai'(^ .still known in that community. 
 "Betsy" renmint;d unniarritHl. The sons all married and setth'd in the 
 county, and some of them live-d to an old a^o and raised lar^e families, who 
 still i):u'i)etua,te tlie name in the neif^iiborhood. The piirticulur branch of 
 tlic family we wish to follow in this narrative! is throui,di William, the eldt^st 
 child — the one that wn,s born amonjj: the Indians, and was carri<;d from the 
 Maumees to Pittsburg' and back on horseback l)y his mother; ajid the one who 
 became tlie, first wliite owner of Point au Pelee I.sland. 
 
 Ill \s()2 Alexander McUornuck made a trij) to Ireland and visited hi.s- 
 relatinns there. He returned and lived to a {,'ood old n^v, but died many 
 years befon? his wife. Mrs. IClizabeth Turner McOormick died in ISSit 
 about T? years old. She lived to see all her c!iildr(>n raised to miinhood and 
 \V(imanho(td, in fact at her death her children were well advanced in years. 
 Siie lived to see many tirand children— to tell them of the wonderful inci- 
 denlsaiid adventures of her early life ainomf the Indians. A. few of these 
 incidents iiave been ;,'a!hered l)v file writi'r, but are only feebly told in this 
 narrative. She lived to see that child l),)ru amoiif; the Indians, that slic carri(ul 
 in her arms when a babe hundreds of miles on horse1)ack, become a ))ronnncnt 
 man in the comnninity in wliicli he lived, an<l to .see him become a nu^mber of 
 the Caiuidian Parliament; and when became to PcIch' I.sland ("o live she came 
 with him. and lived there several years— -but she died in the Townshii) of 
 (.\)lciiester, wliih^ tiiere on a visit, as before stateil, in ISiV,). 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 William McCormick -A Sketch of His Life. 
 
 We hav<' seen till' unfavoi'able circumstances in which William ]Mc(!ormick 
 be^an lii'e. lie may have been six, or he may have been ten years old wlicn 
 his father broiiLrht him to live in C^anada. The record of his a;,'e at that time 
 is missin^^. He may have had some eliunentary teaching' by his father and 
 mother before lie left I lie Indian country. After this he may have been sent to 
 Maiden or Sandwii'h, to such schools as existed there, as there was [irobably 
 none nearer to his home. In tiie main he was indebted to his own eiierjjfy and 
 aiiibil ion for such learning tind knowli'dKe of books, and of business that he 
 acciuired. Hemiide |.?ood us** of every oiiporrunity to improve himself, but had 
 to depend upon lii.s own resources, The KnH;Iish sjteakinf; settlers around him 
 were mostly composed of that sturdy intelli.\cent New KuKlimd stock who were 
 loyal to the KiiiK and left the IS'ew I'^nKlaiid States to si^ttle in ('anada, and 
 their descendants, who liecann' known us the "I'niti'd Empire LoyaliHts," 
 
—19— 
 
 whom many Canarlians are now proncl to own as their ancestors These 
 t'ormorl a inicleiis of good soeiety to wliieh the yonntr man liad access. From 
 rheni he no doubt h'arned much, and was indehfcd to tliem for what proved to 
 1)e of mn-'h more impoi'tauce to liim in after life than any knowh'dge he niijjht 
 have obtained from them, a good wife in the person of Mary Cornwiill, 
 the dauj;liter of John Cornwall, who left Connecticut after the Revolutit)n to 
 make a home in tlie • 'Kind's Dcniunion ." 
 
 It was at the age of tweiity-tive, William Mc(^ormick was mamed to 
 Mary Cornwall, who was tlien seventeen. Tliis was on January 2(»th, 1S09. 
 Tliey settled on the old homestead farm, already enlarf^ed by purcha.scd 
 addition. Pi 'sides the society of tlie United Empire Loyalists, there was a 
 military station at Fort Maiden where there were army ofhcers and Ki'vernment 
 officials and tlieir families, a societv to which McCormick had I'litrrr. ]?ut 
 the tjreater part of the inhabitants of the county were Canadian Freiicli, half- 
 breed.s ami Indians. 
 
 In such a community an intellifjrent, enerj,'etic younjj: man lik(> McCormick 
 was b,)uid to come to the front and hold a position of respect and of iiithieiiee. 
 This, we lind, he <lid. His lirst otli 'ial position was that of postniast(>rfor the 
 Pi)st (.)ltu' 'of Colchester, wiiicli was estaldi.shed in an out-buildini,' in his yard. 
 Later h,' was api)ointed a magistrate for tliat district. In addition to tlie 
 nuigistrate's dnty of holding,' court, conimittiuLT violators of the law, and .'^i^ttlin^,' 
 disimtes, it was his duty under certain circumstances to jierform tiie 
 marriage c(>rcmony on account of scarcity of ministers, iir.d distance of the 
 churches McCormick l\a;l fretjuent applications at his )ion.-<e, from young 
 people who wished to he united, but couhl not wait until the ipiarterly visit of 
 minister and he became (piite a popular adieinistrator of this rite. Nor was 
 his popularity confined to his iiavticular neij.diborliood, but extended all 
 ovi-v the county. 
 
 Tlie nanje of tiie old Frencli village L'.Vssumption liad lieen cliaii^'ed to 
 t^andwicil, and this became the county seat. Along wilii Maiden, now 
 Amherstburg, these were the two i»rineii»al settlements, Windsor then 
 Iteing only a few scattering slianties. McCormick made fre(iuent visits 
 to tlu'se towns and was well known throughout tiie county, [n Is — lie 
 received nomination, and was elected u member of tlie Canadian Parliament 
 for the county of Esse.v. In IH2'.\ he made a frii)lo Ireland to .see and become 
 aciiuainted with his father's brothers and their families. It was a trip (hat ht> 
 greatly enjoyed and often talked of in aftt^rlil'e. 
 
 William MrCormick's attention was tirsi called fo Point an Pelee Island 
 in ISI.-) — or thi' first record of his taking any personal interest in it was soon 
 afttir it had eotue into poH,se,ssion of Ah'x, McKer's only son, heii' of Col. Thos. 
 McKee, half-breed Indian Cliief, and first per.si.nal owner of tlie Island, under a 
 lea.se from .several [iidian tribes for !l'.)i» years, which lease has a 1 read v been 
 rt>ferred to in the.si^ pagoH. Aft this time— iSlu, McCormick lea,sed the Island 
 from McKee, but what use he nuid(> of it, or of wliat profit it was to him we 
 art* not infornuMl. The Fsland seems to have had great attraction Wn- him, and 
 he must liave had great failii in its possibilities of (h'velopnienf, fur in eight 
 
—30— 
 
 ycarsiifrcr he Iiad loascd i^ lii' liontrht tlic wlidlc of ^NIcKcn's iiitcnsr for tlic 
 Slim of .-?.")(»(). Tills was in 1S2;{, but he did not remove to tlie Island with his 
 family until ls:54. It does not appear that he made mueh use of the island, 
 or received any benelit fnmi it durinf; these eleven years that he owned it 
 before moving to it. Som(> tenants, both wliite and Indian, were sent over, 
 who cleared u]) some small patches of land and built a few cedar lot;- houses. 
 Tattle, horses and ho;,'s were also sent over to the Island. Some cedar thnber 
 was t'ut and sliijjped: some of it was sold to the ( ioveriinieut for re])airinK the 
 fort at Andierstburu'. In 1S:!:5 the liKlitliouse that is still upon the island, was 
 erected, and tlie stone with which it was Imilt was procured from McCormick. 
 
 When William McCormick moved his family to tJie Island in ls;U he had 
 eleven chihb'eii— I'iii'ht sojis and tlire(> (hiULchti'rs— two other chihh-en had 
 di(ul in infancy Alonj-' with the family was his aj^vd mother— she who was 
 a (captive ami)nj>' th.' IndiaJis, and a maiden sister. His childi-en were Alexander, 
 the eldest, who,was then 3:! years old, John. •-.'! : David, Ji); William, IT; Thonms 
 C, j;!; Lucinda, 12: Charles, N;Mary, (1; Sarah Ann, o; PereK'rine, :} ; and 
 Arthur M., an infant a few months old. 
 
 The north end of the I.sland was selected for tlu' homestead. HciO were 
 two cedar lo^' liouses. connected by a frame; apartment built 1)etweeu, which 
 formed the family residence. It was only a few yards from the blutf at 
 the beach, facing' that beautiful slieet of water, tin; north liay of Pelee Island. 
 Here the main land was in full view across the no: th cliannel of the lake; and 
 as neai'ly all the sliippin^ and connnerce of the lake in sail or steam vessels 
 passes throu^di this chaimel, it was in plain si^ht from the liouse. Almost in 
 front of the house was a ^'ood location for a dock, which was afterwards 
 huilt. iitt'ordin^- a laudinK-place and .safe linrbor for boats— a very important 
 con.sidi 'ration, as all intercour.se with the main shore and the I'est of the 
 world was by boats. 
 
 Other lot,^ houses had beou built in ditt'erent parts of the Island and were 
 occupied by tc^nants. The uaint^sof only a few of th(>.so tenants are obtainalih-. 
 The Aliens and Butlers, and John and (iecn-Ke Fox were some of the I'arlier 
 settlers. The Foxes and their children remained on the island several years, 
 (!e(U'^'eFox was drowned in the north liay. across from Colchester: The 
 familes (inally moved to North IJass Ishuid and l)ecaiue the owners of 
 U(*arly the whole of that ishind, and pioneers in the Ki'iipe business, Sub.sequent- 
 ly, when there was a bomn in the i)ric(M)f all island land for the purpose of 
 Krowin^' Knipes, they sold sonuMif the island at ^veat profit. Peter and Simon 
 Fox and their sister Mrs. (leorKt* Win's, who s])ent tlieir earlier years on 
 Point Pelee Island, are still living witli their decendants, on North Bass 
 Lshind, well to do and liiKldy respected and intluential citizens of that place. 
 
 n 
 
-•21- 
 
 * * 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Condition of the Island ^htn the McCormicks First 
 
 Removed to It. 
 
 When William McConiiick aiid family wciir to the Island thoy Inniid ir 
 almosr in its iirinicval stare, with onlr here and there a few Idj,' hons(>s and 
 small elearin^s made liy tenants mider Mr. Askiti, when he, Askin, lield the 
 lease, and by the tenants sent over hy Mr. MeOovmiek before he came over 
 himself. The Island eontained. as was a.seertained by a survey madf some 
 time after this and known as the Salter survey, an area of 1 1 ..")4'.» aei 's. It was 
 eom'puted that .").-li;! acres of tins was marsli land, but little aliove the level of 
 till' lake; aii<l about :J. ();)() ai'res was low wet tindi.a'.'d land rliat was sometimes 
 coveri'd with water: leaving' about i. .")()() acres of npdand, some of which was 
 too rocky for cultivation. There were three nnrslu's, two small ones, and 
 one of over 4,000 acres extending entirely aci'oss the Island, makin.ij it imposs- 
 ible to pass from north to s(mth except on a Jiarrow satidy strip alom,'- th'' 
 edire of the lake, thrown up by the waves This mar.sh was often overflowed 
 by water ruiunni,' into it from the lake; at other rimes the How would l)e 
 from the mirsli iiiro riie lake. Ir was always covered wirli water from a 
 foot ro five feer dee]), Itut was overrun with a heavy ^'rowth of acpiatic ^n-a])es 
 and other vei,'etation. There were no ti'ees upon it. The uiikwid was heavily 
 tindiered with lar«:e trees of hicUory, elm ;ind liasswood, and a limited 
 amount of very lar^^e oak. The lower lands had a growth of soft maple, 
 liasswood, !'lm and other varieties of trees, while the rocky rid^'es were 
 covered with hard nuiple, ash and oak. TIkVc was a (|uauriry of red cedar 
 n-ees in Ki'oves. and scattered alnmt amon^ the othei- t iiuber, most of them 
 entirely dend but perfectly scmnd. They had been in this condition beyond 
 the recollection of the oldest \ isitors to the Island— perhaps to • ireiieratious. 
 There were souie proves of live cedar, however, and some individual ti'<'es 
 scattered through th(> foresr. There were also dead and nearly dead mnllterry 
 trees scattered over the ishmd almost as valuable as cedar for fence posts. 
 
 There was a time when elk and ileer roamed tln' Island, as is evident 
 from dei'r horns and numerous immense antlers of the elk found in the wooils, 
 and more recently in the nuirshes since these have been reclaimed. T,ut these 
 animals had both disappeni-ed, Thei-e is no evidence that any of the larye fer- 
 ocious animals such as wolves, lieai's and catamounts were ever on the i.sland ; 
 foxes and raccoons were plentiful and muskrats i.umorous, tlieir hou.ses dot- 
 tiiiK the mar.shes, KiviiiK the appearance in the Fall of a iirairie meadow 
 eovere<l witli hay cocks. Thi^y were trapped and s])eared by both white 
 ami Indian liunters—sometinu'S to tiie nundier of r.,ono nr (1,000 a year. No 
 mink (H- otter was fiaind; no rabbits or s((uirrels; no moles or skunks; no 
 (luail or Ki'tmse. Tlie wild duck nutde tliis both a breeding and a feeding place. 
 The mallard and wood dnclc and other varieties used to breeil in the woods and 
 nnirshes, and^reat nundiers of ducks and wild awnv stoppi^l liere in the Spring 
 and Fall, in their miKi'idion north and soutii, to feed upon the wild ric«> and 
 other food abounding. Snakes wi'n- inminierable and of nuiny kinds, ineludiuK 
 
tlu' poisonous riittlt'-suiiki'. Myriads of iiiosiinitos, dtHT-llifS, hors>, -^iit'S and 
 other bitiu},' flics, were; fiicrt' throiifjhout tlu' siimmcr, to tornicnt both man 
 and beast. Such was the condition of tiie ishmd wlicn this family first went 
 upon it in 1M54, and it remained nearly in the same condition for the next 
 twenty-live years. 
 
 The Mcdormicks cnf,M^cd in general farming', but cliiefiy in stock raising. 
 Horses and cattle ccmld live in the bnsh for iiiiit! months in the j'car: Iti fact 
 horses lived out of doors tlie whole season and became <initewild. Hogs fed upon 
 hickory mits, acorns aiid roots and wei'c fat by the time "Winter set in. It was 
 },a-eat si)ort at the first snow to go out with dog and gun and lay in the year's 
 supply of pork and lard. But they turneil their atti'ntion largely to getting 
 out cedar and oak tind)cr for .shipuKnt and to selling firewood, as these wore 
 cash articles. In ]si:!(i a saAV mill was erected at the south east end of the 
 ishmd to cut red cedar railroad ties for .shipment to Cleveland and other 
 Uiuted States ports. Tlie older of tlu' McCormicks, Alexander, John and 
 William, had the nuuiagemeiit of getting out th > tind)er and other work on tlie 
 i.ihind, and wiiilc so engaged "Ivcpt slia.uty" at different places on the island. 
 Tiiey proliubly did this sometimes lieforc the family moved over permanently, 
 t'anadian French lumln'rnien. experts in hewing .stiuare timber, were brought 
 over to the i.'^land, and llu' huge oak triH's were felled and hewti into sticks 
 the lengtli of thebody of tlie trees an<l as large as the timber would admit, 
 sometimes more than two feet scpiare. These were dragged out to the beach 
 when there was snow, by .several yoke of o.xen ; thence floated out to vessels 
 lying at anchor, taken alxjard by hor.su power, and finally sliipped to Europe 
 for shij) liuilding purj)Oses. 
 
 . 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 A Battle Fought on the Island-The "Rebellion of 1837^38. 
 
 Tlieir work and peaceful possession of the island by tlie McCyormieks was 
 interruiited in is:is liy tlie "Patriot Rebellion," as the uinising against the 
 (yanadiaii ( iovernment liy a rough lot of Feiuans and scalawags in lK;iT imd 
 lN:is was called, when a numlter of these "rebels" invaded tlu* island from 
 Sandusky, ( )luo. to seek for iilunder and to capture the McCormicks. 
 
 The greati'st activity of thesi' so-called rebels was in the eastern part of the 
 Province of Ontario, in the Niagara District ; but .son u' 'f the invad(a\s came 
 over from Detroit and made an attack ujiou Windsor al.so from the rear. A few 
 liritish regulars under Col. Prince wen^ at Wind.sor and met the invaders, 
 easily defeating them. Another jiarty in a vessel appeared ahing fhiM-oast 
 of Colchester and committed some dejiredation, continuing on until 
 o])l)osito Amher.stburg when a short .sharp battle took jilace and the boat with 
 all i he crew were captured or kiUed liy the Canadian volunteers. In March 
 IMSSa jiarty of these wortldcss fellows said to have numbered -luO, came from 
 Sandusky on the ice to Pelee Island. As there was no British military 
 establishment here, nor any Jh'itish soldiers, they (Hiuhl have no other oliject 
 
 I 
 
—■>:]— 
 
 but pluiiflor and tlii-ft from tho McCormick.* ; and possibly a (b sire to take 
 sonic of thoni prisoners f < r ransom. 
 
 Tho McCormirks ^ot notice in somo way of the approachiiif,' trouble and 
 preferred to retreat ratlier rhan fall into tlie bands of an irrt sponsibb> mob. They 
 gathered up the family and crossed to the main land on the ice, and made haste 
 to inform th" military authorities at Fort Mal(b>n of the inva.sion of the island. 
 Col. Maitland, with three e.'impani(>s of ref,'ulars and one company ofmiliria 
 volunteers were sent to the i.sland, guided by young William and David 
 McCormick. 
 
 There is a printed record and description of the liattle fought on Pelce 
 Island, or more prop(>rly on the ice near the south end of the island, on March 
 ;kd, 18;{S, which will be (pu)ted here from the book containing it:— "Col. 
 Maitland sent mi>n over to examine theici; to soe if it was safv' to send cannons 
 over. They reported it safe ; and one company of volunteers ami tlu-ee of regulars, 
 one under Ca])t. Brown and tlieothersunder Col. Maitland, came with two brass 
 pieces. The r(>bels believed them to be all volunteers, aiui not being afraid of 
 these prepared to figlit ; but when the regulars drew otf their overcoats and 
 displayed their uniforms, consternation seized them. Ruiming to the 
 south end of the island, where CA\^t. Brown had been stationed, a liatfle 
 ensued between them and him. Five men were killed and fifteen lu'isoiiers 
 were tak<>n. The British liad one kiUtMl and twenty-eight wounded. Three rebels 
 retreat"d ti the e;is!- sid." and att ^mot 'd to got away on the ice. Alxmt one 
 hundred broke through and wero drowned; the rest made their escape." 
 
 This account ditfers somewhat from that given by the McCormicks, who 
 were here on the ground; (^specially that part saying one hundred nf the rebels 
 were drowned, which is no doubt a mistake. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 Death of William McCormick. 
 
 I 
 
 When Pelee Island was invaded l)y the rebel mob, in March ls:is, the Mc- 
 Cormicks left it, and did not return permanently until tlie summer of ]s:i!). 
 This disaster had a depressing influence upon William McCeimick and his 
 health began to decline. H(» di(Ml, F(iburary ISth, ISIO, fifty six years of age, 
 leaving a widow and eleven children. Five of these children wen* then 
 young men from eighteen to twenty-nine yi^ars of age. His aged mother, who 
 was formerly Elizabeth Turner, tlie captive among the Indians, died aliout a 
 year before him. 8he had been living with her son on the island, but had left 
 with the family at the time of the invasion, and died in Coh'hester at lier old 
 home, aged about seventy-six years. 
 
 A prominent idea with WMlliam McCormick in buying Pelee Island was to 
 establish homes for his cliildren by giving eai h of them a f^ood farm, and so 
 settle them on the island as a family colony. His health failed quite rapidly, 
 
—24— 
 
 and in ISSW h(( nmdi; a will dcvisiiif.' the isliiud to his eleven children. In this 
 will he s])ecially desi^uiited certain iK)iiits on the island where each child was 
 to liave :!()(» acres of land allotted to him. The residue of the land, includiiiK 
 tht! north, was to be di^•ided equally, as Jiearly as possihle, hetween tht; children, 
 e.xceptintr 100 acres which was to be set aside for the ]mri)ose of niantaininf^ a 
 school on the i.sland — the rents and profits tluTcfroni to fjo to sup]iort the 
 school. He also left 10 acres at the north end of the island for a villaf,'(i plot 
 and church. Each one of the heirs selected his homestead of 800 acres, as 
 pi'ovided in the will, and took possession. But no division of the island bj' 
 le<..^al survey was made until 1S4T, seven years aft(>r the death of William 
 McCormick . P. H. Salter, a provincial land .surveyor, was thi'U employed to 
 survey the island and make the division as recjuired by the will, so tliat each 
 ni 'uiber of the family could know the boundaries of his or her land. Alexander' 
 biiiufj the eldest of the heirs, was allowed by tlui others to act as their afxent 
 in the manairemeiit of tlie survt'y. But instead of dividing' tlie land as the will 
 directt'd he had it divided differently, and in a way that was not at all 
 satisfactory to the other heirs, who refused to accept the survey or to 
 ruco.^nize tlie di\'isiou made by Salter. 
 
 This led to family dissensions and animosities tlait retarded the } .-csperity 
 of the island for the next 20 years. Alexander Mc(Jormick held to tlu'land 
 he claimed, retainimj ]ii)ss.>ssion by tenants, and in IS4S built tht; stone cottafic 
 at tlie north end, which still stands in ^ood ja'i'servation. He not oidy put 
 ti'uants upon tlio land, but sold larjje tracts f)f it to outside parties who took 
 possession of it. A company in (^levehuid, Oliio, of which a Mr. Wliijiple was 
 a mend)er, bouj^ht land of Alexander. Mr. Whipple came to the island with 
 tenants and had erected several frame houses, the material for which was 
 bi-ouf?ht from Clevi'land all ready to put up. These en^af;ed in cleariiij? land, 
 shippiuK cedar and other timber and wood. Alexander McCormick died in 18r)4, 
 leaving' matters in this unsettled c( iiditiin. The other nienil ( rst f the family 
 would not admit tlie validity of the sales mad(; by Alexander, but W^hipple and 
 others held possession of a lar^c part of the iskiiid and the McConi.icks could 
 not iivt them off". They still held pos.se.ssion some ten years after the death of 
 Alexander McCormick, continuinj? to clear the land of its cedar and 
 salealile timlu'r, and .shipi)iii^(puintities of w(jod. Feeling,' so .sure of their hold on 
 the island, one of tlu'in, Henry Price, planted a vineyard of two or three acrt'S. 
 the first vineyard ever planted on the island, which was afterwai'ds to become 
 famous for its many vinej'ards and flue grapes. 
 
 The McCormicks had heretofore rested satisfied with their titk; to the 
 island obtained from tlu' Indians throufj:h Chief Thomas McKee, from whose 
 heirs tlie kite William McCttrmick had bought it, the deed thereof beinj; 
 duly registered in the county registry office. But when it was desired to sell 
 aiij' of the land, or to raise money by mortgage, it was found that this could 
 not b(> don(\ because tlu'ir had ni'ver been a patent issued by the Government 
 for the island to any one and parties would not invest where the title was 
 defective and in dispute. 
 
 This condition of the title led them to con.sult lawyer John Prhicc^ in IfiW). 
 Mr. Prince advised them to have the Government bring suit for intrusion, and 
 
—25— 
 
 they would be suro to jjct a jn(lj.'ni('iir in tlu'ir favor. He wntiM atfcjifl to it 
 and see that tlicy jrot tludr riylits. Accordiu^'ly Priiuv had the (Jovcriinifiit 
 briiij^r suit a,s,'ainst tlie McCorniicks for intrusion on Ptdce Lslan<l, bur he failod 
 to atc(;n(l to tlie case prop(;i-ly, and did not produce in court the evidence by 
 wlii .'h the McConnicks claimed title. Judiriuent therefore was j^iven ntrainst 
 them. This decision of court left the McCorniicks in awor.se condition than 
 the}- were before, for by it thi' island still belonged to the (loveninient ; and 
 th'i oth,(r pirries n )\v claim '.1 th.it tlie McCorniicks like themselves, were 
 m'^rely squatters on Government lands. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 The Title Perfected. 
 
 f 
 
 It was not until 1804 that the McCorniicks made another attempt to have 
 the title to the island settled in th"ir favor. Tliey then enipl(\ved lawyer John 
 Stevvarr to investif,'ate the wliole matter, find the cau.se of their failure in the 
 fjrm n- suit, and to pivs.^ui: a in nn n-iil to th.' (i-,)ver;ior-in-C.>uiicil, settiuu' foitli 
 all the evidence and facts rolatiiiK fo tlie Indian title; tlic occupancy of the 
 island by the McC>)rmicks for more tliaii forty years in undisputed pcssessioii ; 
 their rights never called in question by the Ciovernmeiit or by any otliers. A 
 memorial and brief, covering the whole ground of the case was pri'pare<l ly 
 Mr. John Stewart, pre,><ented to the Government, and submitted to the Hon. 
 Henry J. Bovdton for his li'gal opinion. Judge ]5oulton gave his dc'cision: 
 "That the fornu-r judgment against the McCorniicks should be set aside ; tliat 
 the Isliuid had never been t-eded to the Crown by the Indians; that the 
 G )vernni 'at had never ]);'eii in possession of it, or taken any protits from it; 
 and that no others than the McCormieks had any rightful po.ssession of it." 
 He therefore recommended that patents be issued to the McCorniicks severally; 
 dividing the i.sland among them in the manner directed by the last will and 
 testament of the late William McCi)rniick of .said island of Point au Pelee. 
 
 The Goverunumt adopted Judge Boulton's views, and this decision fiuallv 
 and permanently settled all dispute about the title to the island. 
 
 Under tliis decision Alexander Wilkinson. P. L. 8., of the f(mnty of Essex, 
 was appoint(Ml to re-survey tlu> island and sub-divide it into ek^'ciii shanks, and 
 to niak(! a plot and map showing the whole island and each subdivision. He 
 first laid out ek'ven lots of ;it)0 acres eacli, one lot for each heir. Thc^ residue of 
 land and marsh was then divided and laid off in sui'h lots for eacli lieir as 
 would enable them to receive each an eipial share as near as i)ossil)le. One lot 
 of 100 aci'es was S(!t aside for .school purposes aii'l ten acres for a village .site. 
 A complete map showing all these divisions was iiiadi' and is on record in tlu! 
 registry oltice at Sandwich. Upon tlie completion of tlie survey and plan of 
 the ishuid in l>S()r, patents were duly issued to eacli of the eliiven heirs of tlie 
 late William McCormick, and are on record. It was twenty-seven years after 
 the death of William McCormick befori> his will was (rompliod with and before 
 his heirs received a good title to the laud tliey had occupied so long. Tliesc 
 
~2ff— 
 
 rwt'iity-si'Vi'ii years hail iu;ule but little chanice upon the fare of the island. 
 Cleariiifi^ had been extended somewhat around each of the half dozen homes- 
 established and more land bi'()uj,'lit into cultivation. Nearly all th(> red cedar, 
 and all the scinare-timber oidv had been cut and disposed of. Otherwise it 
 remained pretty much in the same condition as heretofore described. But 
 these twenty-seven j-esirs had made main' chan{,'es in th(i McConnick family. 
 At this time (IHfi?) there were living,' upon the island, William, David, Thomas 
 C, Pi^rcKrine, and Arthur M., Lucinda, Sarah Ann and their ajjed mother. 
 Alexander died in 1854 leaving n, widow and two children John died in 185ft 
 and his ANTife soon after, leavinf< five children to be taken care of b,v their 
 grandmother. Charles died in 1844 and Mary in 1801. William. Peregrine and 
 Arthur M., were married and had several children each. David and Thomas 
 C, had remained bachelors, nor had Lucinda or Sarah Aim ever married. 
 Thomas C. and his two sisters lived f)n th(i old homestead witli their mother. 
 Capt. David also made that his head quarters when not sailing. 
 
 Onlv a few other persons besides the finnilies of the late William 
 IJcConuick were on the island before this time, and we may not be able to 
 record the names of all of these. Capt. Zenas O. Quick was here, engaged in 
 sailing, fishing and trapping. K>' bought a farm and became a permanent 
 citizen, reaiing a numerous family. He, with one of his sons, was drowned by 
 the capsizing of his pound-boat in 18—. Captain James Cummins was on the 
 island as lighthouse keeper an early as 1S::U or 18:!,") . He held the position, 
 with an intermission of a few years, until he was retired on a pension. He 
 tlien V)Ought a farm on th(^ island and was one of the best citizens. He died in 
 IS— leaving a young widow, but no children. Jerry Mahony came to the 
 island in IS')!), reared a large family, and is still here, one of the old settlers. 
 Thomas L. and Robert W. McCormick, nei)hews of the late Wilbam 
 McCormick, were and are still here with gi-own families. Angus Huffman 
 did some fishing and car lentering. He also bought a small lot of land and 
 planted grape vint'S, but did not rtnnain long on the island. Robert Litth^ was 
 on the island before 18{)T, and remained a permanaut resident. He Imilt and is 
 still the proprietor of , the only licensed hotel upon the island— "The Island 
 Home." in>ar the west -side dock. John McCormick 's four sons, now grown, 
 had left the island to seek positions in commercial or prof(>ssional pursuits. 
 Three of them however, Burrel, Herbert, and Charles, have now returned to 
 look after their patrimonial estate and assist in developing the island. 
 
 f 
 
—27— 
 
 CHAPTER XVL 
 
 Mary Cornwall McCormick, Widow of the Late William 
 
 McCormick. 
 
 A sliort rcferouce lias bei'ii made to Mary Cornwall M 'Connick, but hor 
 
 remarkable life, her Ion- residence upon the island an.l identification M-itli its 
 
 history for more than fifty years, desen-e a more extended notice. A skc^tch of 
 
 , ^^''^' ^1^'' ""'^ tribute to her memoiy should be given here, even at the risk of 
 
 sonu' repetition. 
 
 Mrs. McCormick was the daupliter of John Cornwall and was born in the 
 county of Essex, .July ',>■.>, iriCv>. Her father was a United Empire Loyalist who 
 came from Connecticut to Western Canada after the American K.'voiutioii and 
 s(>ttled near Sandwich in 1777. He was a native of Wales who bad ccnie to 
 the American colonies alxmt 177-J. and was very loyal to King ( ieortre. He 
 left his wife and child in Connecticut, and it wns twi'uty years before they 
 joined him in Canada, the son by that time a grown man. He became a man 
 of prominence and iiiHut'iice in the county of Essex and was the first 
 J: representative from the county in the Canadian Parliament. 
 
 MiM-y Cornwall McCormick b(>ganher married li*. upon the ohl McCormick 
 farm in the Township of Colchester, near the shores of Lake Erie, There she 
 lived for twenty-seven years and there her thirteen children were born. Her 
 husba)id was enga-jred in business, i)uT)lic and privat(\ that required him to be 
 away from homo much of the time. Tlie care and respiusibility of family 
 alfairs devolved then^'ore largely upon her, under trying circumstances and 
 amid the disadvantages of her sun-oundings. It was with mucli toil and 
 hardship that she managed to bring up so large a family. But she was a 
 remarkable svoman in many respects and proved to be equal to the imposed 
 t'tsk. She had a splendid phy.sical constitution, a strong and active mind, with 
 a very retentive memory, seeking and retaining all the information M-ithin her 
 reach. She had great str<>ngth of character, and a cheerful disposition under 
 the most trying conditions. Her removal to the ishind brought more cares and 
 work. In six years her hu.sband died, and lu^r cares were greatly increased. 
 But her previous experience in the hardships of life had prei)ared her somewhat 
 for the added responsibility that devolved upon her during a long widowhood. 
 
 Her industry, good judgment and frugality enabled her to successfully 
 manage and guide the affairs of her household. Her cheerful and happy 
 disposition cheered and stimulated those about her. She l:ad good executive 
 ability, and great infiuenco for good upon those she .-ame in contact with. 
 Hi>r nund was a wonderful storehouse of kTicAvledge of the incidents and history 
 of the early times, mucli of which was within her personal experience. At the 
 time of h(>r husband's death she was forty-eight years old. She lived a widow 
 for more than half a century— lived to s(>e nuiny chang(>s in the county 
 especially upon the island where had been her home for fifty-seven years! 
 She died iu 18!)1, nearly ninety-ni/ie years of age. 
 
 { 
 
~2H— 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 A New Era for Pelec Island,— 1867. 
 
 A new "'a for Pclcc Island was now about to dawn. Provious to the 
 Mc('oniiiclcs fi'ctriiiL' tlii'ir patents for the land little laid been done to dovt'lop 
 file natural rcsouri'cs of the island. Only a small amount of land liad been 
 cleared and put under eultivation. The {,'reatta' part of th(> arable land was 
 Btill covered with a d(>ns(' forest. The occupants luid nuide th(>ir livinj.; 
 principally from selling,' cedar, oak timber and fii'cwood, and by raising st(K'k. 
 Cattle and horses would livo and thrive well upon the natitral f,'rasses and 
 under^^M-owtli witli very little attention. Hoj^s fattened upon nuts. The 
 soil wiis rich, an<l wlieii ])roperly cultivated prodticed f^ood crops of wheat, corn 
 and potatoes and otlier vct,'i'tabl,'s; ami the cultivated grasses, timothy and 
 clover, ixvow luxiu'iantly. A few apple orchards had been planted by early 
 settlers which bore fine fruit. 
 
 Tile (piestion of title was now .settled; but there were sonu' other thini^s to 
 prevent settlers from comiu'.; to the island. There was no steamboat running,' 
 to tile island and no re;j:ular line of sailboats, which made it dillicult for 
 
 Th" omIv wav icretofore bv wiiic'i the inhabitants 
 
 str.ui'.^.'rs to rea'-h Ivr 
 could get off the island and onto it was in their own ])rivati> sail or row lijits, 
 and any si ranker wishin.',' to <j;et to tile island, would have to take his clianees 
 and come by some of tlie.se boats. It was but nafui'al that the McOirniieks 
 Fliouhl be.'OMie j;ood boatmen and sailors. Tliey were all exiiert in handlini,' 
 botii sail and row biafs. Oaptain David McOorinick ailo])ted sailin!,'asa 
 profession, and was known as one of the most expert handlers' of sailboats 
 on the lakes. He became master of both sailin;; vessels and steamboats. 
 
 There was no post offl"e on tlie island as yet. All mail was obtained from 
 Kiicrsville and was brouudit over only wlieii someone happi'ir'd to b ' p issiic'. 
 In winter the peopb wen* sim 'times tlire > or four months without mail. 
 There were no seho ils and no clmrelies. The thick, damp forests and stiivcnant 
 water in the marshes iirodneed malaria. an<l were a breedinj,' place for unfold 
 millions of mos(|nitoes and (let>r-fUes that were a terror to both man anil beasf 
 in tile Summer .season. To come licre to live was likeV.einKa pioneer in a 
 wildi-rness, away from most of the advantages of civilizafion, andtotMidure 
 many hardships and privations 
 
 Fortunately, however, for Point au I'elce Ishind, it had been di.scovered n 
 few years before this that Kelley's Island, only twelve miles .smith, was 
 pecaliarly adapted togrape-gi'owinK. The Messrs. Kelley andC'harlesCariieiiter, 
 an expert horticnltnrisf , had demonstrated by the iilanling of vineyards that 
 the Catawba and other vai'ieties of niitivi' Ki'i>l><'>* c(aild be grown and riiiiMied 
 to great perfection on that island, and that a fine wine could be made from 
 them. The cultivation of L'l'ap 's was extending over Kelley's Islantl and also 
 over i'lit ill-Hay ai 1 the Miss Islands, and proving prolltalde. The demand for 
 islaiiil grape land became very great and f!ie price of land advanced. These 
 islands were being rapidly settled up and improved- -vineyards i»laiited anil wine 
 
'#t;'.m 
 
 iO— 
 
 • <t 
 
 » • 
 
 cellsirs built. A daily stcainboat (•uiin"iti'(l thciii wirli SLiiidnsky ; hotels wore 
 Iniilt to aocoiiunodato the visitors wlio canit' to stn-k iiivt'stmcnt, or for tlic 
 sport of xishiiit,'. or the ijlcasurc of hciu^' upon the water. Tlic price of land on 
 the islands, favorably located, went up to faliulous lif,'ures. This jxi'vat boom in 
 i.sland land should naturally haveextentled to Pele(> Island, as it had the sanio 
 favorable soil and climate for KHipe ^'rowiiii,' that tlie otlier islands had. The. 
 boom did brinj; to Pelee Island a few jn'ospectors — those who had the courap' to 
 conui over in saill)oats; but tliey did not seem favorably im})ressed. Probably 
 tl:o unfavorable contrast witli tlie thrift and business ai>pearance of the 
 islands on the United States side of tlie internatioiud line di.scoiiniKtHl tliem 
 from buvim,' land on Pelei' Island. 
 
 Duriu!,' the war of the rebidlion in the United States, I). J. Williams of 
 Kentiicky, bein;; a rebel sympatliiser. thou^di lie had never taken up anus, 
 thou^dit it would lie more a^'reealile and safe for him in tlie Queen's Dumiuions, 
 He therefore came to Windsor witli liis family in INi^Jor l.s(l."). .Mr WiiHains luid 
 bi'cii a };rape-}i:ro\ver and wiue-mal<er in Kentucky, was well iiosti rl as to wliat 
 was iieinj,' done in tliat line on Kelley's Island, and was very much iuteresltd 
 in it. In Windsor he met Capt. David McCormicU, of Pelee Island, and luid 
 n»iu3' ]))easant talks witii him about t!ie island, },'rape-j>;rowinf,', u iMe-ma!winj.% 
 etc. In coiniiany with ('apt Mcl'ormick, Williaii s, ii lM,"i, \iMi((i lie J i ss 
 Islands, Put-in-JJay and Kelley's Island, and the Captain brought him (.v.r to 
 Pelee Ishmd. 
 
 Aft 'L' this Ml". Wdliau-i vUire 1 his old Kentucky home and t;ilked up 
 txnipe Ki'<JwinLr in the islands wilii his old iieijihbors, and anan^'ed with on'' 
 Thomas S. Williams an<l Thad<leus Smith to visit l-'elee Island with the oiijrct 
 of niakimr an investment if I'vcfything' proved satisfactory. The l luce nn-n 
 visited all the islands on a tour of inspection, in Auu:ust, Isil."). They t'ouiid the 
 pi'ices of land on the United Srates islands exorbitant, and also that the 
 McCormicks were lioldiii},' their land much hi^dier than its real value for any 
 purposiN consideriiiLr the coi.ditions of tli" island. Tliomas ('. Mil'irniick 
 ott'ert^d Williams his choice of a local ion on the nortii end of the island, ami to 
 sell him H) acres upon terms which the parties finally accepicd, as it was the 
 c!i lie 'St lo -ation f ira viui'va.vl an 1 wine-cellar on the island. I).. I, Williams, 
 Thomas S. William-; ami rhaddeu» Saiitli forme<l a co-part iiershii» nndi'rthe 
 firm name of vSniitii, Williams, & ('o., to buy land on Pelee Island, to iilani a 
 vineyard and establisli a, wine-cidlar. The K» acres of kind was chosen as 
 affonlin;; a j^ood locuitioii un IiIkIi urounu for dwelling's a.. ' .i wine-cellar. In 
 1S(>(). 'Jo acres of Ki'i'pt';- wen* planted, and in iIh'coui i "" three years tiin 
 viiieya.rd was e.\ten<led to ;W acres. A wine-cellar was duj,' tiirouKh solid strata 
 of rock to the depth of twelve feet, H) feet wiile and •)<) feet loiiji and 
 complelely arched over with stone. Above it was a basenieiil and a stoi.e 
 li(Mis)> one-and-adialf stories IukIi Other buildin;js were already built. 
 The cellar and house was completed in b'^ds n ady for the lir^t crop if 
 Kvapt's, TliiH 40 acres bought l>v Smiili, Williams \- Co., was the first land un 
 Pel(>e Island ever sold by the McCoriuick f'ainil\ . But the way was opened for 
 tlu' sale of other lanil;aiid lids was tin- Iseg.nniisx of llie settling up and 
 imi»rovement of the island. In IMiT Thadilius Smitii moved his family to 
 the island and took conintl, as maiia,:;vr, of the Krape-Ki'owing and wine- 
 
— :s()~ 
 
 mikiiii,' plii'it of Snirh, Williams & Co., which thoy called tlio "Viii Villa 
 Vineyards." Mr. Smith became n perniauent resident of the island and a 
 naturalized Canadian citizen. Tlie Messrs Williams never lived on tli<> i.sland, 
 hut freiiuently visited it. They both died some years af,'o and Thaddeiis 
 Smitli became the sole owner of the Vin Villa Viiuwards. 
 
 E.lward and .T.)lm VVardroper also came to the island, in lS(i(), ijnd bou;,'!iti 
 fifteen acres of land from William McCormick at the wtist side, wh'ch they 
 imi)roved and planted with f^'rapes. The VVardroper brotliers wen; Kn^'lishmeu 
 who iiad lived in tin* Southern stat(!S some years. But tli;' war of the rebellion 
 ha<l unsettled everytiiinj; in the. south and they were ready for a change, and 
 filad to ixvt back to tlie C^uetm's dominions. Their attention was tm-t directed 
 to Pelee Ishiiul b,y D. J. Williams wiiom they met in Kentucky. Edward 
 Wardroper canui with Williams to the island in the fall of IHfw. Like most 
 Eii;;:lishuioii, the Wardropers were fond of tht>. sport of hunting and flshinj;, and 
 were ja'obably favorably imja'cssed witli the island on account of the splendid 
 (hick sliootin},'on the marshes, and tlie line bhu^k bass fishin.u; anmnd its shores 
 and reefs, Tile red fox was nnnuTous and tiiey Ki'*'"fb' enjoyed the chase. 
 These men were conlirmed bachelors, haviiij; never married; lint they broufjfht 
 to their ishind heme their widowed sister-in-law and her two cliildren. They 
 still live uyAU tlie i.-land but are well advanciMl in years, considerably beyond 
 tlu' iiiniit'd iliHc scoi\' a;i(l lea. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 The division of the i.sland and issuing,' of patents to thi> heirs by the 
 C^madian (iovernment enabh'd each individual lo dispose of his land in any 
 way he chose. Moni'v could now l)e borrowed by mortKaKO and us«>d todevtdop 
 the land. F. Burrell McCormick, eldest son of llu^ late John McC(a'mick, 
 retnrneil to the island and settled on his iidierited eslaleatthe soutli end. 
 He had !,MTat faith in tiie future possihilitie.i of tlu> island and entered with 
 enei'Ky into the work if (level;. [linj,' its Inlent resimrccK. He eiipij^i'd in cuttiiiK 
 wood, IniiMii;;^' ducks, eiicotirap'd a line of steamers from Cleveland to stop 
 here for their supply of wood, and in various wa.vs culled attention t(» the 
 iHlnnd to induce settlers to locate. His brother Charles also retiiriird and 
 joined him in his work. They opened a small Kciienil sl(n'i> at the siuith i>ml 
 —the first store on the island. Hut this was a premature venture, as there was 
 not sulhcicnl popalalion to sustain it. 
 
111 IS— B.n-:- '11 M 'C ivnii;'k and his brothor Charles suroooilcd in trcfriiiir 
 a fnoii'l of rh» hitfcr. a Mr. Ablxit, of Wliocliii.i,', West yir<,Miiia, iutcrcsh'd in 
 piittiny; nn a lar^^c building,' for a summer liotcl. The buildinf? was finisiuHl 
 snlfioieutly to be oecnpied and was named "Bnvze Place Hotel." But it was 
 never comnleted. Charles MeOormick and William Abbot, booominf? 
 discaura.L'ed. witlidrew from the coneeru and left the island. "J'.reeze Place'' 
 has nevt'r bei'u a success as a sunnier resort, thouyh many parties of anglers 
 have bei 11, and some are still, entertained there. 
 
 Tl\e younper McCormieks built a lar«e dock at the south end, but 
 
 unfortnnntely it vvas washed away. It was rebuilt and washed away tlie 
 
 second tiiiie. F. Burrell Mi-C^ormick's perseverance in tryinj^ to develop the 
 
 island under difliculties certainly merited gTcatt r success. But such is often 
 
 the fortune of pioneei-s in a new enterprise; seldom do they reap tlie IVuir of 
 their labor. 
 
 The I i[)uh(tion was slowly but steadily increasintj, James kh-ii:lev and 
 JohuFinlay, both Canadians, eamewilli their families. Tiiey diil nmch 
 towards clearin;,' up and developing,' the land, and both went extensively into 
 .irra;);'-;;rnwin,:j: Thomas J, Lidwell and liis son Albert, witli tlu-ir large families, 
 cam ■ early and were luTmaiR'Ht settlers. Oth.ers followed. But from the 
 H:'();t ' of r!iis lustiry the nanr.'s of the pionei-rs only may 1),' given. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 Grapc^Growing and Winc/Making. 
 
 Smith. Williams & (^o. and Wardro])(>r Bros, were pimicers in grajie cnliiire 
 and tile manufacture of nativi^vine, not only mi I'eiee Island, but in Canada. 
 They were the first to ])lant viiievards of any exieiii in the Broviiice of ( )iiiai'io, 
 and thi> wines of Vin N'illa Vineyards were the llrst pure native wines ever 
 otVer.'d to (he ( a'ladiaii luihlic. Tii.' wrilei', in making this assertion, is aware 
 of t!ie feu* ii"resof ini'evior grapes grown at ( 'ooksville, near Toronto, and that 
 -< Hi.e vine wa:. ma le from them; but it could not be termed a pure grape wine. 
 Th iM .'.(U'ealsia I'.'W inferior grajtes grown along the l^i'troit Iliver, when; 
 aftei the si-.'-eess of Smith, Williams and (\t. on Pelet! Isl.ind. the pioihict wii8 
 iiicreasi'l S:it tliis does not all'ect llie truthfulness of the statement made. 
 TliH soil and cliiaatie cDuditioiiM of the islamis in r.ake Krieaml the long warm 
 
 autumn indneed iv the surrounding water, render ihiMii | u'.iarlv adapted 
 
 for growing and rii-'iiing to perl'ection tlie Catawba and other fiiie varieties 
 of gniit's tint cannot be perfectly ripened on the main shore, nor in any 
 locality wh'i'e the inllneiice of a largi- body of water is lacking. Hence it in 
 that grapes grown on I'elee fsland make tiie liest of wine. 
 
 riie adaptability of tiiii island to graiie-growing, hy the year isn, hail been 
 Mioroiighly and practically estahlished by the iinnieiise crops of four and flvn 
 t'.virt to'.lie acre oftheliiiest < 'atuwba, Deliuviire and other choice varieties of 
 unij-'S grown iiy Smith, WilliamsiV; Co., and by the wines of tli(> \'iii \'j|ln, 
 Vinevards. 
 
—82— 
 
 lu ISTij Tluuldous Smith, in visitina; tho towns of Ontario to introduco 
 tlu\so wiuiJS, wont to Unuiti'ord and culli'd upon Hamilton and Dnnlo;.), wholo- 
 Kulu uiid r»;tail li(iuor morciiauts. Here he made the acquaintance of Mr. J. S. 
 Hamilton, the head of tlie firm, from whom he received an order. Mr. 
 Hamilton wus pleased with the wine and soon repeated his oi'der, becominj^ .so 
 mui'h interested that the foUowinj? year he made a visit to Pelee Island to see 
 (lie place where such wine couhl hj made, and to enter into a bu.siness 
 arran^'inent with till' nianufuctnre- s. A yonnj? man of fine business ability, 
 full of enerf,'y and enterprise, he succecdiMl in arran;,'in^ with both tinuth and 
 1 he Wardropers to handle the wines they mii^ht produce', an amniKcinent tluit 
 continued fo/ twcnity years. Mr. Hamilton was ener;,'etic in introduciii'/ Pelee 
 Ishfnd wines, esjx'cially the Vin Villa brand. He advertised extensively and 
 judiciously and lost no opportunity of callinj,' tlie attention of the public to t!ie 
 island and its products tliroufi:h the ])ress and in other ways. He visited the 
 island annually and seenu'd to talce a personal interi'st in its welfare, 
 independently of tlu^ wine business. 
 
 The style of the tirm was chanj< ^ -^ S Hamilton &C^o., and the business 
 in Lsland wines increased to such a ent that in IS'.K) Mr. Hamilton 
 
 determined to build a wine-li(mse auil i-Cii, • the island that the manufacture 
 nu^xht be coi'.ducteil on aiiiore extensive scale. He ori;ani/,ed a new com])any. 
 the Pelee Island Wine and Vineyard Co., limited, of wliicli he is presidtiit. 
 'i'his comjiaiiy proceeded to build the projected win '-house at the west side, now 
 one of the most cemplete wine nuikin^' establishments in Cana(hi and capable 
 of usin^' several Inmdred tons of grapes annually. 
 
 Ht^nry Rehburf; and John Fiiday an' -.Iso I'Xtensive 
 nuilie wini'on a smaller scale. 
 
 Ki'iipe-Ki'owers and 
 
 t 
 
 i 
 
 T 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Municipal, School and Othct Matters. 
 
 Pelee Island nominally Iti'lon.i^cd to tlie townsliip of Mersea ; but its 
 incna.sinj,' jiopulation, and isolation from ilier.siof the county, denumdtMl 
 tliat it s!i )uld )),' ni'ide a separate township. Tiie Ontario Lc/islatunt Wls 
 therefore applied to for a charter and jiassed a bill in isCiS nndtiiiK Pelee Island 
 a sejiarate municipality, to b,' known as the Township of Pelee. Full cori)orate 
 and municipal powers were Ki'niit.'d excei)t tluit, on accimnt of isolation frcnu the 
 rest of the county and sparseness of iiopulalion, it was separated from the 
 eounly in llie saiii ' way that tow/is and cities are; tlie to\,;iship council to lie 
 composed of three m 'inb'rs, two councilhn-s and a rec^ve, tii ' reovo not to have 
 II seat in the (r)unty O mncil. Tlie first townslii)) Ciiuncil of Pelee was duly 
 elected with A. M McConiiick, reeve Waller (iralil) and Z. O. (.^uick, 
 councillors, and ('has, W. McOormick, el"rk. 
 
 A I'lihlic School 15, »ard wnseli'cted and orKunized and I wo school housi's 
 erected in islO. 
 
 * • 
 
 i 
 
T 
 
 —m— 
 
 A Post Office was ostablishefl in IS — aiul Artluir M. McConnick api)o\iit('(l 
 postmaster foi' the island, who still serves the publie in tiiat eaiiacity. He had 
 some time before this opened a small general store, in whieh tin- post offiee was 
 now kept. The little stoi'e, long since becoming too small for his trade, lias been 
 replaced by a more suitable and commodious house, in one part of wliicli is 
 established as neat a post ottice as can be found in any country village. Here 
 Mr. McCormick's obliging daughters act as tderks and deputy postmasters. 
 
 A stone church buildin'.^ was erected by tlie Church of Kiigland in a very 
 central location. A steam'i )at liu's was established from tlie i-l:ind to 
 KingsviUe, L 'amington an 1 Windsor; tlu' docks were built (uit into deeper 
 water, and faciliti(;s for getting to and from the island greatly increa.st'd. 
 
 In ] SSI) an act, to anu'nd the act chartering the township of Pelee in lM(is, 
 was passed by the Ontario Legislature. This act increased the nundier of 
 township councillors to four, and conferred up(m the nninici()ality sonii' of the 
 power.s exi'reised by towns and cities, sucli as the collecting of non-resident 
 taxes and the power to sell land for taxes; but <till left it separated from the 
 counry council. Tlie act recpiired the townshij) to be divided into four school 
 wards, and conferred the power also to divide tiie island into wards for 
 municipal purposes. Thus a township was formed that is uni(iue in many 
 resix'Cts. Tiie law under which the old school board was fcuMued had become 
 obsolete, and the townsliip was now divided into the four .school wards and a 
 imblic school board of eight members (dected. F(mr new school hou.s(>s of 
 mod(>rn construction wore built that would do credit to any county, and 
 affording sulticient accomodation to meet the demands for many years to come. 
 
 Twenty yeai's had now iiitervt-ned since the lii'st organization of the 
 township and tlie act of legislature amending its charter. Many changes had 
 taken place during tliis time that cannot all be mentioned heri'. The 
 l)opulation had increased until it iuind)ered over six lumdred. A large area of 
 heavily timbered land ha<l been cleared and brouglit under cultivalion, and 
 devoted to corn, wheat, vineyards, fruit-trees and various other agricultural 
 products. 
 
 i 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 An Important Epoch for the Island. — Drainage of the 
 
 Marsh Lands. 
 
 It has b(>eu noted tliat inor(>tlmn one half of tlio island wasa marsh, v>r more 
 properly several marshes, covered most of tiic time by from one to four feet of 
 water. This marsldand overgrown witli a thick growtii of reeds, ruslies, wild 
 rice, Krap(*8 and many othi^r vai'ieties of at|uatic jilants that grew fi-om one to six 
 feet high, impenetrable to man or beast except tlie musk rat ami the trapper wiio 
 pusiied his light canoe or trajipiiig boat througii certtiin i»arts td' it in tlie spi-ing 
 of the yearwlieii tli(> water was liighest. riit> miirsii is nearly on a level witli 
 tlie lake and biiowit during high water, the water .soniefimes running out of tho 
 marshes into the lake, and at other times flowing in. The drainage of this 
 marsh hind in 18SS and INSl) marked the secoial most important epoch in the 
 
—3-1— 
 
 IiisfdTy of Pclcc Island iuid (li'scwcs a yrdiiiii. fit iiotico here, a.s to tlic nrif^iii 
 a?Hl (• )iiii Iction of till' uiuli'rtakiii;,'. In 1S7S, Mr. licniucl S. TJrown, fonnrrly of 
 Cleveland, ( )hin, lieeanie interested in Pelei? Island and bonjjht *i"J.") acres of 
 land on the east side, Ix'in^' that part of the island locally known as "Middle 
 Island." eiitii'cdy separated from the other n])Iand by marshes, and containiiiK' 
 within its centres a marsh of several hundred acres. Mr. Brown had already 
 1)>en the itronnter of various enter])ris'.'S on otiier neif^ddiorin^ islands. He had 
 a lorn; lease n])<)n ^fiddle Island ])roperty, and at one time was the owner of 
 Rallart Island — that beantifnl little islatid that lies at the entrance to tho 
 harbor of Putin P.ay, and was also enf,'a.i,'ed in dock buildiiiir at Putin Bay. He 
 cam" to Pelee Island and made the ])urc]iase already mentioned. puri)osiiit; to 
 ou'^.ije in tr"n"ral farmin'r. nayin;; sjtecial attention to stock raisim,' and the 
 pkuitiii',' of vineyards, and inducin.^'a number (^f Germans to settle on the land 
 for that puri)ose. It sohajjpeiied shortly after Mr. Brown came that there were 
 twoortliri'e unusually dry seasons in succession, drying' uj) the ^.aterinthe 
 marshes, leavin^' some of the marsh land (|uite hi^ch and dry. Brown had .some 
 of this plowed and sowed in tame pra'ses. The next siirin^. the season having 
 the usual amount of rain fall, he fomid his cultivated ficdds two feet under water; 
 and it continu"d to be covei'ed with water for some years. But the exnevinient 
 ha 1 c')nviii""d him of )h(> j^'reai fertility of tiie .soil and of its innneiiso 
 pos-^ibilities if it could be tnorouLddy drained. Its drainai,'e became a hobby 
 witli liim. Duriny his visits to Putin Bay he !iad met Dr. John !M. Scndiler. of 
 dii'-innatti, Ohio, who, with hi; t, ail" spent tlie sumniervacatioii at the Bay, 
 D'-. Sculder was th(> fcuinder, owner and presidi'iitof tln^ Eclectic Medical 
 CollcLTe of (Tincinnatti and was a man of wealth. Mr. Brown soon 
 romtuunicated to him his iiobby of draining: the Pelee Island marsh, and as the 
 diM'tor had travelled in Kurope and was ] articularly interested in the draina.Lrn 
 syst'-m of Holland, lie soon became interested in Ih'own's project also and made 
 a visit with him to T'elee Island. Tliis visit of Dr. Scndder resulted in iiis 
 determination to buy the mavsh land and undertake the enterprise of 
 re(daimini;' it for a'.,n i<'ultural pui'iioses by an artilicial system of drainaj.;e. Dr. 
 S'Mv! ier and Mr. T-rown liouirlit the whole of tlie "Hif^ ]\Iarsli" witli the wet 
 timbi'red land adjuiniiii,' it as per survey and plan of the island, in all over 4000 
 a<'res, for wiiicli they ])aid tin- Mc("!ormicks two dollars ]t,'r acr(>. In ISSS 
 steam dredvres were put to work cutting canals through the miir.sh to tho 
 extent of twelve miles in length. These canals conducted the water all to one 
 ]))int where a steam pnin]ting plant was erected that lifted it several feet and 
 eniMMi' 1 it into tlie lal<e. Tiie water thus taken otf, the land was left dry and 
 ready for tlie jtlow. Tlie iilowing was not done, however, without much 
 diilii'uity, owing to tlie heavy growth of wi'cds an<l rushes, tnssoc-grass and 
 r,), Its but eiiterprisi' and capital can ai'complish much. Those who saw tho 
 mirsh b.d'ore it was reidaimed now look upon its cultivated Uelds with 
 astonisliiu.Mit. The soil of this reclaiiii;'d land is very rich, ii clay subsoil with 
 from one to two feet of vegetable mould. It is very productive of hay, corn 
 and potatoes, and whore not too rich yields good wheat and oats. On parts of 
 it, are growing vineyiirdsaiid good peach orchards. 
 
 The draining of the JMg Marsh and the ^liddle [sland marsh was followed 
 liy the drahiingof the South marsh of KO aci'es, iiy Messrs Dwelle and Lewis 
 of Sandusky. Ohio, wlio bought it along with a farm of liOO acres of upland. 
 
 T 
 
 i 
 ' i « 
 

 Th. .Irama^:. nf rins n.:.r>h la,.! !ms pn.v.n a mart.r of ,1,. ..•,vat..sr 
 
 b n..lMar.a.Hl 1....... la.rhn.s for .•oununni.a.ion wnh.h,. uursid.. wurl.l. 
 
 MS ^ivatly unprovcMl rlu- sanitary ...n.ii.iuns. ,l>v:n-. aj. .h. .ualarial aua. 
 
 uuru riicrc arc hur few mn'iinn.,- tm, i i 
 
 H w 11 ma. mil-, n,,. mibaiikiiiuits made l.v thnari'- 
 
 tli<' l.uhlir iva.l syst,.m ..f (1,,. im.uirip,,liry. 
 
 ^™Mm!'" 'TT "■''''■'■''"" ''" '"■"" •"•-'"-''■ l-.-lirto,l„. island in 
 
 Hn . n Mu l..d hun ,oko ni.uv ...x,..n,.iv,.ly into ,1... ..nt.rpn.. „,an l,. ..n.ld 
 . 1 1 ,ad and nu. n,..r .,f ,,is int-iiM ,.as pas.M.l in,,, cli.r i,ands. Dr. 
 
 rv' 1 ;;Vh •' '^';'",i"' '" >?— '^-'>- liv..d a f..wy..arsart..r,., .npi.Vin 
 .1- soik. n r mvM,' tally ,.:,m,.d our hi.. nri:;inal d:.si^^■l. S ,n> ■ of ,|„1 1,,,, 
 K.sl.:.n s dd hat Mu. lar..r p.rt of it is ,.,.ntndl..d l.y rl,.. lat.r Dr. i'! dd^r' 
 
 I 
 
 r. .Scaddi'i-'s 
 inri:inatti. \vli:> lias 
 
 liyirs, und..r tiP. man..i;.v:u,.,.t of Dv. W. iJ>'rd rf^uddcr of ( 
 lus saianirr .j.iiia.nv on die island. 
 
 Tho w!,oK. n.arsh draina:,. svst.n.. was afterwards p„t in-luu^vo 
 MA.i^np oh.,a'.. ual.r rl, . M,x,.„.ip,l D.-aina,,. A-t of iUuu-in Tl.,. 
 Mun..,palifyh,rrow,.don d,.l..nrun. 8-,,K,o and had th,. ranals r.-dn.d.n.d 
 
 - -d. L ... whol.. ot tlu. annual ...xpcns.. inr'tdin,- pavninu of prin.ipal and 
 :"r->v.stond..h..nrnr,.sand tl... .osf of rnnnin,. th,. pnn.ps and all i Hd i 
 
 thr 
 
 .xp-ns,.s,isrharj,..d,oth.. lands and pahli,. roads U.m.litl..d tlu.ivhv, 
 n)ll(.,.|(.d annually as ta.xcs upon .sail! lands. 
 
 and 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 The Fishing Intcrcsti of the Island, 
 
 Son.o n,af...rs of in-portanr. hav.. not l.....„ n„ ntion.d in ,n, ir H,ronolo;,i..al 
 
 <• s(.V(.nti..s and rarly (.i-htirs, 
 
 order; aiuonn' i licni thr island tish(.|.i,.s, h, (h 
 
 pound „shu.,, was ..n^a„.d in ,pii,.. ..x„.nsiv..ly and v-rv i .i Iv ^2 
 
 ...l 111. tshtak..nw,.r,.,sol,lin Sandusky, Ohio..],, la sin.ss ,. .wlopinn- 
 ns.u.hanrxtonnhatfh..li.sh ,.a .kin.- ron.panv of -os, cV i^o sent s . n 
 -. -.ularly ,o ,h,. island dnrin. th. sprh^^ann fall Msh^., n.f 'oo 
 «>• >1... sunnn.r as w.ll. This no, only h.-.Hlp.d ,l„. nsh,:;,n,.n, 1, a 
 K.n.rM lM.n,.,,.airordi,,.^ronv.,MM,, fa,.ili,i,.sfor,v,,in.l.^^ Th 
 
 <l-'.<..y of , sh fuUon out by th.s.. pounds .nidually .inis ,. and I is f. • 
 
 ....... wuh Ih. r .,srri..tions of lic.u.s,. f.,..s a,al Ho.s,, season i, ..s.d 1 v L' 
 
 • ""-"-' --.•...n.nt . has n.nd.n.d th.. lishin,. unpro,i,ahl... I ,., f, ' v ,„ . 
 . .V now s,., an.l th-s,. only at ,h.. s.-uth ..,ul. Son,.. ,il,.„..„in, is .1. , 
 north ..„.! a,ul ,s,pn,.. ivn.u.u.ra.iv.., hu, nu]y la.rriuK a.v lak,.,,. 
 
 , '''''"-''••••'•■^''<»<l';<;''<'sof tlu.i.sh.nd hav.. La,,! u known tor ih.^ir ,in.. 
 
 I.lnrk hass hslun,. wth r...l an.l lin... an.l hav,. 1...,,, a fav.a-i,.. n.,s„rt for a,i„l..rs. 
 
--:!(; 
 
 Parrit'S from Oliio and Kcnrncky I'rc inciirly canic to t'lijoy the sjyorr spring: 
 and fall. Tho usual sfo])piii^' place of tiic an',d('rs from Ohio is Dr. F. B. 
 M.'-Oormick's. sir Brci'/,,' P!a"c. A-i oruani/cd lishin;,' cluli from Dayton. ( )lno,, 
 called the Dayton Clul) made this their head (piartcrs also, brinu-in^- with them 
 attendants and provision. They came twice a year for several years, but have 
 of late ceased to visit t!i ■ island. T:ie K >!ituckians and some others fi'oqncnited 
 the north end sto]ipin,i,' witli Thadileus Smith. Still othtu'.s visited the \v(>st 
 side. ()t!i:'rs ii<,'ain more fastidious as to accomodation, wimld stop at Putin 
 Bay and hire a boat to briufj; them over daily to tlsli. 
 
 In the fall of I ^TH a party of youn,' men from Sandusky and ( 'inciiniatti, 
 composin;^' a lishiiif.; party, encaiM[ie(l at the north end. A severe storm cauu! 
 u]). blew down tlu'ir tents and flooded them out. They came to Airs. Thaddeus. 
 Smitli aud Ije^'ired to Ix^ taken in (mt of the storm, bein^- sick of teiitin.L;' it. 
 .\moii^' these was Charles L. Mills of Sandusky, who continued to put up \vitli 
 Mrs. Smitii for four or live years, spriny: aud fall. Mr. Alills met a fellow- 
 lisiicrnuin, Mr. ,Ioiin Maj^dnis Jr., of New York City, who, with a party of 
 friends was KtoppiuK at Dr Mc('oruiick's. Mr. Ma^inis told Mr. Mills that 
 th"v wislied to oryaiii/e a fi.shiiifi' club with a permanent location of their own 
 and invited liim to join tliem. The (dub was oriianized, aud the site fur the 
 house selected at the t>\-tr<'me N. \V. end, tlie very iilace where Mills and his 
 y.iuu',' friends had ca !i:i,' 1 v.':i"s Ird'o"'.'. I:i is-:'i the (Jial) House was erected 
 and t heir first mctin.ij: was held that fall. Thenuiiiber of mendu'i's of the (dull 
 is limited to •-*."■>. J.ilni Ma?.;Jnis Jr , was made President and ( "harles F.. Mills 
 \ice pi'esideiit and i;'eneral manager of tlie (duli's business. The meml)ers!iip is 
 comjiosed mostly of (;iiica'.i'o and New York men ofwealtli, with a few from 
 (Mevelandand Sandnsky, some of t'.iem m-n of national rejiutation in tlu^ 
 army and the state, as well as in commerce and financ(\ Amon^ th(> (diartei' 
 members are tile names of tile late (ieii. .\nson Sta^'er, tlie late Gen. Phil. 
 Sheri;lau, tlie late.In 1;^' Waiter C^. (Jresham, Secretary of State uiuhn- President 
 (^l(>v(daud; th(> late Benj ('ami)bell, ex-marsliall of the State of Illinois; J. 11. 
 Jones of ('lii(a'.>'o, ex-minister to ihaissels; ('(d. V. C Turner, Chicat^'o; Ribt. T. 
 Idi.coln, ex-Minister to I'hii^land ; Marsliall Fields, luultiinillionaire merchant, 
 aud otliers of note. Tlie (dub buildings occnity a park of 10 lu-res aud have been 
 a'lded to at vari(nis times, until they foi-in an extensiv(^ ^roup. the main 
 I)uildiii!.;' haviii!.!: over forty rooms, with bowlin;,' ally, billiard room, boat houses, 
 etc., all lij,dited with was and furnished with water and all the ajiplianees of ii 
 first (dass summer liotel. The (dub uses this house (Mily twicea year, durinjf 
 fishintr season, two weeks in May and two weeks in October. Its members 
 leave annually a considerable auHuint of money n]ion tlie island: tliey em]doy 
 from twenty to thirty oarsmen on liberal pay, buy what provisions they can 
 obtain on th" island, and have contriliuted libisnilly towards building idmndu'S 
 and for other charitable jiurposes. 
 
 ' 
 
-37— 
 
 t 
 
 ■ 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 Th2 Present CDiidition of Pclec Island. -A.D. 1899, 
 
 In skctcliin;; tlic musr iiroiiiiiiciir cvcnrs and iiii]irov<'in('iirs of flu' island 
 since ISCiT, -^nnv of tlicsc hav(> not been mentioned in tlie order in which tli(\v 
 nc 'nrred. and others have only been alhuled to. It is now jiroposed to sum nj) 
 in a recapitulation tlie condition of tlie island as it is found at tills writiiif;— IS'.!',l. 
 
 Pelee Island is (»blon.!,' in shape rniniinLr north and south, and is of an 
 avera.i^e of eiirht miles in len.Lrtli and three and a half miles wide. thou;;h its 
 jjreatest leii<j:tli Is twelve miles. It contains accordinix to the survey and i)laii 
 made by Alexander Wilkinson, P. L. !^., in IMIT, a total of 10, i:!S aci'es. The 
 a.ssessment tor !-.!)•< shou s tt.fi.jT'o iicres of assessed laiul and lOT acres more 
 belontfin^ to schools and <-!nirchos and not taxed. The balance is taken u|) in 
 public I'oads. The same iissessnient roll, 1 Sits, shows a total population of 7."):i. 
 with a sc'.iool ])opulatioii of 2x'} between the a'^'es of live and twenty-one years. 
 There ai"e four sc'iool houses in wliicli fi-ee ])ublic schools are maintained ten 
 ni'inths in e:ich year There arc now four church buildinj,^s; one each of the 
 Eu'^lish ami R >m:in (\ifholic churches, and two Methodist churches. Thereai't! 
 four p ist olti M's. three of them located in private houses: but three fourthsof 
 tlu' r:.,il matter is delivered a! the old central otlice in A. M. ^^•( "orniiek's store 
 Tlie yoveniment has tlie mail deiiveretlon the island twice a week in Summer, 
 or durin.i,' oiieii navij^ation, and once a week in the four months of Winter, 
 pi'ovided always that tlie miiil-carriers are able to cross from the main sliore. 
 Till' pistal facilities !ire not what they ou!.;'ht to be, nor wliat the ('•inadian 
 (loverntuent sliould furnish; for there is not another I'omiuunity of like 
 pojiulation and vnluuie of business in tlu Dominion that has not a betti'r postal 
 service. Th" island should be ^ivcii three mails a week duriuf,' the bu.siness 
 season and two in the Winter months. 
 
 The ( iovernmeiit maintains, in connection with its li^dithouse si^'iial 
 station and weather bureau service, and the lifesaviiii; department 
 cslablislied on the island, a telephone cable to the li.u:hthousc on the main shore, 
 about ten mile across, and thence a wiro to the town of Leamin;4t(ai where 
 coiniection is made with the teleiihoni' and telegraph system of the whole 
 country. It has iilso stretched u ires the leiij^th of the island, with some tlve or 
 six teleiihone stations. The public may have the biiielit of the cable and 
 telephone by jia.N in;;' the usual fees; and, by haviiiii the messa;;es repeated at 
 r.,eaiHin'4lon, may have direct and imiuediafe communicalioii by tele^'raph {^^ 
 any point where there is a telegraph otlice. 
 
 There are three p'tieral stores, the lar);:est one at the central jwrt of tlin 
 island, and the two smaller oiu's at the north end. Near tlie west dock is 
 located the old town hall, a modest stone building, erected in the infancy of 
 the township, but wiiich still answers tlie purjiosc! of municipal and other 
 },'atheriiiKS. A commodious two story frame hall built by tiie Society of 
 Maccabee.-; is also located at the west si(U<. serviceable for concerts and other 
 I'litertainmeiits. Mr. Robert Little's hotel, The Island I[oni(\ is liere; all 
 top'ther triviii;; the place the ajipearance of a village, the most conspicuou.s 
 building bcin^ the IVlec Island Wine rompany's largt« wine hou.se and cellars. 
 
-?.R- 
 
 Ddcks for stcamlidiit' laii(liii;,'s luivc liccii Imilt ami cxrcudril 'riurt' ai'c ik'W 
 liiiir (locks, two at the wot side and two at tlic iiortli bay. A htcaiu l)Oa> runs 
 rc^ailarly three times a week to AinliiTslbiir;,'- and Windsor and sailin^^ iraft 
 ply between tile island and Kin^sviUe anil Leaniin^'ton. 
 
 The rli ai'in,^' (ttV of iln' thick woi-ds and nndcrbiush and the diaina^^c of 
 the nuiisli iiave removed all causes of malaria, as well as the breedin;;- ](laees 
 of nio>;<iuitoes and deertiies. Consequently these have almost disaiiiieared, and 
 with them have pme the thousands of snakes that um d to infol the i.-laml. 
 
 Pidee Ishiml has not bet'ii boomed as a summer resort nor havt^ summer 
 hotels been built for that purpose ; but every season tiiere are patties coming 
 herein search of a (juict cool retreat at which'" sjieiid ihi4r midsummer 
 vacation, and more would come if they could linil suitable accomodation. 
 Theie ai'e many piclures(|ue views tiuit have often been skelcdied and 
 ]ilioto^;ra;ih"d by visiting;' artis.s. ( Jood roads have been iiia.'le alon^' I he lake 
 shore anil on the dikes of the canals which att\ir,l pleasant diivin^and wheelinj:'. 
 There are about 'ion acres ol' land under ^n'ai)esand over ion acres planted with 
 fruit trees. Last year there w.-re lODa Tes in tobi ■• i whilst th" cnltiva! ioji nf . 
 jiolatoes IS becomin.u' a pro table specially on the reclaimed, maisli land. 
 
 The clay soil ami limestone bMitoniaml i lie peculiar climatic cenditiers 
 ])revailinfr, due to the surrounding water, malvc it that the situation of tlie 
 island isothermally is much more favorable than itshi'itiide unuld indicate 
 1'he severe w inter of 'its — '.I'.i that has unfortunately pi'oven so disastrous lo the 
 peach trees (in the main shore opposite iIk' isiand. did no dania'^c to the 
 [leaches here. 
 
 A very tine ([uality of building- stone is found on the island, a nia^'nesiaa 
 limestone deiiosit, in which two (piarries have been worked for many years. 
 ( )ne of these is owiieil liy ]iarties non-residein and is noi worked of late, owin^ 
 doubtless to distance from the mai'ket , the limited demand for block stone, 
 and in ])art to the exclusive im)iort duty imjiosed by the I'nited Stales 
 (lovernmi nt. lb it l:ir;,c i|uantil ies of stone have been slniijied IVom hen' from 
 fime to time, a considerable amount of the block stone bein^ used in the 
 construction of the lodes on the Wellaml canal. Pake )nfo]i^;j:ists have tlieir 
 hearts made ji'lad by the fossil s])ecimens of unusual .size contained in tlu) rock, 
 and sometimes found liiiely weathered out. 
 
 Mi'iilion may be made also iif the Jndia!i mounds thai still remain on 
 ]iarts of t he island. The Ontario ( iovernnieiit arcliaeolo.i;ist, Mr. David Hoyle, 
 investipiled these duriiii,' the jiast summer but 1'ouml that, apart from the fact 
 of their beiiij;- Imliini mounds, they are lar;;ely devoid of interest. ( )il and 
 natural ;j:as have been found upon the Island, but not in sullicient ([uantity for 
 commercial purposes. Thirteen wells have been bored within tlu' lasr live 
 years. 'JMie lirst well went dow.i to a ile]ith of NU) feet but was not a success. 
 Ol her W(dks were bored i'l t he south central jiarl of the island to the depth of 
 MO to 7(>0 feel and both oil and jias were found in several of I hem. Three of 
 these were pumped and lu'oduced from '.' to (1 barrels a day, but the supply was 
 very irrcf^ular and did not increase. Natural ^as was found in the same boring 
 with the oil Just before the oil strata were ri^iched. With the oil came also .salt 
 water stroll ;,ly impre;^iiated with sulphur and other minerals. 
 
 ■ 
 
 
i **^r.'v, 
 
 —39— 
 
 Tho oil is of thi^ host quality and about 10()0 bam^s havt- been puii\i>c(l and 
 shippt'd to the rt'liniiij,' works at Sarniii, Tlie pis (iowt-d in sudicicnt quantity 
 to furnish fuid for an (.fnKiii>^' usfd to work tiu' drills in boring srvv-ral other 
 wells near by It was also used for punq)in« oil, and is now used by Mr, 
 John Finlay, whose house is ntsar tiic well, for heating and liKhtiujf 
 puii)Oses. There is jtrobably pis enoufjli now to furnish fuel for all the south 
 end of the island, l)ur tht> jjreat <'Ost of pii)inK pi I'Vents its use. It does not 
 api)ear to dinuiiLsli in (juantity or force. The oil wells have been aliandoned 
 for tlie j)rcsent by ilie roini)anies that liad them drilled, but it is believed by 
 experts and yeolof^ists that if the wells were sunk several hundri'd feet deeper 
 into the Trenton formation, oil mi^ht be obtained in paying quantities. But this 
 re(]uires more eajjital than is at command. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 What Some Newspaper Correspondents Have Said About 
 
 Pelee Island. 
 
 In far away California in the "Los Angeles Sunday Times" of January 
 IHiMt a))peared a letter about Pelee Ishiiul. If seems that tlie writer had been a 
 guest of some memlier of the Pelee Club in the fall of ISDS, and felt that he 
 ought to write something complimentary of the uuunbers. The article is 
 illustrated with ])ictures of the club-house, inside and outside. A part of the 
 article isquoteil as follows— It is headed;— "Wliere Stat(!snuui and Millionaires 
 go Fishing." "About ten years ago a half dozen enthusiastic sportsmen liehl a 
 signilicant meeting in Chicago, tlu' result of winch was the formation of tlu' 
 wealthiest and most aristocratic and exclusive tislung club in the world. That 
 organization, about which little has ever b.'eii written or publislu'd, is the 
 Pelee Island Club, and its mend)ership list bears the nanu^s of most brilliant 
 statesmen and distinguished citizens, men wlio helped to nudve tlie history of 
 this glorious republic, and whose names will ever adorn its pages; warriors and 
 diplomatists, kings of commerce and magnates in the realms of finance, many 
 of tliem multi-nullionaires, with "money to burn." The head(piarters of rlie 
 club is on Pelee Island, tlu^ largest of tlu' famous Lake Erie arcliipelago, and is 
 situated in Canadian wati'rs, being eml)raced in the Province of Ontario. It is 
 a place which is but little known generally speaking, but the gn t n wait is 
 wliicli hi]) its sandy beach are. at certain times, fairly alive witli tlie fjamy 
 anil i)relty black bass, the favorite fish of many anglers ; and tliis is tlie !\L eca 
 to whicli the members make swift pilgrimages two, and sometimes three times 
 a yi'ar ; some of them going a thousand miles or more for a wee.'c's sport, and 
 temporarily leaving in the care of others business interests so ■ f-'u.sive that 
 they themselves cannot tell their value. Tlu^ club owns l.i a . - (i the we^t 
 north end of the island and has elegant .tiid comni xlious ([uarters. the fine 
 club house, boat houses and keeper's dwelling, representing an outlay of 
 one hundred thousand dollars. This, however, is a tritling item wlien the 
 aggregate wealth of tht^ mendiershi , said to l)e not far from a hun.ired 
 uiillionsof dollars, is taki'ii into consii aeration." 
 
 "As to till' island itself, it may truly be said that it is a remarkable place 
 for, though only nine miles long and si.x miles wide, its interior is one of tlie 
 wildest jungles in America, never trod by tlie feet of white men and inhabited 
 only by monstrous snakes, fierce jianthers, catamounts and myriads of 
 mosquitoes, reputed along the hikes to be of extremely large size and able to 
 
10— 
 
 (■•I'ii'-k hii Iciiry tints witii tlnif r-ctli. Fti siiiiiiui'V tii'' islaml is ii lively siim . ;iti(T 
 till' scciK' its lii'imtirs picM'iir iiiidcf rill- shiiiimi'iiiiL;- li.L'lit nt' a iii''ll'iw initiiiim 
 snii, is oiif (if j,n'im(l('m' iicvit to l>i'l'(irj.'<)rrfii when otirc lii'licld. Now, linwi-vcv, 
 till' (liivcii snows iuul wiiilir winds wiiicii sweep over tlie t'ro/eii Likes witii 
 
 luireleiiritiLr fury, lend it a lileak and ti>il,iddin;.MisiU'('t. and the few desolate 
 f]>l!i rnieii wlio have the hardiness to dwell there, ai'e shut otV from the rest ot 
 the world," 
 
 The writer coniinnes Ids aer-nnit of tlie l*rlee ("Inb at sotiie len^^th, jiivin;,' 
 the iiiiines of ho|!i tlie pn-i'iit and deieiised ineinbers. with his coninieiits upon 
 tlieni aiid upon their sport. The aeeoimt in a .ueneral way is correct' 
 l)iit the iiarliciilars are e.\a;4:f;'"i'ded. and the whole style that of a sycophan 
 ratiier than of one who wished t:) .;dve fa-'ts. Tint part of the article ipiotod 
 liere which ])reteiid.s to describe Pelee Island, is si;ch a .:4larin:4' misrepresentation 
 (if till' facts, that it is simply ridicnlous and needs no comment. The iianu? 
 simied to til'' a') )vc (I't >ted ariiel ' is Jihn L. Von I>lon. 
 
 <,)uite din'erent from tlie forc-uiiin'jr is another news)>aiier article that will 
 he ([noted h'S'c. It is from an nn]<no\\'n cnrrespond.'nf . hut eviileiitly from one 
 who made a mo,-e thoroue-h ami iinelli;,;i'nt investigation of his suh.iecf than 
 Mr. Von Jilon did. 
 
 "Sketches and Stories of the Lake Kri • Islands."' is the title of a luxik of 
 some iirefensions to si/.e, einliellishnient and literary merit, l»y Theresa 
 Thorndale. t he //e,// (f,' iilii,,ir of a widl-k'iiown news]iai)er corresjiondent and 
 literary wo-naii of Pnt-iu-Hay Island. Ohio, a;rl is a recent publication, bcarin.i,' 
 tlie dat" r-',i ^. Th ' bilk- ai)p,'ars to !i ' mil' up. mainlv, of artiid'S written 
 at (MlVcrent times tcr newsjaiiiis fcr which she was a corresiiondent, and 
 cont.iins Mcarly -l.o pa:;i s wit h niimerons illustrations pictni-es of persons 
 atid 'ilaci s. 
 
 Tlieanthwr. i'; her "Intrnduction," says that it is made nii nf matters, 
 •'hislo! ical . remihis 'ei;! . legendary, combined with story and romance, titles of 
 adve!iture and matter dcsi-i i] tivc of tite ]iii'tnres(|ue and slrikiuL'' .sceius in 
 whiclit'ie is!a!i 1 ah inn I. C nnnarafively but a small piirt offhi'bo. k is 
 "histoi'ical or descriptive, even of the p^ist or iiicsent nuitteT-of-l':ictcopdiiions 
 of the island, bill, as the litlc and introduction imlicates. it is ncstly eiveii to 
 sioi'ies, fancy descriptions, and the )iicl nresipie ; but it imikv's ipiite interesting' 
 renoir.u-. 
 
 Tlie |:a"t to whicli ariciition is now especially called, is what tlie autlior Inis 
 sa'''l abo-t Pclce Island. ( )nlv one s'lort chapter is eiveii to l^'lce, and over 
 hi;!' of that is j.;iven to des 'rii^tions of her voya.'.'c and matters irrclev iitdo 
 ! 'le i-land ]>''cper : V( t in that short i-pace .m'cat injustice Inis lien ('( r;e to 
 p. lee rslaiid, Tl'.e (falter is luaddi: "A('.v( ntur( s in (lUceii Victoiia's 
 Domain" and savs in jiarl : — "Here we tirst set foot ujion Qn(>eu Victoria's 
 ddinain Twili.uiit shadows were thickly falling' over the dark forust of 
 
 Point an P(d"c when at last we made fa-^t onr lines at the old south dock, Tlio 
 liarty were received and eiilcriaincd beneath the liospitable roof ni friends, and 
 wearied from tossing;- on the billows and the luiusea occasioned, we went 
 early to bed. Hut the Pel(>e nios(piito! We had been informed concernini,' this 
 siiecialty. To learn that said insect, m- animal, cracked hiikory nuts with its 
 teeth, and that many of them weifilied a pound was not so much of a sin-jirise, 
 howev( r, as the onslaught which, there on the borders of the Pelee marshlands^ 
 it made upon ns. 'J'lie ni.elit was '•lilled with music." but the cares tha 
 infested the (lav si nbbornlv refused to '-fold their tents." In addition to the 
 
41- 
 
 niiis(|nit() fli'i't, Wcwcrc .'issnilcd l)yii i-hnnis nf fm^s. iiiirlifliawlx', scr.>cli-('\vl>< 
 and ciitiiiiifinnts Xrxr niiiriiiiiir \vc starrcil nut to vi«'\\' rlu' lainl. very little of 
 Avliicli vvas visilili'. liMwcvi'f, nii aiM'oniir nf the thick wmxls ami fhicl<ir 
 nii(l(r-,i,T(Avtlis viiimiiiir raiiiiiaiit ovit tiacts tit' land whiili had unc' hccn 
 vdtaiiiias. The k ad was a ii:t re wap ii-trat k ilt < 1 1 r Wdiii inrn liarallid nits, 
 (dose crowded liy M'ees. The roiid — "the rocky road to Diililin" — was nut a 
 circnitisraiice in ('oiiiivarisoii : its nits and roors. holes and hnnins. throu;,di 
 and over which we were lionnced, made nienioralile the ride. Wild-cats were 
 eoniinon. and thi' niysferious ami nne\]>lored de]iths ot the islaiul's 
 landdocked bays and inlets are sni)i"ised to foi-ni the abidinjr ]ilace, of that 
 terrible, but ( Insive crealnre kiuTxii as the "sea serpent." .\<'eordin.ir to 
 statements of rejjntable residents of the islaiul. t\v(v specimens of tiiis monster 
 have th T,' b ''US' '\i. oa;' of vs'hic'i w i> (]■ dar:' 1 ro b • one-hiimlred feet lomr. 
 On one occasion these reptiles ran afoul of a (lsherinan"s pound and (diewed ujt 
 and destroyed all the twine, even pnllin<r n]) some of rhe stalces to which it was 
 nu ored In harvest time tin sebi^' snal^es annise thenisehcs by cominir ashore, 
 (diasini;- the harvesters I'rom the field and learint; down tlie:;rain shocjis." 
 
 IV.tt enou'r'i lias leen (|nored to s'low the stvle and i-eliability of the author, 
 and to show that no injustice has been done in the estinri'e herein ]iiit uiioii 
 Iter book. It does seem stran.a'e that a bright and clever woman, liki- the 
 author, would wriie and put into a book such ridiculous storii's as those about 
 "sea siTpents." and "cat:iin'')niits." and repeat that (dd old story of "moscpiiroe 
 cr ndviiiir hick'iry nuts with their teeth. "' Tlur ■ is not evi^ii the merit o^ 
 oriuinality, for ^Fr. Von P.lcn t(>lls the same stoiv about the mosi|uitoes, and 
 neither of rliem show either "wit or wisdom.'" !' is intimated that sonii' of these 
 stories were told "her by the i.-laiMlers Tf so. it was by some island wa.e- who 
 had I'ound one w!ios(M'redulity was easily imposed nn )n. IV.it more likely sIk? 
 tlionuht no one would take lier seiiouslv and wrote just to maki> "cijiy." 
 Aeil yet ir locks as if Mr. Von IIloii iznt his inieres.-i' ns of tli(> island from this 
 boik. 
 
 The author made "a sei-ond irij) to Pelee Island at a later date." She does 
 not 'dve tile dat" of eith'r visit, but from the iiKudeuts narrated we infer that 
 the two visits were a Ion."' time apart. Tlieaci'ounr of tliis second visit is mostly 
 devoted to the Pelee Club; somewhat ill the style id'k.er eo-temi)orary historian. 
 Von I'.lon. already ([noted. \Vhile she ".:j,'azed witli a species of veneration 
 upon the s])ot"' in e(Uiteniplation of the "distiiuruished men" and their reputeil 
 millions she seems to have become so daz/.led that she did n il see anythin.e' idsi; 
 on Pelee Island W(ntli writirifj about. 
 
 A coi'resjiondetit writin.ii' to the "!\t'ly Ue^ister" of Sandusky, Ohio, 
 reviewi' 1 I'lat ]):irt of tli" b > I'c " •' i " i ■ ■> I'cli'e I-;1.m 1. s lou after its 
 publication, and a iiart of the letter is here reproduced. a!tliou..;h there is a 
 repetition of some facts already ^dveii. 
 
 "Dear Sir. — I have been very nnndi interested in readiinr "Skctclies niul 
 Stories of the Lake Erie Islands," by Theresa TlKU-iidale. recently issued from 
 
 your jiress in such Iteautiful style. These sketcdies include an account of the 
 author's visit to P>dei> Island whicdi would .i;ive one a very erroneous idea (d' our 
 island. I therefori; wish to enter a mild protest " 
 
 • Judf,'iii}^ from the descripl ions and iiieidents ndative of thai- visit, it must 
 have lieeii nmde alonj; tiiHH ago. A part of her descripl ion ini;,dit have suited 
 lie Island some :?•"") years airo. But of course she was iiiduhtiid to hi'r im i^dti- 
 
-43- 
 
 at-ioii for tli;it st:)rv of '"Wild-cats iviid S -a-S irpciits'" ami tliat old "clu'stiint"' 
 of "'M ).s jiiitoi's al)l(' to cra-k liickorv nuts with tlicir rccrli." I am awart. from 
 tin? title '(if tilt' book and t!i< nalnri' of its coiiri'urs. rhat it was not tlie iuten- 
 tioii of the auti) ir to d'-al with simitlf jjrosaic facts— tliat she i)r<»ferre(l to 
 look upon tnc ])i(;nircs(|Uc, the i)0('tical and fanciful side of licr subji 1, and 
 to use a p ).!ticul liccas.! to iiiduli,'t! her iinaj,'ination. But with all due allow 
 anc'ti for tliosu, I am convinced that a stranger, reading this account in a 
 book of such rec(!Ut date, would have a very wrong impression in regard to 
 Pelee Island as it is now. 
 
 The author made a second visit to Pelee Island at a more recent date — 
 an account of which is most ly devoted to the P> In- club house and tho per- , 
 Honnid of the meiidiers of that club. Incidentally the great work of draining 
 and reclaiming 5,000 ac^'es of marsh land on the Island was mentioned — 
 nothing more. 
 
 It would have given a much truer impression of the Island, if the author 
 had devoti'd a few lines to tell of the generai condition of the Isliuul at her 
 last visit. She might have said tliat "tin thick woods and thicker undei" 
 growth" of her fornu^r visit had all been cleared xip, and vinevards and 
 orchards, and li( Ids of grain occupied tlie ground; that the niv^stpiito had 
 disappeari'd; that snakes were seldom set^n. This, of course, is about all we 
 could e.\i>cct in ;uiCi\ubook; but .justice required that we should have been 
 given that litth«." 
 
 Kindly permit -aw t-o 1 "ieflv ,,faio a few facts a<^ to the present condition 
 of Pelee Islaiul. The Island contains about 1 1,0(X) acres of land. It now iuis 
 a population of nearly TOO. Nearly all tiu^ timbered land has been ch^arcd up 
 ami is now umlei- cultivation. Hundreds of acres of vineyards, jieach. pear 
 and plum orcliard.s. grain fields and meadows, now occupy tiie ground where 
 those forests once grew . Tlie part that was formerly a marsli now pnxhici'S 
 thousands of bushels of tlu- linist jjotatoes annually, as wellaseurn, wheat 
 and meadows. ( Her 100 acres of tobacco was grown last season 
 
 Tliere are four good seiiool bouses of modern (construction; four church 
 houses; four posloflires; iliree ge'MTal stores ; one very largi' wine manufai-- 
 turii.g establishment and tliree sn'.,dler ones; two public lialls. and miles of 
 excellent turnpiked and gravell"(l roads upon \\ hicii thire is good driving 
 and bicycling. 
 
 Pelee Island is not notecl as a .summer resort; yet people come here 
 every summer, from various places in tiie States and Canada, to spiiid a 
 quiet summer vaciU ion, and more would tome if tliey ecidd get accomiuoda- 
 tunis The.\ come l\ere for (piiel .md n st ; out of tln' way of llie "maddening 
 crowd", to en,ioy flie cool Itree/es, good ImthiJig, boating, wheeling aial 
 driving. 
 
 Tiie Island is no* wantiiin in flie ])ictures(pie. Many jioints of natural 
 beauty hav' been sketclu'd atid painted and pholograplied liy artists. Tiiere 
 are pleasant diiviM jilong roads bordered witii tre(>s covere(| wiili w ild grap(^ 
 vines, lianging in a profusion ol" gra(eful pendants; Drives upon thedyk(8 
 of the canals in (uir "liitlle Holland" that have n minded the vi.sitors of 
 the beauty of the canals in old Holland. The scientist, in search of pre- 
 hist(n'ie data, will find here line speeimeiis of glacial marks niiou the (Uit- 
 !•;•;. jiping Hij'Stone formation ; and m the stone he can tlnd fosse's of llsli 
 and shells; or he iiiny delve into many of tiie ancient burial iiaainds for 
 pnihistorlc huinaii boue,s and implements. And it Is not devoid of h^geiidary 
 Btories of romance, either #*«#««#«» 
 
—48— 
 
 The tollowiiig is tiic ii('\v.-i)a])t r article rct'crrrd to on page 40. The 
 iirriclc was also issued iii an Ontario (rovernnient pani\)hlet distributed in 
 (rnar Britain. 
 
 "One of the most unique numieipalit'es of Ontario, and indeed of C'nuadn, is 
 'lie Islaiid of Pelee. It is nominally a t >wnslijp municiijality of the County of 
 Essex, hut is not represented in the eouniy eouneil, and beyond the 
 administration of justice for wliicli it contributes to tlie county funds, is not in 
 any way coiniected with county Ko^T'iment. 
 
 Th(^ island is situated in Lake Erie, about seven miles from Kinpsville, the 
 nearest ])ort on tiu' nuiinland, from wliich nuiils ar(> received thife times a 
 week. The population nundiers (iTr ; the greatest dimensions of the i.sland are 
 seven miles lonj,', three miles in breadtli, comprising, according' to the last 
 returns of the Ontario Bureau of Statistics, i),!)!sO acres of assessed land. 
 
 An ."terestinn feature of Pelee I.sland arises from the fact tliat, excejit for 
 Middle Island, a small adjoining island of about ICO acres, it is the most 
 soutlierly part of Camida. 
 
 Fishing i)oint. which is the south extrejiiity of Pele(> Island, is in latitude 
 41 dej,'rees -W nunutes. A line east and west thnmgh I'elee Island ])as.>es 
 througli Pennsylvania. Oliio. Indiana and California; throu^,'h Northern 
 Portugal and Soutl'-rn Turkey. 
 
 One-tliird of Spain, tliree-fimrtlis of Italy, and almost the entire .\driatic 
 Sea lie north of Pelee. l-'isiiing Point is hfty miles nearer the eimator than the 
 Houtheriunost verge of France. 
 
 Due east of the vineyards of Pelee are the vineyards of Old Castle of the 
 Apulian Valley in Southern Italy, and the orange grove of Barcelona. 
 
 The Island of Pelee, as has bet n intimated, is famous for its vin. yards, and 
 for the wines whii'li tiieso produce, Tiie best variety of grajies can lie grown 
 abundantly and of magnificent size The failure of the grajie croji is almost 
 unknown on the island, wliereas in Eiistern France, famous in Knroiie for its 
 grapes and wines, there is a failure about once in tlirei' years, while in only 
 (Mie year of the three does the crop reach perfection. Vineyards of from 
 twenty to thirty acres everywhere <lot the island, yielding from four to live 
 tons of fruit to the ace, 
 
 Tobacco grows luxuriantly, and this year nea. iV every farm has its slieds 
 anil outhimses filled with tlie |)rofitiilile, if filthy, weed. 
 
 The soil is for the most part a deej) vegetable mould. Mucii of the land tn 
 the interior is low lying and lias been ri'claimed by extensive drainage wovkn 
 costing !«!'{().( 100. The removal of water retjuires a itumi)ing jilant which, 
 however, is operated at a small annual cost The land thus reclaimed ia 
 exceedingly rich and productive. 
 
 Fig and almond trees, with a little winter proiection, licar abundantly. 
 Cotton seed lias been riiteiied, water-nudons weigliing .')() pCiunds are grown. 
 Maize, sugar-cane, iteanuts, sweet potatoes, the pawpaw, white tnnlberry, 
 peach, apri.!.)t, in'ctarine and ipiince will fionrish and bear abundantly. 
 
 And what is true of the clinmte and products of I'elee [shuiil i«, in tho 
 niain. tr.ie of rhe Comity of Essex, iff necrest neighbor on the muinhind."