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Michigan Select Michigan Counties
The flood of emigration continued in a healthy and continuous stream to pour into this county, up to 1836, when it became a tidal wave, absorbing most of the desirable public lands, and infusing into the population a spirit of enterprise, which contributed largely to the development of the country in a marvellously short period. The truth of history however, compels the admission that some of the schemers of that period were visionary, at least visionary at that time. The charters of railroads to and from towns having an existence mainly upon paper, and the charters of banks of large capital for the transaction of the prospective business of those towns, may be mentioned as confirming the remark above made. According to the highly finished plats of Battle Creek, also of Marshall, they were each at the head of steamboat navigation on the Kalamazoo River, and Bellevue was at the head of steamboat navigation on " Battle Creek River." That there might be no detention of passengers at Marshall, after the completion of the Marshall and Allegan Railroad cushions were purchased for the passenger cars, by a very sanguine gentleman who was largely interested in lands at both termini of this road, and who, no doubt, firmly believed in its speedy construction.
The first suit at law in this county was before Isaac E. Crary, justice of the peace. The litigants were Peter Chisholm vs. George Ketcham, being an account of furnishing a saw-mill saw.
The first male white child born in this county is supposed to have been a son of Dr. Hays, long since deceased; and the first female white child, the daughter of Thomas Chisholm, also deceased.
Michigan Counties
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