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Michigan Towns Select Towns
Their expectations were so fully realized that they were induced to make large purchases in what is now called the town of Marengo, on the south side of the Kalamazoo river. On their return we made preparations to remove thither. The prospect was hailed with delight by myself; visions of cottages and wild flowers danced before my imagination. The idea of seeing a country so lately inhabited only by the red men of the forest; of viewing nature in her primeval beauty; of building for ourselves a home in the wilderness, had in itself enough of interest and excitement to render it the object of my highest ambition. My parents, too, and only brother, were going, and the few dear ones that remained behind gave us many assurances that, should no unforeseen circumstances prevent, they would rejoin us in the spring. We were to be accompanied by a number of young men from our village. Two of them were carpenters, Henry Gardanier and Wandal Bortler, and the others- Garret Baker, the first cooper, and Thos. Prior, the first stonemason, in the village-having imbibed our spirit of enterprise, had determined to seek their fortunes in the wilds of Michigan. The idea seems now almost absurd, that we should consider it a difficult or perilous journey; but such was the case seventeen years ago, when the navigation of the lakes was comparatively so imperfect, and railroads almost unknown.
Michigan
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