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INCIDENTS IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE SAGINAW VALLEY BY JUDGE ALBERT MILLER
The people of Saginaw were greatly elated at the arrival of a steamboat at their town, and the next day organized an excursion to test the capabilities of the Tittabawassee for steamboat navigation. The citizens turned out en masse and the boat steamed up the river about two miles above Green Point, when its further progress was impeded by the overhanging branches of the trees. Among those on the boat was Dr. Charles Little, who was then visiting his daughter, Mrs. Hiram L. Miller, at Saginaw. Dr. Little was one of the exploring party that went from Detroit to Saginaw in 1822, mentioned in J. L. Cole's Journal published in Vol. 2 of Pioneer Collections, commencing on page 470. [I like to refer to that Journal, for it gives the best description of the country as it appeared to me on my first view of it that I have ever seen written. ] Dr. Little was so well pleased with Saginaw on that visit that he left money at the land office at Detroit, with which to purchase some choice selections of land near the fort when the same should come into the market. Dr. Little and Herman Ladd, his neighbor, I think, made the first purchase of land from the government at Saginaw.
Previous to the arrival of the boat, acting in the capacity of justice of the peace, I had issued a summons in favor of Mr. Clark, an Englishman, an old pioneer of Lapeer, against Asa Hill, a former resident of Lapeer, but then of Saginaw, and the case was to come on for trial on the day the steamboat was to leave for Detroit. I transferred the papers to Gardner D. Williams, Esq., to try the case, but before starting on the boat I met Mr. Clark, who had come all the way from Lapeer with his witnesses and was greatly disappointed and urged me to remain, but I told him I would not do so for all that was pending, and the result was an amicable settlement of their difficulties between the parties.
Michigan
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