Chesaning in the News (1874-1877)

Chesaning may have had a few early newspapers reporting on village happenings, but no real records have survived from before The Chesaning Argus began it’s run in October of 1877.

Below are a selection of news items that appeared in other sources from across the country that give us brief glimpses into the early history of Chesaning.

The tannery of Telfer Bros., at Chesaning, was burned Dec. 23d. Loss, $3,100; insurance, $1,200.

Chicago Evening Post, January 2, 1874.

Burned to Death.

Monday evening a five year old daughter of A. B. Belden, while at the residence of Mr. Fauble endeavoring to build a fire in the kitchen stove for the purpose of popping some corn. set fire to its clothing which spread with such rapidity that its arms, chest and body were terribly burned before the fire could be extinguished. There was on one in the house at the time but a couple of other children, who were not old enough to do anything but sound the alarm, which they hastily did, calling in Mrs. Belden at once and some of the neighbors near by. Medical aid was summoned and everything done for the little sufferer that could be, but the fire had done its work, and its sufferings were relieved by death on the following day.

Chesaning Times, April 19, 1874.

Between this city and Frankenmuth extensive fires are sweeping through the timber, and farmers are fighting the flames to save their properties from destruction. This state of affairs exists between St. Charles and Chesaning.

Kalamazoo Gazette, May 15, 1874.

This week the Chesaning Times completes its fourth year. It was a small town four years ago, and the Times had scarcely a show for living beyond six months, but it helped the village, was helped in turn, and now it is permanently located and it flourishing. Chesaning business men advertise more largely than in any city of 5,000 inhabitants in the State, and their enterprise is commendable. The Times lets politics alone and pays all its attention to local matters, and the subscription list can't help but increase.

Detroit Free Press, May 24, 1874.

Friday afternoon last, an old bear and three large cubs found their way into the village of Oakley, on the Jackson, Lansing & Saginaw Railroad, between Owosso and Chesaning. The citizens gave chase, when bruin picked up one of the cubs in her mouth and took to the woods. The other two cubs were captured and changed hands several times that day at five dollars apiece. In about an hour afterwards the old bear made her appearance again and attacked a lady driving along with a horse and buggy. But the dogs and men soon put bruin up a tree, when a shot from a gun brought her to the ground. She is said to have been one of the largest bears ever seen in Saginaw county.

The Times Herald, July 8, 1874

Friday noon a man underbrushing about forty rods north of the hotel at Oakley, found near a log the remains of a human body, the flesh nearly off, the sinews still clinging to the bones, the head and one leg off and no clothing near. Besides a log near by were indications of a fire, in which it appeared some bones, perhaps the head and leg, had been burned. From a full examination of the remains by a large number of the people of Oakley it appeared that the body was that of a female, apparently about five feet six inches in height. There is much excitement at Oakley over the discovery and the body has been left with P. Demond, Esq, for further examination and if possible identification.

Detroit Free Press, July 14, 1874.

A shocking accident occurred on the farm of Mr. Horn, about three miles west of Chesaning on Sunday afternoon. A son of Mr. Horn, about 12 years of age, was handling a loaded gun, and set the breech down upon the ground, resting the muzzle under his chin, when by some means it was discharged, the charge passing up through the poor boy's head mutilating it in a horrible manner and causing instant death.

Jackson Citizen Patriot, August 25, 1874.

A new Lutheran Church is being built at Chesaning.

Detroit Free Press, October 20, 1874.

The Chesaning Times has suspended.

Lansing State Journal, December 18, 1874.

One evening last week a donation was held for Rev. F. W. May, pastor of the Methodist Church of this place, at which he was the recipient of upward of $70.

Prof. J. W. Manning is doing a good work in the school here, and is assisted by an able corps of teachers. The standard of scholarship and deportment has much advanced in the two years he has been with us.

Mr. Otis Cheyney, a young typo, is about to start a paper here to take the place of the defunct Chesaning Times.

The snow blockade has been quit bad here, and there was no train through from the north Tuesday nor until late Wednesday morning.

Detroit Free Press, March 5, 1875.

A saw mill belonging to A. and H. Wilcox, of Jackson, situated in the township of Chesaning, Saginaw Co., was destroyed by fire yesterday morning, value about $12,000; insurance not known.

The Times Herald, May 10, 1875.

A shooting affray occurred at Chesaning, this county, last evening, one Mag Pettis shooting at William Pettis with a navy revolver, the shot entering the inner side of the thigh and passing under the bone came out a few inches above the knee, causing a serious flesh wound.

Detroit Free Press, May 18, 1875.

The house of James Kirby, in Chesaning, this county, was destroyed by fire early this morning. The contents were mostly saved. Loss, $500; no insurance.

Detroit Free Press, May 31, 1875.

A MILL PURCHASED. - Dr. H. B. Shank and N. G. Isbell of this city have purchased the Kenyon flouring-mills at Chesaning, Saginaw county, and the doctor spends most of his time looking after the enterprise. This is the first time Dr. Shank has ceased the practice of medicine for the last 30 years. It seems very refreshing for him to blow out his lamp and get a full night's sleep. He has, however, been appointed surgeon of the J., L. & S. railroad and this may give him practice enough to keep his hand in.

Lansing State Journal, January 11, 1876.

On Monday of last week, James Darling a well-to-farmer living in the township of Albee, this county, was arrested, brought to this city, and arraigned in Justice Miller's court, charged on complaint of his daughter-in-law, Alice J. Darling, with making an indecent assault upon her person, the assault being an attempt to commit rape. The case came up in Justice Miller's court yesterday, and was tried by jury. The complainant is a mere girl, only 15 years of age, rather prepossessing in appearance, and was married to defendant's son last October. The defendant James Darling is a man fifty-six years old and the father of eighteen children. The facts as testified to in court by the complaining witness are briefly these. It appears that the married life of the young couple was not of the most felicitous nature, and finally early in January, the girl bride resolved that she would leave the bed and board of the young man to whom she had been married but about two months. Her parents resided at Sanford Station on the F & P M R'y northwest of this city, and it being her desire to return to them, the defendant, James Darling, on the 3d of January, hitched up his team for the purpose of conveying her to Bridgeport in order that she might take the train for Sanford. The day was extremely cold, the sleighing not the best, and they did not reach Bridgeport in time to catch the train. They concluded to come to this city, and it was between Bridgeport and this place that the young wife testifies the attempt to commit the assault upon her person was made. She proceeded to Sanford, and subsequently made the complaint under which the warrant was issued and proceedings instituted. The defendant made a statement denying in toto the allegations that any assault was made or intended. Col Flanders, prosecuting attorney, conducted the case for the people, and T E Tarsney appeared for the defense.

The case went to jury about 8:30 o'clock last evening, and they were out but a moment, returning a verdict of "guilty." The court sentenced him to pay a fine of $30 and costs, taxed in the sum of $29 22, or in default of payment three months in the county jail.

The Saginaw Weekly Courier, March 1, 1876.

SAGINAW COURIER: A man living on the town line between Chesaning and St. Charles, by the name of Austin Richardson, while out with a party hunting foxes, stopped and rested his hand on the muzzle of his gun; his dog came up to be caressed, putting his fore paws against his master; when he went down one of his paws caught the hammer to the gun-lock, carrying it back far enough to cause the recoil to explode the cap and discharged the gun, the ball passing through Richardson's left hand, next striking him in the interior border of the left breast, passing up through the breast muscle and lodging against the collar-bone. Dr. Clark, of Chesaning, was called, cut out the ball, dressed the wounds, and the man will probably recover.

The True Northerner, April 14, 1876.

The Saginaw Courier of a recent date says "Last winter George Nelson, twenty-three years of age, got into a row with Nathan Young in Chesaning, when he shot young in the shoulder with a revolver, and supposing that his shot had been fatal, he fled. Officers since that time have been on his trail, and every effort made to capture him. Meanwhile Young recovered from his wound and is about, although he carries the ball in his shoulder. Last Monday a little eight-year-old boy, living in Chesaning, told that on the previous day, while playing in the woods a short distance from the village, he had found a dead man. The boy's father accompanied him into the woods, and there between two trees that grew near together was the body of a dead man. It was in a sitting posture - a mitten on one hand and a revolver in the other. A hole was discovered near one eye, showing where a bullet had passed into his head. They body bore evidences that it was quite a length of time since life had left it, but it was easily identified as that of the long-lost George Nelson."

The True Northerner, May 12, 1876.

A fire at Oakley, at an early hour Saturday morning, destroyed the planning mill in that village owned by Philip Mickle and occupied by Sackrider & Hoffman. Mickle's loss is about $2,500. Sackrider & Hoffman's loss on lumber is $500, with no insurance.

Jackson Citizen Patriot, June 26, 1876.

Chas. A. Smith and Nancy M. Johnson, of East Saginaw, were arraigned Friday afternoon on a charge of adultery preferred by Joseph R. Johnson, husband of the woman. The parties are well-to-do farmers living in Maple Grove township, in Saginaw county. It is alleged that the criminal intimacy between the pair has existed for two years. Johnson left home a short time since, and on his return found his wife had packed up the household effects and moved into a house opposite Smith's, who is a widower fifty years old. Mr. Johnson is at least sixty, and the woman is forty-eight. Both furnished bail in the sum of $500 for appearance for examination August 1st.

Ann Arbor Courier-Register, June 28, 1876.

An old gentlemen named Burris, in a fit of despondency, hung himself at Chesaning Friday.

Jackson Citizen Patriot, September 29, 1876.

A young man named Camp, living a few miles from Chesaning, Saginaw county, but two weeks married, has already blown his brains out - what few he had. He did it because he got angry at his uncle. It never occurred to him to shot the uncle.

Northern Tribune, November 11, 1876.

C. F. Wright's store at Oakley was robbed Monday night of about $1,000 worth of goods.

Jackson Citizen Patriot, November 18, 1876.

A man named Wood, thirty-eight years of age, visiting his mother, Mrs. A. Wood, at Chesaning, died suddenly of heart disease this morning. He retired in apparently good health and spirts last night.

Detroit Free Press, December 3, 1876.

James Darling, of Albee, Saginaw county, an old man, has been arrested on a charge of attempting to rape his daughter-in-law.

Northern Tribune, February 24, 1877.

On the Great Western train which arrived in Detroit at 12 o'clock last night was a farmer named Joseph Stringe, who, with his wife and three children, was journeying from Transit Station, N. Y., to Chesaning, Mich., where he had paid $200 upon the price of a small homestead, and was intending to cash the remaining $500 and settle down to business. When the train was about thirty miles distant from Windsor an elderly man, evidently a retired clergyman by his dress and appearance, came into the car and sat down in a seat not far from that occupied by Stringe and his family. Before long another stranger happened in and began a conversation with the clergyman, during which he produced three cards and bet largely with the clergyman upon their turning. The latter won every time, and pocketed a considerable sum on money. Stringe had watched the proceedings, and finally became desirous of trying his luck with the holder of the cards, who fixed the first bet a $5. The traveler drew from his pocket $700 in bills in order to find the right amount, and the three-card-monte men no sooner saw the money than they grabbed it and ran out of the car. Stringe frantically clutched at the last man's coat, but missed his hold and fell headlong to the floor, and by the time he had arisen the thieves had disappeared. Search was made in every car by the victim and the conductor, but the robbers were nowhere to be found. They had evidently leaped from the train into some convenient snow-bank, and all hope of their capture was given up, for the time at least, Stringe arrived here in an almost destitute condition, and told his tale of woe to Officer Canfield, while waiting for the Chesaning train at the Detroit and Milwaukee depot. The robbers had fortunately left him $12 in money and the railroad ticket, and, despairing of every regaining his hard-earned cash, the unhappy family left this morning on their gloomy journey.

Star Tribune, March 15, 1877

A petition is being circulated which will soon be forwarded to Representative Sackrider, signed by a large number of land owners and citizens of this township [St. Charles], respectfully asking of the senate and house of representatives, that an appropriation be made for the purpose of removing the flood wood and sand from that portion of the Shiawassee river, running through a part of this township, as it is a well known fact that for a number of years, the Shiawassee river for several miles above the mouth of the Bad River, is about intirely obstructed with fallen trees, sunken logs, flood wood, and sand bars, to such an extent as to seriously blockade this portion of the river, especially during the spring of each year, causing the adjacent territory including farming lands to be seriously damaged by the continued overflow of water, caused principally by these obstructions. It is earnestly hoped that an appropriation may be granted, or some provision made to have this portion of the Shiawassee river cleaned out, as all land owners interested in this and many others though this section as well as at Chesaning earnestly desire.

The Saginaw Weekly Courier, March 22, 1877.

A young man named Herbert Newton, living at Chesaning, committed suicide while stopping at his mother's house on Saturday last, by throwing himself into the well, where he was found a short time after he was missed from the house lying head downwards in about three feet of water. He had returned from Texas, and told his mother that he was broken down in health and spirits; that he had come home to die, and begged of her to get him some poison. She tried to pacify him and talk him out of his foolish notion, though watching him closely, fearing his mind was wandering. On Saturday morning while attending to her household duties she missed him and commenced looking for him, calling an older brother who was up stairs at the time, and both going outside called in vain. At last, discovering the curb of the well had been displaced, they examined and found him as described. With considerable exertion they got him out, but life was extinct. A jury was summoned by Wm. P. Dredge, justice of the peace, with the following result: 'That said Herbert Newton came to his death on the morning of the morning of the 9 h day of June, 1877, by his own act by drowning himself in a well, while in a fit of mental aberration.'

The Saginaw Weekly Courier, June 14, 1877.

List of Saginaw County's Insane at the Asylum, Kalamazoo, and their Condition.

Willard Shattuck and George P Butler, superintendent of the county poor, who visited Kalamazoo last week with a view of obtaining information relative to the insane from the county, have since their return, received the following letter, which embodies all the information sought. The expense to Saginaw county last year for providing for its insane, including board, clothing, &c, was $9,656...

Sophia Odell, of Chesaning, is a case of chronic mania. She is constantly disturbed and very untidy and destructive in her habits. There is little hope of her recovery.

Frederika Walser, of Maple Grove, is an imbecile epileptic, and is not a proper subject for treatment here. She is untidy, destructive and violent. There is a course no hope of restoration.

Radnor Hayne, of Chesaning, suffers from chronic mania and is at times destructive and much disturbed. There is little improvement. His is in fair bodily health.

Arthur Gates, of Brant, is also an epileptic and has frequent seizures. His mind is much impaired and he is liable at any time to become disturbed. He is in excellent bodily health.

Edwin Moore, of Brady, is a monomaniac and has strong religious delusions. At times he is much disturbed, quite destructive, and inclined to injure himself. His is in fair bodily health.

Joseph Walser, of Maple Grove, is a brother of Frederika Walser, mentioned above, and like her is also an imbecile epileptic. He has frequent convulsions, and is liable to fall under them, as they produce a profound impression upon his nervous system.

The Saginaw Weekly Courier, June 21, 1877

The horse races [in Oakley] were spoiled by an accident that occurred while they were getting ready. Two excited young men came flying down the main street on excited colts, and an excitable nine-year-old boy though he could beat them across the crossing and succeed in colliding with the foremost horse that hit the boy on the shoulder with his knee or ankle, and though the boy was picked up for dead, and appeared so for several minutes, energetic efforts restored consciousness, and Dr. Clark, after a careful examination, pronounced no bones broken and speedy recovery to be expected.

Report said a man in Chapin, at a celebration at Bell's school house, in firing an anvil had his right hand blown off.

The Saginaw Weekly Courier, July 12, 1877

WHEAT BURNED - Four stacks of wheat, the property of John Haley, who resides in the township of Oakley, were destroyed by fire on the morning of the 12th. There was about 1,200 bushels of wheat thus destroyed, and it is claimed to be the work of an incendiary. Mr. Halley offers a reward of $500 for information that will lead to the apprehension and conviction of the incendiary.

The Saginaw Weekly Courier, August 23, 1877

EAST SAGINAW, Aug. 25. - John McNeil was arrested at Chesaning this evening by an officer from this county, charged with the larceny of a valuable horse from Perry G. Curtis, of Bridgeport. This is the fourth arrest on this charge within the past ten days.

Detroit Free Press, August 26, 1877.

Putrid sore throat prevails among the children of Chesaning now, six or seven deaths having occurred within a few days. So says the Saginaw Daily News.

Lansing State Journal, September 28, 1877.

A Strange Freak of Lightning.

CHESANING, Oct. 15. - During the thunder storm Saturday evening the house of Mr. Chas. Morris, in the town of Maple Grove, received a strange visitation from a ball of electricity, that hit the top of the stove pipe, which projected through the roof - sans chimney - and following it down into the single apartment below, burst upon a rear corner of the cooking stove, sending it forward about a foot. The foot of a couch, upon which lay Mr. Morris and a ten year old son, came within two feet of the stove, and a fragment of the ball stuck the couch, setting fire to its covering, and passing between father and son, completely annihilated the rear portion of the pants from ankle to waistband, so that not a shred was found, and the remaining part looked as though mutilated by a threshing machine. Both father and son were badly burned, though the son was the more seriously injured. The couch was moved forward about a foot, and the firey monster went through the floor in two places, looking like rat holes, entered a potatoe bin and tossed its contents about the cellar at a lively rate. The stove pipe was separated at every joint, and serrated in a very peculiar manner. Every pane of glass in the house was broken, the base board back of the couch torn away, and the chinking between the logs town out, the building being a common log house.

Miss Morris, a fragile, nervous little woman, of less than 90 pounds weight, was sitting about three feet from and facing the couch. She says the ball appeared in its descent like a ball of fire as large as a man's head. It exploded with a terrific report, and filled with room with sparks or stars of fire; she was not conscious of any effect save that she lost her hearing which was gradually restored within 48 hours, or more. As soon as she saw her husband and soon were unconscious, after tearing away the burning bedding, she dragged them to the pump in the yard and pumped water upon them, while she roused the neighbors with her shrieks for help. In about two hours their consciousness returned, and they endured their agony until the received medical relief Sunday afternoon. This Monday evening, Dr. Clark who has just returned from visiting them reports both patients very comfortable; but the woman looks as though just escaping from typhoid fever.

The Saginaw Weekly Courier, October 18, 1877.

The Chesaning Argonaut

Chesaning in the News (1874-1877)

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