L. D. Bartholomew, in which the Odd Fellows' hall is situated. All around it the forest yet remained in its pristine beauty. The shanty was without windows, and was filled with a heterogeneous collection of barrels, nets, and other implements of the fisherman's art. Permission was obtained of the owner, and the young men of the neighborhood undertook to put it in order. Openings were made in the wall and windows.inserted, to obtain which it was necessary to send to Traverse City. A strong scaffold of poles was built overhead, on which was stowed away everything of value. The useless trash was carried outside. Seats were made by placing logs of wood on the floor, across which boards were laid.

"The whole number of names on the roll of the school was thirty-six, including almost all the children and youth of the settlement. Sixteen of the older ones constituted the Bible class, taught by the superintendent. The following is a list of the officers and teachers: Superintendent, M. L. Leach; secretary, Miss Frances P. Dixon; treasurer, Mrs. Nelson Ainslie; librarian, Joseph R. Dixon; teachers, Mrs. Ainslie, Mrs. William Chamberlain, Miss Lottie Ainslie.

“This Sunday-school was, to say the least, unique. Organized at the earnest solicitation of the young people themselves, gathering in all the young ladies and gentlemen of the settlement, taking the place of the ordinary religious services of older communities, held in a shanty of the roughest and most primitive construction, with the nets and other fishing gear of the owner in plain sight overhead, enveloped in the shade of the primitive forest, with the crystal waters of the little lake, the swiftly flowing river, and the surf-beaten beach of Lake Michigan only a step away, it remains picttured in the memory of the writer as a notable way-mark of one of the pleasant stages of a somewhat eventful life.

"In the fall, the owner of the shanty having use for it, the Sunday-school had to be transferred to other quarters. Once or twice it was held in the dwelling of Mr. Robert Miller, and then for some time in the sitting room of an unfinished building owned by Mr. Althouse and kept by him as a house of entertainment for travelers. It only remains to add that from the organization of that school up to the time of the present writing, Charlevoix has never been without a Sunday-school in active operation, except on a single occasion when, one winter, there was an intermission of six weeks' duration."

A union Sunday school was continued until 1880, when the M. E. Sunday-school was organized and denominational work was inaugurated. When the Congregational society was organized, Sunday-school work was also begun in connection with that society.

THE M. E. CHURCH.

As soon as the little settlement of Charlevoix was fairly outlined religious activities were fully inaugurated. The first preacher to hold preaching service was one by the name of Calkins, who came here occasionally and preached in the old log school-house. He found rather stony ground, the people at that time regarding Sunday as a holiday rather than as a holy day and preferred amusing themselves to sitting upon the log benches in the old school-house and listening to a sermon. Mr. Calkins preached a few times, but not being able to awaken an interest in his meetings, declared that the people were bound to go to destruction anyway, and there was no use in trying to preach to them," and he abandoned the field. In the summer of 1867 the first class on the Charlevoix circuit was organized at A. D. Brady's, in the town of Marion. In the fall of that year the village of Charlevoix was made the head of a circuit and Rev. J. Gulick was appointed the first preacher in charge, Rev. V. G. Boynton being the presiding elder of the district. Mr. Gulick built a parsonage in the woods, and worked in the store of A. Fox & Co. during the week and preached on Sun

day. The first quarterly conference of the circuit was held October 20, 1867, and the following names appear upon the record: Rev. V. G. Boynton, P. E.; Rev. J. Gulick, pastor; Samuel Horton, exhorter; Isaac Pierce, A. D. Brady, William Clark, S. H. Seeley, N. Clark and J. Clark. At this conference trustees were appointed and definite steps were taken toward building a home for the pastor. A subscription was started and the pastor was appointed a building committee. The trustees were S. H. Seeley, A. D. Brady and J. Clark.

January 1, 1868, a class was formed in the village with seventeen members, viz.: Isaac Pierce, leader; D. H. Pierce, James Headly, Mary Headly, C. A. C. Gulick, Jennie Miller, Joseph Dixon, Lottie Stockman, Luna Green, Maggie Colter, Ella Miller, Mrs. Shepard, Mary Dougherty, Joseph Willis and Margaret Willis. But four or five of these lived in the village. The membership was considerably increased during the winter from revival meetings held in Marion, but it was not long before many of the new members dropped out again.

Rev. Mr. Gulick completed the parsonage and served as pastor two years. In the fall of 1869 Rev. A. J. Wheeler came as supply and remained two years. In the fall of 1871 he was succeeded by Rev. Wright Barrett.

A Union Sunday-school had been and was quite successfully maintained. Rev. James Inwood, now a resident of the village of Charlevoix, was a local preacher of the M. E. Church, and did very much toward organizing church work in the village, and frequently preached at this point.

At the time of Rev. Barrett the Charlevoix class numbered twelve full members and three probationers. But six of these resided in the village. In 1872 no minister was appointed to the Charlevoix circuit owing, in part, to the death of Presiding Elder Chamburn, but Rev. Mark Browning, of the Norwood circuit, preached here once in four weeks.

In the fall of 1872 Rev. George L. Cole was made preacher in charge of Charlevoix circuit. At this time the entire circuit numbered but twenty-four members. Mr. Cole was returned in 1873. Early in the summer of 1874 steps were taken toward building a house of worship. In July the Sentinel alluded to the project as follows: "A project is on foot for the erection of a Methodist church edifice in Charlevoix, which, starting out under such favorable auspices, bids fair to be successful. The little germ planted by the Ladies' Aid Society, although having yet yielded no great pecuniary results, has given the society a starting point, from which has already emanated definite plans and a determination to carry them to a successful issue. The design is to build a wooden structure, of a novel and unique style of architecture, 32x70 feet on the ground, with a spire on one corner 100 feet high. The estimated cost of the building will be $4,000, of which $800 is already subscribed. Work will be commenced soon on the foundation and basement, and will continue as long as the means hold out. The site proposed is the lot on State Street lately purchased by the Ladies' Aid Society. In the hands of a worker like Rev. Mr. Cole, the enterprise cannot fail to assume proportions before he leaves us which shall make failure improbable if not impossible. At Olivet Mr. Cole started out in an enterprise of this nature with only a $75 subscription, and the result was a $7,000 church edifice. Let our citizens put their shoulders to the wheel and help the elder in this undertaking."

About this time there was a bee" of men and teams to haul stone for the foundation. The corner stone was laid August 12, 1874, with appropriate ceremonies, the address being delivered by Rev. J. W. Miller, P. E.

Rev. Geo. L. Cole was returned in the fall of 1874. In the

spring of that year quite an unusual degree of religious interest had been awakened and the membership of the church was considerably increased. This revival was sufficiently marked to be noticed in the local paper as follows: For the first time in the history of Charlevoix its people are awakened from their lethargy and beginning to look to their spiritual interests. Meetings have been held afternoons and evenings during the week and the hearts of Christians have been gladdened by the results. Several of our most prominent citizens have declared for the faith, and many of the young people seem to be earnestly seeking the true way. We think, in the main, the conversions have not been the result of enthusiasm or excitement, but in several cases the cross has been taken up as one would enter into a business transaction with earnestness and candor."

At the annual conference in 1875 Rev. W. L. Tilden was appointed to this charge and remained until the fall of 1877, when he was succeeded by Rev. B. H. Whitman.

In August, 1877, the church building was completed, with the exception of seating. The work thus far had been paid for as it progressed and the society escaped the burden of a debt. In October, 1877, the two front windows arrived. They were memorial windows and were presented by Archibald Buttars and M. J. Stockman, of this village. They were of beautifully designed stained glass, and have, ground into each of them, in beautiful colors and surrounded by a halo, a representation of the Holy Bible. Upon one, in a circular piece of crimson glass, is the inscription: "To the Memory of Celia A. Butṭars, who died July 16, 1875;" and upon the other, in a similar manner, was inscribed: Presented by M. J. Stockman." They were beautiful gifts and fit ornaments to the beautiful little chapel.

Early in the winter of 1878 the seats were finished and placed in the church. Through the agency of Mrs. John Nicholls, who was visiting at Whitewater, Wis., the Congregational Society of that place presented this society with a pulpit and communion service, which arrived in November, 1877. February 17, 1878, after a long time of patient toil and weary waiting, the building was dedicated. The event was mentioned at the time as follows: "The new M. E. Church was crowded to overflowing Sunday morning, on the occasion of the dedication of that edifice. The dedicatory sermon by our former pastor, Rev. W. L. Tilden, was full of solid thought and rhetorical effect, and is spoken of by all as a fine effort. The ministers who participated were Rev. A. P. Moors, P. E., Rev. Whitman, Blake, Whitney and Inwood. Hon. E. H. Green, as chairman of the board of trustees, formally presented the building to the society. Rev. Mr. Moors, in his remarks, dwelt upon the fact that no debt was handed over as a legacy to the church, and pronounced it without a parallel, so far as he knew, in the history of the church in this country."

came.

Rev. B. H. Whitman was returned in the fall of 1878, and remained until the fall of 1880, when he was succeeded by Rev. Mr. McElwer. The new parsonage was built after Mr. McElwer In the fall of 1881 Rev. Mr. Daniels came and remained until the fall of 1883, when he was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Iddings. There are, in 1884, about eighty members of the church. At the present time, April, 1884, arrangements are being made for remodeling the church building.

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL Church.

Rev. Leroy Warren (who was working in the interest of the Congregational Home Missionary Society) held preaching services in Charlevoix during the years 1866 and '67, and in the fall of 1879 Rev. N. L. Otis began to hold regular services in the school-house, which were continued about one year, but no organization was effected and some supposed that the Congregational interest had died

out. But Mrs. J. Nicholls still nourished the little flame and Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Dixon could not forget the hallowed influences of Oberlin.

During the summer of 1882 correspondence was kept up with Rev. Leroy Warren, state superintendent of Home Missions, which culminated in his sending Rev. A. J. Hadley, of Onondaga, (who was spending his vacation in northern Michigan) to look up the field. Mr. Hadley found seven persons who signed a call for a council, also requesting that they be organized into a church to be known as the First Congregational Church, of Charlevoix, Michigan.

A site for a church building was secured during the week that Mr. Hadley was on the field, and on the 19th of September, 1882, this church was organized by council composed of pastors and laymen from four neighboring churches, assisted by Superintendent Warren.

Rev. C. F. VanAuken (who came to the council by special invitation and request of Superintendent Warren) received a unanimous call from the new church, to remain and become their pastor. The call was accepted and his labors with this people began at once. A live prayer-meeting and a flourishing Sabbath-school were marked features of the work. An Ecclesiastical Society was organized to work in connection with the church and last but not least in energy and good works, the Ladies Association of the church and society.

The total membership of the church May 5, 1884, was thirtyseven, of whom thirteen are the result of labor in a neighboring school-house. Services were held in the school-house the first two winters and in Bartholomew's Hall during the summer months. In the fall of 1883 steps were taken toward the erection of a church building. The lot that had been purchased being too small for the plan chosen, a more eligible site was secured on the corner of Main and State Streets, where the building represented in this work now stands. While acknowledging Jehovah as the prime mover in this work, this church would not forget the friends whose kind words and gifts are helping to carry it forward.

The first officers of the church were as follows: Deacons, Elijah Hudson, B. Suffield, E. M. Clark; clerk, William Kanagg. Officers of the society Trustees, John Nicholls, Elijah Hudson, J. Milo Eaton, William Kanagg, E. M. Clark, B. Suffield; clerk, R. W. Kane; treasurer, C. Y. Cook.

SCHOOL HISTORY.

The early settlers of Charlevoix village, and the county as well, were people who had been taught the value of schools, and at the earliest opportunity we find means provided for educating the children of those who had located in this vicinity. The community was small, it is true, and the appointments of the early schools exceedingly primitive. In the fall of 1861 it was decided to build a school-house and begin to train the young idea in the proper direction. M. J. Stockman was then living on the south side of Round Lake. A "bee" was called and a small log building put up on the bank of Pine Lake about fifteen rods south of where the Belvidere House now stands, on the Charlevoix resort grounds. It was a veritable cobble house just high enough for a person of ordinary height to stand erect without raising the roof. The building was 16x18 feet in size with a "shake" roof and puncheon floor. Split basswood logs resting on pegs served as benches, and the desks were of similar design. It was a humble structure, but then, men have emerged from similar ones to enter upon illustrious careers, and dying, transmit honorable names to posterity.

The first school in this building was taught in the winter of 1861-'62 by Mrs. M. J. Stockman, who received therefor a salary of one dollar per week. Being a married woman she was enabled to make favorable rates for board, and thus derived quite a magnificent

were based upon the fact that the River Improvement Company had commenced making a cut at the mouth of the river, and owing to lack of funds had discontinued work.

In June, 1869, books were opened at the office of Redington, Nelson & Co. for subscriptions for the improvement of Pine River. Notice of this fact was signed by F. L. Kiser, Philo Beers, John S. Dixon, Seth F. Mason and E. W. C. Newman.

June 21, 1869, the tug Minnie Warren arrived, and was taken up the river with scows. The arrival of the Commodore Nutt has already been noticed.

In July there was a "bee" to open the channel between Round and Pine Lakes. The tugs Commodore Nutt and Minnie Warren brought men down Pine Lake on scows. A force of upward of 100 men was divided, and one squad, under command of E. S. Redington, began on the lower river, and the other squad, under command of Amos Fox, worked at the upper cut. The cut is twenty-two rods in length, and the ridge was originally covered with a heavy growth of timber. The whole space, about 300 feet in width, was cleared of timber during the day.

In August, 1869, the Charlevoix Harbor and River Improvement Co. elected the following directors: Amos Fox, E. S. Redington, John S. Dixon, S. F. Mason, William Laister, D. C. Nettleton, William Nelson.

Officers: --President, E. S. Redington; vice-president, Amos Fox; superintendent, E. S. Redington; secretary, E. H. Green; treasurer, Richard Cooper.

This company was duly incorporated, and its object was stated to be the deepening of Pine River from a depth of twelve feet of water in Pine Lake to the same depth in Lake Michigan. All subsequent work was done under direction of this company until the state appropriation.

In September work was prosecuted with vigor. The bar at the mouth of the river was dredged, and slab piers, 200 feet in length, built by filling under the pile dock of Fox & Rose. This was afterward washed out.

Oct. 8, Redington, Nelson & Co's vessel, the "Mendota," was towed into the harbor, being the first vessel to enter Round Lake. During this month Mr. Redington resigned as superintendent, and Seth F. Mason was appointed to fill vacancy.

In the summer of 1870 the tug Minnie Warren again dredged through the lower river, and in August the "Maple Leaf," eightyseven tons burden, was towed into Round Lake, and it was thought to be an important event in the history of navigation at this point.

At a meeting of the Improvement Company in January, 1870, Messrs. E. H. Green, A. Buttars, and Philo Beers, were instructed to forward a petition for an appropriation of state swamp lands, which in due time was presented by Senator Moffat and the following months sixteen sections of land were appropriated. This appropriation, however, was canceled for the alleged reason that it was too small to accomplish anything. It was subsequently revived after the people had the work well under way, and D. C. Nettleton appointed local commissioner to superintend the work under direction of J. B. Haviland, member of the board of control.

Jan. 13, 1872, a mass meeting was held, of which Robert Miller was president, and W. A. Smith secretary. The matter of the appropriation was discussed, and pledges to the amount of $2,275 obtained to continue the work. Henry Morgan submitted plans for a pier 240 feet long on the north side of the mouth of the river, to be composed of cribs 16x40 feet, at an estimated cost of $1,155, not including dredging.

In February the north pier was located, and work commenced

under Superintendent Nettleton. The weather was extremely cold, and the work was prosecuted with great difficulty. Some of the time the mercury was at 20° and 22° below zero, but the men engaged in the enterprise were resolute and stuck to their task. Very good progress was made, and about 450 feet of the sub-structure sunk, but stone was obtained with difficulty, and the cribs were insecurely loaded. The available funds were exhausted, and frequent storms played havoc with the work. One crib went out and lay on the beach for several weeks, and the prospect was indeed discouraging. Finally, one Sunday, in the spring of 1872, it was found that the pier had gone to pieces, and it then looked as if the whole enterprise must be abandoned. The damage, however, was repaired, and the work thus begun finally incorporated in the government work.

In March, 1872, the appropriation of sixteen sections of swamp land heretofore spoken of as canceled was restored, and in July the contract for the completion of the pier to a height of five feet above the water was let to Henry Morgan.

In June, 1873, a contract was closed with N. Stickney for dredging the channel of Pine River, and the following July the dredge arrived and work was begun.

All dredging prior to this time had been done with tugs, and the appearance of a "real live" dredge was an occasion of great public interest, and the entire populace turned out to give it a reception.

When the dredge arrived at the bridge Col. Mansfield of the U..S. corps of engineers arrived and at once saw the erroneous judgment of Major Wheeler's report. He immediately made a favorable report and upon his recommendation an appropriation was obtained from the government. Col. Mansfield's report is dated August 26, 1873, and from it we make the following extracts:

"A cursory examination satisfied me that no further survey was needed to project a plan of improvement. The stream connecting Round and Pine Lakes with Lake Michigan is only about 1,200 feet in length, and from 75 to 100 feet in width. Its course where it entered into Lake Michigan at the time the survey was made, bad been changed to a straight cut, and the depth of water at the time of my visit was about six feet, while the rapids spoken of had almost entirely disappeared, owing in some measure doubtless to the unusually high water in Lake Michigan. The current however was swift. but did not indicate a difference in level of the lakes of over

three inches.

"I found a dredge at work in the river near the bridge making 11 feet water, the intention being to carry the depth entirely through with one cut of thirty-five feet width. No stone of bowlders had been met. The material dredged was chiefly sand, with coarse gravel and small stone. In making the cut at the mouth of the river, no bowlders were met with to interfere with the work as had been feared; the bottom through the water here appeared to be composed of pebbles and small rounded stone or shingle, no stone larger than your fist. The bed and banks of the river throughout showed only a material that could easily be removed with the dredge, it being sand, marl, gravel and clay mixed. *** A crib pier was built on the north side about 460 feet in length last fall, and during the winter two cribs 80 feet over all were placed in on the south side.

The direction of the piers seems to be admirably well chosen. The physical formation of the shore here-the mouth of the river before any improvements were attempted being almost closed about 450 feet south of the present outlet-indicates clearly the direction of the severe blows, namely, from the north and northwest. No storms from a direction south of west can have any injurious effect upon the mouth of the river, as it is thoroughly protected by

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"The work already done is the result of the commendable spirit and energy of the people who seem to be thoroughly in earnest. In addition, the difficulty attending the navigation of the narrow, tortuous and shallow stream connecting the waters of Round and Pine Lakes has been surmounted by a straight cut at the head of Round Lake through a narrow neck of sand, gravel and marl. The banks are not revetted and notwithstanding the rapid current are not disturbed."

In his report Col. Mansfield speaks of the resources of the Pine Lake region and the growing importance of Charlevoix as a business point.

In January, 1875, Representative E. H. Green introduced a resolution which was passed by the legislature, asking Congress to make an appropriation for the completion and protection of the improvements at Pine River.

The cut between Round and Pine Lakes was made thirtyfive feet wide and twelve feet deep by an appropriation of $1,000 made by the board of supervisors.

In the spring of 1876 an appropriation of $10,000 was made by the government, and Charlevoix was made a port of entry. The first dredging under the government appropriation was done in July, 1877.

July 7, 1882, the steamer "Fountain City" 1,000 tons burden, commanded by Captain Gibson, entered Round Lake for the first time. What are called bay boats had entered the harbor before, but none belonging to the through line of the lakes.

In the improvement of Charlevoix harbor many have rendered assistance, more or less according to their ability. Among its early friends none were more zealous than the late F. L. Kiser of the firm of Geo. W. Esterly & Co., who proved his faith in the future of Charlevoix in a substantial manner whenever occasion required. Henry Morgan also rendered valuable aid. The Charlevoix Sentinel stoutly advocated the measure from the very first. The man, however, whose clear grit and seemingly exhaustless energy stood between the project and failure was Mr. D. C. Nettleton, who, as local commissioner, prosecuted the most difficult part of the work under the most adverse circumstances, and stubbornly refused to let the enterprise be abandoned at a time when success seemed impossible.

This improvement has been the making of Charlevoix County. Boats drawing twelve feet of water now easily enter the harbor, and the whole Pine Lake region is open to the commerce of Lake Michigan.

SHIPMENTS IN 1883.

We give below a summary of the shipments from this port, as compiled from weekly reports of clearances. It includes only full cargoes, and not any portion of the thousands of tons carried by coast steamers. It will be seen that in the month of November there is one item of twenty-four packages of fish. This looks small, but it must be remembered that the propellers Lawrence and Champlain carried fresh and salt fish to Chicago all summer, the shipments averaging, it has been stated, one thousand pounds daily.

The heaviest shipments of hardwood lumber was during the month of September. This includes al lumber except pine. The largest shipment of pine was in June.

An examination of the weekly report would indicate that W. T. Addis and Cheboygan Manufacturing Company, of Boyne, and

Stoepel & Co., of East Jordan, take the lead in shipments of hardwood lumber, and F. H. Meech and John Munro a similar place in pine lumber.

The largest shipments of wood were in May and June, and of bark in July and August-three-fifths of the shipments of bark for the season being in these two months.

Shipments of pig iron were greatest in June. This is the product of a single firm, and adds very much to the value of the shipments from this port. For full details see figures below:

DEATH BY DROWNING OF SETH F. MASON.

The death by drowning of Seth F. Mason, which occurred Nov. 15, 1870, was a notable event in the history of Charlevoix. Mr. Mason was a prominent citizen and the tragic circumstances of his death produced a profound sensation. The account published at the time is as follows: "A heavy westerly wind had been blowing during the day, and by evening the sea was running high and the storm unabated. About 6:30 p. M. several persons were startled by hearing shouts from the vicinity of the dock, and the appalling truth soon became evident that some person had been wrecked and was at the mercy of the elements. A crowd soon found their way to the dock, where a fearful sight met their gaze. Within a short distance from the pier, on the north side, a human form was seen clinging to a capsized boat. The spars being fast to the bottom, the breakers swept entirely over the miserable man, threatening to hurl him into the angry elemènt. A line was procured, one end of which was thrown to him which he made fast to his body, and he was landed from his perilous position and hoisted in