D. D. BROCKWAY
D. D. BROCKWAY, agent of the Cliff Mine and resident agent and principal owner of the Atlas Mine; was one of the earliest pioneers of the Lake Superior country, he having located at L'Anse in August, 1843 as Government blacksmith to the Indians. He was born in Franklin County, Vt., May 2, 1815. He moved to Franklin County, N. Y., with his parents in childhood, and from there to Washtenaw County, Mich., in 1831. He was married, in Kalamazoo County, in 1836, to Miss Lucena, daughter of Dr. James Harris a well known pioneer of that region. After his marriage, Mr. Brockway returned to Franklin County, N. Y., where he spent three years. While there, he was appointed blacksmith and mechanic to the Indian Department of Lake Superior, with headquarters at L'Anse, under Robert Stewart, Indian Agent. Taking his family and accompanied by his brother, A. W, Brockway, who was assistant blacksmith, and at present Cashier of the Savings Bank at Brownsville, Tenn., he proceeded on his journey to the then almost unknown wilderness of Lake Superior. Arrived at the Sault Portage June 19, 1843, and were obliged to wait there six weeks and three days for a vessel to take them to L'Anse. They got off August 4 on the old brig John Jacob Astor. They were accompanied by Dr. Douglass Houghton, State Geologist, and party, as far as Grand Island. They reached L'Anse Mission August 8. The next three years were devoted to the peculiar duties of his office. Hoping to improve his prospects, Mr. Brockway determined to remove to Copper Harbor, which was then attracting considerable attention from the accounts of rich copper discoveries in its neighborhood. So setting out May 1, 1846, in a small boat with his wife and three small children, their crew consisting of two Indians, they coasted L'Anse Bay and around Keweenaw Point, being out two nights. They reached Copper Harbor May 3. The few inhabitants of Copper Harbor were living in tents. Mr. Brockway had come to stay, so he built a substantial house, the first in the place, and opened it as a hotel. Mr. B. was a potent factor in the development and improvement of the country. In 1849, he was employed at the Northwest mine as agent, and continued with that company two years. Mr. B. discovered the Cape Mine, and was instrumental in organizing that company, and was agent there one year. In 1861 he removed to Eagle River, where he kept hotel until 1863. He then returned to Copper Harbor and engaged in the mercantile business with G. W. Perry, a son-in-law, under the firm name of Brockway & Perry. Continued that business three years. In 1869, he went to the Lower Peninsula and engaged in farming on the old homestead, where he married his wife, he then being the owner of said farm. Returning to Lake Superior in 1872, he opened a store at the Cliff Mine with his son, Albert A., under the firm name of D. D. Brockway & Son, dealers in general merchandise. They continued the business to this date. His son, Albert A., is the present County Treasurer of Keweenaw County. Mrs. Sarah L. Scott is the oldest white person now living that was born in the mining district of Lake Superior. A daughter of C. T. Carrier, who was Government farmer at L'Anse, was the first white child born at that place. It died at the age of only a year or two, in the State of New York, to which place its parents moved in 1845. In 1879, Mr. B. spent seven months in the Black Hills country in search of gold. Returning in the month of December, while crossing the plains, was overtaken by a fearful storm, and with seven other passengers narrowly escaped death by freezing. The stage having been tipped over in the storm, had to remain on the open plain for about fifteen hours, with the wind blowing a perfect gale and mercury at 42, below zero. For the past year, Mr. B. has been the superintendent of the Cliff Mine, and has been very active in the discharge of the duties of his position. He is now in the sixty-eighth year of his age, but is still hale and hearty, and always found in the harness. His motto is wear out rather than rust out. He is still active as most men at forty-five, and we would count him good for twenty years to come.
Source: Keweenaw County section of History of the upper peninsula of Michigan : containing a full account of its early settlement, its growth, development, and resources, an extended description of its iron and copper mines : also, accurate sketches of its counties, cities, towns, and villages ... biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers.