Did Lenawee Have Visit From Johnny Appleseed?
(from an unidentified newspaper clipping)
It's an interesting bit of conjecture that John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) whose contribution to the horticulture of the Middle West in pioneer days is commented upon elsewhere on this page may have visited Lenawee County.
In "Man and Myth" by Robert Price, a well documented account of Chapman's activities in which Dr. Harland Hatcher, president of the University of Michigan collaborated, Mr. Price writes that one of the Chapman apple nurseries begun about 1828 "stood for years at the mouth of the Tiffin River above Defiance, Ohio." The Tiffin River is known in Lenawee County as Bean Creek, has its origin at Devils Lake and flows southward through Hudson, across Medina Township, through Morenci and on southward into Ohio.
In "Bean Creek Valley", written by James Hogabaum and published in Hudson in 1876, Mr. Hogabaum relates an amusing incident in the early settlement of Medina and Canandaigua and the competition between them. The two places are only about a mile apart.
Mr. Hogabaum writes:
"In the fall of 1836 an itinerant fruit tree vender brought some apple trees to Canandaigua to sell to the farmers of Medina and Seneca. He had 50 more than he could dispose of, and these he buried in Cavender's field. In the winter, a Medina man coming by the field discovered the tree tops covered by snow, and asked Burns Cavender what it meant. He (Cavender) said that Gregg (the inn keeper) had thrown a drunken Indian out of his bar room. He had died from exposure and his body was buried lightly and covered with brush. "The Medina man went home, revolving in his mind the tragic death of the Indian. He called a secret council, and it was determined that the matter must be investigated and Gregg punished. In the dead of night six of Medina's most valiant sons sallied forth, armed with axes and spades. They came to the spot and attempted to removed the brush, but the butts of the trees had sunk in the mud and frozen down. The axes were called in, and the brush cut even with the ground. Then the digging commenced, and in the course of an hour's hard work the bodies and trunks of the trees were exhumed. They went home sadder and wiser men, desiring above all things to keep the agency a secret. But "murder will out" and they had to pay for the trees, and what was of more consequence be jeered at by the Canandaigua folks."
Mr. Price relates in "Man and Myth" that in 1836, John Chapman was briskly expanding his apple tree enterprises into northern Indiana. It is purely conjecture, but he might have made part of that trip up the Tiffin River from Defiance with a pay load. Defiance is only about 40 miles south of Medina. Or the"itinerant fruit vender" might have purchased trees from the Chapman nursery and moved into Lenawee County to sell them.
In any event, what happened in the Canandaigua-Medina incident of 130 years ago is interesting reading.
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Butch Cassidy's Mysterious Michigan Ties
Found in the Sept/Oct 1993 Vol 7, Issue 2 of the Family Researchers Newsletter.
Used with permission.
Most Western history experts now seem to agree that Butch Cassidy was not killed in an ambush in South America after all, but made his way to the Brazilian coast where he caught a ship for Europe and then the United States, ending up in Michigan.
James DULLENTY, a bookstore owner and newspaper reporter in Kennewick, Washington, has been researching why "CASSIDY" (alias William T. Phillips) claimed Celia MUDGE as his mother and Sundusky, Michigan, as his birthplace ~~~~Should this read Sandusky??~~~~ He also, has found a mysterious link to a farm woman in Michigan.
It was in Adrian, Michigan on May 14, 1908, that one Gertrude M. LIVESAY of Morenci married William T. PHILLIPS, a stranger in town, who claimed to the son of Laddie J. PHILLIPS and Celia Wakath MUDGE.
This same information was used when PHILLIPS joined the Elks and Masonic lodges in Spokane, Washington, where he and Gertrude lived most of their married lives. When PHILLIPS died in 1937, his widow put the same information or mis-information on his death certificate. But why? It is said that most of PHILLIPS' intimate friends in Spokane knew him to be the Butch CASSIDY. It is known that he made three trips to Wyoming and other Western states where his robberies had taken place and his cronies were still living. It was reported that he was eventually recognized as "George CASSIDY," the name he was known by in those days, who had come back, in all likelihood, to look for his caches of loot.
This article, in part, was acquired through Lenawee County Clerk's office, Adrian, Michigan.
However, there continue to be differing views concerning Butch Cassidy's reported demise and later years, if he indeed survived the South American ambush. The Deseret News of Salt Lake City published on 16 August 2011, an article entitled "Butch Cassidy Imposter Exposed" which refutes some of the earlier claims.
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Irish favorite is lullaby from Adrian.
By Robin Lucie, Daily Telegram Staff Writer
(March 18, 1981)
" Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-ra-ly, too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra, hush now don't you cry.
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-ra-ly, too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra, its an Irish lullaby."
Those words, sung by Bing Crosby in the Oscar winning movie "Going My Way" in 1944, were written by a born-and-bred Adrian man, James Royce Shannon. Shannon, born in Adrian May 13, 1881, was named "one of Adrian's most famous sons," in a Daily Telegram article dated May 5, 1949.
He wrote the Irish Lullaby in 1913 to be used by Chauncey Olcott in hisplay "My Little Dudeen". The song was revived 30 years later and sung by Bing Crosby in the picture "Going My Way" for which the song is now known. In the Bing Crosby movie, the song was titled Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra.
In 1944, "Going My Way" won four Oscar awards for best picture, best director, best actor, and best supporting actor.
Shannon received his early education in Adrian and mastered the piano as a child. He also sang in the choir at Christ Episcopal Church in Adrian as a boy.
He toured Europe and the United States as a young man in a theatrical company he organized himself. He later directed and managed musical shows and stage productions for a decade.
He also was a dramatic critic for The Detroit Free Press for some time.
Another song to his credit is the Missouri Waltz. [The Missouri Waltz was officially adopted as the State Song of Missouri on June 30, 1949.]
Shannon died May 19, 1946, a talented composer, according to the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.
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Charles Miller Croswell
- Born October 31, 1825 In Orange Co, N. Y.
- 1862 Republican Mayor of Adrian, Mich.
- 1863-66 and 1867-68 member of the Michigan State Senate
- 1987-1874 member of the Michigan State House of Representatives from Lenawee County
- 1873-1874 Speaker of the Michigan State House of Representatives
- 1877-1880 Governor of Michigan
- died
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William L. Greenly (1813-1883)
Fifth Governor of the State of Michigan, 1847-1848
From the Portrait and Biographical Album; Ingham & Livingston Counties, Michigan; page 121
- 1813 born in Madison Co, N.Y.
- 1836 settled in Adrian
- 1837 elected State Senator
- 1845 elected Lt. Governor
- 1847 became acting Governor when Gov. Felch resigned
- 1859-1865 Greenly served as Justice of the Peace in Lenawee County, Michigan.
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Hon. Fernando C. Beaman
(abstracted from the Michigan Historical Society Records, Vol. 8; PROBATE JUDGES OF LENAWEE COUNTY, page 168.)
- Probate Judge 1857-1861, and 1872-1880
- 1854 he attended the Jackson convention which organized the Republican party in Michigan
- 1860 he was elected to Congress in the 2nd District
- 1872 he was elected president of the First National Bank of Adrian and held the position until the bank went into voluntary liquidation
- November 13, 1879 Judge Beaman was appointed to the office of United States Senator to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Hon. Zachariah Chandler, but owing to ill health did not accept the position.
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