Schwarzburg & The Togus (Tonquish) Plain

Detroit Free Press, December 9, 1852

The translation from reality to the written page for the Free Press was often an adventure of misinformation. While they usually got the story almost correct they seemingly misspelled, misnamed and misapplied every rule of fact-checking to get the paper to press as soon as humanly possible. In essence, publishing the story was more important than the story itself.

In the case of the death of Chief Tonquish and his son by the same moniker, Tonquish, there are at least four renditions of the story. This one seems to be semi-faithful to the others in some regards and disparate in others. All seem to include a main participant by the name of Tom Sargent (sometimes Sargeant).

In this instance the sect of Pottawatomie led by Chief Tonquish were returning to their home on the Livonia/Nankin border, where Schwarzburg was situated in the better portion of the last 75 years of the 19th century, after a day of trading their wares and gathering supplies. They stopped at their supposed friend Tom Sargent's home, near Ten Eyck's, when one of the tribe's dogs came to close and was kicked by their host. Tonquish's son took exception and shot Sargent dead.

Word got to Capt. John Macomb and he formed a dozen men into a search party. The militia tracked the tribe and captured Tonquish. He admitted that his son had shot Sargent and asked Macomb to be allowed to retrieve the younger man. Macomb agreed and Tonquish returned with the suspect. At that point, which defies reason, he told his son to run, covering the path which the men could fire upon him until he was rods away. At that distance thought his son was far enough away to escape injury and ceased interference. He was mistaken and the young man was shot dead.

Upon seeing him fall and hearing his death yelp, the old chief raised his battle axe at Macomb, charged and was rebuffed. When he refused to halt his attack he was shot dead but not before chopping the stocks off several rifles.

General Cass sent an interpreter to the scene and communicated to the tribe that if they attempted retribution they would be exterminated. When one member continued to harass the troops he was killed as well.

Not long after the incident Macomb received a visit from some tribe members at his log cabin near Ten Eyck's. It wasn't a friendly encounter with the Indians demanding recompense for their fallen Chief. Macomb agreed and then grabbed his sword attempting to impale the Indian who more fleet of foot than the aging soldier escape into the forest along the Rouge River ford.

A few years later the brother of Tonquish, possibly mentioned by name in one of several other forthcoming account, named Wa-o-gan (this is merely speculative) was shot to death by his son-in-law while traveling near the sand hill as the old man could no longer keep pace with the tribe. He made one last request before dying. That being to be sat up against a tree so that he could always see his tribesmen when they passed. His wishes were granted and the author claims to have seen the skeleton of Tonquish's brother sitting in that very spot throughout the passing the years.

The other versions shall follow hereafter.

A Dudley Randall Poem in Milestone 2

I bought this Milestone 2 poetry Magazine at a Livonia estate sale this week. Milestone was the literary publication of Wayne (State) University and this second issue dates to 1949. While I don't recognize most of the names, Dudley Randall was both a nationally known poet and the librarian for the Wayne County General Hospital at Eloise via the Wayne County Library System. The poem featured is The Southern Road which was a revised version of the completed poem from 1948 that h as a handful or two of word differences between the two. I don't know if Randall edited the poem for later collected works editions or earlier but this link features it in its likely final form in 2009. Neither version particularly enchants me but the block print in the magazine is an added bonus.

A Cabinet Card of a Dead Man Lying in Repose From Wayne Photographer Susan Doolittle

The City of Wayne, Michigan was not a large village at the turn of the 20th century so it stands to reason that there wasn't a glut of photographers practicing their trade there. As such, the 3 cabinet cards and carte de visites that I own represents roughly a quarter of the early ones. Considering that the wives of Frank Hickok and William Corlett, first Village President of Wayne, took over after Frank's death in 1892 the list grows smaller beyond those two families. Had I snagged the Doolittle dead man cabinet card I'd be even that much more Wayne-rich in photographs. Speaking of Susan Doolittle, of whom I have learned very little about, it is interesting to note that Wayne had three women photographers in an era oft dominated by men in that very field. This photograph of a corpse is a startling example of her work.

Frederick Soop: Not An Equal Opportunity Restraunteer

Detroit Free Press , March 28, 1890 If you don't want to hear a racist tale of a suburban namesake then close your eyes now. As early as 1876 Frederick Soop had left his Belleville farm once again, having done a stint at the Hawkins House in Ypsilanti during the Civil War and the City Hotel in Detroit thereafter, and ventured off to Chatham, Ontario to run the Rutley Hotel , which was conducted as a Temperance House. Detroit Free Press , August 17, 1879 In 1879 he was searching for a good restaurant or small hotel to operate. Eventually he ended up on Washington Avenue near State Street running a dining hall which he ran until around 1890. Detroit Free Press , April 16, 1890 It was in 1888 when the aforementioned racial incident occurred at his dining establishment. It was then that William H. Haynes, a black doctor, sat down with his former classmate S. W. Barkwell for dinner. The men ordered but when the food was served none was placed before Mr. Haynes who, ironically, ha...

The Nankin Township Historical Society

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