The Nankin Township Historical Society

Detroit Free Press , October 21, 1848 Following the lead of this brief advertisement for Mr. Buel's Appointments turns up some interesting information. Of course, the impetus for the search was Schwarzburg, which was a stop on Alex W. Buel's speaking tour in support of his Democratic nomination for Congress, which he eventually won, as all Democrats running seemingly did in the 1848 election, save for General Cass in his Presidential bid. The speech was October 28th at 7PM. Other stops included Dearborn, Redford, Northville, Plymouth and Wayne. Detroit Free Press , June 13, 1848 Gen. John E. Schwarz's connection with Buel, apparently both Germans and Democrats, extends beyond his stop. In a June 13th Ratification Meeting of Germans at Hickory Hall both Schwarz and Buel spoke to the gathering. Seeing as both were prominent political players it's likely their connections go beyond 1848 but I'll leave that to another time. Detroit Free Press , November 15, 1848

Lancaster Intelligencer and Journal , July 13, 1819 While I would like to take a look at the "Detroit Tribune's" accounting of the murder of Tonquish and son on June 26, 1819 (despite this paper stating the June 4th edition) this is probably as close as I'm going to get from the available online sources. In this firsthand account by members of Tonquish's Pottawatomie tribe, Wa-o-gan (the brother of Tonquish), Wa-wa-se-cock, Na-o-kay, Wa-wa-a-gaw, Wa-wa-be-nous-quey and Na-o-kee-squoy-be, as interpreted by Col. Godfroy and Capt. Knaggs, the onus for the hostilities seemingly lay upon the younger Tonquish. While passing Sargeant's house a dog ran out and bit Wa-o-gan. One of the tribe's squaw went to the door haloowing and Sargeant came out with a cudgel in a threatening manner, charged Wa-o-gan and struck him in the neck. Tonquish, after laying aside his gun and supplies, attempted to intervene but was rebuffed by Wa-o-gan who attempted to make peace and su...

Alton Daily Courier , May 25, 1854 This is the second variation of the story of Tonquish and his son's deaths that differ from the standard version in Tonquish Tales by Helen Frances Gilbert. While in another newspaper rendition the death spiral started over a kicked dog whereby Tonquish's son shot and killed Tom Sargent for the misdeed. It was then that Capt. Macomb and his militia tracked down and killed the pair. In this version it starts over a shot deer which Tom Sargent, presumably though not named, claims the deer after Tonquish Jr. had shot and t racked it to him. Tonquish Jr. killed Sargent and the posse comes looking for him. When confronted with the story Tonquish denies knowledge of his son's whereabouts. One militiaman caught sign of Jr. hiding in the brush and raised to shoot at him whence Tonquish raised his gun in reply. Before he could fire both he and his son were gunned down and died. Which of these stories is true is left to the ages.

Since I've found 4 different versions of the death of Tonquish and his son I think it important to post all of them. This is the version from Tonquish Tales by Helen Frances Gilbert The deaths ensued after Tonquish and his son had raided a cabin after smelling fresh bread. Tom Sargent returned to the homestead during the robbery and was shot dead by Tonquish's son. A militia was hastily formed, led by Capt. Macomb, and the tribe was tracked down near Nankin Mills where they were caught save for Tonquish and son. They were soon enough tracked to near Schwarzburg where Tonquish and son were shot, the latter after running away and the former in a battle after his son was felled. I don't know where I placed my scanned copy of the book so I took some shots from my physical copy. So as not to destroy the spine some pages are a bit skewed but should be readable. I hate posting shoddy pics like that but I can always scan the two short chapters at a later point to make it presen...

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 ...

Detroit Free Press , August 2, 1843 ( enlarge )

Detroit Free Press , June 21, 1832 Since I've only recently even heard of Schwarzburg a few days back I'll type this snippet out verbatim: By Mr. Torrey, A bill to establish a certain Territorial Road, in the town of Nankin, county of Wayne, and to abolish so much of the Territorial Road in said town, as lies between Benajah Holbrook's sign post in Schwarzburg and the dwelling house of J. J. Andrews.

Detroit Free Press , August 31, 1848 It appears that Schwarzburg, founded in 1825 by John E. Schwarz, was west of Perrinsville on the south branch of the Rouge in Nankin on the Livonia Township side. Which means almost nothing unless you're a cartographer. That would likely be in the Hines Dr. and Farmington Road area heading towards Wayne Road or thereabouts. Basically the Rouge River border area between Westland and Livonia more or less. No description really lays out the area save for a saw mill, a dam, a tavern and a schoolhouse. Not too many years later the town of Perrinville subsumed the population of Schwarzburg and made it obsolete. As for this article, it concerns a meeting for the repair of the mill-dam in Schwarzburg at which a vote was taken, presumably a straw poll for the Presidential Election, and Whig Party Zachary Taylor received 16 votes to Michigan's own Democratic Senator Lewis Cass. Taylor went on to win and died in office less than two years later.