INDIAN AND PIONEER HISTORY

of the

SAGINAW VALLEY,

WITH HISTORIES OF

EAST SAGINAW, SAGINAW CITY AND BAY CITY,

FROM THEIR EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS

--- ALSO ---

PIONEER DIRECTORY

--- AND ---

BUSINESS ADVERTISER,

FOR 1866 AND 1867.

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

COMPILED AND PUBLISHED BY
THOMAS & GALATIAN,

EAST SAGINAW, MICH.
LEWIS & LYON, BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS
----------
1866

 HISTORY OF PORTSMOUTH.

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 

                                                         The history of Portsmouth being so closely interwoven
                                        with that of Bay City repetitions must necessarily occur,
                                        but we will endeavor to avoid them as much as possible.
                                            The village of Portsmouth is beautifully located on the
                                        east bank of the Saginaw river adjoining Bay City on the
                                        south; being about six miles south of Saginaw Bay, and
                                        being so closely connected with Bay City the dividing
                                        line between the two places is not discernable to the
                                        stranger.
                                            It is a thriving place and contains about two thousand
                                        inhabitants.  Its principle business is the manufacture of
                                        Salt and Lumber.   There are in operation at the present
                                        time six Salt Blocks, four saw mills and one planning mill
                                        and flouring mill, connected together.  More handling is
                                        carried on to a considerable extent; there being eight
                                        stores containing a variety of stock, such as is usually
                                        kept in county villages.   There are three blacksmith
                                        shops; three wagon maker shops and two shoemaker
                                        shops.   There are two Churches, one a Methodist and
                                        the other a Baptist.   Education is not neglected here,
                                        there being one school containing two hundred and
                                        eighty pupils under the superintendance of one
                                        Principal, who has two assistants.   
                                            The village was first laid out and named by Albert
                                        Miller, Esq. in 1836.  In Feb., 1837, it was replotted
                                        and enlarged by the "Portsmouth Company."  In 1856
                                        Wm. Daglish was employed to re-survey the place and
                                        make a new map.   The former Plot being found incorrect.
                                        The first settlers of Portsmouth were Joseph and Meador
                                        Tromble, who located here in 1834 and built a log house
                                        near where the "Center House" now stands for the
                                        purpose of trading with the Indians.  They afterwards
                                        entered  a tract of land on the present site of the village.
                                        In 1848 Meador Tromble sold his interest to James
                                        McCormick and removed one mile up the river on what is
                                        known as Tromble's Addition of Portsmouth.   The next
                                        settler who became identified with the place was Albert
                                        Miller who came from Saginaw in the company with B. K.
                                        Hall and others for the purpose of erecting a lumber mill.
                                        The mill was erected, and put in operation in 1837, being
                                        the second mill on the river.   Thomas Rogers came the
                                        same year and was the first blacksmith.  His wife was the
                                        first physician in what is now called Bay County, and her
                                        memory will long be endeared and cherished by those who
                                        were the recipients of her many acts of humanity and
                                        kindness - She is now a resident of Bay City, highly
                                        respected and beloved for her many virtues.  In 1841
                                        James McCormick came here from Saginaw, and in
                                        company with his son, James J. McCormick, purchased
                                        the interest of B. K. Hall in the lumber mill before
                                        mentioned, which business he continued until his decease,
                                        occurring in 1846.  Jesse M. Miller came here in 1850
                                        and is now a resident.  Capt. Joseph F. Marsac came
                                        here from Detroit in 1838, and Capt. John S. Wilson came
                                        here in 1841. ---- The first school taught was in a small
                                        house on the corner of Fremont avenue and Water street
                                        and for many years afterwards the residence of Judge Miller. 
                                        David Smith, now of Tuscola County, was the first
                                        teacher, who commenced his school in the year 1843, with
                                        six scholars, named respectively, Peter and Hial Rogers,
                                        Andrew J. Crutchfield, William Tufts, Elizabeth and Wm. R.
                                        McCormick.   The first store was opened in 1850 by C. I.
                                        Russell on Water street, in connection with his lumbering
                                        business.   This store has since been enlarged and is now
                                        carried on by M. & H. Bunnell.
                                            The first hotel was the "River House", and Daniel
                                        Chappel was its landlord, which duties he dispensed with
                                        "ability" and to the satisfaction of the public.  This house
                                        was afterwards named the Center House and is now known
                                        by that name. 
                                            The first vessels built here were the "Essex" and the
                                        "Bay City".  The former was built in 1857 and the latter in
                                        1858.
                                            Having thus given a hastily written sketch of the village
                                        and its early settlement, we will conclude by remarking,
                                        that few places possess more natural advantages than
                                        Portsmouth; its location; its almost unexhaustible supply of
                                        salt and lumber; together with the enterprise of its citizens,
                                        must in a few years cause it to join hands with Bay City and
                                        together, extend their borders to Saginaw Bay and rank
                                        among the large and important cities of the west.