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| Report of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan Vol. XVIII, 1891 Lansing, Michigan W. S. George & Co., State Printers & Binders Page 108-110 BAY COUNTY |
| Curtis Munger died February 5, 1891, on his
farm at Clio, Genesse county, Michigan, aged 71 years. No man in the
Saginaw valley was more respected than Curtis Munger. He was one of
the men who built Bay City. He came to Michigan in 1840, and to Bay
City in 1848. He was the leading merchant for many years; he first
kept a small store on Water street in connection with Edwin Park, afterwards
built a large brick store near the corner of Water and Center avenue; this
becoming too small he with his brother Algeron S. Munger, built the large
brick block corner Saginaw and Center avenue, where he kept a large double
store for many years, when his health failed and he moved onto his little
farm near Clio, Genesse county, Michigan. No man in Bay City had more
friends than Curtis Munger; he was honest and straight in all his dealing
with his fellow man. He was for many years county treasurer of Bay
county and his accounts were always straight. Annexed you will find a
description of how he came to Bay City, which I wrote in my note book some
years ago. The following is an interesting description of a very disagreeable and dangerous trip made by the late Curtis Munger. In the fall of 1846 he, with some others, went to Thunder Bay island, Lake Huron, where they started in the fish business, catching white fish for the eastern market. They remained there until the latter part of November, 1848, when, with his party, he intended to take one of the down streamers for Detroit and return home. Several steamers passed the island, but so far off in the lake that they could not see their signals. It was getting very cold and the party had got out of provisions so they took turns sitting up nights to keep a signal fire and hail any passing vessel to take them off. To add to their sufferings their provisions were all gone so after waiting for some days they held a council. The party was composed of Curtis Munger, James Beebe, Edwin Park and Michael Daily, who yet reside in Bay City, and W. H. Hunter and Joseph Parkerson, who have left the country. To add to their discomforts a heavy snow storm set in and what to do they did not know; to remain would be folly, as the winter had commenced. They were also getting hungry. Joseph Parkerson proposed that they should start in their open fish boat for Lower Saginaw, as Bay City was then called, and if they could reach there they would be sure to find shelter. The party finally made up their minds to start for Lower Saginaw and loading their boat with six half barrels of fish they set sail. On their way from the island they saw Capt. Madden, the light-house keeper, but could get no provisions from him, as he was nearly out himself. None of the party had ever been over the route before except Michael Daily. Soon after they left, a heavy snow storm came up from the northwest and the party were compelled to keep bailing the boat to keep her afloat. After much suffering they reached Point Au Gres in the evening. In the morning the ice had frozen on the north side of the point, where their boat lay several rods from shore, and the wind was blowing a gale from the southwest so that it was impossible to leave. Towards night one of the party built a fire in the bailing tin and partially cooked some of the fish from one of the barrels. The fish was scarcely warmed through, but despite this fact they all ate some. Mr. Munger said however that his made him so sick that he vomited it all up. On the second day the wind changed to the northwest, blowing a gale all day. It continued to blow so hard that the men were compelled to stay in the boat all night. They laid down in the bottom of the boat with their wet clothes, but were nearly frozen by morning. On the morning of the third day they hoisted sail and started for the Saginaw river. After proceeding up the river about two miles they came to a little house. When they were passing it Mr. Munger asked Parkerson whose house it was. Parkerson replied, "Trombley's". They had not gone far when they came to another, Mr. Munger again asked Parkerson whose house it was. He was again informed, "Trombley's". They soon came to another, where the Firs ward of West Bay City now is, when Mr. Munger says to Parkerson "This is a comfortable looking house. I guess we can get something to heat here. Who lives here?" When Parkerson replied "Trombley". "My Lord" say Mr. Munger, "is there no one but Trombleys in this country?" The party then proceeded up the river soon arriving at the house of a friend of Mr. Parkerson where they remained for some days to rest up after their perilous voyage from Thunder Bay island. They were terribly used up by the voyage. In regard to their arrival Mr. Munger said: "When we landed I was in my stocking feet, as my feet were so swollen by exposure that I could not get on my boots. So I say that when I first came to Bay City I was in my stocking feet. That was December 1, 1848." After making a trip to Detroit to get the money for their fish, Mr. Munger went into partnership with Edwin Park manufacturing staves. This was Mr. Munger's first business enterprise in the Saginaw Valley. |
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