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| Report of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan Vol. VII, 1833 Lansing, Michigan W. S. George & Co., State Printers & Binders Page 211 - 212 BAY COUNTY |
| At the annual meeting of the State
Pioneer society, held at Lansing, W. R. McCormick, of Bay City, read the
following memorial tribute to Joseph Trombley, one of the earliest pioneers
of the Saginaw Vallye, who died in the first ward of West Bay City on May
21st, 1883. Joseph Trombley was born on Conner's Creek, three miles above Detroit, in May 1809; the day of the month cannot be ascertained, as the records have been lost. When a child he became very familiar with the Indian language; so much so that at the age of 20 he was employed by the American Fur company to take charge of an Indian trading post at the Indian village on the Shiawassee river, now in Shiawassee county, where he remained five years during the fur season. While at this place the Indians attempted to kill him; they selected one of their number, a large, powerful Indian, to do the act. He was to proceed to Mr. Trombley's tent in the night, and when he was asleep to strike him in the head with a war club, as they were afraid to attack him in any other manner, Mr. Trombley being a very powerful man. The Indian crept up to the tent, raised the opening, struck at Mr. Trombley and grazed his head, when the latter sprang to his feet, struck the Indian a terrific blow which felled him to the ground, senseless, and caused the flight of his companions. It was a long time before the Indian revived, and then he had to be carried to his wigwam. After this he had no more trouble, and the Indian he had nearly killed afterwards became his firmest friend. During the Black Hawk war he, with the late Capt. Joseph F. Marsac, raised a company of volunteers, composed chiefly of French, near Grosse Point, above Detroit, and started for the seat of war on foot. When they had got part way to Chicago news came that Black Hawk had been captured and the war ended, and they were ordered to return to Detroit. In 1834 he came to the mouth of the Saginaw river to trae with the Indians. He, with his brother Medor, purchased of the government 300 acres of land on the Saginaw river, which now comprises the fifth and sixth wards of Bay City, where he built a block house in which he and his brother kept an Indian Trading store in the winter of 1836 and 1837. The two brothers commenced the erection of the first frame house in Bay county. Part of the lumber was sawed by whip-saws, and the balance brought from Detroit. They lived in this house until 1843, when it was sold to James McCormick, Sr. It is still standing on the corner of Water and 24th streets, and is now converted into a public house, at the present time known as the Centre housel In 1843 he purchased one half mile of land on the west side of the Saginaw river, now opposite the northern limits of Bay City, where he soon removed. Here he platted out a city and called it Bangor, which is now within the corporate limits of West Bay City, and comprises the first ward of the same. Some years since, he here erected a fine brick mansion, in which he resided until the time of his death. Mr. Trombley accumulated a fortune, and left four sons and one daughter. His wife died last year, of which event a memorial has been already published in the Pioneer Collections of Michigan. It would be inappropriate to close this short sketch without giving some peculiar traits and incidents of this man. For his friends he could not do too much. He was charitable to the poor, and one of the most hospitable of me; he was also lavish of his money. He was a good neighbor, but a bitter enemy to those who he thought abused him. No man in the valley is so missed as Uncle Joe, as he was familiarly called. Peace to his ashes. |
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