In February the Livingston county society met at Fowlerville, and in response to an invitation I attended. It was not their annual meeting, and as it was in cold weather, there was probably a smaller attendance than in the summer. There was no preparation on either side, yet their secretary was good enough to say it had helped them, and there is no question in my mind of the benefit to us. A few names were secured, and we have the promise of some relics for the museum. From several places in the State have come requests that my successor should attend the county gatherings, and in no way can you secure so much help as from this personal communication.

The upper peninsula should have a branch society if you wish the best results. A general vice-president and secretary for that district should be elected, with authority to organize a branch of the work. The various vice-presidents of those counties will aid them, and if they can have a meeting such as ours once each year, with a delegate, or even two from here, you will add greatly to the interest felt by the people in that part of our State. It is too far to have any close relations, but the hand can be extended and they will take it if they have the chance. A glance at our book of registry will show just who are the live vice-presidents. In some counties we have a good representation, in others almost no one save the vice-president himself; perhaps a volume of the current publication might induce them to work a little harder. It seems to me that each one could secure three to five new names each year. Yet the largest year previous to this was forty. Systematic work must be done this fall with the newly-elected State officials, that they may know all about us before they come here with their pockets full of bills not half so important as ours. They must be made to see that they and all of us. are making history, and if it is worth making it is worth recording. A committee should be appointed whose duty it shall be to come here during the legislative session and aid in securing an appropriation large enough to allow for the payment of a fair salary to a competent secretary. We are as great a State as any in the Union, yet we are far behind some of our younger sisters in this important matter. If the addition to the capitol is voted for this winter, which is not at all unlikely, we should secure rooms which shall be a credit to the society. We have been trying to secure a number of specimens of the minerals produced in the upper peninsula, and less than a month ago was told that one of the men was quite inclined to secure for us a fine collection, but when he heard where our room was he gave up the thought at once. He is a specialist in that line, and said that unless we could show them properly

he did not care to trouble himself about them. There are a good many quaint things, and some of beauty in our room, but no one would suspect it from the general appearance.

With the increased work in each county it becomes necessary to shorten some of it, and obituaries should be restricted to 150 words or less, except where the person has been of State or national reputation. MRS. ELLEN B. JUDSON,

Secretary.

TREASURER'S REPORT.

Report of Treasurer of Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society from June 7, 1900, to close of business June 30, 1902.

Disbursed during 1900

$476 64

Disbursed during 1901, as per annexed schedule... 3,009 66
Cash on hand July 1, 1902...

344 56

Less $50.00, $5.00, $7.23, $4.30 checks outstand

In addition to above balance I have $100.00 "Special gift," carried in

special account.

HISTORY OF THE GRAND TRAVERSE REGION.

BY DR. M. L. LEACH.

INTRODUCTORY.

The following history was compiled in 1883 by Dr. M. L. Leach* of Traverse City, at the request of Hon. Thomas T. Bates,† who printed it in his paper, The Grand Traverse Herald, and also in pamphlet form. No attempt has been made to bring it down to the present time, but it does aim to be carefully collected from authentic sources, and give an accurate history of this extensive region. Through the courtesy of Mr. Bates we have been permitted to embody it in our collections.

EDITOR.

*Morgan L. Leach, M. D., was born in Clarence, now Lancaster, Erie county, N. Y., April 6, 1821. He came to Michigan in 1825, and his last visit to the State occurred in 1842, when he became a resident of Mundy, Genesee county. Up to his thirteenth year Dr. Leach attended the old-fashioned district school. By the death of his father, the main care of the family devolved upon him at the age of 20. Deprived of school privileges, he made good use of such opportunities as fell to his lot, and gained a fair proficiency in some of the higher studies. Later he turned his attention to medicine, and graduated from the Medical College of the University of Michigan, March 25, 1858. In the war of the rebellion he served in the 1st Michigan Cavalry, and afterward as assistant surgeon in the 9th Michigan Cavalry. On General Banks' retreat from the Shenandoah Valley he was badly wounded, and fell into the hands of the enemy. At the close of the war he resumed the practice of his profession, and at times engaged also in various business projects, together with literary work. Dr. Leach was married to Mrs. Lemira M. Coy, of Duplain, Mich., and after her death to Mrs. Emily Caroline Wisner, of Mayfield, Mich. For the last few years Dr. Leach has made his home at Traverse City, Mich

†Thomas Tomlinson Bates, of Traverse City, Mich., was born December 13, 1841, at Keeseville, N. Y. His father was Rev. Merritt Bates and his mother was Eliza A. Tomlinson, of the old New York family. His father was a Methodist Episcopal clergyman, and an active and uncompromising anti-slavery man through all the 35 years preceding the civil war. He was educated in the public schools, and at 16 began life for himself. A year later he was general helper in a bank at Glens Falls, N. Y. At 18 he occupied an important position in a banking house in Memphis, Tenn., but came north at the outbreak of the civil war. He removed to Traverse City in 1863, was cashier for Hannah, Lay & Co. two years, and resigned to open a real estate office with Hon. D. C. Leach, whose interest in the business he bought in 1871. In 1876 he bought from its owner, D. C. Leach, the Grand Traverse Herald, a paper established by his uncle, Hon. Morgan Bates, in 1858, and he has been editor and publisher ever since. In 1897, in connection with J. W. Hannen, he established the Morning Record, changing it in 1901 to an evening publication. Both papers are republican in politics. Mr. Bates having always taken an active part in the work of that party in the State. Though never a political office-holder, with the exception of the position of postmaster, he was several years chairman of the township and county committees, and he also served ten years, from 1880 to 1890, as a member of the State Central Committee, the longest consecutive service ever given on that committee by any member of the party. He has been a member of the board of trustees of the Northern Michigan Asylum for the Insane, located at Traverse City, since it was opened, in 1886, was president of the board for seven years, and was also a member, and chairman, of the building commission of the same institution. He is president of the Traverse City Railroad Company, and has been on its board of directors since its organization in 1871, and has in every way been active in the development of Northern Michigan. He was married in 1867 to Miss Martha Cram of Traverse City, and his family consists of one son, George G. Bates, who is in the publishing business in Chicago, and two daughters, who reside at home.

PREFACE.

The work of collecting materials for a history of the Grand Traverse region was commenced without any well-settled purpose as to the use to be made of them, further than to put them in shape convenient for preservation, for the benefit of some future historian. As the work progressed, the abundance and richness of the material obtained made it evident that a work might be written of great interest to the present generation. How far the writer has succeeded in the attempt, remains for his readers to determine.

A few simple principles have guided the author in the execution of the work. It has not been written in the interest of any person, party, or clique. To tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and to make of the truth an interesting narrative, has been his constant aim. In case of conflicting testimony, of which there have been but a remarkably small number of instances, he has carefully and impartially examined and weighed the evidence, and has given the statement of what to him appeared to be the truth, without fear or favor.

It should be borne in mind that this is a local history; hence it properly contains elaborate descriptions of local events and incidents, and reminiscences of personal adventure, that would be out of place in a history of a State or a nation.

that it contains inacShould it ever attain

That the work is imperfect, cannot be denied; curacies of minor importance is highly probable. to the honor of being published in book form, the author will be glad to avail himself of all possible aids in correcting in that edition the faults of this. To this end, friendly criticism and communication of further interesting facts are cordially invited.

Traverse City, December, 1883.

M. L. LEACH.