THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR, Bulletin of the The Sebewa Center Association, Bulletin of The Sebewa Center Association, October 1973, Volume 9, Number 2    
 

 DOUGLAS SEYBOLD

     The death of Douglas Seybold, son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Seybold, from a farm tractor accident was a shock to the community two months ago.  He had taken a lead in community activities and many good things had come to be expected of him. 

ANNIVERSARIES

     Rather quietly we are observing the 90^th anniversary of the building of the Sebewa Center schoolhouse.  A meeting of the Executive Board of The Sebewa Center Association in August voted to redo the floor covering at the building entrance to make it presentable for public use.  The board also voted to cover the steel roof with a coat of asphalt aluminum paint.  The roof is painted  and the materials for the entrance repairs are on hand.

     Another anniversary to be noted in late October will be the 93^rd birthday of Mrs. Florence Cassel.  She recalls how she always helped her husband, Frank, with all the farm work except plowing.  Mrs. Cassel is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Franks, who came to Sebewa from Ohio in 1876.  Her parents celebrated their 60^th wedding anniversary in 1922.  From a scrapbook account, “Mrs. Franks, whose maiden name was Julia Shannon, is a direct descendant of the first white settlers in the state of Ohio, and her great-great-grandfather, James Whitecar, was the first white man to die and be buried in that state.  He and his wife were captured by the Indians when they first settled in that country and held prisoners several days before they made their escape. 

A QUESTION OFTEN ASKED

     What is the name of the little cemetery near the intersection of Sunfield Highway and Grand River Trail in Orange Township?  Answer:  FIRST. 

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

     Recently most of the Sebewa area was served by Route 3 mail delivery from Lake Odessa for many years was shifted to Lake Odessa Route 2 to balance the load of the delivery routes. 

THE IONIA CENTENNIAL

     Ionia marked the centennial of its incorporation as a city in September.  The settlement of Ionia had a centennial celebration in 1933.  The town did not like its incorporation as a village in the early days and it let the government lapse back into the township government.  When it was reincorporated as a village it was not long before the state legislature was petitioned for city incorporation, which was granted in 1873.  Features of the current celebration were the dedication of a State Historical Marker for the Governor Green home and the burial of a time capsule containing information and mementos that might be of interest to some future generation. 

BACK ISSUES OF THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR. 

     Back issues can be supplied at the rate of $1 for each year or $8 for all the issues previous to August 1973. 

IONIA VERSUS LYONS

     Earlier references in these pages have told of the heated contest in pioneer days for the location of Ionia’s County Seat—Ionia or Lyons.  The Ionia politicians were suspected of under-the-table bargaining that did not give the Lyons claims fair consideration.  Hurt feelings showed up much later when residents in the eastern part of the county refused time after time to vote for a needed county jail.

     In the John Schenk account of Ionia County he relates that in one vote of the Michigan Legislature, Lyons missed being the site of the new state capitol by one vote.  In the book IONIA IN 1891, Edward J. Wright gives another peek at that squabble.  He says that Hon. Alex F. Bell, an Ionia attorney, was the Ionia County representative in the state legislature in 1847, the year when it was decided where the state capital would be located in its removal from Detroit.  “Among the locations seeking the capital was the village of Lyons, between which and Ionia was a lively rivalry, and Mr. Bell was still an attorney in Ionia listed in Mr. Wright’s directory as having an office at 4 Webber Block and boards at 522 E. Washington.  The Webber Block is the building in Ionia now housing the Ionia Hardware. 

A LOOK AT IONIA FROM THE PAGES OF EDWARD WRIGHT’S Ionia in 1891

     That directory for Ionia lists 19 lawyers, 17 grocers, 16 dress-makers, 14 physicians, 14 saloons, 11 insurance agents, 11 stone masons, 10 hotels, 7 each of barbershops, blacksmiths and dry-goods stores, 5 shoe stores, 5 implement dealers, 4 dentists, 4 veterinarians and one funeral director.  There were numerous other businesses outside these classifications.  Ionia’s population then was about six thousand people.

     Another listing of interest was Eachariah York as contractor and builder with residence at 324 East Washington St.

     The telephone system of 1891 was not very complicated as all the numbers assigned at that time were under 100.  The Court House had one three-party line.

     From the same book we find that the United States Land Office was removed from White Pigeon to Ionia about 1836 and from that time until several years after its removal to Reed City, the appointments to serve in that office were largely from Ionia.  They included the names of Samuel Dexter, Louis S. Lovell, Stephen F. Page, Frederick Hall, Alex F. Bell, Henry J. Wilson, John C. Blanchard, James Kidd, James L. Jennings and Edward Stevenson. 

GO COONING, WOULD YOU?

     From the PORTLAND OBSERVER of July 15, 1873.  Parties from Sebewa were in this vicinity cooning last week, but were unsuccessful, it doubtless being too early in the season for this kind of sport, in fact six of our honored citizens decided that they have no cause for action. 

“LETTERS FROM THE BOYS OVER THERE”

     Although the history texts tell that the Spanish American War was a short lived affair that ended the year it started (1898) with the Treaty of Paris, the following letters from Lake Odessa soldiers fighting in the Philippines up to three years after the treaty may come as a surprise.  The Philippine rebels had been fighting Spanish authority since 1896 and with the signing of the Treaty of Paris they transferred their fight to the new American authority.  Emilia Aguinaldo, the rebel leader, was captured in 1901 and the rebellion was put down.  Later he became a figure in Pilipino politics.

     The letters were published in the LAKE ODESSA WAVE at the time of writing.  What became of the writers Murdock, Herrington and Gillespie would be of interest if any of our readers can supply it.

     Letter From The Philippines, January 8, 1900, Manila.  Drom David Murdock.

Dear Doctor:  We anchored in Manila Harbor October 1 and I will try to give you a little history of my soldiering in the provinces surrounding Manila.

     It was rumored in the army that an outbreak was to occur in the city and so we were landed and put in readiness for a search on the first symptoms of the uprising.  This was on the 5^th and as nothing developed of a serious nature we were marched the next day to the south line and relieved the 13^th Infantry.  We lay in the trenches for five days on the defensive but as the trouble did not come to us we were finally sent to the scene of hostilities, the 34^th Infantry taking the trenches we evacuated.  I belong to the Cavalry so on the 12^th the horses were loaded on the cars and we started for San Fernando, a distance of 30 miles, arriving safely with our equipment and baggage and ready for duty.

     The 14^th we started on our trip and you can imagine how pleasant a time we had marching for five weeks and it raining every day.  My company of troopers acted as a bodyguard to General Youngs and we had a hot time of it marching in advance of the main column and driving the enemy from their trenches.

     It was amusing to see the Niggers run every time we made a charge for a Filipino will not stand his ground every time you get within 500 yards of his entrenchment, knowing by past experience the good marksmanship of the Yankee.

     I will have to tell you of an experience I had in taking a message from General Young to General Wheeler from St. Nicholas to St. Fibran, a distance of 30 miles.  The message was hid in the horse’s mane as a matter of precaution in case I should get killed or captured to prevent it falling into the hands of the enemy.  When one day out from St. Nicholas as I was fired on by the Filipinos and had to make the run past three companies with the bullets humming around me like bees, one bullet going through my saddle, they tried to surround me and I had the pleasure of shooting one of their captains through the shoulder and as he went down he begged of me in broken English not to kill him.  I passed through the skirmish safely and delivered the message and was assured on my return by my captain that I would get a medal if I should ever return to the States, that is, alive.

     We had one fight in the mountains with the natives that was continuous shooting for ten hours, killing 500 Niggers and wounding 160.  Our side lost three men killed and 15 wounded and three horses shot.  In the capture of one town the loss to the natives was 105 killed and 17 wounded.  In this engagement the Americans lost 8 killed and 8 wounded.  After the capture of Aguinaldo’s wife and two of his sisters and one vice president, I helped to guard them one day and they were put aboard a gunboat to be sent to Manila.  We think Aguinaldo is surrounded and can’t get away.  It is reported that he has a bodyguard of 50 men and is short of rations and being in a mountainous country where nothing grows, his supplies will soon give out.  Two companies of the 3^rd Cavalry and 3 companies of the 33 Infantry are only two hours march from where he was located last and they are in hot pursuit.

     The climate during the rainy season is not very pleasant in the interior but it is quite agreeable near the coast.  The natives all have money and the country has the appearance of being rich in natural resources, the soil being suitable for raising crops and fruits of all kinds.  It is said the mountains are rich in gold and I hope in time to do some prospecting for the yellow metal.  Some very fine buildings are to be found in the province, made of stone and bamboo and costing $60,000.  Some of the churches will seat 1600 people and many fine paintings decorate the walls.  The Catholic faith is the prevailing religion and people are very strict in their belief.

Spanish is the prevailing language and the better class of people is clean and proud spirited.  I have learned to talk Spanish some and can visit with the natives quite well.

     Whenever I visit with the president of a village I am introduced to their daughters, who as a rule are fine musicians and can play the piano and organ very readily.  Sickness among the villagers is caused largely by the drinking of wine and other intoxicants.  My experience in the Islands has been a great lesson to me and one I would not part with for a small fortune.  Good bye for this time, Yours Truly, David Murdock.

     From the Philippines, Vigand, March 3, 1900.  From David L. Murdock.  Dear Editor:  By your permission I will send you a few items from the land of the wily Filipinos for publication in the WAVE.  I am one of the troopers in the 3^rd Cavalry and the third is hot stuff when it comes to the fighting line.  We have taken as many as five towns in ten hours without losing a man.  Our big horses seem to have a terrifying effect on the native mind as they go rushing over the islands from town to town in flying squads.  I have seen insurgents jump through the briar fences and even into walls to get out of our way.  They have told me they did not care to combat much against our cavalry and their actions correspond to what they say.

     They have the finest trenches in the world and it is very seldom you can surround a band of insurgents as they always have some corner to escape through when hard pressed.  The better class of Filipinos is smart and witty and what they cannot think of?!

     A few days ago we were ordered out to the mountains to scrap 500 insurgents who were located three miles from the town and strongly intrenched in the hills.  Our force consisted of Company L and E of the Third Cavalry and Lawton’s scouts with two maxim naudenfeldts (a water cooled machine gun operating by recoil).  I am detached to help handle these guns when they come into action.  The enemy could not see our outfit from the time we left the town and you can bet they were ready to receive us with open arms—firearms.  Company E was in advance within 17 yards of the trenches when the enemy fired the first volley killing one of our men.  We came up double quick with the maxims and had them ready in five minutes while the troops and scouts formed on the right and left to protect the artillery.  The order came to fire and at the third discharge dropped an explosive shell into the trenches and when it burst you could see the insurgents make for other trenches.  But the minute they hove in sight, the troopers would fire volleys in their lines and they would hustle for shelter.

     The battle lasted for sixteen hours with a loss of only one man and one horse and yet there were times when I wished myself back in Lake Odessa away from the whistling bullets.  It is all over now and we find no more insurgents to scrap on the north coast.  We go out every day and search for the hostiles but fail to find them.  General Hemes is Aguinaldo’s best man and he is a fighter and no mistake about it.  He commanded the insurgents in this last battle I have just described.  There are 73 of the enemy that will not fight anymore and 42 who are wounded and that is the record of our fighting from the time we left Manila.  Our losses have been very few compared to the insurgents.  I have 8 victims on the stock of my gun that I know of and I wish I had more of the heathen converted.

     This is a Klondike in many particulars, gold and other materials bounding in large quantities.  It is a fine farming country and the natives have all kinds of money but you can bet they bury it deep for safe keeping.  You can buy almost anything here one can wish for except good health and that is a scarce article.  Many of the boys are wishing they could go home.  As for one, I am getting tired of this kind of life, myself.  I think there is money here and as soon as things get quiet will try and get my share of it if I have to dig it out of the hills.  I will write you later on the life of a cavalryman in the Philippines.  Yours with best wishes, David L. Murdock

     From the Philippines, Trinidad, Luzon.  March 13, 1900   From Gillespie.

Dear Brother, Dennis:  The Philippines are a large bunch of trouble gathered on the western horizon of civilization.  They are bounded on the west by hoodooism and smugglers, on the north by rocks and destruction, and on the south by cannibals and earthquakes.  The climate is a deceptive combination of well adapted to raising cain.  The soil is very fertile and produces large crops of insurrection and treachery.  In essence, the chief occupation is trench building and the manufacture of bolos.

     Their houses are made principally of bamboo and landscape.  Philippine marriage ceremonies are very impressive, especially the clauses wherein the wife is given the privilege of working as much as her husband desires.  The chief amusements are cock fighting and stealing.  The principal diets are fried rice, boiled rice and rice sauce.  The animal of burden is the caribou and should a 100 mile journey be undertaken with this animal, the driver would die of old age before reaching his destination.

     The rivers, serpentine in their course, have many currents that are always in opposition to all known laws of gravitation.  Manila is the capital and principal city.  It is situated on Manila Bay, a large landlocked body of water full of sharks and Spanish submarine boats.  Cavite and Zegan, the next cities of importance are noted for their natural facilities for naval stations and for a large number of Chinamen.  The principal exports of the islands are rice, hemp and war bulletins and the imports are American soldiers, arms and ammunition.  Malarial fever is so prevalent that on numerous occasions the islands have been shaken as if with a chill.

     Luzon, the largest island of the group, is something similar in shape to one of Si Clegg’s cast off boots.  Communications have been established between the numerous islands by substituting the mosquito for the carrier pigeon, the mosquito being larger and better adapted to stand the journey.

     The Philippines are an appropriate present for a deadly enemy, the natives, friends at the point of a carbine.  The climate is pleasant and helpful for mosquitoes, ants, lizards, bats, snakes, tarantulas, roaches, scorpions, centipedes and alligators.  The soil is adapted in the wet season for raising of aromas and breeding diseases.  It has rained steadily now for two days and the rainy season has fairly commenced, so I thought I would give you a description of the islands in the monsoon season.

     From the Philippines, February 27, 1901.  Dear Friends:  It is now a long time since I have heard from my Lake Odessa friends so I thought maybe they would want to know whether I was in the land of the living or not.  I am now at Canden, a place situated to the north of Manila.  I have been in the Islands 18 months.  My regiment landed at Manila October 20, 1899 and went by boat the following day to San Fabian.  We drove the Niggers from this place after six hours’ fight in which we killed twenty of them.  Our loss was one man wounded.  The following day we pushed on to Samancenta and gave them battle again, fighting for ten hours before winning the battle.  Our loss was 10 killed and twenty wounded.  The Niggers lost 500 in killed and there is no saying how many were wounded.

     The next day we went as far as Montaze where we found a few Niggers and killed u.  From this place we returned to Canden where we are located now.  There is lots of talk among the boys about returning home but there does not seem to be any immediate prospect of our going right away.

     Hoping that these few notes from a soldier’s pen will be of interest to your readers, I will bring them to a close.  Will be pleased to hear from some of my Lake Odessa friends.   Very respectfully Yours Arthur Herrington, Co. E, 33^rd U. S. 

THE PASSING SCENE

     We have become accustomed to seeing a new house spring up here and a new concrete slab supporting a mobile home there—accustomed enough so there is little shock to find a dwelling where none was before.  But reverse the process as Ken Smith of Mulliken had done with the buildings on what has long been known as the Zeke Downing farm on Musgrove Highway and the shock becomes real.  Glancing across the little mound that marks the spot of burial of the foundations of the buildings that were so long a community landmark, one’s first impression is “Where am I?”  Without these man-made landmarks and a few familiar trees, it seems doubtful if we would know our Sebewa from adjoining townships.  Sebewa Corners is about to lose its reputation as a static community with the location of several mobile homes between the corners and the church.

     It begins to appear that Sebewa will be in the middle of the contest for land use.  Big tractors and other pieces of giant farm machinery require large unobstructed tracts of land for economic use while the bubbling population enters—east and west—send out shock waves of urbanization.  Either way the forty-acre farmer, a few cows and a wood lot are doomed, zoning not withstanding. 

THE OLD AUTOMOBILES

     From INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS for Motor Vehicle Registration by Michigan’s Secretary of State in 1915 is taken a list of automobiles at the time.  The list was made to give weight and horsepower that was necessary to know for computing the proper license fee.  Of interest is the location of the makers of this extensive list of automobiles.  Coleman C. Vaughn was Secretary of State then. 

ABBOTT          Detroit Abbott Motor Company, Detroit, Michigan

A. E. C.             Anger Engineering Co, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ames                Ames Motor Car Co, Owensboro, Wisconsin

Arbeny “25”    The Arbeny Car Co, Chillicothe, Ohio

Argo                  Argo Motor Car Co, Inc.  Jackson, Michigan

Argo-Borland American Electric Car Co.

Armleder         Armleder Co., Cincinnatti, Ohio

Auburn            Auburn Automobile Co, Auburn, Indiana

Austin              Austin Automobile Co, Grand Rapids, MI

Autocar           Autocar Co, Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Briscoe            Briscoe Motor Company, Inc. Jackson, MI

Brush              Brush Runabout Company, Detroit, MI

Buick              Buick Motor Company, Flint, MI

Cadillac          Cadillac Motor Car Co, Detroit, MI

Cartercar        Cartercar Co,  Pontiac, MI

Case                J. I. Case Threshing Machine Co, Racine, Wisconsin

Chalmers       Chalmers Motor Co, Detroit, MI

Chandler       Chalmers Motor Co,  Detroit, MI

Chevrolet      Chevrolet Motor Co, Flint, MI

Cole               Cole Motor Car Co, Indianapolis, IN

Continental  Continental Auto Parts Co, Franklin, Indiana

Cornelian      Blood Bros. Machine Co, Allegan, MI

Crawford       Crawford Automobile Co,  Hagerstown, IN

DeTamble     The DeTamble Motors Co, Anderson, IN

Detroit Electric  Anderson Electric Car Co, Detroit, MI

Dispatch       Dispatch Motor Car Co, Anderson, IN

Dodge            Dodge Brothers, Detroit, MI

F. I. A. T.       Fiat Automobile Co, New York, NY

Ford               Ford Motor Company, Detroit, MI

Franklin     Franklin Automobile Co, Syracuse, NY

Fuller          Fuller Motor Car Co, Jackson, MI

Grant          Grant Motor Co, Findley, OH

Haynes       Haynes Automobile Co, Kokomo, IN

Hudson      Hudson Motor Car Co, Detroit, MI

Hupmobile Hupp Motor Car Co, Detroit, MI

Imperial     Mutual Motors Co, Jackson, MI

Inter-State Inter-State Motor Co, Muncie, IN

Jackson      Jackson Automobile co, Jackson, MI

Jeffery        Thos. B. Jeffery Co, Kenosha, WI

King            King Motor Car Co, Detroit, MI

Lewis Six    L-P-C Motor Co, Racine, WI

Lippard-Stewart  Lippard-Stewart Motor Co, Buffalo, NY

Little            Little Motor Car Co, Flint, MI

Little Giant Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co, Chicago, IL

Locomobile Locomobile Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut

Lozier           Lozier Motor Company, Detroit, MI

Maxwell-Briscoe   Maxwell Briscoe Motor Company, Tarrytown, NY

McFarlan     McFarlan Motor Company, Connersville, Indiana

Mercedes     General Vehicle Company, Inc., Long Island, NY

Metz             Metz Company, Waltham, Massachussetts

Milburn Electric   Milburn Wagon Company, Toledo, OH

Mitchell       Mitchell-Lewis Motor Company, Racine, WI

Oakland      Oakland Motor Car Company, Pontiac, MI

Oldsmobile Olds Motor Company, Lansing, MI

Overland     Willys-Overland Company, Toledo, OH

Packard       Packard Motor Car Company, Detroit, MI

Paige            Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company, Detroit, MI

Peerless       Peerless Motor Company, Cleveland, OH

R. C. H.        R.C.H. Corporation, Detroit, MI

Regal            Regal Motor Car Company, Detroit, MI

Reo               Reo Motor Car Company, Lansing, MI

Russell         Russell Motor Car Company, Ltd. West Toronto, Ontario

Saxon           Saxon Motor Company, Detroit, MI

Scripps-Booth  Scripps-Booth Company, Detroit, MI

Spaulding    Spaulding Manufacturing Co., Grinnell, IO

Standard     Standard Steel Car Company, Pittsburg, PA

Stanley        Stanley Motor Carriage Co., Newton, MA

Stevens-Duryea   Stevens-Duryea Co., Chicopee Falls, MA

Studebaker Studebaker Corporation, Detroit, MI

Stutz            Stutz Motor Car Co., Indianapolis, IN

Thomas      E. R. Thomas Motor Car Co., Buffalo, NY

Trumbull    Trumbull Motor Car Co., Bridgeport, CT

Velie            Velie Motor Company, Bridgeport, CT

Vim             Touraine Company, Chicago, IL

Vixen          Davis Manufacturing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Winton Six  The Winton Co., Cleveland, OH

Woods Electric  Woods Motor Vehicle Co., Chicago, IL 

After selecting your auto you might need a truck.  Listed are:

Bauer 30, Kansas City; Blair, Newark, OH; Bowling Green, Bowling Green, OH, Chase Motor, Syracuse, NY; Columbia, Kalamazoo, MI; Commer, New York City, NY; Courier, New Castle, IN; Crow Elk-Hart, Elkhart, IN; Dudley, Meonominee, MI; Durable Dayton, Dayton, OH; Duryea, Philadelphia, PA; Garford, Lima, OH; Geneva, Geneva, NY; Gleason, Kansas City KS; Hahn, Hamburg, PA; Harvey, Chicago, IL; Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, MI; Kelly-Springfield, Springfield; King, Kingston, NY; Krebs, Clyde, OH; Mercury, Chicago, IL; Packard, Detroit, MI; Reo, Lansing, MI; Republic, Alma, MI; Sandow, Chicago, IL; Service, Wabash, IN; Sharon, Sharon, PA; S & S, Cincinnati, OH; Universal, Detroit; Vulcan, Sharon, PA; S & S, Cincinnati, OH; Universal, Detroit; Vulcan, Sharon, PA; Ward, Mt. Vernon, NY; Steele, Worcester, MA; United Line, Grand Rapids, MI; United States, Cincinnati, OH; Ware, St. Paul, MN; Wilson, Detroit, MI; Witt-Will, Washington, DC.

Automobile license fees were rated as 25 cents per horsepower plus 25 cents per Cwt.

THE CONSTABLE GETS HIS MAN; Local Story a Fitting TV Script

     In 1845 David S. Soles was elected to the office of constable, in those days an office of more importance than now.  This was before the Village of Portland was organized, and on the constables developed the duty of taking care of prisoners until they were remanded to the county jail.  It usually happened that Mr. Soles was the only one of the number who qualified and this gave him all of the business he could attend to.  He held this office forty years, being selected year after year with one exception.  On this occasion the Democrats made a clean sweep, electing their entire ticket, but a vacancy occurred and Mr. Soles was appointed to his favorite office by the township board.

     His long experience in this line of work made his services in good demand.  A little incident which happened in the early days of his career as a public officer, taught him a valuable lesson in caution.

     A young man, giving his name as Lay, came to Portland from New York and entered the employ of Wm. Churchill, as a clerk.  One day he fell from his horse and broke a leg, and while confined to his room, word came from New York that he was a desperate burglar.

     Mr. Soles arrested him as soon as he was able to move him, and while the prisoner was in custody a man called at Soles’ house with papers purporting to be a writ of habeus corpus.  Suspecting nothing wrong, Mr. Soles delivered the prisoner to the stranger.  It soon developed that the papers were not genuine and the constable signified his intention of going to Ionia, getting legal advice from Attorney Bell, and re-arresting his man.

     The fellow had plenty of money, and succeeded in buying up a good many of the officers of the county.  Abram Wadsworth appeared to be especially friendly, and just before Mr. Soles was ready to start for Ionia overland he was quietly informed that Wadsworth intended to aid the man to escape.

     Soles didn’t go to Ionia.  Wadsworth lived near the famous blockhouse on the west side, and the constable pushed his way through the thicket until he could command a good view of Wadsworth’s house.  He saw the latter gentleman get into his buggy and drive rapidly away.  Mounting his horse, he followed.  Near the Kossuth corners he lost the trail, but finally found that Wadsworth had entered Sim Coon’s house.  Soles knocked at the door and was met by Wadsworth.

     “Well, you have outwitted me this time”, said Wadsworth.  “The man is in here”.

     And sure enough there was his man on the inside.  He had a revolver but was soon subdued.  Wadsworth consented to bring him back to town in his buggy while Soles followed horseback.  He had borrowed a horse at the Culver farm, and as they passed this place Wadsworth said “Better put your horse out Soles, I’ll take the man over town”.

     Soles suspected no further trouble, and opening the gate, loosed his hold on the horse.  A cut from Wadsworth’s whip, a rattling of wheels and a rapidly disappearing buggy showed that the time had come for action.

     Soles again jumped upon the horse, which had not moved and overtook the flying vehicle in front of the hotel which occupied the side where Stone’s drug store now stands.  As Wadsworth crossed the bridge, Lay’s revolver jolted from his pocket.  It hardly need be said that Soles guarded his man close after this experience.

     He took him to Detroit, overland, and telegraphed to New York for instructions.  An officer from that state came to Detroit and took the prisoner.  He was convicted of the crime and died in Auburn prison.

     (Editor’s note:  Constable Soles was the father of Byron Soles who owned eighty acres in Sebewa on Sunfield Highway—40 acres on either side a quarter mile north of the Travis School.  Byron was the father of Mrs. John Campbell.  Mrs. Campbell kept a scrapbook that contained the 1894 obituary and the story of the adventures of the constable.  Mr. Soles was 90 years old when he died.  The clipping was apparently from the Portland Review.)

THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR
Bulletin of The Sebewa Center Association
Robert W. Gierman, Editor
R 1
Portland, Michigan 48875  U. S. A.