part of the scene may be impressed on the memory and not the whole. In the case referred to there was no motive for anyone to testify to what he did not believe to be true. The theory of the defense was that Rob found the ring in a cutter that had been used by different parties, but the testimony was strongly against it.

The case was given to the jury and after due deliberation they returned a verdict of not guilty. The verdict was a surprise to most of those who heard the testimony; but perhaps the jury had heard of the good character of Rob given by his father on the mock trial and the solemn asseveration of his innocence made by his brother. Rob was discharged, and if he had a propensity for stealing it was never manifested afterwards.

COUNTY COURT.

At the time the county court system was in force, there was a judge on the bench who was troubled with fits of somnolency, and a couple of lawyers were arguing a point before him in reference to the rules or practice of the court. One of them said he understood the practice of this court to be so and so. "No," replied the other, "you are mistaken; the practice of this court is to fall asleep at the commencement of the opening plea, and awaken at its close, and prepare for another snooze while the answering plea is made."

CIRCUIT COURT MATTERS.

For the first few years after the organization of Saginaw county there was not sufficient court business to maintain a county bar, and when Judge Whipple went north to hold court in his district he was followed from Pontiac and Flint to Saginaw by members of the bar from Oakland and Genesee counties.

I remember on one occasion they all started from Jewett's hotel for the old school house to open court. Not long afterwards Judge Whipple returned to the hotel with a frown on his face saying he would not sit down in a peck of dirt to hold court for anybody. There might have been reason for a person less fastidious than Judge Whipple to complain, for there had been two caucuses and one election, all in muddy weather, held in the school house, and no sweeping had been done. The court adjourned a day for the house to be cleaned.

On another occasion on the morning of the last day of an unusually long term of court, Judge Whipple looked around on the members of the bar while sitting at the hotel and said to them, "Boys, this being the last day of the term you should brush up a little, some clean

linen would improve your appearance." They all knew very well where the only stock of clean linen belonging to the crowd could be found, so giving each other the wink, they proceeded to Judge Whipple's room and opening his satchel, each supplied himself with a clean shirt. Shortly afterwards when the Judge went to his room to arrange his toilet, he found plenty of soiled linen lying about the room, but not a clean shirt in his satchel. He came down stairs with black looks, complaining to the lawyers of their ungenerous conduct in not leaving one clean shirt; had they done that he would not have complained.

PIONEER REMINISCENCES.

BY MRS. AZUHAH L. JEWETT.

[Read at the annual meeting, June 12, 1888.]

I have been solicited by my brother, Judge Albert Miller of Bay City, to write something of my pioneer life.

Very many things have occurred in the fifty-seven years that I have been in Saginaw that would be worthy of note, but I hardly feel competent for the task, suffice it to say that the present inhabitants would think it quite impossible to endure the privations and sacrifices that a few of the first have passed through, and in almost every instance without a word of complaint, each one seemed to realize their situation and possess fortitude to sustain them, and wait for more prosperous times.

These I have fully realized and feel that I have been well compensated for all the privations that I have endured, and vicissitudes that have come under my observation.

My first trouble in Saginaw was fear of the Indians, my husband being a surveyor and often from home, they would watch their opportunity and come when they knew I was alone, and would not be satisfied with what I had to give them but would invariably rob the garden, hen roost and corn crib.

I came a bride to the Saginaw country in October, 1831, and was one of the thirty white inhabitants, then residing on the lower peninsula of Michigan north of Flint river, my home was on the bank of the river at Green Point two and a half miles above Saginaw city, my husband, the late Hon. Eleazer Jewett, kept a ferry and owned the only boat that could carry a horse across Saginaw river.

My daughter, Mrs. Dr. N. D. Lee of Saginaw city with whom I now reside, was born at my home at Green Point, February, 1834; except one born when the United States troops occupied the fort at Saginaw, she was the first white female born in the region above referred to.

When I contemplate my social privileges in the midst of fifty thousand people containing hundreds of friends and acquaintances that I can visit any day I choose, for when they are too far distant for a walk, street cars will carry me to their residence, or near them, I. wonder at my contentment then with my nearest neighbor two miles and a half away and with no means of traveling only the river, either on the ice or in a canoe, often many weeks would pass without seeing a female friend. We lived in a log house, and nearly every stranger that visited Saginaw would come to our cabin for entertainment.

There were very few conveniences for cooking at that time. No cook stove, coal range or gasoline stove, but an open fire-place, with very few cooking utensils. Men would come in groups, one or two would seldom come through the woods from Flint to Saginaw by themselves, strangers would have a guide. Gentlemen would come to the place. from New York and Ohio to locate land, often when they were least expected, perhaps late in the evening. They would sit, and watch, and wait for me to cook their supper by a blazing fire, the kitchen, sitting and dining room were all in one fourteen foot room. When the gentlemen would get rested and through supper, they often would express themselves just as well satisfied as if they were at a hotel. I would often sit up all night and have breakfast prepared for them while they were at rest.

Our life began to grow a little weary from entertaining under such disadvantages and concluding we could as well keep a hotel, in 1837 Mr. Jewett built one sufficiently large to accommodate the traveling community for a number of years. But when the plank road was built in 1850, and steamboats came up the river and a bridge was put across, only a small portion of the traveling community could be accommodated in the first hotel that was built in Saginaw.

Now when we look at the Saginaw valley with its vast industries

and trains of cars loaded with passengers arriving hourly from different points of the compass, and the extensive region north of us, teeming with life and animation, with scores of hotels filled to oveflowing, it is a wonder to me that I could once have entertained all the travelers that visited this vast region of country in a little log house, and provide for their wants by cooking before a blazing fire.

Now when we look at the present facilities for traveling, it is a wonder that such vicissitudes described below should have occurred only forty-four years ago.

In looking over some old account books that belonged to my husband when keeping a hotel, I saw the bill for keeping Mr. Hopkins and his men May 17, 1844; it brought the circumstance of their arrival vividly to my mind.

Mr. Hopkins had previously been here and selected a location for lumbering business at Lower Saginaw (now Bay City) and went back to Ohio to get men to help him carry on his business, he started back with ten and found conveyance for them until they arrived at Flint river. There had been heavy rains which had rendered the roads so bad it was impossible for teams to get through the woods, so they were compelled to walk. Each man took a lunch in his pocket, had an early start, and felt that they were all fully competent for the task, expecting to arrive in Saginaw in due time for supper. But before the journey was half performed they began to realize that they had undertaken a hard task. It was dark when they arrived at Cass river and there was no one to set them across, but they found a canoe that would carry but two persons at one time, there was one man in the company that understood navigation and he had the task of taking them all across separately, found it quite critical as the river was very high. They had ten miles to walk to get to Saginaw. Mr. Hopkins said all the encouraging words that he was capable of, and they proceeded with wearied steps. But when they got within two miles of the crossing place of Saginaw river one of the men became exhausted and fell to the ground apparently lifeless. They had no means of restoring him and all they could do was to carry him in their arms. until they could get him to the river; when they got through the dense woods and could see an opening to the river they laid him on the ground. Mr. Hopkins and one man came across the river, then past midnight. I can well remember the loud call of Mr Hopkins for Mr. Jewett to arise immediately for he was in trouble. The story was soon told, blankets and pillows were procured to bring the wearied.

man to the boat, which was speedily dispatched and all were brought across the river in safety. The tired man was laid on a couch already prepared for him. Most of his comrades pronounced him dead, but Mr. Hopkins said there was life yet and he must be restored. No physician was to be obtained, the only one in the place being prostrated with sickness. Restoratives were applied, but with little effect at first. In the meantime a substantial meal had been provided and all were ready to partake except one man, he chose to remain with his brother who was on the couch. Before the meal was finished he discovered signs of life, and at daylight the man had recovered conciousness and was able to speak. The two brothers remained two days, the other men took an open boat the only means of conveyance, and proceeded to their place of business. In company with the late James Fraser and William Pomeroy, Mr. Hopkins erected a saw-mill, the fourth one built on Saginaw river, on the site now occupied by S. G. M. Gates' mill in Bay City.

I am in the eighty-third year of my age, and since the death of my husband which occurred in February, 1876, I have been the longest resident between Flint river and the Straits of Mackinaw.

I have a pleasant home with my daughter and am surrounded by a large circle of friends who are anxious to contribute to my happiness. My bodily health is good and unless this article indicates the contrary my mental faculties are unimpaired, and I enjoy life at present as much as at any period of my existence.

A PIONEER'S REMINISCENCES.

CONTRIBUTED BY JUDGE ALBERT MILLER.

Charles W. Grant, secretary of the board of trade, also one of the vice presidents of the Michigan State Pioneer Society, recently received from the secretary of that organization a circular requesting information concerning the earlier history of Saginaw county. Much of this