| Notes |
- May be the Joseph P. Fairbanks mentioned in Midwest Pioneers: Michigan Business Directory, 1863:
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. page 46
The St. Mary's river is a strait connecting the waters of
Lake Superior with Lake Huron. Nearly opposite the
village of "Sault Ste. Marie," a fall or rapid occurs in the
river, about seventeen feet in its descent and about one
mile in length, forming a complete barrier to the water
communication between the lakes. This barrier had
been overcome, a few years ago, in some degree, by
the construction of a portage flat bar railroad around
the rapids, over which all article of exchange and
commerce between the lower lakes and Lake Superior
were transported, and re-shipped in both directions.
The growing interest of the Lake Superior region, the
development and production of copper and iron ores,
and the increasing population, demanded a more easy
and natural commercial communication with the lower
lakes; and the State of Michigan, by an act of its
legislature, approved February 5, 1853, accepted the
grant of and made by congress, above mentioned, and,
for the purpose of carrying out the objects of the said
act of congress, authorized the governor to appoint
commissioners to let the building of the canal, and
agents to select the lands. The commissioners
appointed by the governor, under authority of the act of
the legislature of Michigan aforesaid, and an act
supplementary thereto, approved February 5, 1853,
entered into contract with Joseph P. Fairbanks, Erastus
Corning and others, for the building of the canal within
two years from the date of the contract, for the
consideration of the grant of lands above referred to.
This contract was subsequently duly assigned, under
authority of the tenth section of the first above
mentioned act of the legislature of Michigan, to The St.
Mary's Ship Canal Company, which had been
incorporated under an act of the legislature of the State
of New York, passed April 12, 1853. The organization of
the company was effected on the 14th day of May, 1853,
in the city of New York, and steps were immediately
taken to proceed with the work of building the canal.
Another entry:
PONTIAC.
page 443
Among the first white inhabitants who made Pontiac
their home, were Major Joseph Todd, William Lister,
Orison Allen, Olmsted Chamberlain, Ezra Baldwin, John
Smith, John W. Hunter, David Johnson, Oliver Torry,
David Ferguson, Zibba Swan, John Hamilton, Amasa
Bagley, Levi Willets, Joseph Fairbanks, William Morris,
Samuel Castle, Joseph Almy, Asa Castle, David
Stannard, and Charles Howard.
|
.jpg)
1786 - Aft 1835 (> 50 years)