(ON THIS DAY-1835) TITUS DORT & The Toledo War

190 YEARS AGO TODAY IN MICHIGAN HISTORY:

(In my next post I'll explain how our GloverSmith great-great-greatgrandfather,  

TITUS DORT, 

had a role in resolving the "Toledo War" between the state of Ohio and the territory of Michigan.)

 

  

Historical markers placed in Fulton County, Ohio--site of the "Toledo War."

 

 (Detail from 1836 map showing disputed boundary line between the Michigan Territory and the state of Ohio. Arrows show the location of Toledo and the contested mouth of the Maumee [Miami] River into Lake Erie at the western terminus of the Erie Canal system-both in Michigan Territory.)

Strong, Ezra Baldwin, and Millard Fillmore. The states of Ohio, Indiana & Illinois and Michigan Territory: from the latest authorities. New York: Ezra Strong, 1836. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012593319/

 

(ON THIS DAY-1775) Revolutionary Patriot TIMOTHY DART

 5GGF-Timothy Dart-Dort

“By the rude bridge that arched the flood,

Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood

And fired the shot heard round the world.”

The opening lines of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem, “Concord Hymn” seem a fitting tribute to commemorate the 250^th anniversary of that famous “shot heard round the world”—marking the beginning of the War of American Independence. The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought on this day—April 19, 1775—were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War that would test the bravery and impact the lives of many of our GloverSmith ancestors.

Titus Dort, Jr.’s grandfather--TIMOTHY DART--was one such colonist who took up arms as a third-generation American ready to defend his home and community less than 100 miles from Lexington and Concord.

(above) Connecticut 4th Co. military roster under Cpt. Jonathan Birge who, like Timothy Dart, was from Bolton, Connecticut. Captain Jonathan Birge served with 3rd Battalion, Col. Comfort Sage, Wadsworth's Brigade, Continental Army during the American Revolution. Likewise, Col. Sage is listed with Birge under Timothy Dart’s service description. (*note: other Dart kin on the roster--see below)

Although little is written about Private Timothy Dart (later spelled Dort), he purportedly fought in the pivotal Battle of Fort Ticonderoga, led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, where the Green Mountain Boys captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British on May 10, 1775--less than a month after those first shots were fired at Lexington-Concord. (Although it is unclear if Timothy was one of the Green Mountain Boys, they were a militia formed a few years earlier to protect New Hampshire's land grants west of the Green Mountains from New York’s claims. Since Ft. Ticonderoga was a march of over 200 miles from Timothy's Connecticut home, it appears that he chose a half-way point sometime during the war to settle down in New Hampshire. Timothy Dart’s second child, Titus Dort [father of 3^rd GGF Titus Dort], was born in Gilsum, New Hampshire, along with a number of his siblings.)

A short bio of Timothy Darte [Dort] is found in my worn copy of Thaddeus L. Bolton’s Genealogy of the Dart Family in America:

(The "automobile and carriage business" mentioned above belonged to J. Dallas Dort, nephew of Titus Dort, junior. DORT MOTOR CAR COMPANY ran from 1915-1924. It was a spin-off from the Durant-Dort Carriage Company, Flint Michigan.)

 ~

What heroes from the woodland sprung,

  When, through the fresh awakened land,

The thrilling cry of freedom rung,

And to the work of warfare strung

  The yeoman's iron hand!

(opening lines from poem “Seventy-Six” by William Cullen Bryant)

*NOTE: The following entry is from a Find-a-Grave contributor, Lola Dart Doane, regarding another related Dart on Captain Birge's list--THOMAS DART. Thomas, son of Ebenezer, is found in our Dort family tree. His military service record and relocation to NH likely parallels that of his 'cousin' TIMOTHY DART.

"Thomas was called a "carpenter" of Bolton [CT] when he bought land in Surry, NH, June 3rd 1771, of Chas Rice and William Barron. Surry is bound on the east by Gilsum. About 1781 Thomas returned to Gilsum where he built himself a dwelling house and served the town in many capacities. He also served in the Rev. War, along with ten other Darts-father, sons, brothers and cousins--from Surry and Gilsum. Thomas was a private. He entered on June 28th 1777, in Capt. Elisa Mack's Co. Col. Samuel Ashley's Reg. which was sent to Ticonderoga. He traveled 100 miles and was discharged July 10th 1777. Most of these men belonged to the town's Militia and fought when they were called upon to service. No doubt to our ancestors as to most of our other soldiers, the Rev. War years were nothing more than a break in the real business of life. They fought and went home to work and came back to shoot more British or be killed. They grumbled and swore and probably brawled as all good soldiers must.Thomas was among the signers of the "Declaration" a promise to "resque" their lives and fortunes to oppose the "Hostile Proceedings" of the British Fleet and Armies and against the United American Colonies. This was know as the Committee of Safety and was signed by all men of 21 years and older in Surry and Gilsum."

(ON THIS DAY-1869) TITUS DORT and the Great Free Highway

 

ON THIS DAY: April 7, 1869: TITUS DORT and the Great Free Highway

 

Detroit Free Press Apr 7, 1869

(transcribed text from a “Letter to the Editor,” dated the preceding day from Dearborn)

“A Free Highway from Dearborn to Detroit.”

“To the Editor of the Detroit Free Press:

“A large and enthusiastic public meeting of the inhabitants of Dearborn and neighboring townships was held yesterday at Dearbornville. The meeting was called for the purpose of taking measures to procure a great, free highway to Detroit.

“Hon. Titus Dort was elected President, and the following Vice Presidents: Hon. A. B. Gulley, of Dearborn; Hon. J. B. Wallace, of Wallaceville; Robert Inkster, Esq., of Inkster; J. D. Barker, Esq., J. W. Pardee, Esq., Richard Haigh, Esq., Doctor T. M. Sweeny, David Sloss, Esq., Doctor E. S. Snow, Col. J. M. Farland, W. C. Sutton, Esq., Capt. O. E. Michaelis, Charles B. Harris, Esq., Martin Vrooman, Esq., and Hon. J. A. Sexton. The following officiated as Secretaries: Capt. George W. Haigh, E. D. Howe, John Cosbey and William Kelley.

“The following resolutions were presented by a committee appointed for that purpose, and unanimously adopted:

“WHEREAS, The people of Springwells, with their usual public spirited energy, have succeeded in obtaining legislation providing for the immediate macadamizing or graveling of Ford Street, from the city limits to Baby Creek;

and whereas, the present great thoroughfare from Dearborn, Nankin and other neighboring townships to Detroit is over the Chicago road, which is not kept in good order, and upon which excessive tolls are charged;

and whereas, it is of the greatest importance to us, the people of the above townships, to obtain a great, free, first-class highway to Detroit; therefore, be it

“RESOLVED, That we request and urge the Highway Commissioners of Dearborn, Greenfield and Ecorse to put all their available road work upon the road running from Dearborn to Baby Creek, and with the view of securing the construction of a good road to the intersection of Fort street that voluntary subscriptions of labor and money be solicited from all interested in the establishment of a great, free highway to Detroit.

“RESOLVED, That the chair appoint a committee of seven to carry out the foregoing resolutions, with instructions to take prompt action in the matter.

“On motion, the President of the meeting was to be one of the committee, which consists of Titus Dort, J. W. Pardee, Capt. O. E. Michaelis, D. D. Tompkins, William Daly, Geo. W. Haigh and A. B. Gulley.

“It was resolved that the publishers of the Detroit city papers be requested to publish these proceedings, whereupon the meeting adjourned.”

1860 Map of a portion of Wayne County (Nankin, Dearborn, Greenfield, and Springwells to the west of the city of Detroit) Library of Congress 

NOTE: "The Free Highway from Dearborn to Detroit proposal being mentioned was just folks advocating for greater township government investment in the North Dearborn Road. This was a road along the Rouge to the Delray area often following sand ridges that had Native American trail roots. Most of the road was later obliterated by Ford but one of the largest surviving segments is Dearborn Street in Delray." (Mason Christensen, Archivist/Communication Specialist for the Dearborn Historical Museum, Dearborn, Michigan)

SITE OF CHICAGO ROAD TOLL GATE-DEARBORN

(Site of Toll Gate on Chicago Road near Titus Dort's farm.) The green historical plaque next to the sign is inscribed:

"Conrad Ten Eyck (1782-1847) built a famous tavern in 1826 about 300 feet west of this marker--the first resting place of travelers, one day's trip west of Detroit. It stood on the River Rouge at a point where the Chicago Road forked. The northerly branch, called the Ann Arbor Trail, led toward Lansing, the westerly branch to Ypsilanti. The inn burned down in 1869, its stables in 1906. Ten Eyck's humor may have given Michigan the nickname "Wolverine." He served Dearborn Township as Supervisor, Wayne County as Treasurer and Sheriff, the state as Constitution Convention member, and his country as United States Marshal." 

 

(Red Dot: location of Toll Gate at the fork of the Chicago Road; Blue Dot: Titus Dort's property crossed by both Chicago Road and what may have been North Dearborn Road) Library of Congress