The "O" Word
Conservative by Nature, Christian by Choice
Wait!  Where's the pictures?  They're supposed to be right here!  I swear, you can't find decent help these days...

The Malaise is Over

November 12th, 2005 . by Cary

I have not been posting over on my other blog since I came back from Cleveland. I would like to say that I was waiting for inspiration to strike – but actually, I was just not able to get back into transcribing my Grandfather’s family story. I’ll tell you how bad it was – there was a layer of dust on my keyboard here at home.

No, not dust. Dirt.

I’ve been trying to get the backyard in some kind of shape for five years now. I tried grass; I live in Phoenix and the water bill was getting pretty steep. Now the plan is to finish pouring the walkway and trash can pad, then bring in kennel grit (like pea gravel, only mined in the west instead of the east) and have about three to four inches of that everywhere. Meanwhile, it looks like the Dustbowl back there, only without any Grapes of Wrath hanging around. Logan likes to flop in the middle of the biggest dust pile, and when he comes in he drags most of that with him. Keeping the inside of the house clean is tougher than usual, and it doesn’t help that the back door stays open for the weather and the dogs.

Anyway – I got another chapter up (eight down, thirteen to go) and I am just in awe at the amount of information Grandpa was able to find. Just think – I also have to transcribe the actual genealogy of the family; that should prove to be rather interesting.

Well, the malaise is over, just in time for a stomach bug to ravage both of us. Food seems to be a major issue, so we’ll just subsist on water and dry toast for a while.

I hope and pray that you are all in good health.

The Wisconsin Cartters – Chapter Eight

November 12th, 2005 . by Cary

JAMES BRUCE IN MICHIGAN

James Bruce (2) was only thirteen years old when his father died. His mother was not in good health at the time and it seemed wise that he go to live with his uncle James Bruce (1) who at the time was living in Churchville, near Rochester. Here James, the boy, became interested in the blacksmith and iron worker’s trade. He lived with his uncle for six years, turning down an invitation from his brother David to join him in the study of law. Law had been the path taken by his three older brothers.

In about 1834, at the age of nineteen, James joined his older brother Harleigh to travel westward into what was then Michigan Territory, it having been so declared by Congress in 1805. What attracted their attention to this area is not known. Perhaps it was the spirit of adventure or possibly it was the same pioneering spirit that had prompted their own father to move westward. McComb County, located directly north from Detroit and bordering Lake St. Clair became the third county organized in the Michigan Territory on Jan. 15, 1818. Shelby township, in which Utica is located, was authorized on April 12, 1827. It was here that the two brothers settled, Harleigh to practice law and James to join in partnership with James Covel Jr. to develop a company known as the “Utica Iron Works.” James became manager of this new company. In this capacity he further developed his skill in working with people, becoming tolerant and helpful to workmen, and appreciative of the problems of new immigrants arriving from other countries and searching out employment.

Just when the Utica Iron Company was formed is uncertain. Probably not until James Bruce returned from the Toledo war in 1837. One reason for this assumption is found in a clipping which appears in his scrapbook. This clipping, taken from a Utica paper, was evidently sent to James Bruce by Mrs. F. S. Church, daughter of Harleigh, along with a letter mentioning that a Mr. Alexander had inquired about him. This letter was written Jan. 18, 1888 and reached James Bruce forty five years after he had left Michigan. The newspaper item is written by a James Alexander, whose description of early experiences in Utica covers the period when James Bruce lived there and refers to his relationship with the Iron Company. The following is a quote from that clipping.

“In the spring of 1836, the 22 yr. Of my age, I left my native land (Ireland) for America. After a passage of six weeks and three days landed in Quebec. As I heard Michigan highly spoken of I bent my steps in that direction. Arrived in Detroit in the fall, I did not remain there long. A man from Utica named Holmes was in the city looking for a blacksmith, and left word to have one sent out. I started the next morning by way of Royal Oak with my pack on my back. There was no public conveyance and it took two days to get here, as I had to foot it. Hardly anyone knew of such a place as Utica — but I found the way —. This was December 12th, 1836.
I engaged to work for Mr. Holmes for five months at twenty dollars per month, board and washing. At that time I intended to go to Chicago. – – – In the meantime James Cartter returned from the west and with some others formed what was known as the “Utica Iron Company.” Mr. Cartter wanted me to work for him; they gave me one dollar per day. I worked for them as long as they continued in business. Mr. Cartter and myself were very warm friends; we boarded at the hotel; and as customary in those days for two to occupy the same room and bed Cartter and I slept together. I wish I knew where and how he is now. – – – There were but few places of business then. John James was the principle merchant, he is now living in Detroit. There was one grist mill and two distilleries. Twenty five cents would buy enough whiskey to keep a man drunk for two weeks. – – –
After the ‘Iron Company’ wound up I rented their shop for a few years then built a shop of my own.”

The building occupied by the Utica Iron Company stood where the Clinton House later was built. The upper floor of their building was for several years used as the Presbyterian meeting house.

In 1837 James Bruce was commissioned captain of a company of militia organized to participate, if necessary, in what came to be known as the Toledo War. His company was under the command of General Brown and was stationed in Toledo to guard the original boundary line with Ohio which had been established when Michigan was made a state earlier in the year. Ohio had laid claim to the Toledo Territory and Michigan resisted. After much negotiation and maneuvering the dispute was settled without bloodshed giving to Michigan that area known as “the upper peninsula,” and to Ohio a change in the southern boundary line including 470 sq. miles of territory in which was located the site of the city of Toledo. Thus ended the short military career of James Bruce.

During the nine years that James Bruce lived in Utica there was little time for him to demonstrate his interest and participation in community or political affairs. Historical records do indicate that in 1839 he was active in helping to organize that Utica Lyceum Society and served as its first secretary. During the same year he was elected town clerk of Shelby Township. His role in local community affairs in Michigan and later in Wisconsin, seemed to be that of a stimulator and organizer, contributing to movements good for the community, and helping to see those movements soundly organized. At this point he was content to step into the background and turn leadership over to others, always being available for counsel.

In 1842 banks throughout the country were having difficulty. Many banks, organized by individuals, had been established in the years just previous. These banks were known as “wild cat” banks and many were in trouble. The Bank of Utica was one of these. The State Legislature of Michigan passed an act to annul the corporate rights of certain banks. Under this act the receiver caused an appraisal of assets to be made of the Utica bank April 29th by James B, Cartter, James Covel Jr. and C. B. H. Fessenden. The bank was found to be short of funds and was closed.

We know little of James Covel Jr., though assume him to be a young man about the age of James Bruce. Both men seem to have had the pioneer spirit and were looking westward. They were aware that when Michigan had been made a state in 1836, the Wisconsin Territory was created including at the time parts of present day Iowa, Minnesota, and the Dakotas. This area seemed to offer new opportunities especially after public land surveys, which had begun in 1832, were completed in 1840 for all territory southeast of the Fox-Wisconsin waterway in Wisconsin Territory.

The fact that government land sales were opened in 1834 for the Green Bay and Mineral Point areas began to attract permanent settlers and when in 1839 the lands along Lake Michigan in the Milwaukee area were opened for sale, migration began in earnest from areas bordering the Great Lakes.

It is not surprising therefore that we find recorded in Vol. 2 of Racine County Transcript, now housed in the Kenosha County, Wisconsin Courthouse, a transfer of some 77-66/100 acres of land from the U.S. Government to James Covel and James B. Cartter. This transfer is dated July 1, 1843 and covers property described as the: —

“W ½ – SW ¼ – Sec 19 – T (1) N – R (19) E” located today in the town of Randall, County of Kenosha. No consideration is shown in the records.

Further search in Kenosha County by the author uncovered in Vol. No. 2 of Racine County Transcript page 150 a deed granted by James Covel, Jr. and wife (Nancy) to James B. Cartter, both of McComb County, Mich. The deed is dated August 24, 1843. Consideration being $350.00.

This deed covers three parcels of land described as follows and located in present day Walworth and Kenosha Counties of Wisconsin:

Parcel I “E ½ – SW ¼ – Sec. 36 – T (1) N – R (18) E”
Walworth County – containing 80 acres
Parcel II “W ½ – SW ¼ – Sec. 36 – T (1) N – R (18) E”
Walworth County – containing 80 acres
Parcel III “W ½ – SW ¼ – Sec 19 – T (1) N – R (19) E”
Kenosha County – containing 77-66/100 acres.

This deed was signed in the presence of H. Carter and C.S. Madison, State of Mich., County of McComb and acknowledged by Harleigh Cartter, Justice of Peace of McComb Co., Mich. (Recorded Vol “G” of deed p 500-501 Racine Co.) Harleigh was James Bruce’s older brother, with a spelling he sometimes used.

It is very likely that this action was taken shortly before James Bruce left Utica, and very likely the transfer of land was part of the settlement of affairs in the Iron Company between the two partners. It is rather interesting to know also that James Covel Jr. in company with George Vinton repurchased the 77-66/100 acre tract from James Bruce on Dec. 2, 1850.
We know that James Bruce did leave Utica and arrived in Wisconsin late in 1843. It is here that we started our story in Chapter 1. James Bruce was twenty eight years of age, skilled in his trade, single, experienced in his associations with other men and respected by those who knew him. He was however a man still uncertain of just what further contributions he was to make as he continued his life in this territory known as Wisconsin.

Before I Forget

November 10th, 2005 . by Cary

Happy Marine Corps Birthday.

Ooh-rah.

Semper Fi.

Thank you for your service.

I Hate to Criticize, But…

November 10th, 2005 . by Cary

Check this out – and I hate to criticize, but this really is not the way to get your point across. Yes, you have a big beef with the USA. Yes, the USA is fighting you on your turf. No, you may not take it out on civilians and claim the USA made you do it.

Do you get it yet? Has it dawned on you that the ideal we are fighting against does not care if you are directly involved in the fight or not, if you are in any way connected to the USA you are a legitimate target in their eyes? Yes, you, with the “Islam is a Religion of Peace” poster – has it occurred to you that the only peace they are interested in is their own?

There was a brief article in the paper today (I read the Arizona Republic, with large grains of salt) about how the elections on Tuesday have the Republicans “worried” and how they sent a “message” to the GOP. I will tell you this – it won’t matter if the next President is Republican, Democratic, or a third party; male or female – the fact that we have the freedom to elect our leaders is a major sticking point in the craw of the members of the “Religion of Peace.” Not that we can attack at will, but that we have dared to stand up to them. We have shown that we will not tolerate their intolerance. And that is unacceptable to them.

Those of you with the ability to read, understand, and digest facts should consider linking to Proteus at his web site and read back through his archives. His essays lay it out, point by point, very clearly.

Update
The first link seems to have broken. It was a story that att.net had on their front page. I guess the news just isn’t worth keeping straight. I apologize for the inconvenience.

This Just In…

November 9th, 2005 . by Cary

The President had been receiving flack about who knew what before the attacks on 9/11. Based on the loudest responses to the current war on terror, the ones who are bleating the loudest won’t be happy no matter what kind of a response the USA had provided.

For instance:

If the security levels had been implemented and raised prior to 9/11, thereby preventing the attack from occurring in the first place, the sheep would have been complaining about the infringement on their personal rights.

If you ask them, they will say “No, no – we would have allowed that, considering what happened on 9/11.” Don’t try to remind them of the paradox involved in their statement, they don’t want to hear it.

Since the leaders of the USA now have confirmable intelligence that there is a terrorist organization that has plans to attack the USA, and the leaders of the USA are actually doing something about it (keeping that same terrorist organization busy in their own backyard), why are the bleaters saying we shouldn’t be involved? Don’t they want us to protect the USA, considering how many more 9/11 attacks have been curtailed?

I say all this to present this: Prevention, or the perception of prevention, will guard against more attacks than can be counted, since there is no poll to track the number of attacks that haven’t happened because of a perceived lack of success on the part of the attackers.

Here in The Valley of the Sun, two high-school boys were working the late shift, closing the Subway shop where they worked. Two men came in, one kept watch, the other attacked the boys, shooting them several times with a rifle while the boys were trying to get away. Both boys were killed. If there was a law that allowed workers to carry personal weapons, and the would-be attackers knew that there was a chance the planned victims could be armed, there would have been a much different outcome: the boys would have finished closing, gone home, and seen the next day’s sunrise. Because the attackers would not have wanted to risk their own lives to attack someone who could fight back.

Transfer that thought process to the world’s situation today, and you can see why we have to demonstrate that this country will not back down from what it has set out to accomplish, until every last one of the terrorists are no longer able to spread their brand of evangelism. If we back down, or show weakness, the terrorists will be emboldened and attack even stronger than before. And, they will attack here on our soil. We cannot let that happen. Ever.

Go read the essays over at Bill’s site; he has a good grasp of what’s going on. Go. Read. Think. Think. THINK.

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