The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922; / Clarence M. Burton, editor-in-chief, William Stocking, associate editor, Gordon K. Miller, associated editor. [Vol. 2]

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CITY OF DETROIT

humorous conceits were verses to "The Ghost of Old Cocosh (a pig). Shot
by the Guard in the King's Naval Yard at Detroit." A portion of his verses
were collected in a quarto volume of 277 pages, printed in Dumfries, Scotland,
after De Peyster's return to that country. He was a personal friend of Robert
Burns, and to him were addressed that poet's verses on "Life," the last lines
that he wrote.
EARLY AMERICAN WRITERS
Many of the officials in the early days of the American occupation made
contributions to literature aside from their official papers. The first of the
judges who came here in 1805, Augustus Brevoort Woodward, was the author
of "Epaminondas on the Government of the Territory of Columbia," a work
on "The Substance of the Sun," published in 1809; "The System of Universal
Science," published in 1816 and "The Presidency of the United States," published at New York in 1825. He was also the author of the extraordinary
prospectus of the "Catholepistemiad or University of Michigania," with its
didaxum or professorship on anthropoglassica, physiognostica and others:
Pruned of its excrescences, this institution became the University of Michigan.
Gabriel Richard, the priest of Ste. Anne's parish, brought the first printing
press to the territory in 1809, and printed the first weekly newspaper. With a
long look into the future he wrote a pamphlet urging that this country open
trade with China. His carefully kept annals are among the dependable sources
of information about that period.
The memoirs of Gen. Lewis Cass on his journey of exploration were an
important contribution to the general knowledge of the lake country, and the
Indian tribes inhabiting it. His political letters and addresses were, of course,
very numerous. He was a frequent contributor to the old North American
Review. He also wrote "France, Its King, Court and Government," published
in 1841, and a treatise on "The Right of Search," published in 1842.
Henry R. Schoolcraft lived in Detroit in 1820 and again from 1836 to 1840.
He accompanied General Cass on his explorations, made others on his own
account, and was the chief student of Indian affairs of that period. He wrote
six large volumes on "Archives of Aboriginal Knowledge" and ten or twelve
other books on the Indian tribes.
Charles C. Trowbridge, who accompanied General Cass as his private secretary, and who was active in Detroit affairs for over half a century wrote an
interesting volume on "Detroit, Past and Present."
Douglas Houghton, who was a resident of Detroit and twice its mayor,
was the first to make a scientific study of the mineral wealth that underlies the
Upper Peninsula, and was the author of a number of state and United States
Geological reports. His reports hastened the development of the iron, copper
and salt resources of the state.
C. Edwards Lester, a great grandson of Jonathan Edwards, was a man of
fine mental qualities and wide learning and was a prolific writer. In 1843 he
published "The Condition and Fate of England," and three years later he
issued an excellent work entitled "The Artists of America." His other works
were: "The Light and Dark of the Rebellion" (1863); "The Glory and Shame
of England" (1866); "Life of Charles Sumner," "Sam Houston and His Republic," "The Life and Voyages of Americus Vespucius," "The First Hundred
Years in the Life of the United States," and many others.