History of Detroit, a chronicle of its progress, its industries, its institutions, and the people of the fair City of the straits, / by Paul Leake ... [Vol. 3]

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HISTORY OF DETROIT

under the preceptorship of George Chambers, at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. There he continued his professional reading with marked
avidity and earnestness for one year, at the expiration of which he went
to Hagerstown, Maryland, where he found an able preceptor in the person of William Price, a prominent member of the bar of that commonwealth. Later he pursued his technical studies for several months in
the city of Baltimore, where he also availed himself of the privilege of
attending upon the local courts.
In December, 1834, Mr. Van Dyke left his home with the purpose of
locating in Pittsburgh, which was then a small city, but which failed to
prove attractive to him. Under these conditions he determined to remove to the west, and soon afterward he arrived in Detroit, bearing letters of introduction to Hon. Alexander D. Frazer, who was then one of
the leading members of the local bar. He entered the office of Mr.
Frazer, and within six months thereafter he was admitted to the bar of
the territory of Michigan. In a memorial published at the time of his
death appear the following pertinent statements: "From the very outset of his career Mr. Van Dyke devoted himself with the utmost assiduity
to his profession. It was the calling of his choice, and his peculiar and
rich gifts rendered him entirely fit to pursue its higher, more honorable
and more distinguished walks."
In 1835 Mr. Van Dyke formed a law partnership with Hon. Charles
W. Whipple, and this alliance continued until the election of the latter
to the bench of the supreme court of the state. In 1838 Mr. Van Dyke
associated himself in practice with E. B. Harrington, who continued as
his professional confrere until the relationship was severed by the death
of Mr. Harrington, in 1844. Thereafter Mr. Van Dyke was associated
in general practice with H. H. Emmons until 1852, when both virtually
retired from the active practice of their profession in this generic sense.
In the year last mentioned Mr. Van Dyke became the attorney for the
Michigan Central Railroad Company, in which connection he rendered
valuable service both to the company and the people of the state. Concerning his association with this important corporation more specific mention is made in later paragraphs. In 1835, and again in 1839, he was appointed city attorney of Detroit, and in 1840 he was appointed prosecuting attorney of Wayne county. Concerning his administration in
this latter office the following contemporaneous estimate was given: "He
established a new era in the efficiency, energy and success with which he
conducted the criminal prosecutions and cleared the city and county of
numerous and flagrant criminals." In 1843 he was chosen to represent
the Third ward on the board of aldermen, and in the following year he
was re-elected. His effective services as chairman of the committee of
ways and means during this period, when the city's finances were in
deplorable condition, proved specially potent in upholding the financial
reputation of Detroit. In 1847 he was elected mayor of the city, and in
his careful and conservative administration he was able to carry to a logical conclusion the policies which he had brought forward in the aldermanic committee previously mentioned. He was not a figurehead in the
office of mayor, but put forth his best efforts and powers in behalf of the
city. In 1853 he was chosen a member of the first board of commissioners of the Detroit water works, and of this position he continued the
incumbent until his death. From Silas Farmer's history of Detroit and
Michigan, published in 1889, are taken the folowing extracts touching
the peculiarly prominent association of Mr. Van Dyke with the Detroit
fire department:
"He was best known, however, from his connection with the early
history of the Detroit fire department. His name was enrolled on the