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A State Department of History and Archives

BULLETIN NO. 6

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND

WYNKOOP HALLENBECK CRAWFORD CO., STATE PRINTERS
LANSING, MICHIGAN
1916

EXERCISES at the unveiling of the
tablet commemorating the discovery
and exploration of the Northwest;
held on Mackinac Island, July 13, 1915,
under the auspices of the Michigan His
torical Commission and the Mackinac
Island State Park Commission.

-lOHN' XICOI.Kl' MKMOKI.M. T.\BLK'r.

PREFACE
MACKINAC ISLAND, the most romantic spot of the
northern lakes, the "Fairy Isle" of poetry, has long been
famous as a place of historic interest; the intei-e.st of the
people of the state has grown steadily in the Island especially
since the United States ceded it to the state of Michigan for
the purpose of a state park. In 1895 the Mackinac Island
State Park Commission was established to care for it, and
among other measures they have adopted to beautify the storied
rocks and cliffs of the Island, the Commission ha.s given to eacli
an appropriate name, principally from the annals of Michi
gan's history; from time to time the Commission will erect
appropriate tablets commemorating the lives of those who have
rendered distinguished service to Michigan, to the region of
the Great Lakes and to the nation.
It is appropriate that the first of the.se memorial tablets
should be dedicated to John (Jean) Nicolet, the first man of
the white race to pass through the Straits of Mackinac and to
.set foot upon the soil of what is now Michigan. It is placed
at one of the best viewpoints of the Island, above Arch Rock,
overlooking the Straits and commanding one of the finest
marine views in America; a description of this viewpoint will
be found under No. 86 in the Commission's Bulletin No. 5, as
Nicolet Watch Tower.
The ceremonies at the dedication of the tablet took place on
Mackinac Island, July 13, 1915. The arrangements for the
occasion were made by Hon. Edwin O. Wood, a member both
of the Mackinac Island State Park Commission and of the
Michigan Historical Commission, under the auspices of which
organizations the exercises were conducted. Mr. Wood also
generously bore the expenses.
Mr. John F. Hogan, of Detroit, editor of "The Gateway,"

6 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
acted as chairman. Among the speakers, besides the chair
man, were Mr. Wood, representing the Mackinac Island State
Park Commission; the Rev. Thomas J. Campbell, S. J., of
New York, author and historian; and the Rt. Rev. Monsignor
Frank A. O'Brien, LL. D., of Kalamazoo, President of the
Michigan Historical Commission. '
Governor Ferris, who had expected to be present, was
detained by other public business. Among those present were :
Mr. William L. Jenks, of Port Huron; Professor Claude H.
Van Tyne, head of the department of History in the University
of Michigan' and member of the Michigan Historical Commis
sion; Mr. Walter O. Briggs, member of the Mackinac Island
State Park Commission, and Mrs. Briggs; Mr. William H.
Hughes, of Detroit, editor of "The Michigan Catholic"; the
Rev. P. A. Mullins and Rev. J. L. McGeary, of Loyola Uni
versity, Chicago; Rev. R. Champion, of Ecorse; Hon. George
W. Weaver, treasurer of Charlevoix County; Mr. James H.
Began, Dr. and Mrs. Robert H. Harvey, Mr. E. Puttkammer,
Mr. George B. Chambers, Mr. W. A, Amberg, State Senator
James C, Wood, of Manistique, and J, J. Cleary, of Escanaba.
Formal regrets were received from:
United States Senator Theodore E. Burton, Cleveland
United States Senator J. Hamilton Lewis, Chicago
Mr. Justice Day, of the Supreme Court of the United States
Mr. Justice Moore, of the Michigan Supreme Court
Mr. Justice Steere, of the Michigan Supreme Court
Hon. Julius C. Burrows, Kalamazoo
Hon. Winfield S. Hammond, Governor of Minnesota
Hon. Samuel M. Ralston, Governor of Indiana.
Hon. Thomas J. O'Brien, Grand Rapids
Hon. Luren D. Dickinson, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
Hon. Frank E. Doremus, M. C, Detroit
Hon. Patrick H. Kelley, M. C.,, Lansing
President Harry B. Hutchins, of the University of Michigan
President H. L. Stetson, of Kalamazoo College

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND ,7
Rt. Rev. Bishop Shahan, D. D., President of the Catholic
University of America
Very Rev. President John C. Cavanaugh, C. S. C, D. D., of
the University of Notre Dame, Indiana
Hon. Alexander M. Dockery, Third Assistant Postmaster
General Rev. H. O'Neil, Pastor Holy Maternity Church, Dowagiac
Very Rev. James C. French, C. S. C, D. Ph. Notre Dame,
Indiana Rev. Joseph Reis, Pastor- Sacred Heart Church, Saginaw
Rev. Timothy Kroboth, East Jordan
Very Rev. R. W. Brown, Rector St. James Church, Grand
Rapids. Rev. Mich. J. Cumerford, Flint
Very Rev. V. Marijou, C. S. B., Pastor Ste. Anne de Detroit,
Detroit Rev. L. I. Brancheau, S. T. L., Pastor St. Mary's Church,
Lansing Mr. Clarence E. Bement, President Michigan Pioneer and
Historical Society, Lansing
Mr. Evarts B. Greene, President Illinois State Historical
Library Miss Josephine O'Flynn, Librarian and Recording Secretary,
American Catholic Historical Society, Philadelphia
Mr. Clarence A. Burley, President Chicago Historical So
ciety, Chicago
Daniel Wait Howe, President the Indiana Historical So
ciety, Indianapolis
Mr. A. Howard Clark, Secretary General and Registrar Gen
eral S. A. R., Washington
Mr. Edward Osgood Brown, Chicago
Mr. Henry Davis, Springfield, Illinois
Mr. Leo M. Butzel, Detroit
Mr. L. F. Knowles, Detroit
Mr. H. Shearer, M. C. Ry.
Mr. Roger C. Sullivan, Chicago
Mr. Ed. McGurrin, Salt Lake City, Utah

8 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
Dr. O. L. Schmidt, Chicago
Rev, John D, O'Shea, Roseville
Rt. Rev. F. F. Eis, Bishop of Marquette
Mr. J. B. Stimpson, Mackinaw City
Very Rev. Edward C. Caldwell, Saginaw
Hon. Augustus C. Carton, Secretary of the Public Domain
Commission and Commissioner of Immigration
Hon. Harry A. Conant, United States Consul at Windsor,
Ontario State Senator John A. Damon, Mt. Pleasant
State Senator J. Lee Morford, Otsego
Representative Fred L. Warner, Ionia
Hon. Lynn J. Lewis, Bangor
Hon. Charles S. Pierce, Clerk of the Michigan House of
Representatives Hon. Servetus A. Correll, Judge of Probate, Charlevoix
Hon. Levi L. Barbour, Detroit
Hon. Claudius B. Grant, Detroit
Most Rev. John J. Glennon, D. D., Archbishop of St. Louis,
Missouri Most Rev- Henry Moeller, D. D., Archbishop of Cincinnati,
Norwood, Ohio
Rt. Rev. P. J. Muldoon, D. D., Rockford, Illinois
Rt: Rev. J. M. Koudelka, D. D., Bishop of Superior, Wis
consin Rt. Rev. M. F. Burke, Bishop of St, Joseph, Missouri
Rt. Rev. M. J. Lavelle, V. G., The Cathedral Rectory, New
York City
Very Rev. E. R. Dyer, D. D., St. Mary's University. Balti
more, Maryland
Rt. Rev. F. W. Gavisk, Indianapolis
Rev. Thomas Fagan, Rector of the Church of the Immaculate
Conception, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Mother Mary Florence, Mt. St. Joseph, Ohio
Rev. Stephen A. Wittliff, Pastor St. Patrick's Church,
Brighton Mr. Edward B. Desenburg, Kalamazoo

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 9
Mr. John B. Drake, Chicago
Mr. H. H. Crowell, Grand Rapids, President Michigan Rail
way Company
The following letters of appreciation show the high place
which Jean Nicolet holds today in the esteem of his fellowmen :
Hon. j. M. C. Smith^ M. C. : The warmth of your invitation
to attend the unveiling of the tablet to John Nicolet, adds
much to my sincere regret that I cannot be present in person
on the occasion of such a memorable and laudable incident. To
pay tribute to a man who endured the hardships, encountered
the dangers and made the sacrifice to enter the wilds of a vast
and unknown country inhabited by a strange people, is most
fitting. We do well to make permanent the record of such an event.
We class as fortunate in our time, and extend unstinted praise
to the person who incorporates into his life work a great
achievement. To be the first of the white race to set foot on the soil of
the great Northwest is truly memorable. The great progress
of our beloved commonwealth since that day unfolds a series
of developments that would have eclipsed the most vivid
imagination in his day.
From winding trails and unknown water courses as the
only highways, our state today is covered with a network of
good roads and railways. The telegraph and telephone make
us close neighbors throughout our republic; The age of elec
tricity has worked revelations; science and commerce know
no bounds.
Dense forests have been transformed into luxurious fields
and where once stood only clusters of Indian tepees, we have
beautiful villages and cities.
To be the first to lead the way into a great state abounding
in timber, iron, copper, coal, salt and profitable agriculture,
unexcelled in its healthgiving resorts, its varied industries;
the home of fine furniture, vast paper mills, extensive electrical
utilities, large threshing and rotary plants, with its silk and

10 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
woolen mills; its great industrial occupations, its splendid
churches and wonderful institutions of learning, leaves nothing
wanting to add to our independence, happiness and permanent
welfare. Truly the mission of Nicolet was an epoch and a
distinction. He came to Quebec in 1681 at the age of twenty years from
his home in Cherbourg, a naval town on the Western coast of
France. He spent a number of years exiled from civilization,
allied with barbarous tribes, that he might know their charac
ter and their country. He negotiated an important treaty be
tween the Winnebago and Huron Indian tribes. His mission
was one of peace and progress. He had appreciative words for
everybody. He had great intelligence and undaunted courage.
He was a man of sterling integrity, deeply religious, and the
imprint of Christian civilization seemed to follow his foot
steps. At the age of forty-four he met an untimely death by drown
ing, and the beautiful waters of the St. Lawrence which had
enchanted the years of his early life, furnished his burial place.
He stands exalted now by the side of those worthy explorers,
discoverers and teachers, Champlain, Marquette, LaSalle and
Joliet. He is deserving of the consideration and praise of an appre
ciative state. It was made better by his life. He will live in
the hearts and memory of a great commonwealth and sanctify
the beautiful tablet so worthily unveiled this day to his ever
lasting memory.
Mr. Justice Russell C. Osteandbe. The early history of the
Northwest is a subject of great interest to me, and I am in
sympathy with efforts to preserve the facts and mark the places
and honor the men connected with that history.
Senatoe Waltee R. Tayloe. The services of such men, who
risked all and suffered hardships innumerable for the benefit
of posterity, cannot be too well remembered or too highly ex
tolled, not only in justice to them, but for the beneficial in
fluence on this and succeeding generations.

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 11
Me, Justice Feanz C. Kuhn. I think it is indeed fitting
that the memory of this intrepid explorer and Christian hero
should be perpetuated. I assure you of my sympathy with the
work that your Commission is doing to commemorate the
achievements of these famous pioneers.
Hon. Jambs B. Balch_, Mayor of KaloAnazoo. I am deeply
interested in the early history of the northwest, and I consider
the placing of this tablet of John Nicolet most appropriate,
as the Island was of the most prominence in those earlier days.
United States Seinatoe William Alden Smith. I have re
ceived the invitation to be present at the unveiling of the
bronze tablet to the memory of John Nicolet, whose deeds of
valor and knightly heroism challenge the admiration of his
countrymen. I express the sincere hope that nothing may
occur to mar the ceremony which you have planned and that
a revival of interest in this trijly great man may prove an
inspiration to us all.
Hon. H. B. Colman, Kala/mazoo. I should greatly enjoy
joining with the citizens of Michigan in doing honor to this
fearless and heroic pioneer of Christian civilization in the
Northwest. State Senatoe Feank L. Coveet, Pontiac. I am very
strongly in favor of the plan of marking the historical spots
in Michigan and taking steps to preserve the memory of those
hardy pioneers who had to do with the early history of our
state. Hon. Oeameil B. Fullee^ Auditor General. The State Park
Commission and others interested are to be commended for
establishing the tablet in honor of John Nicolet as it adds to
the historical value of the Park.
Hon. Lynn J. Lewis, Bangor. I am in hearty sympathy
with all movements intended to commemorate the events and
history of our most adventurous past; this memorial to the
brave and intrepid John Nicolet is a very commendable move-

12 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
ment, and I trust it will be continued until the beauty parks of
Michigan have placed within their limits some memorial of
some great event or personage connected with the early ex
ploration and settlement of this great state.
Peof. a. C. McLaughlin, UniA^ersity of Chicago. I con
gratulate the Michigan Historical Commission on the worthy
work it has undertaken.
Rt. Rev. M. J. Hoban, D. D., Bishop of Scranton, Pa. The
Michigan Historical Commission deserves great credit for
their zeal in commemorating the achievements of the famous
pioneers of the Northwest.
Formek Vice Prhsideint Charles W. Faiebanks. I am just
in receipt of an invitation to attend the unveiling of a bronze
tablet in honor of John Nicolet. Of course I am denied the
privilege of being present ; nevertheless I want to congratulate
you upon the event.
Rt. Rev. James MoGolrick, D. D., Bishop of Dnlwth. In
honoring this early hero of the Northwest the Michigan His
torical Commission does honor to itself and to all those con
nected with its work.
Most Rev. John Ireiland^ D. D., Arch Bishop of St. Paul. I
heartily congratulate the Michigan Historical Commission on
the good work it is doing by perpetuating the names of the
early discoverers of the Northwest. We owe to them a debt of
gratitude which we should take every opportunity to repay.
Among them John Nicolet stands out very prominently and
it is well that his memory receive due honor.

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 13

EXERCISES ON NICOLET DAY
JULY 13, 1915, was a beautiful day, such as Jean Nicolet
may have enjoyed on his journey through the Straits of
Mackinac in the Summer of 1634. The Island was at its
best. The air was still, so that every syllable uttered could
be distinctly heard. The speaker's platform was placed just
above Arch Rock, overlooking the Straits, from whence the
birch-bark canoe of Nicolet, paddled by his Indian guides, could
have been clearly seen on that summer day long ago.
The exercises were appropriately introduced by the

ADDRESS OF MR. JOHN F. HOGAN, CHAIRMAN.
Members of the Michigan Historical Commission, the Macki
nac Island State Park Commission, Reverend Gentlemen,
Ladies and Gentlemen :
The question has been asked over and over again. Why does
not Michigan pay deserved tribute to those explorers and mis
sionaries who came here several hundred years ago and opened
the way to civilization ? Why has not our state preserved, in
tangible form, the names and records of their early achieve
ments so that future generations may know and understanJ
the lessons of their early sacrifices and thus appreciate all the
more, the invaluable heritage they left us ?
Happily, this question need no longer be asked. The Michi
gan Historical Commission, created in 1913 by act of the
legislature, is now ofScially charged with the task of collecting
historical relics and compiling historical data for Michigan's
history. The six members of the Commission, recognized
throughout the country as distinguished authors and historians,
eminently qualified for the diflficult position they occupy, have
given their services freely and gladly to this noble and enduring
work. To them has been assigned the task of delving into the

14 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
early records of discoverers, — of collecting, analyzing and com
piling the many thousands of pamphlets so that an accurate,
complete account of the early history of Michigan may be
preserved for future generations. When it is stated that more
than two hundred names of explorers and missionaries have
been accepted as entitled to enter the Michigan Hal! of Fame,
the task of the Commission may be dimly understood.
In carrying out its purposes, the Commission agreed that
the names and discoveries of these early explorers and mis-
.sionaries should be commemorated by placing memorial tab
lets throughout the state parks, so that we of today and to
morrow may understand to whom we owe our present civili
zation. The assistance, therefore, of the Mackinac Island
State Park Commission was solicited, and the plans for the
Nicolet Day celebration were prepared under their joint
auspices. These exercises here today are the result.
When the list of speakers for today's celebration was being
prepared, Rt. Rev. Chas. D. Williams, the distinguished head
of the Episcopal Diocese of Detroit, was selected to deliver
the Invocation. An unexpected summons, however, called him
to New York; the Committee was in a quandary; who could ac-
leptably fill the position?
At this most trying time, Mr. Hirt of Louisville, whose
palatial cottage is one of the most beautiful attractions on the
Island, came to the rescue by suggesting that one of his guests,
a former resident of Detroit, might be induced to undertake
the task. The suggestion was gladly received and accepted
and Mr. Hirt was empowered to make such arrangements.
That he has fulfilled his mission most completely, you will all
presently agree.
During many years of experience in Detroit, I, in conjunc
tion with other citizens of that city, had often heard many
sincere expressions of commendation concerning Rev. C. D.
Woodcock. At that time, he was in charge of one of the most
prosperous parishes of the city — St. John's Episcopal Church
— and was deeply beloved by his congregation. His deep sin
cerity, his broad charity, his nobility of character and the pro-

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 15
nounced success he achieved in his chosen field, made him
widely and favorably known. It was natural that a man of
his recognized ability and attainments, should be marked for
elevation. His friends, therefore, are not surprised to know
that Rev. Mr. Woodcock is now a distinguished prelate, the
Episcopal Bishop of Kentucky.
The directing head of any great religious body must be a
real man, a true man, a live man, a simple man— great in his
life, in his love, in his work, in his broadmindedness. Such
are the characteristics of the distinguished gentleman who
will deliver the Invocation. I have the pleasure of presenting
Rt. Rev. C. D. Woodcock, Protestant Episcopal Bishop of
Kentucky. The invocation by Bishop Woodcock followed.
The Chaieman : A few days ago, the sound of a voice came
to me over many miles of a thin copper wire. The tones were
so clear that in imagination I could see the kindly face of my
friend, as he called to me his greetings of good cheer. An
ordinary occurrence, you say; yet no sane person, one hun
dred years ago, would have deemed this feat possible. The
Michigan Central Railroad and the D. & C. steamboats carry
one, almost over night, from Detroit to this wonderful and
historic island of rest; yet, if men had declai'ed two hundred
years ago, that we of today would travel on railroad trains and
steamboats, they would have been summarily punished as
"witches." Time, however, brings many changes. Today, gas, electric
ity, and steam are so closely a part of our daily existence,
that we give almost no heed to the wonderful possibilities
they opened in our lives. We look about us at the marvels
wrought by man; at the great ocean liner, the fast railroad
train ; the deadly submarine ; the flying airship ; the telephone,
the telegraph and the wireless with their instantaneous means
of communication — but we no longer wonder. We accept them
calmly — and then, as calmly, proceed to think of something
else.

16 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
So it is, that in our present state of mind, we scarcely realize
the conditions that existed three hundred years ago in that
part of the country then known as the "Territory Northwest
of the Ohio River," which we of today recognize as the states
of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. This
extensive region, embracing the upper lakes and the Valley
of the Mississippi, was a vast, unknown wilderness, untouched
by civilization. But to be just, we must consider conditions,
and remember that more white people live today in the city of
Detroit, than were to be found at that time in the whole of
North America.
The country then was new, and the inventive mind had not
been nursed. Let us not forget that in the seventeenth century,
there were no steamboats, no railroads or automobiles, to
carry passengers to distant points ; no telegraph, no telephone
no civilization, in 1634, in this very spot where we now stand
— ^nothing, but wild nature.
Travel, of course, was slow and difficult; means of com
munication were indeed lacking. In those early days, men had
to walk through the thick underbrush and the wooded forests,
carrying their burdens on their backs ; or paddle in birch bark
canoes over the waters. Instead of public buildings, private
residences, and churches, electric lights and well paved streets,
the telephone and the telegraph, street cars and automobiles —
all necessary and common adjuncts to an American city to
day — nothing but wild forests and prairies were then to be
seen; no habitation, except the occasional wigwam of the red
man. Who of us would venture into an unknown world, not know
ing when, if ever, we would return — traveling through the
woods aud streams all day, and resting under the boughs at
night ; subsisting on what we could fish or shoot ; fearful of
the wild animals ; deprived of the society of one's own people,
while all the time exposed to surrounding dangers? Yes, this
is exactly what early explorers had to face day after day.
Theirs was a life of toil and hardship, of facing danger con
stantly, of meeting emergencies calmly, and with a never fail-

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 17
ing trust in the help of the Almighty. It was a period that
tried men's very souls — but they were men. He whom we
honor today, was of that strong type; and in the final analysis,
it was the success of these men that made it possible for the
people of New France to come here and develop the vast region
now lying about us.
Are they not, then, our benefactors ; do they not deserve
much at our hands? Memories of these daring explorers live
with us today, in our own beloved state of Michigan. To
them we owe all we possess. Their courage, their bravery,
their fortitude, their perseverance, blazed the way for others,
who followed and builded. We, the citizens of great and pros
perous commonwealths, enjoy now the fruits of their daring
efforts. And so, the great state of Michigan, acting ofiicially through
the cooperation of the Michigan Historical Commission and
the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, decided to recog
nize, in a befitting form, the invaluable services of these early
explorers, by placing memorial tablets in this, the state park
of Michigan. This is the spot and this is the day selected.
John Nicolet is the first to be so honored. Let us hope that
his tablet, placed on this historic Arch Bock, will be to all a
constant reminder of the great debt we owe to him.
During my many visits to this beautiful Island, I have noticed
a gentleman, age unknown, who seemed to know everybody
and evei-Athing on Mackinac Island. My curiosity was aroused,
so one day I asked my friend, Mr. E. O. Wood, if he knew this
gentlemen. He said, "Why, don't you know him? That is
Colonel Preston who built Mackinac Island and has lived here
ever since."
It has been said that nothing satisfies a patriot but a job.
Now, if patriot, in this instance, refers to the self sacrificing
worker in that political party to which Col. Preston owes al
legiance, then is not such a worker entitled to consideration
from his party? I think so. Colonel Preston is that type of
man who believes that nothing is politically right that is
morally wrong. He has carried that principle throughout life.

18 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
In everything that has led to progress and improvement on
Mackinac Island, Colonel Preston has been the leading figure.
For many years he has been its official representative. At the
present time, he is Mayor of Mackinac Island, and as such, he
will extend his greeting to this gathering. I take pleasure in
introducing Colonel William P. Preston, Mayor of Mackinac
Island. Colonel Preston, felicitating the audience on the large size
of the gathering, extended the hospitality of the Island to the
guests in a characteristic and eloquent address.
The Chaieman: More than twenty years ago, I attended,
merely as a spectator, a Democratic Convention, held in the
city of Detroit. like all Democratic political gatherings, this
one was not free from verbal clashes. Eventually, the contro
versy over a certain question became so heated that everybody
was on foot, shouting for recognition. The Chairman at length
recognized a certain delegate, who did not waste time to ascend
the platform, but instead, immediately jumped on his chair,
and in a wonderful burst of oratory kept the large audience
spellbound for more than half ah hour. I remember him at
that time, as a man overflowing with enthusiasm and vitality,
of great personal magnetism and unbounded love and loyalty
to the political party which he represented. Such was my first
view of Honorable E. O. Wood, Vice President of the Mackinac
Island State Park Commission. Mr. Wood will respond to the
greetings of welcome, in place of Mr. A. O. Jopling, whose
business prevents him from being here today.

ADDRESS OF HON. EDWIN O. WOOD.
Me. Chaieman : I would not mar this program by extended
remarks. I will only say that it is a pleasant privilege to
respond to this greeting and welcome given us by my friend
Mayor Preston. My first interest in Mackinac came through

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 19
the knowledge of its beauties and historic setting, imparted to
me by Colonel Preston.
I congratulate you upon this splendid gathering, brought to
gether to honor a noble character, whose activities in the work
of Christianizing the Indians should give him an enduring
place in American history.
In my mind there is associated a sacred and religious senti
ment in connection with Mackinac Island and the Mackinac
country. Here, those self-sacrificing martyrs and heroes, the
Jesuit missionaries, labored and suffered, to teach the savages
the story of the Cross; and we are fortunate today, not only
in the eminence and eloquence of all those who are to address
us, but especially in the presence of a noted scholar and his
torian, who has honored this occasion by journeying from
New York to tell us of Jean Nicolet. We are indebted to the
President of the Michigan Historical Commission, Rt. Rev.
Monsignor Frank A. O'Brien, LL.D., for the bringing of Father
Campbell here, and one and all, we wish to make grateful
acknowledgment. Mayor Preston, we thank you for the warm and generous
welcome you have accorded to us. You are Mayor of the most
beautiful city in the world, and you number among your popu-,
lation summer residents from every part of the Union. That
this event may stimulate and foster the study of the history
of Michigan and the Old Northwest is my earnest hope.
The Chaieman: From the reception you have given Mr.
Wood, I am sure you entertain towards him the identical
views I have held for many years.
This morning, I was delegated to meet the next speaker
upon his arrival here by boat. Within three minutes after
meeting him, all through the day and up to within a few
minutes ago. Father Campbell entertained me from an inex
haustible fund of stories and anecdotes, touching upon almost
every subject under the sun. It must not be supposed, how
ever, that Father Campbell has devoted his entire time to the
lighter side of life. As a noted member of the Society of

20 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
Jesus, for nearly fifty years, he has traveled in all parts of the
world, and come into contact with all kinds of people. As a
natural consequence, he has acquired a taste for history, espe
cially for the history of Canada and the old Northwest Terri
tory — scenes of the early missionary work of his predecessors.
His knowledge of the early explorers and missionaries is pro
found. He is recognized as one of the greatest living authori
ties on the early explorers and missionaries of this region.
I have the pleasure of introducing Rev. Thomas J. Campbell,
S. J., of New York, author and historian, who will entertain
and interest you in his address on the Life and Character of
John Nicolet.

ADDRESS OF REV. THOMAS J. CAMPBEiLL, S. J.
The memorial tablet of Jean Nicolet which has been affixed
to the rocks of the Island of Mackinac, is not only the record
of a notable historical event, but is also the declaration of a
doctrine. It is a protest against a philosophical theory preva
lent at the present day, which makes man the creature as well
as the victim of his environment — a theory which assails the
dignity of human. nature, by robbing it of its freedom of will,
and connotes a mental attitude despised even by the old pagans
themselves. "The just man," sings the famous Roman poet,
"will persist in his purpose ; and even if the whole world were
to crash about his head, he will stand amid the ruins undis
mayed.'.' The Christian view is not content even with this,
and proclaims that he alone is the true hero who makes dis
aster itself contribute to his glory. .
Jean Nicolet was not a great explorer, like Champlain; he
was not a picturesque Governor, like Frontenac ; not a daring
fighter, like Iberville; not even a successful discoverer, like
[Marquette; nor a martyr, like his friends Brebeuf, Jogues,
Daniel, Garnier, and Garreau. He occupied no conspicuous
position in the official world; he was not entrusted with the
building or moulding or modifying of a commonwealth Or a

REV. THOMAS J. CAMPBELL, S. ,1.

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 21
colony ; he was simply an employe in a trading post ; an Indian
interpreter, who passed the longest and most ambitious period
of his life amid surroundings that were calculated to tear out
of his heart not only every noble aspiration, but every recol
lection of Christianity and civilization. Yet he was a man
who was not only not influenced or harmed by them, but who
made them minister to his advancement in the noblest qualities
that adorn humanity.
In being such, Nicolet achieved a greater glory than the one
which this tablet specifically commemorates: namely, his en
trance into a new and unknown territory. Being so concealed
from the public gaze, and engaged in work that usually escapes
recognition, it is a remarkable tribute to his work, that after
almost three hundred years, he should be selected by a great
Commonwealth as particularly worthy of honor. He is not
only the first white man who appeared in what is now the state
of Michigan, but he is a man whose virtues may bo proposed
to the youth of the country as an example and an inspiration.
Nicolet was a mere lad when he stepped a.shore at Quebec in
1618; and the conditions that prevailed there, at that time,
must have filled him with consternation and dismay. For ten
years the heroic Champlain had been struggling with ad
versity, and each year only brought him nearer to the brink
of destruction and despair. He was in the relentless grip of
a Fur Company that not only owned the colony, but had de
termined to defeat the magnificent project of making it a
mighty appanage of the crown of France, and of increasing the
glory and power of the mother country in the New World.
For the traders, it was to be merely a post for the making of
money. The establishment of a colony of Europeans, and the
conversion and civilization of the savages, or the higher con
siderations of patriotism, did not enter into their calculations ;
and Champlain was thwarted at every step.
The result was, that while the English colony of Jamestown
in Virginia had, about that time, four thousand settlers, who
owned their own lands and made their own laws, Quebec had
no more than forty or fifty people, even including the employes

22 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
of the Company and the missionaries, and they were all de
pendent on the heartless corporation even for bread to^ eat.
The fort was in a state of dilapidation and decay; no assist
ance could be obtained even to repair its walls, and the count
less journeys of Champlain across the ocean to plead for his
wretched colony only met with apathy and unconcern, or with
promises that were never kept. In spite of it all, however, he
kept up the unequal fight. Though beaten and beaten again,
he persevered, in spite of accumulated disasters which would
have crushed any ordinary man, until at last, after more than
a quarter of a century, he won the glory of being classed among
the greatest men in the history of the Western World.
It must have been the contemplation of Champlain's splen
did personality that inspired young Nicolet to live in like man
ner in the humble career in which Providence had placed him.
Around him were a number of young reprobates whose names
are infamous in Canadian history : Vignau, who endeavored to
murder Champlain; Brul6, whose morals were so depraved
that he was killed by the savages; and Marsollet, who, though
not so base as the others, proved a traitor when Quebec suc
cumbed to the English. Not only with these and their simi
lars did Nicolet have nothing to do, but he, by his example,
unconsciously no doubt, but truly nevertheless, inaugurated
that long line of youthful Canadian heroes whose equals it
would be difficult to find in the history of any other country.
There was, for example, young Frangois Marguerie, the idol
of the colony, a splendid Indian fighter, of whom it is recorded
that once when he stood with his sword at the throat of a
savage, he dropped it, saying: 'If I kill him I shall be killed
instantly. If I am tortured to death I shall have more time
to prepare,' and he surrendered. There was his companion,
Normanville, who would travel hundreds of miles, in mid
winter, to get a priest for a sick Indian, and who, after a life
of adventures ending in the valiant defense of Three Rivers,
was burned at the stake on the Mohawk ; there was Charles Le
Moyne, the defender of Montreal when he was only a stripling,
who, besides the memory of his countless exploits, left as a

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 23
heritage to New France a remarkable family of heroes such as
Iberville, Longueuil, Sainte-Helfene, Bienville, Chateaugay and
the rest; and omitting a throng of others — like Goupil, Cou
ture, Lalande and the wonderful Christian Indian boy, Ar-
mand Jean, who reflected honor on the great Cardinal Richelieu
after whom he was named — ^it will be sufficient to recall the
memory of the glorious sixteen under Daulac or Dollard (only
one of whom was above thirty) who, in spite of their youth
and inexperience, withstood eight hundred Iroquois, and by
the sacrifice of their lives, for every one fell, saved New Ftance
from utter destruction. Jean Nicolet was the first leader of
this glorious line.
The first test to which he was put was his appointment as
interpreter on Allumette Island, far up the Ottawa. No doubt,
like any other healthy boy, he was fascinated by the wild
beauty of the region through which he passed on his first
journey into the depths of the country. He had never seen
anything equal to the Rideau as it dropped curtain-like into
the mighty river beneath ; nothing so terrible as the Chaudiere
where the Indians, descending or ascending the stream, per
formed their incantations, to propitiate the evil spirits that
dwelt in the boiling waters ; nothing so startling as the angry
leap of the waters over the rocks of the Calumet, where today
stands, under the pines, the gleaming marble shaft, a la
m^moire de Cadieux, who in his days, was to be another
Nicolet. All this doubtless amazed and delighted him ; but the
poetry of the life was soon dissipated when he found himself
in the grossness and squalor and filth, both physical and moral,
of the Algonquin wigwams. The aborigines were far from
being the noble creatures depicted by Ftenimore Cooper and
other romancers, but were steeped in the foulest vices. Again
and again the missionaries protested against leaving young
and unprotected boys in such surroundings, -without any re
ligious assistance to keep them from becoming as bad as the
savages themselves; but the traders, whose employee Nicolet
was, considered moral disasters of very little importance if
the storehouses at Quebec were filled with furs.

21 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
In that place, young Nicolet remained for two years, com
pletely mastering the various Algonquin dialects, and exercis
ing such an influence over his Indian friends that he was able
to lead four hundred of their braves down to the Mohawk to
make a treaty of peace with the terrible Iroquois.
Of course this embassy was due, in large measure at least, to
Champlain ; and it goes far to exculpate him from the charge,
so frequently urged against him, that the long series of Iro
quois wars was the result of his indiscretion. As a matter
of fact, the battles of Lake Champlain and Cap au Massacre
were unavoidable; for the Iroquois were actually invading the
country and had to be repelled, if an indiscriminate massacre
of red and white men alike was to be averted. To have made
u treaty of peace so soon after the battle of Oneida, clearly
shows the falsity of (he accusation that the Iroquois nourished
an implacable hatred of the French. After Nicolet's visit to
them, the incursions ceased, and were renewed only when the
incompetency and blundering of some of Champlain's succes
sors prompted the Indians to dig up th« hatchet , and renew
their depredations.
Nicolet remained for two years on Allumette Island, and
was then transferred to the Nipisirien country which the mis
sionaries called the land of the sorcerers, because, day and
night, the drum of the medicine-men was heard on the lake or
in the forests conjuring the evil spirits. Evidently a great
change had been wrought in the disposition of the Indians of
those regions, and it "was most likely the result of Nicolet's
skill in managing them. Only a few years before, Champlain
was warned that it was as much as his life was worth to ven
ture among them; but young Nicolet not only established a
trading post among them, but was adopted by the tribe, be
came one of the great chiefs, with a voice in their most solemn
ccmncils, and participated in all their hunting and warlike
expeditions. In this place he lived nine consecutive years,
undergoing all the hardships of the savages; we hear of him
frequently passing two or three days without a morsel to eat,
and on one occasion supporting life for five or six weeks by

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 25
gnawing the bark of the forest trees. Of these adventures he
kept a record and gave it to the Jesuit Fathers, but we have
been unable to lay hands upon it.
It was during this period that an overwhelming disaster be
fell the colony, in the capture of what was supposed to be the
stronghold of Quebec. In 1628, while Champlain was anxiously
waiting for supplies from Europe, to stave off starvation from
the garrison and the colony, an English ship under the fa
mous Kirke, appeared in the river and demanded the surrender
of the fort. The garrison had absolutely no food at the time,
and there were but fifty pounds of powder in the magazine ;
but Champlain defied the enemy to make the assault. As
tounded by the answer, Kirke actually lifted anchor, and sailed
down the river; but the next year three ships appeared, the
French flag was hauled down from the citadel, and the ban
ner of England floated in its place.
It was on this occasion that the dastardly character of
young Brule and Marsollet displayed itself. They had re
vealed the helpless condition of the garrison to the enemy,
and were on the very ships that had come to demand the
surrender of the city. Absolutely unlike them was -lean Nico
let. He remained at his post among the Nippisiriens, and
waited for better times.
In 1632, Champlain came back again, no longer in the fet
ters of the trading company, but as the Lieutenant of Richelieu
and the first governor of New Fi-ance. After a fight of twenty-
four years, he had triumphed, and only then did the colony
on the St. Lawrence begin to live. Nicolet was recalled from
the interior and given charge of the trading post at Three
Rivers. It was during this period that Nicolet was commissioned
by Champlain to discover the great river that was supposed to
empty into the Western Sea. He was thus about to realize
the dream that had haunted the imagination of Europe for
centuries about the passage to China or Cathay. The delusion
had assumed a new form after the St. Lawrence and the
Great Lakes had been explored. The sapient geographers of

26 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
the world judged that as there was a mighty river flowing east
from the center of the continent, there must be a correspond
ing one flowing west, to preserve the equilibrium. To find it,
Nicolet set out from Three Rivers, and this was the reason
why his wanderings led him to the Island of Mackinac. He
came dressed as a Chinese mandarin, in a gorgeous robe of
damask which was richly embroidered with figures of birds
and flowers, in the hope of awakening some long-buried ata
vistic memories in the minds of the savages who were supposed
by the learned men of the times to be of Asiatic origin.
On the other hand, it is difficult to conceive that either Cham
plain or Nicolet shared in this delusion. They both knew
the Indians too well. Champlain had passed a whole winter
among the Hurons, and his account of the haWits and character
of those savages is, today, a classic for the ethnological stu
dent. Nicolet had lived eleven years among the Algonquins
and Nippisiriens, and he also was perfectly well aware that,
apart from some mythological nonsense about their origin,
there was no tradition of anything whatever connecting them
with the Chinese. Indeed, it is quite possible that it was
merely to satisfy some theorist in France or Quebec that the
masquerade was adopted.
The report of Nicolet's coming, however, as the great repre
sentative of the white men, to arrange for a treaty of peace
was, of course, rapidly spread among the tribes and, somewhere
on the shores of Lake Michigan, four or five thousand Indians
assembled to meet him. It was an amazing spectacle for
them. The distinguished envoy whom doubtless many of them
had known at Allumette and Lake Nippising, was no longer in
his usual attire of a hunter, but in a splendid robe such as they
had never seen before. On either side of him great poles were
erected on which numberless presents were displayed. In his
hands he held two ponderous horse-pistols, and after harangu
ing the Indians in their own language and expatiating on the
desirability of a lasting and universal peace with the supreme
chief at Quebec, he lifted up his instruments of war towards
the sky. A terrible explosion followed, and the squaws, and

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 27
perhaps many of the braves, Scampered away in terror from
the mighty man who held the thunders of heaven in his hands.
They soon recovered their senses, however, and as no one was
injured, they returned to express their satisfaction with the
proposals of peace and the presents which he had come to offer.
But from none of them could Nicolet learn anything of China,
nor did he find the great river that flowed into the Pacific,
though he reported on his return to Quebec, that a few days'
journey would have carried him thither. It is somewhat sur
prising that he did not continue his search, but possibly it was
because the river they spoke of took a southerly, and not a
westerly course, and could not therefore be the one he was
sent out to find. Had he continued, he would have anticipated
Marquette by nearly forty years.
This was in 1634. On Christmas day, 1635, the great Cham
plain, worn out by his life of hardships and perhaps by the
worry to which he had been subjected from the first day he
built his miserable hut at the rock of Quebec, at last went to
his well-merited reward. He was succeeded by Montmagny,
whose name, Onontio, an Indian translation of Great Moun-
ta'in, remained as the descriptive designation of all subsequent
governors of Quebec. Montmagny was a worthy successor of
Champlain, whom he took for a model, and during his long
tenure of office did efficient work in building up the colony, in
spite of the apathy of the home government which left him
almost without resources. Louis XIV was too busy with his
European enemies to find time enough to learn of the im
portance of his colonial possessions.
At last, some one stirred up the Iroquois; and then Canada
entered upon the bloody epoch of her history. Three Rivers,
where Nicolet was living, was the central point of attack, and
the St. Lawrence was swarming with Iroquois in war paint.
Brebeuf had come down from the upper country, and had
narrowly escaped -with his life on his way down to Quebec.
The war, however, was not precisely against the whites. It
was an attack on the old foes of the Iroquois, the Algonquins,
but the French of course were involved. It was at this

23 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
juncture that young Marguerie returned from captivity as an
Iroquois envoy and was sent to the French fort to arrange a
treaty of peace.
But in spite of it all, warlike preparations were soon made ;
forts were built on the other side of the St. Lawrence; Mont
magny came up from Quebec to direct the fight if it should
assume large proportions; there were raids and captures here
and there, and in the m^lee we see the figure of Nicolet
constantly appearing. He and Father Ragueneau are crossing
and recrossing the St. Lawrence again and again, entering
the forts of the Iroquois, at the risk of their lives, to plead
for a reconciliation, until finally, after some show of fight
on the part of the invaders, a temporary calm resulted. This
was in the year 1641.
Soon afterwards Nicolet was summoned to Quebec to take
the place of his brother-in-law, Le Tardif, as chief official of
the trading company. He was hardly there a month, when
news came down from Three Rivers that a Sokoki Indian was
about to be put to death by the Algonquins. This meant a
renewal of hostilities, for the Sokokis of Maine were allies of
the Iroquois and the execution of the captive had to be stopped
at all hazards. It was then October 27; the ice was forming
in the river, the night Avas coming on, but without a moment's
hesitation Nicolet leaped aboard a shallop that was making
foi- Silleiy. While rounding the point a squall struck the
boat, and in a moment the crew were struggling with icy
waters. One by one they disappeared in the dark river, though
only a short distance from shore. Nicolet and de Chavigny
were soon the only ones left. At last, chilled by the bitter
cold, and feeling his strength completely exhausted, Nicolet
called out to his friend, "Make for the shore, de Chavigny,
you can swim. Bid good-bj-e to my wife and children; I am
going to God." The waves closed over him, and he Avas never
seen again. De Chavigny succeeded in reaching the shore,
and more dead than alive, staggered into the Jesuit house at
Sillery, where he told the dreadful occurrence to Father de
Brebeuf.

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 29
The news spread consternation in the colony. The Indians
especially were alarmed, for they had lost a friend, a protector,
and a father, and they ran like crazy people up and down tho
bank of the river, crying "Achirra! Achirra! Shall we never
see thee more?" The whites too had reason to fear. No one
exercised such an influence over the natives as Nicolet. He
bent them without difficulty to his will, at any moment and
for all kinds of enterprises.
As a Christian, the missionaries bear testimony that the
virtues of Nicolet were those of the apostolic times, and that
even the most devoted priest might take him as a model of
piety and self-sacriflce. Perhaps the best description of his
character, in this respect, may be found in the list of books
contained in his little library at Quebec. It consisted of : The
Metamorphosis of Ovid; The Relation of 1637; Portuguese Dis
coveries in the West Indies; Collection of Gazettes from 1634;
The Art of Fencing; Inventory of Science; History of St.
Ursula; Meditations on the Life oj Christ; The Secretary of
the Court; The Clock of Devotion; The Way to Live for God;
Elements of Logic; The Holy Duties of a Devout Life; His-
toi-y of Portugal; Missal; Life of the Redeemer of the World;
History of the West Indies; The Lives of the Saints in folio.
Such was Jean Nicolet ; a man who occupied a very humble
place, even in the miserable colony of Quebec, but who, by
the force of his own irreproachable character exercised a most
extraordinary influence for good, both among the colonists and
the natives. From the very beginning of his career, though
thrown into surroundings which had wrecked the lives of many
of his compatriots and had changed them from the representa
tives of most excellent families into wild and depraved coureurs
de bois, he had kept his own virtue untarnished. He was en
trusted by his superiors with the most important missions,
and was admired and loved by such men as de Brebeuf, Rague
neau, Jogues, and indeed by all the missionaries. In brief,
he was a man of the world who at every stage of his short
career would have been able to utter the same words that left

30 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
his lips when the waters of the St. Lawrence were closing over
him : "I am going to God."
Michigan may well be proud of the first white man who set
foot upon her soil.
The Chairman: There is an old saying that comes to us
from antiquity, "The noblest motive is the public good." This
thought is exemplified in the work of the Mackinac Island
State Park Commission, as well as in that of the Michigan
Historical Commission.
About twenty-five years ago, a just congress ceded to the
state of Michigan, for state park purposes, this part of Macki
nac Island. To take charge of this park, the legislature created
a commission, known as the Mackinac Island State Park Com
mission, giving it full authority and a small annual appropria
tion for its maintenance.
It was therefore eminently fitting that the Michigan His
torical Commission, charged by the legislature with the task
of preserving Michigan history, should cooperate with the
Mackinac Island State Park Commission in placing memorial
tablets of early explorers and missionaries in this state park.
It is also becoming that the presentation of this tablet today,
to the state of Michigan, should be made by the President of
the Michigan Historical Commission.
Monsignor O'Brien is so well known in the State, so beloved
by all, that he needs no introduction by me. His ripe scholar
ship, his analytical mind, his reputation as a critic of his
tory, as well as his recognized ability as an historian of
Michigan, eminently qualifies him for the exalted position
which he occupies. Rt. Rev. Monsignor Frank A. O'Brien,
LL, D., of Kalamazoo, President of the Michigan Historical
Commission, will now present the tablet of John Nicolet.

RIGHT REV MONSIGNOR FRANK ,\ O'BRIEN, LL. D.

NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND 31

ADDRESS OF RT. REV. MONSIGNOR O'BRIEN.
We have heard from the lips of one of the world's most
noted historians, the graphically told story of the hero of the
day. Little did John Nicolet think when he was attempting
such wonders, that his memory would be cherished, that a
bronze tablet would be erected to honor him, two hundred
years after he had passed away.
Nature had endowed Nicolet with wondrous gifts. Grace
had supernaturalized his ambition into a burning fidelity to
God and country. Others were blessed with great loyalty;
others enjoyed a greater rank, but none possessed a nobler
nature, a stronger arm, or a more devoted heart. He had the
soldier's aspirations, without the soldier's love of greed. He
had the love of victory, without the love of honors which it
gave. He yearned for something great, yet he felt that the
Old Worid would give him little to do; France had not been
able to call his greatness into action. He sought other fields
to increase his country's glory by discovery; he sought to
spread God's Kingdom.
Under the banner of the Cross he went forward. He led
his chosen bands through wilds unknown. Swift as the light
ning to resolve, he was as firm as a rock in execution. Where
others hesitated, he quailed not. He was majestic, animated,
resistless, and persistent.
Nicolet did better than he knew; today he receives honors,
which he won.
At this point Monsignor O'Brien unveiled the tablet.
The Chairman : The absence of Judge Steere, of the Su
preme Court of Michigan, necessitated the selection of some
other well known man of Michigan to accept the tablet on
behalf of the State. Fortunately, Honorable Lawton T. He-
mans, although not in the best of health, was prevailed upon

32 NICOLET DAY ON MACKINAC ISLAND
to represent the State in this capacity. A better choice
for this honor could not have been made.
I have had the pleasure — and it has been a great pleasure —
to know Mr. Hemans for years. As a public representative in
-Lansing, and later, as candidate for Governor of Michigan,
he endeared himself to all by his lovable and enduring quali
ties of heart and mind. His deep learning, his high character
and his knowledge of the state of Michigan, (both in the early
times as well as today, gives him a standing possessed by few,
and excelled by none. As a historian of Michigan, his books
have received much deserved praise; as a man, his lovableness,
his simplicity, his sterling character and broadmindedness,
are known and appreciated; as a public official, his reputation
is without stain.
It gives me great pleasure to introduce Honorable Lawton
T. Hemans, Chairman of the Michigan Railroad Commission,
and a member of the Michigan Historical Commission, who
will accept the tablet on behalf of the State.
In felicitous and extremely appropriate words, Mr. Hemans
accepted the tablet on behalf of the state of Michigan.
The Chairman : We will now close the exercises of the day
by the audience rising and singing our national anthem, "My
Country, 'Tis of Thee, Sweet Land of Liberty, of Thee I Sing."

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