Names of Beaver out islands?

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Linda Gallagher

Names of Beaver out islands?

Post by Linda Gallagher »

Hi Folks-hope everyone on Beaver is having a great winter, and that you've got plenty of wood on the fire, it's been a cold one-here in Central Lake (Antrim County, just south of you) it was a balmy -24 yesterday morning!!

Always thinking of Beaver Island, and seriously hoping to return once again this spring...I think of the island and all of the wonderful people on it often. Beaver Island is magical.

Anyway, doing an article for an upcoming issue of Michigan Out of Doors on Beaver, and I'm struggling with one question-the names of all of the out islands...

Everyone knows about High, and Garden, and Hog...I've also come up with Whiskey, Grape, Squaw, and Tim's...then I read something about a Gull Island? Is this part of the Beaver archipelago?

The only Gull Island I know of is in West GT Bay, a bird sanctuary owned by the Leelanau Conservancy that is like something out of a Steven King novel with it's stark barren terrain, thanks to way too many cormorants.

Hope you can help me, I get conflicting info from all of the research I look at...looking forward to seeing all of you this spring, thanks again for your help!!

Linda Gallagher
Lindag10@hotmail.com
:D
Linda Gallagher

how about the lakes?

Post by Linda Gallagher »

Grr...I should have kept better notes, but I was too busy having fun...

Ok, I know Lake Geneserath is the largest lake on the island, then we have Barney's Lake with the loons, Egg Lake (which is all private, right?), Fox Lake, one of the most beautiful bodies of water I have ever seen-reminded of the Minnesota wilderness, and then we have three others, including the fairly large lake at the north end with the good bluegill fishing...I cant, for the life of me, remember the name of that lake.

Foch Lake or something like that??

Help!!
me again

got it...I think...

Post by me again »

Font Lake, Greene's Lake, and Round Lake?
Rich

Post by Rich »

Linda, The Island's, from North to South would be, Hat, Hog, Garden, Squaw, Whiskey, Beaver, High, and Gull (there are some little land spits known as Pismire, Grape and Tims as well). The lakes on Beaver Island are Font, Round, Egg, Fox, Greenes, and Lake Geneserath. There are other modest bodies of water such as Millers Marsh but thats it for lakes. They say all of these islands were connected to the mainland many years ago by a land bridge from Waugoshance Point in the Straits but I am only 49, never saw it!! :D Good luck on your story...............
Linda

thanks, Rich!!

Post by Linda »

I figured some of them were just rocks in the water...isn't there a Barney's Lake, too? Where the loons nest?
Gordy

Gull Island

Post by Gordy »

Yes, there is a Gull Island. It is about 7 miles WSW of High Island. There is a erector set type light on the north shore. The freighter Carl Bradley was lost south of there in 1958 I believe. There is really no safe place to land a boat there due to the rocky shoreline, but on the west side you can see exposed bedrock with large striations that appear to be caves if the seas are calm.
Linda

Is this Gordy from Gordon's Auto?

Post by Linda »

If so, just wanted to thank you again for the use of "Big Blue", which I understand is a legend on the island, very reliable vehicle!!

Anyhow, thanks for the info, keep it coming, folks! I'm not giving away any secrets in this article, if anything, it's already too long, am going to have to cut it back, I think. Most editors are of the KISS philosophy these days, two many words frighten people... :mrgreen: Lots of photos are much more the norm any more...

So tell me, is there a Barney's Lake? Which little lake is it that's right along the road on the west side of the island near a preserve that has rowboats on it from a nearby lodge? With a pair of nesting loons that can be easily photographed in the spring time??

Thanks, all!
Guest

Beaver Island Islands

Post by Guest »

This article states that High Island was also referred to as Little Beaver.

A Visit to the Beaver Islands â?? September 19, 1879
from the Petoskey Record

A few days since, in company with six others, we left Petoskey for a trip to St. James on Beaver Island, on the little schooner Lookout. After several miles of pitching and plunging, rendering a passage across the deck a rather hazardous undertaking, the night came on pitchy dark and the breeze gradually died away to a dead calm. The Beaver Harbor Light was plainly visible ahead and to our right, while Skilagalee, was up far to the east across the stretch of waters. It was just past midnight when we passed the Lighthouse and tied up at the dock on the west side of the bay--the very dock where King Strang met his fate...at the hands of his own men. His people were scattered so effectively that only one still remains upon the Island.

Beaver Harbor is the second best harbor on the chain of lakes, being excelled only by Little Traverse, and as it is close to the regular track of vessels is well patronized. It is protected from all winds save a southeaster, which is not a prevalent one. The night the Lookout made the harbor 13 vessels ran up near the mouth and anchored under the Island's lee.

St. James, the capital of Manitou County, is situated on the harbor. The Lighthouse and Life-saving Station are on the east side, facing the lake, while the larger and ancient Mormon town is on the west side, facing the bay. It has a population of about 350, with the Island's population being between 1,200 and 1,500. On the east side, besides the Lighthouse acceptably managed by Mrs. Daniel Williams since the unfortunate death of her husband, the former keeper, and the Life-saving Station under the charge of Harrison Miller, is a boarding house kept by Joe Left, the store of Edward Smith, and several cooper shops. The manufacture of fish barrels is a leading industry here. On the west side are the stores of Boyle & Dunleavy and C. R. Wright & Son, the county offices located at various points of the village, the court, which is held by Judge Goodwin of the 11th district at the Boyle & Dunleavy store, and Mrs. Gibson's boarding house, which has the reputation of furnishing the best accommodations on the Island in the building that once housed the Mormon's print shop.

A new saw-mill has also been erected, and though not enclosed is now running. A run of stone for grinding grain is promised to be added for next season. Many of the old Mormon homes are nearly hidden from sight by a profusion of thick vines. King Strang's residence is still standing, but is out of repair. Two log-houses are at the rear, communicating with the main building through a covered way, and were used for his extended household.


Upon the exclusion of the Mormons, who were mostly squatters, the Island was taken possession of by hardy fishermen in the vicinity, a large proportion of whom were Irish. Encouraged by the success of the Mormons, they have put equal attention to the cultivation of the soil and the plying of the net and the boat. They are a rough and abrupt lot, but peaceable and well-disposed, and full of the most genuine and kind-hearted hospitality we have ever encountered. In spite of the isolation of their island home, they are happy and contented and seldom seek a change. They have earned the reputation of constantly being involved in broils and quarrels, but we are assured by a gentleman who is a county officer and has lived there for twenty years that the disgraceful rows which are frequently reported elsewhere are very rare occurrences in point of fact, and theft is virtually unknown. The people are devout Catholics and have been favored for 13 years with the ministrations of Father Peter Gallagher, who besides being a splendid specimen of physical manhood and a highly educated and cultured gentleman is broad and liberal in his religious views and ever ready to extend the right hand of fellowship to whomever he believes worthy of his confidence and friendship. He is devotedly attached to stock raising, and has some fine cattle; his cows are his pets, and permit themselves to be handled freely by him. Among others we noticed a splendid Burham cow who on very indifferent feed gives 30 quarts of milk a day.


The Island is 15 miles long by 6 wide, and has 3 organized townships: Chandler, Peaine, and Galilee. The land is well adapted to farming, and while the cultivation of the soil is far from thorough, the yields are excellent. The Island is well-supplied with water, with the inland lakes stocked with every fish but whitefish. Brook trout are caught in several streams and in the harbor. Cattle, sheep, and poultry are kept in large quantities, there being over 1,000 sheep at present. While money is not very plentiful, eggs, butter, and all varieties of farm produce abound.
Garden Island is but a short distance to the north. It is inhabited principally by Indians, there being about 40 families resident. A government school is maintained on Garden in the charge of Mr. Isaac Wright. The soil of the island is excellent, and the Indians on this and other islands in the group have good, well-tilled farms. High Island, sometimes called Little Beaver, is four miles to the west and also has a fine harbor with deep water up to the very foot of the bluffs which surround it. It is higher than Beaver, and except for Mr. Davlin, who carries on farming extensively and sometimes carries the mail across the ice, and the white men in his employ, is inhabited by Indians. A good threshing machine is located here, which is sure of ample use among these islands, Beaver alone shipping 7,000 bushels of wheat last year.
Beaver is mainly Democratic, although from the scattered condition of the islands and the few polling places a full vote is seldom registered. There is not a lawyer or doctor in the County, and the services of either are fortunately rarely required.
Rich

Post by Rich »

Oops, I forgot Barney (and he was my g.g.grandfather...sorry!!).
Linda

thanks, Rich!

Post by Linda »

I didn't think I was going crazy, I remembered the lake, named after Barney O'Donnell, right? Neat, I wish I had Beaver Island as part of my ancestral heritage.

I know very little about my Irish ancestry, and there's a lot of it...wish I had the history you folks do over there. Gallagher is my hubby's name, all we know about them is that they came from Corktown in Detroit from St. Clair County-probably came from Canada in a rowboat, never found any legal records of them in that area, except death certificates that said they were all born on March 17...and that's all I know about them. Hubby's great grand daddy was a blacksmith, did some iron work.

I don't think he's related to any of the Gallaghers on Beaver or in TC, but maybe...who knows.

My maiden name is Brennan, I've traced them back to County Mayo, a little town by the name of Curballa, now in County Sligo. They came to Ottawa, Canada, in the 1820's to work on the Rideau Canal. My great-great-grandfather owned a tavern on the canal on the spot that some of the Parliament buildings are located now-he sold the government some of his land. They worked on the railroads after that, and owned a livery stable in Mt. Clemens in the early 1900's

And then there's my mother's family, the Hogan's and the Tracy's, who came to Port Huron via Kitchener/Guelph, Ontario, and that's all I know about them. My grandfather Hogan was the first electrical contractor in the city of Birmingham in MI when it was still called Piety Hill...but he had 6 kids, and like lots of our family at one time (and some still), a drinking problem.

Anyway, back to work...thanks, say hi to everyone for me!!

:-)
Rich

Post by Rich »

Linda, See if you can get some of the ancestral Gallagher names for me, I have a pretty large file on many Gallagher families,
perhaps there is a tie in somewhere. Most Beaver Island Irish came through Canada and you never know. With your list of names in the past you must be drawn to the pub pretty strongly on Paddy's Day, we have a fun celebration here you should check it out sometime. Have you seen www.beaverislandrealty.com/ireland You might get a kick out of it.
Linda

early American Gallaghers

Post by Linda »

Earliest I know of is James Patrick Gallagher, the blacksmith, who died in Corktown in the early 1900's.

He came down from St. Clair County, where he had met and married a Julia Fox, who I believe was born there near Yale, her folks, also Irish, had a farm there. Her mother was Ellen Laverty, as I recall. All came from Ireland, no idea where, sometime in the 1850's...a lot of the census records I looked up on these folks were burned, you run into that sort of thing a lot doing geneologies. :cry:

I've never gotten very far with any of our Irish connections, but I got lucky with my father's side of the family, which was only Irish on his grandfather's side...got the Dutch/German/British end of that family all the way back to 1437.
Marie Powers

Linda Gallagher

Post by Marie Powers »

Linda,
There are folks with your husband's family names in the Yale, Emmett, Marlette, Sandusky etc. area in the Thumb. Emmett (near Yale) was an early destination for Irish families. Ask Jeff Powers D.V.M. for additional information if you are interested. Jeff's primary Veterinary Technician, Kelly Gleason, has a Grandmother in her 90's who has a great deal of historical information about the area....but when she is gone...the info will be gone. Marie Powers
Linda

Gallaghers near Emmet, Yale

Post by Linda »

Marie-I will do so!! Thanks for the info-sorry we never got to meet you when we were on the island, maybe we'll get to this spring!!

We went to that area, once, but without anything other than what I've got here to go on, we never found anything.

That was in the 70's, as I recall, and at that time, there was only one Catholic church in that area, and all the records were in Port Huron. We were there on a weekend and I never got back there. I know the area has grown quite a bit since then.

My hubby's brother lived in Smiths Creek for several years, but never had any interest in geneology...otherwise, I could possibly have gained more info...

Thanks again!!

Linda
Marie Powers

Post by Marie Powers »

Linda, Thanks for your reply and for your interest in the fauna of Beaver Island...Jeff has great things to say about your efforts. I asked Kelly to ask her Grandmother about your husband's family names in our area- I will let you know if we have information. Marie
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