Just south of Mendon, Michigan in St. Joseph County, after climbing a small hill out of the St. Joseph River valley, there is this sign pointing to the Marantette Farms. As far as I know, none of the Marantette family owns this land any more, but I’ve talked to people who say things like, “I went to school with (insert name here) Marantette.”
These two photos are from a two-day bike outing in mid-July 2006 — the last time I went out on a self-contained tour with full panniers. The temperature was in the mid 90s and I had not done much riding since my March-April trip to Alabama. I took a lot of rest stops in whatever shade I could find on the road along the way.
The original Marantette in St. Joseph County was Patrick Marantette, who operated a trading post at this site when this land was still part of the Nottawasepe reservation. In 1833, perhaps a year or so before this house was built, there was a treaty meeting at this site. It was a supplemental meeting to one that had been held in Chicago. At the Chicago treaty, the Potawatomi people in Illinois and Wisconsin had been induced to give up all their remaining lands and prepare to move west. An addendum to the treaty dealt with the people at Nottawasepe in Michigan.
Treaty meetings always drew big crowds. The Potawatomi people came so they could get in on whatever goods were going to be given out. A large faction was determined in this case to refuse the treaty payments, in order to make the treaty void. But usually these meetings ended up with some kind of signing and distribution of goods, and the meeting would almost certainly conclude with a big drinking party.
Treaty meetings also drew crowds of vendors who wanted to make money off of the Indians once they received their payments. And there might even be opportunity for some thievery when everyone was drunk.
There was a farmer who came with whiskey to sell to start the party early, while negotiations were still in progress. Territorial governor Porter ordered him off the treaty grounds, but he didn’t go. He then told Marantette to break the whiskey kegs, which he did, spilling the liquid on the ground. Later the farmer sued Marantette, and won a judgment against him.
That story is told in the local county history, and has been repeated in other publications.
As far as I know, though, I’m the only person who has looked up this case in the Circuit Court records. The legal action started at the local Justice of the Peace, but ended up there through an appeals process.
It took me a while to find the records. The regional archives at Western Michigan University had them listed as being in their collection, but when I first asked to view them, they couldn’t be found. Eventually they were found, though, and I got photocopies made. I wish I knew more of how the legal system worked, so I could make sure I’m interpreting it all correctly, but here is a sample of what I transcribed. In places where I couldn’t make out the handwriting, I’ve substituted or added question marks. Page numbers from the leather-bound journal are in brackets.
James Hecox vs Patrick Marantate } The defendant by A Backus his attorney defends, pleads and says that he is not guilty of the force and injury when in? ?i? manner and force as the plaintiff has in his declaration alledged against him and for trial thereof he puts himself upon the Country.
The plaintiff will take notice that upon the trial of this cause the defendant will offer evidence to prove that at the times when the said? barrel of whiskey, keg of Rum and Keg of Brandy in the plaintiff’s declaration mentioned, were destroyed as the plaintiff has alleged the said barrel of whiskey, keg of rum, keg of brandy were standing and remaining upon the Indian lands in the Township of Notawa and County of St Joseph and Territory of Michigan, now called and known as the Indian reservation within sd County of St Joseph and at the time of destroying sd whiskey, rum, and brandy and breaking and destroying the barrel and keg in which the ???? were contained as alleged by the plaintiff a treaty was being held with the Indians upon the Indian lands in sd Township of Nottawa and County of St Joseph aforesaid that said treaty was then and there being held under the authority of the Government of the United States of America.
That sd whiskey, Brandy and Rum at the time when the sau?? were destroyed as alledged by the plaintiff were standing upon the treaty ground where a treaty was then being heled. That the plaintiff or some other person for him was then and there engaged in selling sd liquors viz: whiskey brandy and rum to the Indians then and there assembled before sd treaty [281] ground. That is became necessary for the preservation of peace and order and sobriety among the Indians and to prevent the disturbance fo sd treaty so being held as aforesaid with the Indians to stop the sale of all ardent-spirits upon sd teaty grounds on the Indian land to the Indians. That the plaintiff was repeatedly warned by the orders of George B. Porter then Governor of Michigan and superintendent of Indian affairs within this Territory to cease selling said Whiskey, Brandy and Rum to the Indians and to remove the same from the treaty ground, that plaintiff promised to do so, but did not, and that after being warned as aforesaid he the plaintiff continued selling sd whiskey, brandy and Rum to the Indians in defiance of the public authorities of the United States and of the orders of the then governor of the Territory of Michigan and superintendent of Indian affairs within sd Territory. That at the time of destroing sd liquors, viz whiskey brandy and rum in the plaintiffs declaration mentioned the said George B. Porter then being Governor and superintendent of Indian affairs as aforesaid was present upon sd treaty ground officially engaged in and conducting and superintending sd treaty with the Indians aforesaid [mentioned?]. That upon the neglect of the plaintiff to remove sd whiskey, brandy and Rum from the treaty ground and Indian lands aforesaid [mentionce ?ull] upon further complaints being made to the sd George B Porter Governor and superintendent as aforesaid, that sd whiskey, brandy and Rum were being sold to the Indians in defiance of the orders and in violation of law. This defendant was directed and ordered by the sd George B Porter, Governor and superintendant as aforesaid, to break open the casks in which they were contained and destroy said whiskey, brandy and rum so being sold as aforesaid upon sd treaty ground to the Indians to the great disturbance of sd treaty negotiations and the annoyance of the authorities of the United States then and there engaged in negotiating the same, and that defendant in pursuance of the order and directions? as aforesaid given to him, did break open the casks in which sd liquors were contained and spill and destroy sd liquors as he lawfully might do for the causes, and by the authority of aforesaid.
Andrew Backus, Def? Atty
And here is the final judgment, two and a half years after the incident took place:
St Joseph County S.S. Now on this day, that is to say on the twenty eighth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six being the April Term of the Circuit Court of the Territory of Michigan held in and for the County of St. Joseph aforesaid of the year aforesaid at the Court House in Centreville before the Hon. William A. Fletcher Circuit Judge of said Territory and M?? Muck & Hart L. Stewart Esq associate judges for the County of St joseph aforesaid. Cause as will the said Patrick Marantate to ju???? as the said james Hecox plaintiff by their attorney aforesaid and being ready for trial here came also a jury to wit: Roswell Shelhouse, Jasin Thurston, Edmund White, Mathew Rourrs?, Thomas M Collister? David H Austin, ?hia Alford Jr, William Whirter, Samuel Hazelet, Reuben Trussel? George Fortis & Solomon H??tan??. [283] who to speak the truth of the matters and things herein contained, being duly elected, empannelled and sworn, upon their oath say they find that the defendant Patrick Marantate is guilty in manner and form as he stands charged in the plaintiffs declaration and that they assess the plaintiffs damages at fifty dollars. Wherefore on motion of plaintiffs attorney it is ordered by the court that judgment be entered against the defendant on the verdict of the jury and that the plaintiff James Hecox recover of him the said Patrick Marantate the sum of Fifty dollars damages, assessed by the jury aforesaid together with his cost? of??? to?????, which costs are payed/taxed at Fifty Eight dollars and forty-one cents making in all the sum of one hundred and eight dollars and forty one cents.
[...] The brick building is kitty-corner across the street from the present-day St. Joseph County courthouse. It was at this location that circuit court was held in 1834-36, where Patrick Marantette had to defend himself against the lawsuit for destroying the illegal liquor at the treaty negotiation. [...]
My mother a Marantette Has the table the treaty was signed on in her home. It was in the museum in Kalamazoo for many years and the retreived by my nother.
Norma,
I think I once saw that table in the museum. Was it within the past five years or so that she retrieved it?
John
Patrick Marrantette was my Great Grand Father. I think that he led a colorful life, however he might pale compared to Madame Marantette))).
Yes, Joanne, I agree that Madame Marantette was an interesting character. I remember reading about her at the Mendon library. I didn’t quite figure out how to get any bike rides out of her story, though.