A paper read at the annual meeting of the Oakland County Pioneer and Historical Society, Feb 22, 1924, by Nathan Power.


In 1838 Aniatic cholera made its first appearance in Michigan. Modern science is able to control this disease but at that time it was little understood and greatly feared. It was brought to Detroit by the steamer "Henry Clay" which came up the lake from Buffalo with 370 soldiers aboard enroute for the Black Hawk War. Some of these were taken sick and left the baot at Detroit. One of them died the next day with the cholera. In a short time more than 200 residents were attacked and nearly 100 of them died.
The victims were first taken with a shill, this was followed by severe stomach and bowel trouble. This condition was succeeded by great weakness, physical collapes and death within a few hours. People were terror stricken and many of them fled. Not so Father Richard, catholic priest. He nursed the sick, comforted the dying, and preformed the burial rites over many. On Sept. 13, he himself stricken and died within a few hours. his death was mourned as a calamity, by all. Hr brought the first printing press to Michigan, published the first newspaper in Detroit, and was the first territorial delegate from Michigan to Congress of the United States.
While cholera was raging in Detoit, a man by the name of Burnum, who lived on now wht is know as the conroy road Farmington, visited Detroit and a few days after his return, was taken sick, lived buta few hours and died. His neighbors were afraid of the disease and but a few of themdared go to the stricken home. Nathan Power, my grandfather, who lived near him was not afraid and with one or two others, went to the house, prepared the body, and buried it in the door yard. A few who stood some distance away, put springs of pansy in their button holes, having heard that this was a specific against the disease.
About two weeks after this sad event, the wife of Nathan Power, was taken violenty ill, at about 2 o'clock, A. M., Aug 2. She was a robust woman a little over thirty years old and the mother of four little children. Grandfather left her and summoned Dr. Wixom, who lived about two miles away. He went through the woods, which had hardly been touched at that time, by the woodman's axe. The doctor jumped onto his horse and started immediately. Grandfather walked back, taking one route while the doctor took another, both arriving at the bedside of the sick woman about the same time.
It was a plain one-roomed log cabin where she lay. The doctor, after an examination, motioned my grandfater to follow him out into the yard. He said to him, "Nathan, if she were in Detroit, they would call it the cholera." After a brief consultation, they went back in the house only to find the patient in the death struggle. She died at 7 o'clock in the morning, after a sickness of only four or five hours. Soon after, her little girl five years old, Minerva by name, was found to be missing. After a brief search, they found her near by suffering with all the symptoms of the dreaded malady. They were powerless to check the disease and she died at 11 A. M., about four hours after her mother. Late in the afternoon of the same day, their bodies were placed in a rude box that had been hastily constructed.
This box was put upon a cart and srawn by a yoke of oxen through the woods to what is now known as the Quaker Cemetery. Mother and child were placed in one grave, the first to be buried within that enclosure where so many now sleep. There were no ceremonies, no burial service. No other members of the family were attacked bby the disease. The three that I have mentioned, were the only cholera victims in that pioneer settlement.
Mr. Power was left with three boys, the older being seven years old. He was a devote Quaker and believed in a divine being, who doeth all things well. In this terrible breavement, his faith was unshaken and though he could not understand, he never questionedthe goodness of God.
He was urged by friends and relatives to abandon the little clearing in the woods of Michigan and return to the old home in New York state, but with stout heart and undaunted courage and confidence in the future, he refused. He lived to see the clouds roll away, the woods and brush disappear, and fertile, cultivated acres take their place. The rude log cabin with its cramped quarters was succeeded by the comfortable farm house and the commodius barns, and too the indian trails and bridle paths, passed away and in their place came better roads.
How well I remember him in his well fitting suit of Quaker brown. It was my delight to hear him tell some of his experiences of pioneer days. It was a great day when I could coax him to take the big steel trap with its powerful jaws from the peg on which it hung and tell me about the gaunt, hungry wolves that he caught, seven in number, six of them gray and one jet black in color. How one more powerful then the rest, pulled up the stake to which the trap was attached and dragged the trap, stake and all a lonf distane through the woods, only to get it caught between two trees, where he was found and made to pay the penalty for the raids on grandfather's stock.
As I have previously stated, he belonged to the religious society of Quakers, who were the first settlers of Farmington. They had no dedicated churches, just plain meeting houses. neither had they salaried preachers. They attended meetings on Sundays and Thursdays. they had no music, but sat quietly together until moved by the spirit to speak. They refused to take an oath if called to the witness stand, since in all his words, man is under obligation to tell the ttruth.
They were patriotic and took an active, intelligent interest in public affairs. They were strong supporters of all moral issues and early allied themselves with the Anti-slavery formes of the country. While they were law abiding and ever willing to support and defend all measures that tended to promote the peace and property of the commonwealth, they took strong ground against the Fugitive Slave law and were active in their opposition to its enforcement.
Grandfather maintained a station of the underground railway at his home and there were many days when a search of the premises would have revealed some cringing, trembling black man, in concealment, escaping from bondage. The night would come and with its protecting darkness and with the utmost secrecy, the ladt leg of the journey would be made and with the morning, the fugitive would find himself safe within the Canadian border, forever free from the shackles of human slavery.
My grandfather taught the first school in the town. This was in the winter of 1826. he continued in this position until 1830. He lived to be an old man, but the memory of that sad August day remained with him through all the years and he never discussed it or referred to it unless directly questioned about it.