Scope and ContentLucius Lyon was Michigan Territory's representative to the U. S. House of Representatives in 1833 when land at the mouth of the Kalamazoo River went on sale at the land office in White Pigeon. He knew the land well having surveyed most of Allegan County and received news of events from three correspondents. The letter written by Saugatuck founder William G. Butler has been reprinted in the book "The Letters of William G. Butler" [by Kit Lane]. Pertinent excerpts from the other two letters are printed below. --- The first letter to be written was from Thomas Fitzgerald the lighthouse keeper at St. Joseph. St. Joseph, M.T. Dec. 18, 1833 Hon. Lucius Lyon, Dear Sir, In my letter of last week I informed you that the village at the mouth of Kalamazoo would be called "Newport" but Mr. Griffith has since returned from the Land Sale at White Pigeon, and informs me that the proprietors, consisting of Messrs. Mason, Hoffman of Niles, Butler and himself had agreed upon Newark, as its permanent name, and that the plat would be recorded by that name. I mention this more particularly from a belief that you will feel disposed to get a Mail Boat established from thence to Bronson, and also to this place. That Newark is destined ere long to become a place of considerable importance I have no doubt, the land in that vicinity sold remarkably high, and for many miles up the Kalamazoo and Rabbit Rivers. Nearly all the lands on the borders of those excellent streams have already been purchased and measures adopted for opening the necessary roads. Settlements will be formed, mills, warehouses, stores, mechanic, shops, taverns, dwelling houses, etc., etc., will spring up as if by magic. Perhaps you may be half way inclined to suspect me of being somewhat interested in Newark -- not at all -- I have not the good fortune to have any interest there either directly or indirectly nor do I much expect to have, but poverty only prevents me... Your Sincere Friend Thomas Fitzgerald --- The second letter in the Lyon letter file in the Clements Library, Ann Arbor, is from William G. Butler, dated December 20, 1833, and mailed at White Pigeon. [not included] The third concerning the same event is from H. H. Comstock, founder of Otsego in Allegan County, who owned the mouth of the river and would later ask such a high price from those seeking a mill site that Singapore would be built nearly a mile upriver. Lyon was a lifelong bachelor. Detroit December 25th 1833 Friend Lyon I wish you Merry Christmas and if I was to wish you anything more that I thought would make you the happiest fellow in the world it would be as good a wife as I have got. I have just returned from the land sale and before giving you a history of that event I want to return to you my thanks for the message you sent me in regard to the sale. A considerable amount of land was sold and that about the mouth of the River extraordinary high, it got from $2.25 to $12. per acres those fractions you esteemed valuable I had the good luck to secure, the mouth of the River for $2.26 per acre the rest selling from $4 to $10 & $12. Mr. Butler set out 5/8 of his fraction for $1,500 to Messrs. Griffith, Mason & Hoffman who are all calculating to commence operation in the spring so that you will perceive our River will soon have business & enterprise equal to any one and I apprise that from personal experience I am satisfied it is the best site in the Territory excepting Grand River. Whatever can get into the mouth can go up to Foster's (at present-day Otsego ] and indeed I must say I was more disappointed in the river and its excellent quality of bottom lands. A good country after all the misrepresentations that have been made than any section of the Territory I have seen from the beginning to the end the country is good and in four years St. Joseph will be in the background. Messrs Griffith, Butler & Hoffman requested me to ask of you to make an application to the Post office Department for a Post office to be located at Newark {the name they have given to the place}. I assume it is necessary to make the application at such time in order to procure one when they will want one when I presume will be next summer... [there follows a detailed request that the mail go directly to Otsego without going through Gull Prairie and he closes] I hope to hear from you soon please tell me what you are doing. How you like Washington and what the prospects are of you picking up as wife this winter. Yours sincerely, H. H. Comstock