250 and Counting

Category: Michigan History

  • September 24, 1775: Captain Nathan Heald

    Cover art for September 24, 1775: Photograph of Nathan Heald, date unknown.

    It could be argued that Captain Heald’s biggest claim to fame is that he was on hand for the disastrous outcome at Fort Dearborn, but at least he doesn’t eat the blame for it; it just happened to be the guy who was there.

    On the bright side (such as it is), the events at Dearborn were soon overshadowed by President Madison declaring war on the British, thus beginning the War of 1812. Heald and his wife, who were both injured at Fort Dearborn, were released back to the Americans. Heald was promoted shortly thereafter and given a disability discharge in 1814. And isn’t that always the way.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • May 17, 1775: Daniel LeRoy

    Cover art for May 17, 1775: Portrait of Daniel LeRoy, slightly doctored by Claude. Original creator unknown.
    Actor Richard Kind

    Is it just me or does Daniel LeRoy look a lot like actor Richard Kind?

    Daniel LeRoy was born in upstate New York and started to put together a pretty good settlement, but an unfortunate choice on his part caused him to lose it all.

    So he moved west and rebuilt his life and, by most accounts, it’s reasonable to say that he did rather well in the Michigan Territory, and in the State after that area became our nation’s 26th.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed