Michigan's County Courthouses

Presque Isle County

157 RogeRs City—“Almost an island” may be the literal translation of Presque isle, but the name may as well be synonymous with struggle. standing in relative isolation on the shore of Lake Huron in the northeastern tip of the Lower Peninsula, conflicts with the elements and between political factions have marked much of its history. settlement began peacefully enough in the s when Francis Crawford came with his family to start a quarry.the stone proved too flaky for building, so he turned to logging. eventually, Presque isle would be home to a massive limestone quarry, convincing city leaders in  to dub Rogers City, the county seat, “Limestone City.” Presently, the city calls itself “the Nautical City.” William e. Rogers is the namesake. He was a distinguished graduate of West Point, a veteran of the Civil War and on assignment with the U.s. Corps of engineers to do a survey when he came to the area in early . included in his party was Albert Molitor, a man who would later become the local despot. the two men formed a company and began laying out a town and bringing in people, particularly german and Polish immigrants. everyone depended exclusively on the company for employment and for provisions. After a particularly harsh – winter, Rogers tired of the venture and returned to New york. the settlement nearly starved and welcomed the first ship in late April with shouting and cheering. Molitor quickly consolidated control of the company and the region. He reportedly was an illegitimate son of King William i of Württemberg and nearly found death and intrigue in europe before escaping to America and fighting for the Union. Now he had his chance to claim a throne for himself. Because everyone depended on him for work and on his well-stocked store for survival, the will of Molitor was the law of the land. He could demand fourteen-hour days from his workers, and he charged exorbitant prices for his goods. Wives and daughters of the town that he fancied he could have any night of his choosing. Without the capital of Rogers, Molitor had to bleed the county for finances. the first record of the Board of supervisors meeting is from . A rivalry between Rogers City and Crawfords Quarry developed, for both wanted the county seat. the latter built an octagon-shaped courthouse for $, in , and $ was spent on an upright woodburning stove. Rogers City had a courthouse too, and competing elections were held in each in . Local lore has it that during this time of bitter fighting no sooner was a courthouse built in one spot than it was burnt under mysterious circumstances. Rogers City won when Molitor lobbied the Legislature to award it the county seat on the basis that the county had not been properly formed originally. Previously, the county was part of Mackinac, then Cheboygan, and finally Alpena Counties. An order instructing Crawfords Quarry to turn over the wooden stove and the county records was issued. the county treasurer escaped with them to the woods, and they were never located. Meanwhile, Molitor was passing bonds to finance his business. He obtained $, for a schoolhouse that turned out to be a one-story frame building, which probably only Presque Isle County PResQUe isLe CoUNty 158 cost $. Money was scarce and workers were paid in credit at Molitor’s store. there was no railroad, and boats were rare. it was commonly known that one had to deal with Molitor to prosper. in  a group of  to  men surrounded Molitor’s store and sent in a committee that demanded that he produce the county books. He refused, telling the committee to head to a “warmer climate.” He was seized and taken outside, where he glared with flashing eyes and an erect head past the guns and pitchforks of the mobs. When one man flashed a rope and said Molitor would hang unless he turned over the books, Molitor uttered a loud laugh, threw open his collar and dared the mob to do it, which it did not. All day there was a standoff, and Molitor ate his dinner with an unspoiled appetite at a table in the middle of the road. the mob dispersed at nightfall. But Molitor’s days were numbered. A smaller group of men carried out the deed on August , . He was wounded in a quasi drive-by shooting when the men shot him through the window of his store, killing a young clerk...