Historical Cass County Michigan ~ GenWeb

Brief History

The county is named after Lewis Cass (1782-1866 ) who was the Territorial Governor of Michigan from 1813-31. Lewis was also the secretary of war under President Andrew Jackson. In the 1820's white settlers occupied the Potawatomi's territory.   US-12 was once an Indian trail that crossed the state from Detroit in the east to Chicago in the west. the early settlers came from Berrien which included New Englanders, Southerners, and a large Black and Indian population. Although most Potawatomi were forced off their land, some Native Americans resisted, and in 1837 were able to purchase 1,000 acres of land in Silver Creek Township. Many descendants can still be found living there today. The Black population was aided by the Quakers who had left the South due to slavery. They helped slaves escape through the underground railroad. About 2 miles east of Cassopolis is The William Jones House, a station for the underground railroad.

Townships are:
Calvin, Howard, Jefferson, LaGrange, Marcellus, Mason, Milton, Newberg, Ontwa, Penn, Pokagon, Porter, Silver Creek, Volinia, Wayne

Cassopolis is the county seat. And Dowagiac is the only city located within the county.
Other villages (towns) are: Edwardsburg, Marcellus and Vandalia.

HISTORIES & INDEXES

• The Underground Railroad

• Miscellaneous

• NEGROS OF SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGAN - by: Everett Claspy - Indexed by Amelia Castle

• POTAWATOMI INDIANS OF SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGAN - by: Everett Claspy - Indexed by: Amelia Castle

• A BRIEF HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY - COMPILED BY MAE R. SCHOETZOW - INDEXED BY: AMELIA B. CASTLE

• INDEX TO: DOWAGIAC AND SISTER LAKES RESORT AREAS - INDEXED BY: AMELIA B. CASTLE

CASS HISTORY BOOKS ON GOOGLE WITH SEARCHABLE INDEXES

• Portrait and Biographical Record of Berrien and Cass Counties, Michigan - published 1893
  Available at Google Book Search .... and it is free and on line!

Email the county host if you have material to contribute

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