George and Libbie Custer's Monroe, Michigan

[James N.]

Statue representing General George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of Gettysburg, erected by the State of Michigan and dedicated in 1910 by President William Howard Taft.

I recently traveled to Detroit, Mich., for an event with my old traveling companion Mike; back in high school we had been real "Custer buffs" and have been to most of the notable sites related to the "Boy General" of the Civil War but this was the very first time either of us had visited his adopted home town of Monroe. Here the young future general came at the age of ten from his birthplace at New Rumley, Ohio, ( which I featured in a previous thread ) to live with his half-sister Lydia Reed and her husband David. Here he met and married his bride, the vivacious Elizabeth "Libbie" Bacon, daughter of local Judge Daniel S. Bacon in a magnificent wartime ceremony. And it was here that they lived for varying periods of time before his death; and she returned briefly to afterward as a widow.

I will break this thread up into posts according to subject as relates to the Custers and members of their families. Most of the information comes from the short tour guide Traces of General George Armstrong Custer by local Monroe historian Ralph Naveaux sold in the Monroe County Historical Museum which has an outstanding collection of artifacts pertaining to the Custers and their time spent here. I will begin with what is probably the most personally important site to the couple.

The Judge Daniel S. Bacon House

This handsome home originally stood on Monroe's main street on the site of what is now the Monroe County Historical Museum, but was moved in 1911 to make room for a new U. S. Post Office building, now home to the Museum. Here Elizabeth Clift Bacon lived with her widowed father, Judge Daniel S. Bacon, until her marriage in 1863. According to the guidebook, "The house also served as a temporary home for the Custers in 1868, and Libbie lived there for a time after her husband's death in 1876." It is currently a private residence and home to a noted Custer buff!

 

[James N.]

"Frenchtown" on the River Raisin

A word about the location of Monroe is in order, if only as a background to Custer's later career: I didn't realize it but it was the site of one of the most notorious Indian massacres of the Nineteenth Century during the War of 1812! I had heard of the action known to history as the Battle of the River Rasin, but had NO idea it was here in what became Custer's home town; no doubt he was quite familiar with it as a boy growing up. Indeed, in the museum is a post-Civil War photo of him with local War of 1812 veterans, now grown old. Unlike certain events labeled "massacres" simply because Native Amerindians happened to win, the circumstances of this event leave little room for interpretation.

In brief, a U. S. force marching in the dead of winter in Jan., 1813, took refuge here some forty miles south of Detroit which had been seized by the British. A small settlement known as Frenchtown on the north bank of what locals called the Riviere Rasin for the grapes which grew along its banks and not far from the shores of nearby Lake Erie provided some shelter to U. S. regulars and Kentucky militia. They were attacked and overwhelmed by a force of British regulars, Canadian militia, and Indians. After a bloody battle the U.S. commander surrendered, with the promise from General Proctor that his wounded would receive protection by the British from their allies. The next day, with the bulk of the British and their prisoners including the walking wounded gone, Shawnee Chief Tecumseh's warriors returned, murdering about sixty too badly wounded to be moved; along with them were some of the inhabitants of Frenchtown who tried to protect their charges. ( Tecumseh himself was innocent and outraged when he found out what had happened. ) Along with another similar event at Fort Mims in Alabama this was the most notorious event of the war and one which provided the American battle cry "Remember the Raisin!"

The site of the battle and subsequent massacre is slightly removed from the town of Monroe itself which was established later and named in honor of President James Monroe. The land encompassing Frenchtown and the battle has only recently become a unit of the National Park Service and is undergoing development. Above is a marker overlooking part of the battlefield and the campsite of the U. S. Regulars of the 17th Infantry Regiment. Below is probably the only remaining structure, a trading post which originally stood near Frenchtown but has been removed several miles away on the other side of Monroe.

The Navarre-Anderson Trading Post dates from ca. 1789 and quite possibly earlier; the "window" visible low on its side is a plexiglass cover showing the original log construction of a type known as piece-sur-piece which features logs stacked upon themselves in a typical French fashion. This also allows the many bullet holes in the logs to be clearly seen!

 

[James N.]

Nevin Custer Farm

The Nevin Custer farm is near the current location of the Navarre-Anderson Trading Post, north of the River Raisin and west of Monroe on North Custer Road. According to the guidebook, "On August 22, 1871, George and his brother, Nevin, and their wives jointly purchased this house and 116 acres for $5,280. Nevin, whose rheumatic condition had saved him from the soldierly fate of his brothers, was the only one of the Custer line to have children. General Custer's favorite horse, Dandy, was buried in an orchard near the barn. Visitors to the farm included Buffalo Bill Cody and Annie Oakley." On the march to the Little Big Horn Custer had two of his favorite horses, Vic and Dandy. He was riding Vic during the battle, so Dandy survived and as Custer's personal property was returned to Libbie and put out to pasture here on Nevin's farm. Supposedly the exact place he was buried is now unknown.

Of course George and Libbie never actually lived here themselves, but visited Nevin whenever they returned to Monroe; he continued to farm here until his own death, as noted on the historical marker in the front yard.

Obviously the current owners don't want any visitors to miss the location!

 

[James N.]

The Custer Family Plot in Woodland Cemetery

Neither George nor Libbie are buried here in Monroe; the year following his death in 1876 at the Little Big Horn what were believed to be the remains of George, his brothers Tom and Boston and their nephew Harry Armstrong ( called Autie like his famous uncle ) Reed were exhumed and shipped back east. The general was enshrined at West Point where Libbie joined him upon her death in the 193o's and Tom was buried in a National Cemetery, but both Bos and Autie came home and were buried in the Custer family plot as described below.

The grave of Boston Custer can be seen in the foreground decorated with the U. S. flag; the large monument bears the names of him and his parents Emmanuel and Maria Custer who are also buried here. Below is a closer look at the inscription pertaining to Boston. Eventually the entire Custer clan relocated to Monroe; Emmanuel bought a modest house ( still standing ) here in 1863 for $1000.

Nearby in the same plot are the graves of nephew Autie Reed and sister Margaret Custer Calhoun who was also widowed by the Battle of the Little Big Horn when her husband, Captain James "Jimmy" Calhoun commanding one of the companies of the 7th Cavalry was killed along with his brothers-in-law.

At some little distance across Woodland Cemetery from the Custer plot above and near one of the gates is the plot of Judge and Mrs. Daniel S. Bacon, parents of Elizabeth "Libbie" Bacon Custer. ( Mrs. Bacon died before the Civil War, leaving her husband a widower and their only child. )

 

[James N.]

First Presbyterian Church

Although much altered in 1873 from its original appearance, which was similar to New England Congregational Churches, in this church then-Brig. Gen. George Armstrong Custer wed Elizabeth "Libbie" Bacon on February 9, 1864, in what was described as a magnificent ceremony dubbed "the wedding of the century" for which much of the town turned out.

There are other buildings and sites in Monroe which have connections with and relevance to the Custers and the time they spent here; it was in front of this church and the neighboring courthouse that the large statue of Custer called Sighting the Enemy was originally placed in another impressive ceremony June 4, 1910, dedicated by President Taft and attended by Libbie Custer and other friends and family members.

 

[kholland]

Interesting post, James. I was aware that Tom and another brother were killed at Little Big Horn but was unaware of a nephew and brother-in-law. What a truly sad day for the Custer family.

 

[James N.]

Sighting the Enemy...

...is the name of this heroic statue that depicts General Custer on July 3, 1863 at the battle of Gettysburg. According to the guidebook, "Sighting the Enemy" was erected by the State of Michigan at a cost of $15,000. The unveiling, which took place on June 4, 1910, was attended by Elizabeth Custer and President William Howard Taft... Libby also attended a reception of veterans at the Armory... She spent three hours receiving visitors in the parlor of the Park Hotel... after the festivities were over, Libbie went to visit friends in Saginaw, returning to Monroe on June 11, to spend time in her childhood home.

The statue has had quite a journey of its own: The statue was originally located at the intersection of Washington and First Streets, but was later... moved to Soldier's and Sailor's Park along the south side of the River Raisin... The Custer Statue was "banished " after being declared a traffic hazard in the 1920's. It was relocated to the corner of Monroe Street and Elm Avenue in 1955. Libbie was extremely displeased when it was first moved; no doubt she would be much happier with its current location which is a place of prominence on the south side of and next to the river facing a major traffic intersection in the heart of town.

 

[Copperhead-mi]

Memories. Years ago I went to a military school (no longer in existence) just a few blocks down from the Custer equestrian statue which is on the s.w. corner of Elm and Monroe streets. On the weekend a group of us cadets would meet a group of girls from the nearby St. Mary Academy at the statue and smoke and just hang out. When I was in the 6th grade I had dates with my first serious girlfriend --it lasted about 2 months before we "broke up"-- at that statue and the nearby park on the River Raisin.

 

[Mike Serpa]

Thanks for this great set of posts.

 

[Custers Luck]

thanks for the photos James , I have not seen the Nevin Custer farm or all the other graves, I get so tunnel vision on G. Armstrong, so it was a treat to see the things I've missed.

 

[major bill]

That is a fine statue for a true American hero.

 

[James N.]

thanks for the photos James , I have not seen the Nevin Custer farm or all the other graves, I get so tunnel vision on G. Armstrong, so it was a treat to see the things I've missed.

That is a fine statue for a true American hero.

The statue recently had its own centennial and was refurbished and rededicated; I was given a commemorative poster from the occasion at the town visitor center that shows a large photo of the original dedication ceremony. Monroe was one of the principal Custer sites I'd never seen before because there's little else in this area that interests me. However, we discovered several interesting places on this trip that pertain to the War of 1812, which is currently "celebrating" its own Bicentennial.

 

[W. Richardson]

Wonderful post, thanks.........

Respectfully,

William

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Yes, thanks very much! For a lot of reasons, so much better to see these places from people who have been there instead of the regular history sites- as good as some of those are, too.

 

[Poor Private]

People forget that Michigan at one time was a frontier state. We have had indian battles, war of 1812 battles, French and Indian battles. Niles Michigan flew under 4 different flags throughout its history, French, English, Spainish, and the best for last American. One of our local cemetaries has a revolutionary vet buried in it- If I am not mistaken it has a vet from Revolution to current war burried in it(Otsego MI.). One of the first Units that responded to the call By Lincoln was the 1st Michigan. When they arrived in Washington Lincoln stated "Thank God for Michigan". They were various members from city militias who came together at Detroit and formed up the 1st Michigan.
Custer has various places and things named after him throughout the state- the most notable being Fort Custer at Battle Creek, a military post and hospital facility, it borders on the north side of I94. I can remember seeing convoy after convoy heading out and being deployed from there during the Vietnam era.

 

[donna]

Great posts.

 

[donna]

Bringing this thread back up. Was doing research on George Custer's horses, especially Vic and Dandy.

 

[Sultana65]

Thanks for sharing all of your photos and information, James N. To think that I live miles from all of this and have only been to the Monroe County Historical Museum once and driven by the Custer Farm and Navarre-Anderson Trading Post umpteen times but never stopped to look around, although I have always wanted to stop at the trading post but it always seems to be closed when I'm over that way. They open it for special occasions, I think.

Honestly, I guess it goes to show that people don't always appreciate what is in their own back yard, but I have never been very enamored of General Custer myself. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because he seemed so cocky, so "I'm God's gift to the world" full of himself, I don't know. I am weird, though. I tend to pick more obscure people like Herman Haupt and Oliver O. Howard to become fascinated with. I guess I just don't go for the flashy center of attention type, and Custer, with his flowing golden hair and red neck scarf, certainly was that. He was dashing, I will give him that, and I probably would have been infatuated with him if I lived back then, as I'm sure many women were. Libby Bacon was certainly exceptionally pretty, especially for the times when women didn't wear makeup or have plastic surgery or even basic dental care. I think she was every bit the prize that her husband was.

Thanks again, I will have to revisit those sites, they are so close by.

 

[Equestriangirl93]

Thank you for posting!!! As some of you know, Libbie Custer is a favorite of mine (probably borderline obsessed with her lol)