132 Douglass Houghton. — A. Winchell. 
Northwest, for which he still stands credited in American 
Manuals. 
From 1832 to 1836, he practiced as a physician and surgeon, 
never relaxing however, his pursuits in natural science. During 
the visitation of cholera in 1834, he performed many acts of 
heroism and noble charity, for which he is remembered to this 
day. In 1836 he matured the scheme for the Geological Sur- 
vey of the state. To the promotion of the interests of this 
work he devoted the next nine years of his life. At this date 
geological surveys had been carried to completion in verj- few 
states or countries, but now an interest was arising which ex- 
tended throughout the Northern States. It is worthy of note, 
however, that the lead was taken by North Carolina in 1824, 
and South Carolina in 1826. Massachusetts had furnished an 
example and a stimulus to other northern States since 1830. 
The survey of Tennessee had been organized in 1832, that of 
Maryland in 1834, of New Jersey and Virginia in 1835. Acts 
were passed in New York, Maine and Connecticut in 1836, and 
in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.^ in 1837. Before the decade 
was closed, surveys had been ordered in Kentucky, Ehode 
Island and the mineral lands of Iowa and Wisconsin. There 
was a wide and active awakening to the importance of that 
modern form of scientific and economic enterprise which is ex- 
hibited in public geological surveys. 
An alert intelligence like Houghton's could not fail to enter 
into the spirit of the time, and there would be little difficulty 
in conceiving a practicable plan. To induce a population just 
emerged from a territorial condition to give their practical en- 
dorsement to such a plan, demanded gifts which were more 
than scientific. Only a born public leader could have carried 
such a scheme into effect. It must be remembered nevertheless, 
that for obvious reasons, the difficulty was less in those times 
than would be encountered to-day. Though the State was 
only a month old, Detroit, its capital, had been settled since 
1701. In the missionary operations of the Jesuits, Detroit Avas 
longacentral post, while in the wars with Indians, French and 
British, it was regarded as a strategic point. The military 
establishment was the nucleus of a spirit of intelligence, honor 
and respect for superior station and worth. Detroit was there- 
-Tlie bill was siirned by Ttov. Mapon, Feb. 2.'., l^^'^T.^ The State was 
declared a member of the Federal Union, Jan. 26, 1837. 
