aass_Emz__ / / / HISTORY OF SHIfflSl ID HOi E MICHIGAN, WITH Illustrations and Biographical Sketches OF THEIR PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS. PHILADELPHIA: D. W. ENSIGN & CO. 1880. I PRESS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT A CO , PHILADELPHIA. 16245 ^1 ,^^ y 1 D A< PREFACE. This History of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties has been prepared witii the intention to make it as complete and accurate as possible; to produce a truthful and exhaustive narrative of events of im- portance or general interest which have occurred within the present boundaries of these two counties from the period of their occupation by the aborigines down to the present time; to embody all obtainable facts, but to exclude from the narrative everything of doubtful authenticity, confining it as closely as practicable to the limits of Shiawassee and Clinton, and referring to no outside matters except such as could not properly be omitted because of their close connection with the history of the region which is especially under notice. The work is divided into three parts. The first part, embracing twenty chapters, is devoted to matters common to both counties, viz., a short account of the occupation of their territory by the native Indians as far back as tradition reaches; the operations of white traders among the red men through all this region ; the several Indian cessions of land covering the territory now forming Shiawassee and Clinton ; internal improvements, including a mention of Territorial roads, State roads, and railways traversing the two counties, and of the several projects formed in early yeare for improving the navigation of the Shia- wassee, Maple, and Looking-Glass Rivers; military history, principally referring to the services performed in the war of the Rebellion by a large number of Michigan regiments, all or nearly all of which contained soldiers from both Clinton and Shiawassee Counties. Next after these general chapters is given a separate history of Shiawassee County, its cities, Owosso and Corunna, and each of its townships ; and this part is followed by a similar separate history of Clinton County, its principal village, and the several towns. The township histories are largely made up of accounts of pioneer settlers, the work whicii they performed and the privations which they endured while transforming the wilderness into fruitful fields. In this connection it is proper to say that if errors are discovered (as it is nearly certain there will be) in the orthography of some of the family names of the early and later residents of Shiawassee and Clinton, it is largely to be attributed to the fact that the names have been found spelled diiferently (and sometimes in as many as three or four different ways) in the county, township, church, and society records, and that even members of the same family are not infrequently found to vary in the orthog- raphy of their surname. Under such circumstances it cannot be regarded as a matter of surprise if the writers of the county and township histories, often finding themselves wholly at a loss to know which manner of spelling to adojit, have sometimes made the mistake of choosing the wrong one. The historical material for the work has been gathered partly from county, township, and society records, and to some extent from old newspaper files, but principally from conversations with the oldest residents and best-informed people, of whom a very large number in each county have been called on and consulted; and all, with Jiardly an exception, have fully and freely — to the extent of their ability — imparted the information sought. The pioneers and other citizens of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties PREFACE. who liave tliiis furnished information are so numerous that it is inipraoticable to give them the separate individual mention wliich they are entitled to receive, but grateful thanks are tendered to each and all for the assistance whieli they have so obligingly extended. The writer also desires especially to express his acknowledgments to the editors and proprietors of the several newspapers, the county and township officers, the pastors and leading members of the churches, and the gentlemen of the legal and medical professions of the two counties, for favore and courtesies received from them in the preparation of the work. F. E. Philadelphia, Pa., August 14, 1880. CONTENTS. HIISTOE/IOJLXj. HISTOEY or SHUWA"3SEE AND OLINTOTT COUNTIES. CHAPTER PAGE I. — Indian History of the two Counties ..... 9 II. — Indian Treaties and Cessions of Lands, and Indian Emi- gration .......... 17 III. — Internal Improvements ....... 23 IV.— Military Record 39 v.— Third Infantry 43 VI.— Fifth Infantry 45 VII.— Eighth Infantry 53 Vlil.— Ninth Infantry 60 IX.— Tenth Infantry 63 X. — Fourteenth Infantry ........ 68 XI. — Tiventy-third Infantry 75 XII. — Twenty-seventh Infantry ...... 85 XIII. — Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth Infantry and First En- gineers and Mechanics ....... 83 XIV. — First and .Second Cavalry ...... 03 XV.— Third Cavalry 97 XVI.— Fourth Cavalry 99 XVII.— Fifth Cavalry 102 XVIII.— Sixth Cavalry 106 XIX.— Tenth Cavalry 108 XX. — Other Soldiers from Shiawassee and Clinton Counties . Ill SHIAWASSEE COUNTY. XXI. — Location, Topography, and Mineral Resources . . 116 XXII. — Civil Changes, Early Settlements . . . .118 XXIII. — Organization of the County; Courts and Other Matters 121 XXIV. — County-sites and County Property .... 126 XXV.— The Press, The Professions, Civil List . . . .130 XXVI. — County Societies, Agriculture, Manufactures, Popula- tion ... 138 XXVII.— City of Owosso 144 XXVIII.— City of Corunna 165 XXIX. — Antrim Township 177 XXX. — Bennington Township ....... 186 XX.XI.- Burns " 193 CHAPTER PAGE XXXII.— Caledonia Township 211 XXXIII.— FairBeld " 220 XXXIV.— Hazelton " 226 XXXV.— Middlebury " 238 XXXVI.— New Haven " 248 XXXVII. — Owosso " 259 XXXVIII.— Perry " 265 XXXIX.— Rush " 272 XL. — Shiawassee " 279 XLI. — Seiota " 291 XLII.— Vernon " 300 XLIII.— Venice " 3U XLIV.— WoodhuU " 322 CLINTON COUNTY. XLV. — Boundaries, Topography, Mineral Resources . . 331 XLVI.— Changes of Civil Jurisdiction 334 XLVII. — Early Settlements, County Organization, Courts, and other County JIatters 336 XLVIII.— The Professions, Press, Civil List . . . .345 XLIX. — County Societies, Agriculture, Manufactures, Popula- tion .353 L.— Village of St. .lohns 363 LI. — Bingham Township ........ 379 LII.— Bath " 386 LIII.— Bengal '■ 393 LIV.— De Witt " 403 LV.— Dallas " 414 LVI.— Duplain " 422 LVII.— Eagle " 436 LV III.— Essex " 443 LIX. — Greenbush " 458 LX. — Lebanon " 469 LXL— Ovid " 478 LXII.— Olive '• 491 LXtll.— Riley " 497 LXIV.— Victot '■ 509 LXV. — Watertown Township 519 LXVI. — Westphalia Township 533 BIOa-K/.A.I=I3:iO.A.Ij. Benjamin 0. Williams Hon. Amos Gould Elisha Salisbury Hon. Josiah Turner William M. Kilpatrick D. M. Estcy James M. Guile . Ezra L. Mason . John C. Adams . I. S. A. Wright . PAGE 158 160 161 162 163 163 164 165 1«3 184 Walter Wright . Calvin M. F'uller Nathaniel Durfec Allen Beard Benjamin F. Howard Isaac tiale . Ncwcorab Mitchell Samuel Nichols . John Innes Jonathan M. Harttvell PAGE 184 185 185 185 180 191 195 191! 197 198 CONTENTS. BIOG-I^^miOA-Xj. FAQE Truman W. Rowly 207 Roger HavilaiiJ 208 Robert Fox 208 Isaac S. Barnum .......•• 208 Nicholas Braden 209 Amos Foster 209 Thomas P. Green 210 W.W.Smith 210 Thomas R. Young 219 Ephraim F. Bennett 225 George B. Munson ......... 225 Ithial L. Munson 226 John Judd 2.34 W. W. Warner 2.36 Jesse Rhoades 237 John Bonian . . 237 George W. Slocum 244 George H. Warren 245 Leonard F. Kingsley 246 James Kenney facing 246 William Tubbs 247 Horace C. Main ......*... 248 Jacob Weidman .......... 256 Phineas Buroh 257 Wellmnn Hart 257 -Daniel Young 258 H. B. Cram 259 Isaac M. Banks facing 280 A. P. Greenman and Wife "284 William Newberry 290 John Whaley 290 Mrs. Nellie P. MoClintock 300 Willard Ryan 300 R. Reed . facing 306 Henry Jennings Van Akin 312 James Van Akin ......... 313 Nathan M. Smith 313 Hon. F. a. Bailey 321 Alonzo H. Owens 321 Andrew J. Van Riper 329 Francis F. Mann 330 John P. Shaft facing 330 Hon. Oliver Lyman Spaulding 377 .Tohn H. Fedewa 377 Robert M. Steel 378 John Hicks 378 John R. Hale 385 PAGE John Avery 385 Daniel Ridcnour . 3S6 James N. Smith 392 ■J Benjamin F. Young ......... 402 George Allen 413 George F. Dutlon 421 Daniel Dutton 422 E. V. Chase facing 433 William Tillotson 433 George R. Doty .......... 434 Lyman Cobb 435 Comfort Ranney 436 Willis Leach 436 David Clark 4 12 George W. McCrumb 442 Mrs. Sally Hawley Beers 443 William A. Hewitt 455 Solomon P. Creasinger 456 0. F. Peck 457 Nathan R. Lowe 457 , Capt. David S. French 467 David Levy 468 William T. and Robert E. Davies 468 Charles Sessions ......... 477 Ezekiel De Camp 489 B. M. Shepard 490 Dr. Solon C. King 491 Augustus Gillett 497 John W. Outcalt 497 Lyman Hungcrford 507 Philip P. Peck 508 Jonathan Owen facing 508 John C. Brunson ......... 516 William S. Parker 517 Mrs. Sarah Parker 517 Epson Parker .......... 517 C. R. McKee 518 Ainsworth Reed 518 James Upton .......... 518 Chas. Edward Hollister 519 George Gall . 528 Eliel Ingersoll 529 Wm. F. Dutton 530 George W. Kinney . 531 Stephen Hill 532 Frank Noekor 541 irjIjTJSTI?.^TI02srS. State Capitol Building . . . . Maps of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties. PAGE facing title, facing 9 Portrait of Okemos . . . . . . . . - 15 Shiawassee Court-House facing 116 CITY OF OWOSSO. Estey Manufacturing Company's Works and Office, between 150, 151 Portrait of Benjamin 0. Williams " Alfred L. Williams . Residence of Benjamin 0. Williams Portrait of Hon. Amos Gould (steel) " Elisha Salisbury " Hon. Josiah Turner . facing 158 158 158 160 161 162 Portrait of William M. Kilpatrick 163 " James M. Guile 164 " Ezra L. Mason 165 ANTRIM TOWNSHIP. Residence of B. F. Howard " C. M. Fuller .... " with portraits of Nathaniel Durfee and Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Adams " Mr. and Mrs. I. S. A. Wright Residence of AV alter Wright Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wright . Residence of Allen Beard .... Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Allen Beard Wife facing facing 178 180 183 183 184 184 184 185 185 CONTENTS. irjiL.TJSTK.^^TZonsrs- BENNINGTON TOWNSHIP Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Ilartwell Residence of J. M. Ilartwel! Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Gale . " Samuel Nichols and Wife " Lyman Hickey and Wife Residence of Lyman Hickey " Newcomb Mitchell Portraits of Newcomb Mitchell and Wife Portrait of John Innes BURNS TOWNSHIP 4) Residence of Roger Haviland . Portraits of Roger Haviland and Wife Residence of Thomas P. Green . Portraits of Thomas P. Green and Wife Portrait of Mrs. Thomas P. Green (deceasei Residence of Isaac S. Barnum . Portraits of Isaac S. Barnum and Wife Residence of Amos Foster . Portraits of Amos Foster and Wife . Portrait of Truman W. Rowly . Residence of Robert Fox . Portraits of Robert Fox and Wife Residence of Nicholas Braden . Portraits of Nicholas Braden and Wife Residence of William W. Smith Portraits of William W. Smith and Wife CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP Residence of Thomas R. Young Portraits of Thomas R. Young and Wife . PAQB facing 188 " 188 facing 194 . 196 . 196 facing 196 " 197 197 . 197 FAIRFIELD TOMNSHIP. Residence of E. F. and E. R. Bennett '* Itbial L. MuDson .... " G. B. Munson .... HAZELTON TOWNSHIP. Residence of John Roman Portraits of John Judd and Wife Portrait of Mrs. Matilda Judd (deceased) . Portraits of W. W. Warner and Wife ** Jesse Rhoades and Wife fac 200 200 202 202 202 20+ 20-t 207 207 . 207 ng 208 ' 208 209 ' 209 ' 210 ' 210 facing 219 . 219 fac' facing 220 " 222 224 facing 232 . 235 . 235 . 236 . 237 MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP. Residence of (»eorge H. Warren .... Portraits of George H. Warren and Wife . Portrait of George W. Slocumb ..... " Leonard F. Kingsley .... Portraits of James Kenney and Wife Residence of Horace C. Main Portrait of William Tubbs facing 242 242 . 245 , 246 facing 246 " 247 . 247 NEW HAVEN TOWNSHIP. Residence of Jacob Weidman . . . . , Portraits of Jacob Weidman and Wife Residence of Wellman AY. Hart .... Portraits of Phineas Burch and Wife " Daniel Young and Wife . . . , " H. B. Cram and Wife . facing 256 " 256 257 . 257 . 258 . 259 SHIAWASSEE TOWNSHIP. Residence of John Wbaloy Portrait of Isaac M. Banks Portraits of A. P. Greenman and Wife Residence of William Newberry . . , . Portraits of William Newberry and Wife . facing 279 280 " 284 " 290 " 290 SCIOTA TOWNSHIP. Residence of Willard Ryon Portraits of Willard Ryon and Wife . Residence of Mrs. Nellie P. McClintock Portrait of Mrs. Nellie P. McClintock " Miss Alta B. McClintock VERNON TOWNSHIP. Portrait of R. Reed Residence of N. M. Smith Portrait of Henry J. Van Akin .... PAOB facing 294 " 294 tt 298 *t 298 ft 298 facing 306 " 313 313 VENICE TOWNSHIP. Residence of Alonzo H. Owens .... between 318, 319 Portraits of Alonzo H. Owens and Wife . . " 318, 319 Portrait of Hon. F. G. Bailey 321 WOODHULL TOWNSHIP. Residence of Andrew J. Van Riper . Portraits of Andrew J. Van Riper and Wife " Francis F. Mann and Wife Portrait of John P. Shaft .... facing 329 . 329 . 330 facing 330 cxjnsTTOisr GOTTisrarir. Clinton County Court-House ..... facing 331 Geological Map of the Lower Peninsula ... " 332 ST. JOHNS. Portrait of John Swcgels 364 " 0. L. Spaulding facing 370 Residence of Richard Moore " 372 " J. Hicks "374 " R. M. Steel "376 " J. H. Fedewa "377 BINGIIAIH TOWNSHIP. Residence of John Avery facing 382 Portraits of John Avery and Wife .... " 382 Residence of Daniel Ridenour *' 384 " J. R. Hale "385 BA^TH TOWNSHIP. Portrait of James N. Smith 392 BENGAL TOWNSHIP. Residence of Benjamin F. Young .... facing 402 DE WITT TOWNSHIP. Portraits of George Allen and Wife 414 DALLAS TOWNSHIP. Portraits of George F. Dutton and Wife 421 " Daniel Dutton and Wife 422 DUPLAIN TOWNSHIP. Portrait of E. V. Chase facing 433 Portraits of William Tillotson and Wife 433 " George R. Doty and Wife 434 Portrait of Charles R. Doty 434 Hotel and Farm Property of George R. Doty . . facing 434 Portraits of Lyman Cobb and Wife 435 Portrait of Comfort Ranney 436 " Willis Leach 436 CONTENTS. ILIjTJSTI^A.TIOnSrS. EAGLE TOWNSHIP. Residence of George W. McCrumb . Portraits of George W. McCrumb and Wife Besidence of Oliver Doty . Portraits of Oliver Doty and Wife Residence of George Gall . " David Clark . Portrait of Sally H. Beers . ESSEX TOWNSHIP Portrait of 0. F. Peck Residence of 0. F. Peck . Portraits of William A. Hewitt and Wife Portrait of Solomon P. Creasinger . " Nathan R. Lowe . faoinj PAon 438 438 440 440 442 442 443 facing 446 446 . 455 . 456 . 457 GREENBUSH TOWNSHIP. i Park House, D. S. French proprietor Portrait of David Levy Residences of William T. and R. E. Davies . Portraits of William T. and R. E. Davies . LEBANON TOWNSHIP. Portraits of Charles Sessions and Wife OVID TOWNSHIP. facing 4(i7 . 468 facing 468 " 468 Ovid Carriage-Works .... Besidence of Ezekiel De Camp . Portraits of Ezekiel De Camp and Wife . " B. M. Shepard and Wife Portrait of Mrs. Matilda Shepard (deceased) '< Dr. Solon C. King . facing 486 " 489 " 489 . 490 . 490 . 491 OLIVE TOWNSHIP. Residence of Augustus Gillctt . . . . " .John AV. Outcalt . . . . Portrait! of John W. and William Outcalt RILEY TOWNSHIP. Portrait of Lyman Hungerford . Philip P. Peck Portraits of Jonathan Owen and Wife . VICTOR TOWNSHIP. Besidence of Ainsworth Reed . Portraits of Ainsworth Reed and Wife Residence of James Upton Portraits of James Upton and Wife Residence of Epson Parker Portraits of Epson Parker and Wife Residence of Charles E. Ilollister " Mrs. Sarah Parker Portrait of Mrs. Sarah Parker . Portraits of John C. Brunson and Wif ■ Residence of John C. Brunson . " William S. Parker Portraits of William S. Parker and Wife Portrait of C. R. McKee . Besidence of Mrs. Mary A. McKee . fe PA or. facing 41)6 " 497 " 497 WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP Portraits of Eliel IngersoU and Wife Residence of William F. Button PortraiU of William F. Button and Wife Portrait of George W. Kinney . " Stephen Hill . Residence of Frank Noeker Portraits of Frank Noeker and Wife . facing facing facing facing 5117 508 5118 510 510 511 611 512 512 513 h\\ 514 516 616 517 517 518 518 . 529 fivcing 530 530 . 531 . 532 facing 541 " 541 MillA^V^A^ ■ 'Av^ L I V I N G S T O JI I S T O B Y OF SHIiWASSEE iND CLINTON COUNTIES, IICHIGiN. BY FRANKLIN ELLIS CHAPTER 1. INDIAN HISTORY OF THE TWO COUNTIES. Forests, Rivers, and Indian Mounds — Tradition of Sauli Occupancy and Kipulsion — Chippewa Occupation — Early Indian Traders — Indian Villages, Fields, and Agriculture — Their Peculiar Super- stitions — The Chief Oketnos — Character of the Indians of this Region — Fearful Ravages of Smallpox among them in 1837. A SECTION of country lying in the form of a parallelo- gran), about forty-sis miles in length due east and west, and twenty-four miles wide from south to north, through which the principal meridian of the State passes, one mile east of the centre, and of which the south boundary is parallel to, and twenty-four miles north of, the base line ; — • this is the modern geographical description of the territory embraced in the counties of Shiawassee and Clinton. But many years ago, before the surveyor's transit or compass had marked the course of a meridian or a base line across the peninsula, this same territory could not have been described much more correctly than as a wilderness tract, extending from the Grand River north and east, embracing nearly the whole of the valleys of the Wabwaysin (Looking-Glass) and Du Plain* Rivers to their heads ; as also the valley of the Shiawassee River, from the point where its two prin- cipal branches mingle their waters, down the course of the main stream for more than two-thirds of the distance to the place where it enters the Saginaw. This was a country of dense forests and timbered openings, occasionally inter- spersed with small prairies,| tamarack swamps, and marshes covered with coarse, rank grass ; and it was well watered by the streams above mentioned, and their tributaries. Its only human inhabitants at that time were the native In- dians, and it is with these people that its history com- mences; though the existence here of numerous earthen mounds (which were of unknown origin, and wholly unlike * The name given by the early French traders to the stream now known as the Maple River. I The field-notes of the original surveys of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties, by deputy United Stiites surveyors, mention " prairies" and ''prairie lands," found in a majority of the townships of both counties. o anything known to have been constructed by those to whom we apply the term aborigines) has induced the belief that they were the works of a people who were superior to the Indians, and the predecessors of the latter in their occupa- tion of the country. These mounds were generally circular or oval in form, from ten to forty feet in diameter, and two to sis feet in height. They were found in various parts of both coun- ties, but the largest number in any one locality were found in the valley of the Maple River, in the northeast part of Clinton County.J That they were built for purposes of sepulture is made more than probable, from the fact that all or nearly all which were examined were found to contain human bones. An exception to this, however, was a mound discovered on the bank of the Shiawassee River, near New- burg, in Shiawassee County. § This was nearly circular in form, and consisted of a parapet inclosing an interior space. It was surrounded by a ditch, and had an opening or gate- way facing the east, with detached mounds fronting this entrance. It has been supposed, from the peculiar construc- tion of this work, that it was built for purposes of defense. But what were the objects for which the mounds were built, or who were the people who erected them, are mere topics of speculation. History has but to record the bare fact of their existence, before passing to the meagre annals of the native tribes who were found in occupation of the country. All that is or can be known of the history of the Indians who once inhabited the interior region now included in the counties of Shiawassee and Clinton may be easily and briefly told, for it is all, or nearly all, embraced in a period which is within the recollection of settlers who are yet living and in full possession of all their faculties. When this wilderness region was first penetrated by white explorers they found it occupied by bands of the Saginaw tribe of the Ojibwa or Chippewa nation, mixed with a few Oltawas and still fewer I'ottawattamies, which latter two had perhaps become allied by marriage or otherwise with XA.n account of this group of mounda will be found in the history of Ovid and Duplain townships in this work. § Described by 13. O. Williams, Esq., who visited it in the year 1829. 9 10 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. the dominant Chippewas. The last named, however, have always been mentioned in Indian history, and recognized by the United States Government in all treaties, as the original owners of the country bordering the Saginaw River and its tributaries, and of the great wilderness stretching away thence northwestwardly towards the Straits of Mackinac. The Indians inhabiting the valley of the Shiawassee River were known to the early traders and settlers as the Shia- wassee bands of the Saginaws, and these were the .same people who also occupied the country along the Looking- Glass, the Maple, and the Red Cedar Rivers, though the several bands were not infrequently designated by the names of the streams on which their villages or camps were located. All of them, however (except the Ottawas and few Potta- wattamies who were found among them as before men- tioned), were from the same parent stock, and members of the same tribe or nation, — the Saginaw Chippewas. But if we may believe their own traditions, the Chippe- was had not always been masters of these forests and rivers, nor did their occupancy extend back to years beyond the memory of their ancestors. The story told by their old men (and which is to some extent supported by authentic history) was to the effect that, ages before, in the days of their great-grandfathers, all the hunting-grounds bordering the streams which find their outlet in Saginaw Bay, and all the forests and openings extending thence west to the Grand River, were held and inhabited by the Sauks, a pow- erful and warlike people, who not only felt entirely able to keep their own country, but who were often in the habit of making bloody forays into the territory of other tribes, who consequently hated them, and longed to exterminate, or at least to expel them from the region which they regarded as an Indian paradise, abounding as it did with fish, deer, beaver, and almost every kind of game. This desire to subjugate or destroy the powerful Sauks and to seize their teeming hunting-grounds, burned nowhere more intensely than in the breasts of the Chippewa warriors, whose home at that time was far away at the north. But they dreaded the prowess of their enemies too much to venture an attack, and this consideration held them in check for many years, though their hatred constantly increased and their wish to possess the Sauk country became so ardent as to well-nigh overcome their fears. At last their ambitious desires could be controlled- no longer, and they resolved at all hazards to attempt the enterprise which they had so long meditated. For this purpose they held council with the Ottawas of the north (whose country was contiguous to their own), and dispatched messengers to the southern branch of the Ottawas (who then occupied what is now Southeastern Michigan) asking them both to join in a war of invasion. Their proposition was favorably received, a league was formed, and the confeder- ated bands set out speedily and secretly on their bloody expedition, which was destined to result in their complete triumph. The invaders entered the country of the Sauks in two columns ; one, composed of the southern Ottawas, marching from the southeast through the forests to the bend of Flint River, where Flint City now stands, while the northern confederates moved in canoes from Mackinac, paddling down the west shore of Lake Huron, and boldly crossing Saginaw Bay by night, landed in two detachments, marched stealthily up along the shore of the river, and at the proper moment and at a preconcerted signal fell like a thunder- bolt on the principal village of the Sauks at or near the present site of Saginaw City. " No precaution," says Mr. Fox, in his liistory of Saginaw, " had been taken by the Sauks to guard against danger, for none had been antici- pated. The night wind sighed through the dark pine-tops in mournful cadence, and the gentle spirit-bird hovered over the sleeper with its low, gushing death-chant ; but its warn- ing notes were unheard, and still the sleeper slumbered on. Suddenly a wild, unearthly yell broke fearfully upon the ear of night, and awoke a thousand echoes. Aroused by it the Sauks sprang to their feet, but were met by the fierce Chippewas, who commenced an indiscriminate slaughter. Some were tomahawked, some leaped into the Saginaw and were drowned, while a few escaped to impart the death news to their brethren." Those who escaped, and others from neighboring villages which had not yet been attacked, fled in their canoes to a small island in the Saginaw, where they believed them.selves safe, — at least for a time, — for tlieir foes had no canoes in the river. But in this they were mistaken, for the ice was rapidly forming, and on the following day or night it had become strong enough to permit the passage of the pursuing Chippewas, who there- upon crossed to the island and renewed the attack with such energy and ferocity that of all the Sauk refugees who had taken shelter there not a single man was left alive, and only about a dozen women were spared. The place, in after- years, became known as " Skull Island," from the great number of skulls* and other human bones which were found in its soil. After completing their bloody work on the island, the Chippewa and Ottawa warriors moved rapidly up the river to the confluence of the Flint and Shiawassee Rivers, where they met the victorious band of .southern Ottawas, who had destroyed the villages on the Flint and massacred nearly all the inhabitants, the few survivors retreating in terror towards their principal villages on the Saginaw, where they vainly hoped to find safety from their enemies. These panic-stricken fugitives now turned and fled up the valley of the Shiawassee, where they were relentlessly pursued by the invaders, and here the result was the same as it had been on the Saginaw and Flint. All the villages on the Shiawassee were given over to destruction and massacre ; the Sauks were completely overthrown and almost exter- minated, only a miserable remnant escaping westward through the dense forests to the Grand River, and down that stream to Lake Michigan. The Chippewa and Ottawa warriors were now absolute masters of the Sauk country, but they did not immediately remove their settlements here. The conquered territory was for a long time held as a hunting-ground, which was roamed over in common by the bands of the two tribes. * Ephraira S. Williams, Esq., of Flint (brother of B. 0. Williams, Esq.. of Owosso), who was located at .Saginaw for several years in the fur trade, says this tradition is prohably well founded, for he has often visited the island in question, and has seen many mouldering skulls cxhuuied there. INDIAN HISTORY OF THE TWO COUNTIES. 11 But when they found that some of their young braves who entered these forests disappeared and were never again seen or heard of, their superstitious fears were awaicened, and they came to the firm belief that the eddies of the streams and the daric recesses of the woods were infested by evil spirits, — the ghosts of the murdered Sauks, — who had come back to their old domain, and were thus mysteriously wreak- ing vengeance on their destroyers. The dread inspired by this belief and the strange disappearance uf their young men became at last so strong that they entirely abandoned the country, and for years afterwards no Chippewa or Ottawa hunter braved the terrorsof the " haunted hunting-grounds." But after many moons (no one can say how many) they ventured back, though still in dread and fear, and finally in favored spots there sprang up many villages of the Chip- pewas,* while their bark canoes sped swiftly over the bright waters of the lakes and streams. And this (the tradition says) was the manner in which the tribe that became known as the Saginaw-Chippewa acquired and occupied the domain which the Sauk chiefs and warriors had once called their own. The Chippewas of the Lower Peninsula possessed all the fierce and sanguinary characteristics of their northern kin- dred. From the time when England wrested the lake country from the possession of the French this tribe was distinguished for its aggressive disposition, cruelty, and treachery ; and during the almost continuous Indian wars and conspiracies of the succeeding half century its chiefs showed a spirit as turbulent and untamable as that of the parent nation, — the Ojibwas of Lake Superior. The story of their ravages is found in all the annals of Indian hostili- ties. They were prominent actors in the Pontiac war of 1763 ; in the Indian alliance against America in the war of the Revolution ; in the savage rising which was quelled by " Mad Anthony" Wayne a few years later ; and they were among the most energetic and eflScient allies of Te- cumseh in his prolonged warfare against the United States. They did bloody work at the Raisin, at Sandusky, and on many other fields, and finally they fought with fierce des- peration in the battle of the Thames, Oct. 5, 1813. But that day extinguished forever the warlike spirit of the Chippewas, for then and there " the hopes of the red man perLshed." Their total defeat in that battle, and the death of Tecumseh, annihilated ail possibility of successful resist- ance to the government, and all hope of holding their hunt- ing-grounds against the advance of settlement and civiliza- tion. So the Saginaws, like other Michigan tribes, sued for peace, gave hostages for their future good conduct, received a pardon (which they scarcely expected) for their past offenses, and retired to their villages — sullen and dejected, but thoroughly subjugated — and never again made war against white men. Nearly twenty years afterwards, the Wisconsin chief, Black Hawk, sent emissaries among them to distribute " war-quills" and invite them to join his bands in a new war, but they made reply that the Chippe- * It does not appear that the Ottawas ever came to this section of country in any considerable numbers, but many of that tribe emigrated from their northern lands (on tlie east shore of Lake Michigan, north of Orand Traverse Bay) and settled in the .southeast, in the vicinity of Lake .St. Clair, and the Detroit, St. Clair, and Huron Rivers. was would not again raise the hatchet against the pale- faces, who were masters of the land, and under the protec- tion of the Great Spirit. The earliest knowledge of the Indians, as they existed in their native wilderness, was gained by white men who went among them for purposes of trade, — the most impor- tant branch of which was the purchase of furs. Of these traders, the first of whom any account is found, as being located in the country of the Saginaw-Chippewas, was a Frenchman named Bolieu (called by the Indians, Kase- gans) ; and soon after him there came another of the same nationality, named Tremble (since corrupted to Trombley), who established himself at Saginaw. The date of Bolieu's coming is not exactly known, but it is certain that he was trading with the Saginaws before the commencement of the present century. He married a full-blood Indian woman ,"j" a sister or near relative of Neome, head-chief of the Pewonigo band of Indians, who lived at Pewonigowink, on the Flint River. He (Bolieu) prosecuted his trading business with the Indians living on the Flint and Shiawas- see, and, without doubt, with those on the Looking-Glass and Maple Rivers also. It is not known where his post was located, but there is strong probability that it was on the Shiawassee River at the Big Rapids (Owosso), near the present residence of B. 0. Williams, E.sq., for at that place there are still in existence portions of two ancient chimneys and some other ruins which Mr. Williams (than whom no person in Michigan is more competent to judge) pronounces to be the remains of an old trading-post. This opinion is strengthened by the fact that at the same place there are still to be seen pits in the earth, evidently made for the burying of canoes. | As it is certain that this place was not occupied by any of the later traders, it seems highly probable that it was the post of Bolieu, the pioneer trader among the Saginaws. If so, the buildings must have been erected nearly or quite as early as the commencement of this century. Two of the earliest traders who followed Bolieu and Tremble into the Saginaw country were Jacob Smith (named by the Indians Wahbesins) and Conrad Ten Eyck, who established at Saginaw before the opening of the war of 1812-15. Both of these men found it necessary to abandon their posts during the continuance of that war, but returned to Saginaw at the close of hostilities. In the fall of 1819, Smith removed his trading-post to the Grand Traverse of the Flint River (where Flint City now stands), and remained there in trade till his death, in the spring of 1825. He was of German parentage or descent, and a native of Quebec, Canada. Two of his daughters (Mrs. C. S. Payne and Mrs. T. B. W. Stockton) are still living at Flint, and another daughter became the wife of Gen. John Garland, United States Army. His son, Albert J. Smith, is, or was recently, living in South America. f A daughter of theirs, Angflique Bolieu (whose Indian name was Tawcumegogua), was sent at the age of twelve years to Detroit, where ah^ received a tolerable education. She married a Frenchman named Coutant, and after his death she became the wife of Jean Baptiste St. Aubin, of Detroit. J The Indians (and the traders, who learned the custom from them) were in the habit of burying their canoes in winter, to prevent them from being ruined by the frost. 12 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. Louis Campau commenced in the Indian trade at Sagi- naw in 1815. He remained there many years, but finally removed to Grand Rapids, where he passed the remainder of his life, and died highly respected. Antoine Campau, a brother of Louis, also located at Saginaw in 1815 or 1816. John B. Cushway,* Gen. Riley, of Schenectady, N. Y., and Wliitmore Kiiaggs came to this Indian country as traders not long afterwards, as did also Baptiste Cochios, who established his post on the Flint. All these traders dealt with the Indians inhabiting the valleys of the Shia- wassee, Looking-Glass, and Maple Rivers, but only Cushway, Campau, and Knaggs located trading-houses in this region. It was in or about 1820f that Whitmore Knaggs came to open his post at the " crossing of the Shiawassee," — that is, the place where several trails crossed that river, on the In- dian reservation of Kechewondaugoning,J or " Big Salt Lick." The name given to the place by the French (very probably by old Bolieu himself) was " Grand Saline." The white settlers afterwards called it " the Knaggs place," for the old trader by whom it was established, and his son, who was its last occupant as a trader. The post was situ- ated on the river, in the northwest corner of the present township of Burns. In 1820 the nearest trading-posts to Knaggs' on the south and west were that of the two Godfreys (father and son), located on the Huron, at the present site of Ypsilanti, and that of Rix Robinson " at the Thornapple and on Grand River, above and below." These merchants, as well as those at Saginaw, divided the trade with Knaggs to some extent, but there is little doubt that the latter took the lion's share among the Indians living within his range. Not long after the time mentioned, a Frenchman named Battise (correctly Baptiste) opened a post on the upper waters of the Grand River, in the present county of Jack- son, and this became a somewhat popular trading-place, even for some of the Indians living as far north as the territory of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties. Whitmore Knaggs was succeeded, about 1824, by a man named Grant, who continued in the trade for a time, but became so unpopular with the Indians that they finally drove him from their country. The successor of Grant in the Indian trade on the Shia- wassee was Richard Godfroy, who reopened the post at Kechewondaugoniug in 1828. In the spring of 1829 this post was visited by the brothers Alfred L. and Benjamin 0. Williams, who were then making a tour of exploration with a view to permanent settlement, they being probably the first white men who visited Shiawassee County with that intention. The Godfroy trading-post, as it existed at * Cushway was called by the Indians Pewabicorzo, or " the iron- shod," because he wore lieavily-uailed boots. •f" A list of the licensed traders in Michigan in that year places Knaggs* post "on the river Shiawassee, at the Indian Reservation." ^ This tract of three thousand acres was reserved to the Indians of the Shiawassee bands, in the treaty concluded by Gen. Cass at Sagi- naw, Sept. 24, 1819. The name of this reservation is spelled in the treaty Ketchewaundaugcnink, which is perhaps as nearly »3brrect as any other manner of spelling, — the orthography of Indian names being at best a matter of taste or caprice. It was located in the northwest corner of the present township of Burns and southwest corner of Vernon, and comprised also small parts of Shiawassee and Antrim. that time, is described by B. O. Williams as a rude log house and stable, with bark roof, and then in charge of John B. Cushway, as Godfrey's agent. The post was con- tinued by Godfrey's succes.sors, Antoine Beaubien and John Knaggs, until about 1839. On the south side of the Maple River, at the site of the present village of Maple Rapids, a trading-post was opened as early as 1826, but whether the first trader there was John B. Cushway or George Campau is a matti-r of some doubt. It is certain that it bore the name of the first-named proprietor in 1837, for en the 17th of March in that year the Legislature passed an act laying out a State road " from the seat of justice in Eaton County to Cushway 's trading- pest on Maple River in the county of Clintoir." Mr. James Sewle, of Essex, is of the opinion, however, that Cushway carried on the trading-station before Campau, which latter seems to have been the one recollected by old residents as the first proprietor. He was a brother of Louis and An- toine Campau, and was known to the Indians as Waugeosh, or " the Red Fox." His successor in trade at the post on the Maple was John Johnson, who became a permanent resident, and died there since 1875. Mr. Campau is (or ■was very recently) living at Grand Rapids. The Cushway or Campau trading-station, with the Genereau post, on the river below, in Ionia County, took a large part of the trade of the Indians living on the Maple and Looking-Glass Rivers, but there was also for a time a post on the Grand River, in Ionia County, kept by Gilbert W. Prentiss and one or two associates, who (it was said) were also engaged in counterfeiting, and were driven away from their post by the Indians, on whom they had passed some of their spuri- ous coin. The same flite also befell them at a trading- station which they opened in 1834, in Cohoctah township, on the north border of Livingston County, adjoining Shia- wassee. The Williams trading-post, which secured a very large business among the Indians of this section of country, and which is particularly noticeable from the fact that the two young men who opened it became permanent r&sidents and very prominent citizens of Shiawassee County, was estab- lished in August, 1831, by Alfred L. and Benjamin 0. Williams, for Rufus W. Stevens and Elisha Beach, of Pon- tiac. The location of this trading-station was a very little north of the north line of the Kechewondaugoniug reser- vation, at the point where the Chicago and Lake Huron Railroad crosses the Shiawassee River, on or very near the dividing line between the townships of Shiawassee and Vernon. To this station there were brought furs collected within the present counties of Shiawassee and Clinton, as well as in adjoining counties to the south and east. Their trade within the limits of Clinton, however, was much less than in Shiawassee, as much of the Indian trade in the former county was secured by Genereau, at the post on the Grand River, and by Campau, at his station at Maple Rapids. In 1832 the brothers Williams became agents for the American Fur Company, and continued as such until 1836, when they began trading on their own account, and re- mained until 1837, when the post was vacated and the business abandoned, the Indians having been in that year INDIAN HISTORY OF THE TWO COUNTIES. 13 so greatly reduced in numbers, and so much scattered and demoralized by the ravages of a fatal pestilence among them, that their trade was no longer of any value. The owners of the trading-station then removed to Owo.sso, where Mr. B. 0. Williams yet resides. He still speaks the Chippewa language almost as fluently as English. He un- questionably knows more of the Indian history of this region than any other person, and it is principally on in- formation furnished by him that this account of the Indians of these two counties is based. In 1830 the Indian villages or settlements on the Shia- wassee River were those of Kechewondaugoning, on the reservation of the same name, and Shigemasking (meaning " soft-maple place"), near Shiawasseetown. The former was the summer residence of Wasso, the principal chief of the Shiawassee bands. These were the only villages on the river within the boundaries of Shiawassee County. Below, on the same stream, but a few miles north of the county line, was the Chippewa village of Che-as-sin-ning or " Big Rock," at the site of the present village of Chesaning. This was a much larger village than either of those pre- viously mentioned. Its people were under the chief Sher manito, who died in 1836 and was succeeded in the chief- ship by Nokchikaming. On the south branch of the Shiawassee, in Livingston County, near its northern border, was a very small settle- ment of Indians at Assineboinaing (" Rocky Place" ). This had in earlier years borne the name of Nabobish, which was then also the name of its chief. His succe.«sor was old Portabeek, who is yet recollected by residents of that part of Livingston County. This settlement or village was entirely abandoned by the Indians about 1830. Away to the eastward, and nearly on the boundary between Gene- see and Oakland Counties, was the village of Kopenicorn- ing, situated by a small lake, which is yet known by the same name. This was a village of the " Fisher tribe" of Saginaws, of whom a few are still living in Genesee County. On the Looking-Glass River, in what is now the town- ship of Antrim, there had been an Indian village of con- siderable size, but this had been abandoned prior to 1831. Farther down the stream, on its northern bank, just above the place which is now the village of De Witt in Clinton County, there was still in existence at that time the Chip- pewa village of Wabwalinahseepee, of which the chiefs were Wahbaskonoquay, or " Whitelocks," and his son, Canorbway. This village was broken up soon afterwards, and there are now few, if any, of even the oldest settlers in Clinton County who have any recollection of the exist- ence of an Indian village at this place, though the place continued to be for many years a favorite ground for the temporary camps of wandering parties of the Chippewa bands. This was a well-known place to the early white settlers, who called it the " Indian Green." Some four miles above this, but on the opposite side of the river, at Lowry Plains, there was another large and much frequented camp-ground, and still others were found at different places up the stream, in both Clinton and ShiaWiussee Counties. On the south bank of the stream which the early French traders called La Riviere du Plain, but which the English- speaking settlers named Maple River, was the village of the chief Makitoquet, located on what is now to be described as the northwest part of section 3, township of Essex. This settlement remained and prospered (as much as any Indian village can ever be said to prosper) for a considera- ble time after the coming of the first white settlers. There were ah^o villages of Makitoquet's people farther down the river, in the present township of Lebanon (on section 14 and at one or two other points), but these were not as an- cient as the one first mentioned : and they were, in fact, more like camps than permanent villages, but were always fully occupied during the sugaring season. The sub-chief, Wintagowish, was a kind of lieutenant to Makitoquet. The latter became a land-owner ( having purchased land from government) in Lebanon in 1837. Passing from Makitoquet's village down the Maple River to a point at or very near where the present village of Muir stands, there would have been found at that time a settle- ment of Chippewas, mixed with Ottawas, all under the authority of a chief named Cocoose. The name of this chief was also the name of the village. West of this, on the Grand River, at the place which is now Lowell, Kent Co., was the chief Kewagooshcum's village, also composed of Ottawas and Chippewas. Many miles farther up the Grand River, on its west bank, in the present township of Danby, Ionia Co., and near the west border of Clinton County, was the village of Pe-shimnecon (Apple Place), which was under the authority of the chiefs Dayomek and Kekonosoway, the latter of whom was stabbed to death by one of his own braves in a drunken brawl. This village, unlike most of the others named, continued to be held by the Indians as a place of residence until within recent years. A few miles south of the southern boundary of Clinton County were settlements of the people known as Red Cedar Indians, though they belonged to the Shiawassee bands of the Saginaws. Their principal chief was the veteran Okemos, and next to him in authority were Manitocorb- way and Shingwauk, of the first two of whom further men- tion will be made. " The various bands," says Mr. Williams, " all belonged to the Chippewa or Saginaw tribe. We found them scat- tered over this vast primitive forest, each band known by its locality or chief They subsisted principally by hunting, though all had summer residences, where ihey raised min- dor-miii (corn), potatoes, turnips, beans, and sometimes squashes, pumpkins, and melons." At or near all their villages, on the Maple, the Looking- Glass, and the Shiawassee, there were corn-fields, which they planted year after year with the same crops. The largest of the corn-fields in all this region were tho.se in the vicin- ity of Shermanito's village on the Shiawassee, now Ches- aning, Saginaw Co., a little north of the Shiawassee County line. Fields of considerable extent were situated midway between Vernon and Shiawassee Town. Smaller ones were found near the villages and camping-grounds on the Look- ing-Glass, the Grand, and Maple Rivers, as also at Keche- wondaugoning, on the Shiawa.ssee. At the latter place there was a small Indian orchard of stunted and uncared- 14 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. for apple-trees, and similar ones were found at several places in both counties. The Indians carried on their agri- culture in a careless, slovenly, and superficial way. Of course they were ignorant of the use of plows, and the few implements which they had were of the rudest and most primitive kind. They had plenty of poor and scrawny ponies, but these were wholly uncared for, and were never made use of except for riding. From lack of care, and the planting of the same fields for many years in succes.sion, these had become overgrown with grass, weeds, and sumach- bushes, so that the crops obtained were very meagre, and but for the almost boundless stores of food furnished by the streams and forests, the people must have been constantly in a state bordering on famine. It was their custom during the autumn to move from the vicinity of their fields, proceeding up towards the heads of the streams, making halts at intervals of six or eight miles, and camping for a considerable time at each halting- place for purposes of hunting and fishing. Upon the approach of winter they floated back in their canoes (car- rying them round rapids and obstructions), and betook themselves to their winter C[uarters in comparatively shel- tered places within the shelter of the denser forests. From there the young men went out to the winter hunting- and trapping-grounds, through which they roamed till the ap- proach of spring, when all, men, women, and children, en- gaged in sugar-making until the sap ceased to flow ; and after this process was finished they again moved to their corn-fields, and having planted and harvested, and fished and hunted up to the head-waters of the streams during the summer and autumn, they again returned to their forest camps or villages to pass the winter as before. The manufacture of sugar was one of the principal In- dian industries, if the term industry can be properly applied to anything existing in an Indian community. They pro- duced large quantities of this article, and of as good quality as is made by white people. Having completed its manu- facture for the year, they packed it in mokoks (vessels or packages neatly made of birch-bark) and buried it in the ground, where it was kept in good condition for future use or sale. Their sugar- making resources were, of course, al- most unlimited, for noble groves of maple abounded every- where. There were extensive ones in the vicinity of the Big Rapids of the Shiawassee, and many others of perhaps equal extent along the valleys of the Maple, the Looking- Glass, and other streams ; and, in fact, through nearly every part of the territory of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties. The Chippewas, like all other Indians, were extremely superstitious ; indeed, they appeared to be more marked in this peculiarity than were most of the other tribes. It has already been mentioned that the ancestors of the later Sagi- naw Chippewas imagined that the country which they had wrested from the conquered Sauks was haunted by the spirits of those whom they had slain, and that it was only after the lapse of years that their terrors became allayed sufficiently to permit them to occupy the " haunted hunt- ing-grounds." But the superstition still remained, and, in fact, it was never entirely dispelled. Long after the valleys of the Saginaw, the Shiawassee, and the Maple became studded with white settlements, the simple Indians still believed that mysterious Sauks were lingering in the forests and along the margins of their streams for purposes of vengeance ; that munesous, or bad spirits, in the form of Sauk warriors, were hovering around their villages and camps, and on the flanks of their hunting-parties, prevent- ing them from being successful in the chase, and bringing ill fortune and discomfiture in a hundred ways. So great was their dread that when (as was frequently the case) they became possessed of the idea that the munesous were in their immediate vicinity, they would fly, as if for their lives, abandoning everything, — -wigwams, fish, game, and peltry, — and no amount of ridicule from the whites could convince them of their folly, or induce them to stay and face the imaginary danger. " Sometimes, during sugar- making,"' said Mr. Truman B. Fox, of Saginaw, " they would be seized with a sudden panic, and leave everything, — ^their kettles of sap boiling, their mokoks of sugar stand- ing in their camps, and their ponies tethered in the woods, — and flee helter-skelter to their canoes, as though pursued by the Evil One. In answer to the question asked in re- gard to the cause of their panic, the invariable answer was a shake of the head, and a mournful ' an-do-gwane' (don't know)." Some of the northern Indian bands, whose country joined that of the Saginaw Chippewas, played upon their weak superstition, and derived profit from it by lurking around their villages or camps, frightening them into flight, and then appropriating the property which they had aban- doned. A few shreds of wool from their blankets left stick- ing on thorns or dead brushwood, hideous figures drawn with coal upon the trunks of trees, or marked on the ground in the vicinity of their lodges, was sure to produce this result, by indicating the presence of the dreaded munesous. Often the Indians would become impressed with the idea that these bad spirits had bewitched their firearms, so that they could kill no game. " I have had them come to me," says Mr. Ephraim S. Williams, of Flint, " from places miles distant, bringing their rifles to me, asking me to examine and resight them, declaring that the sights had been removed (and in most cases they had, but it was by themselves in their fright). I have often, and in fact always did when applied to, resighted and tried them until they would shoot correctly, and then they would go away cheerfully. I would tell them they must keep them where the munesous could not find them. At other times, having a little bad luck in trapping or hunting, they became excited, and would say that game had been over and in their traps, and that they could not catch anything. I have known them to go so far as to insist that a beaver or an otter had been in their traps and got out ; that their traps were bewitched or spell-bound, and their rifles charmed by the munesous, so that they could not catch or kill anything. Then they must give a great feast, and have the medicine man or con- jurer ; and through his wise and dark performances the charm is removed and all is well, and traps and rifles do their duty again. These things have been handed down for generations." A very singular superstitious rite was performed annually by the Shiawassee Indians at a place called Pindatongoing I meaning the place where the spirit of sound or echo lives), INDIAN HISTORY OF THE TWO COUNTIES. 15 about two miles above Newburg, on the Shiawassee River, where the stream was deep and eddying. The ceremony at this place was witnessed in 1831 by Mr. B. O. Williams, of Owosso, who thus describes it : " Some of the old In- dians every year, in fall or summer, offered up a sacrifice to the spirit of the river at that place. They dressed a puppy or dog in a fantastic manner by decorating it with various colored ribbons, scarlet cloth, beads, or wampum tied around it ; also a piece of tobacco and vermilion paint around its neck (their own faces blackened), and after burn- ing, by the river-side, meat, corn, tobacco, and sometimes whisky offerings, would, with many muttered adjurations and addresses to the spirit, and waving of hands, holding the pup, cast him into the river, and then appear to listen and watch, in a mournful attitude, its struggles as it was borne by the current down into a deep hole in the river at that place, the bottom of which at that time could not be discovered without very careful inspection. I could never learn the origin of the legend they then had, that the spirit had dived down into the earth through that deep hole, but they be- lieved that by a pro- pitiatory yearly offering their luck in hunting and fishing on the river would be bettered and their health preserved." Once a year, soon after sugar - making, nearly all the Indians of the interior repaired to Kepayshowink (the great camping-ground), which was at the place where Saginaw City now stands. They went there for the purpose of engaging in a grand jubilee of one or two weeks' duration, engaging in dances, games, and feats of strength ; and as they were usually able to obtain liquor there, these gatherings often brought about quarrels and deadly fighting. " If an injury had been done to one party by another it was generally settled here, either with property, such as arms, ponies, or blankets, or by the price of life. If the injury had been one of an exceedingly aggravated nature, a life was demanded, and stoically and unflinchingly yielded up by the doomed party." Many an inveterate Indian feud reached a bloody termination on the " great camping- ground" at Saginaw. Although the Red Cedar band, of which Okemos* was the leader, had its settlements several miles south of Shi- awassee and Clinton Counties, yet a brief mention of the old chief is not out of place in the history of these counties, for it was in one of them that he first saw the light, and in the other that he died ; and the territory of both of them was roamed over as a hunting-ground for many years by him and his followers in common with the bands whose villages and fields were within its boundaries. Okemos was born at or near the Grand Saline, in what is now Shiawassee County, at a date which is not precisely known, but which has been placed by some historians at about 1788. That this date is nearly the correct one seems not improb- able, for reasons which will presently be given. He was of Saginaw Chippewa stock, his people having been of the Shiawassee bands of that tribe. It has been said by some that he was the nephew of the great Pontiac, but there is little reason to believe that such was the case, though it is not strange that he should, in the spirit of genuine Indian boast- fulness, be more than willing to favor the idea that he sustained that relation to the redoubt- able Ottawa chieftain. How and where the earlier years of Okemos were passed is not known. His first ap- pearance as a warrior was at Sandusky in the war of 1812, and his participation in that fight was the prin- OKEMOS. ^'P*' '^^'^"' of ''" 'lis life. On that occa- sionf eighteen young Chippewa braves, among whom were Okemos and his cousin Manilocorbway, and who were serv- ing as scouts on the side of the British, had come in from the river Raisin, and were crouching in ambush not far from * Okemos, or Ogemaw, meant, in the Chippewa language, " Little Chief,'' and Clie-ogemaw, " Big Chief." Whether the name ** Little Chief," as applied to this Indian, had reference to his small stature (as he was very short) or to the extent of his power and authority as a chief, does not appear. I The account here given of the participation of Okemos and his cousin Manitocorbw.iy in the fight at Sandusky is written from facts furnished by B. 0. Williams, Esq., of Owosso, who had a minute account of it from the two chiefs themselves, with both of whom he was well acquainted. 16 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. the fort of Sandusky, waiting to surprise the American supply-wagons or any small detachment that might pass their lurking-place. Suddenly there appeared a body of twenty American cavalrymen approaching them directly in front. The red warriors promptly made their plans, which was to wait till they could count the buttons on the coats of the troopers, then to deliver their fire and close on them with the tomahawk, fully expecting that in the disorder produced by their volley they would be able to kill most of them and take many scalps. But they had reckoned with- out their host. When the flash of their guns disclosed their place of concealment the cavalrymen instantly charged through the cover upon them, sabre in hand. Almost at the same instant a bugle-blast echoed through the woods, and a few moments later a much larger body of horsemen, warned of the presence of an enemy by the firing, came up at a gallop to the help of their friends. The Indians, en- tirely surrounded, were cut down to a man, and, gashed and pierced by sabre-thrusts, were all left on the field for dead. Most of them were so, but life was not quite extinct in Okemos and Manitocorbway, though both were wholly in- .sensible, and remained so for many hours. At last Okemos returned to consciousness, and found that his cousin was also living and conscious. Together these two managed to crawl to a small stream near by, where they refreshed themselves by drinking, and washing off the clotted blood, and then, crawling, rolling, dragging themselves painfully and slowly along the ground, they at last reached the river, found a canoe, succeeded in getting into it, pushed off into the stream, and relapsed to a state of insensibility, in which condition they were not long afterwards discovered and rescued by Indians of their own or a friendly band. When at last they again returned to consciousness they were sur- prised at finding themselves in charge of squaws, who were faithfully and tenderly nursing them. Finally, both recov- ered, but Okemos never wholly regained his former vigor, and Manitocorbway was little better than a cripple during the remainder of his life. Each had been gashed with a dozen wounds ; the skulls of both had been cloven, and tliey carried the broad, deep marks of the sabre-cuts to their graves. Okemos was but a common warrior in the fight at San- dusky, but for the high qualities and endurance which he showed at that time he was made a chief, and became the leader of tlie lied Cedar band of Shiawassee Chippewas. He obtained, through the intercession of Col. Godfioy, a pardon from the government for the part which he had taken in favor of the British, and he never again fought against the Americans. The .same was the case with his kinsman, Manitocorbway. After the close of the war Okemos made a permanent settlement with his baud on the banks of the Cedar River, in Ingham County, a few miles east of Lansing. There were the villages of Okemos, Manitocorbway, and Shing- wauk, — the latter two being also chiefs. Tiieir settlements were all located in the vicinity of the present village and railroad station of Okemos, and there the baud remained till finally broken up and scattered. Through all his life Okemos was (almost as a matter of course) addicted to the liberal use of ardent spirits, and in his later years (notably from the time when his band be- came broken up and bim.self little more than a wanderer) this habit grew stronger upon him, yet he never forgot his dignity. He was always exceedingly proud of his chief- ship, and of his (real or pretended) relationship to the great Pontiac, and he was always boastful of his exploits. But he sometimes found himself in a position wliere neither his rank nor his vaunted prowess could shield him from deserved punishment. Upon one such occasion, in the year 1832, he appeared at the Williams trading-post on the Shiawa.ssee, and, backed by twelve or fifteen braves of his band, demanded whi.'^ky. B. 0. Williams, who was then present and in charge, replied that he had no liquor. " I have money and will pay," said Okemos. " You had plenty of whisky yesterday, and I will have it. You re- fuse because you are afraid to sell it to me !" " It is true," said the proprietor, " that I had whisky yesterday, but I have not now, and if I had, you .should not have it. And if you think I am afraid, look right in my eye and see if you can discover fear there." The chief became enraged, and ordered his men to enter the trading-house and roll out a barrel of whisky, saying that he himself would knock in the head. " Go in if you wish to," said Williams, care- lessly, " my door is always open !" But the braves were discreet, and did not move in obedience to their chief's order. Then Okemos grew doubly furious, but in an in- stant Mr. Williams sprang upon him, seized him by the throat and face with so powerful a grip that the blood spirted; he snatched the chief's knife from his belt and ordered him to hand over his tomahawk, which he did without unnecessary delay. He was then ordered to leave the place instantly, and never, as he valued his safety, to be seen at the trading-house again. Disarmed, cowed, and completely humbled, he obeyed at once, and moved rapidly away followed by his braves, who had stood passively by without attempting to interfere in his behalf during the scene above described. Some time afterwards Mr. Williams visited the settle- ments of the Red Cedars for purposes of trade, and made his headquarters at the village of Manitocorbway, whom he held in high esteem as an honest, peaceable, and straight- forward Indian. While there a messenger came to him from Okemos, — whose village was not far off, — requesting him to come there and trade with him. He had not in- tended to go to Okemos' village, and was not disposed to do so even upon this invitation ; but at the earnest solicitation of his friend Manitocorbway he finally went, and was re- ceived by Okemos with marked deference and respect. The chief had previously dealt at Baptiste's trading-post, on Grand River, below Jacksonburgh, but from this time all his trade was taken to the Williams station on the Shiawassee. This incident illustrates that Indian trait of character which invariably led them to give their warmest friendship and admiration to those who had boldly defied and chastised them, instead of allowing themselves to be brow- beaten by their threats and insolence. After the breaking up of his band on the Cedar, Okemos had never any permanent place of residence. It is said that he then resigned his chiefship to his son,* and thie '^Tbia son, John Okemos, is now a farmer in Montcalm Co., Mich. INDIAN TllEATIES AND CESSIONS OF LANDS. 17 may be true, but it' there was such a pretended " resigna- tion" it was wholly nominal and without effect, for lie had ceased to have a following, and therefore had no real chief- ship to resign. It has also been stated that in his latter years he degenerated into a vagabond, a coininon drunkard, and a beggar, but this is wholly incorrect. lie was cer- tainly fond of liquor, and occasionally became intoxicated, but never grossly or helplessly so, nor was it a common prac- tice with iiim. Neither was he a beggar; for, though small presents were often bestowed upon him, it was never done on account of solicitation on his part. That he was regarded with a considerable degree of respect is shown by the fact that he was not infrequently entertained as a guest at the houses of people who had known him in his more pro.sperous days. This was done by citizens of Lansing, Corunna, and Owosso ; among the latter being the brothers A. L. and B. 0. Williams, the two earliest white acquaint- ances of the chief in all this region. Okemos died on the 4th of December, 1858, at his camp on the Looking-Giass River, in Clinton County, above the village of De Witt. His remains — dressed in the blanket coat and Indian leggins which he had worn in life — were laid in a rough board coffin, in which were also placed his pipe-hatchet, buckhorn-handled knife, tobacco, and some provisions ; and thus equipped for the journey to the happy hunting-grounds, he was carried to the old village of Pe- shimnecon, in Ionia County, and there interred in an ancient Indian burial-ground near the banks of the Grand lliver. The age of Okemos is not known. Some writers have made tlie loose assertion (similar to those which are fre- quently made in reference to aged Indian chiefs) that he was a centenarian at the time of his death, while others have reduced the figure to between eighty and eighty-five years. In one account of him his birth is placed in the year 1788, as before mentioned. Mr. B. 0. Williams was told by both Okemos and Manitocorbway that the Sandusky fight was the first in which they had ever been engaged, and that both of them were at that time young and inex- perienced warriors. This, with the fact that until the end of his life Okemos was lithe in body and elastic in step, showing none of the signs of extreme old age, renders it probable that the year mentioned was nearly the correct date of his birth,* which would give him the age of seventy years at the time of his death. Of the character of the Indians of this region, and their melancholy fate, Mr. B. 0. Williams says, " They were hospitable, honest, and friendly, although always reserved until well acquainted; never obtrusive unless under the influence of their most deadly enemy, intoxicating drink. None of these spoke a word of English, and they evinced no desire to learn it. ... I believe they were as virtuous and guileless a people as I have ever lived among, previous to their great destruction in 1834 by the cholera, and again their almost extermination during the summer of 1837 by " This would make Okemos about twenty-five years old at the time of the Sandusky fight; nnd, from the statement which both he and Manitocorbway made to Mr. AVilliams, it is almost certain that his ago could not have been more than that (and was most probably a few years less) at the time of the fight. 3 the (to them) most dreaded disease, smallpox, which was brought to Chesaning from Saginaw, — they fully believing that one of the Saginaw Indians had been purposely inoc- ulated by a doctor there, the belief arising from the fact that an Indian had been vaccinated by the doctor, probably after his exposure to the disease, and the man died of small- pox. The Indians always dreaded vaccination from fear and suspicion of the operation. " The Asiatic cholera of 1832 did not reach the interior of Michigan, but in 1834 it seemed to be all over the country, and was certainly atmospheric, as it attacked In- dians along the Shiawassee and other rivers, producing con- vulsions, cramps, and death after a few hours. This began to break up the Indians at their various villages. The white settlements becoming general, and many persons selling them whisky (then easily purchased at the distilleries for twenty-five cents per gallon), soon told fearfully on them. When the smallpox broke out in 1837 they fled to the woods by families, but not until some one of the family broke out with the disease and died. Thus whole villages and bands were decimated, and during the summer and fall many were left without a burial at the camps in the woods, and were devoured by wolves. I visited the village of Che- as-sin-ning — now Chesaning — and saw in the summer-camps several bodies partially covered up, and not a living soul could I find, except one old squaw, who was convalescent. Most of the adults attacked died, but it is a remarkable fact that no white person ever took the disease from them,f although in many instances the poor, emaciated creatures visited white families while covered with pustules. Thus passed away those once proud owners of the land, leaving a sickly, depressed, and eventually a begging, debased rem- nant of a race that a few years before scorned a mean act, and among whom a theft was scarcely ever known. I do not think I possess any morbid sentimentality for Indians. I simply wish to represent them as we found them. What they are now is easily seen by the few wretched specimens around us." CHAPTER II. INDIAN TREATIES AND CESSION* OP LANDS- INDIAN EMIGRATION. Treaties of 17H5 and 1807 — Cession of Territory East of the Prin- cipal Meridian — Treaty of Springwells in IS 15 — Treaty of Saginaw (ISltt) and Cession of Lands West of the Meridian — Indian Reser- vations — Plans for Indian Emigration — Removal of Pottawattamie Refugees. It is a principle which has been recognized by the gov- ernment of the United Slates from the time of its formation, that the Indians had possessory rights in the lands which they occupied, but that those rights could pass from them only to the government, and that this could only be done by their own voluntary act in public and open council held f It is a singular fact, also, that although the disease was so exceed- ingly fatal to the Indians on the Shiawassee, and in less degree to those in the valley of the Looking-Glass, it was not eommunicated to the Maple River Indians at all, and they remained wholly unharmed by it. 18 HISTORY OP SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. by an accredited agent or commissioner of the United States, with the chiefs and head men of the tribes interested. And this principle and method liave always been observed by the government in treaties held with Indians for the pur- chase of their territory. The treaty by which the first cession was made of Indian lands now in the State of Michigan was concluded on the 3d of August, 179.5, at Greenville, Ohio, by Gen. Anthony Wayne, for the United States, with the chiefs of the Chip- pewa, Ottawa, Pottawattamie, and other tribes, who there ceded to the United States " the post of Detroit and all the lands to the north, the west, and the south of it of whieh the Indian title has been extinguished by gifts or grants to tiie French or English governments, and so much more land to be annexed to the district of Detroit as shall be comprehended between the river Rosine (Raisin) on the south. Lake St. Clair on the north, and a line, the general course of which shall be six miles distant from the west end of Lake Erie and Detroit River," with several other tracts, among which were the post of Michilimackinac and lands adjacent, and the island of Bois Blanc ; menliuned as being an extra and voluntary gift of the Chippewa nation. On the part of the government it was expressly stipu- lated that " the United States relinquish their claims to all other Indian lands northward of the river Ohio, eastward of the Mississippi, and westward and southward of the great lakes and the waters uniting them, according to the bound- ary line agreed on between the United States and the King of Great Britain in the peace made between them in the year 1783." This the government did in consideration of the peace established by the treaty, and of the cessions made by the Indians, as well as " to manifest the liberality of the United States as the means of making the peace strong and perpetual." It was also declared in the treaty that '• the Indian tribes who have a right to those lands are quietly to enjoy them ; hunting, planting, and dwelling thereon so long as they please, without any molestation from the United States; but when these tribes or any of them shall be disposed to sell their lands or any part of them, they are to be sold only to the United States; and until such sale the United States will protect the said Indian tribes in the q«iet enjoyment of their lands against all citizens of the United States, and against all other white persons who intrude upon the same." This treaty left the Indians still in possession of all Slichigan except the six- mile strip along the Detroit River, the island of Bois Blanc, Michilimackinac, and a few small tracts in actual possession of white occupants (principally French settlers) outside the six-mile strip. All the southeastern part of Michigan (including four- fifths of the present county of Shiawassee) was ceded to the United States by the terms of a treaty concluded at Detroit, Nov. 17, 18U7, " by William Hull, Governor of the Territory of Michigan, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, and sole commissioner of tiie United States to conclude and sign a treaty or treaties with the several nations of Indians north- west of the river Ohio, on the one part, and the sachems, chiefs, and warriors of the Ottoway, Chippeway, Wyandotte, and Pottawattamie nations of Indians on the other part." The territory here ceded was described in the treaty as " be- ginning at the mouth of the Miami River of the Lakes (the Maumee),and running thence up the middle thereof to the mouth of the Great Auglaize River ; thence due north until it intersects a parallel of latitude to be drawn from the outlet of Lake Huron, which forms the river Sinclair; thence running northeast on the course that may be found will lead in a direct line to White Rock in Lake Huron ; thence due east until it intersects the boundary-line between the United States and Upper Canada in said lake ; then southwardly, following the said boundary-line down said lake, through the river Sinclair, Lake St. Clair, and the river Detroit into Lake Erie, to a point due east of the aforesaid Miami River ; thence west to the place of begin- ning." In payment for this immense tract of land, the Indians were to receive from the government — in money, . goods, agricultural implements, or domestic animals, at the discretion of Gen. Hull — the sum of three thousand three hundred and thirty-three dollars and thirty-three cents each to the Chippewa and Ottawa tribes, and one-half that sum each to the Wyandottes and Pottawattamics ; with an annuity of two thousand dollars each to the Chippewas and Ottawas, and one thousand dollars each to the other tribes. The Chippewas and Ottawas were also to be fur- nished each with a blacksmith for the period of ten years ; the former to reside at Saginaw and the latter at the Indian settlement on the Maumee, " to do such work for the said nations as shall be most useful to them." The line forming the western boundary of the tract ceded by this treaty, viz., the line from the mouth of tlie Great Auglaize, and running " thence due north until it intersects a parallel of latitude to be drawn from the outlet of Lake Huron," was known for many years after as the " Indian Boundary-Line," and this, prolonged northward to the east end of Bois Blanc Island, in the Straits of Macki- nac, was identical, or very nearly so, with the line afterwards adopted by the United States surveyors as the principal meridian of the lower peninsula of Michigan, which is the dividing-line between the counties of Clinton and Shiawas- see. The territory which the Indians ceded at the Detroit treaty embraced all of Michigan lying east of this line as far north as the northwest corner of the township of Sciota in Shiawassee County, and south of a line drawn from thence northeast to Lake Huron ; thus including all of Shiawassee County except the township of Fairfield and parts of the townships of Middlebury, Owosso, llu.sh, and New Haven. Over all of the ceded territory until sold to settlers the Indians had the right reserved to hunt and fish at will during good behavior. After the close of the war of 1812-15 a treaty was held at Springwells, near Detroit, by Gen. William H. Harrison, Gen. McArthur, and John Graham, on behalf of the gov- ernment, with the chiefs of the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Pottawattamie tribes, for purposes of conciliation, and to- restore to these Indians the rights which by their hostility to the United States during the then late war they were considered to have justly forfeited, and which they them- selves scarcely expected to be allowed to retain. The treaty, which was made and concluded on the 8th of INDIAN TREATIES AND CESSIONS OF LANDS. 19 September, 1815, declared that " tlie United States jjive peace to the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Pottawattamie tribes. They also agree to restore to tlie said Chippewa, Ottawa, and Pottawattamie tribes all their possessions, rights, and privileges which they enjoyed or were entitled to in the year 1811, prior to the late war with Great Britain; and the said tribes upon their part agree to place themselves under the protection of the United States, and of no other power whatsoever." Previous treaties and cessions were also confirmed and ratified. The treaty by which the Indian owners ceded to the United States a large scope of territory including all the present county of Clinton and all that part of Shiawassee not embraced in the Detroit cession of 1807, was held at Saginaw, in September, 1819, by Gen. Lewis Cass,, Gov- ernor of Michigan and ex-qfficio Indian commissioner, with the chiefs and head men of the Chippewa tribe of the lower peninsula. Soon after the close of the war of 1812-15 the attention of West-bound emigrants from the old States began to be strongly directed towards Michigan Territory, and it became evident'to the clear mind of Governor Cass that, broad as was the domain acquired by the treaties of 1795 and 1807, it would soon be found too narrow to receive the immigration which had already begun to spread westward and northward from Detroit. He therefore at once set about the task of securing further cessions from the na- tives, and having laid bis plans before the government, and received its sanction with authority to proceed in the matter, he convened the chiefs in council, as above men- tioned. The Governor, accompanied by quite a numerous retinue, composed of his secretaries, Robert A. Forsyth (who was also acting couimissioner), John L. Leib, and D. G. Whit- ney, with several other persons, set out from Detroit on horseback on the 7th of September, and proceeding north- westwardly through the woods and openings by way of Royal Oak, Pontiac, Silver Lake, Grand Blanc, and the Grand Traverse of the Flint River (now Flint City), ar- rived at the Saginaw treaty-ground on the 10th. Two small vessels, — a sloop and a schooner, — which had left Detroit a few days before, had already arrived, and lay moored in the river. They were laden with subsistence stores, silver coin to be used in payment for the lands ex- pected to be ceded, and goods intended for Indian presents; and they brought also a company of the Third United States Infantry, under command of Capt. C. L. Cass (a brother of the Governor), who liad disembarked his com- mand, and encamped it on the bank of the stream. The presence of these troops was thought to be necessary, in view of the possibility of an attempt at violence by some of the bands. On his arrival, Gen. Cass found a large number of In- dians assembled, but yet the attendance was not as numer- ous as he had expected. Having found, upon inquiry, that a ndmber of the more remote bauds were unrepresented, he dispatched runners to the villages on the Huron (now Ca.s,s), Flint, Shiawassee, Mishtegayock, Maple, and Titta- bawassee Rivers, to give further notification to the chiefs, and to urge tlicm to come in and join in the council. This pressing invitation had the desired eifect, and nearly all the absentee chiefs and warriors, with their squaws and pappooses, made haste to join their red brethren at the rendezvous. When all had come in, and the preparations were com- plete, the council was opened, in a large house (or more properly a bower, as its covering was composed principally of the branches of trees) which had been built for the occasion, on the bank of the Saginaw, by Louis Campau, the trader, by direction of Gen. Cass. All around this structure, and crowding closely up to the line which they were not allowed to enter, were squaws and pappooses from every band of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe, eager to look upon the ceremonies which were little less than mysterious to them. Next in their front — -and inside the leafy " council-house" — were the young men and warriors, while within their circle, seated on the trunks of trees which had been placed there for that purpose, were the chiefs and sagamores, those of highest rank being clustered round a low platform of hewn logs, on which were seated Gen. Cass, liis secretaries, — Forsyth, Leib, and Whitney, — Capt. Cass and Lieut. John Peacock, of the Third In- fantry, Capt. Chester Root, of the United States Artillery, Whitmore Knaggs (Indian trader, sub-agent, and principal interpreter), and some others. Other interpreters present were Louis Beaufait, John Ilurson, William Tuckey, and Henry Connor, who was known among the Indians as Wabaskindebay, or " White Hair." Among the traders who made themselves officious on the occasion were Louis and Antoine Campau, Jacob Smith, and Archibald Lyons, who was afterwards drowned in the Tittabawassee while in the employ of G. D. and E. S. Williams at their station near where Midland City now stands. Gen. Cass opened the council by an address to the In- dians, delivered through his interpreters. He told them that the Great Father (the President) earnestly desired to preserve and perpetuate the peace which had been estab- lished between their tribes and the government ; that he had the welfare of bis red children at heart, and wished to see them gradually change their mode of life by depending more on the pursuits of agriculture and less on hunting and fishing, which would grow more and more precarious year by year because the advance of white immigration was moving resistlessly towards them, and in a little time their streams would become less prolific, and their game would be driven to more remote hunting-grounds. He explained to them that the government, wishing to pur- chase their lands for the use of white settlers, would pay them a generous price ; and that other lands, ample in extent, and as fertile as these, would be set apart for the perpetual use of themselves and their children. The original object of Gen. Cass was not only to induce the Chippewas to cede their lands, but also to obtain from them an agreement to remove from the peninsula and locate themselves on tracts to be selected for them west of Lake Michigan, or perhaps beyond the Mississippi. This object was made apparent by the tenor of his opening speech, and it roused the opposition and resentment of the chiefs to such a degree as to threaten a suspension of all negotiations. The first Indian who spoke in rej)ly to the Governor was 20 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. Kishkawko* the principal chief of the Saginaws. He spoke in a violent and angry manner against the cession of any of their lands, and advised the breaking up of the council. He was, however, considerably under the influ- ence of li(]uor at the time, and on this account his harangue had less effect than that of Ogemawkeketo (a name mean- ing " chief speaker"), who immediately followed Kishkawko in a speech which was far less violent, but quite as uncom- promising in its opposition to the objects of Gen. Cass. Mishenanoncquet and other chiefs spoke in nearly the same vein, and when the council was ended for the day the pros- pect of the conclusion of a treaty was far from favorable. At the close. Gen. Cass, after having told the chiefs in a friendly manner to go to their wigwams " and smoke and talk the matter over together," retired with his secretaries to their quarters in a state of disappointment and great anxiety in view of the not improbable failure of the nego- tiations. Tiiere was one favorable circumstance, however : the chief, Kishkawko, had reached a state of helpless in- toxication, and he remained in that condition for the follow- ing eight or ten days, not again making his appearance until all the terms of the treaty had been agreed on. The Indians had retired sullen and almost rebellious, and no other session of the council was held for several days. But during that time powerful influences in favor of the treaty had been brought to bear on them by Jacob Smith and other traders, who wished, for private reasons of their own, to see the sale consummated. The trader Smith, in particular, was high in fiivor with old Ncome and a great number of the other chiefs, and his influence over them was great. He was favorable to the cession, because in it he expected to (and eventually did) secure a number of choice reservations of land for his children. Archibald * Kishkawko was not a Chippewa, but a member of one of the CanadiaD tribes, who came to Saj^inaw and by some means was ena- bled to usurp the power and place of principal chief. lie was de- scribed as "a miserable tyrant and a villainous coward." Mr. Tru- man B. Fox, in his mention of Kishkawko, says: "The early settlers of Oakland County were very much annoyed by this villain and his cowardly band as they passed through that section of the country on their way to Maiden to receive their annual presents from the liritish government. Kishkawko was in the habit of traveling with thirty or forty scoundrels, whom he called his warriors, and taking advantage of the sparseness of the settlements would levy contributions upon the poor settlers. If his demands were not readily complied with he would take what he wanted by force, such as cattle, hogs, etc., thus subjecting the poor settlers to great suffering and continual fear. Upon one occasion, after his arrival at Detroit, which happened a few days before payment, his men being very hungry, he applied to some of the authorities for food, ' for,' said he, ' unless my young men get something to eat it will be impossible for me to restrain them from robbing the settlers along the route.* *Sir,' returned Gen. Cass, 'if your young men commit any depredations upon the settlers I will send nil/ young men to punish them.' Notwithstanding this intimation depredations were occasionally committed upon the set- tlers with impunity. Kishkawko at length came to his end in a man- ner strikingly in keeping with his wicked and cowardly career. One day, while encamped at a place a little above Detroit, known as Chaine Farm, he got into a drunken row and killed an Indian. He was arrested by the ]>roper authorities and imprisoned in the old Detroit jail, where he remained several months. Feeling assured from his jjast conduct that he need e.xpect no mercy or lenity from the hands of those he had so often outraged, and that his death was certain, ho anticipated the law by taking poison, supposed to have been provided him by his squaws." Lyons was another who expected (and received) a similar favor for his half-breed daughter Elizabeth. Several other traders (among whom a principal one was Louis Campau) stood well in the confidence of the Chippewas, and all these exerted their powers of persuasion to induce the Indians to majve the treaty, in the hope of receiving certain arrearages due them out of the silver coin which would be paid in consideration of the cession. Gen. Cass, although he was Governor of Michigan and commissioner of Indian afiairs, and was backed by the military force of the United States, did not wield one-half the power over the savages which was exercised by these traders ; but the latter used theirs so effectually that at the end of a few dttys they had nearly overcome the opposition. Having accomplished this result they notified Gen. Cass (who had all the while been aware of the means that were being employed), and he thereupon reconvened the chiefs and warriors in the council-house. At this second council there was still a considerable amount of discussion among the chiefs, but as the principal difficulty had already been surmounted by the arguments and persuasions of the traders, the scenes of the previous meeting were not re-enacted here. All the circumstances were now favorable I'or the conclusion of a treaty. The most de- termined opponent, Kishkawko, was absent (not having yet recovered from his debauch), and the chief speaker, Oge- maiykeketo, had been won over by the traders. Gen. Cass, having found that the Indians were bitterly hostile to tiie plan for removing them beyond Lake Michigan, and that if the measure was insisted on it would most probably re- sult in the failure of the treaty, had ceased to press the proposition, and substituted for it the plan of granting tribal and individual reservations within the tract to be ceded. These circumstances had wrought such a favorable change in the feelings of the chiefs that the parties had little difiiculty in agreeing on the terms of a treaty, whicli was virtually concluded at this sitting; all that remained to be done being to engross it in due form, and to aflix to it the signatures of the commissioner, the chiefs, and the wit- nesses. On the following day (September 24th) the third and last session of the council was held, and the treaty was formally signed. The Indian attendance was much larger at this than at either of the previous councils, being esti- mated at fully two thousand chiefs and warriors ; while a still greater number of women and children were crowded together on the outskirts of the assemblage. The ceremony of signing the treaty was made as imposing as possible. The first name written upon the document was, of course, that of Lewis Cass, United States Indian commissioner, and this was followed by the totems of one hundred and fourteen Chippewa and Ottawaf chiefs. Old Kishkawko had finally come out of his prolonged trance, and was present— somewhat sullen, but very quiet and dignified — I Only a very few Otlawas, however, were included among the chiefs who signed the Saginaw treaty. The Ottawas were regarded as the owners of a small part {the southwestern portion) of the lands ceded by this treaty ; but theyhad no proprietorship in the eastern part, which (including the two counties to which this history has ref- erence) was embraced in the domain of the Chippewas. INDIAN TREATIES AND CESSIONS OF LANDS. 21 and affixed his mark to the treaty with those of the other chiefs. The execution of tlie treaty was witnessed by Actins; Commissioner R. A. Forsyth ; the Governoi's sec- retaries, Leib and Whitney; Capts. Cass and Root and Lieut. Peacock ; Gabriel Godfroy, sub agent ; the inter- preters Knaggs, Beaufait, Ilur.son, and Tuckey ; John Hill, army contractor; Henry I. Hunt, Barney Campau, William Keith, V. S. Ryley, J. Whipple, A. E. Lacock, John Smyth, B. Head, Richard Smyth, Louis Dequindre, and Conrad Ten Eyck. After the signing, a large table was spread before the commissioner, and on this table were placed great piles of silver half dollars, which, under the direction of Gen. Cass, were to be paid out to the representatives of the several bauds. This part of the ceremony was watched with great interest by both chiefs and traders, but for somewhat differ- ent reasons. Many of the chiefs were indebted in consider- able sums to the trader Louis Campau, who had received their promise that when the payment was made to them bis claim should be liquidated, at least to the amount of fifteen hundred dollars. He had already notified Gen. Cass of this agreement, and was now anxiously waiting, hoping to re- ceive the money from the commissioner without having it pass through Indian hands at all. But three of the other traders present wore not pleased at the prospect of having so considerable a part of the Indians' money appropriated to the payment of their old debts. One of these three was Jacob Smith, who at once set about the task of persuading the wily and treacherous Kishkawko and some of the other chiefs to demand that the entire sum due them should be paid to the Indians, to be applied by them as they saw fit. This diplomacy was so entirely successful that when the commissioner explained to the chiefs that Campau was ex- pecting to receive his dues, and asked if they consented to the arrangement, they replied that they were his children, under his protection, and expected that he would pay the money into their hands. The general could not disregard their expressed wishes in this particular, and be therefore directed that the money be paid to them, which was accord- ingly done by the secretaries, much to the disgust of Cam- pau, who, seeing that his money was lost, and believing Smith to be the cause of his discomfiture, leaped from the platform where he had been standing, and struck the latter two stunning blows in the face. Quick as lightning Smith turned on his assailant, but Henry Connor and Louis Beau- fait interposed between the belligerents and stopped the fight. After the payments had been made. Gen. Cass ordered five barrels of government whisky to be opened, and the liquor to be dealt out to the Indians. Upon seeing this, Campau, still filled with wrath at the treatment he had received, and blaming the general almost as much as Smith for it, ordered up ten barrels of his own whisky, knocked in the heads, and posted two men with dippers to supply the Indians as they came up. Of course the scene of in- toxication that ensued was indescribable. At about ten o'clock, the Governor, having become thoroughly alarmed at the infernal orgies that surrciunded the trading-house in which he was quartered, sent his private secretary, Forsyth, with orders to Campau to shut off the supply of liquor ; but the trader only deigned the grim reply, " Gen. Cass commenced it himself." Then a platoon of Capt. Cass' company was detailed to guard the store-house. Soon after they had been posted, a new arrival of Indians demanded whisky, and, upon being refused and held at bay, rushed on the guard to force an entrance, during which attempt one of them received a bayonet wound in the leg. In an instant the war-whoop was sounded, and in a few minutes more swarms of savages, infuriated with liquor, and tomahawk in hand, came rushing towards the store. " Stop the liquor, Louis! " screamed the Governor of Michigan Territory, as he stood in the door of his quarters with a night-cap on his head. " W^e shall all be murdered ! Stop the liquor, I say!" " Certainement, mon general," replied Campau, " but you begun it, and you allowed Smith to rob me. I'll keep you safe, but remember you commenced it, mon gen- eral." lie appeared to think that the satisfaction of thor- oughly frightening Gen. Cass for having allowed Jacob Smith to rob him, as he said, was cheaply enough purchased by the expenditure of ten barrels of whisky. " I lost my whisky and my money," he afterwards remarked, " but I had good revenge on Cass." By the combined efforts of the interpreters and traders the Indians were at length pacified, and they retired to their wigwams to sleep off the effects of their intoxication. After they had entirely recovered from their debauch they became perfectly friendly and tractable, and even after the commissioner and his staff of assistants had departed for Detroit, they sent the orator-ehief, Washmenondequet, to overtake him, and express to him their pleasure and satis- faction at the result of the council. By the terms of this treaty, the Indians ceded to the United States an area of territory estimated at about six millions of acres; on consideration of which cession, the government agreed to pay to the Chippewa nation annually, forever, the sum of one thousand dollars, in silver coin, and, also, that all annuities to be paid them in pursuance of the stipulations of previous treaties should thereafter be paid in silver. The terms of the treaty of Greenville (in 1795j, giving the Indians the right to hunt and fish at will upon the ceded lands, so long as they remained the property of the United States, were applied to this treaty. They were also to be permitted to make sugar wherever they chose upon the same lands and during the same period, but with- out auy unnecessary waste of the trees. The boundaries of the cession, as described in the treaty, were as follows : " Beginning at a point in the present Indian boundary line (identical with the principal meridian of the State) which runs due north from the mouth of the great Auglaize River, six miles south of the place where the base line, so-called, intersects the same ; thence west sixty miles ; thence in a direct line to the head of Thunder Bay River ; thence down the same, following the courses thereof, to the mouth ; thence northeast to the boundary line between the United States and the British province of Upper Canada ; thence with the same to the line established by the treaty of De- troit in the year 1S07 ; and thence with said line to the place of beginning." This immense tract joined the cession of 1807 along the line of the principal meridian, and extended thence west- HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. ward to a point about three miles northeast of the site of the village of Kalamazoo. Prom this point, the western boundary of the cession was an unsurveyed line extending northeasterly tlirough the present counties of Kalamazoo, Barry, Ionia, Montcalm, Isabella, Clare, Roscommon, and Crawford to Montmorency, embracing all the country be- tween the diagonal line mentioned and Lake Huron ;* thus including, of course, the entire territory of Clinton County, and all of Shiawassee which had not been covered by the cession of 1807. Within the boundaries of the great tract conveyed to the government by the treaty of Saginaw a number of tribal and individual reservations were made, viz. : A tract of 8000 acres, including an Indian village, on the east side of the Au Sable ; 2000 acres on the Mesaquisk ; 6000 acres, to include an Indian village, on the north side of the Kaw- kawling ; 6-10 acres on the same river, " for the use of the children of Bowkowtonden ;" 9GI0 acres, in three tracts, on the Huron (Cass) River ; an island in Saginaw Bay ; a tract of 2000 acres " where Nabobish formerly stood ;" 1000 acres "near the island in Saginaw River;" 2000 acres "at the mouth of Point Augrais River;" 10,000 acres at Big Rock, on the Shiawassee, and " 3000 acres on the Shiawassee River at a place called Ketchewandauge- nink ;" 6000 acres at Little Porks, on the Tctabawasink (Tittabawassee) River, and GOOO acres, near the same stream, " at Blackbird's town ;" 40,000 acres " on the west side of the Saginaw River, to bo hereafter located ;" " one tract of 57G0 acres upon the Flint River, to include Reaume's (Neome's) village and a place called Kishkaw- bawee ;" individual reservations on the Saginaw River to " the Crow" a Ciiippewa chief, and to three half-breed sons of Gen. Riley ; also eleven individual reservations of G40 acres each, at the Grand Traverse of the Flint River, em- bracing the site of the present city of Flint ; five of the reservations last named being granted for the use of the five children of Jacob Smith the trader, whose influence with the Indians (exerted principally in view of the secur- ing of these same tracts) was largely instrumental in gain- ing the Indians' consent to the treaty, and without which it could hardly have been made. Ths ten-thousand-acre reservation " at Big Rock on the Shiawa.ssee River" was located a short distance north of the boundary of Shiawassee County, in Saginaw, at the jirescnt village of Chesaning, which took its name from the old Indian village of Che-as-sin-ning (Big Rock), which was included in the reservation. The tract of two thousand acres to be located " where Nabobish formerly stood" was never laid out, but was merged in the forty-thousand-acre reservation " to bo here- after located" on the west side of the Saginaw. The old village of Nabobish (so called lor the chief of the same name, who died before 1830) was the place which was * The Indinn title to all that part of the Lower Peninsula which remained in possession of the Indians after the conclusion of the Saginaw treaty was extinguished by the treaties of Chicago (Aug. 2i), 1821) and Washington (March 28, ISHC). By the former the Indians coded the southwest part of the State as far north as Grand Iliver; and by the latter, all the remainder of the peninsula (except a few reservations) which had not been included in previous cessions. known among the later Indians as Assineboining, .situated on the south branch of the Shiawassee, in what is now the township of Cohoctah, in the county of Livingston. The reason why the Nabobish reservation was never surveyed and set apart for the u.se of the Indians in accordance with the terms of the treaty is not known, but the fact that it was never done caused great dissatisfaction among them ; and during all the years of their stay in this region they never ceased to refer to it in bitter terms, as an act of bad faith on the part of the government. The tract of three thousand acres reserved " on the Shiawassee Iliver, at a place called Ketchewandaugenink," was the " Grand Saline" or " Big Lick" reservation, embracing lands in the northwest corner of the present township of Burns, Shiawassee Co., and also extending into the adjoining townships of Antrim, Shiawassee, and Vernon. This was the only reservation ever laid out for Indians within the territory of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties. Neither the reservation of Kechewondaugoning nor that which was promised at Nabobish was, strictly speaking, within the scope of the Saginaw treaty, nor within the tract there ceded ; for, as has already been stated, the cession of 18U7 included within its boundaries — as described in the treaty of Detroit — a territory which, extending northward as far as the centre of the west line of Shiawassee, and run- ning thence northeasterly to White Rock on Lake Huron, covered all of that county except the northwest corner, — about one-sixth part of its area. But the Indians did not so understand it. They had no means of knowing where the described linos would fall, and they supposed that the northern boundary of that cession would pass to the south- ward of the head-waters of the Shiawassee River, while in fact it crossed that stream within the present boundary of Saginaw County. Tiie fact, however, that they believed themselves to be still possessors of the Shiawassee Valley is proof that they never iiitviulcd to include it in the lands ceded by the treaty of 1807. Whether Gen. Cass knew that this region was comprehended within the limits of that csssion — or, indeed, whether the northern boundary de- scribed by the treaty of Detroit was ever accurately run — does not appear; but if the commissioner was aware of the fact, he did not, and could not, insist on the right of the government to the lands which the Indians believed to be o still their own, for by so doing he would probably liave enraged them to such an extent that the treaty of Saginaw could not have been concluded. PLANS FOR INDIAN EMIGRATION. It has already been mentioned that one of the principal objects of Gen. Cass in convening the treaty-council at Saginaw in September, 1819, was to procure from the In- dians an agreement that they would gradually emigrate from their old hunting-grounds in Michigan and remove beyond the Mississippi River, or at least to the country lying to the westward of Lake Michigan ; but in this the commissioner was disappointed, as we have seen. This repulse, however, did not cause the government to abandon its cherished idea, and, finally, after many long years of persuasion, the minds of the red men seemed to have become fully prepared to INDIAN EMIGRATION. 23 ciit(.M-l:iiii (lie proposition for iiltiniute removal to the now countries of the far ^Vcst. Finally, at the beginning of the year 1837, Henry E. Scliooleraft, Indian coniiuissioner, met tlie chiefs and head men of tlie Chippewas in council at Detroit, where, on the 14th of January in that year, a treaty was concluded by wliich the tribe ceded to tlie United States all the reservations, except those granted to individ- uals, under the Saginaw treaty of 1819, but retained the right to continue for five years in undisturbed occupation of their tracts on the Augrais Iliver, and on the Blushowusk River west of the Saginaw ; no white man to settle or en- croach on those tracts under penalty of five hundred dol- lars. The United States agreed to furni.sh a farmer and blacksmith for the tribe as before, and to continue the dona- tions of cattle and farming utensils. The lands embraced in the ceded reservations were to be surveyed by the United States and placed in the market with the other public land.s as soon as practicable, and the amount due the Indians from this source to be invested by the President iu some public stock, the interest to be paid annually to the tribe in the same manner as their annuities were paid ; and if, at the end of twenty years, the Indians should wish the said stock to be sold and the proceeds divided among the tribe, it might be done with the consent of the President and Senate. But the most important part of this treaty was that in which the Chippewas agreed to remove from the State of Michigan as soon as a proper location for them could be ob- tained, lor which purpose a deputation was to be sent to view the country occupied by kindred tribes west of Lake Superior; "and if an arrangement for their future and per- manent residence can be made there which shall be satis- factory to them and the government, they shall bo permitted to form a reunion with such tribes and remove thereto. If such an arrangement cannot be efliected the government of the United States will use its influence to obtain such location west of the Mississippi River as the legislation of Congress may indicate." An amendment was made to the terms of this treaty by a new treaty made by Mr. School- craft with the Chippewa chiefs at Flint River, Dec. 20, 1837, by which the United States agreed to reserve a location for the tribe "on the head-waters of the Osage River, in the country visited by a delegation of the said tribe during the present year ; to be of proper extent agree- ably to their numbers, embracing a due proportion of wood and water, and lying contiguous to tribes of kindred language ;" the meaning and intent of this being to abro- gate that article of the treaty of Detroit which entitled them to lands in the country lying west of Lake Superior. It was provided by the treaty that the sum of fifty cents for each acre of Indian reservation land .sold by the United Slates should be reserved "as an iTideninification for the location to be furnished for their future permanent resi- dence, and to constitute a fund for emigrating thereto." Immediately after the treaty of Flint River, Commis- sioner Schoolcraft called another council, to be held at Sagi- naw, the reasons for which convention were sot forth to be that " the chiefs of the bands have represented that combi- nations of purchasers may be formed at the sale of their lands [meaning the reservation lands relinquished by the treaty of Detroit, Jan. 14, 1837], for the purpose of keep- ing down the jiriee thereof, both at the public and private sales, whereby the proceeds would be greatly diminished ; and such a procedure would defeat some of the primary objects of the cession of the lands to the United States, and thereby originate difficulties to their early removal and ex- patriation to the country west of the Mississippi." The council was held and a treaty made, in which it was pro- vided that the reservation lands ceded by the treaty of 1837 should be offered for sale by proclamation of the President, and that the sales should be conducted in the same manner as the sales of other government lands, which, together with other guarantees and safeguards to protect the Indians from being wronged in the sale of their reser- vations, had the effect to quiet their apprehensions. This treaty was concluded Jan. 23, 1838. The time set for the final evacuation of the Michigan peninsula by the Saginaw Ciiij)pewas was January, 1842, or five years from the coliclusion of the treaty of Detroit, in which they gave their assent to the project of emigra- tion, and relinquished their reservations, except those on Mushowusk and Augrais Rivers, which last two they were to hold until the expiration of the five years of grace. Rut the plans of the government looking to the removal of the Chippewas from Michigan were never carried into effect. Long before the time agreed on for their departure they had bitterly repented of their promise to remove to the lands in the far West, and they prayed the Great Father that they might be allowed to remain on almost any terms, and to die in the land of their birth. Probably, however, this had less efl^ect in averting their doom of expatriation than the fact that, in the mean time, they had been almost exterminated by the ravages of the smallpox, which left but a feeble remnant of their once numerous tribe. The bands were broken up, and the few miserable and dejected ones who survived the scourge became too widely scattered to be easily gathered together for banishment. Some of them, in dread of being removed West, preferred to cro.ss into Canada,— and did .so. Others (and the greater jini- portion) went northward into what was then the wilderness. These, or their children, are some of them now living on the reservation in Isabella County; a few yet remain in Saginaw, Gratiot, and other counties toward.s the north ; but very few, if any of them, arc now residents of Shia- wassee or Clinton. PvEMOVAL OP POTT.VWATTAMIE EEFUGEES. The policy of the United States government in reference to the Pottawattamie tribe was the same which was pur- sued towards the Chippewas, except that with tlie former the plan of emigration was carried out to the end, and most of the people of that tribe were ultimately removed beyond the Mississippi. The Pottawattamies, by various treaties, from 1821 to 1828, had ceded their country to the government, but, like the Chippewas, they had retained several reservations. In September, 1833, however, they ceded these reservations to the United States, and at the same time agreed to evacuate and remove from their lands within three years. They were not removed promptly at the expiration of the time agreed on, but in the autumn of 1838 a large number of them were collected on the St. 24 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. Joseph Kivor (by some persons who had taken the contract from government to remove them) and were sent West, es- corted by United States troops. Many, Iiowever, had left their villages and hidden themselves to avoid being taken, and quite a number who started, escaped from the troops and returned. In 1839 the process was repeated, and many Indians were collected through all the country from the St. Joseph eastward to the Huron. But even after this second attempt, a large number of Pottawattaniies (amounting in all to several hundreds) had evaded the vigilance of the contractors, and remained behind. In 1840 it was under- stood that a very determined eiFort would be made to collect all the lingerers and remove them, but the dejected fugitives were equally determined to avoid capture, if possible, and a body of them numbering about two hundred men, women, and children, with their old cliief Muckemoot, fled for safety to the northern part of Shiawassee County. Early in the autumn of that year (1840) Gen. Hugh Brady* arrived at the village of Owosso under orders to use the troops at his command in capturing the Pottawat- tamie band, who were supposed to be lurking in the woods and swamps to the northward. This duty of hunting down the poor wretches and forcing them into exile was very distasteful to the gallant old soldier, but his orders left him no choice. His troops were to be used to assist the con- tractors in collecting and guarding the Indians, r.nd after- wards in escorting them on their weary way to the Mis- sissippi. Observation and inquiry soon revealed the fact that the fugitives were a few miles north of Owo.sso, engaged in picking cranberries on the marshes in the vicinity of the Shiawassee River. It was not long, however, before the Indians became aware of the presence of Gen. Brady, and, of course, knew too well the nature of his errand. Upon this the old chief, Muckemoot, started eastward with two or three followers, and passed swiftly on through Genesee and Oakland Counties, heading for Canada, and fully re- solved never to be taken alive. The companions of Mucke- moot had firearms, but the chief himself had only his bow and a quiver of arrows at his back, with kuife and tomahawk in belt. ■•■■■ Hugh Brady was born in Northumtjcrlancl Co., Pa., in the year 1708. lie entered the United States army as ensign in 1792, and served with great credit under" Mad Anthony" Wayne in the Indian campaigns which followed. He was made lieutenant in February, 1794, and captain in 1799. In the reduction of tiie army, which was made soon afterwards, he was mustered out of the service, but was restored with his former rank in 180S by President Jefferson. He fought with great bravery in the war of 1812, and was severely wounded at the battle of Chipp(^wn, where, as Gen. Scott said in his report of the engagement, " Old lirady showed himself in a sheet of fire." The Hon. George C. Bates says of him: "Again and again he faced death on the battlefields of Chippewa, Queenstown, Niagara, and Lundy's Lane, amidst such slaughter as was never seen on any previous battle-field of our country. lie w,as colonel of the Twenty- second Foot Corps, which crossed bayonets with Col. Basden, of the British Twenty-first. He was so diffident, so modest, so brave, that any mention of his gallant exploits in his presence would drive him from the circle of conversation. But whenever duty called him to action he went calmly, resolutely to it. Not only was Gen. Brady a true soldier, but in all the broadest aspects of the word he was an accomplished -American genllemnn." His death occurred at Detroit in IS51, the result of his being tluowii from his carriage by a jiair of frightened horses. When their flight became known a party of three or four white men set out on horseback from Owo.'iso in pur- suit. The chief and his men had kept to the woods for many miles, but before reaching Pontiac they took the road and pressed on with all speed towards Auburn. Near that place the pursuing party (having heard of the Indians several miles back) overtook and passed them without awakening their suspicions. Keeping on for a considerable distance the white men finally halted, and when the savages came up, demanded their surrender. Old Muckemoot, see- ing that he was entrapped, made an involuntary movement of defense, but recovered himself in an instant (probably realizing the hopelessness of resistance with bow and arrow while covered by the firearms of his opponents), and he coolly demanded to know what they wanted, and why they interfered with him on his peaceful journey. " Who are you?" said the white man whom he addressed. "I am Ogemawkeketo, the Saginaw chief. Why am I molested ?" " No,'' said the white man, " I have known Ogemawkeketo for many years. You are not he. You are Muckemoot, the Pottawattamie chief, and you must go with me." Then the old Indian saw that further dissimulatioti was as vain as resistance. His countenance fell, and he answered very sa'dly, and yet proudly, " Yes, it is true ; I am the great chief of the Pottawattamies, and it is well for you that you came on me unawares, for otherwise Muckemoot could never have been taken ! I would fight you now, but it is too late ! I will surrender ! ■ It is very hard, but I will go with you !" The other Indians, following the lead of their chief, sur- rendered peaceably, and all were taken to Owosso. After the capture of Muckemoot and his followers the main body of Pottawattamies did not make much effort to escape, and they were finally all (or very nearly all) taken in the vicinity of the cranberry marshes, in the present township of Rush. They were brought into Owosso in squads at dififerent times, and these, as they arrived, were placed under guard. Some of them were quartered in a wooden building which had been erected for a hotel, but more in the Log Cabin which had been erected on the southeast corner of Main and Washington Streets as a rendezvous for the supporters of Harrison and Tyler in the Presiden- tial campaign of that year. They were kept in those buildings for a considerable time, until all who could be found had been brought in. Then a number of four-horse wagons were brought to the place, and into them were loaded the women and children, with their few utensils and other movable articles. Some of the Indian men were allowed transportation in the wagons, some rode on ponies, and many were obliged to travel on foot. Formed in this manner, and closely guarded by troops in front and rear, the mournful procession of Pottawattamies moved out on the road, and sadly took their way to the place of their exile beyond the waters of the Mississippi. INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. CHAPTER III. INTEENAIi IMPROVEMENTS. Laying out and Construction of Early lloads in the two Counties — Maple River Navigation Trojects — Navigation of the Shiawassee — Northern Railroad and Northern Wagon-Road — Detroit and Shia- wassee Railroad Company — Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway — Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw Railroad — Detroit, Lan- sing and Northern Railroad — Port Huron Railroad Project — Chi- cago and Lake Huron Railroad Line— Other Projected Railroads. Wherever immigrants of the Anglo-Saxon race estab- lish themselves as pioneers in wild interior regions, the opening of routes of travel between tlieir isolated settle- ments and the nearest civilized communities is one of the first labors which they are called on to perform. In many cases, when the country is heavily timbered (as was the case through the greater part of the counties of Clinton and Shiawassee), this is a heavy task, and one which the pioneer is sometimes obliged to attend to before he can transport his family and tlieir movables to the place which he has chosen for a home. If his location has been selected in a country of openings, he still has some labor to perform in clearing a path through thickets which are occasionally found barring the way, or in filling wet places with brush- wood to allow the passage of his team ; and even if he is migrating on foot, withoiit the convenience of either wagon or animals, he will sometimes find it necessary to fell a tree or two across a water-course, to serve as a footbridge for his wife and children, with their scanty stock of household goods. And whether the work bo light or heavy, the opening of these rude tracks to pioneer settlements is road- making, — the first step in the direction of public internal improvements in all new countries which are remote from navigable waters. The earliest highways in the section of country to which tliis history has reference were the Indian trails, several of which were found traversing the territory of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties at the time when the first settlers came here. The most important of these was the one known as the " Grand River trail," which, leaving that river at the mouth of the Looking-Glass, passed up the last-named stream on its northern side through Clinton County to what are now the villages of Do Witt and Laingsburg, and thence through Shiawassee County south of the village of Hartwellville to a point where an ancient Indian village was situated on the Looking-Glass in the present township of Antrim. There it forked, and the more southerly branch (known as the Red Cedar trail) passed south to the Cedar River in Livingston County, but the main Grand River trail continued eastward, crossed the Shiawassee River where the present hamlet of Burns stands, bore away southeast to Ryron, and thence across the southwest corner of Genesee County and the northeast corner of Livingston into and through Oakland County to Pontiac and Detroit. The " Saginaw trail" passed from the great Indian camp- ground at Saginaw, up the Saginaw and Shiawassee Rivers to the " great crossing" of the latter stream, where it joined the Grand River trail. The Saginaw and Grand River trail, passing up the valley of the Bad River in Saginaw County, crossed to the great bend of the Maple River in Gratiot County, and thence passed down the latter stream through Clinton County' to Genereau's trading-post on Grand River. Another trail left the one last mentioned at the great bend of the Maple and passed southeastwardly up that river, through Clinton and Shiawassee Counties, to join the Grand River trail at the crossing of the Shiawas- see. Almost directly through the centre of Clinton County a trail led southeastwardly from Maple Rapids to Scott's (De Witt village), where it crossed the Grand River trail and the Looking-Glass River, and thence passed to the Grand River in Ingham County. Besides the trails al- ready mentioned, there were a number of others of less importance which traversed the territory of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties, and some of these were selected as the routes of early roads to the pioneer settlements. When Richard Godfroy came to establish his trad- ing-post at the great crossing of the Shiawassee in 1828, he brought his goods from Oakland County by way of the Indian village of Kopenicorning and across the south part of Genesee County to his destination. The wagon in which these goods were transported was without doubt the first vehicle, as the route over which it came was the first road (if the rude wagon-track through the woods could be consid- ered as such) which entered or existed within any part of the territory of these two counties. In the year 18.33 a road was cut through the woods over very nearly the same route from Kopenicorning (in the extreme northwest corner of Oakland County) to the Williams trading-post of the Shiawassee, this being done mainly by the proprietors of that post, A. L. and B. 0. Williams, assisted by the few pioneer settlers who had then located themselves on or in the neighborhood of its line. The principal one of all the early roads in these counties was that known as the " Pontiac and Grand River road," which ran from Pontiac to Ionia, and, of course, traversed the entire breadth of both Shiawassee and Clinton Counties. It ran from Pontiac westward through Oakland, and passed " Ilillman's Tavern" in the township of Tyrone, Livingston Co, whence, its route was by way of Byron, Burns, Fre- mont, Hartwellville, and Laingsburg, in Shiawassee Co., and De Witt and Wacousta, in Clinton, to Portland and Lyons, in Ionia. The pioneer travelers over this road (or at least the Shiawassee and Clinton part of it) were members of a party of colonists who were brought from the State of New York by Judge Samuel W. Dexter, to settle on lands which had been purchased by him in Ionia County. This party of immigrants, numbering sixty-three persons, came from the east, through Oakland County, and arrived at the Shiawassee River in the early part of May, 1833. There were six or seven families of them, besides several single persons, all traveling with wagons, containing their movable property, and having with them oxen, cows, and swine. Ar- riving at the Grand Saline, whore Antoine Beaubien had a trading-post, their leader (Judge Dexter) asked that trader to pilot and assist them to their destination on the Grand River, but as he refused to undertake it, the judge then applied to B. 0. Williams, of the trading firm located be- low on the river. He was then engaged in his spring farm- 26 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. ing, and was unwilling to leave it, but finally acceded to Jud^e Dextcr's proposal and started out to guide the party on their way through the wilderness from the Shiawassee to the Grand River. Tiie account which he gives of that pioneering journey is this: " Having in vain tried to get Boaubien to pilot them, Messrs. Dexter, Yeomans,* and Winsor came to us for help. I left our planting, taking my blankets and small tent, and in six days landed them at Ionia, looking out the route, and directing where the road was to be. This was the first real colonizing party we had ever seen, — myself having never been farther than De Witt (the Indian village). I then induced Macketapenace (Blackbird), a son of Kishkawko, the usurping chief of all the Saginaws, to pilot us past Muskrat Creek, and from there proceeded with the party. At that point, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Dexter, a child of about two years old, died of scarlet fever. We buried the child by torch- and candle- light, in a box improvised by the party. . . . The road we opened was nest year followed by others, and was substan- tially the present Grand River road through Shiawassee and Clinton Counties, and was traveled for many years after." Mr. Williams is correct in saying that the route traveled by him with the party of Ionia colonists was nearly the same as that of the Pontiac and Grand River road, east of De Witt, but west of that place it was entirely different, as it ran thence northwestwardly through the present townships of Riley, Bengal, and Dallas, and down the south side of Stony Creek to Ionia County. It was on section 31 of Bengal — on the farm of Judge Cortland Hill — that the child of Judge Dexter was buried, as narrated by Mr. Williams. The route opened by this party between De Witt and Lyons became known as the " Dexter trail," and was cut out and traveled for a number of years, but a large part of it was afterwards closed and taken into the farms through which it passed. On the 9th of March, 1844, the Governor approved " an act to establish and improve the Pontiac and Grand River road," over the route which has already been described. In 1845 an amendatory act was passed (approved March 12th), which provided " that Philip S. Frisbee, Elkanah Parker, and Daniel Donelson be, and they are hereby, ap- pointed commissioners to examine any part of the Pontiac and Grand River road, and to make alterations of route according to their judgment ;" and by the same act, Robert Toan, of the county of Ionia ; Loyal Palmer, of Clinton ; Jonathan M. Hartwell, of Shiawassee; Samuel N. Warren, of Genesee ; and Archibald Phillips, of Oakland County, were " appointed special commissioners, each for the county in which he resides, whose duty it shall bo to direct and superintend the performance of all labor which by the pro- visions of this act, or the act to which this is amendatory, are to be performed on said road, and to expend all monies which may accrue to said road by the provisions of said acts." Under the provisions of these, and acts passed in subsequent years appropriating non-resident taxes, and by labor applied by the highway officers of the several town- ships traversed by it, the road was gradually worked and made passable in its entire length, though it was not until *■ Erastu-! Yeomans, afterwards a prominent citizen of loni.i County. July, 1854, that it was declared opened through Clinton County. It has been an important thoroughfare to these two counties (though much le.ss so now than formerly), and it is still known and mentioned by its ancient name, — the Pontiac and Gra.nd River road. The Detroit and Grand River road — more generally known in the- counties through which it passes as the " Grand River Turnpike" — was established by act of Con- gress, passed on the 4th of July, 1832 (Michigan being then a Territory), directing the President to appoint three commissioners " to lay out a road from Detroit, through Sciawassee County,! to the mouth of the Grand River," for military and other purposes. The road was accordingly " laid out," and the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars was expended by the government in the years 1833 and 1834 in working the eastern part of the road ten miles out from - Detroit. A further appropriation of twenty-five thousand dollars was made by Congress, March 3, 1835, and this amount was expended in 1835-3G in clearing the road one hundred feet wide through the timbered land, and in con- structing bridges on its line across the Rush, Huron, Shia- w.assee (south branch), and Cedar Rivers. This was the last work done on the Grand River road by the general government, as Michigan had cea^^ed to be a Territory and became a sovereign State. A grant of five thousand acres of land was, however, obtained from the United States for the benefit of the Grand River and Saginaw roads, of which grant this road received its proportion. After the United States ceased making appropriations for the Grand River road very little was done on it for a time. The State, however, took up the work soon after, and the construction of the road was continued by State ap- propriations from time to time, one of these being made by an act approved April 2, 1841, which provided that five thousand dollars be expended on the construction of this road, under the direction of the Board of Internal Im- provement ; this sum being taken from the sixty thousand dollars which remained unexpended of the appropriations previously granted for the Northern Wagon-Road,J which project had at that time been virtually abandoned. By these appropriations, and by the expenditure of local high- way taxes upon it, the Grand River Turnpike was finally made an excellent road, which for many years accommodated a vast amount of travel. So great was the traffic upon it at one period prior to the opening of the railroads through the section tributary to it that the vehicles passing over it — heavy wagons, light carriages, and stage-coaches — formed an almost continuous procession. With the opening of the Detroit and Milwaukee, and Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroads this great travel suddenly ceased, and the former glory of the Grand River Turnpike departed. The route of the turnpike, being entirely south of the present territory f Shiawassee County at that time extended south as far as the centre of the present county of Livingston. J The Northern Wagon-Road, of which the route lay through the whole breadth of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties, and for which the Legislature made au appropriation of thirty thousand dollars in 1841, will be found mentioned in succeeding pages in connection with the account of the old *' Northern R:iilro.ad." INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 27 of Shiawassee, enters Clinton County at the southeast corner of the township of Watertown, and passes northwestwardly through that and tlie township of Eagle into louia County. The first Legislature of the State of Michigan, at its ses- sion of 1835-36, provided for the laying out and establish- ment of a large number of State roads, and among them were a number of which the routes were partially within the counties of Shiawassee and Clinton. These were au- thorized by act approved March 26, 183G, as follows : 1. " A State road from Pontiac, in the county of Oak- land, on the most direct and eligible route to the village of Brooklyn, in the county of Clinton, and thence to the seat of justice in said county." Jonathan F. Stratton, William C. Ilumscy, and Enos Leek were appointed by the act " comiuissioners to lay out and establish the same." 2. A State road " from the village of Pontiac, in the county of Oakland, by the most direct and eligible route, to terminate at the county-seat of Ionia." The commissioners appointed to lay out and establish this road were Alfred L. Williams, William Terry, and Erastus Yeomans. The route of this road crossed the entire width of the counties of Shiaw:issee and Clinton. 3. " A State road from Jacksonburgh, in the county of Jackson, through the centres (as nearly as may be) of the counties of Ingham and Shiawassee, to Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw." Commissioners, Daniel Coleman, David Scott, and William 11. Thouip.son. 4. A State road from Pontiac, in Oakland County, to be laid out " on the most direct and eligible route until it inter- sects the Grand River at the mouth of the Looking-Glass River, passing the White Lake (Oakland County) settle- ment, Alfred Williams' on the Shiawassee River, and the county-seat of Clinton County." The commissioners ap- pointed to 'lay out and e.stablish" this road were Alfred L. Williams, Jonathan F. Stratton, and David Scott. 5. State road to be laid out running "from the village of Pontiac, in Oakland County, to Mapes and Bursley's mills, on Ore Creek, in townsliip 3 north, of range G east, and thence to the centre of Shiawa.ssee County." To lay out and establish this road John S. Webber, Samuel Slapes, and George Buckley were appointed commi.ssionors. The act authorizing the above-mentioned roads was declared to be inoperative and void after Dec. 31, 1839, as to such of them as should not at that time have been laid out and established. It will be noticed that four of the five roads above men- tioned were to have their eastern termini at Pontiac. As it is certain that the public good could not have required so many highways running through these counties to that point, it might seem strange that the Legislature should have authorized all of them, but for the fact that it was expressly provided in the law that all State roads so author- ized were to be under the care of the commissioners of highways for the several townships through which they were to pass, and " subject to be by them opened and kept in repair in the same manner as township roads may be by them opened and kept in repair." It was also provided that " in laying out and establishing the roads, or any of the roads named, the State shall not be liable for the ex- penses or damages incurred thereby." Therefore, as the laying out of these roads brought no expense to the State, it was the policy of the Legislature to grant such as were asked for by interested parties, though without any expec- tation that all would be actually built. The second Legislature of the State, at its regular session in 1837, passed an act (approved March 17th) which author- ized the laying out of State roads to cross the territory of Clinton or Shiawassee County, or both, as follows : 1. A road " from Byron, in the county of Shiawassee, to Shiawassee town, so called, in town 6 north, of range 3 east, and from thence to Leach's Place in section 10, of town 6 north, of range 1 east, and from thence by the most direct and eligible route to the village of Lyons in the county of Ionia." The commissioners appointed to lay out this road were Francis J. Prevost, Archibald Purdy, and Henry Leach. 2. " A State road at or near Farmington City, so called, in the county of Oakland, running by the head of Walled Lake to Byron, in the county of Shiawassee," with Erie Prince, Isaac Wixom, and John Thomas as commissioners to lay out the same. 3. A road " commencing at the village of Marshall, in the county of Calhoun, and from thence to Saginaw City, so called, in the county of Saginaw." The route of this road must necessarily pass through the county of Shia- wassee. The commissioners to locate and establish it were Sidney S. Alcott, Cyrus Hewett, and Charles T. Gorham. 4. A road " from the seat of justice in Eaton County, to Cushway's trading-point, on Maple River, in the county of Clinton, on the most direct and eligible route." The commissioners appointed were William Wheaton, Stephen B. Rogers, and Philander R. How. 5. A road " from De Witt, in Clinton County, to Pe- Shimnecon, in the county of Ionia ;" for the location of which Sylvester Scott, Alexander Chapel, and Philander R. How were appointed commissioners. 6. Truman H. Lyon, A. F. Bell, and John McKelvey were appointed commissioners to lay out and establish a State road " from the village of Pontiac, in the county of Oakland, by the most direct and eligible route to the vil- lage of Lyons in the county of Ionia." In 1838 (by act approved March 9th) the Legislature authorized the establishment of a State road " from the Rochester Colony, in Clinton County, thence on the most direct and eligible route to the county-seat of Ionia," and appointed Lyman Webster, Lockwood Yates, and Cyrus Lovell commissioners for that purpose. In the following year (by act approved April 18th) Samuel Barker, Charles Baldwin, and John Fcrdon were appointed commissioners " to lay out and establish a State road, commencing at the village of Owosso in the county of Shiawassee, and running thence on the most direct and eligible route by the way of Rochester Colony, so called, to a certain point of intersec- tion with a State road running from Ionia to the Rochester Colony, at or near the dwelling-house of Hiram Benedict, in township 8 north, of range 3 west." An act of the Legislature, approved March 4, 1 840, ap- pointed Joseph P. Roberts, ApoUos Dewey, and I]lias Com- stock coiumis.-iioners " to lay out and establish a State road HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. commencing at the village of Mason, in the county of Ingham, thence in a northerly direction to the village of Owosso, in the county of Shiawassee, and to file the survey of so much of said road in the office of each township clerk [in any township] through which the road shall pass as shall be laid out in each township." And by another sec- tion of tlie same act Daniel Ball, Alfred L. Williams, and Alpheus F. Williams were made commissioners to lay out and establish another State road (a northern continuation of that above mentioned) " commencing at the village of Owosso, in the county of Shiawassee, running from thence in a northerly direction on the most practicable route to Saginaw City, in the county of Saginaw, and to file the survey of so much of said road in the oflSce of each town- ship clerk [in any township] through which the said road shall pass as shall be laid out in each township." For several years after 1840 the Legislature authorized very few State roads to be laid out through Shiawassee or Clinton County. The popular excitement in that direction had in a great measure expended itself during the first three years succeeding the organization of the State, and not one- half the roads authorized by the Legislature in those years had been built, or even located. Railroad schemes, too, had already begun to attract public attention, and a few years later projects for the construction of plank-roads became so popular that many persons believed that this kind of high- way was destined to come into universal use, and to super- sede the common road. These, and other causes, had the effect to divert attention from the opening of new State roads during a number of years preceding the removal of the State capital to Lansing, but the accomplishment of that removal, in 1847, caused the people, particularly those of Shiawassee, Clinton, and other neighboring counties, to desire more and better roads, to afford access to the new seat of government. Among the numerous State roads authorized at the next succeeding session of the Legislature (in 1848) were several to be laid out within Shiawassee and Clinton Counties, viz. : 1. Alexander Mc Arthur, Jonathan M. Hartwell, and Luke H. Parsons were appointed (by act approved April 1, 1848) commissioners "to layout a State road from the village of Flint, in the county of Genesee, by the way of the village of Corunna, in the county of Shiawassee, to the capital of this State, or to such other point, touching any road leading to the capital, as the said commissioners, or a majority of them, may deem proper." 2. A State road was authorized, to run " from the vil- lage of Michigan, in the county of Ingham, on the most direct and eligible route by the way of Owosso, in the county of Shiawassee, and Northampton and the forks of Bad River, in the county of Saginaw, to the city of Saginaw." The commissioners appointed to lay out and establish this road were William Smith, Alfred L. Wil- liams, and Daniel Gould. 3. Harvey T. Lee, Joiin Thomson, and James M. Cum- mings were appointed commissioners " to lay out and estab- lish a State road on the most eligible route from the village of Byron, in the county of Shiawassee, to the capital of this State." 4. A northeastern extension of the last-named road was authorized by the appointment of Hartford Cargill, Ephraim Fletcher, and George C. Holmes as commissioners " to lay out and establish a public State road from Flint vil- lage, in the county of Genesee, through the township of Gaines ; thence on the most direct and eligible route to Byron, in the county of Shiawas.see, intersecting the State road at that place." 5. James Seymour, Alexander McArthur, and Luke H. Parsons were appointed commissioners with authority " to lay out and establish a State road from the village of Corunna, in the county of Shiawassee, on the most eligible route to the village of Flushing, in the county of Genesee." And b}' the same act, J. B. Bloss, Simon Z. Kinyon, and Isaac Castle were made commissioners to lay out and estab- lish a State road from Corunna " to a point at or near where the present traveled road, leading from said village of Corunna to Shiawasseetown, touches the Shiawassee River." An act approved March .31, 1848, appropriated six thousand acres of internal improvement lands " for the pur- pose of improving certain roads in tlie county of Clinton, as follows, viz. : three thousand acres thereof upon a road to b&laid out from the village of De Witt to the village of Mapleton, in the township of Duplain, crossing the line of the Northern Railroad at or near the residence of Stephen W. Downer; also one thousand acres thereof for laying out and improving a branch of said last-mentioned road, commencing at a point where it intersects the Northern Railroad line, and running thence to the northeast corner of section 25, in the township of Essex; and from thence on the most eligible route to a point at or near the centre of the township of Greenbush, in said county of Clinton ; and also two thousand acres of said land for laying out and improving a road from the village of De Witt through the German settlement in Westphalia to Lyons, in iho county of Ionia; .said appropriation to be expended within the limits of the county of Clinton." An act pas.sed at the .same session (approved March 21, 1848) appropriated seven thousand acres of internal improvement lands in the lower peninsula " for the purpose of opening and improving the road leading from Corunna, in the county of Shiawassee, to a point at or near the forks of Bad River, in the county of Saginaw." It should be borne in mind, in reference to the roads au- thorized by the Legislature, as above mentioned, that the "laying out" of roads in that manner (particularly in the earlier years) was by no means equivalent to opening and making tliem ready for travel ; that some of them so au- thorized were never opened at all ; and that in nearly every case a long time (sometimes a number of years) intervened between the time when a State road wa.s laid out by the commissioners and the time when it was actually worked, opened, and made passable for vehicles. There have been a number of State roads laid out in Clinton and Shiawassee Counties later than tho.se mentioned above. It is impracticable to notice in detail the laying out and construction of all these, but it is proper to men- tion the Shiawassee and Saginaw, and the Clinton and Gratiot State roads, as among the most important north-and- soulh thoroutrhfares of these counties. The first mentioned INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 29 was liiid out from Owosso to St. Charles in 1861, and was worked tlirouuh in 1802 10 ISG-I- by Philip Mickle, con- tractor. The project of planking this road between Chesa- nin"- and Owosso was started, and a short distance was planked in 18(55 (the first plank being laid April 27th of that year at Chesaning), but the planking was not extended into Shiawassee County. The fine thoroughfare passing northward through the village of St. John's, and thence into Gratiot County, is a part of the line authorized by act of Feb. 12, 1859, which provided for the layingout of a State road " from Port Hu- ron, in St. Clair County, to Bay City ; thence westerly to the meridian township line between ranges 2 and 3 west ; thence southerly to St. John's, in Clinton County ; to be known as the Port Huron, Bay City and Clinton road." The sec- tion passing through the north part of Clinton into Gratiot, however, has usually been known as the St. John's and Gratiot road. This section was built by Christopher C. Darling, of Lansing, in 1859 and 1860, but has since been improved at great expense by the townships of Bingham and Greenbush, so that it is now one of the best highways in the county or State. PLANK-ROADS. Projects for the construction of plank-roads began to come into general favor in Michigan about the year 181:7, and it was in that year that the first two of these companies whose proposed route lay across any part of the territory of Shiawassee or Clinton County were formed, as follows : The Pontiac and Corunna Plank-Road Company — in- corporated by act approved March 17, 1817 — was "em- powered and authorized to survey and lay out a road com- mencing at the village of Pontiac, and running thence northwesterly through the village of Byron and the village of Shiawassee to the village of Corunna, in the county of Shiawassee, . . . and to construct and keep in repair a plank or macadamized road on the route so established from the village of Pontiac to the village of Corurma." Horace C. Thurber, J. W. Crandall, Jairah HiUman, George C. Holmes, J. B. Blo.ss, Seth Beach, and William Axford were appointed commissioners to receive subscriptions to the capital stock, which was authorized to the amount of two hundred thousand dollars. The Portland and Shiawassee Plank-Road Company was incorporated at the same time as the above. This company was authorized " to survey and lay out, on the line of any existing highway, or elsewhere, a road commencing at the village of Portland and running thence easterly to some eligible point on the Pontiac and Corunna Plank-Road." Commissioners appointed, Peter Laing, David Sturgis, and Harvey Hunter. Capital authorized, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The object of these two companies was to plank the Pontiac and Grand River Road from Pontiac to Portland. After 18-17, and before the enactment of the general plank-road law, tlie Legislature incorporated the following- named companies, each of which proposed to build plank- roads through some part of Shiawassee or Clinton County, viz. : The Clinton and Bad River Plank-Road Company, in- corporated April 3, 1848. Route, '"from the village of De Witt, in the county of Clinton, on the most eligible route to the forks of Bad River, in the county of Saginaw." Commissioners, J. W. Turner, Daniel Ferguson, Stephen W. Downer, Chandler W. Coy, and Robert E. Craver. Capital, seventy-five thousand dollars. The Portland and Michigan Plank-Road Company, in- corporated April 3, 1848. To build a plank-road from Portland, Ionia Co., to the town of Michigan (now Lan- sing), Ingham Co. Commissioners, William F. Jennison, A. Newman, and Hezekiah Smith. Capital, fifty thousand dollars. An amendatory act, approved March 8, 1851, empowered this company to enter upon and use the De- troit and Grand River turnpike between Lansing and Port- land. The Owosso and Bad River Plank-Road Company. In- corporated April 3, 1848, to build a road from the village of Owosso to the forks of Bad River, in Saginaw County. Commissioners, Alfred L. Williams, Amos Gould, and John B. Barnfts. Capital, forty thousand dollars. The Michigan and De Witt Plank-Road Company. In- corporated April 3, 1848. Proposed route, " from the town of Michigan, in the county of Ingham, to the village of De Witt, in the county of Clinton." Capital, ten thousand dollars. Commissioners, James Seymour, Siloam S. Carter, J. W. Turner, George T. Clark, and David Ferguson. The Corunna and Saginaw Plank-Road Company. In- corporated April 3, 1848, " to lay out, establish, and con- struct a plank-road from Corunna, in the county of Shia- wassee, to Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw, or to such intermediate point as the stockholders of said company shall determine." Capital, fifty thou.sand dollars (after- wards increased to seventy thousand dollars). Commis- sioners, Isaac Castle, Alexander McArthur, Ransom W. Hawley, Luke H. Parsons, Ebenezer C. Kimberly, and Samuel W. Cooper. To these were afterwards added Gardner D. Williams, James Fraser, Charles S. Kimberly, and David Eaton. The Howell and Byron Plank-Road Company. Incor- porated March 25, 1850, to construct a plank-road from Howell, Livingston Co., to Byron, Shiawassee Co. Capital, thirty thousand dollars. Commissioners, Josiah Turner, George W. Lee, B. W. Dennis, F. J. Prevost, and Noah Ramsdeli. None of the above-mentioned companies built their pro- po.sed roads, or any part of them, within these two counties, and the only reason why they have been noticed here is to show how general was the plank-road mania here, as in other portions of the State, and also to show what were the several projects of this kind, and who were their originators. MAPLE KIVEK NAVIGATION PKOJECTS. In the first half of the present century, before the days of railroad communication, the people of Michigan, like those of other States, were disposed to place an extrava- gantly high estimate on the importance and value of their rivers for purposes of navigation, and to favor bold and often visionary projects for the improvement of the streams, in the expectation (which was seldom if ever realized) of securing great advantages from the utilization of these 30 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. water-ways. Such projects were conceived and their pro- secution Commenced with regiird to the principal rivers of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties, — the Shiawassee, Grand, and Maple, and the improvement of the latter two was em- braced in the internal improvement system (more fully noticed in succeeding pages) which was adopted by the State at the I'egular session of its second Legislature in 1837. In that year an act was passed (approved March 20th) which provided : '• Section 5. — That the sum of twenty thousand dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated out of any moneys which shall come into the treasury to the credit of the internal improvement fund, for the fol- lowing surveys, to be made under the direction of the board of commissioners: for the survey of a canal or for a canal part of the way and railroad the balance of the route, com- meneiug at or near Mount Clemens, on the Clinton River, to terminate at or near the mouth of Kalamazoo River ; and for the survey of a canal route to unite the waters of the Saginaw River with the navigable waters of the Maple or Grand Rivers, and for the purchase of surveyors" and other instruments ; and for the survey of the St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rivers, with a view to the improve- ment of the same by slack-water navigation." Section 7 of the same act provided : " That the sum of fifteen thou- sand dollars be and the same is hereby approj)riated out of any moneys which shall come into the treasury to the credit of the said internal improvement fund, to be applied to the construction of a canal to unite the waters of the Saginaw with the navigable waters of the Grand or Maple Rivers, if said board of commissioners shall decide that it is practicable to construct a canal on said route. ' Under the authority conferred by this act the board of internal improvement caused a survey to be made by Tracy McCracken, Esq.. chief engineer of the Saginaw and Maple Rivers Canal, and this survey resulted in the location and adoption of a route running from the forks of the Bad River (a navigable tributary of the Saginaw), in Saginaw County, westward to the Maple River, at its " Big Bend," in Gratiot County. The report of the survey was regarded as exceedingly favorable, showing the existence of a remarkable valley or depression, extending westward from the waters of the Saginaw to those of the Maple ; that these waters, flowing in opposite directions, were only three miles distant from each other at one point, and that between them the higiiest elevation necessary to be crossed was only seventy- two feet above Lake Michigan. It was along this valley and across this low summit that the engineer located the route of the canal, which, with certain slack-water improve- ments to be made to the east and west of it, on the Bad, the Maple, and the Grand Rivers, was to open a line of uninterrupted navigation between Lake Michigan and Sag- inaw Bay, and to bring prosperity to all the country contig- uous to it. Contracts were let for the grubbing and clearing of the route and for the excavations upon a five-mile section on the most difficult portion of it ; the last-named contract being taken by Norman Little, of Saginaw. Another part of this work was taken by Alphous Williams. Work was commenced in 1838, and was continued with more or less vigor until July of the following year, when it was sus- pended. The immediate cause of the suspension is made apparent by the following extract from the official report of Rix Robinson, president of the State board of internal improvement, dated Nov. 30, 1839. He says: " Early in the season Norman Little, Esq., the principal contractor on this work, expressed to me his incapacity to proceed with the work in case the State should fail to pay his estimate for labor monthly, and punctually according to the tenor of his contract. There being no possible means for me to obtain sufficient funds for that purpose, the work has ac- cordingly boon abandoned by him. The chief engineer, Mr. McCracken, in his report for 1831), said: " It was not to be expected that the contractor fur this work, which, from its position, is one of the most difficult to execute, would be able or willing to prosecute it without prompt payment on the part of the State, which, failing to meet its engage- ment in the payment of the monthly estimates, was averred by the contractor as the cause of the work being aban- doned. This occurred some time in June last [1839] ; since then nothing has been done towards the construction of the work. . . . Most of the work required upon one section of the canal, together with the greater part of the clearing and grubbing of the line under contract, has been completed. There is now upon the line several thousand feet of plank and timber intended for the locks and dams. A great portion of the timber is framed, and will, from its present exposed condition, decay very rapidly." The suspension of work by the contractors in July, 1839, proved to be a final abandonment of the construction of the canal as a State work. The timbers mentioned by the chief engineer as having been intended for the construction of locks and dams remained to rot on the ground, and the remnants of some of theui have been visible in recent years in the town of Chapin, Saginaw Co. (a few miles from the northeast corner of Clinton County), having been left to decay in the place where they were framed more than forty years ago. The sums expended on the Saginaw and Blaple River Canal (and which were, of course, a total loss to the State) were as follows : In the year 1838, $6271.12 ; in the year 1839, $15,985,69; total, $22,256.81. Ten years after the abandonment of this canal project by the State, the Legislature of Michigan (by act approved March 30, 18 19) incorporated Gardner D. Williams, James Frazier, and D. J. Johnson, of Saginaw City ; Adam L. Roof, of Ionia County ; Rix Robinson, of Kent ; D. H. Fitzhugh, John F. Mackie, and Charles Yates, of New York City, as the " Saginaw and Grand River Canal Com- pany," with authority " to enter upon the canal commenced by the State, as their property, at the forks of the Bad River, and upon lands on either side and through which the said canal may pass, to the bend of Maple River, a tributary of Grand River, and as far on that river as may be thought proper ; to construct a tow-path, and concen- trate the water for canal use, and to dig, construct, or ex- cavate the earth ; to erect or set up any dams, locks, waste- weirs, sluices, feeders, or any other device whatsoever to render the same navigable with boats, barges, or other craft." The company was also empowered to make such INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 31 improvements on the BaJ, JMaiile, and Grand Rivers as nii^lit be necessary to carry out tlie ubjoots for wliich it was incorporated. The capital stock of the company was placed at two hundred thousand dollars, and its charter was to continue for a term of sixty years. The revival of the project reawakened hopes that the Maple River was at last to beconfo part of a navigable water-way between the two fireat lakes ; but no work on the canal was ever done by the company, and finally the enterprise was definitely abandoned, never to be again revived. At the present time a small steamboat, named the " May Queen," is running on the river from Maple Rapids to Bridgeville, Gratiot Co. ; this part of the stream being deepened and made navigable for craft of that size, by the dam at the Rapids, which sets the water back for ruany miles. At about the same time when the Maple River improve- ments were in agitation, a project was started for the con- struction of a canal along the Looking-Glass River between De Witt and Wacousta, but the work was never accom- plished, or even actually commenced. NAVIGATION ON THE SHIAWASSEE. The improvement of the Shiawassee River, so as to form a slack-water navigation from the Big Rapids of that stream northward to the Saginaw, was a project which had been con- templated by the founders of Owosso from the time when the first settlements were made at that place. Between them and the outside world there were no roads practicable for heavy transportation, and the obstacles to the construction of such for a distance of more than fifty miles (to Pontiac) were at that early day regarded as almost insurmountable. It seemed to them, therefore, that their settlement must continue in its isolated condition, and that very little im- provement as a village could be expected until they could secure communication with Saginaw by making the river beatable. These were the considerations which gave birth to the idea of improving the Shiawassee, and but a short time elapsed before they moved towards the execution of the plan by procuring the necessary authority from the Legislature. The "Owosso and Saginaw Navigation Company" was incorporated by act approved March 21, 1837. By this act Daniel Ball, Alfred L. Williams, Benjamin 0. Wil- liams, Lewis Findley, William Gage, Gardner D. Williams, Norman Little, Samuel G. Watson, Ephraim S. Williams, Elias Comstock, Alexander Hilton, and Perry G. Gardner were appointed commissioners to receive subscriptions to the capital stock, which was authorized to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars. The company thu.s incor- porated was empowered " to enter upon the river Shiawas- see, and upon the lands on either side, and to use the rocks, stones, gravel, or earth which may be found thereon in the construction of their works, first giving notice to the owners or occupiers of the land ; and to form and make, erect and set up any dams, locks, or any other device whatsoever which they shall think mo.st fit and convenient to make a complete slack-water navigation between the points herein meniionedjtowit: from the village of Owosso, situate on the Shiawassee River, to and down said river to a point where the Flint River intersects the Shiawassee ; and the locks for the purposes of passing steamboats, barges, and other craft up and down said river shall be of sufficient width and length to admit a safe and easy passage for steamboats, barges, and other craft, up as well as down said river." The company (in which Daniel Ball* was the leading man, and Sanford M. Green a prominent member) com- menced the work in 1837, and continued it during that and the following season, expending several thousand dol- lars on the river in removing fallen timber, driftwood, and other obstructions (principally between Chesaning and the mouth of Bad River), erecting dams, and constructing tow-paths above Chesaning. The river was thus made nav- igable lor flat-bottomed boats or scows, several of which were built with foot-boards at each side, on which men walked forward and aft in " poling" the craft up the stream. This poling process was employed on that part of the river which is below Chesaning, but above that place horses were used. At some points the tow-path was made on the east side of the stream, and at others on the west (for the sake of economy in its construction), the horses being crossed on the boat from one side of the river to the other as occasion required. Larger boats were afterwards used for floating produce down the river from Owo.sso. One " Durham" boat, built at that place by Ebenezer Gould and others, carried a cargo of two hundred barrels of flour from Owosso to Saginaw. The company was reincorporated under the same name by act approved May 15, ISlt!, Amos Gould, i\lfred L. Wil- liams, Benjamin O. Williams, Elias Comstock, Ebenezer C. Kimberly, Lemuel Castle, Isaac Gale, George W. Slocum, George Chapman, Edward L. Anient, Anson B. Chipman, and John B. Barnes being appointed commissioners to re- ceive subscriptions to the stock, which was authorized to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars. In addition to the powers granted by the incorporating act of 1837, the company was now authorized " to construct a canal from some point on said river Shiawassee to such point on Bad River as they may hereafter determine upon, and to make such improvements on said Bad River as will render the same navigable." After this reincorporation there were some further improvements made on the river by the con- struction of a lock at Chesaning, the building of several weir-dams, and in other ways ; but the company never availed itself of the authority conferred to build the canal between the Bad and Shiawassee Rivers. Boats continued to be run on the river at favorable stages of water for some years, and in foct this navigation was never wholly aban- doned until the opening of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad superseded this unreliable and unsatisfactory means of transportation. It was then entirely discontinued, after having been used to a greater or less extent for some fifteen years, during which time it is doubtful whether its advantages ever compensated for the outlay incurred in the improvement of the river. ® Mr. Bull had previously been engaged in boiiting on the Genesee River, in New York, iinJ it was he who originated the idea of secur- ing navigation by the Shiawassee Kiver. 32 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. NORTHERN RAILROAD AND NORTHERN WAGON- ROAD. Very soon after Michigan emerged from the condition of a Territory to assume that of a sovereign State, and even before its admission as a member of the Federal Union, measures were originated having for their object the adop- tion by the State of a comprehensive system of public improvements ; and, in pursuance of this phin, the Legis- lature at the session of 1837 passed an act (approved IMarch 20th in that year) " to provide for the construction of certain works of intern.il improvement, and for other purposes," by which the board of commissioners of internal improvements in the State was authorized and directed, " as soon as may be, to cause surveys to be made fur three several railroad routes across the peninsula of Michigan ; the first of said routes to commence at Detroit, in the county of Wayne, and to terminate at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, in the county of Berrien, to be denomi- nated the Central Railroad. The second of said routes to commence at the navigable waters of the river Raisin, pass- ing through the village of Monroe, in the county of Mon- roe, to terminate at New Buffalo, in Berrien County, and to be denominated the Southern Railroad. The third of said routes to commence at Palmer, or at or near the mouth of Black River, in the county of St. Clair, and to terminate at the navigable waters of the Grand River, in the county of Kent, or on Lake Michigan, in the county of Ottawa, to be denominated tlie Northern Railroad ; which roads shall be located on the most eligible and direct routes be- tween the termini above mentioned." It was provided by the same act, " That the sum of five hundred and fifty thousand dollars bo and the same is hereby appropriated, to be taken from any moneys which shall hereafter come into the treasury of this State to the credit of the fund for internal improvement, for the survey and making of the three railroads mentioned in the first section of this act, as follows : for the Southern Railroad, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars; for the Central Railroad, the sum of four liundrod thousand dollars ; and for the Northern Railroad, the sum of fifty thousand dollars." The State Board of Internal Improvement, acting under the provisions of this act, caused the surveys to be made without unnecessary delay. The routes thus surveyed for the " Central Railroad" and the " Southern Railroad" were (excepting the western portion) substantially the same as those of the Michigan Central and Michigan Southern roads of the present. The '• Northern Railroad" route was surveyed and located to run from the St. Clair River by way of Lapeer and Flint River village (now Flint City), nearly due west, to the Big Rapids of the Shiawassee (now the city of Owosso) ; thence through Owosso and M'ddle- bury townships, in Shiawassee County, and westwardly in the same tier of townships through Clinton County (pass- ing through the southern part of the present corporation limits of St. John's) to Lyons, in Ionia County, and from there westward to Lake Michigan, at the mouth of Grand River, a distance of two hundred and one miles. This was, of course, the first survey made for railroad purposes through any part of Clinton or Shiawassee Counties. The work was done by Tracy MeCracken, chief engineer of the road, and his assistants, under supervision of Commissioner James B. Hunt, who had been placed in charge of the survey by the Board of Internal Improvement. In 1838 contracts were let for clearing and grubbing that portion of the line between its eastern terminus and Lyons, Ionia Co., a distance of about one hundred and thirty miles. The contract for the section extending from Lyons to the line between ranges 2 and 3 east (near the cen- tre of Shiawassee County) was awarded to A. L. and B. 0. Williams, of Owosso. The section joining this, and extending eastward across the remainder of Shiawassee County, was taken by A. H. Beach & Co., of Flint. The next .section eastward was awarded to Gen. Charles C. Has- call, of Flint. Twenty miles of the section east of Lyons was sublet by the Williams brothers to Messrs. Moore & Kipp at about two hundred and fifty dollars per mile. The specifications required the grubbing of a central strip , twenty feet wide, and the clearing of a breadth of twenty feet on either side of this strip. Outside the.se clearings, on both sides, " slashings" were to be made, each twenty feet in width, making a total breadth of one hundred feet. The work of clearing the route was commenced in the fall of 1838, and by the 1st of September following it was completed in all the sections between Lyons and Port Huron, except about three miles in Shiawassee County east of Owosso, and seventeen miles east of Lapeer. Contracts for grading some parts of the line were made in the fall of 1838, among these being that of a ten-mile section eastward from Lyons to B. 0. Williams and Daniel Ball, of Owosso. The work of grading was commenced on the contracted sections in January, 1839, and was pros- ecuted till the following July. " The contractors then stated," said the chief engineer, in his report dated Dec. 7, 1839, " that unless they were paid punctually they could not proceed with their work. I then informed them, in accordance with my instructions, that if they continued the work their estimates would, as usual, be made monthly, but that it was probable that they would only be paid in treasury orders, which would be payable out of any moneys received into the treasury to the credit of the internal improvement fund. The contracts for grading were then abandoned immediately, but those for clearing and grubbing, which were not then finished, have since been completed." In regard to these contracts for grubbing and clearing the chief engineer said : " It may not be improper for me to state that it is probable that many of the contracts upon this road were let to those who considered that they were to be benefited by its speedy completion, and, in consequence, bid so low that they have lost money in the prosecution of the works assigned them." This remark of the engineer was probably as applicable to the grading contracts as to those made for clearing the line. It is certain at all events that those who took the latter class of contracts found them to be decidedly unprofit- able. The last of the appropriations by the Legislature for the construction of the Northern Railroad was one of forty thousand dollars, made by act approved April 20, 1839, making the total amount appropriated for the enterprise one hundred and fifty thou.sand dollars. Of this there was INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 33 expended upon the line in surveys, clearing, and construc- tion tlie following amounts, viz. : InlS.IT $S,22G.25 " 1838 12,772.44 « 18:J9 39,122.09 Total .<60,12n.78 The figures given above* show that at the close of oper- ations in 1889 there remained of the amount of appropiia- (inns made for this northern line of raih-oad an unexpended balance of eightj--nine thousand eight hundred and seventy- nine dollars and twenty-two cents. In view of this fact, it might at first be regarded as strange that, with this very considerable balance remaining, the work should have been so suddenly brought to a close, but it must be remembered that the figures indicating the unexpended balance did not represent a corresponding amount of ready cash on hand and immediately available. The extract given above from the chief engineer's report fully explains the reason why the contractors abandoned their jobs in the summer of 1839 ; and it only remains to say that the construction of the Northern Railroad, being suspended at that time, was never resumed. As has already been stated, all legislative aid to the northern line of railway ceased with the appropriation made in April, 1839. Soon after this, the financial embarrass- ments of the State caused a feeling to spring up among the people and their representatives that the adoption of so extensive a plan of internal improvements had been pre- mature, to say the least, and the result of this growing sentiment was the restriction of appropriations to such works as did, or could easily be made to, return the inter- est on their cost. Accordingly, further aid was withheld, except to the central and southern 4ines (then in partial operation), and finally, in 1841, all idea of the construction of the " Northern Railroad" as a State work was abandoned, .and the Legislature passed "an act relative to the appro- priation upon the Northern Railroad" (approved April 2d in that year), which recited iu its preamble that " it is thought impolitic under the pre.«ent embarrassments of the State to make at present further expenditures on said road for the purpose of a railroad ;" that " a large amount has been expended in chopping, grubbing, and clearing said road, which, if left in its present condition, can be of no interest to the people of the north ;" and that " it is the united wish and request of the people in the vicinity of said road that the same should for the present be con- verted into a turnpike- or wagon-road, and thus open an important thoroughfare through the centre of the tier of counties through which the said road passes, and tliereby render the money heretofore expended on said road avail- able to the best interests (under existing circumstances) of the people in the northern section of the State." It was therefore enacted that the commissioners of internal im- provement be directed to expend thirty thou.sand dollars of the unexpended balance of the moneys which had been appropriated for the Northern Railroad " for bridging, clear- * Tuken from the ofBcial report of Ri.\ Robinson, L. S, Humjitircy, unJ Willhini K. Thompson (composing the Board of Commissioners of Intern.al Improvemcuts) (o the Legislature of Michigan, dated Doc. 1, 1839. ing, and grading said road, or so much of it as the said commissioners shall judge will be most beneficial to the inhabitants and public in the section of country through which the same passes, so as to make a good passable wagon- road." In March, 1843, an act was passed "to authorize the construction of a Wagon-Road on the line of the Northern Railroad," and ordering the application and appropriation, for that purpose, of all the non-resident highway taxes for a distance of three miles on either side of the line, to be expended under the superintendence of a special commis-. sioner to be appointed for each of the counties of St. Clair, Lapeer, Genesee, Shiawassee, Clinton, and Ionia. The act was repealed in 1846, but in the following year another act was passed (approved April 3, 1848) " to provide for the construction and improvement of the Northern Wagon- Road from Port Huron, in the county of St. Clair, through the counties of Lapeer and Gene.see to Corunna, in the county of Shiawassee," and appropriating " twenty thou- sand acres of internal improvement lands" for the purpose. To carry its provisions into effect the Governor of the State was authorized to appoint a special commissioner, and he did so appoint to that position the Hon. Alvin N. Hart, of Lapeer. Still another act was passed in 1849 appointing Lewis S. Tyler, Albert Miller, and Henry Hunt as com- missioners, " with power to relocate, upon the most eligible ground, the Northern Wagon-Road from the village of Flint, in the county of Genesee, to the village of Corunna, in the county of Shiawassee." The result of all the laws passed and appropriations made for the construction of the Northern Railroad and Northern Wagon-Road was the clearing of the route of the former as before mentioned, and the grading or partial grading of parts of that route (but principally east of Owosso) into an indifferent wagon-road, which never proved to be of much practical advantage to Shiawassee County, and still less to Clinton. DETROIT AND SHIAWASSEE RAILKOAD COM- PANY. The Detroit and Shiawassee Railroad Company was in- corporated by act of the Legislature, ajjproved March 22, 1837, under the provisions of which Marshall J. Bacon, Silas Titus, Elijah F. Cook, Thomas Curtis, Alfred A. Dwight, Robert Warden, Jr., and Ely Barnard were ap- pointed commissioners to receive subscriptions to the capital stock, the amount of which was placed at five hundred thousand dollars. The company so created was author- ized and empowered " to construct a railroad with a single or double track from Detroit, in the county of Wayne, through Farmington, in the county of Oakland, Kensing- ton, in the township of Lyon, Byron, in the county of Shiawassee, to Shiawas.see village, in said county of Shia- wassee ; with power to transport, take, and carry persons and property upon the same by the power and force of steam or animals, or of any mechanical or other power, or combination of them." The company was required by its charter to commence the construction of its line within one year; to finish and put in operation twenty-five miles of road within three years; and to complete the whole dis- 34 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. tance within six years from the date of incorporation, under penalty of forfeiture of charter. A change of route was authorized by act approved April 6, 1838, but no part of the line was ever built ; few, if any, subscriptions to the stock were procured, and the company, having eifected only a temporary organization, ceased to exist by non-compliance with the conditions under which it was created. The in- corporation of this company being a matter of very little importance is mentioned here only because its charter was the first which was granted by the Legi.slalure authorizing the construction of a railway in any part of the territory which now composes the counties of Shiawassee and Clinton. DETKOIT, GEAND HAVEN AND IIILWAUKEE RAILWAY. The line now known as the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee llailway was the first which was built and com- pleted to any point within the boundaries of the counties of Shiawassee and Clinton; and it was also over the eastern link of this line (the old Detroit and Poiitiac road, which was in operation many years before the locomotive reached the waters of the Shiawassee River) that the inhabitants of these counties enjoyed their earliest railway facilities, by means of stage lines which ran from Lyons, by way of De Witt, Laingsburg, and other points in Shiawassee, Genesee, and Oakland Counties, eastward to the successive termini of the railroad, — first at Royal Oak, then at Birmingham, and finally at Pontiac. For this reason it seems proper to make brief mention here of the building and opening of the Pontiac Road, for though it was purely an Oakland County enterprise, yet it was one in which the people of Shiawassee and Clinton were interested, — first, because its connecting stage lines gave them communication over it, and afterwards because by its extension it became a part of the grand through line which passes through these coun- ties to Grand Haven and Milwaukee. The Detroit and Pontiac Railroad project was agitated in Oakland as early as the spring of 1830, and an act in- corporating the " Pontiac and Detroit Railway Company" was passed by the Legislative Council of the Territory, and approved by Gov. Cass, on the 31st of July in the year named, this being the first railway company ever chartered in Michigan. The corporators were John P. Helfenstein, Gideon 0. Whittemore, William F. Mosely, William Thompson, Hervey Parke, " and such other persons as shall associate for the purpose of making a good and suffi- cient railway from Pontiac to the city of Detroit," the stock of the company to consist of one thousand shares, at one hundred dollars each. This company, however, found the project to be too heavy for the means which they could command, and their charter became void by reason of their failure to comply with its conditions. A second company was formed, and an act granting a new charter was passed by the Territorial Legislature, and approved by the Governor, March 7, 1834. Under this act, William Draper, Daniel Le Roy, David Stanard, John- son Niles, Seneca Newberry, Elisha Beach, Benj. Phelps, Joseph Niles, Jr., and Augustus C. Stevens were appointed commissioners to receive subscriptions to the stock of " The Detroit and Pontiac Railroad Company," the amount of which was fixed at fifty thousand dollars. The work was to be commenced within two years from the passage of the act, and completed within six years, the charter to be for- feited by failure to comply with these conditions. The principal stockholders were Alfred Williams, and Sherman Stevens, of Pontiac, who were also managers of the affairs of the company. Operations were soon commenced, but very slow progress was made in the construction of the road, and it was not until the fall of 1838 that a track (which even then was composed of wooden rails for a part of the distance) was completed as fiir as Royal Oak, and trains made up of cars of the mo.st inferior description were run from Detroit to that point by horse-power. In the fall of 1839 the road was extended so that the trains ran to Birmingham, and steam was introduced as a motive-power for their propulsion. At that tin)e (September, 1839) the Pontiac papers contained the advertisement of Henry J. Buckley, agent and conductor, informing the public that the trains were then running two trips a day between De- troit and Birmingham, and making connection at the latter place with a daily line of " post-coaches" for Pontiac and Flint, and a semi-weekly line for Lyons on the Grand River, by way of Byron, De Witt, and other points in Shiawassee and Clinton Counties. In 1 840, the company being heavily in debt and without moans of payment, the road was sold at sheriff's sale, and passed into the hands of Dean Richmond, of Buffalo, and other capitalists of the State of New York. Then followed another period of delay and discouragement, but finally, in September, 1844, the road was opened to Pontiac, which for more than t.en years continued to be the western ter- minus, and the point ef connection with the stage-lines run- ning to Flint, Saginaw, and the Grand River. In the earlier years of its operation, this road was made the subject of unmeasured ridicule on account of the poverty of the company, the rough and superficial manner in which the line was constructed, the poor quality of its carriages and machinery, and the exceedingly slow and irregular time made by the trains between Pontiac and Detroit. From an article which appeared in the Detroit Post a few years since, containing some reminiscences of pioneer railway travel, the following — having reference to the Pontiac line — is extracted : " The trains would frequently stop be- tween way stations at a signal from some farmer who wished to ask a few questions, or to take passage. An old lady denizen of a farm-house, with spectacles of a primi- tive manufacture placed high upon her forehead, came running out to the train, waving her bandanna. Her signal being heeded, the train was brought to a stop, and her inquiry of the conductor was, if a certain lawyer named Drake was on board. After receiving a negative answer, a short conversation was kept up before the train started on its journey. It was no uncommon occurrence for the en- gineer, who kept his shot-gun with him, to bring down game from his engine, shut off steam, and send his fireman after the fruits of his marksmanship. The road being laid with strap-rail, one of the duties of the conductor was to keep a hammer for the purpose of sjiiking down ' snake-heads' whenever they were seen from the cab of the engineer." INTERNAL IMPEOVEMENTS. 35 Aa old resident of Shiawassee County has said to the writer, that he recognizes this as a truthful description of the operation of the Pontiac road in the year IStl, and there are no doubt many others who have similar recollec- tions of their travel upon it at about tiie same period. After a fov" years of operation with the primitive and unsafe "strap-rail," the line was leased for ten years to Gurdon Williams, but the lease was purchased or relin- quished before its expiration, and the road came into the possession of a company, of which H. N. Walker, Esq., was made the president. Under his administration a sufiB- cient amount of money was raised ou the bonds of the road to relay the track with solid T rails and to make other improvements necessary to put the road in condition for business. Immediately after the completion of the road from De- troit to Poatiac a project was formed to build a railroad from that village westward through Shiawa.ssee, Clinton, and other counties to Lake Michigan at the mouth of Grand River, to connect at that point with steamers for Milwaukee and other lake ports. This resulted in the formation of the '• Oakland and Ottawa llailroad Company," and its incor- poration by act of Legislature approved April '6, 1848. The persons appointed as commissioners to receive sub- scriptions to the capital stock (which was fixed at two mil- lion five hundred thousand dollars) were Gurdon Williams, Edward A. Brush, H. C. Thurber, Alfred Williams, Bow- man W. Dennis, John Hamilton, C. P. Bush, W. A. Rich- iiiond, and Charles Shopard. The company was empowered by the act " to construct a railroad with a double or single track from the village of Pontiac, in the county of Oakland, to Lake Michigan, in the county of Ottawa, passing it tiirough the most desirable and eligible route, by the way of Fentonville," and was required to begin its construction within five years and to complete it within fifteen years from the passage of the act. In 1850 an act was passed (approved March 20th), providing " That the Detroit and Pontiac Railroad Company be and they are hereby author- ized to extend said railroad so as to connect with the Oak- land and Ottawa Railroad when constructed, thus forming a continuous line of railroad through the village of Pontiac." The construction of the Oakland and Ottawa road was commenced in 1852, and in the following year H. N. Walker (who was a leading spirit in this as well as in the Pontiac road) purchased in England twenty-six hundred tons of iron, which was estimated to be sufficient to lay the track through to Fentonville. On the 13th of February, 1855, the Governor approved " An act to authorize the consolidation of the Detroit and Pontiac and the Oakland and Ottawa llailroad Companies, so as to form a continuous line from Detroit to Lake Michigan, under the name of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway* Company." By this act the name of the Detroit and Pontiac was changed to that of " The Detroit and Milwaukee Railway Com- pany," which was empowered to iucrea.se its capital stock to an amount not exceeding ten millions of dollars ; and it was provided that " the said company is hereby authorized, •The name was ch.angcd to "DctroU and Milwaukee Railroad Cuiupanj" iu ISdO. for the purpose of forming a continuous line, to purchase all the property, rights, and franchises of the Oakland and Ottawa Railroad Company upon such terms as shall be mutually agreed upon ; and the stockholders of the said Oakland and Ottawa Railroad Company shall, in case of sale, become stockholders of the said Detroit and Milwaukee Rail- way Company, in such proportions as may be agreed upon in the terms of sale ; and the said Oakland and Ottawa Rail- road Company shall thereupon become merged in the said Detroit and Milwaukee Railway Company." Under the authority so conferred the two companies were consolidated, and the Oakland and Ottawa became the De- troit and Milwaukee line. The work of construction west of Pontiac had proceeded but slowly during the three years succeeding its commencement, but as the new company had negotiated a loan in Europe to the amount of one million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, it was now pushed more vigorou.sly, so that in October, 1855, the road was opened to Fentonville, where stage connections were made for Grand River, and for Flint and Saginaw. In the fol- lowing spring the locomotive entered Shiawassee County for the first time, and on the 1st of July, 1856, the road was for- mally opened to Owosso, where the arrival of the pioneer train was hailed with demonstrations of almost unbounded delight and exultation. The same enthusiasm greeted the opening of the road to St. John's on the' IGth of January following. Well might the people of Clinton and Shia- wassee congratulate themselves as they saw the first trains speeding westward, for their coming was an event which lifted the ban of isolation from these counties, and more than doubled the value of their domain. Between St. John's and Ionia the work was prosecuted with vigor, and the road was completed to the last-named place in September, 1857. Finally, on the 22d of Novem- ber, 1858, the line was opened to its terminus at Grand Haven, and the locomotive traversed the entire peninsula from Detroit River to Lake Michigan. The Detroit and Milwaukee road, although a very great benefit to Shiawassee and Clinton Counties, proved a bad investment for its original stockholders. The foreclosure of the bondholders' mortgage in 18G0 placed the road in the hands of a receiver, and it remained in this condition until Oct. 19, 1878, when it became the " Detroit, Grand Haven and Jlilwaukee Railway," by passing into the possession of a company of that name, organized in the interest of the Great Western Railway of Canada. It is still owned and controlled by that company. The road enters Shiawassee County in the township of Vernon, and passes thence northwestward into Caledonia. Then, turning to a nearly due west course, it crosses the remainder of Shiawassee County and all of Clinton through the third tier of townships north of the south line of the counties. The stations on the line within these counties are Vernon, Corunna, and Owosso, in Shiawa.sscc, and Ovid, Shcpardsville, St. John's, and Fowler, in Clinton. JACKSON, LANSING AND SAGINAW RAIL- ROAD. The first link iu the present important line known as the Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw llailroad was built as part 36 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. (if a proposed lino to run from Aniboy, near tlie south line of the State, to Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The Ainboy, Lansing and Traverse Bay Railroad Company became incorporated in 1857 for the purpose of construct- ing the lino above mentioned, and in the expectation of receiving in aid of such construction certain lands granted by an act of Congress approved June 8, 185G. The act referred to provided " that there be, and hereby is, granted to the State of Michigan — to aid in the construction of railroads from Little Bay de Noquet to Marquette, and thence to Ontonagon, and from the two last-named places to the Wisconsin State line ; also from Amboy, by Hillsdale and Lansing, and from Grand Rapids to some point on or near Traverse Bay ; also from Grand Haven and P6re Mart. out July .'">, 1865. Chailes Shaft, veteran, enl. Dec. 24, 1863; must, out Aug. 23, 18Go. John Shaft, veteran, enl. Dec. 24, 1863; died June 22, 1S64. James Trimmer, diucli. for disability, Aug. 6, 1862, Arthur Walkins, veteran, enl. Dec. 24, 1863; must, out July 5, 1865. Philo H. Wier, veteran, enl. Dec. 24, 1803; died June 16, 1864. SOLDIERS IN THE THIRD, FROM CLINTON COUNTY. Company li. Burnett Hopkins, trans, to .'3th Mich. Inf.; must, out July G, 1865. Lewis Rogei-8, trans, to 5th Mich. Inf.; must, out July 5, 1865. Ebenezer Sweet, trans, to oth Mich. Inf.; must, out July 5, 1865. Company C. Francis Brinnick, died in Andersonville prison pen, July 12, 1864. Herman Hardenburgh, missing in action, June 30, 1802. Alexander Parka, tnins. to 5th Mich. Inf. ; diach. for disability, Sept. 3, 1864. Company D. Jerome Briggs, missing in action. Clinton Corey, veteran, onl. Doc. 24, 1803 ; trans, to 5ih Mich. Inf. ; must, out July 5, 1 05. Edgar Green, disch. for disability. May, 18G2. Amos W. Oillolt, died in Virginia, Sept. 2(f, 1H62. Williiim H.'Hickrt, disch. for -lisability, F.-b. 24, 1803. Phiiander J. Myers, disch. to onl. iu regular army, Jan. 18, 1863. Webster Morris, Ovid. JamuB IteynoUls, disch. at end of service, Juno 20, 1804. Charles Vosburg, disch. for disability, May 20, 18G3. Elbridge W^ellingtun, disch. for disability, Aug. 5, 1861. Company F. Asa H. Daniels, trans, to 5th Mich. Inf. ; must, out July 5, 1865. Elijah Fish, died in action at Grovt-ton (Bull Run), Aug. 20, 1862. Warren Stoup, trans, to 5th Mich Inf; muMt. out July 5, .805. Charles B. Sands, trans, to 5tli Mich. Inf.; must, out July 5, 1865. CImuncey D. Webster, trans, to 5th Mich. Inf.; must, out July 5, 1865. Company G. Sergt. George M. Cook, Eagle; disch. for disability, Feb. 10, 1863. Corp. John Blancbard, died in action at Seven Pines, May 31, 1802. <,'orp. Ca>ie B. Wickham,died Iti action at Seven Pines, May 31, 1862. Mus. Dewitt C. Formati. iiro. to principal mns. Augustus Billings, died at Douglas Ho-ipibil of wounds, June 17, 1862. Joshua R. Benson, veteran, enl, Dec. 24, 1863; trans, to 5th Inf.; must, out July 5, 1865. John Bissell, must, out July 5, 1865. William Clark, veteran, enl. Dec. 24, 1863; trans, to 5th Inf.; must, out July 5, 1865. George W. Davis, veteran, enl, Dec. 24, 1863 ; trans, to 5th Inf.; must, out July 5, 1805. William H. Davis, veteran, enl. Dec. 24, 1863; died in action at Wilderness, May 5, 18 4. Charles Gaskill, died in action at Seven Pines, May 31, 1862. Calvin D. Holmes, dieil of wounds, May 18, 1RG4. Andrew J. Helh, disch. for disability, March 18, 1803. Henry W. McKoberts, died of disease at Fort Monroe, March 23, 1862. Moses F. Newman, trans, to 5tli Mich. Inf.; must, out July 5, 18G5. Henry J. Patterson, veteian, enl. Dec. 24, 18G3; traua. to 5th Mich. Inf.; must. out July 5, 1865. Charles H. Rose, disch. for disability, May 25, 18G2. Chauncey Strickland, died of disease at Grand Kapids, June 13, 1861. Harrison Sickles, died of disease in Virginia, March 24, 1862. Company K. Wallace W. Wade, must, out Aug. 13, 18G2. Company C {new Third). Corp. Benjamin F. Fuller, Westphalia; enl. Sept. 3, 18G4; died of disease in Texas, Nov. 5, 1865. Samuel F. Crauson, must, out May 25, 1806. John Gallagher, must, out Sept. 25, 1805. John J. Langdon, must, out June 14, 18GG. Jafion S. Mershon, must, out Miiy 2.5, 1860. Spencer H. Noithrop, died of disease at Cincinnati, Ohio, Ang. 9, 1865. G«Oi-ge Rich, died of disease at Nashville, Feb. 28, 18G5. William S. Stiles, died of disease in Texas, Dec. 7, 1S65. Piescott Vernon, must, out Blay 25, 1806. CHAPTER VI. FIFTH INFANTRY. Organization at Fort Wayne — Winter Quarters in \*irginia — Battles of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, and Charles Citj Cross-Roads — Second Bull Kun, Fi-eduricksburg, Chancellorsville, and (Scttys- burg — Mine Run — Veteran Reenlistuicnt — The Wilderness Cam- paign — Consolidation oi' the Third and Fifth — Spring Campaign of 1865 — Close of Service. One of the companies of the Fifth Infantry was raised wholly in Shiawassee County, and two others contained a number of men from that county and Clinton. The Shiawassee company — originally known as the " Ingersoll Rifles" — was the first one raised in the county for actual service, its formation having been commenced in the latter part of April, 18G1. On the 4 th of May following its strength had been raised to seventy-four, rank and file (as was an- nounced in the Shiawassee American of that date), and not long afterwards its ranks were filled to about twenty men more than the maximum number. This excess of men afterwards joined the Third Infantry at Grand Rapids. The com- manding officer of the " Rifles" was Capt. Louis B. Quack- eubush, who had been principally instrumental iu recruiting 46 HISTOKY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. the company. The other two original commissioned ofiBcers were First Lieut. William Wakenshaw, and Second Lieut. AVilliam K. Tillotson, both of whom had been active in procuring enlistments. Several weeks passed after the company was full before it was definitely assigned to its regiment. This period was passed in perfecting its organization, drill, and discipline, and on the 10th of August the " Ingersoll Rifles" left Owosso one hundred and ten strong, and proceeded to the regimental rendezvous at Fort Wayne, Detroit, whore it lost its recruiting name, and was designated as Company " H" of the Fifth Michigan Infantry. The regiment hav- ing completed its organization was mustered into the United States service on the 28th of August, 18G1, with a total strength of about nine hundred oflBcers and men, under command of Col. Henry D. Terry. On the 11th of September, at an early hour in the morn- ing, the men of the Fifth Regiment broke camp at the Fort Wayne rendezvous, packed their knapsacks, and pre- pared for their departure to the front. It was a momentous business, and nearly all the day was consumed in the prepa- rations which in their later days of campaigning they learned to accomplish in a half-hour. At a little before four o'clock in the afternoon the several companies were marched to the parade-ground of the fort, and there formed ill line for the reception of a flag, — the gift of Messrs. F. Buhl, Newland & Co., of Detroit, — which was about to be presented to the regiment. There were many spectators present, consisting of citizens of Detroit and friends and relatives of the departing soldiers, who had come to say good-by, — many of them for the last time. The crowd was kept back by the unceasing labor of guards stationed along the line. When the swaying to and fro of the people in the vain effort of each one to stand in front of the others had «eased, Marshal Whiting, with Mr. Frederick Buhl on one side and Alderman Backus on the other, stepped for- ward bearing the colors. Approaching to within a few paces of Col. Terry, Mr. Backus made a few well-timed remarks on behalf of Mr. Buhl, which were responded to by Col. Terry in an appropriate manner. The flag, which was of heavy silk, fringed with gold and surmounted by a gilded eagle, was handed to Sergt. Asa A. Rouse, of " E" company, who had been designated as the color-bearer of the regiment. At the conclusion of the ceremony the companies were marched back to the camp-ground for supper ; a few final preparations were made, and between seven and eight o'clock the command was marched to the river and em- barked for Cleveland, en route for the national capital. The journey of the regiment from Detroit to Washington was described in a letter written by an officer of the regiment, from which account the following extracts are given : " We embarked on Wednesday evening, September 11th, on the steamer ' Ocean,' for Cleveland. Our journey was pleasant but rapid. As the shrill whistle of the steamer gave the signal for our departure, the most intense excitement prevailed, and when she swung round from her moorings cheer after cheer rose from the decks, for our country and her flag, our homes and the dear ones left be- hind us, and was returned with the same spirit ana enthu- siasm by the numerous crowd that thronged the wharves to witness our departure. About three o'clock in the morn- ing we arrived at Cleveland, where we were detained till nine o'clock, and then took the cars for Pittsburgh. As the bell rang to warn us of our departure, crowds of people gathered round the cars to bid the Wolverine boys good- by. Nor was Cleveland behind in giving us a warm re- ception. The whole line as far as Pittsburgh was crowded with people of all grades, from the aged grandparent to the lisping child, to see us pass. At nine o'clock the same evening we arrived at Pittsburgh, where we took supper, changed cars, and resumed our way for Washington by the way of Harrisburg. We arrived in the latter place be- tween two and three o'clock the next morning. There we were numbered off and stowed away in cattle-cars of the most old and dilapidated kind, and in this wretched way we proceeded to Baltimore, where we were again furnished with good coaches. We arrived in Washington on Sunday morning, somewhat fatigued from our long journey. We remained there til! night, when we received orders to march, — to what place we did not know. We were soon prepared for the journey, and after a march of some three or four miles we arrived at Meridian Hill, where we learned we were to encamp." " Meridian Hill is in the northwest part of the city of Washington, and at this place the Fifth remained until the morning of Wednesday, September 18th, just one week from the day of departure from Detroit. It then broke camp and marched down through the city to the arsenal, where the men were furnished with indifferent Springfield muskets. Thence the regiment moved across the Long Bridge into Virginia and out to Arlington, where it bi- vouacked for the night, and on the following day marched about two miles farther from the river to Hunter's Chapel, where it halted and pitched a camp, named Camp Richard- son, in honor of Col. Richardson, to whose brigade (of Heintzelman's division) it had been assigned for duty. On the 22d a part of the regiment was placed on picket some two miles farther to the front. This was the first time the men of the Fifth stood in front of the enemy, and here it was that they first heard the crack of hostile rifles. On Saturday the 28th of September, six companies of the regiment moved to Munson's Hill, Va. The remainder of the regiment came up immediately afterwards, and to Col. Terry's command is due the credit of first occupying this position in the front where an attack was hourly looked for, though none was made. At this place the regiment was without tents, and constantly engaged on fatigue duty, felling timber, and, with the Thirty-seventh New York, constructing substantial earthworks on the hill. On the 12th of October the Fifth moved to Hunter's Creek, two miles south of Alexandria, and the men were put on similar duty in the construction of Fort Lyon, and remained so occupied at that place for about two months. In the early part of December the regiment moved about three miles farther down the Potomac, to " Camp Michi- gan," where the men were supplied with Sibley tents, and set about preparing winter quarters. The enemy was in their front, though not in much force, and the. regiment remained here in comparative comfort through the winter of 1861-62, and until the general movement of the Array FIFTH INFANTRY. 47 of the Potomac, in March. The first of the operations of that caiiipaij;;!) was a feint made by nearly the wliole army in tlie direction of Manassas, wliich was immediately fol- lowed by the transportation of the immense host down the Potomac to Foitress Monroe. The Fifth embarked at Al- exandria, and moved with the army to the Virginia Penin- sula, wJien, on the 4tli of April, 18G2, it marched with its division towards Yorktown, arriving in front of that strong- hold on the following day. The Filth, as a part of the investing force, remained in front of Yorktown until Sunday, the 4th of May, when the Union army was electrified by the announcement that the hostile works had been evacuated during the previous night, and that the enemy was retiring towards Richmond. The forces of Gen. McClellan were at once put in motion to pursue, and the Fifth Jlichigan, with its brigade, moved from camp on through the evacuated intrenchments at about three o'clock p.m., taking the road towards Williamsburg, but bivouacking for the night a short distance beyond York- town. At two o'clock in the morning of Monday, the 5th, the men were turned out in the pouring rain to prepare for marching ; but the regiment did not move until about ten A.M. Then forward over the almost bottomless roads, which were clogged and blockaded by artillery, cavalry, and army wagons, the men of the Fifth pressed on towards the field where the battle had been in progress since the early morning. For hours they struggled on through the mud and rain, and as they approached Williamsburg the thun- der of artillery and the continuous roar of volleys told too plainly of the work on which they were about to enter. Order after order came from the front to hurry up the brigade, and about the middle of the afternoon the Fifth stood in line of battle, about five hundred strong, in front of the enemy's position, the Thirty-seventh New York joining its line, the Third Michigan being in support of a battery, and the Second Michigan being lield in reserve. These four regiments formed the Third (Berry's) brigade, of Gen. Phil. Kearney's division. It was not until between three and four o'clock that the Fifth delivered its first fire, but from that time it was kept up without intermission till nearly dark. The ammunition being then nearly exhausted, the order was given to charge with the bayonet. It was obeyed with alacrity. The reg- iment charged, carried the rifle-pits in its front, and occu- pied them through the night. The rain ceased and the sky cleared during the night, and the morning of the 6th of May opened bright and beautiful ; but the enemy had retreat- ed, and was then some miles away on the road to Richmond. Williamsburg was the first battle-field of the Fifth ^lichigan, and a wild initiation it was. The regiment went in with about five hundred men, and out of this force its loss was one hundred and fifty-three in killed and wounded. The heroism of the Fifth and its companion regiments of the brigade in this battle is attested by the following order of Gen. Berry, the brigade commander, viz. : "SPECIAL ORDER. "HEADguAiiTERs Third Bric.^he, Kearney's Division, "Williamsburg Battle-Field, May 8, 1S62. " The commander of the brigade takes great pleasure in making this official communication to his command: That they by heroic fortitude on Monday last, by making a forced march tlirough mud and rain, each vying with the other to see who could most cheerfully stand the hardships the time called for, making thereby a march that others shrank from; coming into a fight at double-quick, made doubtful to our side by the overwhelming mass of the enemy poured upon our centre ; by a rapid deploy and quick formation, and by coolness, precision, and energy beat back the enemy, recapturing our lost position and artillery, and also by a heroic charge took a stronghold of the enemy, and thereby dislodged him and drove him on the plain beyond his well-chosen position, have done them- selves great honor, have honored the States of Jlichigan and New York, and have won a name in history that the most ambitious might be proud of. " R. G. Berry, " Brig.-Gen. commanding Third Brigade." In the advance from Williamsburg the Fifth moved with its brigade up to and across the Chickahominy, and took its place in the lines confronting Richmond. Again, on the 31st of May, it fought in the battle of Fair Oaks, and again it sufiered terribly ; its loss in killed and wounded being one hundred and forty-nine out of about three hun- dred men who entered the fight, — this being proportion- ately much greater than its less at Williamsburg. Among the killed of the Fifth at Fair Oaks was Capt. Louis B. Quackenbush, commanding the Shiawassee company. During the "Seven Days'" battles which accompanied the " change of base," or more properly the retreat, of the army from the Chickahominy to the James, the Fifth Michigan fought bravely at Charles City Cross-Roads, losing thirty-three killed and wounded and eighteen miss- ing. It was also engaged at Malvern Hill, July 1st, with slight loss. After the evacuation of Harrison's Landing the regiment was moved with its command and other troops up the Potomac, and thence to the succor of the sorely-pressed Army of Virginia under Gen. Pope. In this duty it was engaged, but without severe loss, at Manas.sas, August 30th, and at Chantilly (where the gal- lant Kearney fell) on the 2d of September. Later in the fall, when the Army of the Potomac under its new com- mander, Gen. Burnside, marched towards Fredericksburg, the Fifth Michigan, as part of the force, marched from Leesburg, Va., on the 1st of November, moved down the Rappahannock, and encamped on the left bank of that stream near Falmouth. When the operations were commenced against the strong position of the enemy on the heights of Fredericksburg, the regiment crossed the Rappahannock with the attacking col- umn on the 12th of December, and took gallant part in the disastrous battle of the following day, in which it lost its commanding officer, Lieut.-Col. John Gilluly. The story how the men of the Fifth fought on that bloody day is briefly told in the official report of Maj. Sherlock, who assumed command when his superior officer fell. It is as follows : "Headquarters Fifth Michigan Volunteers, "Bivouac on the Cattle-Field, Dec. 15, 18(i2. " Capt. Wilson, A. A. A. Gen. " Sir, — In accordance with a circular from headquarters, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part 4S HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. which this roginient sustained in the action of the 13th instant- The regiment, under connuand of Lieut.-Col. John Gilluly, came ujxm the field at half-past one o'clock, and after sliifting from jilaee to place, occupying different jHisitions, constantly exposed to a furious fire of shot and shell, was at length detailed to support Randolph's Battery, which was in rather a precarious situation, on account of the (ailing back of some regiments thrown out in front of it. At this juncture the regiment was ordered forward, and opened an effective fire upon the enemy, who were sheltered by a brush fence, and afVer a brisk conflict drove them to the woods. Lieut. -Col. Gilluly fell mortally wounded while cheering on the men, and I assumed command. The raiment remained on tlie scene of action till evening, when the First New York relieved us, and we retired in perfect order, carrying with us our dead and wounded. The regiment numbered two hundred and seventy-two, rank and file, and our loss is nine killed and seventy-four wounded. The ofiicers and men behaved nobly throughout the short but sharp conflict, and it would be an act of injustice to pir- ticul.wiic where .all demeaned themselves so well ; yet I can- not forbear mentioning Color-Set^gt. Bergher, who stood up bravely, waving the colors defiantly in the face of the foe. " I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, " R. T. SUERLOCK, " Major Commandv)^ fiflfi Michigan Infantry." On the 15fh of December the regiment recrassed the river from the battle-field, and returned to its old camp at Falmouth. In January it took }>art in the historic •■ Mud March" up the Rapfnahannock to Banks' Ford, and on the abandonment of that expedition returned agaiu to its camp, where it passed the remainder of the winter. On the 1st of January, IStio, it numbered less than seventy men fit for duty, but this number was soon after increased by re- cruitment and returns from hospital. On the opening of the spring campaign, under the new commander of the array, — Gen. Hooker, — the Fifth moved up the Rappahannock, crossed the river on the 1st of May. was engaged at the Cedars on the 2d, and took part in the great battle of Chaneellorsville on the 3d, where it again lost its commanding oflSeer, Lieut.-Col. Sherlock, killed in action. The losses of the regiment in the engagement of the 2d and 3d were fifty killed and wounded and thirty-one missing. On the 6th of May it recrossed the river to its north b.ink, and marching twenty-eight miles in twelve hours, reoccupied its winter quarters at Falmouth. Immediately after the battle of Chaneellorsville the Con- federate commander marched northward with the intention of invading Maryland and Pennsylvania, and as soon as the object of this movement became apparent the Army of the Potomac was put in motion to intercept him. Ou the 11th of June the Fifth Michigan moved northward with the column, and in that day marched eighteen miles in seven hours. On the following day the same distance was made, through intolerable heat and dust, in six hours. The march was exceedingly rapid and laborious through all the distance. Ou the 25th of June the regiment marched twenty-eight miles in eleven hours, though the day w.is ex- cessively sultry. In the evening of the 1st of July it bivouacked at Kinraettsburg. Md., within six hours' march of the field of Gettysburg. The regiment with its brigade left Eramettsburg at four o'clock in the morning of the 2d. and marched with the greatest jx^ssible rapidity to Gettysburg, where it arrived at ten o'clock .\..m., having made the last ten miles of the dis- tance in three hours. The regiment was placed in position on the field near the left centre of the line, where it re- maineened, but soon ceased firing, when a heavy body of Confederate infantry moved out in close column from the cover of the woods, and charged furi- ously with the peculiar rebel yell. They were received with a fire which drove back their firet line, but they re- formed and again charged with greater desperation than before. Simultaneously the enemy charged also on the centre and drove it back, thus exposing that part of the line in which was the Fifth Michigan to a murderous cross- fire and the danger of being assaulted in flank. This cir- cumstance, with the furious charcre in front, compelled the regiment and its brigade to fall back for nearly half a mile, which they did in good order, and fighting over every rod of the lost ground. Soou after this the regiment was re- lieved by another, and was not again engaged, though the battle continued till darkness closed the carnage of the day. The Fifth h.id been engaged less than one hour, but in that brief time it had lost one hundred and five men killed and wounded, and five missing. On the 4th of July it was held in reserve aud not engaged, except slightly in skirm- ishing. In the evening of that day the Confederate retreat commenced. The regiment moved from Gi;ttysburg with other troops in pursuit of the retiring enemy to Williamsport, on the upper Potomac, and afterwards, the pursuit having been abandoned, marched down the river to Berlin, crossed from that point into Vii^inia, and moved by way of Manassas Gap to a beautiful camp at Fauquier White Sulphur Springs, where aud in that locality it remained until the IGth of August^ when orders were received for the Fifth and Third Michigan Regiments to rejKirt at Alexandria, "\"a. The movement ordered was a mysterious one, and aH kinds of surmises were indulged in by officers and men as to their probable ultimate destination. The Fifth Regiment embarked at Alexandria, August 22d, on board the ocean steamer '• Baltic," which had also on board four other regiments of the " Ohio brigade," to which the Fifth was at that time temporarily attached. The ship moved down the Potomac early in the morning of the 23d, but had onlj" proceeded as far as Matthias Point when she grounded on a sand-bar, and remained fast in that position for four days. By removing the anchor, three hundred FIFTH INFANTRY. 49 tons of coal, and two regiments, and with the assistance of five tiif;-hoats, she at last got afloat and moved down the river and tlirough Clicsapcake Bay to the oooan, where she turned northward towards iicr destination (whicli was the city of New York), and arrived there on the 'Mth. The troops, which had been sent here to assist in quelling the draft riots, if necessary, were disembarked on Governor's Island. The Tliird Michigan had preceded the Fifth by another vessel, and these two regiments were now ordered to proceed up the Hudson River to Troy. They embarked on river steamers, reaching Troy the next niorniiig. They were first quartered at the armory, a day or two later at the courthouse, and finally, on the 5th of September, they were removed to the Fair-Grounds. The Trojans were very much surprised at seeing two Michigan regiments in their streets, but they received them most hospitaVjly, so that the men of the Fifth counted their stay at Troy among the most pleasant of all their war experiences. No duty be- yond that of the camp and the drill-ground was required of the regiment during its sojourn at Troy, and the neces- sity for its presence there having pa.ssed it left on Sunday evening, September 13th, for New York by steamer, and arriving there in the following morning, left immediately by railroad for Washington under orders to rejoin the Army of the Potomac. It arrived at Washington in the night of September 15lh, and three days later proceeded to Alex- andria, whence, after a stop of one day, it was moved to Fairfax Station, and from there to the camp of its old bri- gade, between that place and Culpeper. The brigade was the Third of the First Division, Third Corps, Army of the Potomac. On the 17th of November the regiment moved to the Rappahannock River, crossed at Kelly's Ford, and soon after moved to near Brandy Station, occupying a deserted camp of the enemy. On the 2(jth it crossed the Rapidan with the forces which were moving to Mine Run. Taking part in that expedition, it was engaged at Locust Grove on the 27th, and there lost several killed and wounded. It reached the front of the enemy's works at Mine Run, where for thirty-six hours it remained in support of a battery. From Mine Run the Fifth fell back with the army, and again occupied its camp at Brandy Station, which became its winter quarters until the 28th, when (the requisite num- ber of re-enlistments having been obtained) it left for Michigan on veteran furlough. It arrived on the 4th of January at Detroit, which was designated as the rendez- vous, and then its members entered upon a brief period of freedom and enjoyment with their families and friends. Having been considerably augmented by recruiting during its stay in Michigan, the Fifth Regiment, composed of veterans and recruits, left Detroit on the 10th of Feb- ruary, 18G4, and proceeding by way of Washington, reached Brandy Station in the evening of the 17th, and marched lour miles northwest to camp, and took position with its old command in the Army of the Potomac. In the latter part of March a general order was issued dissolving the First and Third Corps, and consolidating their troops with those of the Second, Fifth, and Sixth Corps. The First and Second Divisions of the Third Corps were transferred to the Second Corps, and made to constitute its Third Division. 7 The Third Division of the old corps was transferred to the Sixth Corps.* " Thus," wrote a member of the Fifth Regiment, — A. K. Sweet, of Detroit,—^" was wiped out of existence the gallant old Third Corps, with which our for- tunes had been so long a.ssociatcd, and of which wc formed a part. Its glorious name, which we in some small degree had helped to make illustrious, and in which we justly felt a soldier's pride, became one of the things that were. The corps had long been a mere skeleton of its former self. The old Third Division had been consolidated with the I'^irst and Second immediately after the battle of Gettys- burg, and a new division of ten thousand fresh troops, under command of Gen. French, added. The old com- manders of heroic fame, whom the men had learned to love and respect, had gone, and a stranger filled the place of command made glorious by Heiiitzelman and Hooker. Still the glorious as.sociations that clustered around the name gave it a tender place in our hearts, and when at last its death-knell struck, and the men so long a.«.sociated in a common history of the toil and triumph separated to tbeir various destinations, many a brave fellow felt a twinge of sorrow and pain like that which pierces the heart as we stand at the grave of a friend, and the cold clods of the valley close over the dear face and shut it from our sight forever. . . . " On the 31st of March we broke camp and marched to the south side of the railroad in the vicinity of Brandy Station, and took up our new quarters in the Second Brigade, Third Division, and Second Corps. The men were allowed to retain the diaiuond badge, — a deference to their feelings which was thankfully appreciated. The sense of pain and disgrace slowly pa.ssed away as we became better acquainted with our new companions in arms, for they were as fine a corps of men as the Army of the Po- tomac or any other in the world could boast, and we were now under command of a general of brilliant abilities and most intrepid bravery. Gen. W. S. Hancock. Gen. D. B. Birney, our old brigade and division commander, was in command of the division. We soon began to feel at home in our new relations, and with the old red diamond to re- mind us of the glorious past, we were soon ready as ever to do and dare for the honor of the old flag and the success of the common cause. "... Towards the last of April nature had begun to spread her rich garniture of green over hill and plain, and soft gales from Southland fanned us with the first delicious breath of spring. The warm sunshine, as May approached, soon dried up the mud from the spring rains, and the roads were once more in a condition for the movement of army trains. On every hand the sure indications of an early opening of field operations were apparent. A few days of bustle and preparation and the last finishing touches were complete. A week of comparative quiet followed, like the lull that precedes the bursting of the storm, and then, on the evening of the 3d of Jlay, the first move in what will go down to history as the great campaign of the war commenced. No drum-beat or bugle-note sounds a warning, but silently as * The Fifth Kcgimeot at this time was only three hundred and ninety strong, including twenty-four siclc. 50 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEK AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. spectres in a dream, rogiraonts, brigades, and divisions leave their camps and fall into line. Already the vanguard is on tlie march, and tlic dull tramp, Iraiiip, comes from out the darkness mingled with the low rumbling of artillery and baggage trains. The camp-fires, as they light up the scene wilii tlicir litful glare, reveal the faces of the men as they stand leaning on their guns awaiting their turn to fall into the lino of marcli. Tliey have little time to wait, for every- thing moves with dock-like precision, and the long lines follow each other in quick succession and disappear in the darkness, until at last what was a few hours before a vast city of snowy tents, with streets thronging with busy life, is now one vast tenantless expanse of smouldering camp- fires, over which broods the midnight stillness, unbroken save by the echoes that come fainter and fainter from the distant footsteps of the receding hosts. " The morning finds us still on the march and ncaring the llapidan, which we cross without opposition at Pily's Ford, about nine a.m. Wo rest half an hour on the heights beyond, from which we enjoy a fine view of the surround- ing country, — a picturesque succession of hill and plain, with its distant background of mountains against the west- ern horizon. " The men, having marched all night with only a short respite at suriri.se for coffee and ' hard tack,' began to feel the need of rest and sleep. But the march is soon re- sumed and pushed forward at a rapid pace. The weather is uncommonly hot for the time of year, and the narrow forest-roads, walled in on either side by a dense under- growth, aflorded scarce a breath of cooling air. It was the first march of the season, and the men had not become hardened to fatigue by exposure. But tired, sleepy, and footsore, we hobbled on as best we could until about two P.M , when we arrived on the old battle-ground of Chaneel- lorsville and halted for the rest of the day. " How familiar looks every object around ! There is the old Chaucellorsvillo House, whore Gen. Hooker had his headquarters. But only the roofless, blackened walls re- main ; the rest was destroyed by fire during the battle. Farther on is the little country cemetery, with its white fence and the white farm-house standing near, around which raged the fiercest tide of battle on that lovely Sab- bath morning in May. There is the field hard by where the regiment lay for two hours or more the target for a rebel battery. Just across that low swale, a little to the left, is the open field where that battery stood, and on which, the night before, Birney's division formed for the midnight charge ; and there, too, is the thick hedge of cedars bordering the field, through which we tore our way to the charge, making niL'ht hideous with yell and whoop and wild uproar, as if Paudemonium had turned loose all its fiends at once. " There is the old rifle-pit along the edge of the swale still standing, and the narrow belt of open timber between it and the plank-road, where the regiment rallied after the uproar had subsided, and, in blissful ignorance of our im- minent danger, pas.sed the remainder of the night in sleep. And here on the same ground and almost the identical spot we again bivouac for the night." The men of the Fifth had started on the campaign each canying five days' rations, and sixty rounds of ammunition. In the morning of the 5th of Jlay the regiment left its bivouac at Chancellorsville, and moved on the road leading to Orange Court-House. The enemy was met, and a des- perate battle ensued. On the morning of the Gth the regi- ment was again engaged, nniking a successful charge on the rebel works, capturing a stand of colors and tliirteen hun- dred prisoners, and .suffering in this, as in the fight of the previous day, a heavy loss in killed and wounded. By the loss of Col. Pulford and Maj. Matthews (both severely wounded in the fight of the 5th of May, the command of the regiment had devolved on Capt. Wakenshaw. In the battle of the Gth he also fell, severely wounded, losing his right arm. The Fifth was again engaged with the enemy on the 8th of May, and lay under a heavy artillery fire until noon of the 10th. It fought again on the 11th, and (with the rem- nant of the Third Michigan, which was acting with it) took part in the charge on the enemy's works at Spottsyl- vania Court-House on the 12th. In this charge it cap- tured two stands of the rebel colors, and was highly com- plimented for gallant conduct both by Gen. Hancock and Gen. Meade. From Spottsylvania it moved forward by forced marches, and, on the 2!5d of May, took part in the as.sault of the works on the north bank of the North Anna Hiver, at Jericho Bridge ; the regiment carried them, captured a number of prisoners, and drove the rebel force across the river. In the afternoon of the 24th the regiment crossed the river under a very heavy artillery fire, and again drove the enemy from his position. On the 27th it recrossed the North Anna and marched to the Pamunkey River, which it crossed the same day. From the 28th to the 31st of May the wearied and hungry men worked day and night throwing up fortifications, and on the latter date the regi- ment took part in a charge upon a lino of works, which they gallantly carried. Marching from the Pamujikey. it reached Cold Harbor on the 5th of June, and immediately commenced the erection of earthworks. It remained here a week, and during that time the Third Michigan Infantry (having become reduced to a mere skeleton, and the terra of service of a large part of its men having expired) was consolidated with the Fifth under the following field-order of the corps commander, viz. : "IlEADQl'.VnTERS SlCCOND Al!MV CoIlPS, "Juno 10, 1SB4. " Special Orders. (E.vtrnct.) " The term of service of the Third Michigan Volunteers having expired, that regiment, with the exception of re- enlisted men or such as have joined since date of original organization, and such oflficers as are hereafter designated to be retained, will at once proceed to Michigan, and report to the Superintendent of Recruiting for that State, for the purpose of being discharged. Descriptive lists must accom- pany all men sent home. The remaining ofiicers and men of the regiment will be formed into a battalion of four com- panies, to be attached to the Fifth Michigan Veteran Vol- unteers, which regiment will be at once consolidated into six companies, — and all ofiicers not hereinafter designated FIFTH INFANTRY. 51 to be retained will be mustered out of service. The follow- ing officers will be retained in tlie above ori^anizatioii : ^'■T hi III Micliii/an llcyiiiu'iit. — Colonel B. 11. Fierce, Captain Simon Breniian, Captain Daniel S. Root, Captain Thomas Tate, Lieutenant Daniel Converse, Lieutenant John F. MeGinley, First Lieutenant Jerome B. Ten Eyck, First Lieutenant Charles A. Price. •' Fifth Michic/aii ItcginieiU. — Major S. S. Matthews, Surgeon Henry F. Lyster, Assistant Surgeon P. B. Ross, Adjutant Ueurge W. Waklron, lli'j,'imental Quartermaster Hudson B. Blackman, Captain William Wakenshuw, Cap- tain Charles M. Gregory, Captain James W. Colville, Cap- tain Amos A. Rouse, Captain Edgar H. Shook, Captain James O. Gunsolly, First Lieutenant Walter Knox, First Lieutenant John Bradon, First Lieutenant Andrew Ham- lin, Second Lieutenant George B. Dudley, Second Lieu- tenant S. S. Lyon. " Tins order is subject to the approval of higher au- thority. " By command of Major-General Hancock. (Signed) " Francls A. Walker, " Assistant Adjutant-General." The order was confirmed by the War Department on the 13th of June. The Fifth left Cold Harbor June 12th, crossed the Cbickalioniiny at Long Bridge on the same day, reached Harrison's Landing on tiie 13th, crossed the James River on the 14th, and arrived in front of Petersburg late in the night of the l.jtli. On the following day, towards evening, it was engaged with the enemy, and carried the assaulted line of works. During all the memorable but monotonous siege of Peters- burg, from tlie time when tlie regiment reached the front of that stronghold until the close of the great drama of tlie Rebellion, the service of the Fifth Michigan embraced a series of movements, changes of position, labors on fortifi- cations, picket and railroad duty, life in the trenches, marchings, skirmishes, and battles, which it would be too tedious to follow or to enumerate. In its as.saults upon the works in front of Petersburg, during the campaign of 18G4, its loss was fifteen killed, fifty-two wounded, and nineteen missing, — total, eighty-six. It fought at Deep Bottom, July 27th, 2Slh, with a loss of twelve wounded, and at Boydton I'lank-Road, October 27lh, losing nine killed, fifty-two wounded, and forty-three mi.«sing. It was also engaged at Strawberry Plains, August 14th to 17th, and at Poplar Spring Church on the 30th of September. During the year following the commencement of the Mine Run ex- pedition, in November, 18G3, the total loss of the regiment, in killed, wounded, and missing, was five liundred and forty- nine. From October, 18G4, to the middle of January, 1865 the Fifth occupied Fort Davis, in the front line of works at Petersburg. On the 15th of January it formed a part of the force with which Gen. Warren made his raid south- ward to the Weldon Railroad ; and after its return from that expedition w;is posted for about two weeks at Hum- phrey's Station, and then moved back to the front of Petersburg, and remained there until the 25tli of March, when it moved with other forces to Hatcher's Run, and took part in the assault on the works at that place, sustain- ing the weight of a heavy engagement for four hours. In the final assault on Petersburg the Fifth took part, and is said to have been the first to plant its colors on the cap- tured works. On the 6th of April the regiment with its brigade attacked the retreating enemy at Sailor's Creek, and captured a stand of colors and a large number of pris- oners. The enemy being followed closely by the brigade on the 7th and 8th of April, tlie V'lhh Regiment, acting as flankers and skirniisliers, became engaged at New Store, but with slight loss. And finally, on the 9lh, it was present in the front, in line of battle, at the surrender of the Con- federate army by Gen. Lee. It lay at Clover Hill, near the place of surrender, until the 13th, when it moved back to Burkeville, and on the Lst of IMay .started on the march to Washington by way of Richmond. The regiment took its place in the great review of the Army of the Potomac, at Wasliington, May 23d, and re- mained in the vicinity of the city until June lOtli, when it left for the West, proceeding by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to Parkersburg, W. Va., and thence by steamer on the Ohio to Louisville, wliicli place it reached on the 14th. Moving to Jeffersonville, on the north side of the Ohio, it remained there until July 4th, when it was mus- ered out of the service as a regiment, and on the Gth left by railroad for Detroit, where it arrived on the 8lh, and where, on the 17th of. July, 18G."), the men of the Fighting Fifth received their pay and discharge. OKKICEllS AND MEN OF THE FIFTH FROM SHIAWASSEE COUNTV. Fitld and Staff. l8t Lieut, and Q.M. Willinm H. Allen, Byron ; com. Aug. 28, 1SC4 ; bvt. capt. U. S. Vols, April 9, ISW, " for gallant and nicritoriuus servicer timing recent campaigns terminating in the surrender of the rebel army under Gen. Robert £. Lee;'' mimt. out July 5, 18G5. Non-Commixeioned Staff. Hosp. Steward William H. Allen, Byron ; veteran, enl. Doc. 10, 18C3 ; pro. to 2d lieut. Co. D, June 10, 18C4. Cora.-Scrgt. Geo. A. Winans, Middlebury ; pro. to lst lient. Co H, Jnric 10, 18C4. Company A, Samuel M. Atkins, died in action at Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862. Edward IJnrgoyiio, discli. for disability, Dec. 4, 1804. Diivid nines, trans, lo Vet. lies. Conis, Nov. 15, 18S3. John Little, veteran ; enl. Dec. l.l, 18(;:i. Isaac Lovejoy, veteran ; must, out July 21, 1805. (Jompctiiy B. Abraham Vandeniarli, mu->t, out July 5, 1805. Company C. John W. Cook, must, out May 24, 1805. Company D. Capt. James 0. Gunsolly, OwosBO, CODI. Juno 25, 180.3 ; dlscll. at end of service, Oct. 1.1, 1804. 2d Lieut. William 11. Allen, Byron ; com. June 10, 18G4; pro. lst lieut. and q.m. K.lgur Calkins, died of disease at Washington, D. C, May 27, 1803. Antliony Clees, disch. by order, May 11, 18(35. Charles Condon, disch. for disability, Aug. 29, 1802. John Holcomli, disch. at end of service, Aug. 27, 1804. Hiram Johnson, disch. for disability, Jan. 19, 1863. David Johnson, must, out June 15, 1805. Patrick Kcveny, must, out June 15, If'GS. \V'illiaui Kinters, disch. at end of service, Aug. 27, 1804. ■Sylvester Neariiig, died of disease near Falnioiltli, Vll., Nov. 22, 1802. Asahel Rust, disch. Aug. 9, 18U2. James M. Sliippey, disch. at end of sorvico, Aug. 27, 1804. Company F. Joseph H. lieunelt, disdi. for disability, Nov.riO, 1801. Andrew Bliss, disch. for disability, April 11, 1802. 52 HISTORr OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. Ashley B. Clark, ilisch. for disability, Aug. 21, 18C2. Ri.bcit CtimplK'll, liiscl). for disiil.ility, Aug. 15, 18G2. TI1..111HS MkUii, ilii-d i.f WDiMids, July U, 1HG2. I);inii-1 Hurley, discli. for disiibility, July, 1HG2. Bmdlurd F. Sniitli, tliistl of disease, Oct. 18, 18ni. Williain K. Whitney^ died of disoaso nt Camp Midilb^iin, Fob. 24, 18112. Compnvy G, Otis U, FulI.T, tniua. to Vet. Uch. Corps, April 10, 18G-1. Company II. Capt. Louis IJ. Quiickenbuali, Owoswo; com. Jnue 19, 1861 ; killed in battle of Fair Oiika, Va., 3Iuy ;J1, 1802; buried in Seven Pines National Cemetery, Va. Capt. William Wakensbiiw, Owosao; com. June 1, 1862; 1st liout., June 19, 18C1; wounded May 6, 1804; capt. in Vet. Ilea. Corps, Nov, 7, 1864. let Lieut. \Vm. K. Tillotsou, Owo».so; com. Juno 1, 1862; 2d lieut., June 19, 1861 ; wountlod at Williamsburg, Va., May r>, 1862; disch. for sorvicea in Vet. Ilea. Corps, June H(i, lS6:i. l8t Lieut. James 0. Gnnsolly, Owosao; com. July I'i, 1802; 2d lieut,, June 1, 1862 (sergt.) ; pro. to tapt., Co. D. 1st Liout. Geo. A. Wiiiatis, Miildlebury ; com. June 10, 1864 ; pro. to capt. and must, out, July 5, 1805. 1st Lieut. Diivid B. Wyker, Owosso; com. June 29, 186:1; 2d lit-ut., June 1,1862; died in action at Germania Ford, Nov. 27, 180:i. 2d Lieut. John Shont/., Byron ; com. Nov.7, 18tU ; 2d lieut., Oct. 1, 1804 ; must. out July 5, 1805. Sergt. Iliram L. Chapmau, euL Aug. 28, 1801; dJach. for disability, April 10, 1802. Sergt. Morton Gregory, eiil. Aug. 28, 1861 ; diach. for dipability, Dec. H), 1801. Sergt. David B. Wyker, enl. Aug. 28, ISOl ; pio. t* 2il lieut., Juno 17, 1862 ; lat lieut., Juno 29, lS6:i ; killed at Gennaiiia Ford, Nov. :i7, ISOi. Sergt. Joliu Shonlz, enl. Aug. 28, 1801 ; pro. to 2d li'-ut. Sei gt. Lucieu A. Cliaso, enl. Aug. 28, 1801 ; diach. for disability, April 14, 1862. Sergt. Washingtou Howard, enl. Aug. 28, 1861 ; died of disease, Feb. 22, 1802. Corp. William Bowles, enl. Aug. 2S, 1861; trans, to Inv. Corps; disch. Aug. 27, 1864. Corp. James 0. Gunsolly, enl. Aug. 28, 1861 ; pro. to 2d lieut. Corp. Orpheua B. Church, enl. Aug. 28, 1861 ; disch. for disability. Corp. Alpha A. Carr, enl. Aug. 28, 1801 ; disch. for disubility. Corp. George A. Wiuans, enl. Aug. 28, 1861 ; pro. to com.-aergt. Corp. Charles Ormsby, died of disease at Fortress Monroe, April 10, 1862. Wiigoiier Jerome Trim, disch. for disability, Nov. 18, 1862. John C. Adams, diach. for di.sabdity, July 22, 1862. Cliauucey W. Anible, diach. for disability, Sept. :tO, 1862. Wm. H. Boi-st, diach. for disability, Nov. 27, 1802. John Beebe, veteran, died June 16, 1864. Auguatua Breekell, died of disease at Camp Pitcher, Dec. 27,1862. Franklin S. Church, dii-il of disease at Ale.xarulria, Jau. 11, 1802. diaries II. Collier, died of wounds, May 8, 1864. Jeremiah Cassidy, trans, to Vet. U\'S. Corps, Feb. 15, 1864. William Cummings, veteran, onl. Dec. IS, 186;i; diacli. by order, June :J, 1805. Levi Clark, veteran, enl. Dec. 15, 1863; diach. for disability, Jau. 15, 1805. Egbett Campbell, veteran, enl. Dec. 15, 186^; must, out July 5, 1805. Alfred B. Crane, veteran, enl. Dec. 15, 1803; must, out, July 5, 1805. Charles Oolmau, must, oiit May 3U, 1805. Marcius S. Crawf..rd, disch. for disability, Oct. 8, 1802. Tbonuts M. Clay, disch. lor disability, Oct. 8, 1802. John W. Close, diach. for disability, Oct. 8, 1862. Benjamin C. Cook, disch. for disability by reason of wounds, Oct. 8, 1862. John Q, A. Cook, disch. for disability, Dec. 4, 1802. James Carniody, disch. for disability, Sept. 24, 1862. Isaac Felti-r, wounded at bailie of Wilderness. Amos Finch, discli. for disability, May II, 1862. Clark Fineout, veteran, enl. Dec. 15, 1863; must, cput July 5, 1865. Dwight I). Gibbs, disch. for disability, Oct. 8, 1802. Wm. II. lliurin^tou, disch. for disability, Feb. 20, 1SG3. Melvin Houghteliu, disch. for disability, Aug. 22, 1802. Martin N. Halstead, dieIurliii, must, out Miiy 31, 1865. William Miinsliawee, must, out May 25, 1865. Herman T. Newman, veteran, enl. Dec. 15, 1863 ; must, ont July 5, 1865. Theodore Odell, veteran, en!. Dec. 15, 1863 ; disch. for disability. May 23, 1865. Andrew J. Pattei-son, disch. for ilisability, Dec. 1(), 1861. John M. Rosa, wounded at battle of Wilderness, Slay, 1864. James N. Peck, died of disease, Feb. 8, 1862. William H. H. Shulters, died of disease at Alexandria, Va., Nov. 6, 1862. Charles C. Scott, died of diseiise, April 12, 1862. Abram K. Swrut, must, out May 31, 1805. George A. Shelley, wounded at battle of the Wilderness, May, 1864. Samuel A, Sutberland, disch. for (liaability, May 25, 1805. Oreii S. Skinner, diach. for disability. Jamea Shulters, diach. for disability, Nov. 11, 1862. William Tayhu-, disch. for disability, Oct. 8, 18G2. Howard Wortliington, died of disease at Camp Michigan, Feb. 24, 1802. John Weia, died of disease, Jan. 18, 1803. * IHarcns Wakeuiaii, died of wounds, April 25, 1805. Patrick Watei-s, pro. to sergt.; wounded at Wilderness, May, 1864; veteran, enl. Dec. 15, 1863; must, out July 5, 1805. CLINTON COUNTY MEMBERS OF THE FIFTH INFANTRY. Compantj C. Frederick L. Buell, must, ont July 5, 1805. Chandler Ferguson, disch. for dis^ibility, June 20, 1862. David Goodrich, died of disease at Washington, Sept. 25, 1801. Wm. II. Goodrich, must, out July 5, 1805. Valorous Green, disch. for disability, Jan. 19, 1803. Orton B. Green, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Jau. 10, 1864. Merrill Howe, died in battle at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862. Clinton WcSIuitry, St. John's. Jos. Morton, St. John's; disch. for disability, Aug. 10, 1862. Alvin McGowan, di-sch. for disability, Aug. 27, 1862. Eilwin Perry, discli. at end of service, Aug. 28, 1805. Uriah G. Tucker, died in action at Williaiuslmrg, May 5, 1862. Johu S. Weatlierwax.died in action at Wilderness, May 5, 1804. Geo. E. Webb, Ohve ; disch. for disaliility, Maich 18, 1S03. Nathaniel D. Wickbam, disch. at end of service, Aug. 28, 1864. Company D. Eliaha A. Elwood, must, out May 13, 1805. Edwin Formau, disch. for disability, June 20, 1862. James A. Forman, disch. for disability, March 19, 1863. David Frost, died of disease at Camp Michigan, Dec. 27, 1861. John D. lugall-i, veteran, enl. Doc. 15, 1863; must, out July 5, 1805. Ira P. Jones, disch. by order, Oct. 0, IS62. Saniuel Lee, tUscli. for disability, Feb. 7, 1803. Charles B. Laud, must, out July 5, 1805. Alson H. Reed, diach. for disability, Aug. 9, 1S62, W'illiam Reed, disch. at end of service, Aug. 27, 1865. Peleg Sweet, disch. for disability, Jan. 8, 1803. Robert K. Smith, must, ont May 13, 1865. Nathaniel S. Wells, veteran, enl. Dec. 15, 1863 ; must, out July 5, 1805. Henry C. Williams, disch. by order. Daniel G. Wade, disch. at end of service, Sept. 5, 1864. Comjyany F. Ist Lieut. Joshua R. Benson, Riley ; com. Nov. 9, 1804, 2d lieut.; Sept. 18, 1864, sergt.; must, out July 5, 1865. Company H. Russell N. Bagley, diach. for disability. Jan. 13, 1863. Almerou Daniels, disch. for disability. May 31, 1865. Daniel L. Harrington, died of disease, Feb. ii8, 1802. Nathan S. Ross, died in action at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862. Company I. Alexander Parks, disch. for disability, Sept. 3, 1864. EIGHTH INFANTRY. 53 CHAPTER VII. EIGHTH INFANTRY. Organizntion of the Eiglith at Camp Anderson — The Port Royal Ex- pedition — Battles of Port Uoyal Ferry and Wilmington Island — Terrible Conflict at Seccssionville — Campaign unjer Gen. Pope — South Mountain, Antietam, and Fredericksburg— Campaigns in Kentucky, Mississippi, and East Tennessee — ^Veteran Ro enlist- ment and Return to the Army of the Potomac — The Wilderness and Petersburg — The Eighth leads the Union Column into the City — End of Service and Muster Out. The Eighth Regiment of Michigan Iiifantiy was or- ganized in the summer and fall of 1861 by Col. William M. Fenton, who became it:? commander, and led it bravely on many bloody fields. One company of this regiment was composed principally of Clinton County men, and another was in the same manner distinctively a Shiawassee com- pany. Volunteers from these counties were also found in the ranks of five of its other companies. The Clinton company contained the earliest enlistments that were made in that county, dating as early as May 1st, when Captain Richard Baylis commenced recruiting for a company to join the Second Infantry. It was called the " Clinton Rangers," and was filled in about two weeks, but was after all too late for acceptance in the Second, and this fact caused the announcement to be made, on the 17th of May, that " the Clinton Rangers are hereby dis- banded." Afterwards, however, most of the " Rangers" volunteered in other companies, principally in the " St. John's Union Guard," which was organized at Clinton Hall, St. John's, June 22d, by the enrollment of fifty names of volunteers, and the choice of the following officers of the company, viz. : Oliver L. Spaulding, Captain ; W. H. Paine, First Lieutenant; Charles F. Smith, Second Lieu- tenant; William T. Magoffin, W. Ely Lewis, J. W. Brad- nor, N. T. Jones, and A. B. Nourse, Sergeants; and An- thony Cook, Luther Pratt, Edwin Hewett, and Aaron B. Taylor, Corporals. A " board of directors ' was also chosen, composed of Charles Kipp, Henry Walbridge, Timothy Baker, Stephen J. Wright, and William Sickels. The company met for drill under these officers, but was soon afterwards reorganized as the " St. John's Volunteers," un- der Capt. Gilbert E. Pratt and 1st Lieut. VV. Ely Lewis, and having been augmented by a number of volunteers from Gratiot County, was assigned to duty with the Eighth Infantry, and designated as Company B of that regiment. The Shiawassee County company of the Eighth was re- cruited and organized in August, 18(il, under Capt. J. L. Quaekcnbush, of Owosso, and 1st Lieut. Albert Bainbridge, of Byron, in the expectation that it would be joined to the Ninth or Tenth Regiment. It was, however, as.signed to duty with the Eighth, and designated in the organization of that regiment as Company I. The Eighth Infantry was rendezvoused at " Camp An- derson," Grand Rapids, on the 21st of August. There it remained for four weeks, engaged in drill, organization, and the filling of its ranks to the maximum number. On the 18th of September it moved to Detroit, and thence to a camp at Fort Wayne, below the city, where, on the 23d, it was mustered into the United States service for three years by Capt. H. 11. Mizner, U.S.A., its strength when mus- tered being irine hundred. Its field-officers, besides Col. Fenton, were Lieut. -Col. Frank Graves and Maj. Amasa B. Watson. Orders for the departure of the regiment were received on the 26th of September, and on Friday (the 27th) it embarked on the steamers " Ocean" and " May Queen," and moved down the river and lake, arriving at Cleveland the following morning. From there it moved by railroad through Pittsburgh, Ilarrisburg, and Baltimore to Wash- ington, where it arrived on the 30th, and encamped on Meridian Hill, its camp being named " Camp Williams." In due time the men received arms and equipments, and on the 9th of October the regiment moved to Annapolis, Md., and there occupied the grounds of the Naval Academy. On the 19th of October it was ordered to embark on board the ocean-steamer " Vanderbilt," then lying at Annapolis. It was evidently bound on some distant expedition, but its destination and object were unknown, and'were matters of endless surmise and speculation among the officers and men during the pa.ssagc down the Chesapeake. On the " Van- derbilt" with the Eighth was the Seventy-ninth New York Regiment, called the " Highlanders," and neither regiment appeared to be very favorably impressed with the appearance or presence of the other. One who was present on board the ship at that time wrote afterwards concerning this, as follows : " The men of the Eighth Michigan and Seventy-ninth New York looked distrustfully on each other. The ship was rather uncomfortably crowded, having eighteen hundred persons on board, and every effort to obtain better storage by one party was jealously watched by the other. The Eighth regarded the Seventy-ninth as a set of foreigners and sots, and the latter regarded our men as a lot of un- drilled bushwhackers, tinged with verdancy." How long this state of feeling continued does not appear, but it is certain that there was afterwards developed between them a friendship which became absolute aflFection, — so strong and marked that it was proverbial among the different commands of the army where the two regiments were known. Upon their arrival at Fortress Monroe they found the roadstead crowded with a fleet made up of war-steamers and transports filled with troops. This fleet, including the " Vanderbilt," went to sea in the morning of October 29ih, and the sight was grand and in.spiriting. For a time the winds favored and the sea was comparatively smooth, but afterwards a heavy gale came on in which the vessels were scattered, and three or four of them were lost. During this time the troops suffered greatly from sea-sickness and overcrowding on the transports. The fleet had sailed under sealed orders, and its destination was as yet unknown ex- cept to the naval and military commanders. At last the storm abated, the vessels one by one returned within sig- naling distance of each other, and the low shores of South Carolina became visible on the starboard hand. Six days (which seemed as many weeks) from the time of its de- parture from Fortress Monroe the fleet arrived ofi" Hilton Head, S. C, Nov. 4, 1861. The object of the expedition was now apparent, and, with a smoother sea and an enemy almost in sight, sea-sickness and dejection gave place to buoyant spirits and eager enthusiasm. The fleet was composed of fourteen armed vessels, twenty- 5i HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. two first-class steamers, twelve smaller steamers, and twenty- six sailing-vessels. The commander of the fleet was Com- modore (afterward Admiral) S. F. Dupont, whose flag-ship was the splendid steam-frigate " Wabash." The land forces consisted of thirteen regiments of volunteers, in three brigades, — in all, about eleven thousand men, — under com- mand of Gen. T. W. Sherman. The Second Brigade, com- posed of the Fiftieth and One Hundredth Pennsylvania, Eighth Rlicliigan, and Seventy-ninth New York, was under command of Brig.-Gen. Isaac I. Stevens. The channel connecting Port Royal harbor with the sea was guarded on either side by a strong rebel fortification. These were known as Forts Walker and Beauregard, and the reduction of these, by the navy, was the first work to be done. For three days after their arrival the vessels re- mained in quiet, below, as the weather was not considered sufiBciently favorable for operations; but on the 7th the " Wabash" set hfer signal for battle, and advanced to the attack, ibllowed by tiie other armed ships in their proper order. They moved in a circular line, up, past one fort, and down, past the other, delivering their tremendous broadsides into each as they came abreast of it. With the fire from the ships, and the responses from the forts, it was almost a continuous volley of artillery, which shook the earth and made the very waters tremble. But at length the fire of the forts began to slacken, their replies grew more and more feeble, and finally the stars and bars above their ramparts gave place to the white flag. A little later the standard of the Union floated above the captured works on both sides of the channel. On the following day the Eighth landed at Hilton Head, and occupied Fort Walker. On the 17 th of December, it moved to Beaufort, a place of surpassing beauty, where many of the wealthy people of Charleston had, in the old days of peace, made their summer residences. It was now found deserted by nearly all its inhabitants except negroes. The camp at this place was made in a grove of magnificent live-oaks, on the public square, which was surrounded on all sides by stately mansions. Except on account of the losses sustained by the Eighth in the vicinity of Beaufort, the stay of the regiment at this place was among the most pleasing of all its experiences during its term of service. On the 18th, Companies A and F, of the Eighth, were sent on a reconnoitering expedition to the mainland, across Coosaw River, and while engaged in this service, David Burns Foote, of Capt. Guild's company, was killed by the enemy ; he being the first man of the regiment who fell in his country's service. The Eighth, during the time it was stationed at Beaufort, was engaged in other reconnois- sances, and in picket duty ; and detachments occupied Grey's Hill, Ladies' Island, Pinckney's Island, Brickyard Point, and some of the neighboring plantations. The first battle in which the regiment was engaged was that of Coosaw River, or Port Royal Ferry, Jan. 1, 1862. An oflBcial report by Col. Fenton to Gen. Stevens, embracing an account of that engagement, is here given : " IIeadquartehs Eighth Michigan Kkgiment, " Mainland, Port Koyal Ferry, Jan. 1, 1862. " Brig.-Gen. Stevens : Sir, — I have the honor to re- port that in compliance with your order this regiment was safely landed at the Adams House on the mainland, having effected the crossing in flatboats from Brickyard Point, Port Royal Island, and took up its line of march towards the enemy's battery at this place at one o'clock p.m. On our approach towards the ferry we were ordered to attack (as skirmishersj a masked battery which opened fire on us from the right. I immediately detached the first two and tenth companies, and directed their march to the left and front on the battery, which was followed by four additional companies to the right and front. The fire of the battery with shells continued on our lines until the skirmishers reached the right, when it was turned on them, and on their approach right, left, and front to within fifty to one hundred yards of the enemy's position, a fire of musketry was opened upon them. The force of the enfemy, as well as the battery, was concealed to a considerable extent by trees, brush, and underwood, but appeared to consist of two mounted howitzers, supported by a regiment or more of in- fantry and some cavalry. The skirmishers were measurably protected by underbrush and furrows, and continued their fire upon the enemy, which was returned by volleys of mu.s- ketry and shells from the battery. Our fire was well di- rected, and .seemed to be eft'ective. One mounted ofiBcer who seemed to be very active, was seen to fall from his horse, at which the troops on the enemy's right were thrown into confusion. Their position seemed to be changing to the rear, and as our skirmishers were called off' and the regiment formed in line the enemy's fire ceased. The regiment was then marched to its position in line of battle in rear of the fort at this point. " Lieut.-Col. Graves led the left and Jlaj. Watson the right of the skirmishers. The major, in leading on the line, received a severe flesh wound in the leg. I have to report that officers and men behaved with admirable bravery and coolness. The loss of the enemy from the well-directed fire of our skirmishers cannot be less than forty. Our loss is seven wounded, two missing. A list is appended. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, " Wm. M. Fenton, " Cul. Eiglilh Micliii/aii Reijihneut." Of the three companies which made the attack, Capt. Pratt's company (" B," known in the regiment as the " Clinton Boys") had the right of the line. The left of this company was joined by the right of " A" company, and the left of the line was held by Company K. The affair of Port Royal Ferry, although not a great battle, was extremely trying to the qualities of raw troops, as they then were, but they went through it with the same cool and admirable bravery which they afterwards exhibited on many bloodier fields. Capt. Pratt's company sustained no loss in killed, but it had a number wounded, among whom were James Dodge, L. L. Warner, Henry 0. Brown, Frederick Miller, and Amos Wetherby, acting orderly- sergeant. During the months of January, February, and March the regiment was employed in drill and picket duty, but always ready to respond to marching orders, which were constantly expected, and were finally received on the 9th of April, when the Eighth left Beaufort and moved to EIGHTH INFANTRY. 55 Tybee Island, Ga., where it was reported to Gen. Q. A. Gillniore, commanding the operations against Savannah. It was present (but not engaged) at the bombardment of Fort Puhisici, on the 10th and 11th, as also at the surrender of that formidable work. On the 16th of April seven companies of the regiment, each about forty strong, and including the Clinton and Shiawassee companies, — B and I,— were detailed, with a detachment of Rhode Island artillery, as an escort to Lieut. C. H. Wilson, chief of the topographical engi- neers, Department of the South, to make a reconnoissance of Wilmington Island, with a view to the erection of forti- fications upon it if found practicable. The force was em- barked on the steamer " Honduras," and moved to the place designated, wiiere it landed and proceeded to the execution of the duty assigned. This resulted in an en- gagement with a force of the enemy, consisting of the 13th Georgia, " Oglethorpe Light Infantry," and the " Altamaha Scouts," in all about eight hundred strong. A detailed account of this movement and battle is given in Col. Fen- ton's official report, of which the following is a copy : " Hkadquarters Eighth Regiment Mich. Vols. "On board the steamer * Honduras,' off Wilmington Island, Ga., April 16, 1S62,— eleven p.m. " Lieut. W. L. M. Burger, Acting Assistant Adjutant- General. "Sir, — I have the honor to report, for the information of the general commanding, that in compliance with Special Orders No. 41, I embarked with seven companies of the Eighth Michigan Regiment, as an escort to Lieut. C. H. Wilson, Topographical Engineer, on a reconnoissance oiF Wilmington Island. Two companies were landed at Scri- ven's plantation under command of Capt. Pratt, with orders from Lieut. Wilson to skirt Turner's Creek. The other five companies were landed at Gibson's plantation. Two of those companies were ordered to skirt Turner's Creek. A third was to take the road to the right, towards the ferry at Canan's Bluff, to protect the boat party up Oatland Creek. Owing to the small number of boats, and the dis- tance from the steamer, which was aground, some delay occurred in the disembarkation. I directed Lieut.-Col. Graves .to follow with the second company to skirt Turner's Creek ; but he by misdirection took the road to the right, towards Canan's Bluff, and on landing with the remaining companies, I received information from him that the enemy were in force at Flatwood's plantation, and to the left of the road. This made the reconnoissance with boats unsafe, and I ordered the companies all in and stationed the re- maining companies to guard against an attack at our land- ing, and sent out strong pickets on both roads. I believe the advance of the company to the right, instead of along Turner's Creek, saved my command, as it sooner enabled me to post the men to advantage, and take a position from which the enemy's approach could be observed. The enemy appeared to be the Georgia Thirteenth, about eight hundred strong, armed with Enfield rifles. As they approached, about four p.m., with a strong body of skirmi.shers in the skirt of woods below the road, the companies to tlie right and left of the road, in accordance with my instructions. opened fire. I immediately sounded the charge for an ad- vance of the companies in the rear of the first line ; but the first line misunderstanding the signal, fell back to the next company. A constant and effective fire was kept up on both sides from the cover of the trees and bushes. Lieut. Wilson, who had returned with the boat's party, here proved of great service to me, and took a party, at my request, to the left. I ordered a company to the right, to flank the enemy. Both operations were successful, and in a few moments the enemy retreated in confusion, leaving several dead on the field, and followed by our men with loud cheers. It being now about sunset, I recalled our troops, and giving to Lieut. Wilson the command of pickets stationed to guard against surprise, formed the companies into line as originally posted, sent the dead and wounded in boats to the ship, and gradually and very quietly, under cover of darkness, withdrawing the men, sent them on board as fa.st as our limited transportation would allow. At the last trip of the boat I embarked, accompanied by Lieut. Wilson, Lieut.-Col. Graves, and the remainder of the command, at about ten o'clock p.m., and immediately brought on board the two companies left at Scriven's plan- tation. After the enemy retreated we were unmolested. It is due to the officers and men of the command to say that generally they behaved with cool and intrepid courage. Adj. Pratt fell dead near my side, gallantly fighting, musket in hand, and cheering on the men. Our loss, I regret to say, was comparatively large, — ten killed and thirty-five wounded, out of a command of three hundred men. Among the wounded was Acting Lieut. Badger, of Com- pany C, who was in charge of the advanced picket, and exhibited undaunted courage. He, with one of his men, was taken prisoner. Both escaped and wore brought in when the enemy retreated. The captain of the ' Honduras' is deserving of great credit for his kind attention to the wounded, and he afforded us every facility for the comfort of officers and men in his power. I respectfully refer j'ou to Lieut. Wilson's report, which I have seen, which con- tains some facts not embraced in this report ; among others, in relation to the men detailed in charge of the field-piece on board ship, who were vigilant and attentive. Herewith I transmit a list of casualties. " I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, " \VlLLI.\M M. Fenton, Col. Commanding.'" The part of Lieut. Wilson's report to which Col. Fenton alluded as having reference to the detachment in charge of the field-piece was as follows : " Lieut. Caldwell and sixteen men of the Rhode Island volunteers, with one light six- pounder, were left in charge of the steamer. The gun could not be bandied on account of the inability of the boat to lie alongside the landing. . . . After holding the ground for three hours the entire force was quietly em- barked without further accident, though it must be con- fessed that had the enemy renewed his attack while we were embarking we should have suffered great loss. Our five small boats could not move more than fifty men every thirty minutes, and the steamer lay in such a po.sition that the six-pounder could not be brought to bear without jeop- ardizing the lives of our own people." 5(5 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. From Wilmington Island tlic command returned to Beau- fort, and the first knowledge wliich Gen. Stevens had of the battle of the IGth was conveyed by the arrival of the dead and wounded from that field. The dead were buried witli all military honors, the entire brigade attending their funeral. During the month of May the Eighth was engaged on picket duty and other similar service, on Port Koyal Island. On the 2d of June it moved thence to Stono River, S. C, to relieve the Twenty-eighth Ma.ssachusetts Regiment, on picket on James Island, where the Eighth arrived on the day following its departure from Port Royal. Here it was attached to the First Brigade of the Second Division, under Gen. Stevens ; the brigade being placed under com- mand of Col. Fenton, and Lieut -Col. Graves succeeding to the command of the regiment. The battle of James Island (or SecessionviJle, as it is frequently called) was fought on the IGlh of June. In it the Eighth Michigan took a more prominent part, and suf- fered more severely, than any other regiment, and its losses here were, taking everything into consideration, more ter- rible than it sustained on any other field during its long and honorable career. Secessionville, the scene of the battle, was described by Dr. J. C. Wilson, surgeon of the Eighth Regiment, as " a village composed of a few houses whose owners have seceded from them, situated on a narrow neck of land jutting into the stream on the east side of James Island, skirted by tidal marshes and swamps on either side, and difficult of approach, except from the westward, where is a rebel fcrrt which commands this entrance." The fort was a formidable earthwork, with a parapet nine feet in height, surrounded by a broad ditch seven feet deep, and protected by a broad and almost im- penetrable abatis. The neck of dry land over which (alone) it was approachable was barely two hundred yards in width, and every inch of it could be swept at close range by can- ister from the six heavy guns of the fort and by musketry i'rora its defenders. And it was over such ground, and to the assault of such a work, that the troops of Stevens' division moved forward at four o'clock in the morning of that bloody and eventful ICth of June, 1862. The attacking column was composed of Col. Fenton's and Col. Leasure's brigades, the former composed of the Eighth Michigan, Seventh Connecticut, and Twenty-eighth Massachusetts Regiments, and the latter of the Forty-sixth and Seventy-ninth New York and One Hundredth Penn- sylvania, with four batteries of artillery, — in all thirty- three hundred and thirty-seven men. The following account of the battle was written by the correspondent of the Nmo York Tribune, then at James' Lsland, and published in that paper immediately after the fight : "The advanced regiments were the Eighth Michigan, the Seventy-ninth New York, and the Seventh Connecticut. There is some confusion as to the order in which these regiments came up to the fort ; it seems, however, from the best information within reach that the glorious but unfor- tunate Eighth Michigan was the first there, led by its gal- lant Lieut. -Col. Graves. The immediate assault upon the fort was not successful, and the cause of its failure, as is usual in such cases, is difiScult to determine. . . . It appears, from the statements of some of the officers and men in these regiments, that about one-half mile from the fort there was a narrow pass through a hedge, and the men were compelled to pass through, a very few abreast, thus delaying their advance. The Eighth Blichigan got through and pushed on with great vigor up to the fort, which they assaulted with a shout. They were met with a murderous fire from the fort in front, and from flanking batteries. A few of these brave men overcame all dangers and difficulties, and rushing over the dead bodies of their slaughtered comrades, actually climbed into the fort ; but it was inipo.ssible for them to maintain their ground there against the fearful odds which opposed them, the men who should have sup- ported them being delayed in passing through the hedge. " The Eighth was obliged to fall back as the Seventy- ninth New York came up, led by the brave Col. Morrison, who mounted the walls of the fort and discharged all the barrels of his revolver in the very faces of the enemy. Wounded in the head, and unsupported, he was obliged to retreat. About as far behind the Seventy-ninth as that regiment was behind the Eighth Michigan came the Seventh Connecticut, which made a spasmodic and almost indepen- dent efl"ort against the fort, but was obliged to fall back. Thus the brave regiments which were intended to act in concert as the advance went into the fight one at a time, one repulsed and falling back as the other came up, thtis creating confusion, and rendering abortive the charge on the fort at this time. " The Eighth Michigan has been most unfortunate. For- ward in every skirmish and battle, always in the advance, it has lost a considerable number of its officers, and can now scarcely number three hundred men. All these regiments fought well, and piled their dead around the fort ; but it was a terrible sacrifice and a vain one. " The first, as has been said, to reach the fort were the Michigan Eighth, and New York Seventy-ninth. This was not the natural order, but the Seventy-ninth, hearing the cheers of the Eighth, ran past the other regiments and joined the Eighth as it reached the works. Both regiments sufiered terribly from the fire of the enemy as they ap- proached, — the Eighth from grape and canister, the Sev- enty-ninth from musketry, as the nature of their .wounds show. Badly shattered, and wholly exhausted from three- fourths of a mile on the double quick, many fell powerless on reaching the works ; while a few, in sufficiently good condition, mounted the parapet, from which the enemy had been driven by our sharp and effective fire, and called upon the others to follow them. " At about nine o'clock, which seemed to be the crisis of the battle, and when the generals seemed to be consulting whether they should again advance upon the fort, or retire, the gunboats decided the question by opening a heavy can- nonade in our rear, which, instead of telling upon the rebels, threw their shot and shell into our own ranks. This must have resulted from ignorance on their part as to our precise position, owing to the rapid changes upon the field, and in the intervening timber. The shells fell and burst in the very midst of our men, — several exploding near the commanding general and his staff. The effect of this J EIGHTH INFANTRY. 57 unfortunate mistake was an order for the troops to retire, which they did in perfect order, taking position on the old picket-line." In the Scottish American newspaper, of New York, there appeared, a few days after the battle, a communication from an officer of the Seventy-ninth Highlanders, in which the gallantry of the Eighth at Secessionville is thus noticed : " I should mention that the Eighth Michigan, small in number, but every man a hero, had been repulsed from the fort, with terrible loss, just as we advanced. The Michigan men could not have numbered four hundred when they ad- vanced ; wlien they retired they had one hundred and ninety killed and wounded. One company alone lost, I un- derstand, no less than ninety-eight men. The ordeal through which they had passed the Seventy-ninth were now experi- encing. Shot down by unseen enemies, and without having an opportunity of returning the fire with any effect, the men got discouraged, but remained stubbornly on the ground until the order was given to retire, — an order, let me say, which was only rendered necessary by the shameful fact that, notwithstanding the strong force within support- ing distance, no support came. The fort was ours had we re^eived assistance, but it is a fact that cannot be gainsaid that every man who fell around its ramparts belonged to the Eighth Michigan and the. Seventy-ninth New York, — the two weakest regiments, in point of numbers, in the whole force under command of Gen. Bcnham." The Eighth Kcgiment went into the fight with a total strength of five hundred and thirty-four officers and men, and its loss in the assault was, according to the surgeon's report, one hundred and forty-seven killed and wounded and thirty-seven missing; this being more than one-third of the number engaged. The first report of its loss made it somewhat greater than this. Gen. Stevens, in his " General Order No. 2G," dated James Island, S. C, June 18, 1862, mentioned the heroism of the Eighth Michigan, as follows: " Parties from the leading regiments of the two brigades, the Eighth Michigan and Seventy-ninth High- landers, mounted and were' shot down on the parapet, offi- cers and men. These two regiments especially covered themselves with glory, and their fearful casualties show the hot work in which they were engaged. Two-fifths of the Eighth Michigan and nearly one-quarter of the Seventy- ninth Highlanders were down, either killed or wounded, and all the remaining regiments had a large number of casualties. ... In congratulating his comrades on their heroic valor and constancy on that terrible field, the commanding general of the division has not words to ex- press his and your grief at the sacrifice that has been made. Our best and truest men now sleep the sleep that knows no waking. Their dead bodies lie on the enemy's parapet." Gen. Stevens' command evacuated James Island on the 5th of July, the Eigiith Kcgiment being the last to leave, as it had been the first in the advance. Moving to Hilton Head, it embarked there July 13th, with the Seventy-ninth New York, Twenty eighth Massachusetts, Seventh Con- necticut, and other regiments lor Fortress Monroe, where they arrived on the 16th, and landed at Newport News on the following day. Tliey knew they were destined to rein- 8 force the Army of the Potomac after its disasters in the Seven Days' fight, and they did not like the change, for they preferred to remain in the South, where their laurels had been won. The Eighth remained three weeks in camp at Newport News, and during this time Col. Fenton left for Michigan to obtain recruits, and Lieut.-Col. Graves was left in command of the regiment. The command left this camp* August 4th, and moving to the Rappahannock River, took part in the campaign of Gen. Pope, fighting at second Bull Run, August 29th and 80fh, and at Chantilly, September 1st, losing considerably in both engagements. Soon after, it moved with the Ninth Army Corps (to which it had been attached) into Maryland. It fought at South Mountain, September 1-lth, losing thirteen, wounded, and was again engaged in the great battle of Antietam, September 17th. Early in that day it formed in line on the right with its brigade, but about noon, when the battle became general, it was ordered to the left, and took posses- sion near the historic Stone Bridge. " A more terrific fire than we here met with,"' wrote an officer of the regiment, " it has not been my lot to witness. It equaled, if it did not exceed, that of James Island. At first our men gained ground and drove the enemy half a mile, but the battery tliat covered our advance and answered to the enemy's in front getting out of ammunition, together with the arrival of a fresh rebel brigade from Harper's Ferry, flanking our position and bringing our men under a cross-fire, changed the fortunes of the day in their favor, and when night closed upon the scene of carnage the enemy reoccupied the ground wrested from them at such fearful sacrifice in the afternoon." The bridge, however, was not retaken by the enemy, and, although the Union forces had been driven back here on the left, the advantage remained with them on other parts of the field. The battle was not renewed to any extent on the following day, and the enemy, while keeping up the appearance of a strong line in front, re- treated from his position to the Potomac, preparatory to crossing back into Virginia. The loss of the Eighth at Antietam was twenty-seven killed and wounded, — a loss which appears quite severe when it is remembered that the regiment went into action with considerably less than two hundred men, having been reduced not only by its terrible losses in previous battles, but also by discharges ; more than two hundred and fifty men being discharged from the Eighth in the year 1862, of whom just one hundred enlisted in the regular army. The places of these were being filled to some extent by re- cruits, of whom a number joined the regiment the day before Antietam ; and it was said of them that, although they had never before hoard a hostile gun, they endured the terrible initiation of that day with almost the steadiness of veterans. For about a month after the battle the regiment re- mained in Maryland, a short time in the vicinity of An- tietam, and a longer time in Pleasant Valley. On the 26th of October it marched to Weverton, and thence to Ber- lin, Md., where it crossed the Potomac on pontoons into Virginia. It passed through Lovettsvillo, Waterford, Slack's Mills, Ilectortown, and Salem, to Waterloo, where, on the 11th of November, it received the announcement of 58 HISTOllY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. Gen. Burnside's promotion to the coiumaiid of the army. On tlie 15th it was at Sulphur Springs, and moved thence, by way of Fayettcvillo and Be;ilton Station, to a camp about ten miles east of the latter place, where was read the order forming the "right grand division" of the army, by uniting the Second and Ninth Corps, under command of Gen. E. V. Sumner. On the 18th the regiment marched, leading the brigade, to Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, where the army was rapidly concentrating. Here it re- mained (a part of it acting as provost-guard of the division) until the 12th of December, when it crossed the Rappa- hannock to Fredericksburg, but wa.s not engaged in the great battle of the 13th. It recrosscd on the 15th, and re- mained at Falmouth until Feb. 13, 18G3, when it moved with the Ninth Corps (which had been detaclied from the Army of the Potomac) to Newport News, Va., and there camped, evidently waiting orders for a further movement, which the officers and men hoped might take them back to the department of the South. On the 20th of March the Eighth Regiment, being again under marching orders, eirfbarked at Newport News, on tlie steamer "Georgia," preparatory to the commencement of the long series of movements and marches in the Southwest which afterwards gave it the name of " the wandering regi- ment of Michigan." It left Newport News on the 21st, arrived at Baltimore on tlie 22d, and proceeded thence by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to Parkersburg, W. Va., reaching there on the 24th, and embarking on the steamer " Majestic" for Louisville, Ky., where it arrived at noon on Thur.sday the 26th. At that time it was brigaded with the Second, Seventeenth, and Twentieth Michigan Regiments, under Brig.-Gcn. Orlando M. Poe (formerly colonel of the Second), as brigade commander ; this being the First Brigade, First Division, Ninth Army Corps. This corps (then a part of the Army of the Ohio) had for its im- mediate mission in Kentucky to observe and hold in check the forces of the guerrilla chief, John Morgan, who, at that time, seemed to be omnipresent in all that region, and whose movements were giving the government no little trouble and alarm. The Eighth moved by railroad from Louisville on the 28th, proceeded to Lebanon, Ky., and remained stationed there and at Green River Ford, Ky., for some weeks. Wliilc the command lay at Lebanon there was issued the first number of a paper entitled The Wolvcriitc, which was announced as "published by members of the Eighth Michi- gan Infantry, and will be issued as often as circumstances will permit." How many numbers of this journal were ever published is not known. About the 1st of June the Ninth Corps, which had been scattered in detachments at various points in Kentucky, was ordered to move to Mississippi to reinforce the army of Gen. Grant, then operating against Vicksburg. The Eighth Regiment moved with the corps, going to Cairo, 111., by rail, and then embarking on boats on the Mississippi River, was transported to Haynes' Bluff, Miss. From there it moved to Milldale, Miss., and remained there and at Flower Dale Church, near Vicksburg, until the operations against that stronghold ended in its capitulation, July 4th. Then it uioved with the corps towards Jackson, Miss., in pursuit of the army of Johnston, who had been hovering in Gen. Grant's rear, attempting to raise the siege of Vicksburg. In the several engagements which occurred from the 10th to the 16th of July the Eighth participated, but suffered little loss; and after the evacuation of Jackson, on the 16th, it returned to its former camp at Milldale, remaining there till August 6th, when it again took boat on the Mississippi and moved north with the corps. It reached Memphis in the night of the 11th, and passed on to Cairo and thence to Cincinnati, where it arrived on the 18th, and, crossing the river, camped at Covington, Ky. From Covington it moved by way of Nicholasville to Crab Orchard, Ky., reaching there August 27th, and remaining there in camp two weeks. On the 10th of September it was again on the march, and moved by way of Cumberland Gap to Knox- ville, Tenn., reaching there on the 2Gth. The Eighth was slightly engaged with the enemy at Blue Springs, October 10th, and, after considerable marching and countermarching, went into camp, October 29th, at Lenoir Station, where it remained until November 14th. It was then, with its divi.sion, ordered to Huff's Ferry, on the Holston River, to check the advance of Longstreet, who was reported moving up from Georgia towards Knoxville. He was found in strong force, and the Union troops retired before him, and passing back through Lenoir, continued the retreat to Knoxville. Being hard pressed, however, a stand was made at Campbell's Station on the IGth, and a battle ensued, lasting from about one P.M. until dark, and resulting in a loss to the Eighth of eleven wounded. Du- ring the night the retreat was continued, and the regiment reached Knoxville in the morning of the 17th, after an almost continuous march of two days and three nights, in- cluding a battle of several hours' duration, moving over the worst of roads tliough mud and rain, and with less than quarter rations. Then followed the siege of Knoxville by Longstreet, which continued eighteen days, during all of which time the regiment occupied the front line of works. On Sunday, Novemljer 29th, two veteran Georgia brigades, belonging to McLaws' rebel division, made a furious assault on Fort Saunders (one of the works in the line of fortifications in- closing Knoxville), and were repulsed and driven back with a loss of nearly eight hundred men, the Eighth Michigan being one of the regiments which received and repelled the assault. In the night of the 4th and 5th of December the enemy withdrew from Knoxville. The Eighth took part in the pursuit, but with no results, and on the 16th it encamped at Blain's Cross-Roads. This proved to be the last camp which it occupied for any considerable length of time in Tennessee. It remained here about three weeks, during which time three hundred of its members re-enlisted as veterans. On the 8th of January, 1864, the veteranized command, under orders to report at Detroit, left its camp and took the road across the Cumberland Mountains for the railroad at Nicholasville, Ky., nearly two hundred miles dis- tant. It reached that place in ten days, having made an average of nearly twenty miles a day, over miserable roads, and through the ice and snow of the mountain passes. From Nicholasville the men went by rail to Detroit, reach- EIGHTH INFANTEY. 59 ing there January 25tli. At the end of their furlough, March 8th, they left for the front, and proeecded to Annap- olis, Md., where they rejoined the Ninth Corps, which had in the mean time been ordered from Tennessee, to reinforce the Army of the Potomac. On tlie 23d of April the Eighth moved by way of Wash- ington across the Potomac to Warrenton Junction. When the ."spring campaign opened it moved (May 4th) with the army, crossed the Kapidan on the 5th, and on the following day was hotly engaged in the Wilderness, losing ninety-nine in killed, wounded, and missing. On the 12th it took part in the assault on the enemy's intrenchmcnts at Spott- sylvania Court-House, losing forty-nine officers and men in the bloody work of that day. During the fight the corps commander. Gen. Burnside, rode up, and called out to the regiment, " Boys, you must support this battery and hold the hill at all hazards, for it is the key to our safety !" A moment later he inquired what regiment it was, and Col. Ely informed him. "Ah," returned the general, "the Eighth Michigan ! I know you. You'll hold it !" and rode away. The regiment crossed the Pamunkey River May 28th, and moved towards Bethesda Church, where, in the battle of June 3d, it gallantly charged and carried the enemy's rifle-pits, sustaining a loss of fifty-nine killed, wounded, and missing. On the 12th it was encamped near Mechanics- ville, Va. The next day it crossed the Chickahominy, and on the 14th crossed the James River, from which point it moved by a forced march to the front of Petersburg, ar- riving there in the evening of the ICtli. On the 17th and 18th it took part in the attacks on the enemy's works, losing forty-nine killed and wounded. For six weeks after that time it was constantly employed on the fortifications, under fire. In the fight at the " Crater," July 3Uth, it was en- gaged, losing thirteen killed and wounded. Soon after it moved to the Weldon Railroad, and fought there in the action of August 19th, losing thirty in killed, wounded, and missing. It was again engaged, with but slight loss, on the 21st; and on the 30th it took part in the battle of Poplar Grove Church, losing eight wounded. The Eighth remained near Peebles' farm engaged in for- tifying and picket duty till November 29th, when it moved again to a position before Petersburg. The strength of the regiment at that time was only about three hundred men fit for duty. It assisted in repulsing the enemy in his at- tack on Fort Steaiman, March 25, 1865, and on the 2d of April it was engaged in the attack on Fort Mahon, as- sisting in carrying the work, and being the first regiment to place its colors on the hostile ramparts. The next day it marched into Petersburg. After this it was employed on guard duty on the South Side Railroad till the 20th, when it marched to City Point, and on the following day em- barked on transports and proceeded to Alexandria, Va., from which place it moved to Tenallytown on the 2Gth. It moved into the city of Witshington May 9th, and was there engaged in guard and patrol duty until July 30, 18C5, when it was mustered out of the service. It left Washington on the 1st of August, and on the 3d arrived at Detroit, where it was paid off and disbanded, and the survivors of the " Wandering Regiment of Michigan" returned to their homes. During its existence the Eighth Regiment had moved more than seven thousand miles by land and by sea; more than nineteen hundred men had marched in its ranks, and it had been engaged in thirty-seven battles and skir- mishes in seven diflfcrent States of the Union. OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE EIGHTH FHOM CLINTON COUNTT. Compttmj B. Capt. Will. Ely Lewis, St. John's; com. .\pril 1, 18G2 ; 1st lieut., Aug. 1, 1801 ; pro. to luaj. Murcli 12, 1803; killeil in uction at Cold Harljor, Va., June 3, 18C4. Capt. Rolit. G. Hntcliinson, St. John's; com. Murch 13, 18G3; 1st lieut.. May H, 1802; died of disease at Detroit, Jan. 2, 186.'). Capt. James I'. Dodge, SI. Jolin's; com. Jan. 2, 1865; 1st lieut., Co. G, Oct. 27, 1804; must, out July 30, ISOJ. 2d Lieut. Sauil. A. Baldwin, Watertown ; com. July 5, 1804; pro. to capt., Co. E, Nov. 0, 1864. Sergt Jas. Travis, St. John's; disch. for disability, Dec, 2, 1861. Sergt. Chas. F. Smith, St. Jolin's; pro. to 2d lieut, Co. K, May 14, 1802. Sergt. Jas. P. Dodge, St. John's ; veteran, eul. Dec. 29, 1863 ; pro. to 2d lieut., July 6, 1864. Corp. Wm. H. Smith, St. Jolin'n ; enl. Aug. 12, 1861 ; disch. Oct. 29. 1862. Corp. Chas. F. Valleau, St. John's ; enl. Aug. 13, 1801 ; died of disease at Wash- ington, Oct. 20,1801. Corp. M.J. Morton, St. John's; enl. Aug. 15, 18GI ; died of disease in Mississippi, July 30, 186 1. Corp. Tompkins Dunlap, St. John's ; enl. Aug. 15, 1861 ; disch. for disability, March 3, ISOi. Wagoner Mose.^ Brown, St. John's; enl. Aug. 12, 1861 ; disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1864. Joshua Aldricli, disch. to enl. in regular army, Oct. 28, 1862. John Austin, disch. Oct. 31, 1862. Benj. F. Brown, disch. for disability, Nov. 29, 1862. Frederick Burke, died of disease, Dec. 2, 1861. Chas. E. Blanchard, died of disease, April 9, 1862. Albert M. Bennett, died of disease at Baltimore, Md., March 21, 1863. Darrell Brewer, dieil of disease at Lebanon, Ky., April 19, 1863. Clark C. Brewer, died of disease in Michigan, Feb. 17, 1864. Henry A. Brown, died in' battle at Spottsylvania, May 12, 1804. Henry 0. Brown, disch. for disability, P'eb. 9, 1863. Wm. H. Brown, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1864. Blarshall B.icheldor, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1804. John K. Brooks, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1863; must, out July 5, 1865. Sariford Baker, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1803 ; disch. by order, June 13, 18(>5. Hansom A. Brooks, veteran, enl. Feb. 17, 18t>4; disch. by order, June 20, 1805. Sheldon Crowell, died in action at Antietain, Md., Sept. 17, 1862. Wm. A. Diltton, died in action at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, 1804. Henry W. Davenport, died ot di.iease at Washington, March 30, 1863. Enoch Doty, discll. Feb. 19, 1803. Franklin Doty, disch. for di.iability, April 11, 1803. Don A. Duty, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1803; must, out July 30, 1866. Sanil. Ddlingbam, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps; discli. at end of service, Sept. *22, 1804. Leroy M. Dodge, died at James Island, S. C, Juno 10, 1802. Jeremiah Dooling, must, out July 30, 1865. David Forest, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1863; disch. for disability, Aug. 17, 1864. Marchua M. Face, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1864. Hiram Gardnei', Greetibiish; died of disease at Port Royal, NoV. 17, 1861. Willett S. Green, died of diiease at Millikoii's Bond, La, Juno 22, 1803. Francis F. Gleason, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1803; must, out July 30, 1805. Wm. J. Hildieth, must, out July 30, 1865. Won is H. Hill, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1803; disch. by order, June 13, 1805. Wm. J. [Janiinond, disch. by order, June 9, 1805. James M. Hinies, died of disease at Annapolis, Md., March 27, 18G4. Lester E. Jewett, disch. to enl. in regular army, Oct. 27, 1862. Chas. Kelly, disch. for disability, Dec. 9, 1862. Wm. Kelly, died in action at Blue Springs, Tenn., Oct. 10, 1863. John J. Kniffln, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1803; must, out July 30, 1865. Enos 11. Kimmel, must, out July 30, 1800. Geo. W. Lewis, died of disea«e at Annapolis, Md., April 9, 1864. John M. Look, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1804. Joseph Miller, disch. to enl. in regular army, Oct. 29, 1862. Miles Mansfield, discb. for disability, Oct. '24, 1862. Saiiil. McVeigh, disch. for disability, Oct. 25, 1802. Horace Mosier, disch. by order, June 15, 1805. Frederick Miller, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1804. Geo. McVeigh, died in miction at James Island, S. C, June 16, 1862. Harrod Slorton, died in action at James Island, S. C, June 16, 1862. David Mayhew, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1863; died of diseaae at Nashville, Tenn., tliirch 7, 1804. James Morrison, must, out July 30, 1861. Chillies Myselt, must, out July 30, 186,5. Charles Marsted, must, out July 30, 1805. Charles Otis, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Jan. 15, 1864. 60 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. Andrew Post, disch. for disability, Aug. 20. 18(i2. Darius Pictdl, disch. for disaliility, Feb. 16, 1863. Cli:i8. P. PiitiiHin, discli. itt end of service, Oct. 19, 1864. Jiimes L. Putterson, disclj. by older, .June 5, 1865. Wm. S. Seaver, discli. by order, April 12, 1865. Wm. H. Siigc, discli. by order, June 1, 1865. Wm. H. Sniilli, ilisliarged Oct, 31, 1862. Andrew J. Smith, disch. for disability, Nov. 29, 1862. Joseph Silvcis, discli. for disability, Jan. 15, 1863. Frederick Schwarz, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1864. George P. Steadman, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1864. Samuel Strickland, died of disease, Dec. 15, 1861. Wm. J. Stiicklanrt, died in action at James Island, S. C, June 16, 1862. Myron Tiacy, died of disease, April 26, 1862. John D. Thotnns, died in action at James Island, S. C, June 16, 1862. Homer Terwilliger, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1803 ; di»ch. by order, June 13, 1S6S. Amos Weatlierly, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1863 ; must, out July 30, 1866. Company C. Capt. Clias. F. Smith, St. John's; com. May 27, 1863 ; ditcli. at end of service, Oct 18, 1864. Ist Lieut. Simon McLaiigUlin, St. John's j com. Sept. 28, 1864 ; must, out July 30, 1865. Darius C. Wait, died of disease at Beaufort, S. C, Dec. 28, 1861. Ephraim Brown, St. Jolin's. Comptunj E. Capt. Samuel A. Baldwin, Watertown; com. Nov. 0, 1864, 2d lieut.Co. B , sergt. Co. E; must, out July :i(l, 18G5. 1st Lieut. Tiuiotby L. Baldwin, Watertown ; com. April 25, 1865, sergt. Co. E; must, out July 30, 1865. Tlios. T. Davenport, died in action at Wilderness, May 6, 1864. Kenneth F. Morse, ti-ans. to Vet. Res. Corps, Jan. 15, 1864. Marcus L. McCrum, must, out July 30, 1865. Coiitpanif G. 1st Lieut. Jas. P. Dodge, St. Jcdin's ; com. Oct. 1, 1864 ; 2d lient, July 5, 1RG4; pro. capt. and must, out July 30, 1865. Companlj if. Luther J. Winter, disch. by order, Jnue 1, 1865. C'ompttny I. Chas. Hildreth, disch. for disability, Dec. 9, 1863. Company K. Ist Lieut. Chas. F. Smith,St. John's; com. Nov. 1, 1862; 2d lieut. May 14,1862; pro. capt. Co. C. OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE EIGHTH FROM SHIAWASSEE COUNTY. Company A, Elisha Bird, died of wounds, Oct. 23, 1S64. John Mirichin, died in action at Weldon Railroad, Va., Aug. 19, 1864. Albert Marten, must, out July 30, 1866. Company E. Chavlcs Brott, disch. for disability, April 21, 1865. Company F. 1st Lieut. Oscar P. Hendee, Corunna; com. April 25, 1865; 2d lieut. Way 6, 1S64 ; must, out July 30, 1865. William S. Close, di.-ch. for prom"ticui in 29lh, Nov. 17, 1864. Joseph L. lloyt, died of disease at Wasliington, D. C. Edwin Wliitney, must, out July 30, 1865. Melancthon E. Whitney, must, out July 30, 1865. Company G. Smith Doubleday, died near Petersburg, Va., June 25, 1864. Company II, Ist Lieut. John R. Dougherty, Shiawassee; com. April 25,1861 ; must, out July 30, 1865. Company I. Capt. Jay L Quackenbush.Owosao ; com. Sept. 6, 1861 ; resigned March 3,1862. Ist Lieut. Albert Bainbridse, Byron ; com. Sept. 5, 1861; resigned April 7,1862. 1st Lieut. Bartley Siegel, Shiawassee; com. May 1,1865; must, out July 30, 1866. Sergt. Wm. R. Smith, Owosso; enl. Sept. 7, 1861 ; disch. for disability, April 21, 1863. - . Sergt. Bartley Siegel, enl. Sept. 10, 1861; veteran, Feb. 17, '63; pro. to 1st lieut. Sergt. John 1. Knoop, Byron ; enl. Sept. 9, 1861 ; disch. for disability, April 21, 1863. Sergt. Cyrus H Roys, Byron; enl. Sept. 10, 1861; died of disease at Washing- ton, Feb. 10, 1863. Corp. Geo. W. Love, Owosso; enl. Sept. 7, 1861 ; disch. Oct. 22, 1862. Corp. Edwin Ayres, Owosso; enl. Sept. 16, 1861; died in action in Georgia, April 16, 1862. Corp. D. H. Williams, Veilion ; enl. Sept. 9, 1861 ; disch. for disability, Sept. 28, 1862. Musn. Judson A. Clough, Shi.awassoe; enl. Sept. 2, 1861; disch. at end of service. Sept. 22, 1864. Joseph Ames, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1864. David N. Arthur, veteran, enl. Jan. 15, 1864. Alonzo Bstchelder, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1863; must, out July 30, 1805. John K. Bunting, discli. for disability, April 16, 1862. Henry Brown, disch. for disability, Oct. 18, 1S6I. James W. Bronson, disch. for disability, Jan. 20, 1863. Albert Bittner, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22,1864. Frederick T. Bently, died near Petersburg, Va., July 31, 1864. Peter F. Camus, disch. Feb. 3, 1863. George F. Camus, died of wounds, June 20, 1862. Samuel B, Corsons, died of disease at Hiltim Ileail, S. C, Nov. 17, 1861. Horace L Clark, died of disease at Crab Orchard, Aug. 30, 1863. Thonws F. Clark, must, out July 30, 1865. Oscar I. Card, discb. for disability, Feb. 13, 1862. Wm. H. Carr, disch. for disability, Feb. 13, 1862. Philip W. Colnian, disch. for disability, Oct. 15, 1862. Wm. II. H. Chase, disch. for ili.sability, March 6, 1863. Benjamin Dutcber, ilisch. for disability, Feb. 13, 1862. William Deinond, disch. to enlist in regular service, Oct. 27, 1862. Cliarles Desoiiess, discii. by order. Martin Decker, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1803 ; died of disease in Michigan, March 17, 1S64. Gridson M. Dutcher, died of disease at Newport News, March 7, 1863. J.diu W. Eckman, discli. lor disability, Feb. 13, 186i. Charles Freeman, disch. for disability, Dec. 9, 1862. William Freeman, died of disease, Oct. 21, 1861. Royal D. Heudee, missing in action at James Island, July 16, 1862. Oscar P. Helulee, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1863. Henry House, must, out July 30, 1865. Jacob Hubbard, disch. for disability, Feb. 13, 1862. Reuben Hydoni, discli. for disability, June 29, 1863. George W. Jewell, disch. for disability, Aug. 19, 1862. Adoni,jah Jewell, disch. to enlist in regular service. Frederick Kurrle, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1861. Jacob M. Klingiiigsinitli, disch. for disability, Oct. 9, 1861. Francis S.,Luni, disch. lor disjibility, Oct. 29, 1862. Wm. W. Leniuiiyon, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1863. Jolin B. Malhewson, disch. at end ..f service, Feb. 6, 1865. Henry McClellen, disch. to enlist in regular service, Sept. 22, 1862. Asro Miller, died of disease at Clark's Plantation, Miss., July 21, 1863. George W. McCoinb, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1863 ; died near Petersburg, Va., Aug. 21, lK6t. Alpheus Ott, veteiaii, enl. Dec. 29,1863 ; disch. fir disability, Feb. 7,1865. Edward Ogibn, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1864. John W. I'landle, disch. at end of service, Sept. 19, 1861. George W. Porter, di-cli. lor disability, Feb. 22, 1S62. Wm. R. Punches, died of disea-se at Aniiapidis, Md., March 29, 1864. Walter S. Ryness, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1863; disch. by order, July '28, 1865. John Slionrtz, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1803; must, out July 30, 1865. Hiram Spear, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1863; must, out July 30, 1865. Bartley Seigel, veteran, enl. Feb. 17, 1864; must, out July 30, 1865. William Sliissler, died of wounds, Sept. 7, 1862. Benjamin O. Simons, disch. Feb. 15, 1862. Dewitt Titus, discli. for disability, Sept. 1, 1862. William Turner, discb. for disability, Oct. 15, 1862. Wm. 11. Wood, disch. for disability, Sept. 28, 1862. Francis Whitmore, d.sch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1864. Benjamin L. Wasbbourne, died in action at James Island, July 16, 1862. Simon Wolf, veteran, enl. Dec. 29, 1863; died at Hanover Town, Va., May 31, 1801. Charles W. Young, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. Company K. John Emery, must, out July 30, 1865. CHAPTEll VIII. NINTH INFANTKY. Organization of the Ninth — Service in Kentucky — Battle tind Dis- aster at Murfrcesboro' — ^High Opinion of tiie Ninth expressed by Gen. Thomas — Assignment of the Regiment to Duty at Army Headquarters — Veteran Re-enlistment — Tlio Regiment on Duty at Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Nashville — Muster Out and Discharge. The Ninth Infantry Ilegiment of Michigan was raised during the latter part of the summer and in the early au- tumn of the year 1861. Its rendezvous was at Fort Wayne, Detroit, wliere its organization was perfected, under the NINTH INFANTRY. 61 following officers : William W. Duffield, Colonel; John G. Parkhur.st, Lieutenant-Colonel; Dorus M. Fox, Major; Eu- iiis Church, Surgeon ; C^rus Smith, Assistant Surgeon ; James G. Portman, Chaplain ; Henry M. Duffield, Adju- tant; Cliarles H. Irwin, Quartermaster. In the ranks of the Ninth during its term of service were more tlian one liundred men from Shiawassee, and some from Clinton County. Those from Shiawassee were principally in Capt. George K. Newcoiube's company, which was raised by him iu August, 18U1, and was known during the period of its enlistment as the " Fremont Guard." In the organization of tlic regiment this com- pany was designed as Company F. The regiment, having been armed with weapons of an inferior class, was mustered into tiie United States service for three years, by Capt. II. R. Mizner, United States army, at the rendezvous, October 23 and 25, 1861, and on the last-named day left Detroit for the seat of war in the South- west, being the first regiment from Michigan which entered the field in the Western departments. It reached Jeffiir- sonville, Ind., on the 27th, and on the following day was moved by steamboat to Salt River, Ky. It was soon after engaged in the construction of a defensive work on Mul- draugh's Hill, and made its winter quarters in that vicinity. During their stay at that place the men of the Ninth were terribly afflicted with measles and other disorders, as many as four hundred having been on the sick-list at one time. Immediately after the fall of Fort DoneLson, the regi- ment was moved by transports from Salt River to Nashville, Tenn., where it remained for some weeks ; then moved to Murfreesboro', and was posted there from April to July, as one of the chain of detachments which were placed to guard the rear and communications of Gen. 0. M. Mitchell, in his advance on Huut.sville, Ala. During that time it formed part of the force with which Gen. Negley made a demonstration against Chattanooga, reaching the north bank of the Tennessee River, opposite the town. After fliat expedition it was again stationed at Murfreesboro' and vi- cinity, and on the 13th of July the six companies which were at that place (the other four, under command of Maj. Fox, being at Tullaho'maj were attacked by a body of the enemy's cavalry, three thousand five liundred strong, under Gen. N. B. Forrest. Of this battalion of the Ninth at Murfreesboro' one company (B) forty-two strong, under First Lieut. Wright, was quartered in the court-house, and five companies were camped in a body in the northea.stcrn outskirts of the village on the Liberty turnpike, — all under command of Lieut.-Col. Parkhurst. Col. Duffield was pres- ent, but not on duty, he having arrived in the evening of the 11th, in company with Gen. Crittenden, on business connected with the formation of a new brigade, of which Col. Duffield was to have the command. The Third Min- nesota Infantry Regiment (nine companies, four hundred and fifty strong; was encamped on the bank of Stone River, less than two miles to the northwest of the town, and with it was Hewett's (First Kentucky) Battery of four guns. Forrest's attack on the camp of Lieut.-Col. Parkhurst's battalion was made at four o'clock in the morning of Sun- day, the 13th of July. He had evidently expected that it would be a surprise, but such did not prove to be the case. Col. Parkhurst had been warned of their approach, for the noise made by fourteen thousand hoofs sounding on the hard macadamized roads was so great that the alarm was given before the head of the rebel column reached the picket line, a mile out of tlie town, so that, although they came in at full speed, the Union force was prepared to give them a very warm reception. The result was that the first attack was successfully repelled, with considerable loss to the enemy, who then withdrew and proceeded to attack the company occupying the court-hou.se. Upon the withdrawal of the enemy from his front, Lieut.-Col. Park- hurst at once dispatched a messenger to the colonel of the Third Minnesota, at Stone River, informing him of the situation, and asking him to come to his (Parkhurst's) as- sistance. With this request the officer iu question, for what doubtless seemed to him good reasons, declined to comply. It was believed that he might have done so with good prospects of success, he having a comparatively large force, including an efficient battery. Certainly any attempt of Col. Parkhurst — with his little force of less thau three hundred men, including the company in the court-house, and with no artillery — to effect a junction with the Miniie- sotiaus, in the face of such an overwhelming body of the enemy, would have been almost fool-hardy. At the court-house the attacking party met a very warm reception from the defending garrison, who held them at bay for two long hours, and only yielded when they found such a course inevitable, the enemy having gained posses- sion of the lower story of the building and set fire to it to compel the surrender. Immediately after their capture they were sent to the rear, in the direction of McMinnville, without an hour's delay, for the rebel commander believed that his work might at any moment be interrupted by Union reinforcements from either or all of the several de- tachments posted at different points in the vicinity ; a very natural supposition, which uiight easily have been verified. From the siege of the court-house the enemy returned to the attack of Col. Parkhurst's position, which, during the brief cessation of hostilities, had been strengthened by such slight defenses as the men had been able to construct in the short time, and with the insufficient moans and ma- terials at their command. Slight as they were they al- forded some shelter to the defending force, who, though outnumbered more than ten to one by their assailants, fought with the most determined and persistent bravery until past noon, when, as it became evident that they need look no longer for succor, and that further resistance was useless, their leader submitted to the inevitable and sur- rendered. During the eight hours through which they had stood at bay their loss had been thirteen killed and eighty- seven wounded. The enemy admitted that his own loss in killed alone had been thirty-five, and there is little doubt that It was much beyond this figure. Among the captured officers were Lieut.-Col. Parkhurst and Capt. Mansfield. The first was marched away by tiie victorious rebels. Capt. Mansfield being unable to endure the march was left be- hind, paroled, as was also Col. Duffield, who had been badly wounded during the fight. His companion in his unfor- tunate visit to the po.st — Gen. Crittenden — had also beeu captured at the hotel in the village, and was taken away HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. willi the other prisoners, to whose numbers was also added the Minnesota regiment before mentioned, and the men and ofiBcers of Ilewett's Battery. At McMinnviiie, Forrest paroled the enlisted men vyhom he had captured, and they returned to Nashville, whence they were sent to Camp Chase. He, however, retained the officers and took them to Knoxville. From there they were sent to Atlanta, then to Madison, Ga., where they re- mained for a considerable time, then to Columbia, S. C, to Salisbury, N. C, and finally to Libby Prison, at Richmond, where they were eventually paroled. Col. Parkhurst was exciianged in December, 180-. In the mean time the portion of the regiment which had escaped capture at Murfree.*boro' had been engaged against the enemy at Tyree Springs, Tenn., and at Munlbrdsville, Ky., about the time of Gen. Buell's advance from Louisville to Perryville and Bowling Green. On the 24th of December, 18G2, Lieut.-Col Parkhurst, then in command of the Ninth (Col. Duffield was perma- nently disabled by the wounds received at Murfreesboro', and resigned less than two months after that time), reported for duty at the headquarters of Gen. Thomas, near Nash- ville, and was assigned to duty as provost-marshal ; his regiment (reorganized and witii ranks refilled by the ex- changed prisoners) being detailed as provost-guard of the Fourteenth Corps. The remark was made by Gen. Thomas, on the issuance of the order assigning it to that duty, that he had fully acquainted himself with the history of the part taken by the regiment in its defense of the post of Murfreesboro' against Forrest, and that just such a regi- ment was what lie needed at his headquarters. The duty to which the Ninth was thus assigned was performed by the regiment from that time until the expi- ration of its term of service. For the manner in which it peiformed the duties devolving on it at the battles of Stone River and Chickamauga (particularly the former), Col. Parkhurst and the regiment were warmly complimented by Gen. Thomas. When that general assumed the chief com- mand of the Army of the Cumberland, after Chickamauga, Col. Parkhurst (who received his promotion to the colonelcy Feb. 6, 18G3) was made provost-marshal-general of the de- partment, and the Ninth became provost-guard at army headquarters. In December, 18G3, the regiment, to the number of two hundred and twenty-nine, rc-enlisted as a veteran organization, received a veteran furlough, and re- turned to Michigan in a body, arriving at Coldwater in January, 1864. At the expiration of its furlough, re- assembling at the same place, it left on the 20th of Feb- ruary ibr the front, with its ranks filled to about five hundred men. At Chattanooga it returned to duty at headquarters, and in the summer and fall of 18G4 partici- pated in all the operations of the Army of the Cumber- land in Georgia and Tennessee. It entered Atlanta on its evacuation by the enemy, and was there engaged in provost duty till November 1st, when it returned to Chattanooga. During October sixty-nine members were discharged by expiration of their term of service, but as a large number of recruits had been received during the year, the regiment, on the 1st of November, 18G4, numbered eight hundred and ninety-seven enlisted men. It remained in Chatta- nooga until the 27th of March, 1865, when it was moved to Nashville. There it stayed on duty at headquarters and as guard at the military prison until the loth of September, when it was mustered out of the service, and on the fol- lowing day left for Michigan. It arrived at Jackson on the 19th of September, and one week later the men were paid ofi' and disbanded. SHIAWAS15EE COUNTY SOLDIERS IN TUB NINTH INF.ANTRY. Noji-Commifisioned Stnff, Sergt.-Miij. Wm. R. Senoii, Owusso; pru. tu 2d lieut. Co. G. Q.M.-Seigt. Artliur B. Hathaway, Owosso; pro. to 2d Ueut. Co. K. Covipantj A. Delos Hourd, disch. by order, June 22, 1865. Company B. James B. Ciininiings, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., May 28, 18G5. SlarsliaU F. Freiicl], disch. hy oriler, July 24, lSU-1. Compitmj D. Jolin Miller, iMscli. by order, Aug. 10, 186.'j. James N. Place, disc-h. by order, June 20, 1865. Wilson D. Smith, disch. by order, Aug. 'M, 1805. Ctntlpcniy E. Hiram B. Andrews, disch. by order. May 15, 1865. John K. Holt, disch. by order, Aug. 17, 1865. Mai tin Jtidil, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Ransom E. Rhodes, disch. by order, June 20, 1865. Compmuj F. Capt. Geo. K. Newcombe, Owosso, com. Oct. 12, 1861 i pro. to maj. of Ttli Cav., Dec. 1(J, 1862. William W. lirown, disch. by order, Aug. 25, 1865. William U. Babcock, disch. for disability, Oct. 1, 1863. John Colby, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1863; must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Stephen A. Crane, veteian, enl. Dec. 7, 1863 ; must, out Sept. 15, 1865. George Cordrny, veteran, enl. Nov. 3, 1863; must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Justus Coll'iii'u, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Jacob H. Doolittle, died of disease at Murfreesboro', Tenn., July 18, 1862. James Drown, died of disciuse at West Toint, Ky., Nov. 26, 1862. Luther Drown, disch. April 17, 1802. Francis Denning, veteian, enl. Nov. 3, 1863; must, out Sept. l.'i, 1865. Adam Dubeck, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1S63; must. out Sept. 15, 1865. John Doney, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1863; must, out Sept. 15, 1805. Sulliiau Fay. veteran, Dec. 7, 1S6:S; must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Henry T. Fish, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., April 13, 1865. Samuel H. Graham, disch. for disability, Fel>. 28, 1862. Edward Graliaiu, disch. for disability, Feb. 28, 1802. Isaac Gould, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1803; must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Frederick Gliutekuust, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Reuben Harvey, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1863 ; must^out Sept. 15, 1S65. Lyman Hammond, must, out Sept, 15, 1865. George HollauJ, must, out Sept. 15, 1>0J. Cyrus Hill, died iif disease at Slnrfreesboio', Tenn., July 7, 1862. Edward Hagerman, dii-d of disease at Bowling Gieen, Ky., Oct. 21, 1862. Edward Jones, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1803; must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Bartlett Jolmsoti, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Morris Jackson, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. James E. Jackson, disch. for disability, Dec. 14, 1862. George W. Knight, must, out Sept. 15, 1805. John Latnpmati, disch. for disability, Feb. 28, 1802. Alfied Lefevre, disch. by order, Sept. 27, 1865. Herrick Lefevre, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1603; must, out Sept. 15, 1805. Alexancler Morris, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1803 ; must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Edward McCann, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1863 ; must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Frederick Moore, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1803. Frederick Newman, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1863; must, out Sept. 15, 1805. George W. I'hiUips, disch. for disability, Sept. 30, 1802. Joseph H. Rhodes, must, out Sept. 15, 1805. Henry Uei«, disch. at end of service, Oct. 11, 1804. Williiini 11. Rhodes, dn-d of disease at Corunna, Mich., Feb. 27, 1864. Edwin W. Robinson, died of disease at Murfreesboi-o', Tenn., July 7, 1862. George A. Stickler, accidentally drowned at Chattanooga, Tenn., Jan. 18, 1865. Archer Simonds, veteran, en!. Dec. 7, 1863 ; disch. by order, Sept. 29, 1865. Rodolph M. Stickler, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1863 ; must, out Sept. 16, 1865. Obadiah Smith, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1803; must, out Sept. 15, 1865. rhilipSchwable, must, out Sept. 10, 1805. Michael Strahel, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Herman Schmitgal, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. TENTH INFANTRY. 63 Simoon SpaiiUIing, must, out Srpt. 15, 1805. Gfiirgf Scoiigiil, must, out Sept. l.'i, 18G5. Williiini P. Trciulwny, veienin, eiil. Dec. 7, l?f.;J ; must, rut Sept 15, 1805. Ini M. Warp, veteiHU, enl. Nctv. 28, 18G:J; must, uut S<-pt. 15. ISGr). J>ajic Wrttci, vctiTun, enl. Dec. 7, ISC:*.; uiu^t c ut Sfpt. l.^i, 18(i5. C'liauncey I). Wliitninn, veteran, enl. Kuv. 11. 180;s ; (li>cli. fur difealiilily, April 17, 18114. Itartus WntKins, discli. for disaljility, Teh. 28, 18C2. Iticlinnl AVjilliice, distil, at end of service, Oct. 14, 1864. l>aniel D. Wiso, died of disea.*e at Blurfreesboru', Tenn., Murcli 14, 1803. Cr.mpa»ii G. 2d Lieut. William R. Sellon, Owossn; com. Feb. 8, 1SC2; pro. to 1st licut., Co. I. Ilorare 0. Ciiilis, must, out Sejit. 15, 1805. .Iiinu'S Crandall, must, out St-itt. 15, 1865. George Holland, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. John Miller, mu.st. nut Sept. 15, 18G5. Eli K. Rood, must, out Sept. 15, 1S65. Company H. Levi A. Bronson, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Andrew Curtis, must, out Sept. 15, 1805. Thaddeus llufl, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Joseph Iluft; disch. hy order, Sept. 6, 1865. Alexander Montgomery, died of disease at Chattanooga, Tenn., Apiil 9, 1SG4. John O'Conner, disch. by order, Sept. 0, 18G5. ■\Villi3 Palmer, died of disease at Murfreesboro', Tenn., March 23, 1863, Patrick Quinn, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Company I. 1st Lieut. William R. Sellon, Omosso; com. Sept. 23, 1802; pro. to lieut.-col. of I02d U. S. Col. Troops, Aug. 17, 1863. Joseph Brown, must, out Sept. 15, 18G5. Jeremiah Coll', must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Charles H. Culf, disch. by order, Sept. II, 1805. Ira A. Johnson, disch. by order, Sept. 11, 1805. Michael Punches, must, out Sept. 15, 1805. Company K. 2d Lieut. Arthur B. Hathaway, Owosso; com. Oct. 14, 1SC4 ; must, out Sept. 15, 18G5. David M. Arthur, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Leroy Chapin, disch. for iiisability, Si-pt. 18, 1863. Cornelius Corson, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Sept. 1,1803; must, out Sept. 15, 1863. Kli F. Evatts, disch. for promotion, Dec. 14, 1864. William P. Uorton, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., July 10, 1865. Georgo \. Harrington, died of disease at Mui frecsboro', Tenn., May, 1861. Charles I'. Jones, must, out Sept. 15, 1S65. Daniel McCollum, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. William G. Rouse, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Chauiicey C. Rouse, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Suniuel U. Reed, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Albert Snow, must, out Sept. 15, IfcOo. Franklin Scougall, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. William Sbatluck, must, out Sept. 15, 18^5. Allen Slater, veteran, enl. Dec. 7, 1803. John Sabine, died of disease at Louisville, Ky. James B. Sanderson, disch. for disability, Jmifl 22, 1863, ^ Lulher Truesdale, disch. by order, Sept. 28, 1805. Alexander Vanwormer, disch. by order, Sept. 6, 1863. Abel Vanwormer, disch. for disability, Sept. 0, 1863. Elthaner Vunwoimer, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Company L. Orlundu Hardngtun, disch. for disability, April 9, 1803. CLINTON COUNTY MEN IN THE NINTH. Company D. Wilbert Thompson, must, out Sept. 15, 1865. Company E. Pet*r Bertram, disch. at end of service, Oct. 14, 1804. CHAPTER IX. TENTH INFAWTEY. The Tenth Organized at Flint — Campaigns and Marches in Missis- sippi, Tennessee, and Alabama — Pursuit of Longstreet in East Tennessee — Winter Quarters in Georgia — Battle at Buzzard's Roost — Veteran Re-enlistment — Atlanta Campaign — March to the Sea — Carolina Campaign — March to Washington — ^The Grand Review — Muster Out. In the composition of the Tenth Regiment there were several companies which contained men from Shiawassee and Clinton Counties ; but the greatest number of these were found in the ranks of " A" company, which was largely recruited at Byron (the home of its commanding officer) and Corunna. and was made up almost entirely of volunteers from Shiawassee and the northern part of Liv- ingston County. The name by which this company was known while being recruited and before receiving its desig- nating letter in tlie regiment was that of " The Byron Guard ; ' its captain and first lieutenant being respectively Henry S. Burnett, of Byron, and Robert F. Gulick, of Corunna. The "Byron Guard"' was raised in the fall of 1861, under authority received by Capt. Burnett from the Gov- ernor of Michigan, dated October 4tli in that year. On the 2Sth of the same month it had reached the minimum num- ber of men, and on the 2d. of November the captain re- ceived orders to report with his company at Flint, the rendezvous of the Tenth Infantry, to which regiment it had been assigned. It reached Flint November 5th, eighty- sis strong, and was the second company to report at the rendezvous, the company known as the " Saginaw Rangers" having reached there three days earlier. In the organiza- tion of the regiment, however, the " Byron Guard" re- ceived the first letter, and the " Rangers" were designated as Company B. The last of the ten companies reported at Flint on the 26th of December, and by the 20tli of Jan- uary all had been filled and the organization of the regi- ment was perfected. The camp of instruction at Flint was named " Camp Thomson," in honor of Col. Edward II. Thomson, of that city, president of the State Military Board. At this camp, on the 5th of February, 1862, the Tenth Infantry was re- viewed by Governor Blair, and on that and the following day it was mustered into the United States service by Col. Wright, US. A. The Tenth was now an organized regi- ment in the service of the government, under the following field-officers, viz. : Colonel, Charles M. Lum ; Lieutenant- Colonel, Christopher J. Dickerson ; Major, James J. Scarritt. The ceremony of presentation of a national flag to the regiment was performed on Friday, the 11th of April, at the camp of instruction. The regiment, nine hundred and ninety-seven strong, took its departure from Camp Thomson on Tuesday, the 22d of April, its first destination being known to be St. Louis, Mo. There was then no railroad from Flint to the line of the Detroit and Milwaukee road, and therefore the men were moved to Holly Station on wagons and other vehicles i'urnished by patriotic citizens. This first stage of their long journey was accomplished in a snow-storm, which 64 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. gave additional sadness to partings, some of wliich proved to be final. At Holly, after abundant feasting, the command took the train for Detroit, and after marching through the city to the Michigan Central depot, escorted by the "Lyon Guard" and Detroit " Light Guard," embarked on a train consisting of twenty-three passenger and five freight cars, drawn by two locomotives, and at a little before midnight left for the West. Michigan City was reached at two o'clock P.M. on Wednesday, and at six p.m. on Thursday the regiment was at East St. Louis. On the following day it embarked on the steamer "Gladiator," and at four p.m. on Friday moved down the Mississippi. Cairo was reached, and during the short stop which was made there the most sensational rumors were circulated : that desperate fighting was then in progress at Pittsburg Landing, on the Tennes- see (the known destination of the regiment) ; that the river at Paducah was filled with dead floating down from the bat- tle-field above ; and many other stories of similar import. But the" Gladiator" moved on up the Ohio and Tennessee on Saturday afternoon, passed Fort Henry on Sunday, and on Monday night reached Pittsburg Landing, but was or- dered to proceed four miles farther up the Tennessee to Hamburg, which place was reached on Tuesday, the 27th, just one week after the departure from Camp Thomson. Here the regiment was disembarked on the 28ih, and on the 29th was assigned to duty in Col. James D. Morgan's brigade, Payne's division, left wing Army of Mississippi. On its first advent among the veterans of Shiloh the regi- ment received the usual attentions which old soldiers pay to fresh troops, such as sneering allusions to the cleanness of uniforms and the size of knapsacks, with frequent appli- cations of the epithets "paper-collar soldiers," "band-box regiment," and many similar compliments ; but all this was given and received in good-humor, for all knew that a few days of marching would lighten the knapsacks and remedy the objectionable brightness of uniforms, and after the first action all would be old soldiers together. The first march of the regiment in the enemy's country was made on the 29th, when it moved up about five miles and bivouacked for the night in the woods. On the 1st of May it again advanced towards Farmington, Miss., and re- mained in the vicinity of that village until the enemy's evacuation of Corinth, May 30th. During this time it was several times .slightly engaged in skirmishing, but sustained no loss except on the 26th, when the adjutant, Lieut. Syl- vester D. Cowles, was instantly killed by the bullet of a sharpshooter while on picket. The entire summer of 1862 was passed by the regiment in marching, camping, picketing, and similar duties in the north part of the States of Mississippi and Alabama, but without any notable event (more than an occasional skirmish) occurring in its experience. On the 1st of June it was at llienzi. Miss., and from the 2d to the 11th was at Boone- ville and in its vicinity. About June 15th it encamped at Big Springs, six miles from Corinth, and remained there five weeks. At this place a Fourth of July celebration was held, and the stay at this camp was regarded by all as among the most agreeable of all the regiment's sojournings during the war. On the 27th of July the headquarters of the regiment were at Camp Leighton, Tuscumbia, Ala., but tlie several companies were posted at different places for a dis- tance of twenty miles along the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, engaged in guarding that line. Lieut.-Col. Dick- erson, who was at Town Creek, Ala., with a part of the regiment, evacuated that place in haste in the night of the 31st on account of the (reported) advance of a heavy force of the enemy. The camp was reoccupied the next day, as the enemy (if there had been any in the vicinity) had moved in another direction. The headquarters of the regiment remained at Camp Leighton until Septe;nber 1st, when it received orders to move towards Nashville, and on the following day it crossed the Tennessee River and moved northward. The march (the line of which lay through Rogersville, Athens, Elkton, Pulaski, Lynnville, Columbia, Spring Hill, and Franklin) occupied nine days, and in the evening of September 11th the regiment with its brigade reached a point two miles south of Nashville. There it remained until the 15th, when it moved through the city and encamped in the suburbs. For nearly two months the force of which the Tenth Regiment was a part (consisting of the divisions of Gens. Palmer and Ncgley) remained at Na.shville without com- munications, surrounded by .the forces of the Confederate Gen. Breckinridge, and compelled to live by foraging on the neighboring country, crowding back the enemy every time that parties were -sent out from Na.shvillo for this pur- pose. But finally, on the 6th of November, the advance of the Army of the Cumberland (moving southward from Kentucky under Gen. Rosecrans, in pursuit of the rebel Gen. Bragg) reached Edgefield, on the north side of the Cumberland, opposite Nashville; thus opening communi- cation with the Ohio River for the force which had so long been beleaguered in Nashville. The army of Rosecrans remained encamped around Nash- ville until the 2Gth of Deceiuber, when it moved forward towards Murfreesboro', on the campaign which culminated in the great battle of Stone River, December 31st, and January 1st and 2d. The Tenth Michigan did not take part in this forward movement, but remained nearly seven months after that time at Nashville, engaged in provost, grand guard, and fatigue duty, and in protecting communi- cation between Nashville and Murfreesboro' and other points. Upon one occasion, Jan. 3, 1863, two companies (one of them being Capt. Burnett's), while guarding a train between Nashville and Murfreesboro', were attacked by a large guerrilla force of the enemy, but repulsed them, taking fifteen prisoners and killing an equal number without loss to themselves. Again, April 10, 1863, a force of forty- four men of the Tenth Regiment, having been sent under command of Lieut. F. W. Vanderberg to guard a railway- train, were attacked by a body of the enemy's cavalry in ambush at Antioch Station, three miles north of Lavergne, the train having been stopped for some cause when the attack was made. Lieut. Vanderberg fell mortally wounded at the first or second fire, and five of his men were killed, ten wounded, and three taken prisoners, making a total loss of nineteen, or two-fifths of the force engaged. This (with the exception of the loss of its adjutant, killed on picket in IMississippi) was the first loss inflicted on the regiment in acliiin by the enemy. TENTH INFANTRY. 65 The men and oflScers of the Tentli had begun to regard Nashville as their permanent camping-place, and some of them had formed such strong attachments there that when, on the 19th of July, orders were received to move south- ward, they were welcomed with very little of the enthusiasm which similar orders would have produced a few months earlier. But the regiment moved in the morning of the 20th, and reached Murfrccsboro' at noon of the 21st. Here it remained on picket and guard duty till August 19th, when it again marched southward. The history of the regiment during the four months next succeeding its departure from Murfreesboro' is that of an almost continuous march through the States of Tennes- see, Alabama, and Georgia. It passed south through Foster- villo, Shelbyville, Faruiington (^Tonn.), and Lewisburg to Columbia ; remained there on provost duty from the 23d to the 26th of August; moved on through Pulaski and Lynnville to Athens, Ala.; remained there from August 29th to September 1st; thence passed through Huntsville, Brownsville, on Flint River, Ala., Larkinville, Seottsboro', and Bellefonte to Stevenson, Ala., remaining at the last- named place on provost duty from the 7th to the 21st of September ; moved to Bridgeport, Ala., remained there till October 1st; moved at midnight, through dense darkness and fathomless mud, on the road to Jasper, Tenn. ; passed that place and moved to Anderson's Cross-Roads ; remained there picketing from the 3d to the 18th of October; moved to Dalhis, Tenn., thirteen miles above Chattanooga, on the north side of the Tennessee River ; remained there three days within hearing of the cannonading between the hostile armies at Chattanooga; moved again October 24th, passed through Washington, Tenn., and arrived on the 2Gth at Smith's Ferry over the Tennessee, fifty-five miles above Chattanooga. There the regiment remained for nearly four weeks, during which time the men had con- structed comfortable quarters with fireplaces aud other conveniences, believing that this would be their camping- place for the winter, which was then approaching. But on the 20th of November marching orders came, and on Saturday, the 21st, the Tenth Michigan was again on the march. In the evening of the 22d it was once more within hearing of the cannonade from the batteries on Lookout Mountain, and on the 23d it reached Camp Cald- well, on the right bank of the Tennessee, four miles above Chattanooga. On the following day the Tenth crossed to the south side of the river aud stood in line during the progress of the great conflicts at Lookout and Mission Ridge, but was not 'engaged in either of those battles. Soon after midnight, in the morning of the 26th, it moved up the Tennessee, crossed Chickamauga Creek on a pontoon-bridge, and marched up the right bank of that stream, where a part of the brigade met a small force of the retreating enemy, and a skirmish ensued in which one man of the regiment was slightly wounded by a spent ball. The enemy's evacuated works at Chickamauga Station were occupied on the same day, the Tenth being the first to enter the works. Ou the 27th the regiment entered Georgia for the first time, pass- ing through Grayville and camping near Ringgold. On the 28th orders were received to march in pursuit of Long- s' street, who was known to be in the vicinity of Knoxville. Under these orders the regiment marched with its brigade on the 29th, and continued to move rapidly up the valley of the Tennes.see until December 6th, when it had reached a point some fifteen miles above Loudon, where the intelli- gence was received that Longstreet had withdrawn from Knoxville and retreated into Virginia. Then the column was ordered to return to Chattanooga. The Tenth passed through Madisonville to Columbus, Tenn. (remaining at the latter place from the 9th to the 15th of December, during which time the bridge across the Hiawassee River was constructed, and on the 18th reached its old camp, four miles above Chattanooga. Here it remained till the 26th when it moved to near Rossville, Ga., and prepared to go into winter quarters after a marching campaign of more than four months' duration. The men had come in from the East Tennessee march worn out, famished, and tattered, many of them having no shoes, having been compelled to cut up their ragged blankets into wrappings for their feet. No men ever stood more in need of rest and recuperation. At the Rossville camp the men built tight and comfort- able log cabins, each containing a fireplace, and in these (when not out on picket duty) the two remaining months of winter were spent in a very agreeable manner. Prepara- tions were made for mustering as veterans, and nearly all the companies had the requisite three-fourths of their num- ber re-enlisted, when, in the evening of February 3d, the regiment was ordered out on picket to Chickamauga Sta- tion, eight miles away. It remained out till the 14th, when it was marched back to camp, and the veteran muster was completed on the 16th, three hundred and eighty men signing the veteran enlistment for three years, dating from February 6th. The number of veterans was afterwards in- creased to over four hundred. The re-enlistment and mus- ter being perfected, the men were waiting impatiently for the veteran furlough (which some of them were destined never to receive), when, in the morning of February 23d, the regiment had orders to march immediately, with three days' rations and sixty rounds of ammunition. The men could hardly believe that they were again to march to the front before making the long-anticipated visit to their homes, but they fell in without much audible complaint, and marched away on the road which was to lead them to their first battlefield. The regiment moved to within a mile of Ringgold, and camped for the night. In the morn- ing of the 24th it moved to a point between that town and Tunnel Hill, where the brigade joined the forces which had moved out from Chattanooga to make a recon- noissance in force of the enemy's positions in the direction of Dalton and Lafayette, Ga. The enemy were flanked out of their works at Tunnel Hill, and retired towards Dalton. The Tenth (with other commands) followed in pursuit, and at about five o'clock p.m. arrived at Buzzard's Roost, — a rocky stronghold of the rebels, situated in a pass of the mountains known as Kenyon's Gap, — three miles from Dalton. The works were in the rear of Rocky-Face Ridge, and fully commanded the gap. Some skirmishing was done in the afternoon and evening of the 24th, and the regiment took position for the night between two spurs of Rocky-Face Ridge. 66 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEB AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. On the 25tli tlie early part of the day was consumed in skirniisliiii,^, but about two o'clock p.m. the Tenth, with the Sixtieth Illinois, was ordered forward in line over the ridy order, June 12, 1865. Company E. Jaa. P. Salisbury, disch. by order, June 29, 1865. CHAPTER X. FOUKTEENTH INFANTRY. Organization at Ypsilnnti — Ciimpaigns in Mississippi and Alabama — • March to Nashville — Service at Franklin and Columbia — Veteran Re-enlistment — Atlanta Campaign — March to the Sea and through the Carolinas — Battles of Averj-sboro' and Bentonville — March to Washington — Muster Out at Louisville, Ky. . The volunteers from Shiawassee and Clinton Counties who served in the ranks of the Fourteenth Infantry were principally found in Companies D, E, and K, though a con- siderable number were scattered through several other companies. The two counties were about equally repre- sented in " D" company, which received its first enlistment Oct. 11, 1861, and attained minimum strength December 12th. The original first and second lieutenants of this company were, respectively, Gilman McCliutock and Cyrus F. Jackson, of Owosso. Company E was chiefly made up of Shiawassee County volunteers. The date of the first enlistment in this com- pany is Nov. 4, 1861, and it attained the minimum strength December 3()th in the same year. Of its original officers, First Lieut. C. C. Goodale and Second Lieut. Daniel Wait were residents of Owosso at the time of its organization. It contained a small number of men from Clinton County. In Company K there were a few men from Shiawas- see County, but it was principally composed of Clinton County volunteers, recruited by John Kelly and Charles B. Hose, of Westphalia, and N. T. Jones, of Grcenbush. Capt. Kelly became the company commander, and Rose was made first lieutenant, though in the recruiting of the company Mr. Jones had been named as its .second officer. One of the county papers, dated Nov. 21, 1861, mentioned the recruiting of Capt. Kelly's company, as follows : " An artillery company is being raised by Capt. John Kelly, of Westphalia, to be attached to Col. Sinclair's [Fourteenth Infantry] regiment. The name of this company is ' Kelly's Clinton Dragoons.' " This raising of an artillery company, designated as dragoons, to form a part of an infantry regi- ment, is mentioned in this connection as being a rather re- markable military event. The name of the company was changed soon afterwards, and it became known as the " Clinton Rangers." The first enlistment in it was made on the 7th of November; the company attained the minimum strength on the 1st of Jan- uary, 1862, and on tlie 3d of the same month it was re- moved to Ypsilanti, the regimental rendezvous. The two other companies previously mentioned reached the camp of instruction at about the same time, and the three soon after received their designating letters — D, E, and K, iu the Fourteenth Infantry. The regiment was mustered into the United States service on the 13th of February, under command of Col. Robert P. Sinclair, with Robert W. Davis as lieutenant-colonel, and M. W. Quackenbush, of Owosso, as major. Two months more were spent in perfecting its organization and drill, and, after the presentation of a stand of colors at the camp of instruction, the command, nine hundred and twenty-five strong, moved from Ypsilanti on the 17th of FOURTEENTH INFANTRY. 69 April, and proceeded to the theatre of war in the South- west, reaching Pittsburg Landing, on the Tennessee River, about two weeks after the great battle of Sliiloh had been fought at that point. Passing on to Ilanibuigli Landing, four miles farther up the river, the command was disem- barked, and a few days later was assigned to duty as a part of Col. James D. Morgan's brigade, in the Army of the Mississippi. This brigade included the Tenth and Sixteenth Illinoisand the Fourteenth Michigan. Tlie Tenth Michigan and the Sixtieth Illinois were added soon afterwards, and the brigade, as thus composed, remained together the greater part of the time during the continuation of their terms of service. About the 1st of May the command moved forward to- wards Corinth, Mi.«s., at which point tlie enemy had made a stand and thrown up intrenchments. This march was a very laborious one, for the weather was excessively hot, and the Fourteenth was employed in guarding and moving to the front several siege-guns, each of which was drawn by twelve yokes of oxen, floundering through the almost bottomless mud of the Mississippi swamps. Tlie men wore continually engaged in extricating the ponderous guns from the slough ; in corduroying the roads, often in the face of the enemy's skirmi-shers ; and always throwing up temporary works of defense before bivouacking for the night. Several weeks were spent in this way before the Fourteenth arrived in front of Corinth, but, excepting some slight skirmishing, the regiment did not take part in the operations by which the enemy was forced to retire from bis stronghold. After the evacuation of Corinth the Fourteenth spent the remainder of the summer in marching, skirmishing, picketing, and guarding railroads through Northern Missis- sippi and Alabama ; camping for a considerable time at Farmington, at Big Springs, Miss., and for a longer period at Tuscumbia, Ala. At this place Lieut. Wait, of " E" Com- pany, was left in hospital prostrated by sickness brought on by the hardships of the service, and from which he has never fully recovered. About the last of August it was announced that the command was to move to Nashville, Tcnn., and on the 1st of September the detachments of the regiment concen- trated at the military ferry on the Tennessee River and awaited orders to move. The orders were received on the following day, and the command moved northward with its brigade. The march occupied nine days, during which the regiment passed through Rogersville, Athens, Eikton, Pulaski, Lynnville, Columbia, Spring ilill, and Franklin, and in the evening of the 11th bivouacked two miles from Nashville. Here it remained on picket duty for a few days, and then moved through the city to a camp on high ground, near Fort Negley. The labor demanded of the regiment during its stay at Nashville was severe, consisting of work on the extensive fortifications which had been laid out by Gen. Negley, the commandant of the post, besides constant picketing and guarding of forage-parties, which were continually sent out into the surrounding country, this being the only means of subsisting the forces in Nashville, as all communication with the city, by rail or river, was destroyed. This state of aifairs continued for about two mouths, Nashville being held by the divisions of Negley and Palmer, but out of communication with the outside world, and surrounded on every .side by troops of the enemy, principally cavalry. The Army of the Cumberland, however, having defeated the army of Bragg at Perryville, Ky., was marching south- ward from Bowling Green, under Gen. Ro^ecrans, to the relief of the beleaguered force, and on the 6th of November his advance-guard reached the river at Edgefield, opposite Nashville. In the early morning of the day preceding that of Rosecrans' arrival a large force of the enemy had at- tacked the positions of the troops in Nashville, and the Fourteenth was quite sharply engaged with the other forces in repelling them. Maj. Quackenbush, who was then in command of the regiment, had his horse shot under him (though not killed) in the fight. This occasion was the first on which the Fourteenth had ever delivered their fire on a battle-field. The arrival of the Army of the Cumberland at Nash- ville opened railroad communication from the Ohio River to Mitchelville, thirty-five miles north of Nashville, and soon after it was opened to the city. This gave relief in the matter of rations to the troops who had been so long imprisoned there, and lightened the forage and picket duty, but the labor on the defensive works of the town was still continued,' and a great amount of work was to be done in repairing roads and bridges for the advance of the army southward. In the movements preliminary to the advance of Gen. Rosecrans on Murfreesboro', the division of Gen. Palmer (in which was the Fourteenth Michigan) was the first pushed to the front on the line of Stone River near the " Hermitage," the former residence of Andrew Jackson. It remained at this point facing the enemy for about eight days, when on the general advance of the Army of the Cumberland (December 26th), it was moved back to Nash- ville by order of the commanding general, who, as he said, wished to have that important place held by some of his most trusty and reliable troops. Five days after the ad- vance of the main body of the army it was fiercely engaged with the enemy at Stone River in front of Miirfreesboro', and the conflict raged with great fury and with little in- termission until the evening of the 2d of January, at which time the Fourteenth Michigan received orders to move up wiih all speed to Stone River. In obedience to this order it was marched all night through thick darkness and pouring rain, and in the morning it had reached the field, twenty-seven miles from the camp which it had left in the preceding evening. But as the enemy had already retreated, and there was no more fighting to be done on that line, the regiment did not participate in the memorable battle which secured to Gen. Rosecrans the possession of Middle Tennessee. During the month of March, 1863, the Fourteenth was stationed for a few days at Franklin, Tenn., and in April it was ordered out with its brigade to the neighborhood of Brentwood, to hold the railway line between Nashville and Franklin. The brigade was at this time attached to the Reserve Corps, commanded by Gen. Gordon Granger. Hav- ing returned to its camp at Na.shville, the regiment was detached from its brigade on the 2d or 3d of July, and 70 niSTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. ordered to Franklin. Early in Soiitcmber the eoiumand wa.s transformed into a enrjis of mounted infantry, and eight of its eompanics, with a section of artillery, were moved to Columbia, Tenn. From tlnit time, for a period of eight months, Columbia and Franklin and the railroad line connecting the two places were held by the men of the Fourteenth, who, with their cavalry equipment and Spencer rifles, performed excellent service in clearing tlie surrounding country of guerrillas. They al:-o constructed a railway-bridge across the Duck Kivcr, and erected formidable fortifications at Columbia. In the first part of January, 1864, the regiment re-en- listed, as veterans, and on the 21st of February five com- panies — C, F, G, I, and K — left Columbia for Michigan on veteran furlough, at the expiration of which they returned to their post in Tennessee. The remainder of the regiment then spent a thirty days' furlough in Michigan, and return- ing, rejoined their comrades in the field about the middle of May. On the 21st of tliat month the regiment received orders to move from Columbia and join the army of Gen. Sherman in Georgia. How the people of Columbia received the announcement that the Fourteenth was to leave their town, is shown by the following con;munieation from a Columbia correspondent to the Nashville Union, and pub- lished in that journal on the day of the regiment's de- parture : " News having reached Columbia that the Fourteenth Michigan Veteran Volunteers, which has been stationed here since September last, was ordered off, a meeting of the citizens was convened at the court-house, and a series of resolutions adopted which do credit alike to the citizens and soldiers. The honorable and consistent and liberal policy of the Fourteenth Michigan has merited and won the es- teem and applause of all true lovers of their country, and their sudden removal from our midst has brought fear and mourning to all classes of the community. They have driven guerrillas and thieves from this country clear to the Tennessee River, and have done more to create a feeling of respect and veneration for the old government than ten thousand bayonets and proclamations could have done. They strengthened the hopeful, confirmed the faith of the true, won back the erring and terrified, and subdued the defiant. They fought bravely, often desperately, captured many prisoners, and disarmed opposition with gentlemanly kindness and courtesy. Ever mindful of their mission, they treated the people as feeling human beings,. and not as brutes. They will be long and aifectionately remembered by our people. "The chairman of the meeting, Joshua B. Frierson, Esq., accompanied by the committee and a large delegation of citizens, entered the Union Bank oflace (post headquarters), explained in a few feeling sentences to Maj. Fitzgibbon (who had been in command since Col. Mizner went home on furlough nearly a month ago) and read to him a series of resolutions adopted by the meeting, highly flattering to the officers and men of the regiment. The resolutions were replied to by the major in an eloquent and feeling manner which drew tears from many eyes long unused to weep." In compliance with the order the regiment left Columbia and moved to Bridgeport, Ala. ; thence up on the south side of the Tennessee River, by Lookout Mountain, to Dallas, Ga., where it rejoined its old brigade, which was then attached to the division of Gen. Jeff. C. Davis. From Dallas it moved by way of Ackworth, Ga., to Kenesaw Mountain, where the brigade participated in the battle of the 27th of June. The gallant part taken in this battle by the division of which the Fourteenth was a part is mentioned in the " Annual Cyclopisdia, 1864," as follows: " For the second, and more important attack, portions of Gen. Newton's division of the Fourth Corps and Gen. Davis' division of the Fourteenth Corps were selected. At a given signal the troops rushed forward with buoyant courage, charged up the face of the mountain amidst a murderous fire from a powerful battery on the summit, and through two lines of abatis, carried a line of rifle-pits beyond, and reached the works. The colors of several of the regiments were planted before the latter, and some of the men succeeded in mounting the ramparts ; but the death of Gens. Wagner and Harker and the wounding of Gen. McCook, the destructive fire of both musketry and artillery, and the difiiculty of deploying such long columns under such fire, rendered it necessary to recall the men. Gen. Newton's troops returned to their original line, while Gen. Davis' Second Brigade threw up works between those they had carried and the main line of the enemy, and there remained." On the evacuation of the rebel works at Kenesaw the Fourteenth moved in pursuit of the enemy, and coming up with him on the north side of the Chattahoochee River, assaulted and carried his first and second line of rifle-pits on the 5th and 6th of July, capturing a considerable num- ber of prisoners, and sustaining a loss of forty-four in killed and wounded. It then cro.ssed the Chattahoochee and took part in the operations in front of Atlanta, where, on the 7th of Augu.st, the Fourteenth sustained a loss of thirty-five killed and wounded in an assault which resulted in the carrying of two lines of the enemy's works, and the capture of a large number of prisoners. On the 30th of August it moved with its division towards Jonesboro', and was hotly engaged in the battle of September 1st at that place, losing thirty killed and wounded, and doing its part in carrying a strong line of works. After the battle at Jonesboro' the regiment returned to the front of Atlanta. On the 28th of September the Fourteenth left Atlanta and moved by rail to Chattanooga, Stevenson, Huntsville, Athens, and Florence, Ala., tearing up the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. For several days it was in pursuit of Wheeler's and Forrest's cavalry, but did not overtake them. On the 13th of October the regiment moved by rail, back to Chattanooga, where it remained five days, and on the 18th again took the road, moving to Lee and Gordon's Mills Ga., to Lafayette, to Summerville, up Duck Creek, through Broomtown Valley, Alpine, and Rome, Ga., across the mountains into Alabama, to Gaylesville (October 20th), and then back to Rome, where it was in camp November 1st. On the 9th it was at Etowah, Ga., and on the 13th at Car- tersville, where, at six o'clock a.m. on that day, the force " bade good-by to the cracker line, and to all communica- tions, and plunged into the Confederacy with four days' FOUllTEKNTH INFANTRY. 71 rations, maroliing south and tearing up tlie railroad as it moved." On the 13th it made sixteen miles, on the 14th twenty-four miles, and on the 15th tjiirtoen miles, burning the bridge over the Chattahoochee, and reaching Atlanta at three o" clock in the afternoon of that day. " As we approached Atlanta," wrote an officer of the brigade, " a huge column of blaclc smoke was seen, and soon we found tlie railroad depots and buildinjis, with the foundries and manufactories, a burning mass." When night closed in the whole heavens were illuminated by the glare of the conflagration, and the innumerable camp-fires of the Union hosts which lay encircling the con(|uered city, busy with their final preparations for the storied March to the Sea. The troops, as they arrived at Atlanta, were immediately ordered to draw clothing and rations, and to make the last preparations for departure from the base of supplies, and in these preparations tliey were employed during a great part of the night. " All the troops," said Gen. Sherman, in liis report of the Georgia campaign, '' were provided with good wagon-trains loaded with ammunition and supplies, approx- imating twenty days' bread, forty days' sugar and coffee, a double allowance of salt ibr forty days, and beef-cattle equal to forty days' supplies. The wagons were aljjo sup- plied with about three days' forage in grain. All were in- structed by a judicious system of foraging to maintain this order of things as long as possible, living chiefly if not solely upon the country, which I knew to abound in corn, sweet potatoes, and meats." The forces composing the great army which Sherman had concentrated here for the mysterious expedition, who.se destination was then only a matter of conjecture, were com- posed of four corps d'arm^e,— the Seventeenth (a consoli- dation of the old Sixteenth and Seventeenth) and the Fifteenth forming his right wing, and the Fourteenth and Twentieth forming the left wing of his grand army of invasion. In that army the position of the Fourteenth Michigan was with the First Brigade, Second Division of the Fourteenth Corps. The other regiments of the brigade were the Tenth Michigan, tlie Sixteenth and Sistietli Illi- nois, and the Seventeenth New York, all under Col. Robert F. Smith as brigade commander. The right wing was the first to move out; then came the Twentieth Corps, and lastly the Fourteenth, and with this corps the Fourteenth Regiment marched away at noon on the 16th of November. A distance of eleven miles was made during the afternoon, and at niglit the brigade bivouacked near the celebrated Stone Mountain, a round-topped knob of solid limestone about one mile in diameter at the base, and rising bare and gray from the level plain to a height of about thirteen hundred feet. From this halting-place the regiment set out at six o'clock in the morning of the 17th, and, with fine weather and a good road, made a march of fifteen miles, passing through the decaying settlements of Lassonia and Conyers' Station. On the 18th the Yellow and Alcova Rivers, tributaries of the Ocmulgee, were cros.sed on pontoons, and the tired men of the Fourteenth lighted their bivouac fires in the vicinity of Covington, the seat of justice of Newton County. During this day they liad marched as train-guard, and made a distance of ten miles. In the morning of the 19tli they resumed their journey at six o'clock, in a drizzling rain, and at night found them- selves twenty miles from Covington, and twice that distance from each of the towns of Macon and Milledgeville. The evening of the 20th saw them encamped three miles from Eatonton and fifteen from Milledgeville. Here the dull boom of distant artillery was heard, this being the first hostile sound whieli they had heard since their departure from Atlanta. Their march of the 21st was commenced at ten A.M. and was continued until three P.M., at which time twelve miles had been accomplished, and they went into camp for the night. Here they remained in rest during the following day, and here the order of Gen. Sherman was read to them giving the liberty to forage on the country, and to appro- priate anything necessary for the sustenance of man or beast. '■ These orders [said a letter written by an officer of the brigade] were generally lived up to, and often ex- ceeded. The citizens, on hearing of our approach, took everything of value to the woods and swamps and covered tliem with brush, or buried them in the ground. But the ' Yanks' were not long in discovering this, and but little is presumed to have escaped their notice. Sweet potatoes, meal, flour, various kinds of liquor, tobacco, silk, and even coin were thus unearthed from their hiding-places, and many a frolic was had by the blue-coats at the Confederates' expense. " It was truly amusing to go ahead of the army proper and see the foragers' proceedings. They were as goor disability, Feb. 11, 1865. Joshua Thuma, died of disease at Big Springs, Miss., June 26, 1862. Company E, 2d Lieut. William II. Shiffer, St. John's, com. July 7, 1865; must, out July 18» 1865. Oliver D. Beebe, disch. Sept. 14, 1802. Hezokiah Marcy, died of disease near Farmington, Miss., July .17, 18G2. William A. Mainh, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1864. Company F. Corp. Ferdinand Plalte, Westphalia; enl. Oct. 14, 1861 ; re-enl. as veteran, Jan. 4, ISGl; must, out July 18, 1865. Anthony Ainst, disch. at end <)f service, March 14, 18G5. Henry Amerlu-ini, disch. at end of service, March 14, 18G5. Fi'ancis Blondy, disch. at end of service, March 14, 1865. John Baker, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1SC4; disch. by order, July 19, IS65. Peter Fox, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1864; must, out July 18, 18G5. Sibres Miller, lUsch. for disability, Aug. Hi, 1SG2. Peter Pung, disch. at end of service, March 14, 1865. Henry Roclial, veteran, enl. Feb. 5, 1864; died in a-'tion in North Carolina, March 19, 1865. Peter Siindy, died of di^^ease in Mississippi, Aug. 20, 18G2, Timothy Serge, trane. to Vet. Res. Corps, Jan. 10, 18G5. Jacob Stenkle, must, out July 18, 1865. Anthony WVrtz, disch. for disability, July 10, 1SG2. Anthony Wehr, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1864; disch. July 19, 18G5. Company H. Henry Myers, disch. Oct. 1, 1862. Company K. Ciipt. John Kelly, Westphalia; com. Nov. 18, 1861 ; res. June 4, 18G3. 1st Lieut. Clias. B. Rose, Westphalia ; com. Nov. 18, 1861 ; died of disease at Fiirmington, itiss., June 11, 18G2. Corp. Edward Brass, Diiplain ; enl. Dec. 13, 1861 ; died of disease at Farming- ton, Miss., July 18, 1SG2. Corp. David Looniis. Victor ; enl. Nov. 8, ISGl ; disch. April 24, 1863. Corp. Samuel Kinney, Greenbnsli ; enl. Dec. 13, 18G1; veteran, Jan.4, 1SG4 ; absent on fuiluugh on muster out. Corp. Martin C. JJyers, Eagle ; enl. Dec. 31, 1861 ; veteran, Jan. 4, 1864 ; died in action in Georgia, July 6, 18G4, Sergt. John Sly, Bengal; enl. Nov. 19, 18GI; veteran, Jau. 4, 1864; must, out July 18, 1865. Wallace Anthony, disch. Dec 9, 1862. Talman Beardsley, disch. for disability, July 1, 1862, Wm. H. Barnes, died of disease in Ohio, Jan. 31, 1SG5. Edwin Baldwin, veteiun, enl. Jan. 4, 1804; must, out July 18, 1865. Samuel S. Bennett, must, out July 18, 1865. Fredk. Carpenter, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 18G4; must, out July 18, 1865. Jacob Cook, must, out July IS, 1865. Michael Cook, must, out July 18,1865. Charles Calkins, disch. for disability, July 23, 1862. Jacob L. Doud, died of disease May 29, 1802. Franklin Fish, died of disease, March 25, 18G2. Zuriel Fish, disch. for disability, March 1, 1802. John Fisler, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1804; disch. by order. May 15, 1865. Deander Ferris, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1864 ; disch. by order, Aug. 1, 18(i5. Jasper Harrington, disch. for disability, July 24, 1802. Richard Jones, disch. for disability, July 1, 1862. Robert M. Junes, veteian, enl. Jan. 4, 18G4 ; must out July 18, 1865. Marshall T. Kjte, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1804; must, out July 18,1865. David Loomis, disch. April '.^4, 1S03. Mathias Miller, must, out July 18, 1865. John Morolf, must, out July 18, 1805. Henry Murphy, veteran, enl. Jau. 4, 18G4; must, out July 18, 1865. Jeptha Owen, disch. for disability, Sept. 8, 1862. Oscar Peck, disch. for disability, Feb. 15, 18G2. Homer Parks, disch. for disability, July 10, 1862, Orrin Parks, disch. Jau. 8,1863. Wm. H. Parka, died of disease at Detroit, Aug. 5, 1862. Albert Passage, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1864; died in action in Georgia, July 5, 1865. TWEiNTY-THIRD INFANTRY. 75 Alpheua Passage, discli. for disability, March 22, 18G5. Thos. RiclinvnJ, died of d'srase, TMarcli 12, 1802. Clias. Robinson, died of disi'ase at Big Springs, Miss.. Jnly 16, 1802. Edward Rjiby, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, lsr.4; mu-t. out July 18, 18C5. Thos. Shaw, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, ISC4 ; died in action at Jonesboro', Ga., Sept. 1,1804. Henry Sliiffer, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1804 ; pro. to 2d lieut. Co. E. Caleb Silvers, veteran, enl Jan. 4, 1804; must, out July 18, 1SC5. Richard Silvers, disch. for disability, July 15, 1862. John Shook, veteran, enl. Feb. 9, 1SC4; discli. by order, July 29, 1865. John Spears, discli. Dec. 4, 1802. Belton Soper, discli. at end of service, March 14, 1865, Nicholas Schernish, disch. by order, June 8, 1865. Jerry Sullivan, died of disease in Indiana, July IT, 1862. John Sly, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1864; must, out July 18, 1R6.5. Moses R. Tuttle, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, lSli4; died on tlie held, .Inly 5, 1804. Marvin Thomas, veteran, eul. Jan. 4, 1804; must, out July 18, 1805. Henry H. Tillapaugh, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1804; must, out July 18, 1865. Thos. Ulrich, died of disease at Nashville, Oct. 19, 1802. David B. Wheeler, disch. for disability, July lU, 1802. Chas. S. Wise, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1804; disch. by order, July 26, 1805. CHAPTER XI. TWENTY-THIHD INFANTRY". Rendezvous and Organization at E.ast Saginaw — Service in Kentucky and Ohio — March to East Tennessee and Campaign in that Section — The Georgia Campaign — Pursuit of Hood — Battles of Columbia, Franklin, and Nashville — Transfer to the East and Service in North Carolina — End of the War and Return Home. The Twenty-third Regiment was made up of men from the counties composing the Sixth Congressional District, and was raised and organized in the summer of 1862 under the President's call for volunteers, Issued on the 2d of July, immediately after the close of the Seven Days' bat- tles on the Virginia peninsula. The regimental rendezvous was established at East Saginaw, and D. H. Jerome, Esq., was designated as commandant of the camp of instruction and organization. In this regiment the county of Clinton was represented by one full company under command of Capt. (now General) O. L. Spaulding, and another company (under Capt. Henry Walbridge) of which very nearly all the members were from Clinton. Shiawassee County furnished for the Twenty-third a i'uU company under command of Capt. John Carland,* of Coruuua, and besides the above-mentioned companies sev- eral others of the regiment contained men from Shiawassee and Clinton Counties. The headfjuarters of both the Clinton companies were at the village of St. John's. The first enlistment in Capt. Spaulding's company was made on the lijili of July, and on the Gth of August it had attained the minimum strength necessary for muster. Soon afterwards it was reported at the East Saginaw rendezvous, and was incorporated in the regiment ;is ('ompany A, with William Sickles as its first and James Travis as second lieutenant. Capt. Spaulding had been assisted in the recruiting of his company by Henry Walbridge, with the expectation that the latter would be made its first lieutenant, but when it became apparent that many more than enough men to * Capt. Carland was afterwards major of the regiment, and is now an officer in the Sixth United States Infantry. fill one company could be obtained here he commenced the formation of a sefcond company, which was filled without much difficulty, and he became its captain, with Stephen J. Wright as first and Alonzo 0. Hunt as second lieu- tenant. This company was designated as G company of the Twenty-third. The Shiawassee company was recruited by Capt. Carland, 1st Lieut. Benjamin F. Briscoe, and 2d Lieut. Marvin Miller, who were its original officers. In the organization of the Twenty-third this became Company H. The regi- ment was mustered into the United States service on the 13th of September, 18G2, with eight hundred and eighty- three officers and men under command of Col. Marshall W. Chapin. The regimental surgeon was Dr. Louis Fasquelle, of St. John's. When the Twenty-third Regiment left East Saginaw for the theatre of war it moved by detachments. The first of these — composed of Coinptinies C, H, and K — broke camp in the morning of September 17th, and were transported on the cars of the Flint and Pere Marquette Railway to Mount Morris, which was then the southern terminus of the road ; and thence were moved across the country, by way of Flint, to the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, over which they proceeded by train to Detroit. On the following day the remaining companies left the rendezvous, and moved by the same route to Detroit, where they arrived in the evening, and all were hospitably entertained by the patriotic citizens. With but little delay the ten companies were embarked on steamers, which landed them at Cleveland the next morn- ing, the weather being rainy and dismal, and the condition of the men anything but comfortable. From Cleveland, the regiment moved by rail across the State of Ohio to Cincinnati, whence, after a stop of some hours, it again proceeded by railroad, and on Sunday morning, September 21st, reached JeSersonviile, Ind., on the north bank of the Ohio River, opposite Louisville, Ky. In the afternoon of the same day the command moved to " Camp Gilbert," near by, and that night, for the first time, the tired men of the Twenty-third slept upon the soldier's bed, — the bosom of mother earth. The city of Louisville was at that time in a panic-stricken condition on account of the reported approach of the rebel general S. B. Buckner, with a strong Confederate force. In consequence of this, many people were leaving their homes in the city and crossing to the north side of the river. Large quantities of government stores were also being transferred to the Indiana side, by order of the gen- eral then in command at Louisville. The Twenty-third was placed on duty, guarding the public property and ferry landings at JeflFersonville, and remained so employed for two days and nights, at the end of which time it crossed the river and camped in the southwestern suburbs of Louis- ville. Here the situation of the men was not the most comfortable, and it was made worse by their almost com- plete ignorance of the methods by which veteran soldiers manage to force something like comfort out of the most unfavorable surroundings. A few hours later they were ordered to move to another camping-place, and while on their way thither they passed a brigade or division of the army of Gen. Buell, which had then just entered the city HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. after a fatiguing forced march from Nashville in pursuit of the Southern army under Gen. Bragg. As the Twenty- tliird marched past the dusty and battle-scarred veterans of Shiloh, Farmington, and luka, tlie latter indulged (as vet- erans are apt to do) in many a sneer at the expense of the fresh troops, few of whom had yet heard the whistle of a hostile bullet. An officer of the Twenty-third* says of this incident : " The contrast of their dirty, tattered, and torn garments with our men was a matter of much comment. We were surprised that they jeeringly hinted at our green- ness and inferiority, which a few months' experience in marches and on battle-fields would change. In time we learned that they had not been mistaken in their estimate of our relative merits as soldiers." The camp to which the regiment was moved at this time will be well recollected by those who occupied it as " the brick -yard camp," a dreary and comfortless place, where the command remained without tents or other shelter until the afternoon of the .3d of October, when the Thirty-eighth Brigade (Army of the Ohio), composed of the One Hun- dred and Second and One Hundred and Eleventh Ohio, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Illinois, and Twenty-third Michigan, all under uommand of Gen. Dumont, marched away from Louisville, on the road to Shelbyville, Ky. The weather was very hot, the road dusty, water almost impos- sible to obtain, and the men, not having yet learned the meaning of " light marching order," were overloaded with the cumbrous outfits which they brought froiu home ; so that when, late at night, they halted on the bank of a muddy stream known as " Floyd's Fork," the exhausted and foot- sore troops were glad enough to lie down upon the ground, with no shelter but their blankets, and no thought but that of rest from the fatigues of this, their first severe march. Late the next morning they arose stiff and sore in every joint, and soaked with the rain which was still falling. Coffee was made from the muddy water of the stream, in which hundreds of mules were stamping and wallowing. The rations were neither very good nor plentiful, but these were on this occasion supplemented by supplies taken from a mansion which stood near by, and from which the occu- pants had fled on the approach of the troops. " The sol- diers, impressed with the idea that all food, raiment, and other movables found in the enemy's country belonged to Uncle Sam's elect, proceeded to ransack the premises, bringing off meat, meal, vegetables, sauces, honey, jellies, preserves, and some pretty good stock for the stable, — a portion of which we recognized the next spring grazin"- in Michigan." From Floyd's Fork the regiment moved early in the follow- ing morning towards Shelbyville, which was reached the same evening, and the Twenty-third encamped in the vicinity of the village. Here the brigade remained until the morning of October 9th, when it moved through the villnge and on towards Frankfort, arriving in the neighborhood of that town the .same night, the advance-guard of the force having already entered the city after a skirmish with the cavalry of the enemy, who had succeeded in destroying the fine «- Ciipt. W. A. Lewis, of the Twenty-third, from whom all the quo- tutiuua in this sketch (unless utherwise noted) are made. bridge of the Lexington and Frankfort Railroad, and had attempted the destruction of the turnpike-bridge, but had been driven away before accomplishing it. Large numbers of negroes had fallen in with the column on its march from Louisville to Frankfort. Some of these had engaged as servants to the officers, but the greater part of them were following the troops without any definite ob- ject that was apparent. So numerous were the dusky crowds that " there were found among them the names or lineal descendants of every prominent general in the rebel army." A considerable number of Kentucky horses had also " fallen in" on the line of march, and were being ridden by officers and privates; but " on arrival at Frankfort there came for these a host of claimants, and the day was one of reckoning for those in whose possession they were found." A court-martial was instituted, and held a protracted session at Frankfort. " It must have made sad havoc among the Wolverines but for the fact that our fighting companion, Capt. Walbridge, who rode the best captured steed into the town on that eventful morning (October 10th), was the honored judge-advocate in the court." With the exception of an expedition in pursuit of the guerrilla chief, John Morgan, the Twenty-third remained at Frankfort thirteen days. It was at this time under com- mand of Maj. B. F. Fisher, the colonel being in command of the brigade, and Lieut. -Col. Pratt being absent. It was while the regiment laid at this place that the death oc- curred of Lieut. John Earle, of" E" company, on Sunday, Oct. 19, ] 8G2. His remains were sent home to Michigan in charge of Sergt. Lyons, and at about the same time the regi- ment received the sad news of the death of Capt. Norville, of fever, at Saginaw City, October 3d. At a little past midnight on the morning of the day of Lieut. Earle's death, the men of the Twenty-third were startled from their sleep by the thrilling sound of the " long roll," and at one o'clock a.m. they were marching rapidly away in pursuit of the redoubtable Morgan, who was re- ported to be at Luwrenceburg. Two companies of the regiment, however (G and K), were left as guard at Frankfurt. The pursuing column was, almost as a matter of course, a little too late to overtake the main body of Morgan's force, but succeeded in capturing a few men and horses belonging to his rear-guard, and with these trophies the command returned the same evening to the camp at Frankfort, having marched twenty-six miles under the usual disadvantages of choking dust and great scarcity of water. The regiment took its final departure from Frankfort late in the afternoon of the 21st of October, and encamped that night in an oak grove, a few miles down the road towards Lawrenceburg. On the following day it passed through that town, and made its camp for the night at Big Spring, some miles farther on. The weather had suddenly grown cold, and many of the men suffered for need of the blankets, which had been foolishly thrown away as incumbrances in the heat and dust of previous marches. In the morning of the 23d the Kentucky hills and vales were white with hoar frost. The regiment was early in line, and during this day's march passed through Harrodsburg. Here the men were not permitted to make a free exploration of the TWENTY-THIRD INFANTRY. town, on account of their rather damaginir record as indis- criminate foragers. Ahout noon of the 24th they passed throuuh the little village of Perry villc, in the outskirts of which the armies of Buell and Bragg had fought the battle of Chaplin Hills, sixteen days before, many of the Union and Confederate wounded from tliat engagement being still in the village, and in the farm house hospitals of the vi- cinity. That night the weary men of the Twenty-third made their bivouac on the banks of an abundant and toler- ably clear stream of water, called the Rolling Fork. In the march of the following day, this stream was crossed and recrossed many times in its meanderings, and late in the day the regiment reached the little half-burned village of Bradfordsville. The latter part of the day's march had been made in a cold, drenching rain, which, as night fell, turned to snow, and on the following morning (Sunday, October 2Gth) the Arctic covering lay six inches deep over the ground. This was considered a remarkable event for that latitude, and it brought remembrances of their Northern homes to the minds of many whose eyes would never again look upon the whitened expanse of the Michigan hills and valleys. During all that Sabbath day the tired men en- joyed a season of rest and recreation around their comforta- ble camp fires, and while they rested the snow disappeared, so that their march of the following day was over bare roads, but free from tormenting dust. In the evening of the 27th the brigade arrived at New Market, Ky., where several commands of the rearguard of Buell's army were found encamped, and where the Twenty-third and its com- panion regiments also wont into camp and remained for eight days, engaged in recuperation, drill, and the prepara- tion of muster-rolls, to be used upon a payday which all hoped might come in the near future. The Twenty-third again moved forward with its brigade on the 4th of November, and on the following day it passed through Munfordsville, where a Union force of ten thousand men lay encamped. On the 6th it reached Dripping Springs, where it remained one day, and in the afternoon of the 8th arrived at Bowling Green, Ky.,a town which " had the ap- pearance of having been visited by pestilence, famine, and the besom of destruction," as was remarked by some of the oiEcers of the Twenty-third. " A large rebel force had wintered there, and remained until driven out by the Union forces under Gen. Mitchell, and they had made of the whole visible creation one common camping-ground." This place was destined to be the homo of the regiment for a period of more than six months. Its camp (which was afterwards transformed into substantial and comfortable winter quarters) was pitched near the magnificent railroad- bridge crossing the Big Barren River, and the guarding of this bridge formed a part of the duty of the regiment during the winter of 1862-63 ; its other duties being camp rou- tine, drill, picket, provost, and railway guard, and the con- voying of railroad trains of stores over the road from Bowling Green to Nashville. While here the Twenty- third, with its brigade, formed part of the Tenth Division of the Army of the Cumberland, and they were successively under command of Gens. Granger, Manson, and Judah, as commandants of the po.st during the six months that they remained here. Many notable events — some pleasant, some painful, and others ludicrous — occurred in the history of the regiment during its long stay at Bowling Green. Near the town was a pleasure-ground, many acres in extent, with a magnificent spring of clear cold water in its centre. This seems to have been a favorite resort for both citizens and soldiers, and we are told that " here, upon many a happy occasion, the beauty and the chivalry of Bowling Green, and many inveterate Yankees, assembled to enjoy the scene of unequaled hilarity and mirth." It was several times the case that snow fell to a sufficient depth for sleighing, and those opportunities for pleasures were improved to the utmost. Private entertain- ments, too, were sometimes given by the citizens, and " there ware, in several instances, strong indications of at- tachments between some of the boys in blue and the fair damsels of Bowling Green. . . . These were oases in the dreary Saliara of the war." On the morning of the mo- mentous 1st of January, 1863, the artillery on College Hill fired a salute, which was afterwards changed to target prac- tice ; and during a part of the time of its continuance the camp of the Twenty-third Michigan seems to have been the target, for several solid shots were thrown into it, doing some damage to quarters, and creating no little consternation. This was the first time the regiment had been actually under fire. On the (ith of April, 1863, occurred one of the most dis- tressing events in the experience of the regiment at Bow- ling Green. This was the sudden death of Lieut.-Col. Pratt. He had mounted a powerful and restive horse, but was scarcely seated in the saddle when the fiery animal plunged and reared so violently as to fall backwards upon the colonel, crushing and killing him instantly. He was a good and popular officer, and was sincerely mourned by the men and officers of the regiment. Upon the death of Lieut.-Col. Pratt, Maj. O. L. Spauld- ing (who had been advanced to that rank to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of M:ij. B. F. Fisher, February 3d) was promoted to be lieutenant-colonel of the Twenty- third, dating from the day of the gallant Pratt's death. From that time until the close of the war Col. Spaulding was almost constantly in command of the regiment. When spring had fairly opened, it began to be rumored that the troops occupying Bowling Green would soon be moved from there and enter active service. The men of the Twenty third Michigan did not regret this probability of a change, for although their experience there had been in some respects as pleasant as any which soldiers in time of war have a right to expect, yet they had been terribly reduced in numbers by sickness while there, and it was be- lieved that this evil would be aggravated by the coming of warm weather. Besides, they had grown tired of the mo- notonous duty which they were called on to perform here, and were, as soldiers almost always are, inclined to wish for a change. About the 20tli of May orders were received to make all preparations for a movement, and to hold the com- mands in readiness for the march ; and on the 29th of the same month the regiment broke camp, and moved with its brigade on the road to Glasgow, Ky., which point was reached on the 30th, and here the Twenty-third remained until the 13th of June, when it was ordered in pursuit of a 78 HISTORY OF SlilAWASSEK AND CLIiNTGN COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. force of guerrillas, said to be at Randolph, about twelve miles distant. Almost as a matter of course notliing resulted from this expedition, and the regiment returned to Glasgow on the 16th, after a most severe and exhausting march. On the 22d it again moved, with Manson's brigade, to Scottsville; thence, on the 26th, to Tompkinsvillc ; and, July 4th, back to Glasgow. Here, however, it made little stay, but marched out (now in full pursuit of John Mor- gan) to Munfordsville, reaching there July 7th, then to Elizabethtown and Louisville by rail, reaching the latter city on the 1 1th. Morgan was now reported across the Ohio River, in Indiana. The Twenty-third, as part of the command of Gen. Judah, crossed to New Albany, Ind., but, making little stop there, proceeded to Jeffersonvillo, and thence up the river by steamer, passing' Madison, Ind., on the 12th, and reaching Cincinnati in the evening of the K'th ; its brigade being the first to reach that city. From Cincinnati the fleet (on which was the Twenty-third, with the other regiments under command of Gen. Judah) passed up the river to Maysville, Concord, and Portsmouth, Ohio, at which latter place they remained until July 20th, when they returned to Cincinnati, and disembarked the troops. From there the Twenty-third Regiment, under command of Lieut.-Col. Spaulding, — and unaccompanied b}' any other troops, — was transported by railroad to Chillicothe, and thence to Hamden Junction, where it encamped for ii few days. Within the camp-ground of the regiment at this place there remained a rude rostrum, from which, on a previous occasion, the notorious Vallandigham had set forth his peculiar views to the population of Southern Ohio. But now the same ro.strum was occupied by the chaplain of the Twenty-third, the Rev. J. S. Smart, who most eloquently " consecrated it to the cause of freedom, while the regiment made the welkin ring with shouts for liberty and the Union." The pursuit of Morgan had now ceased, for the forces of that daring leader had already been driven from Ohio, ex- cept such as had been destroyed or captured. The regi- ment soon after this returned to Cincinnati, and after a short delay moved (under orders delivered by Gen. Burn- side in per.son to Col. Spaulding) across the Ohio to Cov- ington, and thence by rail to Paris, Ky., where Lieut.-Col. Young, with two companies of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Ohio, was threatened by a superior force of Confederate cavalry, commanded by the rebel general Pegram. The Twenty-third reached Paris on the 29th of July, just at the close of a brisk fight, which had been brought on by an attempt on the part of Pegram to destroy an important railway-bridge at that point. The opportune arrival of the Twenty third prevented any further attempt by the enemy to burn the bridge, and doubtless ahso saved the force of Lieut.-Col. Young from a second attack and not improbable capture. The conduct of the regiment in this affair was most creditable to its commander, Lieut.-Col. Spaulding, and to all the officers and men under him. The regiment remained at Paris until the 4th of August, when it moved, by way of Lexington and Louisville, to Lebanon, Ky., and thence to New Market, where it arrived on the 8th of August, and was incorporated with the Second Brigade, Second Division, of the Twenty-third Army Corps, then organizing at that point. In this or- ganization Col. Cliapin commanded the brigade (composed of the Twenty-third Michigan, the One Hundred and Elev- enth Ohio, the One Hundred and Seventh Illinois, and the Thirteenth Kentucky), and the Twenty-third remained under command of Lii'ut.-Col. Spaulding. Marching orders were received on the 16th of August, and at two P..M. on the following day the regiment, with its division, moved out and took up the long and weaiisome march for East Tennessee. The camp of that night was only seven miles out from New Market, on Owl Creek, where the command rested during all of the following day and night, but moved forward again at daybreak in the morning of the 19th, and camped that night on Greeu River. The march was resumed on the following morning, and two days later (August 22d) the regiment forded the Cumberland River and began to ascend the foot-hills of the Cumberland Mounlain.s. In the evening of the 25th it made its camp at Jamestown, the county-seat of Fentress Co., Tenn. On the 30th the command reached Montgomery, Tenn., where were Gens. Burnside and Hartsuff, with the main body of the army, commanded by the former officer. In passing through this little settlement "an enthusiastic old lady harangued the corps upon the glory of its mission, alternately weeping and shouting, invoking the blessings of heaven upon the troops, and pouring out volleys of anathemas upon the enemies of the country." On the 1st of September the men of the Twenty-third, having passed the gorges of the mountains, descended their soulheaslern slope to the valley of the Tennessee, and camped late at night on the right bunk of the Clinch River, a trib- utary of the larger stream. Fording the Clinch in the forenoon of the 2d of September, the coips marched for- ward and passed through Kingston, a considerable town of East Tennessee, near which the waters of the Clinch join those of the Holston and form the Tennessee River. The camp of the Twenty-third was pitched for the night about two miles beyond Kingston. At five o'clock in the morning of the 3d the troops were in line ready for the march, and then, for eight long weary hours, the Twenty-third Michi- gan and its companion regiments of the brigade waited for the order to move. At nine o'clock in the forenoon the brigade was formed in square four lines deep, and while standing in that formation was addressed by its commander, Gen. White, who read a dispatch just received from Gen. Burnside, announcing the capture of Knoxvilleby the Union forces. Gen. White then congratulated his command, and called on Col. Chapin of the Twenty-third for a speech. The colonel responded in an address, which being brief and comprehensive is given here entire. He said, " Boys, the general calls on me to make a speech. You know that I am not much of a speaker, and all I have to say is, that you've done d d well 1 Keep on doing so !' Long and loud acclamations greeted this vigorous ha- rangue ; then the brigade resumed its previous formation, and, after another tedious delay, moved out on the road to Loudon, which was reached early in the afternoon of Fri- day, September 4th. The enemy had hastily evacuated all the strong works which they had built at this place, but TWENTY-THIRD INFANTRY. 79 had succeeded in destroying the great and important rail- road-bridge across the river. Here the brigade remained for about ten days. During the latter part of the march acrcss the mountains supplies had become so much reduced that rations of corn, in the ear, were issued to some of the troops, and after their arrival at Loudon this situation of affairs was but little im- proved until Tuesday, the Sth of September, when the first railroad-train reached the town from Knoxville, and was hailed with wild delight by the weary and hungry soldiers. Before this, however, their necessities had been partially relieved by repairing and putting in running order a grist- mill which the enemy had dismantled before his evacuation. The advance of the wagon-trains also came up at about tjie same time that the railroad was opened for use. At two o'clock in the morning of September 15th the men of the Twenty-third were roused from their slumbers to prepare for a march, and one hour later they wore moving on the road to Knoxville, twenty-eight miles distant. This march was performed with all possible speed, and lute in the afternoon the regiment bivouacked within a short distance of the capital of East Tennessee. The next morning it entered the city, but soon after proceeded by rail to Morristown, a distance of about forty miles. Only a short stay was made here, and on the 19th it returned to Knoxville, and went into camp at the railroad depot. The next day was the Sab- bath, and here, for the first time in months, the ears of the men were greeted by the sound of church-bells, and they passed the day in rest and quiet, little dreaming of the furi- ous battle that was then raging away to the southward, upon the field of Chickamauga, or of the rout and disaster to the Union arms which that day's sunset was to witness. At four o'clock IMonday morning the brigade took the road towards Loudon, and arrived there the same night. Here the regiment occupied a pleasant and elevated camp in a chestnut grove, and remained stationed at Loudon for about five weeks, engaged in picket duty and scouting, and during the latter part of the time frer|Uontly ordered into line of battle, and continually harassed by reports of the near approach of the enemy under Longstreet, who had been detached from the army of Bragg in Georgia, and was pressing northward with a heavy force towards Knoxville. This advance of Longstreet decided Gen. Burnside to retire his forces from Loudon, and on the 28th of October the place was evacuated; the Twenty-third Michigan being the last regiment to cross the pontoon-bridge, which was then immediately swung to the shore, and the boats loaded upon cars and sent to Knoxville. All this being accom- plished, the army moved to Lenoir, Tenn., and camped be- yond the town, the line of encampment extending many miles. The same night the camp-tires of the enemy blazed upon the hills of Loudon, which the Union forces had just evacuated. At the new camp on the Lenoir road the regiment re- mained until the 12th of November, when it moved with the army back to HuS's Ferry, wiiere a heavy engagement ensued, in which Col. Chapin's brigade (the Second of the Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps) moved to the attack on the double-quick, and, after a severe fight against overwhelming odds, drove the rebels back for more than three miles. The enemy's force (consisting of three of Longstreet's veteran regiments) took up an apparently im- pregnable po.sition on a hill ; but the Second Brigade (Chapin's) charged the works promptly, and with such effect that in less than fifteen minutes the hill was cleared and the enemy in disorderly retreat. The next day after the battle the army retreated to Lenoir, the Second Brigade holding the most exposed po- sition in the column, that of rear-guard, to cover the re- treat. At Lenoir the camp equipage and transportation was destroyed, the teams turned over to the several bat- teries, and in the following morning the army continued its rapid march towards Knoxville. On the 16th the retreat- ing column was overtaken by the pursuing forces of Long- street at Campbell's Station, where a severe battle was fought, resulting in the repulse of the enemy and the re- tirement of the Union force in good order, but with a loss to the Twenty-third Regiment of thjrty-one killed and wounded. The part •.vhich this regiment and its brigade took in the engagement was mentioned in the Journal of Louisville, Ky., by a correspondent writing from the field, as follows : " One brigade of the Ninth Corps was in advance, the Sec- ond Brigade of the Twenty-third Corps in the centre, and one brigade of the Ninth Corps as rear-guard. The skirmish- ing was begun by the Ninth Corps forming in the rear of Gen. White's command, which formed in line to protect the stock, etc., as it passed to the rear, and to cover the retreat of the Ninth Corps, which was the rear-guard, and was to file past it. Again was the Second Brigade in posi- tion where it must receive the shock of battle, and must sustain more or less the honors already won. The arrange- ments for battle had hardly been completed before the cavalry came in from the front, followed by the infantry of the Ninth Corps, and two heavy lines of the enemy emerged from the woods three quarteis of a mile in front. Each line consisted of a division, and the men were dressed al- most wholly in the United States uniform, which at first deceived us. Their first line advanced to within eight hundred yards of Gen. White's front before that officer gave the order to fire. Henshaw's and the Twenty-fourth Indiana Batteries then opened on them with shell, but they moved steadily forward, closing up as their lines would be broken by this terrible fire, until within three hundred and fifty yards of our main line, when the batteries men- tioned opened on them witji canister, and four batteries in the rear and right and left of Gen. White opened on their rear line with shell. This was more than they could stand. Their front line broke and ran back some distance, where they reformed and deployed right and left, and engaged the Thirteenth Kentucky and Twenty-third Michigan on the right, and the One Hundred and Eleventh Ohio and the One Hundred and Seventh Illinois on the left, which were supported by Gen. Ferrero's command of the Ninth Corps. This unequal contest went on for an hour and a half The only advantage over them so far was in artillery, they not having any in position yet. It seemed to be their object to crush the inferior force opposing them with their heavy force of infantry. The men were too stubborn ; they would 80 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. not yield an ineli, but frefnicndv drove tlic rebels from ibeir position and liolj their jjround. Finding: they could not move them with the force ahoady cmiiloycd, the rebels moved forward another line of infantry as heavy as either of the first two, and placed in position three batteries. Their <;uns were heavier and of lonirer range than those of tlie Second Brigade, and were posted so as to command Gen. White's position, while his guns could not answer their fire. They got the range of these guns at once, and killed and wounded several gunners and disabled several horses, when Gen. White ordered them back to the position occupied by those in the rear, the infantry holding the position covered by the artillery on the liill. An artillery fight tlien began, wliich continued nearly two hours till it was growing dark, and the order was given for our troops to fall back to re- sume the march to Knoxville." The Twenty-third with its brigade arrived at Knoxville a little before daylight in the morning of the 17th, after a march of twenty-eight miles without rest or food, and having fought for five hours, losing thirty-one killed and wounded, and eight missing. Then followed the memor- able siege of the city, which continued until the 5th of December, when the enemy retreated. In the operations of this siege the regiment took active and creditable part, and on the withdrawal of the forces of Longstreet it joined in the pursuit, though no important results were secured. The enemy having passed beyond reach, the regiment camped at Blain's Cross-Roads, December 13th, and re- mained until the 25th, when it was moved to Strawberry Plains. From the commeneeuient of the ratrcat to Knox- ville until its arrival at the Plains the situation and con- dition of the regiment Iiad been deplorable, for many of its men had been without blankets, shoes, or overcoats, and in this condition (being almost entirely without tents) they had been compelled to sleep in unsheltered bivouac in the storms and cold of the inclement season, and at the same time to subsist on rjuarter rations of meal, eked out by such meagre sujiplies as could be foraged from the country. The command remained at Strawberry Plains about four weeks, engaged upon the construction of fortifications, and on the 21st of January, 18G4, marched to the vicinity of Knoxville, where it was employed in picket and outpost duty until tlie middle of February, having during that time three quite sharp affairs with the enemy's cavalry (January 14th, 22d, and 27th), in the last of which seven men were taken prisoners and one mortally wounded. From this time until the opening of the spring campaign it was chiefly engaged in scouting, picket, and outpost duty, in which it was moved to several different points, among which were Strawberry Plains, New Market, Morristown, and Mossy Creek, at which last-named place it lay encamped on the 25th of April, 1864. At this time orders were received for the troops in East Tennessee to move at once, to join the forces of Gen. Sherman in the forward movement which afterwards be- came known as the campaign of Atlanta. Under these orders the Twenty-third with its companion regiments left Mossy Creek on the 26th of April and marched to Charles- ton, Tenn., from which place it moved out on the 2d of May and took the road to Georgia. In this campaign the regiment, under command of Col. Spaulding, was still a part of the Second Brigade (then under Gen. Hascall) of the Second (Judah's) Division of the Twenty-third Army Corp.s. Passing down the valley of the Tennessee, and thence up Chickainauga Creek, it reached the vicinity of Tunnel Hill on the 7th, and confronted the enemy at Rocky-Face Ridge, Ga., on the 8th of May, opening the fight on that day by advancing in skirmish-lino, and taking possession of a commanding crest in front of the hostile works. In the advance from Rocky-Face the regiment with its brigade passed through Snake Creek Gap, arrived in front of Resaca on the 13th, and on the following day took a gallant part in the itSsault on the enemy's strong works at that place. The result of this attack was a repulse of the attacking column and severe loss to the Twenty-third Michigan. The commanding officer of the regiment (Col. Spaulding), in his report of this engage- ment, said: "The assaulting column was formed in three lines; this regiment being in the second line, advancing over an open field, within easy rifle-shot of the enemy's position, under a terrible fire of musketry and artillery. The regiment in advance of the Twenty-third broke and was driven back, and the one in the rear followed them. We moved forward until we reached a deep creek which it was impossible to cross, and held our position until ordered back. In this advance the regiment lost sixty-two killed or wounded. Lieut. William C. Stewart was among the killed." All this severe loss (out of a total of not more than two hundred and fifty muskets which the regi- ment took into the fight) was sustained during only a few minutes of most desperate fighting. Resaca was one of the most memorable among the many bloody battles in which the Twenty-third showed conspicu- ous gallantry. Gen. John Robertson, Adjutant-General of Slichigan, says of it, "Although this reliable and model regiment acquitted itself with much celebrity in every en- counter with the enemy in which it was engaged, Campbell's Station, Resaca, Franklin, and Nashville will always be rec- ognized as prominent among its many hard-fought battles; and the memories of those fields, on which so much patri- otism and daring courage were evinced, will last while a soldier of that noble regiment lives." The enemy, though successful in repelling the as.sault on his works at Resaca, evacuated his position there and moved to the Etowah River, where his rear-guard was overtaken and slightly engaged by the Union pursuing force, of wliieh the Twenty-third Michigan formed a part. From this point the regiment moved on to Dallas and took a position in front of the rebel works at that place, where it remained from the 27th of May until the 1st of June, and during this time was almost constantly enf,aged day and night in skirmish- ing with the advanced lines of the enemy. Again the rebel forces evacuated their strong position and moved south towards Atlanta, the Union troops pressing on in clo.se and constant pursuit, in which service the Twenty-third Regi- ment participated, and took part in the engagements at Lost Mountain, Ga., and Kenesaw Mountain, and at the crossing of the Chattahoochee River at Isham's Ford, on the 8th of July. It had been given out by the enemy that a most determined stand would be made on the Hue of this river, TWENTY-THIRD INFANTRY. 81 and it was expected that the crossing at this place must be a bloody one. Gen. Schofield liad decided to attempt the passage of the river at about four o'clock in the afternoon of the 8th, and his plan was carried out successfully, and, contrary to expectation, without loss. From an account of this crossing, found in Moore's " Rebellion Record," and written by an officer who was present, the following extract is made : " On the morning of the 8th the Twenty-third Corps broke camp at an early hour, and directed its march eastward, aiming to strike the river at Isham's Ford, eight miles above the railroad-bridge. Headquarters moved out in ad- vance, and riding at a rapid pace with an old man, a resi- dent of the country, as a guide, we emerged suddenly from the thick forest out upon the brink of the river bluff's. . . . Moving a little farther down the bluff, a close reconnois- sance with the glasses discovered on top of the opposite hill, just in the edge of a newly-harvested wheat-field, a single twelve-pound brass howitzer with a few gunners walking about it, and close down to the river's edge half a dozen rebel sharpshooters squatted under a large tree, just opposite the ford. The river here is about four hundred feet wide, and from crest to crest of the hills on either side of the river, between which the cannon must play, was about a third of a mile. . . . Meantime, and until late in the afternoon, the troops were slowly getting into shape, and the lumbering pontoon-trains were coming up and park- ing on the hill, ready to go down into the valley when needed. A little before four, Gen. Schofield sent orders to Gen. Cox to have his skirmish line in readiness, and at that hour pass it rapidly across a few rods of corn-field which lay between the hill and the river, and if they drew the rebel fire, to open with his cannon and silence it. " As the hour approached, a small party of spectators posted themselves half-way down the liill.side, a mile below the ford, and with glasses thrust out from behind convenient trees and fences, eagerly awaited the spectacle. The cap- tain of the rebel gun could be clearly seen on the distant hill, seeking comfort as best he could (it was the hottest day of the year), and reading a January number of the Ckattanooga Rebel. The gun had been drawn back to conceal it a little, and a sentinel sat on the brink of the hill to observe our movements and give notice to the gun- ners to bring forward the piece. The sharpshooters also could be seen, glaring intently out of their cover upon the opposite opening in the willows where the ford was ap- proaclied. " Our skirmish line was composed of about two hundred men from several regiments ; and a volunteer detachment of two hundred men from the Twenty-third and Twenty- fifth Michigan, One Hundred and Eleventh Ohio, and other regiments, which had in their ranks many old Lake Erie sailors, were assigned to the use of the oars in the pontoons which were to cany over the first companies. " At half-past four o'clock the little squad of skirmishers issued out of the woods which had concealed them perfectly, ruslied rapidly across the corn-field, and when they came close in the rear of the willows they began pouring a sharp fire upon the rebel gun on the hill, and kept it up without cessation. Tlie sentinel was seen to leap up hastily and 11 run to the rear, the gunners trundled out their gun in plain sight, and the sergeant stoops to sight it. But it is in vain, the bullets whistle so thick about his ears that, after dodg- ing a few moments from one side to the other, he gives up in despair, the lanyard is pulled, the shot plunges harmless in the middle of the river, and the rebel gunners all incon- tinently take to their heels and disappear in the woods. . . . Suddenly a pontoon-boat filled with blue-coats is seen Hear- ing the opposite shore, then another, and another. As the first boat touches land. Captain Daniels, whose eye is riveted to his glass, shouts, ' They hold up their hands ! they drop their guns ! they run down the bank !' The shells have cut off their retreat ; there is no other resource, and they come running down to the boats with uplifted hands in token of surrender. " Soon the pontoons had ferried over several regiments, who formed in lino of battle at once on the top of the hill, but found no enemy. Soon after the troops began to cross the corps below began to open a lively cannonade, doubtless with a view of attracting the enemy's attention away from us. Detached as this corps is, so far away from the others, I am unable to learn whether they have yet crossed over any forces or not ; but if I am not greatly mistaken, the Twenty-third Corps has crossed the first regiment of the army. True, they did not encounter strong forces in their front ; but none could tell what they would find, and the gallantry of the men who rushed forward to man the pon- toons in the face of these uncertainties, and those who ran up the hill with no others yet over to support them, when they might be met by a deadly fire from behind some screen, is worthy of all praise. When men are compelled thus to go upon suspense, and charge, it may be, upon lurk- ing volleys which shall leave no one of them to return, it requires a stouter heart than to dash forward amid the roar and rattle of arms, to meet a foe whom they can see. I have not known a more dramatic, brilliant, and at the same time bloodless episode in the whole campaign than was en- acted to-day by the corps of Gen. Schofield." Among the troops to whose bravery at the passage of the Chattahoochee the above tribute was paid, one of the most prominent regiments was the Twenty-third Michigan, whose men vol- unteered to form a part of the forlorn hope which crossed on the pontoon-boats. Unexpectedly, the regiment suffered DO loss in killed, but its record of gallantry at the Chatta- hoochee was as bright as at Campbell's Station or Resaca. Arriving in front of Atlanta, the Twenty-third took part in the operations of the army which resulted in the capture of that stronghold. It was afterwards posted at Decatur, Ga., from which place, on the 3d of October, it moved north- ward in pursuit of the Confederate Gen. Hood, who was then marching his army towards Nashville. While engaged in this service, the regiment marched with its division (it was still in the Second Brigade, Second Division of the Twenty-third Army Corps) to Marietta, New Hope Church, Big Shanty, Allatoona, Cartersville, Kingston, and Home, Ga., and from the last-named place, through Snake Creek Gap, to Summerville, Tenn., and Cedar Bluff, Ala., and thence back to Rome, where it remained a short time, and early in November again moved through Alabama into Tennessee, and was stationed at Johusouville, employed in 82 HISTOKY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTOX COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. garrison duty and the construction of defensive works until the 24th. It was then moved by rail to Columbia, Tenn., where it arrived on the 25th, while a heavy skirmish, amounting to almost a general engagement, was in progress near that place between the armies of Thomas and Hood. A part of the regiment was immediately advanced upon the skirmish line, while the remainder of the command went into position. At midnight it was withdrawn and ordered to the line of Duck lliver, where it lay on the south side of the stream, throwing up defenses and fre- quently .skirmishing with the enemy ; being constantly on duty day and night until near daylight in the morning of the 28th, when it retired across the river to the north bank, where it held position, and keeping up an almost con- tinual skirmish with Hood's advance till noon of the 29th, when it fell back with the army to the vicinity of Spring Hill, Tenn., about ten miles north of Duck River. Here, at about dark on the same day, the enemy was found in force occupying the road. An attack was made, and after a short fight the Confederates were driven from their posi- tion. The Union forces then resumed the march to Franklin, Tenn., and arriving there in the morning of the 30th, immediately took position and commenced throwing up temporary defenses, which was continued through the day. At about sunset the forces of Hood, moving in four strong lines, assaulted the position most furiously, but were repulsed with heavy loss. The attack was several times renewed, but without success to the enemy. Finally at about ten o'clock p.m. the Confederate forces, concentrating all their energies in a supreme eflFort to carry the defenses, made their final, and by far their most desperate assault, charging up to and over the parapet, and planting their colors on the work in front of the Twenty-third IMichigan. But beyond that limit they did not go, for Col. Spaulding's men gave them the bayonet, in a counter-charge which is described as one of the most brilliant and eifective in the entire history of the war. It was a short, but very desper- ate hand-to-hand struggle, in which the IMichigan men gallantly held their position against the furious assault of the Confederates. Immediately after this successful repulse of the enemy, the Twcnty-thiid with the other Union troops withdrew, and crossing the river, moved on the road to Nashville, ar- riving there at two p.m. on December 1st, having marched fifty miles in forty-eight hours, five hours of which time had been passed under fire in the desperate battle of Franklin. During the week which had elapsed since the arrival of the Twenty-third at Columbia the men had suf- fered severely from scarcity of provisions, and in the last two days of the movement had subsisted on less than quar- ter rations. The regiment lay widiin the works of Nashville for two weeks, and then in the morning of the 15th of December it moved out with its division and the other commands under Gen. Thomas to attack the Confederate army, which ' had in the mean time concentrated in their front just south of the city. In the great battles of the 15th and 16th of December, which resulted in the defeat and complete rout of Hood's army, the Twenty-third took an active part, and was conspicuous for steadiness and bravery during those two days of carnage. On the first day of the battle, " Col. Spaulding, with his regiment, then in the brigade of Col. ^loore, made a most daring and dashing charge on a posi- tion occupied by a portion of the enemy's infantry, posted behind a heavy stone wall on the crest of a hill, which it carried in most brilliant style, capturing more prisoners than there were men in the line of the regiment. The flag-staff was shot in two and the color-sergeant severely wounded, but before the colors fell to the ground they were grasped by the corporal of the color-guard and gallantly carried to the front. On the 17th the pursuit of the enemy com- menced, and during the first three days of the march the rain fell in torrents, the mud being fully six inches deep, which, with the swollen stream, rendured progress ex- tremely difficult and tedious. The pursuit was continued until Columbia was reached, where a halt was made and the movement ended."* Soon after this utter rout of Hood's army and its expul- sion from Tennessee, the Twenty-third Army Corps received orders to move east to the city of Washington, and on the 1st of January, 1865, the Twenty-third Michigan, as part of this corps, left Columbia and took up its line of march for Clifton, two hundred and fifty miles distant, on the Tennessee River, at which point it arrived on the 8th of the- month. On the 16th it embarked at that place, and proceeded thence by steamer, on the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers, to Cincinnati, where it arrived on the 22d, and im- mediately left there by railroad for Washington. Reaching that city on the 29tli, it went into camp at " Camp Stone- man." D. C, and remained there until the 9th of Feb- ruary. At that time the regiment moved to Alexandria, Va., where, on the 11th, it embarked with its corps on transports bound for Siuithville, N. C, at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, and reached that point of destination after a passage of four days. On the 17th it moved with the other forces against Fort Anderson, taking position be- fore it on the 18th, and commencing the work of intrench- ing, under a furious artillery and musketry fire. Upon the capitulation of the fort and its occupation by the Union forces on the morning of the 19th of February, the Twen- ty-third Michigan Infantry was the first regiment to enter the captured work. The regiment was again engaged at Town Creek, N. C, on the 20th, taking three hundred and fifty prisoners and two pieces of artillery. In the morning of the 23d the Union force crossed the Cape Fear River to its north bank, and found that the city of Wilmington had been evacuated by the enemy during the previous night. The corps moved up the coast on the 6th of March, and reached Kinston, N. C, just at the close of the severe en- gagement at that place. In this movement the Twenty- third marched one hundred and twenty-five miles in six days, and during the last twenty-four hours moved con- stantly without halting, except long enough to draw rations and to Lssue thirty additional rounds of ammunition to the men. The corps left Kinston March 20th, and on the 22d reached and occupied Goldsboro', where, on the following day, the advance of Gen. Sherman's army made its appear- * Gen. Robertson's Reports. TWENTY-THIRD INFANTRY. 83 ance, coming in from the south. The Twenty-third Regi- ment was then ordered back ten miles to Mosely Hall, to guard the railroad at that point while the army was receiv- ing its supplies. On the 9th of April the regiment moved with the army on the road to Raleigh, which was occupied by the advance on the 13tli, the Twenty-third Michigan entering the city on the following day and receiving the welcome news of Lee's surrender at Appomattox. The regiment remained at Raleigh until after the war had been closed by the surrender of the Confederate array under Johnston. Its fighting days were over, but its men had yet to experience a little more of the fatigues of marching. On the 3d of May it moved on the road, by way of Chapel Hill, to Greensboro', ninety miles distant, and reached that town on the 7tl'. Two days later it left by rail for Salis- bury, N. C., and remained there until the 28th of June, ■when it was mustered out of service. All that now re- mained of military life to the men of the Twenty-third was the homeward journey to Michigan, and their final pay- ment and discharge. They were transported by railroad through Danville and Petersburg to City Point, Va., and thence by steamer to Baltimore, Md., where they again took railway transportation for the West, and arrived at Detroit July 7, 1865. On the 20th of the same month they were paid and disbanded, and each went his way to resume the vocations of civil life. OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE TWENTV-THIRD INFANTRY FROM CLINTON COUNTY. Field and SItij: Col. Oliver L. Sp, 1864. Willett C. Day, died of disease at Frankfort, Ky., Oct. 10, 1862. Charles P. Day, disch. for disability, Feb. 20, 1863. Benjamin Defrics, disch. for disability, Feb 22, 1863. Alfred Dunham, disch. by order. Jan. 5, 1865. Henry B. Dibble, disch. for wounds, Sept. 29, 1864. Daniel P. Eldridge, must, out June 5, 1865. Frank Garabrand, must, out June 28, 1S65. Francis A. Hall, died of disease at Bowling Green, Ky., Jan. 29, 1863. Jerome E. Harris, died of disease at Corunna, Mich., May 21, 1865. Merritt S. Harding, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps ; must, out July 5, 1865. George Lytle, died of disease at Knoxville, Tenn., April 15, 1864. Samuel A. Lytle, disch. at end of service, Feb, 13, 1866. Perrin S. Linge', disch. for disability, Oct. 20, 1S62. Chester W. Lynds, disch. for disability, Oct. 31, 1862. tnos P. Mi-lvin, died of disease ai Bowling Green, Ky., April 1, 18G3. Philander Murray, died of disease in Michigan, May 20, 1864. Marmon Moore, died of disease at Marietta, Ga., Sept. 21, 1864. George N. Macomber, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Dec. 15, 1863. James W. McKnight, must, out June 28, 1865. Frederick S. Mitts, must, out June 23, 1865. Julius W. Piper, must, out June 8, 1865. Francis Purdy, must, out June 28, 1865. John F. Piper, must, out June 28, 1865. William Plase, trans, lo 28th Regt. George F. Prentiss, disch. for disability, Dec. 4, 1862. Mosely W. Potter, disch. for disability, Aug, 20, 1863. James J. Peacock, disch. by order. Dec. 17, 1864. William H. Ream, trans, to Vet. Res, (kjrps, Dec. 1, 1863. David M, Ricbatdsou, must, out May 31,1865. Charles O. Russell, must, out June 28, 1865. George P. Seal, must, out June 27, 1805. Frederick Stickuey, must, out June 28, 1865. Thomas Slmw, must, out June 28, 1865. Godfrey Shaoutz, must, out June 28, 1865. John B, Swan, uiust. out June 28, 1865. William H. Stickney, must, out June 28, 1865. Hubert L. Shurt1e£f, died of disease at Frankfort, Ky., Oct. 29, 1862. Guy J. Scofield, died of disense at Cincinnati, O., Dec. 20, 1862. George H. Spaulding, missing at Campbell's Station, Tenn., Nov. 16, 18G3. Charles P. Stevens, trans, to Mississippi Marine Brigade. William H. Shaw, disch. for disability, Nov. l.'>, 1862. Orlando Titus, died of disease at Bowling Green, Ky., April 6, 1863. Edward A. Thompson, must, out June 28,1865. Austin Trowbridge, must, out Juno 28, 1865. Panl Trnynon, mnst. out June in, lS6-i. Edgar L. Tyler, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Feb. 15, 1864. William D. Voohies, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Dec. 15, 1863. Horace Wakeman, died of disease at Grand Rapids, Mich. John Walters, must, oyt June 5, 1866. Charles P. Williams, mnst. out June 14, 1865. William J. Warren, must, out June 28, 1865. Alonzo Wallace, must, out June 28, 1863. Charles Wilkeson, must, out June 28, 1865. Company K. Walton Jlitcbell, missing in action near Na-^hville, Tenn., Nov. 29, 1S64. Monroe Wolvey, must, out May 30, 1865. CHAPTER XII. TWENTY-SEVENTH INFANTRY. Organization at Ypsilanti — Services in Kentucky and Mississippi — Campaign in East Tennessee — Battles at Huflf's Ferry and Camp- bell's Station — Transfer to Army of the Potomac — The Wilderness Campaign — Operations at Petersburg — Assault and Capture of Fort Mabun — Close of Service. Recruitinq for the Twenty-seventh Regiment was com- menced in 1862, and its first rendezvous was established at Port Huron. Anotlier regiment, to be designated as the Twenty-eighth, was commenced not long afterwards,- with a rendezvous at Ypsilanti. Both these filled very slowly, and the exigencies of the service demanded their consolida- tion. An order was accordingly issued, directing the nu- cleus at Port Huron to break camp and proceed to the ren- dezvous of the Twenty-eighth at Ypsilanti, where the two commands were consolidated as the Twenty-seventh Infan- try, under command of Col. Dorus M. Fox. The other field-oflficers of the regiment were Lieut.-Col. John H. Richardson and Major William B. Wright. Clinton and Shiawassee Counties were represented by a few men in " A,'' " B," " C," " E," and " H" companies, and by a larger number in the " Independent Company of Sharpshooters," wliich was attached to the Twenty-seventh ; but the greatest number was found in Company I, which ■was principally made up of volunteers from Clinton, and was on this account usually mentioned in the regiment as the Clinton company. Its ofiicers were Capt. Abner 5. Wood and First Lieut. Porter K. Perrin,* of St. John's, and Second Lieut. John Q. Patterson, of Ovid. All its original non-commissioned ofiBcers were of Clinton County. This company, however, was not organized until several months after the regiment took the field, and therefore took no active part in its earlier campaigns. On the 12th of April the Twenty-seventh Regiment — then composed of only eight companies — left Ypsilanti and proceeded, by way of Cincinnati, to Kentucky, where it be- came a part of the Ninth Army Corps. In the following June it was moved to Mississippi and took part in the ad- vance against Jackson, as well as in some of the other movements in the Vicksburg campaign. In August it re- turned with the Ninth Corps to Kentucky, and on the 10th of September received orders to move with that corps to * Afterwards promoted to captain of the Sharpshooters, and to major of the Second Infantry. 86 HISTORY OP SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. Cumberland Gap, where it arrived about ten days later. Tlicnce it moved on to Kiio-wille, and reached there on the 26th. From Knoxville it moved to Lenoir Station, and remained encamped there several weeks. On the 14th of November it moved with its division to Huff's Ferry, Tenn., wiiere a brisk fii^ht ensued with the advance of Longstreet's army. From this place it moved back through Lenoir on the retreat to Knoxville. At Campbell's Station the column was overtaken by the enemy, who attacked vigorously, and a battle of several hours' duration was fought, in which the Twenty-seventh lost eleven killed and wounded and ten missing. After this engagement the retreat was continued, and the regiment reached Knoxville on the following day. Then followed the siege of Knoxville by Longstreet, during which the regiment occupied a position at Fort Saunders, and participated in the repulse of the enemy's furious as- sault on that work, on the 21)th of November. It marched with other troops in pursuit of Longstreet, when that gen- eral withdrew from Knoxville, and was afterwards encamped successively at llutledge, Blain's Cro.ss-Roads, and Mossy Creek, at which latter place it was joined by the company (I) from Clinton and Shiawassee, another company (K) and a number of recruits, numbering in all three hundred and sixty-two men. Immediately after this accession to its numbers orders were received for the Twenty-seventh, with its corps, to pro- ceed east to reinforce the Army of the Potomac. Under these orders the regiment left Mossy Creek on the 17th of March, and moved by way of Knoxville and Hall's Gap to Nicholasville, Ky., making the march over horrible roads and through the ice and snow of the mountains in fourteen days. From Nicholasville it moved by railroad to Annapo- lis, Md., arriving there on the 5th of April. At that place it was joined by the company of Sharpshooters, which con- tained a considerable number of men from Clinton and Shiawassee Counties, under Capt. P. K. Perrin. From Annapolis the regiment moved, on the 23d of April, to Washington and thence to Warrenton Junction, Va., where it took its place in the Army of the Potomac as part of the First Brigade, Third Division of the Ninth Army Corps. On the 5th of May it crossed the Rapidan !tnd moved into the Wilderness, where it fought in the battle of the following day, and sustained a loss of eighty- nine killed and wounded. At the battle of Spottsylvania, May 12th, the regiment was again engaged, and fought most gallantly, charging up a hill to the assault of a strong earthwork. The attack failed, but the regiment unflinchingly hold its ground, though almost entirely unsupported on the left, and exposed to a raking fire of musketry from this direction, as well as to the storm of shell and canister from the fort. While in this terrible situation the regiment joining it on the right was withdrawn, thus leaving both flanks exposed to the fire of the enemy. But the orders given to its commanding officer were not to lall back an inch, and the.se orders were obeyed, even after the last round of ammunition had been expended, and until the friendly shadows of night ended the work of death. In this battle the loss of the Twenty- seventh was one hundred and seventy-five killed and wounded and only twelve missing. In the movement from Spottsylvania to the North Anna River the regiment was engaged (though not heavily) on the 24th and 25th of May. On the 3d of June it took part in the battle at Bethesda Church, losing seventy-six in killed and wounded, among the hitter being the heroic Maj. Sloody, whose wound proved fatal. The regiment was present at the battle of Cold Harbor, but sustained no considerable loss. From this place it moved rapidly to the James River, which it crossed at Wilcox's Landing. It arrived in front of Petersburg on the 16th of Juno, and charged with its brigade on the enemy's works on the fol- lowing day, sustaining heavy loss. The loss of the regi- ment during the month of June, exclusive of the loss at Bethesda Church on the 3d, was ninety-four killed and wounded. From this time the Twenty-seventh was on duty in the investing lines round Petersburg until its final evacuation by the forces of Lee, but its changes of position were too numerous to mention in detail. It took part in the opera- tions at the springing of the mine on the 30th of July, and lost severely, among its wounded being the command- ing officer, — Col. Wright. During the month of July the rejrimcnt lost one hundred and twelve in killed and wounded. It fought in the engagements at the Weldun Railroad, on the 19th and 20th of August, but witii a loss of only seven teen killed and wounded. Again, on the 30th of Septera- tember, it took part in the fight at Poplar Grove Church, with a loss of one killed and nine wounded. The regiment remained near this place for two months, but returned to the trenches in front of Petersburg on the 29lh of November, and remained there engaged in severe and constant duty until the 2d of April, ISOS. Before daybreak on that day it advanced to the attack of Fort Mahon, which was one of the strongest of the defenses of Petersburg. The assault was successful ; the men of the Twenty-seventh charged on the double-quick, passed the ditch, mounted the parapet, and planted the regimental colors upon it. The fortification thus taken was not the entire work which was known as Fort Mahon, but its east- ern wing. The number of men of the Twenty-seventh who made this assault was only one hundred and twenty-three, but they took one hundred and fifty-nine prisoners and six pieces of artillery. The regiment held the captured work during the day against repeated attempts of the enemy to retake it. Petersburg was evacuated by the forces of Lee during the succeeding night, and the Twenty-seventh entered the city at three o'clock in the morning of the 3d. The assault and capture of Fort Mahon was perhaps the most brilliant exploit iu all the bright record of the Twenty- seventh, as it was also nearly the last of its experience in the field of war. It moved in pursuit of the retreating columns of Lee, but the surrender at Appomattox followed a few days later, and the Army of the Potomac had no longer an armed foe to oppose it. The Twenty-seventh was soon after moved to Washington, where it took part in the great review of the army on the 23d of May. It was encamped at Tenallytown, D. C, from that time until July 26, 1805, when it was mustered out of service. Three days later the men had reached Detroit, on the way to their homes. T\YENTY SEVENTH INFANTRY. CLINTON COUNTY MEN IN TIIK TWENTY-SEVENTH. Coiiqiany A. James Brown, disch. for disnlnlity, Ulay 9, ISOri. Franklin Dnty, disch. for disability, Jan. 0, ISCf). Elias Myers, must, out June 2, 18C5. Layton Richmond, dit-d of diseah^e near Petcislmrp, Va., June 19, 1864. KJchard E. Snow, disch. for disability, Marih 7, 18G5. Jumcs II. Woodrnft", di-^ch. for disability. Pec. "29, 18li4. Georgp A. AVhitnmn. must, ont July 20, ISGj. William Whitman, died of wunnds at York, Pa., Nov. 7, 18f>4. Compamj B. James C. Howell, must, nut of Vet. Kes. Corps, Aug. 9, 18G5. Coinjuuiy C. Robeit Daniels, died of disease at Washington, D. 0., February, 1865. William C. Bloiigett, must, out June 9, ISCx Henry Copenhaver, must, out June 8, 1865. George W. Christopher, must, ont June 10, 1865. Jolin J. Christopher, niUBt. out July 17, 1865. Albert Loth, must, out July 7, 18(J5. James JIatteson, must, out May 29, 18G5. Rufna W. Partridge, must, out M;iy 27, 1SG5. Joseph Tabor, ditsch. by tirder, Jan. 12, 18G5. Frank Webb, must, out July ZG, 18G5. Benjamin F. Yeomans, must, out July 1, 18G5. Compau'j I. Capt. Abner B. Wood, Jr., St. John's; com. Dec. 20, 18611 ; resigned Nov. 12, "64. Ist Lieut. Porter K. Perrin, St. John's ; com. Dec. 20,1 86.t; pro. to capt., 1st Ind. Co. S. 8., Feb. 29, 18G4; pro. to nuij , 2d Michigan Inf., April I, 1864. 2d Lieut. John Q. Patterson, Ovid; com. Dec 20,186.1; disch. for disability April 28, 1865; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. C, May 5, 1864; wounded in action June 18 and Dec. 7, 1864. Sergt. Nelson Fitcli, Ovid; enl. Nov. 30, 1863; disch. for wounds. Sergt. Joseph Berry, Victor; enl. Nov. ao, 18G.i; disch.; pro. to 2d Vet. Vol. Inf., July 1,1864. Sergt. Daniel R. Ditls, Ovid; enl. Dec. 1,1863 ; disch. for disability, Oct. 12, 18G4. Sergt. George Simpson, Ovid ; enl. Nov, 30, 1863 ; must, out July 2G, 1865. Sergt. William II. Hicks, Bingham; enl. Dec. 9, I8G:J; died of wounds received at Cold Harbor, June 3, 18G4 Sergt. Orlando S. Perkins, St. John's; pro. to 2d lieut., Co. K, 27th Inf., April 19, 18G4. Corp. Cyras Stout, Essex ; enl. Dec. 12, 1863; must, out July 26, 1865. Corp. William D. Hodge, Ovid; enl. Nov. 25, I8G3; disch. by order, May 3, 1865. Corp. Cornelius M. Letts, Ovid ; enl. Nov. 24, 1863; disch. by order. May 3, 1865. Corp. John S. King, Victor; enl. Nov. 30, 1863; disch. for disability, Oct. 10, '64. Curp. Jacob Parsage, Victor; enl. Dec. 1, 'G3; disch. for disability, April 20, '65. Corp. John W.Outcalt, Olive; enl Dec. 24, '63; disch. for disability, April 18, '65. Corp. Jacob Gibbard, Victor; enl. Dec. 1, '63; disch. for disability, March 5^'65. Mu8. George F. Besley, Bingham; enl. Dec. 19, 1863 ; died of disease at Wash- ington, Aug. 15, 1864. Abram Bacr, must, out July 26, 1866. John Briggs, must, out June 5, 1865. Joseph Bynns, must, out July 2G, 1865. Frederick U. Butler, St. John's ; must, out from Vet. Res. Corim, Aug. 3, 1805. Nelson Cadcon, must, out May 23, 1865. John Carpenter, must, out July 26, 18G5. Joliu Duncklee, must, out June 7, 1865. Jabez S. Dennisoii, must, out Feb. 7, 1865, for wuunds received June 3, 1864. William S. Decker, St. John's; must, out May 12, 1865. Nathaniel Doak, died of disease at Petcreburg, Jan. 7, 18G4. Joseph N. Ellicott, must, out July 20, 1865. Joseph Fields, must, out July 20, 1865. Arlington L. Fields, must, out July 26, 18G5. John Flynn, must, out July 20, 1365. Ebenezer B. Fuller, must, out July 2G, 1865. Milan Gleason, Duplain, must, out June 15, I8G5. John E. Gleason, Dupbtin, must, out May 23, 1805. Lewis Garland, died of wounds at Philadelphia, Pa., July 4, 1864. Clark Gray, died of wounds at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, 1864. Merribew Green, died of disease at Alexandria, Va. Cleou Green, died of disease at 3d Div. Hosp., Aug. 10, 1804. Hivilla H. Hames, must, out July 20, 1865. John A. Hillaker, must, out from Vet. Res. Corps, Nov. 7, 1865. Charles F. Hathaway, must, out July 26, 1865. Hiram M. Hughes, must, out July 26, 1865. Henry H. labell, must, out July 26, 1805. John ti. Jackway, Duplain, must, out July 26, 18G5. Alonzo Le Baron, must, out from Vet. Kes. Corps, Aug. 2, 1865. George P. Mattoon, must, out July 26, 1805. W. L, Maasey, died of disoa^^e at Washington, D, C, Oct. 11, 1804. D. P. Miner, disch. for disability, Oct, 8, 1864. Henry S. Marshall, Greenbush, disch. for wounds, Dec. 15, 1804. James E. Owen, must, out July 26, 1865. John E. Pelton, must, out July 26, 1865. Joseph Y. Perkins, must, out July 26, 1865. Henry Putnam, Victor, di.-^ch. for wounds, Jan. 31, 1865. George W. Pruden, disch. Feb. 18,1805. George W. Steele, disch. Nov. 12, 1864. Silas B. Southworlh, disch for wounds, Jan. 28, 1865. Joseph Silvers, must, out July 26, 1865. Uriah Smith, must, out July 26, 1865. Sidney Smith, must, out Aug. 4, 1865. Adin C, Skinner, Bengal, died in action ftt Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864. S. B. St'ickland, died of wounds at AVashington, June 1, 1864. Henry G. Thompson, disch. lor disability, Feb. 4, 1865. James Tonse, must, out May 15, 1805. Hart L. Upton, must, out July 26, 18G5. Alvin B. Wanaey, must, out May 23, 1805. Luiher W. Wetherbee, must, out June 9, 1805. Palmer M. Wilbur, must, out July 20, 1805. Alvan E. Wells, disch. for disability, July 21, 1864. G. H. Whitney, died of disease at Philadelphia, Pa., July 17, 1864. D. F. Whitney, died of disease at Washington, Oct. 11, 1864. William R. Wing, died in action before Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1805. Robert Youngs, disch. for disability, Oct. 8, 1864. First Independ-'ut Conijuimj Sharpshooters, attached to the Twenty-seveiith Ivfautry. Capt. Porter K. Perrin, St. John's, com. Feb. 29, 1864; pro. to maj.2d Inf., April 1, 1864. Arctus H. Allen, must, out July 26, 1865. Charies Bigelow, Ovid, died in action at Spottsylvania, May 12, 1804. Enos Carey, died in action near Petersburg, Va , June 18, 1864. James H. Hathaway, must, out July 26. 1805. Richard M. Johnsun, must, out Aug. 5, 1865. Henry Leonard, must, out July 2li, 1865. George M. Lyon, must, out May 5, 1805. George A. Lanin, must, out July 26, 1865. William S. Lo Clerc, died near Petersburg, Jan. 25, 1865. George McDowell, died of wounds at Waj^hington. John M. Myer, must, ont July 20, 1805. John A. Matthews, must, out July 26. 1865. Ambrose Murtaugli, must, out July 20, 1865. James H. Worden, must, out July 20, 1865. Horace B. Whetstone, must, out May 23, 18G5. William H. Whetstone, must, out May 23, 1865. SHIAWASSEE COUNTY MEN IN THE TWENTY-SEVENTH. Company C. Walter E. Norton, must, out Aug. 4, 1805, from Vet. Res. Corps. Company E. Henry Van Vleit, disch. for disability, Dec. 23, 1804. Company H. Charles D. Beach, must, out June 17, 1805. Company I. Corp. Charles Van Deusen, Fairfield; enl. Dec. 1, 1803; must, out July 20, '65. E. Andrews, disch. for disability, Oct. 13, 1804. William Brown, must, out July 2ti, 1865. Charles Cole, must, out May 1!*, 1805. Reuben Davis, must, out July 29, 1865. Samuel Davis, died of wounds at Washington, D. C, June 1, 1864. Thadeus Graves, died of disease at City Point, Va., July 11, 1804. Samuel E. Isbell, must, out July 26, 1865. Jackson N. Vooihees, died of wounds at Alexandria, Va , June 28, 1864. Trnman A. Van Deusen, died in action at Wilderness, May 6, 1864. First Independent Company of Shm-pshooters, attacked to Ticenty-seventh Infantry. Herman Ford, must, out May 23, 1805. Charies H. Hammond, died of disease, July 16, 18G4. J. J. Kenney, died of wounds at Washington, D. C. Aaron Mnnsel, must, out Aug. 5, 1865. John W. Parker, must, out July 26, 1805. Horace Tibbetts, must, out Aug. 8, 1865. 88 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. CHAPTER XIII. TWENTY-NINTH AND THIKTIETH INFANTRY, AND FIRST ENGINEERS AND MECHANICS. Orgnnization of the Twenty ninlli iil Saginaw — Campaign in Tennessee — Fights at Decatur, Murfrcosburo', and Winstcd Church — Railroad Duty — Muster Out— The Thirtieth Infantry — Service in Michigan — Engineers and Mechanics — Kcndczvous at Marshall — Its varied Services in Kentucky, Tennessee, .Mississippi, and Alabama — Fight nt Lavergne — Services in Georgia— March to the Sea and through the Carolinas— Garrison Duty at Nashville in 1865— Muster Out and Disbandment. TWENTY-NINTH INFANTRY. More than one hundred uien of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties — officers and private soldiers — .served with the Twenty-ninth Infantry in the war of the Rebellion, one of its companies (E) being raised ajinost entirely in Shia- wassee County, under Capt. A. J. Patterson and First Lieut. Sidney G. Main, of Owos.so, and Second Lieut. William P. Close, of Ryron. This regiment was organized at Saginaw in the autumn of 18G4, its muster into the United States service under Col. Thomas M. Taylor being completed on the ;-id of October in that year. Three days later it left the rendezvous for Nashville, Tenn., where it arrived October 12th, and soon after moved to Decatur, Ala., reaching there on the 2Gth. On the day of its ar- rival at Decatur that place was attacked by the army of the Confederate Gen. Hood, and the Twenty-ninth was ordered to move to the front and occupy a line of rifle-pits and a small defensive work. In obedience to the order the regi- ment moved forward bravely and steadily, though under a severe fire of artillery and musketry, and held the position until dark, notwithstanding that the enemy made several de- termined efforts to carry it. The Confederate force during this day's fight had outnumbered the Union troops nearly ton to one, but during the night the latter received rein- forcements, and on the following day a little advantage was gained in the driving in of the enemy's skirmishers, and a slight advance of the right of the Union line. Before daylight in the morning of the 28lh the Confederates made an attack, driving in our pickets and advancing their line considerably. This line they held against a strong at- tempt to dislodge them in the early morning, but they were afterwards driven back by a part of the Eighteenth Michigan, who took over one hundred prisoners in the affair. Later in the day a general engagement was brought on, the enemy assaulting with great determination, but the Union forces had by this time been increased to about five thousand men, and they were able to hold their ground and inflict severe loss on the assaulters. In the morninn'of the 29th it was found that the main force of the enemy had been withdrawn, and only a rear-guard was left in the rifle-pits. Tiiis rear-guard was driven out from the pits during the afternoon, and thus the defense of the place was made entirely successful. Tiie part taken by the Twenty- ninth in the fight at Decatur was higiily creditable to the regiment, and more particularly so because its men were then fresh from the camp of instruction, and had never before smelled the smoke of battle. The adjutant-general of Micliigan in his report of this affair says : " The ex- emplary conduct, the vigorous and splendid fighting of Col. Taylor's regiment and his officers, although less than a month in the field, could scarcely have been excelled by long-tried veterans.'' The Twenty-ninth, after this battle, garrisoned Decatur until the 24th of November, when it marched to Murfrees- boro', and reaching there on the 26th composed a part of the defending force at that point during the siege of Nash- ville and Murfreesboro' by Hood, being engaged with a part of the enemy's forces at Overall Creek, December 7th. Having been sent out to escort a railway-train on the 13th, it was attacked at Winsted Church by a superior force of the enemy, — infantry and artillery, — and in the severe action which ensued it sustained a loss of seventeen in killed, wounded, and missing. The track was relaid under a brisk fire, and the regiment brought the train safely back to Murfreesboro' by hand, the locomotive having been dis- abled by a shell. On the loth and 16th it was attacked by two brigades of the enemy's cavalry on the Shelbyville turnpike, south of Murfreesboro', while guarding a forage- train, and was again slightly engaged' at Nolansville on the 17th. On the 27th it moved by rail to Anderson, and was as.signed to the duty of guarding the Nashville and Chat- tanooga Railroad. It remained on this duty till July, 1865, when it moved to Decherd, Tenn., and thence to Murfrees- boro', arriving there on the 19th. It was employed there on garrison duty till September 6th, when it was mustered out of the service, and on the 8th left Tennessee for Michi- gan, and was disbanded at Detroit about the 13th of Sep- tember. SHIAWASSEE COUNTY MEN IN TUB TWENTY-NINTH. Comptiui/ A. David 51 . Black, must, out Sept. C, 1865. Charles A. Fiinda, must, out Sept. ti, 1865. Thomas Graliaui, must, out 51uy 22, 1865. Jasper Johnson, must, out Sept. 6, 18G5. James C. Luce, must, out Sept. 0, 1865. Jacob Layer, must out Sept. 6, 18G5. Wilfiam U. Ormslieo, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. David Stiuble, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Company C. Robert McFarhuid, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Ebenezer Tbusgood, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Company E. Capt. .Viid. J. Patterson, Owosso ; com. July 29, 1864 ; must, out Sfpt. 16, 1S65. Ist Lieut. Sidney G. Main, Owobsu ; cum. July 29, 1864; must, out Sept. 16, 1865. 2d Lieut. \Vm. F. Close, Byron ; com. July 29, 1864 ; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. K. 2d Lieut. John Q. Adams, Owosso; mu>t. out as sergt., Sept. 6, 1865. Sergt. A. M. Parmeuter, Vernon; eul. Sept. 2, 1864; must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Sergt. J. C. Woodman, Shiawassee; enl. Aug. 25, 1864 ; must, out Sept. 6, 18G5. Sergt. Chas. C. Rowell, Betinington, enl. Aug. 26, 1864 ; must, out May 16, 1865. Sergt. CyrenuB Thomas, Owosso ; enl. Aug. 16, 1S64 ; must, out Sept. 16, 1865. Ser^t. Orriu Drown, Owubsu; enl. Aug. 16, 1864; died in action at Shelbyville Pike, Tenn,, Dec. 1,5, 1864. Sergt. Philet us Waldron, Bennington ; enl. Aug. 22, 1864; must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Sergt. Geo. F. Browuell, Bennington ; e[il. Aug. 2U, 1864; uiust. out Sept. 6, 1865. Sergt. Wm. G. Merrill, Burns; enl. Aug. 27, 1864; disch. for disability, April 19, 1865. Sergt. Theo. Creque, Shiawassee, enl. Aug. 22, 1864; must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Sergt. Wm. J. Wiswell, Benniugton ; enl. Aug. 19, 1864; discb. for disability, June 7, 1865. Sergt. Edward U. Jones, Antrim; enl. Sept. 4, 1864; must out Sept. 6, 1865. Corp. James M. Freeman, WoudhuU ; enl. Aug. 29, 1864 ; must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Corp. Jobn lluffmnn, Woodhull ; enl. Aug. 29, 18C4; must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Corp. Richard Clienell, Woodhull; enl. Aug. 12, 1864; must, out Sept. 6, 1865. John M. Arthur, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 13, 1864. William M. Balcbelor, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Natban Borem, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. David Brown, must, out May 30, 1865. William W. Bennett, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. THIRTIETH INFANTKY. 89 Willinin Budfls, must, out Sept. 6, 18G5. Thoniaa Cyrenu«, must. untSi-pt. 6, 18G5. Jeremiah Cui-eon, must, out S<>pt. 6, I8G5. BenJHniin Codwell, must, uut Sept. fi, 18G5. Leonard Grouse, must, out Sept. G, ISilS. Christopher Cook, must, out Sept. 6, 1S65. George E. Cole, died of disease at Cowan, Tenn., April 17, 1865. David W. Dunu, must, out June 7, 18Gj, John A. Drew, must, out June 27, 1865. David Dwight, uiust. out Sept. 6, 1865. Ladock Gillett, must, out Sept. 6, 18G5. Richard German, must, out Sfpt. 6, 18G5. William P. Harer, imst. out Sept. 6, 1865. John W. Hagerman, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Charles E. Harris, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. George Hoag, must, out Sept, 6, 18C5. William B. Ilendee, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Newell Kellogg, must, out Sept. 6. 1865. Charles N. Kilridge, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. John Klingensmith, must, out June 7, 18G5. William 11. Lavery, must, out July 18, 1865. Weston W. Lamunyon, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Henry L. Lamunyon, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Geoigo Lindner, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Oscar M. Morse, must, out Sept. 6, 18G5. Jacob Mason, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Enos Osgood, died of disease at Louisville, Ky., April 9, 1865. Charles E. Perkins, must, out June 20, 18C5. Austine Phillips, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Hiram Plutncr, must, out Sept. G, 1865. Leroy Kegua, must, out May 22, 1865. Willi;im Sanderson, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Sherman Stevenson, disch. for disability, May 31, 1865. Andrew Vandusen, must, out Sept. 6, 1&G5. John E. Watson, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Seth N. Walter, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Stephen L. Woliver, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Edward D. Woolcot, died of disease at Nashville. Tenn., Dec. 1, 1864. Dennis Watkins, disch. for disability, March 7, 1865. Company F. Godfrey Armaugher, must, out Sept. 6, lb65. George Aldrich, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Noah G. Berg, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Thomas Graham, must, out May 5, 1865. • Jacob Mnffly, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. David Martindale, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Duvid Muffly, disch. for disahility, June 3, 186.5. Company IT. Isaac Cassada, must, out Sept. 6, 18G5. Charles Hempeted, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Alonzo Hunt, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Ctiarles Long, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Leonard Robinson, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. William K. Vanpatten, must, out May 30, 1865. Eli Woodward, must, out Sept. fi, 1865. Compavy K. Ist Lieut. William F. Close, Byron; com. July 7, 18C5. 2d lieut., Co. E; must. out Sept. 6, 1865. Vorden H. Worden, muet. out Sept. G, 1865. SOLDIERS OF THE TWENTY-NINTH FROM CLINTON COUNTY. Company C. William Cilraan, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Company E. Salem S. Puffer, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. SilenuB A. Simons, mu<;t. out Sept. 6, 1865. Company F. Ellis Buckingham, must, out Sept. 6, 18G5. James L. Covel, died of disease at Na-fhville, Tenn., Feb. 26, 1865. Compavy G. Sergt. R. A. Burch, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Sergt. Joseph Lathrop, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Henry C. Atwell, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Charles Hooker, must, out Sept 6, 1866. Francis M. Hayne-s, must, out Sept. 6,1865. Alexander Movey, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Albert Martin, must, out May 23, 1865. Edward N. Ph-rco, must, out Sept. 2G, 1865. Clinton W. Rose, disch. for disability, March 22, 1865. 12 Albert C. Vredonburgh, must, out Sept. 26, 1865. John S. Wright, must, out Sept. 26, 18G5. Company K. rhilo Chiippell, must, out Aug. 0, 1865. THIRTIETH INFANTRY. On account of the numerous attempts made by the Con- federates to organize in Canada plundering raids against our Northern border, autliority was given by the War De- partment to the Governor of Michigan, in the autumn of 1SG4, to raise a regiment of infantry for one year's service, and especially designed to guard the Michigan frontier. Its formation, under the name of the Thirtieth Michigan Infantry, was begun at Jackson in November, 1864, and completed at Detroit on the 'Jth of January, 1865. To this regiment Shiawassee and Clinton Counties furnished a total number of men equal to about three-fourths of a com- pany, the greater part of whom served in the ranks of Company K. When the organization was completed the regiment was stationed in companies at various points, one company being placed at Fort Gratiot, one at St. Clair, one at Wyandotte, one at Jackson, one at Fenton, three at Detroit Barracks, and one on duty in the city. But the speedy collapse of the Rebellion put an end to Canadian raids, and the regi- ment had no active service to perform. It remained on duty until the 30th of June, 1865, and was then mustered out. SHIAWASSEE COUNTY MEN IN THE THIRTIETH. Field imd Slnff. let Lieut, and Adj. Jerome W. Turner, Owosso; com. Nov. 28, 1864; resigned April 7, 1865. Company C. Corp. James A. Hoyt, Kush ; enl. Nov. 18, 1864; must, out June 30, 1865. Compamj F. Jerome R. Fairbanks, must, out June 30, 1865. James Rummer, must, out June 30, 1865. Johnson Taylor, must, out June 30, 1SG5. Charles W. Williams, must, out .Tune 30, 1865. Alfred B. Williams, must, out June 30, 1865. Company I. John F. Cartwright, must, out June 30, 18G5. Company K. Corp. Ora 0. Waugh, Owosso; enl. Pec. 16, 1864; must, out June 30, 1865. Corp. Robert Upton, Owosso; enl. Dec. 7, 1804; must, out June 30, 1865. Corp. Oscar Bailey, Owosso; enl. Dec. 2, 1864; must, out June 30, 1865. Corp. Elnathan Beebe, Caledonia; enl. Dec. 29, 1861 ; must, out June 30, 1863. Leonard Alger, died of dieeaae at Jackson, Mich., March 28, 1865. Leander A. Bush, died of disease at Jackson, Mich., Feb. 14, 1865. Robert F. Buck, nuist. out June 30, 1805. Henry Boslaw, must, out June 30, 1865. Edward Bright, unist. otit June 30, 1805. Ebenezer Chilils, must, out June 30, 1865. John Crane, must, out Juin* 30, 1865. Andrew Case. must, out June 30, 1865. T. Fanclieon, must, out June 30, 1805. John Gannon, must, out June 30, 1865. Lyman E. Hill, must, out June 30, 1865. George Jolinson, must, out June 30, 18tJ5. Robert Smith, must, out Juno 30, 1865. Charles N. Wetmoro, must, out June 30, 1865. CLINTON COUNTY MEN IN THE THIRTIETH. Company F. Elijah E. B.ildwin, must, out June 30, 1865. George E. BlisH, nuist. out Juno :io, 1865. Henry P. Cutter, must, out Juno 30, 1865. John W. Day, must, out June 30, 1865. Andrew Jones, must, out June 30, 1865. Albert Jones, must, out .lutie 30, 1865. Wm. B. Owen, must, out June 30, 1865. 90 HISTOKY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLIiNTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. Compt. out Juno 30, 18G5. Sergt, AU.irt H. B. Fiteli, Bingliain ; uiust. out Juno ;iO, 18G5. Corp. Charles K. lllnkesloo, must, out Jnnn 30, 18G5. Cor|i. J"lin G. Hathuway, Bingham; died of disease at Jackson, Mich., May 29, 18G5. Horace Avery, must, out Juno 30, 18G5. Henry II. Burdiclt, must, out June 30, 18G5. John (liandler, must, out Jan. 9, 18G.i. John Kdwards, must, out June 30,1865. Herbert Estes, must, out June 30, 1805. John Iletlierington, must, otit June 30, 1865. Fniuklin Ilickox, mu»t. out June :in, 18G5. Nelson Lorerilierg, must, out June 30, ISG.'). Williutn Lorenberg, must, out Juno 30, 18G5. Porter Pratt, must, out June 30, 1865. Scott Starkweather, inu-^t. out Jjino 30, 18fi5. John W. Spauldiiig, must, out Juno 30, 18G5. George W. Shuttes, must, out Juno 30, 1865. Clark Scliram, must, out June 30, 18G5. (.'liiuies Sherwood, must, out June 3(f, 18G5. Charles Travis, must, out June CO, 1865. M. Vaufliot, must, out June 30, 1865. Wm. R. Wilson, must, out June 30, 1865. FIRST ENGINEERS AND MECHANICS. The Miclilgan regiment of Engineers and Mechanics was recruited and organized by Col. William P. Iiines (its commanding oflBcer) in the summer and autumn of 1861. It was the intention, in raising this regiment, that it should be largely composed of men skilled in mechanical trades, and that upon entering the field they should be principally employed in the work with whioli they were acquainted, a great amount of which is always required in the opera- tions and movements of large armies. This implied prom- ise, made to the men at the time of the enlistment, was measurably carried out, though they were always expected to enact the part of fighting-men upon occa.sion ; and for this purpose they were regularly armed and accoutred as infantry. It can be said of them with truth that they always proved themselves as brave and steadfast in battle as they were skillful and efficient in their own peculiar field of labor, though it was in the latter that their services were by far the more valuable to the government. The P]ugineers and Mechanics organization was composed of men from almost every county in the central and southern part of the peninsula, the counties of Clinton and Shiawassee being represented in nearly all its companies, but most numerously in Company E. The regiment was rendezvoused * at Marshall, and was there mustered into the service of thg United States, by Capt. H. R. Mizner, U.S.A., October 28 to December 6, 1861, and on the 21st of the latter month left Marshall, one thousand and thirty stron", for Louisville, Ky. On account of the peculiar nature of the service required of them, they were employed in detach- ments, and thus it would be impracticable to trace them through all their numerous marchings and labors. One of the detachments was under Gen. 0. M. Mitchell in his ad- vance on Bowling Green, and among the first Union troops to enter the town after it's evacuation by the enemy. After the capture of Fort Donelson opened Tennessee to the Union forces, the Engineers and Mechanics were speedily at work in that State repairing bridges and railroads and opening lines of communication. For eight weeks imme- diately following the battle of Shiloh they were engaged in constructing steamboat landings, wharves, and ware- houses, and during the spring and summer of 18G2 they were chiefly employed in the repair or reopening of the railroads between Nashville and Chattanooga, Nashville and Columbia, Corinth and Decatur, Huntsville and Stevenson, and Memphis and Corinth, and twice assisted in reopening the road between Louisville and Nashville. In the month of June, 1862, alone, they built seven bridges on the Mem- pliis and Charleston Railroad, each from eighty-four to three hundred and forty feet in length — in the aggregate nearly three thousand feet — and from twelve to sixty feet in height. Serious difficulties existed in the regiment during the first months of its service, owing to a misunderstanding as to the pay the men were to receive, it having been found after their organization that there was no law by which they could receive the pay expected. This trouble was finally remedied by an act of Congress, which act also pro- posed to increase the regiment's strength from ten to twelve companies of one hundred and fifty men each, forming three battalions, each commanded by a major. Half the men, as artificers, drew seventeen dollars per month, and the others thirteen dollars per month. On the 1st of November, 1862, the regiment was en- camped at Edgefield, Tenn., when the alterations and cas- ualties to that date aggregated as follows : Died of disease, seventy-five ; died of wounds received in action, two ; killed in action, one ; wounded in action, seventeen ; discharged, one hundred and twenty-four ; taken prisoners, fifteen ; de- serted, twenty ; recruits received, sixty-seven. Until June, 1863, the regiment was stationed at Edgefield and Mill Creek, near Nashville, at Lavergne, Murfree.sboro', and Smyrna, and at a point near Nashville on the Tennessee and Alabama Railroad. During this time the regiment built nine bridges, besides a number of magazines and build- ings for commissary, quartermaster, and ordnance stores, and also repaired and lelaid a large amount of railroad track. While at Lavergne, on the 1st of January, 1863, a part of the regiment was attacked by two brigades of the enemy's cavalry, under Gens. Wheeler and Wharton, with two pieces of artillery, but succeeded in defeating them with serious loss. On the 29th of June the regiment moved south from Jlurfreesboro', and during the two succeeding months was engaged repairing and opening the railroad from Mur- freesboro', Tenn., to Bridgeport, Ala. Of five bridges completed in July, the one over Elk River was four hun- dred and sixty feet in length ; that over Duck River, three hundred and fifty feet long. During September and Oc- tober detached companies were employed in building an immense bridge over the Tennessee River at Bridgeport, Ala., constructing commi.«sary buildings at Stevenson, Ala., and building and repairing bridges, etc., on the lines of the Nashville and Chattanooga and the Nashville and North- western Railroads ; the headquarters of the regiment being at Elk River Bridge, Tenn. The alterations and casual- ties for the year, to Nov. 1, 1863, were: Died in action or of wounds, six ; died of disease, fifty-eight ; discharged for disability, one hundred and eighty-nine ; discharged for other causes, fourteen ; deserted, twenty-seven ; officers resigned, ten ; joined as recruits, three hundred and sev- enty-two ; aggregate strength, nine hundred and sixty-five. FIRST ENGINEP]11S AND MECHANICS. 91 In the months of November and December, 1863, and January and February, 1864, tlie regiment was engasied in buildiiii; trestle-work and bridges on the line of tiie Nash- ville and Northwestern Ilailroad, and in the construction of store-houses and other buildings at Ciiattanooga, Tenn., and Bridgeport, Ala., for the quartermaster, ordnance, and other departments of the army. At the same time one battalion was engaged at Chattanooga in refitting saw-mills, where it continued during the months of March, April, and May, employed in runidng saw-mills, getting out railroad- ties, building hospital accommodations, and working on the defenses. Detachments from the other battalions were engaged erecting block houses on the lines of the Tennes.see and Ala- bama, the Nashville and Chattanooga, and tlie Memphis and Charleston Railroads. Two companies were at Bridgeport, Ala., building artillery block-houses. Two companies were at Stevenson, Ala., completing its deluiises, while another battalion was stationed on the Mcmpliis and Charleston Railroad, building block-hou.ses at various points between Decatur and Stevenson. The major portion of the regi- ment was finally concentrated upon the line of the Atlantic and Western Railroad during the summer montlis of 186-1, where it built and repaired railroads, block-houses, etc. The task allotted to this regiment during the campaign of Sherman's army, in 1864, was one of 'great magnitude, and most nobly did its members fulfill their duty. But for such men as composed the Michigan Engineers and Me- chanics, and the rapidity with which they repaired the rail- road right up to the enemy's skirmish line,* the more than one hundred thousand Union soldiers in front would many times have been compelled to go without their rations. At the close of the Atlanta campaign, headquarters of the regiment were established in the latter city. The al- terations and casualties for the year were reported as fol- lows : Died of disease, one hundred and twelve; trans- ferred, thirty-six ; discharged for disability, etc., fifty ; re-etdisted as veterans, one hundred and forty-eight. On the 31st of October, 1864, the original term of the regiment expired, and such oflScers as desired to leave the service were mustered out, as were also the enlisted men whose terms had expired. The re-enlisted veterans, together with the recruits who had joined the regiment, enabled it to maintain its organization entire and nearly its full strength. From the 1st to the 15th of November, 1804, the regi- ment, with the exception of Companies L and M, was stationed at Atlanta, Ga., being employed in constructing defenses, destroying rebel works, depots, rolling-mills, foun- * As Johnston's arm; fell back from one chosen position to another before the fierce attaetis and flank movements of .Sherman's veterans, the railroad was invariably destroyed by the enemy, and in a man- ner, too, that would seem to require days to repair it. It must have been a matter of great surprise and chagrin to the Confederates when, as was often the case in the course of a very few hours after the de- struction of a road, a locomotive bearing the legend " United States Military Kailroad," driven by a greasy Northern mechanic, would dash up aliiiost in their very midst, saluting them with several short, sharp whistles, and then a prolonged scream of defiance. The salute, however, as well as the cheers from the " Yanks," usually, and very quickly too, received a response in the shape of shells from a rebel b.ittery. dries, gas-works, and other rebel property, and in tearing up and rendering useless the various railroad tracks in the vicinity. After the complete destruction of Atlanta, "j" the regiment set out on the morning of November 10th with the Fourteenth Army Corps, as part of the engineer force of Gen. Sherman's army, going to Sandcrsville, Ga., and thence with the Twentieth Army Corps to Horse Creek, where it received orders to join the Seventeenth Army Corps, with which it continued on to Savannah, Ga., reaching there Dec. 10, 18(i4. During this march the regiment was required to keep pace with the movements of the army, traveling over twenty miles a day, and meanwhile was en- gaged tearing up railroad tracks, twisting rails, destroying bridges, repairing and making roads, building and repairing wagon-bridges, etc. On the 10th and 11th of December the regiment built a dam across the Ogechee Canal under the fire of rebel batteries. From that time until after the evacuation of Savannah by the enemy, the regiment was constantly at work tearing up railroad track and destroying the rails of the several railroads leading out of the city, and in constructing long stretches of corduroy-road for the passage of army-trains. On the 23d of December it moved into the city, and five days later coiumenced work on the fortifications laid out by direction of Gen. Sherman. These works, constructed by and under the supervision of this regiment, were over two miles in length, and included several strong battery posi- tions and lunettes. The regiment was again put in motion on the 3d of January, 1865, marching to Pooler Station, converting the railroad into a wagon-road, and then return- ing to Savannah. It embarked on board transports for Beaufort, S. C, Jan- uary 26, 1805, and on the 31st started with the victorious army on its march to Golilsboro', N. C. It moved with the Fifteenth Army Corps to Banbury, S. C, thence with the Twentieth Army Corps to Columbia, S. C, thence with the Seventeenth Corps to Fayetteville, N. C, and thence with the Twentieth Army Corps to Goldsboro', N. C, where it arrived March 23, 1865. It is estimated that during this campaign, besides making and repairing a great distance of corduroy-road, the regiment destroyed and twisted the rails of thirty miles of railroad track and built eight or ten important bridges and crossings. At Edisto the bridge was constructed under fire from the enemy's sharpshooters. At Hughes' Creek and at Little and Big Lynch Creeks the bridges and approaches were built at night. At the last- named stream the men worked in water waist-deep. A foot-crossing was made there in one night nearly a mile in length, and the next day the space was corduroyed fur the heavy army-trains and artillery to pass over. Tiie regiment destroyed factories and rebel army-supplies at Columbia, rebel ordnance and stores at Cheraw, and the old United States arsenal at Fayetteville, N. C. Companies L and M, which had been detached from the regiment early in the summer of 1864 and placed upon the defenses at Stevenson, Ala., having completed those works, which consisted of a systein of eight block-houses, were retained in the Army of the Cumberland. They assisted to f Afternoon and night of Nov. 15, 1864. 92 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. fortify and defend the line of the Nashville and Chatta- noo<;a Railroad for some weeks, and on the 28tli of Novem- ber, 18t)4, were moved to Elk River Bridge. For some time after that, when not interrupted by Hood's rebel army, they were engaged in building blockhouses between that bridge and Miirfreesboro', Tenn. During the most of the month of December a portion of the Engineers and Me- chanics was engaged in completing and repairing Fort Rosecrans, at Murfreesboro', Tenn., while the rebels, under Hood, were investing Nashville. A detachment, consisting of Company L of this regi- ment, with several companies of an Illinois regiment, which had been sent out to bring through from Stevenson, Ala., a railroad-train of supplies, was captured Dec. 15, 1861, after several hours' hard fighting. On the 1st of March, 18G5, Companies L and M left Murfreesboro', Tenn., to rejoin their regiment, and pro- ceeding by rail, via Louisville, Indianapolis, Crestline, Pitts- burgh, and Philadelphia, to New Yorlc ; they then took steamer to Beaufort, N. C, thence by rail to Newbern, and finally joined their comrades at Goldsboro', N. C., March 25, 1865. Gen. Sherman's army began its last campaign April 10, 1865. By breaking camp at Goldsboro' and moving rapidly to the northward, Johnston's fleeing forces were pursued to, through, and beyond Raleigh. The Engineers and Mechanics marched with the Twentieth Army Corps, but proceeded no farther than Raleigh, where they remained until after Johnston's surrender.* On the 30th of April the regiment moved out on its homeward march with the Sev- enteenth Army Corps. It crossed the Roanoke River at Monroe, and passing through the cities of Petersburg, Richmond and Alexandria, Va., arrived at Washington, D. C, during the latter part of May, 1865. It partici- pated in the grand review of two hundred thousand veteran soldiers held at the nation's capital. May 23 and 24, 1865, and then went into camp near Georgetown, D. C. Early in Juue the regiment was ordered to Louisville, Ky., thence to Nashville, Tenn., where it was employed upon the defenses until September 22d, when it was mustered out of the United States service. It arrived at the designated rendezvous, Jackson, Mich., September 25th, and on the 1st day of October, 1365, was paid off and disbanded. The battles and skirmishes which by general ordei-s it was entitled to have inscribed upon its colors were those of Mill Springs, Ky., Jan. 19, 1862; Farmington, Miss., May 9, 1862; siege of Corinth, Miss., May 10 to 31, 1862; Perryville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1862; Lavergne, Tenn., Jan. 1, 1863; Chattanooga, Tenn., Oct. 6, 1863; sie^e of Atlanta, Ga., July 22 to Sept. 2, 1864; Savannah, Ga., Dec. 11 to 23, 1864 ; Bentonville, N. C, March 19, 1865. CLINTON COUNTY MEN IN THE ENGINEERS. Company E, Stfbbins 0. Bliss, discli. at end of service, Oct. 31, 1864. Kmiicis A. Cotttit, trans, to Vet. Kes. Corps, Sept. 1, 180^. Marcus A. Case, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. Martin Fislier, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. ' John Grier, uiuat. out Sept. 22, 1865. S. C. Uutcliinsou, discb. at eud of service, Oct. 31, 1864. » April 26, 1865. James Kelly, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. Jackson Kelly, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. Sanil. S. Kentfield, died of disease at Bridgeport, Ala. Hervey Lyon, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. Clias. P. Lyon, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. Arnold L. Lake, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. Nathan Penny, disch. at end of service, Oct. 31, 1864. Luther B, Pratt, disch. for disability, Nov. 29, 1862. Hull L. Prndden, disch. by order, Aug. 25, 1S65. Merritt Randolph, disch. by ordt-r, June 2, 18G2. Joel T. Smith, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. . Emanuel Sumner, died of disease at Bridgeport, A a., March 23, 1864. Hiram H. Starr, disch. at end of service, Oct. 3^ 1864. Frederick Tuttle, disch. for disability. May 18, 1863. Company G. David Scott, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Jan. 1, 18G5. Company L, Danl. Baughn, must, ont Sept. 22, 1S65. .Tohn Crawford, died of disease at Stevenson, Ala., Oct. 27, 1864. Wm. H. Hewitt, died of wounds at Muifreesboro', Jan. 13, 1865. Peter W. Prndden, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. John Vanoise, disch. by order, July 3, 1865. Company M, Oscar F. Bristol, disch. by order, July 21, 18G5. Saml. Crawford, must, out Sept. 2:.', 1865. Peter Duffs, must, out Sept. 22, 186j. Hiram Ililliker, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. Clias. Randol])h, disch. by order, M.ay 22, 1865. Martin Sutplien, disch. by order, Sept. 27, 1865. Oven Sebring, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. Sylvester Sebring, must, out Sept. 22, 1863. Saml T, Simpson, disch. for disability, April 23, 1865. Danl. J. Wilkinson, must, out Sept. 22, 1863. SHIAWASSEE COUNTY MEN IN THE ENGINEERS. Company B, Nathan Colby, disch. by order, .Tune 6, 1865. Alexander Kellas, disch. by order, June 6, 1865. Company C. Newell E. Cady, disch. by order, July 11, 1865. Andrew Kinney, must, out Sept. 22, 1865. Company D, 2d Lieut. Herman Vi. Perkins, Curunna; com. Nov. 3, 1864 must, out Sept. 22, 1863. Daniel F. Case, disch. for disability, June 1, 1862. Company E. Isaiah Slayler, disch. at end of service, Oct. 31, 1864. William B. Staner, disch. at end of service, Oct. 31, 1864. Company F. William E. Delbridgo, disch. by order, June 6, 1865. Company G. 2d Lieut. Rodney Mann, Owoaso ; com. April 12 ,1862 ; pro. to 1st lieut. John Berkley, disch. by order, June 6, 1865. Joseph Gest, disch. by order, June 6, 1865. W^illiani Stone, disch. by order, June 6, 1865. Charles W. Smith, disch. by order, Juue 6, 1865. Company H. Harrison Hackett, disch. by order, June 6, 1865. Company J, Oliver Hopkins, disch. for disability, Jan. 14, 1864. James H. Maible, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., March 24, 1863. Company K. Charles E. Rowell, must, out Sept. 22, 1866. Company M. Lewis M. Dickinson, must, out Sept. 22, 1863. FIRST AND SECOND CAVALRY. 93 CHAPTER XIV. FIBST AND SECOND CAVALRY. The First Cavalry in Virginia in 1862— Campaigning in 1803— Raids and other Movements in 1864 and 1865 — Organization of the Second Cavalry at Grand Rapids— Campaigning in Missouri, Mis- sissippi, Kentucky, and Tennessee in 1S62 and 1863 — Re-enlist- ment— Campaigns of Atlanta and Nasliville — Raidings in 1865 — Muster Out. The First Michigan Cavalry Regiment was organized in the summer of 1861, at Camp Lyon, Detroit, which was designated as the regimental rendezvous. One company of the regiment was chiefly made up of volunteers from Clin- ton and Shiawassee Counties. This company, originally styled the " Constitutional Guard," was recruited by Capt. Josiah B. Park, of Ovid, and First Lieut. Thurlow W. Lusk, of Duphiin, under whom it was mustered and saw its first service. The recruiting headquarters were at Ovid, and the company was raised to a strength of sixty-four men in three days from the date of its first enlistment.* It left Ovid about the 1st of August, was reported at the regi- mental rendezvous, and designated in the organization as D Company of the First Cavalry. The regiment was mustered into the United States ser- vice September 13, 1861, eleven hundred and forty-four strong, under command of Col. T. F. Brodhead, and on the 29th of the same month Companies A, D, E, and M embarked on the steamer " May Queen," and Companies H, I, K, and L on the " Ocean," for Cleveland, on their way to Washington and the seat of war. Tiiey reached Washington on the 2d of October, and were soon after joined by C, F, and G Companies, which had been left be- hind in charge of the horses. About the 20th of November the regiment moved to Frederick, Md., where it remained in camp, two miles from the city, during the winter. Upon the opening of the spring campaign of 1862 the First became actively employed on the Upper Potomac and in the passes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. On the 28d of March it took part in the battle at Winchester, and won honorable mention for its bravery and efficiency in covering the retreat of Gen. Banks' forces from the Shenandoah Valley, being almost continuously under fire while engaged in that service. Afterwards it took part in the actions at Middletown (March 25thj, at Strasburg (March 27th), HarrLsonburg (April 2d), Winchester (second battle. May 2-lth), Orange Court-House (July Kith), Cedar Mountain (August 9th), and at the second battle of Bull Run, August 30th, in which last-named engagement its com- manding officer. Col. Brodhead, was mortally wounded. The losses of the regiment in that battle were twenty killed and wounded, seven prisoners, and one hundred and six missing. From that time until November 1st ten more had died of wounds received in action, and sixty of disease. During the month of November, and through the follow- ing winter and spring, the regiment was employed in grand guard duty along the line of the Potomac River, in Vir- ginia, from Leesburg (the locality of the battle of Ball's Bins' in 18(Jl), on the northwest, to the mouth of Occo- * This statement is from the local newspapers of that time. quan Creek, below Mount Vernon. This duty, besides being of the most arduous and laborious kind, was one which required the exorci.se of constant and almost sleep- less vigilance in guarding against the inroads and attacks of the bold and enterpri.siug guerrilla bands of Mosby and Stuart ; but so well did the men of the First Michigan keep their guard against surprises, that though two cavalry regiments of other States lost each about two hundred men while engaged in the same duty, during the same time, this regiment lost only about thirty men. When the enemy's cavalry, under the famous J. E. B. Stuart, made a raid along the Union lines, in February, 1863, a detachment of the First was sent out to observe their movements, and finding them on the Occoquan, at once engaged them, and drove them back in confusion. They, however, rallied on learning the weakness of the attacking party, and in turn charged vigorously, and compelled the Union force to re- tire ; which they did, however, in good order, and con- stantly fighting, over a, distance of several miles, inflicting quite heavy loss on the raiders. When Gen. Lee invaded Maryland and Pennsylvania, in June, 1863, and the Army of the Potomac marched north- ward to meet him, the First Michigan moved with the other cavalry regiments (June 27th) on the campaign ot Gettysburg, and during fifteen days fought in sixteen bat- tles and skirmishes, being almcst constantly in the saddle. At Gettysburg, on the 3d of July, it met and charged three regiments of Confederate cavalry, composing the " Hampton Legion," and in six minutes put the rebel force to flight ; but in this engagement it lost eighty enlisted men and eleven officers out of the throe hundred who went into the fight. Gen. Custer, in his report of the operations of the cavalry at Gettysburg, said of this fight : " Arriving within a few yards of the enemy's column a charge was ordered, and with a yell that spread terror before them, the First Michigan Cavalry, led by Col. Town, rode upon the front rank of the enemy, .sabering all who came within reach. For a moment, but only a moment, that long heavy column stood its ground ; then, unable to withstand the impetu- osity of the attack, it gave way into a disorderly rout, leaving vast numbers of their dead and wounded in our possession, while the First, being masters of the field, had the proud satisfaction of seeing the much-vaunted chivalry, led by their favorite commander, seek safety in headlong flight. I cannot find language to express my high appre- ciation of the gallantry and daring displayed by the officers and men of the First Michigan Cavalry. They advanced to the charge of a vastly superior force with as much order and precision as if going upon parade; and I challenge the annals of warfare to produce a more brilliant or successful charge of cavalry than the one just recounted." On the following day the regiment was again engaged at Fairfield Gap. The following extract is from the report of that fight made by Col. C. H. Town, commanding the First: " We moved early on the morning of the 4th of July to Emmettsburg, thence to Monterey. Before readiing the latter place the enemy was discovered in force upon the hills to the right of the road. The regiment, being in ad- vance of the column, was sent on a road leading to Fair- field Gap. The enemy having possession of the gap, a 94 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. cliarge was made by one squailron, which, with the re- mainder of tlic rofiinieiit deployed as skinuishers, was successful in driving; the enemy IVom the .<;ap. The regi- ment held the position until the entire column had passed, though the enemy made desperate efi'orts with superior numbers to drive us out.'' During the pursuit of the enemy from Gettysburg to the Potomac the men of the First were almost constantly in the saddle and frequently engaged. On the 6th of July it supported a battery under heavy fire, but fortunately sustaiued no loss. It took part in the actions at Boonsboro', Hagerstown, and Williamsport ; and at Falling Waters, Va., on the 14th of July, it was heavily engaged, capturing five hundred prisoners and the colors of the Fortieth and Forty- seventh Virginia Infantry. In September, 1803, the War Department authorized the consolidation of the twelve companies of the regiment into eight, and the raising of a new battalion of four companies. These were speedily raised, and were mustered into service at Mount Clemens, in December, 1863. This battalion went to Camp Stoneman, near Washington, in December, 1863, and remained there until the spring of 1864. Meanwhile, the two old battalions re-enlisted, came home on veteran furlough, and joined the new levies at Camp Stoneman. The three battalions went to the front together, and in the latter part of March, 1864, joined Gen. Sheridan's cavalry corps at Cnlpeper, Va., being still a part of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade. The regiment did excellent work in the arduous campaigns of May and June, 1864, one of its most brilliant engagements being that at Yellow Tavern, Va., on the 11th of May. The splendid charge of the First on that occasion is mentioned in Gen. Custer's report of the movement, as follows : " From a personal examination of the ground I discovered that a successful charge might be made upon the battery of the enemy by keeping well to the right. With this intention, I formed the First Michigan Cavalry in column of squadrons under cover of the woods. At the same time I directed Col. Alger and Maj. Kidd to move the Fifth and Sixth Michi- gan Cavalry I'orward and occupy the attention of the enemy on the left, Ileatou's battery to engage them in the front, while the First charged the battery on the flank. The bugle sounded the advance, and the three regiments moved forward. As soon as the First Michigan moved from the cover of the woods the enemy divined our intention, and opened a brisk fire from his artillery with shell and canister. Before the battery of the enemy could be reached there were five fences to be opened and a bridge to cross, over which it was im- possible to pass more than three at one time, the intervening ground being within close range of the enemy's battery. Yet, notwithstanding these obstacles, the First Michigan, Lieut.-Col. Stagg commanding, advanced boldly to the charge, and when within two hundred yards of the battery charged it with a yell which spread terror before them. Two pieces of cannon, two limbers filled with ammunition, and a large number of prisoners were among the results of this charge. . . . Licut.-Col. Stagg, who commanded the First Michigan in the charge, with the otficers and men of liis command, deserve great credit for the daring manner i(i which thp rebel battery was taken." The regiment was engaged at Hanovertown, on the 27th of May, and at Hawes' Shop on the 28th, where fifteen of its membens were killed and wounded, and at Old Church on the 30th, where fifteen were killed and wounded. On the 31st of May and 1st of June ifwas engaged, together with other cavalry regiments, at Cold Harbor, where it fought, dismounted, in advance of the infantry, having eighteen men killed and wounded. It shared the fortunes of the brigade throughout the summer, having fifty-one men killed and wounded at Trevillia,i Station (where six commissioned ofiicers were killed), eleven killed and wounded at Front Royal, in the Shenandoah Valley, thirty-two at Manchester, and twenty-seven at Cedar Creek. During the six months closing on the 1st of November, 1864, the regiment had eighty-two men killed or mortally wounded in action, and one hundred and two less seriously wounded, while only thirty three died of disoa.se. After being in quarters with the brigade near Winchester through the winter, the First went with it in Sheridan's great raid in March, 1865, and was warmly engaged in the closing scenes of the Rebellion. A most gallant charge made by the regiment at the battle of Five Forks is men- tioned as follows : " The next morning we moved forward, passing over the ground from which we had been driven the daybefore. Our brigade being in advance, we soon came upon the enemy, strongly posted behind a large swamp, through which it was impossible to penetrate. Moving to the right, the enemy's cavalry appeared in our front, and was driven to his main line of works, occupied by Kershaw's division. In the afternoon the regiment participated in the final charge and capture of these works, taking many prisoners and pursuing the flying enemy until long after dark." This battle was immediately followed by the surrender of the Confederate army under Gen. Lee, and soon after this the regiment moved into the edge of North Carolina, then returned to Washington, and immediately after the review of the Army of the Potomac, on the 23d of May, 1865, was sent by rail and steamer to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., whence it was ordered across the Plains. There was much dissatis- faction, but most of the regiment .set out on the march, reaching Camp Collins, at the foot of the Rocky Jlountains, on the 26th of July. Its headquarters remained there until about the 1st of November, when it was reiuoved to Fort Bridger. There it was consolidated with those men of the Sixth and Seventh Michigan Cavalry who had the longest time to serve, forming an organization known as the First Michigan Veteran Cavalry. After the consolida- tion eight companies were sent to Camp Douglas, near Salt Lake City, while four remained at Fort Bridger. The regiment garrisoned those two stations until the 10th of March, 1866, when it was mustered out, paid ofi", and dis- banded. The men were given their choice,— to be dis- banded in Utah then, or to remain till June and then be marched to Fort Leavenworth, without horses or tents. All but about seventy made the former choice. The commuta- tion paid them in lieu of transportation, however, was not enough to carry them home, and on representation of the injustice to Congress, that body voted three hundred and twenty-five dollars to each member of the regiment, minus the amount already paid as commutation money. This FIRST AND SECOND CAVALRY. 95 gave each member about two liundred and ten dollars extra, which was duly paid them by the government. SOLDIEnS OF THE FIRST C.WAtRY FROM CLINTON COUNTY. Field and SUig. Miij. Thurlow W. I,usk, Dupliiin ; com. Oct. 25, 1804; must, out Nov. 28, ISC';. l^oH-Commiiwioned Stnjf. Q.M.-Sergt. Samuel L. Bra«, Ovid ; veteran, enl. Dec. 21 , 186T ; pro. to lat li eut . Co. G. QM.-Sergt. C. F. Carrier, Ovid ; vetei-an, enl. Dec. 21, 18G:l ; died of disease at Alexandria. Q.M.-Sergt. Edward 1>. Weed, Duplain; veteran, enl. Jan. 2, 1804; trans, to Co. H. Company C. Joseph Tucker, disch. for disability. Compiiiy D. Capt. Josiah B. Park, Ovid; com. Aug. 10, 1861 ; pro. to maj. of 4tli Mich. Cav., Aug. 14, 1802. Capt. Thurlow W. Lusk, Dnpliiin; com. Aug. 1, 1862; 2d lieut., Aug. 22, 1801; pro. to maj., Oct. 2.~>, 1804. 2d Lieut. Harry Marvin, Ovid ; com. Nov. 12, 1802; must, out at end of service, Dec. 21, 1804. Sergt. Richard G. Finch, Ovid; enl. Aug. 12, 1862; died of disease at Frederick, Md. Seigt. Mark B. Wansor, Ovid; enl. Aug. 12, 1862; pro. to 2d lieut. Corp. Henry S. Chapman, Duplain; enl. Aug. 12, 1861; disch. for disability, June, 1862. Corp. George G. Winfield, Ovid ; enl. .\ng. 12, 1861 ; killed in skirmish in Vir- ginia, .\pril 1, 1802. Corp. James W. Howd, Dujilain ; enl. Aug. 12, 1862. Corp. John If. Faxon, Duplain; enl. Aug. 12, 18G2. Blud. E. V. Chase, Dniilain; enl. Aug. 11), 1802: sergeant; veteran, ro-enl. Jan. 4, 1804; pro. to 2i\ lieul., Co. F, Oct. 2.i, 1801; pro. to let lieut., Co. F, and trans, to Co. JI ; must, out March 10, 1806. Mus. S. L. Bra«s. Ovid ; enl. Aug. 12, 1802 ; trans, to Co. B Sad. Henry L. HoUiiter, Duplain; cul. Aug. 12, 1862; veteran, re-enl. Jan. 2, 1804; must, out April 25,1860. Far. Charles Chase, Ovi.i ; enl. Aug. 12, 1802. Far. Jerome Bitely, Ovid ; enl. Aug. 12, 1802 ; must, out March 10, 1S60. Wag. Almon Bennett, Duplain ; enl. Aug. 12, 1802. Byron .\hlrich, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1801; disch. by order, June 9, 1805. James Bennett, veteran, eld. Nov. 10, 186:1; must, out Jan. 16, 1806. Albert Bradley, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1804. John Bromley, veteran, enl. Jan. 2, 1864. Oliver CrosH, disch. for disability, Dec. 5, 1862. Ehenezer Cowles, disch. for disability, January, 1862. Evan Davis, missing in action, Feb. 20, 180;J. 8. R. Dewetoe, Duplain ; disch. for disability, Feb. 13, 1803. Daniel R Dilts, disch. for disability. June, 1802. John Dills, veteran, enl. Feb. 2t, 1804; must, out by order, July 15, 1805. Morris Dilts, veteran, enl. March 3, 1804 ; must, out Auk. "ty 1800. George W. Davis, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1804; must, out March 10, ISOO. Francis M. Davis, Duplain; veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1804; must, out March 10, 1806. John Hibbard, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1864; must, out March 10, 1806. John W. Hawkins, disch. for disability, Oct. 14, 1802. George E. Hollister, disch. fur disability, Nov. 26, 1801. Jacob House, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1804; must, out May 12, 1866. George R. Jameson, Ovid ; died of disease in Virginia, April 29, 1802. Morgan L. Leach, disch. for disability, Oct. 14, 1S02, And. J. Linman, Duplain; died of disease at Washington, D. C, Nov. 9, 1801. And. J. Mead, died of disease at Washington, Dec. 23, 1862. Bernard Oberlc, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 18G4; must, out March 10, 1866. Silas S. Perry, Duplain ; veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1864; must, out Aug. 8, 1800. James F. Ross, disch. for disability, June 30, 1802. William A. Simmons, veteran, enl. Dec 21, 1803; must, out July 11, 1805. William Sweet, veteran, enl. Jan. 4, 1804; disch. by order, May 3, 1805. Willi.-im D. Scott, disch. for disability, Nov. 25, 1861. Charles Upton, must, out Dee. 7, 1805. Josiah D. Van lierger, veteran, enl Nov. 16, 1863; must, out Jan. 10, 1806. Albert Watson, disch. for disability, June .30, 1802. Allen D. Watkins, diseh. for disability, Oct. 9, 1862. Charles J. Young, disch. for disability, Nov. 26, 1861. Daniel C. Young, disch. by order, Juno d, 1865. Cbmpanii //. Edward Ilindman, must, out March 26, 1806. Charles 0. Hior, must, out June 30, 1800. SOLDIERS OF THE FIRST CAVALRY FROM SHIAWASSEE COUNTY. Oompnm/ C. Charles Bogue, veteran, enl. Blarch 3, 1804 ; must, out March 10, 1806. George L. Foster, disch. at end of service, Aug 22, 1664. William D. Jewell, veteran, enl. Dec. 21, 1863. Joseph Naracon, missing in action at Fairfield Gap, July 4, 1863. Company D. 1st Sergt. Frank Shepherd, Owoeso; enl. Aug. 12, 1861; disch. June, 1862. Corp. George P. Guilford, Owosso; enl. Aug. 12, 1861; veteran, Jan. 4, 1864; disch. for disability, July 17, 1805. Corp. Joseph O. Hathaway, Middlebury; enl. Aug. 12, 1801. Lemuel W. Bogue, died of disease at Ciiuip Rucker, Nov. 6, 1801. John Brooks, disch. for disability, Aug. 7, 1802. Bradley B. Bennett, veteran, enl. March 3, 1804; disch. by order, July 11, 1865. Henry N. Curtis, veteran, enl. Jan. 2, 1864 ; must, out March 10, 1S06. Jacob Color, veteran, eul. Jan. 2, 1864 ; must, out March 10, 1800. William Uankinson, veteran, enl. Feb. 23,1864; must, out July 10, 1865. William Hyatt, veteran, enl. Jan. 2, 1804; must, out March 10, 1800. Egbert Maton, veteran, enl. Jan. 2, 1804. Henry C. McCarty, disch. for disability, Nov. 24. 1861. Charles W. Moslier, disch. for disability, Jan. 2, 1802. Willard Ryan, disch. for disability, June 30, 1862, Samuel R Smith, disch. for disability, June 30, 1802. Aaron L. Tubbs, died of disease at Camp Rucker, Nov. 9, 1801. Ootapamj F. Gustavus Brenner, must, out March 25, 1806. * Company G. William Everest, must, out March 10, 1800. Alvah C. Liiing, disch. by order, Juno 3, 1865. William Mabeen, must, out March 10, 1860. Alexander Mabeen, must, out March 10, 1860. SECOND CAVALRT. The Second Cavalry Regiment was organized in the summer and autumn of 1861, by Hon. F. W. Kellogg, and for this reason was generally known during the period of its recruitment as •'Kellogg's First Cavalry."* It con- tained between fifty and sixty men from Clinton and Shia- wassee Counties, these being scattered through all the companies. The regimental rendezvous and camp of in- struction was located at Grand Rapids. The regiment was mustered into the United States ser- vice on the 2d of October, 1861, and on the 14th of Novem- ber following it left Grand Rapids for St. Louis, JMo., where it remained till March, 1862. It then moved to New Madrid, Mo., where it took part in the military operations again.st that place, and afterwards at Island No. 10. In May, 1862, it moved to Corinth, Miss., and was occupied throughout the summer in cavalry duty in Northern Mis- sissippi and Western Tennessee. Its colonel was then Philip H. Sheridan, now lieutenant-general, who had re- cently been detailed from duty as a captain in the regular army to receive the colonelcy lately vacated by the promo- tion of Gen. Gordon Granger. Col. Sheridan commanded the brigade consisting of the Second Michigan, Second Iowa, and Seventh Kansas Cavalry, and at its head made numerous excursions through the country around Corinth, to keep down guerrillas and learn the movements of the enemy. Early in the autumn, however, Col. Sheridan was made a brigadier-general of volunteers and transferred to the Army of the Cumberland, and about the same time the Second Cavalry was sent to Kentucky. In December, 1862, and January, 1863, it was engaged in a movement into p]ast Tennessee, the men being in the saddle twenty-two days and taking part in several sharp skirmishes. Soon after- wards it moved into Middle Tennessee, and for several * Called the Fimt because Mr. Kellogg soon after commenced the organiwtiou of other cavalrj' regiments. 96 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. months its headquarters were at or near Murfrecsboro', while it was almost constantly engaged in scoulings and raids tlirdugh that region. On the 25th of March, 1863, it had a sharp encounter with a large rebel force under Gen. N. B. Forrest, killing and wounding many and capturing fifty-two prisoners. The Second had seven men killoJ and wounded. On the 4th of June it had another brisk skirmi.sh between Frank- lin and Triune, five of its men being killed and wounded. When the army advanced from Murfrecsboro' in June, 18(j3, the Second accompanied it in the cavalry division, driving the enemy from Shclbyville, Middlctown, and other points. In the autumn it was engaged in scouting around Chattanooga, at one time being part of a force which chased Gen. Wheeler's cavalry one hundred and ninety-one miles in six days (October 3d to 8th inclusive). In November it marched into East Tennessee, and on the 24th of Decem- ber it participated in an attack on a largo force of the enemy at Dandridge, Tenn., having ten men killed and wounded. Ou the 2Gth of January, 18G4, the Second with other forces attacked a brigade of rebel cavalry on Pigeon Eiver, capturing three pieces of artillery and seventy-five prisoners, and having eleven of its own men wounded. Three hundred and twenty-eight of the men re enlisted as veterans, and in April went home on veteran furlough. The rest of the regiment accompanied Gen. Sherman in his Atlanta campaign, having several sharp skirmishes with the enemy, but ordered back from Lost Mountain to Frank- lin, Tenn., were rejoined by the veterans in July. During the summer and autumn it was busily engaged in marching through Middle Tennessee, fighting with the horsemen of Forrest and other rebel generals. On the 5th of November, 1864, the regiment was at- tacked at Shoal Creek, Ala., by a large Confederate force (a part of Hood's army, then advancing against Nashville), and was forced back with heavy loss. It steadily fell back, skirmishing almost constantly with the enemy, and at Franklin, on the 30th of November, it resisted his ad- vance all day, having eighteen oflScers and men killed and wounded. After Hood's defeat before Nashville, the Second pressed hard on his rear, and at lliehland Creek, ou the 24th of December, charged repeatedly, driving the foe sixteen miles, and having seven men killed and wounded. After Hood's final retreat from the State the regiment remained mostly in Middle Tennessee until March 11, 1865, when it set out on a long raid through Northern Alabama to Tusca- loosa, thence througli Talladega to Macon, Ga., where it arrived on the 1st day of May, 1865. After remaining in Georgia, on garrison duty, until the 17th of August, the regiment was mustered out and sent home, arriving at Jacksou on the 25th of August, where it was disbanded. SIIUWASSEE COUNir SOLDIERS IN THE SECOND CAVALRY. David Barnnm, died in action at Dandridge, Tenn., Dec. 24, 1863. Henry lladdor, muBt. out Aug. 17, 1805. Abrl Cronaon, must, out May 'M\ 18C5. Holland llait, died in action at Dandi idge, Tenn., Dec. 24, 1863. Jolm Jacltfon, must, ont S< pt, 14, 1865. James 11. Lyman, veteran, enl. Jan. 19, 1864 ; disch. by order, Jiin. 6, 18C6 . Ctniqicmy C. Dean Cutler, mutit. out Aug. 14, 1805. Jumea A. Farr, must, ont Aug. 17, 1865. Company D. John Hicks, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, April 30, 1864. Warren L. Woolman, must, out June 20, 1865. Compauy E, John Ilownian, must, out June 21, 1865. Tlioums ('(innur, must, out Aug. 17, 1865. James I.Miiy, must, out Aug. 17, 1805. Joseph Musher, disch. by order, Aug. 19, 1865. Company F. Charles Bradford, died of dise-ise at Annapolis, Md., March 21, 1866. Andrew Cull, must, out Aug. 17, 1865. George Ililnia, must, ont July 18, 1805. Alonzo Maltisou, must, ont June 21, 1865. Sidney M. Shelley, must, out Aug. 17, 1865. Company G. John Codger, trans, to U. S. navy, April, 1804. William Jacobs, liisch. for disability, Feb. •>, 1862. George Juwctt, disch. for disability, .\pril 14, 1863. Dani»>l E. Lenioiiyon, died of disease un steamer " Woodford," April 19, 1862. George L;itlin, died of disease at Little Itock, Ark., June 22, 1805. Charles Lemouyon, veteran, enl. Jan. 19, 1864 ; must, out Feb. 12, 1866. Archibald McQenry, must, out Aug. 17, 1805. Covipany H, Andrew Kinney, died of disease at Benton Barracks, Mo., Dec. 26, 1862. Ennnett Mullett, must, ont Aug. 17, 1865. Silas Newnian, must, out Ang. 17, 1865. Owen otto, must, out Aug. 17, 1S65. Ctnnpany I. Sergt. Abram Jones, Byron. James C. Graham, must, out Ang. 17, 1865. Company K, Slartiii Spencer, must, ont Aug. 17, 1865. George Shultz, must, out Ang. 17, 1865. Contpany L. Azariah Slartin, must, ont Juno 3, 1865. Lyman S. Thrasher, must, out Aug, 17, 1865. Charles Vanalstin. Company M. lliirry U. Waidwell, mnst. ont June 3, 1865. Henry Wilson, disch. by older, Ang. 2fi, 1805. CLINTON COUNTY SOLDIERS IN THE SECOND CAVALRY. Company A, Johnson L. SutliflT, tiBns. to Vet. Res. Corps, Feb. 11, 1865. Company C. Henry P. Adams, St. John's; veteran, enl. Jan. 5, 1804; must, out Aug. 17, 1805. Wm. H. Buck, must, out Aug. 30, 1865. Christian llizer, died of disease at Nashville, Jnly 13, 1864. Almon Kelly, must, out Aug. 17, 1866. Robt. G. Mason, disch. at end of service, Oct. 22, 1864. Leroy B. Stowell, disch. for disal>ility, Sept. 20, 1862. Benj. F. Tilll, must, out July 20, 1865. Company D. Mus. Jas. A. Stevenson, veteran, enl. Jan. 5, 1864 ; must, oat Aug. 17, 1865. Levi S. Blakely, died of disease at Savannah, Tenn., Jnne 26, 1862. Cmnpany B. Saml. II. Barton, must, ont Ang. 17, 1865. Jacob Blakely, must, out June 30, ISfi.'i. John D. Moon, died of disease at Rienzi, Miss., Aug. 1, 1862. Company F. Jeremiah Blackman, must, ont Aug. 17, 1865. Company I. Jeremiah Mahoney, mnst. oat Jnne 30, 1865. Company M. Sergt. Henry II. Walker, pro. to 1st lieut. and q.-m. Charles M. Duke, discU. for disability, Juue 15, 1803. THIRD CAVALRY. 97 CHAPTER XV. THIRD CAVALRY. Rendezvous of the Third at Grand Rapid.^ — Winter Quarters in Missouri — Campaigns of 1862 — Marching and Fighting in Missis- sippi and Tennessee in 186.*J — Re-enlistmcnt — Campaign in Ar- kansas — At Mobile — Services in Texas till the Close of the War. The Third Cavalry Regiment of Micliigan was recruited and organized in the summer and fall of 1861, and was mus- tered into the United States service at its rendezvous, Grand Rapids, on the 1st of November of that year. Its total strength was eleven hundred and sixty-three oflficers and enlisted men, under command of Lieut.-Col. R. H. Gr. Minty. One of the companies of this regiment (Company B) was made up of Clinton and Shiawassee men, and a considerable number of soldiers from these counties served in eight of the other companies. The regiment left its rendezvous Nov. 28, 1861, and pro- ceeded to Benton Barracks, JIo., where Col. John K. Miz- ner soon after assumed command. It remained at St. Louis until early in the spring of 1862, when it joined Gen. John Pope's "Army of the Mississippi," and actively participated in the operations which resulted in the capture of the rebel strongholds Island No. 10 and New Madrid. With Gen. Pope's army it then proceeded by way of tiie Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee Rivers, to Pittsburg Landing, where it arrived soon after the battle of Shiloh, and took an active part in the advance of Gen. Halleck's army upon Corinth, Miss. Immediately after the evacuation of Corinth by Beauregard, the Third was ordered to Booneville, Miss., to ascertain the position and strength of the enemy. While in the performance of this duty a small detachment of the regiment was sent out in advance, under one of the captains. It ran upon a rebel force of all arms, drove them from their position, halted, and bivouacked for the night. The fol- lowing morning, while eating breakfast, a Union scout dis- covered tlie enemy in the vicinity. The men left their breakfast half eaten, mounted, and hurried forward. They soon found a small body of rebel cavalry, wlio fled before them. The Union horsemen advanced at a rapid pace, and soon came upon an entire regiment of rebel cavalry drawn up to dispute their further progress. There was no time for consideration. If the little command hud then retreated, it would have been attacked and crushed by the elated Confederates. The commanding officer knew it was essential for cavalry to get the advantage of its own mo- mentum in a combat, and accordingly sliouted the order to charge. The detachment dashed forward at the top of it.s speed, burst through the Confederate lines, and thenturned and charged back. The enemy were so demoralized by these movements that no attempt was made to follow. How many of the foe were killed and wounded was not known, but it was certain that at least eleven were dismounted, for that number of their horses accompanied the Union force on its returning charge. After retreating a short distance, the commander halted and scut a dispatch to camp. About ibur o'clock in the afternoon he was relieved by the Second Michigan Cavalry, under the command of Col. Philip H. Sheridan. The latter drove back the enemy four or five miles, and then rejoined the main army. 13 The regiment was actively engaged in the usual cavalry duty of picketing and scouting throughout the whole sea- son. Through the month of August it was at Tuscumbia and Russellville, Ala. On the approach of Price's rebel cavalry it returned to the vicinity of Corinth. At luka. Miss., on the 19th of September, 1862, while in command of Capt. L. G. Wilcox, — Col. Mizner being chief of cav- alry, — the regiment was actively engaged, and was specially mentioned in Gen. Rosecrans' report of that battle. When Price and his defeated rebel army retired from the field the Third hung on his flanks and rear for many miles, be- coming several times hotly engaged, and causing him re- peatedly to form line of battle to check the Union advance. At the close of the year ending Nov. 1, 1862, the regi- ment had lost one hundred and four men who died of dis- ease, seven killed in action, forty-five wounded in action, and fifty-nine taken prisoners. Its battles and skirmishes to that date were New Madrid, Mo., March 13, 18C2 ; siege of Island No. 10, Mo., March 14th to April 7th ; Farm- ington, Miss , Jlay 5th ; siege of Corinth, Miss., May 10th to 31st ; Spangler's Mills, Miss., July 26th ; Bay Springs, MLss., September 10th ; luka. Miss., September 19th ; Corinth, Miss., October 3d and 4th; and Hatchio, Miss., October 6th. It advanced with Gen. Grant's army into Mississippi in November and December, 1862, and engaged the enemy at Holly Springs, November 7th ; at Hudson- ville, November 14th, where it captured an entire rebel company ; at Lumkin's Mill, November 29th ; and at Ox- ford, December 2d ; and shared in the defeat of the Union cavalry at CoflFceville, December 5th. The Tliird passed the winter in Northern Mississippi, and in 1863 was again employed in that State and West- ern Tennessee in almost continuous marching, fighting, and raiding, in the arduous service of driving out the numer- ous bands of guerrillas which infested Western Tennessee and Northern Mississippi, and repelling the incursions of Confederate forces from other f|uarters, its camp being most of the time at Corinth, MLss. It fought at Clifton on the 20th of February; at Panola, Miss., on the 20th of July; at Byhalia, Miss., on the 12th of October; at Wyatt's Ford, Miss., on the 13th of October. At Gre- nada, Miss., also, on the 14th of August, the Third led the Union advance, and, after a vigorous fight, drove back the enemy, captured the town, and destroyed more than sixty locomotives and four hundred cars, gathered there by the Confederate authorities. By the 1st of No- vember in that year it had taken an additional number of prLsoiiers, sufficient to make the whole number captured by it since its commencement of service two thousand one hundred, of whom about fifty were officers. " During the year (from Jan. 1 to Nov. 1, 1863} the regiment marched a distance of ten thousand eight hundred miles, exclusive of marches by separate companies and detachments." Ac- companying the Third in its movements was a light bat- tery of twelve-pound howitzers. On the 1st of January, 1864, the regiment arrived at La Grange, Tenn., where it prepared winter quarters, and where, during January, nearly six hundred of its mem- bers re-enlisted as veterans, and received the usual furlough, — to rendezvous at Kalamazoo. From that place they 98 IlISTOUY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. moved, with tlicir numbers liirgoly augmented by recruits, to St. Louis, wlierc tliey rciiiaiiied about two months on provost duty in tiio tily, wliilo iiwiiiliri;^' tlio arrival of new liorses and (■(|ui|imonls. Still di.-ui(Juntod, tiic ref^imeiit moved May 18tii, and ])roceeded to Arkansas, there joining the army oi" Gen. Steele. It was mounted and armed with the Speneer repeating- earbine on tlio 1st of August, and from lliat lime until winter, was enf;a^ed in scouting and outpost duty in that State. Its winter quarters were at Brownsville Station, on the Memphis and Little Hock Hail- road. At this [ilaee the men built suili line appearing quarters and stables, that it was called JMichigari City, in- stead of Brownsville. The regiment was transferred (March 14, 1805) from Arkansas to the Military Division of West Mississippi, under Gen. Canby, to move with the forces designed to operate against Mobile. In this service — as a part of the First Brigade, First Division, Seventh Army Corps — it moved to New Orleans, and thence to its objective point. Mobile. Alter the fall of that city the regiment was em- ployed on outpost duty till after the surrender of Lee and Johnston, and was then detailed as the escort of Gen. Canby, on the occasion of his receiving the surrender of the Confederate Gen. Taylor and his army. It moved across the country from Mobile to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, arriving there May 22, 1805. On Sheridan's assuming command of the Division of the Southwest, the Third was ordered to join lroo])s designed for Texas, and left Baton BougeJurie 10th, moving by way of Shreveport, and across Texas to San Antonio, where it remained, employed in gar- rison duty, scouting expeditions lor the protection of the frontier, and other similar duty till Feb. 15, 180t!, when it was dismounted and mustered out of service. The men returned, via Victoria, Indianola, New Orleans, and Cairo, Illinois, to Jackson, IMiehigaii, and there received their final j)ayment, March 15, 18CG. MEMUKllS or TllK TlUltn CAVALllV I'llOM CMNTON COUNTY. Conipuny It. l8t I.ii'iit. Williiuii T. Miif^uiVin, St. Juliiru; com. Si-pt. 7, ISGl ; resigned Miurh ■1,SI.Juliji'ii; com. Oct. :i, 1«M, iia 2J liiut. ; pro. to capl. Co. II, Dec. 7, 1S04. y.M.-Scrgt. KmsiiiUB I). Tl ipp, St. Jolin'H; lilHcli. for dinuliililj', Jul}- 'H, 1802. tj.M.-Surgt llorucc S. CJrcuii, St. JoIiii'h; tllecl of (libcuso ut St. Luuiu, Miircli 3, l«li2. li.M.-Scrgl. KiioB li. liuilcy, SI. Jolin'» ; dlr.cli. for pro. iij lltli Cuv., Oct. 1, 1863. Corp, 1). T. Wellington, St. Jolin's; enl. Oct. 14, ISUl ; veteran, Jiin. IS), 18G4-, pro. to 2(1 Hunt. Corp. Jucob P. Sleight, Until ; dl.ch. for pro. in U. S. C. T. Corji, Hlriini Slelt.v, St. John's ; onl. Oct, lit, ISlil ; nmst. onl Feb. 12, 18G0. Corp. riiineuH It. Freenmii, St. Juhii'ii; onl. Aug. 31, 1801; dittcli. for disability, Feb, 7, 1803. Mualciiiii Jume« Gunner, St. John't); eiil. Sept. 4, 1861; trans, from N. C. S. (Horgt.); disdi. lor dlHiibllity, Jan. 2, 1803. Aluaiclan Charlea H. Faton, St. Julin'u; onl. Sept. 17, 1801; veteran, Jan. 19, 1804; Corp.; muNt. out Feb. 12, 1SC6. Amos T. Ayers, dlsdi. for diiuibility, Jan. 27, 1862. Henry Alward, nniHt. out Feb. 12, 1800. Theo. Anhloy, must, out Feb. 12, 1800. Joliu llfdion, niUHt. utit Feb. 12, 1800. Lysler K. Uond, liiust. out Feb. 12, 1800. John A. Drown, nin»t. out Feb. 12, 1800. tiulru-M Hrown, disch. for dipahility, Feb. 0, 1802. Samuel llrubuUer, diacb. for dituibility, July lU, 1802. Abiiiiii llinbuker, veleian, enl. Jan. HI, 1804; must, out Oct. 9, 1806. William 11. iJiiUer, dibcli. for disiibilily, Feb. f,, 1805. Knos Uacbeiiler, die. Robert Lawrence, must, out Feb. 12, 1860. George C. McCoy, dieil of iliseaio at St. Loula, Mo., Jan. 28, 1862. Tver Roberts, diid in action at Coffeeville, Miss., Dec. 5, 1862. Cliarles I'. Tillson, discli. at end of service, Oet. 8, 1804. Hiram T. Youngs, veteran, enl. Jan. 19, 180t; niuHt. out Fob. 12, 1800. Compaiiij D, William M. Case, veteran, enl. Jan. 19, 1804 ; mu^t. out June 2, 186.5. 2d Lieut. J. II. Lyman, Shiawassee; com. July 4, 1805; mint, out Feb. 12,1806. Frank Payne, must, out Feb. 12, 1806. Company F. Orange Storey, veteran, enl. Jan. 19, 1864; mast, out Nov. 28, 1863. Oompanjl G. Silas II. AUiton, veteran, enl. Jan. 19, 1864; must, out Feb. 12, 1866. J. G. Uentley, disch. for disability, Dec. 7, 1802. David K. Carrier, veteran, enl. Jan. 19, 1804; must, out Feb. 12, 1806. Harrison H. Carson, veteran, enl. Jan. 19, 1804; must, out Feb. 12, 1866. Silas W. Currier, veteran, enl. .Ian. 19, 1804 ; must, out Juno 2, 1805. Peter Diimond, disch. for disability, July 21, 1862. Frederick Delano, disch. at end of service, Aug. 13, 180.5. Oliver C. Gaylard, died of disease at St. Louis, Mo., May 11, 1862. John J. Gumee.disch. for disabilily, July 1, 1802. George \V. Hatiford, disch. for disability, June 11, 1802. Harvey J. Hopkins, veteran, enl. Jan. 19, 1804; must, out Nov. 3, 1805. Joseph B. Miller, died of disease at New JLadrid, Bio. ' Austin Miller, died of disease at St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 7, 1862. Ellis Olt, must, out Aug. 17, 1805. Kussell Bynes", veteran, enl. Jan. 19, 1804; mu.st. out June 22, 1805. Thomas J. Sme^lley, veteran, enl. Jan. 19, IHOI; must, out Feb. 12, 1806. Valentine Shaeppala, veteran, enl. J.in. 19, 1804; must, out Feb. 12, 1800. Seymour Sliiptuau, disch. for promotion, 1802. Koswell Sliipinau, died of disease at St. Loui-f, Mo., Jan. 2.5, 1862. Asa D. Whitney, veteran, enl. Jan. 10, 1804 ; must, out Feb. 12, 1860. Company If. Adolphus Campbell, must, out Sept. 21, 1SC5. Omtpany I. Charles Campbell, must, out Feb. 12, 1800. John E. Herrick, died at La Grange, June 20, 1803. CHAPTER XVI. FOURTH CAVALRY. Orgaoizattoo of tbe Regiment — Movement to the Front — Operations against Guerrillas in Kentucky — Fight at Franklin, Tenn. — Ad- vance with the Army of the Cumberland in 1S6.1 — The Georgia Campaign of 1.S64 — Fight at Lattimore's Mill — I'ur.«uit of Gen. Hood — Raid through Alabama in the Spring of 18Ci — Capture of Jefferson Davis by the Fourth Cavalry. The renowned Fourth Resiment of Michigan Cavalry was recruited and organized in the summer of 1862, the city of Detroit being its place of rendezvous. Clinton and Shiawassee Counties were represented in eleven of its twelve companies, but most numerously in Company B, which was principally composed of men from these counties. The regiment was mustered into the service of the United States on the 29th of August, 1862, with eleven hundred and eighty-six enlisted men, and the usual complement of offi- cers. The commanding officer of the regiment was Col. Robert H. G. Minty, previously lieutenant-colonel of the Third Cavalry. The regiment left Detroit for the seat of war, in Ken- tucky, on the 26th of September ; being hurried forward without preliminary drill, on account of Gen. Huiill's retro- grade movement towards the Ohio River, and the Coul'cd- erate Gen. Bragg's advance northward, with the supposed intention of crossing that stream. The Fourth proceeded from Detroit to Jeffcrsonville, Ind., whore it received arms, and made other preparations for crossing the Ohio into Kentucky. In the mean time, Bragg had abandoned his plan (if he ever entertained one) of invading Ohio, and had turned the head of his column southward, pursued in turn by Buell. The regiment crossed the Ohio on the 10th of October, and pressed on with all speed to join the army of Buell, leaving tents and baggage behind. It was soon en- gaged in the pursuit of the guerrilla, John H. Morgan, and overtaking him at Stanford, Ky., led the column which at- tacked his forces at that place, October 14th, defeating and pursuing them to Crab Orchard Springs. It also led in the attack on Lebanon, Ky., November 9th; five hundred and forty-three of its men pushing in Morgan's pickets at a gallop, entering the town two miles in advance of the in- fantry, and driving out the guerrilla leader and his force of seven hundred and sixty men. Arriving at Nashville, Tenn., it made a .short stay at that city, and on the 13th of December marched to Frank- lin, Tenn., attacked and drove out a rebel force thirteen hundred strong, capturing their colors and a considerable number of prisoners. On the 26th of December it moved with the Army of the Cumberland in its advance on Murfreesboro', fighting the cavalry of the enemy at La- vergne, and taking part in the great battle of Stone River, December 31st, when it charged the enemy three times, each time driving a brigade of Confederate cavalry from the field. The Fourth was the first regiment to enter Murfrees- boro', in the morning of Jan. 3, 1863; and from the 9th to the 19th of that month it took part in an important cavalry expedition, which drove Forrest's, Wheeler's, and Whar- ton's cavalry beyond the Harpeth River. During the month of February the regiment was constantly on the move, and captured one hundred and forty-five prisoners, including two colonels and a number of commissioned offi- cers of other grades. On the 22d of May following, this regiment with two companies of United States cavalry charged into the camp of the Eighth Confederate, First Alabama, and Second Georgia Cavalry, and after a sharp engagement routed them, taking fifty-five prisoners and destroying their camp. The colors of the Alabama regiment were also captured by the Fourth Michigan, and are now in the office of the Adjutant- General of the State. Again, at Shelbyville, Tenn., June 27, 1863, the Fourth, as a part of the brigade of Col. Minty, assaulted an in- trenched position held by a superior force of the enemy's cavalry, and how the regiment did its work on that occa- sion is told in the official report of Col. Minty, as follows: " At Shelbyville I found my.self, with a force of fifteen hundred men, in front of formidable brea.stworks, with an abatis of over one-fourth of a mile in width in front of them, behind which Gens. Wheeler and Martin had an opposing force of four thousand men and three pieces of artillery. I detached the Fourth Michigan, in command of Miij. Mix, well to the right, with orders to force their way througii the abatis and a.s.sault the works, and if suc- cessful to turn to the left and sweep up the intrenchments, 100 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. promising that so soon as I heard their rifles speaking I would make the direct assault on the Murfieesboro' and Slielbjville pike. They did their work so well that as I entered the works on the main road they joined me from the right, having carried the works and taken prisoners from six different regiments. The fruits of that day's work were the whole of the enemy's artillery and six hun- dred prisoners, while over two liundred dead bodies were afterwards taken out of Duck lliver, into which I had driven Wheeler and his entire command." The fight at Shclbyville was delivered during the move- ment of the Army of the Cumberland irom Murfrecsboro' to the Tennessee River. Through all that movement the Fourth Cavalry was nearly always in the advance, and was repeatedly engaged with the enemy. In these fights and skirmishes it was always successful until it reached the vicinity of Chattanooga, where it was several times re- pulsed. On the ISth of September — the day before the opening of the great battle of Chickamauga — it took part in a severe fight with a greatly superior force of the enemy's cavalry near Lee and Gordon's Mills, Ga., in which the Union cavalry was compelled to retreat, but so stubborn was the fighting on that occasion that the brigade commander, Col. Minty, said in his report that "with less than one thousand men the old First Brigade disputed the advance of seven thousand from seven o'clock in the morning until five o'clock in the evening, and during that time fell back only five miles." The next day, September 19th, the regiment fired the first shots in the disastrous battle of Chickamauga, and subsequently protected the left and rear of Rosecrans' army and the trains moving to Chattanooga. On the 20th, while assisting to hold the enemy in check until the shattered Union forces could retire from the field, Minty's brigade attacked and defeated Scott's rebel brigade of cavalry and mounted infantry, driving it back across the creek. The regiment bivouacked on the ground it had held, but the next day was comptilled to share in the general retreat. On the 30th of September it was driven by Wheeler's rebel cavalry near Cotton's Ferry, on the Tennessee ; but from the 1st to the 3d of October the tables were turned, and the Fourth had the pleasure of following its late pur- suers with ardor and success. By the 1st of November, 1863, the service of the regiment had been so severe that only three hundred of the men were mounted. This bat- talion was actively engaged on picket and scout duty in Southeastern Tennessee and Northern Georgia and Ala- bama throughout the winter ; the number of mounted men being reduced by the latter part of March, 1864, to one hundred and twenty-eight. Meanwhile, the dismounted men had been employed in various duties in the same lo- cality, and also in Middle Tennessee. The regiment, except the one hundred and twenty-eight mounted men, set out for Nashville on the 28th of March, 1864, where the men received new horses and equipments, and were armed with Spencer carbines. On the 14th of April, under the command of Blaj. F. W. Mix, the regi- ment joined the Second Cavalry Division at Columbia, Tenn. Thence it advanced with eight hundred and .seventy- eight men into Georgia, where the cavalry began its arduous and dangerous service in co-operation with Gen. Sherman's army, which was then advancing on Atlanta. In this campaign its hardest conflict was at Lattiniore's Mill, on Noonday Creek, where it took part in one of the most bril- liant achievements of the war. A small detachment of the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry had crossed the creek, and, becoming hotly engaged with a superior force of the enemy, Capt. Pritehard, with two battalions of the Fourth Michi- gan, was ordered across to its support. This force had scarcely reached the position assigned it when a whole rebel division, eight times their own number, swept down upon the Penn- sylvania and Michigan men, with the evident purpose of driving them back across the creek. They did not, how- ever, propose to go immediately, so, dismounting and avail- ing themselves of the protection afforded by the inequali- ties of the ground, they met their assailants with terrific and continuous volleys from their Spencer carbines. Again and again did the rebels bear down upon them, making desper- ate efforts to destroy the little force of Unionists, but being as often repulsed. At length, after holding their ground against the repeated assaults of the enemy for more than two hours, they retired slowly and in good order at the command of Col. Minty. The following extract from a letter published in the 3Iemph{s Appeal, at Atlanta, Ga.,* June 25, 1864, gives the rebel version of this fight, and shows very plainly the gallantry of Minty's brigade and the immense preponder- ance of the rebel force : " On the 20th instant two divisions, Kelly's and Martin's, and one brigade, Williams', of our cavalry, went round to the left flank and rear of Sherman's army, — it was said to capture a brigade of Yankee cavalry situated at McAfee's. We succeeded in getting to the right place, where the enemy, Minty's brigade, was vigorously attacked by Williams' and a portion of Anderson's brigade. Alter a sharp conflict the enemy were driven from the field, Hannon's brigade having come up and attacked them on the flank. The Yankees fought desperately and fell back slowly, with what loss we are unable to ascertain, as they carried off their wounded and most of their dead. To one who was an eye-witness, but not an adept in the 'art of war,' it seemed very strange that the whole Yankee force was not sur- rounded and captured. Dibrell's brigade was drawn up a few hundred yards from and in full view of the battle- ground, with Martin's whole division immediately in the rear. This is one of the best fighting brigades the Yan- kees have, and to have captured or routed it would have added a bright feather to the plume of the successful hero accomplishing the feat. After he (Minty) had been driven from his first position, Martin's whole division was brought up, and lost several men of Allen's brigade. Brig.- Gen. Allen had his horse shot. The Eighth Confederate and Fifth Georgia, of Anderson's brigade, lost several killed and wounded. Williams' Kentucky brigade also lost sev- eral good soldiers." Col. Minty, in his report, after quoting this statement, added : ■*" The Mcmpln's Appeal was published at half a dozen difterent places, to which it was successively driven by the victorious Unionists. FOURTH CAVALRY. 101 "According to the above, there was the following rebel force in the field : Kelly's and Martin's divisions, consisting of the brigades of Anderson, six regiments-; Hannon's, five regiments ; Allen's, five regiments ; and Johnson's, five regiments; and the independent brigades of Williams ancf Dibreli, composed of five regiments each ; say in all, thirty- one regiments, of which the Fifth Georgia numbered over eight hundred. The entire force I had engaged was, of the Seventh Penn.sylvania one hundred and seventy men, and of the Fourth Michigan two hundred and eighty-three; in ail, four hundred and fifty-three. These few men held their ground against the repeated assaults of the enemy for over two hours, and when I ordered them to fall back, they re- tired slowly, in good order. I beg to call the attention of the general commanding to the heavy loss sustained by this small force. In a loss of over twelve per cent., the very small proportion reported missing shows how steadily and stubbornly they fought." In a note appended to this report Col. Minty said : " My loss in this engagement was two oflicers and sixty- five men. The Marietta (Ga.) papers acknowledge a loss of ninety-four killed and three hundred and fifty-one wounded. Two battalions of the Fourth Michigan repulsed three sabre charges made by the Eighth Confederate and Fifth Georgia, numbering over one thousand men, and one battalion led by Capt. Hathaway repulsed a charge made by Williams' Kentucky brigade by a counter-charge." Of the two hundred and eighty-three ofiicers and men of the Fourth engaged at Lattimore's Mill, thirty-seven were killed and wounded, and three were reported missing. After the capture of Atlanta, the mounted men of the regiment followed Hood's army northward nearly to the Tennessee River, harassing his rear and taking many prison- ers. By this time only about one hundred of their horses remained fit for service. These were turned over to another command, and the Fourth, dismounted, concentrated at Nashville in October. It was remounted at Louisville, Ky., and by the last of January, 1865, was back in Ala- bama, on duty near Gravelly Springs, where it remained till the 12th of March, when it joined with other regiments (all under command of Gen. W^ilson) in a long raid through Alabama, swimming rivers, building corduroy roads, fighting the rebel cavalry Gen. Forrest, and finally capturing the city of Selma, Ala., which was defended by at least seven thousand of Forrest's men, behind very strong fortifications. At one point fifteen hundred dismounted cavalrymen, of which those of the Fourth formed a part, charged strong intrenchments, and captured them in twenty minutes, hav- ing had three hundred and twenty-four men killed and wounded. This was on the 2d of April. On the 20th, alter numerous adventures, the command reached Macon, Ga., where the news of the surrender of Lee was the signal to cease fighting. The Fourth Regiment had won an enviable reputation for gallantry and steadfastness on the field of battle, but it was destined to gain still another title to renown by the cap- ture of Jefierson Davis, the '■ President" of the now dead Confederacy, — the figure-head of the " Lost Cause." While the regiment lay at Macon, Ga., it became known that the arch-rebel and his suite were fleeing through Central Georgia in the hope of escaping from the country ; and on the 7th of May the Fourth Michigan, four hundred and forty strong, under Licut.-Col. Pritchard, left Macon for the purpose of capturing the rebel chief and his party. Having struck the trail of the fugitives at Abbeville on the 9th of May, Col. Pritchard selected one hundred and fifty-three of his best-mounted oflicers and men, and moved rapidly by a circuitous route to intercept them. At Irwinsville, at one o'clock in the morning of the 10th of May, the colonel learned that a train, which probably belonged to Davis, was encamped a mile and a half distant. Moving out into the vicinity of the camp, he sent Lieut. Purinton, with twenty- five men, to wait on the other side of it. At daybreak Col. Pritchard and his men advanced silently, and without being observed, to within a few rods of the camp, then dashed forward and secured the whole camp before the astonished inmates could grasp their weapons, or even fairly arouse themselves from their slumbers. A chain of mounted guards was immediately placed around the camp, and dis- mounted sentries were stationed at the tents and wagons. The result was, that this detachment of the Fourth Michi- gan Cavalry captured Davis, dressed partially in female attire, and that Col. Pritchard, with twenty-five oSicers and men of the regiment detailed as a special escort, took their prisoner to Washington, whence he was transferred to the casemates of Fortress Monroe. Soon after this event the regiment marched to Nashville, Tenn., where it was mustered out of the service on the 1st of July, and nine days afterwards it was disbanded at De- troit. Ninety-four battles and skirmishes are inscribed on the record of the Fourth Cavalry of Michigan, and every one in the bright list is an addition to its fame. CLINTON COUNTY SOLDIERS IN THE FOURTH CAVALRT. Field and Staff. Licut.-Col. Josiah B. Park, Ovid ; com. Feb. 18, 1SG3 ; maj. Aug. U, 1862; re- sigued Nov, :iG, 1S64. Contjtany A. 2d Lieut. Hiram D. Treat, St. John's; com. Nov. 24, 1864; sergt. ; must, out Jul.v 1, 1863. Luther W, Holmes, trans, to Vet. Re.^, Corps, Geo. W, Niles, discli, for disability, Compttnij B. 1st Lieut, Julius M, Carter, Ovid; com, Dec, 24, 1862; '2d lieut, Aug. 13, 1862 ; wounded in action at King.ston. Ga,, May 18, 1804; pro, citpt, Co, M ; brevet nia.j. U, S, Vols,, March IJ, 1865, for gallant and meritorious ser- vices in action at Kingston, Ga. ; disch, for disability. May 17, 1865, Sergt, Ileury A, Potter, Ovid ; enl, July '28, 1862; pro. 2d lieut. Co. E, Feb. 16, 180:i. Sergt, John N. Gilbert, Ovid; enl, July 28, 1862; disch, for disability, Aug, 9, 180.!, Sergt. Edward Watson, Duplain ; enl, July 19, 1862 ; died of disease at Bow- ling Green, Ky,, Nov, 10, 1802, Sergt, Conrad Wrcsler, Duplaiu; enl, July 28, 1862; died of disease at Mur- freesLoro', Tejin,, March '23, 1863. Sergt. Lorenzo J. Southivorth, Ovid; onl. July 28, 1862; pro. 2d lieut, Co, H, Dec, 10, 1864. Corp. Jos. M, Harrison, Bingham; enl, July 28, 1802; died of disease at Nash- ville, Tenn,, Dec. 26. 1802. Corp. Theo. H. Gleason, Duplain ; enl. July 18, 1862 ; died of disease at Stan- ford, Ky., Oct. 28, 1802. Corp. W'm. W. Hammond, Ovid ; enl. July 28, 1862; died of disease at Louis- ville, Ky,, Nov, 20, 1863. Franklin Aldiich, disch. for disability, March 23, 1S63. John Adams, mu^t. out Ju'y 1, 180.5. \Vm. Biivi, died of disease at Nashviile, Tenn. Nelson II. Beelie, Duplain ; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, July 1, 1863. Geo. II. Bennett, must, out July 1, lfr65. John W. Bradner, must, out July 1, 1865. Wm. \V. Crow, must, out July I, 1865. Lewis T. Coon, died of disease at Mui'lreesboro', Tenu., Blarch 2, 1863. 102 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSKE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. R. F. Dayne, died of disease at Stanford, Ky. Wm. U. Eggleston, must, out July 1, 1805. Levi Fishlft'ck, disch. hy order, Juno 9, 18(i5. Andrew K. Feniun, disch. for disability, Nov. 5, 1803. Tlios. II. Goodrich, nuHt.uut July 1, 18(55. Philip H:ill, hville, Tenn. Charles H. Smith, died of disejise at Nashville, Tenn. Norman Smith, died of dis-'ase at Murfreesboro', Tenn., April 3, 18G3. Samuel K. Simpson, must, out July 1, 1865. Jos. E. Seaver, Duplain ; must, out July 1, 1805. John F. Sherbnrn, must, out July 1, I8C5. Chas. A. Starkweather, must, out July 1, 1805. Lewis H. Wilcox, must, out July 1, 16G5. William H. Wood, must, out July 1, 1865. Company D. John S. llaivey, must, out Aug. 15, 1865. Company E. 2d Lieut. Ileni-y A. Potter, Ovid; com. Feb. 10, 1863; pro. 1st lleut. Co. H.March 31, 18G3. Company JI. Capt. H. A. Potter, Ovid; com. Aug. 1, 1SG4 ; Ist lieut. March 31, 18G3 ; must. out July 1, ISGo. 2d Lieut. L. T. Southworth, Ovid ; com. Dec. 10, 1864 ; must, out July 1, 1865. Compmiy M. Cipt. J. M. Carter, Ovid; com. July 9, 1864; Ist lieut.; disch. for disability, May 17, 1865. SHIAWASSEE COUNTY SOLDIERS IN THE FOURTH CAVALRY. Company A. Timothy Hill, must, out Aug. 15, 1865. Edward Ilyno, must, out Aug. 15, 1865. Company B. Ut Lieut. Chauncey F. Shepherd, Owosso; com. Aug. 13,1SG2; res. Dec. 24. '62. Willinm Armidon, must, out July 1, 18G5. Erastus W. Blair, must, out July 1, 18G5. B;ixter li. Bennett, must, out July 1, 18G5. Abel A. Bradley, must, out July 1, 1865. Albert Babcock, must, out July 1, 1S65. Albert R. Bradley, must, out July 1, 186.5. Daniel F. Blair, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, April 10, 1S64. Henry J. Bearce, disch. for disability, Nov. 18, 18G2. George A. Chase, must, out July 1, 18G5. Charles Dean, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., March 10, 1863. Cyrus Dean, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Sept. 1, 1863. Benjamin Dutcher, disch. by order, July 25, 1865. Weltoi) D. Fox, disch. for disability, May U, 1863. C. S. Fox, died of disease at Mumfurdsville, Ky. L. W. Harrington, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn, Ira Johnson, disch. for disability, March 5, 1863. George Jacobs, must, out July 1, 1866. Charles F. Parker, must, out July 1, 1865. Jacob I. Powell, must, out July 1, 1865. William P. Stedman, must, out July 1, 18G5. Theodore Sanford, disch. for disability, July 30, 18G4. John D. Smith, disch. for disability, March 5, 1863. Darias Watkins, disch. for disability, July 14, 1862. Williiini Weswell, disch. for disability, Jan. 6, 1863. Company C. Ebenezor Brewer, must, out Sept. 2, 1805. Thomas Brewer, disch. by order, June 2G, 1865. Thaddeus M. Carr, disch. for disability, April 14, 1863. Edwin L. Howe, disch. for disability, March 19, 1?63. Patrick Sweeney, disch. for disability, Aug. IG, 186.1. H. H. Stewart, disch. for disability, April 14, 1863. Emery T. Warle, must, out Aug. 15, 1865. Company E. ■ l8t Lieut. Joshua W. Mann, Owosso ; com. Aug. 13, 1862 ; pro. capt. Co. M March 31, 1803. Homer A. Bristol, died of disease at Louisville, Ky., April 15, 1863. Edgar P. Byerly, disch. by order. Dec. 22, 1863. George A. BuUard, must, out July 1, 1865. Sihis Bnllard, must, out July 1, 1865. Dewitt C. Carr, must, out July 1, 1865. Stephen G. Fuller, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 15, 1802. David B. Green, must, out July 1, 1865. L. R. McUmber, died of diseiise at Nashville, Tenn., July 14, 1803. John Nelson, disch. by order, June 14, 18G5. Georgo M. Rose, disch. by order, July 24, 1865. Anson L. Simons, disch. for disability, Jan. 19, 1863. Thomas L. Spafford, died of disease at Bardstown, Ky., Oct. 10, 1802. John G. Stovetis, must, out July 1, 1863. William C. SlifT, must, out July 1, 1863. George A. Underbill, must, out July 1, 1803. Company F. Gilbert M. Hemingway, must, out Aug. 15, 1805. James St. John, must, out Aug. 15, 1805. Company H. Albert Spinks, must, out July 1, 1805. Company I. William S. Howard, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, April 30. 1864. George W. Titus, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Jan. 10, 1SG4. Company K. George Sumner, disch. by order, Aug. 2, 1805. George W. Willets, died of disease at Gallatin, Tenn., Jan. 24, 1865. Company L. Stillman W. Green, must, out Aug. 15, 1805. Company M. Capt. J. W. Mann, Owo'sso; com. March 31, 1S63; res. Aug. 1,1864. Jacob Spotta, Owosso, must, out Aug. 15, 1865. CHAPTER XVII. FIFTH CAVALRY. Rendezvous at Detroit — Winter Quarters near Wnshington — Cam- paign of Gettysburg, and in Virginia in ISfiS — Winter Quarters at Stevensburg — Campaigns of 1864 and Spring of lS6o — Service in North Carolina — Transfer to Fort Leavenworth and the Plains — Muster Out and Disbnndmcnt. Early in 1862 authority was given by the War De- partment to Joseph T. Copehind (then lieutenant-colonel of the First Cavalry), William D. Mann, and Richard Baylis to raise a regiment of cavalry in Michigan ; and in August of the same year this authority was confirmed by the Gov- ernor of the State. Upon receiving tlie Governor's sanc- tion, Col. Copeland established his rendezvous at Detroit, and in the exceedingly short period of two weeks from that time the ranks were filled sufficiently for muster. While being recruited and organized, and until it received its des- ignating number, the regiment was known as " Copeland's Mounted Rifles." The counties of Clinton and Shiawassee were represen- ted by men in nine companies of this regiment, but most numerously in Company G, of which the original com- missioned officers were Capt. William T. Magoffin, of St. John's, First Lieut. George W. Townsend, of Green- bush, and Second Lieut. John Gunderman, of Essex ; while its ranks were principally filled by volunteers from Clinton County. One of the original field-officers of the regiment — Maj. Ebenezer Gould — was of Owosso, Shia- wassee Co., and he was afterwards promoted through the intermediate grade to that of colonel. The adjutant of the Filth was Richard Baylis, of Ovid, Clinton Co. He had previously (immediately after the close of the Mexican war) been a non-coiumissioned officer in a cavalry company in the United States regulars, and with that command had FIFTH CAVALRY. 103 seen three years of Indian service in Texas and New Mexico, having been twice wounded, and discharged from the service on that account. The officers and men of " Copeland's Mounted Rifles" were mustered into tlie United States service on the 30th of August, 18G2, as tiie Fifth Cavah-y Regiment of Mich- igan, under command of Col. Copeland. For about three months after muster, tlie Fifth ]-eniained at the headquarters waiting for arms, and at the time of its departure — December 4th — the men had been but par- tially armed, though fully equip])ed. From Detroit the command moved to Washington, D. C, and remained at " Camp Copeland," on East Capitol II ill in that city, through the winter. In the spring of 1803, after being fully armed, it was attached to the Second Brigade of the Third Divi- sion of the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac. This brigade became known and widely famed as the Michigan Cavalry Brigade. It was commanded successively by Gens. Kilpatrick and Custer, and gained the highest reputation of any cavalry brigade in the service. Moving from Washington in February, 1863, the regi- ment crossed the Potomac, and was encamped for more than two months at Fairfax Court-House, where it was visited by the Governor of Michigan. Its duty while en- camped here was arduous, and it was several times en- gaged in skirmishing, but without much loss, until the opening of the campaign of Gettysburg. It moved north- ward on that campaign on the 27th of June, and on the 2d of July was sharply engaged with the enemy at Hun- terstown. Pa. On the 3d it was moved, with the brigade, to the York turnpike road (leading to Gettysburg), where it was dismounted and placed in position in front of the centre and left of the brigade line. The enemy advanced soon after noon, and how he was met by the men of the Fifth Michigan Cavalry is told in Gen. Custer's official report of the engagement, as follows : " The enemy was soon after reported to be advancing on my front. The de- tachment sent to the Oxford road was driven in, and at the same time the enemy's line of skirmishers, consisting of dismounted cavalry, appeared on the crest of the ridge of hills on my front. The line extended beyond my left. To repel their advance I ordered the Fifth Michigan Cavalry to a more advanced position, with instructions to maintain their ground at all hazards. Col. Alger, commanding the Fifth, assisted by Majs. Trowbridge and Terry, of the same regiment, made such admirable disposition of their men be- hind fences and other defenses as enabled them to success- fully repel the repeated advance of a greatly superior force. I attributed their success in a great measure to the fact thut this regiment is armed with the Spencer repeating rifle, which iu the hands of brave, determined men, like those composing the Fifth Michigan Cavalry, is, in my estimation, the most eflfective firearm that our cavalry can adopt. Col. Alger held his ground until his men had ex- hausted their ammunition, when he was compelled to fall back on the main body. The beginning of this movement was the signal for the enemy to chaige, which they did with two regiments, mounted and dismounted." Then follows the account of a counter-charge made by the Seventh Michigan Cavalry, in which the latter was compelled to re- tire, pursued by twice their number of the enemy ; but "by this time Col. Alger, of the Fifth, having succeeded in remounting a considerable portion of his regiment, gallantly advanced to the assistance of the Seventh, whose further pursuit by the enemy he checked." This was the last fighting done by the Fifth during that day. The brigade held possession of the field until dark, and then returned to its camping-place of the previous night. On the following day it was engaged at Monterey, Jld., and in the pursuit of the enemy to the Potomac it fought at Cavetown, Md., July 5th ; Smithtown, Md., July Uth ; Boon.sboro', Md., July Gth ; Hagerstown, Md., July 7th ; Williamsport, Md., July 7th ; Boonsboro' (2d), July 8th ; Hagerstown (2d), July 10th; Williamsport, July 10th; and Falling Waters, July 14th. It is impracticable to give a detailed account of the almost innumerable marches and constantly changing movements and counter-movements which suc- ceeded during that eventful year. It is sufficient to men- tion that having crossed the Potomac soon after the fight at Falling Waters, the regiment took part in the following- named engagements, viz : Snicker's Gap, Va., July 19th ; Kelly's Ford, Va., September 13th; Culpeper Court-House, Va., September 14th ; Raccoon Ford, Va., September IGth ; White's Ford, September 21st; Jack's Shop, Va., Septem- ber 2Gth ; James City, Va., October 12th ; Brandy Station, Va., October 13th ; Buckland's Mills, Va., October 19th; Stevensburg, Va., November 19th; and Morton's Ford, Va., Nov. 2G, 18G3. Sixty-four men were killed and wounded during the year 18G3, besides one hundred and twenty-one reported missing in action, many of whom were killed. Other reports of alterations and casualties show that from the time the regiment was organized until the close of 1863 forty men died of disease, sixty-eight were discharged for disability, twenty-one by sentence of general court-martial, fifteen by order, two for promotion, twenty officers resigned ; one officer was dismissed, and the total number of recruits received was thirteen. During the winter of 1863-64 the Fifth had its quarters at Stevens- burg, Va., and was employed mostly on picket duty along the Rapidan. In the latter part of February, 1864, it took part in the raid made by the cavalry under Kilpatrick to the outer de- fenses of Richmond. The main body of the regiment crossed the Rapidan, marched thence by way of Spottsyl- vania and Beaver Dam Station to Hungary Station, and • moved down the Brook turnpike to within fiva miles of the city of Richmond. Being attacked on the 2d of March by a superior force of the enemy, the Union cavalry was com- pelled to fall back on Gen. Butler's forces, stationed at New Kent Court House. A detachment of the regiment had also accompanied the forces commanded by the gallant Col. Ulric Dahlgren. They moved down the James River to within five miles of the rebel capital. The detachment of the Fifth being in front, charged the enemy's works, and captured his first line of fortifications. Following up its advantage, Dahlgren's command pushed back the enemy from one line to another, until a point was reached within two miles of the city, when it was found impossible to ad- vance farther with so small a force. Meanwhile the rebels were gathering from all points, and in the endeavor to 104 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. extricate itself from its perilous position the detaehraent of the Fifth became separated in tlie night (whicli was rainy and very darij) from the main portion of Dahlgreu's com- mand. On the following day this detachment cut its way through a strong rebel force posted at Old Church, and suc- ceeded in rejoining the regiment near White House Land- ing. At Yorktown, Va., on tlie 11th of March, the regi- ment embarked on board transports for Alexandria, whence it marched to Stevensburg, arriving there on the 18th of April, 1864. Here a reorganization of the cavalry forces, under Gen. Sheridan's command, took place, and the Mich- igan Cavalry Brigade was thenceforth known as the First Brigade of the First Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac. On the 5th of May the brigade, commanded by the fiery Custer, again crossed the Kapidan, and soon became engaged in the great battle of the Wilderness ; fighting mounted, the first three days, against the forces led by the renowned rebel cavalry leader. Gen. J. 11 B. Stuart. On the 9th of May the cavalry corps set out, under Gen. Sheridan, on his great raid towards Richmond. Three divisions, numbering full twelve thousand men, turned their horses' heads to the south- ward ; the blue-coated column, as it marched by fours, ex- tending eleven miles along the road, from front to rear. On the route they overtook a large body of Union soldiers, who had been taken prisoners at Spottsylvania, released them, and captured the rebel guard. Toward evening, the same day, the Michigan brigade, followed closely by the rest of the column, dashed into the rebel depot at Beaver Dam Station, scattering, almost in an instant, the force stationed for its defense. All night long the men were busy destroying the immense amount of rebel supplies accumulated at Beaver Dam, worth millions of dollars, consisting of three long railroad-trains, with locomotives, stores of goods of vari- ous kinds, and one hundred loaded army-wagons, the flames from which rose in lurid columns through the darkness amid the cheers of the exultant soldiers. At daybreak the next morning the command moved forward, and after tearing up the railroad-track at Negro Foot Station it reached " Yellow Tavern," ten miles from Richmond, on the 11th of May. There Gen. Stuart had assembled a large force of rebel cavalry, and a severe battle ensued. The Fifth Cavalry fought dismounted, and charged the enemy's position under a heavy fire ; routing him after a most stubborn resistance. The rebels lost heavily in this engagement, including their commanding oflficer. Gen. J. • E. B. Stuart, who was mortally wounded by a private of this regiment. Having defeated all the forces oppo.sed to it, the Union column pursued its way " on to Richmond' unmolested. The next day the command arrived within a mile and a half of Richmond, but found fortifications in front, on which cavalry could make no impression. Gen. Sheridan then turned his course towards the Chickahominy at Meadow Bridge. The rebels had destroyed the bridge, and a large ibrce of them disputed his further progress. The ap- proaches to the stream led through a swamp, along which not more than four men could ride abreast, and a well- posted battery on the opposite side cut down the head of the Union column, completely checking its advance. The leading brigade vainly endeavored to force a passage. The next one likewise failed. Gen. Slieridan then sent for Custer and his Michigan brigade, which at once hastened to the front. There the youthful general dismounted the Fifth and Sixth Michigan, and sent them forward into the swamp as flanklng-parties, wliiic with drawn sabres the First and Seventh Michigan breathlessly awaited the order to charge. The dismounted men drove the enemy from their first position, advanced through water waist-deep to the railroad-bridge, crossed it on the ties, and then plied their Spencer rifles on the rebel cannoniers with such cfl'ect that the latter were obliged to turn their guns on these a.ssailants to prevent being entirely enfiladed. The moment they did so Custer gave the order " Charge !" and the two mounted regiments, with brandished sabres and ringing cheers, dashed forward at the top of their horses' speed. The rebels had barely time to limber their guns and retreat ; leaving the road again open for the advance of the whole corps. The command then proceeded, via 31alvern Hill, Hanover Court-Housc, White House, Aylett's and Concord Church, to Chesterfield Station, where it joined the main Army of the Potomac. On the 28th of May the regiment was hotly engaged near Hawes' Shop, where it aided in driving the enemy from .their position after a desperate hand-to-hand fight. The lo.ss of the regiment'in this action was very severe. Moving to Old Church Tavern on the 30th, it was engaged with its brigade in the routing of Young's rebel cavalry. On the olst of May and 1st of June it was engaged, to- gether with other cavalry regiments, at Cold Harbor, where it fought dismounted in advance of the infantry, and, although losing heavily, succeeded in capturing many prisoners. The Michigan brigade soon after set out under Gen. Sheridan to join Gen. Hunter, who was moving from the Shenandoah Valley to Lynchburg. On the 11th of June the command mot at Trevillian Station a large force of the enemy, both infantry and cavalry. During that day and the next there ensued one of the severest cavalry fights of the war, the Union cavalry mostly fighting dismounted. The Michigan brigade did most of the fighting the first day, and lost heavily. The brigade battery was three times captured by the enemy, and as many times recaptured by the determined efforts of the Michigan men. The rebels were finally driven from the field and pursued several miles ; six hundred prisoners, fifteen hundred horses, one stand of colors, six caissons, forty ambulances, and fifty wagons being captured by the victorious Unionists. In this action Adjt. Richard Baylis was severely wounded. He had pre- viously been thanked in general orders by Gen. Custer, " for remarkable gallantry in transmitting and executing orders on the field" in the battle of Gettysburg, and also by the same general for similar gallant services in the series of engagements which occurred in the month of October, 1863. And now, " for gallant services at Trevillian Sta- tion," he was brevetted captain. Afterwards he was brevetted major and lieutenant-colonel " for gallaut and meritorious services during the war." Moving from Trevillian Station in the direction of Louisa Court-House, the regiment encountered a column of the FIFTH CAVALRY. 105 enemy, but cut its way through with considerable loss in prisoners. Gen. Hunter had failed to make the passage of the mountains. Gen. Sheridan, in conse(|uence, then marched his troops to White House Landing, and soon after joined the Army of the Potomac, south of Petersburg. After serving on picket and scout duty in front of Richmond and Petersburg during the mouth of July, 1864, the Michigan brigade was taken on transports to Washington, D. C, early in August, and thence marched to the Shenandoah Valley. Here it followed Custer in many a desperate charge, fully sustaining its old renown. At Middletown the Fifth Cav- alry w.is attacked by a strong force of the enemy, but re- pulsed them, capturing sixty-five prisoners. Again, on the 19th of August, while a squadron of the regiment were scouting to the front, they were attacked by a greatly supe- rior force of the enemy, under the guerrilla leader Mosby, and being overpowered were driven into camp with a loss of sixteen men killed. It was also engaged at Front Royal, August 16th; Leetown, August 25th; at Shepardstown, August 25th ; Smithfield, August 28th ; Berryville, Sep- tember 3d; Opequan Creek, September 19th, where the Michigan brigade utterly routed the enemy's cavalry and broke their infantry lines, capturing two battle-flags and four hundred prisoners; Winchester, September 19th; Luray, September 24th ; Woodstock, October 9th ; and Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864, where Custer's command charged the enemy's main line, driving it back in confu- sion and capturing a large number of prisoners. During the year ending Nov. 1, 1864, the regiment had seventy- six men killed, one hundred and seventeen wounded in action, fourteen missing in action, one hundred and ninety- four taken prisoners ; two hundred and nine recruits joined the regiment, while but thirty-three men died of disease and but two desertions were reported. The Michigan brigade went into winter quarters near Winchester, Va., in December, 1864, and remained until the latter part of February, 18G5. On the 27th it broke camp, and with the cavalry corps commanded by Gen. Sher- idan started on a long and rapid march up the Shenan- doah Valley, past Staunton, over the mountains, and down the James River to the Army of the Potomac. The com- mand met with but little opposition, dispersed all forces op- posed to it, destroyed much property on the line of the Lynchburg and Gordonsville Railroad, locks, mills, and aqueducts on the James River Canal, and on the 19th of March joined the forces assembled to give the last blow to Lee's rebel army. On the 30th and 31st days of March and 1st of April, 1865, the Michigan brigade was warmly engaged at Five Forks. During these three days of battle it was in the advance, and on the extreme left of the Union armies, — fighting dismounted, — and finally succeeded, with the rest of Sheridan's corps, in capturing the enemy's line of de- fense and several thousand prisoners. From this time until the surrender of Lee, at Appomattox, April 9, 1865, it was constantly engaged with the enemy, and being in the advance, the flag of truce to negotiate the surrender was sent through its lines. After the surrender of Lee the regiment moved with the cavalry corps to Petersburg, Va. Soon after it made an incursion, with other forces, into 14 North Carolina ; thence it marched to Washington, D. C, participated in the review of the Army of the Potomac, May 23, 1865, and immediately afterwards, with the Michi- gan Cavalry Brigade, was ordered to the Western frontier. The Fifth was sent by rail and steamboat to Fort Leaven- worth, Kansas, where the men having two years or more to serve were transferred to the First and Seventh Michigan Cavalry regiments. On the 22d of June, the regiment, as an organization, was mustered out of service, and returned to Detroit, where it arrived July 1, 1865. FIFTH CAVALRY SOLDIERS FROM CLINTON COUNTY. Field and Staff. 1st Lieut, and Ailjt. Eicbarii BiijlU, Ovid; com. Sept. 25, 1862 : wounded inac- tion at Trevillian Station; pro. to brevet capt., for gallant services at Trevillian Station ; to lirevet in:ij. and lient.-col., March 13, 1865, for gal- lant and meritorious services during tlie war. Uliaplain Jolin Gunderunin, Essex; com. Oct. 9, 1863 ; pro. to 2a lieut., Co. B, Nov. 25, 1802 ; must, out Juno 22, 1805. Company A. Franli R. Simmons, trans, to 7tli Cav. and 1st Cav., Nov. 17, 1806. Company E. James G. Sicliles, trans, to Ist Micliigan Cav. Company F. Hansford Comstocli, discli. for disability, June 22, 1S63. CMtipany y ord«*r, July 7, 1805. Walter F. Itecves, trans, to 1st Mich. Ciiv. Iluruce A. S"ule, diseh. for disability, Oct. 2, 18G2. Ki-win Bl. Siiiniier, died in action at Gettysburg, Pa., July 3, 18G3. Hiram Sturgis, trans, to Vet. Ron. Corps, Feb. 15, 18(il. AVilliam SlierifF, died of disease at IMiilailelpbia, Pa,, Sept. 3, 1864. AVilliani T. Smith, disch. for disability, Aug. 18, 18G3. Godrge 11. Sdule, must, out Juno '^2, 1S65. Albert H. Vredi-nl'urgh, trans, to Vet. Ues. Corps, Fob. 15, 1864. Lyuiari Van Sickle, died in Andersonville prison-pen. Aug. ni, 1864. James II. W)i.'»birigton, died of disease in Michigan, March 20, 1865. Alonzo Wheeler, died of disease at Frederick, Md., Nov. 17, 18G4. Cailos A. Webster, trans, to 1st Michigan Cav. Mib-8 D. Webster, must, out June 22, 1865. Martin Weaver, must, out June 22, 1865. Henry F. Warren, must, out by prder, July 7, 1865. George Young, must, out by order, June 19, 1865. ComjMnij II. Hugh Jamison, died in action at Trevillian Station, June 11, 1864. Conqmiiy I. Capt. George W. Town5end,Gieenbu&h; com. Nov. 2, 1803 ; disch. for disability, July 15, 1864. FIFTH CAVALRY SOLDIERS FROM SHIAWASSEE COUNTY. Field and SUiff. Col. Ebenezer Gould, Owosso; com. Sept. 21, 1864; lieut.-col. Dec. 31,1862; maj. Sept. 2, 1862 ; wouiid-d in action at Hagerstown, Md., July 13, 1863 ; disch. for disability, Nov. 10, 1SC4. Xon- Commissioned Staff. Sergt.-Maj. Charles Y. Osbum, Owosso ; pro. to 2d lieut., Co. H, Aug. 18, \863. Company D. Thomas G. IngersoU, died of disease at Washington, D. C, Dec. 2, 1862. Company F. John Bemis, di^ch. by order, May 17, 1865. Sanford BemJH, disch. by order, May 3, 18C5. William D. IngersoU, pro. to 2d lieut., Co. I. Company G. 2d Lieut. Emery L. Brewer, Owosso; com. Feb. 27, 1864; wounded in action at Hawes' Sh<.p, Va., May 28, lSG-1 ; disch. for disability, Oct. 8, 1864. A. II. Clark, disch. for disability, Jan. G, 1864. Thomas Johnson, died of disease at Ander?onvilIe prison, Aug. 4, 18G4. Patrick Mitchell, must, out June 22, 1865. Company H. Capt. C. Y. Osburn, Owosso; com. Aug. 9, 18C4; Ist lient., Nov. 2,1863; 2d lieut., Aug. 18, 1863; sergt.-maj.; wounded in action at Hawes' Shop.Va., May 28,1804; disch. for disaldiity, Sept. 28, 18G4; brevet capt. U. S. Vols., March 13, 1865, "for gallant and nioritorious services during the war." Oliver C. Hullister, died of disease at Philadelpliia, Pa., Sept. 4, 1864. Robert Purdy, died in action at Trevillian Station, Va., June 11. 1864. Compavy I. 2d Lieut. William D. IngersoU, Owosso; com. Oct. 28, 1SC4; wounded in action at Five Forks, Va.; resigned, 1865. Company K. Sergt, Emory L. Brewer, Owosso; pro. to 2d lieut., Co. G. Emory L. Brewer, disch. for promotion, Nov. 25, 1863. Andrew 1. Beniis, missing in action at Annon Churcli, Va., May 28 18G4. Adam Dell, must, out June 23, 1865. Charles Edwards, must, out July 17, 1865. William Edwards, disch. by order, June 19, 1865. Anson Howe, disch. for disability, Dec. 31, 1864. Milton Hodge, died at Brandy Station, Va., Oct. 12, 1863. George B. Lynds, disch. for disability, Oct. 21, 1862. Jnliel W. Monroe, must, out June 23, 18G5. George W. Morse, must, out June 23, 1865. Orvillo Ogden, died of disease at Detroit, Mich., Feb. 25, 1865. Rowell P. Root, died of disease at Fitirfax Court-House, Va., June 17, 1863. Milan S. Warren, died at Newby's Roads, July 24, 1803. Orlando F. Wilkinson, must, out June 19, 1805. Allen I. Williams, disch. by order. May 10, 1865. Company M. Junrs H. Ml Gowiin, disch. for disability, Dec 4, 1862. CHAPTER XVIII. SIXTH CAVALRY. Organization and Departure from Michigan — Assignment to Duty in llie Cavalry Corps, Array of tlie Potomac — Its Campaigning in 1863 — "Winter Quarters at Stevensburg — The Richmond Raid — Continu- ous Campaigning in ISGJ — Campaign of 1865 — General Pickett's Opinion of a Charge made by the Sixth — Movement to North Car- olina — Return to Washington and Participation in the Grand Re- view — Transfer to Fort Leavenworth — Service on the Plains — Muster Out and Discharge. The Sixth Cavalry (one of the regiments composing the famed Michigan Cavah-y Brigade, which won imperishable laurels under the gallant Custer) contained Clinton and Shiawassee soldiers in sis of its companies, these being principally found in Companies D and G. The first-named of these companies entered the service under command of Capt. David G. Royce, of Burns, Shiawassee Co., and the other hud for its original first lieutenant, Harrison N. Throop, of Owosso. The regiment was recruited in the fall of 1862, under authority given by the War Depart- ment, and the Governor of Jlichigan, to the Hon. F. W. Kellogg. Its rendezvous was at Grand Rapids, where it was mustered into the United States service under com- mand of Col. George Gray, on the 13th of October in that year,"it having on its rolls twelve hundred and twenty-nine oflBcers and enlisted men. Mounted and equipped, but not armed, it left the regi- mental rendezvous on the 10th of December following, and proceeded to the seat of war in Virginia, where it was soon as- signed to the Michigan Cavalry Brigade, in the Third Divis- ion of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. In the early part of 1863 it was encamped for a considerable time at Fairfax Court-House, and saw some service in February and March, but was not engaged in any notable actions with the enemy until the time when the rebel army of Gen. Lee moved northward after the battle of Chancellorsvillc. In that campaign it fought at Hanover, Pa., June 30, 1863 ; at Hunterstown and Gettysburg, Pa., and Monterey, Cavetown, Smithtown, Boonsboro', Hagerstown, Williams- port, and Falling Waters, Md., in July. At Gettysburg and Falling Waters it was particularly distingiiished. In reference to its part in the latter engagement the corre- spondent of the New York Times said in that journal : " The Sixth Michigan Cavalry was in the advance. They did not wait for orders, but a squadron composed of Com- panies D and G, under Captains Royce and Throop, were deployed as skirmishers, while Companies B and F, led by Major Weaver, made the charge. The line of skirmishers was forced back several times, but the men rallied promptly, and finally drove the enemy behind their works. A charge was then made, the squadron passing between the earth- works. So sudden and spirited was the dash, and so de- moralized were the enemy, that the first brigade surren- dered without firing a shot. The charging column moved directly on and engaged the second brigade, when the bri- gade that had surrendered seized their arms, and then com- menced a fearful struggle. Of the one hundred who made this charge, only thiity escaped uninjured. Seven of their horses lay dead within the enemy's works. Twelve hun- dred prisoners were here captured, and tlie ground was SIXTH CAVALRY. 107 strewn with dead and wounded rebels. Among the killed was Maj.-Gen. Pettigrew, of South Carolina." The two companies particularly menlioned in this account were those whose ranks were principally filled with Shiawassee County men, and Capt. Royce, commanding Company D, died there, as a brave .soldier would wish to die, in the thunder and smoke of the charge. Crossing the Potomac into Virginia after the battle of Falling Waters, the regiment was engaged with the enemy at Snicker's Gap, July IDth; Kelly's Ford, September 13th; Culpeper Court-Hou.se, September 14th; Raccoon Ford, September 16th; White's Ford, September 21st; Jack's Shop, September 2Bth ; James City, October 12th ; Brandy Station, October 13th ; Buckland's Mills, October 19th; Stevensburg, November 19th; and Morton's Ford, November 26th. From the latter date it remained in winter (|uarters at Stevensburg until the 2Sth of February, 186 1, when it joined the cavalry column of Kilpatrick, on his great raid to the vicinity of Richmond. Returning from that expedition to camp at Stevensburg, it was trans- ferred to ihe First Cavalry Division, and soon after moved camp to Culpeper. Companies I and M, which had been operating in the Shenandoah Valley during the year 1SG3, rejoined the regiment on the 3d of May, 1864, and two days later the command moved acro.ss the Rapidan and into the Wilder- ness. It was engaged, and fought bravely, near Chancel- lorsville. May 6tli, and skirmished on tlie 7th and 8th. On the morning of the 9th it moved with Gen. Sheridan's command on the raid to the rear of the Conlisderate army, holding the advance. From this time its history is one of almost continuous movement, which may be summed up by the enumeration of the fights and skirmishes in whicii it took part, as follows: Beaver Dam, Va., May 9th; Yellow Tavern, May 10th and 11th; Meadow Bridge, May 12tii; Hanover Court-House, Va., May 27th; Ilawes' Shop, May 28th ; Baltimore Cross- Roads, May 29th ; Cold Harbor, May 30th and June 1st; Trevillian Station, June 11th and 12th; and Cold Harbor, July 21st. Early in August the Michigan brigade, with others of Sheridan's command, was transferred to the Shenandoah Valley, where the Sixth took active part in all the skir- mishes, battles, marches, and counter-marches that occurred during this part of the operations in the Valley, — a cam- paign which had made the names of Sheridan, Winchester, and Cedar Creek famous for all time. The principal actions in which the Sixth participated in the valley were those of Front Royal, Leetown, Sniithfield, Opequan Creek, Win- chester, Luray, Port Republic, Mount Crawford, Fisher's Hill, Woodstock, and Cedar Creek. In December, 1864, it went into winter quarters near Winchester. Its total list of killed to November 1st amounted to fifty-five, while forty-four of its members had died of disease. During the last days of February, 1865, the regiment began its final Virginia campaign. After a long and event- ful march under Sheriilan, during which it helped to defeat the rebel Gen. Rosser at Louisa Court-House, to break up the Lynchburg and Gordonsville Railroad, and to destroy the locks, aqueducts, and mills on the James River Canal, it reached White Hou.se Landing on the 19th of March, moved thence to and across the James River, and joined the Army of the Potomac in time to take part in the final battles of the war, being engaged at Five Forks, Va., March 30th, 31st, and April 1st; at Southside Railroad, April 2d; Duck Pond Mills, April 4th; Sailor's Creek, April 6th ; and Appomattox, April 9th. In one of these en- gagements the rebel general Pickett was captured, and he afterwards spoke of the charge of the Sixth on that occa- sion as " the bravest charge he had ever seen." After Lee's surrender the regiment moved to Petersburg, thence to North Carolina, and then north to Washington, D. C, where it marched in the great review of May 23d. Immediately after it was ordered West, and moved with the Michigan Cavalry Brigade, vid Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Ohio, Mississippi, and Missouri Rivers, to Fort Leavenworth. There it received orders to move over the Plains, westward, on duty in the Indian country. The ofiicers and men were greatly disgusted at this, but they would not soil their noble record by disobedience, and so they moved unhesitatingly to the performance of the dis- agreeable duty, on which they remained till the 17th of September, 1865, when the men of the regiment whose term did not expire before Feb. 1, 1866, were consolidated with the First Michigan Cavalry, and the remainder of the command was ordered back to Fort Leavenworth, where it was mustered out of service, Nov. 24, 1865. Returning to Michigan, it arrived at Jackson, November 30th, and was there disbanded. SIXTH CAVALRY SOLDIEKS FROM SHIAWASSEE COUNTY. Field mid Staff. Asst. Surg. Jas. Sleetli, Byron; com. March 1, 1863 ; must, out Nov. 7, 18G5. Comptiitif A. Freeling Potter, must, out July 11, 1865. Company D. Capt. Diiviil G. Royce, Burns; com. Oct. 13, 1802; died in action at Falling Waters, Va., July U, I8C3. Com. Sergt. Henry M. Billiugs, Burns; enl. Sept. 4, I8C3; trans, to Idv. Corps, Jan. 1, 18C4. Sergt. Sainl. C. Smith, Caledonia; enl. Sept. 1, 1862; disch. by order, June 9, 18G.5. Sergt. Alonzo Ferguson, New Haven ; enl. Sept. 9, 18G2; mu-^t. out from Inv. Coris, Sept. 4, 1865. Corp. Clias. Simpson, Burns, enl. Sept. 5, 1862; disch. for pro. in 11th Cav.. Oct. 22, ISO. Corp. Wm. H. Dailey, Burns; enl. Sept. 9, 1862; died in action in Virginia, May 28, 186*. Mus. Wm. II. Rust, Burns; enl. Sept. 3, 1SC2; must. out Nov. 24, 1865. Mus. And. J. Williams, Burns; enl. Sept. 26, 1862; must, out from luv.Corps, July 19, 186,^. Wagoner. Jjis. W. Rathbone, Caledonia; enl. Sept. 8, 1862 ; must, out June 12, I860. Grin B. Arnold, disch. for disabdily, May 24, 1863. George W. .\lclricli, disch. for disability, July 28, 1863. Jacob II. Alliton, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Pavid C. Austin, must, out June 26, 1865. Peter Boughton, must, out March 25, 1866. Ezra D. Barnes, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. George W. Botsford, must, out Aug. 8, 1865. Augustus M. Barnes, supposed lost on steamer "Sultana," April 28, 1865. Alexander Crawford, must, out March 25, 1866. Uejiry Cole, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Dayid Oimpbell, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Henry W. Cramer, must, out Dec. 12, 1865. Gilbert Dutcher, died of disease at Klchmond prison, Va., Feb. 12, 1864. Edwin J. Emery, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Ferdinand Euler, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Alva F. Ewiiig, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. John II. Green, must, out July lu, 1865. Philaiuler Gleason, must, out March 27, 1866. George R. Il.irris, must, out March 25, 1866. Hartford Harding, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. 108 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. George Hopkins, must, out Nov. 24, 18C5. Jucoli IlHiel, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Iloruce Hart, died of wounds at Hanover, Va., July 3, 18G3. Ira C. Harding, died in action at SiimniervillL- Ford, Ya., Sept. 16, 1863. James M. Ilatli, disth. for disability, July 12, 1865. John Judd, trans, to Vt-t. Kes. Corps, July, 1864. L. F. James, died of wounds at Hawes' Shop, Va., May 28, 1864. Kdwin Judd, must, out Nuv. 24, 1865. W. K. Kendall, died of disease at Andersonville, Ga., Aug. 4, 18G4. Alhei t Lyon, trans, to Vet. Kes. Corps, July, 1864. D. S. MungcT, disch. for pro., Feb. 17, 1804. Thomas Murray, must, out Nov, 24, 1865. Albert Otis, died in action at Falling Waters, Md., July 14, 1863. Truman Osgood, died of disease at Washington, D.C., July 22, 1863. Samuel E. I'ilts, disch. for disability, June 1, 1863. Abraham Polly, disch. for disability, Dec. 5, 1864. William E. Parker, must, out May 31, 1865. Allen W. Rhodes, died of disease at Uichinond prison, Va., Nov. 20, 1863, Samuel Sherbourne, died of disease at Kichmond prison, Va., April 12, 1864. Ananias Stafford, died in action at Hawes' Shop, Va., May 28, 18G4. Jacob St.iler, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. fili^rtin Simpson, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Edward Sinipson, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. William H. Shaft, nuist. out Nov. 24, 1865. Joseph Shaffer, missing in action. John Van Dyke, died of disease at Andersonville, Ga., June 20, 18G4. Tiffany S. Wright, must, out May 24, 1865. Dennis C. Welch, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Jan. 1, 1864. Company E. George Bennett, disch. for disability. Company F. George Butcher, died of wounds at Annapolis, Md., Oct. 2, 18G.'I. Company G. Ist Lieut. Harrison N. Tiiroop, Owosso ; com. Oct. 1 1, 1SG2 ; pro. to capt., Co. K, March 13,1863. Q.M.-Sergt. Norton Gregory, Owosso ; enl. Aug. 30,1862; must, out Nov. 24, 1805. Com. Sergt. Geo. B. W. IngersoH, Owosso ; enl. Aug. 30, 18G2; killed in action in Virginia, Aug. 28, 1864. Sergt. Isaac F. Paikhurst, New Haven ; enl. Aug. 30, 18G2 ; trans, to luv. Corps, Nov. 15, 1863. Sergt. Danl. I. Wyker, Owosso ; enl. Aug. 30, 1862; died of disease at Annapo- lis, Dec. 9, 1864. Sergt. John B. Kay, WoodhuU; enl. Sept. 9, 1862; taken pria. at Brandy Sta- tion, Va., Oct. 11, 1S63. Corp. Wm. M. Linsley, New Haven ; euL Aug. 30,1802 ; disch. from Inv. Corps, July 19, 1865. Corp. Jas. N. Smith, Owosso; cnl. Sept. 3, 18G2; mustered out. Corp. George H. Wyman, Owosso; eul. Aug. 30, 18G2 ; died- in hospital, March 28, 1803. Teamster Jacob Petlit, Owosso; enl. Aug. 30, 1802 ; must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Farrier Andrew 1*. Culp, Scioto ; eul Aug. 30, 1862 ; died of disease, Nov. 4, 1863. Farrier L. I. Eckler, Bennington; enl. Sept. 2, 1862; taken prisoner; must, out by order, June 12, l«6o. Joshua Austin, died of disease at Washington, D. C, March 10, 1863. John Allen, died of disease at Richmond, Va., Sept. 24, 1864. Artemus W. Angel, must, out Nov. 24, 18G5. Jami'B l!uil, must, out June 5, 1865. Johti Covel, died of disease at Andevsonville prison, Ga,, April 17, 1864. Arthur Colyer, died of disejise at Washington, D. C, Feb. 21, 18G3. George Dutcher, died of disease at Sumnierville Ford, Va., September, 1863. Si-th Dutcher, dieil of disease at Owosso, Mich., Nov. 12, 1864. Isajic DeniJBton, died of disease at Washington, D. C, June 20, 1864. John Deniiston, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. George Kdwards, must, out March 10, 186C. Avery I). French, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Sept. 1, 1863. Henry H. Tiain, trans, to 1st Cav. Albert N. Train, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Samuel Graham, must, out Aug, 17, 1805. Lewis E. Galusha, died in action at Falling Waters, Md., July 14, 18G3. John E. Graham, disch. by order, Jan. 28, 1865. Henry Herat, must, out July 5, lb65. George W. Judd, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, July 1, 1863. John H. Moon, dieil of disease at Andersonville prison, Nov. 12, 1861. Jesse Monroe, disch. July 10, IS65. Abraham Otf, must, oiit Nov. 24, 1865. Peter I. I'utuam, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Feb. 15, 1864. John E. Potter, died of disease at Fairfax Court-House, Va., April 1, 1863. John P. Ream, died of disease at Fairfax Couit-House, Va., April 3, 1863. Oliver H. llathbone, died of disease at Washington, D. C, March 15, 1863. John P. Uay, missing in action. Almond N. Stephens, must, out Nov, 24, 1865. George Stickler, mnst. out Nov. 24, 1865. Samuel J. Suuthworth, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. James Vanderhoof, died of disease at Andereonville prison, Ga., April 23, 1865. Christian Widenbuigh, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. William F. Williams, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Orange Williams, disch. for disability, June 11, 1864. Cov)pa«n 11. Capt. Henry L. Wise, Caledonia; com. Oct. 13, 1802; pro. to nuij. in lUli Cav,, Aug. 31, 1863. Company K. Capt. H. N. Throop, Owosso ; com. March IG, 1863 ; resigned July 10, 1S64. SIXTH CAVALRY SOLDIERS FROM CLINTON COUNTY. Compatty D. Chas. Ferrir, trans, to Ist Mich. Cav., Nov. 17, 1865. Chas. E. Havilaud, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Company E. Com. Sergt. Amos T. Ayers, Bingham ; enl. Oct. 13, 1862; disch. for pro., Oct. 13, 1863. Sergt. Marvin D. Avery, Bingham ; enl. Sept. 9, 1862; killed in action at Tr&- villian Station, June 11, 1804. Corp. Beiij. B. Tucker, Duplain ; enl. Sept. 9, 1862 ; disch. for disability, Feb. 28, 1863. Mns. John A.Gates, Bingham; enl. Oct. 8, 18G2; disch. by order, March 6,1805. Marion Case, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Geo. I. Goodale, died in rebel prison, Richmond, Va., Jan. 12, 1804. Henry M. Harrison, died in action at High Ridge, Va., April 6, 1865. Samuel Hoyle, dietl of disease at St. Louis, Mo., July 14, 1805. Cha.s. 0. Haire, trans, to 1st Mich. Cav., Nov. 17, 1865. Edwin C. Hinman, trans, to 1st Mich. Cav., Nov. 17, ISGo. Martin Lerg, must, out Nov. 24, 1805. Gershom W. Mattoon, must, out Nov. 24, 1865. Wm. T. Martin, died of disease at Washington, D. C, July 25, 1864. And. J. Miller, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Feb. 15, 1864. Moses-C. Nestel, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Feb. 15, 1864. Hiram J. Saterlee, died in Andersonville prison-pen, Sept. 3, 1S64. Lewis H. Yeomand, died in action at Brandy Station, Va., Oct. 13, 1863. Compavy G. Mns. John C. Taylor, Bingham; enl. Sept. 17, 1862; must, out Nov. 24, 1865. David Camp, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Nov. 19, 1864. Allen Dryer, mnst. out Nov. 24, 1805. "Wm. Finley, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Nov. 10, 1864. Jas. McDaniels, must, out Nov. 24, 1805. Henry Sprague, must, out Nov. 24, 1K65. Geo. W. Taylor, trans, to Vet. Res. Corp.s, Sept. 1, 1863. Company H. James Reynolds, must, out June 13, 1865. Winchester K. Rice, must, out July 10, 1862. CHAPTER XIX. TENTH CAVALRT. Organization of the Tenth — Its Advance into Kentucky — Movement thence to Knoxvllle, Tenn. — Arduous Service in East Tennessee, Virginia, nnd North Carolina — Unsuccessful Pursuit of Jefferson Davis — Disbaudment of the Tenth. Company F of the Tenth Cavalry was largely made up of Shiawassee County men, recruited in that county by Capt. Chauncey F. Sliepherd, of Owosso, who had pre- viously served in both the First and Fourth Cavalry Regi- ments. - Company H was raised in Shiawassee County by Capt. Peter N. Cook, of Antrim, who was its original command- ing officer. Prior to Sept. 1, 1863, he had recruited sixty men for this company, and had reported with them at the rendezvous. The remainder were recruited soon after, — nearly all of them being from Shiawassee County. Company I was almost entirely composed of Clinton County men, largely recruited by First Lieut. Enos B. Bailey and Second Lieut. George M. Farnham, who were original officers of the company. TENTH CAVALKY. 109 The rendezvous of the Tenth was at Grand Rapids, where it was oriranized and niustored into the United States service witli nine hundred and twelve ofEeers and men, and with Col. Thaddous Foote as its commanding officer. On the 1st of December, 1863, it left its rendez- vous and was transported to Lexington, Ky., whence, on the 13th, it moved to Camp Nelson. From that camp it was moved, on the 25th of January, 1864, to Burnside Point, from which place it marched, on the 29th of February, for Knoxvillc, East Teiin. It was engaged, though with but little loss, at Bean's Gap, March 26th, and at Rhcatown, April 24th ; but a more severe fight was had on the 25th at Carter's Station, near Jonesboro', Tenn., when the Tenth, with the Third Indiana Cavalry, were sent to destroy a railroad-bridge across the Watauga River. At Carter's the Tenth and Third attacked the enemy within his earth- works. The Tenth fought dismounted, charging at a " double-quick" over the outer rampart through a galling fire into the main bastion, driving the enemy out com- pletely, to seek protection in a rocky gorge. The fight lasted from two P.M. until dark, and resulted in a loss to the Tenth Regiment of seventeen, killed and wounded. The operations of the regiment during the months of May and June embraced little that was out of the usual monotonous round of cavalry ducy, excepting that a detach- ment, one hundred and sixty strong, while engaged on a reconuoissance to Bull's Gap and Greenville, encountered a superior force of the enemy, attacked and routed them with severe loss, capturing twenty-six prisoners and a number of horses and mules. On the 23d of July the Tenth took part in an attack made on a rebel brigade at Blue Springs, Tenn., driving the Confederates from their position in disorder. In this the lo.=s of the regiment was six wounded. It returned to Strawberry Plains on the 31st. On the 4th of September the regiment attacked the forces of Gen. John H. Morgan at Greenville, routed them, took a large number of prison- ers, and killed the guerrilla chief. During the remainder of that month the men of the Tenth were continually in the saddle, in pursuit of Wheeler's and other rebel cavalry, and frequently overtaking and fighting them, though not taking part in any general battle. In all the month of Oc- tober it was engaged in picket duty and scouting. At the end of October the regiment was posted at Straw- berry Plains, and remained there for more than a month engaged in camp duty, scouting, and erecting defensive works. While there it w;is attacked (November 14th) by a force of rebel cavalry, with artillery, under command of Gen. Breckinridge. This attack was commenced by the artillery from the opposite side of the Holston River, and the cavalry force at the same time threatened the position from the rear. The fight, which was a prolonged skirmish, with almost continual artillery firing from the opposite side of the river, was kept up for a number of days, but the enemy was decisively repulsed on the 24th, and withdrew from the field. On the 6th of December the regiment marched under orders to Knoxvillc, and thence soon after- wards to Sakville, Va., where it assisted in destroying the Confederate salt-works at that place, having been engaged at Kingsport, December 12th, at Bristol, December 14th, and at Saltville, December 20th. After the accomplish- ment of the purpose for which the force was sent out, it returned to Knoxvillc, having had a smart skirmish at Chucky Bend on the 10th of January, 1865. The Tenth remained at Knoxville until the latter part of March, when it marched with its brigade to the north- ern part of East Tennessee, and soon afterwards joined an expedition to North Carolina under Gen. Stoneman. In this incursion it fought the enemy at Brab.son's Mills, March 25th, and at Boonoville on the 27th. Turning thence northward b}' way of Wilkcsborough, it penetrated to the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad at Christiansburgh, Montgomery Co., Va., reaching that place on the 5th of April, and then taking part in the destruction of nearly one hundred miles of that railway line. Then it moved to Henry Court-House, ninety-five miles away, and made that distance in a little le.ss than twenty-four hours. At that place, on the 8ih of April, it was attacked by a heavy rebel force of cavalry and infantry, but successfully held its ground with only a slight loss. On the 9th of April (the day of Lee's surrender) the Tenth with its companion regiments left Henry Court-House, moved south, destroy- ing the railroad line, fighting at Abbott's Creek and High Point on the 10th, capturing the town of Salisbury and with it an immense amount of stores, and then, passing down the Catawba River, engaged in the business of pick- ing up bands of rebel cavalry, who had heard of the sur- render of Lee and were endeavoring to make their escape to their homes. A few more skirmishes (among which was one at Statesville on the 14th and another at Newton on the 17th of April) finished the fighting of the Tenth Cavalry. News of the .surrender of Johnston's array was received soon after, and then the regiment was sent on an expedition having for its object the capture of Jefi'erson Davis ; but in this it was forestalled by the Fourth Cav- alry. When it was found that the pursuit of the rebel chief would be fruitless, the regiment was ordered west- ward, and passing by way of Stevenson, Ala., into Ten- nessee, it remained on duty in that State until the 11th of November, when it was mustered out of service at Mem- phis, and thence proceeded directly to Michigan, arriving iu Jackson on the 15th of the same month. A little later the men received their final payment and dispersed to their homes. TENTH CAV.^LKY SOLDIERS FROM SHIAWASSEE COUNTr. Field and Staff. M;ij. P. N. Cook, Antrim; pro. from citpt. Co. H; must, out Feb. 11, 1865. Cbiipluin Henry Cherry, Owosso ; cum. Dec. 3, 1863 ; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Kon-Commmioned Staff. Sergt.-Maj. L. T. Tloun-swell, Caledonia; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Chief Mus. John L. Wild, Caledonia ; unl. Sept lU, 1S03 ; pro. to '2J lieut., Co. F. Company A. Capt. Myron A. Converse, Corunna; com. Jan. 5, 1865 ; lat lieut., April 1,1864 ; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. 1st Lieut. John 11. Bennett, Shiawiv^soe ; com. Sept. 2, 18G5 ; 2d lieut., Co. U. Compiiny D. A. F, Carlton, ha C. Gleason, must, out Nov. U, 1865. William Gleason, must, out Nov, 11, 1865. George Howe, must, out May 27, 1865. George W. Harrie, must, out Nov. 22, 1865. Reuben J. Holmes, mu^t. out Nov. II, 1865. Andrew J. Hovey, must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Willard S. Hawthorn, must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Hiram Halleek, must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Petei- Hamlin, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Andrew H-irt, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., Feb. 3, 18G4. Albeit E. Huntley, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., Feb. 1, 18G4. Samuel liukomb, died of disease at Ciimp Nelson, Ky,, Feb. 9, 1864. Henry Howe, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., March 1, 1865. Friend D. Jackson, died uf disease atCorunna, Mich., Nov. 12, 18G3. Company F. Carpenter Jacobs, died of disease at Somerset, Ky., Feb. 13, I86i. Lambert Johnson, must, out Nov, 11, 1«65. David Kinyon, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. D.uiiel L. Kiuy(tu, must, out Nov. 11, I860. Charles Kinney, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Daniel Kief, died of disease at Knoxville, Tcnn., March 9, 1864. Otis Lamnnyon, must. out Nov. 11, 1865. James Mole, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Henry C. McCarty, must, out Nov. II, 1865. Jerry M. Miillery, died of disease at Knoxville, Tenn., Feb. 2, 1865. Alviii Owen, must, out Nov. 11, 18ii5. Daniel Owen, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Edward Pu;nam, must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Frank Putnam, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. John N. Pratt, must, out Nov. 27, 1865. George F. Prior, must, out May 11, 1865. George R. Stninie, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., Dec. 28, 1863. John Snow, died of disease at Owosso, Mich., Nov. 24, 1863, William Thomas, died of disease at Knoxville, Teiin., April 23, 1864. Philip Thomas, must, out June 9, 1865. John D. Thomas, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Milliam K. Walcott, disch. for disability, Feb. 20, 1864. John Woodiuff, died of disease in Michigan, March I, 1865. Company G. 2d Lient. Lucien A. Chiise, Owosso ; enl. Fob, 18, 1865 ; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Levi Hall, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. James H. Qlorgan, died of disease at Lenoir, Tenn., June 5, 1865. Company H. Capt. Peter N. Cook, Antrim ; com. Aug. 26, 1863 ; pro. to major, Feb. 18, 18G5, Capt. Edgar P, Byerly, Owoseo; com. Feb. 18, 1865; Ist lieut., July 25, 18G3; must, out Nov. 11, 1865, 2d Lieut. J. Q. A. Cook, Antrim ; com. July 25, 1863; resigned April 12, 1864. 2d Liout. John B. Bennett, Sliiawassee; com, Feb. 18, 1865; aergt. ; pro. to 1st lieut., Co. A. Sergt. John L. Banks, Shiawassee ; disch. by order, Aug. 3, 18G5. Sergt. Lewis Decker, Antrim; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Sergt. Aaron Herrick, Shiawassee; trans, to luv. Corps, June 16, 1864. Sergt. David F. Tyler, Perry; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Sergt. Jacob N. Decker, Antrim; died of wounds at Knoxville, Tenn., May 24, 18G4. Sergt. Samuel B. R'vonangh, Shiawassee ; disch. for disability, May 31, 1865, Sergt Robert D. .\dams, Antrim ; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Corp. Saurtel H. Graham, Woodhull ; nui-it. out Nov. 11, 1865. Corp. Wm. H. Bachelder, Antrim ; died of disease in Kentucky, March 25, 1864, Corp. John N. Baker, Antrim ; must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Corp. Stephen D, Stedman, Porry ; died in Andersonville prison-pen, Oct. 31, 1SG4. Corp. Piatt S. Pelton, Shiawassee ; must, out Nov, 11, 1865. Corp. And. Bliss, Burns ; must, out Nov. 11,1865. Corp. Chas. F. (AjIos, Shiawassee, disch. by ordt-r, Oct. 17, 1865. Mns. Gideon Whitman, corp,, Burns; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Mns. Samuel K. Bennett, Antrim; died of disease in Kentucky, Feb. 24, 18G4. Saddler Geo. Hart, Shiawassee ; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. George Bentley, died of disesise at Camp Nelson, Feb. 27, 1864. Francis M. Baker, died of di-jease at Knoxville, Tenn., April 5, 1864. William Battisliill, died of disease at Knoxville, Tenn., June 10, 1864. William R. Bugbee, died of disease at Somerset, Ky., Feb. 27, 18G4. John R. Bennett, disch. for promotion, May 29, 1865. B. E. Barnes, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Walter Biowji, must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Hector E. Bentley, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. John S. Babiock, must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Edgar Cole, nuHt. out Nov. 11, 1SG5. George W. Coif, must, out Nov. 22, 1865. Andrew Crowell, must, out Nov, 11, 1865. Samuel W. Carr, died of disease at Detroit, Mich., Sept. 12, 1865. L. A. Decker, died of disease at Andersonville prison, Ga., April 24, 1864. Peter Dumoud, must, out Nov. 24, ISGo. Benjamin Dulreze, must, out Nov. 22, 1865. George P, Dean. must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Samuel H. Graham, must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Hale P. Goodwin, died of diseiise at Knoxville, Tenn., March 27, 1865. Daniel 11. Herrington, must, out May 19, 1865. Truman W. Hemingway, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Reuben C. Hutchings. must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Hiram Johnson, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. . Sylvester Ketchuni, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, May 1, 1864. Alfred Lamunyan, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. John R. Lucas, must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. * John C. Levy, must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Robert Lyons, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. % Arthur Mead, must, out Nov, II, 1865. George F. Merrill, must, out Blay 19, 18C5. William F. McDivit, disch. by order, Feb, 4, 1865. Loreu D. Peck, died of disease at Grand R ipids, Mich., Nov, 18, 1863. Martin Pierce, died of disease at Andersonville, Ga. Thomas Ratigan, dii-d of disease at Andersonville, Ga. Samuel Robinson, died of disease at Andersonville, Ga. William .\. Richardson, must, out Nov. 14, 1865. John W. Simpson, died of wounds at Knoxville, Tenn., May 7, 1864. William II. Shaw, disch. for disability, June 23. 1864. Hiram W, Stevens, disch. by order. May 1, 1865. Almon M. Sandford, must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. William 0. Sherburne, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Allen Scott, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Allen H, Terberry, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. William Vaughn, died of disease at Annapolis, Md., May 2, 1864. Frederick Wolf, d.sch. by order, June 30, 1865. Compauy I. Capt. Wm. E. Cunimings, Corunna; com. Jan. 7, 1865; must, out Nov. 11, 1S65. Melviu Hauglitland, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Company M. William M. Decker, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. George W. Hickox, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. William Roberts, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., July 24, 1S64. Charles Thomas, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. TENTH CAVALRY SOLDIERS FROM CLINTON COUNTY. Field and SU{ff'. Maj. Harvey E. Light, Eureka; com. Jan. 6, 1865; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Company B. 1st Lient. Nelson Robinson, Jr., Eureka; com. Aug. 3, 1865; must, out Nov. 11, 1S65. John Hodges, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Homer Parkes, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Tompkins Parkes, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Albert Van Alstine, diet! of disease at Somerset, Ky,, Feb. 12, 1864. Company D. Allen Hicks, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. OTIIER SOLDIERS FROM SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON. Ill Company E. Oii't. Iliirvcy E. Light, Eureksi ; com. July 2^, 18G:J ; pro. to mnj.. Jan. 6, 18G5. 2d Lieut. Nelson E. Robinson, Eureka; q.m.-soigt. ; pro. to let lieut. Co. B, Aug. :i, 18G5. Mua. John B. Lackey, Rih-y ; must, out Nuv. 11, 1SC3. Fun ier Alfred V. Roosii, Eureka ; mu.-.t. ouT Nov. 11, 18G5. ■\Viigoner Levi Spauldhip, Eurtka; disch. fur disability, April 2G, 1804. J.ilm M. Benjamin, diseh. by order, St-pt. 5, ISGa. James 0. Chart, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., Jan. 17, 18G4. John I'orter, must, out Nov. 11, 1805. Cowpniiij F. Sergt. Talman Beardslee, Ovid : must, out May 17, 18G5. Coe S. Swegles, disch. for disability, Sept. 20, 18G5. John Sinclair, must, out Nov. 11, 1SG5. Cowpntiy G. Sergt. Oscar E. Grover, Eagle; died of disease at Purdy, Trnn., Oct. 2:i, 1805. Corp. Azro M. Bates, Eagle; disch. for disability, Sept. 10, ISG-l. John Brown, must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Company H. Daniel Ackley, must, out Nov. 11,1565. Company I. Capt. Enos B.Bailey, St. John's ; com. Jan. 22, 1864; 1st lieut. July 25, 1803; must, out Jan. 7, 1SG5- 1st Lieut. George M.Fnrnham, St. Juhn's; com. Jan. 22, 1804; 2d lieut. July 25, 180;i; pro. to capt. Co. K. 2d Lioiit. John Spears, Riley ; com. Oct. 19, 1865; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Q.M.-Sergt. Joseph S. Tucker, Riley ; disch. for disability, Tune 1, 1865. Com. -Sergt. Oscar Chase, Bingham; must, out Nov. 11, 18G5. Sergt. Daniel C. Tucker, Riley; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps. Sergt. Willard N. Daggett, Greenbush ; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Sergt. Lyman J. Daniels, AVatertown ; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Sergt. Charles H. Rt)se, Watertown ; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Sergt. Samuel S. Lee, De Witt; sick and absent, Nov. 11, 1865. Sergt. James M. Shnllcrs, Ringhani ; must, out Nov. U, 1865. Q.M.-Sergt. William Adams, Greenbnsh ; must, out Nov. 18, 1865. Corp. Eug-ne B. Ketchnm, Bingham ; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Corp. William J. Esler, Ea;;le ; nnist. out Oct. 23, 1865. Corp. Enimett Kirby, Greenbusb ; nuut. out May 26, 1865. Corp. Charles 0. Cohen, Lebanon ; mnst. out Nov. 11, 1805. Sergt. John Spoars, Riley; pro. to 2d lieut. Co. I. Sergt. Frank H. Rossnian, Watertown ; must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Mus. Orlo W. Berniingbam, Duplain; disch. by order, Sept. 11, 1865. Mu8. Fred. Brown, Westidialia ; died uf disease at Grand Rapids, Mich., Nov. 13, 1863. Saddler Paul J. Averill, Olive ; must, out Nov. 11, 180.5. Farrier Abram Bennett, Weslplialia; disch. for dis^ibility, May 23, 1864. Farrier Geo. W. Baker, Greenbnsh ; died of dise.-ise in Kentucky, Feb. 11, 1864. Teamster Richard Cook, Olive ; must, out Nov. 10. 18G5. Oliver Brtbcock, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., ULircb 31, 186t. Edwin Burrows, died of disense at Knoxviile, Tenn., March 24, 1864. Josepli L. Brink, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., Jan. 7, 1864. Charles Bacon, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., Feb. 21, 1804. Stephen H. Baker, missing in action. William T. Blizzard, died of disease at Knoxviile, Tenn., May 20, 1804. Andrew Bailey, trans, to Vet. Res. Coips. Juhn Brown, must, out Nov, 11, 1805. James Brown, didch. by older, Oct. 3, 1863. Edwin Buahnell, must, out Nov. 11, 1805. Abram ','ook, must, out Nov. II, 18G5. William Coveratone, must, out Nov. 11, 1805. Linus Densmore, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., Jan. 20, 1864. Chauncey Ferris, must, out Nov. II, 18G5. Alunzo Force, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Jidin W. Force, must, out Nov. 11, 1SG5. Isaac Grant, niu^t. out Nov. 11, 1S05. Isaac II. Harrington, must, out Oct. 20, 1SG5. Cliarlcs J. Iloople, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. George J. Hiiggt-tt, drowned at Knoxviile, Tenn., Sept. 12, 1805. Daniel S. Hathaway, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., Feb. 1, 18G4. Godfrey Kline, died of disease at Km-xville, Tenn., July 13, 1864. L>man W. Kimball, died of disease at Grand Rapids, Mich., Oct. 2, 1863. Myron J. L:iltimore, died of dlsiase at Detroit, Mich., Feb. 26, 1864. James A. Laughlin, discb. for disability, Oct. 5, 1863. Gould E. Mathews, disch. by order, June 19, 1805. B. B. Owen, must, out May 12, 1SG5. Alexander Parks, muit. out Nov. 11, 1865. Lorenzo D. Philips, died of disease at Knoxviile, Tenn., Sept. 1, 1864. W. W. Stiles, died of disease at Somerset. Ky., Feb. 28, 1864. Alvin Sears, died of disease at Canip Nelson, Ky., May 4, 18G4. Warren Stiies, died of disease at Nashville, Nov. 6, 1H64. Kdniimd H. Sitis, mnst. out Nov. 11, 1865. Jackson A. Sanborn, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. B. Frank. Sanborn, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. John W. Stanswell. must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Em^ry B. Smith, must, out Nov. 11, 1865. Jesse E. Stone, sergt., Duplain ; must, out Nov. 11, 1805. Lafayette A. Townson, died of disease at Knoxviile, Tenn., Oct. 4, 1864. Zenas J. Thnma-'*, died of disease at Knoxviile, Tenn., Nov. 6, 1864. Denison Van Vliet. disch. by order, Sept. 25, 1865. Samuel Wliitlock, die SIXTH INFANTllY. MEN KKOM SHIAWASSEE COUNTV. Compaity A. Solomon Henry, distil, fol disability, Aug. 2, 1865. Seymour Lyon, muBt. out Aug. 20, 1865. SEVENTH INFANTRY. MEN FROM SFIIAWASSEE COUNTY. Company B. Gilbert A. Frn/.icr, disch. Jan. 20, 1862. Osciir S. Jewett, tinns. to Vt-t. Res. Corps, March 15, 18G4. Aneul James, died of disease ut Camp Benton, Md,, Nov. 16, 18f.l. Cad. S. I'elton, missing in retreat from Fair Oaks. Caleb B. Peltou, disch. at end of sei-vice, Sept. 9, 1SG4. Omipmnj F. Benj. F. Green, discb. for disability, Jnne 6, 1862. Henry S. McCarty, diach. for disability, May :J, 1862. Jacob D. Snyder, diseh. fordisabiliiy,0ct. in, 18G2. Wellington Stark, disch. for disability, June 2.3, 1862. William Stone, died of disease at Point Lookout, Md., Jan. 1, 1803, Jolin D. Walker, discli. for promotion, Aug. 4, 1862. William White, disch. fur disability, Nov. 5, 1861. MEN FROM CLINTON COUNTY. Company G. Thomas Stevens, must, out July 5, 1865. Compiiny II. Charles llale, discli. for disability, Oct. 17, 1862. ELEVENTH INFANTRY (NEW). MEN FROM SHIAWASSEE COUNTY. Company B. George W. White, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., June 3, 1865. Company H. John invndel, must, out Sept. IG, 18G5. TWELFTH INFANTRY. MEN FROM CLINTON COUNTY. Company B. Birdsley Morse, must, out Feb. 15, 1866. Company C Goo. Oliver, disch. by order, June 17, 1865. Valororous Oliver, must, out Feb. 15, 1866. Company D. Wilson M. Holmes, discb. by order, May 28, 1865. Company F. David Whalin, died cf disease in Arkansas, Aug. 17, 18G3. Company G. Edward C. Ilinman, diach. Aug. 18, 1862. Albert A. Sherman, disch. for disability, Aug. 26, 18G2. Company K. A. J. Austin, disch. at end of service, Nov. 20, 1863. J. R. Moss, disch. at end of service, Nov. 20, 1SG3. THIRTEENTH INFANTRY. CLINTON COUNTY VOLUNTEERS. Company B. James Anderson, disch. by order, June 8, 1865. Lewis C. Gardner, disch. by order, June 16, 1865. Alson P. Kinney, disch. by order, June 8, 1865. Company C. George C. Baker, must, out July 25, 18G5. Company D. Sergt. Michael Miller, Westphalia; enl. Nov. 12, 1861; disch. at end of service Jan. IG, 18G5. Michael Bechtold, disch. for disability, July 21, 1863. Gerritt S. Finn, veteran, enl. Jan. 18, 1864 ; died of diaease id Georgia, Feb. 28, 1865. lioreii/.o Hance, discb. for disability. May 1, 1862. Hiram S. Miller, discb. at end of service, Feb. 17, 1865. AuHon J. Rummer, disch. for disability, Feb. 23, 1863. Frank Wiler, disch. for disability, Sept. 15, 1862. Mathlas Webber, disch. on order, June 20, 1865, Company F. Sergt. Walter Delong, Lebanon; enl. Oct. 5,1861 ; died in action at Stone River, Tenn., Dec. 29, 1862. William G. Annis, veteran, enl. Jan. 18, 18G4; must, out July 25, 18G5. Silas H. Catliii, veteran, enl. Feb. 10, 1864; disch. at end of service, July 18, '65. David R. Corey, disch. for disability, March 8, 1863. Nathan Evans, disch. for disability, Dec. 10, 1862. Frederick Fifield, died at home. George W. Hewitt, died of disease .at Nashville, Tenn. Webster Lawrence, must, out July 25, 1865. William Mcltoborts, must, out July 25, 18G5. Horace McRoberls, died of disease at Kalamazoo, Feb. 9, 1862. Laureston B. Myers, disch, fur disability. Phinney B. Millard, disch. for disability. William M. Payne, disch. by order, June 8, 1865. Reuben Place, mu. Capt. Edward Cahill, St. J. hu's ; com. Jan. 16, 1865 ; must, out Sept. 30, 1S65. iBt Lieut. Wm. E. Sleiglit, Bath ; com. May 6, 1864; 2d lieut. Jan. 20, 1864; must, out Sept. 30, 1865. FKOM SHIAWASSEE COUNTY. Field and SUiff. Lieut.-Cul. Wm. K. Scllon, Owosso ; com. Aug. 17, 18C3 ; 1st lieut. 9tli Infantry. Company G. John Tbompson, must, out Sept. 30, 1865. FIRST REGIMENT UNITED STATES SHARP- SHOOTERS. FROM CLINTON COUNTY. Company C. David H. Kellogg, died of disease at Wasliington, April 10, 1862. Henry E. Slwars, died of disease at Yorktown, Va., Oct. 10, 1862. SECOND REGIMENT UNITED STATES SHARP- SHOOTERS. FROM CLINTON COUNTY. Company B. Ellis W. Ilagerty, died in action at Wilderness, May 6, 1864. John II. Tli'inipHon, died in action near Petershurg, Sept. 9, 1864. Richard WurBe, died in action at Spottsylvania, May 11, 1864. TWENTIETH INDIANA BATTERY. John Burgoyiie, Woodhull, Shiawassee Co.; veteran. SHIAWASSEE COUNTY. CHAPTER XXI. LOCATION, yOPOGEAPHY, AND MINEKAL RE- SOURCES. Boundaries, Surface, Soil, and Streams— Geological Formation— Ke- sults of Explorations for Coal and Salt— The State Geologist's Opinion relative to Coal-Mining in Michigan. Shiawassee, which is one of tlie counties in the fourth tier, — counting northward from tlie southern line of the State, — has for its western boundary the principal meridian (which is the division-line between this and Clinton County), and is bounded on the north by Saginaw, east by Genesee, and south by Livingston and Ingham, the last-named three counties having been formed in part from its original terri- tory. It is now one of the smallest counties in the State, for although it contains the same number of townships (sixteen) which are embraced in each one of several other counties, the western range of townships in tliis has only about two-thirds the usual width ; this being the result of a mistake or miscalculation in the making of the original surveys. This county is properly regarded as among the best in Miciiigan in regard to the productive quality of its soil and its adaptation to the purposes of agriculture. The surface, which can nowhere be termed hilly, is generally rolling, though in many parts of tiie county there are found quite extensive tracts of comparatively level country, which in the original field-notes of the government surveyors are frequently mentioned and described as •'prairie-lands." The principal waters of the county arc the Shiawassee, Maple, and Looking-Glass Rivers, and their tributary streams. The Shiawassee is formed of an eastern and a southern branch, which, taking their rise in the lakes of Oakland, Livingston, and Genesee Counties, join their waters in the southeast corner of Shiawassee ; from which point the main stream flows in a general nortliwesterly and northerly course through nearly the entire length of the county, crosses its northern boundary nearly at the cen- tre of it, and thence flows northward through Saginaw County into the Saginaw River. The Shiawassee River, in traversing this county, passes the cities of Owosso and Corunna and the villages of Veruou, Shiawassee, and Byron. The Maple River, taking its rise in the central and southern parts of the county, flows thence in a northwest- erly direction into Clinton. The sources of the Looking- Glass River are in the northwest part of Livingston County and the extreme southern part of Shiawassee. Its course through this county is first nearly north, and afterwards generally west, to the point where it crosses the west boundary-line into Clinton County. Neither the Looking- 116 Glass nor the Maple become streams of much size or im- portance until after they pass out of Shiawassee County. The northeast part of the county is watered by the head streams of the Misteauguay River, which flows northward into Saginaw County and enters the Flint River five miles above its mouth. Of the geology of Shiawassee County there is little to be said, more than to mention the efforts which have been made here from time to time for the discovery of coal veins and salt springs, and to notice the results of those explorations. The second Legislature of Michigan, at its regular ses- sion in 1837, passed an act (approved February 23d in that year) .which provided " that the Governor is hereby au- thorized and directed to nominate, and by and with the ad- vice and consent of the Senate to appoint, a competent person, whose duty it shall be to make an accurate and complete geological survey of this State, which shall be accompanied with proper maps and diagrams, and furnish a full and scientific description of its rocks, soils, and minerals, and of its botanical and geological productions, together with specimens of the same." Under this act the Governor appointed as State geologist, to take charge of the survey. Dr. Douglass Houghton, who in the fall of the same year set out with three assistants and made a cursory explora- tion of Shiawassee County and the contiguous country, the object of the visit being to examine the outcroppings of bituminous coal and the salt springs which were reported to exist in this region. The party left Detroit by wagon conveyance, and proceeded to Byron and thence to Co- runna and other points below on the river. One of the assistants of Dr. Houghton in that expedition was Bela Hubbard, Esq., of Wayne County, who writes in reference to the examination then made in Shiawassee County as fol- lows : " In the early part of the season, during the progress of the geological survey, beds of bituminous coal had been discovered in the bank of Grand River, in Ingham and Eaton Counties ; and the rocks met with through the cen- tral part of Shiawassee (belonging to the coal-measures) gave hope of finding an outcrop here. Prospecting was ac- cordingly commenced by us at Corunna, but, with the slender means at command, did not prove successful. Yet sufficient was determined from the character and dip of the rocks and other indications to warrant a recommendation to the settlers to continue the investigation." This recom- mendation of Dr. Houghton caused considerable search and several excavations to be made, resulting, in 1839, in the discovery of a thin vein of coal, from which small amounts continued to bo taken annually until the formation, many years later, of a company to work the vein. An account of COURT HOUSE, CORUNNA SH lAWASSEE Co. M/CH. LOCATION, TOPOGRAPHY, AND MINERAL RESOURCES. 117 the working of the mines in the vicinity of Corunna is given in the separate history of the township of Caledonia. Of the geological formation in the Corunna region Prof. Roniinger,* State geologist, says : " The hottoui of the Shiawassee Valley near Corunna is all formed of rock-beds of the coal-measures where the erosions of the drift period have not destroyed them and filled their places with debris. The upper sand-rock of the formation is in many places entirely swept away, and the shale-beJs below lie denuded to the surface. The two mines opened at Corunna, a mile or two east of the village [city], have begun their shafts in the shale-beds ; one of tliem, the more northerly situated, was abandoned at the time of my visit. The other, located within a short, semi- circular bend of the river, was worked. In the oblique drift leading to the bottom of the mine the following section is offered : ■ Drift ; 9 feet. Shale, dark, partly bliiok 30 " Sand.-^tone 4 " Black, slaty shales, containing lingula and disL'ina, besides compressed lamelli branches 6 " Coal 1 foot. Fire-clay 4 feet. Black, slaty shales, as above 8 " Coal, from .ItO't " Fire-clay 4 '* Black shales , 4 " Arenaceous shales continue to the bottom, which is eighty feet below the surface. The. tire-clay seams are usually arenaceous, and contain stems of stigmaria. Tiie shale- beds contain centicular concretions of kidney-ore in the non-decomposed condition of gray amorphous carbonate of protoxide of iron ; seams and nodules of iron pyrites are also found dispersed throughout the whole formation. In the coal-seam the pyrites are concentrated into a band of a few inche.s in thickness. The coal is of bituminous qual- ity, of the same character as the Jackson coal. Not far off, west from the mine, the shale formation is found cov- ered by the upper coarse-grained sand-rock, inclosing stems of calamites. The visible thickness of the rock is about fifteen feet, but it is probably thicker if it could be seen better exposed. Other outcrops of the sandstone are to be found in the river-bed four miles above Corunna." Coal was found outcropping in the bank of the Shia- wassee River at Owosso, and in 1857 or 1858 a shaft was sunk for the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad Company at this place on land of Judge Comstock. Prof Rominger notices this operation, and mentions the coal formation in that vicinity as follows : " The next disclosures of the coal- mea.-.ures [he having previously mentioned those of Ingham County] we find on Shiawassee River, near Owosso and Corunna, in both of which places coal-mines are opened. The shaft of the Owo.sso mine is close to the river, within the village limits. It begins in a blue shale with coaly vegetable remains, under which a coal-bed of fifteen inches is found resting on fire-clay six feet in thickness ; then another coal-seam, likewise of fifteen inches, succeeds. The bottom part of the shaft, which is forty feet deep, is formed by sliales and fire-clay ; the fire-clay is partly of a hard, sandy nature, and contains numerous stems and leaves of * Geological Survey of the State of Michigan, 1S76. Stigmaria ficoides. The coal is of a rich bituminous qual- ity and tolerably free from sulphur, but the seams are too thin to be profitably mined. . . . Several companies have tried to work it, but gave it up after a short time as not returning enough to cover the expense." He then gives the record of a boring three hundred and seven feet in depth, put down near the railroad at Owosso, and in which a vein of coal was found at a depth of about one hundred and eighty feet, but this was so thin as to be worthless. " The coal-measures," says Professor Rominger, " are fre- quently noticed in the bed of the Shiawassee below Owosso, as far down as St. Charles. A locality of particular interest is near the mouth of Six-Mile Creek, six miles north of Owosso. In the bluffs of the Shiawassee River we observe the lower part formed of blue shales, with scams of sand- rock and abundant concretions of kidney ore ; the top is drift, with a considerable intermixture of angular debris from the underlying strata. Under the shale, emerging a few feet above the water and partly submerged, are layers of a black, shaly lime-rock, visible in a thickness of four or five feet, containing numerous fossils, partly in calcified partly in pyritous condition. . . . The same limestone is seen a quarter of a mile off in the bed of Six-Mile Creek ; its ledges are there more even, — bedded flagstones, — less shaly than those seen in the Shiawassee River. Close under the lime-rock is a fifteen-inch bed of coal, quantities of which have been taken from the river-bed when the water is very low. The coal reposes on a soft, plastic clay of greenish- white color, which incloses stems of stigmaria and large, calcareous, nodular masses of cone-io-cone structure. Stems of stigmaria are also found in the upper shales of the bluffs and in the geodes ; when split open, fronds of ferns are some- times found, but their occurrence is rare. A few .steps from the mouth of Six-Mile Creek some parties made an experi- mental shaft about thirty feet deep, and from that point drilled to one hundred feet below the surface. From the material thrown out of the shaft, I see that shales of various colors, with seams of sand rock and conglomerate, besides an abundance of kiduey-ore, compose the surface- layers as far as the shaft went. Mr. Ott, thj owner of the land, informed me that four beds of .coal, amounting in all to eleven feet, were found in the boring. . . . The record in itself is somewhat doubtful, and the hesitation to take it as a true representation of facts is increased by the subse- quent act of the discoverers of so rich coal deposits (eleven feet within a vertical thickness of twenty feet of strata). Mr. Ott ends his story by saying that the men, after they had reached the depth of one hundred feet, left the place not to return again." Borings have been made from time to time in various parts of the county, some having for their object the ob- taining of brine for the manufacture of salt, some for the discovery of coal veins, and some having both these ends . in view ; but none of these have, so far as ascertained, re- paid the outlay. One of the most notable of these was a hole sunk to the depth of one thousand and one feet on section 5 of the towtuship of Owosso (several miles north- west of the city), by Mr. George Collier for the proprietor. The record of this boring gives the following as the strata passed through : 118 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Drift 121 feet. Shale 20 " Coal 4 " Shale 54 " Hard rock 15 " Shale 33 " Saml-rock 220 " Limestone 3 ** Soft shiilo 20 " Sandstone (with brine) 77 " Blue and red shales 434 " In 1S59 a boring was made by a company of Pennsyl- vania men on section 23 of tbe township of Caledonia, one and a rjuarter miles northeast of Corunna. A depth of eight hundred and seventy-four feet was reached, and the following is the record of the strata passed : Diift 30 feet. Shales and slato-rock 60 " Coal 1 foot. Sand-rock and shales 285 feet. Thin alternate strata of rock and iron ore 28 ** Shales and sand-rock 330 " Weak brine struck at this depth. Porous sand rock 140 " A great number of other borings in various parts of the county might be mentioned and statements given of the strata through which they passed ; but these would be neither valuable nor interesting. They are but records of failure, so for as their disclosure of any valuahk mineral deposits is concerned. This is unquestionably true in re- gard to all borings and excavations yet made in Shiawassee County, unless the mining operations at Corunna are to be regarded as an exception, which is, to .say the least, ex- tremely doubtful. That a similar opinion is entertained by so eminent a geologist as Professor Rominger, in regard to explorations and experimental excavations, not only in this county, but in the entire lower peninsula, is made clear by his summing up ou this subject, as follows : " The benefit to the commonwealth of a geological in- vestigation consists not only in adding discoveries of new stores of minerals to those already known, but to a much greater extent, I think, in causing to bo fairly understood the uselessness of explorations for certain minerals in places where they do not exist. Thousands and thousands of dollars have been spent in this way, which could have been saved to their owners if they had had a clear comprehen- sion of the structure of the earth's crust which they ex- plored, or had asked advice of some one better informed than themselves. . . . "The coalfields of Michigan, supposed to cover a space of eight thousand Sfjuare miles, arc up to the present day of very inferior importance in the economy of the State. Only four mines are in actual operation, and these are worked with but a small force of men. Searching for the causes of this neglect of apparently so great stores of wealth buried beneath our feet, we find one of them in the imperfect exposure of the rock-beds, which, with the ex- ception of those in a few limited districts, are all deeply covered by drift deposits. This would be no serious im- pediment if the coal scams were spread in a continuous sheet over the surface of a certain horizon ; We could then without much risk go down and uncover them; but all coal deposits are confined originally to certain limited basins, and if we consider that the coal series, as the youngest of the stratified rock-beds on the peninsula, has been without protection, by later deposits exposed to the vicissitudes of untold ages, we must expect to find a large proportion of the deposits destroyed and swept off; in particular, during the drill epoch the coal formation must have suffered im- mense destruction from the moving glacier masses. The direct proof of this is furnished by the large quantity of debris of the coal-measures mixed with the drift material ; but the drift action has not only destroyed a large propor- tion of tl)e coal formation, but has at the same time filled up the eroded gaps with loose drift material, hiding the ex- tent of destruction from observation, and thus rendering our mining operations always hazardous in a deeply drift- covered region, because we have no means whereby to know how much of the supposed underlying rock-strata has es- caped destruction. . . . This loose, porous mass of (/cirj's, in proper comminution to make a soil, and being composed of every variety of mineral substance necessary for the suste- nance of vegetable life, formed the destiny of this strip of land ; it makes it an agricultural country. No great min- eral wealth is hidden here under our feet which we could have reached through the gaps, so it were better they were closed and leveled, to enable us to harvest golden ears of wheat and corn from their surftice, than that we should enter shadowy subterranean passages in search of wealth, endangering our lives, and without any certainty of success in the end." CHAPTER XXII. CIVIL CHANGES-EAELT SETTLEMENTS. The several Counties which ho ve included the Territory of .Shiawassee — Erection of Shiawassee Count}' — Reduction of its Territory — Settlements in the County from 1831 to 1836. TllE first of the counties of Michigan, as also the first which was laid out to contain any part of the territory afterwards included in Shiawassee, was the county of Wayne. This county was first laid out, or rather pro- claimed, by the executive of the Northwest Territory, Aug. 18, 179C, to embrace all of lower Michigan and por- tions of Indiana and Ohio. But although Wayne, as thus laid out, contained a considerable number of inhabitants and sent its representative to the General Assembly of the Territory at Chillicothe, its white population was nearly all clustered at its county-seat, Detroit, and along or near the waters of its southeastern border, and its jurisdiction — scarcely extending a half-dozen miles back from the lakes and navigable streams — had no existence in all the vast wilderness of the interior. The county was again " laid out," this time with a greatly reduced area and with more definite limits, by proclamation of Governor Cass, dated Nov. 21, 1815. It was then made to include all "that part of the Territory of Michigan to which the Indian title has been extinguished," thus embracing all of the lower peninsula lying east of the principal meridian as far north as a point due west from the outlet of Lake Huron, and thence northeasterly in a right line to White Rock, in the present county of Sanilac. Within the boundaries of this great tract was included all the present territory of CIVIL CHANGES. 119 Shiawassee County, except a small portion (about one-sixth of its area) in the northwest corner. An executive proclamation, dated Jan. 15, 1818, erected the new county of Macomb, with boundaries described as follows: "Beginning at the southwest corner of township No. 1, north of the ba.se-line (so-cailod) ; thence along the Indian boundary-line, north, to the angle formed by the intersection of the line running to White Rock, upon Lake Huron ; thence with the last-mentioned line to the boundary-line between the United States and the British Province of Upper Canada ; thence on said line south- wardly to a point in Lake St. Clair due east from the place of beginning ; thence due west to the eastern extremity of the said base-line, and with the same to the place of begin- ning." This embraced all the lands north of the base-line which had previously been included in the county of Wayne. But in the Governor's subsequent definition and establishment of the boundaries of the new county, it was made to extend westward only as far as the line between the eleventh and twelfth ranges east of the meridian, so that the territory between that line and the meridian was not included in Macomb County proper, but was attached to it in the same manner that Shiawassee County was afterwards attached successively to Oakland and Genesee. One year after the erection of Macomb a large part of tlie territory which had been attached to that county was set ofiF to form the new county of Oakland, which was erected by proclamation of Governor Cass, Jan. 12, 1819, its boundaries being described as follows: "Beginning at the southeast corner of township No. 1, in range No. 11, north of the base-line ; thence north to the northeastern corner of township No. 6 in the same range ; thence west to tlie Indian boundary-line [the principal meridian] ; thence south to the base-line ; thence east to the place of beginning," thus including the south half of the present county of Shiawassee. It is shown in the preamble to the Governor's proclamation that this erection of Oakland County was considered to be in advance of the require- ments of its people, but in view of a probable increase of population sufiicient to demand it in the near future. The proclamation was not, therefore, made immediately oper- ative, but was to take effect and be in force from and after Dec. 31, 1822. Nearly three years before that time, how- ever, the people of Oakland petitioned the Governor, re- questing that their county .should be organized, and this was accordingly done by executive proclamation dated March 28, 1820. At that time, and for some two years afterwards, the lands which now form the south half of Shiawassee County were included as a part of Oakland ; about two-thirds of the north half still remained attached to Macomb, and a fraction in the northwest corner — being included in the lands then recently ceded by the Indians in the treaty of Saginaw — were not within the limits of any county. Shiawassee was erected a separate county by proclamation of Governor Cass, dated Sept. 10, 1822, its boundaries, as defined in that document, being as follows : " Beginning on the principal meridian, where the line between the eighth and ninth townships north of the base-line inter- sects the same, and running thence .south to the line between the second and third townships north of the base- line ; thence east to the line between the sixth and seventh ranges east of the principal meridian ; thence north to the line between townships numbered eight and nine north of the base-line ; thence west to the place of beginning." The same proclamation which thus erected the county of Shia- wassee provided also for the erection of Saginaw, Sanilac, and Lapeer, and attached all these four counties to Oak- land, from which a large proportion of their territory had been taken. This attachment of Shiawassee to Oakland continued in force for nearly fourteen years. At its erection, in 1822, Shiawassee County embraced, in addition to its present area, the northeast quarter (four townships) of Ingham County, the north half (eight town- ships) of Livingston County, and eight townships (the same which are now Argentine, Fenton, Mundy; Gaines, Clayton, Flint, Mount Morris, and Flushing) in the county of Genesee. The erection of Ingham County (Oct. 29, 1829), of Livingston County (March 21, 1833), and of Genesee County (March 28, 1835), cut off those portions of the original territory of Siiiawassee (in all, a strip of two townships in width from its entire eastern and southern bor- ders), and reduced the county to its present limits. The organization of the county of Genesee was effected by act of the Legislature, approved March 8, 1836; and it was by the same act provided " that the county of Shiawassee be and the same is hereby attached to the county of Gene- see, for judicial purposes, until otherwise directed by the Legislature." The act took effect on the first Monday in April of the same year, and from that time until Shiawassee was organized as a county — in 1837 — it remained so attached to Genesee. It had also been made a part of the town- ship of Grand Blanc, Genesee Co., by the operation of an act approved March 26, 1835, which provided " that the county of Shiawassee shall be attached to and comprise a part of the township of Grand Blanc, for the purposes of township government." This township jurisdiction con- tinued until March 23, 1836, when the Governor approved an act which provided " that the county of Shiawassee be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Shiawassee. . . ." This town- ship continued to embrace all the territory of the county until March 11, 1837, when an act was approved providing that " all that portion of the county of Shiawassee known as townships 7 and 8 north, of ranges 1, 2, 3, and 4 east, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Owosso." And by other sections of the same act, township No. 5 north in range 4 east, was erected as the township of Burns ; and township No. 6 north, in the same range, was .set off, to be organized as the township of Vernon. These were the only townships erected in the county prior to its organiza- tion, so that at that time its territory was subdivided as follows : Owosso township comprehended within its limits the entire north half of the county ; the townships of Burns and Vernon embraced, respectively, the same terri- tory as at present ; and the remainder of the county — that part which is now included in the townships of Antrim, Shiawas.see, Bennington, Sciota, WoodhuU, and Perry — formed the township of Shiawassee, which had been re- 120 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. duced to three-eiglitlis of its oiii^inal dimensions by the laying out of Owosso, Burns, and Vcinon. Tlie above account exhibits the cliangcs of jurisdiction through wliich the territory of Shiawassee' County liad passed prior to its separate organization, in 1837, as also the several township subdivisions wliich existed within it at that time. EAKLY SETTLEMENTS. The settlements which had been made in the county prior to its organization were numerous, but liad been made chiefly during the last year of the period under considera- tion. The first white settlers within the county were the brothers Alfred L.jind Benjamin 0. Williams; for although Whitmore Knaggs had located here about 1820, Mr. Grant a few years later, and Richard Godfroy in 1828, yet these were in no sense settlers, but merely transient traders, who came to deal with the Indians so long — and only so long — as the trafiBc continued to prosper. But the case was dif- ferent with the brothers Williams, who came from their home in Oakland County in April, 1829, to prospect in Shiawassee, with the full intention of becoming settlers here. " We concluded," says Mr. B. 0. Williams,* " when we became of age we would settle in this new and beautiful virgin forest;" and they carried out this intention in August, 1831, when they came to the county, and located on lands entered by Alfred L. Williams (BeTijamin 0. being then still a minor) on the Shiawassee, adjoining the north line of the Kechewondaugoning reservation. And although they were at first traders, they soon began to cultivate land, and becoming in every sense settlers, remained for nearly a half century the seniors among the residents of Shiawassee County, as Mr. B. 0. Williams is at the present time.f About two years after the Williams brothers came, the second settlement in Shiawassee was made by John 1. Tin- kelpaugh, who brought his family and located on section 24, of township 6 north, of range 3 east, in May, 1833. He had previously cleared a small part of his land on the river-bottom and planted it, this being the first land plowed in the county. Mr. Tinkelpaugh afterwards becaifie a resi- dent of Greenbush township, Clinton Co., and died there in the fall of 1879. He was a brother of Captain Edward Tinkelpaugh, of New York, the commander at different times of the " North Star," " South America," and other ocean steamers running from that port. Other settlers who came in the same year were Hosea Baker, his son, Ambrose Baker, and his son-in-law, Aaron Swain, all of whom settled in the same township, and Henry Leach and Jacob Wilkinson, in township 6, of range 4. The settlements made in the county in 1834 were but few, though entries of land and preparations for permanent occupancy were numerous. In 1835, however, the number of actual settlers was considerably increased, and their set- tlements were extended northward and westward into the township which is now Caledonia, and to the Big Rapids of the Shiawassee, now Owosso. Among those who came in and made permanent location in the two years named were » Michigan Pioneer Collections, vol. ii. p. 477. t Mr. A. L. Williams, after a residence of many years in Owosso, reniovod to Virginia, wliere lie is now living. Isaac M. Banks (in town 6, range 3), John Swain (in Caledonia), Samuel N. Whitcomb, Josiah Pierce, and James Rutan (in Vernon), Zachariah R. Webb (in the township now Venice), and Louis Findley, Kilburn Bedell, David Van Wormer, John D. Overton, and Henry S. Smith, at the Rapids. Overton and Van Wormer came as tenants of Judge Elias Comstock, who had purchased land at the Rapids, and had made some improvements in 1835, in preparation for permanent settlement there. In the same manner, Henry S. Smith (who had previously made a temporary halt near Shiawasseetown) moved to the new settlement at the Rapids, and occupied a log house erected for A. L. and B. 0. Williams. In this year (1835) the first settlement in the southeast corner township (now Burns) was made by Dyer Rathburn, from New York State. Naturally it would seem that this part of the county should have been the first settled, for not only was it nearest to the older settlements in the counties south and east, and was traversed by the old thoroughfiire from Pontiac to the Grand River, but it con- tained the county-site (as then established), and the region contiguous to the confluence of the east and south branches of the Shiawassee was one of great natural advantages. The reason why these causes did not induce the first set- tlers, in the county to locate in this township was undoubt- edly because the lands in the most favored localities had been secured many years before by Judge Dexter, and were held by him for purposes of speculation. The year 1836 saw the greatest influx of immigrants into Shiawassee, as was also the case in most other counties of the lower peninsula. In that year settlements spread through the county with great rapidity, particularly along the line of the Grand River road (or trail) and contiguous country. The list of those who came in as settlers during that season is too numerous to be given at length, but men- tion may be made of a few in several of the townships em- bracing different sections of the county. In the southeast corner township there came among the settlers of that year Maj. Francis J. Prevost, Robert Crawford, John Burgess, Wallace Goodin, John B. Barnum, P. L. Smith, and S. S. Derby, several of whom were members of the Byron Com- pany. Passing westward in the townships of the same tier, there were among the settlers of 1836, Allen Beard, Lyman Melvin, Peter Cook, Alanson Ailing, and others (in Antrim) ; Josiah Purdy (in Perry) and Josephus and John Woodhull, in the township which was afterwards named for them. Peter Laing came in the same year, and founded the" village of Laingsburg, in what is now the township of Scioja, and Samuel Carpenter, Mason Phelps, and Milton Phelps also made settlements in the same township. Ben- nington received its first settlers in the persons of Samuel Nichols and his unmarried brother James, who had entered their lands in the previous year, and came to locate perma- nently in the spring of 1836. In the fall of that year Jordan Holcomb and Aaron Hutchins came to the same township, and Lemuel Castle and several others came there on prospecting tours, and made preparation for settlement in the following spring. In 1836, William Newberry, Ephraim Wright, William M. Warren, and many others located in what is now the township of Shiawassee. John ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY. 121 Smedloy, Noah Bovier, William K. Reed, and Joseph Par- monter were among the immigrants of thi.s year in Vernon, Capt. John Davids in Caledonia (on the present site of the city of Corunria"), and Judge Comstock at Owosso. Settlements were also made in the same year in Middle- bury, on the west border of the county, by Obed Hatha- way, George W. Slocum, and some others, and in New Haven by Horace Hart and Richard Freeman. The other townships of the northern tier remained unsettled until a later date. The above brief mention of a very few of the pioneers of Shiawassee is made here merely for the purpose of showing the manner in which the settlements spread from the point where they commenced, on the Shiawassee River, to other points of the county. More extended and detailed accounts of the early settlements and settlers will be given in the separate histories of the several townships. The rapid immigration of 1836 brought with it a fever of speculation in wild lands. It was not long before hun- dreds of speculators from the East were swarming here, eager to select and purchase the best tracts of government land, and this, of course, resulted unfavorably for the prog- ress of the county. Numerous projects of "improvement" were conceived and villages were started, which apparently prospered for a time, but some of which afterwards decayed, and went down as rapidly as they had sprung into existence, and by the close of the year 1837 the prospect of material progress in Shiawassee County began to assume a less rose- ate hue than it had worn only a short time before. The situation of afi'airs at that time at some of the principal points in the county, was noticed by Bela Hubbard, Esq. (who made a tour through this section in the fall of 1837, as an assistant of Dr. Douglass Houghton in his geological explorations), as follows : " Byron, in the southeast corner of Shiawassee County, was the termination of our wagon journey. , The name had long occupied a prominent place on all the old maps of Michigan, — at that time a decade was antiquity, — and held ont to the new- comer the promise of a large and thriving village. The reality was disappointing. It possessed, all told, but a mill and two houses. At Byron we exchanged our wagon for a canoe, and commenced a descent of Shia- wassee River. " From Byron to Owosso, about twenty miles direct (but many more by the course of the stream), our way lay mostly through lands more heavily timbered, but varied with open- ings and occasional plains. Through this part of the coun- try roads had been opened and settlements had made rapid progress. . . . Shiawasseetown at this time contained a dozen log cabins and as many frames unfinished. One of these was of quite a superior construction, and indicative of the era of speculation through which the country had passed. It was three stories in height and designed for a hotel. The whole village was under mortgage and was advertised to be sold at public vendue. " Corunna, the county-scat, we found to consist of one log house, situated on the bank of the river, and occupied by a Mr. Davids, who a year before, and soon after the organ- ization of the county, had made an entry here. A steam- mill wxs in process of erection. About twentv acres of land 16 had been cleared and planted, and never did crystal stream lave a more fertile soil. " Three miles below was ' located' the village of Owosso, already a thriving settlement, containing a dozen log build- ings, one frame one, and a saw-mill. With the exception of a few scattered settlers upon the plains south of the line of the present Detroit and Milwaukee Railway, such consti- tuted the entire white population of Shiawassee County." The real and per.sonal valuation of the several townships of the county, at a period ten years later (1847), is given below, as showing the progress which had been made in Shi- awassee County during that time by settlement and improve- ment, viz. : Antrim township $31,739 Burns township 39,234 Bennington townshijj 33,911 C.ilcJonia township 51,748 Middlebury township 18,810 New Haven township (two survey townships) 27,768.50 Owosso township (two survey townships) 4fi,59S Perry township 32,003 Sciota township 19,747 Shiawassee township 4(5,304 Venice townshiji 20,169 Vernon township 31,322 WoodhuU township 20,402 Total of county $419,755.50 CHAPTER XXIII. ORGANIZATION OP THE COUNTY— COURTS AND OTHER MATTERS. Shiawassee organized by Act of Legislature — First Election — Subdi- vision of the County into Townships— The Board of Supervisors — Wolf Record — Kstablishinent of Courts in Shiawassee County and their Early Proceedings. The organization of the county was effected under au- thority of an act of the Legislature, approved March 13, 1837, which provided " That the county of Shiawassee be, and the same is, hereby organized for county purposes ; and the inhabitants thereof shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges to which, by law, the inhabitants of other counties of this State, organized since the adoption of the constitution, are entitled." Under this act a special election was held in May, 1837, resulting in the election of Levi Rowe as Sheriff, Andrew Parsons as County Clerk, Josiah Pierce as Treasurer, James Rutan and Alfred L. Wil- liams as Associate Judges, Elias Comstock as Judge of Probate, and Daniel Gould as County Surveyor. Sanford M. Green was made prosecuting attorney by appointment. By this election the organization of Shiawassee County was made complete. At that time the county embraced the townships of Shiawassee, Owosso, Burns, and Vernon, as has already been mentioned. The next subdivision was made by an act approved March 6, 1838, which erected survey-township No. 5 north, of range 3 east, into the township of Antrim (its territory being the same then as at present), and sur- vey-townships Nos. 5 and 6 north, of range No. 2 east, into the township of Bennington, which thus included, in addition to its own present territory, that of the town- ship of Perry. 122 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. By act approved April 2, 1838, the township of AVood- huU was erected, to eoiiiprise " ail that portion of the county of Shiawassee designated by the United States sur- vey as townships Nos. 5 and (! north, of range No. 1 east," so including the present towns of Woodhull and Sciota. By the erection of Woodhull the territory of the old township of Shiawassee was diminished to its present size. The first reduction of the original area of Owosso town- ship was made hy an act (approved March 21, 1839) which erected survey-townships Nos. 7 and 8 north, of range No. 1 east, into the separate township of Middlebury. The same act also took from the territory of Owosso sur- vey-township 7 north, of range 4 east (the same which is now Venice), and attached it to the township of Vernon. On the following day (March 22, 1839) the Governor approved an act in which it was provided that " All that part of the county of Shiawassee designated by the United States survey as township No. 7 north, of range No. 3 east, which lies east of the west line of sections Nos. 5, 8, 17, 20, 29, and 31,* in said township, be, and the same is, hereby set off and organized into a township by the name of Caledonia ; and the first township-meeting shall be held at the hou.se of Alexander McArthur in said town- ship." The reduction of Bennington township to its present size was effected by the passage of an act (approved March 15, 1841) which provided that " all that part of the county of Shiawassee designated by the United States survey as town- ship No. 5 north, of range No. 2 east, be, and the same is, hereby set off and organized as a separate township by the name of Perry." The size of this town has remained un- changed to the present time. New Haven township was erected by act of March 20, 1841, to comprise survey-townships numbered 8, in ranges 3 and 4 east. These were taken from Owosso township, and are the same which now form the towns of Now Haven and Hazelton. The township of Sciota was formed by act approved Feb. 16, 1842, to include survey-township 6 north, of range 1 east. This being taken from the original territory of Woodhull reduced the latter township to its present size. An act of the Legislature approved March 9, 1843, pro- vided that " All that part of the county of Shiawassee desig- nated by the United States survey as township No. 7 north, of range No. 4 east, formerly belonging to the township of Owosso, but now to the township of Vernon, be, and the same is, hereby set off and organized as a separate township by the name of Venice, and the first township-meeting thereof shall be held at the house of Neely Sawtell." This was the same territory which, by act of March 21, 1839, had been taken from Owosso and attached to Vernon, which latter township was consequently reduced to its orig- inal and present size by the erection of Vernon, as above mentioned. * It will be seen that in this erection of Caledonia upon the terri- tory of survey-township 7 north, of range 3 east, sections Nos. 6, 7, 18, 19, and 30 were not included, but remained a part of the township of Owosso. By an act approved Feb. 16, 1842, however, these sections were taken from Owosso and annexed to Caledonia, thus making its limits coextensive with those of the survey-township. Hazelton township, embracing town No. 8 north, in range 4 east, of the United States survey, was erected by act of March 25, 1850. It was taken from New Haven, and its erection left the latter township with its present boundaries. The last township taken from the territory of Owosso was that of Rush, which was laid out and organized under the provisions of an act approved March 28, 1850. By the erection of Rush (comprising survey-township 8 north, of range 2 east) the area of Owosso was reduced to a single one of the eight survey-townships which it originally em- braced. The youngest township in the county is that of Fair- field, which was erected with its present territory by action of the Board of Supervisors on the 4th of January, 1854. BOAKD OF SUPERVISORS— COUNTY COMMIS- SIONERS. The township of Shiawassee, organized on the 23d of March, 1836, comprised the entire territory of Shiawas.see County, as before noticed. The first township-meeting was held at the house of Hosea Baker, who was elected super- visor for that year, and represented the township in the Board of Supervisors of Genesee County, to which this county was attached. The townships entitled to a repre- sentation at the time of the organization of the county, in 1837, were Shiawassee, Owosso, Burns, and Vernon, and De Witt and Watertown, of Clinton County, which was then attached to, and composed a part of, Shiawassee. No record is preserved of a meeting of the board in the fall of 1837, but the fact that such meeting was held is proved by the action of the board at the session of October, 1838, when that body rescinded a resolution " passed in October last," in reference to wolf-bounties. At that session, which commenced on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 1838, at the place known as the Shiawassee Exchange, situated on the Shiawassee River, Lemuel Castle was chosen chair- man, and Francis J. Prevost clerk pro tern. At the close of that meeting the board adjourned to meet the next day at the hotel at Shiawasseetown, kept by Lucius W. Beach. The supervisors present were Lemuel Castle, of Benning- ton ; Elias Comstock, of Owosso ; H. B. Flint, of Antrim ; Francis J. Prevost, of Burns ; Thomas Beal, of Shiawas- see ; James Rutan, of Vernon; Jonathan Woodhull, of Woodhull, Shiawa.ssee Co. ; and Hiram Benedict, of Wan- daugou, Calvin Marvin, of Watertown, and Welcome J. Partelo, of De Witt, Clinton Co.f The first business was the examination of wolf-certificates, and twenty-five of these were audited, covering an amount of three hundred and seventy-five dollars, without names attached, but designated by numbers. The townships of Owosso, Burns, Shiawassee, Water- town, and the village of Mapleton (the last two in Clinton County) had made requests to the supervisors for money to build bridges. Afler considerable discussion it was de- cided to levy the tax for the erection of the bridges, upon the county instead of the several townships. The amount f The townships of Bennington and Antrim were organized in March, 183S, and Woodhull in April of the same year. Wandaugon (now Lebanon), Clinton Co., was organized also in March, 1838. ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY. 123 to each and the location of the bridges are here given : Owosso (at tlie village), three hundred dollars; Burns (near John Knaggs), two hundred dollars ; Shiawassee, fifty dollars ; De Witt (Looking-Glass River, near Welcome J. Partelo), one hundred dollars ; Watertown (Looking- Glass River on town line between ranges 3 and 4), one hundred dollars; Wandaugon (lleywood Creek on State road), one hundred dollars ; Mapleton (on Maple River), one hundred dollars. The couimittee on equalization of assessment rolls re- ported that " the as.sessment appears to be equal." The aggregate amount of the several towns was as follows : 1838. Owosso $297,681 Bennington $96,224 Ue Wilt 297,087 Vernon 66,856 Burns 66,643 Shiawassee 66,037 Watertown 194,350 Antrim 64,095 Woodhull 81,025 Wandaugon 186,028 It was resolved that the sum of $2076 be levied upon the county as a State tax, and the sum of $4924 for county purposes. Elias Comstock and James Rutan were appointed a committee to apportion the amount upon the several towns, which was reported as follows : Assessment. $290,681.00 297,087.00 194,350.00 66,643.00 81,025.00 96,224.00 60,856.00 66,037.00 64,095.00 186,028.00 state and County Tax. §1430.00 1470.00 954.20 323.20 393.00 471.90 322.00 299.10 305.20 915.50 Town Tax. $283.50 212.50 217.80 138.80 160.00 128.10 210.00 456.90 142.80 157.50 Poor Tax. Total Tax. $1714.00 De Witt Watertown.... $50.00 30.00 25.00 50.00 1733.00 1202.00 487.00 Woodhull 603.00 600.00 532.00 .Shiawassee.... 50.00 926.00 448.00 1073.00 $1,409,026.00 $6885.10 $2170.90 $205.00 $9318.00 The board was in session several days, closing on the tyth of October. By the provisions of a law passed by the Legislature in 1838, the powers and duties of the Board of Supervisors were transferred to a Board of County Commissioners, to be composed of three members. The first election of County Commissioners was held early in November. Tlie Board of Canvassers met on the 13th of the samemonth, and was composed as follows : Antrim, Allen Beard. Bennington, Ira B. Howard. Burns, Francis J. Prevost. Owosso, Elias Comstock. Shiawassee, Peter Turner. Woodhull, Peter Laing. De Witt, Ephraim H. Utley. Watertown, Charles R. Spicer. The canvasser who represented Wandaugon was not present, and the canvass proceeded without him. The three county commissioners elected were Lemuel Castle, Ransom W. Holley, and Ephraim H. Utley. The board met and organized on the 20th of November, 1838, in Shiawasseetown, at the hotel of Lucius W. Beach. Lemuel Castle was cho.sen chairman. After organization wolf-cerlificates were audited to the amount of §100.84, but little other business was brought before them. The board convened at Corunnaon the 8th of July, 1839, and on September 23d of the same year at the Shiawas.see Exchange ; the latter meeting being held for the purpose of adjusting accounts between Clinton and Shia- wassee Counties, the former having been organized March 12, 1839. An agreement giving a balance of $202.91 to Shiawassee County was signed by Lemuel Castle, R. W. Holley, L. Rowe, Commissioners of Shiawassee County ; E. H. Utley, Calvin Marvin, Commissioners of Clinton County ; and John Gould, Treasurer of Clinton County. On the 7th of October, in the same year, the commis- sioners convened at Corunna, and accepted a block of land three hundred feet square donated by the County-Seat Company, designated on the recorded plat of Corunna as the " public square." Dec. 31, 1839, a statement of the appropriations for 1838 and 1839 was made, viz. : 1838. For bridges $1000.00 Bounties on wolf-scalps 117.50 E.xpenses of county canvass 86.02 Sheriff's fees 186.76 Expenses of criminal prosecutions 52.55 County clerk's fees 97.37 Expenses of circuit court 7.75 Contingent expenses of Clinton and Shiawas- see Counties 479.88 Total $2009.81 1839. For bounties on wolf-scalps $49.00 Criminal prosecutions 49.91 Expenses of circuit court 2.3.25 SheritTs fees 58.13 Prosecuting attorney's salary 150.00 County clerk's fees , 127. 3:i Contingent expenses of county 212.70 County building 345.00 Total $1015.32 The business of the county was transacted by the com- missioners until the oflice was abolished by act of Legisla- ture, approved Feb. 10, 1842. The powers which had been exercised by the commissioners were then resumed by the . supervisors of the county. The Board of Supervisors convened at the court-house in the village of Corunna on the 4th of July, 1842, when the following-named members were present : M. B. Martin, David Bush, Jr., Sanford M. Green, Lyman Bennett, Lem- uel Castle, R. W. Holley, Andrew Parsou.s, John Palmer, Allen Smith, John K. Tyler, John Woodhull, and Hum- phrey Wheeler. This was the first meeting held by the board under the law of 1842, and from that time to the present the supervisors have continued to exercise their functions as financial managers of the county. "WOLF KECORD. An act was passed by the Legislature of the State for the destruction of wolves Dec. 28, 1837, and Feb. 9, 1838, another act was adopted. The last section, repealing the act of the previous December, provided " That every per- son, being an inhabitant of this State, as well Indians as others, who shall kill a full-grown wolf, or wolf's whelp under the age of three months, in any organized township, shall be entitled to a bounty of $8 for each full-grown wolf, and $4 for each wolf's whelp ;" the person claiming sueh bounty to take either the wolf or the head thereof, with the ears and skin entire thereon, to a justice of the peace, and make oath before him as to the facts and circumstances of 124 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICniGAN. the killing. It was thereupon the duty of the justice, if satisfied with the statement, to certify the same and burn the ears and scalp of such wolf The certificate, in turn, was to be presented, with the affidavit, to a supervisor or commissioner within fifteen days, and if by either of them found to be correct, it was to be presented to the next county board, and if then found all right by that body, the bounty was to be allowed and paid out of the county treas- ury, one-half of which was to be charged over to and paid out of the State treasury. By one provision of the act a Board of Supervisors, or of Commissioners, had " au- thority to award and allow, at the expense of their respec- tive counties, such other and further bounties for the de- struction of wolves and jninlhers as they might deem proper." This act, approved Feb. 9, 1838, was " to remain in force three years and no longer," although the law was afterwards extended to Feb. 10, 1844, and the records show bounties paid for that purpose several years after that time. The first business of the Board of Supervisors of the county at the session commencing Oct. 2, 1838, was the examination of wolf-certificates. An additional bounty of $1 appears to have been added to the State bounty, making the bounty for wolves $9 and whelps $5, as the first items, appended, show : " The board then voted to allow a bounty of $9 each on five wolves, killed as described in certificate No. 1, §45. " Also on three wolves, $9 each, as described in certifi- cate No. 2, $27. "Also on two wolves, $9 each, as described in certificate No. 3, $18. " Also on one wolf [whelp], $5, as described in certifi- cate No. 4, $5." Twenty-five certificates were examined and allowed in the same manner as above, embracing a total of twenty six wolves and eleven whelps. On the 4th of October, the third day of the session, the board rescinded a resolution " that was passed in October last," allowing a county bounty of $5 for the destruction of wolves. No attention seems to have been paid to the action of the Board of Su- pervisors of the year previous in the examination of the twenty-five certificates, but they evidently considered it of sufficient importance to rescind it. At the meeting of the county commissioners on the 18th of November (the month following). 1838, the State bounty only was allowed. They also recorded the names of those to whom bounties were granted. Below are given the names of persons, date of cer- tificate, and amount of bounty allowed from that time. Nov. 20, 1838.— Hiram Stowell,* $8 ; Silas W. Rose, $8. Jan. 7, 1839.— Rufus C. Rathbone, $16 ; Enoch Willis, $16; George Nichols, $8; Benjamin Morton, $4. The last is a further allowance on wolf-certificate No. 21 in the twenty-five certificates passed in October, 1838. " March 4, 1839. — Morris Cushman, $8 ; Lewis Hart, $4.50 (whelps). July 17, 1839.— Allen Baird, $5. Sept. 20, 1839.— George Campau, $32. * Mr. Stowell and several others in the list were residents of Clin- ton County, which wus then a part of Shiawassee. Nov. 20, 1839.— Rufus C. Rathbone, $44. Jan. 10, 1842.— Ezra L. Mason, $10 ; Albert B. Mason, $8; William Sladden, $8. Feb. 24, 1842.- John F. Swain, $10; Ezra L. Mason, $10. March 28, 1842.— A. McArthur, $10; Jesse Whitford, $8. Dec. 21, 1843.— Jacob Esty, $13 ; Ambrose Baker, $13 ; Wellman Castle, $26; George W. Slocum, $13; Robert G. McKee, $13 ; George Rowell, $13; Jesse Whitford, $13. Nov. 12, 1844.— Clark D. Castle, $13; Hiram Haight, $16 ; Amasa Rowell, $13 ; George Bibbins, $13 ; Nicholas Woolman, $13; Apollos Dewey, $26. Jan. 4, 1845.— Joel B. Goss, $6; William Plac'eway, $13; Marvin Secord, $13. Oct. 16, 1845.— Joel A. Hart, $30; Nathaniel Kimball, $15; Apollos Dewey, $15; E. P. Mason, $13; Ambrose Baker, $13; Hiram Haight, $13; Rial B. Chase, $15. Oct. 15, 1846.— Ezra L. Mason, $45 ; Daniel D. Slo- cum, $15. Wolf-certificates were granted for several years, the last account on the records being Jan. 5, 1869, when Mr. Rush presented a claim for a bounty for killing a wolf in favor of B. W. Steer, and moved that the same be allowed. The certificate, however, was referred back to claimant for fur- ther proof, and as it is not again brought up it is fair to presume it was not again presented. ESTABLISHMENT OF COURTS IN SHIAWASSEE COUNTY. By the act under which Shiawa.ssee County was organ- ized it was provided that " The Circuit Court of the county of Shiawassee shall be held at the county-seat if practica- ble, and if not, at such other place as the sheriif of said county shall provide until county buildings shall be erected. " The county of Shiawassee shall belong to the second judicial circuit, and the terms of the Circuit Court shall commence on the first Monday of June and December in each year." The first term of the Circuit Court"!" of Shiawassee County was, in accordance with the provisions of the above act, held at the office of the county clerk on the 4th day of December, 1837. There were present the Hon. Alfred L. Williams and the Hon. James Rutan, associate judges. No circuit judge was present. Levi Rowe was appointed crier for the term. The sheriff was ordered to appoint four constables to attend during the term, and he appointed Noah Bovier and Ma.son Phelps (only two), and they and Aaron Swain, the under-sheriff, were ordered to attend. Application was then made by Saoford M. Green (now circuit judge of the eighteenth judicial circuit) to be ad- mitted as an attorney and counselor-at-law. After exam- ination he was admitted. There being no prosecuting attorney in the county, the court appointed Mr. Green to act in that capacity for the term. The following are the names of the grand jurors in attendance at that term : Daniel Ball, Daniel Gould, Horace Hart, Robert Crawford, f This sketch of the Circuit Court of Shiawassee County is fur- nished by the Hon. Josiah Turner, judge of the seventh judicial circuit. FIRST COURTS. 125 Tliouias P. Green, Elisha Brewster, Stephen Post, Samuel Brown, M. Bradley Martin, Ira B. Howard, Ephraim Wright, Cornelius W. Miller, James Van Aukin, Joseph Parmeter, Josiah Pierce, John Smedley, Samuel W. Hard- ing, and S. N. Whitcomb. Daniel Ball was appointed foreman. A few of these gentlemen are still living in the county, honored and respected by all, but the large majority of them are believed to be dead. The grand jury found one indictment, charging a man with perjury, and they were then discharged. The records show the following entry : " John Knaggs vs. Phillis, his wife. On motion of Sanford M. Green, counsel for said Knaggs, the court ordered that said Knaggs have leave to present a petition for a divorce from Phillis, his said wife, at the next term of the court ; and that said Knaggs shall cause a written notice to be served upon his said wife at least thirty days before the said term of the court of his intention to present such petition and of the hearing thereof." This was the first proceeding in the county to obtain a divorce, and it would be a novel way to get a party into court at this day. The court adjourned on the second day of its session. The next term of the court was held on the 4th day of June, 1838, by Hon. James Rutan, one of the associate judges. The grand jury were impannelled, but soon re- ported to the court that they had no business before them, and the court at once adjourned without day, no other business having been trainsacted. The next term commenced on the 25th day of Novem- ber, 1838, and was held by the associate judge, the circuit judge not being present. The first petit jury ever summoned in the county was present at this terra, and their names were as follows : Harvey Harmon, David T. Tyler, Stephen Post, Samuel W. Harding, Francis F. Mann, John Smedley, William P. Laing, George Harrington, John B. Clark, Icliabod Knee- land, Eli Sliattuck, Calvin Sweet, Rufus Collier, Nicholas P. Harder, Samuel N. Whitcomb, Samuel Millard, and Ephraim Wright, very few of whom are now living. The grand jury at thi.s term found five bills of indictment, but no further business was transacted. The next term of the court was held on the 7th day of May, 1839, when the Hon. Charles W. Whipple,* circuit judge, and Hon. James Rutan, as.sociate judge, presided. This was the first term in the county at which a circuit judge was present. At this term George W. Wisner and Alfred H. Hanscomb were admitted to the bar, and were for many years there- after distinguished lawyers at Pontiac. Both are now dead. The first trial ever had in this court was at this term. It was a criminal case, and the jury did not agree. At the May term, 1810, the case of Robert Crawford vs. Liberty Lyman was tried by a jury, and a verdict was ren- * Judge Whipple was born in New York, and removed with his father to Detroit when a boy. lie was educated at West Point. He was several times elected to the State Legislature, and in lS;iC and 1837 was speaker of the House of Kopresentativos. In 1838 he was ai)pointed a justice of the Supreme Court, which office ho held for many years. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1860. He was a man of great dignity and an eminent jurist. Ue died Oct. 2i, 1836 dered for the plaintiif for $17.55 damages, being the first civil case ever tried in this court. At this term the late Gov- ernor Moses Wisner made application for admission to the bar, and the court appointed as examining committee Wil- liam L. Mosely, Edward H. Thomson, and Artemas Thayer, and after examination Mr. Wisner was admitted. On the 3d day of Jlay, 1843, a term was held, at which the Hon. George Morrell, then chief justice of the Su- preme Court, presided. The next circuit judge of the county was the Hon. Ed- ward Mundy, who held his first term commencing on the 2d day of August, 1848, and his last term was held in June, 1850. Judge IMundy was among the earlier emigrants to the Territory of Michigan. He was the first Lieutenant-Gov- ernor of the State, under the first State constitution, in 1835 and 1830, and again held the same office from 1837 to 1840. In 1847 he was appointed attorney-general, which office he held until 1848, when he was appointed a justice of the Supreme Court, and from 1844 to 1848 he was a regent of the State University. He died in 1851. The next circuit judge of the county was the Hon. Sanford M. Green, who held his first term in the county in May, 1852, and continued to so preside until May, 1857, when he was succeeded by Judge Josiah Turner, the pres- ent incumbent. Judge Green was born May 30, 1807, in Grafton, N. Y., and was admitted to the bar in New York in 1832; re- moved to Michigan in 1837 and settled in Owosso ; elected to the State Senate in 1842 ; appointed commissioner to revise the statutes in 1844, and reported to the Legi.slature of 1846 ; elected to the Senate again in the fall of 1845, and served two years ; was appointed judge of the Supreme Court by Governor Ransom in 1848, and held that office until May, 1857, and was chief justice two years of that time. From Jan. 1, 1858, to April, 18G7, and from June, 1872. to the present time he has held the office of circuit judge, — now of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit. PROBATE COURT. The first session of this court of which any record is ex- tant was held at the village of Owosso, Feb. 13, 183S, Eiias Comstock, probate judge, presiding. The first proceedings wore " in the matter of the estate of Samuel Carpenter, deceased." Application was made by Alvin S. McDowell for letters of administration upon the above estate, which were granted upon giving bond in the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars, the bond being signed by A. S. Mc- Dowell, William Phelps, and John lluuciman. John Hill, Jordan Holcomb, and Aaron Hutchins were appointed ap- praisers of the property, with orders to report on the lOlh of March, 1838. On the same day application was made by Isaac Thomp- son, of Ionia County, for letters of administration on the estate of Daniel Barker, of the county of Clinton. Bond was given in the sum of three thousand dollars, and signed by Isaac Thompson, Frederick Hall, and Joseph Letanker. The appraisers were Nathan Benjamin, Thaddeus O. War- ren, and Silas Cripj)en. The first will (that of Orrin Perry) was offered for probate on the 12th of June, 1838, bearing 126 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. date April 30th of the same year. Elizabeth Perry was appointed executrix, and Washington Z. Blanchard and Horace B. Flint executors. Letters were issued April 25, 1839, to Kalph Williams as guardian of Violetta Car- penter, a minor under the age of fourteen years and a daughter of Samuel Carpenter. Lewis Lindley was ap- pointed, April 1, 1839, guardian of Lucinda Phidelia Be- dell, a minor, daughter of Kilburn Bedell. The will of Moses Kimball, one of the proprietors of the Shiawa.ssee Company, was presented for probate. It was dated Nor- wich, Huron Co., Oiiio, Sept. 18, 1837, and recorded in the county of Shiawassee in 1838, as part of the property mentioned in the will was in this county. Judge Comstock served as probate judge until 1841, when he was succeeded by Ira B. Howard, whose first busi- ness was the division of the estate of Samuel Carpenter. COUNTY COURT. The county courts which had existed in Michigan prior to April, 1833, were abolished by law at that time, but were re established by an act of the Legislature in 1846. Lender the law last named the first session of the county court of Shiawassee was held at Corunna on the 5th of April, 1847, Judge Ilobert R: Thompson presiding. During the continuance of the county court Judge Thomp- son presided until June 3, 1851, from which time A. B. Cliipman, the Second Judge, presided till the end of the year, when, by a limitation embodied in the con.stitution of 1850, the county courts ceased to exist, and their business was transferred to the circuit courts. CHAPTER XXIV. COUNTY-SITES AND COUNTY PBOPEKTY. Establishment and Yacatiou of the County -Site at Byron — Location of the Seat of Justice at Corunna — Erection of Court-House and Jail — Fire-Proof Offices — Poor-House and Poor-Farm. On the 4th of August, 1824, the Governor of Michigan Territory approved an act providing for the appointment of commissioners to locate the seat of justice of Shiawassee County. Under this act James McCioskey, Frederick A. Sprague, and William Meldrum were appointed such com- missioners, and were instructed to report their action to the Legislative Council at its next session. They proceeded to perform the duty assigned them, and duly made report to the council, in accordance with their instructions, that they had selected the village of Byron, and had there established the county site. Shiawassee County then embraced, in ad- dition to its pro.sont territory, eight townships that now belong to Genesee County, eight townships that are now included in Livingston, and four townships of the present territory of Ingham County, — in all twenty townships, forming a belt two townships wide, along and outside of the entire south and cast border of this county as it now stands. So the county-site determined on by the commis- sioners was then near the territorial centre of the county ; but, in addition to the fact of its geographical position, it was said that the influence of Judge Samuel W. Dexter, of Washtenaw County, was potent in securing the selection of that site, which was probably the fact ; for it is certain that he was then the proprietor of a largo amount of land at that place, that the site was established on a part of his tract, and that the expenses of location were paid by him from his private means. It is proper to mention, however, that this payment by him was in conformity with the pro- visions of the law directing the appointment of the com- missioners, which required that they should receive their compensation (two dollars per day for time necessarily employed) from the proprietor of the land on which they should decide to locate the county-site. But the erection of Ingham County in 1829, of Living- ston in 1833, and of Genesee in 1835, reduced Shiawassee to its present limits, leaving Byron, the county-site, within one mile of its eastern, and within two and a half miles of its southern boundary, making apparent the necessity for the selection of a new seat of justice nearer the centre of the reduced territory of the county. This caused the passage by the Legislature of " An act to vacate the seat of justice of Shiawassee County" (approved February 26, 1836), embodying the following preamble and provisions, viz. : " Whereas, the county of Shiawassee has been so divided since the seat of justice was established therein as to leave the same in the southeast corner of said county and within one mile of the east line thereof; and whereas no public buildings or improvements have as yet been erected or made at said seat of justice; therefore, " Section 1 . Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the State of Michigan, that the seat of justice for the county of Shiawassee as now established be and the same is hereby vacated, any law to the contrary notwitlistanding." The county-site being thus vacated, the Governor (under a law then in force authorizing him to appoint commissioners to establish county-sites in counties having none) appointed John Greenfield and Col. Garry Spencer, of Detroit, and Samuel Axford. of Macomb County, as commissioners to locate a county-site for Shiawassee. This appointment was made on the 12th of March. 1836, and on the 1st of April of the same year the commissioners' report was filed locating the county-site on the west half of the northeast quarter of section 28, in township 7 north, of range 3 east, — the present site of Corunna. Proclamation was issued by the Governor confirming the location on the 1st of July, 1836. The commissioners while examining the different loca- tions made their headquarters at the Exchange (the Williams trading-post). They were accompanied by the Hon. Jacob M. Howard, B. 0. Williams, and others. Three days were spent in examining the difierent locations, visiting the Big Rapids (Owosso) and other points, and after consultation, decided upon the present site. The organizing act provided that the courts should be held in such place as the sheriflf of the county should select, and the first court was held at the place known as the Shiawassee Exchange, in the school- house, on the 4th day of December, 1837. The October term of 1838 was held at the house of Lucius W. Beach, at Shiawa.sseetown, and adjournment was made to November of the same year, at the " Exchange." For some reason not COUNTY-SITES AND COUNTY PROrERTY. 127 given in the records, this court was hold at Owosso on the date mentioned, at rooms over the store of GouUl, Fish & Co , on the southwest corner of Washington and Exchange Streets. Section G of act No. 62, approved March 25, 1840, pro- vides that " the Circuit Court shall be held at Shiawassee- town in said county." An act supplementary to this (ap- proved April 1st, five days later), provides that the act passed March 25, 1840, " shall in no wise affect or alter tlie loca- tion of the county-site of said county, nor shall the same bo construed as vacating or changing the same, but shall be considered only as authorizing the courts for said county to be held in the village of Shiawasseetown, until the pro- prietors of the present county-site, or the county commis- sioners of said county, shall furnish a suitable building at said county-site for the accommodation of said courts, to be approved by the county commissioners or a majority of them." On the 7th of October, 1839, the Board of Commis.sion- crs unanimously agreed to accept of a block of land three hundred feet square in the village of Corunna, designated on the recorded plat of that village as the " Public Square," which was offered by the County-Seat Company as a dona- tion to the county of Shiawassee. A contract was made by Stephen Hawkins with the Board of Commissioners for the erection and completion of a building on the public square for county offices. The sum to be paid for buildings was ^382.50. The office building was about twenty by thirty feet in size, situated near the northwest corner of the square, and built of wood. It was moved across the street in 1846, and is now used as a market. In the latter part of 1839 a building belonging to the County-Seat Company was rented by the county commissioners for their sessions, and for purposes of holding court. In April of the next year the following letter was sent to the commissioners : " CouiNXA, April 17, ISiO. " To THE Hon. County Commissioners : " Gentlemen, — The proprietors of the county-seat of Shia- wassee County do hereby tender to the said commissioners, ibr the use of the county, the building heretofore used by the county commissioners for county purposes, and which was engaged by them for the purpose of holding the Cir- cuit Court for said county. "The said building is thirty-six feet in length and twenty feet in width, and will be furnished by the said proprietors, fitted up with convenient and comfortable seats and a proper desk for the judges. It is now lathed and plastered, and fires will be kept up in said building during the session of the court. " The house now occupied by Alexander McArthur will be occupied during the season of the ensuing term of the Circuit Court as a tavern, and extensive accommodations and supplies will be provided, sufiicicnt for all the persons who may be in attendance on said court. Stables accommodat- ing upward of fifty horses will be prepared, and an abund- ance of provender is already provided. All of which is respectfully submitted. (Signed) " A. McArtuur, "Agent for the proprietors of the present county- seat of Shiawassee County." The building spoken of in the above letter was situated on the corner of Frascr Street and Shiawassee Avenue, where Preston & Wheeler's store now stands. The sura paid by the commissioners for the use of the room for the courts was 830 per annum. The house was a wooden building, situated on the east side of Shiawassee Avenue, and occupied the site where now stands the drug-store of Kil- burn & Shattuck. It was destroyed by fire several years later. At a meeting of the county commissioners on the 24th of February, 1842, the subject of raising money for the erection of a court-hou.se and jail was brought up and dis- cussed. It was decided to present the question to the peo- ple at the next annual town-meeting, which was done, and the proposition to loan the sum of $4000 for that purpose was defeated. On the 4th of July, 1842, the Board of Supervisors met and resumed the functions which had for three years previ- ously been vested in the county commissioners. After organ- ization a committee was appointed to examine the title of the county to the parcel of land donated to the county, and known and designated as the " Public Square." Mr. Castle, one of the committee, reported an abstract of title, and stated that he saw no evidence of fraud and con- sidered the title good, but did not concur with the opinions expressed by Sanford M. Green, Esq. Mr. Green pr^ented the following report as containing his individual opinions and views in relation to such title, though drawn up in form as the report of the committee : " To THE Board of Supervisors of tue County OP Shiawassee : " The committee appointed by this Board at its last ses- sion to examine the title of this county to a tract or parcel of land described as the ' Public Square,' in the village of Corunna, respectfully submit the following report : That we have performed the duty imposed upon us by a careful examination of the records in the office of the register of deeds of said county relating to said parcel of land, assisted by the register of deeds and by A. McArthur, Esq., who was present with us at the examination of the records, and gave us all the explanation and information in relation to said title which the nature of the case seemed to require or admit of, and we herewith submit a brief abstract of said title as it appears of record. " In tracing the title by the description contained in the deed presented by the board at its July session, the first in- quiry that seemed to arise was, Where is the village of Co- runna, in which the ' Public Square' in question is located ? For the purpose of ascertaining this part we very naturally applied ourselves to the recorded map or plat of said village, from which we had a right to suppose we should be able to learn the precise location. On an examination of the map, however, wc find no description of the section, township, or range in which it is located, nor any description of the ' Public Square' by its boundaries, cours&s, and extent, nor any designation of the uses or purposes to which it is devoted, excepting what appears from the indorsement on the face of the square itself; and this designation being gen- eral, without limitation, if it amounts to anything, sets apart and devotes said square to the general use of the public, 128 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. and we find that the public, as defined by Mr. Walker and othcr.s, moans ' the general body of a nation ;' and this defi- nition we believe to be in accordance with the common and correct use and application of the term when used without limitation, as in this case. Hence it would seem to follow as a necessary consequence that, if this map amounts to anything in legal contemplation, it vests in the County of Shiawassee the fee of this parcel of land in trust to and for the general and common uses and purposes of the great body of the people of this great nation, and for no other use or purpose whatever. This map appears to have been indorsed upon the face of it with the names of three individuals as trus- tees, but of whom, or of what, does not appear by that map, nor are their names either placed at the bottom of the map, after the manner of a signature, or attached to or connected with any statement in relation to the said map. In order to pursue the e.^aminatioii of the title, it became ' necessary that we should seek information of the where- abouts of the town of Corunna out of the records. Accord- ingly, we inquired of Mr. McArthur, and were verbally in- formed by him that Corunna was located upon the west half of the northeast quarter of section 28, town 7 north, range 3 east, and that Col. Andrew Mack was the original purchaser of said lot from the United States ; and upon the examijiation of a schedule in the register's office, it appears that said lot was purchased by him, but we find no patent to him from the United States for this land, of record. The first deed of the lot upon the record is a deed from Col. Mack and wife to A. McArthur of an individual fourth part of it. " The rest is a trust-deed executed by Messrs, Mack and McArthur and their wives to Chauncey Hurlbut, A. D. Eraser, and John Norton, Jr., purporting to vest in them the legal estate, but no interest in the fee of the land, in trust for the benefit of a company or copartnership firm styled the Shiawassee County-Seat Company, under certain articles of association which are recorded with said trust- deed. These trustees were vested with power to make con- veyances upon the requisition of the directors of the com- pany, which requisitions are not required to be recorded; and in ease either or all of said trustees should resign, or ne- glect or refuse to act conformably to the requirements of the directors of this private company, their trusteeship and all powers vested in them by the deed of trust was ab.so- lutely to cease and be at an end, without any record thereof, or any declaration to that effect by the directors. They were also to exercise their powers subject to and in conformity with the original articles of association, and such alterations or amendments as might at any time be made thereto in the manner therein specified ; none of which al- terations or amendments are required to be made a matter of record. The directors of said company are also subject to change by election, resignation, etc., so that there is not re- quired to be any record evidence of any change that may hereafter take place in the trusteeship, directory, or funda- mental organization and constitution of the company itself. "It appears, also, that while trustees are thus appointed for the benefit of the individuals composing this company, and a legal title is vested in the trustees to their use, yet by the articles of a.ssoeiation the individuals of said company are expressly declared to have'no interest in the lands so conveyed in trust, but the scrip, by the ownership of which they became members of the association, is declared to be personal property, and is transferable from hand to hand, like negotiable paper. The trust-deed covers other lands than these upon which the village is said to be located, and provision is made for the purchase of more to be contracted in the same manner, and the trustees are authorized to lay out a town upon the lands referred to in the deed without specifying on what part or parcel of the same. " From the foregoing statement it appears perfectly obvi- ous that within a few days or weeks after the execution of the trust-deed the powers of the trustees may have ceased. The directors of the company may have resigned, and the character of the association may have been entirely changed, while the records cannot afford us any light or evidence in regard to it. Subsequent to the recording of the map, wc find a quit-claim deed to the county, executed by an indi- vidual as trustee, purporting to convey the interest of such individual as trustee to the county commissioners for the uses of the county, covering the ' Public Square.' But whether the grantor was the trustee of the proprietors or of the company, or had any power to make such deed at the time it was executed, we have no means of knowing. The deed' now tendered to the Board of Supervisors purports to be executed by the trustees of the Shiawassee County-Seat Company, but the same difficulties are found in this deed that attached to the former deed, — the warrants, being made in behalf of men who have no interest in the land, and who have no title of record, and are constantly changing, can be of no value. Moreover, we cannot see what right any indi- vidual can have to convey this ' Public Square,' as trustees or otherwise, after it has once been devoted by the record- ing of the map to the whole body of the people at large without any designation of its particular uses. It is proper to observe that there are papers placed upon the records purporting to detail some of the proceedings of this com- pany and its directors, etc., but they are not placed there pursuant to any provisions of the articles of association, nor in virtue of any legal or judicial sanction, and cannot, therefore, be any evidence to us of the facts they purport to detail. Some of them are neither fully acknowledged nor properly witnessed, and we are unable to understand by what authority they are made an incumbrance upon the records of this county, especially of our records of deeds. "No one, we think, can fail to have perceived in the de- tails of these transactions that a wide door has been opened for the practice of stupendous frauds without leaving any trace of them upon the records. That such frauds have been practiced by this company we do not undertake to say nor to intimate ; but that an association could be got up in a manner more peculiarly calculated to admit of the com- mission of ruinous frauds upon the community, were they inclined to do so, with a strong probability of escaping the just consequences, we cannot well imagine. When the title to land is involved, and such land may bear but a very small value compared with the improvements that may be made on it, wo think the record ought to show the title perfect, and that the honesty and integrity of no man or set of men, whatever their reputation may be, ought ever to COUNTY-SITES AND COUNTY PROPERTY. 129 be trusted, nor do we think that any honest man ought ever to exact it." It does not appear, however, that any action was taiccn, either then or afterwards, as a result of this opinion of Mr. Greeu. On the -Ith of January, 18-17, rooms were rented of E. J. Van Buren for three years, at thirty dollars per year, for county ofEces. These were in a building north of the Bacon block. In April of the same year the board ordered the Judge of Probate to hold his courts in the oflBce of the Register of Deeds. In the month of April, 1850, the Board of Supervisors resolved " that it is expedient at this time to take the necessary steps for the erection of a court- house at the present county-site of our county." A com- mittee was appointed, consisting of Supervisors Parsons, HoUey, Harder, and Cummins. A report was submitted the next day, substantially as follows : A building was to be erected, forty by sixty feet in dimensions, two stories high ; the upper part to be a court-room and two jury- rooms ; the lower part to be divided in the centre length- wise by a hall eight feet wide ; the sides to be divided into six rooms, two of which are to be fitted up for a jail, the others for accommodation, of county oflficers and a grand- jury room. The walls to be brick, the lower story sixteen inches thick, upper wall twelve inches thick. The com- mittee expressed the opinion that the building could be erected for four thousand five hundred dollars. Resolutions were offered and adopted arranging for raising the amount necessary and for the erection of a court-house. 11. W. Holley, L. H. Parsons, and Z. Bunce were appointed a building committee and authorized to receive plans, adver- tise for proposals, make contracts, and superintend the erec- tion of the court-house. The contract was let to George O. Bachman, to be completed on the 1st of November, 1851. The Board of Supervisors, at the January session in 1852, adopted a resolution " that the chairman of the Board notify the present owners of the court-house here- tofore occupied by the county that they have no further use for the same." Tiiis building was purchased soon after by the Baptist Church, and occupied by them as a house of worship. It is now removed a little south of its former location, on the corner of Fraser and Woodworth Streets, and is used as a parsonage by the society. The present court-house was placed in charge of the sheriff' on the 6th of January, 1851, and the next day the building com- mittee was discharged. The first official action taken in reference to the erection of a fire-proof office building for the county was the intro- duction in the Board of Supervisors of the following pre- amble and resolution, July 9, 18G5, viz. : " Whereas, The county ofiices now occupied by the County Register and Treasurer are too small and inconve- nient for said offices, and also unsafe fur the records of said offices, it is desirable and proper that suitable offices be erected, detached from the court-house ; therefore " liesoloed, That the building committee be and is hereby instructed to cause the erection of two fire-proof offices for said offices in the court-house yard, south of the court- 17 house, at such point as the committee may designate. And it shall be the duty of said committee to procure a suitable design for said offices, and let the contract for the building of the same as they may deem for the best interests of the county. That, for the purpose of accomplishing the above object, said committee are hereby authorized and empow- ered to borrow, not to exceed three thousand dollars, pay- able in not less than two or over five years from date, and to issue bonds of the county for the same, said bonds to be countersigned by the clerk and sealed with the seal of the office." The resolution was adopted on the next day. The build- ing was erected in the court-house yard, south of the court- house, and is the same which is now occupied by the Register of Deeds and the Treasurer. The office of the county clerk is in the second story of the court-house. The Judge of Probate occupies an office in the lower story. POOR-HOUSE AND POOR-FARM. The first action of the Board of Commissioners in refer- ence to the county poor was taken on January 9th, 1839, when Sanford M. Green, Isaac Castle, and Hiram Stowell were appointed to take charge of the poor of the county, their terms of office commencing January 7th of that year. Nothing further appears of record until Dec. 24, 1811, when the distinction between town and county poor was abolished, and the poor became a county charge. The sum of two hundred dollars was appropriated from the incidental fund for their support. On the 21th of February, 1812, the superintendents of the poor were authorized and directed by the Board of Commissioners to purchase a farm, not to exceed one hundred and sixty acres of land, to be used as a poor-farm, " and to make such improvements, by the erection of buildings upon the farm, as the necessity of the case may warrant." No action having been taken by the superintend- ents during the spring, the board, at a meeting July 6th of that year, suspended the resolution relating to the pur-^ chase of a poor-farm until further action. On the 21st of December, 1843, a committee previously appointed to con- fer as to the best methods of supporting the poor of the county submitted the following report, which was adopted : " The committee to whom was referred the matter of sup- porting the poor in this county report that it appears, by the superintendents of the poor, the amount expended for their support for the last year is three hundred and fifteen dollars. Your committee are of the opinion that at present no means can be provided which will enable the county to support the paupers therein with less expense than they have been supported for the last j'ear. Considering the num- ber of paupers who have had assistance from the county, it shall be divided into districts so as to accommodate the paupers in procuring physicians employed in each district by the year or otherwise, as the superintendents shall think proper. The plan of dividing tlie county into districts your committee recommend, as follows : Burns, Vernon, Antrim, and Shiawassee, 1st District; Caledonia, Venice, and New Haven, 2d District ; Owosso, Bennington, Sciota, and Middlebury, 3d District ; Perry and Woodhull, 4th District." At this meeting three hundred dollars was ap- propriated for the use of the poor. There is no further 130 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. record of importance until Jan. 21, 1846, when seven hun- dred and seventy dollars was appropriated for the same purpose. On the 7th of January, 1847, the superintendents of the poor were directed hy the supervisors to purchase a farm, not to exceed one hundred and sixty acres of land, and to erect suitable buildings thereon, for which purpose the sum of two thousand dollars was to be raised by tax, one-quarter of the amount in 1848, one-quarter in 1849, and the bal- ance in 1850. On the 13th of October, 1847, eighty acres of land (the south half of the southwest quarter of section 32, Caledonia) was purchased for a county farm. At the October session of the next year it was resolved to raise a county tax of two thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven dollars and seventy cents (including five hun- dred dollars appropriatedj for the purchasing and fitting up of the poor-farm. At the June ses.sion of the supervisors, in 1858, the committee on public buildings reported the dwelling on the poor-farm as being in a very unsuitable condition for the accommodation of the poor. After careful examina- tion, fifteen hundred dollars was appropriated for the erec- tion of buildings convenient for the purpose. These build- ings — completed iu January, 1859 — are the same which are Still in use. By the last report of the superintendents of the poor (for the year ending Sept. 1, 1879) it is shown that the expenses on the farm for that year were $2060.39 ; that there was expended for support of insane persons at Detroit, Pontiac, and Kalamazoo, $1854.62 ; that the value of pro- ducts raised on the farm was $1059.97 (estimated) ; that the number of persons receiving support at the county- house was 32. CHAPTER XXV. THE PBESS-THE PKOFESSIOMS— CIVIL LIST. Newspapers in the County — The Lcgul Profession — Early Lawyers — The Vresent Bar of Shiawassee — The Medical Profession — Early Physicians — Shiawassee County Meilical Association — Homoeo- pathy — Shiawassee Civil List. The result of much patient inijuiry and research is the disclosure of the fact that there is probably no person now living in Shiawassee County who is able to give with anything like certainty the date of the establishment of the j)ioneer new.spaper of the county, or its early changes of proprietorship. It has, however, been ascertained be- yond reasonable doubt that the first public journal in Shia- wassee was published at Owosso by I<]dward L. Ament ; that this journal was in existence iu the early part of the year 1839, and that its name was the Shiawassee Express and Clinton Advocate, having a circulation in both Shia- wassee and Clinton, — the latter county being at that time still attached to and a part of the former. The Owosso Arffus was also established by E. L. Ament, in 1841. Dr. C. P. Parkill, of Owosso, who was in early life a printer by trade, recollects that in that year he worked on the Aiyns in Owosso, and that Mr. Ament was then its proprietor. A proof of the existence at that time of both the papers above mentioned is found in the record of the Board of Supervisors, under date of June 22, 1841, at which time it was by the board "Re- solved that the foregoing preamble be published in the Owosso Argus, and Shiawassee Express and Clinton Advo- cate." But on the other hand, a copy of the Otvosso Argus, dated Sept. 20, 1848, and which has been examined by the writer, bears the number 47, of Volume V., which would place the first issue of the paper at about Nov. 1, 1843. Yet it is proved to have been in existence at least two years before that time, both by the testimony of Dr. Parkill and by the record of the supervisors. This being the case, the facts only are given as above, without any attempt to account for the apparent contradiction. Nor can anything further be stated as to the continuance of the Shiatvassce Express and Clinton Avocate after the date at which it is found mentioned in the record above referred to. The Argus, however, continued to be published at Owosso by Mr. Ament until his death in December, 1847, when it was published by Ephraim H. Gould, who was a son of Daniel Gould, of Owosso, and who had previously been a compositor on the paper under the proprietorship of Mr. Ament. In the summer of 1S4S, Mr. Gould was suc- ceed'ed as publisher of the Argus by M. H. Clark, who changed the name of the paper to that of Owosso Argus and Shiawassee Democrat. In the latter part of the year 1849, he removed the paper to Corunna, and continued to publish it there as the Shiawassee Democrat, until 1856, when he removed to Omaha, Neb. The Owosso American was commenced in the summer of 1854 by C. C. & 0. R. Goodell, the office of publication being in the south part of the National Hotel at Owosso. In the following year the paper was sold to Charles E. Shat- tuck, who remained its proprietor until the winter of 1856- 57, when it passed into the possession of Ephraim H. Gould, from whom in 1858 it was purchased by John N. Ingersoll, who changed its name to that of Owosso Amer- ican and Peninsular State Times, and continued its pub- lication under that title at Owosso till May, 1862, when Mr. Ingersoll removed it to Corunna, and having merged in it the Corunna Democrat, which he had purchased a short time before, changed its name to that of the Shia- wassee American, under which name it is still published. Afler its removal to Corunna it was increased in size from a seven-column to a nine-column folio. Mr. Ingersoll con- tinued to be its sole proprietor until May 26, 1880, when Mr. George W. Owen, the publisher of the Shiawassee Republican, merged his paper iu the American, and became a partner with Mr. Ingersoll in the publication of the latter. The American is Republican in its politics. The Owosso Press (a six-column folio) was commenced in 1862 by Hanchett & Lyon, its first number being issued on the 20th of September of that year. It was purchased on the 9th of September, 1863, by Green & Lee, who in- creased its size to an eight-column folio, and published it until Jan. 1, 1867, when it was purchased by J. H. Cham- pion & Co., who are still its proprietors and i)ublishers. The paper is Democratic in politics. Since January, 1871, its office of publication has been in a brick block owned THE PROFESSIONS. 131 by Champion & Co., and situated on Wasliin^ton Street, Owosso. The Owosso Crusader, an eight-column folio, was started by Abner B. Wood at Owosso in 1870. It was published by Mr. Wood till 1873, when it was sold to Charles L. Fuller, who in 1875 removed it to Gaylord, Otsego Co., Mich., where it is still in existence as the Otsego County lleruhl. The N'eio Era was established at Owosso, May 5, 1873, by a company consisting of A. B. Wood, J. Stodman, and A. M. Bannister. The paper was for a time the organ of the Slate Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and reached a circulation of nearly throe thousand. In 1875, A. B. Wood became sole proprietor, and two years later removed it to the county-seat, where in June, 1877, its name was changed to that of Shiawassee Cuuiili/ Alias, as it is at present. It is a five-column quarto, " National" in politics, edited by Abncr B. Wood, and published by the " Atlas Publishing Company." The Shiaicassee RepuLlican was started at Owosso, Feb. 21, 1878, under the fanciful name of Odd Change, by Perkins & Gregory. Some changes of proprietorship suc- ceeded, and in April, 1879, the paper was purchased by George W. Owen, was enlarged, and its name changed to the one first mentioned. On the 26th of May, 1880, it was consolidated with the Shiawassee American, under the name of the latter. At Corunna the first newpaper was the Shiawassee Democrat, which was started in the fall of 1841 by Wil- liam B. Sherwood, and was continued by him until the spring of 18-13, when the paper was discontinued, and the press and material were removed to Flint, Genesee Co., and there used by Mr. Sherwood in the publication of the Genesee Count!/ Democrat* The Corunna Democrat was a later paper published at the county-seat, but the date of its first issue cannot be given. It was purchased by John N. IngersoU, and merged with the Shiawassee American, as before mentioned. The Corunna Weekly Courier was established Oct. 1, 1859, by William B. Pulis, editor and proprietor. It was not long-lived. The Corunna Journal was first issued by 0. A. Gould & Co., in February, 18G0. It expired Aug. 29, 1861, under the proprietorship of Jones & Ford. The other papers which have existed at Corunna are those which are now published there, the American and the Atlas, and both these, having been commenced at Owosso, have already been noticed with the papers of that city. In the towns along the western borders of the county the first newspaper published was the Laingshurg Recorder, started by E. L. W. Baker, in August, 1870. It continued for about one year, and then ceased to exist. The Laingsburg Herald was commenced soon after the paper last mentioned. Its editor and proprietor was Mr. * About fire years later, the name was revived by M. H. Clark, and wa.s by him added to the title of his jiajier, the Otnmito Arijm. After- wards Mr. Clarli {as before mentioued) removed iiis pajierto Corunna, dropped the first part of its name, and published it as the Shiawasuce American till 1S56. Judevine, who sold to Charles Wilcox. At the end of about two years from its commencement the paper was discontinued. The Laingsburg News was first issued on the 2d of No- vember, 1877, by J. C. Stone, by whom it is still published. The Laingsburg Leader, a seven-column folio, was es- tablished at Lairig.sburg village, in June, 1880, by W. C. Walters, who has continued as its proprietor to the present time. T/ie Vernon Herald, a seven-column folio, was first is- sued at Vernon village. May 7, 1878, by a stock company, with A. L. Chandler as editor and manager. It is now owned and published by Lucius E. Gould. The Bancroft Bulletin, a six-column paper, published at Bancroft village, and the Morrice Times, published in Perry township, are both edited by William Sccord. The former was first issued in August, 1879, and the latter in Sep- tember of the same year. TUE LEGAL PROFESSION. EARLY LAWYERS OF THE COUNTY. The first attorney who practiced his profession in Shia- wassee County was Sanford M. Green, who came from Jef- ferson Co., N. Y., and settled at Owosso in 1837, being connected with the water-power and improvement company, of which Daniel Ball was the head. He had previously been admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of New York, and was admitted in this county soon after his arrival. In 1841 he became associated in business at Owosso with Mr. Smith, a lawyer who had come here from Ann Arbor, and who returned to that place not long afterwards. Mr. Green was appointed prosecuting attorney of Shiawassee County in 1837, and held the office till 1842, when he was elected to the State Senate. In 1843 he removed to Pontiac, and did not again return to this county as a place of residence. He was afterwards twice re-elected to the Senate. In 1844 he was appointed commissioner to revise the statutes of Michigan, and reported to the Legislature of 1846. He served on the Supreme Bench of Michigan from 1848 to 1857 ; as circuit judge from Jan. 1, 1858, to April, 1867 ; and again from June, 1872, to the present time. He is now judge of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, residing at Bay City. He is the author of " Green's Practice," which is in general use by the profession in the State. Andrew Parsons, a native of Rensselaer Co., N. Y., and afterwards a resident of Mexico, Oswego Co., in that State, emigrated from the latter place to Washtenaw Co., Mich., in 1835, and removed in the following year to Shiawassee. He was active in his efforts to procure the establishment of the county-site at Corunna, and after it was so established, and the business of the county was removed to that place, he, with his brother Luke H. Parsons (who had previously resided in Washtenaw County), located in Corunna and commenced business under the firm-name of " L. H. & A. Parsons, Attorneysat-Law." From that time Andrew Parsons con- tinued to be a resident of Corunna until his death. He was the first clerk of Shiawassee County, was subsequently register of deeds for eight years, and also held the office of prosecuting attorney. He was elected to the State Senate in 1846, was regent of the University in 1852-54, and was 132 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. elected Lieutenant-Governor in 1852. On the resignation of Governor Robert IMcClclland, to accept a place in the cabinet of President Pierce in 1852, Mr. Parsons became Governor, was inaugurated March 8, 1853, and served during the re- mainder of Governor McClelland's term. In November, 1854, he was elected a member of the House of Representa- tives, and having served during the winter session of 1855, returned to Corunna, and died there in June of the same year. Mr. Parsons showed himself to be a man of decided ability in the office of acting-Governor, as well as in the numerous other positions which he filled ; but he was not regarded as among the most conspicuous members of the bar of the county. Luke H. Parsons, brother of Andrew Parsons, and also a native of the State of New York, emigrated to Ann Ar- bor, Mich., in or about 1835, and was there admitted to the bar. He removed to Corunna, Shiawassee Co., about 1839, and entered on the practice of the law in that village with his brother Andrew, as above mentioned. He was elected register of deeds in November, 1840, judge of probate in 1848, prosecuting attorney in 1852, and regent of the University in 1857. He continued in practice at Corunna, and was one of the loading lawyers of the county until his death at that place in 1862. Amos Gould, a native of Aurelius, Cayuga Co., N. Y., and a law-student with the Hon. William II. Seward and Theo- dore Spencer, at Auburn, N. Y., practiced law in that place until 1843, when he removed to Michigan, and located at Owosso in the following year. He purcha.sed the mill prop- erty of Daniel Ball, and carried on the business until the property was destroyed by fire in 1848. Meanwhile (in 1845) he had commenced the practice of law in Owosso, and he continued it most successfully for twenty years ; re- tiring from its active prosecution in 18l)5, to attend to his extensive property interests. He was elected judge of pro- bate in 1844, and held the office during the full term ; he was supervisor of Owo.sso continuously from 1845 to 1850 ; was prosecuting attorney of Shiawassee County for two years, and elected to the State Senate in 1852. Judge Gould occupies a high place among the early lawyers of the county, and has been distingui.sbed and successful through all the years of his practice. William F. Mosely was a native of the State of Ohio, and in 1825 emigrated from that State to Oakland Co., Mich., where he practiced his profession, and filled the offices of prosecuting attorney and probate judge. From Pontiac he removed to Fentonville, and in 1840 became prosecuting attorney of Genesee County. About 1842 he came to Shiawassee County, and settled on a farm, doinc something, however, as a lawyer. Subsequently he located in the village of Newburg, and gave his attention to the business of his profession. He was a master in chancery, and several times filled the office of prosecuting attorney of Shiawassee County, both by appointment and election. He enjoyed quite an extensive practice in this county. He was a man of good ability, witty and quick at repartee, but not remarkably strong in argument, and somewhat lacking in confidence. He died in 1860. David Bush, Jr., settled at Shiawasseetown as a mer- chant prior to 1840. He afterwards studied law, and was admitted to the bar, but never took high rank as a lawyer. He was elected county commissioner in 1840, and held some township offices, among which were those of justice of the peace and supervisor. George 0. Bachman practiced law in Corunna for a few years, but afterwards became an Episcopalian clergyman, and having filled the sacred office at Adiian and other places returned to Corunna, and was rector of the church of his denomination there at the time of his death. John P. Richardson (a brother of Lieutenant-Governor 0. D. Richardson, of Pontiac) came to Corunna as a law- yer about 1850. He was a good counselor, well read in the law, but lacked confidence in his own powers, though he enjoyed a fair amount of business, and performed it to the satisfaction of his clients. After a residence of a few years here he removed to Omalia, Neb. P]benezer Gould, a brother of Judge Amos Gould, settled in Owosso in 1837, and soon afterwards engaged in mer- chandising, milling, and other pursuits. He commenced reading law in 1846, and was admitted to the bar in 1851, when he became associated in business with his brother, Hon. Amos Gould. He continued in active practice in Owosso until 1875, with the exception of his term of ser- vice in the war of the Rebellion, in which he served hon- orably with the Fifth Michigan Cavalry Regiment, and became its colonel. In 1866 he was elected prosecuting attorney of the county. He died at Owos,so, Sept. 7, 1877. " As a lawyer he was dignified, deliberate, and painstaking, acting with the greatest fidelity to his clients, and to every interest in his charge. In social life he was a kind, sym- pathizing neighbor, and a genial friend." Although he had but a common education, he had a strong legal mind, and became one of the leading members of the bar of the county. S. Titus Parsons, a brother of Andrew and Luke H. Parsons, studied law in their office and was admitted to the Shiawassee County bar in May, 1854 (having previously been admitted in Mexico, Oswego Co., N. Y.). He located in Corunna, and remained in practice there for more than twenty years. He was elected prosecuting attorney in 1856, re-elected in 1858, and again elected in 1872. He was a representative in the Legislature for the terms of 1863-64 and 1867-68, and was elected a member of the Constitu- tional Convention of 1867. In 1877 he removed to De- troit, where he is still in practice. Hugh McCurdy, who had reached a prominent position among the members of theOakland County bar prior to 1855, removed in that year to Corunna, where ho at once entered upon the practice of his profession. He was appointed prosecuting attorney in the first year of his residence in Corunna; was elected judge of probate in 1860, State senator in 1864, and has since that time again filled the office of prosecuting attorney. He has continued in the practice of his profession in Corunna until the present time, and is now the leading member of the bar of Shiawassee County. Spencer B. Raynale,a son of the veteran physician. Dr. Ebcnezer Raynale, of Birmingham, Oakland Co., entered the law-office of Hugh McCurdy as a student, and, on his admission to the bar, became associated with Mr. JlcCurdy THE PROFESSIONS. 133 in business. He was elected prosecutinj; attorney in No- vember, 1860. In 1865 he became cashier of the First National Bank of Corunna, and continued in that position until Jan. 1, 1871, when he resigned, to take the oiBce of prosecuting attorney, to which lie had been elected in the previous November. From that time he continued to prac- tice at the Shiawassee County bar until prostrated by the sickness which ended in his death, Sept. 2G, 1874. J. T. Miller was admitted to the bar of Shiawassee County in October, 1856, but never practiced extensively. He afterwards removed to Detroit. O. T. B. Williams was admitted in 1852. He filled some public offices, but is not to be mentioned or regarded as among the prominent members of the bar of Shiawassee. The foregoing mention of early lawyers is intended to include those who commenced practice in this county dur- ing the first twenty years of its organization. Most of those of later date will be found named in the following list, which is taken from the attorneys' roll of the county. The roll, however (and consequently this list), is known to be incomplete. Amos Gould, admitted Nov. 9, 1843. II. D. Johnston, admitted May 20, 1857. Jay L. Quackenbush, admitted May 20, 1857. George K. Newcombe, admitted April 13, 1858. Gilbert R. Lyon, admitted April 13, 1858. Ebenezer Gould, admitted Sept. 12, 1851. S. Titus Parsons, admitted May, 1854. O. T. B. Williams, admitted December, 1852. J. T. Miller, admitted Oct. 2, 1856. H. M. Newcombe, admitted Aug. 25, 1858. James Heath, admitted Feb. 8, 1859. Albert S. Wheadon, admitted Feb. 7, 1860. Amos M. Kellogg, admitted Feb. 11, 1860. Edward R. Davis, admitted May 1, 1860. John Garland, admitted Feb. 5, 1861. Curtis J. Gale, admitted Feb. 5, 1861. Frank Allen, admitted Feb. 8, 1861. David A. Elliot, admitted Feb. 4, 1862. Benjamin F. Bush, admitted Aug. 7, 1862. James M. Goodcll, admitted Sept. 8, 1863. Alphonso J. Southard, admitted April 5, 1865. Hiram L. Chipman, admitted Oct. 4, 1865. G. H. Weeden, admitted April 19, 1867. A. Judson Loomis, admitted Aug. 5, 1868. H. H. Pulver, admitted Feb. 5, 1869. Lucius E. Gould, admitted May 4, 1871. J. E. Graham, admitted Sept. 12, 1871. Theron B. Pray, admitted Feb. 6, 1872. H. C. Hoyt, admitted May 8, 1872. Wm. E. Cummin, admitted Sept. 10, 1872. Alex. McKercher, admitted Sept. 10, 1872. Almon C. Brown, admitted Sept. 10, 1873. Peter N. Cook, admitted May 6, 1874. Friend Davis, admitted Feb. 9, 1875. Samuel W. Baker, admitted Feb. 1, 1876. Joseph B. Wilkins, admitted Feb. 3, 1876. William M. Kilpatrick, admitted May, 1867. John D. Bennett, admitted Dee. 14, 1869. James M. Pulver, admitted May 5, 1870. Selden S. Miner, admitted Jan. 17, 1878. T. P. Hackleman, admitted May 7, 1878. Stearns F. Smith, admitted May 10, 1878. Charles C. Houpt, admitted April 16, 1877. Glen D. Young, admitted Jan. 3, 1880. Frank A. Rogers, admitted May 11,1880. Following is a list of the members of the Shiawassee County bar at the present time — 1880 : CORUNNA. Hugh JMcCurdy. James M. Goodell. Curtis J. Gale. J. D. Bennett. Wm. E. Cummin. Almon C. Brown. Peter N. Cook. Albert R. McBride. Levi J. Hamilton. Wm. A. Fraser. Glen D. Young. VERNON. Alex. McKercher. Mathew Bush. BYRON. James Sleeth. OWOSSO. Amos Gould. Gilbert R. Lyon. Wm. M. Kilpatrick. Jerome W. Turner. Lucius E. Gould. E. R. Hutchins. Stearns F. Smith. LAINGSBURG. J. M. Pulver. J. B. Wilkins. H. H. Pulver. MIDDLEBURY. Samuel W. Baker. BANCROFT. M. V. B. Wisom. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN SHIAWASSEE • COUNTY. EARLY PHYSICIANS. The earliest settlers of Shiawassee County who needed medical attendance before any physician had settled in the county were dependent upon Dr. Cyrus Baldwin, of Grand Blanc, and Dr. Samuel W. Pattison, of Dibbleville (now Fentonville). The former came from Onondaga Co., N. Y., in the spring of 1833, and located at Grand Blanc, and soon obtained an extensive practice over a wide range of country, and four years later removed to Atlas, in the same county, where he practiced for a number of years. One of his earliest visits (if not the first) to Shiawassee County was in the spring of 1836, when he was called to Owosso to attend the sickness of David Wormer. Dr. S. W. Pattison came to this State on an exploring expedition in the summer of 1835, and traveled through parts of Shiawassee, Clinton, Ionia, and Barry Counties, and finally settled at Fentonville, Genesee Co., that place being a central point where several Indian trails came together. From this point his ride extended in all direc- tions, often following Indian trails or guided through tim- bered openings by blazed trees. He relates two instances of visits that extended ioto Shiawa.ssee County, which are here quoted : " Quite late in the afternoon a m&ssage came for mc to go to Esq. Crawford's, in Byron, Shiawassee Co., sixteen miles off, and that I would have to leave my horse two and a half miles short of Mr. Crawford's, as there was no bridge across the Shiawassee. I used all dili- gence, leaving my horse in good hands at the river, and crossed on trees fallen in and across the stream. It was in November, 1836, and my path was an Indian trail lead- 134 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTi', MICHIGAN. ing through oak-openings and through what is now Byron village, but at this time not a house, only one, a Mr. Jen- nings', between the crossing and Mr. Crawford's. It soon began to snow, and darkness almo.st like Egypt hid every object, my only guide being the Indian trail, and the snow soon covering that, so that I had to find it by kicking away the snow, and to add to my perplexity there were two trails from the river, meeting in perhaps half or three- quarters of a mile, and when I came to the junction I was bewildered and took the upper trail back to the river. I now had to^retrace my weary steps, and finally reached Mr. Jennings', expecting he would guide me, but he was on the bed sick, and his wife with the sick family half a mile farther ; I undertook it, and soon found myself back, and Mr. Jennings, sick as he was, guided me till I could see the light of Mr. Crawford's house, where I was joyfully received, as I was needed. Had I lost the trail so well worn by Indian feet I had no guide many miles north, — not a house, — and I should probably have wandered in vain for a shelter. "In the month of October* I received a message from Judge A. L. Williams, of Owosso, to make him a profes- sional visit, — distance thirty miles, and twenty-five miles from Flint, where the board [supervisors of Genesee County] were to meet next day, at nine o'clock a.m. The twenty-five miles was through an unbroken wilderness, much of the distance heavy timber, and the traveler was guided only by blazed trees. I found Mr. Williams very sick with malarial fever, and assuming a somewhat typhoid type, and I felt it my duty to remain with him until two o'clock the next day, when I left, with that noble man John Swain for a guide, well supplied with fireworks and blank- ets in case we had to lie out overnight, as the nights had become cold and frosty." Soon after this Dr. Pattison removed from Fentonville to Owosso. Of the reasons which induced him to make this change he says, " The original plan of the Northern Rail- road from I'ort Huron through Flint, Owosso, etc., to the mouth of Grand River left Fentonville without a thorough- fare. This, with the unsettled state of society, and its being the outside of the county, led me to make the change, which, however, I did with great reluctance, having formed a wide acquaintance north, south, east, and west, through good roads for a new country. Again, in Owosso were several prominent business men, — A. L. and B. 0. Williams, that prince of pioneers, Dan Ball, who afterwards went to Grand Rapids, Judge Elias Comstock, Sanford M. Green, A. B. Chipman, John Swain, Mr. Martin, the Goulds, Par- kills, etc., men of whom any community might justly be proud. Also near by and in full sympathy at that time with Owosso were the brothers Andrew and Luke Parsons, promising young lawyers, the first of whom afterwards was elected Lieutenant-Governor. All seemed anxious that I should become a citizen among them, and made me quite a pecuniary consideration, not only in an eligible building site, but assisting in building a fair dwelling for that day. And so the change was made, leaving the place where I had buried my beloved mother and my invalid daughter, so that « The visit here mentioned was made in the year 1838. to this day I have an abiding sympathy not only for the place, but for the people who so kindly treated us in our affliction. Both of these places have become flourishing and prosperous villages, and have railroads leading through them ; both have sufi'ered depressions. Owosso failed to get the county-seat, and the Port Huron road was abandoned for years. To make the matter worse, that financier, Dan- iel Ball, became discouraged, and removed with his capital to Grand Rapids; Judge Sanford M. Green wont to Pon- tiac, and several others followed his example; and Owosso, with its beautiful location, splendid water-power, and enter- prising citizens, was shut in on every side but one by heavy- timbered lands and bad roads, making it absolutely neces- sary for a physician to ride on horseback, which I had done for several years, making long and painful rides, until it brought on a difficulty which unfitted me for doing business that way. I must either abandon my life's work or go where I could ride in a carriage. I did the latter, and came to Ypsilanti in the spring of 1845." The quotations given above are from an article furnished to the Washtenaw Pioneer Society in 1878 by Dr. S. W. Pattison, who still resides in Ypsilanti in His eighty- fifili year. He lived, when in Owosso, on the southeast corner of Washington and Blason Streets, and his ofiice was in a "part of the house. He was a careful, thoughtful practitioner, and met with a fair share of success. The first physician to reside in the county was Dr. Jo- seph P. Roberts, who came from New York (where he had practiced several years) to the township now known as Perry, in the fall of 1837, and settled near the present depot of the Chicago and Lake Huron Railroad. He located land, built a log house, and was called to attend a patient the first night of its occupancy by Deacon Austin, who is still living. Dr. Roberts died in the winter of 1844-45. His time was not wholly given to his profession, but he only practiced in cases of emergency near home, devoting his time principally to farming. In 1837, Dr. Washington Z. Blanchard was at Shiawas- seetown and kept the hotel at that place. Concerning him as a physician but little has been ascertained. He did not remain long, and is said to have removed to Lyons, Ionia Co., Mich. Dr. Peter Laing was a physician prior to his emigration to this State. He located the land on which Laingsburg stands, and built there a hotel late in 1836. He did not practice after coming to this county except in cases of emergency. Dr. Abner Sears came to Byron about 1838, and remained a few years. Dr. C. P. Parkin, a native of Niagara Co., N. Y., emi- grated to Michigan when nineteen years old, and in the fall of 1841 came to Owosso. He was a printer by trade, and worked for one year on the Owosso Argus, then pub- lished by E. L. Ament, on the northeast corner of Wash- ington and P]xchange Streets. He was employed as a teacher in Shiawassee and surrounding towns for a short time, and in the spring of 1843 commenced the study of medicine with Dr. S. W. Pattison, in Owosso. He re- mained with Dr. Pattison until the removal of the latter from the town, when he entered the oflicc of Dr. Barnes, CIVIL LIST. 135 completed his studies in two years, and graduated at Wil- loughby Medical College, in Ohio, in 1846. He returned to the county and practiced in Bennington twenty years. In 1868 he removed to Owosso, gave up practice, and opened a drug-store, where he is still engaged in business. He was a member of the Legislature in 18.57. Dr. Pierce left the city of Philadelphia and emi- grated to Michigan in 1842. He located at Corunna, where he was the first physician. Ho was very learned and methodical, but not a successful practitioner, and after about five years returned to Philadelphia, weary of the toil attendant upon country practice. Dr. William Weir was an early resident of Shiawassee- town, and was, from 1840 to 1850, the leading physican in the county. He was not a graduate of any college, but was a close student and had a thorough knowledge of medicine as known in those days. He removed to Albion later, and while on his way to this county on a visit, died at a hotel on the route. Dr. Nicholas P. Harder was a physician who located at Newburg, and lived at that place following liis profession. He practiced a few years at Corunna and returned to New- burg, where he remained until his death. He was elected county treasurer and supervisor of his township. Dr. John B. Barnes, a native of Lowell, JMass., graduated at Williamstown College, in that State, and practiced at Lock- port, N. Y. In 1842 he emigrated to Michigan, and com- menced practice at Owosso, where he .still lives. He was foremost in this section in the anti-slavery struggle, a director of the " underground railroad," and intimately acquainted with Garrison, Phillips, and others of the anti- slavery leaders of that day. Dr. E. M. Bacon, a former resident of Albion, N. Y., and a graduate of Geneva Medical College, emigrated to Michigan and located in Corunna in 1846. Dr. Bacon very early acquired a large practice, and experienced all the hardships of the pioneer physician, finding long rides on horseback a necessity of the undeveloped condition of the country. He removed temporarily to California in search of health, but returned and died in Corunna in 18G9. His early death was doubtless hastened by ex- cessive application to the requirements of his profession. Dr. Freeman McClintock and Dr. L. D. Jones, from Ohio, came to Laingsburg, in this county, in the spring of 1846, and commenced practice, but returned to Ohio in the autumn of that year. Dr. McClintock again visited Laingsburg in 1847 and resumed practice; he remained until 1851, when he removed to California, but in 1856 returned. From that time he has been engaged in mer- cantile pursuits. He was succeeded by Dr. J. D. North, of Washtenaw County, who practiced for three years, and returned to Ann Arbor. His practice was taken in 1862 by Dr. E. B. Ward, who is still the leading physician of the township. " After the railroad was completed through tlie county, doctors swarmed in like the locusts of Egypt." This is the remark of one of the oldest physicians of the county, and it is the reason why it is thought impracticable to notice here in detail the physicians of later date than those who have already been mentioned. SHIAWASSEE COUNTY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. In December, 1879, several physicians united in a call to the physicians of the county to convene at Owosso for the purpose of forming a county medical society. The meeting was held, and adjourned to meet at the same place in January, 1880, at which time Dr. Jabez Perkins was elected President ; Dr. A. J. Bruce, Vice-President ; Dr. L. M. Goodrich, Secretary ; and Dr. W. C. Hume, Treas- urer. Meetings are now held at Owosso every three months. The members of the society at present are Jabez Perkins, C. McCormick, and Charles A. Osborne, of Owosso ; A. G. Bruce, L. M. Goodrich, and C. F. Armstrong, of Corunna ; W. C. Hume, Bennington ; D. C. HoUey, Vernon ; G. 0. Austin, Perry ; E. B. Ward, Laingsburg ; W. B. Fox and Harvey, Bancroft ; • Tock, Lothrop. nOM(EOPATUY. The first physicians of this school who came to this county were Dr. John D. Kergan and Dr. P. B. Smith, who entered into partnership in Corunna, about 1868. In 1871 the latter moved to Owosso. Dr. Kergan was a grad- uate of the Victoria College, in Canada, as an allopathist. In 1870 he was clerk of the State society, and is a member of the American Institute of Homoeopathy. He removed to Newburg, remained there about a year, and in 1878 to Detroit, where he is now in practice. Alexander McNeale, a native of Canada, came in 1870 to Corunna, where he practiced about two and a half years, and removed to New Albany, Ind. Dr. B. F. Knapp came to Byron about 1874, and is still there. Dr. John Babbingtou, a native of Canada, came to Corunna in 1876, studied with Dr. Kergan, graduated at the Chicago Homoeopathic Medical College, and commenced practice in Corunna in 1876. Dr. Knapp, now of Ban- croft, came to that place in 1877, and is now in practice there. Dr. Alexander R. Ball came from Canada to Co- runna in 1878, and commenced practice. He graduated at the Western Homajopathic College, Ohio, in 1862, and practiced in Mason and Marshall in this State before coming to this county. Dr. A. H. Annis is a practicing phy.sician in Hazeltou. He commenced practice about 1878. SHIAWASSEE CIVIL LIST. This list embraces the names of residents of Shiawassee County who have held important civil offices in the State or national government, and also of principal officers of the county since its organization. LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN. Andrew Parsons, elected Nov. 2, 1852 ; term commenced January, 1853; inaugurated acting-Governor, March 8, 1853; served to Jan. 1, 1855. STATE SENATORS. Sanford M. Green, elected November, 1842 ; re-elected iu 1844. Andrew Pareons, elected in November, 1845 ; term com- menced on Jan. 1, 1846; re-elected in 1847. Amos Gould, elected Nov. 2, 1852. John N. IngersoU, elected November, 1860. Hugh McCurdy, elected November, 1865. 136 mSTOllY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Jerome W. Turner, elected Nov. 3, 1868. James M. Goo Jell, elected Nov. 5, 1872. Lorison J. Taylor, elected November, 1876. REPRESENTATIVES IN THE LEGISLATURE. Robert G. McKee, elected November, 1838. Lemuel Castle, elected Nov. 4 and 5, 183D; re-elected November, 1840. Francis J. Prevost, elected Nov. 7 and 8, 1842. Robert R. Thompson, elected Nov. 4 and 5, 1844. Mortimer B. Martin, elected Nov. 2, 1847. Herman C. Noble, elected Nov. 7, 1848. Ebenczer C. Kimberly, elected Nov. 5, 1850. Nicholas Gulick, elected Nov. 2, 1852. Andrew Parsons, elected Nov. 7, 1854. Dr. Charles P. Parkill, elected November, 1856. Sullivan R. Kelsey, elected Nov. 2, 1858 ; re-elected Nov. 6, 18G0. Paul C. Sprague, elected Nov. 4, 1862. S. Titus Parsons, elected Nov. 4, 1862. William P. Laing, elected Nov. 8, 1864. Nathan G. Phillips, elected Nov. 8, 1864. S. Titus Pai-sons, elected Nov. 6, 1866. Charles Locke, elected Nov. 6, 1866. John N. IngersoU, elected Nov. 3, 1868. Edgar B. Ward, elected Nov. 3, 1868. William D. Garrison, elected Nov. 8, 1870. Charles Y. Osborne, elected Nov. 8, 1870. Frederick G. Bailey, elected Nov. 5, 1872 ; re-elected Nov. 3, 1874. Benjamin Walker, elected Nov. 5, 1872. Lorison J. Taylor, elected to fill vacancy caused by death of Benjamin Walker ; re-elected Nov. 3, 1874. Rasselas Reed, elected Nov. 7, 1876 ; reelected Nov. 5, 1878. Derwin W. Sharts, elected Nov. 7, 1876 ; re-elected Nov. 5, 1878. MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS. Francis J. Prevost, elected Nov. 6, 1849, convention of 1850, convened at Lansing, June 3d. Josiah Turner, S. Titus Parsons, elected Nov. 6, 1866, convention of 1867, convened at Lansing, May 15th. SUPREME COURT JUDGES. Sanford M. Green, appointed in 1848, served until 1857. Josiah Turner, appointed by Governor Bingham, May 9, 1857, to fill vacancy caused by resignation of S. M. Green ; held till January, 1858. CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES. Sanford M. Green, elected April, 1852 ; term commenced May, 1852. Josiah Turner, elected April, 1857; term commenced May, 1857; re-elected three times and still holds the office. REGENTS OF TUE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. Andrew Parsons, 1852 to 1854. Luke II. Parsons, elected April 16, 1857. ASSOCIATE JUDGES. A. L. Williams, elected November, 1837. James Rutan, elected November, 1837. Elias Comstock, elected Nov. 2 and 3, 1840. Joseph P. Roberts, elected Nov. 2 and 3, 1840. Isaac Castle, elected Nov. 6 and 7, 1844. Jonathan M. Ilartwell, elected Nov. 6 and 7, 1844. George W. Slocum, elected Nov. 14, 1848. James Cummin, elected Nov. 14, 1848. COUNTY JUDGE. Robert R. Thompson, elected Nov. 3, 1846 ; re-elected Nov. 5, 1850. SECOND JUDGES. Isaac Gale, elected Nov. 3, 1846. Anson B. Chipman, elected Nov. 5, 1850. CIRCUIT COURT COMMISSIONERS. Ebenezer Gould, elected Nov. 2, 1852 ; re-elected Nov. 7, 1854. Samuel T. Parsons, elected Nov. 4, 1856. George K. Newcombe, elected Nov. 2, 1858. Gilbert R. Lyon, elected Nov. 6, 1860 ; re-elected Nov. 4, 1862. Henry M. Newcombe, elected Nov. 8, 1864. James M. Goodell, elected Nov. 6, 1866. Hiram L. Chipman, elected Nov. 3, 1868. R. Bonner Wyles, elected November, 1870. Lucius E. Gould, elected Nov. 5, 1872 ; re-elected Nov. 10, 1874. Curtis J. Gale, elected Nov. 10, 1874. James G. Miller, elected Nov. 7, 1876. Lucius E. Gould, elected Nov. 7, 1876. Seldon S. Miner, elected Nov. 5, 1878. JUDGES OF PROBATE. Elias Comstock, elected November, 1837. Ira B. Howard, elected Nov. 2 and 3, 1840. Amos Gould, elected Nov. 4 and 5, 1844. Luke H. Parsons, elected Nov. 14, 1848. Robert R. Thompson, elected Nov. 2, 1852. John B. Barnes, elected Nov. 4, 1856. Hugh McCurdy, elected Nov. 6, 1860. Sullivan R. Kelsey, elected Nov. 8, 1864 ; re-elected Nov. 3, 1868 ; Nov. 5, 1872, and Nov. 7, 1876. SHERIFFS. Levi Rowe, elected May, 1837. Elisha Brewster, elected November, 1838; re-elected Nov. 2 and 3, 1840. David Bush, elected Nov. 7 and 8, 1842. Elisha Brewster, elected Nov. 4 and 5, 1844; re-elected Nov. 3, 1846. Alonzo Howard, elected Nov. 14, 1848; reelected Nov. 5,1850. John M. Pitch, elected Nov. 2, 1852 ; re-elected Nov. 7, 1854. William P. Laing, elected Nov. 4, 1856 ; re-elected Nov. 2, 1858. Jonah Fuller, elected Nov. 6, 1860 ; re-elected Nov. 4, 1862. CIVIL LIST. 137 Seymour Shipman, elected Nov. 8, 1804. Diivid Parker, elected Nov. 6, 18G6 ; re-elected Nov. 3, 18G8. George A. Winans, elected November, 1870. Benjamin B. Swain, elected Nov. 5, 1872. Andrew G. Kelso, elected Nov. 10, 1874. AVilliam J. Lewis, elected Nov. 7, 1876. Clark D. Smith, elected Nov. 5, 1878. COUNTY CLERKS. Andrew Parsons, elected May, 1837. Ira B. Howard, elected November, 1838. John K. Smith, elected Nov. 2 and 3, 1840. Joseph Purdy, elected Nov. 7 and 8, 1842 ; re-elected Nov. 4 and 5, 1844, and Nov. 3, 1846. Ebenezer F. Wade, elected April 7, 1848, to fill vacancy caused by death of Joseph Purdy ; re-elected Nov. 4, 1848 ; Nov. 5, 1850. Elias Comstock, elected Nov. 2, 1852. Cortes Pond, elected Nov. 7, 1854. Elias Comstock, elected Nov. 4, 1856 ; re-elected Nov. 2, 1858. George C. Holmes, elected Nov. 6, 1860 ; re-elected Nov. 4, 1862; Nov. 8, 1864. Philip W. Coleman, elected Nov. 6, 1866. John E. Graham, elected Nov. 3, 1868 ; re-elected November, 1870; Nov. 5, 1872. Almon C. Brown, elected Nov. 10, 1874 ; re-elected Nov. 7, 1876. Newton Baldwin, elected Nov. 5, 1878. COUNTY REGISTERS. No record of Register in 1837 or 1838. John M. Gilbert, elected November, 1838. Andrew Parsons, elected Nov. 2 and 3, 1840; re-elected Nov. 7 and 8, 1842, and Nov. 4 and 5, 1844. Luke H. Parsons, elected Nov. 3, 1846. James E. Chaffee, elected Nov. 14, 1848 ; re-elected Nov. 5, 1850. Owen Corcoran, elected Nov. 2, 1852 ; re-elected Nov. 7, 1854. George W. Goodell, elected Nov. 4, 1856. Chauncey S. Converse, elected Nov. 2, 1858 ; re-elected Nov. 6, 1860, and Nov. 4, 1862. William Oakes, elected Nov. 8, 1864. Charles Holman, elected Nov. 6, 1866 ; re-elected No- vember, 1868; November, 1870; November, 1872; No- vember, 1874 ; November, 1876 ; and November, 1878. COUNTY TREASURERS. Josiah Pierce, elected May, 1837 ; re-elected November, 1838. Isaac Castle, elected Nov. 2 and 3, 1840 ; re-elected Nov. 7 and 8, 1842. Alfred L. Williams, elected Nov. 4 and 5, 1844. Nicholas P. Harder, elected Nov. 3, 1846. Archibald Purdy, elected Nov. 14, 1848. James Cummin, elected Nov. 5, 1850 ; re-elected Nov. 2, 1852; Nov. 7, 1854. Hansom W. Ilolley, elected Nov. 4, 1856. 18 Pliny S. Lyman, elected Nov. 2, 1858; re-elected Nov. 6, 1860 ; Nov. 4, 1862. James Cummin, elected Nov. 8, 1864 ; re-elected Nov. 6, 1866 ; Nov. 3, 1868 ; November, 1870. jMatthias L. Stewart, elected Nov. 5, 1872 ; re-elected Nov. 10, 1874 ; Nov. 7, 1876 ; and Nov. 5, 1878. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. Lemuel Castle, Ransom W. HoUey, Ephraim H. Utley, elected November, 1838. Levi Rowe, elected April 29, 1839. David Bush, Jr., elected Nov. 4 and 5, 1839. Peter Cook, elected Nov. 2 and 3, 1840. Francis J. Prevost, elected April 5, 1841. Archibald Purdy, elected Nov. 1 and 2, 1841. COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. Ezekiel J. Cook, elected April, 1870 ; re-elected April 7, 1873. COUNTY SURVEYORS. No record of Surveyor in 1837-38. Daniel Gould, elected November, 1838. Philander T. Maine, elected Nov. 2 and 3, 1840. Nelson Ferry, elected Nov. 7 and 8, 1842 ; re-elected Nov. 7 and 8, 1842 ; Nov. 4 and 5, 1844. Andrew Huggins, elected Nov. 3, 1846; re-elected Nov. 14, 1848; Nov. 5, 1850. Josiah B. Parker, elected Nov. 2, 1852. Andrew Huggins, elected Nov. 7, 1854. Monroe Ilolley, elected Nov. 4, 1856. Ezra L. Mason, elected Nov. 2, 1858 ; re-elected Nov. 6, 1860 ; Nov. 4, 1862 ; Nov. 8, 1864, and Nov. 6, 1866. Horace C. Maine, elected Nov. 3, 1868. Ezra L. Ma.son, elected November, 1870. Abner B. Wood, Jr., elected Nov. 5, 1872 ; re-elected Nov. 10, 1874. Lyman Mason, elected Nov. 7, 1876 ; re-elected Nov. 5, 1878. PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.* Sanford M. Green, appointed 1837, 1838, 1839, 1840, and 1841. J. C. Smith, appointed 1842-43. William F. Mosely, appointed 1844. Andrew Parsons, appointed 1845-46. William F. Mosely, appointed 1847-48. Amos Gould, appointed 1849. Richard B. Hall, elected Nov. 5, 1850. Luke H. Parsons, elected Nov. 2, 1852. William F. Mosely, elected Nov. 7, 1854. S. Titus Parsons, elected Nov. 4, 1856 ; re-elected Nov. 2, 1858. Spencer B. Raynole, elected Nov. 6, 1860. Benton Hanchett, elected Nov. 4, 1862. James M. Goodell, elected Nov. 8, 1864. Ebenezer Gould, elected Nov. 6, 1866. James M. Goodell, elected Nov. 3, 1868. Spencer B. Raynole, elected November, 1870. * Prosecuting Attorneys wore appointed by the Governor until tbo adoption of the constitution of 1850, when the office became elective. 138 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. S. Titus Parsons, elected Nov. 5, 1872. Hugh McCurdy, elected Nov. 10, 1874. AVilliam M. Kilpatrick, elected Nov. 7, 187(3 ; re-elected Nov. 5, 1878. CORONERS. David H. Tyler, elected November, 1838. Epliraim H. Utley, elected November, 1838. John WoodhuU, elected Nov. 2 and 3, 1840 ; re-elected Nov. 7 and 8, 1842. Lyman Melvin, elected Nov. 2 and 3, 1840. Henry Leach, elected Nov. 4 and 5, 1844. George Harrington, elected Nov. 4 and 5, 1844. Horace B. Flint, elected Nov. 3, 1846. Eliphalet B. Tooker, elected Nov. 3, 1846. Aaron Swain, elected Nov. 14, 1848. Henry Leach, elected Nov. 14, 1848. George Harrington, elected Nov. 5, 1850. Levi Howe, elected Nov. 5, 1850. Humphrey Wheeler, elected Nov. 2, 1852. Joseph Howe, elected Nov. 2, 1852. Humphrey Wheeler, elected Nov. 7, 1854. Palmer C. Card, elected Nov. 7, 1854. William H. Eddy, elected Nov. 4, 1856. David Ingersoll, elected Nov. 4, 1856. Jonah Fuller, elected Nov. 2, 1858. Eli D. Gregory, elected Nov. 2, 1858. Enoch Eddy, elected Nov. 6, 1860. James Garrison, elected Nov. 6, 1860. George L. Hitchcock, elected Nov. 4, 1862. James Garrison, elected Nov. 4, 1862. Garry Tuttle, elected Nov. 8, 1864. Tolman Warren, elected Nov. 8, 1864. S. M. Marshall, elected Nov. 6, 1866 ; re-elected Nov. 3, 1868. Mills Tuttle, elected November, 1866; re-elected Nov. 3, 1868. H. M. Marshall, elected November, 1870. George T. Swimm, elected November, 1870. Benjamin F. Taylor, elected Nov. 5, 1872; re-elected Nov. 10, 1874. Wells B. Fox, elected Nov. 5, 1872 ; re-elected Nov. 10, 1874. John L. Miller, elected Nov. 7, 1876. Ezra M. Harvey, elected Nov. 5, 1878. John L. Miller, elected Nov. 5, 1878. CHAPTER XXV L COUNTY SOCIETIES— AGEIC0LTDKE— MANUFAC- TUKES— POPULATION. Old Settlers' Society of Shiawassee County — Shiawassee County Fire Insurance Company — Shiawassee County Agricultural Association — Agriculture of the County — Manufacturing Statistics — Population. OLD SETTLEKS' SOCIETY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY. Early in February, 1873, a call was issued through the county newspapers for the holding of a meeting to form a pioneer society in Shiawassee, similar in its objects to so- cieties of the kind existing in many other counties of the State. The tenor of this call was as follows ; " De.siring to perpetuate the history of Shiawassee County, and the personal reminiscences of its early days, as well as to foster a social feeling among the pioneers, we respectfully invite such of the present residents of the county as had settled in Michigan previous to Jan. 1, 1845, to meet with us at the court-house, in Corunna, on the 22d inst., at one o'clock p.m., to form an old settlers' society for the county. " Isaac Gale. Alex. McArthur. S. R. Kelsey. Wm. Frain. J. H. Hartwell. S. B. Bugbee. F. P. Guilford. Allen Beard. G. G. Doan. James Cummin. John 0. Henkley. John Spaulding. S. Hawkins. Roger Haviland." Jonah Fuller. Pursuant to this call a large number of old settlers con- vened at the court-house in Corunna, and organized by choice of the Hon. Isaac Gale, of Bennington, as chairman, and John N. Ingersoll as secretary. S. R. Kelsey, J. N. Ingersoll, and William Newberry were appointed to draft a constitution, which was prepared, presented, and adopted, naming the association the " Old Settlers' Society of Shia- wassee County," and setting forth that " the objects of the society are to cultivate social relations, and to collect and preserve biographical sketches, statistics, and historical facts and reminiscences which are fast fading from memory." The annual meetings of the society are held at the court- house in Corunna. Picnics have been held during the summer months at the following places : Caruthers' Grove, near North Newburg, June 13, 1873; Hawkins' Grove, Caledonia, June 20, 1874; Grove near Pitts Corners, Bennington, June 26, 1875 ; Hawkins' Grove, Aug. 19, 1876; Caruthers' Grove, Aug. 11, 1877; Gates' Grove, near Owosso, Aug. 17, 1878 ; Court-House, Corunna, June 14, 1880. At the.se meetings addresses are made by speakers from different parts of the county, essays are also read, all bearing on the early settlement and incidents connected with it. Tlie roll of the society shows the names of its members, their place of residence, and place and date of birth, as follows : Ebenezer F. Wade, Burns ; Massachusetts, 1810 ; settled in Michigan in August, 1843. John N. Ingersoll, Corunna ; Massachusetts, 1817; settled in Michigan in 1837. John 11. Barnes, Owo.sso ; Massachusetts, 1807 ; settled in Michigan Sept. 7, 1842. Samuel W. Cooper, Corunna; New York, 1812 ; settled in Michigan in May, 1842. James Renney, Middlebury; New York, 1800; settled in Michigan in April, 1845. Anson B. Chipman, Owosso; Vermont, 1812; settled in Michigan in January, 1837. Jonah Fuller, Corunna ; Massachusetts, 1820 ; settled in Michigan in 1835. Henry W.Becker, Caledonia; New York, 1818; settled in Michigan in 1836. COUNTY SOCIETIES. 139 William Newberry, Shiawassee ; New York, 1812 ; settled in Michigan July 2, 1836. Sullivan R. Kelsey, Byron; "Vermont, 1805; settled in Michigan in December, 1842. Isaac Gale, Bennington ; New York, 1808 ; settled in Michigan in April, 1840. John Innes, Bennington ; Scotland, 181.5 ; settled in Slicli- igan in August, 1836. Roger Haviland, Burns; Ireland, 1812 ; settled in Michi- gan in February, 1840. George W. Slocum, Middlebury ; New York, 1810 ; settled in IMichigan in January, 1838. C. S. Johnson, Corunna; Massachusetts, 1804; settled in Michigan in November, 1838. William G. Smith, Woodhull ; New York, 1804; settled in Michigan in April, 1842. A. H. Owens, Venice ; New York, 1823 ; settled in Michi- gan in July, 1835. .J. S. Simonson, Shiawassee; New York, 1820; settled in Michigan in October, 1845. James Cummin, Shiawassee; Ireland, 1814; settled in Michigan in December, 1840. N. G. Phillips, Shiawassee; Connecticut, 1825 ; settled in Michigan in April, 1838. William Morris, Perry ; Scotland, 1801 ; settled in Michi- gan in August, 1836. Joseph Parmenter, Shiawassee ; Vermont, 1810 ; settled in Michigan in September, 1835. H. J. Van Aukin. Henry Wiltsie, Corunna; New York, 1812; settled in Michigan in October, 1838. J. M. Van Aukin, Vernon ; New York, 1820 ; settled in Michigan in 1843. S. B. Bugbee, Bennington; New York, 1811 ; settled in Michigan in October, 1837. Archibald Purdy, Bennington; New York, 1811; settled in Michigan in November, 1836. George Kowoll, Bennington ; New York, 1828 ; settled in Michigan in March, 1841. I. M. Chipman, Owosso; New York, 1817; settled in Michigan in 1840. T. H. Lemon, Shiawassee ; New York, 1816; settled in Michigan in 1843. Cortes Pond, Corunna; New York, 1812 ; settled in Mich- igan in 1842. H. S. Allen, New York, 1818 ; settled in Michigan in 1832. Andrew Huggins, Corunna; Massachusetts, 1817; settled in Michigan in 1839. Benjamin Hulick, New York, 1825 ; settled in Michigan in 1845. E. Gould, Owosso; New York, 1818; settled in Michigan in 1837. John Spalding, Perry; New York, 1814; settled in Mich- igan in 1840. J. 11. Thompson, Caledonia; New York, 1809; settled in Michigan in May, 1833. Reuben Place, Shiawassee; New York, 1814 ; settled in Michigan in 1835. Allen Beard, Antrim ; Now York, 1810 ; settled in Michi- gan in 1836. C. C. Rowell, Owosso ; New York, 1835 ; settled in Mich- igan in 1841. J. M. Fitch, Corunna; 1832. E. W. Wallis, Perry; New York, 1818; settled in Michi- gan in 1844. A. Van Aukin, Shiawassee; New York, 1814; settled in Michigan in 1835. Hiram Davis, Sliiawa.ssee ; New York, 1813; settled in Michigan in 1837. J. W. Dewey, Owosso ; New York, 1818 ; settled in Mich- igan in 1827. L. H. Chappen, Bennington ; New Hampshire, 1797 ; settled in Michigan in 1844. C. S. Cronkhite, Venice; New York, 1818; settled in Michigan in 1844. I. W. Rush, Owosso; New Yprk, 1822; settled in Michi- gan in 1840. L. Hopkins, Owosso; New York, 1826; settled in Michi- gan in 1836. J. G. Marsh, Woodhull ; Maine, 1830 ; settled in Michi- gan in 1837. John A. Mason, Perry; Michigan, 1841. James H. Hartwell, Shiawassee; New York, 1824. B. 0. Williams, Owosso; Massachusetts, 1810; settled in Michigan in 1815. Freeman McClintock, Laingsburg; New Hampshire, 1811 ; settled in Michigan in 1846. Almon B. Clark, Bennington ; Michigan, 1837. Phineas Burch, New Haven; Canada, 1814. Thomas 11. Young, Caledonia; Connecticut, 1812; settled in Michigan in 1839. M. L. Stevens, Perry; New York, 1820; settled in Mich- igan in March, 1847. J. B. Wheeler, Corunna ; New York, 1829 ; settled in Michigan in March, 1838. Charles Wilkinson, Venice; New York, 1813; settled in Michigan in 1834. Schuyler Ferris, Caledonia; New York, 1818. G. M. Roberts, Caledonia; New York, 1813. S. A. Yerkes, Bennington ; Michigan, 1827. Mrs. Susan A. Burge.ss. Elnathan Brown, Venice ; New York; settled in Michigan in 1837. B. M. Waterman, Caledonia ; Vermont ; settled in Michi- gan in 1839. HONORARY MEMBERS. Mrs. Sarah Bacon. Mrs. B. Allen. Mrs. Lucius Beach. Mrs. Marietta Gale. Mrs. H. H. Johnson. Mrs. Julietta Howell. Mrs. Manning Hathaway. Mrs. Anna Olcott. Mrs. N. P. Harder. Mrs. Marie E. Cronkhite. Mrs. James Cummin. Mrs. Rosina Simonson. Mrs. E. F. Wade. Mrs. Loriuda Williams. Mrs. Catherine Haviland. Mrs. J. B. Wheeler. Mrs. Susan Spaulding. Mrs. Margaret Innes. Mrs. Caroline A. Parsons. Mrs. Ruth Phelps. Mrs. Emmcline 11. Wallis. Mrs. Eunice Cooper. The following is a list of the oflicers of the society from its formation to the present time : 140 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 1874.- 1875.- 1876.- 1873. — President, Isaac Gale ; Vice-Presidents, A. B. Chip- man, Willium Newberry ; Secretary, E. F. Wade ; Treasurer, S. R. Kelscy. -President, John Spaulding ; Vice-Presidents, A. B. Chipnian, William Newberry; Secretary, E. F. Wade ; Treasurer, S. R. Kclsey. -President, A. B. Chipman ; Vice-Presidents, G. W. Slocum, Roger- Haviland ; Secretary, E. F. Wade ; Treasurer, S. R. Kclsey. -President, George W. Slocum ; Vice-Presidents, William Newberry, Ebenezcr Gould ; Secretary, Ebenezer F. Wade ; Treasurer, S. R. Kelsey. 1877. — President, George W. Slocum; Vice-Presidents, William Newberry, Roger Haviland ; Secretary, James B. Wheeler ; Treasurer, E. F. Wade. 1878. — President, Roger Haviland ; Vice-Presidents, B. 0. Williams, A. B. Clark ; Secretary, James B. Wheeler ; Treasurer, E. F. Wade. 1879. — President, AVilliam Newberry ; Vice-Presidents, Roger Haviland, B. O. Williams ; Secretary, Cortes Pond ; Treasurer, E. F. Wade. -President, William Newberry ; Vice-President, Roger Haviland ; Secretary, Cortes Pond ; Treas- urer, E. F. Wade. 1880.- SIIIAWASSEE COUNTY MUTUAL FIRE INSU- RANCE COMPANY. In the month of May, 1861, Enoch Eddy, G. Sugden, Ezra D. Barnes, N. G. Philips, E. Cook, Isaac Gale, Nor- man Green, Enos Merrill, Benjamin Walker, and William Newberry, all residents of Shiawassee County, associated themselves together as an incorporated company for the transaction of insurance business under the above title. The articles of association limited the territory to Shia- wassee County, and restricted the insurance to dwellings,, barns, and out-buildings upon farms, " together with house- hold furniture, farm implements, stock, and grain which may be therein or on the premises," against loss by fire or lightning. The organization was not perfected until the spring of 1862, when Enoch Eddy was elected President; Cortes Pond, Secretary ; and W. G. Smith, Treasurer. On tlie 3d day of May of that year Cortes Pond commenced taking applications for policies. In 1867 the company had three hundred and forty -six outstanding policies, with an assessment that year of four- teen hundred and twenty-three dollars and forty-four cents and expenses of one hundred and fifty-three dollars and fifteen ccnt.s. The company has steadily incrca.scd in usefulness, and gained the confidence of the community, and on the 31st of December, 1879, it had fifteen hundred and fifty-five outstanding policies, covering a total risk of two million eight hundred and twelve thousand nine hundred and fifty- six dollars. The total resources are two thousand two hundred and five dollars and ninety-four cents, and total liabilities finir hundred and fifty-five dollars and fifty-nine cents. The amount paid for losses during the year (of which two thou- sand tiiree hundred dollars occurred in prior years) was five thousand one hundred and ten dollars and seventy-three cents. Amount of salaries and foes one thou.sand one hun- dred and twenty dollars and ninety-six cents. But two as- sessments have been made during the year. The present officers are Roger Haviland, President ; Fred. J. Bailey, Vice-President ; Ezra Mason, Secretary ; JeflFerson D. Leiaud, Treasurer ; R. Haviland, E. Mason, and E. S. Burnett, Directors. SHIAWASSEE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL ASSO- CIATION. No records have been found of the organization or pro- ceedings of the old Shiawassee County Agricultural Society, but a few facts have been gleaned from the papers of that day, and from the secretary's reports to the State Society. The Shiawassee Society was formed in 1850, and held its first fair in the fall of that year, at the village of Corunna, on grounds situated on the south side of the river, prepared by the citizens of that place. In 1854 the fifth annual fair was held on the Uth and 12th of October. The offi- cers were Robert R. Thompson, President ; P. S. Lyman, Secretary; James Cummin, Treasurer; Ezekiel Cook, M. B. Martin, Isaac Gale, M. H. Clark, Daniel Lyon, Execu- tive Committee. There were three hundred and twenty- two entries. The amount received for membership tickets and visitors was eighty-one dollars and twenty-five cents. The number of entries made at the fair of September, 1855, were five hundred and twenty ; receipts for membership and single tickets was one hundred and forty-six dollars and twenty-seven cents. The fair in 1858 was held at Corunna. The officers of that year were Isaac Gale, President ; P. S. Lyman, Secretary ; Charles I']. Kimberly, Treasurer. No further information can be gained of any meetings of the old society, and it appears to have become inop- erative, as on the 16th of March, 1860, a new society was formed, and articles of association were adopted and signed by the following-named persons, viz. : Isaac Gale, George Sugden, James Lawler, A. H. Byerly, B. 0. Wil- liams, George W. Slocum, Benjamin Walker, Benjamin W. Davis, Edward F. H. McKay, John W. Dewey, Enoch Eddy, and an organization under the name and style of the Shiawassee County Agricultural Association was perfected by the choice of the following persons as first officers: Isaac Gale, President ; B. W. Davis, Secretary ; Adam W. Byerly, Treasurer ; J. W. Dewey, George W. Slocum, E. F. H. McKay, Enoch Eddy, and Geo. B. Sugden, Direc- tors. A meeting of the board of directors was held at Gould's Hall, Owosso, on the 23d of March, 1860, at which time by-laws were adopted. At a later meeting, in June of the same year, it was resolved that the fair be held at Owosso for a term of five years, on condition that the citizens of Owosso provide not less than six acres for the u.se of the association (to be surrounded with a tight board fence), build necessary buildings and sheds, dig a well to be provided with a pump, and grade a carriage- drive and track, two rods' wide at least and eighty rods in circumference, the same to be provided without any expense to the association. Seven hundred dollars was subscribed for tli(! ]iuriiose, and the lease was afterwards extended to ten years, and a permanent building erected at an expense of AGRICULTURE. 141 one thousand dollars. The first fair of the association was held on the 17th, 18th, and 19th of September, 1860, on the ground prepared by the citizens of Owosso, situated on Hickory Street. The total receipts were 8303.50. The annual fairs con- tinued to be held at the same place until 1880. In 1866 five hundred dollars was expended in extending the track, the citizens of Owosso contributing two hundred and fifty dollars and the association the balance. At a meeting held April 17, 1877, it was decided to purchase thirty acres of land, known as the Eggleston tract, at one hundred dollars per acre, and two small lots of land containing about one acre. In the spring of 1880 the buildings on the old grounds were removed to the new and repaired. One acre of ground, on which a dwelling-house is located, was purchased for five hundred dollars; this will be occupied by a tenant who will have charge of the ground.s. A floral hall will be erected in the summer of 1880, a half-mile track is now being graded, and the first fair of the association on the new grounds will be held in the fall of 1880. The following is a list of the officers since the organiza- tion of the association : Presidents.— 1861, Benjamin Walker; 1802, Isaac Cas- tle ; 1863, Geo. L. Hitchcock ; 1864, John W. Dewey ; 1865, Ezra D. Barnes; no record for 1866; 1867-68, Isaac Gale; 1869, A. H. Byerly ; 1870, S. A. Yeikcs ; 1871, Wm. Newberry; 1872-73, Wm. Rideout; 1874, John W. Dewey; 1875-76, C. Hibbard; 1877-80, John W. Dewey. Secretaries. — 1861-62, George L. Hitchcock; 1863, Henry B. Gregory; 1864, George L. Hitchcock; 1865, A. G. Young; no record for 186C; 1867, George P. Moses; 1868, N. McBain ; 1809, George P. Moses; 1870-73, C. A. Osborne ; 1874, Emory L. Brewer ; 1875 -78, Newton Baldwin ; 1879-80, J. A. Armstrong. Treasurers.— 1861-62, E. D. Gregory; 1863-65, New- ton n. Robinson; no record for 1866; 1807-69, A. G. Kelso; 1870-73, A. B..Chipman ; 1874, Amos G. Young; 1875-76, A. B. Chipman ; 1877-80, C. A. Osborne. AGRICULTURE OF THE COUNTY. In the history of its agriculture Shiawassee differs very little from nearly all the counties of the Peninsula. The first care of the farmers who came to till the virgin soil was, of course, to provide subsistence for their families ; and so the first crops which they planted or sowed in the open- ings, or in their small clearings in the timber, were only such as were required for this purpose, and chief among these was wheat. Potatoes and other esculents were pro- vided for, but the article of prime necessity was wheat, and to it a great proportion of the tilled area was devoted. The abundant crops which they obtained soon relieved their ne- cessities, and placed them beyond the reach of possible want ; and then, from the surplus of their crops, they began to realize a revenue in money, though the very redundancy of the yield of wheat in this and adjoining sections of country brought the price so low at times that the remu- neration for the labor of raising, harvesting and lunid- thrashing, and transporting the grain to a distant market seemed discouragingly small. The experience of later years. however, has shown that the immigrant farmers of the early days were not far from right in their estimate of the im- portance of wheat culture upon such a soil as this, where its constantly increasing and almost uniformly successful cultivation has been the foundation of so large a proportion of the agricultural wealth and prosperity. After the first struggle with poverty was over, and particularly afler in- creased and improved means of transportation were secured, the wheat-fields gradually increased in size and in profita- ble returns per acre ; and though other grains are and have always been produced quite extensively, yet it is wheat more than any other product of the soil that has brought comfort and wealth to the farmers of the county. The raising of cattle and sheep has been carried on to a considerable extent, but it has never assumed as great im- portance here as in some other parts of the State, nor has as much been done here in the extensive and general intro- duction of improved breeds. In the report of the secretary of the Shiawassee Agricultural Society for 1854 it is stated that a full-blood Devon bull was introduced into the county as early as 1837, by L. Lyman, of Shiawassee township; that iu 1839, Ezckiel Cook, of Bennington, brought in a Devon and a Durham bull from Ohio; and that in 1841, Alexander McArthur, of Corunna, was the owner of a bull of imported stock, but that the animal had died in the se- vere winter of 1842-43. A Durham bull was also sent from Oakland County to Shiawassee by James B. Hunt. In 1851, Deacon Cook, of Bennington, brought in a fine young Durham bull from the herd of Mr. Brooks, of Oak- land County, and a Durham cow from the Wadsworth herd, of Geneseo, N. Y. (purchased from Mr. Uhle, of Ypsi- lanti) ; and J. H. Howe, now of Owosso, received a Durham bull from the .same famous herd. At about the same time several pure-blood bulls and cows were brought to the county by Isaac Castle of Shiawassee ; Thomas B. Green, of Burns ; Abner L. Gilbert, of Caledonia ; and Stimson and Dewey, of Owosso. Among these were Durhams, Ayr- shires, and one or two of the Holderness breed. From the animals above mentioned came much of the improved stock of the county. The same report from which the foregoing f;icts are gath- ered mentions that in 1854 a flock of one hundred and fifty Spanish 51erino .sheep was purchased in the county. At the fair of the agricultural society of the county in that year Durham cattle were exhibited by C. S. Johnson, of Caledonia, and H. John.son, of Venice; Devons, by Isaac Castle and C. S. Johnson ; Ayrshiros, by Isaac Castle and L. C. Eddy ; Merino .sheep, by Isaac Gale, J. M. Hart- well, and J. W. Brewer; Spanish and French Merinos, by Luke H. Parsons and J. W. Brewer, — the last-named gen- tleman exhibiting a very fine imported ewe from the flock of A. S. Patterson, of Newark, N. J. The introduction of pure-blood sheep into the county dates from about 1852 (though some grades had been brought here before 1840), and by reference to the pro- ceedings of the agricultural society it is found that the credit of being the pioneers in the introduction of Merino and Saxony sheep into the county is given to Isaac Gale and J. M. Hartwell, of Bennington; L. Lyman, of Shia- wassee; II. W. Holly, of Vernon; and R. Burdick, of By- 142 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. ron. There is no doubt, however, that others besides these gentlemen mij;ht with propriety be added to the list. Since the introduction of pure-bloods was commenced, as above mentioned, the improvement in sheep-breeding has spread gradually, but so generally that it would be invidious as well as impracticable to attempt to follow its progress through the county. The same may also be said of the general increase of improved breeds of cattle, both pure- bloods and grades. The development of the agricultural interests of Shia- wassee County is shown (perhaps more clearly than could be done in any other way) by the statistics given below, having reference to this county. Tiiey are taken from the census returns of the years indicated, viz. : 1S40. Number of neat cattle in the county 2,143 " sheep in the county .375 " swine " " 3,807 Tons of hay cut in the preceding year 502 Bushels of wheat produced (harvest of ls;iy) 19,584 " Indian corn produced (harvest of 1839) 13,772 " oats produced (harvest of 1839) 10,937 " barky " " 206 " potatoes" " 23,007 Pounds of wool sheared (1839) 583 Pounds of maplc-.sugar made (1810) 25,933 Value of the products of the dairy (1839) $2,147 1850. Whole number of occupied farms 746 Cash value of occujiied farms $734,965 Number of acres improved 31,203 " ne.at cattle 5,148 *' sheep kept in the county 7,087 " swine " " 3,262 Total value of live stock $133,739 Bushels of wheat produced (harvest of 1849) 61,834 " rye " " 650 " Indian corn (harvest of 1849) 56,505 " oats " " 32,705 " barley " '■ 289 " buckwheat " " 6,284 " potatoes " " 26,475 Value of orchard products (1849) $1,041 Tons of hay produced " 7,136 Pounds of wool sheared in 1851) 21,738 " maple-sugar made (1850) 61.157 " butter made (Juno, 1849, to Juno, 1850) 110,823 " cheese " " " 10,400 1854. Number of acres improved land 30,043 Whole number neat cattle 6,735 " " swine 4,750 " " sheep... 8,472 Pounds of wool sheared (preceding year) 21,364 " pork marketed " " 81,495 Acres of wheat harvested " " ■ 6,111 Bushels " " " " 74,171 Acres of corn " ** " 4,111 Bushels of corn " " " 04,947 " all other kinds of grain (preceding year).... 26, .381 " potatoes raised (preceding year) 33,629 Tons of hay cut " " 10,655 Pounds of butter made ** " 132.612,' " cheese made " " 16,002 " maple-sugar manufactured (1854) 43,787 1860. Whole number of occupied farms in the county 892 *' " acres improved 43,727 T<>tal cash value of farms.. .$1,957,834 Nutul>er of neat cattle kept in county 8,427 " swine " " 6.156 " sheep " " 19,379 Total value of live stock $326,724 Pounds of wool sheared in preceding year 46,770 Busliels of wheat harvested preceding year 101,101 " rye " " " 5,773 " Indian corn harvested preceding year 93,467 " oats " " " 43,071 " barley " " " 3,829 Bushels of buckwheat harvested preceding year 2,830 " potatoes raised preceding year 54,190 Value of orchard products $8,976 Tons of hay cut in preceding year 12,579 Pounds of butter made |)receding year 251.011 " cheese " " " 18,582 *' maple-sugar made preceding year 96,723 1864. Number of acres improved in the county 64,913 " neat cattle kept in the county 11,527 ** sheep over six months old 43,187 Pounds of w<)ol sheared in preceding year 134,188 pork marketed " " 332,172 Acres of wlieat harvested " " 14,950 Bushels of wheat " " " 109,301 Acres of corn " " " 6,428 Bushels of corn " " " 129,670 " all other grains harvested in preceding year. 76,236 " potatoes raised in preceding year 58,628 Tons of hay cut in preceding year 21,847 Pouiuls of butter made in preceding year 336,134 " cheese " " " ' 27,329 " maple-sugar made in preceding year 95,560 1870. Number of acres improved in county 111,390 Value of farms in county .$8,!23,{I00 " all live stock $1,181,149 Number of sheep kept 45,536 Pounds of wool shorn 192,612 Number of milch-cows 5,864 Pounds of butter made in preceding year 491,696 Bushels of wheat harvested in preceding year 484,587 " Indian corn " " " 262,851 ". oats " " " 202,510 " barley " " " 17,341 " buckwheat " " " 9,947 " potatoes raised in preceding year 240,162 Tons of hay cut in jjreceding year 32,464 Pounds of maple-sugar made (1870) 32,999 1874. Total acres of improved land 118,781 Number of farms 2,813 Average area of farms (acres) ^^^a Number of neat cattle kept 18,920 " swine over si.x months old 8,132 Pounds of pork marketed in preceding year 793,646 Whole number of sheep kept 43,403 Number of sheep sheared in preceding year 41,580 Pouuds of wool " " " 186.277 Acres of wheat harvested " " 30,541 Bushels " " " " 463,412 Acres of corn " " " 10,750 Bushels " " " " 391.745 " of all other grains harvested in preceding year. 356,432 " of potatoes raised in preceding year 110,286 Tons of hay cut in preceding year 29,667 Pounds of butter made in i>receding year 743.353 " cheese " " " 34,380 " maple-sugar made in 1874 57,356 Bushels of apples raised in preceding year 114.811 Value of fruit and garden vegetables $60,470 Number of acres in all kinds of fruits 5,905 WHEAT CROP OF 1877 BY TOWNSHIPS. Bushels. Antrim 60,667 Bennington 77,351 Burns 71,343 Caledonia 42,416 Fairfield 26,448 Ilazelton 41.046 Middlebury 52.344 New Haven 36,595 Owosso 47,614 Owosso City 3,274 Perry 60,420 Rush 33,518 Seiota (not returned) Shiawassee 77,172 Venice 38,495 Vernon 63,061 WoodhuU 46,947 Total of county 778,712 In that year Shiawassee County stood at the head of all the counties in the southern four tiers (comprising the best MANUFACTURES— POPULATION. 143 agricultural portion of the State) in the average yield of wheat per acre of the area harvested. MANUFACTURING STATISTICS. Though Shiawassee cannot be termed a manufacturing county, yet it contains a considerable number of manufac- turing establishments, and these will be found fully noticed in the histories of tlie cities and townships in which they are situated. In this place, however, we give a series of manufacturing statistics relating in their aggregate to the whole county. They are compiled from the census reports for the years named, extending from 1840 to 187-4, the re- turns for the present year (1880) not having yet been made. The earliest report containing manufacturing statistics for the county of Shiawassee is that of 1840, which shows as follows : Number of saw-mills in the county 8 " flouricg-mills in the county 1 Barrels of 0our manufactured in 18li9 800 Total amount of capital invested in manufactures $46,878 Value of home-maiie manufactures (1839) $1,000 By subsequent census returns the following statistics of manufactures in the county are shown for the years indi- cated, viz. : 1850. Number of flouring-mills 5 Capital invested in flouring-mills $31,000 Barrels of Hour manufactured preceding year 1 1,700 Value of product , $36,400 Number of saw- mills (water, fi ; steam, 1) 7 Capital invested in lumber manufacture $10,500 Annual product of lumber (feet) 1,500,000 Value of product $0,990 Aggregate amount of capital invested in all kinds of miinufactures (flour-mills and saw-mills inclu .1 ti u a u JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. First District. 1861. Elias Comstock. ISCO. John B. Van Dorcn. 18(Ji). Hiram L. Chipman. 187:i. John B. Van Doron. 1877. Lawrence Van Dusen. Second District. 186.1. Ira Meroll. 1867. " " 1871. Benjamin F. Taylor. 1875. " " 1879. " " FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WATER SUPPLY. Prior to the autumn of 1871 the city pos.sessed no fire apparatus of any description, although the Common Council had voted upon the matter frequently. During the time mentioned, however, fifty leather fire-buckets and some eight or ten ladders were procured. In the spring of 1870 a hook-and-Iadder truck and eight Babcock fire-extinguish- ers were purchased. A fire company — of which Frederick Wildermuth was foreman — was organized at about the same time. But the real organization of Owosso's fire department did not take place until 1876. lu February of that year a Silsby steam fire-engine was purchased, and in April following city fire department officers were elected. Centennial Engine Company, Defi- ance Hose Company, No. 1, Reliance Hose Company, No. 2, and Phoenix Hook-and-Ladder Company were regularly organized during the same year. Following arc lists of city and company fire department ofiicers for llie years of 187G to 1880, inclusive: City, 187C. — Thomas D. Dewey, Chief Engineer ; James Osburn, First Assistant; Henry B. Gregory, Second Assist- ant; Moses Keytes, Treasurer ; Newton MeBain, Secretary. 1877-79. — Thomas D. Dewey, Chief Engineer; James Calkins, First Assistant ; John D. Evens, Second Assist- ant. 1880. — Nathaniel A. Finch, Chief Engineer ; Henry A. Woodard, First Assistant ; William Douglass, Second As- sistant ; Warren A. Woodard, Secretary ; Moses Keytes, Treasurer. Centennial Engine Company, No. . . . : 187G. — A. E. McCullom,! Foreman; George W. Collier, Assistant Fore- man ; L. A. Hamblin, Secretary ; H. B. Gates, Treasurer ; Walter A. Osborn, Engineer; George W. Collier, Assistant Engineer. 1877. — George W. Collier, Foreman ; Moses Keytes, Assistant Foreman ; Walter A. Osborn, Engineer. 1878-79. — Moses Keytes, Foreman ; Warren A. Wood- ard, Assistant Foreman ; Walter A. Osborn, Engineer. 1880. — Mo.scs Keytes, Foreman ; Warren A. Woodard, Assistant Foreman ; George B. Hughes, Treasurer ; George W. Loring, Secretary ; Walter A. Osborn, Engineer ; Frank t McCullom resigned in May, 1876, when George W. Collier ifos elected foreman ami Charles A. Baldwin assistant foreman. I ? . 5 8s ^ "Co O Q > ^-^ UJ CITY OF OWOSSO. 151 Cherry, Assistant Engineer; Charles Owen and Frank Cherry, Firemen. Phoenix Uoolc-and- Ladder Company : 1876. — J. Fred. Wildcrmuth, Foreman ; Charles W. JIatthews, Assistant Foreman ; John F. Wolverton, Seerotary ; J. Fred. Wil- dermuth, Treasurer. These officers have served continu- ously to the present time. Defiance Hose Company, No. 1 : 1870-78. — Albert Chip- man, Foreman ; D. Dwight, Assistant Foreman ; George H. Bedford, Secretary and Treasurer. 1879-80.— D. Dwight, Foreman ; D. A. Barnum, As- sistant Foreman ; George H. Bedford, Secretary and Treas- urer. Reliance Uose Company: 1876-79. — Nathaniel A. Finch, Foreman ; John S. Hoyt, Assistant Foreman ; Isaac S. Cooper, Secretary ; George Smith, Treasurer. 1880. — Thomas J. Horsman, Foreman ; John S. Hoyt, Assistant Foreman ; Isaac S. Cooper, Secretary ; and Fred- erick Osburn, Treasurer. The city fire apparatus, including two thousand feet of hose, is in good condition, and its water-supply, in case of need, is derived from the river and mill-race, also from two capacious cisterns where a large quantity is stored. Water for drinking and culinary uses is obtained from wells. MILLS AND MANUFACTURING. Among the manuflicturing interests which once had an existence in Owosso, but have now pa.ssod away, was that carried on in the pioneer saw-mill erected by Daniel Ball & Co., in 1837 ; the grist-mill built by Ball, Green & Co., in 1839, which burned ten years later ; Felix Casper's vrool-carding and cloth-dressing works, established some time between 1840 and 1844, in a building now forming part of Woodard's furniture- manufactory and planing-mills ; the woolen-mill which burned in 1867 ; and the building owned and occupied by the " Owos.so Woolen 3Iaiiufac- turing Company," which was built in 1867, and burned in 1873. These mills all deserve a place in history, and some of them have been alluded to on previous pages. The manufacturing interests of to-day are represented as follows : The flouring-mill of Mes.srs. Dewey & Stewart was established by them in 1850. It stands near the foot of the mill-race, below and on the opposite side from the site of the old grist-mill. It began operations with two run of stones. Gi'adual additions have been made to its capacity until it now has six run of stones, and will flour sixty bushels of wheat per hour. Power is derived from both water and steam. They have in connection, also, a saw- and feed-mill, which is carried on in a building erected in 1863 as a saw- and plaster-mill. Messrs. Fletcher & Roberts' grist-mill was built in 1871, the present owners always having liad a controlling interest. Steam-power is used, and the work — chiefly custom — is per- formed by two run of stones. L. E. Woodard's sash-, blind-, and door-manufactory, in connection with his lumber-yard, has been operated by him since 1866. Previously it had been controlled by the Messrs. White Brothers, who first established the business. Thirty u»en are employed, and his annual sales are from fifty thousand dollars to seventy five thousand dollars. The Owosso Foundry and Maehine-Shop of Mes.srs. Yeats & Osborn came into their possession in 1876. This is the site of the original furnace or foundry established by Daniel Gould k Co. previous to 1844. Meanwhile it has been owned, enlarged, and occupied by many parties. The business of the present consists in general repairing and the manufacture of pumps, plows, and various agricultural im- plements. Seven men are steadily employed, and power is derived from the Shiawassee River. The Shiawassee Iron- Works were established by Ran- dolph L. Stewart about 1865. The present firm, Messrs. Howell, Cossitt & Bateman, came into possession in 1869. Their business is general repairing, the manufacture of en- gines and agricultural implements. From five to ten men are employed. The building occupied is the one formerly' used by Russell Young as a sash-, door-, and blind-manu- factory. George W. Oakes' sash-, door-, and blind-manufactory was established by himself, July 1, 1879. He employs six men. The Union Mattress Company, which manufactures ex- celsior, husk, hair, and mo.ss mattresses, was established in June, 1879. Seven men and women are given employment. The Owosso Handle-Factory, now controlled by JIason Wood & Co., was established by Mason Wood and Charles Osborn in 1872. They continued the business about six months, when finding that with their facilities they could not successfully compete with others, operations were dis- continued. Mr. Wood improved the lathes in use, and again successfully engaged in the manufacture of all kinds of handles of irregular forms. He has since had several partners. In the fall of 1879, David Gould assumed an interest, and under the present firm-name eight men are employed, and the most complete wood-turning lathes in operation in the United States are daily turning out scores of perfect hickory handles. Axe-handles are a specialty, and their goods find ready sale in the various States from Maine to Texa.s. The Estey Manufacturing Company, composed of Jacob Estcy, of Brattleboro', Vt., D. 31. Estey, and Cliarlcs E. Rigley, of Owosso, Mich., was incorporated as such Feb. 3, 1879, and the actual stock paid in at that date was fifty- three thousand three hundred and fifty dollars. This busi- ness was first established in 1868 by D. M. Estey, who controlled it until the formation of the present company. A factory for the manufacture of common bedsteads, a saw-mill, store, and village-lots are owned at West Haven, in New Haven township, — a village which has sprung up since the projection of this enterprise. In Owosso City are situated the offices and warerooms of the company. Here also are manufactured ash and walnut chamber-suits, elegant in design and finish, under contract by the Messrs. White Bros. Eighty men receive direct employment by the operations of this firm, and their manufiicturcs, the sales of which amount to seventy-five thousand dollars yearly, are shipped to various points extending from Vermont to Missouri. The Woodward Brothers' furniture-manufactory has been controlled by them since Aug. 1, 1866. The first edifice on the site of their buildings was the woolen-mill, built as eaily as 1S44, and for a number of years carried 152 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. on by Felix Casper and others. In 1855 it was changed into a manufactory of furniture, sasli, doors, and blinds, and operated principally, wo believe, by the Messrs. White Bros. The Messrs. Woodards have thirty men in their employ. Their manufactures consist of medium and fine grades of furniture, done in ash and walnut, and their sales aggre- gate twenty thousand to twenty-five thou.sand dollars yearly. John Gate established the first brewery in the county in Owosso in 1855, and at first made pre.sent-use ale. During the past fifteen years attention has been chiefly devoted to the brewing of lager beer. The Owosso City Breweiy has a capacity of two thousand barrels per annum, and is now owned and operated by Albert Gute. BANKING. TTndcr the name of D. Gould & Co. and the manage- ment of Amos Gould, banking business was first com- nienced in Owosso in 1854 on the corner now occupied by the First National Bank building. The present building was erected in 1857, and in 18G5 the busi- ness of exchange and brokerage was merged into that of the First National Bank. The latter bank organized with a capital of fifty thousand dollars. It was afterwards increased to one hundred thousand dollars ; but has .since been decreased to its present capital of sixty thousand dol- lars. Upon its organization, Amos Gould was elected President, Thomas D. Dewey Vice-President, and Adam II. Byorly Cashier. Messrs Gould and Dewey still occupy the same positions, but the cashier's desk has since been filled by Orville Goodhue, George P. Moses, and Charles E. Ilershey ; by the latter since the death of Mr. Moses in November, 1875. Mr. M. L. Stewart established his present bank of ex- change and brokerage in 18G9. He came to Owosso first in lSGO,and engaged in merchandising. His present busi- ness house was erected in 1869, when, in consequence of losing his hearing, he relincjuished trade and engaged in banking. From a small beginning he has, by the exercise of industry and economy and a strict attention to the minor details of his business affairs, attained his present financial success. EDUCATIONAL. Samuel N. Warren, who oflSciated as clerk at the first township election in 1837, and was elected as one of the assessors at the same meeting, taught the first school in the village, in the winter of 1837-38. This was a private school, and its sessions were held in an unoccupied log house which stood on or near the site of the present brick planing -mill. Prior to this, however, some action had been taken by school inspectors and the school director, as will be shown by the following extracts from the records: "At a meeting (if the inspectors of primary schools of the township of Owo.sso, held at the office of the township clerk, Tuesday, Aug. 8, 1837, Alfred L. Williams and lilias Comstock were present. Elias Comstock was chosen chairman of the board, whereupon it was concluded to set off sections 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 2G, in township 7 north, of range No. 2 east, and sections 7, 8, 17, IS, 19, and 30, in township 7 north, of range No. 3 east, as school district No. 1, and the first school meeting therein .shall be held at the store of A. L. & B. 0. Williams, in the village of Owosso, on the 22d day of August, 1837, at four p.m." The meeting was held, and Benjamin 0. Williams elected director. On the 2d of October, 1837, he rendered his annual report, as follows : "To THE Township Board of School Inspectors: " Gentlemen, — I hereby transmit you a report of the condition of schools in district No. 1, of which I have the honor to be the director, to wit : The whole numljer of children in my district between the ages of five and seven- teen years is thirty. " There has been no school taught in the district, and no moneys have been received by me. The district has voted to raise the following sums for school purposes, viz. : five hundred dollars for building a school-house, seventy-five dollars for the purchase of a school library-case, and ten dollars for the purcha.se of books. I have the honor to be, gentlemen, " Your obd't serv't, "B. 0. Williams." Although the first school building was not erected until about the year 1840 or 1841, the leading citizens have always taken a lively interest in educational matters, and the excellence of Owosso's schools has ever been pro- verbial. The old school building, since repaired and enlarged, is now used as a house of worship by the German Lutherans. By an act of the State Legislature, approved March 11, 184G, the Owosso Literary Institute was incorporated, Messrs. Elias Comstock, Alfred L. Williams, Benjamin 0. Williams, Amos Gould, Charles L. Goodhue, Anson B. Chipman, and John B. Barnes being named as corpora- tors. They were authorized to employ capital to the amount of ten thou.saud dollars, and " to have power to establish and continue in the township of Owosso an insti- tution of learning for the instruction of persons in the various branches of literature, and the arts and sciences." However, nothing further was heard of the institute, and the youth of Owosso continued to pore over the volumes issued by Brown, Kirkham, Morse, Adams, Olney, Web- ster, Sanders, and others in the old structure until 1858, when a portion of the present handsome edifice was com- pleted. This was an occasion of great rejoicing among parents and pupils, and the event was noticed by a local paper of date Oct. 23, 1858, in the following words : "OPENING OF THE OWOSSO UNION SCHOOL. " This institution was opened for the reception of pupils on Thursday last, in the presence of a large number of the friends of education, who have by their untiring efforts successfully carried forward the enterprise to its final com- pletion. " The building is of the most substantial character, being constructed of brick, and beautifully finished with the oak of the country. It is divided iuto three principal apart- ments, two recitation-rooms, besides large and commodious CITY OP OWOSSO. 153 reception halls, and will accommodate some two hundred scholars. " The school will consist of three <;rades, the primary, iuterniediate, and the upper departments, where the higher English branches will be taught, also the languages ; music, both vocal and instrumental, with its charming influence, will not be wanting, the board having seeuied the services of a competent teacher for that department. " The grounds located for school purposes are situated upon the right bank of the beautiful Shiawassee, a little north and west of the village, and embrace about four acres, covered with a fine growth of pristine oak, in the centre of which is located the school building. " At an early hour on Thursday morning the large upper room in the building was filled with parents and children of the district. The proper oflSeer of the district called the meeting to order, after which prayer was ofiered by the Rev. Mr. Goodale, of this place. At the request of the Board of Education, the parents and children were ad- dressed by Mr. Kellogg, late of the Albany Normal School, Rev. John M. Gregory, of Ann Arbor, Rev. Mr. Taylor, Hon. Amos Gould, and Hon. A. L. Williams, of this place. The district is greatly indebted to the latter gentleman for material aid and valuable services in urging to completion this praiseworthy enterprise. " The remarks of all the gentlemen were timely and fitting the occasion, calling up pleasant reminiscences of the past and opening up to the youthful mind bright prospects in the future. " Mr. Winchell, the principal of the school, in behalf of himself and associate teachers, expressed his sense of obli- gation to the board, and to the gentlemen who had addressed the meeting, for the kind greeting and warm and generous manner in which they had been received by the friends of education in Owosso, pledging himself that no effort should be wanting on their part to fully meet the hopes and ex- pectations of the friends of the school. " Our sliijht ae(|uaintanee with Mr. Winchell prompts us CO believe that the board made a wise choice in selecting him for principal of the institution. " We understand that the school is rapidly filling up, and that large numbers of applications for admissiun have been received from those residing out of the district; and we doubt not that before the close of the first term the teachers will be straitened for room, and that an extra primary department will have to be opened in some other section of the village." A few years subsequently the building just mentioned was enlarged to its present proportions, and in still later years other frame school-houses have followed, which are situated in the various wards. As showing the present condition of schools, we subjoin the following statistics, gathered from the annual report for the year ending Sept. 1, 1879: Numberof chilli ren of school age residing in the city 805 " *' attending school during the year 729 " brick houses 2 ", frame hi)U.ses .1 " . posi of the secrets of Masonry, and it is said that the work was written in the house of Capt. Davids. The latter gen- tleman repaired with the manuscript to New York, and ordered the publication of an edition embracing twenty thousand copies, involving all his means. He later removed to Fort Erie, N. Y., and it is stated that he narrowly escaped tlie fate which overtook his coadjutor Morgan, though the basis of this statement is not known. He after- wards removed to Detroit with a view to recuperating his lost fortune. Capt. Davids was succeeded in his management of the company's interests by Joel L. Ancrim, a civil engineer. His official career was likewise brief. After a residence of less than a year he departed ostensibly on a business tour, leaving his implements with Mr. McArthur, and never returned. Whether he was the victim of foul play, or had determined to abandon a residence not congenial to him, is unknown. Alexander McArthur, one of the members of the com- pany, now determined to remove to the couuty-seat and personally supervise the interests of the company. In the year 1838 he left Detroit, his former residence, and became permanently identified with the locality as a resident, hav- ing moved into the house built and vacated by Capt. Davids. In that year he erected on the south side of the river a saw-mill, which at that early date cut most of the timber used in the immediate vicinity, and aided materially in the building of the village. Other houses were built, and set- tlers slowly found their way to the spot, having been attracted by its promising future as depicted in glowing CITY OP CORUNNA. 167 colors by the various members of the company. In 1838, Stephen Hawkins came from Pontiac, where he had for three years been a resident (having removed in 1835 from Chenango Co., N. Y.). He entered upon section 26, in Caledonia, ninety-seven acres of land. By trade a carpenter and joiner, he with his partner built many of the earliest frame houses in Owosso, where he for a brief time Resided. Mr. Hawkins was for several years a settler in Corunna, but ultimately removed to the farm which he entered and where he still resides. Abram Garrabrant came at about the same period, and engaged in various occupations which aiforded him a liveli- hood. He was an eccentric individual and the object of many jokes among his fellows, though his kindly nature precluded their being of a very practical form. Mr. Garra- brant was not, however, without means, having had a farm of considerable size within the present city limits. The company offered a plat of land designated as the public square to be used for county purposes, and a contract was made with Stephen Hawkins for the erection of a building, in October of the same year, to be devoted to the uses of the county officers. This building not being of sufficient proportions to aflbrd conveniences for the sessions of the court, they were for a while continued at Shiawasse- town, where they had previously been held. S. Z. Kinyon emigrated from Onondaga Co., N. Y., to the city of Flint in 1836, and entered land in the follow- ing year. In April, 1839, he was attracted by the enter- prise exhibited by the Shiawassee County-Seat Company, and made Corunna his residence. He had meanwhile, in connection with A. H. Beach, obtained a contract for the construction of a portion of the Northern Railroad which had been projected by the State. The project was, how- ever, abandoned, and the firm were heavy losers. A suit was brought and judgment for the recovery of a portion of the amount obtained. Mr. Kinyon on his arrival was em- ployed in the saw-mill erected by the company, and met with a serious accident which for a while disabled him. He afterwards engaged with A. H. Beach in the erection of a hotel known as the " Corunna House," which is still standing on Shiawassee Avenue, on the south bank of the river. They were proprietors for a while, and then it passed into the hands of other parties, among whom was S. W. Cooper. Mr. Kinyon was married in 18-11 to Miss Cynthia M. Day, of Corunna, and on this occasion were held the first marriage festivities in tlic village. The ear- liest death had occurred three years previously, an em- ployee of the company having died in 1838. The first birth occurred in 1839. It was that of a child of E. J. Van Buren. Both Isaac and Lemuel Castle were among the early ar- rivals, and were both actively engaged in business enter- prises. A brick store was erected in 1840 by Alexander McArthur, who employed Dorus Morton, the first mason and bricklayer, to construct the building. It was located on the site of the store of Joseph Hulick, and a stock of goods was placed in it by McArthur, Castle & Cook. They were succeeded by Harlow Beach, who came from Pontiac in 1841, and engaged in various mercantile enterprises with Mr. McArthur. He remained a resident until his death in 1856, and contributed much to the growth of Corunna. For a while Mr. Beach was absorbed in the care of the farm he purchased within the city limits, though not entirely confined to this occupation. His brother, Seth Beach, came at the same time and was also much inter- ested in the advancement of the village. E. C. Kimberley, whose name is inseparably linked with land speculations in the county and elsewhere, removed from Batavia, N. Y., in 1840, as the agent of Trumbull Cary, an extensive land-holder. Mr. Kimberley located in the village and devoted himself to the care of the large in- vestments made by his relative, and remained in Corunna until his death. Robert McLaughlin came at nearly the same time, and became one of the active business men of that day, remaining in the village of his adoption until his decease some years later. In 1842 a school-house was erected on the site of tlie present pretentious building, and Mr. Nelson Ferry exer- cised an imperious discipline over the little ones of the place. A school had been held previous to this in one of the county buildings used as the register's office. Joseph Clement arrived in 1842, and opened a black- smith-shop (the company having offered him inducements to settle, in the erection of a building), wherein he plied his trade. The same year or soon after, Messrs. McArthur and Hoag succeeded to the general business of Harlow Beach, and conducted a thriving trade. Andrew and Luke H. Parsons came from Oswego Co., N. Y., in 1835, and after a brief residence in Ann Arbor removed to Corunna, having purchased large tracts of land in the county, a portion of which was located within the present city limits. Both were members of the legal pro- fession, in which they engaged on their arrival. Andrew was the first county clerk of Shiawassee County, and was later elected Lieutenant-Governor. The Governor having been appointed to a place in the cabinet of President Pierce, Mr. Parsons filled acceptably the unexpired term as Gov- ernor. Luke H. Parsons also held many important county offices. The former died in 1855, and the latter in 1862. Another brother, S. Titus Parsons, now resides in Detroit. E. J. Van Buren came .soon after and embarked exten- sively in commercial pursuits. A brick structure erected by Messrs. Morton & Smith was rented by him, and used as a store. This building, still standing on Shiawassee Avenue, is the first one of brick located south of the river. In 1843 a frame building of considerable proportions was erected on the corner of Woodworth and Fraser Streets, for the holding of the sessions of the court. This edifice was in use until the present more spacious quarters were provided. It is now owned by the Baptist denomination, and occupied as a house of worship. Clement Johnson, a former resident of Oneida County, located in Owos.so in 1837, and four years later removed to Corunna, where he purchased his present tract of eighty acres within the city boundaries. He first occupied a log cabin on the bank of the river, and later erected for his family a comfortable dwelling. Mr. Johnson cleared eighteen acres in the first year. The early wheat crops were so bountiful as to render prices by no means commensurate 168 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTi', MICHIGAN. with the hibor of cultivating, and the grain was turned to more profitable accouut for the feeding of stock. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson experienced all the hardships of the pioneer's life, and are now enjoying the results of an industrious career. Dorus Morton and Gerry Tuttle were both among the arrivals of 1841, the former having purchased two hundred and forty acres adjacent to the village. He was the earliest mason, and was constantly employed at the work of his trade. Mr. Tuttle later removed to another part of the town.ship of Caledonia, but now lives within the city limits. S. W. Cooper (as narrated by himself) came to Corunna an adventurer, in 18-12, having learned the trade of a mill- wright. He was on his arrival employed to superintend the erection of a saw-mill owned by Alexander McArthur and Robert Thompson. In 1843, McArthur & Castle built a flouriug-mill, the construction of which was given to Mr. Cooper. Seth Beach built a foundry and engaged Mr. Cooper to supervise the mechanical portion of the work. He was also for a limited period one of the landlords of the Co- runna House, and has from that time been a resident of the city, and actively engaged in its business enterprises. Corunna had now taken its place among the foremost of the villages of the county, while its prestige as the county- seat had greatly enhanced its growth and promoted its business activity. The earliest religious services were conducted by Rev. Mr. Patterson, of Owos.so, who in his advanced years occa- sionally preached in Corunna. Rev. Mr. Gilbert was the first resident clergyman. He was a minister of the Bap- tist faith and a gentleman of much culture. On his arrival in 1842 he became an inmate of Mr. S. Z. Kinyon's home. He subsequently removed to Ann Arbor, where he died. Seneca H. Petteys, an early resident of Corunna and a shoemaker by trade, was also an exhorter, and held frequent religious services in the village. Henry and A. M. Jennings were the earliest brickmakers. They emigrated from Canada to the village, where they established a brickyard east of the school-house. During the years 1846 and 1847 a fatal epidemic prevailed, which included the brothers Jennings among its victims. John M. Fraser was originally a resident of New York State, and first removed to Oakland Co., Mich. In 1845 he chose a home in Corunna, and purchased a farm within the present city limits. There was then a population of several hundred in the village, and the several mills in full operation, together with two hotels, gave the place an ap- pearance of decided business activity. Mr. Fraser in 1865 relinquished his farming pursuits, but still retained his residence in the village. E. F. Wade, an early pioneer in Burns, removed in 1848 to Corunna, having been elected county clerk and made com- mis.sioner of the State to superintend the construction of the State road from Corunna to St. Charles, in Saginaw County. Later he engaged in the shoe and leather trade, for which purpose he, in 1850, erected a store. In 1875 this build- ing, standing on Shiawassee Avenue, was superseded by a substantial brick structure. Mr. Wade is still one of Corunna's most enterprising citizens. John Derr came in the same year and made Corunna his home, where he lived until his recent death in advanced years. G. 0. Bachman arrived a year later and engaged in the practice of law. He afterwards studied theology and be- came rector of the Episcopal Church of the city. His death occurred in Corunna some years since. Among the representatives of the medical profession, Dr. Pierce, a Philadelphian, settled in the city, then a vil- lage, in 1842, and engaged actively in the labors of his profession. He remained until 1850, when he returned to his native State. Dr. Wear, of Shiawasseetown, was also frequently called to the village in a professional capacity. Dr. E. M. Bacon, formerly of Albion, N. Y., was a pioneer of 1846, and engaged at once in active practice, having been the second resident physician of the village. Dr. Bacon was a gentle- man of professional skill, and enjoyed a reputation which brought him a laborious professional career and occasioned much sorrow at his death, in 1869. Dr. Harder, of New- burg, followed him, and after a residence of several years returned to his former home. James Cummin was an early settler in the township of Perry, where he came in 1839. In 1850, having been elected county treasurer, he removed to Corunna and held the office for six, and again for eight, consecutive years. Mr. Cummin purchased later one hundred acres within the city limits, where he now resides, and is extensively en- gaged in nulling pursuits. Morris Jackson came to Shiawassee in 1835, and to Corunna in 1849, where he followed the trade of a wagon- maker and carpenter and joiner. He is favorably known as an early musician, and supplied music for many of the pioneer gatherings of a social character. James B. Wheeler, who represents one of the earliest fiimilies in the township of New Haven, came to the city in 1850, where he engaged in busine,ss pursuits. Two years later he followed the fortunes of other pioneers to California, and on his return made Corunna his permanent residence. He has been for some years engaged in banking, but is now occupied in the superintendence of his extensive farm within the city limits. Hiram Smith, a former resident of Mexico, N. Y., located in the village one year previous to the coming of Mr. Wheeler, and engaged in the manufacture of botanic med- icines. In 1855 he became one of the landlords of the place, and conducted the business for a period of two years, when the hotel was consumed by fire. It was rebuilt, and a second time burned. Mr. Smith retained his residence in Corunna until his death, in 1879. His son, Clark D. Smith, is now sheriif of the county. Hugh McCurdy removed from Oakland County to Corunna in 1855, and engaged in the practice of law, of which profession he had been one of the leading represent- atives at his former residence. In the year of his arrival he was appointed prosecuting attorney, and has been since elected to the same ofiice. In 1860 he filled the position of probate judge of the county, and four years later was elected State senator for the counties of Shiawas.see and Liv- ingston. Mr. McCurdy has since been engrossed with the CITY OF CORUNNA. 169 arduous labors of his profession, and is still an active prac- titioner. He has, however, found leisure to devote to the public interests of the city, and has been the leading spirit in the organization of the various Masonic bodies in Corunna, having been honored with the highest State offices in the gift of the fraternity. Curtis J. Gale came from Ingham County in 1846, and made the county-seat his home, having, previous to his emigration to Michigan, resided in New York City. He engaged in active business pursuits, and was in 1859 elected justice of the peace, which office he has held for successive years since that date. He was also for six years postmaster of the city, and has filled other important offices. He is still one of the justices in Corunna. ADDITIONS TO THE VILLAGE PLAT OF CORUNNA. Since the laying out of the original plat of the village of Corunna, in June, 1837, several additions were laid out and recorded, as follows : McArthur, Castle & Uurlbiiii's Addition, surveyed for the above proprietors by Nelson Ferry, Aug. 17, 1843, and recorded Dec. 8, 1843. Carys Addition, surveyed for Trumbull Cury and Dorus Morton by Nelson Ferry, Oct. 5 and 6, 1843, and recorded Aug. 23, 1844. McL'jugldins Addition, surveyed by Andrew Huggins, December, 1860, for Kobert McLoughlin, and recorded on the 21st of the same month. McArthur's Addition, made by Alexander McArthur, Jan. 18, 1862, and recorded May 2, 1864. C. S. Converses Addition, surveyed by Ezra Mason, Dec. 10, 1866, and recorded Aug. 15, 1867. INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE. Corunna was made an incorporated village in 1858 by the Board of Supervisors of Shiawassee County, the follow- ing transcript from the records of that board showing its official action in the matter : " At a regular session of the Board of Supervisors of the county of Shiawassee, convened and held at the court-house in Corunna, in said county, commencing on Monday, the 11th day of October, A.D. 1858, in the matter of the petition of K. C. Moore, E. L. Lyman, John Kinney, John Gouldcn, William Farrell, H. Pettibone, John Key, Jonas Fuller, J. A. Fowler, Dorus Morton, James Anderson, S. Titus Parsons, James Litch- field, R. M. Force, D. Bush, J. C. Clement, A. II. Beach, J. Hildreth, H. H. Frost, Joseph Shuttleworth, J. N. Lemon, John C. Kingsley, and others for an order incor- porating the territory hereinal'ter described as a village by the name of Corunna, said territory being known, bounded, and described as follows, to wit : Commencing at the sec- tion-line running north and south between sections 28 and 29, where the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad crosses said line, running north to section-corners of 20, 21, 28, and 29 ; thence north on section-line between sections 20 and 21 to the line of the Port Huron and Milwaukee Railroad; thence easterly on the south side of said Port Huron and Milwaukee Railroad line to where the section-line of sec- tion 21 and 22 crosses said railroad; thence south to sec- tion-corners 21, 22, 27, and 28; thence south on scction- 22 line between 27 and 28 to the north line of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway ; thence westerly along said railway to the place of beginning ; said land and territory being situate in the township No. 7 north of range No. 3 east, in the county of Shiawassee and State of Michigan. The board, after hearing the parties and being satisfied that all the requirements of an act entitled ' An act for the incor- poration of villages, approved Feb. 17, 1857,' have been complied with, and that said territory, hereinbefore de- scribed, contains the population required by said act to entitle the same to be incorporated as a village, therefore it is ordered and declared by the said Board of Supervisors (a quorum being present) that such territory hereinbefore described shall be and henceforth is an incorporated village by the name of the village of Corunna. And it is also ordered that Edmund Green, Eli C. Moore, and E. F. Wade be and they are hereby appointed inspectors of election to hold the first election required by said act afore- said, which election is hereby appointed to be held on the second Tuesday of December, 1858, at or in the three-story building situate in said territory, in a part of which build- ing the post-office is now kept." LIST OF VILLAGE OFFICERS. Following is a list of officers of the village of Corunna from its incorporation to the time of its organization as a city, with the years of their election, viz.: 1858.— President, A. McArthur; Clerk, 0. T. B. Wil- liams ; Trustees, E. F. Wade, A. A. Belden, C. W. Coe, George Wilcox, P. S. Lyman, Daniel Bush. 1859.— President, A. McArthur; Clerk, 0. T. B. Wil- liams; Trustees, E. F. Wade, A. A. Belden, Jonah Fuller, M. H. Clark, E. C. Moore, Hugh McCurdy. I860.— President, A. McArthur; Clerk, D. F. Alsdorf; Trustees, J. M. Tha3'er, Morris Jackson, A. A. Belden, G. Wilcox, C. S. Convers. 1861.— President, P. S. Lyman; Clerk, D. F. Alsdorf; Trustees, J. E. Bush, J. E. Chaffee, J. M. Sils- bec, S. Pettibone, Robert McLoughlin, C. S. Convers. 1862.— President, P. S. Lyman; Clerk, D. S. Alsdorf; Trustees, Robert McLoughlin, G. W. Goodell, James Litchfield, T. S. Martin, H. A. Crane. 1863.— President, Joseph M. Thayer; Clerk, Robert F. Gulick; Trustees, E. F. Wade, Daniel Bush, James B. Wheeler, Sheldon Keith, A. A. Bel- den, I. E. Hathaway ; Treasurer, J. E. Willis ; Assessor, J. M. Fitch. 1864. — President, James S. Convers ; Clerk, E. P. Gregory ; Trustees, K. C. Moore, James E. Bush, Joseph Anderson, Seth Pettibone, George W. Goodell, James Litchfield ; Treasurer, H. A. Crane ; As- sessor, George Wilcox. 1865. — President, A. McArthur ; Clerk, David F. Alsdorf; Trustees, D. B. Wilcox, Joseph M. Thayer, Daniel Bush ; Treasurer, James B. Wheeler; As- sessor, Seth Pettibone. 170 BISTOllY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 1S6C.— President, A. MeArthur; Clerk, Theodore W. Ferry ; Tr\istoes, James B. Wlieelor, Joseph Ilulick, James Anderson ; Treasurer, James E. Bush ; Assessor, David W. Wlieeler. 1SG7.— President, Speneer B. Ilaynale; Clerk, David F. Alsdorf; Trustees, Daniel Bush, Erwin M. Bacon, Theodore W. Ferry ; Treasurer, Kli C. Moore ; Assessor, Hubert McLoughlin. 1S6S. — President, James Cummin ; Cleik, David F. Als- dorf; Trustees, Homer Wilcox, Michael Corland, Albert C. Gage ; Treasurer, Lorenzo D. Phelps ; Assessor, Curtis J. Gale. INCOKPOKATION OF THE CITY OF CORUNNA. The Legislature of Micliig-an -at its session of 1869 passed " an act to incorporate the city of Corunna," which was approved on the 12th of IMarch in that year, and which provides, " That so much of the township of Cale- donia, in the count}' of Shiawassee, as is included in the following territory, to wit : the east half of sections twenty and twenty-nine, the west half of sections twenty-two and tweutj'seven, and all of sections twenty-one and twenty- eight, in township seven north, of range three east, being in Shiawassee County and State of Michigan, be and the same is hereby set off from the said township of Caledonia and declared to be a city by the name of the city of Co- runna, by which name it shall be hereafter known." The corporate limits of the city as thus established by the act embrace an area of four square miles, lying in the form of a square, as before mentioned. Since that time there have been laid out and recorded the following plats, viz. : S. B. Thomas' Division of the City of Corunna. — Sur- veyed October, 1871, by Andrew Huggins, and recorded Oct. 18, 1871. McArtltur and Cummin's Athlilion. — Surveyed for Alexander JlcArthur and William E. Cummin, October, 1872, by A. Huggins, and recorded Feb. 19, 1873. LIST OF CITY OFFICERS. The names of officers of the city of Corunna from its organization to the present time, with the years of their election, are given below, viz. : 1869. — Mayor, Alexander MeArthur; Kecorder, Spencer B. Raynalc; Clerk, William Oaks; Treasurer, Morris Ormsby ; Justices of the Peace, John N. IngcreoU, Curtis J. Gale ; Coustables, Clark D. Smith, Marvin Miller. 1870. — Mayor, Alexander MeArthur ; Aldermen, S. R. Kelsey, Harvey Cregen, Daniel Bush ; Treasurer, Morris Ormsby ; Justice of the Peace, William Oaks; Supervisors: First Ward, John N. Inger- soU ; Second Ward, Alexander Cummin ; Third Ward, R. R. Harper; Constables, Cliarlcs G. Gage, Samuel A. Fish. 1871. — Mayor, John N. Ingersoll ; Aldermen, Joseph Greer, D. W. Wheeler, Orton Williams, George W. Harris; Clerk, R. B. Wiles; Treasurer, Morris Ormsby ; Supervisors : First Ward, Hugh McCurdy ; Second Ward, Alexander Cummin ; Third Ward, James M. Goodell ; Constables, A. A. Frain, J. J. Peacock. 1872. — Mayor, John N. Ingersoll ; Aldermen, Seth Petti- bone, Joseph N. Lemon, Horace Peacock ; Treas- urer, Clark D. Smith ; Supervisors : First Ward, Hugh McCurdy ; Second Ward, Alexander Cum- min ; Third Ward, James M. Pettibone ; Con- stables, George Mason, Jr., Samuel A. Fish. 1873. — Mayor, John N. Ingersoll ; Clerk, Orton Williams ; Aldermen, A. T. Nichols, Peter Reynolds, George W. Harris; Recorder, Philip W. Coleman ; Treas- urer, Clark D. Smith ; Justices of the Peace, C. J. Hale, E. F. Wade; Supervisors: First Ward, Hugh McCurdy ; Second Ward, Alexander Cum- min; Third Ward, James M. Goodell; Consta- ble, Samuel A. Fish. 1874. — Mayor, James M. Goodell ; Recorder, R. R. Harper; Aldermen, Isaac E. Hathaway, Josiah Creque, Horace Peacock; Treasurer, Frank T. Howlett; Supervisors : First Ward, John N. Ingersoll ; Second Ward, Morris Ormsby ; Third Ward, G. W. Goodell; Coustables, Charles L. Bradley, Peter D. Rauke. 1875. — Mayor, Curtis J. Gale; Clerk, Frank Peacock; Aldermen, Joseph N. Lemon, Benjamin C. Miner, A. R. McBride, George W. Harris ; Treasurer, Frank P. Howlett; Supervisors: First Ward, Michael Garland ; Second Ward, L. H. W^ilcox ; Third Ward, George W. Goodell ; Coustables, Marvin Miller, Albert Frain. 1876. — Mayor, Clark D. Smith ; Clerk, Frank Peacock ; Aldermen, A. T. Nichols, Louis Etshnian, Horace Peacock ; Treasurer, W. 11. Chapell ; Supervisors, First Ward, Peter N. Cook ; Second Ward, L. H. Wilcox; Third Ward, George W. Harris; Constables, A. A. Frain, Charles Avery. 1877. — Mayor, Sullivan R. Kelsey ; Clerk, Frank Peacock ; Aldermen, John D. Bennett, BenjanUTi C. Miner, Albert Gage ; Treasurer, W. R. Chapell ; Super- visors : First Ward, Hugh McCurdy; Second Ward, L. H. Wilcox ; Third Ward, James B. Wlieeler ; Constables, Thomas Agnew, A. A Frain. 1878. — Mayor, John D. Kergan ; Clerk, Frank Peacock ; Aldermen : First Ward, Isaac E. Hathaway ; Second Ward, Jethro Shout ; Third Ward, Hor- ace Peacock; Treasurer, F. M. Kilbourn ; Jus- tice of the Peace, Romeyu B. Murray ; Super- visors: First Ward, Hugh McCurdy; Second Ward, Lewis H. Wilcox ; Third Ward, James B. Wheeler; Constables,Thomas Agnew, William E. Chaffee. 1879. — Mayor, John N. Ingersoll ; Clerk, Frank Peacock ; Aldermen, John H. Shiek, Richard A. Patton, Harvey B. Young ; Treasurer, Frederick B. Kil- bourn ; Supervisors: First Ward, Hugh Mc- Curdy ; Second Ward, A. R. McBride ; Third ^Vard, James B. Wheeler ; Constables, Thomas A!;i.ew, William E. Chaffee. CITY OF CORUNNA. 171 1880. — Mayor, Hugh McCurdy ; Clerk, Frank Peacock; Aldermen, Joseph N. Lemon, Albert Himes, Albert Gage ; Treasurer, Charles Knight ; Super- visors: First Ward, Peter N. Cook; Second Ward, A. R. McBridc; Third Ward, W. R. Chapell ; Constables, Thomas Agnew, William E. Chafiee. MANUFACTUBING INDUSTRIES. McArlhur's Saw-Mill. — In 1841, Alexander McArthur, Sr., erected a dam on the Shiawassee River, and soon after a saw-mill which derived its power from that stream, upon whose bank it was located. The mill was equipped with a large and cumbersome sash-saw, which did duty for many years, and was replaced by a circular saw in 1866. The mill, now owned and operated by A. McArthur, Jr., manu- factures both hard and soft wood, and ordinarily employs four men in various departments of the work. It has a capacity of four thousand feet per day. The market for the lumber sawed is found principally in Detroit, though large orders are frequently rece'ived from neighboring towns. This mill is one of the oldest in the county. Steam Saw-Mill of McLaren & Wren — This mill, which was built in 1876, is devoted exclusively to the manufacture of hard-wood lumber, and depends for its sup- plies upon the adjacent country. It has both an upright and a circular saw, which are propelled by power furnished by a steam-engine of twenty-horse power. The average product of the mill is three thousand feet per day, though this can be greatly increased as necessity requires. The Michigan Car Company, located at Detroit, are the sole customers, and consume all that the mill produces. Five men are eraploj"ed about the establishment, and the business b managed by G. W. Wren, the senior partner giving but little attention to its details. Flouring- Mill of J. D. Bennett. — This flouring-mill was built by S. W. Cooper in 1813 and 1844 for McArthur & Castle, with all the machinery in use at that early dale, and three run of four-and-a-half-feet buhr-stones. The firm later became McArthur & Litchfield, and E. Green pur- chased of them, selling in 1800 to Daniel Bush, from whom the present proprietor purchased the property in 1876. Mr. Bennett thoroughly remodeled the mill, which is run by water-power from the Shiawassee River, and placed in it new machinery for manufacturing flour by the patent process. He also added another run of stones. The capacity of the mill is now one hundred barrels per day, which can be increased as necessity requires. The grain is bought of the neighboring farmers, who deliver it at the mill. The market for the flour manufactured is found in Michigan and the Eastern States. Foundry of D. 0. Reynolds. — This establishment was built and first operated many years since by Pettibone Brothers. After succes.sive changes it passed into the hands of Messrs. Lyman & Allen, of whom it was pur- chased by the present proprietor. It is furnished with steam-power derived from an engine of twelve-horse power, and includes in its list of wares manufactured plows, land- rollers, fanning-mills, feed-cutters, coru-sheliers, milk-safes, and all varieties of castings. A market is found for these articles throughout the county and in other portions of the State. Woolen-Mills of Amsden & Weeden. — The woolen-mills located in the city of Corunna were established as early as 1844 by Pliny Lyman, and owned by him until 1872, when the present firm became the purchasers. They are built upon the Shiawassee River, which supplies the necessary power by which they are operated. Mr. Lyman placed in the mills two looms and one hundred and twenty spindles, with which cloths of common grade were manufactured. Messrs. Amsden & Weeden have added another fancy loom, two hundred additional spindles, a thirty-spindle twister, a twenty-four-iuch condenser, and a picker, and have also extended the buildings. The wool consumed is purcha.sed in the immediate vicinity, and manufactured into cassimeres, flannels, stocking-yarn, and horsc-blankcts, for which a home demand establishes a profitable market. Planing-Mill and Handle- Factory of Messrs. Salmon & Wilson. — This mill was erected by Joseph Thayer in 1866, on the corner of McArthur and Brady Streets, and was purchased of him by the present owners in 1871. It is fully equipped with the u.sual machinery of a planing-niill, as well as the neceswary apparatus for turning and finishing broom-handles. Of the latter two hundred thousand per year are manufactured, a large proportion of which are shipped to the city of Philadelphia. Messrs. Salmon & Wilson also manufacture milk-safes, clothes-bars, and land- rollers, and find a ready home market for all these wares. The material used in their establishment is principally found in adjacent parts of the county. Corunna Spoke-Factory. — This factory was established in 1867 by S. H. & E. Hall, who manufactured spokes ex- clusively. They sold in 18G0 to J. Greer & Company, and the present prm of S. D. Wiley & Company became owners in 1873. The factory is run by steam, a forty-five horse- power engine being used for the purpose. The principal article of manufacture is spokes, though whiflietrees and neck-yokes are also made. Twenty-one men are employed and twenty-five hundred spokes per day are produced, though the present active demand necessitates the employment of a set of night hands. The material is furnished by timber owners in the neighboring townships, who deliver the tim- ber at the factory, for which cash is received. The build- ing used by the firm is a spacious one of brick, formerly built by the Corunna Car Company, and purchased by Messrs. S. D. Wiley & Co. The market for the spokes is found principally in Detroit and Grand Rapids. Wagon-Shops. — J. M. Lemon and A. & E. H. Gale are manufacturers of wagons, and do a good business both in this line and in general repairing. Charcoal Kilns. — The charcoal kins of the Union Iron Company of Detroit are located within the corporation limits, and were constructed since 1870. Each kiln con- tains thirty thousand bricks, and was built at a cost of from three hundred to four hundred dollars. The kilns con- sume six thousand cords of wood per year, each one having a capacity of forty cords. Each cord returns a product of forty-five bushels of charcoal, which makes a gross return of eighteen hundred bushels to the kiln. Four days is the time required for burning a kiln when filled with dry 172 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. wood, two (liiys more being allowed for green wood. Five days more are required to smother the fire and to render the material ready to withdraw from the kilns. Ail woods but basswood and poplar are made available. Koyal A. Jenny is the acting agent of the company, and Thomas E. Green the manager of the works. BANKING. THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK, the only one in Corunna, was established in 1865, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars. Its first ofiicers were Hugh MeCurdy, President, and S. B. Raynale, Cashier. The banking-house in which business is transacted is a spacious building located on Shiawassee Avenue and owned by the bank. Its present oflncers are Roger Haviland, President ; A. McArthur, Vice-President ; A. T. Nichols, Cashier ; J. D. Leland, Assistant Cashier. Directors, A. McArthur, W. D. Garrison, A. T. Nichols, Wm. McKel- lops, J. D. Leland, Roger Haviland. FIRE DEPARTMENT. COKUNNA HOOK-AND-LADDER COMPANY, No. 1. The constitution and by-laws of the Corunna Hook-and- Ladder Company were adopted, and the company organized, April 12, 1876, with the following names upon its roll: Almon C. Brown, Wm. H. Cole, C. H. Shuttleworth, E. M. Wheeler, A. S. Parsons, Frank Millard, Andrew Jack- son, R. B. Ford, E. Huntington, Wm. F. Fowler, L. H. Wilcox, J. E. Philips, G. W. Bachman, G. R. Tuttle, A. F. Peacock, R. J. Pond, Fred Keith, F. B. Hewlett, Ed. Chaffee, Geo. A. Shuttleworth, Fred Seeley, H. B. Headley, F. C. Gale, Frank Shuttleworth, Frank Fuller, Levi Seeley, John Hiltabiddle, Frank Hoover, Ed Shuttleworth, M. F. Bradley, Andrew Seeley. With the approval of the mayor and Common Council the by-laws and constitution were submitted and were formally adopted. The following officers were then elected: Almon C. Brown, Foreman; Wm. H. Cole, Fir.st Assistant; C. H. Shuttleworth, Second Assistant; E. M. Wheeler, Secretary ; Andrew S. Parsons, Treasurer; Frank Millard, Andrew Jackson, Stewards. A vote had been passed by the Council on the 5th of April, 1875, appropriating eight hundred dollars for the purchase of all the equipments necessary to a complete hook-and-ladder apparatus, and an order was at once given for their manufacture, which was completed at the date of the company's organization. On the 5th of June, 1876, by the vote of the Council, one hundred and ninety dollars was devoted to the purchase of uniforms, which were at a later date purchased. Thus the Corunna Hook-and-Ladder Company was formally or- ganized and thoroughly equipped, and has proved itself on subsequent occasions admirably adapted to the purposes of its organization. The following ofiicers were elected for the year 1878: Frank Hoover, Foreman ; Alanson C. Brown, First As- sistant ; H. B. Hadley, Second Assistant ; T. B. Wil- loughby. Secretary ; L. H. Wilcox, Treasurer. For 1879, M. F. Bradley, Foreman ; Wm. Linsley, First Assistant Foreman ; F. A. Millard, Second Assistant Foreman; Fred Goddard, Secretary; L. U. Wilcox, Treas- urer; Ed Shuttleworth,' Steward. No fires of consequence have occurred since the organi- zation of the company, though on occasions where its mem- bers have been summoned for duty a zeal and ambition has been manifested which has evinced the excellence of its working force. SCHOOLS OF CORUNNA. The records of the public schools of the city are not suf- ficiently well preserved to afford a connected history of the progress of its educational interests. There are no minutes existing of an earlier date than 1854. For the years prior to that, the recollection of residents is wholly depended upon for such meagre facts as are given. The earliest school was taught by Uriah Dubois, in 1840, in a log cabin within the village limits. It was a private enterprise, and was patronized by the very few families who were then settlers and had children. In 1841 a school was opened in a building used for county purposes, then stand- ing on the west side of the main street, on the site at present occupied by the market of William Cole. The teachers who taught in succession were Miss Su.san Whit- comb, Miss Julia Van Auken, and Miss Mary Ann Mc- Arthur. The latter also taught a private school at the residence of her father. Luke H. Parsons and Richard Parsons were also teachers in 1841. In 1842 the district erected a substantial building on the spacious ground devoted to school purposes, which was occu- pied until the growing demands of the village made more commodious quarters iiidispen.sable, and which is still stand- ing. The first term in this building was opened by Nelson Ferry, whose family resided in Venice, and who became a resident of Corunna in his official capacity as teacher. The later instructors from that time to the present are given with the date of their teaching in Corunna, so far as it is possible to obtain them, viz. : 1841. — Monroe Hawley. 1842.— Rev. John Gilbert. 1843 —Miss Sarah Potter, Miss Drusilla Cook.* 1844. — Miss Julia Hammond. 184G-47.— Mr. M. P. Wilson. 1848.— Miss Phelps. 1849. — Mr. Sylvester Lyman. 1850.— Mr. G. G. Doane. 1851.— Mr. Edward A. Sheldon. 1852.— Miss Sylvia Guilford. 1853-54.— Rev. S. P. Barker, Miss Cornelia A. Phelps. 1855.— Mr. G. G. Doane, Mrs. G. G. Doane, Miss Ma- riette Thompson. 1856-58.— Mr. G. M. Reynolds,! Mrs. G. M. Reynolds, Miss Mary Wade. * Miss Cook was a lady of established reputation as a teacher, and found her services much in demand. The ordinary compensation at that period was the sum of one dollar per weclt, with the privilege of '* boarding round." Miss Cook, whose presence was the cause of some competition in the various districts, was secured by Corunna at the unprecedented salary of two dollars and fifty cents per week, with board. t Under the successful priucipalshijt of Mr. Reynolds the school was graded. CITY OF CORUNNA. 173 lg57._Mr. Sweet, Mr. Silas Wooil, Miss Webb, Miss Truesdell. 1858. — Mr. Marcus Haynes, Miss Haynes. 1859. — Miss Pingrey, Miss Harriet Ilawkius. 1859-18C9.— Mr. Thomas C. Garner. I860.— Miss Charlotte Hendricks, Sliss R. Bradley, Miss Hildreth. 1861.— Miss H. Southard, Mrs. C. Smith. 1862. — Miss Ida Bigelow. 1864. — Miss Julia Lemon, Mi.ss Alvina P. Wheeler, Mrs. Frank Howe, Miss Etta Parsons. 1865. — Mrs. Andrew Jackson. 1866. — Miss Amelia Goodell. 1868. — Mr. R. Banner Wyles, 3lr. Ashley, Miss Stowell, Mrs. W. Jackson. 1869.— Mr. C. Van Doren, Miss Kate Brearly, Miss Myra Bartlett, Miss Nellie Gillett, Miss Bachman, Mr. S. W. Baker. 1871-72. — Mr. H. C. Baggerly, Miss Humphrey, Miss Armstrong, Miss White, Mi.ss Dawson, Miss Mary Thayer, Miss Hannah. 1872.— Miss Kellogg, Miss Ferry, Miss Hall. 1873.- Miss Clara E. Wall, Miss Burrows, Miss Fall, Mr. Fred. D. Parsons. 1874.— Miss Rutherford, Miss H. F. Yakely, Miss Coun- tryman, jMiss Reid, Miss Cooper. 1875. — Mrs. Agnes Van Auken, Miss Nancy McGaw, Miss Brands, Miss Arvilla Spaulding, Miss Nettie Knight. 1875-79.— Miss Josephine Wall. 1876-80.— Prof. Joseph McGrath, Miss C. Parmenter, Miss Hattie Curtis. 1876-79.— Miss Josephine Wall, Miss Ella Kyle. 1876. — Miss Sarah Wiltse. 1878. — Miss Hattie Harris. 1879. — Mr. George A. Wright, Miss Nethaway, Miss Emma McGaw, Mrs. H. E. Holt, Miss Linda Fowkes, J. William Myers. Before 1851 no building other than the one-story frame structure already described (and now used as a dwelling) had been erected for school purposes. A short time prior to the annual school meeting of that year, a few public- spirited citizens of the village (Andrew Parsons, E. F. Wade, L. II. Parsons, G. 0. Bachman, and others), deem- ing the old building inadequate to the wants of the large number of resident pupils, suggested to the school board the propriety of erecting a more commodious edifice. A resolution was, in accordance with this suggestion, oflFered with a view to raising the sum of four thousand dollars for the purpose, which met with strong opposition, and was voted down by a discouraging majority. A similar resolution specifying the sum of three thousand five hundred dollars shared the same fate. The amount was reduced to three thousand dollars, two thousand five hundred dollars, and two thousand dollars successively, and met with equal op- position. The hour of midnight had nearly arrived, and the advocates of the measure, weary and di.sappointed by the powerful and persistent array of foes against the enter- prise, were about to abandon it. At this juncture one of the strongest opponents offered a resolution devoting the sum of one thousand five hundred dollars to the purpose. On consultation it was decided by the friends of the measure to accept this amount, depending upon subsequent appro- priations to liquidate the entire cost of building. A con- tract was at once let for labor and material sufficient to cover the appropriation, and ultimately an additional sum was voted to complete the structure, which was erected at a cost of four thousand dollars, and is still in use as a part of the main building. In 1866 the wants of the public school of Corunna had so greatly increased that the brick edifice of 1851 afforded but meagre accommodations for the number of scholars wishing to attend school. As a consequence the present commodious edifice was erected at a cost of about twenty thousand dollars, the city having issued bonds to meet the indebtedness. This, with the additional space afforded by the former structure still in use, admirably answers the purpose for which it was erected. The school, under the efficient superintendence of Prof. Joseph McGrath and his able corps of assistants, has attained a high reputation throughout the State. In the high school four courses of study are prescribed, requiring four years for completion. The graduates in the classical and scientific courses are admitted to the State University at Ann Arbor without a preliminary examination, which may be regarded as a recog- nition of the thoroughness with which these departments are conducted. The present school board is composed of the following gentlemen : D. W. Shattuck, President ; A. R. McBride, Secretary ; D. N. Preston, Treasurer ; P. N. Cook, Charles Jackson, Marcus Wilcox. CIIUUCH HISTORY. THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. In an early day Corunna was upon the northern border of what was called the Shiawassee Circuit. As early as 1837 or 1838 the Revs. Washington Jackson and Isaac Bennett (the latter of whom is still living) were preachers on that circuit. At this time occasional Methodist preach- in" was given at Corunna, though a society was not formed until 1839 or 1840. The house of Alexander McArthur was the stopping-place for the Methodist ministers, as indeed it was for ministers of all denominations. The first class formed was very small, con.sisting of John K. Smith, L. M. Partridge and his wife. Mr. Smith was the first class-leader, and for many years was a very useful man. Blr. Partridge, who was the father of Mrs. Eraser, now living in Corunna, was a local elder, and was very useful in this new country, preaching in the surrounding nei"hborhoods as soon as a few families would assemble, attending their funerals and weddings over a large tract of country. He lived in a frame house which stood near Mr. Hulick's present store. He died April 23, 1845, the first death in the little society. The few settlers who knew him cherished his memory with much interest. In tlie same year Mrs. Eraser, Mr. Partridge's daughter, came to the place and soon after united with the class, of which she still remains a member. In this year also Mr. Luke II. Parsons and wife joined the society. BIr. Parsons became a useful and prominent member and a local preacher, and 174 HISTORr OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTS, MICHIGAN. did much to stiengthcn the society. He died April 19, 18G2, beloved by all. In July, 1814, Mrs. Mary Lyman, now Mrs. David Hewlett, came to this place one week after her marriage to Mr. Lyman in Ann Arbor. She brought her letter and immediately joined the society, and has ever since been a faithful and active member. Among the very early and zealous members besides those already mentioned were Truman Fox, a Mr. Piper and wife, John Kelly and wife (who still live a few miles north of Corunna), Reuben Emory (who afterwards became a preacher, and who died several years ago), Mr. Freeman and wife, and a Mrs. Harriet Beach. The old frame court-house which was built in 1843 became the place of worship of all denominations until their churches were built. Previous to its erection service and prayer-meetings were held in the.old frame school-house which now stands on Main Street. Until their churches were built, the Methodists and Presbyterians worshiped together, and had a Union Sunday-school. Washington Jackson and Isaac Bennett were succeeded on the Shiawassee Circuit in 1839 by A. Flemming. In 1840, F. Brittan and S. C. Stringhara were appointed to the circuit, both of whom arc still living. They probably had regular appointments at Corunna. In 184:^, John Cosart, since deceased, succeeded. In 1843, Riley C. Craw- ford and Wm. F. Cowles ; and in 1844, R. C. Crawford and F. A. Blades were on the circuit. The first two named are yet doing efficient ministerial work ; the latter sustains S superannuated relation to the Detroit Conference, and holds a government office in Detroit. At that time the Shiawassee Circuit was so large as to aiford abundant exercise to the preachers. It embraced the following places, at each of which service was held once in two weeks : Shiawassoe- town, Corunna, Owosso, Bynn, Vernon, North Vernon, Venice, Argentine, Deerfield, Boutwells, Boyd School- House, Conway, Antrim, Perry, Austin School-House, Kellogg's School-House, Bennington, Florence, Green's School-House, and Newburg. From 1845 to 1855 the following were some of the ministers upon the circuit of which Corunna formed a part, though not in the order here given, viz. : Westlake, Allen, Levington, Whitcomb, Henienway, Arnold, Johnson. For some years Owosso and Corunna were taken from the Shiawassee Circuit and were constituted a separate charge, and in 1857 the two places were .separated, since which time each place has constituted a charge. From 1855 to the present the ministerial appointments have been in the following order: J. M. Arnold 0. Whitmore, L. C. York, E. E. Caster, A. J. Bigelow, I. W. Donelson, I. Crawford, J. Shank, J. Wesley, L. J. Whitcomb, F. W. May, A. J. Richards, J. Kilpatrick, B. S. Taylor, W. W. Hicks, J. W. Campbell, S. Reed. The present church edifice in Corunna was begun about the year 1848 or 1849, but was not at once completed. The parsonage was built in 1863. The foregoing sketch by the pastor is as complete as the limited time at command enabled him to make it. PllESBYTERIAN CUUKCII. A meeting for the purpose of organizing a church of this denomination was hold in the school-house in Corunna, April 27, 1844, under the direction of Rev. Seth Hardy, and the following individuals enrolled their names as its first members : Harlow Beach, Nelson Ferry, Alexander McArthur, James Cummin, Lyman B. Gilbert, Ira B. Howard, Seth Beach, Mrs. Elizabeth Beach, Mrs. N. Daniels, Mrs. Turza McArthur, Mrs. Emma Howard, Mrs. Roxanna Thompson, Mrs. H. Daniels, Miss Margaret Mc- Arthur, Miss Anna M. Ferry, and Miss Frances Ann Ferry. Nelson Ferry was chosen clerk. Soon after the organization, Lyman B. Gilbert, Harlow Beach, and Nelson Ferry were elected ruling members. The pastors in succession have been the Revs. William Smith, Swan, Alanson Schofield, E. Gregory, J. W. McGregor, J. R. Stevenson (who filled two pastorates), J. W. Phelps, Kellogg, and T. D. Bartholomew, who is the present clergyman in charge. Of the original mem- bership of seventeen, but one — Mr. Alexander McArthur — survives. The present church-roll numbers sixty names upon the list. The court-house aft'orded a convenient place of worship until 18G6, when the present substantial brick edifice was erected. Connected with the church is a large and pros- perous Sabbath-school, in which many of the church mem- bers . are active workers. The present session embraces the following gentlemen : Elders — -Charles Holman, S. D. Cooper, R. B. Murray, D. N. Preston, J. R. Curtis. BAPTIST CHURCH. The society connected with the Baptist Church of Corunna was organized in 1854, under the aus|)ices of the Rev. Joseph Gamble, and with the following constituent members : William Weeden and wife, Hiram Smith and wife, Jessie L. Smith, Jeannette N. Smith, and Joseph Gamble and wife. Of the original members the only sur- vivors are Elder Gamble and Mrs. Hiram Smith. The first services were held in the old court-house, which was purchased by the society and fitted for purposes of worship. The early records of the church have been destroyed by fire, and no minutes of a date prior to 1867 are obtainable. The pastors in succession since that time have been Rev. B. H. Shepard, 1867 ; Rev. H. A. Rose, 1868 ; Rev. B. J. Boynton, 1869; P. D. Clarke (as supply), 1870; Rev. George Wesselius, 1871; Rev. E. R. Clarke, 1873; D. Pettit (as supply), 1878 ; Rev. E. E. Baylis, 1879 ; Rev. George Atchison, 1880. A new church edifice is now in process of erection on the lot at the corner of Eraser and Woodbridge Streets, owned by the society. Connected with the church is a flourishing Sabbath-school, of which Dr. Goodrich is superintendent. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. A church of the Roman Catholic faith was first organized in 1860 under the pastorate of Father Van Pannel, who remained the resident pastor until 1862. During his min- istry a house of worship was erected, the debt upon which was speedily liijuidated. He was succeeded by Father Bolte, who remained four years, and was followed by Father Behrings in 1867. His ministrations continued but one year, after which Father Record was delegated to the church in Corunna. Father Kramer came in 1870, CITY OF CORUNNA. 175 and renuiiiieJ seven years. The present pastor, who began his labors in 1870, is Father Wheeler, who resides in Owosso, but holds a semi-niontlily service in Corunna. A Sabbath-school is connected with the church, held after each service, at which the children are instructed in the catechism by the pastor. The present trustees are Jere- miah Collins, Dennis Corcoran. THE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH. The organization of the Universalist Society of Corunna was effected at the court-house, April 9, 18G5 ; and on the 27th of the same month a board of trustees was elected, of which E. F. Wade was chosen moderator and Cortes Pond clerk. The Rev. C. W. Knickerbocker was the pastor who visited the charge each month, and held .services on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. He devoted himself with much vigor to the erection of a church edifice, which was completed April, 1872, and formally dedicated soon after. The succeeding pastor was Kev. Asa Countryman, who was installed in 1872, and during the year the church was for- mally organized, with about twenty members. On the 22d of March, 1874, the pastor having tendered his resignation, the Rev. Amos Crano was called, and conducted services regularly every Sabbath, during which time the society grew steadily in numbers and influence. The pastor was ultimately called to a more extended field of labor, and the church is now without a stated supply, though services have been regularly maintained by the lay members. Clergymen of the denomination also occasionally supply the pulpit, the Rev. J. SI. Getchell and Rev. S. F. Gibb having been among the number. The strength of the society has been somewhat impaired by the removal of several influential members, who, by their means and influence, aided greatly in its advancement. The large and burdensome debt, which has been a source of great anxiety to the congregation, was entirely liquidated in December, 1879, and an efibrt is about being made to .secure the presence of a settled pastor. A flourishing Sunday-school was early established, and now has sixty members upon its rolls, J. D. Leland being the superinteirdent. Teachers' meetings are held each Saturday evening. ST. PAUL'S CHURCH OP CORUNNA (EPISCOPAL). In the summer of 18G2, 5Irs. E. G. Kimberly, Mrs. Sophia Crane, Mrs. R. Piper, Miss Ruth Phelps, and Miss Cordelia Haskell met at the residence of Mr. J. H. Has- kell, and formed a Ladies' Episcopal Society for the purpose of raising funds to employ a minister, and also to found a church in the village. They struggled on with success, slow but sure, until March, 1804, when the services of Rev. Thomas B. Dooley, of Owosso, were secured to conduct the services for one year on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, at the court-house in Corunna. On the 12th day of January, 1805, a meeting of the society was held at the residence of Mrs. Lockwood for the purpose of or- ganizing a church. At this time articles of agreement were drawn proposing and agreeing to organize a church to be called St. Paul's Church of the village of Corunna. These articles were signed by H. A. Crane, J. 11. Ha.skcll, Edward Rose, J. N. Lemon, John Ivey, William Ivey, J. Hedges, A. M. Smith, and John N. Ingersoll, and were recorded in the clerk's oflBce of Shiawassee County, Jan- uary 13, 1865. At the same date a call was drawn and signed by H. A. Crane, J. H. Haskell, William Ivey, and John N. Ingersoll for the holding of the first annual meeting of St. Paul's Church on Friday, Jan. 27, 1805, to perfect the organiza- tion. At that time a declaration of assent to the articles of agreement was drawn and signed by H. A. Crane, J. H. Haskell, Edward Rose, J. N. Ingersoll, J. N. Lemon, John Ivey, William Ivey, J. Hedges, A. M. Smith, J. Hulick, L. D. Phelps, and Robert Piper. The church then elected the following vestrymen : J. H. Haskell, H. A. Crane, J. Hulick, J. N. Ingersoll, L. D. Phehs, John Ivey, and A. M. Smith, which having been done, St. Paul's Church of Corunna was then and there declared by Rev. Thomas B. Dooley to be duly formed. Rev. George 0. Bachman became rector of the church in November, 1800, and under his excellent supervision the society prospered greatly. A considerable number con- nected themselves with the society, and in 1807 its mem- bers felt encouraged to undertake the erection of a house of Worship. The Work of excavating was begun June 21, 1807. The material was designed to be brick. It was to be cruciform in shape, dimensions of nave to be twenty- seven and a half by fifty-five feet, the choir and robing- room to be thirty-eight feet, the building to be surmounted by a tower. The foundation was laid and a large part of the material on the ground when Rev. Mr. Bachman was removed by death and the further progress of the work ended. Services were, however, continued by Revs. Henry H. Bonuell and Whitney, of Owosso, Bloodgood, of Corunna, and Levi Stiiuson, of Owosso, until the year 1879. Since that time they have been conducted by George D. W^right. The society are still sanguine of their success in completing a house of worship. A FREE METHODLST CHURCH exists in Corunna, but no facts have been ascertained ou which to base a historical sketch of it. THE CORUNNA CEMETEIIY. The original plat of the cemetery at Corunna was con- veyed by Joseph Purdy and wife to the board of health of Caledonia by deed, bearing date Nov. 22, 1847. The deed shows substantially that, for the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, the parties above named bargained and sold to the parties in trust for the township of Caledonia, forever to be used as a burial-ground, the following described parcel of land situated in said township of Caledonia, being a part of the centre third of the west part of the north part of the southwest quarter of section 21 of said township, commencing at a point on the east line of said centre one-third of said part of said fractional section where the south line of Pine Street in Gary's addition to the village of Corunna extended in a straight line would intersect said point ; run- ning thence west on the south line of said street so ex- tended, four chains ; thence south parallel with the east line of said lot or centre one-third, five chains ; thence east parallel with the said street so extended, four chains ; thence 176 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. north on the east line one-thh'J five chains to the place of beginning, containing two acres of land. An addition was surveyed by Andrew Huggins in Octo- ber, 1869, which is sixty-two feet east and west, and two liundred and forty-eight feet north and south, and contains thirty-five one-hundredths of an acre of land. A second addition was purchased of M. C. Bachman, Oct. 1, 1878, described as commencing at the northwest corner of the land used as a cemetery, situated on section 21 in the city of Corunna ; thence running' west ninety- eight feet; thence south two hundred and sixty-six feet on a line parallel with the west line of said cemetery lot; thence east ninety-eight feet to said west line of the ceme- tery lot ; thence north on said west line of cemetery lot two hundred and sixty-six feet to the place of beginning. The Corunna cemetery is now under the control of the Common Council of the city, and the lots are disposed of by the clerk of the Council. The spot has picturesque sur- roundings, and is adorned with many attractive memorial tablets, but is still susceptible of much improvement. SECRET ORDERS. CORUNNA LODGE, No. 115, F. AND A. M. The date of organization of the Corunna Lodge takes precedence of that of any similar institution in the city, the charter having been granted Jan. 14, 1851), after which the following officials were chosen : Hugh McCurdy, W. M. ; John M. Fitch, S. W. ; Eli C. Moore, J. W. ; Ebenezer F. Wade, Treasurer; Austin A. Belden, Secretary ; Samuel C. Smith, S. D. ; George W. Goodell, J. D. ; Daniel Bash, Spencer B. Raynale, Stewards ; William Rollo, Tiler. Its regular communications are held at the following dates: January 27th, February 24th, March 23d, April 2Uth, May 18th, June 22d, June 24th, July 20ih, August 17th, September 14th, October 12th, November 16th, De- cember 14th, December 27lh. Its present officers are A. C. Brown, W. M. ; J. M. Goodell, S. W. ; J. E. Keith, J. W. ; A. T. Nichols, Treas- urer; F. Betts, Secretary; C. M. Peacock, S. D. ; H. B. lladiey, J. D. ; W. M. Carleton, Tiler ; J. Appleton, S. H. McCurdy, Stewards. COEUNNA COMMANDERY, No. 21, K. T. A dispen.s.ation was granted April 7, 1868, to Hugh McCurdy as Commander, C. C. Goodale as Generalissimo, and Daniel Bush as Captain-General; and the Corunna Commandery received its charter June 3d of the same year. Its charter officers were H. McCurdy, E. C. ; Seth Pettibone, Gen. ; 0. L. Spaulding, C. G. ; T. C. Garner, Prelate ; C. E. Sbattuck, S. W. ; C. J. Gale, J. W. ; E. C. Moore, Treasurer ; S. B. Raynale, Recorder. The commandery has a membership of forty-five, and is in a prosperous condition. Its present officers are Hugh McCurdy, K. C. ; A. T. Nichols, Gen. ; C. J. Gale, C. G. ; Seth Pettibone, Prelate ; Michael Carland, S. W. ; E. Rose, J. W. ; D. T. Kincaid, Treasurer ; J. D. Leland, Recorder. CORUNNA COUNCIL, No. .'iS, R. S. M. The charier of the Corunna Council bears date February 19, 1874, its charter members having been Hugh Mc- Curdy, Spencer B. Raynale, Jefferson D. Leland, Joseph N. Lemon, F. P. Howlett, E. Rose, J. Ander.son, L. D. Phelps, W. D. Garrison, A. Garrison, C. J. Gale, and C. D. Smith. Its first officers were Hugh McCurdy, T. I. M. ; S. B. Raynale, D. M. ; J. D. Leland, P. C. W. ; A. T. Nichols, Treasurer ; J. D. Leland, Recorder. The present officers are Hugh McCurdy, T. I. M. ; James Anderson, D. M. ; Almon C. Brown, P. C. W. ; Albert T. Nichols, Treasurer ; Jeff. D. Leland, Recorder; Jo.seph N. Lemon, C. of G. ; Henry W. Parker, C. of C. ; Willard iM. Carleton, Sentinel. The meetings of the council are held on the third Thursday of each month, in an elegantly appointed hall, owned and fitted by the various lodges of the city. CORUNNA CHAPTER, No. 33, R. A. M., was organized Feb. 18, 1864, with the following officers: Hugh McCurdy, H. P.; J. S. Hewett, King; G. D. Phelps, Scribe ; C. S. Converse, R. A. C. ; J. Irland, P. S. ; E. F. Wade, 3d V. ; D. Bush, 2d V. ; J. M. Thayer, G. M., 1st v., and Treasurer; S. B. Raynale, C. H., Sec- retary. The present officers are J. D. Leland, M. E. H. P. ; W. Eames, E. K. ; C. D. Smith, E. S. ; C. M. Peacock, C. of H. ; A. C. Brown, P. S. ; J. A. Keith, R. A. C. ; A. T. Nichols, Treasurer ; F. Betts, Secretary ; G. W. Goodell, 3d V. ; A. G. Bruce, 2d V. ; J. M. Goodell, 1st V. ; W. M. Carleton, Guard. Its regular convocations are held on the first Thursday of each month. LODGE No. 363, L 0. OF G. T. The charter under which this lodge was organized was granted April 18, 1866, the charter members being I. Shank, G. C. Holmes, A. J. Eraser, J. M. Goodell, J. W. Turner, A. M. Pond, A. M. Fraser, H. P. Lawrence, S. A. Lawrence, R. J. Pond, R. E. Kelsey, M. Ackley, William Cochran, Nancy Cochran, Cortes Pond, E. B. Pond, John Farrar, Paul Ilarmou, George Sloan, Julius Piper, James Slater, J. G. Bryan, Henry Spaulding, William Lucas, J. W. Hagerman, A. M. Smith, and G. H. Weeden. The lodge, which is in a flourishing condition, embraces a mem- bership of one hundred, and holds its meetings in the Phoenix Block. Its present officers are Dr. L. M. Good- rich, W. C. ; Miss Jennie Hathaway, W. V. ; Rev. Seth Reed, Chaplain ; Lyman Brandt, Lodge Deputy ; Fred. Goddard, Secretary; Mrs. M. Allen, Treasurer. SHIAWASSEE LODGE, No. 407, KNIGHTS OF HONOR. This lodge was organized Dec. 9, 1876, with sixteen members and the following-named charter officers : Peter N. Cook, D. ; Michael Carland, Vice-D. ; Almon C. Brown, Asst. D. ; Lewis H. Wilcox, Reporter; L. D. Phelps, Treasurer ; A. T. Nichols, Chaplain. Its present officers are J. M. McGrath, D. ; Michael Reidy, ViceD. ; William H. Cole, Asst. D. ; L. H. Wil- cox, Reporter; A. C. Brown, Financial Reporter; J. D. Leland, Treasurer; A. T. Nichols, Chaplain. The convocations of the Sliiawius.see Lodge are held in a hall fitted for their use in the Phcjeuix Block, on the first ANTRIM TOWNSHIP. 177 and third Wednesday evenings of each month. The pres- ent membership is twenty-six. CORUNNA LODGE, No. 34, A. 0. OF U. W. The order of United Workmen was first instituted in Corunna in 1878, the lodge having been organized on the 19th day of June of that year, with the following charter officers: Almon C. Brown, M. W. ; C. T. Armstrong, Re- corder; Charles Jackson, Financier. Its present officers are George R. Hoyt, M. W. ; Samuel A. Fish, Recorder ; S. G. Blake, Financier. The lodge holds its convocations on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month in Odd-Fellows' Hall, in the Phoenix Block, and has thirty- nine names upon its membership roll. CORUNNA COUNCIL, No. 5, ROYAL TEMPLARS OF TEM- PERANCE. The Council of Royal Templars of Temperance was or- ganized Feb. 21, 1879, its charter officers being George W. McLain, S. C. ; R. A. Patton, V. C. ; A. G. Bruce, P. C. ; Rev. J. W. Campbell, Chaplain ; W. A. Knight, Secre- tary ; F. M. Kilburn, Treasurer; C. A. Youngs, Herald; J. Creque, Guard ; W. C. Carleton, Sentinel. Its present officers are A. G. Bruce, S. C. ; W. A. Knight, V. C; G. W. McLain, P. C. ; Nancy Allen, Chaplain ; J. Showt, Secretary ; L. Brandt, Treasurer ; C. A. Young, Herald ; Lottie E. Knight, Guard ; R. E. Kelsey, Sentinel. The lodge holds its meetings in Pha-nis Hall, and includes the names of forty-one male and thirty-two female members. CHAPTER XXIX. ANTRIM TOWNSHIP.* Early Settlements and Settlers — Roads — Post-Offices — Resident Tax- payers in 1841 — Erection and Organization of Antrim — List of Township OflBcera — Schools of Antrim — Churches — Cemetery — War Record — Societies. The township known in its civil organization as Antrim is designated in the United States survey as town 5 north, of range 3 east, of the principal meridian. The surface, like that of other townships in the same tier, is compara- tively level, and in many parts wet and swampy. It con- tains, however, several ranges of higher lands, though these cannot be termed hills. One of these elevations more distinctly marked than the rest, and yet hardly no- ticeable in its altitude above the surrounding country, forms a watershed which divides the township into two distinct parts. The eastern part of the township is drained by the branches of the Shiawassee, and the central and western part by those of the Lookiiig-Glass River. The small branches of these streams, assisted by artificial moans, ren- der the township comparatively free from waste land. The soil is good, and the township is noted for the production of wheat. *By U. A. M^AIpiin! 23 EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND SETTLERS. In the latter part of May, 1836, Allen Beard and Lyman Melvin, two young men from New York, came to Michi- gan. Leaving their families on Lodi Plains, Washtenaw Co., they followed an Indian trail northward, and finally reached the log cabin of Dyer Rathburn, in Burns town- ship. Being informed that up to that time no explorers had entered land or passed from that trail to the westward, they left the line usually traveled by land-seekers, and made their way through swamps and over creeks, across which they were often compelled to fell trees, and finally came to a large and comparatively level tract on section 19, a place which would usually he described as oak-openings. Here, upon an Indian mound, in the midst of luxuriant vegetation and bright flowers, they sat down to rest and refresh themselves ; and it is related that Melvin, who was especially charmed by the beauty of the surroundings, re- marked that if he lived in Michigan he wished to live there, and if he died he wished to be buried there, — words which were subsequently often repeated by him. After noting the description of the land, they returned to Detroit, where, on June 1,183G, Allen Beard entered the west half of the southeast quarter, and Lyman Melvin entered the west half of the same quarter of section 19. On the 8th of July of the same summer they returned with three yoke of oxen, a wagon, a small outfit of farming- implements, and cooking-utensils. They built a small hut of bark peeled from the bodies of black-ash trees. The bark was cut in long lengths, pressed out flat, and then leaned against a pole of a tent. Marsh hay well dried served a good purpose as bedding. After thus providing for their immediate wants they began to plow a piece of ground for wheat. There being few trees and but little fallen timber in the way, they soon prepared a field of con- siderable extent, and then returned to Lodi, where they re- mained during harvest. In the fall they came again to Antrim, and subsequently brought their families. While sowing wheat in the same autumn they were one day sur- prised to hear a cow-bell in the timber north of their house. Upon looking for neighbors they found the families of Peter Cook and Alanson Ailing living in a cabin on section 17. Both these families had come into the township about the same time. Mr. Cook located the northwest quarter of section 17 and the northeast quarter of 18. Mr. Ailing entered the northwest quarter of section IS and the south- west quarter of section 7. After building a cabin on the land owned by Mr. Cook, he and Mr. Ailing went to Clin- ton, Mich., and persuaded Charles Locke to return with them. Mr. Ailing sold him eighty acres of land, agreeing to take pay in work. It is believed that Mr. Locke's son, born soon afterwards, was the first white child born in the township. Mr. Locke is still living in Perry. Mr. Cook, after living in Antrim many years, removed to Corunna, where he spent the remainder of his life, and where his widow is still living. Four brothers named Harmon were early settleiv in An- trim. Almon Harmon came to the township in the fall of 1830, with a wife and two children. He located the south- west quarter of the northeast quarter of section 20, now owned by J. C. Adams. He built a good log house on the 178 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. site now occupied by the house of Mr. Adams, the best in the township up to that time. Mr. Harmon remained but a few years. Horace B. Flint reached the townsliip about the same time as Ahnon Harmon, and bought forty acres of Mr. Ailing on section 7, the same now owned by E. Goodburn. Of the family which he brought, but one is now living. Harvey Harmon came in the winter of 1836-37, and settled on section 28, having also bought land on section 29. He remained but a few years. Chauncey Harmon and Daniel Harmon came in 1839. Daniel located the land on which the saw-mill now owned by Isaac Wright stands. On this site he built the first saw-mill in Antrim, in 1840. In 1848 he sold to Thomas Munger, who, after running it but a short time, sold it to Walter and I. S. A. Wright. Chauncey Har- mon bought the land now owned by Chauncey Case, being forty acres on section 29. On June 2, 183G, Mortimer B. Martin, with a friend named Townsend, came to the northeastern corner of the township of Antrim. He, too, followed the usual line of travel, coming first to the house of Dyer llathburn, whence he went north, striking the Shiawassee in the vicinity of Knaggs' trading-post. From this place Mr. Martin went to the hill on which his residence now stands, and although up to that time he had scarcely tliought of farming, he was so delighted with the scene that he at once determined to locate a tract, which he did on the 6th of July, 1836. Mr. Townsend was not so enthusiastio and did not pur- chase. Mr. Martin was the first settler in the northeastern quarter of the township. John Ward came to Antrim May 2, 1837, and settled on the northeast quarter of section 7, taking up forty acres. His family consisted of a wife and eight children. Mrs. Ward died in December, 183S). Hers is believed to have been the first death in the township. Lyman Melvin died in 1850, and was buried in the mound just in the rear of the orchard on his farm, to which we have already alluded. His wife married again and went to California. The farm is now owned by A. Dippy, also an early settler. Allen Beard lives on the farm he located more than forty-four years ago. His first wife has been dead many years. Nathaniel Durfee, one of the early settlers of An- trim, is still living. His settlement is referred to in the biography which will be seen in another part of this work. The nearest post-office through which the earliest set- tlers of Antrim received their mail was at Howell, twenty- five miles distant. When the office wa.s established at Shiawasseetown it made it much more convenient, as the settlers could then get their mail and " go to mill*' at the same time. The most embarrassing feature of the case was the difficulty at times of getting the necessary twenty- five cents to pay the postage on a letter. The next office was established at Hartwell. The first post-office located in Antrim was established in 1849, and opened at the house of John Near, who was the postmaster. When he resigned, Allen Beard was appointed. The name was then changed from Antrim to Glass lliver, and Joseph Blinson succeeded to the office. after whom the present incumbent, J. C. Adams, was appointed. The first road opened in Antrim was the north-and-south road wliicli passes through the western tier of sections. It was located in the fall of 1839, as was also the road leading east, connecting with a road established the year before in Burns, running to Byron. These roads were the main lines of travel for many years. But when Owosso and Co- runna grew to be of importance trade and travel gradually shifted to that quarter. The mill used by the settlers in an early day was situated at Shiawasseetown. The farmers from the southwestern part of Antrim usually went with a yoke of cattle, and if the roads were favorable, could make the trip in two days. Before this mill was built they traded in Detroit or Ann Arbor. Although the lands of the entire township were taken up soon after the first entry was made (with the exception of a few tracts at that time considered worthless), tlierc were but few permanent settlers, and these were in the western and southwestern parts. In these localities were all those (with one exception) to whom wo have referred, who came in in the summer and fall of 1836. From the assessment-roll of the township for 1841, given below, it will be noticed that tliere was but one taxable in- habitant east of a line drawn north and south through the centre of the township. At this time large tracts of land were held by speculators, and some of it was retained by them for many years. There is now, however, but little non-resident land in the township. RESIDENT TAX-PAYERS IN 1841. Following is a list of the resident tax-payers in Antrim in 1841, as shown by the assessment-roll of that year, signed by Harvey Harmon, assessor. All of these, with two exceptions, were assessed on personal property : Names. Sections. Mortimer B. Martin 1, 12 Alanson Ailing 7, 18 John Ward 7 William Ward 7 Charles Locke 7 S.S.Sheldon 4 Horace B, Flint 7 Peter Cook 18, 17 Harvey Harmon 29, 28 Joshua S. Saddler 29 Lyman Melvin 19 Hiram Van Natter 19 George Abbott 20 Daniel B. Harmon 21 James Colboru 32 Sylvester Colborn .'{2 Amos Colborn 32 Guy Lyons 30 Allen Beard 19, 30 Cheloy Tupjier 28 Nicholas Walbarer 25, 2f> Totals ERECTION AND ORGANIZATION OF ANTRIM. Antrim was taken from the territory of Shiawassee town- ship (_of which it had previously been a part) and erected a separate civil township by act of the Legislature approved Value of Personal icres. Real Property. Property 610 $2,560.00 $90.75 200 696.50 62.00 SO 280.00 40.00 160 660.00 40.00 SO 280.00 40.00 160 560.00 106.00 40 160,00 68.00 320 1,120.00 52.00 120 420.00 67.00 40 140.00 10.00 80 400.00 92.00 80 280.00 160 500.00 65.00 200 800.00 104.00 40 140.00 40 110.00 30.00 SO 280.00 40.00 120 300.00 40.00 16(1 800.00 104.00 80 280.00 57.00 80 240.00 56.00 $11,056.50 $1163.75 X * 2 "I ANTRIM TOWNSHIP. 179 March 6, 1838. The act provided that the first township election should be held at the house of Almon S. Harmon, and in pursuance of this provision it was held at the place designated on the 2d of April, 1838. Noyes P. Chapman was chosen moderator, Aluioa S. Harmon clerk, and Alan- son Ailing and Charles Locke assistant judges of election. As is usually the case at the first election in a township, the number present was so limited that nearly every voter received one or more offices. The number in this case was twelve, their names being as follows : Almon S. Harmon, Noyes P. Chapman, Alanson Ailing, Charles Locke, John Ward, Philander T. Main, Horace B. Flint, Allen Beard, Lyman Melvin. Hiram Van Natter, Harvey Harmon, and Peter Cook. A township-meeting was held at the house of Lyman Melvin on the 8th of June of the same year, at which meeting another full list of officers were elected, none of those elected at the first election having qualified. We therefore give the results in the following list, the names of the oflScers chosen at the election of June 8th as the actual township officers for 1838. The list here given includes the names of the principal officers of Antrim township from 1837 to 1880 inclusive, viz. : 1838.— Supervisor, Thomas B. Flint; Clerk, Charles Locke ; Assessors, John Ward, Allen Beard, Henry Harmon ; Highway Commissioners, Horace B. Flint, Lyman Melvin, Henry Har- mon ; Collector, Lyman Melvin ; Constables, Charles Locke, Lyman Melvin, Hiram Van Natter; Overseers of the Poor, Peter Cook, Chauncey Harmon. 1839. — Supervisor, Ichabond Kueeland ; Town Clerk, Charles Locke ; Treasurer, Harvey Harmon ; Justices, John Ward, John Culver ; Highway Commissioners, Isaac Colboru, Simon S. Shel- don, David B. Harmon ; Assessors, Hiram Van Natter, John Ward ; School Inspectors, Allen Beard, Chauncey Harmon ; Directors of the Poor, Peter Cook, Hiram Van Natter ; Con- stables, Nicholas Walbarer, Amos Colborn. 1840. — Supervisor, Harvey Harmon ; Clerk, Charles Locke ; Assessors, D. B. Harmon, Allen Beard ; School Inspectors, John C. Culver, Charles Locke ; Commissioners of Highways, John Ward, Alanson Ailing, D. B. Harmon ; Treas- urer, Lyman Melvin ; Collector, Chauncey Har- mon ; Constables, Lyman Melvin, Lewis Ward, Chauncey Harmon, G. Merrill ; Justice, M. B. Martin. 1841. — Supervisor, Harvey Harmon; Clerk, Peter Cook; Treasurer, Horace B. Flint ; Commissioners of Highways, Hiram Van Natter, Mortimer B. Martin, Amos Colborn ; Justices, Horace B. Flint, M. B. Martin ; Constables, Guy Lyons, Isaac Colborn, Lyman Melvin, Hiram Van Natter. 1842. — Supervisor, Mortimer B. Martin ; Clerk, Charles Locke ; Treasurer, Nathaniel Durfee ; Justices, Mortimer B. Martin, Henry Hill ; Commis- sioners of Highways, Guy Lyons, Samuel Bal- com, Simon S. Sheldon ; Constables, Guy Lyons, Don C. Griswold, Stafl'ord Hill. 1843. — Supervisor, Mortimer B. Martin ; Clerk, Peter Cook ; Trea.surer, Lyman Melvin ; Commis- sioners of Highways, Peter Cook, Samuel Bal- com, Charles Locke ; Justice, Nathaniel Durfee ; Constables, D. B. Harmon, Samuel Balcom, Hiram Van Natter, Guy Lyons. 1844. — Supervisor, Mortimer B. Martin ; Clerk, John Hill ; Treasurer, Guy Lyons ; Justice, Lyman Melvin ; Highway Commissioners, D. B. Har- mon, Samuel Balcom, John Dippy ; Constables, Alanson Ailing, James Colborn, Hiram Van Natter. 1845.— Supervisor, Timothy M. Fuller; Clerk, John Hill; Treasurer, Samuel Balcom ; Justice, Peter Cook ; Highway Commissioners, John Dippy, Alanson Ailing, Nicholas Walbarer ; Constables, Jabez Cook, Martin H. Smith, Timothy R. Bennett, D. D. Sias. 184G.— Supervisor, T. M. Puller; Clerk, John Hill; Treasurer, Samuel Balcom ; Justices, H. B. Flint, James Beal ; Commissioners of High- ways, John Dippy, T. R. Bennett, M. H. Smith ; Constables, Sylvanus Sias, S. V. Sherlock. 1847.— Supervisor, H. B. Flint; Clerk, John Hill ; Treas- urer, Samuel Balcom ; Justice, Ichabod W. Munger; Commissioners of Highways, George W. Lamb, Guy Lyons, Hiram 6. Heminway ; Constables, A. M. Grosvenor, George S. Lamb, Sylvanus Sias. 1848.— Supervisor, E. Gould; Clerk, Timothy M. Fuller; Treasurer, John Near ; Justices, Peter Cook, William H. Eddy ; Highway Commissioner, Harvey G. Thomas ; Constables, William H. Blake, Ely Stone, George S. Lamb. 1849. — Supervisor, Mortimer B. Martin ; Clerk, John W. Wright ; Treasurer, John Near ; Justice, E. Gould ; Commissioners of Highways, Stephen V. Sherlock, Timothy R. Bennett ; Constables, Augustus M. Grosvenor, T. Monger, William Rust. 1850. — Supervisor, Peter Cook ; Clerk, Timothy M. Ful- ler ; Treasurer, John Near ; Justices, Stephen V. Sherlock, Evan Roberts ; Commissioner of Highways, John Ward ; Constables, Thomas Carlton, Francis McCormick, Otis B. Puller. 1851.— Supervisor, I. S. A. Wright ; Clerk, T. M. Fuller; Treasurer, John Near ; Justice, Horace Flint ; Highway Commissioner, Peter Cook ; Constables, Andrew Shields, Benjamin Eddy, H. F. Sher- lock, Ely Stone. 1852.— Supervisor, M. Martin ; Clerk, I. S. A. Wright ; Treasurer, H. B. Flint; Justices, D. Summers, A. Rust ; Highway Commissioners, T. R. Ben- nett, R. Carr ; Constables, Calvin Flint, William Blake. 1853.— Supervisor, L. M. Martin ; Clerk, I. S. A. Wright ; Treasurer, H. B. Flint ; Justices, Asahel Rust, D. Summers; Highway Commissioners, T. R. 180 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Bennett, Robert Carr; Constables, William Blake, Calvin Flint, B. Colborn, John Dippy. 1854. — Supervisor, M. B. Martin ; Clerk, Timothy M. Fuller ; Treasurer, John Near ; Justices, Eman- uel M. Young, Stephen V. Sherlock ; Highway Commissioners, David Waters, Robert Carr ; Constables, John Near, William B. Wells, Solo- mon H. Hoard. 1855. — Supervisor, Mortimer B. Martin ; Clerk, T. M. Fuller ; Treasurer, John Near ; Justice, I. S. A. Wright; Commissioners of Highways, Wil- liam B. Wills, Warren C. Harris ; Constables, John Near, Guy Lyons, Alanson Ailing, Wil- liam B. Welch. 1856. — Supervisor, M. B. Martin; Clerk, Timothy M. Fuller; Trei-suror, John Near; Justices, Calvin Howard, Allen Beard ; Commissioner of High- ways, Solomon H. Hoard; Constables, William H. Blake, Stephen V. Sherlock, Worthington Howard, John Walters. 1857. — Supervisor, M. B. Martin; Clerk, Timothy M. Fuller ; Treasurer, John Near ; Justice, Liberty Lyman ; Highway Commissioner, Ransom More- house ; Constables, James T. Morgan, Byron Beard, William Ailing. 1858. — Supervisor, M. B. Martin ; Clerk, Timothy M. Fuller ; Treasurer, John Near ; Justices, Evan Roberts, James E. Carr ; Highway Commis- sioner, John Ward ; Constables, John Moody, Charles Tilson, Byrou Beard, Samuel W. Carr. 1859.— Supervisor, Lafoyette Arnold ; Clerk, T. M. Ful- ler ; Treasurer, John Near ; Justices, Peter Cook, Guy Lyons; Commissioners, Anson Red- sou, James Case; Constables, Johu Moody, Samuel W. Carr, David Waters, John Dippy. 1860. — Supervisor, Lafayette Arnold; Clerk, W. H. Eddy; Treasurer, William F. Miller; Justices, Walter Wright, David Parker ; Commissioners of High- ways, Elias Haggerty, Byron Beard ; Constables, Gilbert Hemingway, James Peck, A. H. Fuller, Byron Beard. 1861. — Supervisor, Lafayette Arnold; Clerk, Worthington Howard ; Treasurer, William F. Miller ; Justice, Guy Lyons ; Commissioner of Highways, James Case ; Constables, James W. Fuller, James H. Hood, William W. Morgan, Gilbert Heming- way. 1862. — Supervisor, Lafayette Arnold; Clerk, Calvin How- ard; Treasurer, William F. Miller; Justice, Horace Simpson ; Commissioners of Highways, E. Burlingame, J. H. Hood ; Constables, George Dippy, J. H. Hood, P. M. Shelp, James Fuller. 1863.— Supervisor, Lafiiyette Arnold; Clerk, William H. Eddy; Treasurer, William F. Miller; Justices, David Parker, Jesse J. Bennett ; Highway Com- missioner, Jacob T. Miller ; Constables, J. C. Adams, P. M. Cook, C. M. Fuller, George Bliss. 1864. — Supervisor, Lafayette Arnold ; Clerk, T. F. Burt- nett ; Trea.surer, William F. Miller; Justice, Walter Wright ; Commissioners of Highways, J. T. Morgan, J. C. Adams; Constables, J. C. Adams, Stewart Krisler, A. M. Lyons, P. M. Shelp. 1865.— Supervisor, P. Parker; Clerk, T. F. Burtnett; Treasurer, William F. Miller; Justice, Guy Lyons ; Commissioner of Highways, Jacob Heath ; Constable, J. C. Adams. 1866. — Supervisor, David Parker; Clerk, Thomas F. Burt- nett; Treasurer, William F. Miller; Justice, Ransom Morehouse; Commissioner of High- ways, Calvin Howard ; Constables, John Dippy, George A. Parker, A. R. Carr, W. S. Scribner ; School Inspector, W. H. Adams. 1867.— Supervisor, Lafeyette Arnold; Clerk, T. F. Burt- nett ; Treasurer, William F. Miller ; School In- spector, William H. Fleming; Ju.stices, Alfred P. Sutterby, Evan Roberts ; Commissioners of Highways, Byron Beard, Andrew Love; Con- stables, John Dippy, M. Lyons, William Saul, Jr., Austin Trowbridge. 1868. — Supervisor, Lafayette Arnold ; Clerk, Joseph Blin- ston ; Treasurer, John Williamson ; Justices, Allen Beard, W. Wright, P. N. Cook ; School Inspector, John B. Howe; Commissioner of Highways, Thomas Gallagher; Constables, Sam- uel Morey, Morton Bennett, Lewis Decker, David L. Ed.sall. 1869. — Supervisor, Lafayette Arnold ; Clerk, Joseph Blin- stoii ; Treasurer, James T. Morgau ; Justices, Mortimer B. Martin, John B. Howe ; School Inspector, Lewis Decker ; Commissioner of High- ways, Lewis M. Baldwin ; Constables, Stephen Ward, Delos Williamson, George Bliss, Parley M. Shelp. 1870. — Supervisor, Lafayette Arnold ; Clerk, Thomas Burtnett ; Treasurer, James T. IMorgan ; Jus- tices, John Dippy, Chauncey Case; School In- spector, Alpha A. Carr; Commissioner of High- ways, George G. Harris ; Constables, Parley M. Shelp, Lucius Slocum, Jlilo Hovey, Edgar Dur- fee. 1871.— Supervisor, P. H. Gallagher; Clerk, T. F. Burt- nett ; Treasurer, J. T. Morgan ; Justices, A. P. Sutterby, Andrew J. Rounds, John B. Howe ; School Inspectors, T. N. Blinston, W. S. Hunt- ington ; Commissioner of Highways, Thomas Gallagher; Constables, Hiram Skinner, P. M. Shelp, George Bliss, Morton Bennett. 1872.— Supervisor, John Q. A. Cook ; Clerk, T. F. Burt- nett ; Treasurer, James T. Morgan ; Justice, S. H. Hoard ; Commissioner of Highways, Isaac Shotwell ; School Inspector, Eben Bliss ; Constables, Alpha A. Carr, Voluey Allen, Whit- ney S. Jacobs, Lafiiyette McDivit ; Drain Com- missioner, George Graham. 1873.— Supervisor, John Q. A. Cook ; Clerk, Thomas F. Burtnett; Treasurer, W. H. Adams; Justices, Thomas A. Lawrie, Evan Roberts; Commissioner ft' , t 1. iy«^:.5^ pi^#". ANTKIM TOWNSHIP. 181 of Highways, Frank McDivit ; Drain Commis- sioner, George Graham ; School Inspectors, J. C. Adams, J. E. Wright ; Constables, Joseph Ag- new, Volney Ailing, Corydon M. Miller, L. C. Dorn. 1874.— Supervisor, J. Q. A. Cook ; Clerk, T. F. Burtnett ; Treasurer, W. H. Adams ; Justice, J. C. Adams; Commissioners of Highways, William Buff, Jacob T. Miller ; Drain Commissioner, William F. Miller ; Constables, Volney Ailing, Jerome B. Trim, Jonathan Wood. Jo.seph Agnew. 1875.— Supervisor, J. Q. A. Cook; Clerk, T. F. Burtnett; Treasurer, W. H. Adams ; Justices, Walter Wriglit, Moses W. Fuller; Commissioner of Highways, I. Shotwell ; Superintendent of Schools, J. E. Wright ; School Inspector, J. T. Morgan ; Drain Commi.«sioner, J. C. Adams ; Constables, Andrew Love, Richard Harding, John Dippy, Stephen D. Tasket. 1876.— Supervisor, J. Q. A. Cook; Clerk, T. F. Burtnett; Treasurer, W. H. Adams ; Justice, Evan Rob- erts; Commissioner of Highways, Mills L. Parker ; Superintendent of Schools, J. E. Wright; Drain Commissioner, John C. Adams; School Inspector, James T. Morgan ; Constables, Joseph Agnew, Heman Hagerty, E. 0. Brown, John Dippy. 1877. — Supervisor, James L. Jared ; Clerk, T. F. Burt- nett ; Treasurer, W. H. Adams; Justice, Thos. A. Lawrie ; Superintendent of Schools, J. E. Wright ; School In.spector, J. T. Morgan ; Com- missioner of Highways, Wells B. Fox ; Consta- bles, Lafayette McDivit, Volney Ailing, Willis Ellsworth, Stephen D. Tasket. 1878.— Supervisor, J. Q. A. Cook ; Clerk, T. F. Burtnett ; Treasurer, W. H. Adams ; Justice, Austin Trowbridge ; Superintendent of Schools, Moses W. Fuller ; Commissioner of Highways, J. T. Morgan ; School Inspector, Alonzo Dippy ; Drain Commissioner, Lewis J. Grant ; Consta- bles, Albert B. Miller, Volney Ailing, Wilder Main, Lafayette McDivit. 1879. — Supervisor, Isaac Shotwell ; Clerk, John C. Adams; Treasurer, W. H. Adams; Justices, Walter Wright, Volney Ailing ; Superintendent of Schools, J. E. Wright; School Inspector, Ro- manzo T. Stone ; Highway Commissioner, James J. Atherton ; Drain Commissioner, Alonzo Dip- py; Constables, Albert B. Miller, Smith D. Morgan, Francis Wright, Henry Ailing. 1880.— Supervisor, Isaac Shotwell; Clerk, J. C. Adams; Treasurer, Walter Wright ; Justices, William S. Huntington; Commissioner of Highways, George W. Harris ; Drain Commissioner, Alonzo Dippy ; Superintendent of Schools, J. K. Wright ; School Inspector, Albert B. Miller ; Constables, Smith D. Morgan, Stephen D. Tasket, Henry Ailing, Calvin M. Fuller. SCHOOLS OF ANTRIM. On the 14th of November, 1837, when town 5 north, range 3 east, now Antrim, was yet attached to Shiawassee township, the school inspectors of that town met and divided it into school districts. Sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, to form district No. 1. Sections 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36, to form dis- trict No. 2. Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, IS, to form district No. 3. Sections 19, 20, 21, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, to form district No. 4. But it appears that the school districts were not organ- ized until the fall of 1839, as will be shown hereafter. The history of the schools of Antrim commences prop- erly in the late fall of 1838. In the latter part of the summer of that year, John Stiles, a young man from New Jersey, came to Antrim to visit his uncle, John Wai'd, who, as has been said, reached the township the year previous. The young man having signiBed his willingness to remain, an informal meeting was called, and it was determined to employ him to teach a three months' school in the log cabin built by Horace B. Flint, Mr. Flint, in the mean time, hav- ing built another log house, and a rather commodious one for those days. The attendance in this school, though somewhat irregular, owing to the great distance many had to come, was from ten to twelve. Among the number were Levi and Lyman Kel- logg, from Bennington. Mr. Stiles received thirty-six dol- lars for his three months' services. The first meeting of the school-board of Antrim took place on the 6th day of April, 1839, at which time John Culver was chosen moderator and Thomas Locke clerk. On the 19th of the same month the board again met and divided the township into four equal school districts. The northeast quarter of the township was set oif as district No. 1, the northwest quarter as No. 2, the southwest quarter as No. 3, and the southeast quarter as No. 4. A notice of a school-meeting in district No. 2 was given, and the meeting was held on the evening of the 29th of April, 1839. This was probably the first regularly organ- ized school-meeting held in the township. Horace B. Flint was chosen moderator, John Ward director, Charles Locke assessor. It was decided by vote to select a site and raise two hundred dollars for a school building. The site deter- mined upon was in the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 18, being the same site now occupied by the school-house in district No. 3. On May 29, 1839, Alanson Ailing, " in consideration of twenty-five cents, duly paid," leased one-half an acre of the above-described land to the district. A log school-house was soon after erected, and Miss Polly A. Harmon was employed as teacher at one dollar per week. Intellect seems to have been at a discount and muscle at a premium in those days. The next school was taught by Miss Lucretia Purdy. In a few years the school-house was moved one-half mile south. It was subsequently destroyed by fire, since which time two school-houses have been built on the old site se- lected at the fir.st school-meeting in the district. The next school district organized was in the Durfee 182 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. neighborhood, or in what was originally district No. 4. But the division of the township into four districts was not of long duration. The boundary-linos of school dis- tricts, always more or less unstable, have been especially so in Antrim, and to trace out the various changes would fill a volume. School district No. 1 was formed with nearly its present boundaries in 1 848. The first meeting was called at the house of Stephen Sherlock. That gentleman, John Near, and W. H. Eddy were chosen officers for the district. Mr. Eddy took the contract for building the school-house, which was completed in the spring of 1849. It stood where the Methodist church now stands. In the spring of 1850 it was removed to a different site by the combined power of eighteen yokes of oxen. It was used a number of years, but finally took fire and was destroyed. The one now in use was built on the same site in 1861. It cost four hun- dred and fifty dollars. W. H. Eddy taught the first school in the old building. Philander Muuger was the first teacher in the new house. On the 3d day of September, 1 853, the school inspectors formed district No. 2. The warrant calling the first school- meeting was directed to G. R. Bennett, notifying him to call a meeting of the electors of iiis district at his house on the 26th day of September, 1853. At this meeting T. R. Bennett was chosen moderator, J. A. Guthrie director, and Daniel Waite assessor. It was then resolved to build a log school-house in time to have a three months' term of school that winter. The building was erected at a cost of seventy- five dollars. In 1863 the log school-house was burned, and another was built on the same site at a cost of six hundred dollars, which was used until 1880. The one now building will cost one thousand dollars. Ruth R. Converse taught the first school in the district, and received thirteen dollars for the thirteen weeks' term. The attendance was eight. School district No. 3 has already been noticed ; it is the oldest district in the township, and was formerly No. 2. CHURCHES. THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF ANTRIM was organized while David Burns was presiding elder of this circuit, about the year 1850. David Thomas was the minister in charge. Mr. and Mrs. David D. Adams, Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Howard, and Walter Wright formed the class, and David D. Adams was chosen leader. The meet- ings of the society were held in the school-house, which stood on the site now occupied by their church building. On Nov. 14, 1874, at a meeting of the Quarterly Con- ference, held at the school-house in district No. 1, W. E. Biglow being the presiding elder and George Stowe preacher in charge, it was resolved to appoint a board of trustees. The persons appointed were as follows : Walter Wright, D. D. Adams, J. T. Miller, Andrew Love, I. S. A. Wright, J. C. Adams, Calvin Howard, W. H. Adams, James T. Morgan. On November 17th the same year, at a meeting of the trustees, George Stowe was elected chair- man of the board, J. C. Adams secretary, and Andrew Love treasurer. The board resolved to take active meas- ures to build a church. It was decided that the edifice should be thirty-six by fifty-four feet, with a vestibule, a belfry twelve feet square, and a spire eighty-five feet in height. The site was also selected. The programme made out in this meeting was carried out in every particular. The site determined upon was the northeast corner of the west half of the southwest quarter of section 21. At the next meeting a building committee was appointed as fol- lows : AV alter Wright, Andrew Love, and James Morgan. The church was constructed as specified above, and when completed cost two thousand seven hundred dollars. It is worthy of remark that the members of the board of trustees paid seventeen hundred dollars of that .sum. The church was dedicated while George Stowe was pastor, Feb. 20, 1876, by Rev. G. B. Joslyn. The membership at the present time is fifty-six. CEMETERY. The cemetery near the centre of section 19 was pur- chased of Allen Beard in the summer of 1842. On the 4th of June of that year the town board authorized Hor- ace B. Flint to purchase a half-acre and pay fifteen dollars for the same, which was done soon after. The first inter- ment within it was that of a Mr. Lake, who was killed while helping to raise a building for Lewis Ward, in Perry. There was at that time no cemetery in the township of Perry. WAR RECORD. Antrim sent six men to the Mexican war, of whom but two returned. For the war of the Rebellion this township furnished, ;is near as can be ascertained, one hundred and twenty-five soldiers. Many of these were credited to the State at large or to other townships. Their record, there- fore, cannot be fully given. Their names are found on the rolls of a majority of the regiments from the State. Some were killed in battle, some were wounded; many died of disease and the hardships incident to soldiers' life, and some died miserably in rebel prisons. Among those who were killed in battle were Charles F. Beard, John L. Dippy, Jacob N. Decker, William Shaw, and Ailing Herrington. The first one wounded from the township was J. C. Adams, who received a shot in the face, by which he lost an eye, the hearing of one ear, and was otherwise badly mutilated. Leander Brown also lost an eye, and his brother Willis lost an arm. There were many others wounded less severely. SOCIETIES. GLASS RIVER LODGE, No. 223, L 0. 0. F., was instituted by P. G. M. B. W. Dennis, April 9, 1874, with the following charter members: Amos Colborn, T. A. Lawrie, James V. Avery, James E. Wright, George Graham, John Dippy, James F. Colborn, James T. Mor- gan, P. P. Booth, V. C. Bawlie. The officers elected at the first meeting were T. A. Law- rie, N. G. ; John Dippy, V. G. ; J. E. Wright, R. S. ; James F. Colborn, P. S. ; Amos Colborn, Treasurer; James V. Avery, W. After organizing, the lodge proceeded to initiate sixteen new members, whose names were added to the roll, as fol- lows: J. Blinston, Walter M. Wright, Alonzo Dippy, George Bliss, J. C. Adams, P. P. Chambers, Andrew Love, Jona- than Wood, I. S. A. Wright, Chauncey Case, J. A. Fish, Resid£nc£ OF NATHANIEL DURFEE, Antrim Tp. Shiawassee Co. Mich, ANTRIM TOWNSHIP. 183 L. M. Baldwin, T. Jarad, Charles Avery, S. D. Tasket, William Gallup. In the month of March next preceding the organization of this lodge the persons who afterwards became its charter members met and resolved to build a hall in anticipation of the organization. Under this resolution a building was erected at a cost of five hundred dollars. The lower part of the building is finished as a store-room, but at present is not occupied as such. The upper story is fitted up in neat style for the use of the lodge, which holds its meetings in it. The present membership of the Glass River Lodge is fifty- seven. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. MR. JOHN C. ADAMS. MRS. JOHN C. ADAMS. JOHN C. ADAMS. The parents of the subject of this sketch were natives of the State of New York, where also ho was born, in Canadice, Ontario Co., Sept. 13, 1837. His father, David D. Adams, was born in Johnstown, Montgomery Co., Aug. 23, 1806. His mother, Angeline (Howard) Adams, was born in Livonia, Livingston Co., March 24, 1814. They were married Dec. 11, 18.33. David D. Adams followed the trade of a stone-mason. He had visited Michigan in 1842, and purchased the land upon which he has lived since making this State his home. A log house was completed in due time, and he, with bis family, moved into it Jan. 28, 1848. The death of his wife, the mother of John C. Adams, occurred Oct. 21, 1856. John C. remained at home, working for his father until his twenty-first year, when he contracted to work for him by the year for a term of two years, at ten dollars per month. He then attended school nine mouths at Lodi Academy. On Aug. 9, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Fifth Michigan Infantry, and was discharged July 22, 1862, having received a severe gun-shot wound.on the Sth of May, 18G2, at the battle of Williamsburg, Va., to which reference is made in the township history of Antrim. After returning home and recovering somewhat from his injury, he worked the old fai-m for a share of the products. On the 28th of March, 1865, he married Miss Anna M. Hutchinson, the daughter of George Hutchinson, of Cuy- ahoga Co., Ohio. She died Feb. 4, 1866. On the 22d of December, 1870, he married Mrs. Mary ( Krupp) Dodge, widow of Henry F. Dodge, who had died May 28, 1867. Mrs. Adams was born in Niagara Co., N. Y., March 12, 1837. Mr. Adams is a Republican in politics. He has been township clerk for several successive terms, and has also been elected to niiimr offices from time to time, all of which he has filled with ability and credit to himself and to the township of Antrim. 184 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Mil. I. S. A. WKIliHT. .MRS. I. S. A. WRIGHT. I. S. A. WRIGHT. I. S. A. Wright claims for his birthplace one of the most romantic counties of the Empire State, — Greene County, — one-half of the territory of which is a plain, nearly level with the sea, and the other half mountains, rising up from the lower section of the county like a wall, with their summits among the clouds. Here Mr. Wright was born, April 18, 1822, and was the fifth in a family of twelve children. His parents were both natives of Con- necticut. He remained with them, working at the cooper trade after he had attained sufficient age, until about the time of his marriage, which occurred on the 10th of Oc- tober, 1848, marrying Miss Betsey Bliss, also a native of New York, where she was born March 19, 1828. Her father was one of Michigan's early settlers. Mr. and Mrs. Wright were the parents of eight children, viz. : James E., born Aug. 9, 1850 ; Mary E., born June 2(5, 1852 ; Cyn- thia K., born April 24, 1854, died June 24th of the same year; Francis, born Feb. 14, 1856; Wilbur C., born Jan. 23, 1859 ; John S., born May 24, 1861 ; Hattie, born Oct. 9, 1863 ; and Clark B., born Jan. 4, 1866, died Nov. G, 1866. These children were nearly all natives of this township, as Mr. Wright moved here, with his wife, in 1852, purchasing from his brother a one-half interest in his milling property, which he still retains. Mrs. Wright died on the 12th of January, 1866, and on the 16th of June, 1869, Mr. Wright married Miss Josephine Blinshaw, a native of Erie Co., N. Y., born Sept. 25, 1848. To this marriage there have been given three children, — Maggie, born July 21, 1871 ; Gracie, born Dec. 25, 1878; and one between these whose name we have been unable to obtain. Mr. Wright, besides his milling, has large landed inter- ests in Antrim, owning a farm of one hundred and ninety acres. Politically he is a Republican, and has frequently been called upon to fill some of the various township offices. WALTER WRIGHT. Walter Wright was born in Greene Co., N. Y., Sept. 4, 1824, and was the sixth in a family of twelve children. His father, James Wright, was born in Dutchess Co., N. Y., Oct. 22, 1787 ; died September, 1871. His mother, Cynthia (Clark) Wright, was born in Connecticut, May 12, 1794; died September, 1851. The family moved to On- ondaga County when Walter was but one year old. Pre- vious to their coming to Livingston Co., Mich., in 1836, Walter worked at farming and at the cooper trade. After continuing at this trade two years he bought a piece of land in Livingston County, which he held one year, and then came to Antrim with his brother and bought the mill property. They carried on the lumber business in An- trim until 1856. About 1851 Walter went to California, where he remained four years. During this time he en- gaged in minin.;, with the exception of eighteen months, when he carried on the lumber business extensively. This proved financially very successful, but through misplaced confidence he lost all, having scarcely enough left to pay the expense of returning to Antrim in 1855. Upon reaching home the interests in the milling property were divided, Walter taking one hundred and forty acres of land and his brother retaining the mill and power. In July, 1858, he was united in marriage to Miss Hannah E. Miller, who was born in Oakland County, April 17, 1835. Her father came to this county in 1856. The children of Mr. and o o >1 Co 1 Co Co Ci ANTRIM TOWNSHIP. 185 Mrs. Walter Wright are five in number, viz. : Alice and Ella, born Oct. 1(!, 185!); M^-ron, born July 21, 18li7 ; John L., bora May 11, 1870 ; Millie, born July 14, 1878. Ella lived but five months. Mr. and Mrs. Wrij;lit are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Antrim, and are among its most influential and respected members. CALVIN M. FULLER. Timothy JI. Fuller, the father of Calvin M. Fuller, was born in Genesee Co., N. Y.. Dec. 17, 1797, and his mother, Alvira (Blake) Fuller, was born in Vermont in 18U9. The family came to Oakland Co., Mich., in 18;-i6, and lived there until 1842, when they came to Antrim township and bought an unimproved farm on section 23. Mrs. Alvira Fuller died March 22, 1867, and her husband, Timolhy M. Fuller, died June 18, 1870. Mr. Fuller was a Repub- lican in politics, and universally esteemed as a neighbor and a citizen. He was an efficient clerk of the township, having been elected to fill that position nine years, as is shown by the records of the township. His sou, Calvin M. Fuller, from whom we obtained the dates above given and who has caused the insertion of this brief mention of his parents, was born in Oakland Co., Mieh., April 28, 1840. He was the fourth in a family of six children. On the 27th of May, 1863, he married Miss Sarah A. Howard, who was born in New York, May 27, 1843, and came to this county in 1848, as the sketch of her father's family inserted in this work will show. To Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Fuller have been born four children: Cary A., born June 4, 1865; Minnie E., born Feb. 25, 1868 ; Mary, born March 28, 1873 ; Wealthy, born Jan. 25, 1878, and died Sept. 25, 1879. C. M. Fuller bought the farm of his father in 1867 ; he has since sold forty acres and erected new buildings. NATHANIEL DURFEE. Stephen Durfee was born iu Rhode Island, April 4, 1776, and his wife Mary (Allen) Durfee in Dover, Dutchess Co., N. Y., in June, 1778. They were members of the Society of Friends, and were among the earliest and most r&spected settlers and farmers of Palmyra, Wayne Co., N. Y., where Nathaniel was born Jan. 19, 1811. Here he passed his childhood and youth, and on the 9th of Novem- ber, 1837, married Miss Martha Carr, also a native of Pal- myra, born July 16, 1817. Her father, David Carr, was a native of New Jersey, born July 2, 1793, and her mother, Rebecca (Evans) Carr, of Pennsylvania, born Feb. 12, 1794. After his marriage, Nathaniel rented his father's farm and worked it for three years, at the expiration of which time he came to Michigan, reaching Antrim Jan. 11, 1841. He had been to this township three years previou.sly, and located the farm upon which he .settled and where he has since continued to reside. 24 To Mr. and Mrs. Durfee no children have been born, but they have brought up two, adopting one at the age of three years and the other when hut five weeks old. Mr. Durfee's parents never came to Michigan, but Mrs. Durfee's parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Carr, came and lived with them until their deaths, which took place as follows, viz.: David Carr in July, 1860; Rebecca Carr, Sept. 6, 1867. Politically, Mr. Durfee affiliates with the Republican party, of which ho has often been a successful candidate for minor offices. Mr. and Mrs. Durfee have been industrious and frugal citizens, and after years of toil enjoy :i well-earned com- petency and the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances. ALLEN BEARD. Allen Beard was burn in Ontario Co., N. Y., Jan. 11, 18IU. His father, Jesse Beard, was a native of Maryland, born Feb. 8, 1787, and his death occurred March 21, 1864. His mother, Martha (Blake) Beard, was born in Saratoga Co., N. Y., Aug. 9, 1790. Allen remained with his pa- rents until he was twenty-one years of age, when he mar- ried, March 10, 1831, Miss Hannah Arnet, who was born Sept. 2, 1810. Mr. Beard, the first year after his marriage, worked land " on shares." At the expiration of that time he sold his interest or bargain, and had remaining three hundred dol- lars. It was just at the time when the tide of emigration westward had set in. He, with a team and wagon bear- ing his family, came to Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. Here he reiuained eighteen months and worked a farm, but not being successful, came on to Michigan, reaching Lodi, Washtenaw Co., April 25, 1836, and on May 28th came to the farm where he still resides. He was accompanied to the township by his brother-in-law, Lyman Melvin, who located a farm adjoining the one entered by Mr. Beard. Having previously traded his horses for three yoke of oxen, Mr. Beard .sold one yoke, in order to pay for his first eighty acres of land, but found that he still lacked four dollars of the necessary amount. He then hauled a load of goods from Detroit to Romeo, for which he received sixteen dol- lars, and another to Ann Arbor, receiving for this twenty- four dollars. After this he removed to his land in Antrim township. During the winter of 1836-37 he built a house, and moved into it in April, 1837, previous to that time having resided in a house built by his brother-in-law and himself On Aug. 26, 1843, his wife, Mrs. Hannah Beard, died. They were the parents of the following chil- dren : Martha B., born April 1, 1832; Byron, born Dec. 1, 1835; Charles F., born Sept. 21, 1838; Marietta A., born April 23, 1841. Charles F. was killed in battle at Campbell's Station, Tenn., Nov. 12, 1863. After a lapse of five years from the death of his first wife Mr. Beard married Miss Charlotte Thompson, who was born April 13, 1828. To this marriage were born eight children, as follows, viz. : Allen, born Nov. 13, 1848; died Dec. 13, 1855. Jo>hua, burn April 14, 1850 ; died 186 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUiNTY, MICHIGAN. Dec. 5, 1855. Walter, boru Sept. 10, 1851 ; died Sept. 13, 1858. Alvira, born Jan. 12, 185-1; died Oct. 21, 1858. John C. Abraham L., born April 16, 1860. Sarah Etta, born Feb. 8, 1864. George W., born Nov. 28, 1867. Mr. Beard was formerly a Whig in politics, subsequently became a Republican, but is now a Democrat. He has added to the eighty acres which he first purchased until he is now the possessor of one of the largest and finest farms in the township, consisting of five hundred and eighty-five acres. BENJAMIN F. HOWARD. The grandfather of the subject of our sketch was the first settler in Livingston Co., N. Y., where Calvin Howard, the father of Benjamin F., was born Nov. 25, 1804. Ben- jamin F. was also a native of the same county, born Nov. 17, 1839. His mother, Sarah (Cory) Howard, was a na- tive of Rhode Island, where she was born in 1811. In 1848 they removed to Michigan, living the first winter with the family of D. D. Adams. The following year Mr. Howard bought forty acres of land on section 22, upon which there was a small log cabin and a little clearing. This now belongs to Benjamin F. He afterwards bought eighty acres across the road, where Calvin I. Howard now lives. Benjamin worked for his father until the death of the latter, which occurred in April, 1863. His wife, Mrs. Sarah Howard, survived him four years, or until March, 1867, when her death occurred. Benjamin F. Howard followed school-teaching successfully for several years, but is now a farmer. Jan. 17, 1869, he married Mrs. Sarah E. (Williston) Marcy, the widow of James H. Marcy, who with their little son was drowned in the river at Grand Haven, Nov. 9, 1867. Mrs. Howard's parents were both of Now J!ngland birth, — her father a native of Springfield, Mass., where he was boru Oct. 17, 1808, and her mother of Rhode Island, born on May 10th of the same year. The death of each occurred in 1863, — Mrs. Williston on the 20th of November, and Mr. Williston on the 9th of December. Mrs. Howard was born May 18, 1841. To Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Howard have been born two children: Lida E., born Jan. 20, 1874, and Nina, born Feb. 23, 1879. Mr. Howard has added to the original forty acres until he now owns one hundred and sixty acres, one hundred of which is under a good state of cultivation. In politics he is an earnest Republican, as was also his father, Calvin Howard. In religion both him.self and wife are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and although young in years they have a large circle of ac(|uaintances, and are highly esteemed by the community in which they live. CHAPTER XXX. BENNINGTON TOWNSHIP.* Description, Surveys, and Land-Entries — Early .'Settlements — Resi- dent Ta.v-i>ayers of 1844 — Civil and l*olitical — Educational — Religious. DESCRIPTION, SURVEYS, AND LAND-ENTRIES. Bennington is one of the interior divisions of Shiawassee County, situated southwest of its geographical centre. In the field-notes of the original survey it was design.ated township No. 6 north, of range No. 2 east. Owosso town- ship joins it on the north, Shiawassee on the east. Perry on the south, and Sciota on the west. It has a beautiful undulating surface, and all the varieties of soil common to Michigan townships, viz., alternate belts or strips of clay and .sand loam and alluvial dcpo.sit.s, — a soil that is particularly well adapted to grazing and the culture of corn, fruits, and the cereals. Originally, timbered openings, about one mile in width, extended from east to west through its centre. To the north and south of these openings were heavy fore.sts of beech, maple, oak, ash, elm, and other varieties ol' deciduous trees. The town.ship has no lake surface. It is drained by the Maple and Looking-Glass Rivers. The former intersects sections 1 , 2, and 3. The latter in its flow to the westward crosses the southern part. Both are sluggish streams, afi'ord no mill-privileges, and are bordered by many acres of swamp-lands. The people are chiefly engaged in agricultural pursuits, and in the amount of lands under cultivation, farm products, and live stock, Bennington stands in the front rank among Shiawassee County townships. Railway, express, and mail fiicilities are afforded at Ben- nington, a station on the line of the Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw Railroad, which cros.ses diagonally the northwest corner of the township. Pittsburg and Hartwellville are also post-oflBce stations. ORIGINAL SORVEYS. The first surveying- party to enter the trackless and as yet unknown wilds of the present township of Bennington was led by Joseph Wampler, a deputy United States sur- veyor, who, in accordance with instructions, ran out the northern, western, and southern boundary-lines in February, 1823. The eastern line was blazed by John Mullett, July 16th and 17th of the same year. The task of subdividing the territory designated as town- ship No. 6 north, of range No. 2 east, was commenced by Joseph Wampler, April 22, 1826, and completed on the 30th of the same month. Numerous surveying-parties were then engaged mapping the lands in the Detroit land district, pursuant to contracts and instructions received from Edward Tiffin, surveyor-general of the United States. The surveyors were directed to enter upon their field- books remarks concerning the nature of the surface, soil, timber, etc., — instructions which were so fully carried out * By John S. Scbenck. BENNINGTON TOWNSHIP. 187 by some of his subordinates that Gen. Tiffin supposed the lands in the Detroit district uhnost wortliless for agricultural purposes, and was induced to make the unfavorable report concerning them which he did. In his haste, however, to perform his work as rapidly as possible, — in eight or nine days, during which time he must have traveled at least one hundred and forty miles, — Mr. Wampler did not wait to append voluminous remarks re- garding the township's natural features ; barely enough to in- dicate it as a rolling, generally heavily-timbered, fertile tract ; and therefore, at its birth, the township escaped the condemnation laid upon others equally as good, yet where the deputy surveyors were occasionally mired in swamps and morasses. FIRST AND OTHER EARLY LAND-ENTRIES. On the 25th of June, 1835, Samuel Nichols, of Chautau- (jua Co., N. Y., Israel Parsons and Benjamin L. Powers, of Ontario Co., N. Y., made the first purciiase of public lands in the township, and all located upon section 24. Du- ring October of the same year, Trumbull Cary, of Genesee Co., N. Y., and Abel Millington, of Washtenaw Co., Mich., entered many tracts situated upon various sections. The Castles and Davises, from Oakland Co., Mich., also made some purcha.ses in this township in 1835, but it was not until the year 1836, and the two or three years immediately succeeding, that anything like a general transfer was made from the general government to individuals. Although a few of the original purchasers became actual settlers, a large majority were speculators, men who are en- titled to no credit whatever in what relates to the develop- ment and subsequent history of the township. Be that as it may, the following list embraces the names and other data of those who purchased from the general government, lands situated in the present township of Bennington. Section 1. George W. Williams, Oakland Co., Mich., January, 18.36. Daniel Goodwin, AVayne Co., Mich., February, 18u(). George W. Williams, Oakland Co., Mich., February, 1836. Benjamin B. Morris, Oakland Co., Mich., April, 1836. Section 2. Daniel Goodwin, Wayne Co., Mich., February, 1836. George W. Williams, Oakland Co., Mich., February, 1S36. William Thomjison, Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 1836. Nelson Waugh, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1836. Section 3. Lemuel Catstlc, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1835. Mercy Castle, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1835. Lemuel Castle, Oakland Co., Mich., December, 1835. Ira C. -Mger, Wayne Co., Mich., June, 1836. Section 4. Betsy Davis, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1835. William lhoini)son, Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 1836. Abucr Davis, Oakland Co., Mich., April, 1836. John N. Watson, Oakland Co., Mich., July, 1S3B. Rodolphus Dewey, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1836. David Johnson, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1836. Benjamin Davis, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1836. Section 5. Silas A. Yerkes, Shiawassee Co., Mich., January, 1855. William Thompson, Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 1836. David Johnson, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1836. Is.iao S. T.aylor, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1836. George \V. Williams, Oakland Co., Mich., March, 1837. Lemuel Castle, Shiawassee Co., Mich., November, 1837. Hiram Davis, Shiawassee Co., Mich., November, 1838. Joseph Peters, Washtenaw Co., Mich,, January, 1843. William Yerkes, Oakland Co., Mich., December, 1849. Willard M. Norris, Shiawassee Co., Mich., March, 1854. Section 6. Daniel Goodwin, Wayne Co., Mich., February, 1836. Delos W. Gould, Genesee Co., N. Y., November, 1836. Abner W. Bbickman, Genesee Co., N. Y., November, 1836. Milo llarington. Shiawassee Co., Mich., March, 1839. Albert Fitch, Shiawassee Co., Mich., March, 1839. David Alger, Shiawassee Co., Mich., February, 1840. Charles B. Haight, Shiawassee Co., Mich., November, 1854. Section 7. William Thompson, Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 1836. Daniel Fuller, Orleans Co., N. Y., June, 1836. John Pitts, Shiawassee Co., Mich., March, 1839. Hiram S. Goodwin, land-warrant, January, 1853. AVillard M. Norris, Shiawassee Co., Mich., .lanuary, 1854. John Cleaver, Shiawassee Co., .Mich., November, 1854. Section 8, William Thompson, Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 1836. Daniel Fuller, Orleans Co., N. Y., June, 1836. William Thompson, Seneca Co., N. \'., June, 1836. Section 9. John L. Eastman. Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 1836. William Yerkes, Oakland Co., Mich., April, 1836. Kliphalet Lcivis, Orleans Co., N. Y., May, 1836. Section 10. William Thompson, Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 1836. Albert Clark, Shiawassee Co., Mich., November, 1836. Isaac Ilemmiiigwny, Madison Co., N. Y^., June, 1836. Joseph Peters, Washtenaw Co., Mich., January, 1843. Abner Coif, Shiawassee Co., Mich., August, 1850. Section 11. AVilliam Thompson, Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 1836. Section 12. Halsey Sanford, Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 1836. Archibald Purdy, Washtenaw Co., Mich., May, 1836. William Thompson, Senoca Co., N. Y., April, 1836. Section 13. Trumbull Cary, Genesee Co., N. Y., October, 1835. John L. Eastman, Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 1836. Ebenozer Conklin, Seneca Co., N. Y., June, 1836. Section 14. Abel Millington, Washtenaw Co., Mich., October, 1835. Satterlee & West, Oakland Co., Mich., April, 1836. David Perry and Philip Worth, Rutland Co., Vt., May, 1836. Remembrance Rout, Hampshire Co., Mass., June, 1836. Hiram A. Caswell, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., June, 1836. Section 15. Joseph Purdy, Washtenaw Co., Mich., May, 1836. Ebene/.er Conklin, Seneca Co., N. Y., June, 1836. John Champion, Genesee Co., N. Y., June, 1836. William Coif, Monroe Co., N. Y., June, 1836. Ebenezer Conklin, Seneca Co., N. Y., June, 1836 Ira Merell, Livingston Co., N. Y., June, 1836. Section 16. School lands. Section 17. L. Bates, Orleans Co., N. Y., May, 1836. William Thompson, Seneca Co., N. Y., June, 1836. Abner Rice, Huron Co., Ohio, September, 1836. 188 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSKK COUNTY, MICHlGAiN. David Perry, Ilurun Co., Ohio, September, 1836. Henry lieiudsloc, Sussex On., N. J., Noveiiilu'r. 1838. Section 18. \Villi:im Duiritt, Ouklimil Co., Midi., April, l.'^.'ifi. Lyman Bivles, Orleans Co., N. Y., May, 18:;ti. Daniel Phelps, Shiawassee Co., Mich., January, l.'6. James Scott, Chenango Co., N. Y., September, IS.Ifi. David Perry, Huron Co., Ohio, September, lS:i6. Harrison S. liugboe, Catlaniugus Co., N. Y., Juno, 18;i7. Andrew Marlati, Mi>nroc Co., N. Y., October, 18;i7. Alexander MeKinney, Wayne Co., Mich., March, 185H. Suction 2(1. Israel Pui.^hall, Kivingstou Co., Mich., Seplemlier, ISIili. Joseph Skinner, Oakland Co., Mieh., Soptembor, 183B. Abraham Hiekey, Genesee Co., N. Y., Septomhor. 1S3B. Luther James, Hampshire Co., Mass., Oclobor, 1836. Lemuel Cone, Shiawassee Co., Mieh., October, 18.'i6. Lemuel Cone, Shiawassee Co., Mich., May, 1811. Skction 21. Harriet W. Strong, Ontario Co., N. Y., March, 1836. Nel.ilas Howe. Hollin Pond. tt it tt it William llainaiond. Knocli Kddy, Jr. Peter 11. Smith. Francis G. Morrice. Lemuel C. Cooper. lieuuu'l C. Cooper. James A. Chapin. Nonniin C. Pavuo. JUSTICES OF THK PEACK. 1839. Samuel Pitts, Jr. 1840. Lemuel Castle. 1841. Isaac Gale. Ebenezer Brown. 1842. Ira B. Howard. Cortes Pond. 1843. Ebenezer Brown. 1843. Archibald Purdy. 1844. Lemuel Castle. lS4j. Isaac Gale. 1846. Archibald Purdy. 1847. Civilian Morse. 1848. Asa Castle. 1S49. Isaac Gale. ISSO. Ezekiel Cook. 1866. Norman C. Payne. 1851. Kalph Williams. 1867. Newcomb Mitchell. 1852. Lemuel Castle. 1868. John Storer. 1853. Isaac (Jail*. IVter H. Suiith. Ezekiel Salisbury. 1809. Isaac Gale. 1854. Ezokicl Cook. 1870. Norman C. Payne. 1855. Ualph Williams. 1871. No record. Ezekiel Cook. 1872. George Uiiwell. 1S5B. Ezekiel Salisbury. 1873. Henry C. Howard. Ardiibald Purdy. 1874. Norman C. Payne. 1857. Isaac (iaie. 1875. Isaac (J ale. 1858. .'\rchili:ild Purdy. Norman C. Payne. 1859. Kalph Williams. 1876. George Howell. 1860. Abuer A. Davis. Hyland K. Greeniuan. 1861. Isaac Gale. 1877. Henry C. Howard. Newcomb Mitchell. Freeman N. Waugh. 1862. Ardiibald Purdy. 1S7S. Freeman N. Waugh. 1863. Sylvester Dean. 1879. Samuel IJ. Bugbee. 1864. Abuer A. Davis. 1880. John Walsh. 1S65. Isaac Gale. HIGHWAY COMMISSION EKS. 1839. 1S40. 1S41. 1842. 1843. 1844. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. 1849. 18511. 1851. 1852. Joseph P. Roberts. Archibald Purdy. Samuel Kellogg. Samuel Pitts, Jr. Samuel Kellogg. .Archibald Purdy. Ebenezer Brown. Ira B. Howard. Carlton Sawyer. Archibald Purdy. Donison S. Bugbee. Ebenezer Brown. Samuel B. Bugbee. Ebenezer Brown. Denison S. Bugbee. Samuel B. Bugbee. Denison S. Bugbee. Cyrus Miller. Samuel B. Bugbee. Cyrus Miller. James Stuart. Cyrus Miller. Samuel B. Bugbee. Ezekiel Salisbury. Cyrus Miller. Samuel B. Bugbee. Ezekiel Salisbury. Ezekiel Salisbury. Henry Beardsiee. Jonathan W. Brewer. Samuel B. Bugbee. Levi H. Chatlin. Levi H. Chatlin. Nelson AVaugh. 1853. 1854. 1855. 1856. 1857. 1858. 1859. 1860. 1861. 1862. 1863. 181U. 1865. 1866. 1867. 1868. 1869. 1870. 1S71. 1872. 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876- 1880. Waterman Perkins. Levi H. Chatlin. Silas A. Verkes. Nelson Waugh. Horace S. Goodwin. William Frain. Benjamin Davis. Abner A. Davis. Horace S. Goodwin. William Frain. Horace Howe. John Wire. Philo Newell. George W. Hunt. James U. Byerly. John A. Vanderhoof. Carlti>n Rood. A. B. Clark. Alva Bemis. D. D. Williams. John A. Vanderhoof. John lunes. Howard D. Thomiisou. Silas A. Yerkes. William Lewis. Joseph 0. Hathaway. I'rancis G. Morrice. Cornelius A. yanderhoof. William Lewis. Levi H. Chaffin. Cornelius Hibbard. 79. Levi H. Chalfin. Enoch Eddy, Jr. KDUCATIONAL. On the 14th of November, 1837, while township No. G north, of range 2 east, still formed part of Shiawassee township, Levi Rowe, W. Z. Blanchard, and Robert Stew- art, school inspectors of the latter township, divided the former into four equal school districts, designating the northeast quarter of the township, district No. 1 ; the south- east quarter, district No. 2 ; the northwest quarter, district No. 3; and the southwest quarter, district No. 4. With scarcely more than half a dozen families in the whole township, it is hardly probable that anything more was done concerning schools while Bennington formed part of Shiawassee. Soon after the organization of Bennington, on the 11th BENNINGTON TOWNSHIP. 193 of April, 1838, the first board of school inspectors met at the township clerk's office, and organized by choosing Joel North, chairman. On the 27th of the same mouth five school districts were ordered organized, and their bounda- ries described. But it does not appear by the records, nor have we learned that any schools were taught in 1838. In 1839 the electors voted to raise by tax fifty dollars for the support of primary schools. The moneys received for school purposes in 1840 amounted to forty-three dollars and fifty cents, of which twenty-five dollars was voted from the town- ship treasury, and eighteen dollars and fifty cents from the county treasury. This was applied as follows : District. No. 1., " 2.. 18 $16.65 29 26.73 In 1841 the schools seemed in a more flourishing condi- tion, and the school moneys were apportioned as here shown. District. SchuliirH. Amount. No. 1 26 $17.25 " 2 35 23.22 " 4 15 9.95 " 5 8 5.30 " 6 18 11.94 " 7 II 7.30 Among the early teachers were William C. R. Patterson, Louisa Pitts, Diautha F. Chaffin, M. L. Whitford, Sarah Edson, and Clarissa Pond, in 1843. Mary J. Stewart, Mary Hicks, Diantha F. Chaffin, Leroy Stephens, George Reynolds, and Francis Terry, 1844. George Reynolds, Mary Stuart, Sarah J. McOmber, Diantha F. Chaffin, Har- riet Castle, Margaret L. Wilson, Lovica Pitts, Samantha Chaffin, Julia Van Auken, Drusilla D. Cook, and SaffiDrd Pitts, 1845. Sarah J. McOmber, Elvira Howard, Saman- tha Chaffin, Armina Pitts, Margaret L. Wilson, Drusilla D. Cook, SafiFord Pitts, George M. Reynolds, 1846. Delia M. Castle, Isadore E. Parkill, Sabrina A. Castle, Diantha F. Chaffin, Jabez S. Cook, J. H. Hartwell, Emily Ham- mond, 1847. Elvira M. Howard, Miss Pratt, Drusilla D. Cook, Safford Pitts, Charles H. Collins. Byron Hollister, 1848. Sarah Stuart, Miss T. Parker, Helen M. Brewer, Frances IngersoU, Diantha F. Chaffin, Juliet Gale, W. J. Chatham, I. W. McEwen, Samantha Chaffin, Amanda Guil- ford, Sylvia Guilford, Clara K. IngersoU, 1 849. Miss Dun- ning, Amanda Rowell, Sarah B. Stuart, Saflt)rd Pitts, Phi- lander T. Maine, 1850. Mary Ann Hill, Miss Salisbury, Miss 0. Miller, Helen M. Brewer, Miss IngersoU, Constan- tine Yerkes, 1851. Following have been the apportionments of primary- school funds for various years : 1848. District. .Scbulara. No. 1 .-iO " 2 20 " 3 (il B. and P. Fractional District No. 1... 35 1850. District. Scholars, No. 1 33 " 2 43 " 3 48 " 4 24 B. and P. Fractional District No. 1.. 40 B. and S. Fractional District No. 1... 27 25 Amount. $11.51 8.31 19.46 11.18 Amount. $11.22 14.62 16.32 8.16 15.04 9.18 1860. District. No. 1 Scholars. 80 34 46 41 45 43 Scholars. 80 36 64 51 87 40 32 Amount $36.80 " 2 15.64 " 3 21.16 " 4 18.86 " 5 20.70 B. and P. Fractional District No. 1... 1870. District. No. 1 19.74 Amount $.38 78 " 2 17.24 " 3 30.64 " 4 24.42 " 5 41.65 " 6 19.15 B. and P. Fractional District No. 1.. 15..32 The following statistics are gathered from the school in- spectors' report for year ending Sept. 1, 1879 : Nuuiber of whole districts 6 " fra<.'tional districts 1 " children of soboul age residing in the township 444 Number of children attending school during the ^'car 352 Number of frame Bcbool-huuses 7 •* sittings 442 Value of school property .$4375.00 Number of men teaehers employed 7 " women teachers employed 8 Paid men teachers $549.27 Paid women teachers 364.00 Total resources for the year 2066.80 RELIGIOUS. THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF BEN- NINGTON, whose church edifice is situated in the village of Benning- ton Station, was organized about the year 1869, when Rev. John Maywood came here as the preacher in charge of the Bennington Circuit. Previously the members of this denomination living here had been included in the Owosso Circuit. The early meetings were held in the school-house ; but very soon after this became a regular appointment the building of a house of worship was agitated, and the mat- ter received such favorable consideration that the present structure was commenced in 1869, completed and dedicated in February, 1871, at a cost, including bell, organ, etc., of two thousand eight hundred dollars. Among the early members were Apollos Dewey, Mr. Halstead and wife. Nelson Waugh and wife, Orra Waugh and wile, William and Nellie Waugh. But a short time .subsequently, James Byerly and wife, Mrs. Mary Thorpe, Mrs. William Byerly, Mrs. Juliet Rowell, and others joined the organization. The Sabbath-school antedates the church by about one year, Mr. Gould, a superannuated minister, assisted by James Byerly and Mrs. Juliet Rowell, having established a Sabbath-school in the school-house in June, 1868. The schools have had an uninterrupted continuance to the pres- ent, and have ever formed one of the prominent features of this church. To Mrs. Rowell, who, during the superiutend- ency of Messrs. Gould and Byerly, assumed fiiU charge in the absence of either, great credit is due for the success which has hitherto attended their sessions. Rev. Mr. Wilkinson succeeded Mr. Maywood. Other pastors have been Revs. Whitley, Clack, Thompson, Laing, 194 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. and Frederick Strong, the latter being the present incum- bent. Number of present members, sixty. In this charge is included the Newburg class ; also one at Pittsburg of forty members. EMMANUEL CHURCH OF THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIA- TION IN BENNINGTON. The members of this church erected a house of worship in IST.'i, and the society was incorporated June 26, 1876. Those named as corporators were Gottlieb Reuss, Henry Wentz, Christian Berrick, Henry Merkler, John Hortman, Michael Bower, Frederick Schuknecht, Jacob Schmidtgall, Christian Kock, Frederick Hiuspader, Simon Salisbury, George Merkler, F. Klein, John Crutts, and C. Crutts. This church belongs to the district of which Rev. John M. Houk is presiding elder, and includes churches at Owosso, Bennington, New Haven, and Chesaning. THE PITTSBURG CHURCH OF BENNINGTON, of which Joseph Place, Mary M. Place, Mary J. Gardner, Sarah Hutchings, Hiram Pierson, B. C. Chittenden, and Josephine Chittenden were named as members, was incor- porated April 2, 1877. At a meeting held in the school- house in Pittsburg, May 15, 1877, Rev. M. Hayden chairman, Joseph Place, D. P. Austin, and Albert Gillett were elected trustees. This church has erected a house of worship in the small village of Pittsburg, which structure is also occupied by the Pittsburg Methodist Episcopal class. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. ISAAC GALE. Isaac Gale was born at Berne, Albany Co., N. ¥., on the 4th of December, 1808. His parents were Roger and Anna (Sherburne) Gale. The Gale family came to America some time in the seventeenth century and settled in the Eastern States. The Sherburne family were originally from Germany, emigrating from that country to England in the sixteenth century, and from the latter country to America at a somewhat later date. The young man remained at home, working on his father's farm until he was twenty-one years of age, in the mean time availing himself of such means of education as were afforded by the ordinary district schools of the day. Soon after his arrival at manhood, and after careful con- sideration, he determined to follow, as the priucipal avoca- tion of his life, the pursuit of agriculture, considering it the most independent, and the safest and surest road to a reasonable competence, and one that would afford the most ample time for reading and contemplation, as well as a safe asylum from the cares and perplexities of ordinary business pursuits. With this determination he bravely pushed out alone, without an acquaintance or companion, and came to the then wilderness and Territory of Michigan ; traveling by the Erie Canal to Lake Erie, and thence by the steamer " Niagara," commanded by the famous seaman. Captain Blake, — eccentric and rough, but as kind of heart as a woman. On the 15th day of May, 1830, he landed at De- troit, then but an inferior frontier village. From there he went to Superior township, in tlie eastei'n part of Washte- naw County, near Ypsilanti, where he commenced improving one hundred and sixty acres of timbered land ; cleared a few acres, which he planted with wheat, and returned to New York, where, on the 4th day of September, 1831, he married Miss M. A. Wilbur, and came back to his farm in Washtenaw County, where he continued to reside until April, 1840. Miss Wilbur was a daughter of Henry and Lydia Shelden Wilbur, of Dutchess County, N. Y., where she was born September 4, 1813. During his stay upon his new farm Mr. Gale made many improvements, and also served the people as township clerk and school inspector. Previous to 1840 he exchanged his farm for a larger tract of new land in Bennington, Shiawassee County, to which he removed in April, 1840, and where he has continued to reside to the present time. His property has grown till it embraces three hundred and eighty acres, the greater portion of which is well improved, and on which are good buildings and the necessary conveniences of a well-conducted farm. After many years devoted to agricultural pursuits, Mr. Gale can look back with satisfaction and truly say, " If T were again young, with the experience and observation I have had, I should certainly choose the same occupation." In addition to his labors upon the farm, Mr. Gale has been called to oiEciate in another sphere as a servant of the people, and as a prominent business man in various positions. In the spring of 1841 he was elected to the office of justice of the peace, which he has held for a period of thirty-six years, a fact of itself sufficient to prove his character and standing. He has also held the office of supervisor of the township for fifteen years, and served four years as second judge of the county court before that tribunal was superseded by the Circuit Court. He was an industrious student, and upon his election as justice began a systematic study of statute and common law by utilizing the long winter evenings, rainy days, and other leisure time. In the early days of Michigan an extensive business, both civil and criminal, came before the justices of the peace. Mr. Gale remembers with gratitude the timely advice and valuable assistance tendered him by the late Governor Parsons, and Hon. Amos Gould, of Owosso, both then practicing before the justices' courts. In his capacity as a justice of the peace, Mr. Gale considered it his duty to advise a settlement of all difficulties without litigation if it were possible. During a period of ten years he was engaged in the bank- ing business at Coruiina, under the firm-name of J. B. Wheeler & Co. The firm did a private business, in which they were reasonably successful. xVt the end of ten years they sold the business to other parties who have since closed it up. Mr. Gale has also been a prominent railroad man. In connection with W. L. Bancroft and others, commencing ISAAC GALE M^f ISAAC GALE . BENNINGTON TOWNSHIP. 195 about 1868-70, he took an active part in the construction of a road from Port Huron to Lansing. Between Port Huron and Flint this road was known as the Port Huron and Lake Michigan road, and between Flint and Lansing as the Chicago and Northeastern road. These now form a part of the Chicajjo and Grand Trunk line. He was one of the directors of the company, and worked through the trying times when the company, like many others, was poor, and the work progressed very slowly. When this road and the one building at the same time between Lansing and South Bond, Ind., were consolidated under the name of the Chicago and Lake Huron Railroad, he was elected a direc- tor in tlie new company. When the Chicago and North- eastern Company was organized for the purpose of con- structing the link lying between Lansing and Flint, Mr. Gale resigned his position, and was elected to the office of vice-president of the last-named company, which position he occupied until tlie final sale of the entire line to the Canada Grand Trunk Company, in September, 1879. Mr. Gale spent a considerable portion of twelve years in the interests of the various segments of what now consti- tute a great international line of railway, during which period the profits and losses about balanced each other, leaving to him as the only valuable acquisition an extensive experience and the knowledge gained by contact with an able and energetic class of business men, of whom he con- siders Hon. W. L. Bancroft, of Port Huron, the prominent representative, and the one to whom, above all others, the credit is due for pushing to completion a great and valuable line of railway. The subject of this memoir is now living with his wife on his farm, which is managed by his son ; and his conclu- sion, after a bu.sy life, is that, were he to commence anew, he would set aside all business except that pertaining to the occupation of farming, and bend _all his energies to the cultivation of the soil and its kindred pursuits. He con- siders a sand bank more valuable to the farmer than any other, and has come to the conclusion that " Short-horn" and " Alderuey stock" is much better than railway stock as an investment. Politically Mr. Gale favored the election of John Quincy Adams in 1828. During the existence of the Whig party he was a strong advocate of its principles, and on the for- mation of the present Republican party, in 1854, he asso- ciated himself with the Democracy, with which party he has since affiliated. He believes it the duty of all Ameri- can citizens to abide by and faithfully carry out every provision of the constitution until annulled or amended, not only by act of the general government, but by every State in the Union. In religious opinion and belief Mr. Gale has been a member and supporter of the Methodist Church for a period of thirty-six years. He claims to be free from sec- tarian or bigoted views and feelings, and totally' ignores the doctrines of election and reprobation its taught by John Calvin and his followers. NEWCOMB MITCHELL. Among the prominent farmers and early settlers of Ben- nington the subject of this biography is entitled to special mention. Although he is not a pioneer he has done much pioneer work. He has perfected a valuable record, and demonstrated his general worth as a citizen. He was born in Bennington, Vt., Sept. 21, 1821. He was the son of Newcomb and Polly (Hone) Mitchell, who reared a family of eleven children, — six boys andfive girls. The elder Mitchell was a blacksmith, a sturdy, industrious man, but devoid of the faculty of money-getting, and his children were deprived of educational advantages, and their learning was obtained more from the bitter school of ex- perience than from books. When Newcomb, Jr., was a babe the fimily removed to New York, where his father followed his vocation, changing his residence from Syracuse, where he first located, to Lyons, and from there to Wyo- ming County. In 1844 he removed to Michigan, and set- tled in the town of Salem, Washtenaw Co. He returned to the State of New York, however, and died near Attica, at an advanced age. At the age of ten years Newcomb was thrown upon his own resources. He first obtained employ- ment on a farm at a sixpence a day. His boyhood days were devoid of pleasure, and toil and privation seemed his lot ; but by reason of his surroundings he developed in youth many traits of character that might otherwise have remained dormant, and which have had an influence upon his future. He worked as a farm-laborer until he was twenty years of age, when he went to Bufi"alo and apprenticed himself to the trade of a mason, which avocation he followed many years. In 1844 he came to Michigan, where his brother Calvin, now one of the prominent farmers of Wa.shtenaw County, had settled the year previous in the town of Salem. Soon after his arrival the two brothers made a trip of obser- vation to Wisconsin. Upon their return Newcomb purchased eighty acres of wild land in Salem, which he afterwards sold. In the fall of 1847 he came to Lansing and engaged in the grocery trade. This venture, owing to the perfidy of his partner, proved disastrous. In the winter of 1849 he came to Bennington, and the following summer built the octagonal school building near Corunna. 1852 found him in the employ of the Michigan Central Railroad. In 1852 he returned to Bennington, and the following year commenced the improvement of his farm, which he had purchased in 1846. Here he has since resided, and to the original purchase of eighty acres has added one hundred and ninety acres. The farm is one of the best in the town- ship, and his commodious buildings and finely-cultivated fields attest his thrift and success. In 1866, Mr. Mitchell married Miss Eliza, daughter of Dyer Phelps, one of the early settlers of the town of Shiawassee. She was born in Springfield, Pa., Christmas-day, 1835. Eight children have been born to them, — three boys and five girls. Mr. Mitchell is emphatically a self-made man. Starting in life with only his strong pair of hands and a robust consti- tution, he has attained success in all departments of life. In his political and religious affiliations he is a Republican and a Methodist, and among the representative men of Bennington he occupies a foremost position. 196 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SAMUEL NICHOLS. I'ioiiooi' biogrupliics are usually devoid of romantic incidents and startling event.-*, but are always replete with recitals of hardships and privations that to the present generation sound more like fiction than fact. Many lessons of in- dustry, indomitable pereeverance, and rigid economy can be gleaned from them ; and while all arc of historiciil importance, special in- terest is felt in the life of that adventurous individual who made the first permanent .settlement. To Samuel Nichols belongs the honor not only of being the first white settler, but of building the SAMUEL NICHOLS. first house, felling the first tree, and plowing the first furrow within the present limits of the town of Bennington. He Wiis born in the town of Hinsdale, Vt., in 1804. But little is known of his early history further than that he was left an orphan at the age of four years, and was reared by a gentle- man by the name of Philander Glover, in whose family he lived until he was fifleen years of age. He then started in life as a farm- laborer ; was industrious and ener- getio, and, by carefully husbanding his earnings, acquired a sum suf- ficient tu purchase a home of his own. In 1832 he bought a new farm near Jamestown, N. Y., on which he remained four years, when he sold his property and came to Bennington, where ho made the first purchase of govern- ment land in the township as at present organized, it being the southwest quarter of the south- west quarter of section 24, town- ship () north, range 2 east. Upon this farm he resided until his de- cease, which occurred March 30, 18t)!), in the sixty-fifth year of his age. In 1831 he married Miss Mi- randa Kathan. She was also a MRS. SAMUEL NICHOLS. LYMAN UICKEY. native of Vermont, and was born in 1808. Although advanced in years, her recollections of the early days are still vivid, and she recalls many incidents in her pio- neer life that prove conclusively that she was possessed of perse- verance, energy, and remarkable fortitude, and that she is worthy of a conspicuous position among the pioneer women of Shiawassee County. She has been the mother of ten children, six of whom died in infancy. Of the four others, two only are living, Samuel aiuj Mary M. The latter was married, in 1858, to L. Hickey, who was y^ BENNINGTON TOWNSHIP. 197 bora in Genesee County, N. Y., in 1824. His father came to Michigan with his family in 1824, and settled in the town of Commerce, Oakland Co., where Lemuel resided until 1840, when he came to Bennington, where he has since resided. He is also a pioneer, having been a resi- dent of the town for forty years. He is the owner of the Nichols farm, on which he resides, a view ol' which appears on another page. JOHN INNES. The gentleman whose name heads this brief notice is one of the early settlers of Shiawassee, and was born in the city of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, July 7, 1815. His father, also named John, was born in the parish of Mathlick. He was a manufacturer of linen and cotton goods, but in the later part of his life, owing to ill health, became a farmer. He married Miss Jane Frasier, and reared a family of four children, — two boys and two girls, — John being the eldest. In 1825 he removed from Peterhead to the place of his nativity, and leased a farm of Lord Aber- deen, on which he remained until his decease, which oc- curred at the ripe old age of eighty-seven years. He was an upright, honorable man, and highly esteemed by all who knew him. John assisted his father on the farm until he was sixteen years of age. He attended a parochial school, and obtained a good education. Peterhead, the place of his birth, is a seaport town, and the most easterly city in Scotland, and the dream of his boyhood days was " a life on the ocean wave," and he deter- mined to follow the sea as the principal avocation of his life, but his plans were opposed by his parents, and he de- cided to come to America. June 18, 183G, he bade good- by to friends and relatives, and after a tedious voyage of seven weeks arrived in New York. He immediately started for the West, and first stopped at Huron, Ohio, where he found an organization known as the Ohio Com- pany, having for its object the development of lands in what is now the town of Shiawassee, Shiawassee Co. He engaged himself to this company, and with others started for Michigan. They arrived at Detroit in August, 1836, and the journey from that point to their destination was a tedious one. From Fenton there was nothing but an In- dian trail, and one week was consumed in their journey from that place to Shiawasseetown. He remained in the employ of this company until the autumn of 1837, and during that time assisted in the construction of the first saw-mill, grist-mill, and bridge within the present limits of the county. This enterprise proved unsuccessful both to the company and Mr. Innes, and in the fall of 1837 he returned to Ohio, where he remained one year. He then started on an extended trip through the Southern States, stopping at Natchez, Vicksburg, New Orleans, and cither important towns. In June, 1838, he went into the northern part of Wis- consin, where he engaged in lumbering until the fall of 1840, when he again went South with tiie intention of making it his home. He remained, however, but four years. during which time he was engaged in rafting lumber, cord- wood, and pickets to the New Orleans market. On his return North he stopped in the town of Perry, where he met his destiny in the person of Miss Orissa Howard, whom he married in April, 1845. Shortly after his mar- riage he leased a large farm at East Plains, Ionia Co., and commenced farming. About one month after his marriage JOHN INNES. Mrs. Innes died, and in the January following he was again married to Mrs. Elizabeth Dean, who died thirteen months after. Just previous to the death of his wife he had purchased eighty acres of land in Bennington, to which he subsequently added eighty acres more, and upon which he resided until his removal to Owosso in 1880. In October, 1849, Mr. Innes was married to Bliss Margaret Yeats. She is a Scotch lady, and was born in the parish of New Deer, Aberdeenshire, Sept. 8, 1828. When she was ten years of age the family came to the United States and settled in Livingston Co., N. Y., where they resided until 1841, when they emigrated to Livingston Co., Mich. Mr. and Mrs. Innes have been blessed with three daughters, all of whom are living. In his religious belief Mr. Innes is a Presbyterian. He is a man of positive character, tenacious of his opinions, which are formed by mature deliberation and investigation. He believes that " an honest man is the noblest work of God," and his practice is in accordance with his belief, and wherever he is known his word is considered as good as his bond. In his domestic relations he is a kind husband and an indulgent father. In his dealings with his fellow-men he is dignified and courteous, and possessed of much suavity of manner. His life has been an eventful one, and the early part was one of rough experiences and replete with hard.ship and privations ; but notwithstanding the obstacles that beset his path his life has been a success, and now in the evening of his days, with his family around him and 198 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. knowing that he has the respect and esteem of all, and that his success in all departments of life is duo wholly to his own cflForts, he feels that he has been rewarded. JONATHAN M. HARTWELL. This venerable pioneer was bora in Norwich, Chenango Co., N. Y., July 29, 1801. His father, Ebenezer Hart- well, was a native of Dutchess County, and was one of the early settlers of Chenango County. He married Rachel Mead, and reared a family of twelve children, — six boys and six girls. His fiithcr, Oliver HartwcU, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and served during its continuance, par- ticipating in many decisive battles. He died at the advanced age of ninety-seven years. Ebenezer Hartwell, or Deacon Hartwell, as he was » familiarly known, was an energetic arid successful farmer, and a man of undoubted integrity. He was a prominent member of the Baptist Church, and was closely identified with the history of Norwich and Chenango County. His wife was one of those good women of the olden time ; she spun and wove, and reared her children to habits of indus- try and thrift. She died in Bennington in 1845. Jonathan, as was the custom in those days, acknowledged obligation to his father in his labor until he attained his majority; he acquired such an education as the district school of that day afl'orded. In 1822 he married Miss Eliza, daughter of Laban Crandall. She was a native of Dutchess County, and was born in the town of Amenia, Nov. -1, 1806. In his youth Mr. Hartwell evinced much enterprise and energy, and shortly after his marriage he purchased sixty acres of land near his father's farm, in- curring an indebtedne.ss of one thou.sand dollars for the same. He remained upon this farm ten years; making sub- stantial improvements and freeing himself from debt. In 1832 he sold his farm and engaged in trade in North Nor- wich. Merchandising proved an uncongenial occupation, and he resolved to seek his fortune in the then Territory of Michigan. In the spring of 1837, in company with his brother-in-law, Horace Green, he came to Michigan on a tour of observation ; he was favorably impressed with the soil and natural advantages, and decided to make this State his home. Ho returned East, and the following year (1838) again came to Michigan, and purchased eighty acres in section 24. He cleared, fenced, and plowed ten acres, built a log house, and went back to the State of New York, where he closed up his business, and November 10th of that year started for Michigan with his family, which consisted of his wife and five children. He brought with him a stock of boots and leather, which found a ready sale among the settlers. The following summer he broke forty acres. He entered into the improvement of his farm with his usual energy, and the third year after his arrival sowed one hundred acres of wheat. In 1841) he established a store near his present residence, and for a long time did an extensive business. He also kept a house of entertainment for many years, and the " Hartwell Tavern" was known far and wide. Mr. Hartwell's record as a citizen and neighbor is an enviable one. His word, whether given in a business trans- action or in ordinary conversation, is as good as his bond ; he has never sought political honors; his aim in life has been to accumulate a competency and to win an unspotted reputation, and well has he succeeded. Socially he is genial and courteous, winning the regard and esteem of all with whom he comes in contact. We should prove recreant to our duty did we not speak of the many virtues of his noble wife, who shared the hardships of early days, and to whose thrift, industry, and sage counsel he attributes much of his success; her portrait, .so full of character, in connection with his own and a view of the old home, may be seen elsewhere in this volume. CHAPTER XXXI. BURNS TO\A^NSHIP.* liounilancs and Natural Features — Settlement of the Township — Schools — Early Roads — Civil History of the Township — Byron Vil- lage — Church History — Societies and Orders. Burns, the southeast corner township of Shiawassee County, described as town 5 north, of range -1 west, is bounded on the north by Vernon, on the east by Genesee County, on the south by Livingston County, and on the west by Antrim. The surface, though in places level, and inclined to be wet and swampy, is generally undulating, and is well drained by the Shiawassee and its branches, as well as by several large artificial water-ways. The stream usually known as the East Branch unites with the Shiawas- see River at Byron village, forming an excellent water-power at that village. There are two small lakes in the township, both of which have small outlets that unite and flow into the river. The soil is very fertile, and the township is justly considered one of the best in Shiawassee County. Until September, 1850, parts of sections 5, 7, and 8, and all of section 6, were held as an Indian reservation,^ but at that time it was opened for settlement. SETTLEMENT OP THE TOWNSHIP. Although Whitmore Knaggs came to what is now the township of Burns and opened a trading-station here as early as the year 1820, and was succeeded by the traders Grant, Godfrey, and John Knaggs, the last mentioned of whom (a son of Whitmore Knaggs) commenced trade on the Indian reservation in or about 1832, the actual settle- ment of the township by immigrant farmere intending to become permanent residents did not begin until 1835. In the summer of that year (in July as near as can be ascer- tained) Dyer Rathburn, with a wife and seven children, reached the township, and located the southeast quarter of section 20. With the help of Rufus, his eldest son, then about twenty-one years of age, he immediately built a log » By G. A. McAlpine. f The reservation of Kechewondauj^oniug, granted to the Shiawas- see Obippewas in the Saginaw treaty of September, 1819. BURNS TOWNSHIP. 199 cabin dwelling, which, after the settlement of the township fairly commenced, was used also as a tavern. Mr. llathburn seems to have had some idea of the diffi- culties to be encountered, for he came well prepared to meet them. He brought two yokes of oxen and a span of horses, with wagons, fanning implements, and household goods. In the fall he sowed a small piece of wheat, and in the spring planted corn. For nearly a year the family lived in solitude, with no neighbors but Indian.s, many hundreds of whom at times passed along the trail east of the cabin on their way southeast to the Detroit River, and on their return thence to their homes and hunting-grounds in the northwest. The first knowledge the fiimily had of other settlers being in the township was brought about accidentally. Some members of the family being in the woods at a con- siderable distance from home heard the cackling of chickens on the north side of the Shiawassee River, and on search- ing for new-comers they found the family of Robert Craw- ford comfortably located in a cabin, near the north bank of the river, on section 15. Mr. Crawford came to Oakland Co., Mich., in 1826, from Canada, having gone there from New York in 1820. He came to Burns in March, 1836, and located as above stated. As soon as his cabin was completed, Joseph Leonard (his son-in-law) and wife came to the new home of her father. Her younger brother and sister came at the same time, and the rest of the family came in June. The first white child born in the township was Adelaide Crawford, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Crawford, the date of her birth being Nov. 2, 1830. Wallace Goodin, who with F. J. Prevost was striving to make a city of the village of Byron, deeded this child Cin commemoration of the event) two lots now owned by Nicholas Gulick. She. subsequently became the wife of Rev. Mr. Sprague, a Methodist minister, and now lives in Galesburg, Kalamazoo Co., Mich. Robert Crawford is still living, at the age of eighty-six years. His wife died in January, 1880, aged eighty-one. The next settler was John Burgess, who located the 80Uthwe.st quarter of section 23. He brought a wife and one daughter, named Lauretta. After building a log house he sold to Capt. John Laurie, and then located a part of the farm now owned by William Chaffee. Mrs. Burgess died soon after, and was buried on this farm. Her coffin was made of walnut boards taken from the floor of John B. Barnum's cabin, and was nailed together and polished with beeswax. Her remains have not been removed, though the plow has passed over them many times, and no trace of her grave is now visible. John B. Barnum, who, on June 22, 1836, settled on the northwest quarter of section 28, was probably the next settler in Burns. He built a log house on this farm, and after the expiration of a year and a half he traded it to William Baulch for part of the southeast quarter of sec- tion 26. The farm first entered by Mr. Barnum is now owned by S. S. Wiltsie, who purchased it in 1843. Mr. Barnum built on his new farm a house and barn, which are still standing. His family at the time ot settlement consisted of a wife and four children, and a halfbrotlur, familiarly known in the early days as Uncle Tommy. John B. Barnum died Feb. 5, 1865. His wife, Urena, died May 24, 1848. His second wife died in February, 1880. His son, Isaac S. Barnum, married Amelia, the daughter of Robert Crawford. They live on section 20, near the site of the old homestead. Peter Kanouse came to Burns with his family in the summer of 1836. He was a blacksmith, and brought a kit of tools with him. He settled on the south line of section 27, built a cabin, and was ready for busine.ss, for which he did not long have to wait, as the township filled up very rapidly from this time on. His was the first black- smith-shop in the township. The next was started at Byron by Joseph Lay ton. The same month Ezra D. Barnes, from Tioga Co., N. Y., settled on section 27. He brought a wife and two boys, one of whom was killed by falling from a fence. Mr. Barnes died in 1876. Thomas P. Green reached Burns township in August, 1836, after a trip of twenty-one days. He stopped in Livingston County, where he met D. F. Rockwell, who had located land on sections 32, 33. Of him Mr. Green bought one hundred acres, where he still lives, being one of the few survivors of those who came to the township in 1836. Mr. Green helped locate many of the first roads in the south part of the county. The Indians called him " Che-Shemokeman," meaning big white man. At the same time that he purchased his land, Bright L. Clement, then a young man, bought sixty acres in the same locality. In September, Amos Foster, with his wife, came to the township, and settled on the southwest quarter of section 22. Mr. Foster had been here and located forty acres of this quarter in the May previous. He also bought eighty acres for William Chaffee. During the summer of 1836 Mr. Foster acted as guide to the numerous land- seekers who at that time began to flock into the township. He then returned and brought his wife as stated. He built a log cabin on his farm, in which Andrew Iluggins is supposed to have taught the first school in the township in the winter of 1838-39, while Mr. Foster and wife were absent on a trip to the East. Mr. Foster afterwards sold the forty acres on .section 22, and bought eighty acres on section 20, now owned by George Rogers, who purchased it in 1846. He afterwards purchased the land on the school section now owned by Albert Rowley. Among the names of the early settlers of Burns that of Nicholas Braden should be included, who reached the township in 1836. He was born in Germany, but left home when a mere youth, and finally, after residing in England and in New York, settled in the woods of Michi- gan. He bought the northwest quarter of section 32, and built a log cabin, where he lived alone for eighteen months and shook with the ague the greater part of the time. One day, while lying sick on his bed, an Indian came and sat down on a log near the house. Mr. Braden, hearing the dogs bark, looked through the window, when the Indian opened the conversation with the single word — " Sick ?" Mr. Braden replied that he was. " No squaw ?" said the Indian. Mr. Braden replied he had none. This to the Indian seemed to be the very extremity of misfortune, and he went away, groaning in .sympathy i'or the sick man. 200 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Aaron Welltnan reached Burns probably in 1836, although there is a difference of opinion in regard to the exact date. He bought a large tract of land on sections 10 and 14, part of which he sold to Hamah Cole, it being the same now occupied by his son, Jason Cole. Aaron Wellman died in 1851. Raniah Cole, with his wife and three children, came to Burns in 1837. Gideon Drake and Oliver Wolcott were also pioneers of Burns who settled in 1837. Daniel Kitson was the next settler north of the river. He was a shoemaker by trade, and remained at the house of Aaron Wellman until his cabin was completed on the southeast quarter of section 1 1 . The southeast quarter of section 2 was entered by Roger Haviland in 1838, but he did not settle permanently in the township until 1840. After locating his land he returned to the south part of the State, and worked in various places until 1839, when he returned to Burns, and built a cabin on his land. Mr. and Mrs. Haviland are now the only couple living north of the river in Burns township who came in 1840. Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Barnum and Mr. and Mrs. Amos Foster are the oldest residents south of the river. J. J. Gaylord was the first settler on the Indian reserva- tion. He was followed soon after by J. PI Martenus. William Walworth reached the township about 1840. Robert Fox was also a pioneer. Among those of a more recent date, but still old settlers, are to be mentioned S. R. Swick and W. W. Smith. The first death in the township was probably that of the daughter of Robert Crawford, which occurred in the ■winter or early spring of 1837. She was the first per- son buried in the cemetery at Byron.* There could have been but few days, or weeks at most, between the death re- ferred to and that of the son of F. J. Prevost, which is spoken of in the history of Byron. It is difficult to decide who the contracting parties were in the first marriage. The most authentic accounts point to a double wedding which took place on the 17th day of December, 1840, at which time Elder Brigham united in marriage Jacob Kanouse to Miss Mabel Drake, and John P. Drake to Miss Agnes Kanouse. SCHOOLS. The first school in the township of Burns was held in the unoccupied log cabin built by Amos Foster, near the road on the top of the hill, on the southwest quarter of sec- tion 22. This school was taught in the winter of 1838-39 by Andrew Huggins, who is now a resident of Corunna. During the following summer several schools were taught in the township, although no school district was regularly organized until 1843. It is held by some that a lady, who afterwards married a Mr. McColin of Fentonville, taught the first school in Byron in the summer of 1838. School was taught at an early day also in the log house built by Robert Crawford near the river. When the road was established iu 1837, Mr. Crawford put up a more preten- * Up to this time a, large band of Indians had occupied this site, but when this took place they removed their entire village to the ground east of the river where the upper iron bridge now stands. tious dwelling, after which his cabin was used both as a church and school-room. The next school was taught by Miss Jane Duncan, in a log house which stood on the north- east quarter of section 20. This was in 1840. Several terms of school had already been taught just across the line in Livingston County, which gave the southwestern part of the township better school facilities. Schools were held in the cabins above referred to or in other private dwellings until the regular organization of the several districts, which occurred as has been stated. Though the town board of school inspectors met in the spring of 1840 and divided the entire township into school districts, with the exception of the Indian Reservation, the schools, nevertheless, seem to have gone on in the same old way. There is no record of the first school-meetings in the older districts. This is noticeably the case in district No. 5, the oldest district in the township. The records reach but a few years back, and these are imperfect and unsatisfactory. In 1842 the board met and apportioned the primary- school money as follows: District No. 3, Byron district, received $8.64 ; district No. 5, Chaffee district, received $6.72 ; district No. 4, Green district, received $2.88. It will be observed that these districts were numbered as at present, and, although they are now somewhat smaller, they have not been materially changed since first organized in 1840. The first call for a school-meeting north of the river was addressed to Robert Crawford under date of Nov. 14, 1842. This was to have been held at his house, but as Mr. Crawford did not live in district No. 1, for the benefit of which the school-meeting was to have been held, the place of meeting was changed. On the 6th of May, 1843, the school board, seeming not to have forgotten tlie disre- gard paid to former instructions, addressed Robert Craw- ford as follows : " Mr. Robert Crawford, you are hereby commanded to notify every qualified voter in the above district (No. 2), either personally or by leaving a written notice at his residence, that a school-meeting will be held at the house of Ramah Cole, on the 18th inst., at one o'clock P.M." It, no doubt, required considerable effort to notify every voter in the above district, and perhaps equally as much to leave a written notice at his residence. The next action of the board was " to examine A. Hug- gins and Sarah E. Stoddard, candidates for teaching," both of whom received certificates. The board then directed Mr. Henry Wiltsie to call a school-meeting in district No. 6 (now No. 10), at the house of Dyer Rathburu, on the 18th of May, 1843. In district No. 2 a log school-house was built soon after the meeting called by the letter addressed to Robert Craw- ford. It was used until 1856, when the one now standing on the northwest quarter of section 10 was built. In district No. 1 the first school-meeting was held at the house of Edward Peck, April 24, 1847. R. Haviland was appointed chairman, and the following district officers were elected: R. Haviland, Director; Edward Peck, Assessor; Daniel Kitson, Moderator. The next year the same per- sons were re-elected. At a school-meeting on the 25th of September, 1848, a motion was carried to raise seventy-five dollars to build a %^«4i//LA'i?>''" '-' fe "jf^"' ■if'^-M. ResiDENCE OF POGER HAV/LAND, Burns Shiawi\ssie,Co.Mich. BURNS TOWNSHIP. 201 log school-house, whidi was completed the next year. This one was used until 1870. The new one was then erected, and cost seven hundred and fifty dollars. Miss Marinda Bradley taught the first scliool in the log house. Miss Acintha Wellman was the first teacher in the frame build- ing. District No. 8 was organized about the year 1854, being formed from other districts. The first school-meeting was held in a cabin built some years previous for school pur- poses. S. S. Tower was chosen director, and John B. Bar- num assessor. The room was then repaired, and Athenia Morse engaged as teacher. Several terms of private school had already been taught in the district by Miss Eliza Tower. The next teacher was Miss Candace Burgess, during whose term the building took fire and was destroyed. An- other log house was built on the same site soon after. This was used until 1870, when it was removed and another erected in its stead, at a cost of eight hundred dollars. The following tables may be of interest as showing the apportionment of the primary-school fund for the years 1860 and 1879 : I860. Districte. Ntilnlior uf Scliuhli-s. Amount. No. 1 21 J10.5S " 2 51 25.73 " 3 i)7 48.95 " 5 05 32.79 '• 6 2(1 10.08 ' 7 11 2fl.6S 8 27 13.61 ' 10 20 10.08 1879. Districts. Niiinln'r of Scholare. Amount. No. 1 40 $26.72 '< 2 61 40.76 " 3 147 98.22 " 5 39 26.06 " 7 44 29.40 " 8 47 31.40 " 10 27 18.10 The following table shows the total amount of money expended in each school district in the township for the year 1879: Districts. Amount. No. I (fractional) $262.36 " 1 159.56 " 2 127.48 " 3 802.74 " 4 100.17 " 5 216.58 " 7 134.73 " 8 53.96 " 10 163.14 EAKLY ROADS. May 18, 1837, the minutes of the road from Genesee County entering Burns just south of the East Branch of the Shiawassee River were entered on the records of the town- ship. It was located a few days previous, as was also the river road, leading northwest from Byron, which was really a continuation of the survey which established the former road. In the same month the road leading north from Livingston County, passing the residence of Thomas P. Green, on section 32, to the northwest corner of the town- ship, was established. On the !Jth of August the east-aud- west road, passing the Moss Hotel and the Chaffee school- house, was established. Then the one paiising the school- house in district No. 8 and the residence of Isaac S. Bar- 26 num was located. These roads were laid out by Thomas P. Green, Wallace Goodin, and Rufus C. Rathburn, com- missioners of highways. In 1840 the State road from Byron to Owosso was established. CIVIL HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIP. Burns was set off from the territory of the old township of Shiawassee, and was erected a separate civil township with its present name and limits by act of the Legislature of Michigan, approved March 11, 1837, which also directed the first meeting of the electors of the newly-formed town- ship to be held at the house of Francis J. Prevo.st. Under this provision of the act the first meeting was held at the office of the Byron Company (which was in the house of Maj. Prevo.-it), on the 3d of April, 1837, on which occasion there were present the following-named electors : Ezra D. Barnes, Thomas P. Green, Amos Foster, Peter Kanouse, Rufus C. Rathburn, Francis J. Prevost, Robert Crawford, John Burgess, Wallace Goodin, Alonzo Woods. All the voters who attended this meeting received one or more offices. Francis J. Prevost was elected to four, Thomas P. Green and Ezra D. Barnes each to three, while several received two offices each. In 1838 it was resolved to pay W. Jackson fifty dollars for building a bridge across the Shiawassee River. This was the first bridge constructed by the township, and crossed the river on the Reservation, near the cabin of John Knaggs. It was very unstable, and lasted but a few years. April 3, 1843, the town.ship voted to raise one hundred dollars to bridge the river at Byron. This bridge was on the road leading west from the village, and stood near the place where the present one stands, below the Byron Hotel. It also was a very frail structure. The upper iron bridge was built at a cost of eleven hundred dollars. The wood bridge now spanning the river in the west part of the vil- lage is to be replaced immediately by an iron one, to cost sixteen hundred dollars. The following table shows the total amount of tax levied for various purposes for the years 18C0, 1870, and 1879, not including school tax : 1860. State ta.x $212.22 County tax 1168.18 Township ta,\ 690.00 Highway tax 72.28 Total ta,\ levied for all purposes 2826.87 1870. State tax .?1395.14 County tax 1461. {10 Rejected tax 36.46 Ditch tax 49.79 Township tax 500.00 By highway c<)niniisaioner 5)K).O0 Delinquent highway tax 02.19 Total lor all purposes 6535.39 1879. State tax $1298.71 County tax 1271.02 Contingent tax 300.00 Highway tax 200.00 Uridge tax 500.00 Total tax levied for all purposes 6095.92 The following is a list of township officers from its orjrauization to 1880 inclusive; 202 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 1837. Ezra D. Barnes. 1838. Francis J. Prevost. 1839. E. D. Barnes. 1840. Francis J. Provost. 1841. Ezra D. Barnes. 1842-44. John K. Tyler. 1845. S. R. Kelsey. 1846-48. Nicholas Giiliok. 1849. Bowman W. Dennis. 1850-51. S. R. Kelsey. 1852-53. Roger Haviland. 1854-58. Sullivan R. Kelsey 1859. Jabcz Close. SUPERVISORS. 1860. S. R. Kelsey. 1861-63. Jaboz Close. 1864-65. Amos Foster. 1866-67. Nelson S. Van Tuyl. 1808. Charles L. Allen. 1869-70. Roger Haviland. 1871. A. Judson Cole. 1872. Roger Haviland. 1873-75 Theodore M. Euler. 1876-77. Norman K. Potter. 1878. Theodore M. Euler. 1879. Ch.arles H. Lemon. 1880. Norman K. Potter. TOWN 1837. Francis J. Provost. 1838. Amos C. Foster. 1839. Pierpont L.Smith. 1840. R. C. Crawford. 1841-42. Henry Rowland. 1843-44. II. White. 1845. W. W. Kelsey. 1846. llolden White. 1847-48. Francis G. Lee. 1 849. George C. Holmes. 1850. H. L. Drake. 1851-52. George B. Runyan. 1853. William S.JosIin. 1854-65. David G. Royce. CLERKS. 1856. (J. B. Runyan. 1857-58. (ieorgo C. Holmes. 1859. David Dickson. 1800. Hiram Webster. 1801-65. Nicholas Guliok. 1860. E. B. Welch. 1807. Frank Karrer. 1808. William F. Close. 1869. Henry M. Billings. 1870. Norman P. Leland. 1871. E. A. Sheldon. 1872. Nicholas Gulick. 1873-80. Gilbert S. Lewis. 1839-40. Ramah Cole. 1841. Henry Wiltsie. 1842-44. W. H. Chaffee. 1845. H.White. 1846. Heury Rowland. 1847. Roger Haviland. 1848-49. Joseph H. Wendell, 1850-51. Roger Haviland. 1852. Edward Peck. 1853. Robert Fox. TREASURERS. 1854. William Drake. 1855-56. Edward Peck. 1857-00. J. P. Gale. 1861-66. Isaac S. Barnum. 1867-70. A. Judson Cole. 1871. Henry Croope. 1872-77. John Kitson. 1878-79. George H. Eddy. 1880. H. L. Cook. 1837-: 1839. 1840. 1841. 1842. 1843. 1844. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. 1849. 1850. 1851. 1852. 1853. 1854, 1855, 1856. 1857. 1858. 1859. JUSTICES 38. Ezra D. Barnes. Francis J. Prevost. Thomas P. Green. Robert Crawford. John K. Tyler. Thomas P. Green. Ramah Cole. Francis J. Prevost. John K. Tyler. Nicholas Qulick. S. R. Kelsey. Edward Peek. Oliver E. Wolcott. John P. Dralcc. Nicholas Gulick. Sullivan R. Kelsey. Robert Crawford. John P. Drake. Harvey T. Lee. Nicholas Gulick. Oliver Wolcott. Jabez Close. Horace B. Southard. John Davis. Nicholas Qulick. Jabez Close. J. M. Gorham. Thomson H. Reovas. OF THE PEACE. 1859. Manning Hathaway. 1860. Nicholas Gulick. Edmund Kanouso. 1861. William Chaffee. 1802. Hiram Webster. Oliver E. Wolcott. 1863. Thompson H. Reeves 1804. Nicholas (iulick. 1865. John P. Davis. 1866. Heury S. Ridman. 1867. James Sleeth. 1868. Nelson S. Van Tuyl. 1869. John P. Davis. 1870. Nicholas Gulick. 1871. James Sleeth. George A. Parker. 1872. George A. Parker. S. R. Middleworth. 1873. Henry S. Redmond. 1874- -75. Nicholas Gulick. 1875. 0. E. Wolcott. 1876. Warren Clough. 1877. Frank Karrer. Charles Drum. 1878. Oliver E. AVolcott. 1879. Luther Pratt. 1S80. Ale.vander Orr. COMMISSIONERS OF HIGHWAYS. 1837. 1838. 1839. 1840. 1841. 1842. IS43. 1844. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. 1837. 1838. 1839. 1840. 1841. 1842. 1843. 1844. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. 1849. 1850. 1851. Thomas P. Green. Wallace Goodwin. Rufus C. Rathburn. Ramah Cole. Aaron AVellman. John Barnum. Robert Crawford. John K. Tyler. Peter Kanousc. Seymour Goodalc. John K. Tyler. John K. Tyler. Ezra D. Barnes. Roger Haviland. Edward Peck. Ezra P. Barnes. David Sherwood. John Burgess, C. D. Fox. Edward Peek. Robert Crawford. John G. Drake. William C. Richards. John P. Drake. Roger Haviland. Edward Peck. William H. Chaffee. Edward Foster. Benjamin Welch. Allen Davis. William H. Chaffee. Benjamin Welch. Roger Haviland. SCHOOL Ezra D. Barnes. Francis J. Prevost. Wallace Goodwin. Gideon Drake. 0. E. Wolcott. Robert Crawford. Francis J. Prevost. G. A. Brown. Allen Davis. G. A. Brown. Ezra D. Barnes. Francis J. Prevost. Abner Soars. John G. Tyler. Abner C. Botsford. William H. Chaffee. Thomas P. Green, Francis J. Prevost. Abner Sears. William H. Chaffee. Nicholas Gulick. Abner Sears. Nicholas Gulick. Abner Sears. Nathaniel Turner. William H. Chaffee. William II. Eddy. Oliver E. Wolcott. 1848. 1849- 1851. 1852. 1853. 1854. 1855. 1850. 1857. 1858. 1859. 1860. 1801. 1862. 1863. 1804. 1866. 1866. 1807. 1868. 1869. 1870. 1871. 1872. 1873. 1874 1875, 1876- 1878. 1880 William H. Chaffee. 50. Edward Peck. Truman W. Rowley. Benjamin Welch. Thomas Culbert. Manning Hathaway. Benjamin Welch. Edward Foster. Jacob V. Brown. John P. Drake. Roger Haviland. J. J. Gaylord. Edward Ernich. Jonathan P. Gale. John G. Gaylord. Benjamin Hulitt. Isaac S. Barnum. John E. Marteni.-i. Truman W. Rowly. Henry S. Redman. D. Euler. Ira Merlin. Henry Croope. S. K. Swick. Richard Wellman. George S. Devore. N. K. Potter. George G. Foster. . George S. Devore. . N. K. Potter. 77. George Eddy. -79. Orlando Lee. . Perry Hadsall. INSPECTORS. 1852. Andrew Huggins. 1853. Edward A. Sheldon. 1854. Jabez Close. 1855. Oscar P. Green. 1850. 0. E. Wolcott. 1857. James Sleeth. 1858. Judson Cole. 1859. William R. Sellon. 1800. William H. Chaffee. 1801. Andrew Huggins. 1802. William H. Chaffee. 1803. Amos Foster. 1804. William H. Chaffee. 1806. Charles E. Jacobs. 1860. William F. Close. 1867. J. L. Cook. 1868. William Merlin. 1869. Edwin A. Sheldon. 1870. William H. Chaffee. 1871. Charles Lancton. 1872. E. S. Burnett. 1873. Seward Chaffee. 1874. E. S. Burnett. 1875-76. Seward Chaffee. 1877. A. D. Thompson. 1878. Elmer F. Joslin. 1879. George Foster. 1880. L. W. Barnes. SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS. 1875-76. E. M. Plunket. 1878. Edward M. Plunket. 1877. William C. Randall. 1879-80. William C. Randall. 1837. Thomas P. Grccu. Robert Crawford. Amos Foster. ASSESSORS. 1838. Robert Crawford. John Burgess. Thomas P. Green. BURNS TOWNSHIP. 203 1839. Thomag P. Grceo. Robert Crawford. John Burgess. 1840. Robert Crawford. Martin Loveland. Abner C. liolsford. 1811. Rufus Rathburn. Thomas P. Green. Edward Peck. 1842. Roger Ilaviland. Ezra I). Barnca. 1845. John Burgess. Sauford Siuith. 1848. Roger Ilaviland. William II. Chaffee. 1849. David Sherwood. Edward Kanou^e. CONSTABLES. IS.'iT. John Burgess. 1855. Edmund Foster. Alonzo Wood. 1838. T. Nichols. John Burgess. 1856. Nelson Coston. 1839. T. Nichols. John 0. Tyler. John Burgess. 1857. 1840. John Burgess. Nelson Coston. Tilly Nichols. 1858. 1841. Tilly Nichols. John G. Tyler. John Burgess. 1842. William R. Knapp. 1859. John G. Tyler. John W. Williams. 1843. Timothy Tyler. Robert Fox. 1860. Jarvis White. Nelson Coston. 1844. Timothy Tyler. Robert Fox. 1861. 0. L. Reading. 1845. D. L. Reading. Robert Fox. Wm. L. M. Butler. 1862. Benjamin Welch. 1846. F. G. Lee. N. P. Merrill. 1. C. Gillctt. 1863. I. A.Guthrie. 1847. Chauncey Barber. James Botsford. A. P. Barnum. 1864. T. Tyler. 1848. Jarvis White. Nathan P. Merrill. Robert Fox. 1865. Abijab P. Barnum. 1849. James L. Middlesworth. James M. Blake. Robert Fox. 1866. N. P. Merrill. 1850. Robert Fox. Truman W. Rowley. Henry H. Bradley. 1867. Edward Foster. 1851. Robert Fox. Jonathan P. Gale. Isaac Crawford. 1868. 1852. Robert Fox. U. B. Trcadwell. Samuel Ilunt. Isaac Crawford. 1869 1853. Robert Fox. G. B. Whitney. Leslie Alden. Henry A. Bradley. 1870 1854. Lester Alden. Myron A. Carpenter. W. Q. Merrill. Thomas Trumbull. 1871 Charles AVest. A. F. Westcott. Oliver Wolcott. Olin S. Spring. Nathaniel Murdick. B. H. C. Howe. Robert Fox. Leslie Alden. Frank Karrer. D. C. Burdick. Alonzo Denton. Frank Karrer. George Van Tuyl. Oliver C. Woleott. Robert Fox. Frank Karrer. 0. C. Wolcott. Martin L. Davis. James T. Ketchledge. James T. Ketchledge. Robert Fox. S. Swick. M. L. Davis. A. J. Rowley. J. Park hurst. M. Cooly. A. H. Clark. A. J. Williams. Leslie Alden. Myron Corn. A. J. Rowley, George Foster. George Rogers. Lester Alden. Myron A. Carjjenter. John L. Wilkins. Robert Fox. Myron A. Carpenter. Frank Karrer. William A. Vansickles. Reuben H. Wilteie. B. J. Green. Truman Van Tuyl. B. F. Green. F. M. Van Tuyl. Reuben II. Wiltsie. John Kitson. Reuben Wiltsie. Frank Van Tuyl. Adam S. Bettcrly. John Badger. E. N. Fisher. Melviu Haughtin. Francis Van Tuyl. Albert Martin. . Nathaniel T. Murdick. Edward Burtingamo. William J. Tower. William R. Vansickles. . Daniel Lewis. Benjamin F. Green. Rufus Rood. George C. Wolcott. . Oliver Campbell. 1871. Albert M. Drumm. Charles Swan. Martin Comstock. 1872. A. S. Betterly. Rufus Rood. W. P. Parsons. 0. Campbell. 1873. John A. Olmstead. H. N. Lewis. Lester Newman. A. S. Betterly. 1874. S. Steele. A. S. Betterly. Charles H. Smith. Lester Newman. 1875. William Boice. William Nelson. A. S. Betterly. Lorenzo Barnes. 1876. WiUiam Boice. 1876. Albert Rowley. Frank Karrer. Mathew Walworth. 1877. Charles W. Parker. A. S. Betterly. A. W. Campbell. Alexander Orr. 1878. Milton Coykendall. David M. Tilman. Walter Wadley. Anson Redson. 1879. Milton Coykendall. John D. Williams, Jr. Walter Wadley. Talcott Tyler. 1880. David M. Tillman. Walter S. Pratt. A. S. Betterly. Alfred Blgelow. BYRON VILLAGE. The corporation of the village of Byron comprises the adjacent quarters of sections 13, 14, 23, and 24. This territory was located by Judge Samuel W. Dexter, July 13, 1824. The patent conveying the same to him is dated October 20th of the same year. Judge Dexter came from Massachusett-s and settled in Washtenaw Co., Mich., at a very early day, the township of Dexter in that county being named in liis honor. On the 21st of June, 1836, Judge Dexter sold the lands above referred to to his brotiierin-law, Maj. F. J. Prevost, C. Smith, P. L. Smith, and S. S. Derby, who formed an association usually known as the Byron Company. On the 28th of August of the same year Wallace Goodin be- came one of the firm by purchasing a one-fifth interest in the undivided lands of the company. The village of Byron was immediately platted and recorded April 28, 1837. The moving spirit of the enterprise was Maj. F. J. Pre- vost. He came from New York to Washtenaw Co., Mich., where he married the daughter of Judge Boyden, a pio- neer of that county, after whom the locality known as Boyden's Plains was named. Maj. Prevost lived in Wash- tenaw County a few years and then came to Byron, bring- ing his wife and three children, in the summer of 1836. He employed men to build a log house on the company's land, now owned by George Buel. HLs family lived here until the fall of 1837, when they moved into the house now occupied by William Russ. This house was erected on the site where Jabez Close's residence stands, from which place it was removed. Major Prevost and his wife lived in Byron until April, 1850, when, accompanied by Augustus, their eldest son, they went to California, where Maj. Prevost died. His eldest daughter married Capt. David Royce, who was killed in the battle of Falling Waters, Va. She afterwards mar- ried Mr. Fairbanks, and now lives in Nebraska. In the cemetery near the bank of the river stands a small monu- ment raised in memory of Theodore H., the son of F. J. and M. A. Prevost, who died March 17, 1837. It records the first death in the village of Byron. The name of a sister, who died many years after, is also engraven upon it. C. Smith, another member of the Byron Company, came to the new village, but after remaining a short lime re- 204 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. turned to Wuler, W. M. ; Orlando Lee, S. W. ; Robert Fox, J. W. ; George Cosgro, Secretary. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. TRUMAN W. ROWLY. Truman W. Rowly was born in Connecticut, Aug. 12, 1820. He was the youngest in a family of six children. His father, Isaac, and his mother, Content (Risley) Rowly, TRUMAN W. ROWLY. were also natives of Connecticut. His father being a sea- captain, Truman remained at home until tweuty-.six years old, devoting the most of his time and attention to the wel- fare of the family, and working in a saw-mill and at farm- ing, adding materially to their comfort. With his parents he came to Monroe Co., N. Y., and then to Washtenaw Co., Mich. Ou the Kith of February, 1847, he married JMI.ss Jane 208 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Voorhis, daughter of James N. and Martha (Swartout) Voorhis, who came to Michigan iu 1830. They were for- merly residents of Seneca Co., N. Y., where their daughter Jane was born, Nov. 25, 1821. She was the third in a family of eight children. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Truman Rowly have been born seven children, viz. : A. J., born Nov. 23, 1847 ; Mary, born March 5, 1850 ; James E., born Dec. 6, 1852 ; Alva A., born May 6, 1855 ; Martha, born Nov. 3, 1857, died the same day; William, born born July 10, 1860 ; Frederick J., born Nov. 10, 1862. All live in Shi- awassee County with the exception of two. Truman Rowly came to Burns in 1847, and purchased the farm where the family now lives. Here he resided until his death, which occurred June 3, 1870. Mrs. Rowly, who has caused this brief sketch and a portrait of her husband to be inserted in this work as a tribute of re- spect to his memory, is still living with her son Albert in the old home. ROGER HAVILAND. Roger Haviland was born in Londonderry, Ireland, Dec. 12, 1812. Bernard Haviland, his brother, was born in the same place, Feb. 2, 1808. Both, when of sufficient age, wore apprenticed to a shoemaker, and served seven years at that trade. In 1832, Bernard landed iu Philadelphia, Pa., and went to work at his trade. The year following Roger left the old home of his parents (for they, too, were born and brought up in the same town) and came to America, reach- ing Philadelphia Oct. 25, 1833, and the two brothers con- tinued diligently to attend to business until the next year, when they moved to Canada, where they remained two years. In April, 1836, Bernard came to Michigan and bought land in Washtenaw County, and in July Roger fol- lowed him to the new settlement. In the fall, having sold tlieir laud in Washtenaw County, they came to Burns, and located part of section 2. They then went back to Wash- tenaw County, Roger working at his trade until 1839, when he returned to Burns and built a log cabin on the site now occupied by his residence. He then broke and sowed five acres of wheat. On Feb. 10, 1837, he married Mi.ss Catherine Ferry, who was third in a fiimily of four chil- dren, and born in Wilton, Fairfield Co., Conn., April 21, 1821. Her parents, both of whom were natives of Ireland, moved to Michigan in 1832, and settled in Scio, Washtenaw Co. Roger Haviland, with his wife, moved to Burns, Feb. 9, 1840, and occupied the cabin already spoken of. Ber- nard came to the townsship soon after. The brothers worked together and accumulated a large property. Upon the death of Bernard, which occurred May 27, 1864, from consump- tion, Roger inherited his property. Bernard, though not a member of any religious denomination, died in perfect faith of a better life. His plain and unostentatious ways, his kindly disposition, coupled with sterling honesty, won the esteem and respect of all who knew him. No children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Haviland, but five orphan children have borne their name by adoption and grown to maturity loving and honoring them. Mr. Roger Haviland has filled all the more important offices in the township, as is indicated by the records given in the history of this county. He has large business interests in Corunna, being president of the First National Bank of that place, and is also president of the Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany of Shiawassee County. We might add to this brief sketch many encomiums on the life and character of Mr. Haviland which would be heartily endorsed by his many acquaintances and friends, but we feel assured that his un- assuming nature and sterling common sense will be better pleased with this plain statement of facts. ROBERT FOX. The parents of Robert Fox, the subject of this sketch, were both natives of New York. His father, Chauncy D. Fox, was born June 14, 1793, and his mother, Rebecca (Lenox) Fox, Aug. 17, 1795. Robert, who was the second in a family of fourteen children, was born in Ontario Co., N. Y., Oct. 16, 1816. On the 4th of June, 1842, after a long and tedious journey, the fiimily reached Burns township, and the father bought a part of section 14. Aug. 1, 1858, Robert married Mary C. Webster, who died March 9, 1860. On the 25th of October, 1863, he married Miss Celia Rathbun, whose family were among the early settlers of Burns, and are spoken of in the history of that township. She was born in Shiawassee township, Shiawassee Co., Oct. 18, 1846. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Fox are three in number, viz. : Ida Belle, born Jan. 1, 1865; Monroe, born July 12, 1867; Robert R., born April 13, 1870. Mr. Fox bought the land where he now lives in 1873, and having sold the place where he had re- sided, on section 26, moved to it in 1878. Though his ad- vantages for schooling were very limited, Mr. Fox, by the judicious selection of reading-matter, became much better informed than could have been expected, considering the many discouraging circumstances which surrounded him. In politics he is a Democrat, and has often been elected to the various township offices by his party. In religion he is liberal in his views, maintaining that each man has a right to his own candid conviction. Mr. Fox's mother died March 5, 1849; his father, July 29, 1871. ISAAC S. BARNUM. Isaac S. Barnum, the youngest in a fiimily of five chil- dren, — three sons and two daughters, — was born in Delaware Co., N. Y., Aug. 17, 1827. His fiither, John B. Barnum, was born in Dutchess Co., N. Y., March 28, 1798. His mother, Urana (Sutherland) Barnum, was also born in Dutchess Co., N. Y. They were married about the year 1818, and lived in New York until 1836, when they came to Michigan, and settled in Burns township, Shiawassee Co. When twenty-one years of age Isaac, who up to this time had remained at home, began taking contracts to " break land" for new settlers in that vicinity. He followed this occupation for three years. His father in the mean ResiDBNCE OF fiOBEPT FOX, Burns. Shiawass££ Co Mich. BURNS TOWNSHIP. 209 time having helped him to forty acres of land, he purchased an additional forty acres adjoininn;. But he was not yet satisfied. In 1852 he hazarded his little store of hard- earned means, and started for California. The trip from New York City to San Francisco, via Cape Horn, extended over a period of one hundred and fifty-two days. The ves- sel stopped twelve days at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and twelve days at Valparaiso, Chili, giving the passengers (of whom, when leaving New York, there were three hundred and twelve) a fine opportunity to see those cities and the surrounding country. Thirteen passengers died of yellow fever on the voyage, and were buried at sea. Upon reach- ing California Mr. Barnuni turned his attention to mining, which he followed the first year of his stay. The second year he secured a good salaried position, which he retained until his return home, when he found tliat he had realized by his venture two thousand dollars clear of all expen.ses. On his return trip he came via the Nicaragua route, the journey occupying twenty-six days. On the 28th of June, 1855, Mr. Barnum married Amelia, daughter of Robert and Sarah Crawford, pioneers in the township of Burns. Robert Crawford was born in Ontario Co., N. Y., March 17, 1794. Sarah, his wife, was born Aug. 14, 1798, and died Jan. 18, 1880. Mr. Crawford is still living. Mrs. John B. Barnum died May 24, 1848, and her husband Feb. 5, 1865. Abigor P. Barnum, eldest son of John B. and Urana Barnum, died and was buried at sea. To Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Barnum have been born the fol- lowing children: Ella, born April 19, 1858; Nellie May, Jan. 6, 1867 ; Osmond S., born April 17, 1875, died Feb. 26, 1877. Mr. Barnum's farm now consists of two hundred and thirty-two and a half acres of land in one of the most fer- tile and highly cultivated portions of the township. In politics he is a Democrat, and in his religious belief is liberal. Mrs. Barnum is a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Barnum remarks, with satisfaction, that although fifly-two years of age, and having been actively engaged in business with nearly all classes of men since he first com- menced breaking land, he has never been compelled to go to law, either in his own defense or in the prosecution of others, and has never invested but one dollar in legal advice. NICHOLAS BRADEN. Nicholas Braden was born in the kingdom of Hanover, Germany, in February, 1808, being the ninth in a family of ten children. He remained at homo, working for his father, until .seventeen years of age, when he borrowed a small sum of money and went to England, where he found employment in a sugar-refining establishment. He re- mained there two years, paying close attention to business and exercising the strictest economy, by which means he saved sufiicient money to pay his fare to New York City, where he arrived in 1827, with only half a crown remain- ing of his two year.s' earnings. He soon secured a position in a sugar-house, which he retained for two years, at the expiration of which time he went into the grocery busi- 27 ness. He followed this occupation until 1836, when he sold out, came to Michigan, and bought a farm, being a portion of the one now occupied by him. After going to New York and settling his business affairs, he came back to Michigan, built a log cabin, and began the work of clearing the forest around him. He lived alone in this cabin about eighteen months, when he married Miss Ka- trina Lahring, who was also born in Germany. By this union four children were born, but one of whom is now living, — Eliza, born Dec. 29, 1841. Mrs. Braden died May 11, 1844, and Mr. Braden mar- ried, as his second wife, Mrs. Deborah (Clayton) Minor, the widow of Raymond Minor, who died in Oakland County, April 9, 1844. Their only living child is a resi- dent of Traverse County. Mrs. Deborah Braden was born in New Jersey, Jan. 12, 1819. Mr. and Mrs. Braden have been active members of the Methodist Church for more than thirty years. To them have been born the following children : Emma A., born June 4, 1846; Luther J., born Aug. 24, 1848; Franklin A., born Feb. 2,1851; Ruth K., born Jan. 22,1854; and Henrietta, born Oct. 5, 1856. Mr. Braden reached New York City at the age of nine- teen, without money or friends, unacf|uainted alike with the language and the customs of the people. He now owns a farm of two hundred and sixty-two acres. He has been succe.ssful in business, and as a neighbor and a citizen deserves honorable mention among the self- made men and pioneers of his county. AMOS FOSTER. Amos Foster was born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., Oct. 26, 1811. His mother, Elizabeth (Lowrie) Foster, was a native of Columbia Co., N. Y., and his father of Wa.shington County, same State. After the death of his father, Amos being next to the eldest child was at an early age called upon to assist in providing for and sharing in the care of a large family. He remained at home, therefore, until in his twenty-fourth year. On the 12th of March, 1836, he married Miss Ordelia, daughter of Hiram and Otse Rath- bun, the former a native of Massachusetts and the latter of New York. Mi.ss Ordelia was born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., June 9, 1820. In the mean time the mother of Amos had married William Palmer, of Oneida Co., N. Y. In the spring of 1836, Mr. Foster, with his young wife (she being then scarcely sixteen years of age), came to Michigan. Leaving her in the southern part of the State, Amos proceeded at once to the frontier, and after much diiEculty succeeded in finding, in the .southern part of Burns township, a distant relative of his wife named Dias Rath- bun. Here he purchased forty acres in the southwest quarter of section 22. After acting as guide for several new-comers in tiie township lie returned to his wife, and in the September following they came to Burns. He built a log cabin on his property, in which he taught school the two winters following, this being the first school in the township. During the summers he worked on the land he had purcha.sed. At the expiration of two years, 210 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. on account of sickness, ho sold liis property and moved with his family to Ohio, where he remained, spending much of his time in the school-room, until 1S62, when he returned to Michigan and purchased the farm where he now resides. Mr. and Mrs. Foster are the only couple now living in Burns who wore married and residing here as early as 1836. They have been the parents of the follow- ing children: Lauretta, born May 23, 1837; George L., born Sept. 20, 1838; Thomas, born Oct. 6, 1850; Mark v., born July 17, 1854; Carrie, born June 27, 185(5. Thomas and Carrie died in infancy, and Mark V., June 3, 1879. The hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Green is well known among a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. They live in a pleasant home in the midst of comfortable sur- roundings, the reward of patient toil and economy in earlier years. THOMAS P. GREEN. Tiiomas P. Green was born in the State of Connecticut in August, 1805. The family moved to Burlington town- ship, Otsego Co., N. Y., about the year 1807. Thomas remaiued at home until sixteen years of age. From that time until in his twenty-first year he worked by the month during the summer, and taught school several terms. He then went to work in a general store. On the 25th of March, 1829, he married Ann Sprague, who was born in Richfield, Otsego Co., May 7, 1807. He and his wife remained in Burlington and Richfield until 1832, when they moved to Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., where they resided most of the time until 1836, when they moved to Michi- gan, first stopping in Livingston County. The same sum- mer, however, Mr. Green came to Burns and purchased a tract of land. After building a small cabin he broke six acres of ground, which he put under cultivation the next spring. After several years Mr. Green erected a larger and more commodious house, which was destroyed by fire; after which the present residence was built. For many years Mr. and Mrs. Green lived happily to- gether, enjoying the fruits of the labors and sacrifices of earlier years. Her death occurred Oct. 1, 1875. To Mr. and Mrs. Green but one child was born, Oscar P., Feb. 19, 1830. He died Sept. 12, 1855, having pre- viously married a daughter of Garret Morse, who was an early settler of Burns township. On March 15, 1876, Mr. Green married Elizabeth Mon- roe, the widow of Angus Monroe, who came to Michigan in 1854. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Monroe — three in number — reside in Michigan. Mrs. Elizabeth Green was born May 5, 1828. At the time Mr. Green settled in Burns township it was necessary for him to go three miles beyond Brighton — a distance of thirty miles from his residence — to mill ; and the nearest post-office was at Howell, fifteen miles away. At the first town-meeting he was elected justice of the peace, as.sessor, and a commissioner of highways ; in the exercise of the duties of which latter officii he assisted in locating some of the earliest roads in the township. In politics Mr. Green is a Republican. Although a member of no denomination he is liberal in his religious views. His first wife belonged to the Methodist Church, but his present wife is a member of the Presbyterian denomination. W. W. SMITH. On the 18th of June, 1815, in Leicester, England, was born W. W. Smith, the subject of this sketch and son of John and Mary (Pool) Smith, and the eighth in a family of fifteen children. His father was a blacksmith by trade, following that oc- cupation until 1823, when with his family ho sailed for America, locating at Geneva, N. Y. Here he resided till his death, which occurred in December, 1876, having reached the advanced age of one hundred and four years, ten months, and fifteen days. The mother of our subject died at the age of seventy-five. Mr. Smith remained at home till twenty-six years of age, and on the lOih of January, 1843, married Rebecca Wbodin, who was born in Seneca Co., N. Y., May 3, 1821. She was the third in a fiimily of eight children. Her father, Robert Woodin, was a native of England, and her mother, Mary (Moline) Woodin, was born in Ire- land. Mr. and Mrs. Smith moved to Warren Co., Pa., where they remained and engaged in farming for three years, at the expiration of which time, in 1848, they came to Washtenaw Co., Mich., and bought eighty acres of land, for which they paid six hundred dollars. BIr. Smith im- mediately began to clear his new farm. Four years of energy and industry had placed it in such a condition that he was offered sixteen hundred dollars for it, which he ac- cepted, and then came to Burns and bought one hundred and twenty acres of choice land. Of this but fifty acres were cleared. Mr. Smith has since added to his farm until he now owns two hundred and thirty acres, one hundred and thirty acres of which are under good cultivation. Of the family of fifteen children but two remain besides Mr. Smith, a brother and a sister, the latter being seventy-seven years old. Mr. Smith was a staunch Democrat until the formation of the National party, since which time he has adopted many principles advocated in their platform. He is opposed to monopolies of every description, and especially disap- proves legislation in their behalf. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have lived to acquire a fine property, and to see several of their children married and comfortably located near them. They have been the parents of the following children, viz.: Mary Jane, born Nov. 11, 1843; George M., born April 15, 1845; Charles H., born Nov. 2, 1849, died Jan. 22, 1878 ; Robert J., born Oct. 30, 1855 ; William B., born Oct. 17, 1857, died Sept. 5, 1858; Willis Wintield, born Dec. 27, 1859; John F., born March 23, 1862. M'^f M/ M/ SMITH . ResiDENCB Of W^W. SMITH. BufiNS Tp. Shiawassee Co- Mich. CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 211 CHAPTEE XXXII. CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP.* Location and Natural Features — Original Laud-Entries — Early Set- tlers and Settlements — Township Organization and Civil List — Early Roads — Schools — Coal -Mining. The township of Caledonia may be justly regarded as one of the two most important townships of Shiawassee County, because, while its territory is composed of lands second to none in fertility and productiveness, it numbers among its natural resources a valuable vein of excellent coal, and it includes within its original boundaries the city of Coruuna, the county-seat of Shiawassee. On section 20 are located the coal-beds, which continually develop new resources as their wealth of material is explored. Section 32 is the site of the county farm, which, by careful culti- vation, has been rendered one of the most productive pieces of land to be found within the township limits. Caledonia is designated as township number 7 north, of range 3 east, and is bounded on the north by New Haven, south by Shiawassee, east by Venice, and west by Owosso. The township contains no lakes of any consider- able size. A portion of the territory is watered by the Shiawassee River and several small tributaries, which pour their watere into the larger stream. This river, which affords an excellent water-power, enters the township near the southeast corner, on section 36, and flowing in a gen- eral northwesterly course through the township and the city of Corunua, passes out through section 19 of Caledo- nia and enters the limits of the city of Owos.so. The surface of the township is generally undulating, though in some parts nearly level, presenting few obstacles to the operations of the husbandman. The soil is gen- erally of good quality, and produces abundant crops. In the northern part of the township the soil is considerably intermixed with clay, but it becomes more sandy as the southern boundary is approached. A rich muck is found along the river, and this is very productive. The timber found growing in the township is principally beech, elm, maple, basswood, and hickory, very little pine being found here. The Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway passes through the southern portion of Caledonia, and has a depot at Corunna. A branch of this road extends to the coal-beds on section 23. OJUGINAL LAND-ENTRIES. The lands embraced in the township of Caledonia were entered from the government or purchased of the State of Michigan by the following persons : SECTION 1. Acres. S. M. Root (State), 1849 HILOS P. J. Kinney, 1849 187.12 T. L. Woodworth, 1849 SU Z. V. Spencer, 185U 40 S. M. Root, 1849 40 Henry Wilcox, 1849 40 SECTION 2. Thomas R. Young (State), 1839 120 (i. W. Peck, " 1849 207.91 » By E. 0. Wagner. Acres. Eli Bush (State), 1849 160 A. P. Frary, " 1848 40 David Wesoott, " 1849 160 SECTION 3. D. P. Sturdevant, 1836 107.62 D. P. Congdon, 1836 80 W. R. Seymour, 1836 80 Wm. Lyman, 1838 240 Theodore Champion, 1838 186.97 SECTION 4. D. P. Sturdevant. 1836 106.71 D. P. Congdon, 1836 80 W. R. Seymour, 1836 160 Lulie Hoagland, 1836 160 L. H. Parsons (State) 188.30 SECTION 5. Cyrus Backus, 1837 SO S. M. Root (State), 1849 271 C.W.Butler, " 1849 113.19 Henry Dwight (State), 1846 160 William Caywood, " 1856 80 SECTION 6. J. and S. D. Beers, 1836 160 .r. Kearsley, 1836 140.46 Roh.Tt Stewart, 1836 101.66 .J. B. Smith, 1836 113.28 Harvey Backus, 1837 80 David Gould, 1854 160 SECTION 7. J. and S. D. Beers, 1836 160 J. L. Stevens, 1836 141.28 George Dickenson, 1836. 160 B. W. Farnum, 1836 160 SECTION 8. G. E. Peck, 1836 ; 80 J. D. Overton, 1836 240 B. W. Farnum, 1836 320 SECTION 9. Hor.ace Perry, 1836 80 A. Newcomb, 1836 80 Alexander Hilton, 1836 80 Allen Cadwell, 1836 160 Joel Smith, 1836 160 S.H.Phelps, 1838 4 R. Freeman, 1839 40 SECTION 10. Aaron Seymour, 1836 80 T. Peck, 1836 80 Edwin Peck, 1836 80 Silas Warner, 1837 160 R. P. Coddington, 1837 80 L. H. Parsons (State), 1849 80 SECTION 11. T. R. Young 320 L. U. Parsons (State), 1850 240 J. A. Clark, 1848 40 S. M. Root, 1849 40 SECTION 12. James Van Aukin, 1839 80 T. R. Young, 1839 80 C. S. Kimberley (State), 1854 160 A. E. Babcock, 1854 80 Ethan Doano (State), 1862 40 Jesse Bradford, " 1860 40 J'ohn Newton, " 1858 40 S. T.Parsons, " 1868 40 SECTION 13. F. G. Macy, 1836 320 D. D. Linge, 1854 40 D. Fraser, 1854 40 John Newton (State), 1858 40 Daniel Fraser, 1858 80 A. P. Brewer, 1868 120 SECTION 14. F. G. Macy, l.HSfi 480 A. B. Witherbce, 1854 120 J.A.Thompson (State), 1865 40 212 HISTORY OP SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SECTION 15. Acres. S. A. Pottus, 1836 160 Thomas Crouch, 1836 320 P. «. Maoy, 1836 160 SECTION 16. Dorus Morton (State), 18,'i4 80 B.Stewart, " 1854 40 Joseph Lauoron, *' 1S53 40 S.W.Cooper, " 1854 40 A. Stewart, " 1851 40 Fannv Hamilton, " 1853 40 Edward (Jreon, " 1847 80 Louisa Cooper, " 1848 40 A. M. (ircen, " 1853 80 S. W. Cooper, •' 1853 40 J. M. Thayer, " 1859 80 H. S. Stew"art, " 1845 40 SECTION 17. S. and D. Ball, 1836 160 J. and S. D. Beers 480 SECTION 18. A. L. and B. 0. M'illiams, 1835 72.56 Kiuiberlevs, 1835 80 Henry Dwight, 1836 80 J. Kearslev, 1836 152.68 Schuyler Hodges, 1836 80 F. G.' Macy, 1836 160 SECTION I'.). .Ids. Parmlev, 1835 207.40 A. Kellogg, 1835 81.83 P. A. Coudrey, 18.35 71.40 S. Hodges, 1836 80 J. Pitcairn, 1836 80 Clark and Ware, 1836 80 SECTION 20. A. Randolph, 1836 244.07 Trumhull Cary, 1836 64.52 Comstock and' Beach, 1835 146.99 S. and 1). Ball, 1835 160 SECTION 21. Trumbull Cary, 1835 97.26 Comstock and Beach, 1835 120.87 W. C. Baldwin, 1835 78 S. P. Germain, 1836 160 N. Prouty, 1836 80 T. J. Owen, 1S3G 80 SECTION 22. Blossom and Efnor, 1835 207.96 A. D. Eraser & Co., 1836 116.25 li. B. Migner, 1836 49.40 Van Dyke and MoClure, 1836 95.09 Benjamin I.obroton, 1836 80 A. Abbott, 1836 80 SECTION 23. J. Kearsley, 1822 11.17 J. Greenfield, 1836 62.88 A. 1). Frascr A Co., 1836 80.07 .1. and S. D. Beers, 1836 160 Luther Smith, 1836 160 F. G. Maoy, 1836 160 SECTION 24. Entries not found. SECTION 25. J. F. Swain, 1834 32.07 H. B. Brown, 1836 11.S.32 A. iMcArthur.t Co., 1836 160 Anthony Ten Eyok, 1836 80 E. W.Doaue, 1836 80 S. C. llolden, 1836 80 SECTION 26. S. Hawkins, 1835 97.48 Cornelius Bergen, 1836 154.12 Charles Jackson, 1836 170.83 Silas Ball, 1836 160 J. and S. D. Beers, 1836 40 SECTION 27. Acres. Blossom and Elner, 1835 320 E. Farnsworth, 1836 320 SECTION 28. J. Kearsley 80 N. Clark 80 Andrew Mack, 1836 317.77 Henry Kaymond, 1836 80 H. 11. Comstock, 1836 80 James Bowman, 1836 80 SECTION 29. N. Clark, 18.35 40 Joseph Pitcairn, 1836 80 Clark anil Warren, 1836 80 K. Farnsnorlh, 1836 280 William Gage, 1836 160 SECTION 30. William Gage, 1836 150.24 S. and D. Ball, 1836 400 Mary Williams, 1836 68.48 SECTION 31. B. F. Lamed, 1836 77 Henry Bush, 1836 150.92 James \^ilontine, 1836 160 Samuel Warren, 1836 40 Ellis Doty, 1836 80 Desnoyers and Whipple, 1836 SO J. A. Van Dyke, 1836 40 SECTION ,32. C. Blake, 1836 160 «. C. and H. F. Lieb, 1836 240 I). J. Canipnu, 1836 80 Nathaniel Prouty, 1836 160 SECTION 33. .lames Churchman, 1836 320 G. C. and II. V. Lieh. 1836 320 SECTION 34. Hartford Cargill, 1836 160 E. Farnsworth, 1836 160 G. C. and H. F. Lieh, 1836 160 S. P. German, 1836 160 SECTION 35. J. P. Clark, 1S36 SO S. W. Harding, 1836 160 Hartford Cargill, 1836 160 J. L. Barton, 1836 80 J. and S. D. Beers, 1836 80 W. W. Whitney and Eber Crawford, 1836 80 SECTION 36. J. F. Swain, 1834 40 Philo Rockwell, 1835 160 Patrick and Hitchcock, 1836 54.42 H. II. Brown, 1836 41.58 J. P. Clark, 1836 40 Chesley Blake, 1836 131.79 J. and S. D. Beers, 1836 80 S. C. Holdcn, 18.36 80 EARLY SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS. But few of the original pioneers of Caledonia remain. Many have died, while others years since removed to adja- cent portions of the county, or found homes in other counties or States. The names and faces of most of these indi- viduals have passed from the recollection of the survivors, and very few facts of a reliable and interesting character are obtainable, which may account for the barrenness of material regarding the township's early liistory. The earliest settler within the township of Caledonia was John Swain, who removed from Chenango Co., N. Y., and located upon thirty-two acres on section 25. He entered this land in 1834, and erected a log house upon it probably CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 213 in the same year. Mr. Swain was for a wliile a resident at the Williams trading-post in Shiawassee township, and while there did something towards clearing the land and rendering it habitable. He was by occupation a carpenter «nd joiner, and also filled the sacred office of preacher at a very early date. The first religious services in tlie town- ship were conducted by him, and the latter years of his life were entirely devoted to the duties of an evangelist. Mrs. Swain's death occurred iu 183(5. She was buried on the farm, and the funeral services were the earliest held in Caledonia. The first birth in the township occurred in the family of Mr. Swain in the same year. At a later period Mr. Swain purchased a farm in Vernon township, upon which he died, as nearly as can be ascertained, about thirty years since. The farm which had been partially cleared by Swain, the first settler, was purchased by Capt. John Davids, the ear- liest agent of the Shiawassee County-Seat Company, who, after relin(iuishing his official duties in Corunna, removed to the farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits. The next settler was Philo Kockwell, who removed from Saratoga Co., N. Y., and in 1835 entered one hundred and sixty acres on section 3(j in Caledonia. At this date John Swain was the only resident of the township. Mr. Kock- well returned to the East, and in 1837 came again to Michigan for the purpose of erecting a log house and mak- ing a preliminary clearing upon his land. He found dur- ing this interval a welcome to the household of William Black, of Shiawassee township, and a year later his family removed to their Western home. Capt. Davids had mean- while purchased the Swain farm and become a resident of the township, and two other settlers, whose names are not recollected, had arrived. Mr. Rockwell, in addition to the clearing already effected, improved five acres and sowed wheat, which yielded a bountiful crop. Many Indians passed the house on their way to the Williams trading-post, and occasionally shelter was afforded them for the night. They were generally laden with supplies, which were ex- changed with the traders for wares in use among the In- dians. Other settlers followed Mr. Rockwell, though for years much of the land of Caledonia remained uncleared. In 1855 his log cabin gave place to a substantial frame hou.se, which is still occupied as the family residence. Thomas R. Young left the Empire State iu 1838, and located in Lapeer County. In the following year he entered a tract of land on sections 1, 2, 11, and 12 of Caledonia, embracing six hundred and forty acres. He retained two hundred and sixty acres of this purchase on section 11, upon which he settled, and sold the remainder. The land immediately near him was entirely uncleared, and a pil- grimage of two miles was necessary to visit the house of the nearest neighbor. Mr. Young remained with Joel B. Go.ss, in the township of Venice, while erecting the log house, to which he soon after removed. Six acres were cleared the first year, and later improvements made, as opportunity oft'ercd. Much inconvenience was experienced from the frequent visit.s of wolves and bears, who made serious inroads upon the sheep-folds and rendered con.stant watchfulness a necessity. Soon after Mr. Young's arrival there came in as settlers William Lemon, Uerry Tuttle, and Auburn Stuart, whose location made them his near neigh- bors. The log house erected in 1839 gave place in 1867 to the comfortable frame residence which Mr. Young at present occupies. Mrs. Young, whose pioneer recollections are very vivid, is the daughter of Horace Hart, the earliest settler within the township of New Haven. In point of chronological order, the arrival of William H. Jewett should antedate that of Thomas R. Young, the former having located eighty acres upon .section 4 as early as 1838. It is probable that the land was bought from speculators, as no record of a purchase by Mr. Jewett from the government is found. He proceeded at once to the erection of a log house and to the clearing of his farm, which was little else than a wilderness on his arrival. Upon this land he remained for many years, but ultimately re- moved to New Haven, where he died. At his house in Caledonia, in February, 1841, there was celebrated the earliest marriage service in the township, — that of Lewis Hart, of New Haven, to Miss Cordelia Sey- mour. Early religious gatherings also occurred at the same place, and these were generally conducted by Seneca Pettis. Robert McBride was a native of Kingston, N. Y., and when a lad removed to Canada. In 1836 he became a pio- neer in Michigan, having chosen a residence in Detroit, where he remained two years and engaged in wagon- making. In 1838 he removed to Shiawassee County, and purchased a farm of forty acres on section 36, which was later increased to one hundred and twenty acres. It was uncleared, and Mr. McBride found the usual labor of the pioneer awaiting him. He spent the closing years of his life on this farm, and died in the year 1879. His sons are the present occupants. The family consisting of W. R. Seymour and his two sons, George R. and Walter, were pioneers of 1839, the former having entered land on sections 3 and 4 as early as 1836. Upon this land they settled, and at once became prominent in advancing the interests of the township. They exercised a generous hospitality to all new-comers, and by their uni- form kindly bearing won the esteem of the community. George R. died on the homestead, and his widow subse- quently made the township of Vernon her residence. Walter removed to New Haven, where he remained until his death. Ninion Clark in 1835 located one hundred and twenty acres on sections 28 and 29, which is now occupied by Wil- liam Ames, and upon which he found a home in 1839. Mr. Clark began at once the improvement of his land, upon which he expended much labor, but meanwhile found leisure to devote to public interests. He was a member of the first board of highway commissioners, and with his col- leagues laid out many of the early roads of the township. He removed from Caledonia to Shiawa.ssee, and later to Vernon, where he died. Don C. Griswold purchased of parties who had bought for purposes of speculation a fann on section 20, south of the Shiawa.ssee River, now occupied by D. B. Reed. This and was rapidly cleared under his energetic management, and converted into productive fields. Mr. Griswold was an active partisan in political campaigns of an early day, and was clothed with judicial honors as one of the first 214 HISTORY OP SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. justices of the peace. He later removed from Caledonia, and is .since deceased. Abrani Garrabrant, a pioneer from New Jersey, ar- rived in 1839, and purchased forty acres on section 29, to which he at once removed. He devoted much labor to the clearing and cultivating of this land, and converted it into one of the most productive fiirms in the township. He resided upon it until 1875, when he removed to Ten- nessee and died there. Ammon Blain, from New York State, also came in 1839, and .selected a tract of land embracing one hundred and twenty acres on section 20, formerly occupied by a Mr. Dunning. Upon this he erected a temporary shelter and began the work of improvement. His progress was suf- ficiently rapid to satisfy the most ambitious pioneer, but he was attracted by a more eligible farm in Oakland County, to which he soon after removed. Benjamin M. Waterman was a former resident of Niag- ara Co., N. Y., from whence he came to Michigan in 1840, and located upon eighty acres on section 4 in Caledonia, purchased of David Potter, of New York. The latter gentleman had effected no improvement on the land, and Mr. Waterman found it necessary at once to erect a log house and clear a tract sufficiently extensive to afford a crop of wheat for future subsistence. His family were meanwhile welcomed to the residence of their neighbor, Mr. Seymour, and remained there for two months. After a residence of some years upon his farm, Mr. Waterman removed to his present residence on the .same section. Co- runna at this time afforded a fair market, though much of the milling was done at Pontine and Owosso. Religious services were held at the .school-bouse in the neighbor- hood, which was erected in 1842, and to which the settlers went with ox-teams. Mr. Waterman is still a resident of the township. Norman L. Jennings was a resident of Monroe Co., N. Y. He became a settler in this county in 1836, and four years later removed to the township of Caledonia, where he purchased one hundred and fifty-six acres on section 31. No clearing had been effected upon this land, which was still in its primitive condition. Mr. Jennings found shelter in a hut that had been erected south of his laud, and in this he lived for some months the solitary life of a bach- elor. On completing his own house he removed to it, and in 1841 brought a wife as mistress of the establishment. Emanuel Young was then the nearest neighbor, who was located on the same section, but Stephen McCoy followed soon afler. Indians were occasional visitors, and supplied game and fish in abundance, for which other commodities were given in exchange. Owosso was the most accessible village, and there they purchased their household supplies. Mr. Jennings still resides upon his purchase. Robert R. Thompson, previously a resident of Washte- naw County, came in the following year, and located upon a farm in section 25. He was engaged with Alexander McArthur in the saw-mill, and also embarked in commer- cial ventures iu the village. He afterwards sold and re- moved to Saginaw, where he died. Following is a list of the resident and non-resident tax- payers iu the township of Caledonia for the year 1840: N. L. Prouty. Eraser, McArthur & Hul- bert. A. McArthur. McArthur & Hulbort. I. A. Blosum and E. D. Efner. J. & S. D. Beers. Luther Smith. Jonathan Kearsley. Elon Parnsworth. Electa M. Dean. Samuel C. Holden. M. Reynolds. Cornelius Burger. Silas Ball. Charles Jackson. Henry Raymond. Joseph Pitcairn. Wm. Gage. James A. Van Dyke. Elias Doty. Desnoyers & Whipple. Henry Rush. Carlton Sawyer. Cheksey Blake. G. C. & F. Leib. County-Seat Company. Stephen Hawkins. D. P. Sturdevant. Bishop. George B. Peck. John Dorelan. Joel Smith. Allen Cadwell. Alex. Hilton; Horace Pei'ry. Asahel Newcomb. Philo Peck. Phelps. Francis G. Macy. Comstock & Beach. S. & D. Ball. Silvenas German. S. N. Warren, formerly of Oakland County, became owner in 1841 of the farm now occupied by C. Flint on .section 31, whicli he cleared and cultivated. Mr. Warren was known as a skillful farmer and a public-spirited citizen, who manifested a lively interest in the advancement of the township. He remained for many years in Caledonia, but ultimately removed to the city of Flint, where he now re- sides. Aubui'n Stewart came to the township from Yp.silanti in 1841, aud purchased sixty acres on section 3. Upon this land he built a log house and made .some improvement, but soon after sold to S. W. Cooper. He then removed to a farm on section 16, and later to the village of Corunna. William Lemon came from Livingston County in 1842, and located in this township on section 3. He was en- gaged in farming for a time, but afterwards lived in Co- runna, and eventually removed to the West and died there. Arthur Huntley formerly resided near Detroit, and in 1845 purchased forty acres of land on section 3, Caledonia, upon which he has since lived. After clearing a small tract he built a log house, meanwhile having found a home with his neighbor, M. Jewett. In the first year after his arrival a serious, calamity befell the family in a conflagra- tion which swept away their household effects and con- sumed a little child in the flames. The kindness of friends in Detroit .soon supplied the loss of furniture, with which they recommenced their pioneer life. They still reside on the same farm. Samuel Young, a brother of Thomas R., removed from Lapeer County in 1847 and settled on forty acres on sec- tion 12, upon which the usual labor incident to clearing was bestowed. The log house he erected was later super- seded by a frame one of more extended proportions, in which he still resides. John Kelly, formerly of Cleveland, Ohio, purchased in 1846, aud in the following year became a resident on, one hundred aud sixty acres of laud on section 9, formerly CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 215 owned by George Kirkland, of Ohio. Joseph Kelly took eixty acres of this land, upon which lie early erected a log house, and thus aiforded his brother a welcome on his arrival, and during the interval required for clearing and building. Mr. Kelly cleared but three acres the first year, but has since that time made rapid progress, and ha.s now a well-cultivated farm and a spacious residence as the reward of his labor. Joseph Kelly died at his home in 187.5. Philo H. Currier, a pioneer from Ohio, located upon eighty acres on section 9 in 1850, which he found little else than a vast forest on his arrival. He found in John Kelly a hospitable neighbor while building a cabin. He early planted an orchard, which afforded an ample supply of fruit when apples were so rare as to be regarded a lux- ury. Mr. Currier died on the homestead in 1867. Mrs. Currier's residence is now with her son in the township. John Brands came from Tompkins Co., N. Y., in 1845. He remained for a while in Corunna, engaged in daily labor, but in 1852 became the owner of his present farm of ninety acres on section 26. His father, David Brands, had two years before purchased one hundred and twenty acres on section 25, upon which he lived until his death in 1865. Mr. Brands at once built the usual primitive abode of logs, which in 1864 was displaced by a more substantial frame residence, — his present home. His land is now cleared and much of it highly improved. 0. B. Townseud was a pioneer of 1836 from Ontario Co., N. Y., having first selected Ingham County as a loca- tion. He was led to a favorable opinion of the lands in Shiawassee County, and in 1854 selected one hundred acres on section 7, in Caledonia, as a home, upon which he at once located. Half of this had already been cleared by Elijah Moak, whose father formerly owned it and built a log house upon it. The immediate neighborhood was en- tirely unimproved and destitute of roads. Mr. Townsend obtained a contract and cut the road running from his farm to Owosso, as he did also other highways adjacent to his farm. His present spacious residence was built in 1858, which was much superior to most of the dwellings of that day. His ownership of a saw-mill and pinery in Mont- calm County enabled him to build of excellent material and at reduced cost. Mr. Townsend still occupies the farm he originally purchased in the township. J. A. Thompson emigrated from Jefferson Co., N. Y., in 1857, and located upon one hundred and twenty acres on section 14, which he has since increased to one hundred and eighty acres. Though central in point of location, Mr. Thompson was for a time comparatively isolated, from the fact that much of the adjacent land was held by specu- lators who saw prospective fortunes in the coal and oil to be developed upon them. There was at this time no road from Corunna, the way being opened from that point witli the axe, as Mr. Thompson sought his purchase. Four months were spent with a settler named Moe, who re- sided upon the southwest corner of the same section. Meanwhile a log house had been built and a con.siderable clearing effected. His time at first was spent in chopping and clearing, for which he obtained extensive contracts. The second year twelve acres of his own land was improved, and the family, for whom he returned to the E;vst, comfort- ably established in their Western home. In 1879, Mr. Thompson erected his present imposing residence, which is one of the most attractive in Caledonia. Other settlers arrived at a later date, and, though active in developing the interests of the township, may not, strictly speaking, be entitled to mention among the number of its pioneers. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST. The township of Caledonia was formerly a portion of the township of Owosso, and was separately organized by the following act of the State Legislature, approved March 22, 1839: " Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- tives of the State of Michigan, that all that part of the county of Shiawassee designated by the United States survey as township No. 7 north, of range No. 3 east, which lies east of the west line of sections Nos. 5, 8, 17, 20, 29, and 31, in said township, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a township by the name of Cale- donia, and the first township-meeting thereof shall be held at the house of Alexander McArthur in said township." This left sections 6, 7, 18, 19, and 30 in township 7 north, of range 3 east, attached to Owosso. After much oppo- sition these were embraced in Caledonia by an act of the State Legislature, approved Feb. 16, 1842. By the incor- poration of the city of Owosso the west half of sections 18 and 19 were made a part of that city, leaving Caledonia as it at present exists. The first meeting of the electors of the township of Cale- donia was held, pursuant to public notice, ou the 29th day of April, 1839, for the purpose of electing township officers. Alexander McArthur was chosen Moderator ; Samuel N. Warren, David Warren, Stephen Hawkins, and Henry L. Bangs, Inspectors of Election ; and Don C- Griswold and David Lester, Clerks. The following officers were declared elected : Supervisor, Alexander McArthur; Township Clerk, Samuel N. Warren ; Treasurer, Samuel N. Warren ; As- sessors, D. P. Congdon, Alexander McArthur, W. R. Sey- mour; School Inspectors, S. N. Warren, John Davids, Alexander McArthur; Highway Commissioners, Stephen Hawkins, Ninion Clark, John Davids ; Justices of the Peace, Samuel N. Warren, Alexander McArthur, John Davids, Don C. Griswold ; Constable and Collector, Ninion Clark. The names of the officers of the township from that time to the present are given in the following list : SUPERVISORS. 18i0. Alexander McArthur. 1859-04. Hugh MoCurdy. 1S41. A. n. Beach. 1805. Pliny S. I.yraan. ISW- 40. Andrew Parsons. 1800. Hugh McCurdy. 1847- 48. Luke 11. Parsons. 1807. William Oaks. 1849. Andrew Parsons, 1808. William D. Holt. 1850- -51. Luke 11. Parsons. 1869-7:i. John M. Fitch. 1852 Andrew Parsons. 1874-75. James A. Thompson 1853. L. H. Parsons. 1S70. 1). B. Reed. 1854- 56. Edward Green. 1877-78. Charles Wren. 1857 James Cummin. 1879. Jason W. Sanders. 1858 Kdward Oreen. 1880. Horace W. Bigelow. 216 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. TOWNSHIP CLERKS. 1840. 1841- 1843- 1847- 1849. 1850- J855. 1856. 1857. 1858. 1859. S. H. Petteys. 42. John R. Smith. 46. Nelson Ferry. 48. P. S. Lyman. George W. Harris. 54. Pliny S. Lymiin. E. F. Wade. J. B. Wheeler. E. C. Moore. Cortes Pond. W. Goodell. 1860- 1863. 1864. 1865. 1866. 1867. 1868. 1869- 1871- 1873- 1879- 62. George Wilcox. J. W. Turner. P. W. Coleman. Alexander Cummin. James Anderson. Theodore W. Ferry. J. H. Anderson. 70. Burt Saddleson. 72. H. I. Newell. 78. J. B. Eveleth. 80. William Parker. TREASURERS. 1840. A. M. Jennings. 1841. Stephen Hawkins. 1842. S. Z. Kinyon. 1843. Henry Jennings. 1844. S. Z. Kinyon. 1845-46. Henry Jennings. 1847-48. Thomas S. Morton. 1849-62. Alfred Bartlett. 1853-54. I. M. Th,ayer. 1855. Thomas S. Morton. 1856-58. Morris Jackson. 1859. Thomas Lyons. 1860-62. John M. Fitch. 1863. Robert C. Kyle. 1864-65. L. W. Gafiney. 1866. John M. Fitch. 1867. John L. Wild. 1868. Morris Ormsby. 1869-72. William West. 1873. Isaiic 0. Derr. 1874-76. Charles Wren. 1877-79. E. G. Hawkins. 1880. N. B. Aiken. SCHOOL INSPECTORS. 1840. A. H. Beach. S. H. Petteys. William H. Jewett 1841. R. R. Thompson. S. N. Warren. S. 11. Petteys. 1842. L. II. Parsons. W. H Beach. .S. N. Warren. 1843. L. H. Parsons. S. II. Petteys. 1844. John Gilbert. 1845. Joseph Purdy. L. H. Parsons. 1846. Joseph Purdy. 1847. M. P. Willson. 1848. J. M. LutheV 1849. L. H. Parsons. 1850. 0. T. B. Williams. 1851. J. P. Richardson. 1852. 0. 0. Bachman. L. II. Parsons. 1853 James Cummin. 1854 L. H. Parsons. 1855 S. T. Parsons. 1856 E. A. Morley. 1857 0. T. B. Williams. 1858 R. B. Wylea. JUSTICES 1840. S. H. Petteys. Alexander McArthur. 1841. William H. Jewett. 1842. R. R. Thompson. L. H. Parsons. 1843. R. R. Thompson. B. M. Waterman. 1844. Harlow Beach. 1845. B. M. Waterman. 1846. L. H. Parsons. Joseph Purdy. 1847. 0. C. Beatty. 1848. Isaac Castle. 1849. Eli Stewart. 1850. A. McArthur. 1851. William H. Beach. 1859. L. C. York. Robert Duncan. 1860. Robert Duncan. F. W. Warren. 1861. T.C. Garner. J. W. Turner. 1862. J. W. Turner. lSfi3. J. M. Goodell. T. C. Garner. 1864. E. P. Gregory. 1865. L. D. Phelps. T. C. Garner. 1866. Joseph W. Manning. 1867. T. C. Garner. W. D. Holt. 1808. E. C. Moore. 1869. W. A. Maynard. B. R. Parsons. 1870. W. A. Maynard. 1871. George B. Fitch. 1872. John Brandt. 1873. John Kelly. 1874. William Hinman. 1875. John Brands. 1876-77. C. B. Pelton. 1878-79. Lyman Brandt. 1880. J. A. Thompson. OP THE PEACE. 1852. S. Z. Kinyon. 1853. R. N. Thumpsun. Eli Stewart. 1854. Alexander McArthur. 1855. Richard ft Clark. 1856. B. Stewart. E. F. Wade. 1857. T. C. Carr. 1858. A. McArthur. H. J. Newell. 1859. C. J. Gale. 1860. John Corland. 1861. H.J. Newell. 1802. E. F. Wade. 1803. C. J. Gale. Alexander McArthur. 1864. Alexander McArthur. 1872. P. S. Aokerson. 1865. 11. J. Newell. 1873. J. B. Eveleth. 1866. J. N. Ingersoll. Schuyler Ferris. G. W. Harris. 1874. Duane Cooper. 1867. C. J. Gale. I. 0. Derr. 1868. G. N. Roberts. 1875. C. Mead. 1869. W. A. Maynard. C. H. Powell. B. R. Parsons. 1876. N. B. Aiken. H. J. Newell. 1877. J. A. Thompson 1870. W. A. Maynard. 1878. A. B. Stedman. A. A. Barry. 1879. Hugh Parker. 1871. Calvin Flint. James MoBride. 1872. D. B. Reed. 1880. J. B. Eveleth. HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS. 1840. 1841. 1842. 1843. 1844. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. 1849. 1850. 1851. 1852. 1853. 1854. 1865. William II. Jewett. John Davids. Henry Jennings. A. Blain. Abram Garrabraut. William H. Jewett. A. Blain. W. H. Jewett. Oliver Eraser. A. Blain. C. S. Johnson. John Pope. W. H. Jewett. Stephen Hawkins. A. Blain. B. M. Waterman. C. S. Johnson. John Davids. William Lemon. C. R. Gilbert. E. C. Kimberley. C. S. Johnson. W. H. Jewett. C. R. Gilbert. C. R. Gilbert. E. M. Bacon. C. S. Johnson. D. Morton. B. M. Waterman. Philo Rockwell. G.W. Haines. Philo Rockwell. E. C. Kimberley. 1856. H. J. Newell. H. B. Flint. 1857. T. R. Young. H. J. Newell. 1858. J. M. Thayer. T. R. Young. 1859. R. McLaughlin. J. R.Thompson. 1860. J. A. Thompson. 1861. J. R. Thompson. 1862. Milo Stewart. 186,3. Charles Rhodes. 1864. H. B. Young. Robert Lyon. 1865. Joseph Kelly. 1866. Samuel West. 1867. Robert McBride. Enos Merrill. 1868. Horace Peacock. 1869. Isaac Sutton. John Kelly. 1870. Enos Merrill. 1871. John Kelly. 1872. George T. Sanders 1873. C. H. Powell. 1874. John Kelly. C. B. Pelton. 1875. P. S. Ackerson. 1876. W. J. Hinman. 1877. N. L. Jennings. 1878 William Packer. 1879 Daniel Manger. 1880 Joel C. Potter. DIRECTORS OF THE POOR. 1840-41. S. N. Warren. 1849- Alexander McArthur. 1851. 1842. Stephen Hawkins. Robert Lyon. 1862. 1843. Harlow Beach. J. B. Howard. 1853. 1844. S. W. Cooper^ J. B. Howard. 1854- 1845. R. R. Thompson. Seth Beach. 1856. 1846. L. B. Gilbert. Seth Beach. 1857. 1847. H. Beach. S. Perkins. 1858. 1848. J. M. Eraser. George W. Haines. 1859. 1349-50. J. M. Eraser. 50 S. W. Cooper. Harlow Beach. C. S. Johnson. S. W. Cooper. Harlow Beach. Hiram Smith. G. W. Wait. 55. E. McLaughlin. James Cummin. James Cummin. A. H. Beach. C. S. Johnson. R. P. Ciark. James Cummin. A. H. Beaeh. Cranston Belden. S. W. Cooper. ASSESSORS. 1840. W. R. Seymour. G. J. Van Buren. Philo Rockwell. 1841. S. N. Warren. 1841. W. R. Thompson. R. R. Thompson. 1842. B. M. Waterman. C. S. Johnson. CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 217 1839. Ninion Clark. COLLECTORS. 1840-41. S. Z. Kinjon. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. 187.')-SII. Duane C. Cooper. DRAIN COMMISSIONERS. 1872. John Kelly. 1876. Theron Stevens. 1873. Jonas Hoenshell. 1877- 78. C. H. Raymond. 1874. Charles Doane. 1879. Orvill Grant. 1875. C. B. Pelton. 1880. Darwin Shavalier. CONSTABLES. 1840. S. Z. Kinyon. 1858. J. A. Fowler. 1841. S. Z. Kin.von. Lyman Newell. H. R. Seymour. 1859. J. L. Smith. John Ackley. J. C. Preston. 1842. S. Z. Kinyon. Jonah Fuller. Henry Jennings. H. B. Young. Abrauj Garrabrant. 1860. J. L. Smith. 1843. J. R. Corwin. W. R. Witherell. Henry Jennings. C. H. Brown. Orsamus Doty, M. Miller. 1844. Henry Jennings. 1861. H. M. Rowefer. S. Z. Kinyon. J. L. Smith. 0. Doty. L. W. Gaffney. 1845 S. Z. Kinyon. M. Miller. Henry Jennings. 1862. L. W. Gaffney. 0. Doty. W. R. Witherell. 184fi. John Redeon. M. Miller. 0. Doty. Samuel Stickney. S. Z. Kinyon. 1863. J. R. Corwin. 1847. T. S. Morton. Isaac Dorr. J. E. Chaffee. H. A. Huntington. 0. Doty. Edwin Hawkins. John Nedson. 1864. David Beatty. 1848. T. S. Morton. J. B. Armstrong. J. R. Cummin. E. M. Bailey. G. W. Wait. Joshua Morton. G. Tuttle. 1865 L. W. Gaffney. 1849. L. C. Eddy. H. H. Bartlett. Brooklyn Stewart. J. L. Smith. A. C. Kilnberley. J. E. Bush. 1850. John Redson. 1866. George Badgen. L. C. Eddy. Jonah Fuller. B. Stewart. Solomon Blake. D. Martin. J. L. Smith. 1851 AVilliam Lemon. 1867 S. G. Blake. L. C. Eddy. Calvin Smith. G. Tuttle. C. D. Smith. E. W. Sliokney. W. H. Roam. 1852 L. C. Eddy. 1868 M. Miller. John Redson. Calvin Smith. Nelson Hickey. George Badgen. 1853 David W. Palmer. Clark Smith. John Redson. 1869 C. D. Smith. L. C. Eddy. John Vedder. John Dwight. William Stewart. 1854 James R. Cummin. Jackson Shore. D. W. Palmer. 1870 A. G. Young. Lewis Lyon. Frederick Young. L. C. Eddy. James Barry. 1855 T. S. Morton. J. W. Curtis. D. Morton. 1871 John Miller. J. L. Smith. James McBride. D. W. Palmer. William Derr. 1856 C. McArthur. Charles Lamonion. J. L. Smith. 1872 E. H. Vail. D. R. Corwin. Albert Young. W. D. Ingersoll. J. Hoenshell. 1857 R. .M. Ford. J. A. Fitch. 1858 R. M. Ford. 1873 Edward Lamoreau.x D. W. Palmer. C. C. Kelly. 1873. Frederick Young. Albert Young. 1874. Richard Goward. Frederick Young. Charles H. Raymond. A. H. Innes. 1875. S. Mead. H. Humphrey. Theron Stevens. Frederick Y'oung. 1876. E. Couoly. Frank Kingsbury. A. H. Innes. F. Young. 1877. F. Kingsbury. 1877. G. W. McClellan. E. Conoly. F. Y'^oung. 1878. E. Conoly. F. Kingsbury. E. J. Almendinger. Charles Edwards. 1879. John Jenkins. William Boyd. Isaac 0. Derr. Theron Stevens. 1880. G. W. Kelley. John Brands. George W. McClellan. 28 EARLY ROADS. At a meeting of the highway commissiotiers of the town- ship of Caledonia, held the 16th day of May, 1839, Ninion Clark, John Davids, and Stephen Hawkins, forming the board of commissioners above mentioned, divided the town- ship into the following road districts : District No. 1, embracing sections Nos. 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. District No. 2, embracing sections Nos. 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 36. District No. 3, containing sections Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. The first recorded road is known as a road from Corunna to Warren's and Capt. Davids', and is described as a high- way " commencing at the south line of township No. 7 north, of range 3 east, at the corners of sections 35 and 36, and running thence north on section line one hundred and sixteen chains and twenty-five links to the south bank of the Shiawassee River; thence west northwest along the bank of said river and fifty links therefrom, sixteen chains and forty links to the quarter line of section 26 ; thence west on said quarter line one hundred and fifty-two chains and thirty-three links to the centre of tlie highway running from the village of Corunna to Shiawasseetown." The following road, surveyed at the same date, began on the south line of township No. 7 north, of range 3 east, sixty links west of the corners of sections 31 and 32, and ran thence north thirty degrees, east sixty-three chains and fifty links ; thence north sixty-five degrees, east seventy-two chains and .sixty-five links ; thence north thirty-seven chains and eighty-one links to or near the south line of the plat of the village of Corunna, in said town. These highways were surveyed by Daniel Gould, May 28 and 29, 1839. The road from Capt. Davids' to Shiawasseetown was surveyed Jan. 8, 1840. Beginning at the corners of sec- tions 25 and 36, in township 7 north, of range 3 east, on the east line of said township, and running thence west on said section line eighteen chains and ninety links ; thence north fifty-five degrees, west fifty-nine chains and twenty- five links; thence east twenty-four chains and fifty links to a stake standing on the west bank of the Shiawassee River, on the line of a road running east from Corunna, on the quarter line to said stake. In June of the same year a road was surveyed by Nelson Ferry, running north of Corunna, and tlie following August a highway was opened on the south line of the township of Caledonia, which wa.s recorded on the 15th day of the same month. 218 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SCHOOLS. No very definite information is obtainable regarding the early schools of the township. A school was opened in Corunna some time before the erection of a school building in the township, and those settlers who removed to Caledonia then enjoyed the advantages of education afforded in the village. The earliest school-house was erected in the year 1842, and a school opened in it by Miss Drusilla Cook, who for a number of terms instructed the youth of the township. Her successor is not remumbered. The present school ter- ritory of Caledonia is divided into four whole and two frac- tional districts. The following-named gentlemen compose the board of directors : Walter Smalley, Albert Youngs, Jonas Hornshell, Erwin Eveleth, John Brands, Samuel Kirby. The number of scholars in attendance is two hun- dred and seventy-three, of whom seventeen are non-residents. They are under charge of two male and eleven female teach- ers, who receive in salaries a sum total of nine hundred and fifty-seven dollars. The value of school property in the township is six thousand four hundred dollars, which em- braces one brick and five frame buildings. COAL-MINING. In 1837 a geological survey of the State was authorized, and Dr. Douglas Houghton was placed in charge of it. During the progress of the survey Corunna was visited, at that time consisting of one log house occupied by John Davids. The examination made by the corps along the Shi- awassee River satisfied them that the character and dip of the rock indicated the presence of coal ; but none was dis- covered at that time. Two years later, in 1839, Alexander McArthur discovered coal on his land on the bank of Coal Creek, in the southeast quarter of section 22, about half a mile west of where the present coal-beds are being worked. It was at first taken out in small quantities, and as it became known that coal could be obtained, purchasers (mostly black- smiths) came from long distances, and trade increased to quite an extent. It was delivered on the wagons of pur- chasers for ten cents per bushel. It was not, however, till many years after that any organ- ized effort was made to mine coal to any extent. About 186-4, B. Brisco, master mechanic of the Detroit and Mil- waukee Railroad, assisted Mr. McArthur in making exami- nations of the coal deposits. Parties in New York City be- came interested in the discoveries and it was decided to organ- ize a company for the purpose of mining coal, to be known as the McArthur Mining Company, with a capital of one hun- dred thousand dollars. On the 22d day of April, 1805, Mr. McArthur sold to the company one hundred and twenty acres of land on the east half of the northwest quarter and the west half of the west part of the northeast quarter of section 22. The parties interested were Alexander McAr- thur, of Corunna ; Dr. G. M. Peck, Samuel Daskham, and Edward W. Lockwood, of New York City. Dr. Peck was chosen president, A. McArthur local agent. A large amount of money was expended in the erection of engine-rooms, coal- houses, offices, and tramways. In addition to machinery and buildings at the mines, an extensive wharf was built on the Detroit River, sheds and other buildings were erected, and an agency established in the city of Detroit. The cost of transportation was great from the coal-beds to the depot, and in the latter part of 18G6, labor was suspended and the com- pany dissolved. The Briar Hill Iron and Coal Company of Ohio, in 1869 and 1870, sent out to this county Charles Gilbert, a practi- cal geologist, to examine the coal region. lie began at once the labor of testing for coal. Fifty-six test-holes were drilled and deposits of coal were found in forty-six of them. On the 1st day of April, 1871, Henry P. Gilbert purchased of Chauncey Hurlburt the land on which these tests were made, 62J^ acres on the west part of the southwest fractional quarter of section 23. In the December following he sold an interest to George F. Perkins, John Stambaugh, of Akron, Ohio, and George Todd, of Youngstown, Ohio. In the following year (1872) they opened a slope and began the work of mining, and operated for about a year, but not being successful the work was abandoned, the company hav- ing expended ninety thousand dollars in various efforts. On the 26th of February, 1873, the Corunna Coal Com- pany was organized for mining coal, fire-clay, and other ores or minerals, with a capital stock of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, forty thousand dollars paid in. The corporators were George F. Perkins, of Akron, Ohio ; George Todd, Youngstown, Ohio ; Henry P. Gilbert and Harry R. Gilbert, of Corunna, with an office at Youngs- town and Corunna. On the 5th of December, 1874, the lands previously worked on section 23 were purchased by the Corunna Coal Company, who have since leased lands adjoining. In 1877 the company were induced (after a thorough investigation, which assured them that large fields of coal yet existed on their purchase) to open a new shaft seventy-five feet in length. They were rewarded in discovering a rich vein of the mineral from two feet three inches to three feet nine inches in thickness. The neces- sary works for mining and shipping were completed in June, 1877, and the company at once began their labors. This branch of industry having been unfamiliar to the workmen of the neighborhood, much difficulty was at first experienced in obtaining miners who were skilled in their occupation. This obstacle was finally obviated by employing nearly one hundred laborers from Ohio, who are constantly engaged in various departments of the work. Of this number seventy-five are skilled miners. From seventy-five to one hundred tons are mined daily, though the maximum quantity is rarely reached during the summer season. The coal was originally hauled from the mines to the depot of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, a distance of two and a half miles. This difficulty was obviated by the construction, in 1872, of a branch road from Corunna to the present base of operations, which ma- terially decreases the labor and expense. The stockholders of the Corunna Coal Company are George Todd, George F. Perkins, Thomas Struthers, John Stambaugh, H. P. Gilbert. The officers are George Todd, President ; Todd Kincaid, Secretary and Treasurer. •t-rwT- 5 o I 5 Q: I CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 219 BIOGRAPHTGAL SKETCH. THOMAS R. YOUNG. MRS. THOMAS R. YOUNG. THOMAS R. YOUNG. Mr. Youug is de.scended from New Elngland stock, his father, who early acquired the sturdy calling of a black- smith, having been a native of Connecticut, as was also his mother, formerly Miss Nancy Crane. Thomas R., the seventh of an interesting family of eight children, was born in Hampton, Windham Co., Conn., Sept. 26, 1815, and became a resident of the Empire State at the age of eigh- teen years. Ten years later found the family pioneers to Michigan, where they chose a location in Lapeer County. In 1840 the family circle was afflicted by the irreparable loss of the wife and mother, whom the father survived but six years, having during the interval improved a tract of land in Lapeer County and followed farming pursuits. Thomas R., on taking leave of his home, at the age of eighteen, found ready employment in New York State, a portion of the time being engaged on the Erie Canal. When twenty years of age he was influenced by the charms of a seafaring life to become a sailor, and joined the crew of the ship " Rambler," which sailed from Nantucket on a three years' cruise. Mr. Young's share of the proceeds of the return cargo was three hundred dollars, with which he made a pleasure trip, and then repaired to his father's home in Michigan. In the spring of 1839 he entered the farm upon which he at present resides, together with other land embracing two hundred and eighty acres. After becoming weary of the .solitary life of a bachelor he married, Feb. 21, 1841, Miss Nancy M. Hart, whose birth occurred in New York State, Aug. 17, 1823, and whose father brought her when an infant from Monroe Co., N. Y., to the wilds of New Haven township. Mr. Hart died in 1867, having survived his wife nearly forty years. Mrs. Young is now the only living representative of a family of eight children. To Mr. and Mrs. Young, a sketch of whose home ap- pears on an adjoining page, were born seven children in the following order : William, born Dec. 20, 1841, died April 21, 1843; Albert, born Feb. 13, 1843; Lucinda, born Dec. 2, 1845; Melinda, born Aug. 28, 1847; Sarah M., born Aug. 20, 1849, died Oct. 15, 1872 ; Mary I., born July 8, 1851 ; Delia A., born Sept. 13, 1853, died March 19, 1866. All the surviving children are married and es- tablished in comfortable homes adjacent to the family resi- dence. Mr. Young's present farm includes two hundred and sixty acres, which, in the high degree of cultivation it has at- tained, well attests the industry and enterprise of its owner. The political preferences of Mr. Young have led him to associate with the Democratic party. He has held minor township offices, though not an aspirant for political honors. He has been since his residence in Caledonia actively inter- ested in educational matters, and assisted in the erection of the earliest scliuol building of the district. He is inclined to liberalism in his religious views, though not dogmatic in the assertion of his opinions. As a striking example of the .self made man, Mr. Thomas R. Young is one of the finest types that Sliiawassee County afibrds. 220 HISTORY OP SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. CHAPTEE XXXIII. FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP.* Location, Natural and Artificial Features — Settlement of Fairfield — Tax-payers of 1854-55 — Township Organization and Civil List^ Voters of 1859 — Highways — Schools — Religious— Fairfield in the Rebellion — Fatal Accidents. This township (the youngest in the county), lying upon the meridian line and occupying the northwestern corner of Shiawassee County, is but a fractional town, containing twenty-four full sections and six fractional sections, equal in the aggregate to twenty-five full sections. The township boundaries are the Saginaw County line on the north, Mid- dlebury township on the south, Rush township on the east, and the Clinton County line on the we.st. When Fairfield received its first settlers it was heavily and densely timbered in every portion, except along the northern border, where there was a strip of pine woods. There was, moreover, considerable swamp land, and of this there is yet an abundance, although much has been reclaimed and more will be, rapidly, according to present indications. There is a swamp tract of perhaps a thousand acres in the north, that touches .sections 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11, and one reach- ing from section 18 towards the southwest, :is far as the centre of section 22, and containing something like seven hundred acres. There are other pieces of swamp, but they amount in the aggregate to nothing important. Extended town-ditches have latterly worked most excellent results in clearing up these waste lands, which must ultimately, and speedily, too, become valuable to the husbandman. A singular topographical feature of the country may be further remarked in the presence of a ridge, or " divide," which, extending north and south through the town, from section 2 to section 35, causes the water-courses of the town to flow both eastward and westward. Fairfield is distinguished as a town that has never con- tained either church building, post-ofiBce, store, mill, or mechanical industry, or yet permitted the sale of alcoholic liquors within its borders. It is now and has ever been a purely agricultural region, and is esteemed among the most productive in the county. The surface is quite level and is dotted in numerous localities with cold-water springs, wherefore it was sought, upon the organization (}f the town, to bestow upon it the name of Cold Spring. Fairfield enjoyed in 1869 the anticipation of railway transportation conveniences at home, for in that year the town voted bonds to the amount of si.x thousand five hun- dred dollars in aid of the Owosso and Big llapids Railway. The line was graded partially through the town, but the en- terprise failed, and to-day remains in the unfinished condi- tion in which it was then left. As the bonds were to be donated only upon the completion of the road, the town was, of course, not called upon to make the payment. SETTLEMENT OF FAIRFIELD. Previous to 1850 the town now known as Fairfield was untenanted by settlers, although settlements south and west of it were made as early as 1836. Why immigrants held * By David Schwartz. aloof so long cannot be explained, except upon the general supposition that as it was one of the extreme northern towns in the county it w;is compelled to await the settle- ment of towns in more southerly localities. Even when the tide of pioneering did set in towards the town it rolled sluggishly at first, and failed to show much volume until 1854. A majority of Fairfield's early settlers came from Ohio, and indeed a large proportion of the later ones came from that State. The place now occupied by S. G. (i. Main on section 35 is the locality of the first white settlement effected in Fair- field. Lewis Lockwood was the settler, and the spring of 1850 the date of his coming. At that date there were, of course, white settlements close at hand in neighboring town- ships, yet it was no slight task to penetrate single-handed into the then dense forest that covered town 8. Lock- wood was, however, a sturdy pioneer, and bravely held his way through all obstacles, although he and bis lamily ex- pen'enced in no small degree the hardships of an almost isolated existence in the woods. Lockwood was the solitary settler until the fall of that year, when Aaron S. Braley entered the town and moved to the northeastern corner upon section 2, f;ir from the locations of other white men and deep into a lonely stretch of wilderness. Braley ex- perienced with his family a sharper taste of hardships and privations than fell to the lot of Lockwood, since he was farther removed from neighbors, and in times of emergency had to go farther and pass over more difficulties in the journeys to localities of civilization for supplies or assist- ance. His and Lockwood's were for some little time the only resident families in the town, and upon one occa.sion Lockwood said to him, " Braley, you and I own the whole of this town : you are the only one north of the swamp and I the only one south of it." Of the Lockwoods none are now in Fairfield ; of the Braleys the widow and her son Alonzo still remain. Mrs. Lockwood's daughter, Henrietta, born 1851, was the first white child born in the town, and Mrs. Lockwood, who died in 1854, the first white person who died in Fairfield. Her husband died in 1858. The third settler was James E. Rouse, who came in 1851, and occupied upon section 11a place still the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Cramer, whom he left his widow. Rouse cut out his road from Hiram Bennett's in Duplain to section 11, a distance of two miles and a half, and had for a time upon his farm in the woods a sadly lonesome time. He was poor, and made shift to get along only by tedious struggles and much comfortless denial. Mrs. Cramer relates that she passed through a very tedious experience in encountering the cares and vexations of pioneer life. Carrying water from a place a mile away from her home was among the many familiar examples of life in the woods, while howling wolves awakened frequent fears and tested her resolute spirit to the utmost. Referring to Braley once more, and the .sorry time he met in his efforts to pick up a livelihood, it is recalled that he was often compelled to make a journey on foot of twenty miles to St. Charles, where he got a chance to work for a supply of flour or other provisions, and when he had earned the provisions he had to bring them upon his back to the home where he had been compelled to leave his wife and PAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP. 221 little ones to tremble in their loneliness while he toiled for something to keep the wolf of starvation from the door. They were frequently so poorly oflF for something to eat that on more than one occasion they subsisted on nothing but such nutritious roots as they could find in the woods. THE MUNSON SETTLEMENT. In the spring of 1853, George B. Munson made a loca- tion in Fairfield upon section 32, where he still resides. At that time the population of the town included just six other families. They were the families of A. S. Braley, on sec- tion 2 ; Lewis Lockwood, on section 35 ; James Rouse, on section 11 ; Henry Higgins, on section 17; Moses Wool, on section 8 ; and Henry Wool, on section 8. In the spring of 1S53 came Alfred Veltman, John Myers, and Henry Stebbins, and in the autumn following, Abadillah Borden and Uriah Squires. The road passirg now eastward from Mr. Munson's place was then simply underbrushed for three miles, but was not in a condition passable for wagons. The Meridian road was not opened until about two years after, and this, as well as many other highways, was constructed through the medium of " road-bees," at which, on each Saturday, the settlers would gather e« masse and work to- gether to improve the means for getting out of and into town. Urged on by their great desire to see the work pushed ahead rapidly they performed effective service, and the result was that ere long they had all the roads they wanted, and moderately good ones at that. Of the settlers mentioned as having been in the town when George B. Munson came in, he is the only one now permanently residing in it, although Henry Wool owns a farm in the town, and resides occasionally upon it. Mr. Munson brought with him a pair of horses, and it is his recollection that there was at that time no other horse- team in the town, nor had there been but one, which the Wool family brought in and traded off directly after they came. Horse-teams were so scarce, indeed, as late as 1862, that when in that year Roe G. Van Deusen made the town assessment he found but three horse-teams and not more than fifty sheep. In 1854 settlers began to come in quite rapidly. Alfred Veltman, who has been mentioned as a settler in 1853, came to the town in 1851, put up a cabin on section 35, made a clearing, and put in a crop. He kept bachelor's hall on his place two years, and then going East for his family, came back in 1853 and made a permanent .settlement. Upon that place now lives Mrs. Sophia Culver, who was Mr. Vellman's widow. Among the settlers in 1854 were E. F. Bennett, Oscar Darling, Dory Castle, and later Ira Allen, the Brain- ards, Perkins, Moses Leavitt, C. J. Austin, Charles Wait, Wm. Peck, I. L. Munson, C. G. Munson, John W. Curtis, Orrin Wetherboe, Merrick Rockwell, Ralph Van Deu.sen, E. J. Herrington, and B. W. Darling. Ralph Van Deusen came in 1854 from Medina Co., Ohio, and in 185U he was joined by his brother, Roe G. Van Deusen, who came and stopped in town through that summer, working at his trade as carpenter. In 1859 he made a permanent settlement upon the place he now occupies. Elder Ira Allen, now on section 17, located in Duplain in 1852, and in 1850 moved to his present home, which was first settled by Henry Higgins. Elder Allen began to preach Baptist sermons shortly after his location in Fair- field, and for the past sixteen years has been pastor of the Baptist Church of Elsie. Upon the Meridian line in Fair- field in 1856, when Allen located, the residents were Ralph Van Deusen, Merrick Rockwell, E. J. Harrington (who built the fir.st framed house in the town ), John W. Curtis (who had bought out Henry Wool), George B. Munson, Charles Wait, David Bates, and Moses Wool. Concerning B. W. Darling, one of the settlers of 1854, there is related a story of his ready wit in an emergency and how he tricked a would-be trickster. " Buck" Dar- ling, as he was known, was one of the town constables, and was one day commissioned verbally to procure the arrest of one Seely, who, it appears, had received an advance of money upon a contract to build a school-house, and who was understood to be contemplating a hurried departure from the town instead of a fulfillment of his contract. When Darling received orders for Seely 's arrest he felt sure that if he delayed long enough to procure a warrant in the regular way Seely would be off and out of sight, since report had it that he was even then making ready for flight, and was perhaps that moment on the wing. In the emergency the sight of a " road-warrant" lying near him gave Darling a sudden inspiration, and seizing the road- warrant as if his salvation rested within it, he made off post-haste after Seely. As luck would have it he over- hauled the latter as he was upon the eve of taking a hasty leave of absence, and presenting his document so that only the word " warrant" appeared to view, said, " Seely, you can't go just now ; I've a warrant for you, and I rather guess you'll have to go with me." Seely looked at the " warrant" as Darling held it before him, and felt inclined to rebel at an adverse fate that thus left him in the lurch, but he never questioned the genuineness of the document upon which he was captured, and so marched away with his captor. The upshot of the aifair was that to avoid a prosecution he made a settlement of the matter at issue, and received his liberty. Not until then was he informed of the trick that had been played upon him, and it is said that upon learn- ing it he became one of the most disgusted men ever heard of in Shiawassee County. E. F. Bennett, conspicuousl}' identified with town afiiiirs for twenty-five years, came to the township in 1854, directly after Uri Squires, who located in the fall of 1853. An underbrushed road was the only highway which Bennett could use when he moved in, but that condition of things he, with Squires and others, soon improved by introducing " road-bees" and getting roads into such shai)e that travel thereon was fiiirly easy. E. S. Hambleton came from Ohio in May, 1855, to land upon section 28, which was even then a wilderness. His nearest neighbor was Dory C. Castle, who lived a half-mile to the westward. East tlie neighborhood was a swampy and heavily-wooded region. William Oaks, brother-in-law to Hambleton (subse(|uently county register of deeds and Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows of the State), .soon came in and located upon a farm adjoining Hambleton's on the east. 222 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. C. D. Searl, also a brother-in-law to Hambleton, came with the latter, and still lives west of the Hambleton place. W. H. Dunham came with his son, W. C. Dunham, in 1861, and bought one hundred and sixty acres on section 15. The son made his settlement in 1861, but the elder Dunham deferred his permanent establishment until 1862. Upon the quarter section taken by the Dunhams there had not been a stick cut up to 1861. North, on section 10, was Asa Burbank, who occupied the place soon afterwards bought by Andrew Williams, with whom, in 1865, came to the town also his nephew, Thomas Williams, now living on section 15. On section 3, in 1861, were Enos Gay and James Corp, and on section 1 was W. L. Arnold, upon the place settled earlier by Edward Smith. Among the later settlers in Fairfield other than such as have already been mentioned may be noted the names of William Warner, William Peck, Eli Chamberlain, Chester Fox, H. W. Fuller, S. G. Main, C. B. Loyens, J. B. White, and E. W. Washburn. THE TAX-PAYERS OF 1854. Fairfield's first assessment-roll, made out for the year 1854, presented the following names of resident tax-payers, with the number of acres owned by each : Acres. George B. Munson, sections 29, 32 121 Henry Stebbius, sections .33, 28 160 John A. Borden, section 28 40 Uri Squires, section 33 120 E. F. Bennett, sections 28, 33, 34 120 Moses Leavitt, section 24 160 Alfred Veltman, section 35 160 Lewis Lockwood, section 35 80 Henry Higgins, section 17 54 James Rouse, section 11 100 Moses Wool, sections 8,9 80 Aaron Braley, section 2 40 Number of acres assessed 10,138 Value of real estate .*29,694 '* personal estate 1,525 THE RESIDENT TAX-PAYERS OF 1855. Acres. A. S. Braley, section 2 40 Moses Wool, sections 8, 9 80 James E. Rouse, section 11 100 H. Higgins, section 17 53 Oscar Darling, section 21 80 Samuel Garrison, section 24 80 John Gillam, section 24 80 Moses Leavitt, section 24 160 Levi Mosher, section 24 40 D. S. Buffington, section 24 40 Warren Wetherbee, section 26 80 P. F. Balfour, section 26 40 B. W. Darling, section 27 100 E. F. Bennett, sections 28, 33, .34 120 D. A. Castle, section 28 160 J. A. Borden, section 20 ' 80 William Walrath, section 28 40 William Peck, section 28 40 G. B. Munson, sections 29, 32 120 Henry Stebbins, section 33 160 Charles Wait, sections 32, 33 71 Ori Squires, section 33 120 A. Veltman, section 35 160 L. Lockwood, section 35 120 J. M. Gifford, section 23 80 Silas Sowle, section 34 40 THE TREASURER'S REPORT FOR 1854. The first annual report oT the town treasurer, dated Nov. 20, 1854, presented the following: Dr. To $544.48 Cr. Return of delinquent taxes $353.53 Town orders 52.27 Collecting fee 7.64 Balance in treasury 131.04 $544.48 TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST. Town 8 north, in range 1 east, was a portion of the township of Middlebury until Jan. 4, 1854, when it was set ofl" by the Board of Supervisors and given separate jurisdiction under the name of Fairfield. The name of Brunswick was sent in, among others, to the supervisors as one desired by many residents of the town, for it was from Brunswick, Ohio, that a majority of the town's early set- tlers came. For some reason of their own, however, the supervisors put aside all the names sent in and adopted the one now borne by the town. The first town-meeting was held April 3, 1854, in the house of Henry Stebbius, and even at that comparatively late date Fairfield was so thinly populated that but twelve votes were cast, and as there was necessarily but one ticket in the field — the town being Democratic — the election was quickly and easily brought to a conclusion. The result of the election is given below : Officere. Candidates. Votes. Supervisor J. A. Borden'^-' 12 Clerk Henry Stebbins* 12 Treasurer Henry Higgins* 12 f Lewis Lockwood^' 9 I Uri Squires* 7 ..James E. Rouse* 7 ..Henry Higgins 6 ..G. B. Munson 6 [ Uri Squires (one year)* 12 . .. ,., „ I Alfred Veltman (two years)* 12 Justices of the Peace ^ g_ j,^^^^^ ^^j^^^^ ^^^^_.^j^ jg [ ..• A. S. Braley (four years)* 12 John A. Myers* 5 James Hall* 11 J. E. Rouse* 6 Alfred Veltman (one year)* 12 Uri Squires (two years)* 7 John A. Borden 6 i Henry Stebbins* 11 Poorraasters < Alfred Veltman* 6 ( John A. Myers* 5 One hundred and fifty dollars were voted for highways and one hundred and twenty-five dollars for coutiugeut expenses. The pathmasters were A. S. Braley for district No. 1, J. A. Myers for district No. 2, and Uri Squires for district No. 3. Subjoined is a list of the persons chosen annually from 1855 to 1880 to serve as supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and justice of the peace: Highway Commissioners Year Super\i8o!-s. Clerks. Treasurers. Justices. IS.W. J. A. Borden. G. B. .Munson. H. Higgins. A. S. Braley. 1866. " " •' " " " P. Balfour. 1857. Ira Alien. E. S. Hambleton. D. S. Bnrtlelt. E. F. Bennett. 1858. " " " J. W. Curtis. 1859. William Oakes. C. D. Searl. G. W. Bates. G. W. Bates. 1860. E. S. Uamblfton. " " " William Oakes. 1801. Wm. Armour. " " William Oakes. It. G. Van Deusi-n 1862. R.G.VauDeusen Cba^. Burleson. " E. P. Bennett. 1863. " " 0. D. Searl. " " Daniel Butts. 1864. « •• " " R. F. Miller. C. G. Munsou. 1865. C. D. Searl. B. P. Bennett. 0. G. Munson. C. G. Wait. 1866. .• .. A. K. Bennett. J.A.Borden. R. G. Van Deusen 1867. K. G. Van Deusen " " C. Hddy. E. F. Bennett. - * Elected. M to m o O Co o ^ b o i :•;,;* ':•'!>«'. m -ji--y^ FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP. 223 Year Supervisors. Clerks. Treasiirers. Justices. 1868. 0. Eddy. S. G. Main. G. B. Munson. L. Church, 1869. " " 0. Butts. W. Warner. (-!. Munson. 1870. 0. D. Searl. F. F. Robbins. E. V. Bennett, H. W. Fuller, 1871. R.G. Van Deiisen " " " " K, G, Van Dei^sen 1872. .1 .. K. H. Van Deusen " " B, F, Bennett, 1873. P. Scott. 0. Eddy. E. W, Washburn " 1874. E. W. Washburn " " G. U. Munson. F, Cushman, 1876. " " " " William Warner E, F, Bennett, 1876. >. .. " " G. B. Munson. F. Cushman. 1877. .. " " A. H. Dunham. C. B. Loyens. 1878. " " " " " R, G, Van Deusen 1879. P. Scott. J. Colby. G. B. Munson. C. D. Searl, 1880. E. W. Washburn R.G. Van Deusen " " M,S, HamWeton, Although the first supervisor, J. A. Boiden, was a Dem- ocrat, the town has been Republican in politics each year since 1855, with the exception of 1873 and 1879. THE VOTERS OF 18.57. Thirty-two votes were cast in 1857, as follows : Alniou Batchelor, Liva Mosher, D. S. Bartlett, Chauncey Searl, Clement Netheway, A. S. Braley, E. F. Bennett, J. W. White, B. W. Darling, John Wetherbce, M. M. Perkins, E. 8. Hambleton, Oscar Darling, Alfred Veltman, G. W. Bates, E. H. Harrington, Moses Wool, J. W. Curtis, A. K. Bennett, G. B. Munson, S. A. Mosher, Edwin Curtis, Mer- rick Rockwell, Ira Allen, Henry Stebbins, Warren Austin, R. H. Van Deusen, Uri Squires, J. E. Rouse, Ichabod Chase, William Oakes, Warren Wetheibee, John A. Borden. THE VOTERS OF 18.59. The list of voters first registered in 1859 under the reg- istry law contained the following names: (]. J. Austin, Ira. Allen, Warren Austin, A. J. Burleson, A. L. Batchelor, D. S. Bartlett, A. S. Braley, E. F. Bennett, A. K. Bennett, Geo. W. Bates, John A. Borden, Wni. Brainard, Lyman Brainard, P. F. Balfour, A. T. Burbauk, E. M. Curtis, Icha- bod Cha.se, K. B. Chamberlain, Henry Ferris, John Gillam, J. M. Gifford, Enos Gay, P. F. Garrison, Jesse Garrison, E. S. Hambleton, E. H. Harrington, E. B. Harrington, C. D. Loyens, C. B. Loyens, Geo. B. Munson, I. L. Mun- son, Liva Mosher, Wm. Oakes, Wm. Peck, A. E. Rock- well, James Rouse, Merrick Rockwell, Uri Squires, C. D. Searl, R. H. Van Deusen, Alfred Veltman, Moses Wood, Charles G. Wait, John Wetherbee, William Warner. HIGHWAYS. At the first town-meeting, April 3, 1854, the town was divided into three road districts as follows : No. 1 to em- brace the north half of the town ; No. 2 to include six sections in the southwestern corner of the town ; No. 3 to include six sections and the three fractional sections in the southwestern corner of the town. July 21, 1854, a petition for a road from a point between sections 20 aud 29, and running east to the east line of the town, was signed by Henry Higgins, James E. Rouse, Henry Stebbins, John A. Borden, George B. Munson, E. F. Bennett, Uri Squires, Lewis Lockwood, Moses Leavitt, Warren Wetherbee, and I. L. Munson. August 14 and 15, 1854, a road was laid out, beginning at the north- east corner of section 25, and passing on section lines westward to the northwest corner of section 29 on the meridian line. Jan. 15, 1855, a road was laid out from the southwest corner of section 25 to the southeast corner of the section. Feb. 22, 1855, a petition for a road from the southeast corner of section 36 northward on the town line to the northeast corner of section 1 was signed by Cornelius J. Austin, Lewis Lockwood, J. M. Gifiiird, P. T. Balfour, D. S. Buffington, J. A. Borden, Henry Stebbins, John Gillam, Alfred Veltman, Samuel I. Garri- son, Moses Leavitt, E. F. Bennett, and Uri Squires. March 28, 1855, roads were laid as follows : One begin- ning at the southeast corner of section 25, and running thence to the northeast corner of the section ; one begin- ning at the southwest corner of section 35, and running on section lines to the southwest corner of section 23, thence to the southwest corner of section 21, and north to the southwest corner of fractional section 17. May 5, 1855, a road was laid beginning at the west quarter post of section 24, and running thence to the east quarter post of said sec- tion. March 24, 1855, a road beginning at the quarter post on the line between sections 23 and 24, and running thence eastward to the town-line; one, June 30, 1855, be- ginning between sections 5 and 8, and running thence east- ward to the town-line; and one, Jan. 5, 1856, from the quarter jiost between sections 27 aud 34 south, on the quarter line of section 27. SCHOOLS. The first school in Fairfield was taught by Elizabeth Borden in 1855. She began the term in Henry Stebbins' house, and finished it in the .school-house built that year. In Miss Borden's school there were twelve scholars, and among them was but one boy, Edwin R., son of E. F. Bennett. Presumably, therefore, Edwin was at that time the only male scholar in Fairfield. In 1856 school-houses in districts 2 and 3 were built. Henry Higgins took the contract for building the house in district No. 3 for seventy- five dollars, and then bargained with some of the residents in the district to put on additional work, they to furnish the lumber. He soon concluded he had made a profitless contract, and induced R. G. Van Deusen for a bonus of one thousand feet of lumber to take it off his hands. The annual school report for 1857 showed as follows: District, Children. Attendance. Months Teachers* Taught. Pay. No. 1 34 26 6i $68 " 2 32 27 5 50 " 3 24 19 6 44 1858. No. 1 26 28 4J $41 " 2 26 28 5i 45.25 " 3 22 20 4} 40.84 " 4 20 17 3i 33 District No. 1, organized Nov. 7, 1854, was bounded north by sections 15, 16, and 17, west by the meridian line, south by the town-line, and east by sections 35, 26, and 23. No. 2, organized the same day, was bounded north by sections 13 and 14, west by sections 22, 27, and 34, south by the town-line, and east by the town-line. No. 3 was formed Nov. 3, 1855, and commenced at the south- west corner of fractional section 17, running thence east to section 14, north on section lines to the north town-line, thence west to the meridian line, and thence south to the 224 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. place of beginning. No. 4 was organized June 22, 1858, by dividing district No. 1 on the quarter line east and west througli sections 27, 28, and 29. No 5 was formed Jan. 17, 181)0, and No. 6 in October, 1865. Dec. 15, 1855, rules for the government of the town library wore adopted as follows : 1. For a grease spot on a boojc a fine of twelve and a half cents. If more than one, in the same ratio. 2. A torn leaf, if not torn bad, ten cents. 3. Torn-out leaf, twenty-five cents. 4. If more than one torn out, the price of the book. 5. Corner of leaf turned over, six cents. 6. Ink spots and pencil marks, each six cents. 7. A broken or torn-off cover, fifty cents. TEACHERS. To 1860 certificates were issued to teachers as follows: March 17, 1855.— Harriet E. Borden and Sarah A. Leckenby. Dec. 7, 1855.— Ellen C. Beebe. May 16, 1857. — Lydia D. Linnian. June 6, 1857. — Harriet E. Borden. Nov. 7, 1857 Henry C. Ferris, Mi.ss Miriam Wool. Dec. 23, 1857.— John Wool. April 5, 1858. — Sarah Ann Ferris. April 10, 1858.— Sophia Burleson. April 10, 1858.— Adelia M. Smith, June 12, 1858.— Miss Marilla Netheway. Nov. 6, 1858.— William H. Sexton. Nov. 20, 1858.— Harriet Crow, Loren Shelby. April 9, 1859. — Nancy Burleson, Amanda Peck. May 14, 1859.— Lydia Rockwell, Harriet E. Borden. November, 1860. — Elizabeth Hobbs, Nelson Olmstead, Violotta Chase. The annual school report for 1879 gave the following details : Number of districts (vvholo, 5 ; fractional, 1) 6 Number of children of school age 291 Average attendance 24."? Value of school property $3000 Teachers' wages $85] The school directors for 1879 were A. Southwell, B. W. Gates, Charles Dunham, C. D. Searl, E. D. Loyens, and R. G. Van Deusen. RELIGIOUS. The first sermon preached in Fairfield is supposed to have been the funeral discourse upon the death of Mrs. Lewis Lockwood, delivered by Rev. Mr. Macomber, in tiie winter of 1 854. In the following spring he preached a sermon to the settlers at the house of E. P. Bennett, notice of such intention having been given previously by personal commu- nication with the settlers in all cases available. Mr. Ma- comber preached but one more sermon in the town, and that, too, at Mr. Bennett's house, and upon both occa- sions is said to have had deeply interested if not large con- gregations. About that time Rev. Mr. Angell, a Prot- estant Methodist preacher, held services occasionally. There was Methodist preaching in school district No. 1 very soon after the school-house was built, in 1855, and there a Meth- odist Episcopal class was organized after a brief delay. The class did not, however, flourish as well as it was hoped it might, and although it made a good eftbrt for vigorous life the effort was unavailing. After a brief but uncertain ex- istence it expired. Fairfield has never been nor is it now prolific in religious organizations, and as to church edifices there have been none erected iu the town. A rea.son for all this is found in the statement that the township is so small that the residents of any part of it find it convenient to reach hou.ses of worship in adjoining townships, and thus, for the uncer- tainties which attend upon the lives of religious societies in small communities, they exchange a membership with sub- stantially-established organizations and an assured system of public religious services. A METHODIST EPISCOPAL CLASS, organized at the Leavitt school-house, about 1869, has since then maintained worship with more or less regularity in the same locality. There are now about fourteen mem- bers, who assemble once each fortnight for public services, conducted at the present time by Rev. Mr. Church, of Mungerville. Sunday-school exercises are held weekly under the direction of Ezra Latimer, superintendent. A UNITED BRETHREN CLASS was formed in the Hambleton school-house, in 1878, by Elders Kinnon and Weller, with a membership of six. The class is now on the Saginaw Circuit, in charge of Rev. Mr. Bunday, has preaching once every two weeks, and is led by William Brainard. FAIEFIELD IN THE REBELLION. Although organized only in 1854, Fairfield was, never- theless, able to furnish no inconsiderable number of soldiers for the national army during the Rebellion of 1861-65. The military enrollment of the town at the close of the war was but forty, and precisely that number of men en- tered the service from Fairfield. Of these forty not one was drafted, and in the contemplation of that circumstance Fairfield's citizens are justly proud. Ten of the forty lost their lives in the service, but of the ten only three were killed iu action. The aggregate expenditure for war boun- ties reached the sum of four thousand nine hundred dollars, of which two thousand nine hundred dollars was raised by private subscription. For the Volunteers' Family Relief Fund the county supervisors appropriated for Fairfield, during the four years ending with 1864, the sum of one thousand three hundred and ninety dollars and ninety-two cents. FATAL ACCIDENTS. Present recollection recalls but two fatal accidents to citizens of the town within its limits. The first was Henry Rockwell, who, while at work upon a highway in 1855, was struck by the falling limb of a tree and almost in- stantly killed. On the night of Dec. 7, 1878, two young men, named Charles Caul and Peter Keyser, were out hunting rabbits by moonlight, when by some mischance Caul's gun was accidentally discharged, and Keyser being directly in its ResiOence OF G- B.MUNSON , Fairfield Mich. patrfieLd township. 225 range was shot and killed. Caul was taken into custody upon the eliarge of murder, and taken lor exainiuatiou before Roe G. Van Deusen, Esq. There was considerable local interest over the affair, and I he examination was attended by a good many people. There was, however, no testimony to show that Keyser's death was the result of anything but accident, and the discharge of Caul ended the matter. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. EPHRAIM F. BENNETT. Oliver R. Bennett was born in Now Hampshire, from whence he with his father moved into the State of New York about 1808, and settled near Canandaigua. The breaking out of the war of 1812 fired the patriotism of young Bennett, and he eidisted and was with the American army at Buifalo when that city was burned. His regiment was soon after discharged, when he again enlisted and served during the remainder of the war under Gen. Harrison. After the war he went to Shelby, Orleans Co., N. Y., where he and his brother John bought a piece of new land of Gen. Wadsworth. It was thirty miles from any inhabit- ants, in the midst of a dense wilderness. Nothing daunted, they built a shanty on their lot and for a time kept bachelors' hall while they cleared and improved their land. In 1820 they sold out and again wended their way westward, set- tling in Brunswick, Medina Co., Ohio, whicli was then very new. Here Oliver resided until his death in August, 1863. Ephraim F., son of Oliver, was born in the town of Shelby above named Feb. 12, 1817. He grew to manhood on the home-farm in Medina, which he and his brothers cleared. Arrived at his majority he bought a small piece of land, upon which he made his home while he worked at the shoe- maker's trade. This trade not agreeing with his health he abandoned it and worked at whatever he could get to do until 185-i, when he sold his place and started for Michigan, where land was plenty, cheap, and of an excellent quality. He purchased from the government one hundred and twenty acres of heavily-timbered land in the town of Fairfield, Shiawassee Co. Buying and settling upon his land ex- hausted all his means, and for a few years he and his family experienced many privations. They owned no stock, their oxen being their only wealth save their land. For two years they had no cow and tjieir living was of the plainest kind, often consisting of corn-meal made by drawing an ear of corn across a carpenter's plane. Butter, milk, and meat were luxuries seldom seen by them, " but," says Mr. Ben- nett, " we had appetites to fit our food." With energy and perseverance Mr. Bennett plied the axe, and soon fields of waving grain took the place of the wilderness and better days dawned upon the family. In all the ups and downs of pioneer life Mrs. Bennett has shown herself equal to the occasion, doing more than her share and proving such a pioneer wife and mother as the times and surroundings demanded. With Mrs. George Muuson she dispensed the homely but welcome fiire of a frontier home, never so happy as when doing some generous act. They now possess a well- 29 improved farm with a fine house and outbuildings, all the result of hard work and close economy. In early life Mr. Bennett was a Democrat, but since 1840 has been an earnest Republican. He has filled acceptably most of the town- ship oiEces. For forty-eight years he and his wife have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. On the 22d of May, 1842, he married Miss Catherine W. Squires, daughter of Morris and Rhoda (Wells) Squires, and born in Shelby, Aug. 17, 1823. Her family were among the early settlers in Shelby, and in 1848 moved to Brunswick, where Mr. Squires lived until his death. To Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have been born two children, Rhoda E., Aug. 22, 1846, and Edward R., June 23, 1849. Edward R. still remains with his parents and conducts the farm. He, too, is a Republican in politics, and has been for several years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. GEORGE B. MUNSON. The oldest settler now living in the town of Fairfield is George B. Munson, who was the seventh settler in the town, and is the only one left of the seven. He came into the town in the spring of 1853, with his wife and child, having moved from Brunswick, Medina Co., Ohio, by wagon, being twenty-one days on the road, nineteen of which were rainy. There were no roads to or near his property, and Mr. Munson was obliged to underbrush the way to his farm. The day before reaching Elsie was occu- pied in removing trees which had blown down in a terrible wind-storm of the previous day, one large tree falling across the road but a few moments after they had pas.sed. He did not have money enough to pay for his land, and in order to raise the balance both himself and wife worked out, he on the farm, his wife in the house, cooking and performing the duties rendered necessary by a large force of workmen. As soon as they had built a log house they moved into it, and Mr. Munson at once commenced to clear his I'arm of one hundred and twenty acres, which was heavy timber-land. But only a portion of his time could be spent on his land, as money had to be earned to keep the wolf from the door. To do this he cleared land for others more fortunate than him.self, clearing in all more than fifty acres besides his own. The season of the hard frost was a severe one for them, as it cut off their crops, and for a long time their food consisted of bread and tea ; butter, meat, and potatoes being luxuries beyond their reach. Mrs. Mun.son says the best meal of her life was one prepared after Mr. Munson had been to Owosso and purchased, with money sent him by his brother, some pork, butter, and groceries. Their latch-string in those days was always out, and Mrs. Munson was noted for her hospitality. By dint of hard labor in and out of the house, they have now a well-im- proved farm, with good and comfortable buildings. Al- though a Democrat, Mr. Munson has held nearly all the oflSces in his township, which is strongly Republican, he having been one of the first highway commissioueis, and since then treasurer for eight terms, clerk one term, akso school inspector and justice of the peace; to all of which offices he has been elected by his fellow-townsmen regard- 226 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEfi COUNTY, MICHIGAN. less of politics, they knowing his worth as a citizen of un- blemished character and of warm and generous impulses. Mr. Munson was born in the town of Guilford, Medina Co., Ohio, Aug. 10, 1824. His father, Jacob Munson, was born in WalHngford, Conn., Feb. 16, 1798. lie was a carpenter, acquiring his trade in Canandaigua, N. Y. When twenty-two years of age he married Postreme Reeves, who was born in Mount Holly, N. J., July 6, 1797. After his marriage he moved to Medina Co., Ohio, which was then new. In 1824 he moved to the town of Brunswick, where he cleared a farm, and where he re- mained until his death, Nov. 13, 1859 ; his wife died July 15, 1875. George married, Aug. 8, 1847, Miss Zelinda Peck, who was born in Mattewan, Dutchess Co., N. Y., Aug. 29, 1827. She was daughter of William and Eliza Jane (Wilson) Peck. Mr. Peck was born Nov. 27, 1802, and his wife April 7, 1805. He was a machinist, and worked at his trade until compelled to stop by reason of old age. He was an early settler in Fairfield, and built the first school-house in that town. There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. George Munson five children, viz. : Almira, June 30, 1848; William Henry, Nov. 27, 1850 (died March 28, 1852) ; Charles B., March 30, 1855 ; Edward R., Jan. 14, 1863; and Emma E., Feb. 7, 1866. ITHIAL L. MUNSON. Of the early settlers who came into Fairfield there are none who have been more successful or who have done more to advance the growth and prosperity of the township than Ithial L. Munson, the subject of this sketch. He was born in Canandaigua, Ontario Co., N. Y., Nov. 8, 1819. When he was five years old his father moved to Brunswick, Ohio, where Ithial grew to manhood, thus early becoming acquainted with the hardships and priva- tions of a life in the wilderness. His education was such as could be obtained by a few terms' attendance in the dis- trict schools of a new country. Mr. Munson remained with his parents until he was twenty-three years of age, when his health being poor for a number of years, he was unable to make a start in life until after he was thirty. He then for a number of years worked at the carpenter and joiner's trade in Cleveland, Canada, and in Illinois. In the fall of 1853 he purchased from the government two hun- dred and forty acres of heavily-timbered land in the town of Fairfield, Shiawassee Co., Mich., but did not go to it until the spring of 1857, when he made a final settlement on his farm. At that time he had caused to be cleared five acres, and had cut the timber from forty acres addi- tional. The new farm, purchased in 1853, has now be- come one of the finest in the township, and consists at this time of three hundred and twenty acres, of which two hundred and thirty are under improvement ; it also con- tains a fine house, large barns, and is well fenced and culti- vated. In 1877, Mr. Munson bought of William Armond a fine thoroughbred short-horn, called the " Duplane Lad," and has since raised some fine cattle, with which his farm is well stocked. Mr. Munson also keeps a fine flock of well-bred sheep, believing that in mixed farming the great- est success is to be obtained. Among his neighbors and fellow-townsmen he stands high as a man of sound business capacities and of sterling integrity. In politics. Mr. Munson was originally a Whig, and has affiliated with the Republicans since the formation of that party, but is not a politician. On the 10th of June, 1860, he married Mrs. Mary A. Munson, the widow of his cousin, Ithial J. Munson. She was the daughter of Frank Carse, and was born in County Down, Ireland, June 24, 1831. There have been born to them three children, namely, L. L., born March 15, 1861 ; James J., Aug. 20, 1863 ; and Emily A., Oct. 7, 1866. CHAPTER XXXIV. HAZELTON TOWNSHIP.* Origin of Name — Natural Features — Original Land-Purchases — Set- tlements — The Earliest Highwajs — Schools— Ha zelton Grange — tothrop VilLage — Hazeltonville — Judd's Corners. Much of the land embraced in the township of Hazelton was owned by Porter Hazelton, of Genesee County, to whom it was transferred by the State in 1849, in payment for services performed in the construction of a bridge across the Flint River. His brothers, George H., Homer, and Edward, were engaged with him in the enterprise, and be- came part owners of the lands in Shiawassee County, as did Ezekiel R. Ewing, also of Genesee County, another partner in the work. Mr. Hazelton offered many inducements to settlers, and ultimately disposed of his property in the township, which was, in deference to his connection with its early history, named Hazelton. In geographical position it may be described as the ex- treme northeast township of the county, lying south of Saginaw County, and bounded on the east by Genesee County, west by the township of New Haven, and having the township of Venice on its southern line. The surface of Hazelton is generally level, presenting few elevations. An exception to this is found, however, in the south and east, where rolling ground is occasionally met, though there are no abrupt declivities. Numerous streams water the township and afford variety to the landscape. Chief among these is the Misteauguay Creek, which rises in Venice and entering this township on section 35 flows in a general northward course, and leaves again at section 1. Numerous small tributaries feed this main stream, which affords an excellent power for milling purposes. Onion Creek makes its entry on section 33, and, flowing north, pours its waters into the Misteauguay, as does also Porter Creek, which ri.ses in the southwest corner and flows north and northeast, ending its course on section 11. In the northwest is a stream formerly known as Dutcher Creek, which passes into Saginaw County through section 3 of Hazelton. The soil of Hazelton embraces in its composition sand, * By E. 0. Wagner. HAZELTON TOWNSHIP. 227 gravel, clay, and muck The northwest portion has a clay subsoil with a sand and gravelly surface. More clay abounds in the centre, while in the .south and ea.st is a sandy soil of excellent quality. But a small proportion of the swamps, which were at an early day an obstacle to the farmer, now remain as such. An excellent system of drainage has con- verted them into some of the best soil to be found in the township. In the north and northwest, however, there is still apparent a belt of swampy land, from eighty to one hundred rods wide, which is being rapidly drained. Beech, maple, elm, and basswood are the prevailing timbers, though otiier woods are occasionally found. Wheat and corn find here a congenial soil, and produce an average crop equal to that of other portions of the township. The last census gives the number of acres de- voted to wheat in 1873 as eight hundred and three, which produced a yield of thirteen thousand eight hundred and fifteen bushels, while five hundred and thirty-three acres of corn yielded a harvest of fourteen thousand eight hundred and twenty-three bushels. Hay is usually a prolific crop. The later development of the township will of course greatly enhance the above returns. ORIGINAL LAND-PURCHASES. The lands of Hazelton were entered from the general government, or purchased of the State by the following persons : SECTION 1. Acrps. E. B. Strong, 18.36 111.09 John Casilear, 1836 160 E. L. Walton, 1836 161) J. H. Coddington, 1836 80 J. D. Emerson, 1836 58.26 T. M. Laine, 1836 80 H. L. Strong, 183" ,... 58.26 SECTION 2. P. F. Ewer, 1836 160 H. Resford, 1836 187.28. J. L. Larzalier, 1836 160 N. Haywood, 1836 186.96 SECTION 3. James Butler, 1836 80 David Lee, 1836 80 Georgo McDougall. 1836 80 Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 240 George Fleming, 1842 106 L. A. Tebcr, 1842 103.36 SECTION i. James Parsons, 1836 320 Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 160 John Collins, 1854 101.51 Martin Welch, 1854 101.35 SECTION 5. Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 682.48 SECTION 6. Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 417.43 Harvey Adams, 1854 207.611 G. M. Hemingway, 1854 160 SECTION 7. Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 735.68 SECTION 8. L. C. Russell, 1857 160 Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 480 SECTION 9. Acres. B. F. Town, 1836 80 Porter Hazelton, 1849 560 SECTION 10. James Butler, 1836 80 John Starkweather, 1836 80 Edward Jerome, 1836 80 J. M. Fitch, 1837 80 Porter Hazelton, 1849 320 SECTION 11. Isaac Hill, 1836 640 SECTION 12. Horace Foote, 1836 120 JI. B. Brown, 1836 160 Jonathan Turgan, 1837 160 Harry Brotherton, 1837 80 Samuel llubbell, 1S37 40 E. H. Hazelton, 1854 80 SECTION 1.3. B. R. Ewing (.State), 1850 640 SECTION 14. Garret D. Wall, 1836 640 SECTION 15. Giirdus Dunlap, 1836 160 Porter Hazelton (Stale), 1849 480 SECTION 16. J. S. Knibs (State), 1865 40 J. H. Savage (State), 1865 40 E. C. Gulick (State), 1857 80 W. H. Crawford (State), 1854 80 C. R. Speers (State), 1854 80 S. C. Christian (State), 1867 40 D. C. Burpee (State), 1867 40 SECTION 17. E. Conkling, 1836 240 L. C.Russell, 1837 160 J. 6. M. Fisk, 1837.. 160 Henry Skutt, 1837 80 SECTION 18. Stephen Fisk, 1836 120 E. Stacey, 1.837 200 Daniel Beebe, 1837 40 Joseph Peck, 1837 80 Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 168.72 SECTION 19. Philo Curtis, 1836 160 C. H. Godspeed, 1854 80 J. D. Wright, 1854 209.80 Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 80 James Grant (State), 1851-52 211.44 SECTION 20. James Grant (State), 1849 240 Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 400 SECTION 21. William T. Latta, 1854 40 Lorenzo lirigham, 1854 120 Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 160 James Grant (State), 1849 320 SECTION 22. James Wadsworth, 1836 160 D. R. Prindle, 1836 80 Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 400 SECTION 2.3. James Wadsworth, 1836 240 Almon Whitney, 1836 80 228 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Acres. Gardus Dunlap, ISKO 160 Paul Spofford, 1836 160 SECTION 24. Joseph Vallett, 1836 160 David TroHibley, 1836 160 E. R. Ewing (State), 1850 320 SECTION 25. Samuel Goddard, 1836 80 Azel Noyes, 1836 160 6. N. Chapplin, 1836. .; 160 David Trombley, 1836 1611 E. R. Ewing (State), 1850 SO SECTION 26. James Wadswortb, 1836 160 0. M. Nourse, 1836 160 E. R. Ewing, 1850 320 SECTION 27. T. L. L. Brent, 1836 320 John F. BIiss,1836 320 SECTION 28. John Robbins, 1836 320 James Grant (State), 1849 320 SECTION 29. E. H. Hazelton, 1854 1«0 James Grant (State), 1849 320 Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 480 SECTION 30. H. C. Riggs, 1853 80 C. H. Goodspeed, 1854 80 Porter Hazelton (State), 1849 587.92 SECTION 31. Alfred Allen, 1834 80 M. C. Cole, 1834 160 Porter Hazelton (State), 1858 514.28 SECTION 32. E. H. Hazelton, 1854 160 A. P. Greenman, 1854 160 William B. C. Gillett, 1854 80 Porter Hazelton (State), 1849.., 160 James Grant (State), 1849 80 SECTION 33. John Martin, 1836 80 John Robbins, 1836 80 J. F. Russell, 1836 320 Porter Hazelton, 1849 160 SECTION 34. Colby Chew, 1836 160 Robert R. Howell, 1836 160 Weed and Howell, 1836 80 John Martin, 1836 160 E. H. Hazelton, 1854 80 SECTION 35. James Wadsworth, 1836 160 D. R. Prindle,1836 80 S. A. Goddard, 1836 80 E. H. Brush, 1836 80 James Weed, 1836 80 E. R. Ewing, 1849-50 120 H. W. Felt, 1849 40 SECTION 36. S. A. Goddard, 1836 160 J. L. Larzalere, 1836 160 J. T. Van Vlecli, 1836 80 Edwin Jerome, 1836 80 M. Mallowery, 1836 80 John Wells, 1836 80 SETTLEMENTS. The year 1848 saw the first settlements made witliin the limits of Hazelton. Stanton S. Latham and Eli E. Fowles, who were relatives, came from Genesee Co., Mich., and lo- cated upon eighty acres on section 27. They at once built a cabin and began a small clearing, but made no very de- cided improvement. Their limited quarters afforded .shel- ter to the settlers who followed, and the hospitality extended by these early pioneers was in no wise governed by the dimensions of their primitive home. In the family of Mr. Latham was born the first child in the township, in the year following their arrival. In his home also occurred the earliest death, — that of Mrs. Latham, in 1852. Four weeks later he was married to his second wife by Charles Wilkin- son, then justice of the peace, in Venice. This was the earliest marriage in Hazelton. At the house of Mr. Latham occurred the first township-meeting, in 1850, at which time the list of voters embraced the following names : Stanton S. Latham, Salmon Mclntire, J. C. Smith, J]than Lord, Eli E. Fowles, John Willis, Orrin Black, Otis- Burpee, the latter of whom is the only one of this number still a resi- dent of the township. Mr. Latham ultimately removed to the West and became an emigrant to the wilds of Oregon. John Willis was a pioneer of 1849. Porter Hazelton had given forty acres each to Messrs. J. C. Smith, John Willis, Salmon Mclntire, and J. L. Richardson, under agreement to eflFect certain improvements within a specified time and also to purchase an additional forty acres, to be paid for as they were able. Mr. Willis located upon eighty acres on section 22, which he immediately began clearing, having remained at the house, or rather shanty, of Mr. Latham while erecting a habitation upon his own land. He soon had a very considerable tract cleared, which was sown with corn and wheat, and presented something of the aspect of a cultivated farm. He, however, wearied of the labo- rious monotony of a settler's life, and he removed to Mis- souri in 1858. Mr. Willis was chosen as the first super- visor of Hazelton, and filled successive offices during his brief residence in the township. Salmon Mclntire, formerly of Ohio, was a companion in his settlement with John Willis, in 1849, and located upon the farm now occupied by F. F. Brewer, on section 15, where he had eighty acres secured under contract from Porter Hazelton. He lived at the cabin of Stanton S. Latham while erecting a log house. He devoted some years to the cultivation of his land, and on his removal, some years after, removed to Grand Traverse, where he became a resident. Otis Burpee removed, in 1849, from Genesee Co., Mich., to the township, where he located upon eighty acres on sec- tion 10. Half of this had been given him by George H. Hazelton, while the remainder was purchased of him and paid for on possession having been given. This was en- tirely unimproved. He started with horses and wagon from Genesee County and pursued an Indian trail as the only guide. There were no roads, and the axe was an indispen- sable implement in his progress. For three nights he found no habitation, and was obliged to camp out, improvising such shelter as was possible. Mr. Burpee erected a cabin HAZELTON TOWNSHIP. 229 of logs and cleared a few acres, but made no decided prog- ress until four years lat«r. Latham and Fowles were the only settlers who had made inroads upon the vast forest of the township, while Messrs. Willis and Mclntire had built their cabins, but were still domiciled with the former settlers. Mr. Burpee soon began the work of improvement, which eventually resulted in the conversion of his land into a pro- ductive farm, ilthan D. Lord came at the same time, and chose the east half of the southeast quarter of section 15, upon which he began the labor of clearing. Not long after- wards be moved to Genesee County. J. L. Richardson arrived the following year, having had eighty acres under the Hazeltnn contract, which be selected upon section 22. This land rapidly improved under the industry manifested by Mr. Richardson, who erected a comfortable house and did much during his official career as highway commissioner in 1850 to make various portions of the township accessible by the laying out of highways. He was prominent in public enterprises connected with the township and filled many offices of importance. J. C. Smith, another of the parties whose advent is associated with the Hazelton contracts, arrived in 1850 and became a settler on the east half of the southwest quarter of section 27. His first work was the erection of a shelter for his family, after which he began chopping. Mr. Smith remained several years, and as a result of his energy left twenty acres of improved land, fie ultimately found a more attractive home in Wisconsin. The farm first occupied by John Willis was in 1850 sold to Daniel L. Patterson, who removed from Niagara Co., N. Y., in the same year. A cabin bad already been built by the former owner, though Mr. Patterson, finding this insufficient to meet his wants, at once erected a more spacious one adjoining. He met many obstacles to prog- ress on his way, and underbrushed a portion of the road with his jack-knife. Salmon Mclntire, who had but re- cently come in, was the nearest neighbor. Mr. Patterson added much to the clearing already made by his prede- cessor, and was actively engaged at an early period in lay- ing out and opening roads through the township. He was also an early dispenser of justice in Hazelton, and held his court within the precincts of the log cabin. His death occurred upon the farm in 1859. His widow — now Mrs. Levi McCarn — still occupies the estate and the log house built by him. The following list embraces the resident tax-payers in the townsliip of Hazelton for the year 1850, thus showing pretty nearly who had been the settlers in the township prior to that time : Acres. Otis Burpee, section 10 SO Eli E. Fowles, section 27 "80 Stanton S. Latham, sections 27, 23 160 Ethan D. Lord, section 15 80 Salmon Mclntire, section I. i 80 Ahram Pierson, section 27 80 J. L. Richardson, section 22 80 Orin Smith, section 22 80 Almond Torrey, section 15 80 John Willis, section 22 .^0 Jesse Rhodes, a former resident of Ohio, became a pioneer to the township in 1850, having purchased eighty • acres on section 25. His progress was not rapid at first, the erection of a log house having engaged his attention on arrival. Later much of the land was cleared and afforded a bountiful yield of grain. John Willis, one-half mile west, had already settled and effected a small clearing. Deer and wolves were among the visitors to the cabin, and the In- dian in his hunting expeditions occasionally craved a wel- come and a place before the blazing hearth for the night. The township was at first slow in its progress, but later years have made a perceptible difference in its population. Mr. Rhodes' death occurred in 1869. Two sons. Ransom and Marshall, are still residents of the same section, where they have each well-cultivated farms. Another of the pioneers of 1850 was H. S. Allen, whose land lay upon section 15 and embraced eighty acres. Mr. Allen came from Grand Blanc, Genesee Co., and was a cabinet-maker as well as farmer. He built a house of logs and effected some improvement, but ultimately removed to Corunna, and later to Newburg, in Shiawassee township. W. W. Warner emigrated from Potter Co., Pa., in 1852, and located on section 34, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres. On a small clearing amid this wilderness he built a board shanty, hauling the boards with an ox- team from Flushing, where he remained while building. Ten acres were chopped the first year, a small portion of which was planted with corn. The following year Mr. Warner built a substantial frame dwelling, in which he still resides. Indians occasionally visited the house and brought game and fish in exchange for other supplies. Early relig- ious services were held at the houses of the settlers, Elder W. J. Kent having been the first to conduct these exercises. Mr. Warner has taken a prominent part in the development of the township and manifested much public spirit during his active career. He has been for successive terms super- visor and held other minor offices. C. S. Gillet, another early pioneer, came in 1853 (having formerly been a resident of New York State), and purchased eighty acres of uncleared land on section 9. Upon this he erected the customary log house and began the improvement of the land, having four sons who came with him and assisted in the labor of clearing. Mr. Gillet was among the early township ofiicers and held many official positions of responsibility. He later removed to and is still a resi- dent of Flushing, his sons having also gone from the township. John Bowman emigrated from Germany in 1850, and in 1855 became a pioneer in Hazelton. Section 26 afforded him an eligible location, upon which he purchased one hun- dred and twenty acres. Henry St. John, then a resident of section 35, extended him a welcome on his arrival. Mr. Bowman accomplished but little in the way of improvement, his time having been principally devoted to lumbering. The timber for his first residence was drawn from Flushing, two hundred feet being regarded as a fair load on account of the exceedingly bad roads. The family supplies were car- ried from the latter village upon his back on Saturday even- ing. He has now reached a condition when these depriva- tions are but recollections of the past. His present spacious residence, built in 1876, hears witness to the success which has been the reward of his industry. Jacob C. Brown came from Livingston Co., Mich., in 230 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 1855. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres on sec- tion 23. to which he afterwards added eighty acres on sec- tion 24, formerly owned by John Willis and partially im- proved by him, after he had removed from his tirst purchase. His brother, James Brown, had preceded him and located upon section 24, where he for years resided, but ultimately removed to Grand Blanc, having sold to William Eames. The former erected a house of logs, while the yard was partially inclosed by a maple-tree which was felled across the front, and with a gate at the end did duty as a fence. Mr. Brown began the labor of chopping and converted much of the land into productive acres. He filled many town- ship offices and was prominent as one of its most energetic citizens. In 1877 he purchased a farm of fifty-four acres within the limits of the city of Corunna, upon which he now resides. Amos Lewis came from Flint in ISoO and purchased a tract of forty acres on section 29, which was uncleared on his arrival. John Decker, a near neighbor, formerly of Genesee County, oflered him shelter while building a house. Soon after his arrival Mr. Lewis was a victim to fever and ague, which rendered labor impossible. For that reason little progress was made during the time immediately suc- ceeding his arrival. He remained upon this farm until 1870, when the township of Rush oflFered superior attrac- tions, but later years found him again a resident of Hazelton on section 33. Elijah Coons, a pioneer of the same year, located upon one hundred acres on section 32, formerly the home of John Phipps, who had made some inroads upon the forest and built a cabin, to which Mr. Coons removed. He was also a victim to the prevailing malady of the day — ague — and made little progress at first. He is still a resident of the township. George Jacobs, a former resident of the Green Mountain State, settled in 1857, upon sixty-five acres on section 7, which on his arrival was little else than an unbroken wilder- ness. Eli H. Day, who was a pioneer upon the same sec- tion, had preceded him and was his nearest neighbor. With him Mr. Jacobs found a temporary home while erect- ing a log house, to which settlers from various parts of Hazel- ton and adjoining townships came to the raising. This house was occupied without waiting for the modern conveniences of doors and windows. 11. J. Holme.'* became a resident of the same section soon after. Deer were abundant and afforded a considerable addition to the family supplies. Mr. Jacobs was a skillful marksman, and many of these fleet-footed ani- mals fell victims to his unerring aim. He was an early highway commissioner, and assisted in laying out many of the early roads in the northwest portion of the township. He still resides upon his original purchase, which he has made into a highlj'-productive farm. B. Dutcher preceded Mr. Jacobs by two years, having come from Livingston County and located upon one hun- dred and sixty acres on section 6. On coming from his former borne he met many obstacles to progress, and for some distance was obliged to underbrush the road as he came. J. A. Clough, a near neighbor in New Haven, ex- tended his hospitality while erecting a log cabin, after which he proceeded to the labor of clearing, and improved eigh- teen acres during the first year. Mr. Dutcher was for many years somewhat isolated, but few settlers having chosen the northwest portion of the township as a resi- dence. At the close of the war, however, the laud was rapidly developed. Corunna attracted Mr. Dutcher in 1S77, and he now resides there. Levi Morse, formerly of Genesee Co., N. Y., came to Hazelton in 1858, and located upon eighty acres on section 30, which afforded a good field for development. His neighbor at the time was Reubeu Chapin, who then resided on the same section, whither he had removed from Canada. Later he moved to the West, but returned again to Chesaning, in Saginaw County. Mr. Morse enjoyed Mr. Chapin's hospitality while erecting a home. The first year five acres were cleared, and from that time on much improvement was the result of his labor, until the farm he - early purchased is now under a high state of cultivation. Emery Lewis was a pioneer of 1859, from Ingham County, though originally from the Empire State. His first purchase was eighty acres on section 29, which has since been increased to one hundred and sixty, with an additional forty upon section 31. This site was originally the home of John Decker, who had eifected a partial clearing and built a house upon it. Mr. Lewis continued these improvements, and ultimately converted the land into a fruitful farm, upon which he now resides. His present house was built nine years since. F. F. Brewer located upon the land formerly secured by Salmon Mclntire, and described a.s the east half of the southwest quarter of section 15, which he purchased in 1860, and has greatly enhanced in value. Mr. Brewer is a citizen of much public spirit, and has been frequently elected to important township offices. L. H. Barrett, a former resident of Oakland County, located in 1863 upon forty acres on section 28, on which he still resides. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND LIST OP OFFICERS. The survey of the township of Hazelton was made by Joseph Wampler, who was employed by the government in the capacity of deputy surveyor, and performed much labor throughout the county. Hazelton was formerly a portion of the town.ship of New Haven, and was erected as an in- dependent township by the act of the Legislature (approved March 25, 1850) which provided " That town No. 8 north, of range No. 4 east, in the couuty of Shiawassee, be and the same is hereby set off from the township of New Ha- ven and organized into a separate township by the name of Hazelton, and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the house of Stanton S. Latham, in said township.'. Under the provisions of this act the electors of the town- ship of Hazelton met at the house of Stanton S. Latham, on the 30th day of April, 1850, for the purpose of choosing township officers. Orrin Smith was appointed moderator, and E. D. Lord and John Willis inspectors of election. The following officers were elected for the year : Super- visor, Orrin Smith; Township Clerk, J. L. Richardson; Treasurer, E. D. Lord ; Highway Commissioners, Stanton S. Latham, J. L. Richardson, Otis Burpee ; Justices of HAZELTON TOWNSHIP. 231 the Peace, Abram Pearson, S. D. Latham, John Willis, J. L. Richardson ; School Inspectors, E. D. Lord, Otis Bur- pee ; Directors of Poor, Abram Pearson, E. E. Fowls; Constable, E. E. Fowls. The township officers of Hazeltou elected in succeeding years from that time until the present have been as follows, viz. : 1851. — Supervisor, Orrin Smith; Township Clerk, J. L. Richardson ; Highway Commissioners, J. C. Smith, E. D. Lord ; Justice, D. H. Patterson ; School Inspectors, 0. Smith, E. D. Lord ; Direc- tors of Poor, J. C. Smith, B. D. Lord ; Con- stable, E. E. Fowles. 1852.— Supervisor, 0. W. Smith ; Township Clerk, J. L. Richardson; Treasurer, John Willis; Justices, J. L. Richardson, J. C. Smith ; Highway Com- missioners, S. Mclntire, E. E. Fowles ; School Inspector, Abram Pearsons ; Directors of Poor, S. Mclntire, J. C. Smith ; Constable, Ransom Rhodes. 1853. — Supervisor, H. S. Allen ; Township Clerk, J. L. Richardson ; Highway Commissioner, S. Mcln- tire ; School Inspector, Abram Pearsons ; Treas- urer, John Willis. 1854. — Supervisor, John Willis ; Township Clerk, W. W. Warner ; Treasurer, J. L. Richardson ; High- way Commissioners, W. W. Warner, A. Cum- mings ; School Inspector, A. W. Rhodes ; Di- rector of Poor, A. B. Woodcock ; Justice, John Willis ; Constable. A. B. Woodcock. 1855. — Supervisor, John Willis; Township Clerk, W. W. Warner ; Treasurer, A. W. Gillet ; Justice, John Phipps ; Directors of Poor, E. Flemmings, J. L. Richardson ; Highway Commissioner, A. W. Rhodes; Constable, F. H. Conklin. 1856.— Supervisor, J. Willis; Township Clerk, F. H. Conklin ; Treasurer, A. W. Gillet ; School In- spector, W. B. Gillet ; Justice, W. C. Day ; Directors of Poor, E. H. Sherwood, A. W. Rhodes; Highway Commissioner, G. Bennett; Constables, E. H. Sherwood, G. Bennett. 1857. — Supervisor, A. Pearsons; Township Clerk, F. H. Conklin ; Treasurer, J. D. Newell ; Justices, W. W. Warner, B. Dutcher ; Highway Commis- sioner, J. Ferris ; Constables, L. Bentley, W. L. Emery, A. Cummins, P. Frazier. 1858. — Supervisor, John Willis; Treasurer, J. B. Hol- comb ; Justices, A. Pearsons, John Willis; Highway Commissioner, Otis Burpee ; Consta- ble, S. S. Gillett. 1859. — Supervisor, Daniel Torrey ; Township Clerk, J. L. Richardson ; Treasurer, D. B. Holcomb ; Jus- tices, Daniel Torrey, W. W. Warner; School Inspector, George Jacobs; Highway Commis- sioners, George Jacobs, J. C. Brown ; Directors of Poor, J. W. Rickly, John Judd ; Constables, Cyrus Brigham, H. E. Burges, M. A. Pixley, William Emery. 1860. — Supervisor, D. Torrey; Township Clerk, 1'. F. Brewer ; Treasurer, J. L. Richardson ; Justices, Jacob Ferris, W. C. Day, M. E. Rhodes ; High- way Commissioner, L. Colby, Jr. ; Constables, C. P. Day, Nathan Colby, Amos Lewis, W. W. Emery. 1861.— Supervisor, J. C. Brown; Township Clerk, F. F. Brewer ; Treasurer, J. H. Brown ; Justices, W. W. Warner, D. B. Holcomb, William Piper; Highway Commissioner, F]mery Lewis ; School Inspectors, James King, L. L. Houghton ; Con- stables, W. Emery, C. P. Day, Alex. Kellas, J. Featherby. 1862.— Supervisor, F. F. Brewer ; Township Clerk, D. B. Holcomb ; Justice, J. C. Brown ; Treasurer, F. H. Conklin ; Highway Commissioners, J. Aus- tin, Nathan Colby; School Inspector, Benjamin Duulap ; Constables, W. Eames, W. W. Emery, Wm. Nobles, W. Amidon. 1863. — Supervisor, F. F. Brewer; Township Clerk, Stephen D. Warren ; Trea.surer, L. Benchley ; Justice, A. W. Gillet; Highway Commissioner, C. S. Gillet; School Inspector, C. P. Day ; Constables, W. W. Emery, S. D. Warren, L. Benchley, S. S. Gillet. 1864. — Supervisor, F. F. Brewer ; Township Clerk, S. D. Warren ; Treasurer, Loren Benchley ; Justices, W. C. Day, Henry Lewis; Highway Commis- sioners, D. C. Pierce, C. W. Smith ; School Inspector, L. L. Houghton ; Constables, L. Brigham, C. W. Smith, S. D. Warren, William Lyon. 1865.— Supervisor, W. W. Warner ; Township Clerk, Isaac Sutton ; Treasurer, F. Benchley ; Highway Com- missioners, E. Coons, John King, Jr., D. W. Gillet ; School Inspectors, Daniel Torrey, L. L. Houghton ; Constable, L. Benchley. 1866. — Supervisor, F. F. Brewer ; Township Clerk, L. H. Barrett; Treasurer, L. Benchley; Justices, J. C. Brown, D. W. Eames ; Highway Commis- sioner, S. S. Puffer ; School Inspectors, Wm. Eames, A. Kell ; Constables, W. W. Emery, C. W. Smith. 1867. — Supervisor, S. S. Bush ; Township Clerk, L. H. Barrett ; Treasurer, Wm. Eames ; Justices, 0. Hathaway, L. H. Barrett ; Highway Commis- sioner, J. Austin ; Constables, 0. Butterfield, Sullivan Fay, H. Frazier, A. Featherby. 1868. — Supervisor, F. F. Brewer ; Township Clerk, L. H. Barrett; Treasurer, Wm. Eames; Highway Commissioner, Gilbert Heminway ; Justices, George Jacobs, Philip Holland, John Featli- erby ; School Inspectors, Wm. Eames, E. M. Judd ; Constables, William Emery, Jackson Barrett. 1869. — Supervisor, F. H. Brewer; Township Clerk, Cal- vin Rich ; Treasurer, Wm. Eames ; Justices, D. B. Holcomb, Wilson West; Highway Com- missioners, C. W. Smith, E. S. Jones ; School Inspector, Wm. Eames; Constables, L. II. Bar- rett, F. F. Brewer, L. Brigham, Patrick Murphy. 1870. — Supervisor, W. W. Warner; Township Clerk, L. H. Barrett; Treasurer, John King; Justices, 232 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. W. W. Warner, Almon Brown ; Highway Com- missioner, E. H. Jones ; Constables, O. Carpen- ter, F. F. Brewer, B. F. Austin. 1871. — Supervisor, F. F. Brewer; Township Cleric, A. C. Brown ; Treasurer, John King ; Justice, A. Houghton; School Inspector, William Eames ; Highway Commissioner, Levi Morse; Constables, A. J. Featherby, Charles Lowrie, 0. Carpenter, Wm. Emery. 1872. — Supervisor, W. W. Warner; Township Clerk, B. F. Dunlap; Treasurer, John King; Justice, J. C. Brown ; Highway Commissioners, C. C. Law- son, George Cronk ; Drain Commissioner, Eras- tus Call ; Constables, Thomas Lawton, W. W. Emery, R. J. Holmes, George Welsh. 1873.— Supervisor, W. W. Warner; Township Clerk, B. F. Dunlap ; Treasurer, John King ; Justice, Caleb Lawson ; Highway Commissioner, George Cronk ; Drain Commissioner, Erastus Call ; Constables, L. Brigham, A. Dutcher, W. W. Emery, R. Davis. 1874. — Supervisor, L. H. Barrett; Township Clerk, Wm. Stage ; Treasurer, John King ; Justices, W. W. Warner, H. A. Fenner ; Highway Commis- sioner, Levi Morse ; Drain Commissioner, Daniel Cameron ; School Inspector, F. F. Brewer ; Constables, W. W. Emery, S. Lyons, Isaac Lewis, J. L. Delbridge. 1875. — Supervisor, L. H. Barrett; Township Clerk, F. I. Richardson ; Treasurer, William Eames ; Su- perintendent of Schools, H. A. Fenner ; School Inspector, F. F. Brewer; Highway Commis- sioner, Nathan Colby ; Justice, Wm. Emery ; Drain Commissioner, Hiram Monroe ; Consta- bles, Samuel Lyons, A. 0. Bush, C. W. Thorp. 187G.— Supervisor, L. H. Barrett; Township Clerk, F. I. Richardson ; Treasurer, Wm. Eames ; Superin- tendent of Schools, H. A. Fenner ; School In- spector, F. F. Brewer ; Highway Commissioner, N. Colby ; Justice, Carlos Burbanks ; Consta- bles, A. 0. Bush, William Emery, 0. Brown, Wallace Purse. 1877.— Supervisor, L. H. Barrett; Township Clerk, F. I. Richardson ; Treasurer, F. F. Brewer ; Superin- tendent of Schools, H. A. Fenner; School In- spector, F. F. Brewer ; Highway Commissioner, W. H. Lyons; Justices, W. Decatur, John Far- rar; Constables, F. Featherby, W. W. Emery, C. M. Braddoek, Peter Brown. 1878. — Supervisor, L. H. Barrett; Township Clerk, F. I. Richardson ; Treasurer, F. F. Brewer ; Justices, C. K. Runnells, Alanson Kimble; Highway Commissioner, Erastus Call ; Superintendent of Schools, H. C. Fenner; School Inspector, F. F. Brewer ; Drain Commissioner, James Garrison ; Constables, F. Featherby, Aaron Hartshorn, Peter Jones, E. R. Muiison. 1879. — Supervisor, F. I. Richardson ; Township Clerk, H. P. Niles ; Treasurer, C. K. Runnells; School Inspector, L. H. Barrett; Superintendent of Schools, H. A. Fenner ; Drain Commissioner, James Fee ; Highway Commissioner, E. Call ; Constables, J. S. Thompson, A. M. Brown, E. D. Babcock, Robert Easton. 1880. — Supervisor, F. I. Richardson ; Township Clerk, H. P. Niles; Treasurer, C. K. Runnells; Highway Commissioner, Ambrose Austin ; Superintendent of Schools, 0. W. Tock ; Drain Commissioner, James Fee ; Justice, J. R. Farr ; School In- spector, W. E. Jacobs ; Constables, John Sharp, A. Brown, Aaron Hartshorn. THE EARLIEST HIGHWAYS. For .some years after the first settlement of the township very few highways had been surveyed, and the earliest set- tlers met with many obstacles to necessary travel. The . first recorded road was surveyed when Hazelton was still a part of New Haven. As no date is given it is impossible to give the time of survey, though the commissioners who directed the work were Walter R. Seymour, Richard Free- man, and Cyrenus Clark. It is described as " beginning at the northwest corner of section 8, township 8 north, of range 4 east, and running thence north eighty-seven and three-quarter degrees east on section-line eighty chains and fifty links ; thence north eighty-seven and three-quarter degrees east on section-line seventy-eight chains thirteen links to the northeast corner of section 9 ; thence north eighty-seven and three-quarter degrees east two hundred and thirty-eight chains fifty links to the northeast corner of section 12, on the county-line." Another road began at the northeast corner of section 9, and ran thence by a great number of recorded courses and distances to the northeast corner of section 34, in township 8 north, of range 4 east. Later roads were surveyed as settlers became more numer- ous. Excellent highways, which are maintained at a con- siderable cost to the township, now traverse every portion of its territory. SCHOOLS. The township was, soon after its organization, divided into districts, whose boundaries were enlarged or diminished as circumstances demanded. The earliest school in Hazel- ton was taught in the year 1851, by Mrs. Daniel L. Pat- terson, in a log cabin standing upon the farm of her hu.sband, on section 22, which was built by John Willis. It was embraced within the boundaries of district No. 1, and the succeeding teacher was Miss Mary Gillet, now Mrs. Nathan Colby. The earliest school in the Judd neighborhood was taught by Miss Jane Judd, now Mrs. John Bowman, in 1854, in a log school-house built the same year on sec- tion 34. The present territory of Hazelton is divided into seven whole, and two fractional, districts. The board of directors is composed of the following gentlemen : John A. Fitch, L. H. Barrett, G. Garner, Enoch Wing, Batus Snyder, F. J. Richardson, I. S. Jones, D. Beatty, J. C. Bronson. The number of children receiving instruction is four hundred and forty-eight, of whom twenty-eight are non- residents. They are under the direction of eight male and nine female teachers. The value of school property in tn o Ob O N 5: HAZELTON TOWNSHIP. 233 Hazelton is four thousand eight hundred dollars, which in- cludes one log and eight frame school-houses. CHUROH HISTORY. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The first class of this deuouiinatiou was organized Feb. 21, 1858, under the direction of Kev. S. W. Wooster, it having been at that time a part of the Owos.so district. Its members were John Judd, Loren Bensley, Matilda Judd, Jane Bensley, Mary Kellogg, Julius Kellogg, John Bowman, Klisha Coons, Hep.sah Coons, Jane Bowman, Moses A. Pixley, John Judd, Jr., Edward Judd, Lorenzo Brigham, John Meeker, Betsey Meeker. The Rev. S. W. Wooster, after having organized tlie class, left it in charge of Rev. Jesse Bradford, now of Grand Rapids, who was the active pastor for a period of five years, Loren Bensley having been the first class-leader. In 1859 it was reorgan- ized and became a part of the Corunna Circuit. Rev. L. H. York succeeded to the pastorate in 1859, and D. W. Hammond acted as supply. Since that time the clergymen in succession have been as follows: 1860, Rev. Samuel Wilkinson; 1861, Rev. J. H. Cornalia ; 1863, Rev. Thomas Wakelin ; from 1864 to 1867, supplies; 1867, Rev. A. A. Allen; 1869, Rev. Joel B. Goss; 1872, Rev. A. Whitcomb; 1873, Rev. Thomas Wakelin; 1875, Rev. D. M. Van Deusen ; 1878, Rev. D. M. Ward ; 1879, Rev. Edward Steer. The present commodious church edifice was erected in 1871, and dedicated in October, 1874. Its debt of sixteen hundred dollars is entirely liquidated, and a parsonage has also been purchased by the society. A Sabbath-school numbering sixty scholars is connected with the church, of which the pastor is superintendent. PROTESTANT METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Very few facts regarding this church are at command. The class was organized many years since and religious services held at the Gillet school-house. An effort was made to erect a house of worship, which was so far suc- cessful that in 1879 ground was chosen at Lothrop, and the building proceeded toward completion, when some unfor- tunate circumstances caused a temporary suspension of the work. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Snyder. The trustees are Aaron Hoxie, Lsaac Wood, and Leonard Hoff- ner. The building committee is composed of John Frame, Isaac Wood, Robert Craig. SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS. The society of this denomination was organized in 1873, under the direction of Elders Van Horn and Lane, meetings having at first been held in Flushing, and later in the school-house on section 34, in Hazelton. Various preachers have since that time supplied the pulpit. The society, which has grown more flourishing as it advanced in years, is now erecting a house of worship on the southeast corner of section 26. II.VZELTUN ORANGE, No. 600. This grange was organized in 1875, with thirty-three members, the following having been its first oflScers : Daniel 30 Cameron, M. ; L. H. Barrett, Secretary; Johu Bowman, Trea.surer; F. I. Richard.son, Lecturer; Edward Judd, Chaplain. The present officers are L. H. Barrett, M. ; Frank Twitchell, Secretary ; John Towle, Treasurer; A. 0. Busli, Lecturer; Edward Judd, Chaplain. A spacious hall is owned by the organization, which also has a flourish- ing supply department, of which Edward Judd is pur- chasing-agent. Fifty names are enrolled upon its member- ship list. LOTHROP VILLAGE. The following description of the plat of the village of Lothrop is recorded : " Commencing at a point on the section-line between sections two and eleven, township eight north, of range four east, said point being eight hundred and twenty-nine feet east of the corner of sections two, three, ten, and eleven, thence north parallel with the west line of section two four hundred and thirty-three feet, thence west fifty-five feet, thence north parallel with said section-line three hundred and ninety-six feet, thence west parallel with the south line of section two seven hundred and seventy-four feet, thence west parallel with the south line of section three eight hundred aud twenty-nine feet, thence south parallel with the east line of section three eight hundred and twenty-nine feet, thence south parallel with the east line of section ten eight hundred and twenty- nine feet, thence ea.st parallel with the north line of section ten eight hundred and twenty-nine feet, thence east parallel with the north line of section eleven eight hundred and twenty-nine feet, thence north parallel with the west line of section eleven eight hundred and twenty-nine feet, to the place of beginning. Blocks 3, 4, 5, and 6 belong to N. Colby; blocks 9, 10, 15, and 16, to Gideon Silvertliorne ; blocks 1 and 2 are reserved for Mes.srs. Runnells and Craig; and the remainder of the blocks and lots belong to F. Berry. Surveyed October 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th, by Lyman Mason, C. E." A tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land, upon a portion of which the village of Lothrop is built, was en- tered in 1836 by James Butler, of New York. This included eighty acres each on sections 3 and 10, the latter of which was purchased in 1855 by A. W. Gillet and a man named Luce. In 1858, Nathan and Levi Colby set- tled upon section 10, and the former brother, in 1865, purchased the east half of the southeast quarter of section 3, upon which he built a residence. Gideon Silverthorne came in 1871, and also erected a dwelling. The same year Alexander Bailey came from Oakland County and built a store, in which he placed a small stock of goods and began his career as the pioneer merchant. Francis Berry arrived in 1875, and purchased the Gillet property, which he im- proved in various ways. He also established himself as a merchant, but later sold to C. K. Runnells and resumed his former calling, that of a clergyman. Mr. Runnells also — in connection with his partner — built the grist-mill, and Mr. Colby constructed a blacksmith-shop, which was leased to N. Fcnncr. Mr. Berry, in 1878, erected a spacious store, which is now occupied by Messrs. Niles & Co., who conduct an extensive business in general merchandising. In 1879, Mr. Colby built a hotel of considerable propor- 234 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. tions, and Andrew Krebs a harness-shop, and later a second sliop. Tlic business interests of the place may bo summed up as ibllows : A. N. Niles & Co. and C. K. Runnells, dry goods, gro- ceries, etc. John Hart, groceries and clothing. A. Krebs, harness, etc. David Krebs, shoe-slio]). William Hill, blacksmith-shop. N. Fenner, blacksmith-shop. AV. H. Reid, blacksmith-shop. E. P. Beam, wagon-sliop. John Sharp, restaurant and livery-stable. James Berry, harness-shop. Runnells & Craig, saw- and grist-mills. N. Colby, hotel. Dr. 0. W. Took is the active physician and surgeon of the place, and C. K. Runnells the postmaster. By order of the Post^Office Department the office has been changed to New Lothrop, though no change of a corresponding nature has been recorded with regard to the name of the village. Flouring-Mill and /Saw-Mill. — The flouring-mill of Run- nells & Craig, which has the reputation of being one of the most complete in the county in all its appointments, was constructed by the present proprietors in 1877. It is pro- pelled by an engine of thirty-five horse-power, and has three run of stones. It is devoted exclusively to custom- work, and bus a capacity for grinding one hundred bushels of wheat and two hundred bushels of corn per day. The average custom-work done per day is eighty bushels, though at times this is greatly increased. The most approved modern machinery for manufacturing flour by the patent process has been introduced. The saw-mill owned by the same firm is also propelled by steam. It has an upright saw and an edger, and lias a capacity for sawing five thousand feet of hard timber per day. The market is found in Owosso and East Saginaw. HAZELTONVILLE. A portion of the land upon which the village of Hazel- tonville is located was originally entered by Gen. James Wadsworth, of Geneseo, N. Y., in 1836, eighty acres of which was purchased by Eliakim Wood of the Wadsworth estate. That part which borders on section 14 was for- merly in possession of Hiram A. Fenner, while that on 22 — also a part of the Wadsworth purchase — was subse- quently controlled by H. J. Patterson. In the year 1872, Erastus Call and B. F. Dunlap each erected a store, the former having also built a house and a cooper-shop. His residence was brief, the same year having witnessed both his arrival and departure. During the year 1874, Almond Kimball erected a saw-mill and a grist-mill on the Misteau- guay Creek, the power having been supjilied by the stream upon which it is located. The latter was furnished with two run of stones and was devoted exclusively to custom- work. Dean Hartshorn had arrived some time before and opened a blacksmith-shop, which monopolized most of the work of the neighborhood. Soon after, Lewis Elliott opened a similar shop, and shared the patronage with his predecessor. Several houses had meanwhile been erected, and in 1878 another blacksmith- and wagon-shop was opened. In 1879, Dana Bros, built a store, which was filled with a stock of goods adapted to the wants of their country trade ; and Thomas Ackcrson and Benjamin San- born each established a wagon-shop. John Thompson also opened'a boot- and shoe-sliop, the only one in the place. The Post-Office Department has established here an office, known as Hazelton, of which William Gage is post- master. There is no hotel in the hamlet, but travelers are entertained at the house of B. F. Dunlap. JUDD'S CORNEKS. This ])oint in the township was first settled by John Judd, who came from Connecticut to Genesee County in 1836, and removed to Hazelton in 1853. He purchased of the Hazelton brothers four hundred acres of land on sections 33 and 34 in the township, and section 3 in Venice. He settled at once on this land, erected a cabin, and cleared ten acres. The following year fourteen acres were added to the former improvement and much of it sown with wheat, though the exceeding richness of the ground rendered the crop a poor one. Leeks were prolific in their growth, and the most formidable antagonist with which the settler con- tended. In 1854 a school-house was erected on section 34, in which Miss Jane Judd was the earliest teacher. George Pangborn bought a portion of section 34, upon which he soon after made a small clearing. It was not until many years later that any actual growth was apparent at the Cor- ners. In 1877 a blacksmith-shop was opened by A. Babcock, and H. A. Briokwell built a saw-mill. In 1879 a spacious store was erected by Wellington Cameron, who placed in it a general stock of goods. His health failed soon afterwards and the business was assumed by John Judd, who now conducts the store. The saw-mill is at present operated by John Fitch & Son, and a shoe-shop has also been opened at the Corners. Dr. C. J. Annis is the physician and surgeon of the neighborhood. The Methodist Episcopal church and the Grangers' hall are both located at Judd's Corners. A post-office was established in 1879, with E. D. Babcock as postmaster. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. JOHN JUDD. The genealogy of the Judd family traces their ancestry back to the puritanical times of 1633-34. Thomas Judd emigrated to this country, and settled at Cambridge, Mass., being eight generations removed fi'om the present subject of this sketch. John Judd, the father, married Abigail Palmer, a descendant of Governor Carver, first Governor of the State of Massachusetts. John Judd, the present, was the eldest of a family of seven children, and born at Hart- ford, Coun., June 15, 1809, where he continued until about HAZBLTON TOWNSHIP; 235 JOHN JUUl). MRS. MATILDA JUDB, DEC D. MRS. JOHN JUDD. twenty-one years of age, followini; the occupation of cooper. In that capacity he shipped aboard an outward-bouud whaler, and for three years followed the sea, visiting the Portuguese island St. Helena, the burial-place of Napoleon, doubled Cape Good Hope, and fished in the Straits of Mozambique and Madagascar, visited the coast of Africa, and was twice sliipwrecked, barely escaping a watery grave. He turned his face homeward, and on his arrival, July 27, 1834, married Matilda Leach, — whose parents were Thomas and Temper- ance Loach, descendants of the old Puritanical emigrants of that name who settled at Norwich, Conn., — and without the tour which is considered so essential to the happiness of the newly wedded they immediately started a home at Hartford, Conn., where they resided until IS.'iiG, when a colony of tlie Methodist Church was organized for emigra- tien. Michigan was chosen as the future home. D. L. Belden was appointed agent, and came to Michigan, visited several localities, finally decided to locate in Genesee County, and purchased nineteen hundred acres in the town of Rich- field. Aa the time for departure drew near one after another gave notice of their abandoning the enterprise, preferring the comforts of a home by name instead of one in reality in a new and unimproved country. At the day appointed but two, D. L. Belden and John Judd and family, departed, and, after the usual fatigue and hard.ships incident to a journey overland and by lake, they arrived at their destina- tion fatigued and sore, but not di.gheartened. Mr. Judd purchased eighty acres of Mr. Belden, to be paid for in work, and for a period of five years the struggle to meet his payments, improve his land, and maintain his constantly- increasing family continued, when he was obliged to ex- change his improved farm for wild land, necessitated by the non-payment of county orders, which he had received in payment for contract highway work. A journey half across the continent and we find them at Norwich, Conn. Broken and despondent, they turned back to seek rest. Five years later, with renewed strength and energy, they returned to begin anew the pioneer life, their past experi- ence being turned to good account. Mr. Judd invested their accumulations in merchandise, and connecting with it the manufacturing of black salts and potash, he was enabled to cany forward improvements more rapidly and with less physical labor to himself In 1854 an exchange was made for four hundred acres in Hazelton township, Shiawassee Co., and for a third time he began the subduing of the wilderness. Since that time improvements have gone rapidly forward, resulting in a finely-improved farm-home. Not alone have men subdued the wilderness, but by their side come her upon whom no purer, holier appellation than that of wife can be bestowed. Sundering the ties that bind them to home and its hallowed influences, they go forth to do and endure for the .sake of those who call them wife and mother. Such a one was Mrs. Judd, and when home comforts were provided, and while carefully instructing her own in the path of rectitude and virtue, she found time and opportunity to aid others. Originally she was a Con- gregationalist, but finding the majority of new-comers favoring Methodism Mr. and Mrs. Judd united their eflbrts in building up the cause, and to-day all join in acknowledg- ing the present advancement in church interest largely due to their efforts. On April 18, 1869, Mrs. Judd passed away, aged sixty-sis, having lived to see her family of five 236 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. children grown to men and women, and all within the ark of safety for which end she had so untiringly labored. Thomas, born April 30, 1835, at Hartford, Conn., resides at Macosta, Mo. ; Jane M., born Sept. 19, 1838, at Rich- field, Genesee Co., Mich., wife of John Roman ; Edwin and Edward, born Sept. 1, 1840, at Richfield, each reside upon part of the old homestead; John, born Dec. 14, 1841, at Norwich, Conn., also resides on part of the old homestead. All the male members of the family served during the Rebellion for a period of three years each. Edwin was taken prisoner at Gettysburg, John was wounded at Fall- ing Waters, and Thomas at Murfreesboro', Tenn. All lived to return home. In 1879, Mr. Judd married Mrs. Nancy Reed, who resided in Montrose township, Genesee Co., an active mem- ber of society and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, an early pioneer, and together they are journeying down the hill of life, surrounded by many friends. Mrs. Nancy Judd was born in 1816 in Lockport, Niagara Co., N. Y^. Her maiden name was Nancy Perry. She was previously married to Willard Pettie, and reared a large family, now all grown to man and womanhood. MRS. \V. \V. WAltNEK. W. \V. WARNER. W. W. WARNER. The family of Mr. Warner dates back to the early settle- ment of the English colonies. In this country his grand- father, Samuel Warner, resided at Hartford, Conn., follow- ing the occupation of miller, and was the fiither of five children. William H., a son, was born July 5, 1762, followed his father's occupation until of age, when he came as far West as Cortland Co., N. Y., and found employment at farming. Sept. 7, 1819, he married Polly Gill, by whom he had four children. Five years after this marriage they removed to Potter Co., Pa., where they spent the residue of their lives. W. W. Warner, whose portrait appears in this work, was born Aug. 11, 1824, at the first homo, and after his boyhood days followed the occupation of millwright, carpenter, and joiner. In 1850 he married Susan Latta, a native of Steuben Co., N. Y., whose family had removed to Potter Co., Pa., as early as 1836. In the fall of 1852 he with his family journeyed West and located upon his present farm in Ilazcltou, then a wilderness, with but eiu'ht families residing in the township. From Flushing, Genesee Co., nothing but an Indian trail marked the way. Turning from this, they cut a passage for the ox-team which he had hired to haul material for a shanty ; this completed he returned to Flushing, where Mrs. Warner had tarried, and on Nov. 24, 1852, built their first fire upon their hearth, which has ever during the pioneer life burned bright in welcome to others seeking a home in the wilderness. Rut years have passed, and by iheir industry the forests have disappeared and blooming orchards and smiling fields of grain are the results. Years of hard labor arc recalled by many pleasant recollections and few regrets. To Mr. War- ner is attributed having sunk the first well and erected the second frame house in town. Not only in his own interests has he been a liiithful worker, but at the first town-meeting was elected to ofiBce, served as supervisor, and nearly all the years of his residence in the township has held some office of public trust with honor to himscU' and satisfaction to his townsmen. Their family consists of two sons, William L., born Aug. 10, 1854; George W., born Feb. 8, 1859, who studiously endeavor to assume the burden of labor endured by their parents to rear them to manhood. HAZELTON TOWNSHIP. 237 .lESSE anOADES. MRS. JESSE RUOADES. JESSE RHOADES. In the early settlement of Shiawas.see County came Jesse Rlioades and wife. A year previous he had pur- chased of R. Ewings ( a brother of Mrs. Rhoades, residing in Flushing), eighty acres on section 25, Ilazelton township. The facilities for obtaining the early history of the family are very meagre. They were natives of Vermont, removed to the State of New York, sojourned for a time, then with the tide of emigration came West to Geauga Co., Ohio, thence to their purchase as above, in the fall of 1852. The family consisted of nine children. The eldest, Allen, had married previous to his coming, locating on section 26, whore he lived until 1862, when he enlisted in the Sixth Michigan Cavalry, participated in many engagements, was taken prisoner, and died in a rebel prison ; Clark, resides in Ilazelton ; Sarah, wife of John Harle, of Flu.shing, Genesee Co. ; Ransom, proprietor of the homestead ; Marshal, resides in Hazelton ; Harriet, wife of J. St. Johns, resides in Clayton, Genesee Co. ; Martha, wife of J. Gillett, of Saginaw ; Haskall, re- moved to Missouri, and enlisted in 1862 in the United States Army, and was killed in battle; Asa, when last heard from, was in California. Mr. Rhoades being in feeble health, the management of affairs devolved upon Ransom, and to him is due the peace and comfort of their declining days. The father died in the fall of 1868. The mother survived to the good old age of eighty-four, departing this life March 24, 1876. Ransoiu, having the care of his aged parents resting upon him, did not enlist at the breaking out of the Rebel- lion, but feeling it his duty upon the last call of 1864, en- listed in the Ninth Michigan Infantry, and served till the close of the war. Soon after his return he married Miss Aliuira Sharp, whose parents lived in Flazelton. Two chil- dren have been born to them. In politics Mr. Rhoades is a Democrat, but is not a politician. In his domestic rela- tions he is a good husband, father, and friend, and in every sense a worthy citizen. JOHN ROMAN. John Roman was born April 18, 1831, in Bavaria, Germany, and traces his ancestry among the wealthy rep- resentative people of their time, and is the only member of that family who has adopted this country as a home, except- ing a nephew, Godfritz Hajip, who accompanied Mr. Bow- man on his return to America from a visit to his native land. At the breaking out of the German Rebellion, in 1848, Mr. Roman was drafted to serve in King Ludwig's army of Bavaria for a period of six years. Soon after joining the command to which he was assigned, the entire regiment forsook the king's cause and joined the revolu- tionists. After a brief struggle they were compelled to seek safety in another land. Still following the fortunes of his leaders, Hecker, Carl Schurz, Sigel, and others more prominetitly known in this country, he came to America, arriving in New York, Aug. 1, 1850, a stranger in a strange land, with only one dollar, one-half the sum of his available po.ssession. He came to IJuttalo, N. Y., where he succeeded in finding employment at four dollars per month, and con- tinued in that vicinity for a period of four years, when with his accumulated wages he purclnwed eighty acres of his present property. The following year he came to Michigan, working at lumbering and also making sonic small improvements upon his farm. On July 19, 1857, he married Miss Jane M. Judd, the history of whoso family is given in this work. Together they began the labor of subduing the forest and establishing a home. We need not comment upon their success further than by calling attention to the view of their home presented in this work. In politics Mr. Bowman 238 HISTORY OP SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. was Democratic, but at the breaking out of the Rebellion enlisted in the Second Michigan Cavalry, participating in several small engagements, and was discharged with the regiment, thoroughly convinced that the party and principle that had so successfully dosed the struggle should be sus- tained, and when elections occur a straight ticket can be counted upon from him. Mr. Roman is not a church member, but favors the Methodist Episcopal Society, of which Mrs. Roman is a member, and has been since her girlhood days. Together they have contributed largely to the building up and sus- taining that institution in their vicinity. The family con- sists of six children, — Louisa and Alice, dying in infancy ; Matilda, born Oct. 2, 1858, wife of A. Campbell, and re- sides in Saginaw ; Charlc.'s, burn Sept. 23, 18U7 ; Ida A., born April 9, 18G9 ; Jamie, born Dec. 8, 1877. CHAPTER XXXV. MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP.* Description — Tlie Pioneers of Middlebury — Additions to the Settle- ment — Township Org.anizntion and List of Oftieers — Township Roads — Wiiil Service in Middlebury — Burial-places — Keligious History of the Township — Schools — Middlebury Cheese-Factory. The township of Middlebury, lying upon the western border of Shiawassee County, contains but twenty-four full sections and six fractional sections. Fairfield townsliip bounds it on the north, Sciota on the south, Owosso on the east, and the Clinton County line on the west. Middlebury has always been entirely an agricultural town, and as such ranks high. The soil is very produc- tive, and the gently-rolling surface of the country, liberally embellished with fine farms and elegant farm-houses, is very attractive. Indeed, especial emphasis may justly be laid upon the subject of the homes of Middlebury, for they are upon every hand charming pictures in the land- scape, adorned in many cases at great expense and with refined taste. Six schools provide for the educational wants of the community ; but in the matter of churches the supply is confined to one church edifice, although that f;ict bespeaks by no means a lack of religious privileges, since places of public worship ai'e conveniently at hand in adjacent towns. THE PIONEERS OF MIDDLEBURY. In June, 1837, a pioneer family of six persons, com- prising Obed Hathaway, his wife, and four. children, travel- ing in a lumber-wagon drawn by oxen, reached the house of Henry Leach, in Sciota, and bargaining with him to mark a road for them through the woods to section 21 in the next town north, pushed on. Hathaway, a New Yorker, had bought a tract of land in that town in 1836, and was going now with his family to make a settlement. No white man had preceded him into the territory whither * By David Schwartz. he was bound, and he proposed accordingly to make his home in the wide stretch of forest, — a solitary settler in a howling wilderness. Mr. Leach went forward and " blazed" the route, and the older Hathaway followed, cutting out the road for his team. A trip of five miles brought them to their destina- tion, and then their pioneer work began at once. Until he could build a cabin, Hathaway lodged his family in the wagon four weeks. When they came to the town they brought provisions enough to last them, as they supposed, until harvest. The supply gave out, however, before that time, and Hathaway set out to obtain a fresh supply, in- tending moreover to stop awhile elsewhere and work long enough to earn what money would be required for the purchase. He was absent six weeks, and during that time the folks at home rested their hopes upon a larder so lean that salt and dry bread was their principal diet for more than four weeks. The Hathaways struggled on as best they could until the approach of winter, when (no other settlers having come to town) they concluded to return to Washtenaw County and stop there until spring, since in their new home, there was no chance to winter their cattle, and al- most as poor a chance to winter themselves without serious discomfort, if not distress. Returning from Washtenaw County in tjie spring of 1838 they found the Slocums on section 35, where they had been since the preceding Jan- uary. When the Hathaways left the town the foil before they liad put by a good supply of vegetables, so that when they came back in the spring of 1838 they counted upon finding a good stock of provisions to start on. Unhappily for their calculations, some person or persons had raided the cabin and carried oS everything to be found in the way of eatables. The little they had brought with them of food soon disappeared, and for weeks they lived on pota- toes and leeks. The Slocums, to whom reference has been made, were, as remarked, the second family to settle in the town. George W. Slocum came from New York to Michigan in 1836 in search of land, and in the spring of that year located one hundred and sixty acres on section 35 in town 7 north, range 1 east. This was the first land-entry in that town, and in the same year — the year of the great emigration to Michigan — was followed by numerous others. Upon en- tering the land, Slocum went into Oakland County and there awaited the coming from New York of his father and family, and in that county they remained until the closing days of 1837, when it was decided to make a start for the new land-purchase in town 7, with a view to a permanent location. On the way they stopped at Leach's, in Sciota township, and while the women folks made shift to live there the elder Slocum and his sons George, Daniel, and John went over into Middlebury and put up a cabin, walking back and forth from Leach's each night and morning. It took them two weeks to get the cabin up, and then it boasted neither door nor window ; but time and needs were pressing, and as it was they moved into it. Their first night in that primitive structure was anything but a peaceful one, for wolves, at- tracted by the presence of human beings, gathered in packs MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP. 239 about the shanty and howled throut;li all the night, mucli to the terror ot" tlie women, who were morally cerlahi the vile beasts would tear through the blanketed openings and devour every member of the famiFy. When the Sloeums came to make their home in the woods there was no other family in the town now known as Middlebury, although the Hathaways had been in, and came back again directly afterwards. Of course, there were no roads in the Slocum neighborhood ; but roads were a vital necessity, especially in such a heavily-timbered coun- try, and among their first labois after housing the family the Sloeums cut out a thoroughfare. During the first year of their residence in the town they underbrushed a road from Leach's to their place, another one three miles east- ward from the latter point, and still another four miles towards thu northwest to the Hathaway settlement. No more fortunate in that particular than the Hathaways (who, when they first came, had to journey eighteen miles to mill and make a two days' trip of it), the Sloeums could find no mill conveniences nearer than the lloehester colony, which, although by no means so far distant in a straight line, required a twenty-mile jaunt over a zigzag course through the woods to reach, and forty-eight hours to do it in. The woods were full of bears, wolves, and deer, and bear hunts were as common as the ravages made by the bears them- selves upon the small stock of the settlers. Small pigs were the morsels towards which their inclination turned constantly. To preserve the inmates of pig-pens from the bears at night fires were built in the pens, and sometimes, indeed, bed-sheets were fiistened over the pen as a protest against the raids of the aggressive hog-stealers. One night Daniel Slocum was awakened from his slumbers by the cry of a hog, and knowing at once that a bear was at work in the pen, he .sprang out of bed, snatched a gun, and in his bare feet ran over the frozen ground towards the pen just in time to see an immense bear leap over a rail-fence with a pig in his paws. When Bruin saw Datjel and the gun he dropped the pig and ran away so rapidly that the bullet inis.sed him, and although Daniel and George (his brother) searched long and faithfully, they found no dead or disabled bear. George Slocum went out one morning before breakfast to hunt the cows, and straying from the beaten path came suddenly upon two bears. They, startled quite as much as he, climbled up a tree as quickly as they could, and he, hastening home for a gun and a companion, returned with both speedily, but the bears had meanwhile left the tree and disappeared, and although the youths hunted for hours they found them not. Daniel Slocum remembers distinctly that when he went to school in Sciota, to 0. B. Westcott, he was more than once followed by wolves all the way from home to school. As an illustration of what " going for a doctor" meant in those days, it may be recorded that when a physician was suddenly needed in Nathan Herrick's household, George Slocum was aroused at night and charged with the mission of riding horseback eleven miles to Owosso t()r the man of medicine. The night was dark, and the road was exceed- ingly uncertain, since it passed chiefly through the forest. Fre(juently young George would ride full tilt against the low branch of a tree, and in a twinkling would be swept from his .saddle ; but although he was unhorsed in that way a dozen times during the journey, and was much dis- couraged by darkne.ss and rough riding, he reached Owosso eventually, and in due season returned in triumph with the doctor. As regards the lack of roadways, Mr. Slocum relates how, in the spring of 1838, he agreed to make a trip with the Palmers to Owosso. They footed it through the woods, and finding Maple River very high, met with much difli- culty in crossing it ; but they were not the ones to let a river, big or little, stop them, and they got over, of course, and so on to Owo.sso. Coming back they had better luck in following the line of the surveyed Northern Railroad. This railway was never pushed to completion, but the road route was gladly used as a highway by the pioneers. Get- ting to market at Pontiac or Detroit was no slight under- taking, and then to consume a week over rough roads or no roads at all, to .sell wheat at forty or fifty cents, to take half the proceeds in trade, and to get home again with but little to show as the yield of the week's struggle, was among some of the disheartening features of pioneer existence. AUDITIONS TO THE SETTLEMENT. Following upon the return of the Hathaways, in the spring of 1838, the infant settlement received accessions in the families of John and AViiliam Palmer, who located re- spectively on sections 21 and 22. In the same spring Moses Clark, Jr., made a settlement upon the northeastern quarter of section 34 ; Elijah Potter, a bachelor, and his brother Silas (with family), on section 25. The Palmers ] came from Middlebury, N. Y., and when the town (now Middlebury, Mich.) was to be named they had the honor of christening it, just as their father, who migrated from ( Middlebury, Vt., to New York State, named Middlebury, N. Y. Moses Clark was a Baptist, and used once in awhile^ to preach sermons to the settlers. His father, who joined him some years afterwards, was likewise a preacher, and in that ofiice performed industrious and eiTective service. Adam J. Coons was one of the early comers, and at- tempted to make a settlement on section 26. He began to feel lonesome directly, and went over then to section 28, where he squatted and said he would stay because in that ueighborhood there were people, while on his place in section 26 he was too far from human beings. Coons was noted for his disinclination to work, and would not lift a hand in labor unless absolutely forced to choose between working and starving. His invariable excuse for idleness was that he owned but one suit of clothes, and that he couldn't afford to ruin them by working in them. Coons was regarded, moreover, as by no means a brave man. When he heard of the burning of Glass' house, north of Duplain, and the loss therein of Glass' wife and children, he made up his mind that rascally Indians had burned the building and murdered the iimiates. Acting upon this idea, he resolved that no Indians should murder him with- out having at least to fight for it, and when he went to bed carried also each night an axe with him. A settler's wife, in discussing the subject with Coons' wife, gave it as her MO HISTOKY OK SUIAWASSKK COUNTY, MICHIGAN. o|laiiic,s Me- Carty, with liis .«oii .lohii, — both haviiif: tiuuilics, — voiiturod to sootion ;i. William Mi-Caiio and ,101111 Taylor t'ollowod him thitliora ti>\v yoars later, but Taylor returned about as i|uiekly as ho had oome, while Mel\uie, ath'r e!ioii|Miis; about oij;ht aeres on section 4, retired in a condition of hijih di.s- gust with the pioneer business, and declared afVcrwards that tlie wolves were so thick in the infernal eouMlrv that no white man could stop there. In that quarter settlements progressed slovvly until IStiO, when a strong tide of emigration .set that way, and although then the country thereabout was generally wild, it bocHUie within « sliort space an open fiirming region. In IStill.when Samuel Katoii tone of the pioneers of Oakland County) came to .section I, in Middlcbury, there had been very little done in thai vieinily in the way of clearing land. lie occupied a farm (lunv owned by liis son, A. M. Katon~) upon which not a stick had been cut except upon the few acres eloured years before by MeCane, but that patch was then choked with a second growth of timber. Brazil Mar- vin had come to section !) in ISot), cleared tlie fii-st year one hundred acres, and put it all into wheat. He paid five dollars per acre for four lots of eighty aeres each, and in something like ten years afVerwards sold the major portion of the land at one hundred dollare an acre. Ijyman llikox was among the early comers to section 3. In 185(!, D. W. Kelley e«me to settle on seotioii 4. H. C. Main lived then on section 1, but between his house and Kelley 's the country was all woods, although the iic.vt year D. L. Dodder came to seotion 10, and about tlien, too, into the northeast corner came the Munsils, the Heeds, Eddys, and others. In 184.'^, lloswell and Nathan llorriok settled near the Sloeums, and in 1852 Nathan moved to a jilaee on section 28. In that portion of the town William Hideout had been living upon seotioii 27 since 1844, and in that year, upon his entrance. Hideout found John Flanagan on section 22, A.J. Coons on section 28, and Halhawav on 21. llircctlv afterwards James Kenney came in and put up his ejibin on section 22, and to section 21, on the day of Hideout's arrival, came William Hadgeivw. Hideout found on his land a number of Indian graves, and although nearly all have been plowed over there may yet be discovered in a piece of his woods a few mounds containing bones. Middlcbury 's pioneer blacksmith, and one of its early earpentei-s, was l>. F. Tobey, who came to Michigan in 1835, and worked ton ycara aft«r that at niillwrighting. In 1848 he settled upon wild land in Middlcbury. and opened a blacksmith's shop. In 1849, Tobey jtssistcd in the orectiou of a school-house ou section 23. Middlcbury had no saw-uiill then, nor until some ycai-s afterwards, when Cook & Kline built one on section Iti, so that for lumber the builder in Middlcbury was compelled to go to Owosso until some time after the year 1850. Tobey 's neighbors on the cast he found to be James Kenney on section 22, Uarrisou Lounsbcrry on seution 23, and Bushrod Warren on the place in section 23 occupied in lS5t^ by Ij. F. Kings- ley, the present owner. Two yeai's previous to the coming of Kingsley, Peimis Hammond made a settlement upon a piece of wild land in section 20, and on .section 3(! Jere- iniali Howard made a clearing, whcie he died in 18t>i). In that neighborhood, in 1854, about the only other resi- dents were William Hathaway, the Sloeums, A. Sherman, and Hexter Proper. In 1851, also, Levi Hyde cut out a road for two miles to reach a place in .section 14, where he has made his homo since that time. North of him the town was a forest. Over at Clark's Corners IVrry Clark had cleared two or three acres, and west of him was Amos llilburii, who soon sold out tu H. 1'. Thompson. About the time of Hyde's arrival Sanford Mack located on seo- tion 11, and Henry .\ekerinan on section It, while in the following spring 11. C. Main and Uavid Smith penetrated the wilderness upon section 1, and W. A. Barnes came to section Iti. When, in 185('), L. F. Kingsley first occupied his present home on .section 23, his neighboi's on the east wore M. Wooden, Hollin Warren, and Charles Stimson ; on the west, John Webster, Oaniel and Hobert Hurkee ; on tbe south, Daniel Hearee ; and north, Levi Hyde and Stephen Kddy. Henry Mclu>wan was in section 13 upon a place owned soon afterwards by Charles Hose, and now occupied by his son, J. W. Uose. In 1848, when George II. and D. L. Warren came to the places they now occupy in section 33, the town-line road at that point had been chopped out but not cleared. I'iast of them on the town-line L. /. Stephenson made a settlement, in 1854, on section 34, where Charles Lock- wood had already chopped twenty acres. Over on section 27, where he now lives, William Tubbs, of Oakland County, made a location in 1847; north of him ,). Marshall settled in 1854, G. W. Baboock ^a blacksmith) in 1857, and west, at later dates, V. S. Ledyard and J. Smith. The first white child born in Middlelniiy was Joseph, sou of Obed Hathaway. His birth oeeurred .lune, 1838, and since then his home has been in Michigan, his resi- deiiee at present being in Hennington township. The set- tlement was not visited with death until August, 1843, when Silas Potter died and was buried on his farm. Wil- liam I'almer died also at about that time, and was buried in the town cemetery. As to the fii-st marriage in the town it is difficult to fix it definitely. Careful invcstigiitiou has simply atl'orded the information that the marriages of Tru- man White to a sister of William Hideout, and Jeremiah Baker to a sister of Nathan llerrick, were among the earliest, perhaps the first two. Upon the assessment-ioll of 183!t, which gives the total assesficd value of the township at forty-seven thousand two hundred and one dollars, the resident tax-paycre, with amount of lands they owned, are thus given: Acres. ObeJ Hnthaway, sootion 21 SO .Tiiliii Viihnor, sei*tiv>ll '2\ 80 NVilliiim I'lilmer, sootion 27 120 Jlosis Olarli, .Ir., sootion 31 SO Silas Potior, sootion 25 SO Klijah Potior, sootion 2.=i 160 Ooorgo W. Sloouui. sootion '^b 160 The assessment-roll for 1842 shows the followiujr: MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP. 241 Acres. George W. Slocuiii, section 35 80 Jolin Slocum, section .^5 80 Silas Potter, section 25 120 Elijah Potter, section 25 80 A. J. Coons, section 26 160 William Palmer, sections 22, 27 120 Ohed Hathaway, section 21 80 James McCarty, section 3 80 •Joiin .McCarty, section 3 80 John Palmer, section 21 80 Tlie militia-roll of 1843, recording the names of all the white male inhabitants between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, bears the names of Nathan Ilerrick, D. D. Slo- cum, John Slocum, Jr., (jcorge W. Slocuni, Klijali Potter, John McCarty, Thomas M. Jenkins, Obed Hathaway, and Adam J. Coons. In 1889 the jurors drawn were Moses Clark, Jr., and John Palmer; in I HID, William Palmer and A. J. Coons. In 1845, John McCJarty and Roswell Herriek were on the list of petit jurors, and Nathan Herriek and Elijah Potter grand jurors. TOWN.'^IIII' dKOANIZATION AND LIST OF okficp:rs. A legislative act, approved March 21, 1839, organized towns 7 and 8 north, in range 1 east, as the township of Middlebury, the name being bestowed in pursuance of a suggestion ol' William I'alnicr, who came to Michigan from Middlebury, in the State of New York.' Jan. 4, 1854, the county supervisors set off town 8 and called it Fairfield, thus reducing Middlebury to its present limits. Middlebury's first town-meeting was held April 1, 1839, at the house of Moses Clark, Jr., who was chosen modera- tor. William Palmer, John Slocum, Elijaii Potter, and Silas Potter were chosen inspectors of election. Seven votes were cast, and naturally, there being but one ticket in the field, but little delay and no trouble was occasioned in reaching a result. Indeed, the trouble was not to find offices for men, but to find men for the offices, .since the latter so outnumbered the foiiner that two, three, and some- times four offices were forced upon one individual. William Palmer was elected Supervisor; Moses Clark, Jr., Clerk; John Slocum, Treasurer ; William Palmer, John Slocum, and Elijah Potter, Asse.s.sor8; William Palmer, Moses Clark, Jr., and John Palmer, School Inspectors; William Palmer and John Slocum, Directors of the Poor ; Silas Potter, Con- stable and Collector; John Slocum, Moses Clark, Jr., and John Palmer, Highway Commissioners; John Slocum, Elijah Potter, Moses Clark, Jr., and John Palmer, Justices of the Peace ; William Palmer, Overseer of Koad District No. 1. One hundred and fifty dollars was voted for town- ship incidental expenses, and the bonds of treasurer and collector were placed at five hundred dollars each. At a special election, April 28, 1839, George W. Slocum was chosen justice of the peace and commi.ssioner of high- ways to fill vacancies in tho.se offices, six votes being cast on that occasion. At a special election for county cotnmi.ssioner, July 15, 1839, the voters present numbered nine, as follows; Henry Leach, John Slocum, Elijah Potter, Silas Potter, Gideon Cro.s8, Mo.ses Clark, Jr., John Palmer, George W. Slocum, William Palmer. At the general election in 1839 polls 31 were opened on two successive days at the houses of John Palmer and George W. Slocum. Eight votes were cast by William Palmer, Obcd Hathaway, John Slocum, George W. Slocum, Moses Clark, Jr., Silas Potter, George Nichols, and Elijah Potter. To inspect the election-it required five men, — Moses Clark, Jr., John Slocum, Elijah Potter, Silas Potter, and George W. Slocum, and of their number Moses Clark, Jr., was chosen to attend the county canvass. TllK VOTERS OF 1842, 184.3, 1844, ANU 1845. At the election in 1842 the voters were ten, and were named William Palmer, A. J. Coons, John Slocum, Elijah Potter, George W. Slocum, Silas Potter, Obcd Hathaway, John Slocum, John Palmer, John McCarty. In 1843 there were six, — John Slocuni, Jr., Elijah Pot- ter, Nathan Herriek, A. J. Coons, George W. Slocum, John McCarty. In April, 1844, llie voters were Nathan Herriek, George W. Slocum, William Palmer. John Slocum, Elijah Porter, Uoswell Herriek, John Slocum, Jr., John McCarty, Thomas M. Perkins, Chester L. Kemp. At the general election in November, 1844, eleven votes were cast by Nathan Herriek, John Slocum, Nicholas Flanagan, A. J. Coons, Obed Hathaway, AVilliam Badge- row, John Slocum, Jr., Elijah Potts- biii-g aud John Do Witt the deacons. SCHOOLS. Although the township wius ors;anizod in 18;>;>, there Wiis no ors;iinized school district until 1S45, lor tlie very good rciison, doubtless, tliat there Wiis no occlusion therefor, since there were in the town at that time scareely any chil- dren of school as;c. District No. 1 was ori;^auizcd May US, 1S45, and included the south half of seotiou 3, the south half of section 4, the whole of sections 9, 10, 1.5, U!, 21, and 22, and the north halves of sections 27 and 2S. Before tlie orgiuiization of District No. I, (.\irtis Staf- ford taught a sub.^crijiliiin seiiool in 1S43, in an abandoned log cabin u|ion William Talnicr's place, and in thai .school- house Mary Doane taught a short time after Stafford left. Although a district was organizinl in 1S45, there is no evi- dence to show that a sehool-housc was built or district school taught until 1S49. The school-house was built by William Bidcout on section 2S, aud in it tlie first school was taught by Mary Sherman, wlutse term of service was three months. District No. I seems trom the records to have been re- organized in 1S4J), and it is likely that the di.stiict had no operative existence until then. The reorganization gave to the district sections 27, 2S, 29, 32, 33, the south halves of sections 20, 21, aud 22, the southwest quaiter of section 23, the northwest quarter of seotiou 2t>. and the west half of section 34. School reports dated June 10, 1852, set forth that the number of seholai-s in district No. 1 between the ages of four and eighteen was twenty-four, and that Esther Doane had t^iught the school three months at the wages of oue dollar and seventy-five cents per week. In district No. 2 there were likewise twenty-four scholars, whose teacher, Aeh.<;\h Blood, received one dollar and fifty cents per week. In 18o3, Sarah E. Sykt.>s taught twenty-four scholars in district No. 2, aud for thirteen weeks received one dollar aud fifty cents per week. Dec. 5, 1S53, Ann Brooks aud Sarah Salisbury were ap- pointed to teach school at two dollars per week. During the year 18t">3 the children attending school in district No. 1 numbered tjventy-tluec, and belonged to families as fol- lows : William Kidcout, 1 ; William Tubbs, 1 ; G. Mc- Carty, 3 ; Alan.son Seely, 4 ; Truman White. 1 ; William White, 1; Obed Hathaway, 3; W L. Olark, 3; Sarah C. Sykes, 1 ; Nathan Herrick, 3 ; Stephen Taylor, 2. For the year 1S54 the amount of school money appor- tioned to the two school districts was thirty-four dollars. The annual report from district No. 1 for 1854 gave the number of school-children as thirty-four ; the number that attended school, forty-three ; the teachers as Ann Brooks and Harriet J. Fitch ; and the list of .*chool-books as Saun- ders' Series of Readei-s, Birkan's Grammar, Smith's Geog- raphy, Mitchell's, Adams', and Thom^won's Aritlimctics, Elenientivry and Saunders" Speller. The annual school report for 1879 presented the follow- ing statistics of the sevei-al districts of the township : Numlwr of soliool ilistriotsi (wlioli-, S; trnotional, 3)... ti Number of si-luihu's of soliool iigo 271 Value of sohool iiiopovt.v $.'!(I50 Toaohors' wages $76.'> The school directors for 1879 were James Baldwin, Wil- liam T. Vaughn, D. Snyder, liUther Ryan, W. B. Hubbell, and G. W. Davidson. U IDDLEBUKY CHKKSE-FACTORY. Middlebury has had since June, 1S79, a cheese-factory that appears to be a flourishing institution. Ion McCon- nell, the owner, built it at the time named, aud during the first season made ton thousand pounds of cheese. The yield was one pound of chee.se for nine and three-quartei-s pounds of milk, and according to Mr. MeConnell's estimate patrons of the fiiotory gjtined from thirty dollars to thirty- five dollars per cow during that sea.son. HlOURAPHirAL SKKTCHES. GEOHGK W. SLOOUM. Around the name and memory of the first .settlers of a town, county, or State there will always cliug a peculiar iu- tcrest.an interest felt for no other class of men. Who was the first settler of the town ? why did ho come in here alone? what must have been his feelings wlioii he knew that for miles around there was no other white man ? will be the (jueries in after-years. Such a man was George W. Slocum, who was born in Manlius, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Dec. 11, 1810. His father was born in Dutchesis Co., N. Y., from whence he emigrated, after bis marriage, to .Manlius, where he became the owner of a small farm, and where George grew to manhood, receiving only a common- school education. In early life he worked out by the month, working most of the time for a Mr. Ives, who iu 1834 took a job on the ship-canal from New Orleans to Lake Pontchartrain. He sent Mr. Slocum to take charge of a gang of men. which kept him about six months. He then returned to New York, and in the spring of 183t) he started West to look for a home in a new country. • He came to Detroit, and from there went on foot to Pontiac. Arrived there, he was informed that desirable land could be had in Lapeer Co., Mich. In company with others he at once went to that county, where they made selections. He then went on foot to Detroit to enter his land, but found that some one had got ahead of him. He next selected some land in Shiawassee aud agsiin went to Detroit, again to be dis;»p- pointed, — it was just taken. Nowise daunted, he ag-ain made a selection, — -this time in Owosso township, now Mid- dlebury, in Shiawassee Co., — this time successfully. There had then been no land entered in Middlebury township, and there was no white man living within its boundaries, and Mr. Slocum and his father's family were its first per- manent settlers. His nearest neighbor east was twenty- two miles away. He made his entry June 12, 1S3G, it being the soutlieast ((uartcr of section 35, township 7 north, of range 1 east. After entering his land he returned to C)akland County, where for a time he worked by the mouth. In the summer of 1837 he took a piece of land to clejir MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP, 245 GEORGE W. SLOCUM. and cnip, ■.'(jtlin^ five flullarn per ucTc, and tlie fipMt croj) for cleariii;;. In the Call and early winter he worked on (he Pontiac and Detroit Ilailroad. In January, IHIJS, he wan joined hy his parents, and they at once eatue to the land Belected by Mr. Slocuni. A log shanty wa.s built, its roof being of bark and its floor of split plank, with but one window, which they had brought from Pontiac, and for weeks with only a blanket for a door, around which the wolves made night hideous by their bowlings. Their means by this time were all expended, and they saw very hard times. But by dint of hard work arid the most rigid economy hunger was avoided until the wlieat he had sown in Oakland County was harvested, when a team, wagon, and cow were bought, and more prosperous days began to dawn. With the energy and perseverance for which the American pioneer is noted, Mr. Slocum applied himself to clearing up and improving his land, which is now a well-arranged and productive farm of two hundred acres, while he has given his son eighty acres. A fine house, surrounded by large and commodious outbuildings, has taken the place of the log shanty first built, while everything indicates the luxurious home of the well to-do American farmer. On the 2d day of May, 184'J, Mr. Slocum was joined in marriage to .Miss Emily A. Holdridge, daughter of Darius and Rebecca (Bi.shopJ Holdridge. She was born in Niagara Co., N. Y., Sept. 14, 1824. Their children are as follows: Cass H., born April 28, 1851 ; Mary A., Oct. 5, 1852; Ella, April 3, 1854; and George L., Oct. 18, 1857. In politics Mr. Slocum is a Democrat of the old school, and has been elected to nearly all the offices in the gift of his fellow-townsmen. At the first town-meeting he was elected justice of the peace and highway commiRsioner; the next year supervisor, which office he has many times held. He has also been treasurer and clerk, and has been postmaster many years, and has been one term an associate judge of Shiawassee County, — all of which offices were filled with ability and credit, making for Mr. Slocum a record of which his descendants may well be proud. GEORGE H. WARREN. The family of Warrens is of English descent, and their ancestry is identical with that of Gen. Joseph Warren of Revolutionary fame. The groat-grandfather of the subject of this biography was an early emigrant from the shores of Great Britain, though the date of his arrival is not a mat- ter of record. His son Samuel, the grandfather of George H., was born in New Jersey, Sept. 18, 175::!, and was mar- ried to Miss Sarah Rainier, who was born Dec. 1, 1757. This marriage occurred about the year 1775, and soon after New Jersey became their home, during which time Mr. Warren served in the war of the Revolution, and sur- vived until his seventy-ninth year. His wife lived to be ninety years of age. Their children were John, born July 4th, during the year American independence was declared; William, whose birth occurred Aug. 9,1778; Susanna, born Sept. 3, 1780; Samuel, Aug. 20, 1782; Ach.sah, April 24, 1789 ; Ann, Dec. 31, 1792 ; Job, May 12, 1790 ; Gamaliel, March 14, 1799 ; Thomas, Feb. 12, 1802 ; and two whose record is not preserved. The father of the subject fjf this biography was William, whose birth has been already stated, and who was married in 1810 to Miss Mary Horn, who was born in Haddonfield, Camden Co., N. J. Her fathiT was a native of Germany, and her mother of Wales. They first located in Newtown, 246 HISTOKY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Gloiicostor Co., and from thence roiuoved to a liome ad- jacent to Egg Harbor, from wliicli place tliey repaired in the fail of 181(! to New York State, and settled in Onta- rio County, their worldly possession.s at this time embracing the contents of a one-horse wagon, so moderate wore their circumstances. Their son, George H., was born Dec. 1, 1S27, and emigrated with his parents to Michigan when but three years of age, locating three miles IVuiu Tontiac, Oakland Co., on a new farm of eighty acres. At the age of five years he was afflicted by the death of his father, who left a wife and family of si.x children in iiuligont cir- cumstimccs. Mrs. Warren sought employment in the vil- lage of I'ontiae as a means of support, and was a second time married to Jt)sepli Hathaway, with whom the lad George resided. They soon after roiiiovod to Salem, Wash- tenaw Co., where George remained until iiis ,si.\(ociitli year, when he found employment as a farm-hand, working for seven dollars per month, ftt March, 18-17, when twenty years of age, he settled upon eighty acres of land in the township of Middiobury, his brother David locating upon an adjacent farm of equal size, and with whom George made his home for two years, his brother having married Miss Mary IngersoU in 1847. At that time Mr. Warren's nearest neighbor resided a mile and a half from his farm. No permanent roads had yet been laid out, and in order to attend church Mr. Warren traveled with an ox-team from three to five miles. The first twenty bushels of wheat sold from the farm were convoyed by Mr. ^Varren to Owosso, performing a portion of the journey with three yoke of oxen. Arrived at his destination, the wheat was dispo.sed of at the rate of forty-five cents per bushel, making the total receipts nine dollars, which amount Mr. Warren upon his return divided eijually with his brother David. Upon the occasion of this trip to Owosso, Mr. Warren carried his lunch with him as well !is hay for the use of his oxen. The difficulties and privations of these early pioneers may well teach a lesson of contentment to those who at the ])rcs- ent day are raising the cry of " hard times." March 17, 1851, lie married Jliss Almira Thayer, who was born March 9, 1831, in Oakland Co., Mich. They have four children living, — Albert II., born in 185(), and married April 17, 1879, to Miss Jennie Welch, of Steuben Co., N. Y. The birth of Elmer K. occurred in 1861. Emery D. was born in 1869, and George F. in 1874. Tliey are also the parents of two daughters, both of whom are deceaspd. Mr. Warren is a Kepublicun in politics, and has .served the township in various official positions, includ- ing those of justice of the peace, highway commissioner, and school inspector. Hoth Mr. and Mrs. Warren are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and have been for a period of thirty years actively engaged in church labor. Gates, in what was then the county of Genesee, now Mon- roe. Ho bought a large farm, which for that time was well improved. On this farm the family resided until three years after the death of the elder Mr. Kingsley, which oc- curred in 1818. The family then moved on to a fiirm near Rochester, then but a small village. This was the home of Leonard until he reached manhood, although ho was there LEONARD F. KINGSLKY. Among the leading men of Middlebury township we find the name of Leonard F. Kingsley, who was born in the town of Scipio, Cayuga Co., N. Y., June 2, 1811. When he was six years old his father moved iuto the town of LEONARD p. KINGSLEY. but little, as he was obliged to work out by the month and earn his own living. On the 26th day of December, 1833, he was married to Mi.ss (.!andacc Bartlett, daughter of Elli- ott and Waity (Lewis) Bartlett. She was born Dec. 9, 1810, in New Hampshire. After his marriage Mr. Kings- ley worked a farm one year. Then, in October, 1835, they came to Pontiac, Mich., where they liad eighty acres of wild land, on which he made a small improvement ; then traded it ibr one hundred and .sixty acres in Bennington, which he soon sold, and then bought a farm near what is now the village of Owosso. After a couple of years they again sold out, and returned to Rochester, where they resided sixteen years. During this time Mr. Kingsley w.is constable, deputy sheriff, and collector. In 1856 they again returned to Shiawas.see County and settled in Middlebury, where they bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, part of which they have improved, and on which they still reside. In polities Mr. Kingsley is a stalwart Republican, and was a^ delegate to the convention which organized the Republican party in New York. When Mr. Kingsley came to Middle- bury the town was and had ever been Democratic, but the following year gave, as it has .since done, a Republican ma- jority, and to Mr. Kingsley a large share of credit was given for bringing it about. He has for ten years or more been townshi]! i^lerk, also for some time treasurer. He has been a notary public twenty years, and has done a great deal of conveyancing and r«al estate business. He has also beeu school inspector, and has many times beeu requested to take the supervisor's office, but refused. For forty-five years he has been a member of the Church of the Disciples. Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley have had but one child, viz., Louisa Almeda, born Oct. 14, 1834; died May 26, 1859. MRS. JAMES KKNNEY. JAMES KENNEV. JAMES KENNEY. To record and pfcserve for the coming generations the names and deeds of the hardy first settlers of Michigan is indeed a pleasure. Coming as they did from the old and long-settled Eastern States, and plunging at once into the almost unhroken wilderne.ss, with no guides but Indian trails and the moss on tlie trees, erecting and living for years in rude shanties, clear- ing and improving tlie lands that have since become the beau- tiful homes and farms of the State of Michigan, they are deserving of monuments which shall last longer than those of marble or granite. Among those we record the name of James Kenney, who was born in the town of Northampton, Mont- gomery Co., N. Y., April 21, 1800. He is of Scotch descent, his grandfather on his mother's side having been born in the Highlands of Scotland, from whence he emigrated to New York and settled in Montgomery County. His grandfather, Theodore Kenney, was a native of Connecticut, and was a soldier in the patriot army during the war for Indei)cndence, in which he was wounded. Elijah, the father of James, was born in Montgomery County, where he grew to manhood and was married. When James was ten years old his father's family moved to the town of Sparta, in Livingston County, where his boyhood days were passed, and where he obtained a limited education. He remained with his father until he was twenty-six years old, when he started out in life on his own account. He first worked a year for a Mr. Purchase, receiving the then large salary of two hundred dollars per year. Becoming satisfied that in an old country a poor man stood but a slight chance of obtaining a position in life, he in 1835 started for Michigan, coming to Detroit bj- steamer, and from there on foot to Sagi- naw, stoi}]iing in Flint long enougli to help rai.se the first framed building erected there. At that time the only struct- ure marking the present site of Saginaw was a hotel kept in the old fort, and the Williams Brother's Indian trading-post. On his arrival Mr. Kenney found himself the possessor of twenty-two dollars, and with health, strength, and a will- ingness to work, which have ever been the foundation of prosjierity and wealth. His first work was clearing the land where the city of Saginaw now stands. During the first two years he worked at chopping, clearing land, and run- ning a .scow on the Saginaw Uiver, and whatever ho could get to do. On the 16th day of June, 1840, Mr. Kenney married Miss Rosella Bruno, daughter of John and Mary (Blanchard) Bruno. She was born in Canada, sixty miles north of Mon- treal, Aug. 3, 1817. Her parents were French, and Mrs. Kenney could only speak that language up to her tenth year, when her parents moved to Vermont, from whence they went to Saginaw in 1830. There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kenney the following children, viz. : Lester J., born May 23, 1842; Susan, Dec. 20, 1843; Martha, May 23, 1852; and Lucy Ann, July 18, 18.>'?. After his marriage Mr. Kenney bought a farm on Cass River, but being unfortunate in having his house burned was compelled to allow the land to revert to its former owner. In the fall of 1841 he was elected sheritl' of Saginaw County on the Whig ticket, although that party was largely in the minority, he having been the second to adopt its princijiles. In 1843 he was again elected, filling the office so satisfactorily that when, after the expiration of his second terra, he came to Middlebury, men of both parties asked him to stay and again take the office as soon as the statute of limitation would permit. In April, 1840, having met with financial losses through the failure of others, ho moved to the town of Middlebury, where he had previously purchased and run in debt for three lots of wild land on section 22. There were then but few inhabitants in the town, and but two houses between his fann and Owosso. In two weeks' time a log house was built, into which the family immediately moved. The old house has been torn away, and in its stead has been erected one of the fine homes of Middlebur}', while the wilderness has given place to a large and well-improved farm of two hundred acres. Mr. Kennej' did nuuh towards changing the politics of his town, which is now liopublican by a large ma- jorit}', of which party he is one of the most earnest supporters. He has held nearly all of the town and school offices, including those of supervisor, treasurer, and clerk ; he has also been notary i>ublic several years; and now in the seventy-fourth year of his age, respected and esteemed by all, he is passing the even-time of life in the enjoyment of more than a com- petency. ficSioeNce OF HORACEC. MA/N^ Middlebury, Mich. MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP. 247 WILLIAM TUBES. The Tubb.s family is of English origin, two brothers, Seth and Samuel, having emigrated from England to the New World, and settled in Massachusetts prior to the Revolutionary war. At that time and for many years they were the only ones of the name known to be in this country. They were young unmarried men, and came to America to make for themselves a home. When the war broke out they were married and had families, but both enlisted and served during the war, Samuel coming home a colonel. Seth had previously served in the French war, and was with Gen. Wolfe, at Quebec, when that general was killed. After the war, Seth, of whose family.we shall write, returned to his home in Massachusetts, where he resided until his death. His son, also named Seth, was born in Massachu- setts, from whence he emigrated in January, 1800, to Western New York, locating in the town of Pitts, now Richmond, Ontario Co., where he bought fifty acres of wild land. The country was new and there were then but few families in the town, and they were scattered over a large scope of country. Wild animals were very numerous, making it almost impossible for Jlr. Tubbs to keep sheep and stock. He was very poor, but was industrious, and soon made for himself and family a comfortable home. He added to his farm until at his death he was the owner of a large and valuable property. Mr. Tubbs was in Shays' Re- bellion, acting with Shays in liberating prisoners who had been for many years in prison at Northampton for debt. He was a man respected by his neighbors, and ultimately became a leading citizen of his town. He lived to a ripe old age, and passed away in 1858. His son William, the third of nine children, and the subject of this sketch, was born June 28, 1800, on the new farm in Ontario County, where his father had but recently settled. Thus William was born and grew to manhood in a new country amidst the privations and dangers incident to the lives of the pioneers of that time. During the war of 1812 the news reached them that the British were making a raid which threatened Rochester and the .surrounding country. Wil- liam and his father both volunteered and started for the scene of operations, but saw no active service, as the alarm proved a fal.se one. During the famine of 1815 and 1816 they saw hard times but never went hungry, as William's father was a mechanic and earned good wages, and could buy when others could not. William received only a com- mon-school education, but was early taught that work was one of the first laws made for man's guidance. He remained on his father's farm until he was twenty-four years of age, when he started out in life for himself, working at the cooper's trade. In 1838, wishing to get a home in a new country, he came to Oakland Co., Mich., and bought a farm in Novi township which was partly improved, and on which he and his son lived and kept bachelors' hall, he working at his trade while his son worked on the farm. Mr. Tubbs remained on the Oakland County farm untill 1847, when he sold out and came to Middlobury, in Shiawassee County, and bought eighty acres of wild land, on which he built a log house, and with his family commenced life in the wil- derness. Here Mr. Tubbs has lived for many years, and now in the even-time of life is enjoying the results of a long life of industry and economy. He has cleared and improved a farm, and has done his share towards making Shiawassee the fine county it is to-day. In politics he is and has ever been a Democrat of the Jackson type, and has been several times elected to oflices in his township. He 248 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. has been justice of the peace two terms, and highway com- missioner two terms. In February, 1824, he was married to Rebecca Bray, daughter of Andrew and Mary (Yanger) Bray. There were born to them Betsey, June 1, 1825 ; Ann, June 1, 1827; Seth A., July 28, 1829; Mary, Jan. 13, 1831 ; Jerusha, ; Martha, ; William B., March 3, 1837 ; James B., June 6, 1840. For his second wife he married Catherine Van Dyne, born April 29, 1811, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Van Dyne. Their union was blessed with one son, Samuel T., born April 19, 1851. He still remains on the old farm with his father, and manages the business of the family. Mrs. Catherine Tubbs died Feb. 26, 1875. HORACE C. MAIN. Theodore Main was born in Rome, Oneida Co., N. Y., Juno G, 1806. When he was four years old his father emigrated to Clarendon, Orleans Co., same State, where he was an early settler. Theodore married Amanda M. Put- nam. In Clarendon he lived until his death, July 13, 1852, surviving his wife but a month and two days. His son, Horace C. Main, was born in Clarendon, Sept. 27, 1834. After the death of his father, Horace was sent to the Brock- port Collegiate Institute to complete his education ; but he only remained eighteen months, when he went to Rochester and became steward of the Eagle Hotel, then a first-class house, and in which he remained until he was of age. On the 5th day of June, 1854, he was married to Miss Dian- tha S. Howe, daughter of George and Iluldah (Fuller) Howe. She was born in Bennington, Vt., June 5, 1832. Her people were early settlers in Palermo, Oswego Co., N. Y., where her father and grandfather both died. Mr. and Mrs. Main have never had children, but have an adop- ted daughter, Lydia, who was born Aug. 16, 1867, — one loved by them as though she was their own. In the fall of 1855 Mr. Main and his wife came to Michigan, and settled in Middlebury, Shiawassee Co., where he had previously bought the west half of the northwest quarter of section 1. The land was in its wild state, not a stick cut, and no roads to or near it. Game of all kinds was plenty, it being noth- ing strange to see bears near their house, while the wolves were sometimes heard at night. Many of the roads in their part of the county were surveyed and helped to be cleared by Mr. Main. A log house was built in which they lived thirteen years, then moved into their present neat and pleasant home, a view of which adorns another page of this work. Mr. Main now owns one hundred and eighty acres of land, of which one hundred and five acres are well improved. In politics he is a Republican, and has filled with credit to himself and his county the oflfice of surveyor, and the more difficult one of county drain commissioner. He was deputy surveyor many years, and principal four years, and commissioner sis years. He has also held town offices, and has taken a deep interest in the schools of his neighborhood, having himself taught school, and served fourteen years in succession as director of his district. He has been for years agent for the Davenport lands, and sold farms to nearly fifty persons in this part of the county. Mr- Main is highly spoken of by men of both parties as a man of sterling worth and integrity. Sept. 24, 1864, Mr. Main was drafted into the army, but furnished a substitute, who served to the end of the war. CHAPTER XXXVI. NEW HAVEN TOWNSHIP.* Descripl.ion — Original Land-Purchases — Settlement and Settlers — Township Organization and Civil List — Early Highways — iSchools — Church History — Village of West Haven. New Haven was among the earliest of the townships of Shiawassee County in point of settlement, and was probably, in 1837, the extreme northern limit of civiliza- tion in the valley of the Shiawassee. It is described in the government survey as township 8 north, of range 3 east, and joins Saginaw County on the north, Caledonia on the .south, Hazelton on the east, and the township of Rush on the west. The surface of New Haven is generally level, with very little rolling land. An exception to this is, however, ob- served in the immediate vicinity of the hamlet of West Haven, where some elevations vary the scene and greatly enhance its picturesque beauty. An extensive tamarack swamp formerly existed in the township, but careful drain- age has converted this into the most fertile land found within its limits. The soil may be generally described as a clay loam mixed with gravel. To the north and west sand prevails to some extent, while clay predominates in the south and on the eastern border. The former marshy land in the north and east is now well cultivated and very productive. The soil yields a good quality of wheat, while grass is always a prolific crop, and corn well repays the labor of the farmer. The report of farm products for 1874 gives the number of acres of wheat harvested in 1873 as ten hundred and fifteen, which produced fifteen thousand nine hundred and forty bushels, while the yield of corn fi'om five hundred and forty-two acres was seven- teen thousand four hundred and ninety-two bushels. Of other grains, nineteen thousand two hundred and twenty- five bushels were harvested, and fifteen hundred and fifty tons of hay were cut. The yield of latter years is greatly in excess of this, as a result of the improvement of much of the land of the township. Fruits find here a congenial soil, though the apple is the staple product of the orchards. Peaches are grown, as are al.so plums and cherries, but not in great abundance. The prevailing timber is elm, beech, maple, and oak, some specimens of which attain an unusual size. The Shiawassee River flows through the northwest por- tion of the township, and affords excellent water-power, which is utilized at West Haven for manufacturing. Six- Mile Creek, a considerable stream, enters the township at section 33, and flowing northwest pours its waters into the « By E. 0. Wagner. NEW HAVEN TOWNSHIP. 249 river on section 18. Another stream of some magnitude waters the eastern border of the township. ORIGINAL LAND-PUKCHASKS. The lands embraced in township No. 8 north of range 3 east were entered from the government or purchased from the State by tlio following individuals : SECTION 1. L. U. Parsons (State), 1854, 1855 687.09 SECTION 2. C. 8. Kimbciley (State), 1855 506.B9 Margaret E. Kimberley, 1855 87.4:) SECTION 3. Hannah Wade (State), 1852 84.57 Alpheus Oliver (State), 1849 160 C. S. Kimberley, 1849 87.43 M. E. Kimberley, 1854 160 E. W. Algin, 1854 80 Albert Ganeon, 1855 80 SECTION 4. Joseph Barry, 1836 811 Nelson Thomas, 1855 76.01 L. II. Pcirsons (State), 1849 .322.26 C. S. Kimberley fState), 1853 80 E. F. Wade (State), 1853 40 S. W. Stout (State), 1851 40 SECTION 5. R. MeHenry, 1836 80 llollcnrv, llealy. Smith, and Kerchcval, 1836 80 John L. "Ireland, 1836 399.28 (iiileon Scott, 1836 78.30 ('. S. Kimberley, 1858 411 Franklin Clark, 1858 40 SECTION 6. Ladd and Little, 1835 161.4(1 Cornelius Bergen, 1836 129.10 .McHeiuv, Kercheval, Smith, and Healy, 1836 234.20 John Ro"bins, 1836 76.84 SECTION 7. Cornelius Bergen, 1836 271.50 Mcllcnry, Kercheval A Co., 1836 322.56 SECTION 8. McHcnry, Kercheval A Co., 1836 160 J. h. Ireland, 1836 240 John McGowan, 1836 160 Wm. Marshall, 1854 SO SECTION 9. William Durkee, Jr., 1836 80 William Washburn, 1836 160 E. H. Marsh, 18.36 80 William Bloodworth, IS36 80 George Judson, 1836 80 E. II. Marsh, 1836 80 J. C. Heminway, 1854 80 SECTION 10. E. F. Wade, 1850 320 L. II. Parsone, 1849 320 SECTION U. Thomas Durfee, 1837 80 L. U. Parsons (State), 1849, 1854 400 C. S. Kimberley, 1855 160 SECTION 12. Thomas Durfee, 1837 240 C. S. Kimberley (State), 1855 320 L. H. Parsons (State), 1854 80 SECTION 13. William Durfee, 18.37 320 M. R. DimiDock, 1854 80 C. S. Kimberley (State), 1855 240 32 SECTION 14. Acres. William Durfee, 1837 320 Milton Sutliff (State), 1850 320 SECTION 15. William Durkee, Jr., 1836 160 Marcus Beldcn, 1836 160 H. B. Young, 1853 40 Daniel Young, Jr., 1854 80 M. E. Conklin, 1864 40 C. BraiiKird, 1849 160 SECTION 16. School lands 640 SECTION 17. John L. Ireland, 1836 640 SECTION 18. Trumbull Gary, 1835 605.61 SECTION 19. John L. Ireland, 1836 640.25 SECTION 20. Ira A. White, 1836 160 A.L.Williams, 1836 80 Peter Reid, 1836 400 SECTION 21. C. M. Boutwell, 1836 320 Peter Reid, 1836 320 SECTION 22. P. A. Palmer, 1836 80 James Roberts, 1836 40 Norman Burgess, 1836 80 William Kellogg. 1836 160 John N. Garner, 1854 40 E. F. Frary, 1854 120 Mary E. Conklin, 1854 120 SECTION 23. Horace Hart, 1836 160 C. S. Kimberley (State), 1855 160 L. H. Parsons (State), 1854 320 SECTION 24. William Durfee, 1837 80 Silas R. Pierce, 1854 80 L. H. Parsons (State), 1849 .320 C. H. Kimberley (State), 1855 160 SECTION 25. Hezekiah Rowley, 1837 80 C. S. Kimberley (State), 1852, 1855 560 SECTION 26. Ira Walker, 1836 160 James Dunton, 1836 80 David Davis, 1836 160 Consider Arms, 1836 160 Joel A. Hart, 1830 80 SECTION 27. Peter A. Palmer, 1836 160 Ira Walker, 1836 160 James Dunton, 1836 80 S. B. Ansley, 1836 240 SECTION 28. Richard K. Oliver, 1836 80 Peter Reid, 1836 80 William Brannan, 1836 80 Pell Teed, Jr., 1836 160 Samuel Goodham, 1836 200 Czardus Clark, 1851 40 SECTION 29. Ira A. White, 1836 160 Margaret Ilardenburgb, 1836 80 E. D. Shollwino, 1836 80 William Durkee, Jr., 1836 160 William Brannan, 1836 120 William Durkee, Jr., 1836 40 250 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SECTION 30. Arros. John Jones, 1836 80 James Jones, 1836 80 A. L. Williams, 1836 78. J8 Lot Clark and Stephen Warren, 18.'i6 155.31 SECTION 31. E. R. Kearsley, 1836 67.32 E. Jones, 1S36 160 Daniel Odell, 1S."U 231.60 M. Robinson (Slate), 1850 160 SECTION 32. George Fluck, 1836 80 D. P. Sturdevant, 1836 80 Benjamin Cotherin, 1836 129 AVilliam Durkee, Jr., 1836 40 S. C. Hall, 1849 160 P. J. Kinney, 1849 160 SECTION 33. John Sturdevant, 1836 SO Benjamin Cotherin, 1836 1(50 William Eames, 1836 80 SECTION 34. John Sturdevant. 1836 80 Willi.am E.ames. 1836 SO R. C. Hart. 1836 80 B. N. Johnson, 1836 80 S. B. Anslcy, 1836 40 James Vase, 1837 SO Michael Gibbons, 1854 120 Col. Thomas Gorton, 1855 40 Eliza N. Clark, 1855 40 SECTION 35. James Dunton, 1836 40 Birdsall N. Johnson, 1836 80 Horace Hart, 1836 IfiO Daniel Prentice, 1837 80 Alonzo Barber, 1837 160 James Vase, 1837 80 John Lingo, 1855 40 SECTION 36. Horace Hart, 1S36 160 Daniel Prentice, 1837 SO Charles S. Kimberley, 1855 4on SETTLEMENT AND SETTLERS. The earliest settler who iuvaded the forests of New Haven was Horace Hart. Not a white man had yet penetrated this dense wilderness with a view to making a permanent home within its boundaries. Mr. Hart came from Monroe Co , Mich., in 1836, accompanied by four sons, — Lewis, Robert C, Joel A., and Joseph W., — all of whom located in the township. He entered four hundred and eighty acres of land on various sections of the township, and gave each of his sons eighty acres, retaining himself one hundred and sixty on section 35, upon which ho settled. He placed his family on their arrival, in Owosso, while he, with his sons, proceeded to the tract on the latter section and built a cabin, which one of the sons, with his wife, occupied until the family a few months later removed to it. Mr. Hart, with the abundant aid which his family afforded, made rapid progress in the labor of clearing, and at the expira- tion of the first year had improved ten acres, a portion of which was sown with wheat. He was for some time com- paratively isolated, the nearest neighbor being four miles distant. At his home was celebrated the earliest nuptials in New Haven, Miss Nancy Hart, his daughter, having been united to Mr. Thomas R. Young. In this family also occurred the first death, that of his son Robert C, in 1848. Mr. Hart himself survived to an advanced age, and died in 1867 at the home of his son, Joseph W. Hart, who located in the cast portion of the town.ship, and later on section 19, where he improved the land and remained until his death in 1870. The homestead is now occupied by his son William, who is one of the most enterprising farmers in New Haven. Lewis Hart lived upon the same section. Joel A. Hart removed to Caledonia, where he died in 1862. In 1837 occurred an incident which for a brief time caused some consternation in the neighborhood immediately adjacent. Mi.ss Nancy Hart and a younger sister, aged five years, while strolling in tlie woods lost their way, and from Sabbath morning until the following evening no trace of the wanderers could be discovered. The settlers for miles around joined in the search, and they were at last discov- ered two and a half miles from the paternal roof, nearly exhausted with hunger and fright. The .second of the earlier pioneers who found a home in New Haven was Richard Freeman, an Englishman by birth, who came to Michigan very soon after his arrival from the shores of Great Britain. Peter Reid, a resident of the city of New York, purcha.sed one hundred and sixty acres on section 20, upon which he placed Mr. Freeman, who began at once the work of clearing, the township at that time being totally destitute of any suggestions of civ- ilization other than were indicated by the small opening made by Horace Hart. Mr. Freeman effected a consid- erable improvement upon this place, but ultimately removed to one hundred and sixty acres which he purchased on section 21. He afterwards became a resident of the town- ship of Rush, and is now located upon section 30 in New Haven. At the house of Richard Freeman was held the earliest township-meeting, the voters on that occasion being Horace Hart, Lewis Hart, William Durkee, Humphrey Wheeler, Richard Freeman, John Dunlap, and Spencer W. Stout. Mr. Freeman has been during his residence in the town- ship active in its interests, and is esteemed as a most excel- lent citizen. Humphrey Wheeler may be mentioned as the third set- tler in point of arrival. He had been a former resident of Chenango Co., N. Y., from whence he emigrated to Oak- land County in 1836, and to New Haven in the spring of 1838. He removed to and settled on eighty acres section 15, which had been given Mrs. Wheeler by her father. A cabin twelve by sixteen feet in dimensions was imme- diately constructed, covered with troughs and having a floor made of hewn logs. The box of a sled was dismem- bered and did duty as a door after some remodeling. During the construction of this modest dwelling Richard Freeman extended the family a cordial hospitality. The family of Mr. WJieeler were victims to chills and fever, which pre- vented the accomplishment of a large clearing the first year. At this time a pilgrimage of four miles was neces- sary to procure water for household use. Indians were frequent visitors, and boars caused much consternation among the cattle. The following incident is given by John N. Ingeisoll in " Sketches of Shiawassee County :" " As an illustration of the trouble which the pioneer settlers en- countered from the close visita of these ' varmints,' James B. Wheeler, Esq., relates to us the fact that when his father, NEW HAVEN TOWNSHIP. 251 Humphrey Wheeler, came into the county, in 1838, settling ill what is now New Haven, he drove with him from Pon- tiac three good-sized hogs ; and on the second night after his arrival the entire family were roused from their slum- bers by the excessive squealing of one of the porkers, and on going out to discover the cause found a wolf in close contact witli the hog, the latter evidently getting the worst of it. The wolf made ils escape and the hog was saved, only, however, to be carried oiF the next night by a bear, — the last of his pigship. This same bear, a bold and plucky fellow, was just afterwards supposed to have been captured by baiting and a spring rifle, set for him by the renowned John Pope. It was on a Saturday night, and early next morning John was seen wending his way to Corunna, with the carcass of old Bruin and two significant jugs, loaded on a ' stone boat,' drawn by oxen of ' Pharaoh's lean kine.' " In 1855, Mr. Wheeler erected the spacious hotel familiarly known as " Wheeler's Tavern," in which he became well known as the genial host until his death, in June, 1860. He was the earliest supervisor of the township, and filled other important civil oflttces. Spencer W. Stout was a pioneer of 1839 from the Em- pire State, and made a location upon eighty acres on section 4. Mr. Wheeler received him hospitably on his arrival, and entertained him until a house could bo built upon his land. He made a small clearing, but finding the solitary life of a bachelor monotonous very speedily obtained the consent of Miss llosanna Hart to become his wife. This was the second marriage in the township. Mr. Stout in 1868 removed to Tennessee, but later resumed his residence in Michigan. John Dunlap was the earliest settler of the year 1840, when he purcliased eighty acres on section 33, remaining at Owo.-^so while making the preliminary improvements upon the land. His progress was not rapid, but a pro- ductive clearing ultimately took the place of the wilderness that greeted his arrival. Mr. Dunlap remained upon this farm until his death. He was one of the earliest inspectors of election, and filled other offices of importance. William Uurkee, a previous resident of Oakland County, was also a pioneer of 1840. He located upon two hundred acres on section 29, and bought an additional forty on sec- tion 32, which had been entered by him in 1836. He re- mained with Mr. Wheeler (whose brother-in-law he was) until a shelter for his family was completed, and on their removal he at once began clearing. Mr. Durkee made some progress in his improvements, but found the soil of New Haven less suited to his ideas than that of Oakland County, to which he returned in 1850. Peter Ueid, whose name has previously been associated with that of Richard Freeman, was a resident of New York City, and entered land in tliis township in 1836. He was for a while a settler, and afterwards came for .short periods, at one time remaining for two consecutive years. He can- not, however, be spoken of as a permanent resident. Roswell Shipman, a pioneer of 1842, came from Mon- roe Co., Mich., and located upon eighty acres on section 23. The land was entirely unimproved on his arrival. He erected a structure of logs to which the family removed, and Mr. Shipman began the labor of underbrushing and clearing. He was dependent upon his own exertions, and found industry and perseverance indispensable qualities to his success. Mr. Shipman afterwards removed to Caledonia, where his death occurred. Several of his grandchildren are still residents of New Haven. Czardus Clark, a former resident of Chautauqua Co., N. Y., located in 1843 upon eighty acres on section 29, which was a dense forest with no indication of civilization near. John Dunlap was living, and had a small clearing, on section 33, to which he and his family were welcomed while building a cabin of logs. Mr. Clark found ready employment in the fulling of trees and clearing of brush. Deer were readily shot from the dooryard or supplied by the Indians, who traversed the forest on fishing and hunt- ing expeditions. Wolves were also occasional vi.sitors, though not .so obtrusive as in other portions of the town- ship. Mr. Clark survived until 1875, when he died in New Haven. His sons, Lorenzo and Ashley D., came at the same date, both of whom located upon .section 29. The former is decea.sed, and the latter now resides upon section 28. Three other sons, Czardus, J. Franklin, and Charles B., are all farmers on section 28. Jesse B. Amidon removed from Oakland County and selected land upon section 21. John Dunlap, a relative of Mrs. Amidon, welcomed them on their arrival. There was no highway other than the State road, and some difficulty was experienced in reaching his purchase. There was not a saw-mill in the township, Owosso and Corunna being de- pended on to supply the lumber for building purposes. Mr. Amidon found a journey of sixty miles to Pontiac necessary to obtain flour and other supplies. He did not long submit to these privations, but removed from the town- ship. In 1859 he became a resident of Hazelton, his present home. Francis R. Pease came from New York State to Living- ston County in 1838, and to New Haven in 1843. He first located upon section 18, and later upon section 21, where he had forty acres, Mr. Amidon having formerly occupied the place and built a log hou.se to which he re- moved. During the winter of his arrival there occurred the heaviest snow-.storm remembered, which so obstructed the roads as to make travel very diSicult. Snow or deep water as a consequence of defective drainage cover«d the highways. At the house of Mr. Pease very early religious services were held, being conducted by Elder Pattison. Mr. Pease died in 1856, and his widow still occupies the home- stead. Walter II. Seymour removed from Caledonia to this township in 1842, and located upon eighty acres, entered by Trumbull ("ary, on section 18, later purchased by Lewis Finley. He built a log hou.se upon this land, which was improved, and occupied until his death. His widow still survives, and is the present owner of the place. Mr. Sey- mour was prominent in the earlier interests of the township and held several town oflices. Isaac W. Rush purchased of C. M. Boutwell eighty acres on .section 21, upon which he settled in 1844. He remained but a brief time and removed to New York State, where he died. The names of settlers who had come to the township 252 HISTOEY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. prior to 1844 are approximately shown by the following list, which embraces the resident tax-payers in New Haven for that year, with the section on which the land is located and number of acres : AcreB. Spencer W. Stout, section 4 80 Humphrey Wheeler, section 15 SO Walter R. Seymour, section IS SO Richard Freeman, section 21 IfiO Isaac W. Rush, section 21 80 Jesse B. Amidou, section 21 40 Joseph W. Hart, section 2:! SO Roswell Shipman, section 23 80 William Durkee, sections 9,29, 32 360 Dwight Dimmock, section 28 120 John Dunlap, section 33 80 Lewis Hart, section 34 80 Joel A. Hart, section 26 SO Horace Hart, sections 35, 36 240 Robert C. Hart, section 36 80 John B. Burns, section 36 240 Richard Freeman, section 20 80 Peter Reid, section 20 80 Robert Ireland Personal. F. R. Pease D. W. Wheeler " Dwight Dimmock came from Owosso to New Haven in 1844, and located upon one hundred and twenty acr'es on section 28, which is at present occupied by C. B. Clark. He began a clearing and improved a few acres, but finding his labors uncongenial, returned again to his former resi- dence. John Pope, a somewhat eccentric character, came to New Haven in 1844, and bought land on section 19. He afterwards removed to section 34, upon the Lewis Hart farm, and, after a somewhat migratory life, settled in Owosso, where he died, in 1866. Lewis Finley purchased, in 1845, the whole of section 18, which was entered in 1835 by Trumbull Cary. A portion of this he located upon and improved. On his death it was inherited by his sons Auron and Nathan, who now occupy it. The Dumond family, consisting of father and sons, made their advent in 1849, having been former residents of the State of New York. They im- proved a farm on section 29. Some members of the family are still residents of the township. George Ott came from New York State to Monroe County in 1847, and purchased meanwhile, in the town- ship of New Haven, two hundred and forty acres on sec- tion 19. He employed other parties to do the clearing, and erected on Six- Mile Creek the first saw-mill in the township, which for several years was run profitably. He afterwards divided the early purchase among his children and purchased a farm of ninety acres on section 18, the site of his present residence. Daniel Young, a pioneer from Wayne Co., N. Y., located, in 1852, upon forty acres on section 15, which he subse- quently increased to eighty, and upon which he erected a substantial residence. At this date there were no roads intersecting the State road, and no family had located within a distance of twenty miles north. Humphrey Wheeler — one mile distant — was the nearest neighbor. He offered the family hospitality for a period of six weeks, while Mr. Young obtained employment in the harvest- fields. He built a house of boards, which afforded him a comfortable home for fourteen years, after which his pres- ent dwelliu" was erected. Indians of tiie Fisher tribe were frequent visitors. They were great beggars, and did not maintain the established reputation of the race for honesty. Mr. Young has two children residing in the township, to whom he gave each forty acres on the same section. Rev. William Cochran removed from Buffalo, N. Y., to Washtenaw County in 1837, and to the township of New Haven in 1852, where he purchased of Warren Hart the east half of the northwest quarter of section 23. Some improvements had been made on the land and a log house erected, though few settlers had yet arrived. He devoted much time to the cultivation of this farm, and also became familiar to the residents in the exercise of his sacred call- ing, having been one of the earliest preachers in New Haven. Mr. and Mrs. Cochran now reside in Corunna, the latter having been a very early pioneer in Washtenaw County. Phineas Burch came in 1854 from Niagara Co., N. Y., and made a home upon eighty acres on section 16, upon which there were no improvements. The State road having passed his farm afforded him advantages of travel not en- joyed by many of his neighbors. He built a log cabin on his arrival and effected a clearing of three acres the first year. His trade of carpenter and joiner, however, occu- pied much of his time. The farm is still his home, which by cultivation has been made very productive. Chester Cram, who preceded Mr. Burch by one year, came from Oakland County, whence he removed from New York State. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres on section 27, together with an additional eighty which he sold on arrival. On the remainder he located and erected a house of logs, meanwhile availing himself of the tem- porary abode offered by Roswell Shipman. Mr. Cram cleared ten acres the first year, and continued improving the land until his death in 1866. His two sons, Horace and Levi, live upon sections 27 and 22, respectively, and with them their mother alternately resides. James H. Desbrough removed from Ann Arbor to New Haven in 1855, having come direct from England to the former place in 1852. He located upon eighty acres on section 26, which was entirely uncleared. He remained with William Cochran while building a temporary home, and soon after had effected a considerable clearing. Mr. Desbrough erected a substantial residence in 1869, but lived only one year to enjoy it. His widow now occupies the farm. S. H. and J. Alliton came with their grandfather, Ros- well Shipman, to the township in 1855. They engaged in daily labor until the opening of the war, when they entered the army. After their terms of service had expired, each purchased a farm on section 33. This land was uncleared, but has since been rendered by careful labor among the mo.st valuable farms in New Haven, and upon each is erected a substantial residence. Samuel P. Conklin came from Rockland Co., N. Y., in 1857, and located upon forty acres on section 22. In the midst of the forest which covered this land a frame house was standing that had been erected by J. J. Garner, a circuit preacher, of whom he purchased the property. In 1869, Mr. Conklin removed to his present farm of eighty acres on section 28. Daniel Conklin preceded him one year, and located upon section 22, where he still resides. NEW HAVEN TOWNSHIP. 253 Patrick Riley came from Flint to this township in 1857, having purchased eighty acres on section 24. He remained with Jesse D. Hanford on section 26 while building, and immediately after began chopping. A clearing of ten acres was the re.sult of his first year's labor. In the spring a fine crop covered this land. He has been successful in his farming pursuits, and now has two hundred acres on sec- tion 26 and eighty on an adjoining section. Edward Murray came at the same time as bis friend Riley, with whom he remained until a house had been erected on section 25, where he owned eighty acres. He still resides upon this land, where he has a well-improved farm. Michael Hart, who was formerly employed upon the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, purcha.sed one hundred and sixty acres on section 36 in 1860. It had been for- merly occupied and some improvements had been made upon the land. He is rapidly cultivating this farm, having nearly half of it now covered by growing crops. Christopher Roehm come to the township in 1861, and remained for a year at Six-Mile Creek, now West Haven. He meanwhile purchased eighty acres on section 32, and while building upon it remained upon the Dunlap farm. He has greatly improved this land, and still resides upon it. His son, William H., is the present clerk of the township. Among other names that may with propriety be men- tioned on the roll of pioneers are those of Oliver Hopkins, John Desbrough, H. W. Wheeler, Lewis Rowe, P. B. Soule, John T. Shepard, Willis Taylor, Ira Root, J. R. Knight, William M. Lindsey, A. D. Whitney, H. J. Hopkins, and 0. C. Gaylord. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST. New Haven was erected a separate civil township by an act of the State Legislature approved March 20, 1841, which provided " That all that part of the county of Shiawassee designated as township number eight north, of ranges number three and four east, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of New Haven, and the first township-meeting shall be held at the dwelling-house of Richard Freeman in said township." The eastern half of the township so erected and described was taken off and erected into the township of Hazelton by act of March 25, 1850, thus reducing New Haven to its present limits. Pursuant to the provisions of the act erecting New Haven, the electors of the township met on the first Monday in April, 1841, at the house of Richard Freeman, for the purpose of choosing town.ship officers. Humphrey Wheeler was chosen Moderator; Horace Hart, Joel A. Hart, John Dunlap, and William Durkee, Jr., Inspectors of Elections ; Peter Reid, Clerk ; and Lewis Hart, Assistant Clerk. The officers elected for the year were Superviisor, Humphrey Wheeler; Township Clerk, Joel A. Hart; Treasurer, Lewis Hart; As.sessors, H. Wheeler, William Durkee, Horace Hart; School Inspectors, Horace Hart, H. Wheeler, Peter Reid ; Directors of Poor, Richard Freeman, Joel A. Hart ; Highway Commissioners, Peter Reid, John Dunlap ; Justices of the Peace, H. Hart, H. Wheeler, Peter Reid, William Durkee ; Constable, Robert C. Hart. The following list embraces the civil officers elected in the township of New Haven from 1843 to the present time, viz. : 1843. — Supervisor, Humphrey Wheeler; Township Clerk, William Durkee ; Treasurer, J. A. Hart ; Asses- sors, Horace Hart, William Durkee ; School Inspectors, H. Wheeler, Horace Hart ; Highway Commissioners, Walter Seymour, H. Wheeler ; Justice, F. W. Stout ; Directors of Poor, Walter Seymour, H. Wheeler ; Constables, J. W. Hart, J. B. Amidon. 1844. — Supervisor, Horace Hart; Township Clerk, Dwight Dimmock ; Treasurer, J. B. Amidon ; Justice, Roswell Shipman ; Assessors, Lewis Hart, F. R. Pea.se; Highway Commissioners, I. W. Rush, W. Seymour ; School Inspector, Joel A. Hart ; Director of Poor, Walter Seymour ; Constable, J. W. Hart. 1845. — Supervisor, Horace Hart ; Township Clerk, H. Wheeler ; Assessor, Lewis Finley ; Treasurer, Lewis Hart ; Director of Poor, S. W. Stout ; Highway Commissioner, F. R. Pease ; Justices, Lewis Finley, Horace Stout ; Constables, J. W. Hart, D. W. Wheeler. 1846. — Supervisor, Joel A. Hart ; Town.ship Clerk, H. Wheeler ; Justice, Horace Hart ; Highway Com- missioners, Richard Freeman, J. A. Hart ; Di- rectors of Poor, S. W. Stout, R. C. Hart; As.sessors, L. Finley, Horace Hart ; School In- spectors, J. A. Hart, Lewis Finley ; Constable, R. C. Hart. 1847. — Supervisor, J. A. Hart ; Township Clerk, H. Wheeler; Treasurer, Lewis Hart; Justice, S. W. Stout ; Assessors, Joseph W. Hart, Lewis Finley ; School Inspector, Lewis Finley ; High- way Commissioners, Horace Hart, Richard Free- man ; Directors of Poor, S. W. Stout, Robert C. Hart ; Constables, R. C. Hart, Josiah Dunlap. 1848. — Supervisor, Lewis Finley; Township Clerk, H. Wheeler ; Treasurer, D. W. Wheeler ; Assessor, Horace Hart ; Highway Commissioner, W. R. Seymour ; School Inspector, Lewis Finley ; Di- rectors of Poor, Lewis Finley, J. W. Hart ; Constables, Josiah Dunlap, D. W. Wheeler. 1849. — Supervisor, Czardus Clark; Township Clerk, H. Wheeler; Treasurer, D. W. Wheeler; School Inspector, Czardus Clark ; Directors of Poor, S. W. Stout, F. R. Pease; Assessors, W. R. Seymour, H. Wheeler; Highway Commissioner, Czardus Clark ; Justice, Lewis Hart; Constables, Josiah Dunlap, D. W. Wheeler. 1850. — Supervisor, Lewis Hart; Town.ship Clerk, Horace Hart ; Treasurer, Peter Duniond ; Directors of Poor, John Dunlap, W. R. Seymour ; School Inspector, Levi Rowe ; Assessors, F. R. Pease, J. R. Hart ; Highway Commissioner, J. W. Diamond ; Justices, W. V. Dumond, F. R. Pease ; Constables, Peter Dumond, Peter Soule. 254 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 1851. — Supervisor, Lewis Hart; Township Clerk, Horace Hart ; Treasurer, George Ott ; Higiiway Com- missiouer, W. R. Seymour ; Sehool Inspector, John T. Shepard; Justice, John T. Sliepard ; Assessor, Lewis Rowe ; Director of Poor, John Dunlap; Constables, Peter Dumond, M. R. Finley. 1852. — Supervisor, H. Wheeler; Township ('lerk, David Wheeler ; Treasurer, George Ott ; School In- spector, Horace Hart; Director of Poor, John Dunlap ; Assessor, Avery French ; Justices, F. R. Pease, P. B. Soule ; Highway Commissioner, W. M. Linzey; Constables, H. Dumond, D. W. Wheeler. 1S53. — Supervisor, Humphrey Wheeler; Township Clerk, Horace Hart ; Treasurer, George Ott ; School Inspector, Daniel Youug ; Director of Poor, John Dunlap ; Assessors, Lewis Hart, F. R. Pease ; Justices, Lewis Hart, William Cochran ; Highway Commissioner, J. T. Shepard ; Con- stables, E. H. Wheeler, J. G. Ott, Josiah Duulap. 1854.^Supervisor, Lewis Hart; Township Clerk, Horace Hart; Treasurer, Seymour Shipman ; Highway Commissioner, W. R. Seymour; Justice, William Cochran ; School Inspector, H. Wheeler ; Direc- tor of Poor, John Dunlap ; Constables, P. Du- mond, P. B. Soule, John Mansberger ; Assessor, Lewis Hart. 1855. — Supervisor, Phineas Burch ; Township Clerk, Humphrey Wheeler ; Treasurer, S. Shipman ; Justices, A. B. (Clarke, ^^'illis Taylor; Highway Commissioner, William Linzey ; School Inspec- tor, Daniel Young, Jr. ; A.ssessor, H. Wheeler ; Director of Poor, F. R. Pease ; Constables, Joseph Ott, P. Dumond. 185C. — Supervisor, P. Burch; Town.ship Clerk, H. Wheeler; Treasurer, Daniel Y'^oung, Jr. ; Justice, Ira Root; Highway Commissioner, Asa Whit- ney ; School Inspector, H. J. Hopkins ; Director of Poor; William Cochran. 1857. — ^Supervisor, P. Burch ; Township Clerk, H. Wheeler ; Treasurer, Daniel Y'^oung, Jr. ; Justice, Lewis Hart; Highway Commissioner, Walter R. Sey- mour ; School Inspector, Daniel Young, Jr. ; Director of Poor, Czardus Clark ; Constables, Joseph Ott, J. R. Knight. 1858. — Supervisor, Lewis Hart; Township Clerk, Sey- mour Shipman ; Treasurer, Wm. Shankland ; Justice, 0. C. Gaylord ; School Inspector, H. J. Hopkins; Highway Commissioner, J. R. Knight; Director of Poor, H. Wheeler; ('onstables, Warren Ladd, L. M. Newall, A. D. Whitney, G. A. Wallace. 1859. — Supervisor, P. Burch ; Township Clerk, H.Wheeler; Treasurer, A. D. Wheeler; Justices, Wm. Moore, C. Clark ; Highway Commissioner, William M. Linzey ; School Inspector, Daniel Young, Jr. ; Director of Poor, J. R. Knight ; Constables, J. II. Wortman, W. II. Shankland, Patrick Riley. 1860. — Supervisor, Phineas Burch; Township Clerk, H. 1861 1871 1872 1878 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878.. 1879 Wheeler; Treasurer, H. J. Hopkins; Justice, P. Burch ; School Inspectors, H. J. Hopkins, 0. C. Gaylord ; Constables, H. J. Hopkins, Isaiah Ott. -70. — Not obtainable. — Supervisor, Phineas Burch ; Township Clerk, J. F. Parkhurst ; Treasurer, J. P. Jones ; Highway ComniLssioner, W. Underwood ; School Inspec- tor, J. P. Jones ; Constable, J. P. Jones. — Supervisor, A. D. Whitney ; Township Clerk, S. H. Alliton ; Treasurer, J. P. Jones; Highway Commissioner, George Ireland ; School Inspector, Thomas Jenkinson. — -Supervisor, A. D. Whitney ; Township Clerk, J. H. Alliton ; Treasurer, C. S. Dickenson ; School Inspectors, R. H. Angel, Thomas Jenkin.son ; Drain Commissioner, Charles Houghton ; High- way Commissioner, Charles B. Linzey ; Justices, M. H. Ridley, Seymour Hart ; Constable, Thos. E. Hanson. — Supervisor, A. D. Whitney ; Township Clerk, S. H. Alliton ; Treasurer, C. S. Dickenson ; Justice, L. W. Pray ; Highway Commissioner, Thomas Jenkinson ; Drain Commissioner, A. E. Herring- ton ; School Inspector, Thomas Jenkinson. — Supervisor, A. D. Whitney ; Township Clerk, S. H. Alliton ; Treasurer, C. S. Dickenson ; Jus- tices, T. E. Hanson, G. E. Hurd ; Superin- tendent of Schools, M. A. Taylor; Drain Com- missioner, Ellis Ott ; Highway Commissioner, Geo. Ireland ; School Inspector, Thomas Jenkin- son ; Constable, W. F. Williams. — Supervisor, C. S. Dickenson ; Township Clerk, S. R. Chamberlain ; Treasurer, Ellis Ott ; Justice, Chas. B. Linzey ; Superintendent of Schools, L. W. Pray; Drain Commissioner, Urius Smith; Highway Commissioner, Edward Gorman; School Inspector, M. H. Ridley ; Constables, W. F. Williams, R. H. Vanhorn, L. H. Smith. — Supervisor, C. S. Dickenson ; Township Clerk, Wm. H. Ream ; Treasurer, S. H. Alliton ; Jus- tice, L. W. Pray ; Highway Commissioner, A. D. Whitney ; Superintendent of Schools, L. VV. Pray ; School Inspector, S. J.Y^oung ; Constables, W. F. Williams, Van. V. E. Ridley, William Dumond. — Supervisor, C. S. Dickenson ; Township Clerk, W. H. Ream ; Treasurer, S. 11. Alliton ; Justice, M. Hotchkins; Superintendent of Schools, L. W. Pray ; Highway Commissioner, A. D. Whitney; Drain Commissioner, W. F. Williams; School Inspector, J. W. Clark ; Constables, D. M. Pease, S. H. Alliton, Wm. W. Hart. Supervisor. Nathaniel Ball ; Township Clerk, W. H. Ream ; Treasurer, S. H. Alliton ; Justice, T. W. Hinion ; Highway Commissioner, W. D. Underwood ; Superintendent of Schools, S. J. Young ; School Inspector, J. W. Clark ; Con- stables, W. W. Hart, D. M. Pease, Ralph Wil- liams, S. H. Alliton. NEW HAVEN TOWNSHIP. 255 1880.— Supervisor, Nathaniel Ball ; Township Clerk, W. H. Beam ; Treasurer, W. C. Underwood ; High- way Commissioner, E. Penebaker ; Justices, Sidney McCready, Oliver Hopson ; Drain Com- missioner, J. W. Fairbanks; Superintendent of Schools, S. J. Young ; School Inspector, J. W. Clark ; Constables, J. C. Fox, T. E. Hastings, W. D. Underwood. EARLY HIGHWAYS. The earliest highway in New Haven was laid out by the State, and known as the " State Road." It ran north and south, entering the township on section 33, and following' a northerly course to section 21, then angled to the east, but again took a direct north course on the section line between sections 15, 16, 9, 10, 3, and 4, and passed out of the town- ship. The date of this survey is not a matter of township record. The earliest recorded road in New Haven began at a stake on the north bank of Six-Mile Creek, in the centre of the road running north through the i^uutheast quarter of section 18, and pursuing a northerly course, terminated at a stake on the north line of the township, east of the quar- ter post on the south line of section 31. The date of survey is not given, though jobs for clearing the route of this road were awarded August 19, 1843, by Humphrey Wheeler, Horace Hart, and Walter R. Seymour, then com- missioners of highways. The next recorded road was surveyed by Andrew Hug- gins, June 10, 1847, and is entitled a " Road from Dun- lap's west to Town Line." Beginning at the corners of sections 28, 29, and 33, and running south eighty-nine degrees and fifty-six minutes west on the section-line thirty- nine chains and ninety-six links to the quarter post stand- ing on the south side of section 29 ; thence south eighty- nine degrees and fifty minutes west forty chains to the corners of sections 29, 30, 31, and 32 ; thence south eighty- nine degrees and twenty minutes west thirty-nine chains and ninety links to the quarter post on the south side of section 30 ; thence south eighty-eight degrees fifty-three minutes west thirty-five chains and five links to the south- west corner of section 30. The township was originally divided into seven highway districts. SCHOOLS. The township, though first settled in 183(3, was without educational advantages until 1843. During the year a school-house of logs was erected on land owned by F. R. Pease, on the south section-line of section 21. Ira W. Rush was the early teacher who taught the rudiments to the rising youth of New Haven. The log structure was later superseded by a frame one, familiarly known as the " old red school-house." It still remains as one of the land- marks of the olden time, though age has sadly impaired the symmetry of its proportions and the brightness of its color has departed. Early religious services were held in the original log building by Noah Pettus, who divided with folder Patterson the honor nf having been the earliest messenger of gospel tidings. The territory of New Haven is now divided into seven whole and two fractional school-districts, under supervision of the following-named board of directors : Uriah Smith, Frederick Sehantz, George Ott, Horace B. Cram, P. P. Beswick, J. II. Alliton, Cornelius Knight, J. M. Bishop, John Hanna. Three hundred and twenty-five children received instruc- tion during the past year, of whom nineteen were non-res- idents. They were under charge of four male and fifteen female teachers. The total value of school property in the township is $5350, and its total resources for the year for educational purposes 82953.91, of which $197.28 is de- rived from the primarj'-school fund. CHURCH HISTORY. WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH. The finst society of this denomination was organized in 1851 by the Rev. William Cochran, of Corunna. After a brief career the church was reorganized at the " old red schoiil-house" as the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the winter of 1871, Rev. Mr. McGee collected the scattered members of the former body, and at the same school-hou.se formed another church. During the season another class was organized at the school building known as the Desbrough school-house. Rev. Mr. McGee remained for two years as pastor of these churches (which were and . are a part of the Shiawassee Circuit), and was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Lyon, who remained for one year, when Rev. Mr. McGee returned to the charge. Rev. William Waterman became pastor in 1874, and under his labors the member- ship was greatly increased. In 1875, Rev. Harvey Johnson was called to preside over the charge, and in 1877 he or- ganized the Underwood Wesleyan Methodist Church with the following membership : Edmund Underwood, Mrs. Underwood, Eva Morse, Charles Morse, Orlando Morse, Mary E. Morse, Squire Williams, Daniel Young, Catharine Young, Martha E. Dutcher, Robert Dutcher, Harvey John- son, Martha Johnson, Melissa J. Young. The present class-leader is Charles Morse, and the stewards are Edmund Underwood, Orlando Morse, and Robert Dutcher. The clerk is Daniel Young. Rev. L. E. Jessop became pastor in 1877, and was succeeded in 1879 by Rev. William Daven- port, who still ministers to the congregation, and has been signally blessed in his labors. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The church of the Methodist Episcopal denomination in New Haven was organized in April, 1859, as a part of the Corunna Circuit, in the Owosso district. The Rev. L. C. York was the first pastor. In 1868 it was transferred to the Chesaning charge, while under the ministrations of Rev. A. B. Clough. The pastors in succession since that time have been as follows: in 1870, Rev. T. G. Omans, who was in 1871 followed by Rev. D. B. Miller. In 1872, Rev. A. Allen was pastor in charge, and in 1875, Rev. C. P. Kellerman succeeded. Rev. J. W. Crippin ministered to the church in 1877, and the present pastor, Rev. II. W. Hicks, was installed in 1879. Services are held in the school-house semi-monthly, though the erection of a church edifice is but a matter of time. Phincas Burch has been for many years class-leader. ■^b6 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. GERMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH. This organization was formed in 1860 by Rev. Christo- pher Roehm, with a membership of thirty. Services had been early lield at the house of Frederick Steiner, with Godfrey Schontz as class-leader. In 1875 the society be- cjime sufficiently strong to begin the erection of a church edi6ce, which was completed at a cost of twelve hundred dollars, the debt having been wholly liquidated. The loca- tion of the church building is on the southeast quarter of section 19. The pastor is Rev. Mr. Brumm, who resides in Owosso, the church at New Haven being a part of the Owosso Cir- cuit. The trustees are Fred Yenkcl, Christian Cooley, Fred Kirn, Jr., Godfrey Schontz. CHURCH OF THE DLSCIPLES. A society under the discipline of tlie dciioniiuatiou above mentioned was organized in 1875, by Elder Houghton. It grew in numbers and influence during the two succeeding years, and in 1877 measures were taken for the erection of a house of worship, ground having been secured for the purpose on section 3. The building was soon after com- pleted, and .services are held on each alternate Sabbath. VILLAGE OF WEST HAVEN. The village of West Haven is described in its survey as situated on the north part of the northwest fractional quar- ter of section No. 18, in township No. 8 north, of range No. 3 east, and was surveyed Nov. 4, 5, and 6, 1869, for E. E. White and D. M. Estey, by Ezra Mason. The land was originally entered from government by Trumbull Cary, in 1835, and later owned by Lewis Finley. After some transfers a portion of it came into the possession of George Wallace, who disposed of forty acres to Jlessre. Estey and White, as did also Seymour Goodell a smaller tract which he owned. The water-power was first improved by Mr. Quackenbush, who built a dam upon Six-Mile Creek and erected a saw- mill. It was run successfully for a number of years, but finally went to decay. Mr. E. E. White became a resi- dent in 1868, and in 1869, D. M. Estey came and erected upon the Shiawassee River an extensive factory for the manufacture of furniture, under the name of the Estey Manufiicturing Company. This establishment, which by its magnitude and the employment it aflords, makes the village a point of some business interest, is propelled by water-power furnished by the Shiawassee River, and ob- tains its material exclusively from the adjacent country. It is at present chiefly devoted to the manufacture of bed- steads, of which are produced twelve hundred per month. For these a market is found in Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and the large cities of the East. D. M. Estey is president and treasurer of the company, and Charles E. Rigley vice-president and secretary. The earliest store in West Haven was built by Joseph Gibbs, who placed in it a stock of goods, but did not long remain a resident. He was followed by Abrara Mott, who ■ erected a spacious store, whicli was later purchased by Messrs. Estey & Tooley. It was subse(|uently controlled by the Estey Manufacturing Company, who are at present proprie- tors, and employ J. W. Angell as general manager of their mercantile interests. He is also the postmaster of West Haven. The village contains a blacksmith-shop, which is carried on by Anson Kimball, and a wagon-shop owned by Frank Thill. In point of location West Haven has many natural ad- vantages. It possesses an excellent water-power, is sur- rounded by a productive farming country, and has one of the most picturesque and attractive sites in the county for a growing village. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. JACOB WIEDMAN. John and Mary ( Fry) Wiedman were natives of Wur- temberg, Germany, and reared a family of four boys and two girls. Three are residents of this country, — John, Jr., at Ann Arbor, Frederick in Pike Co., 111., and Jacob, the subject of this sketch, who was born Jan. 1, 1834. His earliest recollections are of stories told of a land across the waters where each could build up their possessions as unlimited as their desires or capacity would wish. At nine- teen, after having passed through their rigid school disci- pline, he borrowed sufficient money of an elder brother to pay his passage, and set out upon a voyage to the New World. Most of his fellow-passengers had decided upon Michigan as their future home, and from New York City he came with them to Ann Arbor. He obtained employment for two months at ten dollars per mouth upon a farm. With his first pay he canceled the debt with his brother, and so faithfully did he serve his employer that he remained eight years. During this time, in I860, he purchased seventy- one acres on section 19, New Haven township, their present home. On Feb. 4, 1862, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Abraham and Sally (Koons) Stefie, natives of Penn.syl- vania, who removed to Ann Arbor in 1856, and followed farming until the family was broken up by the death of Mr. SteSe, on April 5, 1876. The mother now resides with a daughter in Washtenaw County. The day follow- ing their marriage, Jacob and wife set out upon a journey to their new home with a yoke of oxen and wagon to con- vey them and their worldly effects. The first year proved the most discouraging ever experienced by them. Their only marketable commodity was wood, which Mr. Wied- man cut and hauled to Owosso, receiving six shillings in store pay per cord. With the following year came a more plentiful harvest. Each succeeding year has showered upon them the fruits of industry and frugality. Their children number three, — Reuben, born in 1862; Jessie, born Feb. 22, 1865 ; John, born Oct. 1, 1867. Mr. Wied- man is one of nature's noblemen, preferring to devote his time and energies to the improvement of his possessions and surrounding himself and family with the comforts of life to following the empty baubles of political popularity. I 3: I 1 -.J -J m VJ 5 Q NEW HAVEN TOWNSHIP. 257 MRS. PHINEAS BURCII. PI1INE.\S liORCII. PHINEAS BUIICH. Jonathan and Polly (St. Clair) Burch were natives of Royalston, Vt., and after uniting their destinies by mar- riage the first five years .were spent at Montreal, Canada. In 1817 they moved to Niagara Co., N. Y., purchasing a farm, where they lived to see a family of seven children pass from the parental home to begin life's labor for themselves. Mrs. Burch lived to the age of seventy-two, for fifty-four years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, thus exemplifying the many good womanly qualities possessed by her. Mr. Burch spent the remainder of hi.s life with his son, living to the age of eighty-four, a consistent Christian. Pliineas Burch, a son, and to whom this sketch h.is par- ticular reference, was born Aug. 11, 1814. His years of mi- nority were passed at home on the farm. May 1, 183C, he married Mary A. Brown, and engaged in farming. Thus life passed pleasantly for a period of nineteen years, when death's summons came to Mrs. Burch, and she was laid to rest, leaving a family of six children. Three years later Mr. Burch found consolation, and his children a kind and indulgent parent, in Miss Adaline Bartholomew. They were married March 22, 1854. The offspring of this mar- riage was one child. In June following they journeyed West to Shiawassee County, settling upon section IG, New Haven township, where they have since resided. Mr. Burch has served his township and county in an official capacity almost incessantly as supervisor for fifteen consecu- tive years, — justice of the peace until obliged to decline to qualify on account of failing health. Through all the labors of pioneer life and public duties Mr. Rureli has been very efficiently aided by his good wife, making, as he affirms, an accurate accountant as township clerk. In politics he is a Republican, and buth have long been members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Cliureh. WELLMAN HART. Of the family history of Wellman Hart we have the fol- lowing record. Horace, with his third wife, came from Monroe Co., Mich., to Shiawassee County, and made the first settlement in the town of New Haven, said location being on section 36. Their family consisted of seven chil- dren, six by first marriage, — Robert, Joel, Lewis, Rosconna, Joseph W., and Nancy, — by the second, Josephine. In the course of human events the surviving children had departed the old home to establish their own. Joseph W. located eighty acres on section 19, with whom the parents lived and passed their closing days. Horace Hart was born June 3, 1785 ; died in March, 1807. Mrs. Hart continued with them until Feb. 23, 1874. Of their family but one is now living, Mrs. Nancy Youngs, of Caledonia. Jo.seph W. mar- ried Miss Nancy Shipman, of Monroe Co., Mich., and to- 33 gethcr they pioneered the home wiiich, with their respected memories, was left a.s an inheritance to a family of nine children, that had grown to maturity under their parental care, viz. : Warner, resides in Saginaw; Martha (deceased); Wilson W., resides at Tahama, Cal. ; Wellman, Mrs. Miranda Marshall (deceased), William M., and Bottle, all of New Haven township. On Oct. 7, 1872, Wellman united in marriage with Mary J. ('amp, of the town of Rush. The improvements so untiringly prosecuted by his parents have been continued by them. To-day a beautiful home, surrounded by many conveniences, is theirs, as may be seen by the accompanying sketches of the old home and the new. They are the parents of two children,— Matilda, born Sept. 14, 1873, and Emerald B., born Ajjril 17, 1878. 258 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. MRS. DANIEL YOUNG. DANIEL YOUNG. DANIEL YOUNG. The Young family of whom we luive to 'write descended from Emanuel Young, of Germany, who having received the degree of M.D., emigrated to this country about the year 1735, and began the practice of medicine. Eventually we find him located in Montgomery Co., N. Y., surrounded by a family charactevLstio of the Germans. The next in line, Emanuel Young, Jr., joined in the struggle of 1777 for independence, how well, the wounds received, by the scars that remained bore testimony to his dying day. At the age of eighty-three he passed away, the latter portion of his life being spent with his children in Onondaga Co., N. Y. Daniel E. Young, the eldest of his family of six children, was born in Montgomery County, March IG, 1791. In his twenty-third year he united in marriage with Miss Martha Brown, also a native of Montgomery County, born Dec. 18, 1793. As was customary in those days, both labored to secure a competency, he as a clothier, she as a weaver; their final location being at Skaneateles, Onon- daga Co., N. Y. Their family consisted of Maria, deceased ; Halsey, residing in Auburn, N. Y. ; Harvey, at Corunna, Mich. ; Edwin, at Cayuga Co., N. Y. ; Daniel and Mrs. Louisa Stoner, at New Haven. Daniel was born at Skane- ateles, June 4, 1827. Being of a studious mind, at eighteen was qualified for school-teaching, which he followed until twenty-three. March 11, 1850, he married Miss Catherine Gurnee, a native of Rockland Co., N. Y., born June 4, 1827. The year following he worked by the mouth upon a farm. In the fall of 1851 came West, and purchased of his brother Harvey, living in Genesee Co., Mich., forty acres of wild land on section 15, New Haven, Shiawassee Co., paying three dollars per acre, and returned home. May 19, 1852, with his wife he departed upon their journey westward, via canal to Buffalo, lake to Detroit, arriving the evening of the 25th, where his brother was waiting to convey them to his home in Davidson, Genesee Co. W. W. Young, like most actual settlers in a new country, was not blessed with a plentiful supply of cash, and while carrying forward the work of erecting a home his family must be provided for. Leaving his family at his brother's, he went in ad- vance to his location, and began the work of erecting a house. On June 11th he removed hi.s family to a pioneer tavern near his location, kept by Mr. Wheeler. July 9th he went to Oakland County, and worked through harvest. With his wages he was enabled to complete his house, and on August 17th occupied their first home, where they con- tinued for fourteen years, clearing and improving sum- mers, teaching winters. In 1876 he completed a commo- dious farm-house, and other improvements in the way of farm-buildings have followed. To his first purchase he has added one hundred and twenty acres. Where the wilder- ness overshadowed all now smile green fields and fruit- laden orchards, emblematical of industry and prosperity. A due portion may be attributed to the good wife, whose watchword has ever been, " Economy is necessary to success." Their family consists of three children, — Sylvester J., born Jan. 6, 1851 ; Mrs. Martha E. Dutcher, born May 27, 1854 ; Melissa I., born Feb. 1, 18G3. Sylvester and Martha when of age received forty acres, with a portion under improve- ment, adjoining the old home. Mr. Young and wife have been church members since sixteen years of age, and for the past thsee years connected with the Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church of New Haven. They contributed liber- ally to secure a suitable church building, and are con- sistent Christians and a worthy couple in every respect. OWOSSO TOWNSHIP. 259 MRS. H. B. CRAM. H. B. CRAM. Chester Cram was born Feb. 2, 1813, in Essex Co., N. Y. While yet a lad the family removed to Chautauqua County, thence to Oakland County. In the spring of 1834, Chester, then of age, had accumulated sufficient means to purchase forty acres in O.^ford township. He put it under a good state of cultivation, when, being desirous of securing more land, he exchanged for one hundred and twenty acres of wild land, taking a deed for sixty acres and mortgage upon the balance, which he failed to have recorded. The first parties, finding the mortgage had not been recorded, .sold the prop- erty and left the country, thus depriving him of its benefits. In the fall of 1839 he took to himself a wife in the per- son of Miss Margaret Eldred, whose fliniily had removed from Steuben Co., N. Y., to Oakland County in 1835. In the spring of 1844, Mr. Cram again exchanged for one hutidred and sixty acres of wild land in New Haven town- shij), Shiawas,see Co., but did not remove thereto until the spring of 1849, where they continued to reside until his death, which occurred Aug. 8, 1866, leaving a widow and four children, — H. B. Cram, born May 7, 1844, resides in Bast Tennessee; H. B., born Dec. 19, 1852; Leroy, born May 18, 1855 ; Mrs. Maria Hop.son, resides in New Haven. Mr. and Mrs. Cram united with the Baptist Church soon after their marriage, and ever after lived a consistent Chris- tian life. The present proprietor of the old home, H. B. Cram, on Feb. 7, 1874, married Miss Louisa Butcher, whose family had removed from Oakland County to New Haven four years proviou.sly. The newly-wedded couple followed farming for a short period \ipon forty acres that had been given him by his father, when a desire to visit the gold field on the I'acific coast led him to rent his place, establishing his wife with her parents. He journeyed westward, visiting many places of interest; finally located at Prescott, Arizona, engaging in (juartz mining, which proved the royal road to success. Two years later he re- turned home, having sold his mining interest. He pur- H. B. CRAM. chased the heirship interest in the old home, and vigorously set to work making substantial improvements. They are parents of two children, — Edson B., born Oct. 19, 1879 ; Annie M., born Nov. 15, 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Cram are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in good standing. CHAPTER XXXVII. OWOSSO TOWNSHIP.* Description and Original Surveys— First and other Land-Entries — Early Settlements — Civil and Political — Educational. This township, which originally embraced within its limits the northern half of Shiawassee County, now occu- pies the territory designated in the field-notes of the orig- inal survey as township No. 7 north, of range No. 2 east. It is one of the four interior divisions of the county, and is situated northwest of its geographical centre. Adjoining township organizations are Rush on the north, Caledonia on the east, Bennington on the south, and Mid- dlebury on the west. The .surface, although comparatively level, is .sufiiciently elevated above its water-courses to admit of good surface drainage, the higher portions being found in the eastern and central parts. Originally this was a heavily timbered township, beech, maple, oak, ash, cherry, hickory, butter- nut, black -walnut, and the many other varieties of deciduous trees common to this climate predominating. Pines of small size wore found scattered over various sections, and tamaracks and black ash in the swamps, of which there are many acres in the northern and northwest sections ; also along the margins of Maple River. The Shiawassee and Maple Rivers arc the principal water- * By John S. Schenck. 260 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. courses. Tlie foi-mer enters tlie surveyed township near the centre of tlie east border, or witliin the corporate limits of the city of Owosso, and thenco sweeping rapidly to the northwest, affording excellent water-power privileges in the latter city, passes on in a general northerly course, and finally leaves the township by crossing the north border of section 1. Maple Iliver, in its sluggish flow to the north- west, drains the southwest corner of the township, inter- secting sections 34, 33, 28, 29, 30, and 19. Numerous springs and wells, whose waters are strongly impregnated with iron, are found in various portions, and, as a whole, Owosso township may be considered well watered. Doubtless coal, in large quantities, underlies a large por- tion of its surface, mines having already been developed in the city of Owosso, also in the adjoining township of Caledonia, at Corunna. The people are chiefly engaged in agricultural pur- suits, the cereals, dairy products, and wool being the principal articles produced. ORIGINAL SURVEYS. The history of Owosso as a township began in the year 1823, when deputy United States Surveyors John Mullett, Joseph Wampler, and William Brookfield, in pursuance of contracts, and acting under instructions from Edward TiSin, Surveyor-General of the United States, led their separate surveying-parties into these wilds and began the toilsome work of mapping out townships. Joseph Wampler ran out the township boundary-lines in the summer or early autumn of 1823, designating the territory thus surveyed township No. 7 north, of range No. 2 east, and on Saturday, November 8th of the same year, William Brookfield, with his party, began the work of subdivision. Mr. Brookfield commenced in the southeast corner, sec- tion 36, and thence continued north until the eastern tier of sections were completed. Returning to section 35, he again worked to the northward, and thus repeated his move- ments until his task of running the sectional lines was completed in the northwest corner on section 6, Sunday evening, November 23d. On Monday, the 24th, he began meandering the Shiawassee River, commencing on the north boundary-line of the township, and on the left or west bank of the river ; thence up the stream. Arriving at the eastern line of section 24, on the evening of the same day, he found that the hickory post set by Mr. Wam- pler on the left bank of the stream had been destroyed by the Indians. "For," he remarked, "it is where their trail crosses the river, and where they have encamped." On the succeeding day he crossed the right bank of the river, and moving down its course to the northern boundary of sec- tion 1, finally completed the original survey in all its details Wednesday, Nov. 26, 1823. In running the sectional lines, Mr. Brookfield supple- mented his work by entering upon his field-book remarks regarding the surface, soil, water-courses, swamps, kinds of timber growing, etc. As his opinions of Owo.sso township in 1823 will be of interest to those who occupy the terri- tory at the present time, — fifty-seven years later, — we here notice a few of them. In running east, between sections 13 and 24, and after crossing the Shiawassee River, he found " plains or oak-openings. Land, first rate ; good soil, no large timber, — it was long ago burnt oft". Undergrowth, white and prickly ash, thorns and briers; all in abundance." Going north between sections 13 and 14, the land was good, no timber. East, between sections 12 and 13, he again crossed the Shiawassee, and found " good and princi- pally high land ; timber been burnt off, new growth of all kinds springing up ; some thorns, hazel, ash, poplar, and briers." On Monday, November 10th, in going north, between sections 11 and 12, he adds, "waded river seven times to-day." Between sections 26 and 27 was " an In- dian sugar- orchard, and land first rate." Another " fine Indian sugar-orchard" was found on the line between sec- tions 21 and 22. In running north between sections 2 and 3, November 13th, he says, "Three miles from camp, and just dark. All black-ash swamp ; two miles of such tim- ber." On reaching the north boundary-line of the town- ship, between sections 3 and 4, he noted, " I could find a tamarack to bear to every second on the compass." In accounting for the variation of east and west lines, especially west of a north and south line drawn through the central part of the township, he said, after running east between sections 28 and 33, " The compass has been attracted in running this line." On the succeeding day, in going north, between sections 32 and 33, he adds, " Again to see if a mistake was not made in the distance of ten chains, and found none. Run the easting also, and found by running from the east boundary to the west, that we made the same southing that we made northing. So that there can be no doubt that regular attraction affected the needle. Lost one half-day in this to ascertain our corrections." Again, in running east between sections 16 and 21, he said, '' There is evidently attraction of mineral in this vicinity; in my northing I have been drawn three chains and seventy-five links, and in my easting three chains and sixty-four links." On the line between sections 9 and 16 ho found a white oak " fifty links in circumference seven feet from the ground, sixty feet to the limbs. It is sound, and we judged it would make one thousand rails." Thirty-two, in his opinion, for soil and timber, was the best section in the township. Running north, between sec- tions 7 and 8, he found time to say, " Wretched swamp ! Ash, alder, tamarack." But the height of his wretched- ness was reached when running the line west, between sec- tions 6 and 7, for here he ejaculated, " Land miserable ; not fit even for wolves to inhabit." FIRST AND OTHER EARLY LAND-ENTRIES. The brothers Alfred L. and Benjamin 0. Williams en- tered the first land in the town.ship on section 24, being the northeast fractional quarter, and the southeast part of the northeast fractional quarter, Aug. 2, 1833. November 13th following they purchased on section 13 the southeast part of the southeast fractional quarter, and the west part of the southeast fractional quarter. No other entries were made until the year 1835, when Trumbull Gary, William Rood, James Tillson, Kilburn Bedell, Lewis Findley, Elias Comstock, A. L. and B. 0. Williams, Abel Millington, and a few others bought land on various sections. OWOSSO TOWNSHIP. 261 Following, however, is a list of those who purchased from the general government lauds situated in this town- ship : SECTION I. Trumbull Cary, (Jeucsee Co., N. Y., October, 18;i5. AU'xanilcr MeFiirran, Wayne Co., Mich., January, ISIiO. Jonathan Kearsley, Wayne Co., Mich., February, ls;i(j. Van Dyke ami McCIure, Wayne Co., Mich., February, ISoO. Benjamin L. Breton, Wayne Co., Alich., March, ISoO. SECTION 2. WiMiaiu Rood, Montsomery Co., N. Y., October, 1S35. Cornelius Bergen, New York City, January, 1S."J6. Sylvauus P. Jormaiu, Albany, N. Y., April, 1836. George Dickinson, Franklin Co., Mass., June, 1836. B. Lovemau, Shiawassee Co., Mich., March, 1855. SECTION 3. State of Michigan, November, 1842. SECTION 4. Ransom R. Bclding, Oakland Co., Mich., May, 1837. SECTION 5. John Comstock, Oakland Co., Mich., May, 1837. Joshua W. Waterman, Wayne Co., Mich., July, 1853. Martin Walron, Shiawivssee Co., Mich., 1854. SECTION 6. Sebra and Charles Howard, Wayne Co., ]\Iicli., April, 1854. SECTION 7. James K. Guernsey, Monroe Co., N. Y., June, 1836. SECTION 8. Ezra L. Mason, Monroe Co., N. T., December, 1836. Martin S. Norton, Monroe Co., N. Y., December, 1836. Raymond Barnum, Putnam Co., N. Y^., December, 1 836. Abijah B. Dunlap, Seneca Co., N. Y., December, 1836. Alexander W. Shaft, Shiawassee Co., Mich., October, 1851. Lucretia M. Gailford, Shiawassee Co., Mich., August, 1852. Joshua W. Waterman, Wayne Co., Mich., July, 1853. Albert B. Mason, Shiawassee Co., Mich., November, 1854. SECTION 9. Francis G. Maey, Eric Co., N. Y., June, 1836. George Talbot, Monroe Co., N. Y., December, 1836. John McNiol, Boston, Mass., December, 18.'i6. Gideon Lee, New York City, January, 1837. SECTION 10. James K. Guernsey, Monroe Co., N. Y., Juno, 1836. Gideon Lee, New York City, January, 1837. SECTION 11. James Tillson, Wayne Co., Mich., December, 1835. Jarcd II. Randall, Niagara Co., N. Y., May, 1836. John F. Bli.t Co.'s store; and in 1841, at the school-house. 264 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. peace, constituted the inspectors of the election. After these officers had taken the required oath, on motion the meeting was adjourned to the store of Daniel Ball, where balloting commenced. At its close, and after the canvass had been completed, the following officers were declared elected : Lewis Fiudley, Supervisor ; Alfred L. Williams, Township Clerk ; Daniel Ball, Samuel N. Warren, Abram T. Wilkinson, Assessors ; John B. Griswold, Henry S. Smith, Jehial Dunning, Highway Commissioners ; Daniel Ball, Elias Comstock, Alfred L. Williams, John Davids, Justices of the Peace ; Elias Comstock, Alfred L. Williams, Samuel N. Warren, School Inspectors ; Henry S. Smith, Jehial Dunning, Abram T. Wilkinson, Constables ; Henry S. Smith, Samuel Wilkinson, Lewis Findley, Poormasters. At the close of this meeting it was " Resolved, That the next annual township-meeting be held at the school- house in the village of Owosso, if there should be one at that time ; if not, then at the house of Daniel Ball, in said village." The highway commLssionors at their first mooting divided the township into two road districts, described as follows : " The Second District shall comprise all the land lying south of the River Shiawassee, and east of a north and south line drawn between sections nineteen and twenty, twenty-nine and thirty, and thirty-one and thirty-two in township number seven north, of range number three east. The First District shall include all the remaining lands of the township." Caledonia and Middlebury were formed as separate town- ships, in 1839; New Haven, in 1841; Venice, in 1843; Rush and Hazelton, in 1850 ; and Fairfield, in 1854 ; and all comprise territory which belonged to the old township of Owosso during the years 1837-38. In 1859 .sections 13 and 24, and the east half of sections 14 and 23, were set ofi" and placed within the corporate limits of the city of Owosso. The following is a tabulated statement of the supervisors, township clerks, treasurers, highway commissioners, and justices of the peace elected* annually for the years from 1838 to 1880 inclusive: Supomsoi-a. Township Clerks. Treasiirei-s. 183S. Elias Comstock. Ebenezer Gould. 1839. tt ft Sanford M. Green. Elias Comstock. 1840. (t it David D. Fisli. it It 1841. Lewis Fiudloy. it tt Austin Griffls. 1842. Sanford M.(ireen.-| Daniel Gould. George Parkill. 1843. Alfred L. ^yiIIiams. David D. Fish. Daniel McGilvra. 1844. it tt Charles V. I'arkill. tt ti 1846. Amos (Jould. " tt it 1846. tt tt Thomas D, Dewey. Erastiis Barnes. 1847. tt tt tt ti RIathew N.Tillotson 1848. tt it it it tt tt 1849. •' " Anson li. Chijiman. Dwight Diinniick. 1.S50. it it Isaac M. Chipman. Lucius G. Hammond 1851. " " Charles' L. Goodhue. Erastus Barnes. 1852. Daniel Lyon. Anson M. Chipman. William A. Carr. 1853. « « Joseph Hedges. tt it 1854. David IngersoU. tt tt ti It 1855. Alfred L. Williams. Jay L. Quackenbush David Gould. * All resignations, vacancies, and appointments arc not shown. t Resigned; A. L. Williams elected in Novemlior, 1812, lo fill va- cancy. Supervisors. Township Clerks. Treasurers. 1856. Alfred L. Williams. Jay J. Quackenbush. Whitney A. Tillotson 1857. A. B. Chipman. Randolph L. Stewart. Charles M. Moses. 1858. it (1 Jay L. Quackenbush. Daniel Lyon. 1859. Ezra L. Mason. Gilbert G. Doano. George L. Hall. 1860. tt it Will am H. C. Hall. 1861. a it " *( it it 1862. it a I. W . Burke. W. Love. 1863. it tt it « .. 1864. it tt Fran 3is M. Waldron. " " 1865. tt it n a ine. we.st, north, and east respectively by the townships of Woodhull, Bennington, and Antrim. The first settlement in this township was made by Josiah Purdy in the fall of 1836, upon land which had been en- tered for him by a Sir. Howe, and described as the west half of the northwest quarter of section 13, and the west half of the southwest quarter of section 12. Upon the northern half of this land now stands the village of Morrice. While Mr. Purdy was building a cabin he left his family at the house of Alanson Ailing, in Antrim. The rude dwel- ling which he soon completed, and to which he soon after brought them, was the first built by a white man in the township of Perry. It stood just east of the school-hou.se now in the village of Morrice. An Indian trail, which to all appearances had been used for ages (for in places it was worn nearly a foot deep), passed near the door, and over it at times, in their peculiar single file, long lines of Indians would pass. They were at first totally oblivious to the presence of their new neighbors, but gradually became acquainted, and before leaving the township became very friendly. They would sometimes stop during a storm, or spend the night with him. At such times they would sleep on the floor of the little front room, which was often covered with them. Without a word of explanation they would sometimes go away, leaving their guns standing in one corner of the room, and be absent several weeks in succes- sion. As Mr. Purdy never touched them, or allowed any one to interfere with them, he gained the entire confidence of the Indians. In the spring of 1837, Mr. Purdy plowed a small piece of ground for a garden, and although in the mean time several other settlers had located in Perry, this, it is thought, was the first land plowed in the township. Mr. Purdy died in 1868. Mrs. Diantha Purdy, his wife, died in 1806. The son, who came with them to Perry, is living on the south part of the farm which his father en- tered. During the spring referred to many new settlers made their appearance, — some to buj' land and remain, but most of them soon became discouraged and returned to the older settlements. Among tho.se who remained were Horace Green and Joseph Roberts. The latter was a physician, the first in the township. They built a house and lived under the .same roof for three years. Mr. Green entered the southwest quarter of section 15. lie brought a wife and six children, some of whom still remain in the town- ship. He and his wife are now living in Kent Co., Mich. George Reed, Jesse Whitford, William Lemon, and Wil- liam Morrice came to Perry about the same time. Mr. Reed, who was a native of England, located one hundred and sixty acres on section 8, and with his wife remained in Perry until his death, which occurred a few years since. Jesse Whitford came to Perry in the latter part of 1837, and located the west half of the northwest quarter of sec- tion 3. He had a wife and five children. His daughter Minerva, born in 1838, is supposed to have been the first white child born in the township. William Lemon also came in 1837, and located the southwest quarter of section 1. The next summer (1838) he married in Washtenaw County, and did not remain long afterwards in Perry. In March, 1837, William Morrice, from Aberdeenshire, 34 266 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Scotland, located with liis family on tlie southeast quarter of section 2. Ills biothers, John, George, and Alexander, came to the township the next year. George located the southwest quarter of section 2. Part of this land had been entered by a Mr. Patten. John Morrice located the east half of the northeast quarter of section 2. He died in 1848. Alexander did not remain in Perry, but went to Ionia County. The village of Morrice took its name from this family, a number of the members of which are still living in the vicinity. William Morrice died in 1873. His wife is yet living. Phineas Austin came to Perry in 1837, having previously entered the land on section 4, where his son now lives. Lyman Bennett settled on the northeast quarter of sec- tion 5. Levi Harmon, also one of the early settlers of Perr}', located on the south part of section 25. His daugh- ter Polly was married to Lewis Ward (whose fiiiher was a pioneer of Antrim) in September, 1831). This is said to have been the first marriage in the township. Ebenezer Turner came to Perry in 1837, and bought part of the northwest quarter of section 2. In 1839, John P. Shaft located three hundred and twenty acres of sections 19 and 29. The village of Shaftsburg, in Woodhull township, is situated upon land which he sub- sequently purchased in that township. In the following year John Spaulding, from New York, purchased a part of section 19 ; after building a house he returned to New York and married. He then came back to Perry. At the first town-meeting in this township Mr. Spaulding was elected assessor and justice of the peace. TOWNSHIP OKGANIZATION AND LIST OF OFFICEKS. An act of the Legislature of Michigan, approved March 15, 1841, set off survey-township 6 north, of range 2 east, i'rom the territory of the township of Bennington, and erected the same into the separate civil township of Perry, with the provision that the first township-meeting be held at the house of Joseph P. Iloberts. In accordance with the last-named provision of the act, the electors of the township met at the place designated on the 15th of April, 1841, and organized the meeting by choice of Joseph P. Roberts as moderator, and Lyman Bennett as clerk for the day. " A coffee-pot and an old tea- kettle" were used as ballot boxes, and with these the elec- tion proceeded. The names of the township officers elected at that first meeting, as well as those who have been elected in subsequent years to the present time, are given in the following list, viz. : 1841. — Supervisor, Lyman Bennett; Clerk, J. P. Roberts; Treasurer, Lyman Bennett ; Assessors, John Spaulding, J. P. Roberts, Winfield S. Ament; School Inspectors, B. B. Brigham, J. P. Rob- erts, Lyman Bennett ; Highway Commissioners, Levi Harmon, J. P. Roberts, Lyman Bennett; Justices, J. P. Roberts, Levi Harmon, W. S. Anient, John Spaulding ; Collector, Horace Green ; Directors of the Poor, William P. Ste- vens, Josiah Purdy ; Constables, John P. Shaft, William Harmon, Horace Green, James Nichols. 1842. — Supervisor, Lyman Bennett ; Clerk, W. S. Anient; Treasurer, Levi Harmon ; Assessors, John Spaulding, James Cummin ; School Inspectors, J. P. Roberts, W. S. Ament, B. B. Brigham ; Directors of the Poor, W. F. Stevens, Phineas Austin ; Highway Commissioners, J. P. Shaft, William Harmon, Lyman Bennett; Justice, Orson S. Barker; Constables, J. P. Shaft, Wil- liam Harmon, Horace Green, James Nichols. 1843. — Supervisor, Lyman Bennett; Clerk, James Cum- min ; Treasurer, Levi Harmon ; Justices, John Spaulding, Phineas Austin ; Asscsssor, John Spaulding; Highway Commissioners, John Spaulding, Lyman Bennett ; School Inspectors, B. B. Brigham, James Cummin ; Directors of the Poor, Phineas Austin, Levi Harmon ; Con- stables, John P. Shaft, W. Harmon, James Nichols, John Whaley. 1844. — Supervisor, Lyman Bennett; Clerk, James Cum- min ; Treasurer, Levi Harmon ; Justice, Lyman Bennett; School Inspector, James H. Mills; Highway Commissioners, W. W. Dcnio, Lyman Bennett, John P. Shaft; Con.stablcs, W. W. Denio, J. P. Shaft, Horace Green. 1845. — Supervisor, Lyman Bennett; Clerk, James Cum- min ; Treasurer, Levi Harmon ; Justice, Jos. P. Roberts; Highway Commissioners, Levi Harmon, John Morrice, I'hineas Austin ; School Inspectors, Lyman Bennett, Oilman Warren ; Constables, Alanson Stevens, James Nichols, John P. Shaft, James Cummin ; Di- rectors of the Poor, Phineas Austin, W. F. Stevens. 1846. — Supervisor, Lyman Bennett; Clerk, John Spauld- ing; Treasurer, W. Holmes; Justices, James H. Mills, Charles Locke, William Morrice; School Inspector, James H. Mills; Highway Commis- sioners, Lyman Bennett, Joseph Macomber; Constables, E. Whaley, William Alsaver, An- drew Turner, Lewis Ward. 1847. — Supervisor, Lyman Bennett; Clerk, Norman Green ; Treasurer. P. Austin ; School Inspector, Lyman Bennett; Highway Commissioners, John 0. Hinkley, William Morrice ; Directors of the Poor, Phineas Austin, Levi Harmon ; Justice, Charles Locke; Constables, Andrew Turner, Johnson Treadway. 1848. — Supervisor, Lyman Bennett; Clerk, Norman Green ; Treasurer, P. Austin ; Justices, John Dunning, Lyman Bennett; School Inspectors, James Mills, L. M. Stevens ; Highway Commissionei-s, John Spaulding, Levi Harmon ; Constables, Alanson Stevens, Joseph Macomber ; Directors of the Poor, Charles Locke, William Morrice. 1849. — Supervisor, James Cummin ; Clerk, Norman Green; Treasurer, Charles Locke ; School Inspector, Wil- liam Wallace ; Justices, William Morrice, Ben- jamin Walker, Albert W. Rann, John Dunning ; Highway Commissioners, William Morrice, Phin- eas Austin ; Assessors, Charles Locke, Phineas PERRY TOWNSHIP. 267 Austin ; Constables, M. Stevens, Orin Bkincliard, James Nichols. 1850. — Supervisor, James Cummin; Clerk, Norman Green ; Treasurer, Charles Locke ; School In- spectors, M. L Stevens, W. P. Laing; Highway Commissioners, W. W. Clement, Levi Harmon ; Justices, A. W. Raun, John Dunning ; Con- stables, Andrew Turner, Joseph Macomber, Johnson Treadway, M. L. Stevens ; Director of the Poor, Levi Harmon. 1851. — Supervisor, John Spaulding; Clerk, Norman Green ; Treasurer, Levi Harmon ; Highway Commis- sioners, Charles Locke, William Holmes ; Jus- tices, Charles Locke, John Dunning ; Constables, W. P. Laing, Joseph Macomber, Johnson Tread- way, Alanson Stevens ; School Inspectors, Wil- liam Wallace, Gillman Warren ; Directors of the Poor, Horace Green, John Dunning. 1852. — Supervisor, John Spaulding; Clerk, Norman Green ; Treasurer, W. P. Laing ; Justice, Benjamin Walker ; Highway Commissioners, Merrick Walker, Oscar Green ; School Inspector, Wil- liam Wallace ; Constables, Ira Turner, Joseph Macomber ; Directors of the Poor, William Tryon, William Morrice. 1853. — Supervisor, John Spaulding; Clerk, Henry Bridger ; Treasurer, Artemas Howard ; Highway Com- missioners, Orin Blanchard, John Dunning; Justice, Alanson B. Stevens ; School Inspectors, Gillman Warren, James H. Mills ; Constables, Ira Turner, James Bridger, James H. Mills, W. H. Tryon ; Directors of tlie Poor, Phineas Austin, Levi Harmon. 1854. — Supervisor, John Spaulding; Clerk, Henry Bridger ; Treasurer, Artemas Howard ; Justices, William Morrice, William Holmes ; School Inspectors, Giles Kilbourn, William Wallace ; Highway Commissioner, Harry Huntingdon ; Constables, Josiah C. Holmes, Albert W. Rann, George Tyler, Johnson Treadway. 1855 — Supervisor, John Spaulding ; Clerk, Gilman War- ren ; Treasurer, Artemas Howard ; Highway Commissioners, Kdward Wallace, Phineas Aus- tin ; Justice.-!, John Dunning, Alonzo Spaulding, David P. Tyler; Constables, James Bridger, Artemas Howard, Harvey Roberts, W. H. Tryon ; Director of the Poor, William Morrice. 1856. — Supervisor, Phineas Austin ; Clerk, Owen Dudley ; Treasurer, Artemas Howard; Justices, W. P. Laing, Ambrose W. Calkins ; School Inspector, Gillman Warren ; Commissioners of Highways, James C. Denio, William Morrice; Directors of the Poor, William P. Laing, Ambrose W. Cal- kins; Constables, Horace Green, Joseph Brown, James C. Denio, James Bridger. 1857. — Supervisor, Phiueas Austin; Clerk, Orlando Flint; Treasurer, Justus Coy ; Justices, Charles Locke, Benjamin Walker, Orin Blanchard ; School In- spectors, David Gorton, W. Wallace, Henry McKnight ; Highway Commissioners, William Morrice, Harry Huntington ; Constables, Robert H. Titus, Artemas Howard, William Chipman, James C. Denio ; Directors of the Poor, William Holmes, James Nichols. 1858. — Supervisor, Phineas Austin ; Clerk, Benjamin Walker ; Treasurer, Lorenzo C. Watkins ; Jus- tice, Elijah T. Smith ; Highway Commissioner, Orlando Flint ; School Inspector, William Wal- lace; Directors of the Poor, Elijah T. Smith, Alonzo Spaulding; Constables, Robert H. Titus, James 0. Walker, Orin Blanchard, W. R. Chip- man. 1859. — Supervisor, Benjamin Walker ; Clerk, Harvey Roberts ; Treasurer, Lorenzo C. Watkins ; Jus- tice, Orin Blanchard ; School Inspector, James 0. Walker; Highway Commissioner, William Blanchard ; Directors of the Poor, William Morrice, Horace Green ; Constables, Horace Dunning, Ananias Stafford, David C. Austin, E. Whaloy. 1860. — Supervisor, Benjamin Walker; Clerk, Guy Toser; Treasurer, Charles H. Calkins; Justices, John Dunning, Benjamin Walker; Highway Com- missioners, William Morrice, John Cooper ; School Inspector, Horace Dunning; Constables, A. Stafford, R. H. Titus, James 0. Walker, Horace Dunning. 18GI. — Supervisor, Orin Blanchard; Clerk, Gilman War- ren; Treasurer, James H. Milk; Justice, Charles Locke ; School Inspectors, William Wallace, Horace Dunning; Highway Commissioner, Guy Toser; Constables, George W. Tyler, Ananias Stafford, Samuel J. Southworth, Horace H. Dunning. 1862. — Supervisor, Orin Blanchard ; Clerk, Charles P. Hill ; Treasurer, James H. Fravor ; Justice, William P. Laing; School Inspector, William Cooper ; Commissioner of Highways, William Blanchard ; Constables, John Green, A. S. Staf- ford, Calvin Locke, William Cooper. 1863. — Supervisor, Orin Blanchard; Clerk, Charles Hill; Treasurer, Jepthah Cummins ; Justices, Orin Blanchard, J. B. Curtis; School Inspector, Mil- ton Hinkley ; Highway Commissioner, William Morrice ; Constables, J. O. Walker, A. S. Staf- ford, David Austin, James McCarn. 1864. — Supervisor, Orin Blanchard ; Clerk, Benjamin Walker ; Treasurer, J. Cummin ; Justice, Ben- jamin Walker ; Highway Commissioner, John Cooper ; School Inspector, David D. Dunning ; Constables, R. H. Titus, William Walker, D. F. P. Burnett, Elias C. Maxon. 1865. — Supervisor, John Spaulding; Clerk, A. A. Harper; Treasurer, James O. Walker ; Justice, W. Beardsley ; School Inspector, M. L. Hinkley ; Highway Commissioner, William Blanchard ; Constables, J. 0. Walker, James Nichols, Leon- ard C. Austin, Martin Britton. 1866. — Supervisor, W. Beardsley; Clerk, A. A. Harper, Treasurer, James 0. Walker ; Justices, Joshua 268 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Curtis, J. Cummin ; School Inspector, 1). D. Dunning ; Highway Commi.ssiouers, Charles Tyler, Edwaril A. McCarn ; Constables, J. 0. Walker, R. H. Titus, Edward A. McCarn, D. F. P. Burnett. 1867. — Supervisor, W. Beardsley ; Clerk, A. A. Harper; Treasurer, R. H. Titus ; Justices, Orin Blanch- ard, David Virgil ; School Inspector, James W. McKnight ; Highway Commissioners, James O. Walker, James McCarn ; Constables, R. H. Titus, Horace PurUy, M. L. Stevens, Homer Dunning. 1868.— Supervisor, James O. Walker ; Clerk, A. A. Har- per ; Treasurer, D. D. Dunning; Highway Com- missioner, J. McCan ; School Inspector, D. D. Dunning ; Justice, Benjamin Walker J Consta- bles, D. D. Dunning, R. H. Titus, James Tyler, D. V. Bennett. 1869. — Supervisor, Orin Blancliard ; Clerk, Brayton Spaulding ; Treasurer, R. H. Titus ; Justices, David Virgil, John A. Morrice ; School In- spector, James N. McKnight, Jr. ; Highway Commissioners, A. A. Bennett, George D. Burkhart ; Constables, Robert H. Titus, W. Bark, James L. Tyler, William Britton. 1870. — Supervisor, Orin Blanchard ; Clerk, W. Beards- ley ; Treasurer, Amasa A. Harper ; Justice, John A. Morrice ; Highway Commissioner, George D. Burkhart; School Inspector, David D. Dunning ; Constables, A. A. Harper, Oliver B. Halleck, James L. Tyler, George H. Smith. 1871. — Supervisor, John Spaulding ; Clerk, Brayton Spaulding; Treasurer, A. A. Harper; Justice, J. W. McKnight; Highway Commissioner, Wil- liam Gillio; Constables, Charles Tyler, A. A. Harper, Anderson Bristol, Fernando Blanchard. 1872. — Supervisor, J. D. Bennett ; Clerk, A. J. McCarn ; Treasurer, B. C. Spaulding ; Justice, B. Walker ; Highway Commissioner, Charles Tyler; School Inspector, D. D. Dunning ; Constables, Oliver M. Able, Krayton C. Spaulding, Andrew Bris- tol, Washington Bush. 1873. — Supervisor, John D. Bennett ; Clerk, A. A. Har- per ; Treasurer, Brayton C. Spaulding ; Justice, A. J. McCarn ; School Inspector, James 0. Walker ; Highway Commissioner, George D. Burkhart; Drain Commissioner, Augustus Wil- cox ; Constables, Brayton Spaulding, Leonard Ferris, George S. Peck, Anson Bristol. 187-i. — Supervisor, A. A. Harper; Clerk, James O. Wal- ker; Treasurer, Brayton C. Spaulding; Justices, John A. Morrice, B. F. Grout, John W. Ska- don, Alexander Spaulding; School Inspector, D. D. Dunning ; Highway Commissioner, Wil- liam Gillio ; Drain Commis.siouer, Augustus Wilcox ; Constables, Brayton C. Spaulding, An- derson Bristol, Coburn Blanchard, James O. Walker. 1875. — Supervisor, A. A. Harper; Clerk, J. J. Walker; Treasurer, B. C. Spaulding; Justices, J. Cum- min, Thomas Sharp ; School Superintendent, D. D. Dunning ; School Inspector, G. R. Brandt; Highway Commissioner, Charles H. Calkins ; Drain Commissioner, Augustus Wilcox ; Con- stables, T. J. Walker, Brayton C. Spaulding, Hopkins Tryon, C. Blanchard. 1876. — Supervisor, A. A. Harper; Clerk, J. J. Walker; Treasurer, Brayton C. Spaulding; Justice, Ben- jamin F. Rann ; Superintendent of Schools, D. D. Dunning ; School Inspector, William Cooper ; Highway Commissioner, Charles H. Calkins; Drain Commissioner, John Spaulding; Consta- bles, B. C. Spaulding, J. J. Walker, H. W. Cramer, J. 0. Walker. 1877. — Supervisor, A. A. Harper ; Clerk, Joseph Walker ; Treasurer, B. C. Spaulding ; Justice, B. F. Grout ; School Superintendent, G. R. Brandt ; School Inspector, D. D. Dunning; Highway Commissioner, C. C. Calkins ; Constables, B. C. Spaulding, S. II. Davis, Henry Beckly, B. F. Elly. 1878. — Supervisor, A. A. Harper ; Clerk, Charles F. Wing ; Treasurer, B. C. Spaulding ; Justice, W. P. Laing ; Superintendent Schools, G. R. Brandt ; School Inspector, David D. Dunning ; Highway Commissioner, Charles H. Calkins ; Drain Com- missioner, E. W. Wallace ; Constables, T. N. Boardman, B. C. Spaulding, John T. Crane, J. J. Walker. 1879. — Supervisor, A. A. Harper; Clerk, Charles F. Wing; Treasurer, T. M. Templeton ; Justices, J. Cum- min, A. T. Bott ; Highway Commissioner, H. W. Wallace ; Superintendent Schools, Robert D. Marble; School Inspector, D. D. Dunning; Drain Commissioner, Orin Blanchard ; Consta- bles, Thomas Johnston, C. Blanchard, A. D. Smith, J. J. Walker. 1880. — Supervisor, A. A. Harper ; Clerk, Charles T. Wing ; Treasurer, Charles Tyler ; School In- spector, George R. Brandt ; School Superinten- dent, Henry P. Halstead ; Highway Commis- sioner, William G. Morrice ; Justice, David D. Dunning; Drain Commissioner, Homer B. Dun- ning ; Constables, Thomas Johnston, John C. Crane, Charles Tyler, Samuel E. Lookingstill. As indicating the increase of the population of the town- ship the following figures are given, showing the number of votes cast in Perry for supervisor at the end of the sev- eral decades from the organization of the township to the present time, viz. : Votes. 1S41 28 18.')0 50 186(1 137 1870 144 1880 348 The total valuation of real estate and personal property, according to the assessment-rolls, was: Valiiutiun. 1841 $63,978 18C0 157,201 1870 141,070 187U 188,560 PERllY TOWNSHIP. 269 The total tax levied for various purposes was : I860 $2117.93 1870 3216.77 1879 3S05.75 In 1879 the amount of tax raised for various purposes was as follows : Statnta.t $1080.29 Coiintv tax 1057.32 .Sclnicl tax 1143.30 Kijueted ta.\ 4.12 Tontingent tax 200 00 Highway and bridge tax 75.00 Cemetery tax 50.00 Pound tax 30.00 Dog tax 1(13.00 lligliway tax 69.27 Excess of roll 3.45 SCHOOLS OF PERRY. Nov. 1-i, 1837, the school comiiiis,sionersof the township of Shiawassee (at that time embracing wliat is now Shia- wa.ssee, Antrim, Perry, Woodhuli, Bennin<;ton, and Sciuta) met at the " Shiawassee Exchange" to divide the townships into school districts. Township 5 north, range 2 east (now Perry), was divided as follows : Sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 to form district No. 1. Sections 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36 to form district No. 2. Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, IS to form district No. 3. Sections 19, 20, 21, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 to form district No. 4. It is not known, however, that any of these districts ac- cording to this division were regularly organized at this time. The first school of which any information has been ob- tained was taught by Miss Julia Green, who is now the wife of M. L. Stevens, in the year 1839. An upper room of her father's house served as a school-room, where, during twelve weeks, she labored, with from seven to ten children as pupils. She received six dollars from the public-school fund, and it is believed that (contrary to the custom of those days) no tuition was paid her in addition by the scholars for this service. The same year Horace Green, her father, built a small log cabin for a shop. This was secured by tho.se desirous of having a school taught, and in the following winter it was used for that purpose. It stood on the west half of the northwest quarter of section 15. The place where it stood is now nearly indicated by the residence of Charles H. Calkins. The school-house was built by Deacon Phincas Austin and Horace Green. James Andrews and Henry Smith were among the first teachers in the district. The school-hou.se in the southeastern part of the town- ship, built by Charles Locke, and the one in the northern part, usually known as the Austin school-house, were built about the same time. This was probably about the year 1840. The one built by Mr. Locke stood on the south end of the east half of the southeast quarter of section 24, on the farm now owned by Mrs. Brown. This was a frac- tional school district, and was composed of adjoining parts of the two townships. This building was used in that loca- tion until 1846, when a new school district being formed in that vicinity it was taken down and moved into the dis- trict now known as number four. It was placed on the site occupied by the .school-house now in use, and was re- paired and used a number of years. Miss Julia Green, before referred to as the first teacher in the township, also taught the first term in this school-house before it was moved. The same year Miss Jane Shaft taught a private school in her father's house. She is now living in Shaftsburg, the wife of Newton Bacon. After several terms of private school taught by Miss Shaft, Samanlha Norden, and Sarah Holmes, school district No. 3 was set ofl'. This was about the year 1843. The first school-meeting was held at the house of John P. Shaft, and the district oiScers were then elected. A vote decided on the building of a " log shanty, to be roofed with hollow basswood logs." It was built on the knoll now occupied by the house of Albert Durant. It was afterwards used as a blacksmith-shop. The first frame school-house in the township was built in this district. It cost three hundred and thirty dollars, and is still in use. The first school-meeting in district No. 4 was held at the house of John B. Stevens, April 30, 1846. Upon being called to order, Charles Locke was appointed chairman. District oflicers were then elected, as follows: Josiah B. Stevens, Moderator; J. Hinkley, As- sessor ; Charles Locke, Director. The site then selected upon which to build a school-house was near the southwest corner of the west half of the northwest quarter of section 23. By a subsequent vote the school-house built by Mr. Locke, in the southeast fractional district, was moved to this site, as before stated. The scholars in this district were Stephen and Kmily Ward, George and Calvin Locke, Mary J. and Sarah M. Stevens, and Wesley and Milton Hinkley. On Dec. 10, 18.J8, the inhabitants of that portion of the township now in the vicinity of the village of Morrice petitioned the school board to be set off as a separate school district. In compliance with this petition school district No. 5 was formed. The first school-meeting in this district was held at the house of Benjamin F. Gale, February 16th following. There were then eighteen taxable inhabitants in the district. At this meeting Giles Kilbourn was elected Moderator; E. H. Calkins, Assessor; B. F. Gale, Director. They then voted to purchase one-quarter of an acre of laud from Josiah Purdy, described as the northwest corner of section 13. And although this motion at a subsequent meeting was rescinded, it was again passed, and after a number of meetings and votes pro and con, the house was finally erected in the latter part of November, 1862. Sev- eral small additions have been built to this house, one in 1878 and another in 1879. It now has two rooms and employs two teachers. The amount of money received by each of the various school districts for the years 1 860 and 1879 is given below : 1860. District No. 1 S93.20 '< " 3 57.56 " " 4 92.52 " " 1 — friiutioaul — (Perry and Buuningtou) 20.70 " " 2 " " " 53.00 " 5 " (Perry and Locke) 28.00 " " 6 " " •' 50.55 " " 2 " (I'lrry and .\r.trim) 11.26 '< " 6 " " •' 14.44 270 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY", MICHIGAN. 1879. District No. 1 $320.12 " " 3 10O.36 " " 4 in.-i.go " " 5 412.58 " " 7 56.11 " ** 1 — fractional — (Perry and Bennington) 42.88 tt II 2 tC It It 1g CO " " 5 " (Perry and Locke) 69.78 " " 6 " " " 47.27 " " 6 •' (Perry and Antrim) 30.10 " " 8 " (Perry, Woodhull, and Locke) 26.32 OLD PERRY CENTRE. In 1850, William P. Luin^ came to Ferry, and the fol- lowing year opened the fir.st store in the township. It was in a small building which he put up at what now is known as Old Perry Centre. The first in this place, however, was a log cabin built by James Titus. Richard Elliott, who came from Lansing some time after, rented a room of Mr. Laing, and opened a small stock of dry goods and groce- ries. He soon after built the large store building now standing vacant in the Old Centre. In 1852, Mr. Laing was appointed postmaster, a posi- tion which he filled several years. As he became " a little shaky" in his views, however, Johnson Treadway super- seded him. Mr. Laing was subsequently reappointed, but after a time resigned in favor of Robert Titus. He was followed by Dr. S. M. Marshall. Bradon C. Spaulding was appointed by President Hayes in 1877, and still fills the position. VILLAGE OF MORRICE. The thrifty village of Morrice, now having a population of about two hundred and fifty, was platted in the fall of 1877 by Isaac Gale, who owned the west half of the south- west quarter of section 12. This land was .settled by Joshua Purdy, who is spoken of among the pioneers of Perry. At the time the Chicago and Port Huron Railroad was com- pleted Mr. Gale was vice-president of the company which controlled it, which fact probably accounts for the establish- ment of the railroad depot at Morrice. The village has a flouring-mill, a stave- and heading- factory, two good hotels, one hardware and agricultural implement store, one drug-store, a general store, and several smaller places of business. The flouring-mill was built by B. F. Rann in the fall of 1877. It has two run of stones. The stave- and heading-factory, which was built by J. F. Schultz in 1871), employs fourteen men and boys, and turns out from seven to nine thousand headings and six thousand staves per day. The saw-mill was built by Henry Horton in 1877. The business men of the town contributed six hundred dollars to the proprietor of the flouring-mill, one thousand dollars to Mr. Schultz, and three hundred dollars to Henry Horton, as inducements for these gentlemen to establish their business in Morrice. The Sager House was built by C. W. Sager in 1878. It is a well-furnished and coiumodious hotel, and is the most substantially-built structure in the village. The first store was opened by Frederick Cummins. The medical profession is represented by Henry P. Halstead and George 0. Austin. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF MORRICE. On Dec. 28, 1839, some of the friends of the Presby- terian Church in Bennington met at the house of William Howard, for the purpose of organizing into a religious soci- ety. The Rev. Mr. Geishorn, who presided then, entered the following names: William P. Stevens, Abigail Stevens, Smith Howard, Rebecca Howard, Milan Glover, Lydia M. Glover, Polly Fitch, Sarah Griswold, John Morrice, Mary Morrice, William MorricCj George Morrice, Archibald Purdy, Caroline Purdy, Winfield S. Anient. The society then adopted the name by which it was for many years known, the First Presbyterian Church of Ben- nington. The third resolution passed was to the effect " that this church be organized upon the principle of total abstinence from all intoxicating beverages, except for medi- cinal purposes." Archibald Purdy, John Morrice, and Milan Glover were chosen and ordained elders ; W. F. Stevens was chosen deacon. The society continued to hold meetings at the homes of various members, or after school-houses were built, in them. When the village of Morrice became a centre of some busi- ness importance, the society voted to change the name, and build a place of worship in that village. The name was accordingly changed to The First Presbyterian Church of Morrice, and its meeting-house was built in 1878. The Methodist and Baptist societies of Morrice contrib- uted liberally to the fund with which the church was built, and these societies, therefore, have had the u.se of it alter- nately since completion. It cost four thousand five hundred dollars, and is one of the finest church buildings in the county. Rev. Charles D. Ellis is the minister now in charge of the Presbyterian society, which numbers forty-three members. The Union Sabbath-school of Morrice is one of the most creditable and well conducted in this county. In this the members and children of the various denominations unite, and the best of feeling prevails. J. V. R. Wyckoff, Jr., is superintendent. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF MORRICE. The society of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Morrice was organized at the school-house (then known as the Purdy school-house) in April, 18G5. Rev. J. R. Gordon had been holding a series of meetings which brought about the formation of a class, as above stated. The first meeting called for the purpose resulted in the names of the following persons being enrolled : Mr. and Mrs. H. A. McKnight, Mr. and Mrs. James Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Ely, and Mary Davis. The society now meets in the Presbyterian church. The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church was organized May 11, 1880. Mrs. M. McKnight was elected President ; Mrs. G. O. Austin, Secretary ; Mrs. Jennie Colby, Corresponding Secretary. The membership is thirty. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF MORRICE. In October, 1877, several families which had been con- nected with the Baptist Society of Antrim and Perry met and organized the Society of the First Baptist Church of Perry. Elder Ilayden, of Perry, presided at this meeting. The names of those who were present and formed the so- ciety are as follows : Mr. and Mrs. Horace Purdy, Abraham Queick and wife and daughters, Anna and Eva, Mr. and PERRY TOWNSHIP. 271 Mrs. M. Setterly, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Ormsby, Morris Ormsby and Miss Etta Ormsby, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson Bristol, and Mrs. Leonard Ferris. The society now has twenty-three members. FRATERNITIES. Several fraternities, composed of the citiy.ens of IMorrice and vicinity, hold their usual meetings in Sager's Hall, in that village. The charter granted to the lodge of Knights of Honor, No. 1519, at Morrice, is dated Oct. 9, 1879. The grange of the Patrons of Husbandry was organized in 1873. It soon declined and surrendered its charter, but was reorganized July 18, 1879. The Independent Order of Good Templars, No. 53, was organized Jan. 16, 1878. The order at this place is now in a flourishing condition. The charter of the Juvenile Templars bears date Jan. 17, 1879, with the following names as officers: Jesse Ball, C. T. ; Etta Ormsby, V. T. ; Anna Goodburn, Rec. Sec; James Whaley, P. C. F. ; Altie Dickinson, Fin. Sec. ; Abbie Litchfield, T. VILLAGE OP PERRY. The village of Perry is situated upon land settled by Horace Green. When the railroad was completed through the township the company established the depot on or near a piece of land belonging to Mr. Isaac Gale. A majority of the inhabitants of the township were much dissatisfied. It had been understood that the station should be located where the railroad cros,sed the " Mason and Owosso State road," this location having been decided upon by a vote of the people of the township. With this understanding con- siderable contributions were made. Norman Green, with a proviso to that eifect, gave the company one thousand dol- lars, and five acres of ground for depot and yard purposes. After several private meetings had been held by some of the more prominent men in this part of the township it was determined to plat a village and build up a business at this point. The village was platted on the land owned by C. H. Calkins and William McKellops. The latter gentleman commenced at once to build a mill, and other business places wore opened in (juick succession, a number of build- ings being moved from the old centre. Still the railroad company would neither receive any freight for this point nor ship any from it. The people then petitioned the company, but without avail. They next petitioned the Legislature of the State. After various investigations and delays, by a special act of Assembly a committee was ap- pointed to investigate the case. The report made, favored the village, and resulted in compliance on the part of the railroad company. The people then donated ties for the .sidetrack, and contributed money to build the depot. The business interests of the village are continually en- larging, while it is steadily increasing in population and importance. There are two large flouring-mills, two general stores, a hotel, two hardware-stores, two drug-stores, two harness-shops, three blacksmith- and wagon-shops. The physicians now practicing medicine in Perry village are L. M. Marshall and S. Chapin. The Ferry Brick Mill was built by William McKellops, in 1877. It has four run of stones, and has a capacity of one hundred barrels per day. The Reliance Mill was built by 0. N. Parshall, in 1878. It has a capacity of one hundred barrels of flour in twenty- four hours. Its flour took the premium at the Michigan State Fair of 1879. THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CiniRCH OF PERRY. The history of this society begins properly with the win- ter of 1838-39, when Flaviel Brittan held a series of re- vival-meetings in the house of Lyman Melvin, in Antrim township. A decided interest being manifested after the continuation of these exercises during a few weeks, at the first meeting called for the purpose, a cla.ss was formed com- posed of the following-named persons : Charles Locke, Har- vey Harmon, Levi Harmon and wife, John Ward and wife, Josiah Stevens and wife. The society at first held its meetings in Antrim town- ship, but the place of worship was subsequently changed to the house of Josiah B. Stevens, in Perry township. In after-years, when the clnss in Antrim was formed, a part of the members residing in that township withdrew from the society in Perry, and united themselves with it. When the class was first formed the territory now com- prised in the Perry Circuit was part of what was termed the Shiawassee Mission, spoken of more fully in the his- tory of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Byron. In 1845 the Bennington Circuit was formed, which included the appointments in Perry and Antrim. The first quar- terly conference of this circuit convened in Bennington, Nov. 29, 1845. Horace Hall was the preacher in charge, assisted by G. W. Alexander, a local preacher. At one of these meetings it is recorded that M. L. Stevens, of Perry, after making some remarks to the conference, offered the following resolution, which was adopted : " Re.solved, that we consider American slavery necessarily an evil." Although his proposition received the approval of the conference, it would probably have been ignominiously defeated had it been submitted to the people at that time. Perry was next included in Antrim Circuit, which was formed in 1855. The first quarterly conference of this circuit was held at the Beard school-hou.se in Antrim, Oct. 27, 1855. The first board of stewards was then elected as follows, viz. : David D. Adams, Seth Johnson, Charles Locke, James C. Dennis, John P. Shaft, and William Wright. In 1857 the name of the circuit was changed and " Perry Circuit" adopted. Lyman H. Dean was the first minister in charge. At a meeting of the society for the purpose of discuss- ing the propriety of building a church, Charles Locke was appointed chairman of a building committee. The other members were J. W. Brown and M. S. Hinkley. The building was completed in 1868, at a cost of eleven hundred dollars. The society has now a membership of eighty. BAPTIST CHURCH OF PERRY. On May 19, 1838, the .society of the Baptist Church of Bennington was formed at the house of William F. Stevens. After the township of Bennington was divided and Perry 272 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. formed, the society reorgani«ed and adopted its present nauio and title. The names enrolled at this mooting were Horaoe B. Flint, Hannah Flint, Thinoas Austin, Angeline Austin, Josso Whilford, Pi.intha Purdy, Tolly Green, Cyuthia Hill. B. B. Brigrii|ih.v, iiiul Oa(mbilitio8 of tho Township— Original Liin.l-Euliics — .^ittleuicnt of tbo Townsl>i|i — Early lligliwivvs Orgnnitntion nn.l Tivil List— Hondorsonville — Oliurohos— i>oluuils. The township of Rush is one of the mast progressive in the county. The earliest settler first broke its stubborn soil in 1830, but it was not until 1850 that emigration aflootinl matenally its population and development. Since that time its advani^ has been steady and rapid, and the industry and enterprise of its fanning population aro placing it among the forenu>st of the sixtoon townsliips of Shia- wassee County. It is designated in the United States sur- vey as township No. 8 north, of range No. 2 east, and is bounded on the north by Siiginaw County ; south, by Owosso; east, by New Haven; and west, by Fairfield. The soil of the township may be described as a oond>ina- tion of clay and sand and rich muck. Gravel predomi- nates in the north and northeast, while in other portions, more especially on section 2, sand prevails. A strong day is found in the nortliwest, which presents some obstacles to cultivation. Near the centre is an extensive marsh, which will prove the most productive soil in Rush when thor- oughly drained. The township has already made applica- tion to the State for an appropriation to this end. The soil is admirably adapted to wheat and corn, while grass is usually a prolific crop. The agricultural returns for the year 1873 give one thou.siind and seventy-seven acres of wheat as harvostod, which produced fourteen thousand one hundred and thirty-five bushels of that grain, while four hundred and sixty acres of corn yielded a crop of olovon thousiuid nine hundred and ninety bushels. Twelve hun- dred and fifty tons of hay were cut in the same year. Of other cereals than wheat, the yield was fourteen thousand and forty-three bushels. The prevailing timber of Rush is ash, beech, maple, basswood, and elm. A limited quan- tity of black-walnut and butternut has been cut, but these woods are not abundant in Rush. A dense growth of tamarack formerly prevailed, but skillful drainage has since rendered the land tillable, and much of the tamarack has disappeared. The dark waters of the Shiawassee River flow through the southeast portion of the township, enter- ing at section 3t), and following a circuitous course to the northwartl. At section 13 they pass into the township of New Haven. The Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw division of the Michigan Central Railroad passes thmugh the east and northeast sections of Rush, and has a station at llondei-son. This i-ailway oflers many advantages to fanners in the ship- ment of their produce. * !!>• E. 0. AVagner. RUSH TOWNSHIP. 273 OKIGINAL LAND-ENTRIES. The lands of Iliwh were entered from the government or purc}ia«cd of the State by the following p:irtie8 : 8ECTI0.V I. Tnirnbiill i ;irv, \'^'.',:> l.'(Z.7.'i Oi'leori l^<:, IS.'iti :'.2II A. J. lloliii.:*, IS.vi «6.33 B. O.llini! (Kute;, tHfJ 40 Ifiuu: Van, " 1852 40 SECTION 2. Pliili|. Micklo, (State), 1819 52.19 Jon. Turner, " 1849 80 n. L. lilake, •' 1851 160 P. (,■. IJliM, " 1848 80 Z. I'.frry, " 185.7 80 .M. li. ire«i!, " 1849 80 O. W. Btowee, 1836 80 J. li. Siraonnon, 1836 160 Gideon Lee, 1836 240 H. fi. Hayne, 1854 40 J. 0. Hardy (State;, 1850 40 leaa-; Varj, " 1849 40 Tbomae Mattbiaa (State), 1848 VI SECTION IS. Samuel Shatter, 1854 160 Henry Bowen (Stole), 1849 80 Clark Bccbe, " 1849 40 W. F. Smith, " 1849..-. 4« Moyd Clark, " 1819 80 M. B. lle-«, 1S49 40 C. S. Kimberley, 1855 160 Ezra Joncfi, 1857 40 SECTION 16. School land«. SECTION 17. C. S. Griffin, 1854 80 J. J. Oarnee, 1855 80 G. F. (raiiiber (Stale), 1866 80 Swamp land , 320 Eli -Vorll, f. State) SECTION 18. Swamp land 270 W. C. Ilawk« (State), 80 Samuel Kuuyan, '* 40 P. L. .Skult, " 70.85 J. D. Kichmond 80 Abraham Skull 62.40 SECTION 19. Charle« Howard, 1854 320 G. C. MeComb (Stale), 1868 80 Charln,' Howard, 1854 205.28 SECTION 20. Charlee Conner (State) 80 Swampland, ** 120 Charlei- Angle, " 1866 40 CharlcH Howard, 1854 320 J. J. Garnee, 1855 80 SECTION 21. I,. H. Parsoni, 1854 160 Charles Angle (Slate) 40 Jl. B. Young, " 1869 80 S. tjoodalc, " 1859 40 John Gallagher, " 1858 40 Alvin Ballin, " 1858 44 274 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SECTION 22. Acr«B. Ford unci Patlorson, 18,')2 80 D. S. Coiitre, 1854 120 Fniiicis Wiilclroii, lSa4 40 Alvin IJiiUin (Sutc),lS5.S 40 D. S. Center (State), 185S 120 John Giiilngher (Stnlo), 1858 80 Henry I'attison (State), IS5:! 80 Charle.-! S. Kimberley (State), 1855 80 SECTION 2.-!. John B. Willison, 1849 S(i Trumbull Carv, IS.'io MO. 10 C. Bergan, 1830 186.40 Gideon Lee, 18.">fi 80 John I'ar.shall, lS:iO 80 Albert Burrell, 1836 80 SECTION 24. Trumbull Cary, 1835 1.86 C. Borgan, 1835 6.40 Joseph Pilcairn, 1836 141.40 Gideon Lee, 1836 SO John F. IJlifs, 1836 80 F. C. Macy, 1836 73.28 Henry Kush, 1836 240 SECTION 25. Trumbull Cary, 1835 300.29 Cornelius ISorgan, 1836 92.90 Mellonry, Kercheval and Uealy, 183B 260 SECTION 26. I. B. Simnnson, 1836 80 Otis Judson 320 J. h. Curry, 1849 80 W. B. Gilbert, 1851 160 SECTION 27. Thomas Carmody (State), 1852 160 Miehael Carmody (State), 1853 80 William Burges,s'(Statc), l«iO 120 James Grant (State), 1852 40 John Gallagher (Stale), 1858 80 Goodwin and Dimmock, 184(t 40 .Sandy Patterson. 1854 80 William King, 1855 80 SECTION 28. Williams and McGilvra, 1846 40 Charles Howard, 1854 411 John Gallagher (State) 4011 Edwin Ayres. 1868 120 William Smith, 1858 40 SECTION 29. John (iallagher (State), 1858 3211 Charles Howard, 1854 120 Daniel Trowbridge, 1854 40 A. T. Foss, 1854 80 T. F. Sheldon, 1853 80 SECTION 30. Charles Howard, 1854 141.76 J. II. Park, 1854 80 William Scolt, 1854 141.96 Daniel Trowbridge, 1854 SO John Gallagher (State), 1858 80 Cyrus White, 1806 80 SECTION 31. Cyrus White (State), 1866 100 F. A. Barber (Stale), 1858 40 John Gallagher (St;itc;, 1858 160 Caleb Everts, 1854 191.70 Charles Howard, 1854 65 SECTION 32. John Gallagher (State), 1858 600 Benjamin Craven, 1855 40 .SECTION 33. John Gallagher (State), 1858 640 SECTION .34. A(TP«. John Gallagher (State), 1858 320 J. V. Shalt, 1853 411 C. W. Butler (Stale). 1808 40 Jeremiah Coughlin (Slate), 1858 411 Walter Love (State), 1860 80 Augustus Broekel (State), 1860 40 SECTION 35. F. Middleberger, 1836 320 Calvin liose, 1836 160 Theodore Kolibins, 1854 80 Jacob Newman (State), 1858 SO SECTION 36. Trumbull Cary, 1835 ;.. 297.77 Cornelius Bergan, 1830 90 Ale.x McFarren, 1836 108.80 George Kiltridge, 1836 111.30 SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWNSHTP. Though one of the latest of the townships of the county in its organization, Rush chiinis among its present resi- dents but few survivors among the number of those who entered it when a wilderness, and in its clearing and early development bore tlie heat and burden of the day. TJie first white settler within its boundaries was Ransom Wiiite, who arrived in 1839, and purchased of E. C. Kimberly (who controlled the land as agent for Trumbull Cary, of New York) ninety acres on section 26. He erected upon it a cabin and devoted some time to clearing, after which he took up his residence in Owosso. He later returned to his purchase, where several years were devoted to the labors incident to pioneer life. Mr. White was not, however, successful in his early agricultural efforts, and allowing the land to revert, he changed his residence and chose a home in Barry County. The .second arrival in Rush was that of Avery Thomas, who came with liis family in 1842. He was a former resi- dent of Cayuga Co., N. Y., and first located in Oakland Co., Mich., but having been attracted by the superior ad- vantages of the county of Shiawassee, soon after selected a home in Rush. There were no roads at this time, and as a necessity the family of Mr. Thomas embarked in scows, and were floated down the Shiawassee River to their desti- nation. On their arrival there were no settlers, Mr. White having left for Owosso. While Jlr. Thomas was erecting a frame house of spacious proportions the family were com- fortably (|uartered at Owosso. This house is still standing, and was occupied until a more pretentious and elegant resi- dence was recently erected by Avery Thomas, Jr., on the adjacent ground. Mrs. Thomas died the year after their arrival, and hers was the earliest death in the township. The domestic economy of the family having been sadly de- ranged by the lo.ss of this wife and mother, Mr. Thomas before the year had expired was married a second time, to Mrs. Sarah A. Sampson, who still survives and resides on the homestead. This was undoubtedly the earliest marriage ceremony performed in the township. The question of the earliest birth in Rush may not be easily decided. It is po.ssible that it was in the family of Mr. Thomas, though the claims in behalf of the household of Mr. Henry Rush are equally well founded. The above-named gentleman with his family arrived in 1843, and entered one hundred and sixty acres on section RUSH TOWNSHIP. 275 24. It was first cleared by his .son, Jacob Hush, who re- moved to the hiiid soon after and built a shelter of logs which ho occupied. His father arrived some time later, and for a while made it hi.s residence, but subsequently re- moved to Pennsylvania. The closing years of his life were spent in the township, where he died, as did also iiis son. Through the influence of friends the township boars the family name, though many of the older settlers entered tlieir quiet protest, and regarded this mark of deference as hav- ing been justly due the earliest pioneer, Mr. Ransom White. Robert Irland arrived in 1843, and purchased eighty acres, one-half of which was upon section 24 and the re- mainder in the present township of New Haven. This was entirely destitute of improvement on his arrival. There were no roads and Pontiac was the nearest milling point, involving a tedious journey, with the Indian trail as the only guide. Mr. Irland built the usual house of logs, which was afterwards supplanted by a more modern frame dwelling. He died many years since, and the widow and a son now occupy the farm. William Goss, formerly of Monroe Co., N. Y., arrived in the same year, and settled upon one hundred acres on section 25. His brother, Samuel Goss, purchased the same number of acres adjacent to his own. The latter, not having been greatly impressed with the advantages of Michigan, returned again to the Empire State. William erected upon his purchase a log cabin, finding, meanwhile, a temporary abiding-place with Avery Thomas. He cleared ten acres the first year, and continued his labors until the forest was transformed into a productive farm. Mr. Goss died in 1863. Mrs. Goss still survives, and, with her son, occupies the land. Jonas Robbins came from New Jersey among the earliest of the township pioneers. The date of his arrival is not remembered with exactness by either himself or family. He experienced some vicissitudes during the first years of his residence in the county, and having been directed to a tract of land not iiis own, was obliged to vacate. He finally located upon eighty acres on section 26, where he still resides. Walter Graham and Silas Clark were each pioneers from Lenawee County to the township of Rush, where they located upon section 5. The former purchased eighty acres, while Mr. Clark made a clearing and b^iilt a log house upon forty-one acres. Mr. Graham al.so erected a primitive abode of logs and began the clearing of his land, which, by constant labor, he rendered very productive. Both are now dead, and the properties have passed into the hands of other parties. R. A. Sutliff was another settler who found the attrac- tions of Shiawassee County superior to those of Lenawee County and located a farm of forty acres upon section 8, having, at a later date, added twenty to it. He found an ample field fur the exercise of industry in the unfelled woods which covered the land. He made a considerable clearing, but ultimately removed to Saginaw County. Benjamin Washburn became the subsequent owner of the land, and Levi Clark is its present occupant. Michael Rourke came from Massachu.setis to Ru.sh in 1851, and purchased of William B. Hurd, who had already been located .some time upon it, forty acres on .section 20. Upon this tract four acres had been cleared and a log house built, to which he removed. Mr. llourke found still much labor to perform, and devoted himself with a will to the task before him. At the expiration of the first year eiglit additional acres had been chopped and partially im|)roved. Jonas Robbins was the nearest settler, and the township had as yet attracted but few individuals from the vast tide of emigration then pouring into the State. But seven voters assembled at the polls the previous spring. Indians frequently cho.sc Mr. Rourke's land for their camping- ground. Deer were abundant, wolves made night hideous with their howling, and bears would, under cover of the darkness, visit tlie sheepfold in search of a victim. Mr. llourke has greatly improved his farm, which now embraces one hundred and eighty-five acres. William Sawyer came with his father from the shores of England in 1851, and removed to Oakland County. William having, meanwhile, earned sufficient means, purchased, in 1853, forty acres of land upon section 2, in the township of Rush, upon which the family removed. As he was but seventeen years of age, the father was made custodian of the property. After a residence of sixteen years upon the original purchase Mr. Sawyer removed to section 36, where he has three hundred and fifty acres, of which two hundred are improved. He found his land on section 2 uncleared, and at once set about the erection of a habitation. While engaged at this work he camped in the wilderness a portion of the time, and labored the whole of one night to construct a roof for the cabin, which had been built some time and was greatly dilapidated. William Sawyer, Sr., remained upon the original purchase until his death. The venerable Richard Freeman, for many years a resi- dent of New Haven, and one of its foremost pioneers, became a settler in Rush in 1854, having purchased ninety- eight acres on section 25, which he improved and re- mained upon for many years. He still survives, and may with propriety be considered a resident of both New Ha- ven and Rush, as his time is equally divided between his children, with whom he ever finds a cordial welcome. Patrick Rourke and William Noonan each located upon eighty acres on section 2G. This land was in its original condition of forest and brush on their arrival, but has been by their industry transformed into luxuriant grain-fields. They have erected for themselves comfortable houses upon these farms, in which they now reside. Curtis Devoe, a former resident of New York State, was among the pioneers of 1854, and located upon eighty acres on section 12 which he found unimproved on his arrival, and no roads to make the land accessible from adja- cent points. He- at once erected a log building and began the process of clearing. Upon this land he remained until his death in 1877, wJien his son Theodore became possessor, and now occupies the farm together with the log house already built. George Sawyer came with his father and brother William in 1853, and succeeded to the original home on section 2, which ho purcha.scd of the latter in 1871 and upon which he now resides. 27(5 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Samuel Sinister was a former resident of Ohio, and in 1854 became a settler in Rush, having secured one hundred and sixty acres on section 15. He found the land uujm- proved, and was able on his arrival to do but little towards clearing, his time having been entirely occupied in labor for his support. While building he found a welcome to the home of Josiah Isham, who then had a farm of eighty acres on section 23 and later returned to Ohio. Mr. Shuster afterwards increased the dimensions of his farm to two hundred and forty acres, upon which he is erecting a substantial residence. Samuel Ayres, who lived upon one hundred and sixty acres on section 21, was also from Ohio, and a near neighbor of Mr. Sinister, as was William Hughes, who purchased eighty-eight acres north of his land on section 10. At this date there was but one school building erected in the township, located on section 25, very limited educational advantages having been enjoyed by tlie youth of Rush at an early day. Benjamin Washburn removed from Ingham County to this township in 1854, and located upon eighty acres on section 12. Curtis Devoe, who came the same year, pur- chased a farm near him, and the two pioneers materially assisted each other in the early labors of the settler. Mr. Washburn and his family remained one night with Robert Irland, and the following day Mr. Devoe with his team brought their household goods to his own home, where they remained until a hou.se was built. Mr. Washburn was advanced in years and made little progress. He remained upon the farm until his death in 1869, after which Joseph Hoffman became the owner. One son, Charles C. Wash- burn, now resides upon forty acres on section 1. G. Whitfield Drown became a settler soon afterwards upon section 36, where he cleared a farm, and subsequently sold to John R. Bush, who remained for several years and disposed of the property in 1860 to G. W. Essig, the present occupant. The land is well improved, and em- braces one hundred and seventeen acres. Among others who became residents of Rush between the years 1850 and 1855 are William Berger, who located upon one hundred and twenty acres on section 27 ; D. S. Center, who purcha.sed sevenly-one acres on section 36, and an additional one hundred and twenty on section 22 ; Patrick and Michael Carmody, each having farms on section 27 ; Solomon Horn, who owned eighty acres on section 26 ; John Russell, residing upon sixty acres on section 8 ; William F. Stearns, who became a settler on section 24 ; Daniel Whitman, who cleared a farm of eighty acres on section 5 ; William Scott, whose pioneer oxpeiiences in the township began on section 30, where he had one hundred and forty acres ; Andrew Simons, on section 25 ; and Samuel Wood, on section 7. These settlers all performed much of the early labor incident to clearing the wilderness of Rush, and are equally deserving of credit. The following lists show the names of the resident tax- payers in the township of Rush in the years 185U and 1 855 : ISaO. AtTCB. Robert Irland, section 24 40 Jacob Hush, section 2.*) 'A^ Henry Kush, section.s 24, 25 220 Acres. Jane Goss, section 25 5 Jonns Robbins, sections 26, 36 151 William B. Hurd, section 26 80 Avery Tbomas, section 36 103 1855. Samuel Ayres, section 21 160 William Berger, section 27 120 D. S. Center, sections 36, 22 191 Patrick Carmody, section 27 60 Michael Carmody, section 27 80 Silas Clark, section 5 41 Curtis Devoe, section 12 80 Richard Freeman, section 25 98 Jane Goss, section 25 100 AValter Graham, section 5 Solomon Horn, section 26 80 AVilliain Hughes, section 10 ■... 80 Josiah Isham, sections 2.3, 24 86.80 Cyrus Isham, section 2.*' 56.40 Robert Irland, section 24 40 John-McCIure. section 35 40 AVilliam Noonan, section 26 80 Jacob Rush, section 25 20 Patrick Rourke, section 26 80 Jonas Robbins, section 26 80 Michael Rourke, section 26 160 John Russel, section 8 60 John Robinson, section 2 40 R. A. Sutliff, section 8 60 AVilliam Savtyer, section 2 92.19 Anson Simons, section 25 92.54 William Stearns, sections 24, 25 93.12 Samuel Shuster, section 15 160 William Scott, section 30 141 Avery Tliomas, section 36 102 Benjamin Washburn, section 12 80 San.uel Wood, section 7 40 Daniel Whitman, section 5 80 EARLY HIGHWAYS. Roads were early opened by the first settlers in the town- ship to afford them means of egress from their lands, but no official record of highways in the township of Rush ap- pears earlier than 1845, when Nelson Ferry, on the 23d and 24th of January of that year, surveyed the following road : " Commencing on the southwest corner of section nine- teen, township eight north, of range three east, and following a northerly course to the quarter post on the line of section one in township eight north, of range two east ; thence north thirty-four minutes, east thirty-nine chains and ninety-two links, to the northwest corner of the township of New Haven." This road was not officially recorded until Nov. 7, 1850. A road was surveyed in April, 1850, by Ezra Mason, " beginning at the southeast corner of section twenty-six in township eight north, of range two east ; thence running 'west eighty-eight degrees, east, on section line, sixteen chains and ninety-two links; thence west fifty-two degrees, east three chains and twenty-eight links ; thence west seventy-four and a half degrees, east two chains and seventy-seven links ; thence south nine and a quarter degrees, east two chains and sixty-three and a half links; thence west eighty-nine and a quarter degrees, east six chains and forty-five links ; thence south fifty-seven and three-quarter degrees, east three chains and sixty-eight links ; thence south eighty-six and a half degrees, east four chains and nineteen links to a stake in the centre of the highway." Jobs for the chopping, causewaying, and ditching of the above road were let by the commissioners of highways. May 15, 1850, on the ground described. The successful bidders were Francis R. Pease, Robert Irland, Richard Freeman, Avery Thomas, Thomas Irland, and C. S. Kim- berly. Other roads followed as necessity demanded them. RUSH TOWNSHIP. 277 ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST. The exterior lines of the township of Rush were sur- veyed by Joseph Wampler, though no official record of the date of survey appeals. The subdivision lines were run by William Brookfield in 1823. The township was erected by act of Legislature, approved March 28, 1850, which de- clared "That township eight north, of range two east, in the county of Shiawassee, be and the same is hereby set off from township seven north, of range two east, in said county, and organized into a separate township by the name of Rush, and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the hou.se now occupied by Henry Rush, in said township." Pursuant to the requirement of the organizing act, the first township-meeting was held at the place designated, on the 1st of April, 1850. At the meeting Henry Rush was chosen moderator, William Goss township clerk, and Robert Irland and William B. Hurd inspectors of election. The officers elected for the year were ; Supervisor, Avery Thomas ; Township Clerk, William Goss; Treasurer, Robert Irland ; Justices of the Peace, William Goss, Avery Thomas, Robert Irland ; Highway Commissioners, William B. Hurd, Jonas Bobbins, Robert Irland ; Directors of the Poor, Henry Rush, Richard Freeman ; School Inspector, Avery Thomas; Constable, Jacob Rush. The following list embraces the succession of township officers annually elected in succeeding years to the present, viz. : SUPERVISORS. 1851. \\'illiiim Goss. I8y2-55. Avcry Thomas. 1856. William Goss. 1857-68. James E. Crane. 1859-60. Thomas C. Crane. 1861. G.W.Love. 1802. E. P. Bliss. 1863-66. George W. Love. 1867. R. F. Uuteher. 1.SC8. (!. W. Love. TOWNSHIP CLERKS 1869-70. John Henderson. 1871. E. P. Bliss. 1872. Peter Henilriek. 1873. John Henderson. 187-t. AVilliam H. Dean. 1875. Charles Freeman. 1876. Alfred Crane. 1877. Charles Freeman. 1878-80. A. B. Crane. 1851. Ebenezer Whaley. 1852-53. William Goss. 1854-55. Jacob Rush. 1856-57. P. 11. Doolittlc. 1858-59. E. P. Bliss. 1860. Avery Thomas. 1861-03. James A. Ilayt. 1864. E. P. Bliss. 1865. John Henderson. 1851. Robert Irland. 1852. Riciiard Freeman. 1853. Anson Simons. 1854-56. Richard Freeman. 1302. R. S. Haines. 1805. John Freeman. 1866-67. R. S. Haines. 1868. John Henderson. 1866. John King. 1807-09. A. B. Allen. 1870. Charles 0. Lapham. 1871. A. B. Crane. 1872. A. B. Allen. 1873-75. John Skelton. 1870-79. Thomas Corcoran. 1880. Byrun C. Pierce. TREASURERS. 1809-71. Charles Freeman. 1872-73. William H. Dean. 1874. Edwin E. Bunting. 1875. A. B. Cninc. 1870. John Skelton. 1877-78. James A. Ilayt. 1879-80. William H. Dean. JUSTICES OP THE PEACE. 1851. Richard Freeman. 1857. James A. Hoyt. 1852. J. V. Shaft. 1858. Benjamin Washburn. 1853. William Goss. Avery Thomas. 1854. R. C. Sutlitr. 1859. Robert F. Dutcher. 1855. Richard Freeman. 1860. James E. Crane. Avery Thomas. 1861. Jamc* A. Ilayt. 1856. R. S. Haines. 1862. A. li. Allen. 1857. Thomas C. Crane. Solomon Horn. 1863. E. P. Bliss. 1871. K. Freeman. 1864. Solomon Horn. 1872. John Goodwin. 1865. John Hcnilerson. Myron Bignall. John Stack. 1873. William Caldwell. 1 800. George W. Love. George D. Palmer. A. B. Allen. 1874. M. W. Willoughby 1807. W. M. Case. John Goodwin. William Cook. 1875. A. B.Allen. 1868. J. A. Hayt. 1876. B. C. Pierce. John Henderson. Myron Bigtiall. 1809. 0. A. Pease. 1877. John Henderson. 1870. William Caldwell. 1878. M. F. Goodhue. AVilliam Cook. 1879. Myron Bignall. R. Freeman. ISSO. A. L. Fowler. SCHOOL INSPECTORS. 1851. Avery Thomas. 1805. George AV. Love. 1852. Avery Thomas. 1800. John Henderson. J. V. Shaft. G. W. Love. 1853. William Go^s. 1807. James A. Iloyt. 1854. Benjamin Washburn. 1808. John Henderson. J. V. Shaft. 1809. J. A. Hayt. 1855. Anson Simons. 1871. Charles Freeman. 1856. James E. Craiic. John Henderson. 1857. T. C. Crane. Charles Wa.shburn. 1858. John W. Thorn. 1872. Lorenzo Hayt. 1859. R. F. Dutcher. M3"ron Bignall. T. C. Crane. 1873. Lorenzo Hayt. 1800. T. C. Crane. C. E. Bunting. 1861. E. P. Bliss. 1874 C. E. Bunting. 1802. Willi,am Cook. A. B. Crane. 1863. E. P. Bliss. 1875- 70. James A. Hayt. 1804. John Henderson. 1877- -79. Byron C. Pierce James A. Hayt. 1880. F. C. Pierce. HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS. 1851. Jonas Robbins. 1805. Samuel Shuster. 1852. William Goss. 1806. Major Smith. 1853. AVilliam Burgess. 1867. James A. Hayt. 1854. Curtis Devoe. AVilliam Sawyer. 1855. Samuel Shuster. 1868. Peter Doolittle. 1850. William Burgess. 1869. Peter Hendrick. 1857. Richard Freeman, Orlo A. Pease. 1858. William Burgess. 1871. Thomas Carmody. 1859. William W. Curtiss. George Sawyer. 1800. Humphrey Scott. 1872. Perry Cuinstock. 1861. George W . Love. 1873. Thomas Carmoily. 1802. John Shuster. 1874. George AV. AVebb. William Cook. 1875- 78. Thomas Carmody 1S63. William Burgess. 1879. Hiram Davis. 1864. William Cook. 1880. Myron Bignall. DIRECTORS OF THE POOR. 1851. AVilliam Goss. 1855. Richard Freeman. 1852. William <»os8. Solomon Horn. Aden Jacobs. 1856. Stephen D. Crane. 1853. AVilliam Goss. Solomon Horn. Avery Thomas. 1857- -58. Richard Freeman 1854. Robert Irland. Joseph W. Webber. Avery Thomas. 1859. Robert Irland. Avery Thomas. DRAIN COMMISSIONERS. 1872-74. Ale.v. M. Skelton. 1875. George Sawyer. 1876. John Goodwin. 1878. George Sawyer. 1880. Alex. M. Skelton. SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS. 1878-80. AVilliam Caldwell. 1876-77. M. AV. AVilloughby. O. D. Palmer. 278 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 1851. 1862. 185.3. 1854. 1855. 1856. 1857. 1858. 1859. 1860. 1861. 1862. 1863. 1864. 1865. 1867. 1868. J. Robbins. E. AVhaley. Theo. Robbins. William Burgess. Theo. Robbins. Solomon Horn. Jobn Robinson. Willi.Tm A. Simons. William A. Simons. D. S. Center. William A. Simons. John Russell. William A. Simons. William Sawyer. William A. Simons. Cyrel Drown. Joseph W. Webber. William W. Curtis. James Carmody. George Irland. Cyrel Drown. Riley Punches. Henry Shuster. John Henderson. John Stack. R. Punches. J. Robbins. John Henderson. John Shuster. William Cook. R. S. Haines. Charles Freeman. Patrick Carmody. James Carmody. Grove Pratt. Charles H. Allen. James Carmody. Thomas Carmody. Charles Wjishburn. James Rctan. James Carmody. Charles H. Allen. Martin Ilourke. John Arnold. Truman Bailey. CONSTABLES. 1868. Myron Washburn. C. H. Allen. 1869. Truman Bailey. Lorenzo Hayt. Jobn W. Hudson. E. Pease. 1870. C. 0. Lapham. Truman Bailey. E. Hendricks. John King. 1871. Truman Bailey. AVilli.am Sawyer. Samuel Shuster. Jonathan Betts. M. W. Dr,ake. Truman Bailey. R. F. Dutcher. E. P. Bliss. (No record). 1874. John Stack. Cyrus Isham. C. 0. Lapham. C. C. Washburn. C. Carmody. Truman Bailey. John Henderson. J. D. Reiff. L. D. Hayt. D. Henderson. Henry Robbins. 1877. Truman Bailey. H. W. Horn. D. Henderson. John Carmody. 1878. D. S. Henderson. William Cady. T. Bailey. P. Carmody, J. D. Keiff. John Crane. A. Pollard. A. G. Peck. Charles Burgess. Samuel Runyon. J. D. Keiff. 1872. 1873. 1875. 1876. 1879: 1880. HENDERSONVILLE. The ground upon wliich the village of Hendersonviile is- located embraces the north part of the northeast fractional quarter of section 23, and was surveyed April 7 and 8, 1879, for A. Henderson, by Ezra Mason. The land was originally entered by Gideon Lee, of New York City, April 7, ISrJl). It was by him sold to Josiah Isham, from whom it was purchased by Andrew Henderson, who came from Ohio to this county in 1858 and removed to his pur- chase, upon which a log house had been previously built by Isham. Mr. Henderson began the improvement of this land, on which very little had been previously accomplished by the previous occupant, and soon after built near the bank of the river another and a more commodious dwellin". William Cook came soon after from Wayne Co., N. Y., and located on forty acres adjoining, on the same section. The first building in the hamlet was erected by John Hen- derson, son of the original purcha.ser of the plat, in 1868. In it he placed a stock of groceries and conducted the business for two weeks, when it was purchased by C. 0. Lapham, formerly of Seneca Co , Ohio. I. Brierly after- wards built a blacksmith-shop and remained one year. after which he removed to the western portion of the State. John Henderson erected another store, which he conducted for a brief period. John D. Palmer was an arrival of 1872. He constructed a steam saw-mill for Palmer, Det- wiler & Co., which was sub.sequently consumed by fire, when another mill was erected double the size of the first. A large building was at the same time devoted to the com- forts of the laborers employed in the mill. The store which Mr. Henderson had built was consumed by fire, but another speedily replaced it. William Detwiler arrived from Ohio in 1874, and commenced the grocery trade on an extensive scale, having now one of the most completely appointed stores in the county. In 1875, John Henderson erected a spacious hotel, and is now its landlord. Dr. J. S. Bare arrived the same year as the first resident physician of Hendersonviile. Isaac Peck came soon after, and suc- ceeded to the mercantile enterprise of John Henderson. The business of the village now embraces two general stores, owned respectively by William Detwiler & Son and Isaac Peck (the latter of whom confines himself principally to groceries) ; one wagon- and blacksmith-shop, owned by M. F. Goodhue ; a boot- and shoe-shop, kept by Charles Shaw ; and a hardware-store. The first post-office was established in 186(5, and Wil- liam Cook received the commission as postmaster, having the ofiBoe at his residence. The present postmaster is George N. Detwiler, and the mail is dispensed from the store of Detwiler & Sou. Thomas Corcoran has charge of the public school located at the village. The Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw division of the Michigan Central llailroad has a station at Hendersonviile, with George N. Detwiler as station-agent. The Flourhig- Mills (if Geo. D. Palmer were established by the proprietor in 1878, for the purpose of engaging in an exclusive custom trade. They have two run of stones, and are furnished with steam-power from an engine of forty- five horsepower. The mill is equipped with the modern improvements in machinery for manufacturing flour of a superior quality. The mills have a capacity of four hun- dred bushels per day, and enjoy a large patronage from residents of the surrounding country. CUUKCHES. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Preaching was early held in the various school-hou.ses of the township, and services were conducted first by llev. John Gillam, and later by Rev. Mr. Kellerman and Rev. Mr. Crippen. It was not, however, until 1879 that an or- ganization was effected under Rev. W. II. Hicks. During the year a church edifice was begun, the ground upon which it stands being located on the Henderson plat. This building, which, when finished, will be complete in all its appointments, will cost, when ready for occupation, fifteen hundred dollars. The building committee were John Goodwin, H. W. Hicks, G. N. Detwiler. A Sabbath- school is connected with the church, in which the Society of the Di.sciples unite with the Methodist Episcopal Church. About fifty .scholars are enrolled. RL P. Gardner is super- intendent. Residence Of JOHN WHALEV. SHiAWASSeeTp. Shiawassee Co. Mich. SHIAWASSEE TOWNSHIP. 279 ciiuncii OP TUB disciples. This society was or;;anized in the year 1879, under the auspices of Elder Masscy, tlic earliest meetings liaving been held in January, 1878, at the .school-house in Henderson. A series of revival-meetings had previously been lield, on which occasion twenty-one persons were baptized. Elder Hurd was for several months the pastor of the so- ciety. Since his departure the church lias been witliout regular ministrations, though services are occasionally held at the school-house. A pa.stor will doubtless soon be in- stalled in connection with the New Haven charge. The trustees are William Dean, Jo.seph HofTuian, Edward Bunt- ing, John Lytle. The church-roll embraces sixty members. The Society of the United Brethren al.so have an organi- zation in the township. SCHOOLS. The information obtained regarding the earliest schools of the township is vague and incomijlete. The first school- house in Hush was erected in the Go.ss neighborhood on section 25, in 1850, and known a.s the Goss school-house. Miss Amanda Shepard was an early teacher, but probably not the earliest. The second .school-house was located on section 6, and known as the Wa.shburn school-house, hav- ing been built some years later. The divi.sion of the town- ship into school territory embraces five whole and two frac- tional districts. The board of directors is composed of the following-named gentlemen : J. A. Maycrlioflfer, C. W. Hall, E. E. Banberry, A. L. Fowler, Humphrey Scott, William S. Lewis. The corps of teachers embraces seven males and six females. They have under their superin- tendence three hundred and twenty-three children, of whom eleven are non-residents. One log and six frame school-houses have been erected for their use, a portion of which number are spacious and of modern architecture. CHAPTEll XL. SHIAWASSEE TOWNSHIP.* Loc:ilion nnd Natural Features — Original Land- Entries — Settlements and Settlers — Township *>rgani7,ation and Civil List — Early High- ways — .Shiawassee E.\changc — Kurly Suhouls — Church History— Sbiawasseetown — Newburg — Fremont — Village of Bancroft. TnK town.ship of Shiawa.ssec, iii the priority of its settle- ment, takes precedence of all the other townships of the county. Its foresta yielded to the enterprise of the pioneer nearly a score of years before .some town.ships of the county of Shiawas-see were affected by the presence of tlie settler, and much of the early business enterprise of this portion of the Territory was at one time concentrated within its limits. From the advent of the earliest pioneers within its boundaries in 18;j1, and the development of its resources which followed, until the present, its progress has been steady and rapid. Geographically, it may be described as located .southeast of the centre of the county, with its northwestern corner nearly • By E. 0. Wagner. on the territorial centre. It is bounded by Caledonia on the north and Antrim on the .south, while Vernon joins it on the east and the township of Bennington bounds its western line. Several small villages contribute to its business activity, chief among which is Bancroft, in the southeast, whose marvelous growtli, resulting from the opening 6f the Chi- cago and Northeastern Railroad, has made the township one of the prominent centres of commercial activity. The Sliia- wa.ssee River, entering at section 25, on the eastern side, pursues a devious course to the northward, and curving again to the cast makes its exit at section 1. Looking- Glass Kiver flows acio.ss the southwestern corner, and Maple River takes its ri.se in a marsh iKjrth of the centre of the township, and fhjws north and west, passing through section C into Bennington. The surface of the township is sufficiently rolling to relieve it from monotony and to render the scene picturesque and in many localities exceedingly beautiful. The soil may be described as a combination of clay, sand, and vegetable mould. The latter prevails in the timbered land along the northern boundary, while sand enters largely into the composition of the soil in the .south. Gravel, though occasionally found, is not abundant. South of the centre still remain traces of marshy land, though much of it has been modified by draining. Wheat, corn, and oats are among the staple products, the average yield of the former being twenty bushels to the acre, while oats and corn produced a crop of fifty bushels to the acre. The prevailing woods are beech, elm, maple, basswood, and black-walnut, though the latter is not abundant. Oak- openings are occasionally seen, and invariably accompanied by sandy soil. Pine prevails in certain localities, though not properly included with the prevailing timber of the township. ORIGINAL LAND-ENTRIES. The lands of Shiawassee township were entered from the United States government or purchased of the State by the following persons : SECTION 1. Acres. Augustus Riggs, 1831 86.76 li. U. Worthing, 1831 77.86 William Blac:k, 1832 132.75 (ieorge Kittridgc, 1836 211.0.28 , I'eck, Nimocks and Hooker, 1836 2O.0.16 SECTION 2. S. W. Denton, 1821 3.27 S. T. Coolcy, 1831 69.12 J!. D.Worthing, 1831 79.42 Joseph I'iti-iirn, 1836 80 .lerrv Hillman, 1836 201.92 C. M. Van Doren, 1838 204.52 L. li. Wiznor, 1836 80 SECTION 3. II. C. Walker, I83B 123.84 M. W. Cogswell, 1838 80 Tho.na.sl5ucll, 1836 122.80 Lydia Hornell, 1836 80 W. li. lilanchard, 1836 40 Silas Warntr, 1837 2110 .Swainp-land, 18.'j0 80 SECTION 4. Henry Dwight, 183C 123.28 M. U. Patterson, 1836 202.64 L. Van Wornicr, 1838 40 N. I! Overton, 1838 40 I). Van Wornier, 1838 40 J. and O. Mitchell, 1850 80 280 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Acres. Swamii-laiul. ISSn 200 0. C. jMuorc{8t!ite), 1865 40 S. T. I'ai-sons (State), ISOS 80 0. K. AVost (Shite), ISOU 40 James Ashton (State), ISOO 40 SECTION f). P. OoMsniith (State). ISoS 40 H. W. Williams, ls;iG 160 0. Co.ik, ISSi; 40 Il-aD!iven)iorl, I8:!li 124.20 Herman Cam]), ISiiC) 125.64 Dennis Kelly, IS:i6 SO N. It. Overtcin, 1S:)9 40 J. anil O. Mitchell, 1S5I1 80 B. C. Thorn, 1854 40 SECTION 6. Isaac Castle, 1R35 240 G. W. Williams, 1S3G 48.'!. 7G SECTION 7. Isaau Castle 80 Ora Cook, 18:i6 2;)3.88 Oi-a S|invgue, ISIill 2:!:i.56 iM.vron Murdoek, ISiiO Sll SECTION 8. Seneea UeynoKls, ISi>(> 160 Ora Spiajjiie, 1836 240 Newbold Lawrence, 1S36 240 SECTION 9. Ballnnl linll, 1836 320 S. F. Henry, 1836 320 SECTION 10. N. Taylor, 1835 80 Eloctus Haekus, 1835 SO Sanuu-1 IMooro, 1835 240 E. R. Kearslcy, 1835 240 SECTION 11. S. W. Dexter, 1S24 416.82 E. Kavnale, 1831 107.40 B.C. Matthews, 1833 80.75 SECTION 12. Hosca Baker, 1833 SO John Kent, 1834 40 Trumliull Cary. 1835 80 Cheslcy lilake, 1836 SO LotCliuk and Stephen Warren, 1836 200 Enoeh .hmcs, 1836 SO Martin I'ost, 1836 80 SECTION 13. llosoa liakor, 1833 9.08 Joseph Holmes, 1834 62.83 E|iluium Wri|,'ht, 1835 560 SECTION 14. S. W. Dexter, 1824 9.3.92 Ho.sea Baker, 1833, 1834 359.88 Oliver Wilson, 1835 160 SECTION 15. N. Taylor, 1835 80 Jchial Parmly, 1835 160 Trumhnll Cary, 1835 160 Alvah Ewers, 1836 80 E. A. Kcarsley, 1836 160 SECTION 16. Hcnrv Goodrich (State), 1853 240 Tiniulhv Clerv (State). 1865 40 Thomas E. Clery (State), 1805 40 John t:lery (State), 1853 40 Florin Baker (Stiite), 1853 40 .1. F. KIsworth (Stiite), 18.54 SO M. R. Mead (State), 1853 40 W. It. Elsworth (Stale), 1853 40 Mary Jane Doty (State), 1853 80 SECTION 17. Acres. Milton Phelps, 1835 80 B. WiK-ht, 1836 80 Isaac Secord, 1835 80 Newbold Lawrence, 1835 400 SECTION 18. Trumliull Cary, 1835 153.16 B. W'i;,'ht, 1836 160 Isaac Secord. 1836 80 Newbold Lawrence, 1836 233.36 SECTION 19. Trumbull Carv, 1835 153.04 Abel Millington, 1835 160 Trumbull Cary, 1835 160 Peter Runcinuin, 1835 152.92 SECTION 20. Abel Millington, 1835 240 Trumbull dry, 1835 80 James Plwlps, 1835 120 Seidell Phelps, 1835 10 Rachel Town, 1836 80 Abel Milliugton, 1835 80 SECTION 21. Trumbull dry, 1835 320 Bcthuel Noyeii. 1836 80 A. and A. G. Dow. 1836 SO T. W. llnsmcr, 1836 120 Horad Martin, 1830 40 SECTION 22. Orin Very, 1835 160 Trumbull Cary, 1835 1611 Alva Ewers, 1836 320 SECTION 23. Ilosea Baker, 1833 80 William Black, 1834 80 S. S. Seymour, 1835 160 Consider Warner, 1835 160 William Black, 1835 SO Ilosea Baker, 1835 40 Martin Post, 1835 40 SECTION 24. Ilosea Baker, 1833 92.09 S. F. Durkee, 1833, 1834 167.04 Abel Millington, 1835 155.65 Cheslcy Blake, 1836 40 Charles W. Penny, 1836 160 SECTION 25. A. L. Williams, 1831 79.55 Jasper Finish, 1832 217.69 Trumbull Carv, 1835 80 Abel Millington. 1835 136.78 L. B. Wizner, 1836 80 SECTION 26. A. J. D. and T. Bcaubcin, 1835 40 Gabriel Bandi, 1835 40 Isaac M. Banks. 1835 80 Trumbull Carv. 1835 80 II. Biopelle, 1835 40 Peter Goill'rey, 1836 40 Orange Skinner, 1836 40 Henry llutchins, 1836 40 Gustavus nines, 1836 40 Thomas Boall, 1836 20 SECTION 27. William Black, 1835 40 Isaac M. Banks, 1835 40 Orcn Very. 1835 40 Elizabeth Sidway, 1836 40 George Sidway, 1836 SO Thomas Curtis, 1837 SO S, S. Miithowson (State), 1S58 SO Stephen Sargi'Ut, " 1859 40 J. 1). Ccuigrcve, " 40 Hiruni Ilerrick, '* 40 John Hcrrick, " 1859 40 ISAAC SI. BANKS. MRS. ISAAC M. BANKS. ISAAC M. BANKS. Isaac M. Banks is of English descent, being a son of Artliur Banks, who was horn in England in 1756, and who came to America with Lord Admiral Howe during the Revolution. Arthur was a nephew of Sir Joseph Banks, of England, and married, in Middletown, Conn., Miss Sarah Loom is. Isaac was born in Albany Co., N. Y., June 27, 1798, and at the age of eleven was apprenticed to John Hendric^k fn learn the coopers' trade. When fifteen years of age ho enlisted as a common sailor under Commodore Perry, to assist in the defense of his country. During his early life, when not engaged as betbre stated, lie was employed at farm work during the suinnier, and attended the inferior common schools of tli()se days in the winter, thus obtaining his edu- cation. He lived in Canada si.\' years, and then married Miss Hannah Herrick, and settled in Wilson, Ni- agara Co., N. Y., where he remained nine vears, re- moving in 18o5 to Michigan, and settling in Shia- wassee County, where he .still lives. His principal occupation has been farming, though for nearly twenty years he kept a hotel. Mr. Banks was afflicted by the loss of his wife, Aug. 10, 1838, leaving iiini with seven children. Nov. 25, 18o8, he married Mrs. Jjorena Shepherd, by which union he became the father of five children. Of this large family of twelve children eight are still living, — all married. June 7, 1870, Mr. Banks lost his .second wife, this being the sixth time death had entered his home; yet with head i)owed in sorrow, and the light seemingly shut out of his home and heart, he submitted to the chastisement, and though bitter the bereavement could only say, "Thy will be done." In politics Mr. Banks is a member of the Repub- lican party. He has never been connected with any Christian church, and, though having passed his fourscore years, is quite active, and enjoys the fruits of his industrious early life. Respected by all who know him, with an tmtarnished reputation, and being thoroughly familiar with its early history, no one more fittingly rei)resents the pioneers of Shiawa.ssee County. SHIAWASSEE TOWNSHIP. 281 SECTION 28. Aei-es. George Jones, 1S3" 80 George Sudden (State), IS.'iS 80 Martha P.' EdJv, " -1858 120 E. S. Tillson, " 1858 -10 P. and G. Caruthers, 1859 120 C. W. Sager, 180B 40 Thomas Mungcr, 1808 40 Francis Ackcrly (State), 1858 40 " " 1S58 80 SECTION 20. James Phelps, 1836 40 Samuel Chappel, 1837 80 R. Hopkins, 1847 80 Peter Strohe IfiO Charles Kimberley, 1854 llio John Whaley, 1855 120 SECTION 30. M. C. Patterson, IS,3C 233.92 D. R. Prindel, 1830 72.24 Peter Ewers, 1836 240 R. Uopkins, 1849 SO SECTION 31. M.C.Patterson, 1830 160 Peter Coster. 1837 160 Ale.xandcr Oliver, 1837 234.08 John Lutkins, 1837 73.72 SECTION 32. Peter Coster, 1836 80 W. S. Hoard, 1837 40 J. 0. Hmkley, 1837 120 George Jones, 1837 80 Hiram Uaight, 1839 40 M. Glover, 1839 40 J. H. Desiness, 1841 40 M. C. Merrill, 1853 40 E. S. Tillson, 1854 40 E. P. McCollom, 1854 40 Amos Racheldor, 1855 40 SECTION .-a Charles F. Coles (State) 40 E. S. Tillson, " 1858 40 Henry Woolevcn, 1836 80 William Hoard, 1837 80 Austin Spaulding, 1837 160 William Mason, 1854 160 S. H. Hoard, 1854 80 William Cochran, 1855 40 SECTION 34. George Sidway, 1836 160 Henry Woolevcn, 1836 80 Thomas lieall, 1836 160 Thomas Curtis, 1837 80 John Q. Adams (State) 40 G. W. Graves, " 40 John Reach, " 1865 40 SECTION .35. Joseph Varnet, 1836 40 Henry Hatchings, 1836 160 Court Hutehings, 1836 80 Gustavus nines, IS36 40 William M.Warren, 1836 120 Peter Kobcrtson, 1836 80 Lucius Reach, IS39 40 N. P. Harder, 1841 40 Calvin Sweet, 1854 40 SECTION 36. Trumbull Cary, 1835 160 Mason Phelps, 1835 160 Jose]ih Visger, 1835 80 Joseph Veruiett. 1836 40 M. R. Martin, 1836 160 B. B. Brigham, 1836 40 SETTLEMENTS AND SETTLERS. The curliest settlers within the limits of Shiawiussee township were Messrs. A' L- ""J H. 0. Williams, who 3G made a tour of exploration through the county in 1829, and in Aujjust of 1831 became residents upon land on section 25, which had been entered l)y the foniiev in the same year. This point wa.s subsequently known as the Shiawassee Exchange, and was undoubtedly the earliest purchase of land with a view to permanent settlement. The Williams brothers came through from Grand Blanc, Genesee Co., and were obliged to cut the way for their ox- teams, no roads at that time having been broken. Their wagons were laden with household utensils and material for building, which greatly facilitated them in working for themselves a comfortable habitation. The brothers encountered .some unfriendly demonstrations from the Indian chief Wasso, but soon established them- selves as traders, and controlled extensive business inter- ests in the county. The advent of the Messrs. Williams, and their influence upon the early development of the county of Sliiawa.ssee, has already been fully mentioned in the general history of the county, and in the separate history of tlie city of Owosso, which renders a review of their career unnecessary liere. The earliest settler who came for the purpose of es- tablishing permanently and exclusively as a farmer in the township was John I. Tinkelpaugh, who arrived with his family in May, 1833, and located upon section 2-t, on the farm at present owned by C. D. Chalker. This land was not entered by Mr. Tinkelpaugh, and it is" probable that Hosea Baker made the original purchase and transferred it to the subsequent owner, who had previously built upon it a log house and made a small clearing. He plowed a por- tion of the land along the river-bottom, and thus became the pioneer in agricultural occupations in the county, no fur- rows having as yet been u])turnod within its limits. Mr. and Mrs. Tinkelpaugh afterwards removed to Clinton County, where, in a serene old age, they enjoyed the re- sults which years of industry had brought. Mr. Tinkel- paugh died there in the fall of 1879. Henry S. Smith and a partner named Cooley came in the previous year, and with a small stock of marketable wares attempted the establishment of a trading-post below Shiawasseetown. In June of the same year Mr. Smith brought his family to the township, and for a while pursued the calling of a blacksmith. Later he removed to Owos.so, and followed the same occupation. In August, 1833, Hosea Baker and his son, Ambrose Baker, arrived from Bradford Co., Pa., having in the pre- vious April come to the county on a prospecting tour, and entered land on section 14, upon which the former settled. He also purchased much laud in the township for other parties. Mr. Baker had previously engaged a man to break the ground and assist in the erection of a log house, which was constructed of basswood logs, with strips of elmbark in lieu of shingles. A portion of the furniture of this cabin was of primitive construction, especially the bedstead, which was made of poles placed in holes bored into the logs, and supported at the opposite end by posts. This was fastened with strips of elm-bark, and though primitive in construction, served the purpose well. No roads made the township accessible at this early date, and the Indian trail marked by blazed trees aflbrded thp traveler but an HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. uncertain guide through the wilderness. One of the dau<;hters of Mr. Baker brought apple-seeds from the East and planted them here, which afterwards resulted in the growth of the first orchard in the township. Later, Mr. Baker procured apple-scions from the East, and grafted them upon stocks taken from the old Indian orchards, and thus raised a superior quality of fruit. The ladies of the family frequently chased the wolves from the door with brands of fire when they became too obtrusive, and the large bounty offered by tlie State rendered their capture a source of considerable profit. Three of these animals caught in a trap brought Mr. Baker the sum of ninety dollars. Aaron Swain, also a Pennsylvanian, came with Mr. Baker in 18o3, and removed to eighty acres, adjacent to the farm of the latter, on section 23. In his family was born the first child in the township. Miss Julia Swain. Lsaac M. Banks came from Niagara County in 1834, and located upon one hundred and sixty acres on sections 26 and 27, his log house having been erected on the latter section. There were no roads at this time, and settlers were largely dependent upon the Indians for supplies of food. Tiie milling was done at Pontiac or Dexter. This necessitated a journey of two or more weeks, and on one occasion a neighbor was absent forty-two days. Orin Vary had preceded Mr. Banks by two weeks, and located upon section 21. With him he remained until a suitable habitation was constructed upon his own land. He was followed by his former neighbors, Jordan Holcomb, Ninion Clark, Orange Skinner, and John Herrick, who purchased farms in the township. In 1853, Mr. Banks erected a spacious hotel at the hamlet of Fremont, and be- came one of the popular landlords of Shiawassee, in which occupation he continued until 1870. He is still the ven- erable and honored postmaster of the place, having lived to witness the sudden development and still more rapid decay of the village. William Johnson came from Wayne County in 1835, but it was not until 1837 that he purchased eighty acres of land of E. C. Kimberly, having previously been an inmate of tlie family of Ephraim Wright. He soon after married the daughter of Mr. Wright, and began the labor of clearing. He made little progress at first, but ultimately made a well-improved farm. Mr. Johnson was one of the earliest voters, and participated in the organization of the township. William Newberry came to the township from Ohio in 1836. He was by occupation a carpenter and joiner, and was employed by the Shiawassee Company to assist them in building, having known the various members of the company in Ohio. He labored in this capacity for a year or more and then removed to Owosso, where the IMessrs. Williams gladly availed themselves of his services. Hero he assisted in the erection of the first frame house in the village. In 1831) he moved to a farm of eighty acres pur- chased of Ephraim Wright, an early pioneer who had located upon section 13. Mr. Newberry constructed a frame house 22 by 28 feet in dimensions, which was first occupied by the family in 1840. He afterwards erected a substantial residence on his farm, and considerably increa.sed its dimensions. Mr. Newberry has established a reputation as one of the most scientific farmers in the county, and avails himself of all the modern iippliances for enhancing the productiveness and value of his land. An excellent system of drainage involving a length of ten miles has been introduced on his farm. J]phraim Wright, above alluded to, came early in 1836, and entered nearly the whole of section 13, upon which he removed and partially cultivated, building upon it a sub- stantial house. Zimri Finch also purchased a farm near by, on which he located, and on which he bestowed much hard labor. Lsaac Secord, a former resident of Washtenaw County, secured one hundred and sixty acres on section 18 in 1836. - While building a cabin the family made themselves com- fortable under a shelter of bark, it having been the month of June. James Phillips and Orin Vary were near neigh- bors. Mr. Secord's family have since removed from the township. In the fall of 1836, William M. Warren left the attrac- tive city of Rochester, N. Y., for the township of Shia- wassee, where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres on section 35. Later he removed to section 36. The country was entirely uncleared, and as there were no bridges he was obliged to ford the river ahead of the teams, and an infiint child was carried by him from Detroit, a distance of sixty miles, in his arms or placed in a handkerchief which was suspended from his neck. He began the labor of clearing at once, and at the expiration of the year had built a log house and improved eight acres. A pilgrimage to Pontiac was made for supplies, and the prevailing prices were such as to appall the settler who did not boast a plethoric wallet. Pork was sold at fifty dollars per barrel, while flour brought fifteen dollars, and often more, per bar- rel. At a later period John Herrick and Covert and Henry Hutchings were among his near neighbors. Mr. Warren still resides upon section 26, surrounded by his children, upon whom he has liberally bestowed the accu- mulations of years of industrious effort. Lucius Beach, a pioneer from Norwalk, Ohio, came to Shiawas.seetown in 1838, having, through the influence of his brother-in-law, Moses Kimball, purchased an interest in the Shiawassee Company, for which he paid one thousand dollars. He became manager of the mills and also the host of the rising hamlet. Mr. Beach, with his attractive and energetic wife, rendered this the most popular hostelry of the time. The house was often crowded, and on some occasions the capacity of the building was unequal to the demands upon it. As many as forty travelers frequently sought its hospitality on a single night. There the Circuit Court of the county first convened, and the spacious parlor was early opened to accord the youth of the township op- portunities of education. Mr. Beach afterwards purchased one hundred and twenty acres on section 36, upon which he also erected another large hotel, of which he was for many years the landlord. The homestead is now occupied by N. G. Phillips, with whom the widow of Mr. Beach re- sides. John Herrick came from Niagara County in 1837, and settled upon section 35, where he had liirty acres. He SHIAWASSEE TOWNSHIP. 283 cleared and improved it, and remained several years, after which his location was changed to Fremont, where eighty acres afforded him a comfortable home until his death in 1877. Six children and the widow are still residents of the township. A. Van Auken, one of the most successful of the agri- culturists of Shiawassee, emigrated from Monroe Co., N. Y., to Washtenaw County in 1835, and to this township in 1839, when he purchased of Charles Penney, of Jackson, one hundred and sixty acres on sections 24 and 13. He was in debt the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars on his arrival, which claim with close application to the work before him was soon liquidated. A cabin had already been built, which was occupied until a more spacious log structure could be erected, and sixteen acres yielded to the labor devoted to their improvement, having been speedily covered by growing crops. On one occasion Mr. Van Auken started for Pontiac for the purpose of disposing of a pair of cattle, and having been succ&ssful was obliged to return on foot, a distance of forty-five miles. The roads on this occasion were so obscure that in the darkness of the night he could only be guided by the sense of touch. Wheat was at this time often drawn to Yp.silanti, a distance of sixty-eight miles, and brought but sixty-five cents per bushel. Mr. Van Auken has now two hundred and sixty- five acres under a high state of cultivation. One of his near neighbors was Sidney Seymour, who had eighty acres on section 23, which he cleared and improved. The clergymen best remembered at this time were Elders Blanchard and Brighara, who conducted the earliest ser- vices at the houses of the settlers. Dr. Pattison was the pioneer physician, who practiced as early as 1836. Next came Dr. Harder, who settled in Newburg. Jordan Holcomb, a former resident of Ontario Co., N. Y., became a settler of Bennington in 1836, and two years later removed to section 35 in this township, where he located eighty acres. On this land ho built a log house, which is still occupied by him. With him came Aaron and Henry Hutchings, who shared with him the humble quarters he had prepared until a later period enabled them to better their condition. Mr. Holcomb has converted his land into a productive farm, and is one of the few survivors among the very early settlers. The following list embodies all the tax-payers in the township of Shiawa.ssee for the year 1840, with section and number of acres : Acres. J. S. Tinkelpaugh, section 24 75 Myron Muijook, section 7 80 P. P. Ewer?, section 30 400 Alcxjmder Oliver, section 31 lo4 M. C. Patterson, section 31 IRO John Diivis. section 34 160 Peter Robertson, section 3ij SO Josepii V.innattcr, .section 36 40 Trumbull Cary, section 36 and elsewhere 80 Joseph Visger, section 12 36 Lydia Hornell, section 3 80 M. C. Pattison, section 4 123 Henry Dwij^ht, section 4 124 Ira Davenport, section 5 124 Ilinnian Camp, sections 125 Asa Sprague, section 8 240 N. Lawrence, section 8 240 Asa Sprague. section 7 234 Charlutte Henry, section '.I ;i20 liallard Ball, section 320 iSamuel Moore, section U) 240 Acres. E. R. Kearsley, section 10 24U E. Bachus, section 10 80 N. Taylor, section 10 80 Morgan L. Drake, section 11 107 John Lawrence, section 36 40 Jonathan Melvin, section 17 15 H. Wright, sections 17 and 18 240 A. Millingtnn, sections 19, 21, and elsewhere 240 B. Noyes,section 21 80 Titus llosmcr, section 21 80 Alvah Ewers, section 22 320 Consider Warner, section 23 IGO Joseph Parish, section 25 215 Stevens, section 22 120 L. B. Misner, section 25 80 Peter (loilfroy, section 26 40 II. Riopelle, section 26 40 G. Bond, section 26 40 D. R. Pringle, section 30 72 Engan the labor of clearing. Mr. Bunce after- wards went to California, and after a sojourn of two years in the Golden State returned to his former home in Venice, but did not long survive. He was a citizen of influence in VENICE TOWNSHIP. 317 the township, took a prominent part in its organization, and was the recipient of early official honors. Daniel I. Lipe, whose ancestors were among the hardy sons of the Mohawk Valley, N. Y., first emigrated to Grand Blanc, Genesee Co., and in 1838 entered one hun- dred and twenty acres on section 33 of Venice. Soon after, he purchased an additional one hundred and sixty acres of James Ferguson, and became a resident of the township in 1840. Mr. Lipe devoted his energies to the work before him, and found an ample field of labor in the dense forest which covered the purchase he had made. In 1845 he had achieved much progress, and a productive farm was already the result of his energy when death sud- denly ended his labors. Mrs. Lipe removed to Genesee County, but afterwards returned to the homestead in Venice, where she now resides with her daughter, Mrs. F. G. Bailey. Mr. Lipe was an important man in the first township-meeting, and was honored by his neighbors with the position of supervisor on that occasion. John Durrin, previously of Ohio, located upon eighty acres on section 7 in 1841. The soil of Venice did not please him, and he soon after departed, having made but little improvement on the land. In the same year came Palmer C. Card from the township of Burns to Venice, and located upon one hundred and sixty acres now occu- pied by L. Sprague. A partial improvement on the land had been made by parties in Pontiac, who were the original owners. Mr. Card spent ten years upon this farm (which, in its highly-cultivated condition, bore witness to his in- dustry), and then removed to section 30, where he remained until his ultimate departure from Venice for another field of labor. During this early period much suffering resulted from the prevalence of malarial fever, Venice having been no more favored than other portions of the State in this re- gard. The physician who ministered to the wants of the community was Dr. Harder, of Shiawassee township, there having been no resident physician in Venice at that time. Necly Sawtell, at whose house the first election for town- ship officers was held and who served in the capacity of clerk on this occasion, removed from Oakland County in 1842, and located upon the east half of the southeast quar- ter of section 17. He found a serious obstacle to his set- tlement in the depth of the Rush Bed Creek, which was not bridged and could not be forded. Having arrived in the township in the spring, the family were obliged to re- main two miles east of the centre until July 4th, when the crossing of the stream was made possible by low water. Mr. Sawtell had meanwhile built a cabin of boughs, to which they removed and at once began their pioneer labors. Truman Bunce, whose log cabin was not far distant, affisrded them an opportunity of occasionally paying a neighborly visit. Mr. Sawtell remained in the township until 18GG, when he removed tQ Vernon, and died in the following year. Very graphic descriptions are given of the earliest town- ship-meeting. The actual business of the occasion was transacted in a brief time, but the law required the polls to be open until four o'clock. Many devices were employed to kill the time, and a hilarious occasion was the result. Three pioneers from Oakland County preceded Mr. Saw- tell by one year. Elihu Stewart located upon eighty acres on section 23, upon which he erected a log house. This he occupied for two years while he felled the forest and made a clearing sufficiently large upon which to raise a crop of wheat. At the expiration of that period Oakland County claimed him again as a resident. James Dunbar arrived in the same year, and purchased a farm of eighty acres on section 13. His pioneer experi- ence in Venice was confined simply to the building of a house, which he soon after vacated and returned to Oakland County. Daniel W. Stowell had an experience identical with that of his friend Mr. Stewart. He located on section 13, and after a sojourn of two years returned with him to their former home. Andrew Lytle, a former resident of St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., became a pioneer in Livingston County in 1836, and in 1844 moved to Venice. He occupied the farm of ninety acres vacated by Mr. Placeway on section 29, upon which a partial clearing had been made and a primitive habitation built. His nearest neighbor was Thomas Mc- Laren, who still resides in the township. Five years later Mr. Lytle built a substantial frame residence, which is his present home. Alonzo H. Owens removed from Grand Blanc to the township in 1843, and secured forty acres of land on sec- tion 33, for which he paid by one year of labor. He erected a board shanty, the lumber for which was purchased with lumber-orders, which iu view of the scarcity of cur- rency at that time were a legal tender. Mr. Owens led the solitary life of a bachelor for a year, after which a wife was brought to his simple home. His nearest neighbor was Abram Jennings, who located upon the same section and died in 1847- Before his permanent settlement Mr. Owens had cleared three acres, which he sowed with wheat, using oxen to assist in the clearing. He sold his land in 1852 and selected what he regarded as a more eligible site on section 28. This was also unimproved at the time of its purchase. It has been converted since that time into a highly-productive farm, upon which he at present resides. Mr. Owens is a public-spirited citizen, and keenly alive to the interests of the township. The progress of settlements in Venice up to the year 1844 is indicated by the following list of resident tax-payers in the township, taken from the assessment-roll of that year, viz. : A. M. Jennings. B. S. Jones. P. C. Card. William Placeway. B. J. Bentley. Thomas McLaren. Alpha Carr. Elnathan Brown. Jonathan Durrin. Neely Sawtell. Truman Bunce. Charles R. Yerkes. Lewis W. Covell. Charles Wilkinson. G. W. Priest. D. I. Lipe. Lewis W. Covell settled, in 1844, on section 17, and went resolutely to work to clear and improve his land. Afterwards the farm came into the possession of Thomas Simpson, who now occupies it. 318 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Joseph Card was one of the pioneers of 1846, who located a home upon section 31, where he purchased eighty acres. He devoted much hibor to its improvement, and remained upon it until his death. Guy N. Roberts now resides upon the estate. L. S. and C. L. Cronkhite, former residents of Monroe County, N. Y., were among the arrivals in 1845, and located upon one hundred and sixty acres on sectiou 22. B. S. Jones had previously settled upon section 29, and with him they found a home while making their purchase habitable. They found on their arrival a vast uncleared tract, which has been converted into the most productive land in the township. Both have now fine farms on the same section. Asahel Owen, a pioneer of 1848, located on section 31. This land had been previously occupied by a settler named Carr, who had effected a slight improvement, to which he added on taking possession. A highly-cultivated farm is the result of his labor, and upon it a spacious residence has recently been built. Mr. Owen has frequently served as supervisor, and is esteemed as a public-spirited citizen. Samuel Martin, a former resident of St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., removed to the township of Venice in 1850, and ultimately settled on .section 18. With him came six sons, five of whom are now residents of the township. Mr. Mar- tin died, in 1871, on the homestead, which is now occupied by his son, John L. Martin. John J. P. Gerardy left his native France in 1855, and the same year located in Venice upon the west half of the northwest quarter of section 17, a small portion of which had been cleared, and a log house built upon it. Mr. Ge- rardy improved but little the first year, having become a victim to chills and fever immediately on his arrival. The nearest settler was George Wren, who located in the same year, and died on the farm he occupied. Mr. Gerardy now has one hundred and sixty acres improved, and a substantial residence built upon it. He is now township clerk, which ofiice he has filled for successive terms. Among other settlers who arrived in Venice between the years 1840 and 1844 are B. I. Bentley, Charles R. Yerkes, Alpha Carr, G. W. Priest, and Thomas McLaren, each of whom contributed in a greater or less degree to the pros- perity of the township. ORGANIZATION AND TOWNSHIP CIVIL LIST. The organization of Venice as a separate township was effected under an act of the Legislature, approved March 9, 1843, which provided and declared, " That all that por- tion of the county of Shiawassee designated by the United States survey as township number seven north, of range four east, formerly belonging to the township of Owosso, but now to the township of Vernon, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Venice, and the first township-meeting shall be held at the house of Neely Sawtell." In accordance with the provisions of the act, the earliest township-meeting of the township of Venice was held on the first Monday in April, 1843, at the house of Neely Sawtell. D. I. Lipe was chosen moderator ; P. C. Card, Truman Bunce, and Joseph Dunbar inspectors of election ; and Neely-Sawtell clerk. The officers for that year, together with the result of succeeding elections, until the present date, are given in the following list, viz. : 1843. — Supervisor, Daniel I. Lipe ; Township Clerk, Neely Sawtell ; Treasurer, Charles Wilkinson ; Highway Commissioners, Truman Bunce, Joseph Dunbar, A. M. Jennings ; Directors of the Poor, Truman Bunce, A. M. Jennings ; Constables, Charles Wilkinson, William Placeway. 1844. — Supervisor, D. I. Lipe; Clerk, Neely Sawtell; Treasurer, Charles Wilkinson ; Highway Com- missioners, A. M. Jennings, B. S. Jones, G. W. Priest ; School Inspector, D. I. Lipe ; Direc- tors of the Poor, A. M. Jennings, Trumun Bunce ; Constables, W. Placeway, G. W. Priest. 1845. — Supervisor, Truman Bunce; Township Clerk, Neely Sawtell ; Treasurer, Charles Wilkinson ; High- way Commissioners, G. W. Priest, B. S. Jones, Eluathan Brown ; Justice of the Peace, John Jones; School Inspector, D.S.Jones; Directors of the Poor, T. Bunce, P. C. Card ; Constables, A. A. Cronkhite, E. Brown. 1846. — Supervisor, T. Bunce; Township Clerk, N. Saw- tell ; Treasurer, Charles Wilkinson ; Justice of the Peace, T. Bunce ; School Inspector, D. M. Lytle ; Highway Commissioners, C. L. Cronk- hite, A. M. Jennings, 0. Limbocker ; Directors of the Poor, T. Bunce, P. C. Card ; Constable, A. A. Cronkhite. 1847. — Supervisor, T. Bunce; Township Clerk, E. Holt, Jr. ; Treasurer, Charles Wilkinson ; Justice, P. C. Card ; School Inspectors, D. S. Jones, E. Brown ; Directors of the Poor, 0. Limbocker, Andrew Lytle; Highway Commissioners, C. L. Cronkhite, E. Brown, G. W. Priest ; Constable, A. A. Cronkhite. 1848. — Supervisor, E. J. Holt ; Township Clerk, Joseph Card ; Treasurer, Stephen Lytle ; School In- spectors, D. S. Jones, E. Brown ; Justices, B. H. Fraser, D. S. Jones; Highway Commission- ers, C. L. Cronkhite, E. Brown, G. W. Priest; Directors of the Poor, H. Johnson, 0. Lim- bocker ; Constables, Porter C. Card, A. A. Cronkhite. 1849.^ — Supervi-sor, P. C. Card ; Township Clerk, Jo.seph Card ; Treasurer, E. Holt, Jr. ; Justice, Neely Sawtell; Highway Commissioner, Andrew Lytle; School Inspector, D. S. Jones ; Constables, H. H. Jennings, R. Byington, E. Brown. 1850.— Supervisor, Truman Bunce ; Township Clerk, Neely Sawtell ; Treasurer, Charles Wilkinson ; Justice, Truman Bunce ; Director of the Poor, J. M. Wells; Highway Commissioners, C. L. Cronkhite, Riley Byington ; School Inspector, A. H. Owens ; Constables, J. W. Card, H. Jen- nings. 1851. — Supervisor, Truman Bunce; Township Clerk, H. H. Lytle ; Treasurer, Charles Wilkinson ; High- way Commissioner, C. L. Cronkhite ; School In- spector, E. Brown ; Directors of the Poor, R. Byington, O. Limbocker ; Constables, J. W. ijJliJMJMlMMl ^w?'^i^Snt?'^^^^S?^^3^^^^',?$rTvvi?i7'j«T ^ -^^ AM. OWENS. Birds £>i -. ..,,^>iiir^^--^':^^Si:^-c. ; ■ ;:^a,:Sfesg!S?^' PESiDENceoF AtONZO H. OWENS. f ft ■■ 3 »<<^»«~««^r»***>»«V' > i»i. "„ , y , , , EiAT OF- Farm . ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ M"' AH OWENS- •/v/C£- Towt^SHiP. Shiawassee County, Michigan. VENICE TOWNSHIP. 319 Card, G. W. Priest, E. Johnson, H. H. Jen- nings. 1852.— Supervisor, Charles Wilkinson ; Township Clerk, D. S. Jones ; Justices, B. Browa, D. S. Jones ; Treasurer, B. S. Jones ; Highway Commission- ers, S. S. Martin, J. Pierce ; School Inspector, J. W. Card ; Constables, A. H. Jennings, A. Pierce. 1853. — Supervisor, Charles Wilkinson ; Township Clerk, D. S. Jones ; Treasurer, B. S. Jones ; Justice, Charles Wilkinson ; Highway Commissioner, C. A. Cronkhite ; School Inspector, A. H. Owens ; Director of Poor, S. S. Martin ; Constables, H. H. Jennings, J. W. Card. 185-1. — Supervisor, Charles Wilkinson ; Township Clerk, D. S. Jones ; Treasurer, William Lindsey ; Jus- tice, S. S. Martin ; School Inspector, Benjamin Wells ; Directors of Poor, C. L. Cronkhite, D. M. Lytle ; Constables, L. S. Wells, L. S. Cronk- hite, H. H. Jennings. 1855. — Supervisor, Charles Wilkinson ; Township Clerk, E. Brown ; Treasurer, William Lindsey; Justice, Palmer C. Card ; Highway Commissioner, S. S. Martin; School Inspector, D. S. Jones; Directors of Poor, H. Johnson, Henry Church ; Consta- bles, A. Daniels, Joseph Craig, L. S. Wells, L. S. Cronkhite. 1856. — Supervisor, Neely Sawtell ; Township Clerk, P. C. Card; Treasurer, C. L. Cronkhite; Justice, A. H. Owens; Highway Commissioner, H. Elwell ; Directors of Poor, R. H. Eraser, J. W. Yerkes ; School Inspector, R. Byington ; Constables, R. Byington, Amasa Daniels, A. L. Eraser, James McLaren, 1857. — No record. 1858. — Supervisor, Charles Wilkinson ; Township Clerk, D. S. Jones ; Treasurer, C. L. Cronkhite ; Jus- tice, S. S. Martin ; School Inspector, E. Brown ; Directors of Poor, P. C. Card, R. Byington ; Highway Commissioner, M. S. Chapman ; Con- stables, A. Fosdick, Joseph Craig, L. S. John- son, J. M. Babbitt. 1859.— Supervisor, H. H. Lytle; Township Clerk, C Yerkes ; Treasurer, William Lindsey ; Justices M. L. Curtis, H. H. Lytle ; Highway Commis sioner, C. J. Young, H. Church ; School In specter, M. L. Curtis; Directors of Poor, T McLaren, J. W. Yerkes ; Constables, H. Sawtell B. F. Card, Eli Johnson, Charles Wren. I860.— Supervisor, H. H. Lytle; Township Clerk, C. Yerkes; Treasurer, William Lind.sey; Justice, B. F. Card ; Highway Commissioner, D. J. Ken- dall ; School Inspector, R. C. Satterley ; Consta- bles, L. S. Cronkhite, Andrew Bliss, Ira Harding, Eli Johnson. 1861.— Supervisor, H. H. Lytle; Township Clerk, F. G. Bailey ; Treasurer, William Lindsey ; School In- spector, C. Yerkes ; Highway Commissioner, George Wren; Justices, William A. Calkins, H. H. Lytle ; Constables, W. Leonard, Ira Hard- ing, A. Daniels, Eli Johnson. 1862.— Supervisor, H. H. Lytle; Township Clerk, F. G. Bailey ; Treasurer, W. A. Calkins ; Justices, R. C. Johnson, C. Yerkes; Highway Commissioners, E. C. Shipman, S. A. Lytle ; School Inspector, C. A. Cronkhite; Constables, W. A. Calkins, Eli Johnson, E. Martin, E. Johnston. 1863.— Supervisor, H. H. Lytic; Township Clerk, R. B. Wyles ; Treasurer, W. A. Calkins ; Justices, C. Yerkes, W. B. Hender; School Inspectors, C. Yerkes, A. F. Martin; Highway Commissioner, D. J. Kendall ; Constables, E. Johnston, Eli Johnson, L. S. Cronkhite, Nelson Heaton. 1864.— Supervisor, H. H. Lytle; Township Clerk, A. H. Church ; Treasurer, W. A. Calkins ; Justice, C. Wilkinson ; Highway Commissioner, S. A. Lytle ; School Inspector, A. F. Martin ; Con- stables, Eli Johnson, S. Cronkhite, John Wood, David Calkins. 1865. — Supervisor, Asahcl Owen; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy ; Treasurer, Gleason Young ; Jus- tices, P. C. Card, D. S. Lampheer; Highway Commissioners, M. S. Chapin, Jerome Sprague, N. Sawtell ; School Inspectors, R. B. Wyles, E. Brown ; Constables, Amasa Daniels, Peter Geek, E. Johnston, Gilbert Card. 1866. — Supervisor, Asahel Owen ; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy ; Treasurer, William Calkins ; Jus- tice, G. I. Young ; School Inspector, R. B. Wyles ; Highway Commissioner, G. W. Priest; Constables, Calvin Craig, G. H. Card, Reuben Johnson, Gilbert Eraser. 1867.— Supervisor, F. G. Bailey; Township Clerk, T. Resigue ; Treasurer, W. A. Calkins ; Justice, Charles Wilkinson ; School Inspectors, A. F. Martin, C. Yerkes ; Highway Commissioner, C. S. Wren ; Constables, A. Bliss, Eli Johnson, William Leonard, James Mott. 1868. — Supervisor, Asahel Owen ; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy ; Treasurer, Riley Byington ; Justice, E. Brown ; School Inspector, Hiram Johnson, Jr. ; Highway Commissioners, C. L. Cronkhite, I. D. Hannah ; Constables, R. Johnson, L. By- ington, Edward Smith. 18G9. — Supervisor, Asahel Owen; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy ; Treasurer, G. C. Beebe ; Justice, A. H. Owens ; School Inspector, E. Brown ; Highway Commissioner, A. F. Martin ; Consta- bles, H. Humphrey, J. W. Card, Hiram John- son, Jr., Alfred Eraser. 1870. — Supervisor, Asahel Owen ; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy ; Treasurer, E. Brown ; Justice, G. J. Young; Highway Commissioner, I. D. Hannah; School Inspector, Hiram Johnson, Jr. ; Consta- bles, II. Humphrey, Joseph Priest, Samuel Schoch, A. Stewart. 1871. — Supervisor, Alexander Stewart; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy ; Treasurer, John West ; School Inspector and Drain Commissioner, A. 11. Owens ; Highway Commissioners, George Tur- ner, A. M. Elwell; Justice, A. J. Augsbury; 320 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Constables, H. Humphrey, R. Johnson, William Rollin, John Card. 1872. — Supervisor, Alexander Stewart; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gorardy ; Treasurer, E. Brown ; School Inspector, Hiram Johnson, Jr. ; Highway Com- missioner, C. E. Shipnian ; Drain Commissioner, G. L. Cronkhite ; Justice, E. Brown ; Consta- bles, H. Johnson, Jr., J. W. King, E. Leonard, Theodore Niver. 1873. — Supervisor, Alexander Stewart ; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy ; Treasurer, E. Brown ; School Inspector, James Twitchell ; Drain Commis- sioner, C. L. Cronkhite; Highway Commis- sioner, C. L. Cronkhite ; Justice, A. H. Owens ; Constable, John Card. 1874. — Supervisor, Asahel Owen; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy ; Treasurer, E. Brown ; School In- spector, Hiram Johnson ; Highway Commis- sioners, Ira Church, M. M. Byington ; Drain Commissioner, H. Johnson, Jr. ; Justice, G. J. Youngs; Constables, John Card, Peter Geeck. 1875. — Supervisor, Alexander Stewart; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy ; Treasurer, E. Brown ; Super- intendent of Schools, G. T. Priest ; School In- spector, James Twitchell; Highway Commis- sioner, C. S. Cronkhite ; Drain Commissioner, Charles Ewing ; Justice, A. J. Augsbury ; Con- stables, J. W. Card, J. L. Wheelock, D. W. Cronkhite, T. Niver. 1876. — Supervisor, E. Brown ; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy; Treasurer, M. M. Byington; Super- intendent of Schools, G. T. Priest; Inspector of Schools, James Twitchell ; Highway Commis- sioner, Edwin Gidley ; Drain Commissioner, George Wilkinson ; Justice, Alexander Stewart ; Constable, H. Humphrey. 1877. — Supervisor, E. Brown; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy; Treasurer, M. M. Byington; Super- intendent of Schools, G. T. Priest ; Inspector of Schools, J. Twitchell ; Highway Commissioner, S.Schoch; Drain Commissioner, A. J. Augsbury. 1878. — Supervisor, Ira C. Church ; Township Clerk, P. G. Bailey ; Treasurer, M. M. Byington ; Super- intendent of Schools, C. W. Shipman ; Inspector of Schools, Lewis Bugea ; Highway Commis- sioner, James Martin ; Drain Commissioner, Edward Leonard ; Justice, Charles Wilkinson ; Constables, T. P. Niver, G. H. Eraser, C. W. Shipman. 1879. — Supervisor, Ira Church ; Township Clerk, P. G. Bailey ; Treasurer, James Martin ; Superintend- ent of Schools, A. H. Owens; Inspector of Schools, Lewis Bugea ; Highway Commissioner, William White; Justice, A. J. Augsbury. 1880.— Supervisor, M. M. Byington ; Township Clerk, J. J. P. Gerardy; Treasurer, James Blart in ; Super- intendent of Schools, J. E. Lancock ; Inspector of Schools, Lewis Bugea ; Highway Commis- sioner, Thomas Lancock ; Drain Commissioner, Edward Leonard ; Justice, Alexander Stewart. EARLY TOWNSHIP ROADS. The earliest road that traversed the township of Venice was surveyed by Nelson Ferry, in June, 1840, and began at the northwest corner of section 31, from whence it pursued a northerly course to the west quarter post of section 18, having been two and a half miles in length. The second road began at the quarter post on the west line of section 32, and ran north to the quarter post on the west line of section 29 ; thence north to a point intersecting a road run- ning east and west through sections 7, 8, 9, and 10. It was surveyed Nov. 21, 1840, by Nelson Ferry; Heman Harrington and Nelson Ferry having been highway com- missioners. The third road began at the northwest corner of section 20, and pursued a southerly course to the northeast corner of section 23. The survey was made by Nelson Ferry, on the 9th, 10th, and 12th of March, 1841. A fourth road was surveyed at the same date, be- einning on the southeast corner of section 33 and termi- nating at the northeast corner of section 4, its length being six miles. SCHOOLS. The earliest school in the township was taught in the year 1840, at the house of Nelson Ferry, by his daughter. Miss Frances Ferry, an addition having been built to his house for the purpose. Meanwhile a frame school build- ing, familiarly known in after-years as the " old red school- house," was erected on section 32, and Mr. Ferry himself presided as the teacher of the district. Some time after- wards a school was opened in a barn belonging to Charles Wilkinson, on section 7, and was taught by Miss Julia Card. The school-house in this district, which was the second built in the township, was erected in 1850, the first teacher, having been Miss Celia Hawkins, now Mrs. James B. Wheeler, of Corunna. The present school territory of the township is divided into eight whole districts. The present directors are John Davids, George Chavey, Lewis Bugea, A. J. Muzzy, Rolla Turk, Charles Shipman, A. J. Augsbury, and John Gauss- ley. The total value of school property in the town- ship is three thousand two hundred and seventy-three dol- lars, which includes one brick, one log, and six frame school buildings. VENICE GRANGE, No. 388, PATRONS OF HUS- BANDRY. The Venice Grange was organized April 13, 1874, by Deputy C. M. Wood, with a charter membership of twenty- seven male and twenty-five female Patrons. The following were its first ofiicers : Fred G. Bailey, Master ; A. H. Owens, Overseer ; D. W. Cronkhite, Lecturer ; W. Bing- ham, Steward ; E. C. Shipman, Chaplain ; Alexander Stewart, Treasurer ; John J. P. Gerardy, Secretary. The same officers were re-elected at the next election. The latest recorded officers are William Leonard, Master ; Alex- ander Stewart, Over,seer ; F. G. Bailey, Lecturer ; M. M. Byington, Steward ; A. H. Owens, Chaplain ; C. L. Cronk- hite, Treasurer ; Hiram Reed, Secretary. VENICE TOWNSHIP. 321 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. HON. F. G. BAILEY. Among the names that are prominently connected with liie development, progress, and welfare of Shiawassee County is that of F. G. Bailey. Having occupied some, public position the whole time during the last thirty years has given him a large experience, which has contributed very much to his success and greatly to the advantage of the public. He was born in the city of Bath, England, and at the age of four years came to the United States with his parents, who first made New York City their home and afterwards removed to Rochester, N. Y. When he was eighteen years of age he came to Hadley, Lapeer Co., Mich., where he engaged in teaching, which was for several years his principal business. Ill health rendered an abandon- ment of his profession necessary, and he then engaged in mercantile business in Goodrich, Genesee Co., Mich., from where he removed to Shiawassee County in 18C0, and en- gaged in farming. Ill health again rendered a change necessary, and he removed to Keweenaw Co., Mich., and engaged in mercantile business. He was afterwards ap- pointed freight agent by the Central Mining Company, Eagle Harbor, for whom he erected an extensive wharf and warehou.ses, and conducted the business until 18G6. He then returned to his farm in Venice. He has served his township as supervisor and as clerk for several terms. He was one of the charter members of the State Grange, and is vice-president of the Shiawassee Mutual Insurance Company, and also one of the directors of the Shiawassee Agricul- tural Association. He was elected member of the Legisla- ture for 1873, also again for 1875. He was appointed on Committee on State Affairs and was the acting chairman 41 during the latter part of the session of 1873, also member of Committee on Mines and Minerals. He was again ap- pointed in 1875 on Committee on State Affairs, also made chairman of Committee on Education. He was the intro- ducer of the bill by which the three highway commissioners were changed to one, securing more effective services and greatly reducing the expense ; also offered an amendment and secured its passage authorizing the purchase of State bonds before maturity by the treasurer, by which the idle millions in the State treasury were used in payment of State bonds and relieved the people of the payment of further interest. In 1876, in consequence of the death of his eldest son and ill health, he refused to accept any public po.sition that might be tendered him, and since which has retired from active public life. ALONZO H. OWENS. Alonzo H. Owens was born in Oneida County, State of New York, Dec. 5, 1823. His father was a native of Massachusetts, and removed tp the Mohawk Valley, New York, in the year 1800. He was a gentleman of education, and used his scholarly ability in teaching, as he was very successful in imparting his knowledge. He continued in the profession many years, although his death occurred at au early age, when Alonzo was in his infancy. Mrs. Owens, who was a native of Montgomery Co., N. Y., married again when her son was three years of age. Very soon after this they removed to Western New York, 322 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. remaining there until Alonzo was eleven years of age. About this time his stepfather met with severe losses in property and emigrated to Michigan, arriving in Grand Blanc on the 1st of August, 1835, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of laud in an almost unbroken wilderness. Alonzo passed his youth as did the sons of all the early pioneers, toiling early and late, helping to clear the land, hunting the cattle, driving the oxen, etc., until he reached the age of sixteen, when his stepfather deeded his farm to his eldest son, obtaining a life-lease for himself and wife. He was thus early thrown upon his own resources. Many were the obstacles which he con- stantly encountered, but " a brave soul is a thing which all things serve ;" so, through great perseverance, with the encouragement of a devoted mother, he was enabled to bear his lot with great bravery. He was passionately fond of reading, and spent his leisure time perusing historical works ; and as agriculture was the calling he had followed and was still inclined to pursue, he was interested in all books pertaining to this subject and a thorough reader of many agricultural periodicals, the Albany Cultivator, from the beginning of his career as a farmer, being always found among his daily readings. He attended a district school at the then small village of Flint, paying his way by working for his board, — during the summer months being employed on the farm. In 18^3 he went to Venice, and for one year was in the employ of Daniel J. Lipe, and was remunerated for his services by forty acres of uncleared land. In the year 1845 he took up his abode with this family, improving his land, sowing three acres of wheat, and in the spring of the following year erected a temporary building, in which he lived by himself until the spring of 1847, when he im- proved this rude structure by remodeling and building an addition to it, giving the house a neat and pretty cot- tage appearance, suggestive of a home with all that name implies. Thereupon he made a bold attack upon Capt. John Davids, one of the first settlers of Corunna, asking for his daughter in marriage. The proposition was ac- cepted, the engagement short, and Miss Catharine Davids became Mrs. Owens and graced the new home. In the year 1851 he purchased the east half of northeast quarter of section 28, one mile from his first home. Here he built a frame residence, and occupied it in May, 1852, where he still resides. In January, 1876, he purchased eighty additional acres, thirty of which were occupied by the Rush Bed swamp, which has been thoroughly drained by a ditch, ten feet wide and four feet deep, running through the centre, besides three hundred rods of under- drains. His farm is also well supplied with springs, and is considered one of the best and most desirable in this part of the State, while his residence and buildings are of the best, beautifully located, with picturesque landscape and surroundings. Unfortunately, Mr. Owens' wife soon after their marriage became an invalid, and remained one until her death, which occurred in June, 1856. On the 13th of May, 1857, he was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Ann Crisman, of Rome, N. Y., by whom he had two children,- — Cynthia, born June 21, 1858, and Crisman A., born Juno t), 18G2. But again the angel of death visited his home, and on the 14th of June, 1862, his beloved companion was taken from him, leaving the two little ones with their father, the eldest being four years and the baby five days old. This blow was a severe one, but persuaded by his friends he remained on his farm, caring for and keeping his little family to- gether; but in the early fall of 1862 he had again to drink from sorrow's cup, little Cynthia leaving him to join her mother, who had gone before. Then, indeed, the sunshine seemed to have gone from his life, but he gloomily struggled along its pathway until the 18th of November, 1864, when he was again married to Miss Mary E. Lindley, of Venice, Mich., though a native of Rochester, N. Y. On the 15th of September, 1875, a daughter was born to them and named Edith. Mr. Owens is not sectarian in his religious views, but a believer in the Christian faith and an active worker in the Sabbath-school, contributing his means and influence to the cause. He donated a beautiful grove of three acres, to be used for picnics and out-door pleasures. In politics he was, until the fall of 1878, a Democrat, since when he has acted with the Nationals. He has never sought office, but held a number of important positions, viz.: school inspector, township superintendent, and justice of the peace. Mr. Owens' grandparents were soldiers in the war of the Revolution, and during the late Rebellion he was known as a War Democrat, contributing liberally to help his town fill her quota and provide for the war-widows. His kind and .sympathetic heart often took him to visit the sick, where he was of great help in caring for their wants, — a very desirable qualification for those pioneer days. CHAPTER LXIV. WOODHULL TOWNSHIP.* Origin of the Township Name — Natural Features — Scttleinent and Incidents — Township Organization and List of Otfioers — Early Schools — Religious Societies. The township of Woodhull was named in honor of the family of Joseph Woodhull, whose members were its first settlers. At the time of its organization, it embraced, in addition to its present territory, that which is now com- prised within the limits of the township of Sciota, that township having been set off from it Feb. 16, 1842. Woodhull presents nearly all the diversity in natural features peculiar to Michigan. There are level tracts and broken and upright ridges, and in contrast, considerable low and swampy land. There are also heavily-timbered tracts surrounding the more open and scantily-wooded por- tions. In the northern part the soil is somewhat heavy, while in the southern part it is light and sandy. Tbe Louking-Glass River flows through the northern part, while Vermilion Creek waters the southern portions. The streams afford good draining facilities for the township, and need * By G. A. McAlpine. WOODHULL TOWNSHIP. 323 only to be taken advantage of in order to make valuable mucb land at present comparatively worthless. SETTLEMENT AND INCIDENTS. On the Ist day of November, 1836, John and Josephus Woodhull (brothers) reached the little log cabin then known as Laing's tavern. It was probably the first build- ing erected in the village of Laiugsburg. It was a mere shanty of logs, without floor other than the ground, with no chimney save a hole in the roof, while stones set up in one corner served as a fireplace. Here having met a pro- fessional " land-looker" by. the name of Johnson, they em- ployed him as guide. They crossed the river on a raft, south of the place now spanned by the bridge, and landed between the " forks," as the locality was known in an early day. After taking the description of certain portions of sections 5 and 9, now in the township of Woodhull, the brothers proceeded with all haste to Detroit. But it seems the man whom they had employed as a guide was one who in those days was called a " land-shark," but in the refined phraseology of more modern days would be termed a man of business capacity and shrewdness. They found they had been preceded by a gentleman who had pur- chased from the guide the minutes of the same land which tlic}' wished to enter. They finally bought him off for twenty dollars, and after waiting two days succeeded in getting the duplicates of their land. John Woodhull entered the northeast quarter of section 9. Josephus Woodhull entered two hundred and forty acres of section 4, comprising the southeast quarter and the east half of the southwest quarter. They then returned to the frontier with two teams well loaded with provisions, and the necessary implements and tools for building a house and commencing life in their new home. On their return they were accompanied by William Hildreth, a young man in the employ of Josephus Woodhull. While these two came into the township and built a cabin John Woodhull returned to Nankin, Wayne Co., for the rest of the family. Josephus Woodhull and William Hildreth therefore built the first house in the township of Woodhull. The work was commenced and the first tree felled on the 2d day of December, 1836. The house was built entirely of logs, except the door, which was made of the lumber of a dry- goods box brought from the State of New York. It was sixteen by twenty feet, with a loft, which was reached by means of a ladder hung by a hinge, in order that it might be raised up to the ceiling out of the way. While the house was building, the weather was exceedingly disagree- able, being stormy and cold, and in addiiiun to a lack of help this also tended to retard its completion. But it was finally finished, and a bright day it was for those who had toiled many days in its construction (sleeping through the long cold nights of the winter under a wagon) when it was ready for occupancy. It stood on the north part of the east half of the southwest quarter of section 4. Between Christmas and New Year John Woodhull re- turned, bringing his parents and sister, his wife and three children. The settlement at this time, therefore, consisted of ten jiersons. Tile winter was long and severe. The snow lay deep, month after month, until near the 1st of April. The feed for the stock was exhausted, and they were compelled then to buy hay for six dollars per ton, which they hauled twenty-three miles. Oats cost one dollar and sixty-three cents per bushel, potatoes one dollar and twenty-five cents per bushel, and pork twenty-five cents per pound. In the spring Josephus Woodhull bought a load of potatoes of Benjamin Cushing, who lived at Brighton. He planted one-half acre, and cultivated them during the summer with the greatest care, but owing to the heavy sward, which had not yet decomposed, he received but fifteen bushels in re- turn. Joseph Woodhull, the father of John and Josephus Woodhull, died during the sickly season of 1840. His wife died in 1859, in the eighty-fifth year of her age. John Woodhull, whose family, as stated, consisted of a wife and three children, died in 1855. His wife went to Wisconsin with a daughter, who married Walter Stone. A son, Zenus S. Woodhull, still lives in the township. Joseph Hildreth, the employee of Josephus Woodhull, removed to Mu.skegon after living a number of years in this county. His wife, who came to the township in 1838, died in the fall of that year. Hers was the first death in Woodhull. She was buried on the farm of Josephus Woodhull. At this place one-half acre of land was after- wards set off as a public cemetery. Josephus Woodhull was a bachelor when he came to Michigan. He married Phoebe Ann Laing, whose parents were among the founders of Laingsburg. In the early spring of 1837, Benjamin Lewitt and Abram Schermerhorn, and their families, came to Wood- hull. Mr. Lewitt purchased all of fractional section 5 ex- cept forty acres, and employed Mr. Schermerhorn to work " for him. To him he sold the east half of the northwest quarter of section 5 soon afterwards. In about three years after coming to the township Mrs. Lewitt died, and was buried on the farm. Mr. Lewitt then moved to Laings- burg. In 1840 his brothers, John, Thomas, and William, with their mother and two sisters, came in and occupied this land. But the old lady soon died, after which Thomas and the two sisters returned to England. Abram Scher- merhorn sold his land to Joseph Woodhull and moved away. Philander T. Maine, a surveyor, came to the township during this year, and was married to Miss Viana Wood- hull. This was the first marriage in the township. She died in a few years, after which Mr. Maine went to Jackson County, where he died. In the fall several families located across the line, in Sciota township, on section 32, Henry Huel and Oliver B. Westcott being among the number. The latter was the first town clerk and also the first school- teacher in Woodhull. In the fall of 1837 (about the 1st of September), Josephus Woodhull sowed the first wheat sown in the township. The seed was purchased of Job Cranston, who lived near Brighton, Livingston Co. In the spring of 1838, Francis F. Mann, John and Samuel Graham, and Perry Parshall, with their families, arrived. Mr. Mann first came to the township in October, 1837, at which time he located the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 10, and purcha.sed the south- oiist quarter of section 9. In the following month of 324 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. December, Mr. Maun having business in Ypsilanti, started with a yoke of oxen and a grist of buckwheat to go to that village. On the way he left his grain at a mill in Ham- burg. Livingston Co., expecting it to be ready for him on his return. In the mean time the mill was blocked with ice, and he started for the mills in Shiawasseetown, where be waited two nights and one day for his grist. He reached home in the evening, having been absent eight days. Jo- sephus Woodhull relates a similar circum.stance, in which he, accompanied by his sister, with two yoke of oxen and a wagon-load of provisions, was nine days in coming from Nankin, Wayne Co., to his home in Woodhull. Mr. and Mrs. Mann are the only couple now living in the township that came in in the spring of 1838. They have never moved from the place of their first settlement farther than from the cabin into the house which they now occupy. Their daughter, Mary 0., was one of the first children born in the township. John Graham, who had been to Wood- hull in the summer of 1837, and cut hay, and later had built a hou.se, returned again when Mr. Mann came, in February, 1838. He located six eighty-acre lots, half of which was for his brother Samuel, to whom he gave the privilege of selecting that part which he preferred. He selected the land lying near the lakes, now known as Gra- ham Lakes, on section 10, while John took the north part of section 15, except the east one-half of the northeast quarter. John Graham died in 1875. His wife had died in 1847. The daughter who came with them married Holden McFarlan ; she died in 1870. Samuel Graham came to New York from Ireland, and after traveling considerably through the United States set- tled in Michigan. He located, as before stated, two hun- dred and forty acres of section 10. He was a carpenter, and built the first framed building in the township for Jo- sephus Woodhull. Mr. Graham served in the war ot the Rebellion. His wife died in 1866, and the next year he moved to Lansing, where he still resides. Perry Parshall settled on section 4 in March of 1838. He died in 1868. His wife had died many years before. His son Harrison, who was about twenty-two years of age when he came to the township, lived on the old homestead till his death. Patrick Corcoran, with his wife and children, — John, Barney, Owen, Bartlett, Henry, Fannie, and Ann, from Ireland, — came to Woodhull in the fall of 1838. He lo- cated a large tract of land on sections 32 and 33. The pa- rents, Bartlett, and Fannie are dead. The homestead is still occupied by the family. William Hammond and Reuben Place also deserve men- tion among the pioneers of Woodhull. The former reached the township about the year 1840. His family consisted of a wife and one child. He settled the west half of the southwest quarter of section 12. He remained smue years, but his wife having died, he sold his property and went to the northwest part of Michigan. Reuben Place had con- siderable skill in wood-work. He supplied the early set- tlers with chairs, more remarkable for their solidity than beauty. He subsequently removed to Bennington. E. Tooker settled on the west half of the southeast quarter of section 29, and S. Moon located on section 21. A large portion of land was held by speculators for a number of years, which retarded the settlement of the township considerably. The most of this came into market at a later day, and now there is comparatively little non- resident land. Among those who owned considerable tracts are the names of Bliss and Godfrey. The most serious inconvenience known to the early set- tlers was the distance they were compelled to travel for their groceries tind provisions. A market for produce, after the home demand had been supplied, was almost out of the question. If trading to any amount was to be done, a trip was made, with cattle, to Ann Arbor or Detroit, usually occupying from ten to fifteen days, according to the condi- tion of the roads. Of their condition at this late day no adequate idea can be given. They were at times almost impa.ssable, and frequently the wagon, and sometimes even the oxen, would have to be raised from the mud or sink- holes, which were not uncommon, especially in the spring of" the year. A serious want was a blacksmith-shop. The iron implements so necessary in clearing and subduing a new country were constantly broken and otherwise rendered unfit for use. The hook of a chain or the point of a plow would alike have to be carried eight or ten miles, a half- day spent, or a long tramp made thi'ough the woods late at night, in order to secure the necessary repairs. But in the spring of 1839, Josephus Woodhull purchased a good bel- lows and kit of tools, and opened a blacksmith-shop in a little log cabin on his farm. From this time until other shops were established in the villages near Woodhull, this shop did good service to the settlers. Several Indian trails crossed the township ; the one mostly used by the Indians led east and west through Antrim, Perry, and Woodhull townships to Laingsburg. The first road established in the town passed between sections 9 and 16 and 10 and 15. Another was then established leading also to Laingsburg. The next one led south through the western part of the township. These roads were established in the summer of 1838. In the latter part of July, 1840, the "sickly season" (as the period was known for many years) commenced, and by the middle of August a majority of the people in the settle- ment were sick with bilious fever. Ralph Williams, who lived in what is now Sciota township, was the only man in the entire settlement who was able to go from house to house and attend the sick. He was an excellent man in this regard, and did all in his power to alleviate the suffer- ings of those around him. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND LIST OF OFFICERS. Woodhull was set oft from the old township of Shia- wassee, and erected a separate township, by act of the Legislature approved April 2, 1 838. By this act it was provided and declared that townships 5 and 6 north of range 1 east be organized as a separate township named Woodhull, and that the first township-meeting should be held at the house of Peter Laing. In accordance with the terms of this act the first town-meeting was held at WOODHULL TOWNSHIP. 325 the place designated, April 30, 1838. Henry Leach was chosen moderator; Oliver B. Westcott, clerk; Benjamin Hewitt, assistant clerk ; Josephus and John WoodhuU, Walter Laing, and John Graham, inspectors of election. The entire vote cast numbered twenty-two. The names of the voters were as follows : Henry Buell. Joseph Woodhull. Josephus Woodhull. John Woodhull. Joseph Hildreth. John Hill, Jr. John Brindle. William P. Laing. Abraham Schermerhorn. John Graham. Benjamin Lewitt. Cornelius Putnam. Perry Parshall. Lewis Shippee. Harris Parshall. Alvin S. McDowell. Samuel Graham. Henry Leach. Francis F. Mann. Samuel Millard. Oliver B. Westcott. Walter Laimr. The township officers elected at this and subsequent annual meetings until the present time have been as named in the following list, viz. : 1838.— Supervisor, John Woodhull; Clerk, Oliver B. Westcott ; Assessors, William P. Laing, Cor- nelius Putnam; Collector, Walter Laing; School Inspectors, Oliver B. Westcott, Benjamin Le- witt, John Graham ; Directors of the Poor, Milton Phelps, Alvin S. McDowell ; Highway Commissioners, William P. Laing, Henry Buell, Henry Leach ; Justices, Jo.sephus Woodhull, Peter Laing, Henry Leach, John Graham ; Con- stables, Walter Laing, Gideon M. Cross. 1839.— Supervisor, John Woodhull; Clerk, Oliver B. Westcott ; Assessors, Francis F. Mann, Philan- der T. Maine, Walter Laing; Highway Com- missioners, Mason Phelps, Samuel Graham, Josephus Woodhull ; School Inspectors, Oliver B. Westcott, Josephus Woodhull, Philander T. Maine; Constables, W. P. Laing, Gideon M. Cross; Collector, W. P. Laing; Justice, Jo- sephus Woodhull ; Treasurer, John Woodhull ; Poonuasters, Samuel Graham, John Graham. 1840.— Supervisor, John Woodhull; Clerk, Oliver B. Westcott; Treasurer, John Woodhull; As- sessors, F. F. Mann, Philander T. Maine, Cor- nelius Putnam ; School Inspectors, Oliver B. Westcott, Josephus Woodhull, P. T. Maine; Directora of the Poor, Oliver B. Westcott, Peter Laing; Highway Commissioners, Josephus Woodhull, M. Phelps, Allen Smith ; Justice, Allen Smith; Collector, W. P. Laing; Con- stables, W. P. Laing, R. Williams. 1841.— Supervisor, E. P. Tooker ; Clerk, P. T. Maine; Treasurer, S. B. Fuller; Justice, John Graham ; Assessors, Franklin Childs, Cornelius Putnam, Francis F. Mann ; Highway Commissioners, Mason Phelps, Henry Leach, Henry Buell ; School Inspectors, Charles Place, Franklin Childs, P. T. Maine; Directors of the Poor, Peter Laing, G. M. Cross; Constables, W. P. Laing, Owen Corcoran, F. F. Mann, Smith Tooker ; Collector, W. P. Laing. 1842. — Supervisor, John Woodhull ; Clerk, Oiven Cor- coran ; Treasurer, Josephus Woodhull ; Justices, Joseph Hildreth, John Corcoran ; Assessors, Joseph Hildreth, Kdward Bragg; Highway Commissioners, Josephus Woodhull, Owen Cor- coran, Smith Tooker ; School Inspectors, Jo- sephus Woodhull Owen Corcoran, Philander T. Maine; Constables, Smith Tooker, F. F. Mann. 1843. — Supervisor, P. T. Maine; Clerk, Owen Corcoran; Treasurer, Eliphalet Tooker; Justice, Josephus Woodhull ; Highway Commissioners, John Woodhull, Barney Corcoran, F. F. Mann ; School Inspectors, P. T. Maine, Edward Bray; Assessors, William Hammond, John Corcoran ; Constables, Smith Tooker, Stephen Finch. 1844. — Supervisor, E. S. Tooker; Clerk, Owen Corcoran; Treasurer, G. W. Hosslor ; Justices, John Cor- coran, William Hammond; Highway Commis- sioners, Nathan Hawley, F. F. Mann, G. W. Hossler; School Inspectors, G. N. Stoddard, pjdward Bray ; Constable, Stephen Finch. 1845.— Supervisor, S. B. Warner; Clerk, P. T. Maine; Treasurer, Josephus Woodhull ; Highway Com- missioners, James Warfle, N. Stoddard, John Graham ; Constables, Stephen Finch, 0. G. Tooker, A. M. Chadwick, E. Howell ; School Inspector, Josephus Woodhull. 184G.— Supervisor, S. B. Warner; Clerk, P. T. Maine; Treasurer, Josephus Woodhull ; Highway Com- missioners, Nathan Hawley, John Graham, R. Place ; School Inspector, Sylvanus Bachelor ; Justice, G. N. Stoddard ; Constables, Peter Shaft, A. M. Chadwick, James P]. Bunnel. 1847. — Supervisor, E. F. Tooker; Clerk, Owen Corcoran ; Treasurer, Josephus Woodhull ; Justice, John Tiiompson ; Highway Commissioners, W. G. Kent, John Graham, Joshua Marsh ; School Inspector, Henry Frederick; Constables, J. V. Shaft, Henry Frederick, Daniel S. Sparks, 0. G. Tooker. 1848. — Supervisor, John Thompson ; Clerk, Owen Cor- coran ; Treasurer, John Woodhull ; Justices, John Corcoran, Nicholas Flanagan; Highway Commissioner, William G. Kent; School In- spectors, Zetus Woodhull, Francis F. Mann ; Constables, Charles Marsh, Zetus Woodhull, G. H. Corcoran, S. C. Goodhue. 1849. — Supervisor, John Thompson ; Clerk, Owen Cor- coran ; Treasurer, David Tooker; Highway Commissioner, Andrew Van Riper ; School In- spector, W. G. Kent ; Constables, Jacob V. Shaft, Daniel D. Searles, Richard Warfer, F. F. Mann. 1850. — Supervisor, John Thompson ; Clerk, Owen Cor- coran ; Treasurer, David G. Tower ; Justices, David G. Tower, Josephus Woodhull; High- way Commis-sioner, John Woodhull ; School 326 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Inspector, F. F. Mann ; Constables, J. V. Shaft, Hugh Oaks, James S. Harper, George H. Cor- coran. 1851. — Supervisor, Josephus Woodhull ; Clerk, Owen Cor- coran ; Treasurer, W. G. Kent ; Justice, John Thompson ; Commissioner of Highways, Isaac Thompson ; School Inspector, Zetus S. Wood- hull ; Constables, Hugh Oaks, R. Shaw. 1852. — Supervisor, Josephus Woodhull ; Clerk, Owen Cor- coran ; Treasurer, W. G. Kent ; Justices, Lewis T. Bennett, John Corcoran ; Highway Commis- sioner, Andrew Van Riper; School Inspector, Lewis T. Bennett; Constables, John W. Van Wormer, Roswell Shaw, B. E. Crandel, Alex- ander Place. 1853. — Supervisor, John Thompson; Clerk, John G. Marsh ; Treasurer, W. G. Kent ; Justice, Isaac E. Everts ; Highway Commissioner, Christopher Mowers ; School Inspector, Jonathan Burke ; Constables, Bartley Siegle, John W. Van Wormer, Benjamin J. Crandal, James S. Harper. 1854. — Supervisor, Josephus Woodhull ; Clerk, Joshua G. Marsh ; Treasurer, Andrew Van Riper; Ju.s- tice, Ira Burlinganie ; Highway Commissioner, Hugh Oaks ; School Inspectors, Truman Willits, Lewis Bennett ; Constables, P. Chalker, Charles Gould, William Chaucarty, Solomon Burlingame. 1855. — Supervisor, John Thompson ; Clerk, J. G. Marsh ; Treasurer, Andrew Van Riper ; Justice, Thomas Stevens ; Highway Commissioner, John W. Van Wormer ; School Inspector, James H. Burlin- game ; Constables, Bartley Siegle, Jacob V. Shaft, Henry Stevens, James H. Burlingame. 1856. — Supervisor, John Thompson ; Clerk, J. G. Marsh ; Treasurer, Andrew Van Riper; Justices, John Thompson, John Corcoran ; Highway Commis- sioner, Solomon Burlingame ; School Inspector, Francis F. Mann ; Constables, Henry Stevens, Charles Gould, James Burlingame, Philip Chalker. 1857. — Supervisor, John Thompson; Clerk, E. F. Kay; Treasurer, F. P. Mann ; Justice, James Graham ; Highway Commissioner, Philo C. Leavenworth ; School Inspector, Sidney H. Munger; Constables, George Colby, Charles Rohrabacher, Moses P. Marsh, Isaac E. Everts. 1858. — Supervisor, John Thompson; Clerk, E. F. Kay; Treasurer, F. F. Mann ; Justice, William Hurd ; Highway Commissioner, G. M. Colby ; School Inspector, H. H. Ilawley ; Constables, Philip Chalker, Russell Dyer, Henry Stevens, James Harper. 1859.— Supervisor, J. G. Marsh; Clerk, E. F. H. Kay; Treasurer, F. F. Mann ; Justice, Thomas Ste- vens ; School Inspectors, Owen Corcoran, S. H. Munger ; Highway Commissioners, Hugh Oaks, Henry Stevens; Constables, James Harper, Henry Stevens, George M. Colby, Charles Rohra- bacher. 1860. — Supervisor, J. G. Marsh ; Clerk, John Thompson ; Treasurer, F. F. Mann ; Justice, John Thomp- son ; Highway Commissioner, Andrew Rohra- bacher; School Inspector, Sidney H. Munger; Constables, Henry Stevens, George M. Colby, Ira Burlingame, Charles Marsh. 1861. — Supervisor, J. G. Marsh; Clerk, Owen Corcoran; Treasurer, F. F. Mann ; Justice, Sidney H. Mun- ger ; Highway Commissioner, William Colby ; School Inspector, Lewis Bennett ; Constables, Patrick McDowell, Isaac RohrabacTier, Israel Parshall. 1862. — Supervisor, J. G. Marsh; Clerk, Owen Corcoran; Treasurer, W. G. Kent ; Justices, Hugh Oaks, Henry Stevens, John J. Ginteling ; Highway Commissioner, John W. Van Wormer ; School Inspector, S. H. Manzer ; Constables, G. M. Colby, Patrick McDowell. Jerome Wright, Isaac Rohrabacher. 1863. — Supervisor, J. G. Marsh; Clerk, S. H. Manzer ; Treasurer, William Kent ; Justices, John Cor- coran, William H. Force; School Inspector, J. V. D. Wyckoff; Highway Commissioner, Pat- rick McKeon ; Constables, George M. Colby, Patrick McDowell, John S. Green, Abraham H. Everts. 1864. — Supervisor, J. G. Marsh ; Clerk, S. H. Manzer ; Treasurer, William G. Kent ; Justice, D. J. Tower ; Highway Commissioners, John S. Green, Andrew Rohrabacher ; School Inspector, Joshua G. Marsh ; Constables, G. M. Colby, Jerome Wright, George Smith, John Siegle. 1865.^Supervisor, S. H. Manzer ; Clerk, Owen Corcoran ; Treasurer, William G. Kent; Justices, Henry Stevens, Lawson W. Beardslee ; Highway Com- missioner, Bernard Bray ; School Inspector, S. H. Manzer ; Constables, J. M. Shaft, George M. Colby, George Acker, Isaac E. Everts. 1866. — -Supervisor, Josephus Woodhull; Clerk, Zetus S. Woodhull ; Treasurer, W. G. Kent ; Justices, Josephus Woodhull, James S. Harper ; School Inspector, Joshua G. Ward ; Highway Commis- sioner, Bartley Siegle; Constables, S. S. Green, John M. Shaft, John Siegle, James Bray. 1867. — Supervisor, Joshua G. Marsh ; Clerk, Zetus S. Woodhull ; Treasurer, James S. Harper ; Jus- tices, John Corcoran, George M. Colby, Charles Walker; Highway Commissioner, William Col- by; School Inspector, Arthur H. Bigg; Consta- bles, John M. Shaft, Ovid Whipple, Isaac Rohra- bacher, William Bailey. 1868. — Supervisor, Joshua G. Marsh ; Clerk, Arthur H. Bigg ; Treasurer, Francis F. Mann ; Justices, Hugh Oaks, Charles Arnold ; Highway Commis- sioners, James M. Clement, Bernard Bray; School Inspector, James S. Harper; Constables, John M. Shaft, David Whipple, Oliver P. Everts, Alford S. Wright. 1869. — Supervisor, Joshua G. Marsh; Clerk, Smith F. Warner; Treasurer, John M. Shaft; Justices, David Tower, Henry Stevens ; Highway Com- WOODHULL TOWNSHIP. 327 missioner, S. S. Green ; School Inspector, Henry TallmLidge; Constables, B. D. Corcoran, Oliver P. Everts, Alfred L. Wright, Andrew J. Harper. 1870.— Supervisor, J. G. Marsh ; Clerk, Smitii F. War- ner ; Treasurer, John M. Shaft ; Justices, Henry Stevens, Samuel Pope; Highway Commissioner, A. Simpkins ; School Inspector, James S. Har- per; Constables, Oliver P. Everts, Alphonso Harkness, George Acker, Charles S. Place. 1871. — Supervisor, Joshua G. Marsh; Clerk, Smith F. Warner; Treasurer, Isaac Rohrabacher; Justice, John Corcoran; Highway Commissioner, John L. Tyler ; School Inspector, Henry Tallmadge ; Constables, John H. Corcoran, Sidney Simpson, Alphonso Harkness, John H. Parshall. 1872.— Supervisor, Joshua G. Marsh; Clerk, Smith F. Warner; Treasurer, Isaac Rohrabacher; Justice, Hugh Oaks; Highway Commissioner, Sidney S. Green ; Drain Commissioner, Owen Corcoran ; School Inspectors, James S. Harper, Michael Flanagan ; Constables, Oliver P. Everts, Andrew J. Harper, Bartley Siegle, Israel E. Saddler. 1873. — Supervisor, Joshua G. Marsh; Clerk, Richard F. Kay ; Treasurer, Isaac Rohrabacher ; Justice, George W. Clements; Highway Commissioners, Sarsfield Corcoran, Almond N. Stevens ; Drain Commissioner, Owen Corcoran ; School Inspec- tor, James S. Harper ; Constables, Oliver P. Everts, Alfred L. Wright, William H. Robison, Bartley Siegle. 1874. — Supervisor, Joshua G. Marsh; Clerk, Richard F. Kay; Treasurer, John M. Shaft; Justice, Henry Stevens ; Highway Commissioner, Zetus S. Wood- hull ; School Inspector, John Tyler ; Drain Com- nii.ssioner, Chauncey Rohrabacher; Constables, William Robinson, Parley Laing, Smith F. War- ner, Rodolphus E. Tower. 1875. — Supervisor, Joshua G. Marsh ; Clerk, Smith F. Warner; Treasurer, John M. Shaft; Justice, John Corcoran; Highway Commissioner, Michael Flanagan ; School Superintendent, Charles M. Smith; School Inspector, James S. Harper; Drain Commissioner, Chauncey Rohrabacher; Constables, Oliver P. Everts, Paisley Laing, R. E. Ilower, Bartley Siegle. 1876. — Supervisor, Joshua G. Marsh; Clerk, Charles M. Smith ; Treasurer, John M.Shaft; Justice, Hugh Oaks; Highway Commissioner, Michael Flana- gan ; School Superintendent, Richard F. Kay ; School In.>ipcctor, James S. Harper; Drain Com- missioner, Isaac Rohrabacher ; Constables, Oliver P. Everts, Bartley Siegle, John L. Tyler, .Johij Dunn. 1877. — Supervisor, Joshua G. Marsh ; Clerk, Smith F. Warner; Treasurer, Daniel R. Tuthill ; Justice, James S. Harper; Commissioner of Highways, Edward Crawford ; School Superintendent, Dan- iel 0. Beardslee; School Inspector, Hugh Oaks; Constables, J. D. Southwell, Bartley Siegle, F. M. Powell, J. F. Hunt. 1878. — Supervisor, Smith F. Warner; Clerk, Joseph V. D. Wyckoff; Treasurer, John Aikens ; Justices, Henry Stevens, G. W^. Chrouch ; School Super- intendent, Daniel 0. Beardslee ; School Inspec- tor, James S. Harper ; Highway Commissioner, William G. Kent ; Drain Commissioner, Joshua G. Marsh ; Constables, F. M. Powell, J. D. Southwell, Bartley Siegle, D. Mansh. 1879. — Supervisor, S. F. Warner; Clerk, Joseph V. D. WyckofF; Treasurer, Joshua G. Marsh ; Jus- tice, John Corcoran ; Highway Commissioner, William G. Kent ; School Superintendent, George W. Chrouch ; School Inspector, James S. Harper ; Drain Commissioner, Joshua G. Marsh ; Constables, Francis M. Powell, Mark Marlatt, Newton Shaft, Jediah Southwell. 1880.— Supervisor, Smith F.Warner; Clerk, Joseph V. D. Wyckoif ; Treasurer, Joshua G. Marks ; Jus- tice, Hugh Oakes ; Highway Commissioner, Wil- liam Kent ; School Superintendent, George W. Chrouch ; Drain Commissioner, George W. Colby ; School Inspector, James 8. Harper ; Constables, Alfred F. Tyler, Alphonso Harkness, Oliver P. Everts, Horace R. Stevens. EARLY SCHOOLS. On Nov. 14, 1837, the school commissioners of Shia- wassee township (which at that time embraced the territory comprised in Shiawassee, Antrim, Bennington, Perry, Wood- hull, and Sciota) met at the Shiawassee Exchange, and divided the township into school districts. Woodhull was divided as follows : District No. 1 iijcluded sections 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. District No. 2.— Sections 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36. District No. 3.— Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18. Di-strict No. 4.— Sections 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33. In the fall of 1838 the inhabitants of Woodhull and the neighboring towns of Bath and Victor in Clinton County met at the house of Josephus Woodhull for the transaction of .school bijsiness. Of this meeting Mr. Woodhull was chosen moderator, and the usual school officers were elected. It was then decided to have a bee and build a school-house. Nearly all the settlers in the vicinity accordingly assembled at a specified place a few days afterwards, and, working with alacrity, soon completed a log school-house. This building stood near the county-line, on section 5. It was the first school house built in Woodhull township, and in it was taught the first school by Oliver B. Westcott. He received ten dollars per month and boarded himself. The attendance was from ten to sixteen, and among the number were children from territory now comprised in four town- ships. As no money had thus far been collected by taxation for school purposes it was necessary to raise this amount by subscription, or by assessing the parents of those who at- tended .school a certain per cent. The money was accord- ingly raised in this way. 328 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. The next school district was formed in 1842, in the locality containing; the northern Methodist Episcopal church. The inhabitants met at the house of John Gra- ham and elected the necessary district officers, but the minutes of the meeting are not to be found. A site wa.s selected, being the one now occupied by the school-house in district No. 2. A framed school-house was then built, being the first in the town.ship, in which Martha Spicer taught the first school. Elizabeth Woodhull and Mary Jane Hill taught in the same district soon after. RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. The early settlers of Woodhull would compare favorably in character and education with those of any other town- ship in the county. They had scarcely placed themselves in a position to provide for the bare wants of life when they began to agitate measures for the chtablishment of schools and churches. All the principal denominations of the Protestant Church have been organized and encouraged from time to time. Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Congregational societies have been established. But the changes and vicissitudes of more than forty years have worked the dissolution of nearly all the societies formed in an early day. In the church, as in the school-room, the field, and the household, the men and women who, in the strength and vigor of youth, put their shoulders to the wheel have surrendered the task, unfinished, to another generation. In the year 1839 a Methodist class was formed in the log school-house on section 5. A Mr. Finch, of Bath, was the first class-leader. This cla.ss sub.se(iuently disbanded, and others of the same denomination have since been formed. The class now in existence in the northern part of Woodhull was formed in September, 1855, in the Antrim Circuit, and at that time was known as West Perry charge. James S. Harper was chosen class-leader. The meeting- house of the society was erected in 1879, at a cost of one thousand and fifty dollars. The ground for the cemetery at this church was donated to the township by F. F. Mann and Samuel Graham. It contains one and one-half acres. In the same year that the Methodist class was formed Elder B. B. Brighatu organized a Baptist Church. The place of holding its meetings was afterwards changed to Laingsburg. In the month of May, 1879, a meeting was called at Shaftsburg, for the purpose of taking action in regard to building a church. The following persons were appointed a building committee : James Harper, J. V. D Wyckoff, Sr., Joshua G. Marsh, and Rev. James Whitford, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as chairman. With the un- derstanding that the various societies should be allowed to worship in the new house, the members of all denomina- tions subscribed liberally, and about two thousand two hun- dred dollars was pledged fiir that purpose. The building was erected during the summer of that year. It is now, however, under the exclusive control of the Methodist Episcopal Church. SHAFTSBURG. This station on the Grand Trunk Railroad contains four stores, a hotel, a post-office, two blacksmith-shops, a saw- mill, a flouring-mill, and a meeting-house. The village is platted on the land of John P. Shaft, from whom it is named. The post-office at this place was established in 1878, and Newton Bacon, who had opened the first dry- goods store, was appointed postmaster. The flouring-mill, the first and only one built in the township, was erected by Jacob Stabler in 1877. It has two run of stones. Just previous to its completion. Stabler & Harlow built the saw-mill. The hotel was built by John P. Shaft. i.-ilr Rbs,d,.nce of ANDREW J VAN fi/PBR. Woodhull. Shiawassee. Co Mich. WOODIIULL TOWNSHIP. 329 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. ANDREW J. VAN RIPER. MRS. ANDREW J. VAN RIPER. ANDREW J. VAN IlIPKll. Tills venerable pioneer was born in Patcrson, N. J., Jan. 9, 1806. His father, Jeremiah Van Riper, was born in Lodi, P]»sex Co., N. J. He married Miss Elizabeth TJlarcom, and reared a family of seven children. The elder Van Riper was a thrifly, industrious, and successful farmer, a man of undoubted integrity, and one of Michigan's ear- liest settlers, and universally beloved for his kindness of heart. He had a large circle of friends, and was perhaps without an enemy. Andrew lived with his father until he was fifteen years of age, when he went to the city of New York and apprenticed himself to the trade of a shoemaker. He remained in New York two years, at the expiration of which time he returned to Patcrson and commenced business for himself In 1824 he removed to Seneca Co., N. Y., whither his father had removed the year previous. Here he followed his trade, and in 1827 was married to Miss Catheritie Dubois. In May, 1831, he started for Michigan with his family, which consisted of his wife and two chil- dren. He settled in the town of Lodi, Washtenaw Co., where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land from the government, receiving his deed from Martin Van Bureii. In ISiM his father followed him, and purchased a farm mar the home of his son, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1858. In IS-JS, Mr. Van Riper removed to the town of Woodhull, where he had j)reviously 42 purchased four hundred and eighty acres of government land. Here he has since resided, and during the thirty- two years that he has been a resident of Woodhull no man has been more clo.sely identified with its development than he. Energy, indu.stry, and economy are the salient points in the charaeter of Mr. Van Riper. He has perfected a valuable record as a citizen, and no one stand.s higher in the estimation of the people of Woodhull than he. His word, whether given in a business transaction or in ordinary con- versation, is considered to be as good as his bond. He has been highly successful in business, and lias accumulated a fine competency, and at the same time has been a generous giver, a friend to the poor and distressed, and a liberal sup- porter of all public and charitable enterprises. In his relig- ious belief he is a Presbyterian. He was one of the founders of the Presbyterian Church of Lodi, and identified himself largely with the building of the Methodist church of Shafts- burg. Socially he is genial and courteous ; he loves a good joke, and his irank, open countenance is indicative of good- nature and generosity. In his domestic relations he is a kind father and a valued friend. He has settled his ehildreu around him, to each of whom he has given good homes. He is now in his seventy-fifth year, and still retains much of his former vigor and energy. He has made a name and reputation that will live as long as the history of Woodhull. 330 HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. FHANCla F. JIANN. MRS. FRANCIS F. MANN. FRANCIS F. MANN. The family traditions of Francis F. Mann reach back to a time before the French and Indian wnr, when two broth- ers, named respectively William and Samuel Mann, came to America. They went back to England, their native land, in a few years, but soon returned to America. Which of these was the ancestor of the subject of this sketcii it is impossible to say. His grandfather, Jacob Mann, who was born in 1744, and lived in Wenham, Mass., married Miss Susan Richardson. While a young man, being afflicted with the rheumatism, he left the farm where he had lived and went to Harvard College, from which he graduated. He was then admitted to the Congregational Church as minister, and was the first located pastor of tliat denomination in the town of Alstead, N. H. In this place Jacob Mann, Jr., the father of Fran- cis F. Mann, was born in August, 1782. His wife, Miss Plioebe Fisher, was born Sept. 2, 1787. Francis F. Mann was born in the town of Alstead, N. H., Dec. 12, 1808. When he was about three years old his father died, and his mother subsequently married again. He remained at home until he was fourteen, and then went to live with his uncle, Samuel Mann. He subsequently left Alstead and went to Walpole, where he met Laura Robin.son, to whom he was married June 29, 18:?6. The ancestors of Mrs. Mann are traced back to the time when the Pilgrims left England and went to Leyden. She is the descendant of John Robin.son, formerly a preacher in the Established Church near Yarmouth, Norfolk, Eng- land, and whose sons came to Plymouth in the " May- flower." John llobin.son, the great-grandfather of Mrs. Mann, lived in Connecticut, where Isaiah Robinson, her grandfather, a deacon in the First Baptist Church of Ches- ter, Vt., was born. In 1750 he married Sarah Robins, the daughter of Colonel Robins, who served in the French and Indian war. They lived in Killingly, where, while he was in the Continental Army, her father, Daniel Robinson, was born, Oct. 29, 1776. At the age of sixteen her father moved to Springfield, Windsor Co., where he married Nancy McEiroy, Oct. 30, 1798. At this place Laura, the fourth daughter, was born June 9, 1809. She subsequently resided with her uncle's family, at Walpole, N. H., where she met F. F. Mann and was married to him, as already stated: They came to Washtenaw Co., Mich., in October, 1837. Their settlement in Michigan is more fully spoken of in the history of Woodhull township. The following is the record of their children: Mary Omenda, born April 24, 1839; Helen L., born Dec. 20, 1841; Harriet L., born Sept. 25, 1851. Adopted children: Amasa F. Chadwick, born Sept. 17, 1846; James 0. McClintock, born Oct. 28, 1850 ; Albert J. Wilcox, born July 14, 1865. Amasa F. Chadwick died in the hospital at Chattanooga, Tenn., June 12, 1864, and was buried in the Soldiers' National Ceme- tery at that place. Mr. and Mrs. Mann are kind and hospitable, respected by all who know them, and eminently deserving the brief mention given them in this sketch. They are not members of any church in the township, Mrs. Mann having never severed her connection with the society to which .she be- longed in the East. They both encourage and favor all societies of Christians tlie lives of whose members comply witli their profe.ssions. JOHN P. SHAFT. The Shaft family are of German and Frencli ex- traction. Tlie maternal grandfatiier of the subject of this sketch was an officer under Napoleon. Nothing is now known regarding his history or the date of his emigration to America. The jiaternal grand- father emigrated from Germany previous to the Revo- lution, and upon the breaking out of the war' enlisted and served during its continuance. Soon after peace was declared he settled in Rensselaer Co., N. Y., where Peter Shaft, father of John P., was born. From Rensselaer County a portion of the family re- moved to Saratoga County, wiiere the father of our subject purchased a farm, and where Joiin P. was born Sept. 16, 1805. His parents, Peter and Eliza- beth (Loop) Shaft, reared a fanrily of seven eiiildren, and when John was a babe removed to Madison Co., N. Y., where they resided until 1838, wlien tlicy emigrated to Perry, Shiawassee Co., Micli. John remained with his father until he was twenty- one years of age. He received a good com mon-sciiool education, and shortly after lie attained iiis majority npiircniiicd himself to the trade of a shoemaker, wliieh lie followed until he came to Micliisran, in 1839. He brought with him a stock of boots, shoes, and Icatlier, and settled in the town of Perry, wliere he purchased two hundred and eighty acres of land on sections 19, 20, and 29. About 1846 he removed to Woodhull and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land where he now resides. To this purchase he made repeated additions, until he owned at one time two thousand three hundred and eighty acres. He now owns one thousand and eighty acres, most of which is in the town of Woodhull. Mr. Shaft has identified himself largely with the interests of Woodimll. He laid out the thriving village which bears in's name, and was prominent in the location and construction of the railroad which passes through it. He is a liberal supporter of edu- cational and religious enterprises, anti has done ids part to advance the best interests of tiie town. He has been married five times, first to Ciiristiana Olsavcr in 1829; slie was a fine type of the pioneer woman, and was highly esteemed. His present wife, net Jidia E. Parks, is a lady of much culture and refinement. Mr. Shaft is now in his seventy-fifth year, and is still hale and hearty. His name is prominent in tlie history of Woodhull, and he will alwavs be remembered as a valuable citizen. CLINTON COUNTY. CHAPTER XLV. BOUND ARIES-TOPOGHAPHy-MINERAL RE- SOUBCES. Location and Natural Features — The Coal-Measures — Salt Springs — Results of Explorations for Coal and Salt. Clinton County lies directly west of Shiawassee, the principal meridian of the State forniinc; the boundary- line between them. On the north Clinton is bounded by Gratiot County, on the west by Ionia, and on the sotith by the counties of Ingham and Eaton. The Grand River, flowini; northwestwardly from the latter county, enter.s Clin- ton, and, traversing the extreme southwestern corner of its territory for a few miles, passes across its west boundary into Ionia. The other principal streams are the Maple and Looking-Glass Rivers, both of which enter the county across its eastern border, fiom Shiawassee. The former, crossing the northeast corner of Clinton in a general course towards the northwest, passes out into Gratiot County, through the southern part of which it meanders for some twenty miles, and then returns to Clinton across its north boundary (about three miles west of the centre), and flows in a general southwesterly course through the northwest corner of this county into Ionia. The Looking-Glass River, coming into the county across the east line, at a point about seven and a half miles north of its southeast corner, flows in a general course a little south of west across Clinton into Ionia Coun:y, passing out of the former about six miles north of its southwest corner. The Looking-Glass receives tributaries of consider- able size within this county, as does also the INLiple. The projected improvements on both these streams for purposes of navigation in early years have already been mentioned in preceding pages. The surface of Clinton County is properly described as undulating, for the swells of ground are not sufiieicntly lufty or abrupt to be termed hills, and there are in the county but very few places where entirely level upland tracts of much extent are found, though in the original field-notes of the government surveys a great number of places are mentioned where the surveyors, in traversing this county, passed through " prairies," and " prairie lands." They also note the existence of " floating prairie" in some localities, and continually luontion " marsh," " cranberry marsh," and " tamarack swamp." The aggregate of all these, however, forms but a very small part of the area of the county. The kinds of timber noted in the surveys of this county are oak (white, red, yellow, black, and burr), ehii, beech, maple (hard and soft), white and black ash, aspen, tama- rack, linn, birch, cedar, black-walnut, iron-wood, cotton- wood, hickory, cherry, and spruce, with a very general undergrowth of prickly ash and willow. The greater part of the county was embraced in the heavily-timbered lands and timbered openings, the open lands or " prairies" being generally of small extent. The lands from which lieavy timber has been cleared are generally strongest and best, but a really poor soil is scarcely known in any part of the county. In geological formation and development, Clinton County presents but little that is of much interest. Explorations have been made here in past years for salt springs, and also for veins of coal, the search for the latter being encouraged by the fact that the entire country is known to be under- laid by the " coal-measures" of the lower peninsula, the location and limits of which are described by Professor C. Rominger, the State geologist, as follows: " The approximate limits of the coal-measures on the peninsula are within a line drawn from Sebawing, on Sag- inaw Bay, towards Holly, in the south part of Genesee County,* and from there, prolongated in a southwesterly curve, to Jackson. From Jackson the line goes west, pass- ing a few miles north of Albion ; it then strikes northwest, passing some distance east of Bellevue to Hastings, whence, northward, the extent of the formation is only guessed at. The western edge of the coal-measures is supposed to inter- sect the Detroit and Milwaukee R lilroad line near Lowell, thence to go nortli, touching Big Rapids, and from there to run in a northeastern curve diagonally through Osceola County and the northwest corner of Clare County. The line does not seem to transgress the second correction line ; it goes parallel with it along the northern end of Gladwin County, from which point the formation is again known through actual outcrops. It enters the northwest corner of Bay County, and extends in a southeast direction towards the mouth of Rifle River, striking the shore of Saginaw Bay. Tiie rim of the formation is a few miles north of Rifle River." It will be seen that this description places the county of Clinton entirely within and not far from the centre of the great coal-basin. In his report of 187(), on the geological survey of the State, Prof. Rominger makes mention of the outcrop of the coal formation and other geological developments at Grand Ledge, and along the Grand River below that place. As the point first mentioned is within a short distance of the south boundary of Clinton, and as his description follows the river in its course of several miles through this county, it is ^ The professor here makes a mistake in locating Holly, vhioh is in the northwest corner of O.ikhir.d County. 331 332 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. thought appropriate in this connection to extract that por- tion of his report which has reference to this region. He says, " The most instructive natural section through the coal formations which we have in this State is seen at Grand Ledge in the valley of Grand River, ten miles below Lan- sing. The river has carved its bed there to a depth of about sixty feet below the general surface level of the country. The'upper part of the hills bordering the valley is formed of drift ; the lower presents a section through the rock-beds of the coal-measures. The village of Grand Ledge is located nearly in the centre of the outcrops, which continue up and down the river for about a mile. The strata rise and sink in undulations, which bring the higher and lower beds to repeated outcrops on the same level. The order of stratification, often visible in sections of large horizontal extent, gives a fair opportunity for observing the changes to which a stratum in its horizontal extension is often subject with regard to thickness and quality of mate- rial. The observed variability explains why, in the numer- ous sections seen within the limited .space of a few miles, no one exactly corresponds with the other, although many of them represent about the same horizon. " The upper part of the formation is a coarse-grained sand-rock from twenty-five to thirty feet in thickness. In the locality where I saw it best exposed the rock occupies one of the depressed curves of an undulation such as has been alluded to, and at both ends of the exposure lower rock strata come up alongside the upper beds on the same level. The sand-rock ledges form a compact body with only insignificant intermediate seams of shale, or with an occa- sional coal-seam of a few inches thickness wedged in. Calamites and other vegetable imprints, besides concretions of kidney-ore and of iron pyrites and conglomerated seams, are usually found inclosed within the rock mass. In grain and hardness it fully resembles the upper sandstones of Jackson ; its color, however, is a somewhat darker, yellow- ish shade. Locally, the rock becomes very hard, and has a dark chocolate-brown color from containing an abundance of ferruginous cement ; a part of this brown rock is coarsely conglomeratic. Next below this sand-rock, which borders the river in vertical cliffs for nearly the length of a mile, we find blue shales of arenaceous character, interlaminated with thin layers of sand-rock, all amounting to a thickness of about fifteen or twenty feet. Under these is a coal-seam two and a half feet in thickness, and of very good bitumi- nous quality. It wedges out in places, or changes into a black, carbonaceous shale. This seam is worked at times by single workmen as a teuiporary occupation when they have little else to do. The coal-seam rests on a gray, argil- laceous, laminated sand-rock, with softer shaly seams, which both inclose a large quantity of coaly vegetable remains, — Lepidodendron, similar to Lepid. Wortheni, Sdgmaria ficoides, trunks and leaves. The thickness of the beds is about five feet. Lower comes a fine-grained, whitish sand- rock, in even, compact beds eight feet in thickness. Di- rectly under this sand-rock is a fifteen-inch bed of good bitu- minous coal. Lowest in the outcrop are about twenty-five feet of additional strata, principally sand-rock ledges, with some intermediate shale-seams. In the bed of the river at this spot large, hard sand-rock slabs of very even bedding, and from two to three inches in thickness, are laid open, which would make excellent flag-stones for paving sidewalks. The aggregate thickness of the given section is about ninety feet ; it begins with the centre of the synclinal depre.ssion, and is followed down the stream. . . . " A good section through the formation can be observed in the ravines of a creek entering Grand River from the south, a short distance west of the village, and another in the blufl's just below it, and opposite the section last described. Highest in this latter, under a few feet of drifl, are fifteen feet of arenaceous shales, with nodular seams of sand-rock and kidney-ore concretions, and a band of carbonaceous shale with seams of coal ; below follow eight feet of a fine- grained greenish-white sandstone, in thick, even beds, iden- tical with the sand-rock found in the first section, interme- diate between the two coal-seams. This rock is quarriea and worked into cut stone, window- and door-sills ; it is of fine quality, better than any of the coal-measure sand-rocks I "have before seen. The beds at one end of the quarry are much thicker than at the other, and seem to wedge out. Under the quarry-stone, a foot or two of arenaceous shales, laminated by black, coaly seams, follow, and then a coal- bed fifteen inches thick. The coal is of very good quality even for black.smiths' use, and is occasionally obtained by working the ([uarry for its sand-rock. The coal-seam rests on bluish, arenaceous shales, and lower beds of sand-rock form the base of the bluff and the bed of the river. The banks of the river, at intervals for the distance of eight miles, present more limited outcrops than those near Grand Ledge, but after that no more rock is denuded in the river- bed until Ionia township is reached, where, in section 23, the upper sand-rock of the coal-measures comes to the sur- face, or is only covered by a thin coating of drift. The quality of this sand-rock is superior to the equivalent beds at Grand Ledge or at Jackson ; it can be quarried in blocks of large dimension, and is of proper durability for building purposes. . . . West and north of Ionia, the coal-forma- tion disappears under the drift, and no other borings have been made in these directions by which we could ascertain the extent of its distribution as the surface-rock. To en- counter the coal-formation again, we have to return east- ward." Several borings for coal have been made at different times in the southwest part of the county, in the vicinity of the region to which the professor refers in the extract given above. One of these borings, made at Eagle, in 1873, showed the following section : Drift 8 feet. SanJ-rocl! 23 " Coal A tbin vein. Fire-cliiy 3 " Light slate 13 " Black slate II " Saud-rock 2 " Coal 36 inches. Sand, rock 21 feet. The other borings in the same township showed strata passed through similar to this. A boring made at Ovid, on the east line of the county, in 1878, showed a vein of coal about one foot in thickness at a depth of fifty eight feet below the surface. Another, sunk in the same year in Du- plain, in the northeast corner of the county (but not for the GEOLOGICAL MAP *-,^^-^ or THE LOWER PENINSULA ^(■y'MICHlGAN BOUNDARIES, TOPOGRAPHY, AND MINERAL RESOURCES. 333 purpose of discovering coal), reached a depth of one hun- dred and sixty-seven feet, disclosing no coal-vein. From the time when the territory of Clinton County first became known by white men, it was believed that val- uable salt-springs existed along the valley of the Maple River, and this belief resulted in explorations, with a view to their discovery and development. The principal exami- nation of the country to this end was made by the State geologist, Dr. Douglass Houghton, in 1837, a report of which was made by him in January, 1838, from which re- port an extract, having reference to his examinations in the northwest township of Clinton County, is here given, viz. : " It has been known from the earliest settlement of the country that the Indians formerly supplied themselves with salt from .springs occurring on the peninsula; numerous reservations of lands supposed to contain salt-springs have been made by the United States. Many years ago several unsuccessful attempts were made by individuals to manu- facture salt, but, after all, the fact that most of the springs reserved by the United States contain little else than some of the salts of lime and iron, and the failure in the original attempt to manufacture the salt, had with much reason given rise to doubts as to the existence of saline springs to any extent. In ascending Maple River saline indications were first observed in township 8 north, range 4 west, and were seen to occur at distant intervals between that point and what may be considered as the head of navigation of the stream, not far from the line between ranges 1 and 2 west. The Maple River, between these points, is a slug- gish stream, having so slight a current as to resemble a suc- cession of narrow lakes, while the alluvial shores, scarcely rising above the water, even when lowest, are covered with a dense forest of soft maple, giving to the whole stream, at first, rather a forbidding aspect. But in passing from this valley, which varies from half a mile to two or three miles in width, we come upon a beautiful elevated and undula- ting country, for the most past heavily timbered and well adapted to the purposes of agriculture. The bottom of the stream is seen to be composed of a yellowish sand, as are also the alluvial deposits which bound it on either side, with which are frequently seen bowlders of primary rocks, but no rock was seen at any point upon the river. " In Clinton County, township 8 north, range 4 west, section 15, and where by a somewhat sudden turn the river approaches near to the elevated boundary of the valley just described, saline indications of a decided character appear in the narrow marsh or alluvial bottom which bounds the river upon its northern side. Two marshes scarcely ele- vated above the surface of the river, and partially separated from each other, occur, in the lower of which no distinct springs can be said to exist, but the water is seen at several points oozing through the sandy soil in connection with the water of the river, and although no means could be devised for preventing the constant accession of fresh water and foreign matter, it will be seen by reference to spring 14, tables Nos. 1 and 2, a much more favorable result was ob- tained than could under those circumstances have been an- ticipated. " T.ini.E 1. — SpriiiQ 14, Lower Marsh, Clinton Salt- Workti,'^ TiiiritsJii'p 8 N'lrth, Iliiiige 4 !!'<;«<, Serlinn 15. " How owned Private property. Graiiia. Specific gravity 1.0026 Muriate of soda 67.7(5 lime 1.22 '* magne.-^ia b.hi Carbouat*of lime 8.45 *' iron 04 Sulphate of liuie 7.13 Vegetable matterf 54 Siliceous and aluminousf 22 Solid matter 90.90 "Table No. 2. — Slimoiinj llie t.'nnatiliiciils of One /fiinilred llrainn of Solid Contentn of Sprunj 14, in Table 1. Graina, " Muriate of soda 74.50 " lime 1..15 *' magnesia G.IO Carbonate of lime 9..'!0 Sulphate of lime 7.85 Carbonate of iron .05 Vegetable matter .60 Siliceous and aluminous matter .25 Total 100.00 " At the upper marsh an excavation had been made to a depth of a few feet, but not sufiicient to prevent the free ingress of fresh water. There was a constant discharge of water in small quantities, perfectly transparent and having a temperature of 46°, and, as was also the case with that at the lower marsh, having a slight odor of sulphuretted hy- drogen. Since my visit to this place I am informed a shaft has been sunk through alternate beds of sand and coarse gravel to a depth of about forty feet, and has been attended by a considerable increase of the saline contents of the water. I have received, through the politeness of Messrs. Parks & Warner, proprietors of the springs, several bottles of the water, taken since the shaft was sunk. One hundred cubic inches (three and one-half wine-pints, nearly) of the water subjected to analysis give the following results : Grains. "Muriate of soda U.'i.SS " lime 4.:i0 " nnigne-sia 12.8:1 Carbonate of lime C.2:i " iron 09 Sulphate of lime 13.47 Total solid matter 180.80 " In consequence of the shaft which has been sunk there has been an increase over a former analysis of 92.42 grains of solid matter and 77.05 grains of salt in one hundred cubic inches of water. As we continue to ascend the Maple River indications of saline occasionally appear, until we « The "Clinton Salt- Works," referred to in Dr. lloughton's report, was not what its name would imply, — an establishment for the man- ufacture of salt, — but a paper-village enterprise, started cm the Maple River, in the township of Lebanon, Clinton Co., by Robert S. Porks, Lawson S. Warner, Thomas B. Andrews, Charles Hubbell, and Calvin C. Parks, who afterwards (by act approved April 3, 1S38) became in- corporated as " Tho Clinton Salt- Works Company"; the object of the incorporation being set forth to bo " for the purpose of manufacturing salt by erecting the nece.''sary buildings, vats, etc." The platting of an imaginary village, the procuring of this high-sounding act of incor- poration, and tho starting of the "Clinton Salt-Works Rank" (wild- cat), by whicii many people sutTered loss, was the only result of tho enterprise of these gentlemen. ■f Foreign. 334 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. arrive near the source of navigation of that stream in Gra- tiot County, some fifteen to twenty miles above these al- ready described." This report, from so eminent an authority as Dr. Hough- ton, established the fact of the existence of salt-springs in the valley of the Maple River. It is certain, too, that the Indians had made salt in small quantities from the springs for many years. Mr. B. 0. Williams, of Owosso, who was a trader among them as early as 1831, says he has seen and eaten salt made by the natives from brine obtained there. But no result was ever reached in the discovery of supplies of salt water which would pay for manufacturing. The same result has followed all searches for remunerative veins of coal in Clinton. The fact became apparent years ago, and is now universally accepted as such, that for the people of this county at least, it is far better to expend their labor on the surface of their magnificent fields than to delve in the earth beneath them in search of mineral wealth. CHAPTER XLVI. CHANGES OP CIVIL JUEISDICTION. Clinton County incluiled successively in Wayne, Oakland, and Kala- mazoo — Erection of Clinton and its Attachment to the County of Kent — Subsequent Attjvchmcnt to Shiawassee County — Subdivision of Clinton County into Civil Townships. It is frequently said of the county of Clinton (as indeed of many other counties of the lower peninsula of Michi- gan) that it once formed a part of the county of Wayne, which was first " laid out" by proclamation of Winthrop Sargent, Acting Governor of the old Northwest Territory, Aug. 18, 1796, with boundaries running from the Cuya- hoga River, in Ohio, west to the eastern line of the State of Illinois, and thence north to the boundary between the United States and Great Britain, thus including all the country between Lakes Erie, St. Clair, and Huron, and Lake Michigan, as well as a great tract between the latter and Lake Superior. Nominally, therefore, this county and all the adjacent country was included within the indefinite boundaries of Wayne for many years, and yet, practically this inaccessible wilderness region, uninhabited as it then was except by savages and wild beasts, was no more within the jurisdiction of Wayne County than it had been within that of the ancient Plymouth Company, to whom, in the early part of the seventeenth century, James I. of England had granted all the lands between 42° 2' and 44° 15' north latitude, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. In the subsequent " laying out" of Wayne County, by proclama- tion of Governor Cass (in 1815), it was only made to in- clude that part of Michigan Territory to which the Indian title had already been extinguished, and as at that time the western boundary of Indian cessions was a line identi- cal with that which was afterwards established as the prin- cipal meridian of the United States surveys, the county of Wayne, as then defined, included no pa«t of the territory of Clinton. On the 12th of January, 1819, a proclamation was made by Governor Cass, erecting the county of Oakland, to in- clude six tiers of townships north from the base-line, and extending westward to the line which is now the principal meridian, thus leaving all of the present county of Clinton outside its limits. Oakland County was organized in 1820 with its original boundaries ; but by a proclamation of Governor Cass, dated Sept. 10, 1822, it was reduced to its present size, and the new counties of Lapeer, Sanilac, Sagi- naw, and Shiawassee (which were erected by the same proclamation) were attached to it, as was also " all the country not included within the boundaries of any of the before-described counties, to which the Indian title was extinguished by the treaty of Saginaw." This latter at- tachment of territory to Oakland included what is now Clinton County, with many other counties lying to the south, west, and north of it ; and it continued in force, as regards the domain of Clinton County, until 1830, when an act was pa.ssed by the Legislature (approved July 30th and taking eflFect October 1st in that year) organizing the county of Kalamazoo, and providing " that the counties of Calhoun, Barry, and Eaton, and all the country lying north of township four, north of the base-line, west of the prin- cipal meridian, south of the county of Michilimackinac, and east of the line between ranges twelve and thirteen and of Lake Michigan, where said range-line intersects the lake, shall be attached to and compose a part of the county of Kalamazoo County for judicial purposes." Included in the above-described unorganized territory was that of the county of Clinton, which remained so attached to Kala- mazoo for about five and a half years. The erection of the county of Clinton was effected by an act of the Legislature (approved March 2, 1831), which provided " that the country included within the following limits, to wit : west of the meridian and east of the line between ranges 4 and 5, west of the meridian ; south of the line between townships 8 and 9, north of the base-line ; north of the line between townships 4 and 5, north of the base-line, containing sixteen townships, be and the same is hereby set off into a separate county by the name of Clinton.' Legislative acts, bearing even date with that which erected Clinton, erected also the counties of Ottawa, Ionia, and Kent. The last-named county was organized by act approved March 24, 1836, which also provided "that the unorganized counties of Ottawa, Ionia, and Clinton shall be attached to the county of Kent for judicial purposes." Clinton remained attached to Kent until March 18, 1837, when, by the provisions of an act of that date organizing the county of Shiawassee, it was attached, for judicial pur- poses, to the last-named county, and so continued until its own organization as a separate county, in 1839. SUBDIVISION OF THE COUNTY INTO TOWN- SHIPS. The entire area of Clinton County was at first embraced in a single original township, — De Witt, — which was erected by an act of the Legislature of Michigan, approved March 23, 1836. That act provided: "Section 49. That the county of Clinton be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of De Witt ; and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the dwelling-house of David Scott, in said township." CHANGES OF CIVIL JURISDICTION. 335 By an act approved March 20, 1837, the township of De Witt was divided in its centre, — on the north and south line which forms the boundary between ranges 2 and 3 west of the meridian, — and the western half was erected into a new township ; that part of the act which has refer- ence to this erection being as follows : " That the townships in ranges three and four west, in the county of Clinton, be a township by the name of Watertown ; and the people therein shall be entitled to all the privileges incident to inhabitants of organized townships, and the first township- meeting therein shall be held at the house of Anthony Niles, in said township of Watertown." The north half of the territory of Watertown was set off and erected into a separate township by the terms of an act (approved March 6, 1838) which provided that " all that part of Clinton County designated by the United States survey as townships numbers seven and eight north, of ranges three and four west, be, and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Wandaugon, and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the house of George Campau, in said township." The Indian name given to this township appears to have been unfavorably received by the people, and an attempt was soon after made to have it changed. This resulted in the passage of an act (approved April 2d in the same year) which provided that " That portion of townships seven and eight north, of ranges three and four west, according to the United States survey, be and the same is hereby set off and organized by the name of Lebanon, and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the house of James Sowle, Jr." It will be noticed that the above de- scription of the boundaries of the new township is exceed- ingly obscure. The law-makers had undoubtedly meant to enact that " that portion of tlie cotinty of Clinton which is embraced in townships seven and eight north, of ranges three and four west," should be set oif and organized, etc., but the omission of the words here italicized was fatal to the operation of the act. The proposed change of name was therefore postponed until the next session of the Legis- lature, and in the mean time the township remained Wan- da ugon, as before. At the time of the organization of Clinton County there had been erected within it only the three townships already mentioned, — De Witt, Watertown, and Wandaugon, — and the territory embraced, respectively, in these subdivisions at that time was as follows: De Witt included all the eastern half of the county from the meridian westward to the west boundary-line of range No. 2 ; Watertown covered the southwest quarter of the county, comprising the present townships of Eagle, Westphalia, and Riley, in addition to its own reduced territory. Immediately after the organization of Clinton the north- east quarter of the county — embracing the present towns of Ovid, Bingham, Greenbush, and Duplain — was erected into the township of Bingham, by act of Legislature approved March 21, 1839. As this block of territory was taken from De Witt, that township was left with only four survey- townships, comprising the southeast quartc^r of the county, and the east half of this was taken off on the following day (March 22, 18H9) by the Governor's approval of an act which provided, " That all that part of the county of Clin- ton designated in the United States survey as townships Nos. 5 and 6 north, of range No. 1 west, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a township by the name of Ossowa." Again, on the 20th of March, 18-41, survey- township No. 6 north, of range No. 2 west, — being the north half of the then remaining territory of De Witt, — was set off by legislative act and erected into the township of Olive, thus leaving to De Witt only a single survey-township, which has continued to be the extent of its area until the present time. Watertown, which at first embraced the entire west half of the county, but had yielded the north half of its area in the erection of Wandaugon township, as before noticed, was further reduced by an act (approved March 21, 1839) which took from it the survey-township numbered 6 north, of range 4 we.st, and organized it as the township of Westphalia. About two years later (March 15, 1841) an act was ap- proved erecting survey-township No. 5 north, of range 4 west, into the civil town.ship of Eagle, and township 6 north, of range 3 west, into the township of Riley. This left the township of Watertown with only its present area, that of a single township of the government survey. The township of Wandaugon, having survived the act of April 2, 1838, continued to exist under its original name until March 22, 1839, at which date an act was approved which provided that " the township of Wandaugon, in the county of Clinton, shall be hereafter known and designated by the name of Lebanon." At that time, and for about a year afterwards, the township retained all the original area of Wandaugon (the northwest quarter of the county), but on the 19th of March, 1840, an act was passed setting off the eastern half of its territory, viz. : survey-townships Nos. 7 and 8 north, of range 3 west, and erecting the part so set off into the township of Bengal. And finally, in 184.5, an act was passed (approved March 19th of that year) b}' which the town.ship of Dallas was erected on survey-town- ship 7 of range 4 west. This took from Lebanon the south half of its then remaining territory, leaving it with but one survey-township, as at present. Bengal township (taken from Lebanon, as before noticed, and embracing the north- ern two survey-townships of Clinton County in range 3 west) was partitioned under the provisions of an act ap- proved March 9, 1843, and its northern half was erected into the township of Essex. The boundaries of both these townships still remain as then established. The township of Bingham, from the time of its erection in March, 1839, continued to embrace the entire northeast quarter of the county until March 19, 1840, when, under the provisions of an act of that date, the east half of its territory was set off and erected into the town.ships of Sena* and Ovid, the latter covering survey-township 7, and the former township 8 north, of range 1 west. Of the terri- tory remaining to Bingham after the setting off of these two towns, the north half (township 8 north, of range 2 west) was taken by act of February IG, 1842, and erected '^' The name of Sena was discontinued, and Duplain adopted as the name of this township, by act of the Legislature, approved March 20, 1841. 336 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. into the town of Greenbush. The boundary as then estab- lished between Greenbush and Bingham continued undis- turbed until April 7, 184G, when an act was passed pro- viding " that all that part of the township of Greenbush, in the county of Clinton, known and designated as the south half of section 30, and sections 31, 32, and 33, be and the same is hereby attached to the township of Bing- ham, in said county." The sections and half-section above named continued to form a part of the township of Bing- ham until 3Iarch 20, 1850, when, by an act of that date, they were re-annexed to Greenbush, and the original boun- dary between the two townships was re-established. Ossowa township, set off from De Witt in 1839, held its original area of two survey-townships until March 9, 1843, when the Governor approved an act changing its name from Ossowa to Bath-, and erecting the north half of its territory (township 6 north, of range 1 west) into the township of Victor. These two towns have remained unchanired in limits from that time to the present. During several years prior to the organization, but after the laying out, of Gratiot County, the two tiers of town- ships composing the southern half of that county were attached to the northern tier of townships of Clinton County. The first act of the Legislature by which any of those townships were so attached was approved March 16, 1847. It provided " that all the territory designated by the United States survey as townships Nos. 9 and 10 north, of range No. 2 west, be and the same is hereby attached to the township of Greenbush, in the county of Clinton." In the same way it attached township !) north, of range 3 west, to the township of Esses ; and townships Nos. 9 and 10 north, of range 4 west, to the township of Lebanon. A subsequent act, approved March 9, 1848, provided '' that townships Nos. 9 and 10 north, of range No. 1 west, in the county of Gratiot, be and the same are hereby attached to and made a part of the township of Duplain, in the county of Clinton; and that township No. 10 north, of range 3 west, in the county of Gratiot, be and the same is hereby attached to and made a part of the township of Essex, in the county of Clinton." The effect of this legislation was to attach the townships which are now North Shade and New Haven, in Gratiot, to the township of Lebanon, in Clinton County ; the town- ships now Fulton and Newark, in Gratiot, to the township of Essex, in Clinton ; the town.ships now Washington and North Star, in Gratiot, to Greenbush, in Clinton; and the townships now Elba and Hamilton, in Gratiot, to the town- ship of Duplain, in Clinton County. On the 12th of Oc- tober, 1853, the Board of Supervisors of Clinton County, in the exercise of powers conferred on such boards by the State constitution of 1850, set off the two Gratiot town- ships which had been attached to Lebanon, and erected the southernmost of the two into the township of North Shade, attaching the other one to it. After the organization of this town, its supervisor met regularly with the supervisors of Clinton County, and acted with them as a member of the board. Some of the other Gratiot townships were set off and organized by the Clinton Board of Supervisors in 1855, but their supervisors never met with the Clinton board, for the reason that the organization of Gratiot County, which was effected in the same year, severed all connection between its southern townships and the county of Clinton. CHAPTER XLVIL EARLY SETTLEMENTS— CODNTY ORGANIZATION —COURTS AND OTHER COUNTY MATTERS. Low Estimate of the Value of Michigan Lnnda in Early Years — First Settlements in Dilferent Parts of Clinton County — Organization of the County — Early Proceedings of the County t'oinmissioners and Supervisors — Wolf-Bounties — Establishment of Courts in Clinton County — County Sites and County Property. It was not until late in the present century that white settlements began to invade the wilderness of Clinton County, and the same is true to a great extent of the region adjacent to it as far east as the older county of Oakland, which had itself remained an almost unknown country for fully a century after the cabins and clearings of French immigrants began to cluster along the shores of the Detroit River, only a few miles farther eastward. That this should have been so, that these lands of almost marvelous fertility, lying within a comparatively short distance of the old po.st of Detroit and the navigable waters north of it, should have remained unappropriated — and unnoticed, except in contempt — by emigrants seeking comfortable homes and' productive farms, seems not a little mysterious at first thought ; but the cause is made tolerably clear by reference to a few fiicts which are narrated below, showing that for many years the peninsula was believed to be a land unfit for white men's occupancy, and how it came to be so re- garded. The earliest, as it was also the most extreme, among the unfavorable notices of the lands forming the Michigan peninsula is found in the writings of the French Baron La Hontan, who passsed up through the Detroit River, and the lake and river of St. Clair, in 1GS6, and who, judging of all the country from his glimpses of the swampy lands bordering the lake and rivers, chronicled his opinion that the entire region was truly " the fag-end of the world." So contemptuous an expression from such a distinguished man and extensive traveler could not fail to have its effect on the minds of the people of that day, and it was, perhaps, the beginning of the opinion which afterwards became well- nigh universal, and continued for more than a century and a quarter, that Michigan was but another name for a coun- try of morasses, irreclaimable swamps, and barren sand- knolls. In the year 1812 an act was passed by Congress requir- ing that two millions of acres of land in each of the (then) Territories of Michigan, Illinois, and Louisiana — in all six million acres — should be surveyed and set apart as military tracts, out of which each soldier serving in the armies of the United States in the war then existing with England should be entitled to receive one hundred and sixty acres of land fit for cultivation. Under the provisions of this act surveys were made ; but, while engaged in the work, the surveyors seem to have formed an idea of the country similar to that expressed by La Hontan, and to have im- EARLY SETTLEMENTS. 337 parted their opinion to the surveyor-general, as may be in- ferred from the following extract from his report, made Nov. 13, 1815, and having reference to the Michigan sur- veys, viz. : " The country on the Indian boundary-line from the moutli of the Great Auglaize lliver [that is, the line established by the treaty of Detroit in 1807, and identical, or nearly so, with the principal meridian of the government surveys], and running thence for about fifty miles, is, with some few exceptions, low, wet land, with a very thick growth of underbrush, intermixed with very bad marshes, but generally very heavily timbered with beech, cottonwood, oak, etc. ; thence, coutiiming north, and extending from the Indian boundary eastward, the number and extent of the swamps increases, with the addition of numbers of lakes from twenty chains to two and throe miles across. Many of these lakes have extensive marshes adjoining their margins, sometimes thickly covered with a species of pine called tamarack, and other places covered with a coarse, high grass, and uniformly covered from six inches to three feet (and more at times) with water. The margins of these lakes are not the only places where swamps are found, for they are interspersed throughout the whole country and filled with water, as above stated, and varying in extent. " The intermediate space between these swamps and lakes — which is probably near one-half of the country — is, with very few exceptions, a poor, barren, sandy land, on which scarcely any vegetation grows except very small, scrubby oaks. In many places that part which may be called dry land is composed of little, short sand-hills, form- ing a kind of deep basins, the bottoms of many of which are composed of marsh similar to the above described. The streams are generally narrow and very deep compared with their width, the shores and bottoms of which are, with very few exceptions, swampy beyond description, and it is with the utmost difficulty that a place can be found over whicli horses can be conveyed in safety. " A circumstance peculiar to that country is exhibited in many of the marshes by their being thinly covered with a sward of grass, by walking on which evinces the exist- ence of water or a very thin mud immediately under their covering, which sinks from six to eighteen inches under the pressure of the foot at every step, and at the same time rises before and behind the person passing over it. The margins of many of the lakes and streams are in similar situation, and in many places are literally afloat. On ap- proaching the eastern part of the military land, towards the private claims on the straits and lake, the country does not contain so many swamps and lakes, but the extreme sterility and barrenness of the soil continue the same. Taking the country altogether, so far as it has been ex- plored, and to all appearances, together with information received concerning the balance, it is so bad that there would not be more than one acre out of a hundred, if there would he one out of a thousand, that woidd in ant/ case admit of cultivation." The tract of country surveyed for soldiers' bounty lands, and on the survey of which the above-mentioned report was based, did not include the territory of the present county of Clinton, but still the report itself was accepted 43 as a sweeping condemnation of the whole interior portion of the peninsula, and it was not doubted that the facts were strictly as set forth in the opinion of the surveyor- general. It was doubtless an honest expression of opinion on his part, for he of course based the report on the in- formation furnished him by his subordinates, who per- formed the work in the field ; but how tliey could have been so deceived (if indeed they were so far deceived as to believe the disparaging statements which they made) is certainly a mystery. However it may have been brought about, the result was that Congress passed a law (April 29, 1816) repealing so much of the act of 1812 as authorized the locating of soldiers' lands in Michigan, and, in lieu thereof, providing for the survey of one million five hun- dred thousand acres in INIissouri; so that the brave men who had periled their lives for their country should not be wronged and insulted by the donation of lands of which, according to the surveyors' reports, not one acre in a hun- dred was fit for cultivation. In 1822 the government established a military post at Saginaw, and several companies of United States troops were placed in garrison there. Soon afterwards the men of this garrison were attacked by di.sease, which continued to rage among them with such fatal effect that a large pro- portion of them perished. At last, after an occupation of about fourteen months, the troops were withdrawn and the post abandoned on the recommendation of the commandant, who reported to the authorities above him that it was in his opinion a great wrong to compel Christian men to re- main in a country which was wholly unfit to be occupied except by Indians, muskrats, and bull-frogs. This with- drawal of the troops, with the accompanying opinion of the commanding officer, was as effective as the surveyor- general's report had been in bringing the entire country to the north and west of Detroit into disrepute and contempt, and for years afterwards there were very few wliite men who thought of invading the terrible wilderness north and west of Pontiac. In the " Fortnight in the Wilderness," written by the eminent French traveler Alexis de Tocqueville, describing a trip made by him and a friend from Detroit to Saginaw, in 1831, he narrates a conversation he had with Maj. Bid- die, the United States land-agent at Detroit, as follows : " We presented ourselves to him as persons who, without having quite made up our minds to establish ourselves in the country, were interested to know the price and situation of government lands. Maj. Biddle, the officer, now under- stood perfectly what we wanted, and entered into a number of details, to which we eagerly listened. . . . We thanked Maj. Biddle for his advice, and asked him, with an air of indifference bordering on contempt, towards which side of his district the current of emigration had, up to the pre- sent time, least tended. ' This way,' he said, without at- taching more importance to his answer that we had seemed to do to our question, ' towards the northwest. About Pon- tiac and its neighborhood some pretty fair establishments have lately been commenced. But you must not think of fixing yourselves farther ofl"; the country is covered liy an almost impenetrable forest, which extends uninterruptedly towards the northwest, full of nothing but wild beasts and 338 HISTORY OP CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Indians. The government proposes to open a way through it, but the road is only just begun, and stops at Pontiac. I repeat, there is nothing to be thought of in that quarter.' We thanked Maj. Biddle for his good advice, and deter- mined to take it in a contrary sense. We were beside our- selves with joy at the prospect of at length finding a place which the torrent of European civilization had not yet in- vaded." The next day (July 23, 1831) De Tocqueville and his companion started on horseback from Detroit, and reached Pontiac, the outpost of civilization, on their way to the northwestern wilderness. At Pontiac they stopped for the night at one of the two hotels of the place (probably the one then kept by Judge Amasa Bagley), where they were beset by the people, including the landlord, to induce them to buy land in, or in the vicinity of, the village, — never dreaming that it could be the travelers' intention to proceed flirther into the wilderness. But they were determined to continue their explorations, and in the morning called for their horses, having first thanked the landlord for his valuable in- formation and wise counsels. " ' But before fixing in your country, my dear landlord,' said M. de Tocqueville, ' we intend to visit Saginaw, and we wish to consult you on this point.' At the name of Saginaw a remarkable change came over his features. It seemed as if he had suddenly been snatched from real life and transported to a land of wonders. His eyes dilated, his mouth fell open, and the most complete astonishment pervaded his countenance. ' You want to go to Saginaw ?' exclaimed he. ' To Sagi- naw Bay? Two foreign gentlemen, two rational men, who want to go to Saginaw Bay ! It is scarcely credible !' 'And why not?' we replied. 'But are you well aware,' continued our host, ' what you undertake ? Do you know that Saginaw is the last inhabited spot towards the Pacific? That between this place and Saginaw lies an uncleared wilderness? Do you know that the forest is full of Indians and mosquitoes ? Have you no thought about the fever ? Will you be able to get on in the wilderness, and to find your way in the labyrinth of our forests?' . . . ' Have you ever been in Saginaw ?' we resumed. ' I have been so un- lucky as to go thither five or six times,' he replied ; ' but I had a motive for doing it, and you do not appear to have any.' " But he did not succeed in dissuading the travelers from continuing on their tour. They pressed on to Sagi- naw, and returned from that place in safety, finding in the country through which they passed the untamed wilder- ness which they came to Michigan to see. The above extract from De Tocqueville's narrative is given, somewhat at length, for the purpose of showing what, even at that late date, was the general opinion prevailing among the people as to the great wilderness which stretched away to the north and west from Pontiac, and the prospect which there then seemed to exist, of its early settlement. The opinion which had been given by the surveyor-gen- eral in 1815, by the commandant of the post of Saginaw in 1823, and which had received confirmation from many other sources, had the effect to bring the Territory of Michi- gan into great disrepute, as a country wholly unfit for agriculture ; and this feeling was fostered by the Indian traders, who were thoroughly acquainted with the interior country and its capabilities, but were only too willing to assist in perpetuating the delusion in order to postpone the evil day (as they regarded it) when their lucrative business should be ruined by the advance of white immigration and settlement. This is how and w)iy there grew up the almost universal belief that the interior of Michigan was worthless for agricultural purpo.scs ; the home of every species of malarial disease, and a land of which the obvious destiny must be to continue in the possession of Indians and wild beasts. And the existence of this belief was the cause which for many years, deterred emigrants from seeking homes in the forest land of Clinton and other interior counties of the State. The survey of land by the government does not always precede the making of settlements on them, though it gen- erally does, and such was the case in Clinton County, not more than one settler (if any) having located in the county prior to the survey of the lands on which he established bis home. In 182-1 the principal meridian line was run by Joseph Wampler, deputy surveyor, to a point as far north as the centre of the county of Clinton, and in 182C and 1827 the south half of the county was surveyed and laid off into the usual subdivisions ; the laying out of the townships being done by Lucius Lyon, deputy surveyor. The north half of the county was surveyed in the year 1831, the township-lines being principally run by Robert Clark, Jr., but some of them being laid ofi' by C. W. Christmas. Both of these gentlemen were deputy United States sur- veyors. In addition to the four deputy surveyors above mentioned, there were several others employed on the sub- division-lines in Clinton County, among them being Hervey Parke, Orange Ilisdon, II. Thomas, Joel Wright, Austin Burt, and perhaps others. All of those who supervised the running of lines held the appointment of deputy United States surveyor. The first settlement in the county was made at the place now known as Maple Rapids, by George Campau, who, as has already been mentioned, came there for the purpose of trading with the Indians. The trading-post at that point was established in 1826. John B. Cushway is believed to have preceded Campau in the proprietorship, but the former made but a temporary residence there, while Campau be- came a permanent settler and entered government land in that township (Essex) as early as 1832. About that time Hiram Benedict settled in the same township. David Scott, who has generally but erroneously been mentioned as the first settler in the county, located on the Looking-Glass River, in the present township of De Witt, in 1833. He there opened a public-house which became a landmark in the early years, and was known f;ir and wide through this part of the State by the simple appellation of "Scott's." In the southwest corner of the county the first settle- ments were made by Anthony Niles and Stephen B. Gruger, from Oakland County, who, with two or three other families, settled in the township (now Eagle) in 1834. The northwest corner township (Lebanon) received its first settlers in the family of Daniel Barker, who came there and located in 183-t. ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY. 339 In the northeast corner of the county a number of im- mif^rants from Western New York, composing what was known as tlie " llochester Colony," located in the valley of the Maple River in the year 183G. This settlement, which has retained the above name until the present time, will be found mentioned at length in the history of the township of Duplain, in which it is situated. The earliest settlements in all the other parts of the county will also be similarly noticed in detail in the separate histories of the several townships. The progress made in the settlement of the county during a period of about fifteen years from the date of the first laud-entry, is shown by the following statement of the total valuation of real and personal estate in the different townships of the county in 1847, viz. : liath Sli;,705 Keugal 21,(ill2 Eingbuin 20,358 Duplain 2:i,'J2.'i Dallas 26,111 De Wilt 52,21o Eagle 49,1107 Essex 4:!, 1178 Grecnbusb 12,11110 Lebanon 24,204 Olid 2S,22I Olive 311,1141 Riley 2:1,156 Victor 23,321 Westpbalia 26,709 Walertown 42,403 Total : $458,175 ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY. The organization of Clinton County was effected in 1839, by an act of the Legislature (approved March 12th of that year) which provided " That the county of Clinton be and the same is hereby organized. . . . There .shall be elected in the county of Clinton, on the first Monday of April next, all the several county ofiScers to which, by law, the said county is entitled, and whose term of office shall severally expire at the time the same would have expired had they been elected on the first Monday and Tuesday of November last ; said election shall be held in the several townships at the same place where by law such annual township-meeting is to be held." Under the provisions of this organizing act the election was held at the time (April 1, 1839) and places designated, resulting in the election of the following-named officers for the county of Clinton, viz. : Sherifl", William F. Jeiiison ; Clerk, Seth P. 3Iarvin ; Register of Deeds, Milo H. Turner; Treasurer, John Guuld ; Judge of Probate, Iliram W. Stowell ; Associate Judges, Hiram Wilcox, Joseph Sever ; County Commis- sioners, Calvin Marvin, Ephraim H. Utley, Robert E. Craven. The office of county comniisioner was created in Mich- igan liy a law passed in May, 1818, giving to each organized county a board of three of these officers, to bo ai)|)ointed by the Governor, and to receive a salary of thirty dollars each per annum. The office was discontinued by an act passed in April, 1827, and the powers before held by that board were given to a Board of Supervisors, composed of one supervisor from each township. The Board of Com- missioners was revived by a law pa.«sed by the Legislature in 1838 ; and this law being in force at the time of the organization of Clinton County, there were included among its first officers the three gentlemen above named as composing its Board of County Commissioners, their powers and duties being the same as those which now pertain to the Board of Supervisors. EARLY PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND SUPERVISORS. The earliest public business of the county was that which came before the Board of Commissioners at their first meeting, which was held in the village of De Witt on the 10th of April, 1839. Ephraim H. Utley was chosen chairman and Seth P. Marvin (the county clerk) was made clerk of the board. Their first action was the appointment of the 21st of April, 1839, to meet the Board of Commis- sioners of Shiawassee for the purpose of making a settle- ment between the two counties. The board then adjourned to meet on the 10th of June, 1839, at the house of Ephraim II. Utley in the village of De Witt. At the adjourned meeting of the board the following demands against the county were audited and ordered paid : Wolf- certificate to No-wab-a-no $8.00 " " Ash-ba-be S.OO " " Alonzo D. ISrewster 8.00 " " Alon/.o Vaughn 48.00 Account of David Watson 7.50 " Timothy 11. Petit 7.50 " John Berry 5.00 " E. H. Utley 5.50 " Seth P. Marvin 9.50- The following is a copy of the abstract of the assessment- rolls of the several townships of Clinton County for the year 1839, as equalized by the board : Towns. Number of Acres. Ossowa 24,501 De Witt 33,919 Watoi-town 55,690 WestphaUa 14,529 Lebanon 07,713 Bingham 49,191 Amount of Amount of Per- Aggregate. Keal Eitutn. sonal Property. $73,503 $1,105 $74,608 103,833 4,753 108,586 169,817 3,130 172,947 43,587 150 43,737 203,139 2,300 205,439 147,946 1,250 149,196 Total 245,543 $741,825 $12,688 $754,513 The following is the amount of tax levied in the several townships in the same year : Town. Oasowa S-259.83 Do Witt 102.96 Wiitertown 314.46 liinghani 3(12.03 I,<4iii 4:!«.0U Westphalia IU0.4U Total., $1575.68 County. State. Road. Poor. Total. $140.57 $1.54.81 JH3.05 $1,31)4.26 205.05 216.89 821 93 l,406.«:i 353.54 377.07 1289.88 2,334.95 284.66 30U,4:) 1418.61 2,30.5..53 1377.79 436.20 1720.37 $23 3,989.36 82.2;i 93.57 326.19 $25 614.39 82465.74 $1578.97 $6319.03 $11,955.32 The meeting that was called for the 21st of April, 1839, for the purpose of adjusting accounts between the two counties was not held until the 23d day of September of the same year, at which time the accounts were examined, and on the 24th of December, 1840, the following state- ment was agreed upon as a basis of settlement: ■'State of JIicihoan, ■! Shiawassee County, j **' " It is hereby agreed and concluded by the undersigned, county commissioners of the counties of Shiawassee and Clinton on an atljii.-stiuent and settlement of the accounts of the two counties, that the county of Clinton is justly in- debted to Sliiawiusaee County in the sura of three hundred and five dollars and ninety-seven cents, as follows : 340 HISTORY OP CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. To a proportion of tho contingent expense of the two counties up to Sept. 2:i, 1839, as per settlement $202.91 To interest on §202.91 from Sej)!. 23, 1839, to Dec. 18, 1840, 1 year, 2 months, and 25 days 17.56 To a proportion of expense in examining and arranging tho boolts, jmpers, and accounts, etc 56,00 To a proportion of a SI counterfeit bill lalsen of Josiah Pierce, late treasurer, for taxes 4.50 To expenses of advertising and setting 50 descriptions of land discharged by the county commissioners of Clinton County 25.00 $305.97 And it is hereby agreed that the county of Clinton shall be credited with the sum of fourteen dollars and eighty cents, to be deducted from the above sum of three hundred and five dollars and ninety-seven cents, the said sum of fourteen dollars and eighty cents being a proportion of the bounties on wolf-scalps allowed by the auditor-general, Feb. 12, 1840, by letter of that date. " Calvin Marvin, " Robert E. Craven, " Commissioners of Clinton Count//. " R. W. HOLLEY, "Lemuel Castle, " Commissione7-s of Shiawassee County. " Isaac Castle, " Treasurer of Shiawassee County. " Dated at Corunna, Dec. 24, 1840." The following receipt shows the final settlement of the account : " $291.17. Received of the county commissioner of the county of Clinton two hundred and ninety-one dollars and seventeen cents, being the balance due to Shiawassee County from the county of Clinton, a settlement of the contingent expenses of the counties up to Dee. 18, 1840. " Isaac Castle, " Treasurer of Shiawassee County. " Corunna, Jan. 13, 1841." In 1842 a law was passed abolishing the office of county commissioner and restoring the Board of Supervisors. The last meeting of the commissioners was held on the IGth of March, 1842, and on the 4th of July of the same year (the date designated by law) the supervisors met and resumed the powers they had relinquished to the commissioners four years before. There were present at this meeting the following-named supervisors, viz. : De Witt. — Jesse F. Turner. Eagle. — Oliver Doty. Westphalia. — Anthony Kopp. Riley. — Atwell Simmons. Olive. — Daniel Ferguson, Jr. Ovid. — Isaac V. Swavthout. Bingham. — Stephen W. Downer. Bengal. — Chauncey M. Stebbins. Greenbush. — David Levy. Duplain. — Robert E. Craven. The townships of Watertown, Ossowa, and Lebanon were not represented. From 1842 until the present time the Board of Super- visors have continued to exercise their functions as fiscal managers of the county. WOLF-BOUNTIES. The class of vouchers known as " wolf-certificates" were i.ssued by the County Commissioners and Board of Super- visors to persons presenting proof of tho killing of wolves and applying for the bounty awarded for such killing. Below is given a list of the names of persons to whom such certificates were issued by the commissioners and su- pervisors from 1839 to 1845, inclusive. Prior to Oct. 11, 1843, the bounty paid on each wolf was eight dollars, but at that time it was raised to twelve dollars. Amount of Certificate. April 10, 1839. No-wab-a-no $S Ash -ha be S Alonzo D. Brewster 8 Alonzo Vaughn 48 Oct. 7, 1839. Alonzo Vaughn 32 Sau-lo-de S Shaut comagin S Enoch Willis 8 Nathaniel Russell 8 Nov. 16, 1839. Joshua Frink 8 Feb. 3, 1840. Nelson Daggett 16 George Poarsall 8 David Cooper 8 Joseph Russell 40 Elisha R. Isham 8 March 2, 1840. Joshua Frink 8 Philemon Newman 8 Lucern Eldridge 8 April 8, 1840. Stephen Willis 8 Me-we-zan 8 Nelson Daggett 24 John Ferdou S Alonzo D. Brewster 16 John P. Jliller 16 Alonzo D. Brewster 8 July 8, 1S40. Lyman Webster 16 Wa-ba-gun ish cum 8 Nelson Daggett 24 Joseph Russell 8 Au-gun-giio-ung 8 James Miller 8 Oct. 5, 1840. E-be-no-sha 8 Bish-she-mony 8 Enoch Willis 8 Oct. 12, 1840. Jolm Berry 8 Thomas Russell 8 George F. Dutton S Posha-ton and Bash-ke-zick 8 Jan. 1, 1841. William Drake 8 Pamasc-quay 8 William Drake 8 Joseph Russell 8 Augustus Gillelt 8 Jan. 25, 1841. Joseph Russell 8 July 5, 1841. Alonzo D. Brewster 80 Joseph Russell 16 John Ferdou 16 James Stiles 8 Ora Stiles 8 Oct. 22, 1841. William Drake 8 COURTS AND OTHER COUNTY MATTERS. 341 1)60.30,1841. Cornelius Drake S16 WilMam Drake 8 Joseph KusscU 8 Coo-Cosh 8 John Avery S James Stiies 8 Thomas Fi.«k 8 Augustus Gillett 8 Jan. 1, 1842. Sally Avery 8 March 14, 1842. Willard N. Daggett 8 Thomas Kisk 8 Ora B. Stiles 8 Hosea Baker 8 Lucius Nortou 8 Thomas Fisk 16 Jan. 5, 1843. Lueius Morton 24 J. W. Taylor 8 Selh Morton 8 Oct. 9, 1843. Henry Brown 8 Jan. 2, 1844. Robert G. McKee 12 Minor R. Frink 12 Lucius Morton 24 David Olin 12 Oct. 18, 1844. Cornelius N. Drake 12 AVillard N. Daggett 12 John A. Millard 24 Silas W. Rose 12 Herod Morton 12 John Ferdou 12 John 1. Tinkcl|mugh 12 Samuel M. Ramill 12 Lucius Morton 24 Oct. 19, 1844. Ezra Thornton 24 Robert G. McKec 12 Jan. 1, 184.5. Daniel Fifield 12 Lucius Morton 12 John Ferdon 12 John A. Millard 12 Elkauah Peck 24 William B. Bennolt 12 Cortland Hill 12 Henry S. Fisk 12 An Indian 12 Marvin L. Coots 12 ESTABLISHMENT OF COURTS IN CLINTON COUNTY. THE CIRCUIT COURT. By the act under which Clinton County was organized it was provided " That the Circuit Court for the county of Clinton shall be held at the county-seat, in such place as the commissioners shall provide." The village of De Witt had been selected as tlie county-seat some years before, and in accordance with the provisions of this act the commission- ers decided upon the hou.se of David Scutt as the place for holding the court, the first term of which was held at his house on the 2d of October, 1840, the Hon. Hiram Wil- cox, associate justice, being present. The lion. Charles W. Wlii]iple and the Hon. Josci)h Scaver not appearing, Judge Wilcox ordered the court adjourned to the 9th of October Ibllowing. Court was called at the time appointed, and was adjourned to the 17th of December, when, the Hon. Charles W. Whipple not appearing. Judge Wilcox declared the court adjourned until the regular term, com- mencing on the 7th of May, 1841. On this day the Hon. Charles W. Whipple, a justice of the Supreme Court and presiding judge of tlie Circuit, and Hiram Wilcox and Jo- seph Seavcr, associate judges of the county of Clinton, were present. The court was opened in due form, and the following persons composing the grand jury were sworn, viz. : Harvey Alexander, John H. Andrews, Daniel H. Blood, Grove Cooper, Benjamin Carpenter, Gilbert Cush- man, Oliver Doty, Francis Francisco, Daniel Ferguson, Jr., Hugh Hagerty, John Gould, Elisha Gunnison, Levi D. Jenison, Allen Lounsberry, Thomas Myers, John Jessup, John W. Merrihew, Welcome J. Partelo, Jonathan R. Pearsall, John Parker, Charles Stevens, William S. Swart- hout, and William H. Webb. There being no prosecuting attorney, the court appointed Calvin C. Parks to perform the duties of that office during the term. Two cases were brought before the court, and were both sent back to the justice from whom they came for a more full and perfect statement. Robert B. Daniels appeared in court and made declaration in due form of his intention to become a citizen of the United States. The declaration was ordered placed on file. The next case was that of Ephraim H. Utley vs. Joseph Cook. In attachment. The defendant was called and came not ; thereupon " Or- dered that his default be and is hereby entered." A petition for divorce was presented, and the court or- dered publication of petition and order for six weeks. The grand jury came in, presented sundry indictments, and were discharged. The case of the People vs. Lyman Webster, for embezzlement, was called, and on motion of the prosecuting attorney it was " Ordered that the prisoner enter in recognizance himself in three hundred dollars, and a surety in the sum of two hundred dollars consideration for his appearance at the next term of court." There being no further business, the court adjourned. At the second term of the Circuit Court, in October, 1841, the first petit jury was called, the following- named persons being the jurors: Benjamin Merrihew, Edward Higbee, Henry Jipson, John McCoUum, Calvin Barber, Henry Gibbs, Jr., James Gunsolly, Richard Lewis, Lyman Webster, Elijah I. Stone, Joab Dobbins, George A. Merri- hew, D. B. Cranson, Jesse Olmstead, Nathan Case, Barney Allen, Morris Cushman, Ransom Reed, John Ferdon, Peter Finch, Reuben Rogers, Smith Parker, F. W. Cronk- hite. Judge Whipple not being present, the court ad- journed. The presiding judge of the circuit until 1847 was the Hon. C. W. Whipple, who was succeeded by the Hon. Edward Mundy. Judge Mundy filled the unexpired term of Judge Whipple, and continued in office till 1851, when the Hon. George Martin was elected for a full term. In 1857 the Hon. Louis S. Lovell was elected circuit judge, and has continued in the office till the present time. THE PROBATE COURT. The first judge of probate of the county of Clinton was Hiram W. Stowell, who was elected in April, 1839. The first business of which any record appears was the appoint- ment of Belinda Cushman as guardian of Mial and Charles B. Cushman, minor children and heirs of Ira Cushman, of 342 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. the township of De Witt. The date of this appointment was the 11th of April, 1S40. The next record is of the appointment of Henry Moon as guardian of Catharine, Caroline, Mary Ann, and llebecca Place, minor children of David T. Place, of Salem, Washtenaw Co., and bears date Jan. 10, 1842. The first letters of administration were granted March 26, 1842, to Matilda and Calvin Marvin, of De Witt, on the estate of Elcazer M. Marvin, deceased. Calvin Marvin having waived his right to administer and declined the ap- pointment, Seth P. Marvin was appointed. Harvey Alex- ander, W. W. Webb, and Ephraim H. Utley were ap- pointed appraisers and ordered to report May 10, 1842, at which time they did so report and presented an inventory of the property. The first will offered for probate and recorded in the probate ofiice was that of Joseph Eddy, of the township of Eagle. The will was dated April 13, 1842, and bears the names of Edward W. Higbee, Philo Doty, Jared Higbee, and Curtis Hinnian as attesting witnes.ses. Jane Eddy and Jeremiah Eddy were appointed administrators. Jane Eddy renounced all right to administer upon the estate, and Jere- miah Eddy remained sole administrator. On the 6th day of June, Sophia Eddy was appointed administrator on the estate of Abram J]ddy, deceased. The above account includes all the business on record during the incumbency of Hiram W. Stowell as probate judge. He was succeeded by Theodore H. Chapin, who held his first court on the 23d of January, 1843, when he examined the accounts and received the resignation of the administrators of the estate of Eleazer M. Marvin. The office of the probate judge was held in one room of the building erected by the county on the public square in the village of De Witt until the removal of the county- seat to St. Johns in 1857. The ofiice at that place was held in Plumstead Hall until the completion of the first county building on the public square, when it was removed to that building, and to the court-house on its completion in 1871. THE COUNTY COURT. County courts, which were established in Michigan on the 24th of October, 1815, and abolished in April, 1833, were re-established by act approved May 18, 1846. Under this law an election of judges was held in Clinton County on the 3d of November, 1840. Je.sse F. Turner was elected county judge and William Shepherd second judge. The first term of the county court for the county of Clin- ton was held on the 5th day of April, 1847 (the day ap- pointed by law), in the upper room of David Scott's house in the village of De Witt, the Hon. Jesse F. Turner pre- .siding. There being no business, the court adjourned. Judge Turner officiated as county judge until the 8th of February, 1851, when he resigned, and the Hon. William Shepherd, second judge, presided until the close of the year, when the county court ceased to exist by limitation, — the constitution of 1850 having provided that the terms of the judges of county courts should expire on the first of January, 1852, and the jurisdiction of all suits and proceed- ings in law and equity then pending in the county courts should become vested in the circuit and district courts. COUNTY SITES AND COUNTY PROPERTY. In accordance with an act of the Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan, passed in 1830, providing for the appointment by the Governor of commissioners to locate county-.seats, acting Governor Stevens T. Mason, on the 5th day of September, 1833, appointed James King.sley, Stephen V. 11. Trowbridge, and Charles J. Lanman commissioners to locate the county-seat of Clinton County. No record is found of the date on which the report of the commissioners was filed, and it was not until the 22d day of September, 1835, that the proclamation of the Governor was issued con- firming the location, which was described as the west half of the southeast quarter of section 5, in township 5 north, of range 2 west, the present site of De Witt. Clinton County was attached to Kalamazoo County as unorganized terri- tory from 1830 till March 23, 1836, when it was erected into a township by the name of De Witt, and the next day it became attached to Kent County. Welcome J. Partelo was the firfst supervisor of De Witt township, and attended the meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Kent County at Grand Rapids. Upon the organization of Shiawassee County, on the 18th of March, 1837, Clinton County was attached to it, and remained under that jurisdiction until March 12, 1839, when it was organized as a separate county. The first election of county ofiicers was held on the 1st day of April, 1839, and on the 10th of the same month the commissioners for the county convened for the purpose of organizing and transaction of county business. The erection of county buildings soon became neces- sary, and the subject was brought before the Board of Com- missioners on the 12th of October, 1840, by the following resolution, which was adopted : " That fgur hundred dollars be appropriated in erecting offices for the following county officers : treasurer, clerk, and register of deeds ; also that a sufficient amount of money be appropriated in erecting a jail and dwelling-house attached thereto, for the use of the jailer; the offices to be completed by the 15th of Septem- ber, 1841, the jail and residence on or before October 15th of the same year." The Board of Commissioners convened Dec. 3, 1841, and awarded the contract for building the public offices and jail and jailer's residence to William H. Utley, he being the lowest responsible bidder. The con- tract price for the offices was four hundred and thirty-nine dollars, and for the jail and residence one thousand and sev- enty-eight dollars. The buildings were not completed at the specified time, and in March, 1842, Seth P. Marvin was appointed by the commissioners to attend to the completion of the jail. About the time of the appointment of S. P. Marvin, David Scott conveyed to Clinton County the parcel of land lying in the village of De Witt, bounded as follows : " Commencing at the southwest corner of the public square ; running thence east three chains ; thence north three chains ; thence west three chains ; thence south three chains to the place of beginning; also lot 366, in block 50, according to the plat of the village of De Witt, for purposes of the county buildings of said county, with the express under- standing that, should the present location 'of the county- site of said county be removed, the said county is to further remove from said lands any buildings belonging to said county at the time of the removal of said county-site, and COURTS AND OTHER COUNTY MATTJ]RS. 343 the lands above described are to revert to the said David Scott and Clarissa Scott, their heirs, executors, administra- tors, and assigns, etc." This property was deeded in con- sideration of ten dollars. The deed bears date March 15, 1842, and is recorded in Liber B, page 49, in the register's office of Clinton County. On the 5th of January, 184?>, the committee on public buildings reported recommending the immediate occupation of the buildings, though they were not yet completed. The public office building was erected on the public square. It was about eighteen by thirty feet, and divided into two rooms, the clerk and register occupying one, the treasurer and judge of probate the other. Prior to this time it appears the offices had been kept at different places, for on the day following the adoption of the committee's report bills were audited as follows : " To Milo H. Turner,* $11.44, for rent for county offices. To Jesse F. Turner and Seth P. Marvin, $20 for rent for county of- fices." From this time the offices of the clerk, treasurer, and register were kept in this building until the removal of the county-site to the village of St. Johns. The old jail at De Witt was occupied until 1802.']" The rooms for the use of court, juries, and Board of Supervisors were rented of David Scott from 1839 to 1847. For the year 1843 the price paid was one hundred and fifty dollars, and one hundred dollars per annum was paid from 1844 to 1847 in- clusive. In October, 1847, the supervisors rented the school- house in district No. 6 for county purposes for fifty dollars per year, and continued to occupy it till 1855. From that lime until the removal to St. Johns the courts were held in the following-named places : in 1855 in rooms rented from Chauncey Lgtt, for one hundred dollars per annum ; in 1856 in rooms rented of C. M. Derbyshire, for seventy- five dollars per annum ; in 1857 in the Baptist church at De Witt. In October, 1851, the board resolved to build a court-house on the east half of the public square, in the village of De Witt. The agitation of the removal of the county-site was com- menced by iMr. Palmer, who, in October, 1855, offered a resolution " That the counly.-site be removed to St. Johns." W. F. Jcnison moved to amend by striking out the " vil- lage of St. Johns" and inserting the " centre of Muskrat Lake." Vote was taken, and both the amendment and original resolution were lost. At the January session the next year the subject was again brought up, and a resolu- tion was offered that two thousand dollars be appropriated to be used in connection with one thousand dollars sub- scribed by the citizens of De Witt for the building of a court-house on the public square belonging to the county. Another was offered that the county-site be located on the northwest quarter of section 5, in ihe township of Olive. A motion was also made to appropriate eight hundred dol- lars for building fire-proof offices at De Witt. The.se reso- lutions and the motion were all lost, and the question was postponed indefinitely. On the 1st of January, 1857, Mr. * Milo H. Turner lived on the south aide of Looking-Glass River, in the villiigc of New Albany. t During tlio years 18t", 1848, 1840 the jail wns used by louia County for the confinemi-iit of its prisoners four hundred and seventy- four days, for wliich tlicy paid Ihirty-lhrec dollars. Henry Moote offered a resolution to remove the county- site of Clinton County to the village of St. Johns, which was laid on the table. The next day Mr. Moote offered a substitute for his resolution of the day previous, as follows : " Whereas it is proposed to remove the county-site of Clin- ton County from the village of De Witt, in said county, where it is now located. Therefore we, the Board of Super- visors, resolve that the public square in the village of St. Johns, in said county, according to the recorded plat thereof, be and the same is hereby designated by said board as the place to which such proposed removal is to be made." The resolution was accepted as a substitute for Mr. Moote's original resolution. An amendment was offered by Mr. Hunter, viz. : '' Provided that the inhabi- tants, or .some one in their behalf, will make to Clinton County a good and sufficient deed for one and a half acres of land for county buildings, on or before March, 1857, and secure to said county the sum of two thousand dollars towards the expense of the county buildings, to be paid on completion of the buildings." Mr. Rodgers offered an amendment to strike out all after the figures 1857. The amendments were carried, and Mr. Moote's resolution, as amended, was also adopted. At the evening session Mr. Moote offered a resolution to stand in connection with the others in reference to county-site: "That the day for hold- ing the next annual township-meeting shall be the day on which the electors of said county shall vote on such pro- posed removal ; and that the county clerk be authorized to notify the township clerks and to furnish three notices of the foregoing resolutions, to be posted in three public places in each township." In accordance with this action the question was submitted to the people at the annual town- ship-meeting, on the 6th of April, 1857, with the follow- ing result: For the removal, 1423; .against the removal, 689. At the session in the autumn of that year Mr. Moote offered a preamble and resolution, as follows : " Whereas, the Board of Supervisors of the county of Clin- ton, by resolutions adopted Jan. 2, 1857, proposed to re- move the county-site of the county of Clinton and locate the same at the village of St. Johns ; and whereas it appears that at a subsequent election a majority of the elec- tors of said county voted in favor of said removal and loca- tion ; therefore be it resolved, That the county-site of said county be and the same is hereby declared to be estab- lished at the said village of St. Johns, in accordance with said resolutions and the vote of the electors of said county thereon." The resolution was adopted, eleven to five, and under it the offices of the county were removed, in Decem- ber, 1857, to Plumstead Hall, in the village of St. Johns. In 1858 a briek building, about twenty by twenty-five feet, was erected on the public square fronting on State Street. This building was occupied by the county officers from Jan. 19, 1859, until the completion of their present cpiar- ters in the court-house, when the offices were removed to that building. During the time intervening between the removal of the county-site to St. Johns and the completion of the present court-house, the courts were held first at Plumstead's Hall until about 1861 ; then in Clinton Hall, rented of George W. Stephenson, till 1869 ; next in New- ton's Hall, which was occupied for about a year ; and finally 344 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. in a building owned by John Hicks, on Clinton Avenue, between Walker and Higham Streets. On the 5th of January, 1869, a preamble and resolution was offered as follows : " Whereas, the village of St. Johns has provided for raising the five thousand dollars oflFered for construction of the court-house; therefore re.solved, That the county of Clinton build a court-house on the public square, not to cost to exceed six mills on the dollar on the assessed valuation of tlie county, estimated from the corrected ag- gregate assessment of the county for the year 18GS ; three mills of the amount to be raised in 1869, and three mills in 1870. The question to be submitted to the electors at the annual meeting in April, 1869." This action was re- ferred to a committee, and on the next day a substitute was offered and accepted as follows : " That the proposition to raise the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars be submitted to the people in April, 1869, be raised by loan ; said loan payable in five annual payments." This last resolution was passed by a vote of twelve to two, and in the election that followed seventeen hundred and thirty-four votes were cast in favor of building a court-house, and eleven hundred and seventy against it. The following-named gentlemen wore appointed as a building committee, with power to contract for the erection of the court-house : William L. Hicks, George R. Hunt, Benjamin F. Shepherd, David Clark, Moses Bartow, and John Hicks. On tlie 12th of October, 1869, this com- mittee reported that they had adopted a plan similar to that of the court-house in Bay City, Mich., and that contracts were awarded for the construction of foundation-walls, to be completed in November, 1869. On the 18th of Decem- ber, 1869, proposals were opened by the committee for the construction of the court-house ; the lowest bid was twenty- four thousand dollars, which was not accepted, and work was commenced by the day, the committee taking charge. The building was finally completed, ready for use, in Octo- ber, 1871. The cost of the building, as reported Jan. 9, 1872, by John Hicks, chairman of committee, was thirty- five thousand three hundred and forty-four dollars and fifty- eight cents. On the 10th of January, 1873, a special committee, who liad been previously appointed to select a suitable site for a jail, reported and recommended the purchase of lots 1, 2, and 3, in block 20, in the village of St. Johns, for that pur- pose. The report was adopted, and the lots were purchased of John Turner for six hundred dollars, the deed bearing date Jan. 20, 1873. On the 5th of January, 1875, a reso- lution was passed by the board to submit a proposition to the electors to raise ten thousand dollars for the erection of a jail and sheriff's residence in the village of St. Johns. At the next annual town-meeting, in April, 1875, this question was submitted, with the following result ; twelve hundred and ninety-two votes in favor and seven hundred and two against. In accordance with this decision the board con- vened on the 12th of May following, for the express pur- pose of transacting business pertaining to the erection of the jail. Two days and a half were occupied in electing a chairman. Forty-five formal ballots were taken before they succeeded in choosing a presiding officer. The last ballot resulted in ilie election of Eugene V. Chase as chairman. Josiah Upton was then appointed to procure plans and specifications for a jail and residence not to exceed the sum of ten thousand dollars. After the accomplishment of this item of business the board adjourned. In the June follow- ing, plans presented by Mr. Hedden were accepted. John Hicks, Josiah Upton, and Richard Moore were appointed a building committee, with power to advertise, receive pro- posals, and let the contract for building the jail, which was soon after commenced, and completed in October, 1876. On the 4th of January, 1877, the committee on building the jail reported as to the cost of jail and residence as fol- lows : total amount, ten thousand and fifteen dollars and fifty-three cents. COUNTY POOR-HOUSE AND FARM. The first ofiBcial action taken in reference to the support of the county poor of Clinton is recorded in the proceed- ings of the county commissioners in October, 1839, at which time Grafton Webber, of Watertown, Thomas Fisk, of Bingham, and Franklin Oliver, of De Witt, were ap- pointed county superintendents of the poor for the ensuing year. In the month of February following it was resolved to abolish the distinction of county and township poor, and that "all expenses hereafter incurred shall be a charge against the county." The first step towards providing a county farm for the poor was taken at a meeting of the Board of Supervi.sors on the 4th of January, 1844, when a resolution was offered that arrangements be made for the purchase of a farm for the maintenance of the poor. This resolution was laid on the table and finally rejected by the board, but at the annual session in the following autumn a committee to whom the report of the .superintendents of the poor was referred recommended the purchase of a farm, and Supervisors Boughton, Pearl, and Taber were appointed a committee to examine the farm of William Ulloy and ascertain his price. The committee reported, and after due consideration the farm was purchased for six hundred and sixty-one dollars and i at the Albany Law School, came to Detroit in 1855, re- mained there two years, and removed to St. Johns, Nov. 22', 1857. For a short time he was in the office of Henry Walbridge, and in February of 1858 he opened an office and commenced practice. Mr. Perrin was elected to the office of judge of probate in 1860, and to the State Senate in 1864. He is now associated with P. K. Perrin and Albert J. Baldwin in the practice of law in the village of St. Johns. The above mention of early lawyers embraces the princi- pal ones who commenced practice in the county during the twenty years following the establi.shment of its courts. Of some others wlio have not been mentioned but who came to the county during that period, as well as of those who have practiced here since that time, the names will be found in the appended list (prepared from the court records) of attorneys who have from time to time been admitted to practice in the courts of Clinton, viz. : William H. Parks, admitted May 9, 1843. John C. Bianchard, admitted May 9, 1843. Joseph HoUister, admitted Nov. 15, 1843. Ralph B. Goble, admitted Nov. 12, 1844. Theodore H. Chapin, Jr., admitted Nov. 12, 1844. Harvey Bartow, admitted May 12, 1846. H. M. Munson, admitted May 14, 1846. William W. Upton, admitted Nov. 13, 1846. Milton P. Burteh, admitted Nov. 13, 1845. Randolph Strickland, admitted June 15, 1849. Christopher W. Leffingwell, admitted June 15, 1849. David E. Corbin, admitted June 15, 1849. N. Byron Hollister, admitted Sept. 12, 1849. J. Foot Turner, admitted June 17, 1850. James H. McKee, admitted June 17, 1850. David I. Daniels, admitted June 9, 1852. James H. Ransom, admitted June 2, 1853. Franklin Miller, admitted Nov. 15, 1855. Stevens E. Longyear, admitted Nov. 15, 1855. Delos C. Wiley, admitted June 7, 1856. Henry Walbridge, admitted June 7, 1856. Obed F. Strickland, admitted June 7, 1856. E. Nelson Fitch, admitted June 5, 1857. Sylvester Hoyt, admitted Aug. 29, 1857. Henry M. Perrin, admitted Feb. 2, 1858. Oliver L. Spaulding, admitted April 6, 1858. Ruel M. Boynton, admitted April 6, 1858. THE PROFESSIONS. 347 Alvah C. Laing, admitted April 8, 1S59. Sylvester H. Pennington, admitted April 8, 1859. Robert V. Briggs, admitted Sept. 2i, 1859. AVarren R. Hickox, admitted Sept. 24, 1859. William F. Moore, admitted July 22, 1862. William M. Stiles, admitted Oet. 20, 1863. Sidney Fitzgerald, admitted Jan. 19, 1864. Andrew Stout, admitted April 18, 1864. George Tompkins, admitted April 18, 1864. Hiram C. Hodge, admitted Jan. 19, 1865. Daniel Granger, admitted Jan. 18, 1866. Edward Cahill, admitted July 16, 1866. Moses Bartow, admitted July 16, 1866. Alvin Patterson, admitted Jan. 21, 1867. Porter K. Perrin, admitted July 15, 1867. Albert J. Baldwin, admitted July 15, 1867. Frederick Wilkinson, admitted April 18, 1868. Charles E. Williams, admitted April 18, 18G8. I'errin C. Cummings, admitted Oct. 3, 1868. John Q. Patterson, admitted Oct. 3, 1868. Samuel D. Haight, admitted April 13, 1870. Francis W. Cook, admitted April 13, 1870. William W. Dennis, admitted July 12, 1870. Alfred G. Higham, admitted July 12, 1870. Nelson De Long, admitted April 14, 1871. Henry E. Walbridge, admitted April 14, 1871. John H. Fedewa, admitted May 20, 1872. Arlington C. Lewis, admitted May 20, 1872. James H. Walsh, admitted May 20, 1872. Adelbert McCabe, admitted May 20, 1872. Benjamin F. Button, admitted May 27, 1875. Edward L. Walbridge, admitted Feb. 17, 1878. Will A. Norton, admitted Aug. 19, 1878. John G. Patterson, admitted Aug. 19, 1878. Henry J. Patterson, admitted Aug. 19, 1878. Loyal W. Hill, admitted May 21, 1879. John J. Kerr, admitted May 21, 1879. The following is a list of the present members of the bar of Clinton County : Randolph Strickland. Henry Walbridge. Porter K. Perrin. Joel H. Cranson. Oliver L. Spaulding. Henry M. Perrin. Josephus 0. Selden. Anthony Cook. Richard Baylia. Albert J. Baldwin. Anderson Stout. William W. Dennis. Henry E. Walbridge. John H. Fedewa. William n. Castel. 0. W. Barker. William F. Moore. William Brunson. Charles M. Merrill. Henry J. Patterson. John G. Patterson. Edward L. Walbridge. Loyal W. Hill. John J. Kerr. S. B. DaboU. THE MEDICAL PliOFESSION. Dr. Seth P. Marvin came from Oakland County to Clin- ton County with his father in 1835 and located in Water- town, where Seth built a log house and lived until the county was organized, when he removed to De Witt. He had studied medicine previous to his settlement in Clinton County, as the following certificate indicates : " To all to whom these presents shall come or may in any wise concern. " The Pres't, Sec'y, and Censors of the Medical Society of the County of Macomb send greeting. Whereas, Seth P. Marvin hath exhibited unto us satisfactory testimony that he is entitled to a License to practice Physic and Sur- gery : now know ye that by virtue of the power and au- thority vested in us by Law, we do grant unto the said Seth P. JIarviu the privilege of practicing Physic and Surgery in this State, together with all the rights and im- munities which usually appertain to Pliysicians and Sur- geons. " A. C. Campbell, ^ " Geo. Lee, y Censors. " H. Taylor, J " In testimony whereof we have caused the seal of the Society to be hereunto affixed, at the village of Mount Clemens, this 14th day of November, 1836. " A. C. Campbell, Secy. " H. R. ScuiTTERLY, President." Dr. Marvin did not graduate at any medical college, but was afterwards admitted as a member of the Central Mich- igan Medical Society upon this certificate. He was the first practicing physician in the county, but not the first in the village of De Witt. He was elected county clerk at the first election of the county, in April, 1839, and served two terms, and also served as register of deeds from 1851 to 1856, and as judge of probate from 1856 to 1860. His practice was largely interrupted by attention to his duties as a public officer, still he continued bis practice until his death, in August, 1864. He was very popular with the people, a good conversationalist and story-teller. As a phy- sician he was very successful in the management of disease. Dr. Levi D. Jennison was a native of Connecticut, and emigrated to the western part of the State of New York, where lie studied medicine in the village of Batavia. He emigrated to Michigan in the spring of 1837, and located on the south side of Looking-Glass River, then known as New Albany. He was the first physician in the cluster of villages that at that time were laid out along Looking-Glass River. He obtained a large country practice, and resided at that place until 1843, when he removed to Essex and resumed practice, which he continued until his death, in 1863, at the age of sixty-three years. As a physician he was cautious and slow in forming an opinion. In cases of inflammation of the lungs he was uniformly successful, and without an equal in this region of country. Dr. Hiram W. Stowell was a native of Cayuga Co., N. Y. He studied medicine and graduated at Auburn, N. Y. He emigrated to Michigan in 1836, and practiced medicine one year at Ann Arbor, and in the summer of 1837 he came to the village of De Witt, where he practiced until his death, in August, 1857. His ride was extended, reaching into other counties. He was elected the first judge of probate of Clinton County, and afterwards treasurer. Dr. William B. Watson emigrated to Michigan in 1839, and located in the township of Duplain, where he opened an offi-ce at the Rochester Colony, and commenced the prac- tice of medicine. He was the first physician in the town- 348 HISTOKY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. ship, and for many years the only one. His practice was continued till within a few years of his death, which oc- curred in 1875. He enjoyed the confidence of the people and the respect of his fellow-practitioners. Dr. Martin Moore, a native of Steuben Co., N. Y., emi- grated in 1838 or '39 from New York State, and came to the settlement on Looking-Glass River and located, but whether at Middletown, old De Witt, New Albany, or De Witt, has not been ascertained. He practiced in the sur- rounding country till his death, in 1850. He was consid- ered a good practitioner. Dr. Stanton E. Hazard, a native of Niagara Co., N. Y., studied medicine in Oakland Co., Mich., and attended one course of lectures in Ann Arbor. In the spring of 1842 he came to Wacousta, in the township of Watertown, where he commenced practice, and soon obtained an extensive patronage. He was careful and cautious, and uniformly successful as a physician. His death occurred in May, 1880. Dr. Isaac T. HoUister came in 1847 from the State of New York to the township of Victor, in this county, to visit his brother Joseph. There being no physician in the township he was persuaded to remain. He rapidly gained the confidence of the people, and his ride was widely ex- tended. He remained in Victor until 1864, when he re- tired from practice and removed to Laingsburg, where he still resides. He was elected to the State Senate in 1856. Dr. John H. Bacon, a native of Niagara Co., N. Y., studied medicine in that State and graduated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. He emi- grated to Michigan and located in Do Witt in 1852, where he practiced medicine until about 1860. He then removed to Lansing. Dr. G. W. Topping is a native of Cayuga Co., N. Y. He emigrated to Michigan in 1853, studied medicine and graduated at the medical department of the State Univer- sity, and in 1854 removed to De Witt and commenced a practice in which he still continues. He is now president of the county medical society. The first medical practitioner in St. Johns was Dr. Darrow, a young physician, who located there soon after the •settlement of the village. He was a man of excellent edu- cation and fine ability ; but he' only remained about one year at St. Johns, removing at the end of that time to Okcmos, and afterwards to Mason, Ingham Co., where he is now living. Dr. De Witt C. Stewart is a native of Genesee Co., N. Y. He emigrated to Tecuuiseh, Mich., in 1833, and was en- gaged in farming and buying and selling lands until 1848, when he returned to Allegany Co., N. Y.,and studied med- icine with Dr. William B. Alley about four years, riding with him and practicing during the last year. In 1852 he came to Michigan again, and practiced about two years in the townships of Onondaga and Aurelius, Ingham Co., and in May, 1854, removed to the village of St. Johns, where he opened an office. He was the first permanent physician in the township, and his ride extended twenty-five and thirty miles from St. Johns into Gratiot and Shiawassee Counties. At that time roads were few and poor, and the many visits of the physician were forced to be made on horseback. Dr. Stewart is a careful practitioner and has been very successful in his profession. He still lives on the spot where he first located in St. Johns. He was one of the first members of the Clinton County Medical Society. Dr. M. L. Leach located in 1854 in Duplain, where he practiced till the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, when he entered the army. After his term of service had expired ho returned to the Rochester Colony, resumed prac- tice, and continued there till 1878, when he removed to Elsie. Dr. F. A.' House came to the same township in 1858, and is still in practice in that place. Six years of the time, however, he passed in Indiana. Dr. Louis W. Fasquelle is a native of France. His father was a professor in the State University for many years. Dr. Fasquelle graduated in the medical depart- ment of the University, and practiced about one and a half years in Hartland and Cohoctah, Livingston Co., Mich. In April, 1855, he removed to St. Johns and re- sumed his practice. He served in the army six months as surgeon during the war of the Rebellion. He is still in practice in the village of St. Johns. Dr. Andrew J. Wiggins was educated at Warsaw, N. Y., graduated at Geneva (N. Y.) Medical College, and emi- grated to Michigan in 1851. He attended medical lectures at the State Univer.sity, practiced in Monroe Co,, Mich. ; Summit and Goshen, Ind. ; Chelsea, Washtenaw Co., and Danville, Ingham Co., Blich. In 1862 he came to the village of St. Johns, where he is still in practice. Besides the physicians above named there were a few others who located in Clinton County during the quarter of a century succeeding its organization, but those who have been mentioned were the principal ones who commenced prac- tice here during that period. A large number of practi- tioners have come to practice in the county in the later years, and the names of many of these will be found in the following notice of the county medical society. CLINTON COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY. As early as the year 1864 an effort was made to estab- lish a medical society in Clinton County. Indeed, at that time a partial organization was effected, but the resident members of the profession were then so few that it was found impracticable to infu.se sufficient vitality in*o the or- ganization, and in a little less than two years it expired. From that time to the present the increase in population, substantial developments, and material wealth has been un- surpassed. While the natural and necessary developments of the county have greatly diminished the causes of some forms of disease, and entirely annihilated others, the rapid influx of population has seemed to demand accessions to the ranks of the medical profession. This demand has been more than supplied. With adequate numbers, early in June, 1874, a call was issued for all persons residing in the county who were " regularly engaged in the rational practice of medicine" to assemble at the office of Dr. G. E. Corbin, in the village of St. Johns, on Thursday, July 9th, of that year, for the purpose of organizing a medical society. At the appointed time and place, in response to the call, there were present the persons here named : THE PRESS. 349 Casper V. Beebe, of Ovid. L. T. Wells, of Ovid. Edwin Doty, of Maple Rapids. David HoUister, of Maple Rapids. S. M. Post, of Eureka. L. A. Laurason, of Fowler. L. W. Fasquelle, of St. Johns. D. C. Stewart, of St. Johns. G. E. Corbin, of St. Johns. C. C. Dellenbaugh, of Westphalia. Among the usual preliminaries was the appointment of Drs. Corbin, Doty, and Beebe as a committee to draft a constitution and report at the afternoon session. On pre- sentation the constitution drafted by the committee was adopted with few alterations, and the organization of the society was completed by the election of its first officers. They were : President, L. W. Fasquelle. Vice-President, C. V. Beebe. Treasurer, L. T. Wells. Secretary, G. E. Corbin. The objects of this society cannot be better expressed than in the brief preamble to its constitution which is here quoted : " Believing that men of congenial minds and similar pursuits may derive mutual benefit from fraternal association, thus promoting kind feelings and removing prejudices that are liable to exist while strangers to each other, and that a free interchange of opinions is calculated not only to harmonize the views, but also to add to the common stock of professional knowledge ; therefore, Re- solved, That for these purposes, and in the furtherance of these objects, we fjrm ourselves into an a.ssociation to be called Clinton County Medical Society." From its organization to the present date (June, 1880) Drs. Fasquelle, Topping, and Gillam have served as pres- idents ; Beebe, Topping, Dellenbaugh, Doty, and Post, as vice-presidents; Wells, Laurason, and Post, as treasurers; and Dr. G. E. Corbin has been itsonly secretary during the same period. During the six years of its existence this society has delegated Drs. Fasquelle, Beebe, Dellenbaugh, Gillam, Topping, Corbin, and Doty to represent its in- terests in the annual deliberations of the American Medical Association. Its constitution requires that the meetings of the society shall all be held in the village of St. Johns, and thus far they have all been held in the office of its secretary. A number of changes in membership have oc- curred. Some have removed from its jurisdiction. None have yet been removed by death. The present membership embraces the following list: G. W. Topping, De Witt. E. V. Chase, Elsie. H. Ilart, Eureka. S. M. Post, Eureka. L. A. Laurason, Fowler. Edwin Doty, Maple Rapids. Samuel H. Welliugs, Maple Rapids. Abbot, Ovid. O. B. Campbell, Ovid. S. C. King, Ovid. W. K. Yuill, Ovid. C. C. Dellenbaugh, Portland. L. 0. Ludlum, Shepardsville. G. E. Corbin, St. Johns. L. W. Fa.squelle, St. Johns. S. E. Gillam, St. Johns. D. C. Stewart, St. Johns. N. B. Welper, St. Johns. A. J. Wiggins, St. Johns. Simon Herrcs, Westphalia. The officers for 1880 were elected on the 8th of July, at the annual meeting, and are as follows : President, G. W. Topping, De Witt. Vice-President, L. W. Fasquelle, St. Johns. Secretary and Treasurer, G. E. Corbin, St. Johns. HOJKEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS. The following list includes the names of the homoeo- pathic physicians who have practiced in the county, with the year of their establishment here, as near as can be as- certained : Caleb Lamb, 1853, St. Johns. T. B. Lamb, 1855, St. Johns. Timothy Baker, 1856, St. Johns. M. J. S. Cook, 18G5, St. Johns. D. L. Roberts, 1865, St. Johns. William Havens, 1871, St. Johns. Graduates of Michigan Homoeopathic College : C. P. Burch, 1868, Ovid. J. L. Harris, 1876, Ovid. Beels, 1879, Ovid. Mrs. M. P. Havens, 1871, St. Johns. Mrs. Dr. Sprague, St. Johns. A. A. Allen, 1879, St. Johns. Graduates of New York Ilomojopathio College : E. R. Haden, 1868, Eureka. William Walker, Eureka. Obed Wheeler, 1860, Maple Rapids. Brown, 1865, Maple Rapids. Wcstervelt, 1868, Maple Rapids. Charles Knapp, 1876, Maple Rapids. THE rilESS OF CLINTON COUNTY. ' The first two local newspapers which circulated in Clin- ton County were the Grand River City Courier and the Shiawassee Express and Clinton Advocate. The latter journal was published at Owosso, Shiawassee Co., in 1839, and the former was commenced in 1837, at "Grand River City," which was simply one of the " paper villages" so common at that d.iy, and located on both sides of the boundary-line between Clinton and Eaton Counties. It was laid out and platted by Erastus Ingersoll, on lands en- tered by him in 1834, in the township of Watertown, Clinton Co., and Delta, Eaton Co., and the boundaries of the village extended from the Grand River, a little south of the county-line in the latter township, northward to the Grand River turnpike, in Watertown. There is nothing now known which sliows whether the publication-office of the Courier was in the Clinton or in the Eaton portion of the village, but whichever may have been the case it seems proper to regard the newspaper, like the " City," a.s belong- 350 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. ing to both counties in equal share. Beyond the fact of its existence at the time mentioned, nothing has been ascer- tained of the Courier s history. The Cliittoiiian, a four-column newspaper, was established about 1842, at the village of De Witt, by Mark A. Childs, who was somewhat noted among the early settlers as a hu- morist. This paper — particularly during the first part of its existence — depended mainly for support upon the print- ing of tax sales. Mr. Childs used to relate that in the first years he received on subscriptions the sum of twelve shil- lings from Alfred Gunnison, a settler residing a few miles east of De Witt, and that, as most of the pioneers at that time derived their principal revenue from hunting and trapping, raccoon tracks were regarded as legal tender in the payment of pi'inters', lawyers', and doctors' bills. A number of this paper, dated July 13, 1844, contains an ac- count of a Fourth of July celebration held that year in the village of De Witt. The Declaration of Independence was read by Dr. Hirara Stowell, the oration was delivered by De Witt C. Chapin, and William Utley was marshal of the day. De Witt at tliat time was the largest village in the county, and contained three dry-goods stores, eight me- chanic-shops, one hotel, — " The Clinton House," — two at- torneys, and two physicians. Mr. Childs was succeeded in the management of the paper about 1845 by Milo Blair, who continued it until about 1849, when it passed to the proprietorship of John Ransom, by whom the name was changed to The Cliitton Express, the first volume of which was commenced Jan. 1, 1850. It was enlarged to a five-column folio, wide columns, equal to six columns standard. It was Democratic in poli- tics, with the motto " Where Liberty dwells there is my Country." About the time of the removal of the county- site to St. Johns, the Clinton Express was also moved and the name changed to the North-Side Democrat. It was published in an office in the upper story of Clinton Hall. II. C. Hodge was associated with Mr. Ransom for a short time, and became the proprietor in 1859, at which time the name was changed to the St. Johns Democrat and the office removed to the east side of Clinton Avenue, near the public square, where it was published till May, 18G4, when 'it was discontinued and the material of the office was sold to the proprietor of the Rrpuhlican at St. Johns. The De Witt RepnUican was established at De Witt village by Ilascall & Hilton, the first number being issued April 9, 1856. Mr. Hascall retired in about three months, and Henry S. Hilton continued the paper at De Witt until the removal of the county-site, when the paper was also removed to St. Johns. The Clinton Repuhlican is the new title given to the paper last named upon its removal to St. Johns. It was enlarged to a six-column fulio, and was published by Mr. Hilton until Dec. 3, 1858, when, on account of ill health, he associated others with him in the business. From this time the paper passed through numerous changes of pro- prietorship, viz., H. S. Hilton & Co., J. Kipp & A. D. Carrier,* Hilton & Carrier, H. S. Hilton & Co., P. K. & * The office was destroyed by fire April 13, 1860, while under the proprietorship of Kipp k Carrier, and the papej was re-established te this disaster by Hilton & Carrier. H. M. Perrin, Robert Smith & Co., Philips & Doughty, D. M. Philips, and A. II. Herron. On the 20th of June, 1873, the paper passed to the proprietorship of its founder, Henry S. Hilton, by whom it is still continued. It has been enlarged to a nine-column folio. It advocates Repub- lican principles, and circulates eleven hundred copies. Tlie St. Johns Herald, a seven-column folio, was first issued in the village of St. Johns on the 24th of August, 1864, about four months after the discontinuance of the St. Johns Democrat. It was established by R. Cheney in the interests of the Ddmocratic party, having for a motto "Truth, ever lovely, sinee the world began The foe of tyrants and the friend of man." The first number bore the name of George B. McClellan as Presidential candidate. The paper was published through the fall campaign, and at its close was discontinued. The Clinton Independent, a six-column folio, was first issued Aug. 20, 1866, at the village of St. Johns, as an exponent of Democratic principles. It was owned and edited by John H. and James A. Stephenson, whose office was in the rear, of G. W. Stephenson's store, on Clinton Avenue. On the 1st of January, 1867, the office was removed to rooms over J. H. Corbit's hardware-store, on Walker Street, and on the 17th of April of that year James A. Stephenson sold his interest to George S. Corbit. On the 17th of March, 18G9, Mr. Corbit purchased the interest of John H. Stephenson, and on the 20th of October follow- ing James D. Estes became associated with him under the firm-name of Corbit & Estes, by whom it is still published. It has been enlarged from time to time, and is now a nine- column folio. It has a circulation of about eleven hundred, and is the leading Democratic organ in the county. The office is now over the store of D. C. Hurd, on Clinton Avenue. The Ovid Register, a six-column folio, was established in May, 1866, in the village of Ovid, by J. H. Wickwire, who published it for about one year, and then sold it to J. Leonard, who remained its proprietor only about three months. From that time the paper passed through several changes, as follows : Henry Eggabioad, A. B. Wood, J. W. Fitzgerald, Rutherford & Rich, and J. W. Pierson. In August, 1873, Reeves and Carrier purchased the paper, and continued its publication until Jan. 1, 1879, when Mr. Reeves sold his interest to Irving Carrier, and the firm is now Carrier & Son. During some of the numerous changes the paper was enlarged from six to seven columns folio, and on the 4th of July, 1879, it was enlarged to its present size. On the 2d of July, 1880, the paper changed from independent to Democratic in politics. The Maple Rapids Messenger. — A paper (six columns folio) bearing the above title was established in 1874. by the Dicky Bros., at Maple Rapids. The first number was issued April 16th of that year. Its publication was discontinued about January, 1878, and the press and material were removed to Muir, Ionia Co. The 3Iaple Rajn'ds Dispatch was established by its present publishers, 0. & E. D. Stair. It is an independent weekly, published on Saturdays, and circulates over five hundred copies. The first number was issued Oct: 26, 1878. CIVIL LIST. 351 The Clinton and Shiawassee Union (eight columns folio) was established in the village of Ovid in June, 1879, by Fitzgerald & Walsh. The latter retired April 5, 1880, and Mr. Fitzgerald assumed the entire charge. The paper was then reduced in size to a four-column folio. The Some Chronicle was first issued on the 2d day of October, 1878, by Frank H. Hose. It advocated green- back principles, and was discontinued on the 6th of August, 1879. CLINTON COUNTY CIVIL LIST.. In this list the names are given of those who have held county ofSces, and also of those, resident in Clinton, who have held important offices in or under the State or national government. REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS. Eandolph Strickland, elected Nov. 3, 1868. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTOR.' Charles Kipp, Sixth District, elected Nov. 7, 1876. SECRETARY OF STATE. Oliver L. Spaulding, elected Nov. 6, 1866; re-elected Nov. 3, 1868. AUDITOR-GENERAL OF MICHIGAN. John Swegles, Jr., elected Nov. 5, 1850.* REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY. Oliver L. Spaulding, elected Nov. 2, 1858, to fill vacancy. Samuel S. Walker, elected April, 1875. MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS. Convention of 1850, convened at Lansing, June 3d. — David Sturgis, elected November, 1849. Convention of 1867, convened at Lansing, May 15th. — Alvah H. Walker and Nathaniel I. Daniels, elected April 1, 1867. STATE SENATORS. Jesse F. Turner, elected November, 1843 ; re-elected November, 1844. Isaac T. Hollister, elected November, 1856. Randolph Strickland, elected November, 1860. Henry M. Perrin, elected Nov. 8, 1864. Stephen Pearl, elected Nov. 3, 1868. Adam Beattie, elected Nov. 5, 1872. Porter K. Perrin, elected Nov. 7, 1876. REPRESENTATIVES IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE. Robert G. McKee,t elected November, 1838. Milo H. Turner, elected Nov. 1-2, 1841. Daniel Ferguson, Jr., elected Nov. 6-7, 1843. Samuel M. Scott, elected Nov. 4, 1845. Wm. W. Upton, elected Nov. 3, 1846. Samuel M. Scott, elected Nov. 2, 1847. Morris E. Allen, elected Nov. 7, 1848. Samuel M. Scott, elected Nov. 6, 1849. David Clark, elected Nov. 5, 1850. * The first auditor elected under the constitution of 1850. f Elected before the organization of Clinton Countj. Robert E. Craven, elected Nov. 2, 1852. Timothy II. Petit, elected Nov. 7, 1854. James Kipp, elected Nov. 4, 1856. David I. Daniels, elected Nov. 2, 1858. Chandler Freeman, elected Nov. 4, 1862. Moses Bartow, First District, elected Nov. 8, 1864. Orrin W. Munger, Second District, elected Nov. 8, 1864. Sidney U. Alexander, First District, elected Nov. 6, 1 866. Stephen Pearl, Second District, elected Nov. 6, 1866. Philo Doty, First District, elected Nov. 3, 1868. Aaron Sickles, Second District, elected Nov. 3, 1868. Philo Doty, First District, elected Nov. 8, 1870. Rowland S. Van Scoy, Second District, elected Nov. 8, 1870. John C. Brunson, First District, elected Nov. 5, 1872. Rowland S. Van Scoy, Second District, elected Nov. 5, 1872. Samuel S. Walker, First District, elected Nov. 3, 1874. Moses Bartow, Second District, elected Nov. 3, 1874. Eugene V. Chase, First District, elected Nov. 7, 1876. Newton Baker, Second District, elected Nov. 7, 1876. Eugene V. Chase, First District, elected Nov. 5, 1878. Frank Necker, Second District, elected Nov. 5, 1878. ASSOCIATE JUDGES. Hiram Wilcox, elected April 4, 1839 ; re-elected April 4, 1840. Joseph Sever, elected April 4, 1839. David Sturgis, elected Nov. 7-8, 1842. Timothy H. Petit, elected Nov. 7-8, 1842. Chandler W. Coy, elected Nov. 3, 1846. Henry M. Sickles, elected Nov. 3, 1846. Joseph Sever, elected Nov. 7, 1848. JUDGES OF PROBATE. Hiram W. Stowell, elected April 4, 1839; term com- menced upon election. Theodore H. Chapin, elected Nov. 7-8, 1842. Levi Townson, elected Nov. 3, 1846 ; died July, 1849. J. Baker, acting judge of probate remainder of term, appointed July 14, 1849. Cortland Hill, elected Nov. 5, 1850 ; re-elected Nov. 2, 1852. Seth P. Marvin, elected Nov. 4, 1856. Henry M. Perrin, elected Nov. 6, 1860. William Sickles, elected Nov. 8, 1864. Porter K. Perrin, elected Nov. 6, 1866. Joel H. Cranson, elected Nov. 5, 1872; re-elected Nov. 7, 1876. COUNTY JUDGE. Jesse F. Turner, elected Nov. 3, 1846; re-elected Nov. 5, 1850; resigned Feb. 8, 1851. SECOND JUDGE. William Shepard, elected Nov. 3, 1846 ; re-elected Nov. 5, 1850 ; acted as county judge from Feb. 8, 1851, to Jan. 1, 1852. SHERIFFS. William F. Jenison, elected April 4, 1839. James K. Morris, elected Nov. 2-3, 1840. 352 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Samuel M. Scott, elected Nov. 7-8, 1842. William F. Jenison, elected Nov. 3, 1846. Robert G. McKee, elected Nov. 7, 1848. Obadiah J. Niles, elected Nov. 5, 1850. Adam W. Partridge, elected Nov. 7, 1854. Philo Doty, elected Nov. 4, 1856. Gardner Conn, elected Nov. 2, 1858. William Brunson, elected Nov. 6, 1860. William T. Plowman, elected Nov. 4, 1862 ; re-elected Nov. 8, 1864. Abner B. Wood, Jr., elected Nov. 6, 1866. Henry P. Adams, elected Nov. 3, 1868 ; reelected Nov. 8, 1870. Cassius M. Carrier, elected Nov. 5, 1872. Galusha Pennell, elected Nov. 3, 1874 ; re-elected Nov. 7, 1876. Murdo McDonald, elected Nov. 5, 1878. COUNTY CLERKS. Seth P. Marvin, elected April 4, 1839 ; term commenced upon election ; re-elected Nov. 2-3, 1840. De Witt C. Chapin, elected Nov. 7-8, 1842. Samuel M. Scott, elected Nov. 4-5, 1844. Walter Ilubbell, elected Nov. 3, 1846. Joseph H. Adams, elected Nov. 5, 1850; re-elected Nov. 2, 1852 ; and again Nov. 7, 1854. DeWitt C. Chapin, elected Nov. 4, 1856; reelected Nov. 2, 1858, and Nov. 6, 1860. Horatio Hunter, elected Nov. 4, 1862. Heman C. Smith, elected Nov. 8, 1864 ; re-elected Nov. 6, 1866. John M. Easton, elected Nov. 3, 1868; re-elected Nov. 8, 1870. F. Byron Cutler, elected Nov. 5, 1872. Charles H. Palmer, elected Nov. 3, 1874. Hanford H. Hawley, elected Nov. 7, 1876; re-elected Nov. 5, 1878. REGISTERS OF DEEDS. Milo H. Turner, elected April 4, 1839 ; term commenced upon election ; re-elected Nov. 2-3, 1840. Jesse F. Turner, elected Nov. 7-8, 1842. Hiram Wilcox, elected Nov. 4-5, 1844. Joseph H. Adams, elected to fill vacancy Nov. 4, 1845. Samuel Treat, elected Nov. 3, 1846. Frederick R. Read, elected Nov. 7, 1848. Seth P. Blarvin, elected Nov. 5, 1850; re-elected Nov. 2, 1852, and Nov. 7, 1854. Henry S. Gibbons, elected Nov. 4, 1856 ; re elected Nov. 2, 1858. William Sickles, elected Nov. 6, 1860. IMorgan L. Leach, elected Nov. 4, 1862. Burtis H. Beers, elected Nov. 8, 1864 ; re-elected Nov. 6, 1866. John B. McLean, elected Nov. 3, 1863; re-elected Nov. 8,1870. Robert Young, elected Nov. 5, 1 872. Jacob F. Shraft, elected Nov. 3, 1874. Henry S. Hilton, elected Nov. 7, 1876; re elected Nov. 5, 1878. COUNTY TREASURERS. John Gould, elected April 4, 1839 ; term commenced upon election. William Utley, elected Nov. 2-3, 1840. Hiram Stowell, elected Nov. 7-8, 1842. William W. Upton, elected Nov. 4-5, 1844. Daniel Ferguson, elected Nov. 3, 1846 ; re-elected Nov. 7, 1848. Stephen Pearl, elected Nov. 5, 1850 ; re-elected Nov. 2, 1852, Nov. 7, 1854, and Nov. 2, 1858. Charles Kipp, elected Nov. 6, 1860 ; re-elected Nov. 4, 1862, Nov. 8, 1864, and Nov. 6, 1866. Josiah Upton, elected Nov. 3, 1808; re-elected Nov. 8, 1870, and Nov. 5, 1872. Richard Moore, elected Nov. 3, 1874. Myron Ellis, elected Nov. 7, 1876; re-elected Nov. 5, 1878. PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.* Calvin C. Parks, appointed 1840-41. Levi Townson, appointed 1842; continued to 1848. Joseph Hollister, appointed 1848. Joab Baker, elected Nov. 5, 1850. Randolph Strickland, elected Nov. 2, 1852; re-elected Nov. 7, 1854, Nov. 4, 1856, and Nov. 2, 1858. Henry Walbridge, elected Nov. 6, 1860 ; re-elected Nov. 8, 1864. Josephus 0. Selden, elected Nov. fi, 1866. Anthony Cook, elected Nov. 3, 1868; re-elected Nov. 8, 1870, and Nov. 5, 1872. John H. Fedewa, elected Nov. 3, 1874. Benton H. Seovill, elected Nov. 7, 1876. John H. Fedewa, elected Nov. 5, 1878. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. Robert E. Craven, elected April 4, 1839. Calvin Marvin, elected April 4, 1839. Ephraim H. Utley, elected April 4, 1839. Calvin Marvin, elected Nov. 4-5, 1839. Hiram Benedict, Jr., elected Nov. 2-3, 1840. Jesse F. Turner, elected Nov. 1-2, 1841. COUNTY SURVEYORS. Charles R. Spicer, elected April 4, 1839 ; term com- menced upon election. Jared Higbee, elected Nov. 2-3, 1840. William W. Upton, elected Nov. 1-2, 1841 ; re-elected Nov. 7-8, 1842. Robert G. McKee, elected Nov. 4-5, 1844. Charles B. Roberts, elected Nov. 7, 1848. John 0. Palmer, elected Nov. 5, 1850. Orville B. Ingersoll, elected Nov. 2, 1852. Edward Paine, elected Nov. 7, 1854 ; re-elected Nov. 4, 1850. Oliver C. Hollister, elected Nov. 2, 1858. Heman G. Smith, elected Nov. 6, 1860. Jiihn 0. Palmer, elected Nov. 4, 1862 ; re-elected Nov. 8, 1864, Nov. 6, 1866, Nov. 3, 1868, and Nov. 8, 1870. * Prosecuting attorneys were appointed by the Governor until 1S50, when the office was made elective. COUNTY SOCIETIES. 353 Thurlow W. Lurk, elected Nov. 5, 1872. Ileory H. Jenison, elected Nov. 3, 1874 ; re-elected Nov. 7, 1876. Charles E. HoUister, elected Nov. 5, 1878. CORONERS. David Watson, elected April 4, 1839. William A. Hewitt, elected April 4, 1839. Edwiu L. Phillips, David Watson, elected Nov. 2-3, 1840. James Sowle, Jr., Ebenczer Smith, elected Nov. 7-8, 1842. Henry Gibbs, Jr., Oliver Beebe, elected Nov. 4-5, 1844. Mark A. Child, elected Nov. 2, 1847. Ephraim Bixby, Benjamin F. Nichols, elected Nov. 7, 1848. Caleb A. Lamb, Isaac T. Hollister, elected Nov. 5, 1850. Mark A. Child, Charles Turner, elected Nov. 2, 1852. William Brunson, Henry Lane, elected Nov. 7, 1854. John Manchester, Charles Sessions, elected Nov. 4, 1856. Charles Sessions, Burtis H. Beers, elected Nov. 2, 1858. Charles W. Brown, Burtis II. Beers, elected Nov. G, 1860. Orange Whitlock, Charles Sessions, elected Nov. 4, 1802. Nathaniel I. Daniels, William A. Chaddock, elected Nov. 8, 1864. Warren II. Stone, Ransom Reed, elected Nov. 6, 1866. Daniel Ilurd, Charles Sessions, elected Nov. 3, 1868. Daniel Hurd, Josiah Murdock, elected Nov. 8, 1870. George Allen, John N. McFarland, elected Nov. 5, 1872. John Miller, William Van Dyke, elected Nov. 3, 1874. F. Byron Cutler, Charles Sessions, elected Nov. 7, 1876 ; re-elected Nov. 5, 1878. CIRCUIT COURT COMMISSIONERS. David I. Daniels, elected Nov. 2, 1852; re-elected Nov. 7, 1854. Henry Walbridge, elected Nov. 4, 1856; re-elected Nov. 2, 1858. Obed F. Strickland, elected Nov. 6, 1860; re-elected Nov. 4, 1862. Anthony Cook, elected Nov. 8, 1864 ; re-elected Nov. 6, 1866. Sylvester Hoyt, elected Nov. 3, 1863. Moses Bartow, elected Nov. 5, 1870. Nelson De Long, Henry E. Walbridge, elected Nov. 5, 1872. Richard Baylis, AVilliam H. Castle, elected Nov. 3, 1874. Henry E. Walbridge, Ciiarles M. Morreil, elected Nov. 7, 1876 ; re-elected Nov. 5, 1878. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCUOOLS. Elisha Mudgc, elected April 5, 1869. Joseph B. Chapin, elected April 3, 1871. Edward Paine, elected April 7, 1873. DRAIN COMMISSIONERS (Two Year,). John O. Palmer, elected April 5, 1869. Stephen Pearl, elected April 3, 1871. 45 CHAPTER XLIX. COUNTY SOCIETIES-AGRICULTURE-MANUPAC- TURES-POPUIiATION. Pioneer Society of Clinton County — Clinton Bible Society — Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Clinton County — Clinton County Agricultural ami Horticultural Society — Pomona County Grange^ Agriculture of the County— Manufacturing Industries — Population of the County at Different Periods. PIONEER SOCIETY OF CLINTON COUNTY. On the 4th day of November, 1873, a meeting was held at the Perrin House, in the village of St. Johns, for the purpose of organizing a pioneer society. The meeting was called to order. Orange Wiiitlock, of Greenbush, was called to the chair, and Randolph Strickland, of Bingham, was appointed secretary. After the object of the meeting had been briefly stated, the society was organized by the elec- tion of the following-named ofiScers, viz. : President, Cortland Hill, Bengal. Vice-Presidents, Ed- win Phelps, Bath ; L T. Hollister, Victor ; William Shep- ard, Ovid ; John Faxon, Duplain ; Orange Whitlock, Greenbush ; John Avery, Bingham ; Moses Tabor, Olive ; David Scott, De Witt ; Harvey Hunter, Watertown ; Wil- liam Van Dyke, Riley; Miner Frink, Bengal; David Scott, Essex ; Charles Sessions, Lebanon ; Constantine Gruler, Dallas ; Moses Bartow, Westphalia ; David Clark, Eagle. Secretary, Randolph Strickland. The first annual meeting was held at the coui-t-house on the 15th of January, 1874. Short speeches were made by several of the old pioneers, and the society adjourned to meet at the fair-grounds in St. Johns, on the 10th of June, 1874, at which time an address was delivered by the presi- dent, Cortland Hill, and a paper was read by Mrs. Parks. Short speeches were made by the Hon. Robert G. McKee, Henry B. Gibbons, and David Scott. The first basket pic- nic of the society was held at De Witt on the 25th of Au- gust, 1877 ; the second, on the 22d of August, 1878, was held at Maple Rapids ; the third, on the 27th of August, 1879, at the grove of B. M. Shepard, at Shepardsville. The following is a list of the presidents, secretaries, and treasurers of the society since its organization : Presidents Cortland Hill, 1874-76; B. F. Kneeland, 1877; John C Brunson, 1878 ; David Scott, 1879 ; Cortland Hill, 1880, Secretaries, R. Strickland, 1874-75 ; Mrs. Mary E. Striek land, 1876; John 0. Palmer, 1877-78; Henry S. Hilton 1879 ; William Brunson, 1880. Treasurers, Morris Bough ton, 1874-75; William Van Dyke, 1876-78; M. R Frink, 1879-80. The following named persons have become members of the Clinton County Pioneer Society at and since its organ- ization, viz. : Aaron Sickles. Miner R. Frink. Mrs. M. J. Sickles. Lucinda Frink. Randolph Strickland. Mrs. Mary E. Hobert. Mrs. Mary E. Strickland. George W. Kinney. Homer W. Hale. Alvah Walker. Liberty Carter. Minerva S. Walker. William M. Hobert. David Ward. Morris Boughton. Hiram Nestel. Lucretia Boughton. William B. Lazelle. 351 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Moses Bartow. Mrs. Adelia Bartow. James N. Vansier. Cortland Hill. Mrs. Lucioda Hill. Burtis H. Beers. James E. Hiscock. Mrs. E. M. Hiscock. Orange Wbitlock. Mrs. Phoebe A. Whitlock. Orange A. Whitlock. W. J. Whitlock. Henry S. Gibbon.s. Mrs. Mary E. Gibbons. Orrin W. Munger. William Besley. Mrs. J. Besley. Porter K. Perriu. Mrs. Ella M. Perrio. Reuben S. Norris. Mrs. Sarah Norris. John B. Shear. David Clark. Aran Beebe. Mrs. M. T. Parks. John 0. Palmer. Cassius M. Carrier. Mrs. Addie Carrier. Mrs. Charlotte F. Palmer. William H. Watts. George Hicks. Joel H. CransoD. William Burns. Mrs. Ann Burns. A. J. Halsey. Atwell Simmons. William J. Bancroft. E. Nithaway. Benjamin F. Kneeland. John Parks. U. R. Owen. Maria Bancroft. Loren Miner. Mrs. C. Wilson. Samuel Knapp. George Allen. Charles Grant. Michael Ryan. S. W. Gibbs. Lyman Swagart. William Van Dyke. Sarah J. Van Dyke. Moses D. Tabor. Lewis Smith. A. Weller. Mrs. A. Weller. Charles E. Lamb. Israel M. Bray. John Brown. A. J. Bemcnt. Caroline Bement. Joseph T. Perkins. Isaac C. Jones. Mary A. Jones. Mary A. Bray. Stephen Hill. Robert G. McKee. Thomas J. Woodman. John M. Easton. Ainsworth Reed. Dorr K. Stowell. Mary J. Smith. Caleb A. Lamb. David P. Wilcox. Edgar D. Moss. Lydia M. Moss. Frederick Lehmer. Isaac T. Hollister. Ellen C. Hollister. William H. Norris. Sarah A. Norris. Chauncey S. Wolcott. Olive Hill. Abigail Miller. William Shepherd. John C. Brunson. Elijah J. Stone. Henry Park. Mrs. Eleanor E. Morton. Allen Nichols. Mary S. Brunson. Mary E. Rundall. Clarissa Gage. Simeon Hewitt. Hannah C. Hewitt. Chauncey Lott. John J. Kniffin. James W. Smith. Edwin D. Webster. Caroline Webster. Marvin Babcock. Mary Babcock. Maria Nichols. David P. Dryer. William J. Moss. Esther A. Moss. William Young. Addison U. Cook. Mary A. Young. Willard King. Martin L. Corbin. Martha J. Corbiu. Charles E. Hollister. Liiman Wilcox. Nathaniel I. Daniels. George W. Freeman. Pauline M. Freeman. David Hollister. Ambrose T. Bates. Isaac Hewitt. Helen C. Hewitt. Rufus C. Hewitt. Lewis Bentley. Walter A. Cook. Sarah A. Cook. O. W. Robinson. Mary D. Robinson. Joseph F. Owen. S. A. Owen. James A. Fornian. Dollie S. Forman. H. B. Bliss. Ellen Bliss. A. J. Moss. Mary Whitacre. Hervey Lyon. Hiram H. Richmond. Frank Hudson. Paul De Witt. Mary M. De Witt. John W. Merrihew. John M. Merrihew. Martin Ilubbell. Lovinia Ilubbell. J. T. Daniels. Mrs. J. T. Daniels. William P. Ladd. Emeline Ladd. Stephen Pearl. Sarah A. Pearl. John Anderson. Cornelia Anderson. Walter Doty. Mrs. Cornelia N. Hazard. Nelson Daniels. Olive Daniels. Isaac M. Ocoboek. Benjamin F. Ocoboek. M. S. Moss. M. A. Moss. Samuel Forman. Catharine Forman. Henry INIulden. Vesta E. Mulden. George W. Groom. John L. Lyon. Lucinda L. Lyon. D. J. Rogers. Matilda Rogers. Edward Jones. Russell Whitney. ArviUa T. Whitney. Joseph W. Hewitt. Sarah A. Hewitt. John R. Haise. John A. WatsoD. Homer Watson. Andrew Dunlap. Thomas Craven. Orville Williams. Jacob W. Weller. Allen C. Bennett. Caroline M. Bennett. Sally Williams. Rudolpbus Loomis. Hannah C. Loomis. Josiah Murdock. Edward Paine. Sarah J. Sickles. John H. Fa.^ion. Mary A. Faxon. Lucy S. Watson. Jane Caster. Catharine L. Shepard. John T. Tanagor. Harriet Tanagcr. David Coats. Daniel A. Sutfin. Elsana Sutfin. Albert McKewen. Norman R. Allen. Mary A. Allen. George R. Doty. Mrs. Sarah E. Garrick. Latham M. Garrick. Joseph H. Lowe. Edward Patten. Sophia Patten. Elijah W. Cobb. Ann S. Cobb. Isaac N. Tanager. Philo C. Bassett. Oscar M. Peail. Benjamin M. Shepard. Elisha W. Shepard. James W. Welch. Julia A. Welch. Benjamin T. Welch. E. M. Patten. D C. Harrington. J. L. Button. Calvin Green. Mary H. Green. George A. Holdcn. At the annual meeting held June 10, ISSO, the following officers were elected : Cortland Hill, President. Mrs. R. Strickland, Vice-President. Miner R. Frink, Treasurer. William Brunson, Secretary. COUNTY SOCIETIES. 355 CLINTON COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY. A County Bible Society was organized at De Witt in the year 1848. The record of the fir.st meeting is lost, but the minutes of the society were kept from 1849 to 1854 inclusive, from which are taken the following items : " The Clinton County Bible Society held its first annual meeting at De Witt on Tuesday evening, the Gth day of February, 1849. The Rev. Lewis Coburn, President of the Society, having taken the chair, Robert G. McKee was appointed secretary pro tem. Tlie Rev. John Baugh- man addressed the Society and audience upon the subject of the distribution of the Hible, after which a collection was taken under the direction of the President of the Society." The following persons were appointed oiBcers for the ensuing year : President, Lewis Coburn ; Vice- President, Daniel Ferguson ; Secretary, Robert G. McKoo ; Treasurer, George T. Clark ; Executive Committee, J. F. Turner, Cortland Hill, James Sturgis, Seth P. Marvin, Joseph H. Adams, Levi Townson, and David Sturgi.s. At the meeting in 1850 a collection was taken, and on motion the amount was to be returned in books, and the various clergymen were appointed a distributing committee. At the annual meeting in 1851 it was resolved that the ministers are requested to preach to their several congrega- tions in favor of the spread of the Bible and take up col- lections for the purchase of the same, also to employ others to act as agents. The treasurer was authorized to order Bibles wlien needed, so far as the funds would permit. At a meeting held in September, 1853, the Revs. Lewis Coburn, John Scotford, and John Gunderman were chosen a committee to draft a constitution, which was adopted October 2d of the same year. At this meeting the treasurer reported five dollars and eiglity-.seven cents collected. Tiie annual meeting of 1854 was held in the Baptist church of De Witt on the 1st of October. An address was delivered by the Rev. J. Anderson, agent of the American Bible Society, and a collection was taken up, the amount of which was paid to J. Anderson. The following is a report of the condition of the society at that time: "The affairs of the Clinton County Bible Society at this date, Nov. 29, 1854, are as follows: "There is now duo the society from J. Sturgis. old treasurer, ostensibly $Hl.l) t From various persons as per bill in treasurer's hands 9.(18 .1. D. Edwards, present treasurer 4. OS lleceivcd this day from W. U. .Sturgis, lato trousurcr, as follows : In Bibles P.7.S In cash 7.'JL" The officers of the society from 1849 to 1854 inclusive were as follows : 1850. — Rev. Lewis A. Coburn, President ; Rev. Caleb A. Lamb, Vice-President ; F. R. Read, Secretary ; James Sturgis, Trca.surer; W. W. Webb, J. F. Turner, D. B. Johnson, W. R. Sturgis, David Sturgis, J. M. Estcs, Daniel Ferguson, Executive Committee. 1851. — Rev. Lewis Coburn, President; J. Boynton, Vice-President ; J. Sturgis, Treasurer ; F. R. Read, Secre- tary. 1852. — Rev. Lewis Coburn, President; John Gunder- man, Vice-President; R. Strickland, Secretary; J. IL Adams, Treasurer. 1853. — Rev. John Scotford, President; Rev. Lewis Coburn, Vice-President ; R. Strickland, Secretary ; W. R. Sturgis, Treasurer. 1854. — -Henry Post, President; Rev. John Gunder- man, Vice-President; Joseph H. Adams, Secretary; J. D. Edwards, Treasurer. The constitution adopted in 1853 names the society and explains its objects, thus: " Article 1st. This Society shall be called the Clinton County Bible Society, auxiliary to the American Bible Society. Article 2d. The object of this Society shall be to disseminate the Holy Scriptures without note or comment throughout the County." The names of persons attached to the constitution are as follows : J. M. Estes, Lewis Coburn, Mrs. Coburn, F. R. Read, John Scotsford, John Gunderman, R. Strickland, George Allen, J. D. Edwards, M. Moote, J. H. Adams, W. R. Sturgis, Ellen Sturgis, Mrs. Goodrich, Mrs. Scotford, A. Dunton. Alsa Cushman, A. Goodrich, M. A. Child. Since 1854 no records of the society have been preserved, and nothing further is known of its history. On the 14th of February of that year several Christian organizations convened at the Methodist Episcopal church in the village of St. Johns for the purpose of reorganizing a county Bible Society. A constitution was presented and adopted. The drug-store of George Hunt & Brother was selected as the depository of the society. It remained there till Slarch, 1876, when it was removed to the drug-store of Dr. M. L. Bagg, where it is at present The transactions of the society since 1865, as shown by the treasurer's books, have been as follows : Paid for Bibles purchased in 1865, S245.28 ; 1866, $466.72; 1867, $79.75; 1869, $219.89; 1870, $173.44; 1872, $126.82; 1873, $128.99 ; 1875,8142.69; 1876, $63.84; 1877, $73.44; 1878, $49.97; 1879, $41.56. Auxiliary societies were formed some years ago at Ovid, De Witt, and. Maple Rapids, but have now declined. The oflBccrs of the society since its reorganization are as follows : Presidents, A. H. Walker, 1864 to 1875 inclusive; Rev. I). D. Gillett, 1876; F. U. Gary, 1877; J. E. Richards, 1878-79 ; S. L. Hamilton, 1880. Secretaries, R. Apthorp, 1864; William Sickles, 1865; L. G. N. Randolph, 1866 to 1868 inclusive; M. V. Brown, 1869 to 1880. Treas- urers, H. C. Hodge, 1864; A. 0. Hunt, 1865 to 1875 in- clusive; M. V. Brown, 1876; Dr. M. L. Bagg, 1877 to 1880. Following is a list of names of persons who became life members in 1865 and 1866 : 1865.— Burtis H. Beer, P. C. Perrin, William Brunson, W. J. Bancroft, A. H. Walker, Mrs. McFarlan, Mrs. Sarah A. B.iker, Mrs. Fanny Brown. 1866.— S. S. Walker, Milo A. Fowler, Joseph Wood, W. W. Brainerd, Louise F. Apthorp, Elizabeth Kipp, Hannah Plumstcad, Isabel B. Sickles, Mary E. Strickland, Mary E. Burgess. No names appear on the record since 1860. FARMERS' MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY OF CLINTON COUNTY. * This company was formed for the purpose of protection against loss by fire or lightning on all buildings and farm- 356 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. property subject to such risk. It has been in existence seventeen years, and has proved so successful that it is rejiardcd with much satisfaction by its members. On the 16th of March, 18G3, a meeting was lield at the village of St. Johns pursuant to call ; articles of association were agreed upon and signed by Jonathan R. Pearsall, Dewitt C. Chapin, Asahel R. Marvin, Henry Moon, George W. Cook, Lewis Coburn, and Jeremiah Emery. The articles of association were published three weeks in the Clinton Repxthlican. On the 19th of June, the same year, articles of associa- tion were published differing in some respects from the first, and signed by the following-named corporators : Ainsworth Reed, Henry Moon, William R. Allen, Lewis Coburn, George Allen, Asahel R. 3Iarvin, Jonathan R. Pearsall, Jeremiah Emery, and George W. Cook. In the paper of the same date a call was issued for the first meet- ing of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Ins-urance Company of Clinton County on the 7th of July, 1863, for the purpose of electing officers and transacting other business. The records of the society were burned a few years ago. J. H. Osborne, secretary and financial agent of the com- pany, opened an office in the drug-store of G. R. Hunt & Brother. The business of the company extends over the counties of Clinton and Gratiot. The number of policies in force, June 1, 1880, was two thousand three hundred, covering property to the amount of $2,625,371. The losses from September, 1877, to September, 1878, were $1933.05 ; from September, 1878, to September, 1879, $3268.13. The salaries, fees, and expenses for the year ending Dec. 31, 1879, amounted to $1822.47. Total expenses for the year, $5205.97. The officers for 1880 are as follows : Josiah Upton, President; R. Du Bois, Secretary. Directors. — Clinton County : Orange Whitlock, Green- bush ; Lewis Bentley, Essex ; William Collins, De Witt ; W. W. Dunham, Duplain. Gratiot County : Charles Web- ster, Fulton. CLINTON COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AND HORTI- CULTURAL SOCIETY. On the 12th of January, 1853, a preliminary meeting was held at the " Clinton House," in the village of De Witt, for the purpose of organizing a county agricultural society. A committee appointed on constitution and per- manent officers reported, at a meeting held in the same place, on the 19th of the same month. A constitution and by-laws were presented and adopted. The following is a list of the names of the original members : Harvey Hunter. Horatio Hunter. J. H. Adams. F. R. Read. Jason Nichols. David I. Daniels. Samuel Forman. A. R. Marvin. W^. Lee. D. S. Ingersoll. 0. B. Ingersoll. Eliel Ingersoll. Charles Scott. Russell Churchman. A. C. Lee. David P. Dryer. Charles R. McKee. D. S. Coats. John CoUister. Orange Ferguson. H. Alexander. U. R. Owen. W. Dills. Peter Merrihew. Moses Tabor. A. U. Cook. J. W. Merrihew. Linus Gillett. George Fuller. A. Gillett. George A. Merrihew. H. S. Green. Ransom Reed. D. Ferguson. H. C. Butler. A. Calder. John Hicks. Horatio Lyon. C. A. Lamb. C. Hill. David Scott. Parker Webber. J. C. Brunson. N. N. Thompson. W. Utley. Daniel H. Blood. Lewis Coburn. E. S. Ingersoll. Thomas Lester. AV. R. Sturgis. D. Olin. A. W. Partridge. I. F. HoUister. J. R. Pearsall. W. Brunson. H. Post. I. B. Smith. Richard Walton. Stephen Hill. Gardner Conn. Wm. Tanager. Benjamin Silsbee. David Knight. Constant Shaw. Henry Jones. B. H. Beers. A. Lounsbury. L. Hungerford. William H. Webb. A. Goodrich. C. Caywood. John Voorhees. David Clark. Philo Doty. J. H. Gardner. H. Stowoll. John Skinner. Thomas J. Allen. James G. Pike. Hiram Scott. Moulton Sprague. James Smith. Henry Smith. James W. McMillan. Joseph Hollister. Henry Jipson. Mary E. Silsbee. George Allen. Ira S. Thornton. Mrs. D. G. Wilsey. A. Simmons. S. Sherman. W. T. Plowman. T. Dunlap. The Committee on Permanent Officers reported the names of the following persons, who were elected for 1853 : President, Harvey Hunter. Vice-Presidents, J. F. Hollister, B. H. Beers, D. Fergu- son, H. Benedict, L. Hungerford, J. Sever, S. B. Smith. Recording Secretary, F. R. Read. Corresponding Secretary, I. H. Adams. Treasurer, W. W. Webb. Directors, O. Ferguson, C. A. Lamb, C. Hill, M. S. Allen, Henry Post. The following-named gentlemen were appointed a com- mittee of three fiom each township to secure members to the society : Bath.— E. L. Phelps, R. Collister, S. Batchelor. Victor.— J. C. Brunson, H. Hagerty, D. H. Blood. Ovid.— J. V. Swarthout, E. Willis, E. Fitch. Duplain. — H. Faxon, J. D. Sickels, Dr. Watson. Greenbush. — H. Avery, D. Sever, 0. Whitlock. Bingham.— G. W. Estes, C. A. Lamb, R. S. Norris. Olive.— A. Calder, J. W. Merrihew, H. S. Green. De Witt.— D. B. Johnson, E. Gunnison, N. N. Thomp- son. COUNTY SOCIETIES. 357 WatertowD. — S. Frary, A. R. Marvin, W. Lee. Riley. — C. Shaw, H. Jones, L. Hungerford. Bengal.— C. Hill, B. F. Kneeland, J. Hamer. Essex.— H. Benedict, T. H. Petit, F. Parr. Lebanon. — P. Corey, J. Vance, A. G. Russell. Dallas. — G. P. Button, M. Van Geri.son, Z. Rice. Westphalia.— W. F. Plowman, M. P. McVey, J. Piatt. Eagle.— J. W. Hill, W. T. Jennison, J. W. McMillan. The meeting adjourned to meet in the same place on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 1873, at one o'clock p.m. At the adjourned meeting in February it was decided to hold a fair in the village of De Witt on the 5th and 6th oF October of that year. A premium-list was made out and judges selected for the different departments, whose names are given below : On Cattle. — N. N. Thompson, Robert Darrow, and John Collister. On Horses. — E. P. Daniels, H. B. Green, and John Voorhees. On Sheep.— W. P. Esler, S. W. Downer, and Parris Corey. On Swine. — M. Van Gieson, J. R. Pearsall, D. H. Blood. On Fowls.— T. H. Petit, David Clark, Alexander Calder. On Grain. — Philo Doty, W. Bronson, John Va^ice. On Fruits.— E L. Phelps, M. Greenwood, W. T. Plow- man. On Vegetables. — David Sturgis, A. Goodrich, M. Bar- tow. On Ladies' Department. — Mary Sturgis, M. H. Adams, Amanda Hunter. On Cabinet-work. — M. S. Allen, J. H. Adams, R. S. Van Sevy. On Boots and Shoes. — Harvey Hunter, H. Benedict, C. A. Lamb. On Blacksmithing.— N. N. Thompson, T. H. Petit, W. W. Webb. On Miscellaneous. — A. R. Marvin, Moses Tober, D. Fer- guson. On Plowing.— H. Benedict, H. Post, David Clark. The annual fair for that year was held on the public square at the time specified. Premiums were awarded to the amount of one hundred and thirty-seven dollars and twenty-five cents. The entire amount of receipts from all sources was one hundred dollars and seventy-eight cents. Incidental expenses reduced this amount to eighty-one dol- lars and forty cents, from which to pay the premiums, it being fifty-nine per cent, of the amount awarded. Premiums were received on cattle by Charles A. Lamb, Samuel Sherman, N. N. Thompson, Eliel Iiigersoll, C. Shaw, David Scott, E. S. Ingersoll, A. R. Marvin, Stephen Hill, A. W. Partridge, George Allen, William Dills, and B. H. Beers ; on sheep by Harvey Hunter, A. C. Lee, Lewis Co- burn, and Charles Scott ; on horses by Gardner Conn, Charles Scott, A. Goodrich, A. Lounsbury, I. W. Gardner, Peter Merrihew, E. S. Ingersoll, and Ransom Reed ; and for the best five acres of wheat by David Scott ; second best, Harvey Hunter; best one acre of corn, I. Caywood ; best acre of oats, David Scott. The annual fairs for 185-1-55-5C were held at De Witt. At the annual meeting of the society, on the 10th, 11th, and 12th of March, 1857, it was resolved that the fair of that year on the 8th and 9th of October be held either at De Witt or St. Johns, the choice to be decided as follows : '' The one of the two villages that subscribes the most money by the 15th of August, 1857, to be paid to the Society on or before the fair, is to have the fair at said vil- lage ; sealed proposals to be received until August 15th." The executive committee met on the 9th of September to consider proposals. A proposition was received from the inhabitants of St. Johns stating that one hundred and six dollars had been subscribed, and as none was received from De Witt it was decided to hold the fair for 1857 at the village of St. Johns, on the 8th and 9th of October. The society advertised for proposals in 1858. No propositions were received, and the fair was held at St. Johns, October 13th and 14th of that year. Nothing further is known of the history of the society until its reorganization in 1863. A preliminary meeting was held at the clerk's office in De Witt, on the 15th of August of that year, and adjourned to the 29th of August, at which meeting a committee was appointed to draft a new constitution and by-laws. Officers were elected, and the 8th of October was the day fixed for the fair. The constitution was adopted on the 9th of Octo- ber of that year. At a meeting of the society at Clinton Hall in the vil- lage of St. Johns, in 1865, it was resolved to purchase ten or fifteen acres of land near the village, for fair-grounds. Messrs. Isaac T. Hollister, W. T. Bancroft, and Sidney U. Alexander were appointed to select the same and nego- tiate for the purchase. The committee reported Jan. 27, 1866, that two tracts had been offered, and recommended the purchase of thirty acres of Joseph Cardinal, situated one mile south of the village. On the 7th of April the secretary of the society reported that he had made the con- tract for the grounds at seventeen hundred dollars. Ten acres were sold from the south part of the grounds for four hundred dollars. In the May following a contract was made with A. Hathaway for grading a trotting-eourse. The grounds were also inclosed and prepared for the fall exhi- bition. During this year articles of association were drawn up, having for a purpose " the reorganization and perfecting of a society to be known as the Clinton County Agricul- tural and Horticultural Society, that was attempted to be made on or about the 19th day of August, 1866." The following-named persons are mentioned in the articles for officers: Dr. I. T. Hollister, President; William II. Moore, Vice-President; B. H. Beers, Treasurer; Robert Smith, Secretary. These articles were not signed. In 1869 a floral hall was erected at a cost of three hun- dred dollars. Its form was that of a Greek cross, about eighty feet in length each way, with the central portion twenty feet square. The agricultural hall, twenty-four by fifty feet, was erected in 1874, at a cost of two hundred and fifty dollars. The grand stand and dining-hall were erected in 1877. The former is twenty-four by sixty feet, and cost three hundred dollars ; the latter, twenty by forty, cost one hundred and twenty-five dollars. A commercial hall was built in the season of 1878, twenty-eight by eighty feet in 358 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. dimensions, at an expense of four hundred dollars. In 1879 the judges' stand was built in a neat and ornamental style, octagonal iu form, sixteen feet square and two stories iu height, at a cost of three hundred and twenty five dollars. The society have about eighty rods of stabling for horses an c attle. The twentieth annual fair of the society was held at the fair-grounds in October, 1879. Nearly twelve hundred en- tries were made ; the receipts from all sources were three thousand three hundred and ninety-three dollars. Eleven hundred dollars was awarded in premiums for the .stock and articles on exhibition, and one thousand dollars for speed in horses. A new constitution and by-laws were adopted in the spring of 1880. The oiEcers of the society, as far as can be ascertained, have been as follows : Presidents. — Harvey Hunter, 1853 ; Henry Post, 1854 ; Isaac T. HoUister, 1855 ; no records 1856 ; Seth P. Marvin, 1857 ; William J. Bancroft, 1858 ; Isaac T. Hollister, 1859; Asahel R. Marvin, 1803; John Gilbert, 18G4-G5 ; B. F. Kneeland, 18G6; John C. Dayton, 1866 (reorganization); Isaac T. Hollister, 1867; Charles Kipp, 1868-70; John C. Dayton, 1871-72; D. P. AVilcox, 1873; A. Stout, 1874-75 ; Joshua Brown, 1876-77 ; R. M. Steel, 1878-80. Secretaries.— F. R. Read, 1853-55 ; Nobles S. Ham- mond, 1857; John C. Brunson, 1858; Rev. Caleb A. Lamb, 1859; Hiram C. Hodge, 1863; Henry S. Hilton, 1864-65; T. B. Cutter, 1866 (reorganization); Robert Smith, 1866-67 ; T. Baker, 1868 ; J. B. Ni.xon, 1869-70 ; T. B. Cutler, 1871-75 ; H. S. Hilton, 1876 ; Alvin Shaver, 1877 ; Richard Du Bois, 1878-79 ; Charles VV. Lyon, 1880. Treasurers.— W. W. Webb, 1853-55; Charles Scott, 1857; Caleb A. Lamb, 1858; Hiram C. Hodge, 1859; Harvey Alexander, 18G3; S. U. Alexander, 1864-65; B. H. Beers, 1866; Samuel S. Walker, 1866 (reorganization) ; B. H. Beers, 1867 ; Samuel S. Walker, 1868-72 ; George R. Hunt, 1873 ; 0. B. Swain, 1874 ; David P. Wilcox, 1875 ; R. B. Caruss, 1876-77; Alvin Shaver, 1878-79; Josiah Upton, 1880. The fair-grounds of the Ionia, Blontcalui, Gratiot, and Clinton Agricultural Society are situated in the village of Hubbardston, in the township of Lebanon, and contain about thirty acres of land, on which are built substantial and com- modious buildings. The grounds are well fenced and a good track is laid out and graded. POMONA COUNTY GRANGE, No. 25. Delegates from the subordinate granges of the several townships convened at De Witt and St. Johns in the fall of 1879, for the purpose of forming a county grange; but nothing was effected until December 31st of that year, when a permanent organization was efiFected by the election of the following oiBcers: Thomas W. Baldwin, Olive, Master; Warren Halsey, Bengal, Overseer ; 0. G. Peunell, De Witt, Lecturer ; John J. Keyser, Keystone, Steward ; Avander Dickinson, Riley, Assistant Steward ; Anson McWithey, Olive, Chaplain; James Sowle, Essex, Treasurer; Frank Conn, Bingham, Secretary ; Daniel Dutton, Dallas, Gate- Keeper; Mary J. Drake, Dallas, Ceres; Elizabeth M. Voor- hees, Keystone, Pomona; Antoinette Emmet, Olive, Flora; Lydia A. Rice, Bengal, Lady Assistant Steward. Meetings are held once a month at the halls of the different granges throughout the county. AGIilCULTURE OF THE COUNTY. The greater part of the pioneer farmers who settled in Clinton County were emigrants from the State of New York ; men who either came here directly from that State, or who had previously emigrated from there to the older counties of Michigan, and had removed thence to Clinton. This being the case, it was to be expected that they should, as they did, plant and sow the same crops, cultivate their lands in the same manner, and in general pursue the same methods of agriculture as those to which they had been accustomed in the country from which they came. Emigrants from the old wheat-raising sections of New York always judged of the new countries to which they went by comparison with that which they had left, and to them the chief proof of the excellence of any soil was its capability for the production of wheat, — as much wheat in quantity and as good wheat in quality as could be raised on lands similarly situated in that garden spot of the world (as it seemed to them), the western part of the State of New York, and particularly the renowned Genesee Valley. And in their application of this test to the county of Clinton they found and acknowledged that in this essential particu- lar the new country to which they came was equal, if not superior, to the old country which they had left. Their agriculture was, of course, small at first, and was devoted to those crops which were indi.spcnsable to their immediate necessities for the support of their fiimilies. The first few crops of wheat, bounteous as they were, re- moved all fear of want, but as the very abundance lowered the price, and as the isolated location of the settlers of this county enhanced the expense of transporting their produce to a market, the net profit resulting from their crops was so small as to hardly repay the cost and labor of produc- tion. This disadvantage, however, was only temporary. In succeeding years prices became more remunerative, the farmers steadily increased their tilled acres, and, what was of more importance still, the improvement of roads and the opening of railroads, by affording means of transportation to markets, greatly enhanced the profits of agriculture. But so gradually was all this accomplished that it would be difficult to say just when the struggling pioneers of the early days of Clinton County became transformed into the prosperous and wealthy farmers who now own and till its soil. The breeding of cattle has been pursued by the farmers of Clinton County quite extensively, but not sufficiently so to give it a chief place among the agricultural industries. The same is true of sheep- breeding. The first settlers who came to locate in the county brought with them a rather unusually large number of cattle, for the reason that the fact had become known that stock could be kept here and win- tered even before crops of fodder had been rai.sed for their subsistence. On the numerous marshes of this region there grew spontaneously a heavy burden of tall, coarse grasses, AGRICULTURE. 359 wliicli, in the absence of tiiuotliy, clover, or other cultivated fodder, furnished very good food for cattle. Plain-grass was also found in abundance in the openings (probably brought in by the annual fires kindled there by the Indians during many previous years), and this was equally good and nutritious. The existence of these resources enabled the settlers (who were nearly all men of sufficient means to purchase stock) to bring cattle with them at the time of their settlement without fear that the animals would die for lack of subsistence during the first or succeeding winters, and it was for this reason that the number of cattle brought into this county by the pioneer farmers was rather unusually large, though probably not greater than was brought in by an equal number of settlers in the other counties of this region where the same favorable conditions existed. A few sheep were found in Clinton County prior to 1837, and their numbers have gradually and steadily in- creased during subsequent j'ears, until sheep-breeding and wool-growing have become sources of large revenue to such farmers as are engaged in them. Improved breeds were early introduced here, and the county now contains a large number (notably the French and Spanish Merinoes and Shropshire Downs) of pure blood, with a much larger number of high grades. Nearly the same is the case with regard to improved breeds of cattle kept in the county, — the Durham and Galloway pure-bloods and crosses being perhaps the most numerous. The names of a great num- ber of breeders of both sheep and cattle might be given, with a more particular account of their several flocks and herds; but as in such a notice the names of some would necessarily be omitted, it is thought preferable to omit all such mention, and more particularly for the reason that here the breeding of improved stock is not a specialty, nor to be reckoned among the most important of the agricul- tural industries of the county. There are in Clinton County a very large number of excellent farms, with not a few of which each might with propriety be termed a " model farm," as the term is usually applied. It would be pleasant, and might be profitable, to give a particularized account of each of these, but as it is impracticable, on account of the difficulty of properly drawing the line of superior excellence, to notice all such in detail, we shall make particular mention of only one, a large and in every way a very remarkable farm, a great part of wiiich was a few years since a worthless and malarious swamp, from which condition it was reclaimed and brought to a state of high cultivation and productive- ness by one of Michigan's most prominent public men, the late Senator Zachariah Chandler. This farm comprises half of section 21), all of section 30, and the greater part of sections 31 and 32, in the township of Bath, with nearly all of section 25, and considerable parts of sections 26 and 30, in the township of De Witt. An account of the purcha.sc of the lands, and of the manner in which they were reclaimed and transformed into the present noble and productive farm, is given in a recently published life of the Hon. Zachariah Chandler, from which account is extracted the following: " In 1857 the State of Michigan gave to its agricultural college the public lauds in the four townships of Bath, De Witt, Meridian, and Lansing, which were designated on the surveyors' maps as ' swamp-lands.' In the main, the sections covered by the grant were marshy, although their rectilinear boundaries included some solid ground. Mr. Chandler purchased from the college and other owners a farm of three thousand one hundred and sixty acres, located four miles (by railroad) from Lansing, in the towns of Bath and De Witt in Clinton County ; it included about nineteen hundred acres (five hundred acres of marsh-meadow, six hundred acres of tamarack-swamp, and eight hundred acres of oak-opening uplands). The marsh was traversed by a slender water-course, deviously connecting some small lakes with the Looking-Glass River. The upland portion of the farm was thoroughly fertile, but its development and cultivation did not specially interest Mr. Chandler, except as furnishing the needed base for his experiments upon the marsh. He said, ' Michigan contains thousands of acres of precisely this kind of land. The drainage of this particular marsh is difiicult, as much so as is the case with any laud in this peninsula which is not a hopeless swamp. If this tract can be reclaimed, others can be, and I propose to give the experiment of reclamation a thorough trial. I have the money, and I believe I have the pluck. If I succeed, it will be a good thing for the State, for it will show how to add millions of dollars worth of land to its farms. If I fail, it will al.so be a good thing, for it will settle an open ques- tion, and no man need repeat my attempt.' He pushed this experiment vigorously from the time of its commence- ment until his death, and gave to it his frequent personal supervision. Ills investments in the marsh-farm soon came to be counted by many tens of thousands of dollars. " Originally, practical farmers were inclined to regard his operations as sheer folly, but as they saw the purpose, methods, and thoroughness of his work, .a just appreciation of its aim followed. Mr. Chandler never disguised the character of this enterprise. Repeatedly he said to visitors at the ftrm and to friends, ' I have a theory, — that is a re- markably expensive thing to have, — and I propose to test it here ; it will make me poorer, but it may make others richer some time.' " The public value of his experiment he believed to bo great, and that fact he was quick to make prominent when- ever it seemed necessary. The general plan of drainage operations consisted in connecting by a large ditch Park Lake (which has an area of two hundred and twenty-five acres) with the Looking-Glass River. This main ditch was constructed by straightening the bed of Prairie Creek, and possessed descent enough to insure a slow current in wet seasons. It is about four miles in length, and averages fourteen feet in width by four in depth. At intervals of forty rods are constructed lateral ditches, as a rule five feet in width at the top by three in depth. This part of the work had not been completed at the time of Mr. Chandler's death, but still the lateral ditching had reached about fifty miles in aggregate length, and had well drained about one thousand acres in the western end of the marsh, near the outlet into the Looking-Glass. In that portion of the 360 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. farm the first results of the drainage — the rotting down of the surface of the marsh into a vegetable mould — have already manifested themselves satisfijctorily. The extent to which this decomposition will continue is not com- pletely tested, nor does it yet appear wliat will be the full measure of the arability of soil which will be created by this process, supplemented by the tile-draining which will follow the subsidence of the marsh to a permanent level. This peaty surface varies from two and a half feet to a rod in depth, and promises to become an enormously produc- tive soil. The experiments thus far tried upon it have resulted hopefully. Much of the native grass furnished excellent hay, and stock fatted upon it thoroughly with no more than the usual allowance of grain. The tame grass sown was chiefly fowl-meadow and timothy. The former Mr. Chandler had seeu growing in Holland on reclaimed land, and he determined to give it a trial. He was only able to find the seed in the Boston market, and there paid for it four dollars per bushel of eleven pounds. It is a species of red-top, and soon yielded from one and a half to two tons of excellent hay per acre. For four seasons this seeding down with tame grasses was tried with satisfactory results, and then other experiments followed. In the fall of 1878 twelve acres of marsh, then well seeded down with grass, were thoroughly plowed by Superintendent Hughes, who in the following season raised thereon corn, potatoes, ruta- bagas, and oats. The results conclusively showed that the marsh possessed general productiveness, although the ex- periment itself was marred by the unseasonable frosts of 1879. The corn looked well at the outset, but was severely injured in the end. The potato-crop was a good one, and the yield of oats was also large. In the fall of 1879 another tract of twelve acres was plowed, and the same ex- periment was put in process of repetition. "Superintendent Hughes is of the opinion that within another year the reclaimed marsh will produce one hundred bushels of corn to the acre. A short time before his death Mr. Chandler said that in view of the success which had at- tended the experiments already tried, he now felt confident that in time his farm would be pointed out as an ague-bed transformed into one of the most valuable pieces of prop- erty in Central Michigan, and would demonstrate the re- claimability of large tracts of swamp-land in that State. About five hundred acres of the marsh are seeded with fowl-meadow grass; about three hundred acres of this is mowed, and the remainder is used for pasturage. Over four hundred tons of excellent hay were cut there in the season of 1879. " Outside of the interest attaching to it by reason of the drainage experiments, the Chandler farm would deserve notice sis one of the most thoroughly equipped and stocked of the new Ihrms of M ichigan. It is traversed by a State road, and by the Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw Railroad (which has established a signal-station near the farm-house). Its buildings are located upon the highest ground. They are substantially constructed, and surrounded with all the evi- dences of thrift. The main house of the farm, which is occupied b}' the superintendent and his family, is a commodi- ous frame structure, two stories in height, and conveniently partitioned ofl" into spacious and airy apartments. Near it is the horse-barn (thirty-two by fifty-four feet in dimen- sions), with sheep-sheds adjoining. About a half mile to the east are two tenant-houses, occupied by fiimilies em- ployed on the farm. On the east side of the State road, at a distance of half a mile, is a large barn erected in 1879 ; its main portion is forty-one by sixty-six feet in dimensions, with a wing thirty-eight by ninety feet; its height is forty- four feet to the ridge ; attached are sheds two hundred and fifty feet in length and L-shapod. This barn is largely used for storage purposes, and will receive two hundred and fifty tons of hay. The basement of its wing is divided into sixty cattle-stalls, thirty on each side, with a broad passage through the centre. The stalls are ingeniously arranged in the most improved style, and with a special regard for cleanliness. In the basement of the main barn is a large root-cellar (capable of holding two thousand bushels of potatoes, turnips, etc.), stabling accommodations for "eight horees, two large box-stalls for stallions, a feed- room, twenty by twenty-five feet in size, numerous calf- pens, and manj' other conveniences. " Located above are two granaries, each twelve by twenty- six feet in dimensions. Attached to the barn, but in a separate building, is a twelve-horse power engine, used for cutting feed and for other farm purposcJ5. A large automa- tic windmill and pump supply water in abundance. " The farm is well stocked ; on it are seventeen horses, including ' Mark Antony,' an imported Normandy stallion, which is a fine specimen of the Pcrcheron breed. There are also one hundred and twenty head of handsome graded cattle on the farm, three hundred sheep graded from Shrop- shire Down bucks, and twenty-three pure-bred Essex swine. In wagons and implements of every kind the equipment is complete, and all are of the best manufacture and most im- proved quality. The force of laborei-s on the farm, as a rule, includes five men in summer and three in winter, large gangs being employed during the two months of the haying season, and also when there is any extensive fencing or ditching enterprise to be pushed. Mr. Chandler's experi- ments were closely watched by the farmers of Michigan. Visits were frequent from them singly, in small parties, and in club or grange excursions to the marsh, and they always met a hospitable reception. Letters of inquirj' also camo from many parts of the State, giving evidences of the wide- spread character of the interest felt. Mr. Chandler him- self when in Michigan visited the farm at least once a mouth, inspecting the work thoroughly, discussing plans with the superintendent, making suggestions, and giving orders. His experience as a farmer in his boyhood fur- nished ideas which were yet useful and a judgment which was well informed, still he was ready to welcome all inno- vations that promised good results, and he closed many dis- cussions with his superintendents by remarking, ' If you come at me with facts, that is enough : I never argue against them.' " The fuUowing agricultural statistics of the county of Clinton at difTerent periods from the j'car 1840 to the year 1874, inclusive, are gathered from the returns of the several censuses by the United States and the State of Michigan, viz. : AGRICULTURE. 361 1840. Number of neat cattle in the county 1.621 " swine in the county 2,560 " sheep " *''* Pounds of wool shorn o?Io Bushels of wheat harvested in the preceding year 18,(i32 Indian corn " " " li.2!m barley " " " '"» oats " " " 11.310 " potatoes " " " 17,033 Tons of hay cut preceding year ^^4 Pounds of sugar made (1840) 27,666 1850. Whole number of occupied farms '>52 Cash value " " f5".835 Total number of acres improved -1,8-6 " •• neat cattle kept in county 4,760 " " sheep " " 5,085 " ■" swine " " 4,788 " value of live stock $108,671 Bushels of wheat harvested in preceding year 54,297 " rye " " " ^28 " Indian corn raised " " 64,967 oats " " " 38,960 barley " " " '61 " buckwheat " " " ^.'26 potatoes " " " i>."»2 Value of orchard products preceding year $337 Tons of hay cut preceding year 5,013 Pounds of wool sheared (1850) 14,638 ** maple-sugar made (1860) 125,024 " butter made (June, 184U. tu June, 1850) 135,613 " cheese '* ** " *' 5,J36 1854. Number of acres of improved land.; 28,870 " neat cattle in county 7,423 " swine ** 4,941 " sheen ' ................................. o,uDo Pounds of wool sheared preceding year 14,096 " pork marketed " " 110,599 Acres of wheat harvested " " 6,736 Bushels •' " " ;; 98.™ Acres of corn " " " 6,944 Bushels of corn " " " 118,686 " all other grains harvested in preceding year. 44,923 Bushels potatoes raised Jireccding year 53,791 Tons of hay cut " " ".'J!*? Pounds of butter made " " 157,677 cheese •' " " "."SS " maple-sugar made in 1854 125,185 1860. Whole number of occupied farms 2,074 " ** acres improved 78,425 Total cash value of farms $.S,578,2.30 Number of neat cattle in county 14,892 swine " 9,'''26 " sheep " 17,527 Total value of live stock $509,571 Pounds of wool sheared in preceding year 50,853 Bushels of wheat harvested " " 149,182 rye " " " V^l Indian corn" " " 161,105 oats " " " '•"'.123 •< barley " " " 4,146 ■• buckwheat " " " 5.963 ** poUttoes raised " ** 59,780 Value 4 Bushels " " " " »VJ03 •• corn " " " "89,472 " all other grains harvested in preceding year... 117,480 " potatoes raised in preceding year 60,942 Tons of hay cut " " 21,145 Pounds of pork marketed " " 459,900 " butter made " " 382,146 « cheese " " " 2.3,568 •' maple-sugar made '* *' 174,183 4(3 1870. Number of acres improved in county 113,578 Value of farms $9,248,012 " all live stock Sl,321.9i0 Number of sheep kept Ji'!?^ Pounils of wool shorn e'ltn Number of milch cows _ 6,6.0 Pounds of butter made in the preceding year 796,970 Bushels of wheat harvested " " 499.030 Indian corn " " " 274,606 ,< ,,.,[3 " " " 285,419 barley " " " 17.871 " buckwheat " " " ^J'^'^ " potatoes raised " " 227,140 Tons of hay cut in the preceding year 29,.369 Pounds of maple-sugar made (1870) 78,500 1874. Total acres of improved land 144,568 Number of fifms ^'^b.?i Average area of f;irms (acres) 83i Number of neat cattle kept 22,476 ** swine over six months old 10,(0o Pounds of pork marketed in preceding year 1,040.847 Number of sheep kept in county 43,064 Number of sheep sheared in preceding year 43,312 Pounds of wool " " " 1",909 Acres of wheat harvested " ' 30,979 Bushels of •• •• " " 565,552 Acres of corn " " " }J'A2, Bushels of corn " " " ^96,207 all other grains " " 449,423 potulo.s raised " " 90,.390 Tons of hay cut jireceding year d?'i'1Sr Pounds of butler m:ide preceding year ol ik " cheese " " " i-l'cln " maple-sugar made in 1874 1(5,640 Bushels of ajiples raised in preceding year 105,205 '* peaches *' " '* *° pears " " " ^^S plums " " " ,93 " cherries " " " 1'32* Tons of grapes " " " f Total value of fruits raised in preceding year 'noo Total acres devoted to fruits in 1874 6,932 The agricultural report published by the Secretary of State for 1877 shows the number of bushels of wheat raised in that year in the several townships of Clinton County to have been as follows : Bath 63,590 Bengal ';:«.7 * Dallas 94,247 De Witt 81,480 Eagle 69,944 Esse-t 5»'983 Grcenbush 60,092 Lebanon '9.^9 Olive 68,029 Ovid 79.214 Riley 61.74, Victor 54,43, Watertown 104,44o Westphalia 84,874 Total bushels raised in county 1,200,433 Total number of acres harvested 50,223 Average yield of bushels per acre 23.09 Agricultural statistics — gathered from the same source as the above— for tlie year 1878 show the following yield of wheat in the several townships of Clinton County, viz. : Bath township, from 27.56 acres produced 56016 bushels, an average of 20.33 bushels per acre; Bengal, from 4117 acres 93,900 bushels, average 22.81 ; Binghatu, from 4027 acres 95,661 bushels, average 23.76 ; Dallas, from 4696 acres 101,949 bu-shcls, average 21.71 ; De Witt, from 3919 acres 97,279 bushels, average 24.82 ; Duplain, from 2233 acres 52,213 bushels, average 23.38; Eagle, from 4523 acres , 104,989 bushels, average 28.21 ; Essex, from 4727 acres 362 HISTORY OP CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 102,918 bushels, average 21.77; Greenbush, from 3329 acres 75,502 bushels, average 22.68 ; Lebanon, from 3587 acres 79,579 bushels, average 22.19; Olive, from 3723 acres 86,994 bushels, average 23.37 ; Ovid, from 4131 acres 106,862 bushels, average 25.87; Riley, from 3456 acres 81,608 bushels, average 23.61; Victor, from 3454 acres 82,414 bushels, average 23.86; Watertown, from 4825 acres 124,783 bushels, average 25.86 ; Westphalia, from 3779 acres 86,492 bushels, average 22.89. Total yield of the county, from 61,282 acres, 1,429,159 bushels, an average yield of 23.32 bushels per acre. In the same year the county produced 1,100,535 bushels of corn, from 18,357 acres; 396,356 bushels of oats, from 13,184 acres; 9788 bushels clover-seed, from 6600 acres; 16,029 bushels barley, from 86U acres; 144,895 bushels potatoes, from 1738 acres; 31,093 tons of hay, from 23,843 acres. The greatest amount of hay raised in any one township was produced by De Witt, the greatest amount of potatoes by Bingham, and the most clover-seed and barley by the township of Ovid. The total number of pounds of wool shorn in the county in 1878, as shown by the returns, was 267,236, from 52,799 sheep, the product of the several townships being as follows : Bath, 20,747 pounds of wool, from 3934 sheep ; Bengal, 13,026 pounds of wool, from 2683 sheep; Bing- ham, 11,865 pounds of wool, from 2401 sheep; Dallas, 17,614 pounds of wool, from 3930 sheep ; De Witt, 20,621 pounds of wool, from 4106 sheep; Duplain, 7363 pounds of wool, from 1529 sheep; Eagle, 12,755 pounds of wool, from 2534 sheep ; Essex, 2146 pounds of wool, from 3901 sheep; Greenbush, 15,588 pounds of wool, from 2872 sheep; Lebanon, 21,135 pounds of wool, from 4167 sheep; Olive, 14,006 pounds of wool, from 2894 sheep ; Ovid, 18,288 pounds of wool, from 3501 sheep; Riley, 16,478 pounds of wool, from 3309 sheep ; Victor, 23,745 pounds of wool, from 4350 .sheep; Watertown, 20,719 pounds of wool, from 3934 sheep; Westphalia, 11,826 pounds of wool, from 2754 sheep. It is to be regretted that no statistics of the agriculture of the county for the present year can be given, as at this time (July, 1880j no returns of the census just completed have been made. MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. Clinton, though almost e.vclusively an agricultural county, contains a number of manufacturing establishments, some of which are quite extensive. These are located principally in St. Johns and Ovid, and will be found mentioned more particularly in the histories of those villages. The general manufacturing statistics of the county, however, as shown by the several United States and State censuses from 1850 to 1874, inclusive, are here given, as follows: FOR THE YEAR 1850. Number of flouring-raills reported 2 C'n|jital invested in flouring-mills $7 ()0U Barrels of flour manufactured in preceding year 7000 Value of flour munufaclured •' " $33'ooO Number of saw-mills ' a Capital invested in lumber manufacture $10 000 Annual product of lumber (feet) '...", 1 53o'oo0 Value of product [^^^' ' cjg'oiO Aggregate amount of capital invested in all kinds of manufactures (flour-mills and saw-mills included) $21,175 Number of hands employed in all manufactures 28 Aggreg.ite value of annual product of all kinds of man- ufactures in the county $5g 900 1854. Number of flouring-mills reported 1 Capital invested in flouring-mills $7 OOO Barrels of flour made in the preceding year l!500 Value of flour manufactured $12 000 Number of s.Tw-mills operated in the county ' 8 " feet of lumber sawed in preceding year 1,572,000 Value of protluet , $13 700 Amount of capital invested in lumber manufacture $15^800 Number of hands employed 23 1864. Number of flour-mills reported (steam, 4; water, 3) 7 " runs of stones 15 Amount of capital invested in flouring-mills $29,900 Barrels of flour made in the preceding year 5,450 Va'ue " " " " $26|o00 Number of persons employed in flour-mills 12 " saw-mills operated in the county (steam, 6; water, 4) -[q Capital invested in lumber manufacture $18,000 Feet of lumber sawed in the preceding year 1,247,000 Value " " " " $25^820 Number of hands employed in lumber manufacture 23 Number of manufactories other than saw-mills and flour-mills 3 Number of persons employed in same 64 Amount of capital invested " $31000 Value of products of same in preceding year $64,480 1874. Number of flouring-mills in county (steam, 5 ; water, 6) 11 " runs of stones in operation 25 Barrels of flour made in preceding year 28 480 Value " " " " $220034 Capital invested in flouring-mills $70,000 Number of persons employed 26 " saw-mills in the county (steam, 17; water, 3) 20 Feet of lumber sawed in preceding year 8,919,000 Value " " " '• $114,300 Capital invested in lumber manufacture $62,400 Persons employed in " gg Number of wood-working* manufactories....^ 3 Capital invested in same $8,800 Number of persons employed 12 Value of product in preceding year $10,500 Number of iron-workingf manufactories 2 Capital invested in same $7,500 Value of product in preceding year $6,000 Number of persons employed 5 Number of agricultural-implement works 3 Ca]iital invested in such works $12 000 Value of product in preceding year $18,800 Number of persons employed 13 " carriage- and sleigh-manufactories 4 Capital invested in same $18 000 Value of product in preceding year $26,980 Numberof hands employed 28 " furniture- and chair-manufactories 2 Capit.al invested in same $76,200 Value of product in preceding year $50,461 Numberof hands employed 48 ** pump-manufactories 1 Capital invested in same $6 000 Value of product in preceding year $2 800 Numberof hands employed 4 " stave- and heading-factories 2 Capital invested in same $25,000 Value of product in preceding year $110,000 Number of persons employed 52 " barrel-, keg-, tub-, and pail-factories 2 Capital invested in same $1 200 Value of product in preceding year $1,900 Numberof persons employed 3 *' wooden-ware manufactories 2 Capital invested in same $7,000 Value of product in preceding year $7,947 Numberof hands employed 10 " saddle-, harness-, and trunk-factories re- ported 1 Cnpital invested in same $3,000 Value of product in preceding year $7,000 * Including in this class planing- and turning-mills, and sash- door-, blind-, and hub- and epokc-factories. t Foundries, machine-shops, and boiler-shops included in this class. VILLAGE OF ST. JOHNS. 363 Number of hands employed 4 " breweries reported iu county 3 Cnpital invested in same S7,0(10 Value of product in preceding year $11,616 Number of persons employed 7 *' brick- and tile-manufactories 1 Capital invested in same l?6on Value of product in preceding year $1,000 Number of marble- and cut-stone works 1 Capital invested in same $8,000 Value of product in preceding year $8,000 Number of hands employed 18 Whole number of manufacturing establishments reported in Clinton County in 1873 60 Whole number of ]>ersons employed in same 323 " amount of capital invested '* '* $315,700 Total value of product in 1873 $599,709 POPULATION. The population of Clinton County in 1837 was shown by the census of that year to be five hundred and twenty- nine, and in 1840 it had increased to sixteen hundred and fourteen. The censuses taken at subsequent periods show the population of the county and of its several townships to have been as given below for the years indicated, viz. : 1845. 1850. 1854. 1860. 1804. 1870. 1874. Bath 151 222 283 577 625 1,125 1,205 Bengal "49 143 350 638 706 1.086 1,200 Bingham 72 185 338 1,4B0 1,794 2,910 2,963 Dallas 108 185 476 910 932 1,360 1,519 De Witt 418 706 885 1,139 1,085 1,306 1,410 Duplain 213 419 559 915 997 1,493 1,567 Eagle 364 521 657 912 844 1,008 985 Kssex 193 410 833 1,013 1,056 1,501 1,513 Greenbush 105 318 518 967 1,071 1,486 1,473 Lebanon 114 192 389 661 645 1,119 1,129 Olive 159 228 316 627 605 1,156 1,168 Ovid 102 172 276 936 1,171 2,420 2,553 Riley 134 191 400 607 641 1,139 1,163 Victor 229 277 403 662 562 940 968 Watertown.... 198 315 442 808 910 1,297 1,298 Westphalia.... 401 618 803 1,091 1,095 1,499 1,548 Total 3,060 5,102 7,926 13,923 14,739 22,845 23,661 CHAPTER L. THE VILLAGE OF ST. JOHNS. Situation and Natural Advantages — Settlement and Progress of the Village — Village Plat and Additions — Progress in 1856 and 1857 — Village Incorporation and List of OflScers — Churches — St. Johns Union Schools — Post-OiBce — Societies and Orders — Cemetery As- sociation — Banks — Manufacturing Industries — St. Johns Fire De- partment — Memorable Fires — Public and Private Buildings. The incorporated village of St. Johns, the county-seat of Clinton County, is situated within the boundaries of the township of Bingham, the southeast corner of the corporate limits being the territorial centre of that township. The village occupies an elevated and excellent site, and is justly regarded as one of the handsomest villages in Central Mich- igan. The main portion of the town lies upon a ridge which slopes gradually and gracefully upon all sides, and from which the eye may sweep through an extended and picturesque view towards all points of the compass. The altitude of the town is seven hundred and fifty-five feet above sea-level, one hundred and seventy-seven feet above Lake Huron, and thirty-one feet above the village of Ovid, *By David Schwarlz. ten miles to the eastward, while towards the west there is a general gradual decline to the Grand River. Early in its history St. Johns was regarded as an un- healthy locality, by reason of the swamps which lie around it ; but these having been made fruitful garden-spots, it is maintained, and with an excellent show of truth, that there is now no healthier spot in Michigan than St. Johns. The streets are handsomely laid out and well shaded ; and among the numerous handsome and comfortable-looking homes of the village, there are many which are especially noticeable for elegance and refined taste in their architec- ture. To the advantage of being the county-seat the village owes, of course, much of its business activity and enter- prise ; but, aside from that, it gains much prominence as an important manufacturing and railway shipping-point. It contains (in July, 1880) a population of upwards of two thousand five hundred. Taking the growth of recent years as a basis, the village is likely to continue in the expansion of its business and population in the future as in the past. SETTLEMENT AND PROGRESS OF THE VILLAGE. Late in the year 1853, while the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway was being slowly extended westward from Detroit, a party of four State oflScials at Lansing examined the line of the proposed railway with a view to making purchases of eligible lands for village-sites or other profitable enter- prises. These four officials were John Swegles, Auditor- General ; Porter Kibby, Commissioner of the Land-Office; B. C. Whittemore, State Treasurer ; and H. S. Mead, Dep- uty Attorney-General. They were in a position to know something about choice tracts of land in Michigan, and they delegated to John Swegles the task of securing a tract on the Detroit and Milwaukee line likely to become a railway- station and village-site. Robert Higham, chief engineer of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, who had the fixing of sites for railway-stations, was taken into the party as a measure of policy, and Charles L. Dibble, landlord of the " Biddle House" of Detroit, was admitted as a sixth part- ner, on the ground, probably, that he was a good fellow and kept a good hotel. Mr. Swegles was to buy the land and transact the general business connected with the land-purchases and proposed subsequent operations, and was appointed attorney-in-fact for each member of the company. He got a pretty clear idea from Higham that the railway would fix a station at the point now covered by St. Johns, and he at once went to that locality to buy land. His first purchase was eighty acres in the west half of the southwest quarter of section 9, of George W. Estes, representing the owners. At that time but one acre on that eighty had been chopped. He bought immediately afterwards land enough to make his entire purchase aggregate nine hundred and twenty acres, and to include the south half of section 9 and all of section 16, except the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter. The land having been purchased and the site of the vil- lage being chosen, Mr. Swegles at once set about the work of surveying and clearing streets and lots. He brought out a gang of choppers and other laborers, and engaged George W. Estes to take charge of them, and to superintend the job 364 HISTORY OP CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. of making a commencement for a town. This was early in 1854, and the business in hand was taken hold of with an energy that betokened prompt results. Mr. Swegles him- self joined the band of workers, and pushed matters ahead with great rapidity. The village-site was nearly all woods then, and the work of chopping was of course the first to be done. As soon as possible Mr. Swegles built a steam saw-mill, and in the winter of 1854-55 had it in motion. The first frame house put up in the village was built by Cornelius Vrooman before Swegles put up his saw-mill. Vrooman hired John Avery to haul the lumber from the Colony. The house stood just back of where the " Gibbs House" stands, and was put up by guess, as the town had then not been surveyed. Vrooman boarded the surveyors and laborers, and called his place the " Whittemore House." About the time Mr. Swegles began to clear the land comprising the village-site Samuel Gardner, an early settler in Bingham township and for years the landlord of a tavern in Bingham on the Bengal town-line, came on and bought a lot upon what is now the extreme northern corner of Clinton Avenue on the east side. He quickly put up a board building for a tavern, and called it the " Gardner House," but had kept only a short time when he leased it to George W. Estes, who changed the name to that of the " Clinton House." John Swegles built a store building on Clinton Avenue just north of where the "Gibbs House" stands. He put in a good stock of general merchandise, and hired George F. Mead and George W. Estes as his clerks. Thus the embryo village was started in the summer of 1854, with a hotel, a store, and a saw-mill as a commence- ment. The railway was pushing westward, and Swegles' village was beginning to attract attention. It was high time, therefore, that it should be dignified with a name, since it gave gratifying signs of healthy growth, and so in due season it was christened. There appears to be some conflict of testimony touching the identity of the person to whom the honor of having named the village was due. Both George W. Estes and Elder C. A. Lamb claim that honor, but both unite in say- ing the name was bestowed in honor of John Swegles, the projector and creator of the place. Mr. Estes says that in the summer of 1854, John Swegles, David Sturgis, M. E. Burroughs, C. A. Lamb, and Estes himself (then super- visor of the township) were one day sitting upon a log in Walker Street (Clinton Avenue contained at that time a good niaiiy standing trees), when the question of naming the village came up. Swegles, desirous of honoring his business associates, suggested Whittemoreville and Mead- ville, while Sturgis put forth Swcglesville. Estes thought the most eminently appropriate designation would be St. Johns, as a mark of honor to John Swegles. The idea seemed to suit the others, and they with one accord assented to it. Swegles said he would submit the proposition at the next meeting of the company, and so the conference ended. Mr. Estes goes on to say that before the next meeting of the company Jolin T. Newell came in with goods for the opening of a store, and that his boxes were marked " St. Johns," thus showing that the name had already gone abroad. Estes took the cover from one of Newell's boxes and nailed it against a tree, with the name St. Johns show- ing in bold relief. It was therefore already practically settled as to the name, although the company did not formally adopt the designation until some time afterwards. Elder Lamb says that at the conference about a name only he, Swegles, Sturgis, and Mead were present, and that after the names of Richmond, Swcglesville, and Johnsville were proposed, he (Lamb) said, " Call it St. Johns." Mr. Swegles replied, " For some reasons I should be in favor of St. Johns," addinir, " Amen, St. Johns let it be." JOHN SWEGLES. In this connection it will be appropriate to note the facts that John Swegles was born in Hector, N. Y., April 10, 1819 ; commenced the study of medicine at the age of eighteen, and abandoned it to become purser's clerk on the brig " Porpoise" of the Atlantic Coast Survey ; was later a school-teacher, and in 1840 removed to Jonesville, Mich. He was chosen clerk of Hillsdale County, and .served sev- eral terms ; became editor and publisher of the Hillsdale Gazelle, and in 1850 was elected auditor-general. Allusion to the " company" suggests the explanation that such was the collective title by which the association of the village proprietors was by common consent known. There was no incorporation, but there was a community of property, and it was further agreed that each owner should bear his proportionate share of expenses and receive like- wise his due share of the gains. At the outset there were six proprietors, and each owned one-sixth of the property purchased. To John Swegles was left the exclusive con- trol and management of afl"airs, and at .stated periods the proprietors met in Detroit to receive reports and review the progress of the business. Reference has already been made to the coming in of John T. Newell with a stock of goods. Newell was the second trader in the town (Swegles being the first), and opened his store in a frame building that stood on Clinton Avenue just south of " Kipp's Corner." M. E. Burroughs, who VILLAGE OF ST. JOHNS. 365 previously lived near De Witt, came in about that time, and put up a log house on the lot now occupied by the post- oiEee. He started it as a meat-market, and presently John Hicks, of De Witt, sent him a few hundred dollars' worth of goods, with which Burroughs opened a store in a corner of his market. Olney Brown opened a store late in 1854 on Clinton Avenue south of Walker Street, and one J. C. Sewell opened a saloon on " Bagg's Corner" at about the same time. There was but a small community living at St. Johns on the 4th of July, 1854, but it was nevertheless resolved to have an " Independence" celebration. The exercises, which included music, " bowery dances," speeches, and a dinner, took place in a grove then occupying a place upon which the Gibbs House barn stands. Hilliker, of Green- bush, a clarionet-player, Wilcox, a fifer. his son, a drum- mer, and a man with a violin furnished the soul-stirring music on the occasion, while James W. Ransom, a lawyer, delivered the oration. The dinner was, however, a failure, although the remainder of the day's celebration proved a satisfactory success. Just as the company sat down to the table there came up a terrific rain-storm, and away went the assembled company, pell-mell, for shelter, leaving their dinner, and ending abruptly the performances of the waning Fourth. The celebration in 1855 included a dinner at Gibbs' Kailroad Exchange and a general happy time at the grove, where the oration was delivered by H. C. Hodge. The Gardner House has already been mentioned, as has the fact of its change of name and proprietorship. Estes kept it until 1856, and then turned it over to a Mr. Mc- Omber. It was not much of a tavern, according to reports, but it doubtless served its purpose. John Hicks says he took dinner there in 1856, and remembers that rain was falling inside as well as outside, and that the guests at din- ner had to move from place to place to avoid the rain-drops as they came freely and copiously into the dining-room. Early in 1855, Spencer W. Gibbs came to St. Johns for the purpose of building a hotel, and, buying four lots, put up the "Kailroad PJxchange," which he opened July 1, 1855. A year after that he sold out to David Sturgis and William L. Hicks, who changed the name of the house to the "St. Johns House," and that name it still bears. When Gibbs came to town with his family, early in 1855, he occupied with Jacob Passage a part of the house of Dr. J). C. Stewart, who was then living on Walker Street, in a building now used as his barn. Clinton Avenue was tiien chopped out, but it was full of stumps and fallen trees, while standing trees even were plentiful. At this time the west side of Clinton Avenue contained the store of Olncy Brown, the corner whisky-shop of J. C. Sewell, a slab shanty in which A. F. Cowell was living, upon the lot now occupied by his store, and Marshall Wil- cox's tin-shop. A. F. Cowell opened a store in 1856 upon the same site, and, with the exception of three years, has been in trade there ever since. On the east side of the street was Swegles' store, and in that store was a shoemaker by the name of Kinch, who had his shop and lived in a por- tion of the store building. Next south of Swegles' Corne- lius Vrooman was keeping a boarding-house known as the Whittemore House, now the Gibbs House. Newell, the store-keeper, Blakeslee, the painter, and Doming, the shoe- maker, were on that side, as was the (Jlinton House, while east, on Walker Street, was Burroughs, the butcher. Of those then residents upon the site now occupied by the village of St. Johns, the only ones now living in the town are George W. Estes and wife, A. F. Cowell and wife, S. W. Gibbs and wife. Dr. D. C. Stewart and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fitch, the widow of Lorenzo Hall, the widow of John Swegles, and George W. Emmons. Mr. Emmons was the first white inhabitant of the present village tract, and lives now where he located in 1845, although he did not make a permanent settlement thereon until 1852. The first child born in the village was Charles Cobb's daughter. Her birth occurred in the summer of 1855, but the exact date cannot now be given. She died the fol- lowing year. The first male child born was George A., son of George W. Estes, born Oct. 23, 1855. The first death of a resident was that of Mrs. Kinch, wife of the village shoemaker, in May, 1855. She was buried in the village cemetery, which had been donated by the village proprietors, and hers was the first interment within it. Before May, 1855, there was a death in the village, that of Thomas Long, a railway employee, who in an altercation with a fellow-laborer, about four miles west of St. Johns, was mortally hurt. He was brought to the village, where he died, but his body was conveyed eastward for burial. The first man buried in the cemetery was Joseph McKinney, a railroad hand, and over him was erected the first head- stone put up in the burying-grouud. It bears date July 17, 1857. During the fall of 1854 the new village received its first physician. Dr. D. C. Stewart, who has since that time re- sided continuously in St. Johns. A Dr. Darrall, who was living about two miles south of the village when Dr. Stewart located, came to the town in about six weeks thereafter, and next to him, as the third physician of the village, came Dr. Louis W. Fasquelle, still one of the village practition- ers. Timothy Baker and James W. Ilansnui, lawyers, came in and opened oflices, and in that same year John (Crawley and Hiram Herrington began in business as blacksmiths. In January, 1855, James Stiles came over from Greenbush and made his home upon the corner of Walker and Spring Streets, where Alonzo Plumstead now lives, and commenced the manufacture of splint-bottomed chaii's. In September, 1855, George W. Stephenson opened a tailor's shop on Clinton Avenue, just south of what is now known as Kipp's Corner, and there built Clinton Hall, where schools, Sunday- schools, and public assemblies were held at an early day. In 1855 there was a change in the list of village pro- prietors. Mead sold out to Swegles and N. P. Stewart, and the latter becoming , possessed also of Kibby's and Swegles' interests, resold a portion to Orville and Asahel Clark. These changes vested the proprietorship of the village in N. P. Stewart, B. C. Whittemore, Charles L. Dibble, Robert Higham, Orville Clark, and Asahel Clark. John Swegles continued, however, as heretofore, to be the 3G6 HISTORY OP CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. attorney-in-fact for the proprietors, and to conduct their business interests in the premises. In 1855, David Sturgis, of De Witt, entered the trade at St. Johns, and two drug-stores were started, by Dr. Stone and Dr. J. E. Leach, respectively. Of the business men in St. Johns at that period, 1855, the only one now in trade is G. W. Stephenson. He has carried on business uninterruptedly here since he started, in September, 1855, and is accordingly its oldest merchant. VILLAGE PLAT AND ADDITIONS. The village was platted March 25, 1856. The document, on file at the county register's office, reads as follows : " Know all men by these presents that we. Nelson P. Stewart, Mary Ann Stewart, B. C. Whittemore, Caroline Whittemore, Charles L. Dibble, Sarah I. Dibble, Robert Higham, Elvira Highnm, Orville Clark, Delia M. Clark, and Asahel Clark, do by these presents set apart and estab- lish the following-described premises for a village, to be known and designated as the village of St. Johns, to wit: that part of the south half of section 9, and that part of the north half of section 16, in town 7 north, range 2 west, in the county of Clinton and State of Michigan, com- mencing on the section-line two hundred and seventy-seven feet east from the section corners of sections 8, 9, 16, and 17 in said township, at which point State Street intersects the west line of Ottawa Street ; running thence south along the west line of Ottawa Street twelve hundred and twenty- seven feet to a point where said west line of Ottawa Street intersects the south line of Baldwin Street ; thence east, and parallel with the section-line between sections 9 and 16, for a distance of two thousand eight hundred and twenty- two feet and six inches to the point where the south line of Baldwin Street intersects the east line of East Street ; thence north along the east line of East Street to a point where the east line of East Street intersects the north line of Railroad Street, one hundred feet south from the centre line of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway; thence west parallel with the centre line of said railway, and one hun- dred feet therefrom, to the point where the north line of Railroad Street intersects the west line of Ottawa Street . thence south along the west line of Ottawa Street to the place of beginning. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this 25th day of March, 1856, by John Swegles, our attorney-in-fact. (Signed) " Nelson P. Stewart. " Mary Ann Stewart. " B. C. Whittemore. " Caroline Whittemore. " Charles L. Dibble. " Sarah I. Dibble. " Robert Higham. " Elvira Higham. " Orville Clark. " Delia M. Clark. " Asahel Clark. "By John Swegles, their attomey-in-fuct. " In the presence of " Timothy Baker. " George F. Mead." Additions to the village plat have been made from time to time, as follows : May 5, 1857, George W. Emmons' addition, known as Emmonsville, and commencing at the corners of sections 8, 9, 16, and 17, running thence west to the quarter-section stake between sections 8 and 17 ; thence south along the quarter-section line of section 17 for a distance of ninety- seven rods ; thence east, and parallel with the section-line between sections 8 and 17, to the section-line between sec- tions 16 and 17 ; thence north along said section-line be- tween sections 16 and 17 to the place of beginning. June 16, 1857, Clark and Bolton's subdivision of out-lots Nos. 10, 11, 12, and 13; June 2, 1858, Francis Lynd's addi- tion ; June 15, 1866, G. J. Gibbs' addition ; May 14, 1866, De Witt C. Hurd and William Sickles' subdivision of out-lots G and H ; March 28, 1865, A. H. Walker's subdivision of out-lot B; April 1, 1870, Walker & Steel's subdivision of lands north of the Detroit and Mil- waukee Railroad, in the village of St. Johns, by A. H. Walker, R. M. Steel, 3. W. Gibbs, and H. W. Carrington ; Nov. 26, 1870, P. L. Vancousant's addition ; Feb. 10, 1871, Henry M. Perrin's addition. PEOGKESS IN 185G AND 1857. The year 1856 saw coflsiderable accessions to the village, and matters began to look up with a show of something like vigorous life. In the spring of that year J. H. Cor- bit, now the hardware merchant of longest standing and virtually the pioneer in that trade in the county, purchased Marshall Wilcox's tin-shop business and became one of the village merchants. In September, 1856, Mr. Corbit took in William H. Moote as a partner. During the year Charles Kipp opened a hardware-store, and since that date has followed that business in St. Johns continuously. He commenced business at the Rochester Colony in 1852, with J. W. Paine. A. F. Cowell opened a small store. Lucas & Wilson located at the corner of Walker Street and Clin- ton Avenue, and Bliss & Walton established a blacksmith- and wagon-shop, their wagon-maker being Arthur Catter- mold. In 1856 the first village school was taught. At that time Clinton Avenue was still thickly studded with Stumps, and mosquitoes were so exceedingly plentiful that stump-fires on the avenue to drive away the pests were nightly spectacles in summer. Store-keepers of 1856, other than those mentioned, were Joshua Garte, W. W. Flagler, J. F. Newton, M. E. Palmer, and Mrs. David Sturgis. Although St. Johns had been making quite rapid strides forward during 1855 and 1856, it was not until 1857 that the movement reached a height that crowded into the .space of a twelvemonth the most important events in the history of the village, and brought a great increase in population as well as business. One of the leading events was the completion in Janu- ary of the laying of the track of the Detroit and Mil- waukee Railway to St. Johns and the arrival, upon the 16th of that month, of the first passenger-train. R. M. Steel, now an eminent railway contractor living in St. Johns, took in 1856 a contract to lay the track and bridges over the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad between Owosso and Grand Haven, and in 1860 became a resident of St. VILLAGE OP ST. JOHNS. 367 Johns. In this year the county-seat of Clinton was re- moved from De Witt to St. Johns, and that incident gave, of course, a great impetus to the progress of the village, and, with the opening of railway communication, gave assurance of future prosperity to St. Johns. In 1857 a village school-house was built upon the lot now occupied by the Episcopal church. This lot, as well as lots for two churches, ground for a cemetery, and ample space for railway-depots, etc., had already been set aside for such purposes by the village proprietors when the plat was made. Early in 1857, Alvah H. Walker, who became shortly afterwards a resident of St. Johns and one of its prominent merchants, was the actual owner of five-twelfths of the village and possessed the titles to seven-twelfths, while the residue was owned by Elvira Higham, C. L. Dibble, Orville Clark, and Asahel Clark. In 1857, John Swegles built a grist-mill with two run of stones at the corner of Higham and Spring Streets. In 1858 it was burned and directly afterwards replaced with the mill now carried on at the same place by Wood & Son. In 1857, John Swegles rebuilt the Prospect House, called it the American, and kept it until his death in 1861. The Prospect House was built in 1856 by Lorenzo Hall, and occupied the east side of Oakland Street just north of Walker Street. The building was destroyed by fire in 1863. In 1857, John Hicks, of De Witt, engaged in business with David Sturgis, and O. W. Hunger began to trade on the lot now occupied by Dunn & Lee. Mr. Hicks is yet in business. Mr. Hunger is a retired merchant, but still lives in the village. In 1857, Wilbur Ash had a carpenter-shop in the building now occupied by the Ameri- can Express Company, and in the same building in the same year James W. Hungerford opened the pioneer cabi- net-shop. Alonzo Plumstead built in 1857, at the corner of Walker Street and Clinton Avenue, what was then the best store in St. Johns; John Ransom started a news- paper called the North-Side Democrat ; Archelaus Silsbee started a foundry, H. C. Ilodge a bank, W. W. Brainard a carpenter's- and builder's-shop in Swegles' saw-mill, and, histly, the village was incorporated by the county super- visors, Sept. 2, 1857. In 1858, John W. Paine opened a general store, and Hunt Bros, a drug-store. Paine built in 1860 the first brick store, now occupied by A. Teachout, who commenced to trade in the village in 1859. Dr. A. H. Crawford built the first brick house. It stood where Randolph Strickland lives. The bricks were burned at the village by a Hr. Higgins. Directly upon the opening of railway transportation St. Johns began to take on importance as a .shipping-point. The first car-load of wheat forwarded from the village by rail was shipped by John Hicks in 1857 to George C. Langdon at Detroit. Staves were purchased largely at St. Johns for European markets, and in the early days of vil- lage hi.story the stave traffic rose to considerable magnitude. The business of the Detroit, Grand Haven and Hilwau- kee Railway (formerly the Detroit and Hilwaukee Rail- road) at its station at St. Johns village in the year 1879* was as follows : * Itemo furnished by the secretary of the company. Number of passengers outwards " *' inwards " tons of freight outwards. '* " " inwards.. Receipts from outward passengers... '' " freight 16,81.3 16,fi82 19,.3i)o 4,922 $15,521.82 $38,519.41 DESCRIPTION OF FREIGHT FORWARDED. Apples, barrels 197 Pork, pounds 96,204 Lumber, cars 121 Wool, " 63,596 Stave?, cars 90 Bricli and stone, tons. 50 Grain, pounds 27,748,915 Pliister, " . 1 Potatoes, " 158,550 Sundries, " . 3,185 St. Johns contains to-day at least eight merchants who have done business continuously in the town for the space of twenty years and upwards, ending with the present year. There are, moreover, five professional gentlemen and one manufacturer of whom a similar statement may be made. The merchants are George W. Stephenson, John Hicks, A. F. Cowell, Charles Kipp, A. 0. Hunt, A. Teach- out, P. L. Vancousant, and J. H. Corbit. The professional men are 0. L. Spaulding, H. H. Perrin, and Henry Wal- bridge, lawyers, and Drs. Louis Fasquelle and D. C. Stew- art. The manufacturer is W. W. Brainard. VILLAGE INCORPORATION AND LIST OF OFFICERS. The first step towards the incorporation of the village of St. Johns was indicated in the following publication, viz. : " Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, legal voters residing in the territory hereinafter described, will at the next annual meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Clin- ton County, to be held at De Witt on the first Monday of October next, make application to the said board, on the said day, for an order of incorporation of the following one square mile as a village, to be described by boundaries as follows : " Commencing at a point where the quarter-line of sec- tion 9 intersects the section-line of 8 and 9 ; thence east along said quarter line to the point where said line inter- sects the section-line of 9 and 10 ; thence south to the south line of the Detroit and Hilwaukee Railway ; thence west along the south line of said railway sixty-nine rods ; thence south to the quarter-line of section 16 ; thence west along the quarter-line of sections 16 and 17 three hundred and twenty rods ; thence north to the south line of said railway ; thence east along the said line of the said railway to the section line of 8 and 9 ; thence north along the said hut-mentioned line to the aforesaid quarter-line of section 9, the place of beginning, in the township of Bingham, county of Clinton, and State of Hichigan, to be known and designated as the village of St. Johns. " David Sturgis, S. W. Gibbs, Henry Walbridge, William H. Mootc, Stephen J. Wright, J. T. Newell, John Hicks, William L. Hicks, George F. Mead, Charles Kipp, George W. Emmons, William Weeks, J. H. Corbit, Sheldon Hunger, A. H. Crawford, A. Plumstead, J. E. Leach, William W. Flagler, Joshua Garte, H. E. Palmer, and thirty-one others. " Dated Bingham, Sept. 2, 1857." 368 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. The petition was presented to the Board of Supervisors, and at a meeting held Oct. 15, 1857, an order of incor- poration was entered, and John Swegles, Charles Kipp, and Alonzo Plumstcad appointed inspectors of an election to be held on the first Tuesday in March, 1858, at Hicks' Hotel, in the village of St. Johns. The election was accordingly held on the 2d of March, as provided. The oflBcers elected on that occasion were : President, William H. 3Ioote; Clerk, John Eansom ; Treas- urer, Alonzo Plumstead ; Trustees, John Swegles, George W. Stephenson, David Sturgis, George W. Emmons, Wil- liam W. Flagler, and William L. Hicks ; Assessors, Marvin K. Palmer, Ransom Plumstead ; Street Commissioners, S. T. Hayward, Spencer W. Gibbs, John B. Lucas; Marshal, George W. Estes ; Poundmaster, Charles 0. Stiles. At the fourth meeting of the board of trustees, April 17, 1858, by-laws and ordinances were adopted, and at the meeting of April 24th the street commissioners were author- ized to contract with Marvin E. Palmer for the grading and filling of Clinton Avenue, at sixteen cents per yard. Following is a list of the persons chosen annually to the chief village oflSces of St. Johns from 1859 to ISSfr: 1859.— President, W. W. Flagler; Clerk, John Ransom; Treasurer, George W. Estes ; Trustees, Ransom Plumstead, Archelaus Silsbee, James W. Hun- gerford, W. L. Hicks, George W. Stephenson, George W. p]mmons. 1860.— President, Marvin E. Palmer; Clerk, R. V. Briggs; Treasurer, Ransom Plumstead ; Trustees, George W. Stephenson, S. T. Hayward, John Hicks, George W. Emmons, Charles Plumstead, Wil- liam H. Moote. 1861.— President, William L. Hicks; Clerk, George F. Mead ; Treasurer, Hiram C. Hodge ; Trustees, W. W. Brainard, George W. Emmons, Jacob Brown, Louis W. Fasquelle, Marvin E. Palmer, Henry W. Walton. 1862.— President, R. M. Steel; Clerk, George F. Mead; Treasurer, Hiram C. Hodge ; Trustees, M. E. Palmer, Jacob Brown, Charles Plumstead, L. W. Fasquelle, George W. Emmons, Joab Baker. 1863. — President, G. W. Stephenson ; Clerk, George F. Mead ; Treasurer, Ransom Plumstead ; Trustees, M. E. Palmer, John Hicks, J. W. Paine, Thomas S. Congdon, George Worden, Celestin Loranger. 1864. — President, Alonzo Plumstead; Clerk, Charles Plumstead ; Treasurer, Alpheus F. Cowell ; Trustees, John H. Corbit, Thomas J. Urie, A. G. Higham, Spencer W. Gibbs, Mina Boyd, John Hicks. 1865. — President, Alonzo Plumstead ; Clerk, Charles Plumstead ; Treasurer, Jacob Brown ; Trustees, William L. Hicks, Theodore W. Ferry, Arche- laus Silsbee, Andrew J. Wiggins, Frederick Wilkinson, George Worden. 1866.— President, Robert McFarlan : Clerk, L. G. N. Ran- dolph ; Treasurer, Samuel S. Walker ; Trustees, A. H. Walker, E. D. Tripp, William W. Brain- ard, William Sickels, Henry M. Pcrrin, James W. Reid. 1867.— President,* Thomas J. Urie; Clerk, E. D. Tripp; Treasurer, George W. Stephenson ; Trustees (one year), Joseplv H. Ingalls, Paul De Witt, L. Z. Munger (for two years), John Hicks, Thomas S. Congdon, William S. Decker. 1868.— President, H. M. Pcrrin; Clerk, E. D. Tripp; Treasurer, P. L. Vancousant ; Trustees, • Henry Walbridge, George W. P]mmoiis, John C. Day- ton. 1869.— President, Alvah H. Walker ; Clerk, G. W. Wells ; Treasurer, Charles P]. Grisson ; Trustees, Robert McFarlan, Stephen J. Wright, Harvey W. Car- rington. 1870.— President, A. II. Walker; Clerk, George A. Wells ; Treasurer, Charles E. Grisson ; Trustees, Richard Moore, John H. Corbit, John C. Day- ton. 1871.— President, A. H.Walker; Clerk, George A. Wells; Treasurer, Charles E. Grisson ; Trustees, H. M. Lamphere, Henry S. Hilton, Charles Fowler. 1872. — President, James Kipp; Clerk, George A. Wells ; Treasurer, Charles E. Grisson ; Trustees, L. C. Kellogg, Warner Bunday, Asher Teachout. 1873.— President, 0. W. Barker; Clerk, George A. Wells; Treasurer, Charles E. Grisson ; Trustees, Charles Fowler, A. J. Nel.son, John D. Henderson, Jr. 1874.— President, Samuel' S. Walker; Clerk, George A. Wells ; Treasurer, Charles E. Grisson ; Trustees, Thomas Padley, Warner Bunday, Harvey W. Carrington. 1875. — President, Samuel S. Walker; Clerk, James H. Collins; Treasurer, Charles E. Grisson; Truste&s, Charles Fowler, John D. Henderson, John M. Easton. 1876. — President, Samuel S. Walker; Clerk, James H. Collins ; Treasurer, Charles E. Grisson ; Trustees, Isaac Helton, Gilbert L. Goodyear, William H. Hoffman. 1877.— President, D. S. French; Clerk, James H. Collins; Treasurer, Charles E. Grisson ; Trustees, John D. Henderson, Charles H. Eaton, E. L. Nichols. 1878. — President, D. S. French; Clerk, James H. Collins; Treasurer, Charles E. Grisson ; Trustees, P. K. Perrin, H. H. Hawley, Henry Fildew, Jr. 1879.— President, D. S. French; Clerk, J. H. Collins; Treasurer, Charles E. Grisson ; Trustees, J. D. Henderson, E. L. Nichols, Charles II. Eaton. 1880. — President, Charles Fowler; Clerk, James II. Col- lins ; Treasurer, Ciiarles E. Grisson ; Trustees, A. L. Butler, Warner Bunday, Robert Young. The votes cast at the first village election in 1858 num- bered one hundred and sixty-six ; the number polled at the election in 1880 reached five hundred and thirty-nine. The Legislative act of incorporation, passed March 2, 1867, described the village territory as including the whole of sections 9 and 16, the east half of section 17, the south- * KeiDCOrporated by act of Legislature. VILLAGE OF ST. JOHNS. 369 east quarter and east three-quarters of the northeast quar- ter of section 8, the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 21, and the east half of the northeast quarter of section 20. CHURCHES. THE PIONEER RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION— THE METH- ODLST EPISCOPAL CLASS. The first sermon preaclied in the villa " paid $3992. :10 Registered letters mailed 143 SOCIETIES AND ORDERS. ST. JOHNS LODGE, No. 105, P. AND A. M. This, the first lodge of a secret order organized in St. Johns, received a dispensation from the Grand Lodge Sept. 23, 1857, and held its first communication December 3d of that year. On that occasion the officers present were Timothy Baker, AV. M. ; George F. Mead, Sec. ; W. W. Brainard, S. W. ; J. E. Leech, J. W. ; H. C. Hodge, Treas. ; John Ransom, S. D. ; L. S. Conn, J. D. ; George Richmond, Tiler. At the next lodge-meeting, Dec. 7, 1857, A. M. Crawford, George F. Mead, C. A. Lamb, and George W. Richmond were presented as candidates and duly elected. Jan. 14, 1858, the lodge received a charter, and Janu- ary 25th elected officers as follows : Timothy Baker, W. M. ; W. W. Brainard, S. W. ; L. C. Conn, J. W. ; George F. Mead, Sec. ; H. C. Hodge, Treas. ; J. Ransom, S. D. ; A. M. Crawford, J. D. ; C. A. Lamb, Chaplain; J. B. Lucas, Tiler; George W. Richmond and 0. B. Swain, Stewards. The Masters of the lodge since Jan. 14, 1858, have been chosen as follows : December, 1858, W. \V. Brainard; 1859-00, Ransom Plumstead ; 1861, J. W. Paine; 18G2, W. H. Mootc; 1863, J. W. Paine; 1864-65, W. H. Moote; 1866, 0. L. Spaulding; 1867, R. McFarlan ; 1868-74, A. J. Wiggins; 1875-76, J. D. Henderson; 1877-79, W. W. Brown; 1880, M. D. Brown. The lodge has now a flourishing membership of about two hundred, and is exceedingly prosperous. A hand- somely-appointed lodge-room in Ilicks & Steel's block has been the lodge quarters since 1867. The present officers are M. D. Brown, W. M. ; E. R. Sanford, S. W. ; George H. Stephenson, J. W. ; J. D. Henderson, Treas. ; A. S. Fildew, Sec. ; J. H. Ingalls, S. D. ; H. P. Adams, J. D. ; George Hicks, Tiler. ST. JOHNS LODGE, No. 81, I. 0. 0. F. This, the second secret order instituted in St. Johns, was organized in 1859, and chartered Jan. 12, 1860. The charter members numbered seven, — William L. Hicks, William Jones, Gardner Conn, Henry Walbridge, N. C. McC(.llum, W. H. Plumstead, and A. Plumstead. The early records of the lodge having been burned, only meagre details can be gleaned touching that portion of the lodge history to which they had reference. St. Johns Lodge has now forty-one members, and has officers as follows : Wil- liam Bishop, N. G ; S. E. Allen, V. G. ; N. D. Hotch- kiss. Recording and Financial Sec. ; F. R. Butler, Treas. ; L. Z. Munger, Warden. ST. JOHNS ENCAMPMENT, No. S3, I. 0. 0. F. A charter to the encampment was i.ssued Feb. 11, 1876, to P. E. Vauconsant, J. H. Ingall, H. P. Adams, William P. Tiomp, W. J. Esler, N. W. Bush, and L. Z. Munger. The membership July 1, 1880, was twenty-two, and the officers Charles M. Merrill, C. P. ; N. W. Bush, Ac. S. W. ; L. Z. Munger, H. P. ; N. D. Hotehkiss, Scribe and Finan- cial Sec. ; F. R. Butler, Treas. ; I. D. Richmond, J. W. CORINTHIAN LODGE, No. 241, F. AND A. M. This lodge was organized early in 1867, in the major part by members demittod from St. Johns Lodge. The charter was issued Jan. 9, 1868, and at the first meeting there- after there were present the following officers : J. H. Cran- ,son, W. M ; W. W. Brainard, S. W. ; J. M. Carter, J. W. ; William Sickels, Treas. ; Charles E. Grisson, Sec. ; J. L. Paldi,S. D. ; 0. M. Hidden, J. D. ; A. M. Steel and J. Blown, Stewards ; G.H.Stephenson, Tiler. The Masters since the organization have been J. H. Cranson, W. W. Brainard, C. I'j. Grisson, James H. Collins, and William Cochran. The jiresent membership roll bears fifty-eight names. The officers are William Cochran, W. M. ; O. W. Miller. S. W. ; J. C. Watkins, J. W. ; C. E. Grisson, Treas. ; William M. Leland, Sec. ; Henry Filden, S. D. ; N. A. Oleson, J. D. ; George Hicks, Tiler. Meet- ings have been held in Masonic Hall — Hicks and Steel's block — since organization. ST. JOHNS COUNCIL, No. 21. The council received a dispensation Nov. 24, 1866, and a charter June 6, 1867, but held no meeting until Sept. 17, 1867. Upon that occasion the following-named officers were installed : 0. L. Spaulding, T. L G. M. ; Joseph W. Bromley, D. T. L G. M. ; Robert McFarlan, M. E. P. C. ; G. H. Stephenson, Treas. ; Sylvester Hoyt, Recorder. On the same night petitions were received liom Companions William Sickels, M. F. Fasquelle, Charles E. Grisson, R. M. Steel, 0. H. Wood, William H. Sexton, A. J. Wiggins, and John Hale. The membership is now sixty, and the officers George H. Stephenson, T. I. G. M. ; J. N. Frisbie, D. T. L G. M. ; J. D. Henderson, P. C. W. ; C. E. Gris- son, Treas.; Q. E. Bridgman, Recorder. ST. JOHNS CO.MMANDERY, No. 24, K. T. The commandery received a dispensation Dec. 24, 1868, and a charter June 2, 1869. At the first conclave, held Feb. 6, 1869, the officers present were Sir Knight H. M. Curdy, E. C. ; Sir Knight O. L. Spaulding, G. ; Sir Knight E. S. Converse, C. G. ; Sir Knight E. Sprague, Prelate; Sir Knight J. Gute, S. \V. ; Sir' Knight W.^H. Sexton, J. W. ; Sir Knight A. J. Wiggins, Treas. ; Sir Knight J. L. Paldi, Recorder; Sir Knight R. McFarlan, Standard- Bearer ; Sir Knight J. S. Ranney, Sword- Bearer ; Sir Knight T. W. Lusk, Warden ; Sir Knight II. Boyd, Sentinel. Petitions were presented from Companions John B. Nixon, Charles E. Grisson, William Sickels, R. Strick- land, H. C. Smith, R. M. Steel, Jesse Dunn, J. C. Dayton, J. R. Hale, E. L. Smith, Sylvester Hoyt, M. S. Fa.squelle, and J. M. Frisbie. The present membership is sixty-seven, and the official list for 1880 as Ibllows : Sir Knight O. 374 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. L. Spaulding, E. C. ; Sir Knight F. B. Cutler, G. ; Sir Knight C. E. Grisson, C. G. ; Sir Knight R. B. Emmons, Prehite ; Sir Ktuu;ht Jesse Dunn, Treas. ; Sir Knight J. M. Frisbic, Recorder ; Sir Knight W. W. Brown, S. W. ; Sir Knight C. P. Wickes, J. W. ; Sir Knight G. Pennell, Standard-Bearer ; Sir Knight J. D. Henderson, Swoid- Bearer; Sir Knight 0. H. Stephenson, Warden; Sir Knight George Hicics, Guard. ST. JOHNS CHAPTER, No. 45, R. A. M., was organized April 13, 18G6, and chartered Jan. 8, 1867. The charter members were J. B. Lucas, T. Baker, O. L. Spaulding, W. W. Brainard, William S. Lazelle, J. B. Nixon, J. M. Carter, S. Steele, R. M. Steel, Elijah Peck. The chapter has now one hundred and twenty-seven mem- bers. The officers for 1880 are J. D. Henderson, H. P. ; G. H. Stephenson, K. ; W. W. Brown, Scribe ; E. R. Santord, C. of H. ; J. G. Watkin.s, P. S. ; Joseph H. In- gails, R. A. C. ; 0. L. Vreeland, M. of 3d V. ; J. K. Bale, M. of 2d v.; Charles Pattison, M. of 1st V. ; C. E. Gris- son, Treas. ; C. P. Wickes, Sec. ; George Hicks, Guard. Since the organization the High Priests have been 0. L. Spaulding, J. B. Nixon, S. Hoyt, A. J. Wiggins, R. Mc- Farlan, J. W. Lewis, C. E. Grisson, and J. D. Henderson. BINGHAM LODGE, No. 439, KNIGHTS OF HONOR. This lodge, organized Jan. 11, 1877, has a membership of iwenty-eight and the following officers : J. G. Wise, D. ; Peter iMead, \. D. ; A. L. Butler, F. R. ; William H. Tripp, Reporter ; G. E. Corbin, Treas. Regular sessions are held once each fortnight. ST. JOHNS LODGE, No. 2S, A. 0. U. W., was organized Dec. 20, 1877, and has now sixty-five mem- bers. Regular meetings are held twice a month in the Odd-Fellows' Hall. The officers for 1880 areL. Z. Munger, M. W. ; W. F. Troump, Foreman ; T. Hart, O. ; A. L. Butler, Financier; William Cochran, Sec; diaries E. Grisson, Treas.; E. B. Bailey, Guide. ROYAL TE.MPLARS OF TEMPERANCE. This lodge was organized Feb. 17, 1880, with seventeen members. Meetings are held in the Teachout building. The officers are James D. Estes, S. C. ; George H. Stephen- son, V. C. ; George W. Estes, P. C. ; W. J. Smith, Sec. ; Frederick Lee, Treas. ; Jolin Stitt, Herald ; James Thomp- son, Chaplain ; James Gibbs, Guard ; S E. Wilson, Sen- tinel. The members number now twenty-two. ST. JOHNS GRANGE, P. OF H., was organized in 18(i9, with thirteen members. The pres- ent membership is upwards of forty, and the condition of the grange exceedingly prosperous. Meetings are held every Saturday in the Teachout building. The officers for 1880 are George Arnold, M. ; B. P. Conn, 0.; Richard Moore, L. ; Frank Ridenour, Chaplain ; Frank Hale, Sec. ; A. O. Huntly, Treas. THE ST. JOHNS RED RIBBON CLUB was organized in February, 1876, when the temperance movement was at its height, and enrolled a membership of two hundred, with D. S. French as president. Now the membership is forty. Meetings are held once a week. E. P. Bailey is President ; G. H. Stephenson, Vice-President ; M. J. Bassett, Secretary ; and D. C. Hurd, Treasurer. LADIE.S' LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. The Ladies' Library Association of St. Johns was organ- ized under the laws of the State Feb. 1, 1871, with Mrs. G. M. Tuthill, Mrs. M. Babcock, Mrs. R. M. McFarlan, Mrs. S. S. Walker, Miss Frances E. Tuekerman, Mrs. J. B. McLean, Mrs. H. M. Lee, Mrs. C. S. Wells, Mrs. Celia C. Smith, and Mrs. J. H. Collins as charter members. The ' association was chartered for a period of thirty years for " the diifusion of knowledge and intellectual culture or literary pursuits." An active organiz:ition has been main- tained since 1871, and during that period the valuable benefits steadily flowing from the association's efforts have njet with earnest popular appreciation. The " Directory for 1880" is composed of Mrs. G. E. Corbin, Mrs. S. S. Wood- ruff, Mrs. C. E. Grisson, and Mrs. J. Dunn. Mrs. M. Babcock is the President ; Mrs. R. Strickland, Vice-Presi- dent ; Jlrs. S. S. Walker, Secretary ; Miss F. E. Tucker- man, Treasurer; Mrs. C. E. Ball, Librarian; Miss C. Shaver, Assistant Librarian. THE ST. JOHNS CEMETERY ASSOCIATION was incorporated July 28, 1863, for the government and control of the cemetery grounds donated by the village proprietors. Since the organization 0. L. Spaulding has been the president and G. H. Stephenson tre.osurer. BANKS. The pioneer bank of St. Johns was started in 18.57 by H. C. Hodge, on the west side of Clinton Avenue, south of Walker Street. The bank was a small affair, but Mr. Hodge contrived nevertheless to do a good deal of banking business, and he found frequent opportunities for making loans. He made them, too, at a good living rate of interest for himself. He carried on his bank until some time in 18()4, just before which period Timothy Baker and A. G. Higham opened a banking institution in a small building which stood upon the site now occupied by the First National Bank. Baker & Higham's business did not last very long, and ended ratlier abruptly. In January, 1865, S. S. Walker opened a banking-office in 0. W. Munger's store, and shortly after that Mr. Walker, in conjunction with others, organized THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK. The first meeting of the stockholders was held .May 31, lS6.i,at the office of P. K. & H. M. Perrin, when Charles Kipp was chosen President; John Hicks, Vice-President; and S. S. Walker, Cashier. The directors elected were R. M. Steel, Charles Kipp, John Hicks, Josiah Upton, II. M. Eddy, R. Strickland, 0. W. Munger, H. .M. Perrin, and Ransom Plumstead. Aug. 28, 1865, the bank was char- tered, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars, limited to two hundred thou.sand dollars, and Sept. 4, 1865. began business in the building originally used by Baker & High- am, for which the bank paid seventeen dollars. Directly afterwards a new bank building was put up on the same 53 o o Co IT ^ ■ ■ VILLAGE OF ST. JOHNS. 375 site, the old structure occupying meanwhile a place on the avenue, and there for thirty days the banking business was done until the new building was ready for occupation. This latter served until 1870, in which year it was replaced by the present fine brick structure. The old bank building was moved around upon Walker Street, and now does duty as the St. Johns post-ofl5ce. Mr. Walker continued to be the cashier until his resignation, in July, 1877. Gr. W. Ball succeeded him, but retired in December of that year. His successor was Galusha Pennell, who is the present cashier. The directory of the bank is composed of Charles Kipp, President; John Hicks, Vice-President ; Galusha Pennell, Cashier; Joshua Upton, and A. H. Walker. The working capital of the institution remains at fifty thousand dollars. At the close of business, IMay 10, 1880, the bauk statement showed the circulation to be forty-five thousand dollars ; loans and discounts, one hundred and six thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight dollars and fifty-nine cents; deposits, seventy six thousand six hundred and ninety-four dollars and eighty-one cents ; surplus, twelve thousand and twenty-eight dollars and ninety-six cents ; profit and loss, five thousand four hundred and ninety-six dollars and ninety -six cents ; undivided earnings, five thousand five hundred and twenty-two dollars and thirty-three cents. SHAVER & GRISSON'S BANK. The firm of Shaver & Grisson carry on a private bank- ing institution, which they founded in September, 1877. They occupy fine quarters in Steel's Block,aDd conduct a general banking business. MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. THE ST. JOHNS MANUFACTURING COMPANY. This corporation, the most important of the industries of St. Johns, is an enterprise of more than ordinary preten- sions. Devoted to the general manufacture of furniture, it contributes towards the support of upwards of one hundred families, and employs a capital of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. Its origin dates back to April, 1857, when W. W. Brainard came to St. Johns from Ohio with a chest of car- penter's tools (having previously — in July, 1S5G — been out prospecting for a location), and fixed his carpenter's bench in the lower portion of the village company's saw-mill, which latter he rented and carried on in connection with his business as carpenter and builder. In 1858 he gave up the mill and moved up town, where he bought, on Walker Street, a building which had been erected by Wilbur Ash in 1857 as a carpenter-shop, and occupied a little later by James Hungerford as a cabinet-shop. The building was afterwards remodeled, and is now used by the American Express Company. Mr. Brainard put in machinery and started a cabinet-making establishment of respectable pro- portions. He carried on busines.s at that place two years, and then moved to a place on S|iriiig Street, just scjuth of Walker Street, where he had built a pretty good-sized fac- tory. He associated with him Charles B. Andrews, and at that stand Brainard i Andrews carried on the manul'ac- ture of furniture until January, 18G8. On the 'Jth of that month the St. Johns Manutacturing Company was organ- ized by R. M. Steel, William Steel, W. W. Brainard, Oli- ver Hiddon, and J. L. Paldi, who bought the business of Brainard & Andrews with a view of continuing it upon a more extensive plan. 11. M. Steel was chosen president, J. L. Paldi secretary, and W. W. Brainard superintendent. The company was chartered with a capital of one hun- dred and twenty thousand dollars, and proceeded to erect new and spacious factory buildings at the north end of the village, near the railway-track. While the new works were being constructed the old factory on Spring Street was de- stroyed by fire in December, 1868. The only article saved was an adze, and that relic has ever since been in use at the new works. The fire did not, however, retard the com- pany's business very much, for in March, 1869, the new factory was started with a force of thirty men. The main building was ninety-six feet in length by fifty feet in width, with a height of two stories and a basement. There was also a brick structure three stories high, used on the ground- floor for a boiler- and engine-room, and above for shop- rooms. During the same spring additions were made of two store-houses, each two stories high and twenty-four by sixty. The company purchased also extensive tracts of timber-lands in Gratiot County, put up a good saw-mill, and trafficked largely in lumber. In 1874 further additions were made to the factory buildings, so that now the works, including a mill for the sawing of hard woods, cover about six acres. Since the organization 11. M. Steel has been the president and W. W. Brainard the superintendent of the company. J. L. Paldi was secretary until June, 1870, when he was suc- ceeded by D. S. French, the present secretary. The com- pany's capital remains at the original sum of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. Its stockholders are but three in number, — II. M. Steel, William Steel, and W. W. Brainard. One hundred and twenty men are employed in the manu- facture of all kinds of furniture, of which the especial features for the past three years have been extension-tables and extension slides, upon which latter a valuable patent is held. These latter are marketed in all parts of the country. The furniture product is generally sold within the State. During the year 1879 there were used in the manufactory two million feet of pine and five hundred thousand feet of hard wood. HICKS' FOUNDRY. Archelaus Silsbee opened a foundry in 1857 for the mak- ing of plow-points and general castings, and soon took in as a partner Wm. H. Moote, of the firm of Corbit & Moote, hardware merchants. The business passed through fre- quent changes in ownership, and lastly to John Hicks, who has been interested in it since 1873. The establishment is known as the St. Johns Foundry and Agricultural Works, and is engaged in the manufacture of general ma- chine castings, but more especially iti the manufacture of the " Victor Mower," in which a good deal of business is done. THE ST. JOHNS COOPERATIVE COMPANY. Ill 1875, Messrs. A. S. Fildew, Ira D. Nichols, E. L. Nichols, and Frank Fildew founded the St. Johns Co- 376 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. operative Company for the extensive manufacture of doors, sash, and blinds. In the summer of 1879, I. D. Nichols was accidentally killed in the factory, and cunsequeut upon that event the establishment passed by purchase into the hands of the Fildcw Brothers, present proprietors, who have added a spoke-factory to the original works. WIGGINS & FAIRCniLD'S MILL. The firm of Wiggins & Fairchild has been engaged since 1878 in the operation, on Iligham Street, of an elm-bark mill, to which was added in the fall of 1879 the business of a bed-spring manufactory that is rapidly developing into a business of considerable importance. ST. JOHNS FIRE DEPARTMENT. At a meeting of the village trustees held June 12, 1858, a petition was presented by W. H. Moote, signed by J. W. Hungerford, H. C. Hodge, George F. Mead, William H. Moote, and thirty-five others, praying that they might be enrolled as firemen in Hook-aud-Ladder Company No. 1. It was thereupon " Resolved, That the following-named persons be organized into a fire company, to be denominated Hook-and-Ladder Company No. 1, of the village of St. Johns, in accordance with the provisions of act No. 168, section 39, .session laws of 1857: James W. Hungerford, Hiram C. Hodge, Henry Walbridge, II. Plunistead, George F. Mead, W. W. Brainard, T. H. Poland, O. W. Munger, J. H. Corbit, George W. Stephenson, S. W. Ingraham, William A. McOmber, William Wicks, William H. Vol- leau, John Turner, John D. Cain, George W. Estos, George W. Carly, Z. C. Cheney, C. W. Palmer, William H. Moot^e, George L. Patch, H. A. Smith, Charles F. Smith, John Ransom, Wilson Curtiss, W. W. Flagler, T. R. Burns, D. P. Bissell, George W. Emmons, Abijah Schaff', S. T. Hay- ward, L. McCabe, C. O. Stiles, William J. McKay, N. Grummons, John Travis, G. B. Stevens, and George H. Stephenson." This hook-and-ladder company, so called, was simply the addition of a ladder attachment to the old-time bucket brigade. There was no " truck," but what ladders were provided were kept in various convenient places to serve in time of need. On the 14lh of March, 18G0, the trustees received from citizens and tax-payers a petition asking for the purchase of hose and a fire engine, and the construction of capacious water-tanks on Clinton Avenue At the meeting of April 3, 18G0, the trustees resolved to purchase for five hundred dollars the engine belonging to Eagle Engine Company, No. 2, of Detroit, to secure a hose-cart and three hundred feet of hose, and to construct two reservoirs on Clinton Avenue. At a trustees' meeting, June 2, 1860, the matter of or- ganizing Pioneer Fire Company, No. 1, being under con- sideration, William H. Moote and Charles Pluiustead were appointed a committee to take such measures as were necessary for such organization. June 4th the committee re- ported, and upon their report the following ordinance was adopted : '• Be it ordained by the president and trustees of the village of St. Johns that we hereby establish and organize a fire company, to be known and designated as Eagle Com- pany, No. 1, consisting of the following-named persons, to wit : William H. Moote, B. M. Shields, J. H. Corbit, C. B. Holiday, Charles F. Smith, James H. Alward, Charles Pluinstead, Marvin E. Palmer, W. E. Servis, Charles Kipp, William W. Flagler, James Vanrice, S. T. Hayward, James Travis, Asher Teachout, John W. Paine, George W. Estes, Richard Moore, James B. Wait, Jerome Bacheler, W. H. Edick, G. 51. Farnham, John Dunn, Henry Hunn, Lorenzo Hall, John Turner, Robert G. Shaw, Alfred B. Olin, An- thony Cook, John Hicks, Jacob Brown, H. Walbridge, 0. W. Munger, Jerry Dobin, Charles McColifF, and James W. Hungerford. The civil officers were William H. Moote, President; Charles Kipp, Vice-President ; Richard Moore, Secretary ; Marvin E. Palmer, Treasurer. The fire officers, Charles Plumstead, Foreman ; John W. Paine, First Assistant; S. T. Hayward, Second Assistant ; William W. Flagler, Pipe- man ; George W. Estes, Steward. The cause of change in the name of the company from " Pioneer" to " Eagle" was a fancy of the majority to adopt the latter because it had been borne by the company from whom the engine was purchased, — " Eagle," of De- troit, being somewhat noted as a company of elite young men. The hand-engine purchased in 1860 continued to do duty for the Eagle Company of St. Johns until May, 1880, when it was superseded by a fine third-class steamer of the Silsbee make, costing three thousand dollars. Firemen's Hull, now the headquarters of the department, is a fine two-story brick structure, embellished with a mas- sive bell-tower. The hall was erected in 1874, upon the ground occupied by the old frame engine-house destroyed by fire in 1873. William Hoffman is chief engineer of the fire depart- ment, and John Tramper first assistant. The department consists of Eagle Steam Fire Company, C. B. Stout, fore- man, with forty men ; Rescue Hook-and-Ladder Company, No. 1, William W. Leland, foreman, with twenty-four men ; and Alert Hose Company, C. E. Pulfrey, foreman, with sixteen men. George W. Estes is president, F. Fairchild secretary, and Miner Boyd treasurer. MEMORABLE FIRES IN ST. JOHNS. The first village conflagration of any consequence oc- curred in 1858, in the burning of Swegles' grist-mill. April 14, 1860, a fire originated in the second story of the building occupied by John Hicks as a store, and swept away every building save one on the west side of Clinton Avenue between Walker and Higham Streets. In 18G3 the Amer- ican House was destroyed; in 1867 the Clinton House and three or (bur stores were burned ; in 1875 four stores on Clinton Avenue south of Walker Street and the etigine- house on Walker Street; and in 1878 several stores on the west side of Clinton Avenue south of Walker Street. These fires destroyed in each case frame structures, and inasmuch as they called into existence brick blocks to fill the vacant places, the disasters proved to be in the end benefits to the village. o o Co ?1 to VILLAGE OF ST. JOHNS. 377 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUILDINGS IN ST. JOHNS. St. Johns has much of which to be proud in the way of residences as well as business blocks, while it may be truly said ill respect to the court-house that few buildings of the kind in the State can approach it in point of massive and imposing proportions and architectural beauty. It was built at an expenditure of forty-five thousand dollars, of which the village of St. Johns contributed five thousand dollars, Oct. 3, 1868, by a popular vote of 167 to 11. The first brick structures in the town were John W. Paiue's store and residence. Both were built in 1860. The best block of its day, and now a conspicuous feature of the town, was the Hicks & Steel Block, built by John Hicks in 1867. There are besides the Hicks Block, numerous fine brick blocks deserving of more than passing mention, among them being the Opera-House building. There are, moreover, other brick blocks in course of construction, and these when completed will add materially to the present attractive appearance of the chief business thoioughfaie of the village. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. OLIVER LYMAN SPAULDING. Oliver Lyman Spaulding was born at Jaffrey, N. H., Aug. 2, 1833, and is the son of Lyman and Susan (Mar- shall) Spaulding. He prepared for college at Melville Academy, in Jaffrey, working on the farm during the time. In 1851 he entered Oberlin College, from which he graduated in 1855. He then spent three years in teaching, devoting his leisure to the study of law. He taught successively in the union schools at Medina, Ohio, and Hillsdale, Mich., and in the academy at Me- dina, Mich. In 1858 he was admitted to the bar, and settled at St. Johns, where he has since continued to prac- tice his profession, with the exception of the time spent in the civil war. In 1862 he began military service as cap- tain in the Twenty-third Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and was appointed, successively, major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel, having been senior officer in command of the regiment from the time of receiving his commission as major in 1863. At the close of the war he was in com- mand of the Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, and was brevctted brigadier-general of United States vol- unteers, June 25, 1865, '' for faithful and meritorious ser- vices during the war." In 1858 he was elected a regent of the State University, and held the ofiice until 1864. In 1866 he was elected Secretary of State, and was re-elected in 1868. In 1875 he was appointed by President Grant Special Agent of the Treasury Department, which office he still holds. Gen. Spaulding has for a number of years been actively connected with the Masonic fraternity. In 1869 he was Grand Master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters; in 1872, Grand Commander of the Grand Com- mandery of Knights Templar ; in 1877, Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter ; and for several years has been chairman of the standing committee on appeals in the 48 Grand Lodge. He is at present Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State of Michigan. Gen. Spaulding was reared a Congregationalist, but in 1866 became connected with the Episcopal Church, and since that time has been senior warden. Politically he has been an active member of the Repub- lican party since its organization, and an ardent member of the State Central Committee since 1870. In the Repub- lican Convention held at Owosso, he was nominated by acclamation, Aug. 5, 1880, for member of Congress from the Sixth District. His family consists of a wife and three children. Mrs. Spaulding was the daughter of the Hon. John Swegles, who was the founder of the village of St. Johns. JOHN H. FEDEWA. Among the honorable names in the county of Clinton that recall the qualities of energy and force of character as the chief elements in a successful career, no finer example is discovered than that presented in the life of John H. Fe- dewa. With ■ two hundred and fifty dollars given him in early life, — a mere adjunct to the capital which his own in- dustry and ambition supplied, — he has at the age of thirty- one years not only acquired a thorough legal education but been the recipient of many ofiices of trust, and is now filling for the second term the ofiice of prosecuting attor- ney for the county. His father, Morris Fedewa, was born in Germany, in 1812, the birth of his mother, also a native of Germany, having occurred the year following. They emigrated to the hospitable shores of America during the year 1842, and at once embarked in agricultural pursuits in the township of Dallas, Clinton Co. Here their son was born May 8, 1849, having been the eighth in a family of twelve children. Mr. and Mrs. Fedewa experienced all the hardships of the early settler, the former having borne his grist many miles to Lyons, to avail himself of the nearest mill. Until the age of eighteen years John H. led the accustomed life of the farmer's son, having labored in summer and studied in winter. He later enjoyed for two years the advantages of the St. Johns High School, after which he taught for a brief period. In 1870 he entered the law-school at the University of Michigan, from which he graduated May 27, 1872. He then began the practice of his profession in Westphalia, and in 1873 was elected supervisor of the township. He was re-elected the following year, and soon after honored with the ofiice of prosecuting attorney of the county, which occasioned his removal to St. Johns, where he remained until 1877. He returned again to his former residence, and was soon recalled to the office of su- pervisor of the township, which he filled for two successive terms. The ability with which he discharged the onerous duties of prosecuting attorney during a previous term in- sured his re-election in 1878, and his removal again to St. Johns as a result. Mr. Fedewa was on the 27th of No- vember, 1876, married to Miss Lizzie Petsch, of Fowler, Clinton Co., Mich. Their home i.s graced by the presence of one little daughter, named Pauline May. 378 HISTORY OF CLINTOJ^ COUNTY, MICHIGAN. ROBERT M. STEEL. Robert M. Steel was born in the town of Craftsbury, Vt., Oct. 21, 1833. His father, William Steel, a native of Scot- land, emigrated to America in 1830, and settled in Vermont. He was a contractor and builder. Robert M. Steel took an academic course in that State. After having received a thorough training in tlie carpenter and joiner business from his father, at the age of twenty-one he went to Toronto, and was employed as time-keeper on the Grand Trunk Railroad. After two months he was appointed foreman on the road that was building between Sarnia and Toronto, and held the position fur fifteen months. His employers, Hayden & Ross, taking a contract to lay the superstructure on the Detroit and jVlilwaukeo Railroad, he entered into a partnership with them. In 185(5 he removed to St. Johns as the most convenient point, and was engaged in com- pleting this contract until the fall of 1858. In 1859 he took a contract to lay the superstructure on the Grand Trunk Railroad from Detroit to Port Huron, and at the same time was interested, with W. A. Stearnes & Co., in building a road from Three Rivers, on the St. Lawrence River, to Athabaska, a distance of thirty-eight miles. He finished these contracts in December, 1853. On the 9th of September, 1862, he entered into partnership with one of his first employers, Mr. Ross, under the firm-name of Ross, Steel & Co., to build the Kansas Pacific Railroad from Kansas City to the one hundredth meridian, a distance of three hundred and sixty miles. They had one hundred miles located and about twenty-five graded when the com- pany disposed of their franchise to Samuel Hallett and J. C. Fremont. Mr. Steel then entered into partnership with Ellethorpe & Adams, under the firm-name of Ellcthorpe, Adams & Steel, and was engaged in building stone bridges, etc., for the city of Leavenworth. He was subsequently engaged in rebuilding the Hannibal and St. Joseph Rail- road, and continued in this work until December, lStJ9. In 1807 he made an individual contract with James F. Joy to build the accretions at Burlington, Iowa, for the union depot of Burlington and Missouri, and Chicago, Bur- lington and Quiucy Railroads. This contract was com- pleted in the fall of 18G8 by working night and day. In 1870 he made a contract to build ninety miles of the St. Louis and Southeastern Railroad, which was completed November, 1871. In January, 1872, he took a contract on the Cairo and Vincenncs Railroad, having the entire road to build through two counties, a distance of one hun- dred and sixty-eight miles, and the building of culverts, bridges, etc. This was completed in December, 1872. In 1873 he took the contract to build the superstructure of forty miles on the Paducah and Memphis Railroad, and completed that in thirty-five days. In May, 1875, Mr. George Mason, of Toronto, made a contract to build seventy miles of railway between the Great Western Railway of Canada on the south, and the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway on the north, to be opened for traffic on the 1st day of January, 1876. Mr. Steel received the contract to grade thirty miles of t)ie .same ; also, the fencing of the whole line, one hundred and forty miles of posts and board fence. The following is an extract from a letter from Mr. Mason : " The whole work is completed to my entire satisfaction, and I have no hesitation in saying that to your skill, ex- perience, and energy as contractor, I consider I am indebted in a great measure for the successful completion of the undertaking. " Believe me faithfully yours, " George Mason, " Chief Engineer, L. 11. and B. R. R., mid D. and M. R. R." Besides his extensive railroad contracts Mr. Steel was connected with the government work at Chicago, Calumet, Ludington, Manistee, and Frankfort. In the year 1857 he became a Freemason, and is now a member of the St. Johns Commaudery. In 1848 he visited England, Ireland, and Scotland, and was absent one year. He is a Republi- can, and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. In all matters that pertain to the advancement of St. Johns or Clinton County, Mr. Steel is ever ready to assist by his counsel or capital. He largely engaged in agriculture, and is the president of the Clinton County Agricultural Society. He was instrumental in organizing the St. Johns Manu- facturing Company, having a paid-up capital of one hundred and fifteen thousand dollars. He owns ninety per cent, of the capital, and holds the office of president. In social relations genial and companionable, in business matters he is prompt and reliable, as a citizen respected and in- fluential, at home cordial and hospitable; to the poor he has been a quiet, unostentatious friend. He married, March 13, 1860, Miss Carrie A. Hyatt, daughter of James M. Hyatt, of New York State. They have three children, — George A., Robert G., and Carrie L, JOHN HICKS. Mr. Hicks may with justice be regarded as one of the foremost men of Clinton County in business enterprises, and one who in certain specialties of trade has no com- petitor. He is a Canadian by birth, having been born in Kingston, Canada West, in 1824, his father, Samuel Hicks, and mother, Eunice Bailey, having both been natives of Connecticut. The former was a patriot of the war of 1812, and was an active participant in the battle of Sackett's Harbor. Mr. Hicks is of English extraction, and the first twenty-six years of his life were spent mostly in Canada, after which he came to the States, and repaired at once to Michigan, having located in De Witt, Clinton Co., and en- gaged as clerk and book-keeper with Hon. David Sturgis, who was in the milling and mercantile business. A year later he became a partner, and remained until 1856, when, St. Johns presenting a wider sphere for his remarkable business abilities, he became a resident of the county-seat, meanwhile having disposed of his interest at De Witt to James Sturgis. Since then he has been actively engaged in mercantile enterprises, first as a dealer in dry goods and later as an extensive dealer in wheat. In the latter branch of trade Mr. Hicks is one of the largest, if not the largest, shippers of wheat in his portion of the State, and had the satisfaction of forwarding the first ear-load of that grain by rail from St. Johns. BINGHAM TOWNSHIP. 37a Mr. Hicks was chairman of the committee on the erec- tion of the court-house and jail at St. Johns, and has been the vice-president of the First National Bank of the city .since its organization. He was married in 1855 to Miss Eliza Huston, of Vermont, and has three children, who with their parents share the comforts of the most attractive home in St. Johns. Mr. Hicks, in connection with other extensive business interests, is the proprietor of a foundry. His integrity of character and fairness have not only mate- rially contributed to his financial success, but established for him an enviable reputation in all mercantile circlas. CHAPTER LT. BINGHAM TOWNSHIP.* Pioneers and .Settlements — Township Organization and Civil List — Township Highways — Educational — Religioiis. Bingham is conspicuous among the townships of Clinton County because it contains within its territory the village of St. Johns, the county-seat. Its designation upon the government survey is town 7 north, in range 2 west. Its boundaries are Greenbush on the north, Olive on the south, Ovid on the east, and Bengal on the west. Originally including in many places considerable tracts of waste land, Bingham still contains some swampy country, — notably east and southeast of St. Johns village, — but the rapidity with which this has been drained and improved during late years makes its complete reclamation only a question of time, and probably of the near future. The Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway pa.sses through the town from east to west upon almost an air-line, and has in Bingham the station of St. Johns, the market- and shipping-town for a wide stretch of surrounding country. THE PIONEERS OF BINGHAM. Bingham township received its first settlers upon section 10, in the fall of 1887. The land there located covered two eighty-acre lots, which Lucius Morton bought in 1837 for his father-in-law, Thomas Neal, who with Morton and two other sons-in-law, named Jo.seph Russell and Benjamin Finkle, was living in Lenawee County. In the autumn of 1837, Lucius Morton and his brother Herod came to the place and rolled up the body of the first house built in Bingham. Their intention was to stop until they could complete the house and make a small clearing ; but their provisions gave out before their allotted task was done, and so they had to return to Lenawee County. When they got back there, Lucius hired Benjamin Finkle and Runah Mor- ton to go out to Bingham and finish what had been begun. They reached the ground December, 1837, and in the fol- lowing summer Thomas Neal came out. In September, 1838, Lucius Morton followed. Upon his arrival he found that Silas Parks had joined the settlement and was on sec- tion 3, where John Avery now lives, and that Joel Bebee was on section 10. In February, 1839, Joseph Russell lo- * By David Scbwnrtz. oated likewise on section 10. At that time, therefore, the settlers in the northern part of the township included Thomas Neal, Benjamin Finkle, Runah Morton, Lucius Morton, Joel Bcbec, Joseph Russell, and Silas Parks. The first child born in the settlement was Lewis, son of Lucius Morton, whose birth occurred in 1838. In 1803 he was drowned in the Maple River while fishing from a boat. He was subject to fits, and being attacked by one while in the boat fell overboard. The first deaths in the town occurred in 1 8-tO, when by scarlet fever, which raged in a violent form, Benjamin Finkle lost three children, all of whom died in the same week. At the same time Silas Parks also lost two children by the same disease. Other children of the neighborhood wore sick with the fever, but those mentioned were the only ones who died. • Silas Parks, already named, gained some notoriety during the year 1839 by rea.son of the mysterious disappearance of his four-year old boy under circumstances that were said to have pointed strongly to Parks as the author of his death, although nothing tangible was adduced against him. Parks gave out that his child was lost, saying that the little fellow had set out to visit a neighbor's house, and after that had not been *een. Intelligence of the disappearance of the child quickly spread, and people to the number of one hundred or more promptly gathered and organized a search- ing-party. They hunted for a week or ten days, and pur- sued thsir work with unceasing vigilance until all hope of discovery was given up, and then they came to the conclu- sion that Parks had in a fit of anger made away with the child and concealed the body. He stoutly maintained that the Indians '' must have done it.'" Of course everybody knew that story to be an improbable one, and that Parks in a moment of impetuous rage had fiitally injured another of his children ; but no legal investigation followed, and Parks went unscathed, at least by the law. The first grown person who died was Thomas Neal, whose death occurred in 1841. He was buried on William Russell's farm in Greenbush, and was the first one buried in the Greenbush cemetery (on section 8). The first marriage is supposed to have been that of Ann Morton and Stephen W. Downer, in 1841, at the house of the bride's father. Bishop Morton, on section 20, the ceremony being performed by Joel Bebee, J. P. The pioneers were obliged to go to Ionia or De Witt for physicians, and when milling was necessary, to Ionia, Wa- cousta, or Shiawasseetown. When Lucius Morton made his first trip to mill after settling in Bingham, he had first to start on a tour of exploration among older settlers to buy or borrow some grain, and then, having found it, to undertake the wearisome journey to mill, upon which he was absent four days, during which his lodging at night was in the open air under his wagon. Mr. Morton's first cabin had the trough-roof common enough in those times, but, more aristocratic thau his neighbors, whose windows and doors were blankets, he whittled with liis jack-knife thin sticks for window-sash, and over thom pasted greased paper to serve as lights. Morton one day wished to start for De Witt by a shorter way than usual, and with Runah Morton, Joel Bebee, and Sylvester Carter worked four days underbrushing a roadway. At the end of that time they 380 HISTOKY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. came to a swamp, and seeing no way to cross it, gave up the tabk of load-building, and Morton, to get around the swamp, which turned out to be less than half a mile across, made a journey of twenty-four hours by way of Shiawas- see. Working on the highways for the non-resident taxes was a boon to the pioneers, as it gave to many of them the only means of earning a subsistence while waiting for their crops to mature. It was not always, however, that they could get cash for their labor, and quite frequently county or town orders were doled out to them. These orders were good enough for taxes, but in trade they were current only at a discount of forty per cent. Still they were welcome, as being better than nothing. Wheat was salable only at about fifty cents a bushel, and at that no money could be got for it short of Detroit. Hauling it that far for that price was far from profitable, and in some cases farmers preferred to feed it to their cattle. During Lucius Morton's first winter in the settlement he could give his cattle no grain or hay, for he neither had any nor could he buy any, and so during the season he cleared fifteen acres to provide browse or tree-tops for nine cows. In reply to the question, " Where did the people of the settlement go to church ?" he said, " Why, bless your soul, we didn't have any time to go to church ; we were too much pressed for time to stop for church. Neither snow, nor rain, nor Sunday made any dilFerence in our ordinary pro- gramme. We were out chopping at all times and in all sea- sons, and begrudged even the night-time, which compelled us to desist from labor, we were so anxious to hurry for- ward." Thomas Fisk, a resident of Greenbush, came occasionally into the Bingham settlement and held religious services. Fisk claimed to be a member of the Christian faith, but his followers were popularly known as Fiskites. He grew into disfavor in his own town, and was by reason of public prejudice against him compelled to seek a home elsewhere. Among other early comers into the Morton neighborhood were Charles Simpson, William Silverwood, John Avery, and Samuel Gardner. In the year 1840 the extreme north- western corner of Bingham came to be known as Gardner's Corners, and for many years thereafter the Corners had a reputation that reached far and wide. It was there that Samuel Gardner located a piece of land in 1839, and in February, 1840, he occupied the place as a permanent settler. He was located on the De Witt road, passing via the west town-Hue of town 7 (now Bingham) to Gratiot County, and in the year 1840 there was a good deal of travel over that road by land-seekers bound for Gratiot County. Travel naturally suggested a tavern, and during 1 840 Mr. Gardner put up a log tavern upon the spot now occupied by one of his grandsons in the northwestern corner of section 6. Mr. Gardner called his tavern the Gardner House, and the locality Gardner's Corners. At the time mentioned (1840) he had but few neighbors in Bingham. Lucius Morton, Benjamin Finkle, and Joel Bebee were living in the town east of him, but south of him, on the De Witt road, he knew of no one but William H. and Reuben Norris between Gardner's Comers and De Witt. Travel on that highway increased as time moved on, and in 1843, to meet the demands of the occasion, Gardner replaced his log tavern with a more pretentious and commodious framed hotel. A portion of it he set apart as a store, and there- after, between selling goods and keeping tavern, drove a brisk trade. The Gardner House was, too, a place of popular resort for the pleasure-seekers and merry-makers of the adjoining country, and the many jolly dances and simi- lar festive gatherings that marked its busy era are still sub- jects of enjoyable remembrance among those who took part in them. The country belles in those days were inordi- nately fond of dancing opportunities, and although they did walk barefooted many miles to a Gardner House ball and carry their shoes to the ball-room door to save the wear of them, they enjoyed the hilarious reunions none the less nor missed one when they could help it. Business at Gardner's tavern was during the briskest season of travel so great that upwards of sixty teams were kept there overnight, and the receipts of money before ten o'clock in the morning were more than a hundred dol- lars. Gardner kept the tavera until his death in 1SG7, and after that his widow carried it on until it was burned in 1872. During 1854, Mr. Gardner built at St. Johns the first tavern put up at the village, although he was him- self at no time the landlord of it. In 1857 a post-office called Gardner's Corners was established at Gardner's Hotel, and Mr. Gardner given charge of it. Mail was re- ceived from St. Johns, the route being from the latter place to Maple Rapids. Mr. Gardner remained in charge of the office as postmaster until 18G3, when it was abolished. The following list of resident tax-payers in Bingham in ] 840 shows very nearly who had been the settlers in the township prior to that time, and the sections on which they had located their liomes : Acres. Silas Parks, section 3 40 Joel Bebee, section 10 80 Lucius Morton, section 10 80 Josepii Russell, section 10 40 Benjamin Finkle, section 10 40 Reuben Norris, section 32 40 William H. Norris, section 32 120 Levi Frost, section Zb 80 The resident tax-payers of the township in 1841 were : Acrea . Silas Parks, section 3 80 Benjamin Finkle, section 10 40 Thomas Neul, section 10 40 Lucius Morton, section 10 80 .Joel Bebee, section 10 80 Reuben Norris, section 32 80 William H. Norris, section 32 80 W. C. Gardner, sections 1 iind 6 320 S. C. Vandcventer, section 35 80 The following- named persons were drawn as jurors in the township of Bingham in the year 1839 : Enos Kinyan, William Swarthout, Charles Simpson, Joel Bebee, Nathan Lowe, Samuel Barber, Francis Faxon, Henry M. Sever, John Burnet, Charles Stevens, Sydney L. Smith, Beojamin Carpenter, Oliver Bebee, Grove Cooper, John Ferdon, Sylvester Carter, John Jessop, Allen Lounsbury. Following is the list of jurors drawn for the year 1841 : Grand. — Horace Avery, Joel Bebee, John Avery, Herod Morton. BINGHAM TOWNSHIP. 38 Petit. — Moses Phillips, John Ferdon, J. I. Tinklepaugh, Marvin Greenwood. The residents in Bingham in 1842 liable to do mili- tary duty were William C. Gardner, Samuel H. Gardner, Stephen W. Downer, William H. Norris, Reuben S. Nor- ris, C. Vandeventer, Joel Bebce. The number of votes cast at the township election in 1845 was eleven, and they were cast by the following-named persons : Samuel H. Gardner, Joseph A. Sperry, John Avery, John Dickerson, William C. Gardner, John Avery, Jr., Reuben S. Norris, Christopher Vandeventer, Samuel Gardner, H. S. Harrison, Benjamin Finkle, William H. Norris, Bishop Morton. Stephen W. Downer, famous for his successes as a bear- hunter and the hero of a desperate bear-fight, located on section 20 in 1841, and in 1849 exchanged his farm with C. A. Lamb, of Oakland County, for a place in the latter county. Lamb, who .settled in Oakland in 1829, was a Baptist preacher, and during his fifteen years' residence in Bingham labored zealously in his ministerial calling. J. R. Hale settled in that neighborhood in 1846, and in 1847 was followed by his brother. Homer W. Hale. At that time the settlers in the vicinity were Lucius Morton, Ste- phen W. Downer, David Snow, Bishop Morton, George W. Estes. Later came A. 0. Huntley and A. Warren. In 1847 the only settler in Bingham between H. W. Hale and William H. Norris was J. R. Hale. Daniel Ridenour made a settlement in 1852 upon land in sections 5 and 6, where he still lives. Some time after- wards Simeon Haynes, Patrick Whittlesey, Richard Moore, and J. H. Van Sice made settlements in the neighborhood. Ridenour had a number of adventures with bears, although none of them, as far as report goes, were of a dangerously exciting character. He was out after a cow in 1852, when his dog started and made chase for a bear. Ridenour joined the pursuit and came to close quarters with Bruin, who turned and made a show as if for battle. Ridenour beinsr unarmed retreated in tolerable haste, but still in good order, for William Silverwood's, and besought Silverwood to go with him that they might slay the brute together. Silver- wood admitted that the sport would be grand and that of course the victors would be heroes, but however much he might wish to immortalize himself, he was warned that his lame back totally unfitted him for a bear-fight, and must therefore decline to share in the honor. Ridenour smiled at the lame-back story, but he had to be content with it, and not feeling particularly ambitious to engage single- handed in the conflict, abandoned his purpose. Upon another occasion Ridenour was aroused from his "midnight slumbers by a commotion indicative of the presence of a bear among the pigs. Rushing hastily forth, he found sure enough that an old bear and her two cubs were on the ground actively engaged in preparations for the removal of a promising porker. Ridenour seized a cudgel and boldly attacked the entire family. The old one aTid one of the cubs fled ingloriously into outer darkness, while the second cub took to a tree. Ridenour hurried into his house for a gun, but while he was gone the cub backed down the tree and was gone by the time his would-be slayer returned, and thus in smoke ended the valiantly-directed eflbrts of the intrepid Ridenour. John Avery, now living on section 3, located some land in Greenbush, on section 33, in 1838. To earn sufiicient money to carry him eastward to his family, he cleared ten acres for Marvin Greenwood, and in 1839 brought his fam- ily out. In 1840 he bought his present place of Silas Parks, but did not permanently occupy it until 1842. Avery's first mill journeys were made in a canoe, by way of the Maple River to Ionia; and when he wanted to reach a market-town he journeyed to Detroit, which place he reached at times by ox-team and at others on foot. In the winter of 1842 he cut out a road four rods wide and two miles in length, and assisted later in the foundation of the village of St. Johns, by hauling from the Rochester Colony mill the boards for the first frame house built in the vil- lage, — the Whittemore house, owned by Cornelius Vroo- man. Mr. Avery was esteemed a hunter and trapper of consummate skill, and carried on an active and profitable campaign against wolves and other wild animals, the scalps of the wolves yielding a handsome bounty. Charles Simpson was a settler upon section 8 about the time of Avery's location, and made himself famous chiefly by reason of the fact that when he came in he brought two barrels of pork and two barrels of whisky. The former he peddled out to his neighbors. The latter he kept for his own use, and used so freely that by the time the supply was exhausted, he himself was nearly in the same condition. Among other early settlers iu that vicinity were the Davisons, Boughtons, Wykofis, Krolls, Balcoms, Doyns, Shulters, Laphams, Tranchells, Williams, Hugus, and Warrens. In the southern portion of Bingham the earliest settle- ment was made by William H. Norris in 1838, upon one hundred and twenty acres in section 32, where he still lives. From a recently-published sketch of Mr. Norris' pioneer experiences is given the following : " Ben Merrihew, of Olive, had built a shanty on a piece of land owned by him, and quite near to Mr. Norris, and being unoccupied the latter took possession of it until he could build upon his own. At this time he sold forty acres of his farm to his brother, R. S. (now deceased), and the two families lived together in the house which Mr. Norris immediately erected. During the latter part of fall and the early part of the winter following the logs were gotten together and hewn for the brother's house, and between Christmas and New Year they raised it. On the same day, while they were at work at the new house, the first one took fire, and for all they could do burned to the ground with all its contents, although, happily, it was so soon after their arrival that the better part of the household goods had not yet come from the former home in Washte- naw. At this critical juncture some hardships were endured which, even looked back upon through the soltening screen of many years of plenty, bring with them no sensations of plea.sure. Of course there was nothing to do but to finish the brother's house, and all occupy it until the burned spot could be covered by another home. In about two weeks from the lime of the fire the father came from Superior 382 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. witli the expected goods, together with some eatables, put in witli an especial reference to the late fire, all of which exactly fitted into the niche which hard circumstances had chiseled. The rest of the winter was spent quite comfort- ably in spito of the uninviting outlook a little before, and in the spring enough land was stripped of trees and logs to allow of the sowing of two bushels of spring wheat on as many acres ; and a little later three acres of corn were planted, although the ground for this was not cleared of logs, but the corn was thrust into the soil wherever a spot could be found. One acre and a half of exceedingly rough- looking ground was given to a scattering of oats, and thus the new farm was cropped. In the following August the burned house was replaced, and soon after, harvest coming on, the crops were taken from the ground. A thrashing- floor was made of split plank, a flail prepared, and the yellow sheaves of wheat yielded up their golden treasure to the amount of twenty bushels of clean, plump kernels. The corn had eared splendidly, and two hundred bushels were securely cribbed ; but the oats had been sown so late that they could not ripen, and were cut and stacked for fodder. Thus diligent hands, aided by a kind Providence, managed to gather through the summer an encouraging plenty for the winter, and these things provided for, what if the home-nest was a little crude and frontier-looking? It was comfortable and was home. To them " Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home" was true, and hunger was not to gnaw nor cold to pinch. " After grain had been grown, harvested, and thrashed, the work of putting it into a condition from which it could be moulded into eatables was by no means accomplished, for the milling in those days was a very important factor in this preparation. Mr. Norris had come into the place well provided with provisions, and not until August of the fol- lowing year did he have to perform the laborious task of going to mill. But at that time it must be done, and throw- ing ten bushels of wheat into a wagon, and hitching on a yoke of oxen, he started ofi" to find the mill at Delta, Eaton Co. Persons not familiar with pioneer life can but illy imagine what were the difficulties of team travel in those days of footpaths and tree-blockaded roads. To the mill at Delta he went until one was built at Rochester Colony in 1841 or 1842. " Mr. Norris, as well as some others, was a religious man, and realizing the need of gospel services in a place so emi- nently calculated to breed a forgetfuluess of God and the incalculable interests of the soul, he, with others, organ- ized a Methodist society in 1840, and they were soon shep- herded by the Rev. Lewis Coburn. Revs. Lapham and W. Jackson, respectively, followed him in the gospel work in those extreme early days of Bingham." The next settler after Norris in the southern portion of the township was Levi Frost, who in 1838 made a home on section 35. While raising a barn. in 1844, Frost was crushed and killed by a falling log. Christopher Vande- venter married the widow and lived on the place. He was much given to hunting bears and wolves, and made a com- fortable living on tlie soalpbounties he obtained. The place now occupied by William H. Krepps was first settled by Nathan Flint about 1840. Flint claimed to be a physician, and did doctor a good many people effectively with roots and herbs, although ho was looked upon by reg- ular practitioners as an impo.stor. Still he was gladly wel- comed by sick settlers, and he did some good service. While chopping. Dr. Flint was badly hurt by a falling tree. Dr. HoUister, of Victor, called to see him, and pronounced his left leg so badly shattered, and Flint himself so pros- trated, that it would be useless to attempt to set the leg, for the patient was bound to die. Nevertheless, Dr. Flint insisted that he would not die, and after nine days of suf- fering, finding no one to set his leg, he set it himself and finally recovered. Moses D. Tabor settled in 1843 across the southern town-line, opposite section 34, when the only settler west of there was William H. Norris, and the only ones eastward were Levi Frost and Dr. Flint. Tabor lodged his family at J. W. Merrihew's while he was getting his cabin ready, and although Merrihew's cabin had but one room in it, the two families of nine persons managed to exist there, although with little comfort or convenience. When Tabor had got out logs for his cabin and was ready to raise it there came on a heavy snow-storm and buried his logs so that he could not well get at them. In this emergency he put up a shanty in the snow as best he could, and for the next two weeks his family lived without a pound of flour in the house, but got along instead on hulled corn. What neigh- bors he could reach were as badly off' for flour as he was, and getting to mill was out of the question by reason of the impassable condition of the few roads. William Faucett, who in 1848 made a settlement on sec- tion 34 (where he now lives), took a tract upon which not a stick had been cut. In 1850, Ezekiel Lamphei'e lo- cated on section 35, about a half-mile north of Dr. Flint. Norman Williams came to section 35 in 1855. In the southern portion of the town the early settlers included also J. N. De Witt, 0. M. Brooks, William Gigler, George Waldron, Carr, Richardson, Gillison, Newman, Barnes, Hicks, Atkinson, and Beach. L. S. Conn joined the settlers in Bingham in 1847, and occupied a place on section 21, where a Mr. Halsinger had made a clearing of two or three acres. Mr. Conn's neigh- bors were Benjamin Brown on the west, and Aslier Hath- away on the north, both within easy call. Although the surrounding neighborhood contained quite a number of settlers, settlements had not in that quarter more than fairly commenced. South of Conn, and near the south line of the town, Joseph Sperry had been living on sections 33 and 34 since 1844. When he came in for a settlement he had to cut out a road from Laingsburg to his place. His nearest neighbor was Moses D. Tabor, in Olive, on the north town- line, where he had been living about a year. Christopher Vandeventer was on section 35, near where W. H. Krepps now lives. Sperry was the only one in the neighborhood boasting the possession of a wagon, and he was therefore the one'who went to mill for all the neighbors, — the mill in question being at the Rochester Colony. The pay he got from those whom he thus served was daily labor on his place, for money was too scarce to be paid out unless other means failed. Sperry was a cooper, and made a good many barrels, Residence of JOH^ A'.'LHy. a in sham, uuitonCo.Mich. BINGHAM TOWNSHIP. 383 which he marketed at Do Witt, where also the settlers found their post-office as well as their church. Sperry's cabin had a bark roof, but neither window nor door, and many a night Mrs. Sperry was left alone with her children to brave the terrors of loneliness, emphasized by the presence of howling wolves. One night, while her hus- band was gone on a journey to the Colony mill, Mrs. Sperry was awakened by the pandemonium of what appeared to her to be an hundred wolves howling about her cabin. Terrified, she fled with her two small children into the darkness and made for the house of Christopher Vande- venter, nearly two miles distant, where she craved shelter, and remained until morning calmed her fears and enabled her to return home. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST. Bingham was organized under act of Legislature ap- proved March 21, 1839, and included towns 7 and 8 north, in ranges 1 and 2 west, previously a portion of De Witt township. Towns 7 and 8 in range 1 were detached in 1840, and called Ovid and Dupl:iin respectively. Town 8 in range 2 was set off Feb. 1(3. 1842, and named Green- bush. The name of Bingham was bestowed in honor of Governor K. S. Bingham. The first town-meeting in Bingham was held, in accord- ance with the provisions of the organizing act, at the hou.se of Joseph Sever, April 3, 1839. The record of the proceed- ings of that meeting has been lost, and nothing can, there- fore, be said touching the list of officers then elected. At a special meeting held at Grove Cooper's house April 27, 1839, it was voted to raise one hundred dollars to defray the expenses of the town for the ensuing year, that a pound should be established at John Ferdon's barn free of ex- pense, and that no money should be raised for the support the poor. Below is given a list of persons elected annually from 1840 to 1880 to the offices of supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and justice of the peace in the township of Bingham : SUPERVISORS. 1840. R. K. Criivcn.* 1864-65. Oeorge R. Hunt 1811. Lucius Morton. 1866. 0. L. Spauliling. 1842-48. S. W. Downer .f 1867. Vf. S. Lazello. ]84y-52. «. W. Eftos. 1868. George Serviss. 185.3. W. SilvcrwooJ. 186U. George R. Hunt. 1S54. G. W. Estcs. 1870. 11. C. Smitli. 185.5. J. 0. P.almer. 1871. George R. Hunt. 185fi-58. W. H. Mooto. 1872. A.J. BaMnin. 1859-60. C. Kipp. 1873. 0. AV. Munger. 1861. T. Baker. 1874. J. M. Easton. 1862-63. IL M. Perrin. 1875-80. Josiah Uplou. 1840. S. Pcarl.» 1841. R. Morton. 1842. N. W. AlJrich.f 1843. W. U. Norris. CLERKS. 1844. W. C. Gardner. 1845. J. Avery, Jr. 1846. W. C.Gardner. 1847-48. J. M. Estoa. * Township divided. At the first election this year fifty-seven votes were polled. At the special election the same year, after the division, twenty-five votes were cast, Thomas Fisk hcing chosen Supervisor; David Sevey, Clerk; John Ferdon, Treasurer; and David Sevcy, Marvin Green, and Joel Behee, Justices of the Peace. I Grecubush detached. Nino votes cast at this year's election in Binghuui. 1849-51. J. R. Halo. 1852. H. G. Tyler. 1853-54. William C. Gardner. 1855-57. William IL Conn. 1858. R. Plumstead. 1859-60. H. M. Perrin. 1861-63. George R. Hunt. 1864-65. AV. S.' Lazelle. 1866. A. 0. Hunt. 1867. AV. S. Lazelle. 1868. I. H. Cranson. 1869-71. A. J. Baldwin. 1872. M. J. Bassett. 1873. R. J. Woodruff. 1874-75. M.J. Bassett. 1876-80. AV. M. Leiand. 1840. S. L. Smith.* 1841. H.Morton. 1842-43. L. Morton.f 1844-46. W. H. Norris. 1847-48. H. Avery. 1849. Isaac AA'ait. 1850. L. Morion. 1851. R. AVilco.x. 1852. N.Doty. 1853. C. A. Lamb. 1854-56. N. Doty. 1857-58. C. A. Lamb. TREASURERS. 1859-61. W. H. Conn. 1862-63. S. Hunt. 1864-65. J. AV. Ash. 1866-67. James Kipp. 1868. L Gabrien. 1869. S. J. AVright. 1870-71. E. L.Smith. 1872. C. B. Andrews. 1873-74. IL S. Hilton. 1875-76. AV. H. Turner. 1877-78. 0. M. Brooks. 1879-80. 0. B. Swain. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. 1840. S.Penrl.® 1861. D. Sturgis. IS41. M. Greenwood. 1862. 0. L. Spaulding 1842. J. Behie-t 1863. W. Sicliels. 1843. S. Morion. 1864. George Serviss. 1844. C. Vandeventer. 1865. AV. N. AVilley. 1845. R. S. Norris. 1866. E. D. Tripp. 1846. B. Morton. 1867. G. AV. Barker. 1847. M. Greenwood. 1868. J. M. McFarlan 1848. H. S. Harrison. 1869. AV. N. AVilley. 1849. R. S. Norris. 1870. E. D. Tripp. 1850. Isaac AVait. 1871. AVillLim Taylor. 1851. H. AA'. Hudson. 1872. J. N. McFarlan. 1862. Z. H. Harrison. 1873. S. Hoyt. 1853. I. C. Palmer. 1874. E. D. Tripp. 1854. G. Conn. 1875. A. Stout. 1855. C. Higgins. 1876. J. N. De AVitt. 1856. Z, IL Harrison. 1877. AV. H. Moote. 1857. J. 0. Palmer. 1878. H. P. Adams. 1858. 0. L. Spaulding. 1879. C. M. Merrill. 1859. 1860. J. H. Cranson. George Serviss. 1880. AV. Brunson. TOWNSHIP HIGHWAYS. The first liighways recorded in the township records were laid out by Highway Commissioners Barker and Stevens, July 15, 1839. lload No. 1 is described as follows: " Commencing at the southeast corner of section 26, in town 8 north, of range 2 west; thence north, 52° west, 30 chains and 37 links to angle; thence north, 57° west, 1 chain and 03 links to angle; thence north, 53i° west, 73 chains and 75 links to the west line of said section 26; thence north on section-line 11 chains and 26 links to the northwest corner of said section ; thence north on section- line 200 chains to the quarter-stake on the east line of section 10; thence west, 2J° south, 144 chains and 50 links to niajile stub; thence west, 30° south, 15 chains and 50 links to (|uarter-stake-on the east side of section 8; thence west, 2i° south, 152 chains to the quarter-post on the west line of section 7, — all in said town 8 north, of range 2 west. " No. 2.-rAlso a road beginning at the .southwest corner of section 30 in the above-named township ; thence east, 4i° north, 6 chains and 90 links to post and angle; thence south, 41° east, 4 chains and 92 links to buttonwood-tree ; thence south, 54° east, 5 chains and 45 links to a post; 384 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. thence south, 48° east, 50 chains and 50 links to post ; thence south, 52° east, 10 chains to post ; thence south, 43° east, 5 chains to post; thence south, 50° east, 151 chains to beech-tree ; thence south, 46° east, 6 chains and 25 links to post ; thence south, 48° east, 7 chains to post ; thence east, 2i° north, 120 chains to post; thence south, 66° east, 5 chains to beech-tree ; thence south, 77° east, 10 chains and 65 links to beech-tree ; thence east, 3i° north, 6 chains and 60 links to post ; thence south, 65° east, 13 chains and 75 links ; thence south, 59° east, 4i chains to basswood- tree; thence south, 58° east, 19* chains to beech-tree; thence south, 80° east, 8 chains and 40 links to maple-tree; thence south, 85° east, 15 chains and 38 links to post; thence south, 75° east, 30 chains and 38 links to post ; thence east, 17° north, 4 chains and 96 links to elm-tree; thence east, 18 chains and 25 links to post ; thence east, 27° north, 7 chains to basswood-tree ; thence east, 14° north, 11 chains and 56 links to post; thence south, 85° east, 19 chains and 87 links to post; thence east, 4° north, 4 chains; thence north, 37° east, 3 chains; thence east, 29° north, 1 1 chains and 81 links ; thence east, 5° south, 9 J chains ; thence east, 13° south, 7 chains and 56 links; thence east, 5° south, 12 chains and 30 links; thence east, 10° north, 15 chains and 12 links; thence 39° north, 4 chains and 11 links; thence east, 43 J° north, 5 chains and 75 links; thence east, 32J° north, 6 chains; thence east, 48° north, 24 J chains to the south [east] corner of section 36 in said town 8 north, of range 2 west. " No. 3. — Also commencing 2i° north, 40 chains east of quarter-post, on the west line of section 6, town 7 north, of range 1 west; thence east, 2^° north, 36 chains and 5 links to post ; thence north, 5° west, 46 chains to the north line of said section 6, 5 chains and 17 links west of the northeast corner of said section 6." COPY OP ENTRY IN HIGHWAY RECORDS. " Mr. Stephen Pearl, T.C., of the township of Bingham : We the undersigned, highway commissioners of the said town, having determined to lay out the following roads, do hereby order you to record the same. " The minutes of the surveys of the several roads are as follows : " Toum 8 north, of range 2 west. " No. 1 . — Beginning at the west quarter stake of section No. 23; thence running north 87 J ° east, 80 chains to the east quarter post of 23. " No. 2. — Beginning at the northeast corner of section No. 27; thence running south, 87i° west, 160 chains to the southwest corner of section No. 21. " Town 7 north, of range 1 west. " No. 1. — Beginning at the southwest corner of section No. 36 ; thence running south, 87° west, 19 chains ; thence north, 52J° west, 8 chains; thence south, 5H° west, 17 chains and 3 links ; thence south, 87° west, 32 chains and 13 links to the southwest corner of section No. 35. " No. 2. — Beginning at the southwest corner of section No. 36; thence running north, 3° west, 92 chains; thence north, 45° east, 37 chains and 70 links to a stake 59 links north, J° west, from w. oak 18 inches in diameter. " Toion 8 north, of range 1 west. " No. 1. — Beginning at a stake bearing south 87i° west, 20 chains from the northwest corner of section No. 33 ; thence running south, 21° east, 80 chains and 24 links; thence south, 15° west, 3 chains and 75 links; thence south, 26° west, 13 chains and 52 links ; thence south, 2i° east, 12 chains and 59 links to a stake standing in the centre of the highway. "Recorded Dec. 14, 1839. "Samuel Barker, " Charles Stevens, " Stephen Pearl, T. C, "Commissioners of Highways.'^ EDUCATIONAL. Bingham's first school was taught on the Silas Parks place by Mary, daughter of Nathan Smith, of Olive. The school-house was an abandoned cabin, and the pupils were from the families of Lucius Morton, Silas Parks, and Ben- jamin Finkle. Mary Smith taught the school two terms, and after that Orpha Fisk taught in the same house. The next teacher was Lucinda Richmond, who kept school about two years in Lucius Morton's house, Morton having built an addition to his residence for this purpose. He hired Miss Richmond at one dollar a week, and charged a certain sum per capita for each child to cover expenses. Some of the pupils were boarded by him and others brought their dinners. The records of an early date having been lost, very little touching the history of township schools from the begin- ning can be gleaned. There is, indeed, nothing to be gathered from the records antedating 1855. On the 6th of October in that year it appears of record that district No. 4 was organized to contain the south half of section 9 and the whole of section 16, except the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter. On the same day district No. 5 was formed, and contained sections 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24. Fractional district No. 6 was formed Oct. 27, 1855, of a portion of Olive and section 26, the east half of section 34, and the whole of section 35 in Bingham. Oct. 27, 1855, No. 7 was organized to contain section 29, the south half of section 30, the whole of section 31, the north half of the northwest quarter, the southwest quarter of the north- west quarter, the southwest quarter, and the west half of the west half of the southeast quarter of section 32. No. 8 was organized Feb. 2, 1856, and comprised the northwest quarter of section 28, the north half of section 29, and the north half of section 30. From 1853 to 1858 teachers were appointed as follows: Nov. 20, 1853.— Pamelia Bliss. May 6, 1854.— Jane Clark. May 29, 1854.— Stella Ferguson. Nov. 6, 1854.— S. J. Wilcox. Dec. 2, 1854.— Tamour Doty. Dec. 5, 1854. — Catherine A. Fenner. May 7, 1855. — Mary C. Richmond. Nov. 3, 1855.— R. Dubois. Dec. 15, 1855. — William Silverwood. Dec. 21, 1855.— C. A. Lamb. BINGHAM TOWNSHIP. 385 Jan. 17, 1856. — Susan Gardner, Emily Rowan. April 29, 1856. — Nancy M. Richmond, Adelaide Smith. Nov. 1, 1856.— Charles T. Eaoe. Nov. 19, 1856.— George L. Wait. Dec. 17, 1856.— Catherine A. Fenner. Jan. 1, 1857. — John 0. Palmer. Jan. 26, 1857.— George W. Doty. April 13, 1857. — Sally Lamphere. April 21, 1857. — Ann Davidson. May 1, 1857.— Lucy M. Palmer. June 19, 1857. — Betsey Warren. Nov. 7, 1857. — Seth Hunt, Jr., Anthony Swarthout. Nov. 12, 1857.- John Van Horn. Dec. 2, 1857.— John R. Pond. . Dec. 12, 1857.— Esther Powell. Jan. 5, 1858.^ — Nancy Sewell. March 4, 1858. — Jeanette E. Newell. April 10, 1858. — Elizabeth Severance, Rosina Severance, Sophronia Corbin. The annual school report for 1879 gives the following details : Number of districts (whole, 5 ; fractional, 5) 10 " scholars of school age 1,049 Average attendance 889 Value of . State op Michigan, j " At a meeting of the town board [of the township of Ossowa], at the house of James M. Blood, for the purpose of granting permits to tavern-keepers and common victual- sellers, on the 11th day of April, 1840, Samuel Chappel was allowed to keep a tavern in all its various branches, ex- cepting the privilege to retail ardent and spirituous lickours, which privilege the board do not grant or permit ; said license to take effect on the 1st day of May of the present year, and to expire on the last day of April, 1841, in hid house, formerly belonging to Chancey Davis, on section 27, town 6 north, range 1 W., and no other. "James M. Blood, H. Hagerty, Jesse Jameson, John Collister, Town Board." As has been stated, Ossowa was divided in 1843 and the township of Bath was organized. The first election held in Bath as a distinct township was at the house of Silas W. Rose, on the 18th day of April, 1843, on which occa- sion the whole number of votes cast was twenty-five. The township oflBcers of Ossowa and Bath annually elected from 1839 to 1880, inclusive, have been as named ip the following list, vi)!. : OSSOWA. 1839. — Supervisor, Silas W. Rose ; Clerk, C. Davis* ; Com- missioners of Highways, James Smith, Hosea Root, Jesse Jameson ; Assessors, Hugh Hagerty, A. Coddington, Philemon Newman ; School In- spectors, Silas W. Rose, W. J. Partelo, A. Cod- dington ; Justices, Hugh Hagerty, Jesse Jame- son, P. Newman, S. W. Rose ; Collector, Jona- than Burke; Constables, Jonathan Burke, Peter Finke, Chauncey Davis, J. Canklin ; Directors of the Poor, Robert Finch, James Smith ; Treas- urer, Jesse Jameson. 1840. — Supervisor, James Blood; Treasurer, Jesse Jame- son ; A.ssessors, A. Coddington, D. H. Blood, Hugh Hagerty ; Collector, P. Finch ; School Inspectors, W. J. Partelo, R. Collister, Jr., Jonathan Burke ; Directors of the Poor, Robert Collister, W. E. Young ; Commissioners, Robert Finch, Joseph Parsons, James M. Blood ; Jus- tices, W. J. Partelo ; Constables, Peter Finch, Stephen Finch, Samuel Chappel, W. Calkins. 1841.— Supervisor, W. W. Upton ; Clerk, Silas W. Rose ; Treasurer, 0. A. Phelps ; Assessors, Hugh Hagerty, Henry Goodrich, Jesse Burke ; Col- lector, John Crist ; School Inspectors, Walter Laiug, John G. Brindle, W. W. Upton ; Com- missioners, Edwin L. Phelps, C. Potter, Went- worth Calkins ; Justice, Walter Laing ; Consta- bles, John Crist, William Culver, W. Calkins ; Directors of the Poor, James Smith, Jesse Jame- son. 1842.— Supervisor, W. W. Upton; Clerk, D. H. Blood; Treasurer, Ainsworth Reed ; Assessors, John Groom, Walter Laing; Commissioners, Howe Covert, John Collister, Joshua Priest ; Justice, Stephen Smith ; School Inspectors, John Brin- gle, John Groom, W. W. Upton ; Directors of the Poor, David B. Cranson, D. S. Coates ; Con- stables, William Finch, C. S. SwegleS; A. Groom ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, James Calkins. BATH. 1843.— Supervisor, 0. A. Phelps; Clerk, S. W. Rose; Treasurer, E. L. Phelps ; Assessors, R. J. Burt, H. Culver ; School Inspectors, R. J. Burt, A. Priest ; Directors of the Poor, Jacob Conklin, S. W. Rose ; Commissioners, P. Newman, Wil- liam Cass, James Smith; Justices, S. Call, Wil- liam Cass, J. Burke ; Constables, R. J. Burt, H. Stevens, J. Persons, M. W. Newman. 1844.— Supervisor, O. A. Phelps; Clerk, S. W. Rose; Treasurer, E. L. Phelps ; Assessor, A. Eldrich ; School Inspector, R. J. Burt. The minutes of the meeting of this year are incomplete and in- definite. * At a special election called on May 11, 1839, for the purpose of tilling vacancies, the following-named persons were chosen : Clerk, John Collister; Assessor, Jesse Burke; School Inspector, William E. Young. BATH TOWNSHIP. 389 1845.— Supervisor, S. Cole ; Clerk, W. H. H. Culver ; Trcisurer, ; Assessors, John Covert, I. B. Towner ; Commissioner, J. Calkins ; School Inspector, S. B. Smith ; Directors of the Poor, J. Smith, I. Fletcher; Justice, R. Burt; Con- stables, T. Newman, L. Priest. 184C. — Supervisor, Samuel Cole; Clerk, Israel R. Trem- bley ; Treasurer, Jesse Burke ; Commissioners, Edwin L. Phelps, Stephen Gregory, Montgomery Burt ; School Inspectors, D. L. Elert, Samuel B. Smith ; Justices, Ezias A. Phelps, Isaac Fletcher ; Directors of the Poor, Isaac B. Towner, Isaac Fletcher ; Constables, Montgom- ery Burt, Harrison Levanway, Hamilton Stevens, William H. Culver. 1847. — Supervisor, D. Levanway; Clerk, John Crist; Treasurer, Jesse Burke ; Commissioners, George Smith, William Coss, E. L. Phelps ; School In- spector, Richard Burt ; Justices, Samuel Cole, John Tyler ; Directors of the Poor, Jacob Conk- lin, Harrison Levanway ; Constables, Hamilton Stevens, Alexis Tyler. 1848. — Supervisor, Dorus Levanway; Clerk, Sylvanus Bachelder ; Justice, Isaac Fletcher ; Treasurer, Jesse Burke ; School Inspector, Dorus Levan- way ; Commissioner, A. Tyler ; Assessors, Joseph Piersons, Isaac B. Towner ; Directors of the Poor, J. Couklin, James Smith ; Constables, A. Stevens, S. Tyler, P. Conklin, W. H. Culver. 1840.— Supervisor, R. Burt; Clerk, S. Bachelder; Justice, R. Burt ; Treasurer, J. Burke ; School Inspec- tors, W. H. Culver, J. Marsden ; Commission- ers, J. Tyler, S. Cole ; Assessors, R. CoUister, J. B. Towner; Directors of the Poor, J. Smith, J. Conklin ; Constables, L. Tyler, M. Cushman, T. Newman. 1850.— Supervissor, S. B. Smith; Clerk, S. Bachelder; Treasurer, A. Tyler ; Justice, Thomas Peacock ; School Inspector, J. R. Trembley ; Commissioner, James Smith ; Assessors, E. L. Phelps, W. H. Culver ; Directors of the Poor, James Smith, Jacob Conklin ; Constables, Stephen Tyler, James Smith, Peter Conklin, Morris Cushman. 1851.— Supervisor, S. B. Smith; Clerk, S. Bachelder; Treasurer, J. Burke ; Justice, S. Cole ; School Inspector, R. Burt ; Commissioner, D. P. Dryer ; Assessors, J. Piersons, T. Peacock ; Directors of the Poor, J. Smith, J. Tyler; Constables, A. Sweet, P. Rose, L. Tyler, S. Cole. 1852.— Supervisor, S. Bachelder; Clerk, S. Fletcher; Treasurer, A. Cole ; Justice, S. 11. Trembley ; School Inspector, S. Bachelder; Commissioner, J. Tyler ; Directors of the Poor, R. Burt, D. P. Dryer ; Constables, A. Crane, A. Sweet. 1853. — Supervisor, S. Bachelder; Clerk, I. Fletcher; Treasurer, S. Cole; Justice, E. L. Phelps; School Inspector, A. Crane; Commissioner, Joseph Pierson ; Directors of the Poor, S. Cole, A. Sweet ; Constables, A. Crane, W. Peacock, R. Rose, James Smith. 1854. — Supervisor, S. Bachelder; Clerk, I. Fletcher, Jr.; Treasurer, S. Cole ; Justice, D. P. Dryer ; School Inspector, S. Bachelder ; Commissioner, E. Trumble ; Directors of the Poor, S. Cole, E. L. Phelps ; Constables, S. Hunt, R. Rose, L. Tyler, S. Tyler. 1855. — Supervisor, S. Bachelder; Clerk, I. Fletcher, Jr.; Treasurer, I. Cole ; School Inspector, W. R. Norton ; Commissioner, A. Smith ; Directors of the Poor, R. Collister, Jr., E. R. Phelps ; Con- stables,' J. Burke, J. Spangler, W. Stevens, S. R. Tyler. 1856. — Supervisor, James H. Cayvett; Clerk, Jacob Spang- ler ; Treasurer, D. P. Dryer ; School Inspector, James H. Cayvett ; Justice, John Watlin ; Com- missioner, Benjamin Martin ; Directors of the Poor, A. K. Shay, Henry Goodrich ; Constables, L. Potter, N. P. Gallup, D. Marr, Wm. Stevens. 1857. — Supervisor, John M. Easton ; Clerk, Samuel Cole; Treasurer, I. Fletcher, Jr. ; Justice, A. Crane ; School Inspectors, John G. Brindle, P. R. S. Crage ; Commissioners, Walter Love, Oney Davis ; Directors of the Poor, E. L. Phelps, Henry Goodrich ; Constables, William Stevens, Walter Coss, Jared Debar, Robert Rose. 1858. — Supervisor, Thomas Woodman ; Clerk, W. M. Van Leuven ; Treasurer, Isaac Fletcher, Jr. ; Jus- tices, E. L. Phelps, Samuel Bender ; School Inspector, Jacob Spangler ; Commissioners, A. Debar, Silas W. Rose ; Directors of the Poor, Joseph Piersons, Henry Goodrich ; Constables, A. Debar, E. Smith, W. Love, M. Cushman. 1859. — Supervisor, Thomas J. Woodman ; Clerk, W. M. Van Leuven ; Treasurer, Isaac Fletcher ; School Inspectors, John M. Easton, John G. Brindle ; Justices, Walter Love, Isaac M. Dryer; Direc- tors of the Poor, E. L. Phelps, Albert Smith; Constables, James Culver, R. C. Comstock, Abraham Smith, P. N. Galliger. 1860. — Supervisor, John M. Easton ; Clerk, William M. Van Leuven ; Treasurer, Isaac Fletcher ; School Inspector, Hiram Rathburu ; Justices, Samuel Cole, John G. Brindle ; Commissioner, Silas W. Rose ; Constables, Alexander McKibbin, R. C. Comstock, James L. Culver. 1861. — Supervisor, John M. Easton ; Clerk, W. M. Van Leuven ; Treasurer, Isaac Fletcher ; Justice, T. J. Woodman ; School Inspectors, John M. Easton, W. R. Norton ; Commissioner, James L. Culver ; Constables, William P. Trembly, Lyman S. Potter, Ransford C. Comstock, Silas W. Rose. 1862. — Supervisor, Thomas J. Woodman ; Clerk, Wash- ington Youry ; Treasurer, Isaac Fletcher ; Jus- tice, Marion Smith ; Commissioner, Daniel Sober; School Inspectors, Jacob Spangler, John Seoly ; Constables, Albert P. Smith, Charles Cushman, George H. Spangler, Wilber Thompson. 1863. — Supervisor, Thomas J. Woodman; Clerk, Washing- ton Youry ; Treasurer, Stephen B. Roby ; Jus- tices, Samuel Hunt, Elisha Abel ; Commissioner, 388 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. able there were several in addition to those given in the list of ofiBcers for that year. By vote the following persons were elected pathmasters in the several districts : Silas W. Rose, district No. 1. William Young, district No. 2. Philemon Newman, district No. 3. W. J. Partelo, district No. 4. Jesse Jameson, district No. 5. John Collister, district No. 6. The first meeting of the town board of the township of Ossowa. to audit its accounts, was held Nov. 18, 1839, at which time the following accounts were entered : James Smith $10.50 W. E. Young 2.25 Jonathan Burke 2.50 Daniel M. Blood 3.00 S. W. Rose 28.00 Alva Coikiington 8.00 Jesse Jameson 21.00 Hugh Iliigerty 18.00 Hosea Root 4.50 John Collister 8.50 Philemon Newman 10.50 W. J. Partelo 7.15 Total $120.00 Oq Jan. 23, 1840, "James M. Blood, in consideration of twelve and one-half cents, received to [his] full satisfac- tion," leased to school district No. 3 of the township of Ossowa one-quarter of an acre in the northwest corner of section 13, now in the township of Victor, " to have and to hold the same for the use of said district as long or as mapy years as the school district desire to occupy it as a site for a school-house." This was the first lease made and recorded in the township. The first license to keep a tavern was granted to James M. Blood. A few days after, the following one was granted to Samuel Chappel, ia the following words : '' County of Clinton, i State op Michigan. | " At a meeting of the town board [of the township of Ossowa], at the house of James M. Blood, for the purpose of granting permits to tavern-keepers and common victual- sellers, on the 11th day of April, 1840, Samuel Chappel was allowed to keep a tavern in all its various branches, ex- cepting the privilege to retail ardent and spirituous lickours, which privilege the board do not grant or permit ; said license to take efiFect on the 1st day of May of the present year, and to expire on the last day of April, 1841, in hi^ house, formerly belonging to Chancey Davis, on section 27, town 6 north, range 1 W., and no other. "James M. Blood, H. Hagerty, Jesse Jameson, John Collister, Town Board." As has been stated, Ossowa was divided in 1843 and the township of Bath was organized. The first election held in Bath as a distinct town.ihip was at the house of Silas W. Rose, on the 18th day of April, 1843, on which occa- sion the whole number of votes cast was twenty-five. The township officers of Ossowa and Bath annually elected from 1839 to 1880, inclusive, have been as named ip the following list, vi?. : OSSOWA. 1839. — Supervisor, Silas W. Rose ; Clerk, C. Davis* ; Com- missioners of Highways, James Smith, Hosea Root, Jesse Jameson ; Assessors, Hugh Hagerty, A. Coddington, Philemon Newman ; School In- spectors, Silas W. Rose, W. J. Partelo, A. Cod- dington ; Justices, Hugh Hagerty, Jesse Jame- son, P. Newman, S. W. Rose ; Collector, Jona- than Burke; Constables, Jonathan Burke, Peter Fiuke, Chauncey Davis, J. Canklin ; Directors of the Poor, Robert Finch, James Smith ; Treas- urer, Jesse Jameson. 1840. — Supervisor, James Blood ; Treasurer, Jesse Jame- son ; Assessors, A. Coddington, D. H. Blood, Hugh Hagerty ; Collector, P. Finch ; School Inspectors, W. J. Partelo, R. Collister, Jr., Jonathan Burke ; Directors of the Poor, Robert Collister, W. E. Young ; Commissioners, Robert Finch, Joseph Parsons, James M. Blood; Jus- tices, W. J. Partelo ; Constables, Peter Finch, Stephen Finch, Samuel Chappel, W. Calkins. 1841.— Supervisor, W. W. Upton ; Clerk, Silas W. Rose ; Treasurer, 0. A. Phelps ; Assessors, Hugh Hagerty, Henry Goodrich, Jesse Burke ; Col- lector, John Crist ; School Inspectors, Walter Laiug, John G. Brindle, W. W. Upton ; Com- missioners, Edwin L. Phelps, C. Potter, Went- worth Calkins ; Justice, Walter Laing ; Consta- bles, John Crist, William Culver, W. Calkins ; Directors of the Poor, James Smith, Jesse Jame- son. 1842.— Supervisor, W.W. Upton; Clerk, D. H. Blood; Treasurer, Ainsworth Reed ; Assessors, John Groom, Walter Laing ; Commissioners, Howe Covert, John Collister, Joshua Priest ; Justice, Stephen Smith ; School Inspectors, John Brin- gle, John Groom, W. W. Upton ; Directors of the Poor, David B. Cranson, D. S. Coates ; Con- stables, William Finch, C. S. Swegles, A. Groom ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, James Calkins. BATH. 1843.— Supervisor, 0. A. Phelps; Clerk, S. W. Rose; Treasurer, E. L. Phelps ; Assessors, R. J. Burt, H. Culver ; School Inspectors, R. J. Burt, A. Priest ; Directors of the Poor, Jacob Conklin, S. W. Rose ; Commissioners, P. Newman, Wil- liam Cass, James Smith ; Justices, S. Call, Wil- liam Cass, J. Burke ; Constables, R. J. Burt, H. Stevens, J. Persons, M. W. Newman. 1844.— Supervisor, 0. A. Phelps; Clerk, S. W. Rose; Treasurer, E. L. Phelps ; Assessor, A. Eldrich ; School Inspector, R. J. Burt. The minutes of the meeting of this year are incomplete and in- definite. '*' At a special election called on May 11, 1839, for the purpose of filling vacancies, the following-named persons were chosen : Clerk, John Collister; Assessor, Jesse Burke; School Inspector, William E, Young. BATH TOWNSHIP. 389 1845.— Supervisor, S. Cole; Clerk, W. H. H. Culver; Treasurer, ; Assessors, John Covert, I. B. Towner ; Commissioner, J. Calkins ; School Inspector, S. B. Smith ; Directors of the Poor, J. Smith, I. Fletcher; Justice, 11. Burt; Con- stables, T. Newman, L. Priest. 1846.^Supervisor, Samuel Cole ; Clerk, Israel R. Trem- bley ; Treasurer, Jesse Burke ; Commis.sioners, Edwin L. Phelps, Stephen Gregory, Montgomery Burt ; School In.spectors, D. L. Elert, Samuel B. Smith ; Justices, Ezias A. Phelps, Isaac Fletcher ; Directors of the Poor, Isaac B. Towner, Isaac Fletcher ; Constables, Montgom- ery Burt, Harrison Levanway, Hamilton Stevens, William H. Culver. 1847. — Supervisor, D. Levanway ; Clerk, John Crist ; Treasurer, Jesse Burke ; Commissioners, George Smith, William Coss, E. L. Phelps ; School In- spector, Richard Burt ; Justices, Samuel Cole, John Tyler; Directors of the Poor, Jacob Conk- lin, Harrison Levanway ; Constables, Hamilton Stevens, Alexis Tyler. 1848. — Supervisor, Dorus Levanway; Clerk, Sylvanus Bachelder ; Justice, Isaac Fletcher ; Treasurer, Jesse Burke ; School Inspector, Dorus Levan- way ; Commissioner, A. Tyler ; Assessors, Joseph Piersons, Isaac B. Towner ; Directors of the Poor, J. Conklin, James Smith ; Constables, A. Stevens, S. Tyler, P. Conklin, W. H. Culver. 1849.— 'Supervisor, R. Burt; Clerk, S. Bachelder; Justice, R. Burt ; Treasurer, J. Burke ; School In.spec- tors, W. H. Culver, J. Marsden ; Commi.ssion- ers, J. Tyler, S. Cole ; Assessors, R. Collister, J. B. Towner ; Directors of the Poor, J. Smith. J. Conklin ; Constables, L. Tyler, M. Cushman, T. Newman. 1850.— Supervisor, S. B. Smith; Clerk, S. Bachelder; Treasurer, A. Tyler ; Justice, Thomas Peacock ; School Inspector, J. R. Trembley ; Commissioner, James Smith ; Assessors, E. L. Phelps, W. H. Culver ; Directors of the Poor, James Smith, Jacob Conklin ; Constables, Stephen Tyler, James Smith, Peter Conklin, Morris Cushman. 1851.— Supervisor, S. B. Smith; Clerk, S. Bachelder; Treasurer, J. Burke ; Justice, S. Cole ; School Inspector, R. Burt ; Commissioner, D. P. Dryer ; Assessors, J. Piersons, T. Peacock ; Directors of the Poor, J. Smith, J. Tyler; Constables, A. Sweet, P. Rose, L. Tyler, S. Cole. 1852.— Supervisor, S. Bachelder; Clerk, S. Fletcher; Treasurer, A. Cole ; Justice, S. R. Trembley ; School Inspector, S. Bachelder; Commissioner, J. Tyler ; Directors of the Poor, R. Burt, D. P. Dryer ; Constables, A. Crane, A. Sweet. 1853.— Supervisor, S. Bachelder; Clerk, I. Fletcher; Treasurer, S. Cole; Justice, E. L. Phelps; School Inspector, A. Crane; Commissioner, Joseph Pierson ; Directors of the Poor, S. Cole, A. Sweet ; Constables, A. Crane, W. Peacock, R. Rose, James Smith. 1854. — Supervisor, S. Bachelder; Clerk, I. Fletcher, Jr.; Treasurer, S. Cole ; Justice, D. P. Dryer ; School Inspector, S. Bachelder ; Commissioner, E. Trumble ; Directors of the Poor, S. Cole, E. L. Phelps ; Constables, S. Hunt, R. Rose, L. Tyler, S. Tyler. 1855. — Supervisor, S. Bachelder; Clerk, I. Fletcher, Jr.; Treasurer, I. Cole ; School Inspector, W. R. Norton; Commissioner, A. Smith; Directors of the Poor, R. Collister, Jr., E. R. Phelps ; Con- stables," J. Burke, J. Spangler, W. Stevens, S. R. Tyler. 185G. — Supervisor, James H. Cayvett; Clerk, Jacob Spang- ler ; Treasurer, D. P. Dryer ; School Inspector, James H. Cayvett ; Justice, John Watlin ; Com- missioner, Benjamin Martin ; Directors of the Poor, A. K. Shay, Henry Goodrich ; Constables, L. Potter, N. P. Gallup, D. Marr, Wm. Stevens. 1857. — Supervisor, John M. Easton ; Clerk, Samuel Cole; Treasurer, 1. Fletcher, Jr. ; Justice, A. Crane ; School Inspectors, John G. Brindle, P. R. S. Crage ; Commissioners, Walter Love, Oney Davis ; Directors of the Poor, E. L. Phelps, Henry Goodrich ; Constables, William Stevens, Walter Coss, Jared Debar, Robert Rose. 1858. — Supervisor, Thomas Woodman ; Clerk, W. M. Van Leuven ; Treasurer, Isaac Fletcher, Jr. ; Jus- tices, E. L. Phelps, Samuel Bender ; School Inspector, Jacob Spangler ; Commissioners, A. Debar, Silas W. Rose ; Directors of the Poor, Joseph Piersons, Henry Goodrich ; Constables, A. Debar, E. Smith, W. Love, M. Cushman. 1859. — Supervisor, Thomas J. Woodman ; Clerk, W. M. Van Leuven ; Treasurer, Isaac Fletcher ; School Inspectors, Jojin M. Easton, John G. Brindle; Justices, Walter Love, Isaac M. Dryer; Direc- tors of the Poor, E. L. Phelps, Albert Smith; Constables, James Culver, R. C. Comstock, Abraham Smith, P. N. Galliger. I860.— Supervisor, John M. Easton ; Clerk, William M. Van Leuven ; Treasurer, Isaac Fletcher ; School Inspector, Hiram Rathburn ; Justices, Samuel Cole, John G. Brindle ; Commissioner, Silas W. Rose ; Constables, Alexander McKibbin, R. C. Comstock, James L. Culver. 1861. — Supervisor, John M. Easton ; Clerk, W. M. Van Leuven ; Treasurer, Isaac Fletcher ; Justice, T. J. Woodman ; School Inspectors, Johu M. Easton, W. R. Norton ; Commissioner, James L. Culver ; Constables, William P. Trembly, Lyman S. Potter, Ransford C. Comstock, Silas W. Rose. 18C2. — Supervisor, Thomas J. Woodman ; Clerk, Wash- ington Youry ; Treasurer, Isaac Fletcher ; Jus- tice, Marion Smith ; Commissioner, Daniel Sober; School Inspectors, Jacob Spangler, John Seely ; Constables, Albert P. Smith, Charles Cushman, George H. Spangler, Wilber Thompson. 1863. — Supervisor, Thomas J. Woodman; Clerk, Washing- ton Youry ; Treasurer, Stephen B. Roby ; Jus- tices, Samuel Hunt, Elisha Abel ; Commissioner, 390 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Milo Mead ; School Inspector, Isaac M. Dryer ; Constables, John L. Tyler, Albert P. Smith, Milo Mead, John Thompson. 1864. — Supervisor, John M. Easton; Clerk, David M. Knox ; Treasurer, Isaac Fletcher ; Justice, D. M. Knox ; Commissioner, Sihis W. Rose ; School Inspector, John M. Easton ; Constables, Charles W. Smith, George W. Fletcher, Daniel Peacock, P. N. Gallup. 1865. — Supervisor, T. J. Woodman ; Clerk, Washington Y^oury ; Treasurer, Albert Watson ; Justices, T. J. Woodman, David P. Dryer, Albert Smith ; School Inspector, Albert Watson ; Commissioners, I. M. Dryer, Stephen B. Roby ; Constables, Milo Cushman, Robert Rose, George Spangler, Stephen B. Roby. 1866. — Supervisor, John M. Easton ; Clerk, Hiram L. Tooker ; Treasurer, Albert Watson ; School In- spector, J. N. Smith ; Commissioner, G. S. Cul- ver ; Justices, James Conkright, Levi Randall ; Constables, F. M. Randall, W. H. Rose, George W. Fletcher. 1867. — Supervisor, John M. Ea.ston ; Clerk, Hiram L. Tooker ; Treasurer, Leon Benson ; School In- spector, W. W. Bowdish ; Commissioner, Silas W. Rose ; Justices, Levi Randall, John Read ; Constables, Lawrence Price, Francis M. Randall, Edward F. Riggs, William Rose. 1868. — Supervisor, Washington Youry ; Clerk, Hiram Tooker ; Treasurer, Albert Watson ; Justices, T. J. Woodman, Richard Trumbull ; School In- spectors, R. C. Robinson, A. Watson ; Commis- sioners, Henry Ousterhout, L. W. Knapp ; Con- stables, Lyman Douglas, Isaac Chapman, Warner Coston, A. M. Towner. 1809. — Supervisor, John M. Easton ; Clerk, Hiram Tooker ; Treasurer, Albert Watson ; Commissioner, Peter W. Sleight; Justice, David Donaldson; School Inspector, Henry Ousterhout ; Constables, Ly- man Douglas, William Goodrich, William Sleight, Jared De Bar. 1870. — Supervisor, Sylvanus Bachclder; Clerk, Willard A. Corn ; Treasurer, Albert Watson ; Justices, Nathaniel J. De Bar, W. W. Bowdish ; School Inspector, Newell A. Dryer ; Commissioner, Silas W. Rose ; Constables, Jared De Bar, David Wherry, Edward Southworth, Charles B. Cole. 1871. — Supervisor, John Read; Clerk, A. B. Gregory; Treasurer, A. Watson ; Justices, Stephen B. Rowley, H. H. Hawley ; School Inspector, C. B. Church ; Commissioner, W. H. Famill ; Con- stables, A. Sheffield, Daniel Peacock, C. W. Smith, P. N. Gallup. 1872. — Supervisor, John Read; Clerk, Hiram Tooker; Treasurer, Elijah M. Hawley ; Justices, W. W. Bowdish, A. H. Clark ; School Inspector, N. A. Dryer ; Commissioner, Oscar T. Place ; Drain Commissioner, Hiram Tooker; Constables, Hel- mer Gardner, David Wherry, Ira 0. Fletcher, A. W. Sheffield. 1873. — -Supervisor, Isaac M. Dryer ; Clerk, Hiram Tooker • Treasurer, Elijah M. Hawley ; Justice, Hanford H. Hawley; School Inspector, 0. S. Trumbull ; Highway Commissioner, G. W. Fletcher; Drain Commissioner, Silas W. Rose ; Constables, W. H. Sweeny, C. W. Austin, Isaac Chapman, Amos Phelps. 1874. — Supervisor, Isaac M. Dryer ; Clerk, Hiram Tooker ; Treasurer, Albert Watson ; Justice, T. J. Wood- man ; Highway Commissioner, L. W. Knapp ; Drain Commissioner, Milo Mead ; School In- spector, Washington Youry ; Constables, Charles W. Austin, Mitchell Hyler, Alfred Sprague. Al- bert Hyler. 1875. — Supervisor, Isaac M. Dryer; Clerk, Hiram Tooker; Treasurer, Albert Watson ; Justice, Ross Brown ; School Inspector, Washington Youry; School Superintendent, T. A. Stephens ; Highway Com- missioner, George W. Fletcher; Drain Commis- sioner, Sylvanus Baeheldcr ; Constables, Charles W. Austin, William Mitchell, Bradley T. Whit- ney, Charles R. Cushman. 1870. — Supervisor, Isaac M. Dryer ; Clerk, A. W. Johnson ; Treasurer, A. Watson ; Justice, T. K. Makley ; School Inspector, Washington Youry ; School Superintendent, T. A. Stephens ; Highway Com- missioner, Job Sleight; Drain Commissioner, T. J. Woodman ; Constables, T. B. Whitney, James Terry, T. M. Goodhue. 1877. — Supervisor, Ross Brown ; Clerk, A. W. Jehnson ; Treasurer, Albert Watson ; Justices, Sylvanus Bachelder, Isaac Fletcher, Edwin Clark ; School Inspector, Daniel Peacock ; School Superintend- ent, T. A. Stephens ; Highway Commissioner, F. H. Mackley; Constables, John G. Smith, Warren Trumbull, C. B. Gillingham, C. J. Martin. 1878. — Supervisor, Isaac M. Dryer; Clerk, H. L. Tooker ; Treasurer, Albert Watson ; Justices, A. H. Clark, Silas W. Rose, E. M. Hawley; School Inspector, Henry Talmage ; School Superintend- ent, Edward Barber; Highway Commissioner, James Sweeny ; Drain Commissioner, T. J. Wood- man ; Constables, Edward Everett, Nelson W. Torrey, Denis Robey, George Van Scoy. 1879. — Supervisor, Isaac M. Dryer ; Clerk, Albert Watson ; Treasurer, W. H. Rose; Justice, T. J. Wood- man ; School Superintendent, T. A. Stephens ; School Inspector, George H. Carl; Highway Commissioner, James Sweeny ; Constables, Ed- ward Everett, llolin Crandall, Samuel Cushman, John Woodman. 1880.— Supervisor, Ross Brown; Clerk, Abel W. John- son ; Treasurer, William H. Rose ; Justice, Silas W. Rose; School Superintendent, T. A. Ste- phens ; School Inspector, George W. Fletcher ; Highway Commissioner, C. B. Church ; Drain Commissioner, James N. Smith ; Constables, Nathaniel J. De Bar, Charles E. Phelps, Charles W. Austin, Tunis Cronkite. BATH TOWNSHIP. 391 SCHOOLS. The schools of Bath had their beginning in a little log cabin, built by Peter Finch, on the farm now owned by William Peacock. But the exact time in which this be- ginning was made it is now impossible to say with certainty. It was probably in the summer of 1840. Mrs. Finch, who had taught before she came to the township, commenced a school, and several days had glided peacefully away, with from seven to ten scholars in attendance, when a minister of the Christian Church came to the house of Silas W. Rose, and signified his intention to hold public worship, and this school-house was selected as the place in which it was to be held. Several boys in the neighborhood, thinking to give him a warm reception, built a rousing fire in the fireplace, which was made of stones, sticks, and mud, and the result was that the building took fire and was destroyed. This ter- minated the school until another log school-house was built in this district. This second one stood where the one now in use stands. It was the first frame schuul-housc built in the town.ship. ^ A school had been taught as early as 1831), in the northwest part of the township of WoodhuU, and this continued in active operation iur a number of years, and to it the settlers in the adjoining part of Bath sent their children. A school was also opened in Ingham County, near the southeastern part of Bath. The second school in the township was in a diminutive cabin, built by Jo.shua Priest, on the farm of Jacob Wesner, during the summer of 1844. This, as well as several succeeding terms (taught in another cabin built by Stephen Gregory, on the farm now owned by Isaac Fletcher), was conducted by Miss Mary Ann Young. In the log .school-house which was built subsequently, Mi.ss Celesline Freeman taught the first term ; and Miss Kate Hardy taught the first term in the frame school-house built in this district by Silas W. Rose and James L. Culver. The following table gives the number of scholars in each school district (whole and fractional) in the township, and the total amounts of moneys rai.scd for various school pur- poses for the year 1879 : Dlatrict. Siholnre. Amount. No. 1 (whole) .'iS $l7il.7l) •' 2 /' :n 211.14 " ■'> '" 32 0:fS.il2 " 4 " 125 4n.i.l4 " 5 " 43 181.66 " 10 " 4.5 193.45 " B (fractional) 3'J 250.99 " 7 " 19 142.35 " 8 " 42 214.76 " 9 " 19 143.82 " 12 " 55 133.11 CHURCHES. As has already been stated, a minister of the Christian Church came to the house of Silas W. Rose about the year 1840. His efforts resulted in the organization of a society of that denomination, the original members of which were five in number, as follows: Mr. and Mrs. Silas M. Rose, Cornelius Potter and wife, and William Culver. The society prospered for some years, and at one time became quite strong, but as some of its best members died, and others moved away, it declined and was at last dis- continued. The next society organized was that of the United Breth- ren, but it was discontinued in a short time. The Methodists also made several attempts to establish their society in the township in an early day, but their efiurts were unsuccessful. FIRST FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH. This church was organized by S Courier and William R. Norton, in April, 1855. A series of revival-meetings had been conducted with gratifying success, and at the first meeting called for the purpose fifteen names were enrolled. In 1872 the society built a meeting-house, which cost about two thousand five hundred dollars. The present membership is ninety. CLOSE-COM.MUNION BAPTIST CHURCH OF BATH. On the 16th day of March, 1868, the friends of this society met, in compliance with the recommendation of Rev. A. H. Parsons. At this meeting a vote to organize was unanimously adopted, and the following-named per- sons became the constituent members of the church : Charles, Samuel, and Samantha Vandeventer, Sarah Cheney, Abiram Riggs, Amanda Cronkite, Lucina Ellsworth. These were admitted by letter from other Baptist socie- ties to which they had belonged. There were also a num- ber admitted on probation. FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF BATH. This society owes its organization to Rev. A. A. Ralph, who, in the winter of 1869, conducted a series of revival- meetings with notable success. These meetings were con- tinued about four weeks, during which time a large number of converts were made, and the class which, prior to this time had belonged to the Okemos charge, received many additions and became a distinct organization and the centre of the circuit. Rev. A. A. Ralph was succeeded by B. S. Pratt. The society is now under the charge of Rev. J. Hills. It has a membership of eighty-one. A class of the same society, numbering fourteen members, meets at school-house No. 10, but it is not a chartered society. The Methodist Episcopal Society at Pine Lake was organ- ized about the same time as the one mentioned above. In 1879, while Rev. McEwing was in charge, it built the " Pine Lake Meeting-House," which cost fifteen hundred dollars. VILLAGE OF BATH. The village of Bath is situated upon land which was entered and settled by Dustin Marr, a soldier of the Mexi- can war. He received a land-warrant from the government, and came to Bath and located on the southeast quarter of section 17. He subsequently sold it to Charles Tomp- kins. When the railroad was completed into the township, the people, desirous to secure a depot, offered the company various inducements to that end. A sum of money was raised by subscription, and in addition Mr. Tompkins offered the undivided one- half of forty acres, favorably located, for depot and yard purposes. The proposition w;is accepted and a depot immediately built. It was the first house built in the village, which was platted .soon after. A lot was 392 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. soon sold to Israel Van Ostran, who built a small tavern. This was remodeled and a large addition built to it in 1879 by John Reade. The first store in the village was opened by F. Kelly and John SteflFee, in the house now occupied by John Smith. Charles Farrer opened a blacksmith-shop, and after some years sold it to Walter Snell. The first post- master in Bath was H. H. Culver. Artemas H. Clark, the present postmaster, was appointed in 1873.- About the year 1864 a saw-mill was built by Mr. Lee, which did good service. Since then several have been built and two have been destroyed by fire. The one now standing was built by Watson & Everetts. On the 20th day of January, 1880, the Bath Flouring-Mill, built by Leach, Ray & Company, commenced operations. It has one run of stones for flour, and one for coarser grinding, with room for another run. It has a forty-five horse-power engine. It was a valuable addition to the business interests of the village. There are now in the village four general stores, one drug-store, one shoe-store, a carriage- and wagon-shop, etc., in addition to the business places already mentioned. The population of the village is three hundred and fifty. Dr. Newell A. Dryer and Dr. Albert Hicks are practicing physicians of Bath. BATH LODGE, No. 124, I. 0. O. F. This lodge was organized Dec. 1, 1868, with N. A. Dryer, I. M. Dryer, W. S. Hall, Martin Neichswander, C. J. Hyler as its charter members. The lodge is now in a prosperous condition, having seventy members. The founda- tion of a hall, twenty-four by fifty-five feet, is completed, and the building will be at once erected and furnished for the use of the lodge. The present officers are N. Watson, N. G. ; J. Sweeney, V. G. ; A. H. Clark, Recording Secretary ; A. Webster, P. Secretary ; Thomas Witchel, Treasurer. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. JAMES N. SMITH. This gentleman, one of the leading agriculturists of Clinton County, was born in the town of Hector, Tompkins Co., N. ¥., April 20, 1830, and was the eldest in the family of Jonas and Mary (Gilmore) Smith, which consisted of six. The elder Smith was a fiirmer, and was born in Tompkins County in 1807, and was married in February of 1829. In 1833 he removed with his family to San- dusky Co., Ohio, where he resided until his death. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, and was one of the prominent citizens of the county. He held various positions of trust and responsibility, notably among the number that of sherifi' and county commissioner ; the latter position he filled acceptably for six years. He held the ofiice of justice of the peace for eighteen years. He was an energetic and successful farmer, and acquired a competency. James received a common-school education, and remained at home until he was twenty-four years of age. He studied civil engineering and surveying, and for several years was engaged as a teacher. In 1854 he met his destiny in the person of Miss Rachel Short, whom he married in that year. Shortly after his marriage he pur- chased a farm, which he carried on in connection with that BENGAL TOWNSHIP. 393 of his father. He took an active interest in political mat- ters, and in 1858 was elected county clerk. At the ex- piration of his term of office he was re-elected. He dis- charged his duties with fidelity to the trust reposed in him, and with credit to himself In 186-t, IMr. Smith disposed of his property in Ohio and came to Bath, where he purchased seven hundred acres of land, which is a part of his present estate of twelve hundred acres, a large portion of which is under a high state of cultivation. Since coming to Michigan Mr. Smith has eschewed politics, and has devoted himself to farming and stock-growing. He has a large herd of Galloway cattle, of which he is said to be the largest breeder in the United States. Mr. Smith has devoted much time and study to the subject of draining, and is considered to be standard au- thority on anything pertaining thereto. He is county drain commissioner, and in this capacity his services are of immense value to the farming community. As a farm en- gineer he is undoubtedly one of the most proficient in this part of the State, and his services are in great demand. He is one of the organizers and charter members of the Central Michigan Agricultural Society, and has probably done more to advance its interests than any other member of the organization. The society was born under adverse circumstances, and has had to contend with many difficul- ties and embarrassments, and its success is largely attributa- ble to the untiring efforts of its present superintendent, James N. Smith. The exhibition of the centennial year was highly successful, and the officers of the society,— business men of the city of Lansing, — knowing that it was due largely to the efforts of Mr. Smith, and to show their esteem and appreciation of his services, presented him with an elegant cane suitably engraved. Altogether, Mr. Smith is one of those leading spirits whose identification with any community is always produc- tive of good. CHAPTER LIIL BENGAL TOWNSHIP.* Description — Original Lanil-EDtiics — Eiirly Settlements and .Settlers — Organization and Civil List — lleligiuus Ilistury — l!urial-(il rounds — Agricultural Statistics — Bengal Grange — Population. This is an interior township, its southeast corner being the centre of the county. It is designated by the United States survey as township No. 7 north, of range No. 3 west. The southern boundary was surveyed in 1826 by Lucius Lyon ; the east, north, and west boundaries were surveyed in 1831 by Ilobert Clark, Jr. The subdivision was made by Joel Wright and certified to June 28, 1831. Essex, which was formerly included in this township, lies on the north ; Bingham township, with the village of St. Johns, the county-seat, is on the ea.st; Riley lies .south, and Dallas is on the west. The area of the township is 50 * By Charles A. Chapin, 23,300y|-j- acres. The surface is gently undulating, the elevations being about fifty feet above the general level. From these elevations some beautiful views of the surround- ing country are had. The soil is remarkably fertile, pro- ducing large crops of grain, fruit, and vegetables. Origi- nally the township was heavily timbered with ash, basswood, beech, cherry, elm, maple, oak, and walnut. Robert Clark, Jr., deputy surveyor, in his field-notes, Feb. 10, 1831, speaking of Stony Creek, says, " i have ascertained that this stream is called by the French traders La Riviere aux Roche, or Stony Creek." This stream runs through the southern portion of the town from east to west, entering the town on section 25, receiving a branch from section 24, and running thence through sections 26 and 27 and in sec- tion 34, receiving Bad Creek ; thence through section 33 and in section 31, mingling its waters with those of the Muskrat, it pas.ses out of the township into Dallas. The northerly portion of the town is drained by Hay- worth Creek and a branch, being principally on sections 2 and 3. The Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Rail- way runs through this town from east to west, having a side- track and station at Lyon's Mills. Bengal has no water- power; it is entirely an agricultural town, and is justly entitled to its fame of being one of the best townships in the county. Its farmers are well to do, and their wcll- tilled acres are second to none. Its first pioneer (Judge Cortland Hill) says, " Bengal was heavily timbered, and the early pioneers had but little ' inducement to stay in such a wilderness, to fight wolves and work their way up to civilized society. Several of the first settlers who could get away left for other parts, but those who remained acquired a competence, and some an independent fortune. The wild beasts of the forests, the deadly foes to flocks and herds, have been utterly destroyed ; the forest has melted away before the hand of industry, and orchards and fruitful fields now fill its place. The log cabins that sheltered the early settlers from the storm have rotted down, and elegant mansions stand in their stead. In forty years Bengal has constructed two hundred and eighty dwellings, sixty miles of good wagon-roads, and spanned the crossing on every stream with a good, substan- tial bridge. Fron 1837 to 1850 Bengal was considered the mo.st worthless town in the county, — away back in the woods, outside the boundaries of civilization. Land was of no value, for no one would buy it; grain was not worth raising, for it could not be shipped ; cattle would not pay, for it was too far to drive them to market ; sheep could not be raised, for the wolves would eat them up ; yet amidst all these difficulties her progress has been steadily onward, until she stands the peer of any of her sister towns in the county." OKIGINAL LAND-ENTRIES. The following list shows the names of those wlio bought land of the gencrill government in this township, and also gives their residence, date of entry, and description : SRCTIOlV I. Ezra J. Mundy, Livingston Co., Mich., Nov. 4, IS3G, northeast frac- tional quarter. James S. Wadsworth, Genesoo, N. Y., April 5, 1837, southwest quarter and south half of northtvcst quarter. 394 HISTORY OF CLIxNfTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. William D. RobiDson, Wayne Co., Mich., Aug. 21, 1S37, southeast quarter. Section 2. Jnmcs S. Wadsworth, Genesee, N. Y., April 5, IS.ST, south half of northwest quarter and south half of northeast quarter. Potor Larkings, Washtenaw Co., Mioh., May 12, 1837, southwest quarter. Anna Denton, Seneca Co., N. Y., May 12, 1837, southeast quarter. William D. Robinson, AVayne Co., Mich., Aug. 21, 1837, north half of northwest quarter. Section 3. James S. Wadsworth, Genesco, N. Y., April 5, 1837, south half of northwest quarter and south half of northeast quarter, Hannah Green, Wayne Co., Mich., May 12, 1837, southeast quarter and southeast quarter of southwest quarter. William D. Robinson, Wayne Co., Mich., Aug. 21, 1837, north half of northeast quarter. Section 4, Seymour H. Sutton, Ionia Co., Mich., Dec. 13, 1836, south part of east fractional quarter, James S. Wadsworth, Geneseo. N. Y., April 5, 1837, southwest quarter and west half of southeast quarter, and south half of northwest quarter. Section 5, James S. Wadsworth, Geneseo, N. Y., April 5, 1837, south half and south half of northeast quarter. Section 6, Mortimer C. Rice, Juno 9, 1852, southeast quarter of soulheastquarter. Section 7, Abel Dcnsmore, Calhoun Co., Mich., Nov, 7, 1836, east h.alf. James K. Guernsey, Monroe Co., N. Y., Deo. 13, 1836, southwest fractional quarter. Section 8, John Easton, Trumbull Co., Ohio, Nov. 7, 1836, southwest quarter and west half of southeast quarter; Dec, 12, 1836, northeast quarter and northwest quarter. Section 9, Bush and Eailey, Lansing, Jlich., Aug. 6, 185.3, whole section. Section 10. Sarah H. Porter, Lancaster Co., Pa., Nov. 5, 1836, cast half. Wheaton Eldrich, Genesee Co., N. Y., Nov. 7, 1836, southwest qu.arter. Uazen Jaquish, Elton, N, Y., June 19, 1852, northwest quarter. Section 11. Sarah H. Porter, Lancaster Co., Pa., Nov. 5, 1836, northwest quarter, William B. Waldo, Brooklyn, N. Y., Nov. 5, 1836, northeast quarter and east half of southeast quarter. Jeremiah Groat, Montgomery Co., N. Y., Nov, 5, 1836, southwest quarter and west half of southeast quarter. Section 12. Daniel Starr, July 18, 1836, northwest quarter and west half of south- west quarter, James K. Guernsey, Monroe Co., N. Y., July 18, 1836, northeast quarter and east half of southwest quarter. Section 13. William B. Waldo, Brooklyn, N, Y., Nov. 5, 1836, west half of south- west quarter. William Farley, Calhoun Co., Mich., Nov. 5, 1836, west half of north- east quarter. Daniel Z. Ostrim, Orleans Co., N. Y., Nov. 5, 1836, cast half of north- east quarter. Section 14. William B. Waldo, Brooklyn, N. Y., Nov. 5, 1836, cast half. Austin R. Gordon, Savannah, Ga., Nov. 5, 1836, west half. Section 15. B. Bartow, Ionia Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, southwest quarter. Caleb Ticknor and George M. Hickok, New York City, Nov. 5, 1836, northwest quarter. Nathan Smith, Allegany Co., N. Y., Nov. 5, 1836, west half of north- east quarter. Section 16, School lands. Section 17, Charles Osgood, Monroe Co., Mich., Dec. 12, 1836, westh.ilf. Section 18. B. B. Kercheval, Detroit, Mich., Nov. 7, 1836, west half of southwest fi'actional quarter. B. B. Kercheval, Detroit, Mich., Deo. 13, 1836, northwest fractional quarter and east part of southwest fractional quarter. Charles Osgood, Monroe Co., Mich., Dec. 12, 1836, east half. Section 19. Abram II. Stevens, Ontario Co., N. Y., Nov. 5, 1836, east half of southeast quarter. H. S. Vandcrbilt, Ontario Co., N. Y., Nov. 5, 1836, west half of south- east quarter and east half of southwest quarter. William Case, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Nov. 7, 1836, northwest frac- tional quarter, Lucinda Perkins, Allegany Co., N. Y., Nov. 8, 1836, west part of southwest fractional quarter. Section 20. Abner Perkins, Allegany Co., N. Y., Nov, 8, 1836, southwest quarter and west half of northwest quarter. George M. Ilickok, Salisbury, Conn., Nov. 8, 1836, east half of north- west quarter. Section 21, Wheaton Eldrich, Genesee Co,, N. Y., Nov. 7, 1836, northeast quarter. N. and D. F. Horton, Jackson, Mich., Nov. 8, 1836, south half. Robert D. Swagart, Broome Co., N, Y,, April 18, 1851, west half of northwest quarter. Section 22, B, Bartow, Ionia Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, northwest quarter and west half of northeast quarter. AVheaton Eldrich, Genesee Co., N. Y., Nov. 7, 1836, southwest quarter. Luther Ticknor, Salisbury, Conn., Nov. 8, 1836, southeast quarter. Section 23. B. B. Kercheval, Detroit, Mich., Nov. 5, 1836, southeast quarter, S. V. R. Trowbridge, Oakland Co., Mich., Nov. 5, 1836, northeast quarter. William Reynolds, Portage Co., Ohio, Nov. 8, 1836, northwest quarter. Luther Ticknor, Salisbury, Conn., Nov. 8, 1836, southwest quarter. Section 24. Sherman Page, Feb. 19, 1836, cast half of northeast quarter. Andrew T. Judson, April 27, 1836, east half of southeast quarter. Stephen L. Gage, Oakland Co , Mich., Nov. 5, 1836, northwest quar- ter and west half of northeast quarter. Section 25. A. Montgomery, Lenawee Co., Mich., Sept. 21, 1S36, southwest quarter. David Blakely, Jr., Otsego Co., N. Y., Sept. 23, 1836, west half of northwest quarter. Aldrich Knapp, Oakland Co., Mich., May 12, 1837, cast half of north- oast quarter. Ezra Thornton, Oakland Co., Mich., May 12, 1837, west half of north- east quarter and cast half of northwest quarter. Section 26. Mary Cronkhitc, Lenawee Co., Mich., Sept. 21, 1836, south half. George Lewis, Essex Co., N. Y., Nov. 5, 1836, west half of northwest quarter. BENGAL TOWNSHIP. 395 Barid F. Farley, Oakland Co., Mich., Nor. 5, 1836, northeast quarter and east half of northwest quarter. SEl■TIO^J 27. F. A. Kennedy, Lenawee Co., Mich., Sept. 21, 1836, south half. George Lewis, Kssex Co., N. Y., Nov. 5, 183G, northeast quarter and east half of northwest quarter. Sanford Lacey, Livingston Co., N. Y., Nov. 5, lS,'ifi, west half of northwest quarter. Section 28. Sanford Lacey, Nov. 5, 1836, cast half of northeast quarter, Enos Dutton, Calhoun Co., Mich., Nov. 5, 1836, west half and west half of northeast quirter, and west half of southeast quarter. D. Lacey, Livingston Co., N. Y., Nov. 6, 1836, cast half of southeast quarter. Section 29. Hiram Godfrey, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Nov. 5, 1836, east half of northwest quarter. Lemuel Dwelle, Jr., Oakland Co., Mich., Nov. 5, 1836, west half of northwest quarter. Lemuel Brown, Ionia Co., Mich,, Nov. 8, 1S36, southwest quarter. Walter W, Deanc, Wayne Co., Mich., Jan. 18, 1837, southeast quarter. Section 30. Ebenezcr Spraguc, Allegany Co., N. Y., Nov. 5, 1836. east half of northwest quarter, nnd east half of southwest quarter. li. B. Kercheval, Detroit, Mich., Nov. 5, 1836, west part of northwest fractional quarter and we.'^t part of southwest quarter. Lemuel Dwelle, Jr., Oakland Co., Mich., Nov. 5, 1836, east half. Section 31. Henry M. Moore, Genesee Co., N. Y., Sept. 21, 1836, east half of northwest fractional quarter and east half of southwest fractional quarter. James Grant, Oakland Co., Mich., Sept. 23, 1836, west half of north- east quarter and west half of southeast quarter. Thomas Palmer, Ionia Co., Mich., Sept. 28, 1836, west half of south- west fractional quarter, and southwest quarter of northwest frac- tional quarter. Walter W. Doane, Wayne Co., Mich., Jan. 18, 1837, cast half of southeast quarter. Daniel Merrill, Hancock Co., Me., Sept. 23, 1837, east half of north- east quarter. Section 32. Daniel Merrill, Sept. 23, 1836, south half. Walter W. Deane, Jan. 18, 1837, north half. Section 33. Arunah Soper, Hartford, Conn., Sept. 28, 1836, south half. Section 34. Elijah L. Waller, Washtenaw Co., Mich., April 28, 1837, west half of southwest quarter. Huldah Curtis, Washtenaw Co., Mich., April 28, 1837, northwest quarter. Laura U. Curtis, Washtenaw Co., Mich., June 27, 1837, cast half of southwest quarter.' Section 35. Miles E. Chapman, Medina Co., Ohio, Juno 12, 1819, northwest quar- ter of northeast quarter. Henry T. Truman, June 12, 1849, northwest quarter. Stephen F. Hammond, Medina Co., Ohio, July 17, 18.52, south half of northeast quarter and southwest quarter of northeast quarter. Section 36. Sherman Pago, Feb. 19, 1836, east half of southeast quarter. Andrew T. Judson, April 27, 1836, cast half of northeast quarter. Benjamin .Stanton, Medina Co., Ohio, Juno 16, 1852, northwest quarter of northeast quarter. EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND SETTLEKS. Cortland Hill and Lucinda, liis wife, having just been married, and having concluded to seek a new home in the far West, packed up their goods and left their home in Cortland Co., N. Y. Proceeding to Syracuse they took a canal-boat for Buffalo, and at that port took passage on a steamboat for Detroit, which they reached in about four days. In Detroit Mr. Hill hired two teams for one hun- dred dollars to take them and their household goods through to Scott's (now De Witt). On arriving there they met II. M. Moore and James Grant, who had just come in from Ionia, where they had each entered one hun- dred and sixty acres of land on section 31. Mr. Hill bought this land of them at two dollars per acre, and then hired a man to go on before him and put up a log cabin. Mr. Hill hired from Capt. Scott two wagons drawn by oxen to convey his goods to their location in the unbroken wil- derness. The road which they traveled was the State road and Dexter trail, which had been underbru.shcd and made passable for wagons. On the 26th day of September, 1837, they arrived at their new home, and found a log cabin ready for occupancy. This cabin stood a few feet west of their present residence. Its size was fourteen by eighteen, with shanty roof covered with shakos. The floor was of white- ash split thin ; the opening for a window was filled with sash and glass, which they brought with them. The door was made from the boards of their packing-boxes. The fireplace was omitted, for they brought a cook-stove. Two years later another and better log house was erected in front of their first cabin. In 1856 the frame house which they now occupy was built. Mr. and Mrs. Hill have had one son and live daughters born to them, but they have been called upon to mourn the loss of their daughters, who were cut down in the flower of their youth. Clinton J. Hill was born on the homestead in 1838, and is married and still living on it with his parents. Judge Hill has been supervisor of Bengal fifteen years, and at times has filled all the minor oflices. He was the first justice of the peace, having been elected while the town was a part of Lebanon. In the county he has been judge of probate, serving from 1850 to 1856. He has been postmaster for thirty years, and still enjoys the position and its emoluments, though the latter are but nominal. In the fall of 1838 the second family moved into the township; they were William Drake and wife, with three sons, two married and one single. They settled on the east half of the northwest and southwest quarter of seetioD 30, which was divided among the sons, — C. U. taking the south part containing fifty-five acres, Uriah the mid-portion of fifty acres, and Levi the north part of fifty-five acres. The widows of C. R. and Uriah are still living on their homesteads. Levi moved into Dallas, where he now lives. The next pioneer was Adam Laughlin, a native of Ash- tabula Co., Ohio, who in 1836, a young and single man, settled in Oakland County. The next year, 1837, he bought from David F. Farley the east half of the northeast quarter of section 26, and in the beginning of winter came in to chop and clear ten acres for Farley, to make a payment on his purchase. His first work on the section was to cut down a large beech-tree which stood on the corner of his land, northeast of his present residence ; this tree served as a back-log for his camp-fiie, in front of which he camped three nights ; during the day he was occupied in putting 39G HISTOKY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. up a log cabin on the land he was to clear. After clearing the ten acres he went back to Oakland County, where he married, and in January, 1840, with his family, moved in and occupied the cabin which he built three years before. In the spring he built a log house near his present resi- dence, which he built in 1&66. Of six children four are now living, — Charles is married and lives on the homestead ; Lydia (Mi's. Gibson) lives in Bingham ; Jane (Mrs. Clark) lives in Danby, Ionia Co. ; Mary (Mrs. Prudy) lives in De Witt. Charles Grant, of Wyoming Co., N. Y., having lost his second wife, took their two children (boys) and came to this State in October, 1836. Stopping in Ann Arbor, he left his children with their grandparents and then went to Mason, Ingham Co., where he built a saw-mill, which was the firet erected there. Proceeding to Lyons, Ionia Co., he helped build the first bridge which spanned the Grand River at that place. He then went back to New York and married Emeline Gillett, of Gainesville, Wyoming Co. Returning to Lyons in the winter of 1838, he lived there working at his trade until the spring of 1840, when he moved to Bengal and settled on the south half of the north- east quarter of section 4. Being a carpenter he built a frame hou.se, which was the first in the town. He lived on this place till 1849, when he moved to the south half of the northwest quarter of section 3. His house, which was in an unfinished condition, was taken down and trans- ferred, and now forms a portion of his present residence. When they moved into the town there were no roads, and their only way out and in was by a trail marked by blazed trees. Mr. Grant is a veteran of the war of 1812, and served his country at Sacket's Harbor. Charles W. Grant, a son by his first wife, lives at East Saginaw ; Elihu lives at Fall River, Mass. ; Eugene, a son by his second wife, lives in Minnesota. The children by the thifd wife are Julia D. (Mrs. B. F. Young), lives west of and adjoining the school- house ; Sylvia lives west of her sister Julia ; Eliza lives in Erie, Pa. ; Isaac lives in Lake Co., Mich. ; Phoebe J. lives in Ovid ; Loring is married and lives on the homestead. Mr. Grant is now eighty-seven years of age, and, in the full possession of his faculties, has lived to see the township rise from an unbroken forest to one of the principal agri- cultural towns in the county. William C. Gardner was farminsr in Hambur" Livinyilliam S. Warner, 1836 160 Edward Townley, 1836 160 Flatt Smith, 1836 320 SECTION 12. Stephen P. Morehouse, 1836 160 William M. Lowell, 1836 320 ^.cvi A.Mills, 1830 160 SECTION 13. S. S. Bullock, 1836 80 William Packard, 1836 80 William G. Smith, 1836 40 E. L. .«mith, 1836 160 John Taylor, 1836 80 404 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Acres. Lewis Boyd. 1836 SO Russel CuFhinnn, 18+6 80 Ellen Cushuiiin, 1S52 40 Hiram Rathburn, 1864 40 SECTION 14. Elihu Jamison, 1835 160 William Moore, 1836 40 8. S. liiilloek, 1836 80 S. P. Morehouse, 1836 240 Philip French, 1836 80 Harvey C. Boyd, 1836 40 SECTION 15. William Hunt, 1836 40 L. D. Jcnnison, 1836 40 William Roo5e, 1836 80 Harvey C. Boyd, 1836 120 Joshua Cushman, 1836 80 David Scott, 1837 40 L. D. Jennison, 1837 40 Thomas Bobbins, 1843 40 Elvira Robbins. 1847 .' 40 Samuel Smith, 1851 80 Thomas Robbins, 1854 40 SECTION 16. School section. SECTION 17. J. R. Pearsall, 1835 80 J. R. Langdon, 1836 80 David Scott, 1836 160 John Gould, 1836 160 Elisha Lester, 1836 , 160 SECTION 18. Ephraira H. Utley, 1835 20.96 Daniel Ferguson, 1836 80 H. N. Andrus, 1836 92.08 James Gay, 1836 80 John Gould, 1836 160 Philip Burnett, 1836 160 James Dean, 1836 66.76 SECTION 19. Samuel Crowell, 183G 346.68 J. D. Child, 1836 160 Amos Waterhouse, 1837 80 De.\ter White, 1837 80 SECTION 20. De-xter White, 1836 80 James Perkins, 1836 160 J. S. Ilollister, 1837 .'.... 320 Lucinda Colburn, 1838 80 SECTION 21. Lewis Boyd, 1836 80 Frederic Perkins, 1836 80 Barnabas Bassett, 1836 80 Thompsons. Hollister, 1837 240 William 11. Hockenbury, 1849 40 Samuel Steele, 1850 40 Margaret Steele, 1854 40 SECTION 22. H. C. Boyd, 1836 160 Joshua Cushman, 1836 SO Sizar L. Stoddard, 1836 80 Samuel Higgins, 1836 80 Daniel Gunderman, 1848 40 E. A. Gunderman, 1850 40 William Vail, 1850 40 SECTION 23. Francis Moore, 1836 80 William Moore, 1836 240 Ruth A. Gunnison, 1843 40 Stephen W. Downer, 1850 280 SECTION 24. William Moore, 1836 80 J. B. Ackley, 1836 160 Gilbert Cushman, 1837 80 S. W. Downer, 1850, 1851 80 Acres. Morris Cushman, 1854 40 jDse])h C. Bailey, 1854 80 A. M. Crawford, 1854 40 SECTION 25. J. B. Bennett, 1852 40 SECTION 26. Allen Ilutcbins, 1836 160 Charles M. McKenzie, 1846 80 Anson Simmons, 1847 40 Nathan Weldon, 1850 40 S. \V. Downer, 1851 40 Ira Durand, 1852 ■. 40 J.B.Bennett, 1852 120 SECTION 27. M. M. Boyd, 1836 80 G. W. Boyd, 1836 80 W. D. Hurd, 1836 80 0. H. Lvoo, 1842 80 Nelson H. King, 1847 80 Donnell Mclntire, 1847 80 William Moon, 1847 80 G. R. Culver, 1848 40 H.H.Smith, 1854 40 SECTION 28. O.H.Lyon, 1842 40 Stephen F. Dexter, 1847 160 John Gundermiin, 1848 80 R. R. Quiglev, 1848 160 William C. Biangwin, 1848 160 SECTION 29. Henry Moon, 1837 160 Richiird Moon, 1838 80 L. A. Ayers, 1838 40 J. R. Jeuett, 1847 80 N. II. Wing, 1847 120 J. R. Jewett, 1847 40 James Sickles, 1851 80 SECTION 30. William Congdon, 1836 174.68 K. S. Van Scoy, 1847 40 Orville Bacon, 1849, 1850 80 James Sickles, 1851 80 Henry Gibbs, 1852 47.53 SECTION 31. M.L.Stanley, 1837 240 D. S. Iiigersoll, 1837 95.52 E. F. Sweet, 1850 47.74 E. Richardson, 1851 80 Andrew Shadduck, l.'<52 40 Allen Goodridge, 1852 ... 40 George J. Parson and F. M. Cowles, 1854 40 SECTION 32. James Cram, 1836 320 Samuel and Elias Bliss, 1836 160 Matthew Dearin, 1847 40 Robert Dearin, 1847 40 David Westeott, 1852 40 John F.Welsh, 1854 40 SECTION 33. Allen Hutchins, 1836 160 Jonathan Birdsall, 1836 80 Nelson II. AVing, 1847 160 David Slurgis, 1847 40 Calvin Woodward, 1849 160 SECTION 34. Samuel Higgins, 1836 320 Warner D. Hurd, 1836 80 Stephen A. Smith, 1839 160 William Moon, 1847 : 80 SECTION 35. William Birge, 183B 160 Samuel Higgins, 1836 160 B. P. Kercheval, 1836 160 Samuel Cutler, 1848 160 BE WITT TOWNSHIP. 405 SECTION 36. Acres. Eliza Jane Bennett, 1852 40 Jacob B. Bennett, 1852 80 Robert West, 1853. 40 EARLY VILLAGES IIJ DE WITT TOWNSHIP. The lands lying along both sides of the Looking-Glass River, at and opposite the mouth of Prairie Creek, were, about the year 1836, selected as locations for a cluster of (prospective) villages. The old Indian trail which after- wards became the Pontiac and Grand River road, passed along the north bank of the river at this point, and in that year, as for many years later, it was the principal thorough- fare through this portion of country. The first of these embryo villages was Middletown or Middleton. The land on which it was laid out was entered from the United States by Sebastian Beckwith, in 1835, but at the time it was platted the proprietors were Sebastian Beckwith, Joel Wicks, and George J. Goodhue. It was situated on the north side of the river east of the present village of Do Witt, and was the north fraction of the north- west quarter of section 9 and the southwest (|uarler of sec- tion 4. It was surveyed on the 25th uf January, 1836, and the original map filed in Kalamazoo County, February 6th of that year. The plat shows the village to have been di- vided into eighty-six blocks, each block containing one and three-fifths acres. Block No. 36 was reserved fur a public square. Each block was subdivided into eight lots, each of which was four by eight rods. The streets were laid out four rods wide, except Clinton and Detroit, which were six rods in width. From the north to the south the streets were named as follows: Huron, Superior, Ontario, Detroit, Erie, Michigan, Mason, St. Joseph, Mill, and Ionia. From east to west. Quay, Toledo, Chicago, Main, Clinton, Monroe, Jefferson, and Washington. This pretentious array of streets, however, did not cause the village to thrive, as on the 12th day of October, 1842, the lots of the village were sold for unpaid taxes to Milo H. Turner, David Sturgis, Hiram Stowell, W. H. Case, and W. A. Hewitt. NEW ALBANY. The land on which this village was laid out was entered by Hiram F. Sheldon, of Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 21, 1833, and by him the village was laid out and mapped. This map was not recorded and is lost. On the 1st day of Oc- tober, 1836, he sold the land on which the village was sit- uated to George F. Clark, of Albany, N. Y., it being de- scribed as the .south fraction of the northeast quarter of section 8, containing 107y\j''j acres, ''saving and reserving certain village lots as laid down on a map made for said Sheldon" (eighteen lots in different blocks). Milo H. Turner, of Rochester, N. Y., was the agent for Mr. Clark, and managed the sale of the property. The village was divided into twenty-nine blocks ; many lots were sold, but the anticipations of the proprietors soon came to naught, and in 1840 the lots were advertised to be sold for unpaid taxes. The prices paid ranged from a dollar and six cents to a dollar and seventy-four cents per lot, and were pur- chased as follows : Milo H. Turner, fifty-five lots ; David Sturgis, five; Scth P. Marvin, two; J. F. Turner, two; William E. Turner, one ; George F. Clark, one. They were not all sold, however, in 1840, for the sale continued for several years, the last being sold in 1848. OLD DE WITT. On the second day of January, 1837, there was offered for record at the county of Washtenaw a map of the plat of De Witt, Clinton Co., Mich. Frederick A. Bolles ap- peared before James Kingsley, notary public, of that county, on the 23d day of December, 1836, and acknowledged the execution of the plat and map to be his act and deed for the purposes therein expressed, and to answer the require- ments of the statute in such cases provided. Frederick A. Bolles entered the land from the United States on which this village was platted, and on the 12th day of December, 1836, it was surveyed by William Finley, Jr., laid out on a scale of thirty-two rods to an inch, and platted by Dr. Bennett and J. M. Wilcox. The map contains the follow- ing remarks : " All lots are (4) rods wide and eight rods deep, except on block five, six and seven, which are four rods by five deep, and the water-lots and other fractions are variable in depth. This plat contains according to original surveys one hundred and ninety-seven j^^^ acres. All streets in plat are (4) rods wide, and intended as public highways, and the Timber in the same at the proprietor's service, if required ; if not, the buyers of lots are to have it. Lots No. 3, 4 in Block No. 51, and Lots No. 3, 4 in Block No. 54 are given for the firm established church in said Plat, and also said named Publick Square for publick purposes, and all other lots in the proprietor's name for his own use. " Frederick A. Bolles, " Proprietor." This village was situated.- east of and adjoining New Albany. The streets were named as follows : From the east to the west, Newton, Wayne, Main (these three streets ran from the river south to the section-line). Park, Hall, Lyon, and Lynn. From the river and parallel with it. River, Wall, Spring, Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, Brighton, Church, Summer, Green, St. Ann's, Catharine, St. Mary's, and Frederick. In the sales-book of Clinton County in the treasurer's office is an account of the " Village of De Witt, south of the Looking-Glass River," advertised for unpaid taxes of 1842. Seventy-eight blocks are described with the lots, numbering eight lots to each block. The taxes due on each block arc given, ranging from ninety-five cents to one dollar and twenty-four cents. It docs not appear that these lots were sold, as no account is made of sale. The follow- ing statement is appended to the description : " The entire descriptions of the above village of De Witt, south side of the Looking-Glass River, was passed to the State of Michigan at the sales in account of 1844 for the tax of 1842." DE WITT. The land on which the present village of De Witt is located was entered by Capt. David Scott in 1833, and platted by him on the 20th of October, 1841. It is .situ- ated on the north side of Looking-Glass River, on sections 5 and S, and was the county-site of Clinton County until 406 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTS', MICHIGAN. 1857, when, by a vote of the various townships of the county, the seat was removed to St. Johns, the recorded vote of De Witt having been two hundred and thirty- three against and three in favor of the measure. The settlement of De Witt, as of the south half of the county, began with the coming of Capt. David Scott, who loft Ann Arbor with his wife and two sons, David and Charles, in September of 1833. They began their pilgrimage in wagons drawn by ox-teams and laden with their household goods, their objective point being the land he entered in Clinton County, embracing altogether fourteen hundred and twenty-six acres in various portions of the township. They forded rivers, drove into lakes, were frequently mired in dismal marshes, and pitched their tents where night overtook them, until their arrival at the present De Witt village on Oct. 4, 1833. Capt. Scott obtained the consent of the Indians to occupy one of their wigwams for several weeks, when their own cabin was completed, to which they then removed. This Indian house was constructed of bark, with bunks on the sides, and a fire was built in the centre, the smoke of which escaped through a hole or remained in the room. While dwelling in this rude habitation a party of English travelers on their way to Grand River, now Port- land, tarried and sought shelter for the night. One of the party, overcome with fatigue, died soon after,' and was buried in a coffin of bark taken from the wigwam. The funeral was attended by Capt. Scott's family, the only in- habitants of the county, except the people at the trading- post on Maple River, the physician from an adjoining county, and the hin d companion of the captain. The log cabin of Capt. Scott, twenty feet square, was begun the 5th of October and occupied soon after with demonstra- tions of great joy. Seventeen head of cattle and one hor.se were brought by them into the wilderness, whose broad pasture-land was the whole of Clinton and portions of Ionia, Eaton, Ingham, and Shiawassee Counties. There being uo fodder for winter, trees were felled, upon which they browsed, the sound of the axe being the only call needed. They were all attracted by the falling of a tree. Ground was broken for wheat in July, 1834, twenty acres was sown, and harvested the following year during the same month, yielding thirty-two bushels to the acre. A piece of ground was leveled, logs laid round it, when a flooring of wheat was placed over it, and thrashed by four yoke of oxen. The earliest settlers made journeys to Pontiac to have their grain ground until 1837, when a grist-mill was com- pleted at Wacousta. Capt. Scott built in 1839 a frame building for a store- room and grocery, and the point having been established the following year as the county-seat the early sessions of the court were there held. Judge Hubbard presiding. In 1840 a school-house was built on the present school- house site, which was at that period the most spacious and convenient of the buildings yet erected in the embryo vil- lage. Here court was held at a later date, and the Board of Supervisors also convened within its walls. In 1842 a spacious and well-appointed hotel was erected by Capt. Scott, the hall of which for years afibrded a place of meet- ing for the county court, small buildings having been previously provided for the convenience of the county officers. Capt. Scott early received his commission as postmaster of the hamlet, and established an office at his house. He continued to reside in Dewitt until his death, in 1851, having been the leading spirit in all business enterprises. His son, David Scott, still occupies a portion of the land he entered. Another son, Sylvester Scott, made his advent the month succeeding that of his father, and located on a portion of the land entered by the former. His wife, Mrs. Sophronia Scott, who is still living in De Witt, and one son arrived soon after, and Sept. 15, 1836, a second son,' Charles, was born, he having been the first white child born in the county. Sylvester Scott did not long survive his early pioneer experiences. Hiram Wilcox had in 1837 erected the first saw-mill in the county, on the south side of the river, upon tlTe plat known as New Albany. It was completed and in running order early in 1838, and a party of settlers having assembled at Capt. Scott's one Sabbath afternoon, it was suggested that they should visit the mill on a tour of in- spection. On their arrival, Mr. Scott with others was ex- amining the construction of the machinery and had uncon- sciously placed hiuLself in a position of great danger. One of the party, not aware of this fact, suddenly turned on the water, which set the mill in motion and instantly killed the unfortunate man. This event caused profound sorrow in the little community. Milo H. Turner arrived in 1838, as the agent of George T. Clark, who had previously purchased the land platted on the south side of the river known as New Albany. He brought with him a stock of goods, erected a log house, and opened the first store in the village of De Witt. He leased the saw-mill of Hiram Wilcox, and after efi'ecting a considerable clearing, built a large frame structure, which was devoted to the uses of a hotel. His brother, Jesse Foot Turner, arrived the following year, and embarked with Milo H. in business enterprises. In 1844 they erected on the Look ing-G lass River a grist-mill, which was consumed by fire in 1847, but soon after rebuilt. The brothers Turner were men of much activity, and largely identified with the interests of the township and the county. They remained residents until 1850, when the gold fields of Calilbrnia lured them to the Pacific coast. George T. Clark also became a resident at a later period. The earliest store on the north side of the river was built by David Sturgis, who came from Portland, louia Co., in 1840, with a stock of goods which he oB"ered for sale, as the agent of Messrs. Abbott & Beecher, of Detroit. He soon after built an ashery near by, and remained in business at De Witt until 1850, when he removed to St. Johns, and later to Gratiot County, where he died. He at one time filled the position of associate judge of the county court. The distinction which was accorded to De Witt as the centre of the judicial business of the county attracted many representatives of the bar, and made it for a period of many years the centre of legal talent. A brief review of the advent and subsequent career of the lawyers of the village is embodied in a chapter on the Bar of DE WITT TOWNSHIP. 407 the County in a preceding portion of this work. The uncertain tenure by which De Witt maintained its prestige as the county-seat offered strong obstacles against the erec- tion of county buildings, and on the occasion of its later removal to St. Johns not a single structure of importance had been devoted to county uses. This fact also materially influenced the growth of the village, and has effectually checked the development of its business interests since 1857. The village now has one hotel, of which R. Durham is the landlord ; two general stores, kept by J. E. Jayne and A. A. Woodruff; one drug store, owned by Dr. G. W. Top- ping ; two millinery-shops, kept by Mrs. Ware and Mrs. Woodruff respectively ; one shoe-store, by J Averill ; one wagon-shop, of which A. Lott is proprietor ; and three blacksmith-shops, owned by Messrs. Tout, Pilbeau, and Worden. J. A. Sweet holds the commission as postmaster. There are two saw-mills, owned by William M. Potter and E. G. Holmes & Son, and a completely-appointed flouring- mill, equipped with four run of stones and enjoying an ex- tensive custom trade, of which Messrs. O.sgood & Co. are proprietors. There is also a foundry, owned by R. Merritt. De Witt has two churches, whose early history, found else- where, is coexistent with the primitive days of the hamlet. The second pioneer in the township of De Witt came there to settle in 1834. This was Chauncey S. Ferguson, who brought with him his family, including his father, Daniel Ferguson, and located upon section 6, where he entered in the same year one hundred and sixty acres of land. He removed from Oakland County, and at once erected a log house, but effected little in the way of clear- ing. Mr. Ferguson seems not to have been well satis- fied with the advantages Clinton County offered to the set- tler, for the year 1837 found him a pioneer to the wilds of Ionia County, where he became a land-owner. Mr. Fer- guson exercised a generous hospitality to subsequent comers, who never failed to receive a cordial welcome to his humble home and frugal board on their arrival. The third pioneer in order of arrival was Franklin Oliver, who came from Niagara Co., N. Y., in 1835, and settled upon two hundred and four acres, which he entered the same year. He remained with Chauncey Ferguson while building a house, and very early effected a considerable clearing. Four years later he constructed a saw-mill, which, however, for want of power, was never operated successfully, and was ultimately abandoned. Mr. Oliver died a few years later, and the estate was purchased by Morris S. Allen. William M. Webb has with justice advanced his claim to having been the fourth settler. He entered, in 1835, one hundred and seventy acres on section G, upon which he located in the same year, having come from Piynioutli, Wayne Co., Mich. The land he found entirely uncleared, and for four weeks enjoyed the ho.spitality of Mr. Fergu- son's log cabin afforded while constructing a temporary abode for his own family. At De Witt there was an Indian village, .several families of whom were still enjoying peace- able po.ssession of their wigwams. Bears and wolves were frequent visitors, and caused consternation among the sheep and swine. Mr. Webb was very successful in construct- ing pitfalls by which the stock of bears was considerably diminished. He still resides upon the land he at first en- tered, where a highly-improved farm is the result of his industry. The first Fourth of July a gathering of a social character was held at the house of Mr. Webb in 1837, dancing having been enjoyed upon a puncheon floor. The next settler in order of arrival was Ephraim H. Utiey, who also came from Plymouth, Wayne Co., and arrived the day following Mr. Webb's coming. He entered thirty plats of eighty acres each in De Witt and elsewhere, and made a settlement upon section 7. He cleared and im- proved this farm, but ultimately removed to Newaygo County, where he died on Big Prairie, in 1860. Mr. Ut- iey held office the first year of the township organization, and was also at one time county commissioner. He occa- sionally practiced as a lawyer, and was a man of influence during his brief residence in De Witt. Alanson Goodrich was among the pioneers of 1835, as stated by his early neighbors, though he does not appear to have made an entry of land until 1836, when he secured one hundred and sixty-six acres on section 7, and resided on it until his death. The earliest school-house in the county was built upon this land, and the Goodrich neighborhood was, until 1840, the centre of the educational interests of the township. Isaac Hewitt arrived in 1835 and located on section 17, where he had one hundred and twenty acres, having been a former resident of Steuben Co., N. Y. He devoted him- self with much energy to the clearing of his farm, being greatly aided by his six sons, but one of whom — Edmond — now resides in the township, where he has a farm on the same section. Gilbert Cushman came from Putnam Co., N. Y., in 1836, three of his sons having preceded him to this State and located in Bath. He remained with them until a house was built upon eighty acres on section 24, when all removed to the township of De Witt. There was no neighbor within five miles, and Dexter, sixty miles away, was the most convenient milling point. With the circuit- ous route usually followed the distance wa.s increased to nearly one hundred miles. A mill was later built at Wa- cousta, which enjoyed a very liberal patronage from the ad- jacent country. On the farm of Mr. Cushman, and those of his six sons, forty acres were cleared the first year. Of this large family, embracing the parent and six sons, all of whom followed agricultural pursuits, but two survive, both of whom reside on section 24, in De Witt. George Cush- man has one hundred and twenty acres, and an additional forty on section 13, while Russell has one hundred and twenty on each section. The father's death occurred in De Witt during the year 1855. In 183(;, among the prominent arrivals, was that of Jonathan K. Pearsall, who in the year previous had entered eighty acres on section 17. He found this land uncleared, and began at once the work of chopjiing, with a view to the erection of a log^ house, and became soon alter absorbed in the improvement of his farm. He was an industrious farmer and a leading man in ail religious enterprises. Mr. Pearsall .served among the earliest township officers, and held many positions of influence in De Witt. 408 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Peter Lott, who had formerly located in Washtenaw County, purchased in 1837, ou sections 19 and 30, three hundred and fifty-five acres, and settled on the former the same year. With him came five sons, all of whom camped out while building a house of logs. Benjamin Lott, a brother, followed him soon after, and, purchasing eighty acres on section 19, remained with him while building a house and making a preliminary clearing. He later re- moved to his present residence on section 3, where he has one hundred and sixty acres. Two sons of Peter Lott — Chauncey and Albert Lott — still survive, and reside in the township. Henry Moon entered, in 1837, one hundred and sixty acres on section 29, embracing the southeast quarter of the section. He remained at the house of Mr. Utley while building a cabin in the forest that covered his land. Mr. Moon improved his purchase and converted it into a pro- ductive farm, but ultimately removed to the village of De Witt, where he now resides in advanced years. Dr. Levi D. Jenison, who was the earliest resident physician in the township, and for a period of some years enjoyed an extended practice, entered in 183(5 forty acres ou section 15, and subsequently purchased other land in the township. His career will be more fully mentioned in a chapter on the medical fraternity of the county, as will also that of Dr. Hiram Stowell, who settled in 1837 on section 2, on a farm originally owned by Capt. Lowry, of Watertown. The doctor was originally from Cayuga Co., N. Y., and came from Ann Arbor to this township, where he followed his profession and agricultural pursuits until his death, in 1857. His widow resides in De Witt. Barnabas Bassett entered eighty acres on section 21 in 1836 and became a resident. He improved the land after having built a house upon it, and converted it into a farm which has well repaid the labor bestowed upon it. After a life of activity, Mr. Bassett removed to the village of De Witt, where the advancing years of his life are spent among scenes familiar to him since his settlement in the township. The earliest circuit preacher in De Witt was Washington Jackson, of Wayne County, who in 1838 held services at the various log houses in De Witt. Later, school buildings were erected, and Elders Cole and Bigelow ofiBciated. The townspeople, while devoted to the word as expounded by these gospel messengers, were not without occasional social diversions as well. The log cabins of the day, though lim- ited in dimensions, were the scene of many terpsichorean revels, at which music of a novel character was introduced. For want of better melody, a venerable pioneer, still resident in the township, regaled them with a whistle, and this music is said to have often furnished inspiration and pleas- ure to the dancers from " early candle-lighting till dawn." From Lockport, N. Y., in 1839 came Theodore Cliapin and his son De Witt C, who located in the village of De Witt and followed for years their profession as lawyers, where they were known as successful practitioners. They subsequently removed to Ionia, and then to Allegan County, where De Witt C. attained some distinction in his profes- sion. He returned again to De Witt and was elected county clerk in 1856, and died at his later residence in Gratiot County in 1874. The father's death occurred in Allegan. Nelson K. Allport came to De Witt as early as 1839 and opened a store, having erected a building for the pur- pose. He later purchased the hotel formerly kept by Milo H. Turner and built by David Scott. Elihu Gunnison, formerly of Livingston Co., Mich., settled in Bath in 1836, and three years later removed to the township, where he found an attractive location on sec- tion 14, embracing one hundred and sixty acres. He first built a cabin, and later a log hou.se, having remained upon the farm until his death in 1877. Three sons, Alfred, Jo.seph W., and James H., now reside in the town.ship. Alfred has eighty acres on section 23, Joseph W. is on section 9, and James H. occupies the homestead. The widow still survives and resides in the township. William A. Moore became a settler at nearly the same period, having entered forty acres on section 14, two hun- dred and forty on section 23, and eighty on 24. He im- proved the land on which he located, and was not only a successful farmer but a man of some influence in the town- ship. Erastus S. Ingersoll entered land on section 3 in 1836, and became a settler. He was a man of excellent judg- ment in his agricultural pursuits and of much public spirit, having during his residence taken an active part in the administration of township affairs. George Allen, a venerable pioneer of 1841, still living, is a native of Oneida Co., N. Y., and removed from Oak- land County to this township, where he purchased forty acres on section 19. His father, Barney Allen, had pre- ceded him by four years, and located upon the same sec- tion. With him ho found a temporary habitation while erecting a log house on the eighty acres he had purchased. The father survived until 1847, and died at the home of his son. His neighbor was Elder Lewis Coburn, who re- sided upon eighty acres ou section 20, and combined the sacred office of a preacher with that of farming pursuits. Elder Coburn entered his land in 1838 and occupied it a year later, was the earliest resident minister, and conducted most of the religious services of that early day. There were no roads at this period, and Mr. Allen on his arrival followed the Grand River road, then only partially under- brushed, to his land. Indians were numerous, and wolves and bears were very destructive to cattle. With his own hands Mr. Allen has cleared two hundred acres of land, and is still actively employed in the superintendence of his home interests. Dr. Seth P. Marvin was one of the earliest representa- tives of the medical profe.«sion, and followed Dr. Jenison to this township. He came with his father, Calvin Marvin, to Watertown in 1835, and soon after removed to De Witt. He engaged actively in political contests, and filled many important township and county offices, among them that of register of deeds. James Collins came from Marshall, Mich., to the town- ship in 1845, and located upon one hundred and sixty acres on section 21. He temporarily occupied with his family a cabin on the farm of Mr. Hewitt, and later erected a substantial house of logs upon his own farm. He raised DE WITT TOWNSHIP. 409 little grain at first, but devoted his spot of cleared land to garden products for fiimily use, though a fine farm was ultimately improved, upon which he resided until his death, in 1860. The widow and son still occupy the homestead, upon which an elegant brick residence was erected in 1876. Edward A. Gunderman came from Orange County in 1847, and selected a farm of forty, acres on section 22 and an additional forty upon section 16. The former was pre- empted by him, and entered in 1850. Barnabas Bassett and Charles Cushman were near neigh- bore, the former having preceded Mr. Gunderman and died on the farm he then occupied. Indians were numerous, there being a small encampment of them on the land, which was vacated on his arrival. They paid him frequent visits, principally in pursuit of fire-water, and were occasionally boisterous. Mr. Gunderman still occupies the land he first purchased, and is engaged in farming. Stephen W. Downer came from Bingham to this town- ship in 1849, and located upon one hundred and sixty acres on section 22, which has since been increased to eight hundred. He first built a cabin, which was occupied for a period of nine years, after which his present residence was erected. Thomas Lester was a near neighbor, as was also William A. Moore, who later removed to Iowa. Mr. Dow- ner's progress was at first moderate, much of his land being marshy. This when drained, however, was converted into the most productive land in the township. In reviewing the long list of pioneers or settlers who though not early in point of arrival still did much to level the forests of the township, it will be possible to give only a brief mention of mauy names that are justly entitled to notice. Levi Townson came in 1840, having been the first lawyer in the county, and also prosecuting attorney and judge of probate from 1846 till his death in 1849. Mark A. Ciiilds was a lawyer of prominence, and the founder of the Cliii- toniiDi newspaper, established in 1842. Joseph Hollister, who came to De Witt in 1846, was ac- tively engaged in the practice of law until his departure for Dowagiac, where he died. Joseph Baker came from Ionia in 1847, and remained ten years in De Witt. Randolph Strickland, who arrived in 1847, is now one of the promi- nent lawyers of St. Johns, his brother 0. P. Strickland, who came in 1851, as did also D. U. Wiley, having both been practitioners, the former being now a resident of St. Johns, and the latter of Lansing. Dr. G. W. Topping came from Ann Arbor to the village of De Witt in 1854, and engaged in the practice of medicine, being still in the enjoyment of an extended practice. John Gould settled early on section 18, where he had one hundred and sixty acres. D. Ward had eighty acres on section 18, and later removed to St. Johns. Roland S. Van Scoy resided upon one hundred and sixty acres on section 17. Samuel B. Smith owned forty acres on section 4. Benjamin Van Louven located one hundred and sixty acres in tlie nortli- east corner of De Witt on section 1. Samuel Sherman also settled upon the same section. John S. Swezey had two (juarttrsections on 10 and 12, and Sanborn S. Matthews purchased forty acres on' section 2. 52 Below are given lists of persons who were resident tax- payers in De Witt in 1839 and 1840, showing very nearly who were the settlers who had located in the township prior to that time. The lists are taken from the original assess- ment rolls of the township for the years indicated : 1839. Tmon 5, Range 2, West. Names. Acres. Peter Lott, section 19 160 George Pearsall, section 8 100 Alanson Goodrich, section 6 250 Daniel Moon, section 4 80 S. B. Smitli, section 4 40 Hiram Wilcox, section 8 40 M. H. Turner, section 8 148 S. D. .Jenison. section 15 100 Robert M. Folb, section — Ephraiin H. Utley, section 7 420 Richard Moon, section 27 SO Ch.auucey Lott, section '^0 SO Thomas M^'ers, section 17 80 William W. Webb, section 6 166 William Utley, section 9 162 John Berry, section 2 40 Benjamin Van Louven, section 1 IfiO Samuel Sherman, section 1 89 E. S. Ingersoll, section 3 161 Elihu Gunnison, section 14 160 William Moon, sections 24, 14 440 Gilltert Cushman, section 24 SO Russell Cushman, section 24 160 Warren Cushman Hiram Stowell, section 2 113 Trustees of Sylvester Scott, sections 5, 6 243 Charles Lent, section 34 40 David Scott, sections 5, 8, 2, 36, 35, 9, 15, 6 1420 1840. Acres. David Scott, sections 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 15, 25, 35, 36... 1426 Isaac Hewitt, section 17 120 J. R. Pearsall, section 17 80 Asa Parker, section 17 80 .John tjould, section 18 160 Franklin Oliver, section 7 204 D. Ward, section 18 80 Cheney Lott, section 30 80 Barney Allen, section 19 80 Benjamin Lott, section 19 80 Peter Lott, section 19 l»il Lewis Cobanc, section 20 80 R. S. Van Scoy, section 17 160 Thomas Myers, section 17 80 Henry ]\Ioon, section 29 160 Richard Moon, section 29 80 Levi D. Jenison, sections S, 15 100 Hiram Withou, section 8 40 William Utley, section 9 162 .John S;iiids, section 9 72 Samuel B. Smith, section 4 40 Alanson tioodrich, sections 6, 7 253 AVilliam W. Webb, section 6 166 E. H. Utloy, sections 7, 9 353 Sophronia Scott, sections 5, 6 249 M. H. Turner, section 17 40 Charles Cushman, section 22 80 David Otis, section 23 80 William A. Moore, sections 14, 23, 24 360 Gilbert Cushman, section 24 80 RuSKcl Cushman, section 24 160 David 0. Wilsey, section 26 120 Benjamin Van Louven, section 1 «.. 160 Samuel Sherman, section 1 89 Sanborn S. Matthews, 6ections2, 35 120 Hiram SlowcU, section 2 112 .John S. Swcezey, sections 10, 12 320 James Sweezey, section 14 320 E. S. Ingersoll, section 3 160 Elihu Gunnison, section 14 160 Daniel Moore, section 4 80 Lyman J. Hewitt, section 31 80 Almanzo Eldred Morris Cushman George Smith The following list embraces the names of the jurors drawn in De Witt for the year 1839 : E. S. Ingersoll, Elihu Gunnison, William Moore, Benjamin Van Houvcn, Orange 410 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Ferguson, Ephraiin Mcrrihew, James Annis, Ransom Read, William W. Webb, Ilarvcy Alexander, Franklin Oliver, J. 11. Pearsall, Alanson Goodrich, Barney Allen, Thomas Myers, William Utley, Asa Parker, Levi I). Jenison, Orange Cushnian, Lyman J. Hewitt. " Jurors for 1842. — David Scott, Jesse Foot Turner, assessors, and Seth P. Marvin, township clerk of De Witt, Clinton Co., having convened at the office of the township clerk of De Witt for the purpose of revising the assess- ment rolls for the year 1842, agreeable to notice given pur- suant to law, do at said meeting, as the law directs, propose a test of such inhabitants of said town as we deem well qualified for serving as jurors in the circuit court of said county of Clinton, being of good moral character, sound judgment, and free from all legal exceptions, which list in- cludes not less than one for every one hundred inhabitants of said township, computing from the last census, and which were not returned as jurors at the last preceding review of its assessment roll, from the best of our knowledge. " Grand Jurors. — William Utley, Elihu Gunnison, Jon- athan R. Pearsall, Samuel Greeley, Lewis Coburn, Charles Cushman. " Petit Jurors. — John S. Sweezey, George Smith, John Scott, Edward Greeley, Thomas H. Myers, William Rouse. " David Scott, "Jesse Foot Turner, ^'Assessors. "Seth P. Marvin, " Township ClerJc." EARLY HIGHWAYS. The earliest highway that traversed De Witt was the old Indian trail, subsequently known as the Pontiac and Grand River road, which ran from Pontiac and followed the north line of the township to the northeast corner of section 3, where it diverged to the southwest and into the village of De Witt. The earliest pioneer, David Scott, followed this trail in making his advent to the township in 1833. In an examination of the early highway records, road No. 1 is described as " beginning at the northwest corner of section No. 7, in township No. 5 north, of range 4 west, and running easterly along the line of sections through the 3d and 4th ranges, and terminating at the quarter section post on the north line of section 7, in township 5 north, of range 2 west. "E. H. Utley, " David Scott, " Commissioners of Highwai/s." The above road was continued as follows : " Beginning at the quarter section post on the north line of section 7, township 5 north, of range 2 west, and run- ning east along the section-line fifteen chains; thence north seventy-four and a half degree.s, east three chains ; thence easterly nearly parallel to the section-line fourteen chains ; thence south seventy-three degrees, east two and a half chains to the section-lino ; thence continuing east on said line to the northeast corner of section No. 8 in said town." Recorded March 0, 1837. Road No. 2 was established by William A. Hewitt and David Scott, highway commissioners, and recorded Dec. 3, 1837, commencing one hundred and five rods west of the northeast corner of section 8, in township 5 north, range 2 west, and terminating on the south line of section 34, in township 5 north, of range 1 west. Said road was to be six rods wide from the first to the second section, and the remainder to bo four rods wide. The commissioners of highways continued to survey and award contracts for the construction of highways as the presence of settlers de- manded them. The township in the spring of 1840 was divided into the following road districts, a meeting for the purpose having been held March 24, 1840, at the house of David Scott : District No. 1 to include south half of sections 10, 11, 12, sections 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24, 25, 20,27, 34, 35, 36, township 5 north, range 2 west. District No. 2 to include sections 31, 32, 33, south half of section 30, and all of sections 28, 29. District No. 3 to include north half of section 30, all of sections 19, 20, 21, and the south half of section 18. District No. 4 to include sections 16, 17, north half of 18, and the south half of sections 7, 8, 9. District No. 5 to include north half of section 7, north fraction of 8, 9, south half of sections 5, 6, south fractional half and northwest fractional quarter of section 4. District No. 6 to include north half of sections 10, 11, 12, and south fraction of sections 1, 2. District No. 7 to include sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, north half of sections 7, 8, 9, 10, and all of sections 11, 12, township 6 north, range 2 west. District No. 8 to include the south half of .sections 7, 8, 9, 10, all of 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, township north, )-ange 2 west. Di-strict No. 9 to include north half of sections 5, 6, township 5 north, range 2 we.st ; south half of sections 2, 8, 29, 30, all of 31, 32, west half of 33, township 6 north, range 2 west. District No. 10 to include sections 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36, township 6 north, range 2 west, east half of section 33, of same township, north fraction of the northeast quarter of section 4, and north fraction of sections 1, 2, 3, township 5 north, range 2 west. District No. 11 to include sections 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, north half of 28, 29, 30, township 6 north, range 2 west. District No. 12 to include the south fraction of the north half of sections 8, 9, township 5 north, of range 2 west. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST. The act of the State Legislature organizing the township of De Witt was approved March 23, 1836, and provides: " That the county of Clinton be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of De Witt, and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the dwelling-house of David Scott in said town- ship." As specified in the above act, the township of De Witt early embraced the whole of the county of Clinton. The township of Watertown, embracing the west half of DE WITT TOWNSHIP. 411 the county, of ranges 3 and 4, was erected March 20, 1837. The township of Bingham, including the present Bingham, Ovid, Greenbush, and Sena (now Duplain), was set oflF March 21, 1839. Ossowa, including Bath and Victor, was erected March 22,1839, and Olive was erected March 20, 1841, leaving De Witt a township with boundaries as at present existing. At the earliest meeting of the electors of the township of Dc Witt, held at the house of David Scott on the 8th day of April, 1836, R. H. Utley was chosen moderator and Sylvester Scott clerk. The following township officers were elected for the year : Supervisor, Welcome J. Partelo ; Township Clerk, Sylvester Scott ; Justices of the Peace, W. J. Partelo, E. II. Utley, Henry Rowland, John Ben- son ; Collector, Chauncey S. Ferguson ; Directors of the Poor, David Scott, Anthony Niles ; School Commission- ers, Alexander Chappel, Calvin Marvin, W. J. Partelo ; Assessors, John Benson, Calvin Marvin, Elihu Gunnison; Highway Commissioners, David Scott, E. H. Utley, Stephen B. Groger; Constables, Chauncey S. Ferguson, Ezekiel Niles. The township officers annually elected from the organiza- tion to the present time have been as follows: SUPERVISORS. ] 8.37-38. Welcome J. Partelo. 1839. AVilliam Utley. 1840. Hiram Wilcox. 1841. Franklin Oliver. 1842. Jesse Foot Turner. 1843-44. David Scott. 1845. Milo H. Turner. 1846-48. Jesse F. Turner. 1849. William W Webb. 1850. David Sturgis. 1851. Je,?se F. Turner. 1852. F. R. Read. 1853. David .Sturgis. . 1854. Jonathan R. Pearsall. 1837. Sylvester Scott. 1838-40. J. R. Pearsall. 1841. Milo H. Turner. 1842. Sith P. Marvin. 1843-44. Sylve,«ter Town.son. 1845. Seth P. Marvin. 1846. George 0. Wells. 1847^8. Joseph 11. Ad;ims. 1848-53. John F. McKeen. 1854-55. James M. Esles. . 1856-57. Elisha C. Cook. 1858-59. 0. F. Strickland. 1800. Eben W. Dart. 1801-62. Jonathan A. Sweet. 1355. 1856. 1857- 1800. 1861. 1862- 1864. 1865. 1866- 1870- 1872. 1873- 1875- ISSO. CLERKS. 1803. 1864. 1865. 1866- 1871. 1872. l!>*3. 1874. 1875. 1876. 1877- 1879. 1880. F. R. Read. S. W. Downer. 59. Asahel R. Marvin. A. R. Marvin. Randolph Strickland. 63. Frederick A. Read. A. G. Gunnison. Charles Day. 69. David Scott. 71 Samuel B. McPherson. James Cortright. 74. Galusha Pennell. 79. Willinm Collins. Charles Bauerly. A. J. Bcmcnt. R. J. Woodruff. Tobias Foreman. 70. Milton F. White. Benton Bement. J. A. Sweet. Mark Scott. J. A. Sweet. Odell Brinkerhoff. G. AV. Smith. 78. A. A. WoodrulT. Horace S. Holmes. A. A. Woodruff. TREASURERS. 1811. Samuel B. Smith. 1842-57. David Scott, Jr. 1858. George W. .Scott. 1859. William R. Allen. 1800. David Scott. 1861-62. William R. Allen. 1863. Parker Webber. 1804. George W. .Scott. 1865-71. Parker AVebber. 1872-77. Charles Bauerly. 1878. Sylvester Moon. 1879-80. Mark Scott. 1838. William W. Webb. J. AV. Merrihew. Oliver Bebee. 1839. AVilliam AV. AVebb. Daniel Ferguson. Hiram Stowcll. 1840. Isaac Hewitt. Daniel Ferguson, .Jr. Elihu Gunnison.- 1841. AV. W. AVebb. 1841. Hiram Stowell. Elihu (xunnison. 1S42. David Scott. AVilliam Utley. 1843. AVilliam Utley. Charles Cushman. 1844. John S. Sweezey. William A. Hewitt. 1845. Charles Cushman. William A. Hewitt. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. ASSESSORS. 1837. SamacI Barker. C. S. Ferguson. 1837. Elihu Gunni.son. I83S. Hiram Stuwell. 1837. Orange Ferguson. 1855. C. W. Leffingwell. John Ferdon. 1856. D. C. Chapin. AVilliam A. Hewitt. Sylvester Hoyt. Sylvester Scott. 1857. Seth P. Marvin. 18.38. E. H. Utley. 1858. Theron AVinans. John Ferdon. IS59. AVilliam Utley. 1839. William A. Hewitt. 1800. Sylvester Hoyt. Hiram AVilco.v. 1S6I. Daniel Kurd. Orange Ferguson. 1862. Chauncey Lott. 1840. Hiram AVilco.^. 1863. J. P. AVillet. Orange Ferguson. S. E. Scott. 1841. Elihu Gunnison. 1864. J. A. Sweet. J. F. Turner. 1S(;5. Daniel Hurd. 1842. Charles Lent. 1.SC6. Chauncey Ijott. Lewis Coburn. 1867. Charles A. Sloan. 1843. Martin Moore. 1808. Enoch Lewis. 1844. J. F. Turner. 1869. S. B. McPhersqn. 1845. J. S. Swezey. Newton Mc Loath. 1846. R. S. Van Scoy. 1870. AVilliam Calkins. 1847. Morris S. Allen. 1871. Charles A. Sloan. 1848. AValter Hubbell. Chauncey Lott. 1S43. Daniel Hurd. 1872. Chauncey Lott. 1850. AVilliam A. Hewitt. 1873. J. A. Sweet. 1851. Corydon Lee. 1874. AVilliam Collins. 1852. John Gunderman. 1875. Charles A. Sloan. S. W. Downer. 1876. A. J. Bement. Joab Baker. 1877 J. A. Sweet. 1853 John H. Bacon. 1878 Charles Day. R. Strickland. 1879 AVilliam A. Partridge. 1854 Joab Baker. 1880 Jotham Averill. HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS. is;i7. 1838. 1839. IS4(). 181 1. 1842. 1843. 1844. 1845. 184(1. 1847. William A. Hewitt. Orange Ferguson. David Scott. John Gould. Samuel Barker. Orange Ferguson. Harvey Alexander. John Berry. John W. Merrihew. Harvey Alexander. J. S. Sweezey. Jesse F. Turner. John Gould. Elihu Gunnison. Charles Lent. William A. Hewitt. Elihu Gunnison. Charles Lent. William E. Turner. Elihu Gunnison. William E. Turner. R. S. Van Scoy. E. Gunnison. W. Rouse. Charles Lent. Elihu Gunnison. Charles Scott. AVilliam Rouse. David Sturgjs. pharles Scott. 1847. J. R. Pearsall. 1848. Morris S. Allen. 1849. R. B. Pennell. George Allen. 1850. John Gunderman. 1851. AVilliam Rouse. 1852. No record. 1853. M. P. Headley. 1854. AVilliam Rouse. John Gunderman. 1855. A. J. Bement. Daniel Hurd. 1856. Benjamin Cushman. K. AVebber. 1857. .John AVoodbury. Robert Smith. 1858. Charles Day. John P. Willet. 1859. Robert Smith. Charles Sloan. 1860. Robert Smith. Charles Lott. 1861. Morgan Christopher. 1862. B. AV. Cushman. 1863. U. P. Clark. 1864. R. AVebber. J. AV. Peavy. 1865. David Knight. 1866 Egbprt Hurd. 1867 Joseph Sahneborger. 412 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 1868. William Calkins. 1869. George W. Scott. 1870. Edmund Hewilt. 1871. David Knight. 1872. E. P. Wells. 1873. J. H. Gunnison. 1874. L. E. Worden. 1875. James Cartwright. 1876. Philip Kraus. 1877-78. L. E. Worden. 1879-80. Edward Hewitt. SCHOOL INSPECTORS. 1837. J. R. Pearsall. 1862. John H. Bacon. S. Scott. 1853. Joseph H. Adams. W. J. Partelo. 1854. John H. Bacon. E. H. Utley. 1855. J. W. Ransom. 1838. John Gould. 1856. J. H. Bacon. Hiraiti Stowell. J. H. Adams. J. R. Pearsall. 1857. E. M. Hutchins. 1839. No record. 1858. John D. Woodbury. 1840. Hiram Wilco.x. 1859. Elihu Gunnison. Daniel Ferguson, Jr. I860. John H. Bacon. J. R. Pearsall. 1861. George W. Topping. 1841. Lewis Osborn. 1862. Frank Webb. Hiram Stowell. 1863. A. G. Gunnison. J. R. Pearsall. 1864. G. W. Topping. 1842. S. P. Marvin. 1865. H. P. Bartlett. Lewis Osborn. 1866. Frank Webb. J. R. Pearsall. 1867. James Gunnison. 1843. Lewis Coburn. 1868. Mark Scott. Levi Townson. 1869. Charles Moon. J 844. J. R. Pearsall. 1870. Edward M. Webb. S. P.^Iarvin. 1871. William Collins. 1845. Lemuel Woodhouse. 1872. William D. Bird. 1846. Lewis Coburn. 1873. J. W. Gunnison. William W. Upton. 1874. William D. Bird. 1847. Levi Townson. 1875- 77. Alfred G. Gunnison 1848. J. R. Pearsall. 1878. J. W. Gunnison. 1849. Joseph H. Adams. 1879. 0. G. Peunell. 1850. Hiram Stowell. 1880. Albert Rouse. 1851. Joseph H. Adams. SCHOOLS. The early records of the board of school inspectors of the township of De Witt have not been preserved, and facts regarding its division into school districts and the subse- quent progress of the educational interests of the township are not accessible. The earliest school building was a log structure erected on section 7, upon the farm of Alanson Goodrich, and known as the " Goodrich School-House." Miss Betsey Gooch was the pioneer instructress. The second school- house was built in district No. 2 (the first having been in district No. 1) in the village of De Witt in 1840. Both Dr. Seth P. Marvin and J. H. Adams are given as early teachers, and it is difficult to say which was the first. This first building was replaced by one of more extended pro- portions, in which the sessions of the court were for a time held, it having been at that period the most pretentious structure at the county-seat. In 1870 the present spacious edifice of brick was erected, and the school is now conducted on the graded plan, with Prof Coriel as principal. Miss Edith Williams as assistant, and Miss Josie Holmes in charge of the intermediate de- partment. The present school territory of De Witt is divided into one fractional and five whole districts, with the follow- ing as a board of directors : Robert MoConkey, James Hath, A. A. Woodrufi", Christian Kraus, A. S. Weste, and Edgar Hurd. The value of .school property is eleven thousand nine hundred dollars, embracing one brick and five frame buildings. Three male and eleven female teachers are employed. They have under their care three hundred and twenty-sis scholars, all residents of the town- ship. KELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The first class connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church of De Witt was organized by Elder Bennett, the pioneer in religious labor in the township, in 183G. Its earliest members were John Gould, Pamelia Gould, Asa Parker, Mary Parker, Samuel Smith, Lewis Coburn, and Lucinda Coburn. Without information from church records it is impossible to give a sketch of the early piogress of the church, though from various sources has been gleaned a list of the pastors who in turn were appointed to the charge. The date of their .service is not obtainable previous to 1854. They were Rev. Zebulon C. Brown, Rev. Washington Jackson, Rev. Loriman Chatfield, Rev. Allen Staples, Rev. Warner, Rev. Nathan Mount, Rev. Jeremiah Boynton, Rev. T. A. Blades, Rev. Whitmore, Rev. Ely West- lake, Rev. Stephen Woodard, Rev. E. H. Pilcher, who was the first presiding elder in the district with which the cir- cuit was connected. Rev. Bradley, Rev. Shaw, Rev. Brown, Rev. Peofield, Rev. Hem- mingway, Rev. Seth Reid, Rev. T. S. Hill, Rev. Samuel Bessey, Rev. William E. Bigelow, Rev. William F. Coles, Rev. Joseph Sutton, Rev. Fowler. The parsonage was erected in 1846, but it is not apparent under whose ministry this was accomplished. In 1854 Rev. Dun- ton had the care of the flock, and was succeeded as follows : 1855, Rev. D. D. Young; 1856, Rev. E. D. Young and T. J. Hill ; 1857, T. J. Hill and Rev. Fowler; 1858, Rev. Almon Gore and Henry P. Parker; 1850, Rev. A. L. Cullenden and C. B. Holbrook ; 1860, Rev. William Stafford and Rev. F. J. Freeman; 1861, Rev. William Stafford; 1862, Rev. Charles Chick; 1863, Rev. L. M. Garlick; 1864, Rev. James Roberts; 1865, Rev. William F. Jenkins, under whose ministry the present church was built; 1867, Rev. E. Wilkinson; 1868, Rev. Thomns Clark ; 1869, Rev. H. D. Jordan ; 1870, Rev. F. J. Free- man ; 1872, Rev. J. R. Chadwell ; 1873, Rev. William J. Swilt ; 1876, Rev. J. Garlick ; 1878, Rev. W. R. McEwing, the present pastor, who etubraces in his field of labor the following appointments : De Witt, Riley, Wacousta, South Riley, Jason's School-House, and Gunnison's School-House, the whole being known as the Wacousta circuit. The De Witt church has a membership of sixty, under the direction of William Roberts and Seth M. Cook as class-leaders. A Sabbath-school is also connected with the organization, under the superintendence of Mrs. D. 0. Topping, with Myron Clary as assistant. The board of trustees are H. W. Springstead, S. M. Cook, J. A. Sweet, William Roberts, Jotham Averill, George Allen, Barnabas Bassett. CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. A meeting of per.sons resident in the township of De Witt and desirous of forming a Congregational Church was held at the school-house in the village of De Witt DE WITT TOWNSHIP. 413 April 21, 1851, for the purpose of organizing a society and electing a board of trustees. The following gentlemen were chosen : Adam W. Ruttridge, Jesse Foot Turner, Joseph Hollister, J. W. Gardner, Nelson J. Allport, Frederick R. Read, Rowland S. Van Scoy, James Sturgis, and Morris S. Allen. This board having been disorganized, a new board was formed in 1853, embracing Riley A. Hoyt, James M. Estes, and Frederick R. Read. Services were held in the school-house at De Witt for a brief time, but the organi- zation seemed not to possess the elements of permanent ex- istence, and was eventually disbanded. BAPTIST CHURCH. Meetings under the charge of the Rev. John Gunder- nian, in connection with the Baptist denomination, had been held prior to 1850 at the .school-house in De Witt. On the 20th of September a public meeting was convened at the above school-house, for the purpose of organizing a church in accordance with the statutes of Michigan. Dea- con Jonathan R. Pearsall and Rev. Thomas W. Merrill were chosen to preside, and an election was held, the fol- lowing trustees having been chosen : Jonathan R. Pearsall, Rowland S. Van Scoy, David Sturgis, J. B. Clark, Orville Bacon, David Olin, N. B. Allen, Silas Walton, and Na- thaniel Foreman. It was on this occasion resolved " that the trustees elected be and their successors are forever hereafter called the ' The First Baptist Church and Society of De Witt,' and that Rev. John Gunderman is declared president of the said association and Jonathan R. Pearsall secretary." The meeting then adjourned subject to the call of the president. Rev. John Gunderman. This society grew in numbers and influence, and at one period of its existence embraced one hundred and sixty members on its church-roll. An edifice was erected and services were regularly maintained. It afterwards sufiFered a period of decline, which seems to have reached a culmination with its present membership of thirty, all of whom are residents of the adjacent country and not of the village. Under the present pastorale of Rev. A. N. Niles new life has been infused into the con- gregation, and with a revival of interest a more extended membership and greater activity is hoped for. GEKjMAN JIETUODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. This society was formerly connected with the Lansing charge, having been associated with it under the ministry of Rev. Jacob Krehbeil in 1854. The members continued their connection with the Lansing organization for many years, services having usually been held at the Allen school- house in the township of Dc Witt. The pastors after Rev. Jacob Krehbeil, in succession, were : 1855, Rev. Gu.stav Bertrams; 1856, Rev. Henry Krill ; 1857, Rev. John F. Jahraus; 1S5'J, Henry Mcntz ; 1860, Daniel Meyer; 1862, Adolph Heluker; 1863, Gustav Bertrams; 1865, Andreas Meyer; 1867, Jacob Bram ; 1868, Gustav Ber- trams; 1869, C. F. Hcitmeyer; 1870, C. A. Mitilzer; 1874, William Audran ; 1877, C. F. Hictmeyer; 1879, Conrad Wehnes, the present pastor. Under the ministra- tions of Rev. William Audran, in 1874, a church edifice was erected on section 18, at a cost of two thousand one hundred and seventeen dollars and fifty-four cents, the board of trustees who superintended its construction hav- ing been C. F. Heitmeyer, John Schlee, Gebhart Gude- kunst, and John Stutts. The present church-roll embraces eighty members, and a flourishing Sabbath-school is con- nected with the charge, embracing fifty scholars, with Theo- dore Shaffer as superintendent. Adjoining the church is a comfortable parsonage in which the pastor resides, services being held each Sabbath. The present board of trustees are John Schlee, Gebhart Gudekunst, John Fell, Gottlieb Schrey, and Charles Stebler. DE WITT CHANGE, No. 4.59. The De Witt Grange was organized in the year 1875, with the following ofiBcers : Galusha Pennell, Master ; George W. Scott, Overseer ; 0. G. Pennell, Lecturer ; M. L. Alexander, Chaplain ; S. E. Scott, Steward ; Bishop Downer, Sec. ; De Witt Brinkerhofi", Treas. Its present officers are R. G. Mason, Master; J. T. Morris, Overseer; 0. G. Pennell, Lecturer; Mrs. 0. G. Pennell, Chaplain ; William Collins, Sec; Newton McClough, Treas. The meetings, which are well attended, are hold at Bates' Hall. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. GEORGE ALLEN. George Allen, one of the first settlers of the town of De Witt, was born in Rome, Oneida Co., N. Y., Aug. 23, 1806. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was born in Washington Co., N. Y., Nov. 12, 1786. At the age of eighteen he was married to Miss Betsey Heath, and shortly after removed to Oneida County, where he resided until 1816, when he emigrated with his family to Niagara County, then an almost unbroken wilderness. But little is known of his history ; he was a farmer by occupation, but never attained special prominence in any way. When George was nine years of age he went to live with a Baptist minister, with whom he was to remain until he was twenty-one ; but after five years of toil and inhuman treatment he ran away and returned to his home in Niagara County. At the age of fourteen he was thrown upon his own resources. lie obtained employment of a farmer, with whom he re- mained nearly four years, hen, with an idea of bettering his condition, he went on to the Erie Canal, but that life was not a congenial one, and he returned to the farm. In 1831 he was married to Miss Margaret Laughlin. She was born in Ashtabula Co., Ohio, April 17, 1810 ; she has been the partner of all his pioneer experiences, and has shared with him the hardsliips and privations incident to a life in a new country. Six years after their marriage they came to Michigan, and first settled in I'iymouth, Wayne Co., where he rented a large farm ; shortly after, however, he disposed of his interest for eighty acres of land in the town of De Witt, upon which he now resides. During his resi- dence in De Witt, a period of over forty years, he has demonstrated his general worth as a citizen, and has ideuti- 414 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. GEORGE ALLEN. fied IiiuLself largely with the development of the town. He has attracted to himseir a large circle of friend.s, by whom he is appreciated for his integrity as a man, and as a kind, obliging neighbor and friend. He is an honored and con- sistent member of the Methodist Church, aud a generous supporter, so far as his means will allow, of all religious and benevolent enterprises. In his political belief he is a staunch MRS. GEORGE ALLEN. Republican, but has never desired or sought office, prefer- ring rather the retirement of the farm, the companionship of his family, and the good-will and esteem of all to the slight distinction gained by the occupancy of a subordinate position. Mr. and Mrs. Allen are the parents of two children, — Oscar, born Aug. 23, 1832, and Mary, born Aug. 28, 1834. CHAPTER LV. DALLAS TOWNSHIP.* Description — The Pioneers of Dallas — Townsliip Organization and List of Officers — Schools — Township Roads — Village of Dallas — Fowler Village — Religious Organizations-^Societics. The township of Dallas, known in the United States survey as town 7 north, in range 4 west, lies upon the western line of Clinton County, and is bounded on the north by Lebanon township, on the south by Westphalia, on the east by Bengal, and on the west by the Ionia County line. The Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway passes through Dallas on an air-line between east and west, and traverses sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, aud 12. Stony Creek, a stream of some water-power, flows northward and west- ward from section 3G through sections 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 20, and 19. Following the course of the creek the old State road gave iu the pioneer days convenient passage westward to Lyons, and even before the settlement of the town was a much-traveled highway. The country is gen- erally level and the soil clayey. There is some waste land, but only a trifle compared to the area of similar nature presented to the first comers. Fowler, a station on the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway, is a grow- ing village, aud a wheat-market of some pretensions, as well as a lively business centre. ■■■' By David Schwartz. THE PIONEERS OF DALLAS. In the year 1836, Morris Boughton and his brother-in- law, Benjamin Welch, came westward, in company with their families, and founded each a settlement in a Clinton County town, — Boughton in Riley and Welch in Dallas. Welch made his commencement upon section 36, on the line of the road chopped out by Dexter while pushing on for Ionia some time before, the place being now known as the Feldpanoch farm. Welch was for some little time the only settler in Dallas, until 1837, when a man by the name of Simeon McCoy rolled up a cabin on section 27 and started a clearing. McCoy owned no land, but came on for Giles Isham, of Lyons, who owned a tract of four hundred acres on section 27. McCoy did not, perhaps, fancy the work of pioneering, for after clearing about eleven acres he concluded he had had enough of it, packed his traps, migrated, and was heard of no more. Following close upon that event came George F. Dutton, who in 1835 first pitched his tent in Michigan, upon the Grand River, at Lyons, and exchanged that location for one in Dallas, upon section 22, where his widow still lives with her son George. Mr. Dutton was a solitary settler in a wild tract of some extent, for his nearest settled neighbor was no nearer than Lyons. McCoy had been in and gone, and a mile east Nathan Bigelow and his wife had been living on section 23 since the previous September, in a wagon-box. Bigelow was the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of laud, but did not seem to care to exert him- self to put up a cabin until his neighbors rallied and a.s- DALLAS TOWNSHIP. 415 sisted him to one. Keeping house in a wagon-box ap- peared to suit him and his good wife quite well enough while the luild season endured, and they were probably happy enough. Daniel Dutton, now living on section 14, was George F. Dutton's younger brother, and lived awhile with Mr. Dutton in Dallas. After a sojourn of a few years he moved to Portland ; became a settler in West- phalia in 1851, and some years later upon the place in Dallas where he now lives. George P. Dutton built the first framed barn in Dallas, and when he got ready for the raising could not find neighbors enough to assist him without going to the Reynolds settlement, five miles or more away. There were sixteen men at that raising, and they were entertained by Mrs. Dutton in a hearty and hospitable, if not an elegant, manner. Hospitality was in those days a crowning virtue of the time, and was a spirit so broad and large-hearted that it pervaded every pioneer home and made itself felt wherever a stranger or wayfarer applied for food or shelter. George F. Dutton owned one of tlio i't^\v pairs of horses boa.sted by the neighborhood, and the business of hauling goods from Detroit to Lyons and other places, which he entered upon soon after his sell lenient at Lyons, he con- tinued after he located in Dallas. The road now known as the State road follows essentially the path marked by Dexter, Ionia's first settler, when he pa.'-sed on to his destination and cut out his road as he traveled (wherefore it was known for a long time as the Dexter road) over that highway. Dutton made many a trip as freighter between Detroit and points in Clinton and Ionia Counties. There was another early road through the town, passing between east and west, upon a line about one mile south of the present line of the Detroit, Grand Haven and iMilwaukee Railroad. It was originally intended for the Northern Railroad, the bed of which was constructed in 1837 or thereabouts, but liever came to any further conclusion. The line of that road, straightened so as to pass along section-lines, is now a town- ship road. Off at the north, Andrew R. A'^ance, one of the Vance families whose members made an important settlement in the locality known as the Plains, came in about the time of Dutton's advent and located on section 4, close to the Vances of the I'lains. He was a bachelor and lived for several years alone in his primitive shanty. His was the first set- tlement in the northern portion of Dallas. The entrance of the Parks families and the numerical strength of the various branches thereof who became pio- neers in the township marked an event of some conse- quence in the early history of Dallas. Smith Parks, with a family of seventeen children, led the Parks' advance into Dallas close upon the appearance of the Duttons. Smith Parks and his wife were married at the respective ages of sixteen and fifteen, and, as has been seen, boasted at the time of their settlement in Dallas the possession of a small army of descendants. It is further worthy of remark that of the.se seventeen children all lived to become men and women. Parks' location was on section 27, upon a portion of the four hundred acres owned by Giles Lsham, of Lyons, who in 1837 had sent Simeon McCoy over to make a clearing upon it. Davis Parks, now living in the village of Fowler at the age of eighty-six, and the oldest living male settler in the town, was the next to follow his brother Smith, and settled likewise upon section 27, on Stony Creek, where there was a mill-site, and where in 1840 he and Smith Parks, Jr., built the first saw-mill in the township. The lumber for the mill they got at Miles Mansfield's mill, on the Looking-Glass in Eagle township, whence they hauled it over a rough <\nd roadless country. Davis Parks had a considerable lot of supplies to bring in when he settled, and before he could get his goods to his clearing made no less than five trips over the State road, with an ox-team, between Dallas and Oakland County, his former homo. As before mentioned, that State road was much trav- eled. It was chopped out four rods wide, but cleared only two rods, and was for a long time at best a pretty wild and stumpy track. On Smith Parks' place a fine black-walnut, measuring twenty-eight feet in circumference, bordered the highway, and at its foot a flowing spring cheerily in- vited passing travelers to halt. This spot was a favorite one for night encampments, and the spring and walnut-tree came to be gratefully known by many a tired- traveler. Although every man's house was a " house of entertain- ment," there were no licensed inns on the road in Dallas. Those who chose to " keep people" for pay obtained excel- lent financial returns, for entertainment was in demand and the entertained were usually quite willing to pay whatever was asked. Ben Welsh used to keep people very often, and charged them good round prices. When he got a chance to keep a man over night with a pair of oxen, he put up his bill to a couple of dollars or so for the man and an extra dollar for cornstalks enough to fodder the cattle. Some- times he kept parties conveying wagon-loads of money be- tween the Ionia land-office and Detroit, and then he rolled up an account for lodging and subsistence that leaped fairly into the atmosphere of the bonanza world. At a later period stages ran over the road between Portland and points eastward, and the mail was also carried over it, but neither the stage nor the mail-route era lasted very long. The first child born in Dallas was Phoebe, daughter of Benjamin Welch, her birth occurring in the spring of 1837. She is now the wife of a Mr. Ballard, of Jackson, Mich., where at last accounts her father, Benjamin Welch (Dallas' first settler), was also living. The pioneer marriage was celebrated in 1839, at Benjamin Welch's house, on which occasion the bride was I^ydia Ann Ayers and the groom Nelson D. Long, — both bride and groom being in the employ of Mr. Welch. The ceremony was performed by 'Squire Cortland Hill, of Bengal. The first (loath in the town was the tragic taking off of Aniasa Dorn, brother- in-law to Smith Parks, with whom he came to the town and made a settlement. Dorn was somewhat noted as a hunter, and for being moreover chronically despondent, but whether for good rea.son or not cannot be .said. He was at all events much disposed to rail at fortune and make him- self desperately unhajipy by reflections ujion what he was pleased to term " his hard lot." One day, while more than ordinarily depres.sed, he called one of his children to him, patted her on the head, told her he had made up his mind 416 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. to kill himself, placed the muzzle of his gun against his head, pulled the trigger with his toe, and blew his head to pieces. The incident was of course a sensation in the in- fant settlement, and rather supplanted for a time the prac- tical considerations of everyday life, for the course of com- mon events in that neighborhood was naturally simple and even in its flow, and thus roughly disturbed did not soon regain its customary placidity. Dorn was buried upon Cortland Hill's farm in Bengal, where his bones still lie, although the traces of his grave have been swept away by the plowshare. Davis Parks relates an instance of starvation diet in- flicted upon the Parks families during the absence, in De- troit, of Davis and his brother Smith. They went over to Ionia to sell a cow, and took in part exchange a little bar- ley flour. This happened to be all the flour they could secure, and so leaving it at home they hurried away to De- troit for a larger supply ; but hasten as they would they were six days making the trip, and meanwhile the band of little ones at home had eaten of the barley flour, and were endeavoring to sustain life on roasted leeks, which were not the most palatable food in the world. The struggle was a tough one, and promised to end in disaster, but finally the wanderers appeared with the long-expected flour, and star- vation was averted. The widow of George F. Dutton, in dwelling upon the ex- periences that assailed the pioneers of Dallas, remarks that hardships were not exceedingly rigorous among those who sturdily and bravely pu.shed their energies to the tasks be- fore them, — that those who tried to do so got along well enough, — and that there were, of course, a sufficiency of those who sought to shirk the serious issues of bread- winning, and found themselves, accordingly, the subjects of privations and sufiuring, which, instead of rightly charging to their own improvidence and love of ease, they imposed as a complaint against the country and circumstances over which they had no control. The earliest school taught in the township was one over wliich one Sheldon Sherman presided. Sherman was a resident of Oakland County, where Smith Parks had been his neighbor. The latter induced him to come out to Dal- las and open a school, but the recollection of that school by Stephen Parks, one of the pupils, is to the effect that Slier- man was so full of mischief and play that keeping school was a farce that encouraged the scholars in their fondness for sport rather than for book-learning. The school-house was the abandoned cabin of Amasa Dorn, on section 36, — the building in which Dorn killed himself, — and the pupils not more than a half-dozen in number. Smith Parks and Benjamin Welch agreed to pay the school-master and get what they could of other parents to reimburse themselves. Sherman was famous as the man with the clubfoot and a most extraordinary taste for dancing and cutting up all sorts of "shines." Just as school was over he would hurry the boys and girls to the school-house green and start himself and them upon a dancing-campaign that endured just as long as the physical forces could bear the burden. He was, moreover, inclined to romp with the children during school-hours, and as a consequence they learned very little. Charles Maynard, the second teacher, taught in a school- house on the State road just east of the Parks saw-mill, and was accounted a pedagogue of much worth. In 1849 a log school-house was built on section 22, and in that house the first teacher was Christina Hutchinson, of Ionia. Early religious services in the settlement were held by Methodist exhorters, among whom the most prominent were Mr. Deitz and James Moore, of Maple Rapids, and " Bible- back" Reynolds, of the Reynolds settlement in Ionia County. Reynolds was a good deal of a character in those days, and devoted himself earnestly and steadily to the work of furthering public religious worship wherever it appeared to be in demand. Among the early settlers in Dallas were some Germans, who drifted into the town by way of Westphalia, and located chiefly south of Stony Creek, where the residents of to-day are nearly all of German extraction. Among the German pioneers alluded to were John Shaffer, who bought land on section 31, originally improved by Mr. Chamberlain; Henry Bartow, on section 31; John A. Fedewa, who kept a store at an early date on the southern town line in section 32 ; the Sniders, Hafners, Dunne- backers, Millers, Lehmans, and others. Richard Welling was an early settler on section 25, and the Sargents like- wise, on section 23. Upon section 22, in May, 1847, Ze- bina Rice, of Oakland County, became a settler upon a tract of which George F. Dutton had cleared ten acres. He used to find a road out of town over the old Northern Railroad bed, and when he did not wish to travel that way he had to manufacture a road of his own. Three miles west of him was Hiram Willis, who had moved into the town in the fall of 1814, at which time al.so Marcellus Vangeison made a location on the State road, in section 25. South of Vangeison's, on section 35, William Hayes was living in 1845, as was Israel Smith, while on section 36 Samuel Sterns was one of the new-comers. RKSIDENT TAX-PAYERS OF DALLAS IN 1845. Acres. Isauo FifieUl, section 3 30 Samuel Filield Personal. Andrew R. Vance, section 4 99 Iliram De;in, section 6 162 Orrin I'aiks, sections 26, 27 120 Vincent Parks, sections 15,26 180 Sniitli I'arks, section 26 190 ^ Smith Parks, Jr., section 26 TO William Hayes, section 35 80 Alexander Parka Personal. Marcellus Vangeison, section 25 SO Nathan Bigelow, sections 23,36 li'O Uriah Drake Personal. Samuel Sterns, section 36 160 Samuel H. Parks, section 35 80 William Bartow, section 34 160 Constance Shaw, section 33 80 Israel Smith, section 35 80 Henry Bartow, section 31 160 Peter Shaffer, section 32 40 J. A. Fedewa, section 32 20 Richard Welling, sections 15-26 240 Hiram F.Willis, sections 18-17 120 George F. Dutton, section 22 2J0 Davis Parks, section 27 80 Sidney Parks, section 25 80 Frederick Myers, living now on section 16, was a farm hand with George F. Dutton in 1852, and remained in Mr. Dutton's employ upwards often and a half years. In 1869 he took possession of the farm he now owns on sections 16 DALLAS TOWNSHIP. 41? and 21, which was at that time an untouched forest. Wil- liam Hayes, who penetrated the township of Riley as a set- tler as early as 1837, became subsequently a moderately early settler in Dallas, and lives now therein upon a place previously settled by Alexander Parks. THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE TOWNSHIP. North of the centre of the township, settlements pro- gressed much more slowly than elsewhere until about 1856, when the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad line traversed that quarter, and called settlers to its vicinity in rapidly swelling volume. Andrew R. Vance, who opened bachelor's hall on section 4, was the first settler in that quarter, and on sections 3 and 6 Isaac Fifield and Hiram Dean were early on the ground. One Sever made a begin- ning in 1845 on section 17, where J. W. Shumway now lives, and in 1852 Josephus Mundell came to section 14, then a wild tract. Mr. Mundell occupied, with his family, temporary quarters in an abandoned lumberman's shanty that he found hard by on section 11, where somebody had chopped a five-acre tract. Upon section 14, southward, Sidney Parks and Stephen Parks, with their families, were living at the period of Mr. Mundell's arrival. North of them Peter Strickland was living, on the old Andrew Vance place. Their nearest neighbors on the west were the Severs, on section 17, three miles away. In 1853, P. T. Jolley, now living on section 11, made a location on the south town line of Lebanon, north of where he now lives. James McRoberts, a settler in Westphalia, as early as 1839, had moved to section 4 in Dallas before Jolley got in, and a man, by name Seaton, was on the place now occupied by William N. Upson, who came in during 1853. Jolley was a cooper, and made pork-barrels, which he carried over south into the Parks settlement for sale. The road he traveled was a trail he cut out himself, and as he passed straight southward on that line, the first house he encountered was that of a Mr. Smith, just three miles distant from the north town-line. Mr. Jolley says that when he made his settlement in 1853 the neighborhood in which he now lives was but little better than a swamp, and he ventured then the remark that he really would not live there if he could get a farm for nothing. In 18G4 he did move there, however, and then found that time had vastly im- proved matters. Following close upon Mr. Jolley, in 1854 and afterwards, came the Mankeys, — Charles and Frederick, — James Pierce, Thomas and James Long, Samuel Sage (April, 1854), G. N. Clark (where Mr. Hyams had made some improvement), the Krugers, Samuel Green, the Wrights, Tellers, Millers, Kincaid, Salisbury, Nowland, and others. The soil of Michigan gave birth in the pioneer days to many a counterfeiters' den, and although Dallas never cut a very important figure as a bogus neighborhood, there was, nevertheless, a trifling bit of business done on Stony Creek in the matter of manufacturing spurious coin. The coun- terfeiters were a shrewd lot, and kept them.selves .so shady that despite earnest efforts to unearth them they avoided detection a long time, and turned out counterfeit Mexi- can dollars upon an unsuspecting and innocent public. 58 When the search grew so hot that they could remain hidden no longer they made off, — that is, some of them made off, while some less fortunate were captured and eventually con- veyed to prison. For some reason, however, their punish- ment was light, and as a net result of their operations it is likely they gained much profit. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION OFFICERS. AND LIST OF A legislative act, approved March 19, 1845, detached township 7 north, in range 4 west, from the township of Lebanon and named it Dallas. Davis Parks says that the naming of the town was left to him and George F. Dutton ; that he wi.shed to call it Dallas, in honor of the Vice- President-elect, while Dutton chose Polk, in honor of the newly-elected President; and that deciding the point by lot he (Parks) won, and thus christened the new township. The widow of George P. Dutton says that her hu.sband upon being asked to circulate a petition for organization, requested the privilege of naming the town, and the privi- lege being accorded him, he chose Dallas, through his admiration for the statesman of that name. The first township-meeting was held April 23, 1845, at the house of George F. Dutton. The inspectors of elec- tion were Davis Parks, Vincent Parks, Smith Parks, Jr., Smith Parks ; the moderator George F. Dutton ; and the clerk Zebina Rice. The votes cast numbered twenty-seven. The result of the election was as follows : SUPERVISOR. Votes. *Davis Parks 17 Andrew R. Vance 10 CLERK. SDavis Parks IB Uriah Drake 10 Orrin Parks 1 TREASURER. »George P. Dutton 17 William Bartow 10 JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. »George F. Dutton 17 *Smith Parks, Jr 18 *Viucent Parks 17 Marcellus Vangeison 10 Hirara Dean 10 Uriah Drake 9 HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS. *Morris Parks 27 "■'Smith Parks, Jr 17 *\'incent Parks 17 Isaac Fifield 1" Israel D. Smith 10 SCHOOL INSPECTORS. »George F. Dutton 17 *Smith Parks, Jr 16 William liartow 10 Andrew R. Vance 10 CONSTABLES. «Orrin Parks 24 »William Hayes 17 »Uriiih Drake IS Morris Parks 10 » Elected. 418 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. POORMASTERS. »Smith Parks 25 *George F. Dulton 17 Hiram Dean 10 Richard Welling 1 HIGHWAY OVERSEERS. *Hiraiu Dean District No. 1 «George F. Dutton " " 2 «Smith Parks, Jr " " 3 sWilliam Hayes " " 4 POUNDMASTER. ^'Samuel Sterns Following is a list of persons chosen annually between 1846 and 1880 to be supervisors, clerks, treasurers, and justices of the peace : SUPERVISORS. 1846. A. R. Vance. 1860. W. S. Green. 1847. D. Parks. lS6I-6.'i. G. F. Dutton. 1848. G. F. Dutton. 1864. W. N. Upson. 1849-50. A. R. Vance. 1865. P. Ulrioli. 1851. A. Parks. 1866. 0. R. Rice. 1852-53. G. F. Dutton. 1867-68. A. Cook. 1854-56. A. Parks. 1869. 0. R. Rice. 1857-59. A. Cook. 1870-80. L. W. Baldwin. CLERKS. 1872. J. F. Shraft. 1873. J. D. Burns. 1874. G. W. Parks. 1875. J. BuUard. 1876. J. P. Miller. 1877. W. N. Upson. 1878. G. Cuddeback. 1879. G. W. Parks. 1880. J. Bullard. 1846. George F. Dutton. 1860-61. J. Parks. 1847. S. Parks, Jr. 1862-63. W. N. Upson. 1848. D. Parks. 1864. M. Vangeison. 1849. G. B. Tripp. 1865. S. W. B. Temple. 1850. D. Parks. 1866. J. Shraft. 1851-53. M. Vangeison. 1867-74. J. F. Shraft. 1854. M. Sargent. 1875. N. H. Gcller. 1855-56. A. Cook. 1876. T. B. Mundell. 1857-59. M. A^angeison. 1877-80. J. F. Shraft. TREASURERS. 1846-47. William Bartow 1862. C. Qruler. 1848. A. Bentley. 1863. P. Simmons. 1849. J. Parks. 1864. J. P. Fo.^. 1850. S. Parks, Jr. 1865. J. Miller. 1851. G. F. Dutton. 1866. George Ott. 1852. H. Sturges. 1867. F. A. Rademacher. 1853. M. Doll. 1868. W. B. Rice. 1854. H. Sturges. 1869-70. J. P. Miller. 1855. M. Vangeison. 1871-73. N. Smith. 1856. W. N. Upson. 1874. M. Schafer. 1857. J. Fodewa. 1875. N. Smith. 1858. H. Sturges. 1876-77. B. Simmons. 1859. A. Martin. 1878-79. William Luttig. 1860. J. Lance. 1880. James Lance. 1861. J. F. Shraft. JUSTICES. 1846. H. Dean. 1859. J. Parks. 1847. D. Parks. 1860. D. Richards. 1848. No record. 1861. T. J. Schonover. 1849. A. R. Vance. 1862. G. W. Parks. 1850. J. Parks. 1863. James Lance. 1861. Hiram Dean. 1864. W. N. Upson. 1852. G. F. Dutton. 1865. S. W. B. Temple. 1853. T. W. Sever. 1866. G. W. Parks. 1854. M. Sargent. 1867. W. N. Upson. 1855. A. Parks. 1868. J. Ludwig. 1856. G. Salisbury. 1869. D. Dutton. 1857. A. Cook. 1870. W. W. Lewis. 1858. G. W. Parks. 1871. G. W. Parks. * Elected. JURORS FOR 1846. Grand. — Fayette Bartow, Samuel Sterns, Hiram Dean, William Hayes. Petit. — Vincent Parks, Jesse Fifield, Israel D. Smith, William Bartow. THE TREASURER'S REPORT FOR 1846. William Bartow, town treasurer, presented his annual report March 30, 1847, which shows as follows: Received from the previous treasurer (contingent funds) $13.67 Amount of town orders received from Bartow 10.50 Collections by the treasurer for contingent funds 134.97 Collections by the treasurer for school funds 24.38 Collections by the treasurer for highway funds 128.69 Amount of town orders received of treasurer as collector 84.87 Amount returned to county 45.57 Amount of school funds returned to county 18.43 Amount of highway funds returned to county 122.13 THE POLL-LIST FOR 1855. There has been preserved no poll-list antedating the year 1855, when at the annual township-meeting the voters num- bered eighty-five, as follows : James Clark, Jr., Anthony Cook, Alanson Parks, Smith Parks, Orrin Parks, Isaac Sage, Jesse M. Perry, Alanson Eddy, Conrad Martin, George Sargent, Frederick Mires, Richard Smith, Jackson Smith, Thomas Ferris, Mathias Doll, Richard Welling, John Fitzmire, Sinbad Hall, John White, Jr., Samuel H. Parks, Smith Parks, Jr., Philip Cock, Thomas W. Sever, Loren Day, Sidney W. Parks, George Parks, A. B. Horton, Patrick Kelly, N. R. Catlin, W. N. Upson, John Parks, A. W. Williams, P. Mills, T. W. Robinson, Stephen Parks, Mathias Taber, Peter Shafer, Lewis Feldpausch, Jacob Cook, Joseph Fox, John P. Smith, John Shafer, John P. Fox, Peter Fox, Alexander Parks, John George, John Dunlap, Daniel Pierce, Benjamin Snyder, David Richards, M.athias Weber, Mathias Simmons, Joseph Hiller, Garner Salisbury, G. B. Tripp, William Smith, Charles Smith, Frederick Shelhamer, Jacob Abfalter, Joseph Abfiilter, Andrew Shuler, Anthony George, John Fedewa, Samuel Green, Miron Sargent, R. C. Whitney, Peter Holfman, Hiram Briggs, W. R. Rice, S. B. Evans, William Miller, Henry Sturges, George F. Dutton, Marcellus Vangeison, Peter Whitmire, Levi Drake, Peter Strickland, W. G. Green, Joseph Dinerbacher, Henry Hover, Hiram M. Mil- lis, Morris Parks, Anthony Martin, Nathan Bigelow, John Whitmire. SCHOOLS. Allusion has already been made to a few of the incidents attendant upon the introduction of schools into the town- ship. The town records containing the history of the pub- lic schools since their foundation have disappeared, and all that can be added in the premises follows : The school inspectors' annual report for 1857 gave the following : Number of districts {whole, 6; fractional 1) 7 Number of scholars of school age 252 Average attendance 140 Teachers' wages $288.35 DALLAS TOWNSHIP. 41d The books in use in the township schools in 1857 were the Elementary Spelling Book, Saunders' Reader, Smith's Arithmetic, Mitchell's Geography, Smith's Grammar. The report for 1879 contained the subjoined details : Number of districts 8 Number of scholars of school age 579 Average attendance 422 Value of school property $.3465.00 Teachers' wages 1748.25 The school directors for 1879 were William Luttig, P. T. Jolley, John Luttig, George Button, J. P. Miller, David Douglass, and F. Schemer. TOWNSHIP ROADS. The first township road recorded in the Dallas highway- book was recorded May 24, 1846. It was laid by A. R. Vance and Fayette Bartow, commenced at the southwest corner of section 6 and extended thence east on section-line six miles. The road was laid upon the application of Isaac Fifield, Hiram Dean, and James Hall. May 22, 1847, a road was laid out, commencing at the northeast corner of section 27 and running thence one mile on section-line to the northwest corner of section 27. This road was laid out upon the application of Davis Parks, Vincent Parks, Smith Parks, Jr. June 4, 1847, a road was laid on the quarter- line of section 35, running east and west one mile. Dec. 26, 1842, a road was laid out in town 7, commencing at the northeast corner of section 26, running thence north to the northwest corner of section 1 . A second road was laid out the same day, commencing at the northeast corner of sec- tion 16 and extending north on the said line to the road running up between towns 7 and 8. June 23, 1843, A. R. Vance and William Barton, high- way commissioners, laid out a road commencing at the State road between sections 27 and 28, and extending south to the town-line between sections 33 and 34. Aug. 7, 1841, the highway commissioners of Lebanon and Westphalia divided the road on the town-line between said townships, and agreed that Lebanon should take three miles of the east end and Westphalia three miles of the west end. June 10, 1848, J. W. Turner, special commissioner, no- tified the town clerk of Dallas that the portion of the De Witt and Lyons road lying in the township of Dallas com- menced eighty links ea.st of the southeast corner of section 31, and extended thence north 89 degrees, west 309ylJAj^ rods to the southwest corner of said section. The annual highway fund of 1854 was divided as follows: District No. 1 $10 " 2 25 3.! !!!;]^!!^!!!!"!!]!!!!! 19 " 4 12 5 20 " 6 35 " 7 15 " 8 19 9 20 10 25 $200 THE VILLAGE OF DALLAS. Late in 1856, or early in 1857, Robert Higham (chief engineer of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, then push- ing westward) and E. A. Wales, of Detroit, contracted for the purchase of one hundred and sixty acres of land lying on the line of the road, three-quarters of a mile eastward of the station now called Fowler, their purpose being to found a village there, as Higham had already settled upon the site as a place for a railway-station which he was to designate as Dallas. The tract was therefore laid out into village lots, and in 1857, when the construction of the rail- way reached that point, Hiram Marsh was appointed station agent, and the Dallas post-office, then in charge of Alanson Parks on Stony Creek, was transferred to the new town. Meanwhile, with an eye single to the rise and progress of the embryo city, E. A. Wales had erected a hotel and Hi- ram Marsh a store building, while other people, enthused with the prospect of a village, bought a few lots and began to make improvements. Nelson Kuhn opened a small grocery, and a Mr. Branswick, keeping abreast of the spirit of the times, set up in business as a shoemaker. Despite these efi'orts to trundle the village of Dallas into public favor, the affair was a dismal failure from the first. The surrounding country was so swampy that travel to and from the village, except in the dryest of weather or in the winter season, was a task of difficult accomplishment. As a conse- quence, the inhabitants of the outlying region came in to trade only under pressure of strongest necessity, and Dallas appeared to drag out a wearisome existence under protest. After thus struggling for the space of ten years the vil- lage found itself in 1867 no farther along in dignity or growth than it had progressed during the first year of its life. Recognizing, therefore, that if they were ever to own a village worthy the name it must be fixed at some other spot, citizens of Dallas township, as well as others near by, began to agitate the matter of a new location, and in this project they were materially aided and encouraged by J. N. Fowler, of Detroit, who owned considerable land in the vicinity. The upshot of the matter was that the railway company was induced in 1867, by the donation of seven hundred and fifty dollars, to transfer their depot buildings and station to a point three-quarters of a mile west, where there was a better outlook for a village. Fowler, who owned the land occupying the proposed site, surveyed and platted a village on the north side of the railway, on .sections 11 and 12, in September, 1867, and called it Lsabella, after the county of Isabella, where he had large landed interests. Isabella was likewise the name chosen for the station, and simultaneously with the move of the railway-station from Dallas there ensued a transfer of the business population and every other feature that had contributed in any way to lift the town from the atmosphere of rural felicity into the domain of village life. Dallas was therefore relegated to obscurity, where for many a day had been domiciled the sanguine hopes born in the breasts of Wales and Higham when they fir.st set Dallas on its legs, so to speak, and awaited the coming of its future greatness. The hotel building put up at Dallas by Wales was moved bodily to Isabella, and upon the spot where it then landed still invites the attention of travelers as the Fowler House. James Lance was storekeeper and postmaster at Dallas when the change was made, and moving his establishment westward set it up again just south of Isabella village, upon land he owned, where he subsequently laid out an addition to the village of Fowler. The store he then 420 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. started occupied the building now known as the Dallas House, and was the pioneer trading-post at Isabella, al- though, strictly speaking, it was not in Isabella. The second store was opened by Jacob Schraft in a log house just west of where the Fowler House stands. At this time Fowler moved the tavern from Dallas and leased it to Shemer & Grulcr, who carried on in the building a store as well as hotel business. Willey & Peterson kept the hotel after- wards, and after them a Mr. Stiles and Mathias Petsch were respectively the landlords. FOWLER VILLAGE. As the name of Isabella was not exactly to the liking of the villagers, Fowler agreed to change it, and, upon request, called it by his own name when, in May, 1869, he caused an addition to be platted on section 14, south of the rail- way. At that time, too, the name of the station was changed, as was the name of the post-oifice, which had thus far retained the name of Dallas. The plat of the village of Fowler, recorded Feb. 1, 1870, certifies that "the village is located on the line of the Detroit and Milwaukee Rail- road, on sections 11, 12, and 14." James Lance's addition was recorded May 31, 1873, and is described as " beginning at the northwest corner of section 13, running thence east on section-line sixty-six rods and six feet ; thence south parallel with the west section-line sixty-eiglit rods and six feet ; thence west parallel with the north line sixty-six rods and six feet to said west line ; and thence north on the sec- tion-line sixty-eight rods and six feet to the place of begin- ning." Of those who set the wheels of trade in motion when Isabella village was founded Messrs. Constantine Gruler, Frederick Shemer, and Jacob Schraft are now merchants in Fowler. Constantine Gruler is, moreover, a dealer in grain to a very large extent, and almost since his first appearance as a merchant in the town has been a heavy wheat-buyer. He has a commodious wheat-house at the station, and near there, too, P. L. Vancousant, of St. Johns, has a wheat- house. Fowler is esteemed an excellent point for wheat shipment, and the business carried on by Messrs. Gruler and Vancousant in that department is of valuable importance to the town. The first post-office established in Dallas township was created in 1855 and called Dallas. Alanson Paiks, living on the State road, was appointed postmaster, and upon the location of Dallas Station he transferred the office to that point. In 1859, James Lance succeeded to the office, and retiring for a brief period in favor of David Richards, he renewed his possession, and was the incumbent when the railway-station and village were moved westward. Fred- erick Shemer was postuia.ster for a short time after Lance's retirement, and in 1809 Jacob Shraft came in. During his occupancy tlie name of the office was changed from Dallas to Fowler. In 1874, Shraft was succeeded by William M. Youngs, and he, in 1877, by John Hicks, the present incumbent. Dr. L. A. Laurason, now a physician and druggist in Fowler, made his home upon the site of the village in 1866, and, fresh from the State University, there began his medi- cal career. Gustavus Miller had been practicing medicine in the township, but in the village Dr. Laurason was the pioneer physician. Other doctors followed the flow of pop- ulation, among them being Drs. Schmitten, Cole, Miller, and Spears, but neither tarried long enough to leave a mark upon the face of passing time, and may therefore be dis- missed with but casual notice. Drs. W. H. McKenzie and George E. Bliss, now in village practice, have been located some little time, and with Dr. Laurason divide the business of doctoring the people of the immediate and adjacent ter- ritories. John G. Patterson, engaged in the practice of law in Fowler, is the only person resident who ever ventured upon the enterprise of expounding the mysteries of Coke and Blackstone for the benefit of the villagers and towns- people. Fowler is a growing village of about three hundred and fifty people,^the entire township including seventeen hun- dred and thirty-two, — and enjoys much business prosperity. It supports two hotels and includes in its marts of trade the general stores of Constantine Gruler and Frederick Shemer, the hardware-store of Jacob Schraft, the hardware- and grocery-store of Baldwin & Gary, the boot- and shoe-store of Gillam & Doolittle, the groceries of N. H. Geller and J. T. Counell, the drug-stores of L. A. Laurason and S. G. McLaughlin, and the furuiture-store of Charles Bengal. There are also wagon-shops and minor village industries of a promiscuous character. EELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. UNITED BRETHREN CHURCU. One of the earliest religious organizations of Dallas was a United Brethren class, which was formed in the Sargent neighborhood and flourished apace for several years. As the members of the organization lived here, there, and everywhere, the place of worship was frequently changed as convenience demanded, and eventually settled at what was called the " Bell School-House" in 1868, where it remained until 1875, when a house of worship was built at Fowler. The class has now a membership of forty-four and is on the Bengal Circuit, in charge of Rev. Benjamin Mowers, who preaches at Fowler once a fortnight. The leader is W. B. Garrison, the trustees A. Compton, Miron Sargent, and Eli Grimes, and the Sunday-school superintendent Mrs. A. Compton. The school has an average attendance of thirty. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, FOWLER CLASS. Two Methodist Episcopal classes were organized after 1860, one at the Bell school-house and one at the Nowland school-hou.se. The former failed to prosper beyond a weakly condition of being, and after persistent but fruitless efforts to reach a healthful atmosphere dissolved, and its members thereafter joined the class at Nowland's, which had got on excellently well from the outset. Class-meet- ings were also held at the village, as well as at Nowland's, until 1880, when the church at Fowler was built, and then all joined in common worship at that place. The class has now about fifteen members, and is attached to the Fowler Circuit, upon which Rev. Mr. Garlick is employed. Since 1868 the pastors on the charge have been Revs. McKnight, Hulburt, Pratt, Jacokes, Harder, Nichols, Snider, and DALLAS TOWNSHIP. 421 Garlick. Calvin Coon, the present class-leader, has been leader since 1870. The church trustees are Calvin Coon, George Clark, and • Hanford. The Sunday-school is iu charge of G. W. Gillan and a corps of five teachers. GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH OF FOWLER. This church organization was formed in 1869 by mem- bers of a similar denomination in the southern portion of the township. The church at that point was at a tiresome distance for those of the faith who lived towards the north, and, as a matter of more convenience, they formed a second society in 1879, and in that year built a church. Rev. Mr. Wittey, who preaches for the church in the south, preaches also at Fowler three times each month. About twenty-five families are represented in the membership. GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH OF DALLAS. The German Lutherans of Dallas organized a church about 1869, under the direction of Rev. Mr. Fuer, of Owosso, and the same year built a neat house of worship on section 36. Besides Mr. Fuer, the pastors have in- cluded Revs. Smith and Wittey, the latter of whom is now in charge, preaching three times each month. Tiie mem- bership comprises now about thirty-five families, and that of the Sunday-school, which is iu charge of the pastor. about sixty scholars. The trustees are William Rossow August Schroeder, and Frederick Speerbrecker. SOCIETIES. FOWLER LODGE, No. 19, A. 0. U. W. This lodge was organized at Fowler in November, 1878, with ten members. It has now a membership of twenty- seven. Regular sessions are held weekly. The ofiicers for 1880 are S. G. McLaughlin, M. W. ; Edwin Baldwin, G. F. ; R. L. Bunting, 0. ; Joseph Austin, P. ; L. W. Bald- win, Receiver ; J. F. Gary, Recorder ; John BuUard, Guide; Philo Parks, I. W. ; H. D. Welling, 0. W. ; Jacob Schraft, P. M. W. The Master Workmen of the lodge since its organization have been L. W. Baldwin, Jacob Schraft, and S. G. McLaughlin. DALLAS GRANGE, No. 505, P. OF H., was organized September, 1874, in the Bell school-house, Winchester Rice being then chosen Master. The oflScers for 1880 are H. D. Wellings, M. ; E. W. Buck, 0. ; George K. Bliss, L. ; F. S. Brooks, Sec. ; Maurice Drake, Trcas. ; J. H. Bush, Chaplain; Frederick Myers, Steward. Meetings are held at Fowler weekly. The membership is fifty-seven. BIOGEAPHIOAL SKETCHES. GEORGE. F. DUTTON. GEORGE George F. Dutton was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., April 27, 1814. His parents, Robert and Sarah (Fowler) Dutton, were of English extraction; lived to rai.se a fiimily of seven children. After the death of the elder Dutton, George with his mother moved to Detroit, where he be- came acquainted with and married Miss Sarah Horner. In the spring of 1835 they removed to Ionia County. Five years later exchanged for one hundred and sixty acres of wild land on section 22, the present home. The town had not yet received a name, and Mr. Dutton being elected Mils. GEORGE r. BUTTON. F. DUTTON. supervisor secured the name Dallas, in admiration of the candidate for national honors by that name. Mr. George F. Dutton died May 15, 1863, lamented by all. He had filled many places of public trust, and in departing this life left a name and reputation worthy the life of honor and integrity he had lived. He left a widow and five children, — Mrs. Julie A. Beldcn ; James; Adaline, died at six years of age; Richard; Mrs. Charlotta Myers; and George, born Oct. 9, 1851, grew to manhood upon the farm, and soon after his father's death assumed the man- 422 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. agement of aifairs. April 8, 1872, he married Miss Nancy J., daughter of Thomas and Christa (Hutchinson) Rudgers, who were among the earliest settlers in Ionia County, having located in the town of Lyons in 1834. Mrs. Rudgers taught the first school in the town of Dallas. George and Nancy are the happy parents of one child, James, who was born on the 27th of December, 1876. Mrs. George Dutton still continues at the old homestead, beloved by her children and respected by a large circle of friends. DANIEL BUTTON. MRS. DANIEL DUTTON. DANIEL DUTTON. Daniel Dutton is one of the family of Robert and Sarah (Fowler) Dutton, a sketch of whose life we give in connec- tion with that of George F. Dutton in another place. Daniel was the youngest son and child ; his birth occurred at Co- lumbus, Chenango Co., N. Y., March 7, 1825. At the age of thirteen he came with an elder sister to Clinton Co., Mich., and lived with George P. three years ; then one season with William F. Dutton in Westphalia. Then lived with Rob- ert Dutton, Portland, Ionia Co., until past twenty. Then went to Cass County, obtained a few tools, and set himself up as a carpenter and joiner, commencing business for himself; remained four years ; returned to Clinton County, and in 1850 purchased forty acres in the town of West- phalia. Jan. 1, 1852, he married Mary R., daughter of Richard and Lucette (Wheeler) Farman, who emigrated from Oswego County in 1838. He continued at his trade and farming until 1864, when he exchanged for eighty acres on same section. Considerable clearing had been pre- viously made, but only a log house erected. He immedi- ately set about erecting a suitable building, and a few years sufficed to render it one of the pleasantest locations in town. Their large family of children were early taught that steady application to their calling, with economy, was the true way to success, as exemplified by them. Their children number ten, as follows : Alfred E., born Jan. 12, 1853; Hattie L., Oct. 3, 1854; Ida S., June 24, 1857; Judson H., Nov. 2, 1858 ; Dora A., July 22, 1860 ; Emma I., Dec. 26, 1861 ; Charles R., July 2, 1863 ; Elmer E., Jan. 17, 1865; Laura A., Nov. 2, 1868; Ellen N., Jan. 3, 1876. In politics he affiliates with the Republican party ; has several local offices, but has never sought or desired preferring the peace and comfort of home-life to the held them anxiety experienced by office-seekers. CHAPTER LVL DUPLAIN TOWNSHIP.* Location and Natural Features — Early Settlement of Duplain — Vil- lage of Mapleton — Early Religious Meetings — Town Roads — Schools — Township Organization and Civil List — Craven's Mills — • Village of Elsie — Societies and Orders. Duplain is town 8 north, in range 1 west, and occupies the northeastern corner of Clinton County, with the Gratiot County line as the northern boundaiy, Ovid township on the south, Shiawassee County on the east, and Greenbush town- ship on the west. There was originally much heavily tim- bered land in the town, and there was west of the river until 1870 a good deal of swampy region, but that quarter is now almost entirely free from waste lands, although the period of its reclamation was a late one, and settlements there were put back as a consequence. The Maple River, known early by the French name of Riviere Du Plain, pur- sues a winding course from south to north, and has since the foundation of the town been a mill-stream of more or less value. There is upon the northeastern corner of the town the ■^ By David Schwartz. DUPLAIN TOWNSHIP. 423 graded bed of what was once proposed to become the Owosso and Big Rapids Railway, but the enterprise stopped, as a failure, short of actual operation. The town voted Oct. 16, 1869, by a vote of two hundred and eighteen to one hundred and one, to appropriate ten thousand dollars towards the expenses of the road, only, however, upon the completion thereof, and therefore escaped a sacrifice. Du- plain contains two villages, called respectively Mapleton and Elsie. The former, laid out in 1S37, has declined to feeble proportions. Elsie is a small but active hamlet, and is by those who reside within its limits esteemed a place of much promise. EARLY SETTLEMENT OF DUPLAIN. THE ROCHESTER COLONY. The pioneer settlements in Duplain were made during the summer of 1836 by members of a community styled the Rochester Colony, so called because they lived previous to that in or near Rochester, in the State of New York. A discussion by a few persons living in that neighborhood touching advantages of a colony emigration to some point in the far West led to the formation in the city of Roches- ter of the Rochester Colony. The organization was effected at a meeting held Feb. 29, 1836, upon which occasion ar- ticles of association were subscribed to in substance as follows : Article one provided that the association should be called and known as "The Rochester Colony." The articles provided for the raising of a fund with which to purchase lands, and authorized any person to become a member and be entitled to a vote by subscribing for one share of one hundred and twenty-five dollars, and paying five dollars down and the balance on call. Article five provided that " Deeds for any purchase of lands may be executed to the agents as grantees, but ex- pressed to be to them as joint tenants in common, in order that there may be a survivorship on the death of either. The lands, although conveyed thus absolutely for the sake of convenience, shall be considered as purchased and held in trust for the subscribers who contribute to the funds." It was also provided that the lands purchased should be surveyed and laid out into farm lots of eighty acres each and village lots, and that one farm lot and one or more vil- lage lots should constitute a share, and that a drawing should be held in the city of Rochester, and that each shareholder should be entitled to draw one farm lot and one or more village lots, and that after the drawing the agents should give to each subscriber an article or contract for his portion of the land so drawn ; and as soon as any sub- scriber had actually settled with his family on his portion, and made aflSdavit of his bona fide intention to remain a settler, or, in lieu of settling, had made improvements on his portion to the value of one-fourth of the cost thereof, the agents should give him a deed in fee simple for his share. It was further provided that the balance of the land should be sold at auction, and the proceeds divided between the shareholders. And it was further provided that if any subscriber did not settle or make the requisite improve- ments on his land within eighteen months after the draw- ing he forfeit all his interest in the lands and property of the colony, and that the same should be sold at auction, and the proceeds, not exceeding the original cost, without interest, after deducting all taxes, charges, and assessments, should be paid to such delinquent subscriber, and the balance divided among the shareholders. It was also pro- vided that the agents should not purchase any land con- tiguous to that purchased for the company until after the purchase for the company was completed and the agents had returned to their homes in Rochester, N. Y. The names of those subscribing to the articles embraced the following : E. R. Everest, W. Gr. Russell, Joseph Sever, W. P. Stanton, Jacob Martin, Oliver Bebee, Benjamin Car- penter, Joseph Atwood, Calvin Braiuard, William Chyn- worth, Samuel Barker, M. T. Croade, Francis Faxon, Samuel Graves, John Ferdon, Electus Boardman, E. W. Collins, Samuel Brass, Henry Wilson, Rufus Collier, Jr., Martha Osborn, V. R. Cook, P. A. Ford, Rowley & Brit- ton, and E. Rowley. At the next meeting, held April 2, 1836, the association appointed W. G. Russell, Jo.seph Sever, and E. R. Everest to act as agents in the selection and purchase of lands, and being instructed to attend to the matter in hand without delay, Russell and Sever set out April 12, 1836, upon the tour of exploration. They were directed to proceed first to Ohio, and go up the Wabash and Erie Canal to Fort Defiance, examining the country in that section, and also to look at Perrysburg, on the Maumee. Thence they were to go to Fort Wayne, Ind., " and examine the country north and west of there, especially along the Eel River and all the northern coun- ties of Indiana." Then go to Michigan and " examine the Grand River and its tributary streams with great attention." They were told that " the head-waters of the Huron and the Grand are not far distant from each other, and it is con- jectured with strong probability that a canal will soon inter- sect those two streams ; look between those two points. The Grand River is said to embrace water privileges which must soon be of great value. Look well to the village of Grand Rapids and the country south of it, for that place must be of importance. We have heard that a railroad has been laid out from that place to Monroe village. The counties of Clinton, Ingham, Eaton, and Barry should not be passed unnoticed. You may be suited on the Thorn- apple River. We learn that there is a valuable tract of land near the centre of Barry County. If you should con- clude to go to Grand Rapids and examine as far north as Clinton County and the Maple River, you must not fail to go into Saginaw County. Dr. Fitzhugh thinks the Saginaw flats are equal to the Genesee flats. This is also the opinion of Dr. Town, who lives at Ypsilanti, and his partner, who have all purcha.sed there largely. Daniel Ball and his brother are now on a tour to that section." Within a month after their departure from Rochester Russell and Sever completed their land purchases, having selected a tract lying chiefly in what is now Duplain town- ship. Their purchase embraced sections 28, 29, 31, 32, and 33, and the southwest quarter of section 30, in town 8 north, range 1 west, and the north halves of sections 5 and 6 in town 7 north, range 1 west, aggregating 4003j-4^ 424 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. acres. The stipulated price of $1.25 per acre gave the sum total of the purchase money as $5003.82. The story of Russell and Sever's land search, as told by. Russell in a letter to Everest, is comprehensive and inter- esting, and is given, as follows : " BnoNSON, Mich., May II, 1836. " E. R. Everest : Sir, — We arrived in Detroit Friday, 22d of April, making ten days from Rochester; found the roads bad. The Ball horse tired and we had to put him off. We exchanged him for a pony and paid |35. We stayed in Detroit until the Monday following ; got what information we could from Messrs. Alcott, Ketchum, Strong, and others that we thought advisable to inquire, and started on the Pontiac turnpike leading through the northwest part of the Territory. We stopped and explored different sections of the country. We found all the important points taken, ex- cepting one which lies on the Maple River. We spent some four days in that part. We think that the water privileges are good and the land first best. Sever and my- self are much pleased with it, although it is timbered land. The timber is beech, maple, hickory, oak, bass, butternut, and black-walnut, and as handsome as you ever saw, and well watered with beautiful springs. There is a contem- plated canal to connect the Maple and Shiawassee together near this place, which, if that takes place, will cause a great drift of business through this section of the country, as it will save something like one thousand miles of water-car- riage around the lakes. We thouglit best to look further, and went to Barry County. We went, but soon returned. Got satisfied that it was too heavy timbered and rough, broken land for us. We then made up our minds that the Maple River must he tlie place. We started off for Bronson that night; rode until eleven o'clock, evening; put up at a tavern, and got permission to sleep on the floor. Started in the morning ; fell in company with a speculator ; was sat- isfied that he was after our land. Feeling determined not to give it up, I changed horses with Sever, the other man being ahead a mile or two. I set out, determined not to lose the prize if I lost the horse. After we got within four- teen miles of Bronson I had a fresh horse to contend with. For four or five miles I let him go ahead, until we got on the last ten miles to the office. I passed him within a few miles of the office, and got my application in a few minutes before him, after coming ten miles in forty minutes. The country around this place is new, and if any family should leave Rochester for this they had better bring everything they want for family use. There is no house near. If any one should set off before we get home you must direct them from Detroit to take the road leading northwest fifty miles to Grand Blanc; then take a west course to Mr. Williams', on the Shiawassee River, where they will get all the infor- mation necessary. We applied on Friday last, and are to have our duplicates at nine o'clock this morning. We are to leave this place for the Maple to-day, with Mr. Hill, to make the survey and lay the lots. We feel glad to get away. It is like town-meeting here every day (Sundays excepted). We shall be in Rochester about the middle of June, proba- bly. " William G. Russell, " For the Coloni/." According to the information in the closing portions of the letter, Russell and Sever went over to the Maple with Calvin G. Hill, the surveyor, who platted the colony lots. The plat, including the territory already mentioned, was received for record Oct. 27, 1837, from " E. R. Everest, acting agent for the Rochester Colony." The plat of the village received for record on the same day contains the following : " On the 27th day of October, 1837, personally appeared before me, a justice of the peace, Edward R. Ev- erest, now acting agent for the Rochester Colony, in the county of Clinton and State of Michigan, known to me to be the person who executed this plat, and acknowledged the same to be his free act and deed, and furthermore that this plat was made by Benjamin H. Brown. " JosiAH Pearce, J.P." June 15, 1836, Russell and Sever returned to Rochester and- reported the results of their labors. On the 29th instant the members of the colony met at the office of Edward R. Everest and drew each his share by lot. At a meeting held the 30th instant it was voted to dispose of the Maple River water-power on section 29 at auction. The power was estimated as capable of running two saws and three run of stones, and, precedent to the contract of sale, it was stipulated that the purchaser should bind himself in the sum of three thousand dollars to have one saw in operation within a year, and that within two years he should have erected a grist-mill with at least one run of stone. The mill-privilege was sold under the named conditions to Willis Thempshall for one thousand one hundred and fifteen dollars. The first movement towards an actual settlement upon the Colony lands was made early in July, 1836, by John Ferdon, Samuel Barker, and Oliver Bebee, who, with their families and Ellen Lowe, then set out for the West to take possession of the colony lots that had fallen to their shares. In the company were sixteen persons, of whom ten were children. They journeyed by water to Detroit, and thence by ox-teams to the place of proposed settlement. They fol- lowed the Grand River trail to a point some miles east of where Laingsburg now stands, and struck through the trackless forest northward. The distance to their destina- tion was full twenty miles, and over the entire route they were compelled to cut a road. So tedious was the progress that, although they persevered diligently, they were nine days making the trip of twenty miles. However long their road it had a turn, and so on the 28th of July, 1836, they came to the end of their weari- some travels. Their first night upon the Colony land was spent upon Bebee's place, and on the day following they moved to Ferdon's lot, where it was proposed to put up a cabin. The shanty, built of logs with bark roof and bark floor, was finished within a day or two, but stood just over the town-line, in what is now the town of Greenbush, Ferdon's lot bordering upon the west line of town 8. Barker's cabin was next put up, and occupied a place on the north line of town 7 (now known as Ovid), in section 6. It will have been seen therefore that the first improve- ment in the colony was made in town 7 by Barker, Ferdon's hut not being upon Colony land. It will be further seen DUPLAIN TOWNSHIP. 425 that Ferdon and Barker built respectively the first houses in Greeubush and Ovid. The third Colony house, and the first in town 8, was Bebee's cabin, built directly after the completion of Barker's. It stood upon the south line of town 8, in section 31, directly opposite Barker's. Illustrative of the peculiar inflictions of the densely- wooded country into which these hardy pioneers had pene- trated, it may be mentioned that the multitudes of mosqui- toes they encountered made life well-nigh a burden. So thick were the pests that while two of the men labored at cabin building the third found his time and energies fully occupied in driving off mosquitoes. Veils were absolutely necessary as face coverings, and, at best, for some time the troubles that arose from the insect source were sorely distressing. Of the sixteen persons who came as the Colony pioneer advance-guard six still live, — Mrs. Henry S. Harrison (then Mrs. Barker), Mrs. Oliver Bebee (then Ellen Lowe), Thomas Bebee, Mrs. Z. H. Harrison (daughter of Mrs. Bebee), Lorenzo Ferdon, and Henry P. Barker. Mrs. Harrison lives in Elsie, and Mrs. Bebee upon the fiirm Mr. Bebee occupied in July, 1836. Barker, Bebee, and Ferdon were not joined by others of the Colony until September, although it was confidently ex- pected that they would be followed almost immediately by several families. As it was, the next to come were Joseph Sever and Francis Faxon, — only the former, however, bring- ing a family. Faxon put up a cabin and made a clearing, and returning eastward for his family brought them out in September, 1837. Until then (except David Watson, a blacksmith) there had been no fresh accessions to the Colony settlement, which progressed, indeed, at first very .slowly. Charles Baldwin came with his family Nov. 15, 1837, and after that the settlement began to slowly but surely receive numerical strength. In Deoembcr, 183G, Barker vacated his house in town 7, and passed over into town 8, where he had made a new location. He had but three miles to go, yet the journey consumed an entire day. In fording the liver his wagon came apart, and being covered with ice re- sii-ted ibr a long time the ettbrts of himself and wile to put it together. They conquered the emergency, however, by nightfall and pushed on. PASSING INCIDENTS. Getting to market or to mill was to the first comers a task of considerable magnitude, since either involved a journey to Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, or Pontiac, and some- times even to Detroit, while to obtain access to a post-office required a trip to Laingsburg or Owosso. After a little while Joseph Sever, Edward II. Everest, and Willis Themp- shall built a grist- and saw-mill at the colony. Everest opened a store and caused a postoBice to be established there, so that existence began to flow in sn^oother channels. The first birth in the settlement was that of William Henry, sun of Sterry Lyon, whose birth occurred in 1838. He died in 183!). Fidelia Carpenter, the ten-year-old daughter of Benjamin Carpenter, was the first person to die. She died in 1838, and was the first to be buried in the Colony cemetery laid out some time before and ever since continued in its original use. The funeral sermon 54. was preached by Mr. Whiting, a member of the Colony, and a Methodist exhorter. The first marriage was that of Oliver Bebee and Ellen Lowe. They were married at Be- bee's house, by John Ferdon, then a justice of the peace, in July, 1837. The only wedding-guests were Mr. and Mrs. Barker and Mr. and Mrs. Ferdon. Mrs. Bebee still lives on the old Bebee place at the Colony. The first blacksmith was David Watson, who opened a shop on section 31, in the summer of 1837. Whiting, the exhorter, was also a blacksmith, but he did not set up his shop until 1843. Oliver Bebee was the first carpenter and Charles Stevens the second. Samuel L. Brass was the first shoemaker, and aflerwards kept a store at an early date. At the meeting held June 29, 1836, the result of the drawing for lots was as follows: Farm Village Lots. Lots. Edward R. Everest 4 12 William U. Kussell 2 5 Josepli Sever 2 7 John Ferdon 2 7 William Chynowortli 2 Benjiiiiiin Carpenter .3 13 Samuel Graves .1 ID Oliver liebee 2 5 Samuel Barker 2 4 M.T. Croade 2 8 Jacob Martin 1 4 John Uoardman 1 3 Eleetus IJoardman 1 5 Edwin W. Collins 1 1 Rufus Collier, Jr 1 I Van Rensselaer Cook 1 1 Joseph Atwood 1 I W. P. & H. Stanton 1 1 George S. Shelmire 1 1 Henry N. Sever 1 1 Samuel Brass 1 3 Sunauous Britton 1 3 Martha Osborne 1 2 P. A. Ford and E. Bliss 1 2 Rowley tt Britton 1 2 Eleazar Rowley 1 3 Calvin Brainard 1 6 Francis Fa.von 2 5 Sylvester Bliss 2 5 The drawing disposed of forty-five Colony lots. There were reserved to the Colony eighty acres in lots 11, 12, and 13, lying ott' the Maple River, besides four large and forty- four small village lots, as well as a lot fur a burial-place and farm lots 9 and 42. RESIDENT TAX-PAYEKS IN TOWN 8 NOKTH, KANGE 1 WEST, IN 1839. Acres. B. Ilioks, section 11 40 Thomas Craven, Sr., section 14 200 R. E. Craven, sections 11, 14 3(i0 Sydney L. Smith, sections 22, 23 240 Charles Stephens, section 27 80 Nathan Lowe, section 34 160 IN THE COLONY PURCHASE. E. R. Everest 480 Francis Fa.xon Ifilt Oliver Bebee 160 Joseph Sever 160 John Copeland 320 Samuel Barker 160 RESIDENT TAX-PAYERS IN SENA IN 1840. Acres. John Burnett, Colony lots 1 and 2 160 Sterry Lyot, Colony lot 3 80 " •' section 11 40 Abraui Becker, Colony lot 21 80 Francis Fa.\on, Colony lota 16 and 34 and south- west quarter of section 24 320 Oliver Bobce, lots 32 and 33 160 426 HISTORY OP CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Acres. Joseph Sever, lots 8 and 14 160 Samuel Barker, lot HI 80 Grove Coofier, lots 31 and 32 160 H. M. Sever, lot IS 80 Oliver Everest, lot 17 80 John Ferdon, lot 29 80 Benjamin Carpenter, lot 28 80 David Watson, fraction of lot 26 20 Samuel Brass, lot 25 40 Tenii)shall A Sever, mill-lot 9 Nathan Lowe, section 34 160 Charles Stevens, section 27 80 Sidney L. Smith, sections 27 and 23 240 11. E. Craven, sections 11, 22, 23, 10 400 Thomas Craven, Sr., section 14 160 Thomas Craven, Jr., section 14 80 Liberty Carter, section 24 160 Patrick Galligan, section 12 80 William B. Watson, sections 2 .and 21 160 Chandler Coy, section 35 80 Benjamin Hicks, section 1 1 40 Soon after the coming to the town of the advance-guard of the Colony there came also other settlers, and they drift- ing to various portions of the township generally populated it at a comparatively early day. Nathan R. Lowe, a New Yorker, settled in 1838 on section 34, to which he had to cut his road from the Colony. Chandler Coy settled on section 35. Dexter Cooper was one of the earliest comers to the vicinity of the Colony, and in 1840 E. J. Stone made a home upon a farm in section 33, for which he ex- changed a farm in Calhoun County, whither he migrated from the East as early as 1835. Later comers to that neighborhood were Edward Paine, F. L. Hall, Robert Coy, George Wilcox, Benjamin Wilcox, Richard Tompkins, Henry Spencer, and John Spencer. About 1840 the northeastern and eastern portions of the town began to receive settlers, of whom several had located their lands in 1836. On the west side of the river the prevalence of lowlands repelled the pioneer, and in that quarter settlements were meagre until a late date. Liberty Carter entered land in section 24 in the fall of 1836, but did not occupy it until the spring of 1841, when he came with his father, and brother Sylvester, having meanwhile worked at the Colony on the places of Ferdon and Bebee. The only man north of Carter was Patrick Galligan, on section 12, where he had in the spring of 1841 just made a commencement. In that portion of the town Galligan and the Carters were the pioneci'S. Franklin, Baker, and H. B. Gleason came into the Carter neighborhood in 1841, and in 1844 E. W. Cobb, with his brother, Lyman, and father, Jo.shua, made settlements upon section 12. H. P. Cobb was on section 13, where he had been about two years ; the Cravens were in section 10, on the Maple, where they soon built a mill ; Charles Baldwin was near there, and afterwards kept a boarding-house for the mill hands, and on section 12 was Patrick Galligan. That portion of the town was heavily timbered, and had in 1844 scarcely a semblance of a road, except one the Craveus had cut out between their place and the Colony. In 1845, Levi Hicks settled in Livingston County, and when in 1854 he made a new home upon section 1 in Duplain the only other resi- dents upon that section were Abram Hobbs and A. J. Lin- man. Z. A. Ford came to the section in 1855, the Ben- netts to section 12 in 1855, and J. B. Moore to section 2 in 1855. Among the settlers in the east were also W. WooU, E. N. Wait, Charles Sexton, E. Nethaway, Mr. Hickox, William Tillottson, and James Shaw, the latter in 1845 to the place now occupied by A. B. Jeffrey. Upon the west side of the river the earliest settlements were made by C. Stafford, Thomas Leet, and Daniel Letts, who penetrated that quarter upon sections 9 and 15 in 1850. After that C. Ranney located on section 3, J. W. Garrett on section 9, C. B. Dodge on section 10, and Israel Mead on section 16. VILLAGE OF MAPLETON. As alrctidy remarked, the village of Mapleton was platted by Edward R. Everest, as the Colony's agent, Oct. 27, 1837. The erection of the saw-mill and grist-mill in 1840, and the opening of a store by Edward 11. Everest, soon afterwards contributed something of a vigorous start to the little ham- let, and directly afterwards a post-ofiice was added to the conveniences, William B. Watson, a physician, having pre- viously located in 1830. Previous to Everest's time, some time in 1838 or 1839, John Ferdon had a small quantity of goods in his house, having taken them in Rochester, N. Y., on a debt, and these he doled out to whoever would buy, but the first regularly-equipped store was Everest's. The second store was set up by William Shepard, in 1844, and in connection with his store Mr. Shepard opened a tavern. In 1849, Shepard was still keeping store, and in 1850, 0. M. Pearl became a Colony trader. Paine & Kipp opened a store in 1852, and in 1853, Faxon & Pearl suc- ceeded 0. M. Pearl. Among succeeding merchants at Ma- pleton were Henry Paine and Samuel L. Brass. A post-office was established at Mapleton about 1840, and given the name of Colony, but this being found to conflict with another office of a similar name in the State, a change was made to Duplain. Mail was at first delivered to Du- plain over the route between Owosso and Lyons once a week. Edward Everest, the first postmaster, continued in the office until 1847, when he was succeeded by James Tucker. Tucker stepped out in 1852, in favor of J. W. Paine, who gave way in 1853 to William Shepard, and he to William H. Faxon, whose term of service endured only a few months. Samuel L. Brass, the next incumbent, held the place from 1855 to 1861. R. Oowstoe served from 1861 to 180(1, James Tucker (second terra) from 1866 to 1869, and William Smead (who came to Mapleton in 1850) from 1869 to the present time. In 1839 the village received its pioneer physician. Dr. William B. Watson, who, when he first set up in practice in the Colony, boarded with Francis Faxon, and married one of Mr. Faxon's daughters. Dr. Watsou lived in and near the Colony from 1839 until his death in 1875, and continued his professional pursuits to within a few years of his demise. For fifteen years Dr. Watson was the sole physician the Colony had. In 1854 came Dr. M. L. Leach, who practiced thereabout, with more or le.ss regularity, until his removal to Elsie in 1878. Dr. H. H. House opened an office in 1858, and remained cnntinuou.sly to 1876 a village doctor there, except for a space of six years spent in Indiana. Dr. E. S. Leonard practiced one year, from 1857 to 1858, and Dr. A. C. Joslyn, five years, from 1860 to 1865. Dr. D. W. Emerson, now the only physician at the colony, has been located there since 1804. DUPLAIN TOWNSHIP. 427 RELIGIOUS MEETINGS. The pioneer sermon in the Colony was preached at John Ferdon's house, in the fall of 1836, by Rev. Mr. Kanouse, a Pre.sbytcrian minister of Lodi, Mich., who, while on a land-looking tour, tarried at Ferdon's house. Mr. Kanouse preached from the thirty-second chapter and eleventh verse of Deuteronomy, — " As an eagle stirreth up her nest, flut- tereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them and bearcth them on her wings." The choir was composed of Mrs. Samuel Barker and John Ferdon, and besides them there were in the congregation Mr. and Mrs. Bebee and four children, Mrs. Ferdon and three children, Mr. Barker and three children, and Mr. Ferdon's hired man, William. One Sunday in the summer of 1837 there came to Mr. Barker's house two men, who represented that they were laborers on the mill at Owosso, and that having heard there were occasional prayer-meetings at the Colony they were determined to come out; "for," added the spokesman, " we were so hungry for prayer and a prayer-meeting that we would have walked twice the dis- tance." The Barkers were of course glad to see them, and in the prayer-meeting that followed there was one Hicks, a land-looker, besides the Barkers and the two men from Owosso. Hicks was a powerfully-voiced singer, and Mrs. Harrison thinks his voice, when pitched to its highest, could have been heard well-nigh a mile. After prayers an excellent dinner followed, and the two pilgrims from Owosso departed on their return journey happy and refreshed. They walked thirty-two miles to participate in that prayer- meeting, but the satisfaction they derived was presumably more than enough to afford compensation for what weari- ness the walk may have occasioned. DUPLAIN METHODIST EPISCfOPAL CLASS In November, 1837, Revs. Washington Jackson and Isaac Bennett, sent out by the Michigan Methodist Epis- copal Conference, organized at the house of Joseph Sever the Duplain class. The members numbered ten, and in- cluded Francis Faxon and Betsey his wife, Joseph Sever, Jane his wife, and his two daughters, Sarali and Bathsheba, Charles and Sophronia Baldwin, Frederick Cranson, and Mrs. Cusick, Charles Baldwin being class-leader. The circuit embraced a tour of three hundred miles, and as there were but the two preachers on the work, the Du- plain class was not enabled to have public worship oftener than once in four weeks. In the December following a Sunday-school was organized in Francis Faxon's house with nine scholars, Charles Baldwin being chosen superin- tendent. Church and school have maintained from the first a continuous active existence, and are to-day flourish- ing organizations. The class is now on the Duplain Cir- cuit, in charge of Rev. C. A. Jacokes; has a membership of eighty and has worship every Sunday. A chureli edifice was built in 1855, and still continues in use. The present class-leader is Albert McEwen, who is also local preacher. The church trustees are J. H. Love, Lewis McKnight, J. H. Faxon, 11. Chapman, and E. J. Stone. Albert McEwen is superintendent of the Sunday- school, which has one hundred and ten scholars on the roll. FIRST DISCIPLE CHURCH OF DUPLAIN. The First Disciple Church was organized in the Colony school-house in 1870 by Polder Brooks, with about thirty members. A house of worship was begun the same year and completed in 1871. Elder Brooks preached a year, and was succeeded in regular order by Revs. Fraut, John A. Mafi'erty, La Grange, Cook, Hurd, and Sweatman. Rev. S. K. Sweatman is the present pastor, and preaches once a week. The membership is seventy-five ; the trustees and elders are Peter Moore, Looman Wilcox, and Clinton Shaw ; the deacons, T. C. Avery and P. Foss. The Sab- bath-school, organized in 1876, has an average attendance of six teachers and fifty scholars. The superintendent is Peter Moore. TOWN KOADS. The first road laid in town 8 north, range 1 west, while it was yet a portion of Bingham, was surveyed by Charles R. Spicer, and recorded Aug. 7, 1839, Samuel Barker and Charles Stevens being highway commissioners. The survey, made July 15th, commenced at the quarter post on the east side of section 31, thence running north two and a half de- grees, west twelve and a half chains to angle ; thence north forty-five degrees, west five chains and forty-five links to a beech-tree ; thence north twenty-nine degrees, west one chain and eighty-seven links to a post ; thence north twelve degrees, east three chains and twenty-five links to a post ; thence north seventy-one degrees, east five chains and twelve links to a post; thence north eighteen degrees, west six chains to the east line of said section 31, eleven chains and sixty links south of the northeast corner of said section. Survey No. 2 commenced at the quarter post on the north line of section 31, thence running south two and one half degrees, east twenty-four chains to angle ; thence south forty-seven and one-half degrees, east nineteen and one-half chains to a beech-tree ; thence south sixty-two degrees, east forty chains ; thence south seventy-three degrees, east six chains to post ; thence south forty-seven and a half degrees, east twenty-five chains and eleven links to a beech-tree ; thence south twenty degrees, east eleven chains and sixty-nine links ; thence south thirty-eight degrees, east forty chains to post; thence south forty-seven and a half degrees, east sixty chains ; thence south twenty-four degrees, east twenty-two chains and seventy links to a basswood-tree ; thence south sixty-two degrees, ea.st twenty chains and seventy-five links to a maple-tree ; thence south fifty-one degrees, east four- teen chains to post ; thence south nine degrees, east four chains and eighty-seven links; thence south fifty chains, east thirty and a half chains to the meridian line, three chains sixty-five links north of the southeast corner of sec- tion 12, town 7 north, range 1 west. Survey No. 3 commenced at a stake twenty chains twenty links east on the section-line from the southwest corner of section 29 ; thence north two and a half degrees, west forty chains to a point twenty chains twenty links east, two and a half degrees north of the quarter stake on the west line of section 29. Survey No. 4 commenced seventy-nine rods north on the section-line of the southeast corner of section 21, running thence forty-four and a half degrees, east four chains seventy- 428 HISTOllY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. three links ; thence north forty degrees, east forty-eight chains fifty links to the centre of the highway ; thence west and south to intersect road No. 3. The following road districts in Sena were set off and recorded March 30, 1840, by Charles Stevens and John Jessup, highway commissioners : District No. 1, bounded as follows, to wit: commencing at the quarter post on the meridian of the 25th section, thence running west on the quarter line through sections 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, and including all the land north of said line in the town. District No. 2, bounded as follows : commencing at the quarter post on the east line of section 25, thence running west, on the quarter line, through sections 25, 26, and 27 ; thence on the section-line to the southwest corner of sec- tion 34 ; thence east on the town line to the meridian line ; thence north on the meridian to the place of beginning. District No. 3 comprised the remainder of the town not contained within the limits of districts Nos. 1 and 2. At a public meeting held Doc. 12, 1840, for the purpose of letting contraets for improvements upon the roads of Sena, contracts were awarded as follows, the work to be completed March 1, 1841 : Contract No. 1. — To build eight rods of causeway on the road leading from the mill to Dr. Watson's, near Austin's. Let to Silvester Carter at 97 cents per rod, said causeway to be laid on stringers or poles, and to be made in the best manner twelve feet wide $8.73 No. 2. — To build six rods of causeway on the south line of sec- tion 21. Let to Silvester Carter at $1 per rod 6.00 No. 3. — To build twenty rods of causeway on south line of sec- tion 21. Let to Henry M. Sever at $1 per rod, subse- quently taken by Abraham Becker and S. Carter at same rate 20.00 No. 4. — To build twelve rods of causeway on south line of sec- tion 21. Let to Liberty Carter at $1.17 per rod 14.04 No. 5. — To chop and clear one mile of the road from Barker's to Jessop's, two rods wide, of all timber under six inches in diameter, and otherwise to make the road passable. Let to Liberty Carter at 9.87 No, 6. — To build eight rods of causeway on the "south line of section 29, and digging up a large pine-stump at the end of the same. Let to Oliver Bebee at 8.76 No. 7. — To build seven rods of causeway on the south line of section 31. Let to Oliver Bebee at $1 per rod 7.00 No. 8. — To log out and clear three acres of the Owosso road three rods wide. Let to Oliver Bebee at 8.75 No. 9. — To build four rods of causeway over a brook on sec- tion 21. Let to R. E. Cr.aven at 94 cents per rod 3.76 No. 10. — To choji alid clear one acre of the road leading to Owosso four rods wide. Let to Henry Faxon and Henry M. Sever at SIO per acre, all of the above jobs to be fin- i.-^hed according to specitications in contract No. 1 10.00 No. 1 1. — To remove three stum()S out of the way of the six- rod causeway on the south line of section 21. Let to L. Carter 1.60 No. 12. — To build a bridge over a ravine on section 22. Let to Robert E. Craven at S75, to be finished by the 1st of April 7.'i.00 No. 13. — Allowed to Abraham Becker for clearing out the road from the school-house west thirty rods 1.50 No. 14. — To chop one acre on the Owosso road four rods wide. Let to Francis Faxon at 6.00 No. 15. — To chop one acre and a quarter on the Owosso road four rods wide. Let to Sydney L. Smith at 7.50 No. 16. — To chop one acre on the Owosso road four rods wide. Let to Nathan Lowe at 5.00 No. 17. — To chop and clear a job on the Owosso road four rods wide. Let to Charles Baldwin at -SU per acre 11.00 SCHOOLS. One of the first two schools established in Clinton County was taught by Miss Bathsheba Sever (subsequently the wife of W. H. Faxon) in a school-house built at the Colony (on the present Peter Moore place) in February, 1838. Frac- tional school district No. 1 was organized May 20, 1843, to embrace the south half of section JO, the whole of sec- tions 30 and 31, the southwest quarter of section 32, and so much of the northwest quarter of section 32 as lay on the west side of Maple River, containing seventeen acres, all in the township of Duplain ; lots Nos. 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 of the Rochester Colony tract, and the south half of section 25, the east half of section 35, and the whole of section 36 in Greenbush. District No. 2 was formed Sept. 13, 1845, of sections 1, 2, and 3, the ea.st half of section 4, the east half of the northeast quarter of section 9, the whole of sections 10, 11, and 12, and the north halves of sections 13, 14, and 15. The first meeting of the district was ordered to be held at the house of Charles Baldwin, Sept. 26, 1845. District No. 3, organized Oct. 1, 1845, included the south halves of sections 13 and 14, southeast quarter of section 15, the east half of section 22, the whole of sec- tions 23 and 24, the north half of section 25, and the northeast quarter of section 26. Although district No. 1 must have been organized pre- vious to May 20, 1843, there is no reference in the records to district No. 1 until Oct. 1, 1845, when it was .stated that " School district No. 1 comprises within its limits sec- tions 33, 34, 35, 27, and 28, the east half and southwest quarter of section 29, the east half and northwest quarter of section 32, the west half and southeast quarter of sec- tion 26, the southwest quarter of section 22, and the south half of Section 21." Of the money received from the State school fund for 1847 the apportionment was twenty-five dollars and twenty- eight cents to district No. 1, having seventy-nine scholars, and six dollars and seventy-two cents to fractional district No. 1, having twenty-one scholars. District No. 4 was formed April 4, 1850, to embrace sections 35 and 36 and the south halves of sections 25 and 26. The first meeting of the district was ordered to be held April 30, 1850, at the house of Thomas Leet. The apportionment of the primary-school fund for 1851 was as below : District. Scholars. Amount. No. 1 77 $26.33 " 2 27 9.23 " 3 24 8.21 " 4 14 4.79 " 1 (fractional) 31 10.60 173 _ $59.16 For the year 1852 the apportionment was as follows: District. Scholars. Amount. No. 1 78 $25.38 " 2 40 13.01 " 3 27 8.77 " 1 (fractional) 22 7.16 167 $54.32 For 1858 as follows: District. No. 1 Scholars. 75 Amount $35.43 " 2 73 34.50 " 3 62 29.29 " 6 37 17.48 " 7 13 6.15 48 22.68 Library money 308 25.00 $170.53 DUPLAIN TOWNSHIP. 429 The first recorded appointment of a teacher is under date of Nov. 14, 1849. From that date to 1860 teachers' cer- tificates were issued by the school inspectors as follows : Nov. 14, 1849. — Arozina Chapman. April 13, 1850. — Ann S. Avery, Albina Chapman. March 29, 1851.— Eleanor M. Rockwell. May 24, 1851. — Mary Hill, Margaret Janes. Nov. 12, 1851. —Delia S. Janes. Dec. 1, 1851. — Stephen Chapman, Jr. April 10, 1852. — Mary A. Stevenson. May 8, 1852.— Mrs. Hicks. June 7, 1852. — Catherine E. Beebe. Nov. 6, 1852. — J. H. Faxon, Henry Harrison, Hannah Wilcox. Jan. 15, 1853.— William Tillottson. June 21, 1853. Shepard. Oct. 18, 1853. — Lounsberry Swarthout. April 8, 1854.— Mrs. Marshall Wilcox. April 17, 1854.— Nancy M. Gunsally. May 8, 1854. — Malinda Richmond. Nov. 4, 1854.— Samuel L. Brass. • Nov. 18, 1854.— Miss B. A. Sickels. Nov. 27, 1854.— Marshall L. Wilcox. Dec. 21, 1854.— Sylvia Guilford. Jan. 13, 1855.— Edward Clark. April 14, 1855. — Mary L. Kipp, Adelia Smith. April 27, 1855.— Mary A. Faxon. May 11, 1855.— Eleanor M. Rockwell. Nov. 3, 1855. — Morgan L. Leach, William L. Tillott- son, Delia A. Leckenby. Dee. 25, 1855. Gaskill. Jan. 5, 1856. — Margaret Janes. April 12, 1856.— Rebecca Salyer. May 8, 1856.— Elizabeth Borden. March 30, 1857. — Maria Wood, James Roberts, William Sickels. April 10, 1858. — Emory B. Hyde, Loren Shelley, Nancy Budd, and Marilla Nethaway. April 12, 1858.— Mary E. Kingsley. May 22, 1858.— Fanny Chapell. April 14, I860.— Miss Achsah Giddings, William H. Stone, and Marilla Nethaway. Below is a copy of the annual school report /or 1879 : Di.t. Director,. ^numer- ^J.^^gf Value of Teacher,' • anco. Property. Wages. No. 1 .). H. Faxon...; 64 57 $SOU SIS.'! " 2 M.W.Dunham* 192 123 1200 B:iO " 3 William Wooll 57 49 40C 236 " 4t J. Meachcr 4B 27 400 144 " 7 Morgan Morso 35 2S 375 07 " 8 J.G.Wilcox 39 29 250 128 " 1 Byron Brown 43 26 1200 131 " 2t Bishop Miller 77 108 600 144 " 31 A. McEwcn 60 44 200 110 613 491 S5425 $1773 TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST. Under act approved March 19, 1840, town 8 north, in range 1 west was set off from Bingham and called Slmhi township. Whence came the name of Sena, or who the person that suggested it, the most diligent inquiry has ■ * Elsie graded school. f Fractional. failed to reveal. It can only be said that with the petition for separate organization went also the three names Sena, Sinai, and Napanee, and that the former was selected. The name did not, however, suit upon closer acquaintance, and in accordance with a petition, the name of Duplaio was substituted March 20, 1841. The wife of Dr. William B. Watson is credited with having bestowed the new appella- tion, and with having taken it from the name given by the French Indian traders to the river now called the Maple. In the French the word is written Du Plain, — meaning "of the plain," — and should properly be so written now, but by custom it has somehow lost the feature of the capi- tal P, and is commonly written Duplain. March 9, 1848, towns 9 and 10 north, in range 1 west, being a portion of Gratiot County, were attached to Du- plain, and remained so attached until the organization of Gratiot County in 1855. The first meeting of the town of Sena was held in the school-house of school district No. 1 April 23, 1840, when twenty votes were cast, but one ticket being offered for the consideration of the suffragans. Appended is a full list of the persons chosen at that meeting to be town officials : Supervisor, Robert E. Craven ; Clerk, Francis Faxon ; Treas- urer, Sydney L. Smith ; Justices of the Peace, Joseph Sever, David Watson, Nathan Lowe, and Abram Becker ; Assessors, Samuel Barker. Francis Faxon, Oliver Bebee ; Commissioners of Highways, Robert E. Craven, Francis Faxon, Charles Stevens ; School Inspectors, William B. Watson, Chandler Coy, Sydney L. Smith ; Collector, Henry M. Sever, Liberty Carter, Henry M. Sever ; Overseers of the Poor, Joseph Sever, Thomas Craven, Sr. ; Overseers of Highways, Thomas Craven, Sr., in No. 1, Sydney L. Smith in No. 2, Joseph Sever in No. 3 ; Poundmaster, Samuel Barker. The names of the persons chosen annually from 1841 to 1880 to be supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and justice of the peace will be found here appended : SUPERVISORS. 1S4I. Nathan Lowe. 1859. J. F. Glcason. 1842-44. R. E. Craven.J 1860-63. J. D. Sickels. 1845. S. L. Smith. 1864. Jos. Keen. 1846. William Shepard. 1865. A. Brown. 1847-49. S. L. Smith. 1866. E. Nethaway. • 1850. R. E. Craven. 1867-68. J. D. Sickels. 1851. J. D. Sickels. 1869. T. L. Hall. 1852. R. E. Craven. 1870. M. B. Kelly. 1853-54. 0. M. Pearl. 1871. J. D. Sickels. 1855-57. J. D. Sickels. 1872-78. E. V. Chase. 1858. Levi Hicks. 1879-80. L. G. Bates. CLERKS. 1841. E. J.Stone. 1S64. William H. Sexton. 1842-46. F. Fa.ton. 1865. M. L. Leach. 1847. E. J. Stoue. 1866. J. H. Lowe. 1848-50. F. Ftt.ion. 1867-69. W. A. Linman. 1851. 0. M. Pearl. 1670-71. T. C. Chase. 1852-53. F. Fa.Non. 1872-74. L. G. Bates. 1854-55. Charles Kipp. 1875. J. A. Watson. 1850-57. M. L. Leach. 1876. 0. 0. Perrin. 1858-59. William Sickels 1877-78. L. G. Bates. 1860-61. S. L. Brass. 1879-80. L. C. Shelley. 1862-63. J. a. Lowe. i Name of township changed to Duplain. 430 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. TREASURERS. 1841. S. L. Smith. 1860- -61. D. P. McPherson 1842-46. N. Lowe. 1862- -63. H. P. Barker. 1847. C. W. Coy. 1864. H. C. Hosley. 1848-49. N. Lowe. 1865- -69. S. R. Dewstoe. 1850. J. D. Sickels. 1870. G. W. Bates. 1851-52. E. J. Stone. 1871. J. A. Watson. 1853-55. J. 11. Craven. 1872. I. G. Eddy. 185fi-57. H. Y. Sexton. 1873. A. M. EiDcry. 1858. H. Shaw. 1874- 78. r. G. Eddy. 1839. H. Y. Sexton. 1879- 80. F. A. Faxon. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. 1841. James Gunsally. 1862. J. D. Sickels. 1843. David Watson. 1863. J. T. Gle.ison. 1844. James Gunsally. 1864. 6. R. Doty. 1845. S. Barker. 1865. R. Birmingham. 1846. C. W. Coy. 1866. E. W. Cobb. 1847. J. Ferdon. 1867. R. Birmingham. 1848. G. W. Lewis. 1868. G. W. Bates. 1849. H. W. Janes. 1869. E. Paine. 1850. James Tucker. 1870. I. G. Eddy. 1851. 0. Bebee. 1871. P. Moore. 1852. G. W. Lewis. 1872. G. W. Bates. 1853. J. D. Siekels. 1873. E. Paine. 1854. J. T. Gleason. 1874. T. C. Chase. 1855. E. P. Chapman. 1875. P. Moore. 1856. J. Sloat. 1876. 6. W. Bates. 1857. R. Birmingham. 1877. D. W. Emerson. 1858. J. D. Siokels. 1878. J. J. Miller. 1859. G. N. Roberts. 1879. H. W. Sloat. I860. A. Brown. 1880. G. W. Bates. 1861. R. Birmingham. Herewith is presented a list of the voters of Sena at the general election in Sena, November, 1840, and a list of those who voted at the general election held in Duplain the 1st and 2d of November, 18-11. Oliver Bebee. Sterry Lyon. Grove Cooper. John Burnet. Henry M. Sever. James Gunsally. Samuel Brass. Charles Stevens. Francis Faxon. Charles Baldwin. Samuel Barker. Joseph Sever. Oliver Everest. George Burnet. Abraham Becker. Lsaac Second. Thomas Craven, Jr. Thomas Craven, Sr. Marvin Second. Charles Baldwin. Alfonso Brundage. Patrick Galligan. Samuel L. Whiiing. Sebert Carty. Sydney L. Smith. 1840. Sydney L. Smith. Thomas Craven, Sr. Joseph Craven. James Stanley. Thomas Craven, Jr. Chandler Coy. Patrick Galligan. William B. Watson. Robert E. Craven. David Watson. Dexter Cooper. David M. Austin. Nathan Lowe. Twenty-eight in all. 1841. Barnard McKnight. John Burnet. Joseph Craven. Sylvester Carter. S. A. Mitchell. Abraham Becker. Robert E. Craven. James Gunsally. Samuel Barker. Joseph Sever. Elijah J. Stone. Oliver Bebee. William B. Watson. Samuel Brass. Nathan Lowe. Grove Cooper. Francis Faxon. Benjamin Carpenter. Sterry Lyon. Martin Cranson. David Watson. Charles Marro. Oliver Everest. Henry I. Fisk. Henry M. Sever. David M. Austin. Chandler Coy. Thirty-eight in all. Dexter Cooper. The jurors drawn in this township for the year 1841 were as follows : Grand. — Samuel Barker, Samuel Brass, Oliver Bebee, Sydney L. Smith, Liberty Carter, Chandler Coy, Sylvester Carter. Fellt. — John Burnet, Henry M. Sever, Francis Faxon, Nathan Lowe, Thomas Craven, Jr., S. L. Whiting, E. J. Stone. 1842. Grand. — Benoni Kimble, Thomas Beach, George Bur- net, Salmon Mitchell. Petit. — Joseph Craven, William H. Faxon, Martin Cranson, Alphonso Brundage. The first treasurer's report on record, dated March 30, 1844, shows as follows: Amount of money on hand at the last settlement $305.97 Received from county treasurer 10.00 Amount collected for 1841 261.43 $577.40 Paid for contingent expenses $102.53 For clearing burying-ground 24.92 Other jjayments 229.66 Orders and funds on hand 220.29 $577.40 $577.40 CRAVENS' MILLS. About 1845 the brothers Joseph, Thomas, and Robert Craven, early settlers in the town, began upon the Maple River, in section 10, the erection of a saw-mill, and led to sanguine hopes by the excellence of the water-power, platted a village at that point, although they never got the village suiSciently far advanced to give it a formal name. After a while Alpheus Bebee opened a store there, and sold out within a short time to J. D. Sickels and his brothers Aaron and William. Bebee set up a wagon-shop, and in 185G built a tavern. Hiram Curtis had a cabinet-shop and Bruce Hunter a smithy at the Mills or " Corners," as the place was sometimes called. The village began sure enough to look up, and the Cravens began to have a bright hope that their bantling might come to healthful strength. The hope was, however, destined to die, for when Job D. and William Sickles concluded in 1857 to abandon their place at the Mills and start a village one mile east, the end of Cravens' enterprise had begun. THE VILLAGE OF ELSIE. It was on their farm that the Sickels brothers proposed to Construct their new village, and June 18, 1857, they recorded the plat which is described as " twenty-six rods wide, extending across the south part of the southeast DUPLAIN TOWNSHIP. 431 quarter of the southeast quarter of section 1 1 , and twenty- six rods wide across the north part of the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 14." The new village was named Elsie as a complinient to one of Franklin Tillot- son's daughters. Additions to the plat were made May 24, 1858, by Franklin Tillotson ; June 23, 1858, by Jonathan Hicks; July 26, 1870, by Elijah W. Cobb, Levi Kandall, and Kingston Wool! ; and June 23, 1871, by B. D. Hicks. The first improvement at Elsie was a framed store built by Job D. and William Sickels in 1857 on the first lot west of the present tavern, and in 1858 a second store was started by Aaron Sickels and E. AV. Cobb. When Elsie began to loom up. Cravens' Mills began to lose its vitality, and in a brief time boasted nothing save the mill. A. E. Gray, now an Ovid blacksmith, was early on the ground at Elsie with a smithy, and in 1858 Farwell & Son, of Detroit, .set in motion a chair-factory operated by steam and employing four people. They carried on the business until 18G0, when they failed. In 1858, Job and William Sickels sold their store business to Aaron Durfce, and in 1860 M. B. Kelly succeeded Cobb & Sickels. In 1865, Kelly Brothers and Johnson launched out in a new big store, and built a grist-mill at Craven's old stand. In 1870 they built a planing-mill, and, in connection with considerable timber-land interests, carried on an extensive business. The earliest shoemakers in the village were John Meacher and Henry Sexton. E. W. Gay opened a wagon-shop in 1865, and still carries it on. In 1870, J. F. Hasty & Co. put up south of the village a stave- and shook-factory em- ploying thirty men, and when the concern burned in 1871 started another one east of the village. In 1878 they re- moved the bu.siness to Detroit. Elsie village contains now among its business interests three general stores, hardware-store, grocery-, drug-, and boot-and-shoe stores. The Elsie post-ofiBce was established in 1857, and Frank- lin Tillotson appointed postma.ster. Mail was received by way of the Colony post-ofiice until ihe creation of the Ovid post-ofiice. In 1861, J. D. Sickels succeeded Tillottson, and gave way in 1866 to Ichabod Chase. J. D. Sickels was reappointed in 1867 and retained the office until 1878, when E. W. Cobb, the present incumbent, was appointed. The office receives now a daily mail by way of Ovid. TAVEIIN.S. D. B. Fox built Elsie's first tavern in 1859, forty rods west of the present tavern, which — the only one now open — was erected in 1865 by J. L. Doty, who has been its landlord continuously ever since. CEMETERY. The Elsie cemetery was laid out in 1851. The first per- son buried therein was Joshua W. Cobb, the date of whose burial was May 4, 1851. CUEESE-FACTORY. M. S. Doyle purchased in 1875 the cheese-factory estab- lished by Sheldon & Eddy, and still carries it on. In 1879 he manufactured sixty-eight thou.sand seven hundred pounds of cheese, in the production of which six hundred and eighty-seven thousand pounds 6f milk were used. Elsie's first resident physician was one Dr. Taugersen, a Texan, who, during a few months' stay in the year 1858, divided his time between lecturing on temperance and prac- ticing physic. Dr. Leach, of the colony, practiced also medicine at Elsie and vicinity at that period, but did not take up his residence there until many years later. Dr. E. V. Chase, now in practice in Elsie, began his professional career in Clinton County at Ovid, in 1857, and removing thence in 1860 to Elsie, has practiced continuously at the latter place ever since, except for a period of four years and seven months passed in the military service. Follow- ing is a list of the physicians who appeared at P]l.sie subse- quent to Dr. Chase's coming, with date of each arrival and departure : Dr. Allen, 1861-63. De Los Starr,* 1863. J. B. Sweatland, 1861-66. A. T. Wordcn, 1863-70. S. E. Gillam, 1 869-79. J. H. Travis,* 1877 A. M. Lawrcson,* 1878. M. L. licach, 1878-79. E. B. Taylor, 1878-79. CHURCHES IN ELSIE. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The Elsie Methodist Episcopal class was organized in 1849, by Elder Noah Fassett, of the Colony, as the East Duplain class. The organization was effected in a log school-house, one and a half miles south of the site of Elsie. In 1851 the place of worship was changed to the school-house just west of the Elsie site, and the name of the class changed to North Duplain. The organizing members of the East Duplain cla.ss were few in number, and came to worship from far away ; but they prospered in their work, nevertheless, and so firmly established their purpose that from 1849 to the present day the class lias maintained an active existence and enjoyed regular periodi- cal worship. Services were held once in every two weeks until 1872 ; since then the service has been weekly. In 1857 the place of worship was changed again, this time to Elsie, and then the class received the name it now bears. The erection of a church edifice was commenced in 1860, but progress was slow, and it was not until 1864 that the building was dedicated. The class is now on the Duplain Circuit, in charge of Rev. C. A. Jacokes. The leader is Lyman Cobb, and the trustees, J. D. Sickles, Alfred Lin- man, Lyman Cobb, John Curtis, Hiram Curtis, J. W. Curtis, and Liberty Carter. Alfred Linman is superin- tendent of the Sunday-school, which has one hundred and thirty scholars and twelve teachers. FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH. This church was formed in 1851, by Elder Chauncey Reynolds, in the school-house west of the Elsie site. The organizing members were five in number, — George W. * In practice at Elsie at present. 432 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Lewis, Samantha Lewis, Seth Richards, Mary Ann Rich- ards, and Moses Woull. Elder Reynolds eanie from Lyons to preach for the church, and for about a year held services once each fortnight. After tliat George W. Lewis, the first cliurch clerk, was ordained, and with Elders Parchal and Ross served the church until 1864. Then Elder Ira Allen took charge, and to the present time he has continued uninterruptedly to be the pastor. In 1865 the society's new church edifice was dedicated. Rev. William R. Norton, of Bath, preaching the dedication sermon. To the time of the completion of the church services were held at the school-house and the Methodist Episcopal church. The organization is now in a prosperous condition, and enjoys the support of a numerous congregation. PROTESTANT METHODIST CHURCH. The Elsie Protestant Methodist class was organized in the Baptist church by P. M. Rowell in 1870, and began straightway to increase in strength. A church edifice was built in 1875, but after that the church began to decline by reason of being set off into the Western Conference as the only church in the Conference, and inability to support a pastor unaided led to the practical dissolution of the or- ganization in 1S7S, although the society has yet a legal existence. The organizing members of the church were George W. Gillam and wife, Mrs. Icliabod Chase, H. E. Smith and wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Chase, T. C. Chase and wife. SOCIETIES AND ORDERS. MAPLE RIVER LODGE, No. 76, I. 0. 0. F. This lodge was organized at the Colony Jan. 16, 1856, and removed not long afterwards to Elsie. The charter members were B. W. Oarling, C. D. Searl, Alraon Brown, Henry Stebbins, William Oaks. At the first meeting after charter, held Feb. 15, 1856, E. S. Hamilton, Oscar Darling, W. H. Turk, Jcdediah Owens, and Edward Paine were re- ceived into membership. On the same night William Oaks was installed as N. G. ; Almon Brown, V. G. ; Chauncey D. Suarl, Secretary ; B. W. Darling, Treasurer ; and Jede- diah Owens, Warden. The lodge is exceedingly prosperous, with an active membership of ninety, and owns a lodge- room at Elsie. It has during its existence supplied organ- izing members for lodges at St. Johns, Ovid, Mungerville, Greenbush, and Chapin, in Saginaw County. The roll of officials is now C. Loyens, N. G. ; R. G. Van Deusen, V. G. ; George W. Davis, F. S.'; George Craddock. R. S. ; William W. Wooll, Treasurer. ELSIE LODdE, No. 2.'!8, F. AND A. M. The first recorded meeting of this lodge is under date of Nov. 6, 1867, when the organization was efi'ected. A charter was issued Jan. 9, 1868, to T. W. Lusk, E. V. Chase, W. A. Linman, L. D. Lusk, G. W. Gillam, G. W. Bates, A. D. Linman, G. C. Bell, and lehabod Chase. The first list of officials recorded, Nov. 6, 1867, was T. W. Lusk, W. M. ; E. V. Chase, S. W. ; (}. W. Gillam, J. W. ; W. A. Linman, Secretary ; L. D. Lusk, Treasurer; G. W. Bates, S. D. ; A. D. Linman, J. D. ; George C. Bell, Tiler. Since 1868 the lodge has received seventy-eight members, of whom fifty-five remain. The officers for 1880 are M. S. Doyle, W. M. ; T. W. Snelling, S. W. ; M. W. Dun- ham, J. W. ; L. F. Randolph, Secretary ; C. Powers, Treas- urer; J. C. Sickels, S. D. ; L. G. Bates, J. D.; L Eddy, Tiler. ELSIE LODGE, No. 926, I. 0. G. T. This lodge of Good Templars was chartered Dec. 23, 1875, with thirty members, R. G. Van Dusen being W. C. T. and Ellen Austin W. V. T. The membership is now forty, and the officers as follows : Alice L. Sickels, W. C. T. ; Jasper Blayney, W. V. T. ; Marian Tillottson, W. S.; Irwin Wooll, W. T. : Orrin Dunham, W. F. S. ; Mrs. C. L. Chase, W. Chaplain ; Harry Sexton, W. M. GOOD INTENT REBEKAH LODGE, No. U. The Rebekah lodge was chartered Feb. 22, 1879, to Henry E. Smith, J L. Le Beau, D. A. Maynard, I. Chase, Levi Hicks, William Wooll, C. D. Searl, Z. A. Ford, J. T. Huston, Henry Wooll, Mary A. Smith, Elvira T. Le Blanc, Annie S. Maynard, Margaret B. Chase, I. C. Hicks, Ros- anna Wooll, Harriet Searl, Mary J. Ford, C. E. Huston, Vienna Wooll. The membership is twenty, and the official list, F]leanor Bennett, N. G. ; R. G. Van Deusen, Sec. ; George Davis, F. S. ; Sarah Linman, Trcas. ; J. B. Moore, D. D. G. M. ERIE GRANGE, No. 202, P. OF H. This grange, organized in the Baptist church Jan. 20, 1874, with a membership of thirty-four, and chartered Aug. 1, 1875, has now ninety paying members, and meets every Monday night in the Odd-Fellows' Hall. The first list of officers included T. W. Lusk, M. ; W. T. Tillottson, O. ; W. A. Linman, Sec. ; W. W. Wooley, Treas. Since the organization the Masters have been T. VV. Lusk, W. T. Tillottson, M. W. Dunham, R. G. Van Deusen, W. A. Lin- man, and W. T. Tillottson (second term). The officers chosen ill 1880 were W. T. Tillottson, M. ; William War- ner, 0.; Abrain Sebring, L. ; Irwin 0. Wooll, Sec; J. J. Miller, Treas.; J. 0. Wool, Chaplain. PREHISTORIC RELICS. Prehistoric mounds are stated to have existed in Du- plain in considerable numbers, and the claim is still urged that marks of the presence thereof may yet be seen. Sec- tion 32 is said to contain the sit« of what was probably the largest mound in this portion of the country. It is on the farm of Edward Paine, and despite the fact that it has been plowed over year after year, there yet remain traces of it, although they are vague. It is thought to have been forty feet in lengtl^ extending east and west, and about five feet high, while upon its side grew an oak-tree fourteen inches in diameter. Three skulls and a number of bones were excavated at a comparatively recent date, and it is further alleged that later investigations revealed what might have been a fireplace some distance below the sur- face, in the southwest part of the mound. Southwest of the spot iiieiitioiied were several smaller mounds, and a short distance towards the northwest were two others, the larger of which was four feet high and twenty-five feet wide at the base. O-J-/-^ E. V. Chase, of Elsie, Clinton Co., Mich., was boni in tlie township of Gustavus, Trumbull Co., Ohio, Sept. 16, 183.3. His parents were poor, and had a hard struggle to support their family. His father was a millwright, and would have educated the son to the same trade, but for an accident which nearly crippled iiim ibr life. This determined the father to put his son at school that he might lay the foundation for a profession. Mr. Chase taught school as soon as he was competent, and thus assisted him- self until he had acquired not only an academical l)ut also a professional education. He read medicine three years with Dr. G. W. Willey, of Spencer, Ohio; attended lectures in Michigan University ; and in the spring of 1857 settled in the small village of Ovid, Clinton Co., on the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad. He married, in the fall of 1857, Miss Emily Wilkin- son, an estimable young lady, to whom his success may, in a measure, be attributed. In the spring of 1860 he removed to the village of Elsie, where he resided until the commencement of the civil war. He enlisted as a private in the First Michigan Cav- alry, was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, and at the close of the war went with the regiment across the Plains to Salt Lake City, Utah. In the spring of 1866 he was mustered out of the service, and returned to Elsie, where he has since resided, in the active discharge of his professional duties. He has been six years supervisor of the township in which his village is located. In the fall of 1876 he was elected representative to the State Legislature, by the Republican party, from the first district, — Clinton County. So well did he serve his constitu- ents that he was re-elected in 1879. He served upon several committees, among them tiiat on iusane a.sylums, in which he held the office of chairman. His duties necessarily called him away much of the time from the representative halls, but when present he was arduously engaged in duties which rank him among the foremost, always striking at the heart of any measure to which he was opposed sharp and ctfectual blows, that produce more effect than the bold speculations and fantastical theories which, to a cer- tain extent, characterize many of the representatives. DUPLAIN TOWNSHIP. 433 Upon the eastern portion of the east half of the southwest quarter of section 33 are traces of a group of mounds, the largest of which was probably twenty-five feet long, twenty feet wide, and three feet in height. Rows of other and smaller mounds appear to have joined the base of this large mound, and south of the latter was a clearly-defined oblong mound two and a half feet high, twenty-two feet long be- tween east and west, and fourteen feet in width between north and south. Southwest of the principal mound about twenty feet is another pretty clearly marked one, three feet high, twenty-five feet long, and fifteen feet wide. Near at hand is a circular mound about twenty feet through, from which human bones have been unearthed. Recent excava- tions in these mounds have brought to light human skele- tons as well as miscellaneous bones, and in one of them evidences pointed to the existence, at one time, of altar-fires and possibly human sacrifices thereon. On the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of sec- tion 33 were a number of small mounds, of which there is now no trace. Upon the farm of H. B. Smith, on the southeast quarter of section 27, is shown the site of a now obliterated large mound. Where it once stood two peach- trees now grow. Blr. Smith recollects that the mound was more than thirty feet in diameter and four feet high ; that several second-growth maples adorned its sides, and that heavy timber surrounded it. Evidently these mounds served as burial-places, since in each have been found human bones, but whether the burial-places of Indians or members of a prehistoric race, as some snvants claim, is simply matter for conjecture. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. MRS. WILLIAM TILLOTSON. WILLIAM TILLOTSON. WILLIAM TILLOTSON. Leonard Tillotson was born March 15, 1803, at Berk- shire, Mass. The family removed to Medina Co., Ohio, in 1814. At twenty-three years of age he married Miss Mary Thomas, of New Haven, Conn., rearing a family of six children. He died at the age of sixty-two. Mrs. Til- lotson, at the advanced age of seventy-five, in good health and sound mind, resides with a son, William, the subject of this sk-ctch, who was born Nov. 23, 1826. In 1852 he came to the town of Duplain, and purcliasing eighty acres of wild land on section 11, immediately began improving it. Sought and found a companion in Miss Mary E. Wooll, 55 whose family came, in 1854, to Duplain from Loraine, Ohio. They were married September 26th ; pursued their improvements, which have resulted in a finely-improved farm, and surrounded them with many comforts of life, upon which they can look with pride as the results of their industry. Surrounded by a large circle of friends, life passes pleasantly. Their union has been blessed with four children, — Marion, born Sept. 23, 1860; Myra, April 13, 1864; Hattie, May 6, 1868; Willie, May 6, 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Tillotson have long been consistent members of the IMethodist Episcopal Church. 434 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. CHARLES R. DOTY. GEORGE R. DOTY. MRS. GEORGE R. DOTY. GEORGE R. DOTY. Josiali Doty's birth dates back to Nov. 18, 1792. He was twice mariied. Oue child was born to the first union. The second wife, Chloe (Rash), born March 24, 1793, bore him four cliildren, three living to manhood. George R., the subject of this sketch, was born Dec. 30, 1821, at Seneca, Ontario Co., N. Y. When he was eight years of age the family removed to Greece, Monroe Co., N. Y., where the parents continued to reside until the death of Mrs. Doty, which occurred Sept. 19, 1876. The home was then broken up, Mr. Doty thereafter making his home with a son residing in Rochester, where he is yet living at the advanced age of eighty-eight. In the fall of 1844, George R. came to Livingston Co., Mich., and the following year. May 20, 1845, married Eunice Seeley, bora Dec. 14, 1822. Her father, Seth C. Seeley, was a native of Connecticut, born Feb. 22, 1789, and was twice married, first to Anna Bradley, by whom he had three children ; and the second time to Betsey Green, a native of Vermont, born Feb. 18, 1798 ; to this union were born five children. The family resided in Monroe Co., N. Y., until 1844, when they removed to Ionia Co., Mich, Both parents have since passed away. George and Eunice were married at her parental home, Ionia County. The day following they took their departure for Livingston County : ^-vJ.^-j.^tr^^j^v^^---.::-^-.^^--. ^■. ^,- -.^Aj. - Farm Property of GEO. R. DOTV, Elsie, Mich. Hotel Proper ry of GEO. R DOTY, £, , DUPLAIN TOWNSHIP. 435 with a single horse and buggy, it sufficing to carry thein and their worldly effects. No permaneirt location was made by them, but thoy changed their location as his occupation of cooper required. In 1853 he received the appointment of light-house keeper at Mama Judee, on Detroit River; this proved the laying of a foundation for future success. For eight years he continued, his wife assuming the duties of keeper, he finding employment at the cooper's trade. In 1861, Mr. Doty moved to Elsie, Clinton Co., and for six years followed his trade. Previous to his coming he had purchased a hundred acres on section 26, Duplain town- ship. The village of Elsie was becoming a place of some importance, and Mr. Doty decided upon opening a hotel, and accordingly purchased a suitable location, disposed of his farm, and on Christmas, 1867, his house was duly opened to the public. Success attended him ; the public gave him a liberal patronage, and the genial. host and his lady are known far and near. In 1877 he purcha.sed seventy-seven acres on section 13, upon which a part of the village of Elsie is located. In addition to the hotel he also conducts the farm. To Mr. and Mrs. Doty have been given three children, of whom one only is now living, Charlie R., born Dec. 22, 1863. I>V.M.\N COBB. AlltS. I, V.MAN' Clllili. LYMAN COBB. Joshua W. Cobb was a native of Canaan, Conn. When of age found his way west to Rochester, N. Y., and helped to erect the first bridge across the Genesee River. It was commenced in 1812, but not completed until 1814, the west side refusing for some time to build their half. He also purchased eighty acres of land now lying within the city limits. Becoming disheartened on account of the unhealthy location he, though having made a partial payment, aban- doned the place, pushing on west to Sheldon, Wyoming Co. ; purchased eighty acres, which he afterwards sold, and removed to Niagara County ; remained there a short time, then returned to Bennington, Wyoming Co., where he re- sided for a period of twenty years. He then removed to Duplain, Clinton Co , and purchased forty acres on section 11, where he resided until his death, which occurred in May, 1852, his being the first burial in the cemetery at Elsie. Mr. Cobb was married quite early in life to Miss Susanna Doty, and raised a family of nine children. At present all are living, except one, a son, who died at Bowling Green, Ky., while in the army. Mrs. Cobb is still living, at the advanced age of eighty-eight, making her home among the children, where she is ever made welcome. Lyman Cobb was the sixth in the fiimily, and born Aug. 14, 1826, at Bennington, N. 1'^. ; came West with the family in 1844, and when of age purcha.sed eighty acres on section 13, Duplain township, from an elder brother residing in Oakland County, giving in payment two years' labor. Payment being made, he returned and began the improvements by which he has succeeded in making one of the finest farms in that locality. For several years he la- bored single-handed and alone, but his better judgment finally prevailed, and on April 20, 1853, he led to the hy- meneal altar Su.san, daughter of Oliver and Sally Hicks, natives of Wayne Co., N. Y. ; they removed to Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, where they resided nearly twenty years, and in 1852 removed to Elsie. Both have since passed away. Oliver Hicks served during the war of 1812. The family consisted of eleven children, seven living to maturity, Mrs. Cobb being the tenth in number. Mr. Lyman Cobb united with the church while yet a youth, and Mrs. Cobb soon after their marriage. Both have been prominently identified with the erection of the church building, and with the growth and prosperity of the society. To Mr. and 5Irs. Cobb have been born six children, — George W., Jan. 18, 1854; Susie M. (now Mrs. Davis), born Sept. 16, 1856; Samuel R., July 3, 1859; Henry P., Jan. 11, 1863; Dellie L., May 29, 1870; and Judson L., born Feb. 24, 1875. 436 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. COMFORT RANNEY. The grandparent of Comfort Ranney was a native of Connecticut ; emigrated to Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, and pur- chased eighty acres of land at government prices, of which the public park in the city of Cleveland is now a part. He engaged in ship-building, putting afloat the first boats of con- siderable tonnage built at that place. A few years later he sold his land at a slight advance upon the price he paid, closed out his business, and removed to Summit County, COMFORT RANNEY. Ohio, where he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1834. Luther B., a son, was born at Hudson, Summit Co., Ohio, Nov. 29, 1809. Farming seems to have particular fascination for him, — almost inherent,^ — as he has continued at that occupation, and now at the advanced age of seventy-one manages a large farm, leading in many of the arduous physical duties required in that calling. Comfort, the subject of this sketch, was born in Boston, Summit Co., Ohio, on Feb. 7, 1838. He, in company with Leach, Sheldon, and Clark, came to Clinton County and purchased a large tract of land, erected a steam-mill, and engaged quite extensively in the manufacturing of lumber. Also Ranney, Leach, and Berry in 1879 erected a large custom flouring-mill at Bath, which they are still operating. Since 1874 Mr. Ranney has had the management of the lumber and mill interests. But on the death of his brother-in-law (Mr. Leach) he leased the mills and returned to their farm in Clinton County, and intends to devote his time to the im- provement of his farm and rearing of fine stock, in which he has always taken great pride. Dec. 18, 1868, Mr. Ranney united in marriage with Miss Mary M. Hesser, of Nevada, Wyandot Co., Ohio. They are the parents of four children, — Luther B., Sadie M., Luella, and James. WILLIS LEACH. Willis Leach was born May 23, 1831, in Summit Co., Ohio, where his parents had located in an early day in the settlement of that county. When twenty-three years of age he married Miss Mary Ranney, with whom he lived six years, when death's summons came to her, leaving a family of four children, — Willie E., Luther J., Burritt E., and Mary J. Again, on July 16, 1861, he married Sophia Ran- ney, a sister of his first wife. By his second wife he had eight children, — Cora A., Melvin C, Sallie P., Floyd, Leon B., Morris K., Lucetta L., Nora W. In January, 1865, he moved to Duplain, Clinton Co., and, in company with D. F. Sheldon, 0. A. Clark, and C. Ranney, purchased two hundred acres of timbered land and WILLIS LEACII. erected a steam saw-mill, which was successfully operated for three years. In 1868, Sheldon, Ranney, and Leach purchased several hundred acres of wild lands in the south part of Saginaw and Gratiot Counties, to which they re- moved their mill. The following year, 1869, Leach and Ranney purchased the interest of Sheldon. From the date of Leach and Ranney 's purchase to January, 1872, the mill property and lumber was three times destroyed by fire, and still they prosecuted the work with a will and energy worthy of success. Mr. Leach's health being somewhat impaired, he determined upon removing to the first purchase to recuperate, and for the better advantages of schooling his children. He continued in failing health until March 2, 1880, when death's summons came, regretted by all with whom he had been associated. CHAPTER LVIL EAGLE TOWNSHIP.* Location and Natural Features — Settlements and Early Incidents — Schools — Churches — List of Township Officers — Eagle Village. Eagle is the southwestern township of Clinton County, designated in the United States survey as township 5 north, of range 4 west. The surface, generally undulating, be- * By G. A. McAlpine. EAGLE TOWNSHIP. 437 comes hilly and terminates in places in abrupt bluffs near the Grand River. The banks of the Looking-Glass are less precipitous, and the northern part of the township is more level. Along the Grand River the timber is niiiinly oak and the soil is somewhat sandy in certain sections. The timber along the Looking-Glass is basswood, beech, and maple, and the soil is heavier. By these streams and many rivulets the township is well watered and drained. In agriculture this township ranks among the most produc- tive in the county. It was observed at an early day, by Marshal Meade and Mr. Townsend, who owned land between the rivers (which, on sections 16, 17, and 21, approach by abrupt curves within less than two miles), that, while the distance to Portland by the almost direct course of the Looking-Glass was less than ten miles, and the distance to the same village by the course of the Grand River was reported to be nearly forty miles, the fall of the two streams appeared to be, on an average, nearly equal. This fact led to the conclusion that there was considerable difference in their respective levels in Eagle. Mr. Townsend accordingly employed John Mullet, a competent surveyor, to run a line between the rivers on the sections above referred to, in which work he was assisted by Alexander Chapel, Ezekiel Miles, and Lewis Miles. This survey demonstrated that there was a fall of more than twenty-one feet from the surface of the Grand River to that of the Looking-Glass. The ground between them was favorable to ditching, and in no place was a deep cut necessary except through the narrow rise on the shore of the Grand River, and even here it did not offer any serious obstacle to the plan of uniting them by this moans. Jlr. Townsend expected in this way to secure one of the most extensive water-powers in the State. His death, however, terminated this splendid enterprise, and the immense power up to this time is undeveloped. Until March 15, 1841, town 5 north, range 4 west, was included in the township of Watertown. On the previous year Jared Higbee had circulated a petition which was signed by the voters of said town, asking the Legislature that it be set off as a separate and distinct township. In compliance with this petition the township of Eagle was formed, and although the name does not apply to town 5 north, range 4 west, previous to the date given above, in order to prevent confusion it will be necessary in these pages to use it in connection with the first settlement of the township. In 1831 three steamboats — the " Superior," the " Henry Clay," and the " Robert Fulton" — plied the waters between Buffalo and Detroit. Among the many pas.sengers of the last-named vessel on its trip westward in the month of Juno of that year, were the families of Anthony Niles and Ste- phen B. Groger, from Genesee Co., N. Y. Scattered here and there about the boat were litUe groups of men, women, and children, surrounded with boxes of goods, bundles of bedding, clothes, barrels, cooking-utensils, and everything, from an ox-cart to a fire-shovel, that could be of use on the frontier. A variety of resources indicated in this instance at least unity of purpose; and it is probable that nearly all were actuated by the same motives, and had the same end in view. Some were there who were more wealthy and some pos- sibly who were poorer in this world's goods than those men whose names we have given, but few could compare at all with either of them in physical power. It is said Anthony Niles never met his equal with an axe, and few men were found able to stand under a load which Stephen B. Groger could carry. These men and their families were the first settlers of Eagle. Upon reaching Detroit they employed two men with teams to bring them and their families to Troy, Oakland Co. The next year Anthony Niles, Daniel Clark, and Austin Wood followed an Indian trail from Pontiac to an Indian village, which occupied the site upon which Portland now stands. They were favorably impressed with the country along the route, but did not at this time select any particular locality as a future home. In the month of February, 1834, Anthony Niles and Stephen B. Groger with their families set out from Troy westward, but, as subsequent events proved, without any definite purpose as to where to locate. In the township of De Witt, the teams which had been secured to bring their families and goods were mired, the horses being " all down at the same time." The women, children, and goods were carried through the deep mud and water several rods to higher ground, the horses after much trouble were finally extricated, and by means of ropes the wagons were drawn across the marsh, and after an infinite number of trying and tedious delays the party reached the cabin of Capt. Scott, who had come to De Witt the fall previous. Here we must again introduce the name of Daniel Clark, and his companions Heman Thomas and John Benson, who also required shelter under the roof of the hospitable but rough and eccentric captain. As these parties were all bound westward, in the direction pursued previously by Clark and Niles, down the Looking-Glass River, it was decided to build boats and a raft to assist in the expedition. The men of the party at once began their construction, and after several days' diligent work completed two boats and a raft. The boats, commonly known as dugouts, were each made from a whitewood log, and were about eighteen feet long and two and a half feet wide. They were lashed together, the goods were loaded on the raft, which was a huge, unmanageable concern, and the trip down stream commenced. It was not all smooth sailing, however. After proceeding about six miles the raft struck a snag, and all efforts to free it proved futile. Clark and his companions went ashore in the boats and camped to await the arrival of Anthony Niles and Stephen Groger, who, with their families and one yoke of oxen, were trying to make a way through the wilderness, and who did not make their appear- ance until evening. The next morning (the water having risen somewhat during the night) the raft was freed, the- families carried across the river in the boats, and the jour- ney resumed. In the afternoon a landing was made on the south shore of the river, on the southwest quarter of section 14, town 5 north, range 4 west. The next morning the goods were transferred from the raft to the boats and it was abandoned. They then continued their way down the river, and finally reached the Indian village (already alluded to) on the pres- ent site of Portland. On the way one of the overloaded 438 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. boats nearly capsized. It righted, however, with no more serious loss than that of a coop of fowls and the free appli- cation of cold water to some of the passengers. When Anthony Niles reached the vicinity where the goods were transferred he pitched a large tent, which he had brought with him, on section 23. On the next day he was delayed to search for one of his cows, which had strayed away, and did not continue his journey until the afternoon. An entire life is sometimes modified by a little incident of no apparent importance in itself, and in this instance it is probable that had it not been for his long and tedious search the fine forests and streams of Eagle would not have been fully appreciated. As it was, Mr. Niles fol- lowed his companions to the Indian village, but after living two weeks in a wigwam he declared he had found no place that suited him so well as the land by the little stream where he had camped and lost his cow. The whole party at last returned. Its members took minutes of the several parcels of land which each wished to enter, and Daniel Clark and Heman Thomas set off on foot for the land- ofiice at White Pigeon, to enter land for themselves and for Anthony Niles, Stephen B. Groger, and John Benson. All chose land on section 23. Daniel Clark entered the east half of the northeast quarter. Heman Thomas entered forty acres for himself and forty for John Benson, on the southeast quarter. Stephen B. Groger took the west half of the southwest quarter, and Anthony Niles chose the west half of the northeast quarter. Anthony Niles and Stephen B. Groger must be considered the first settlers in the township of Eagle, as the other members of the party, after entering their land, did not re- tuan to the township till in the summer and fall following. Anthony Niles built the first cabin in the township, and for this purpose his son Ezekiel, who had accompanied him in all his wanderings, chopped down the first tree probably that was felled in the township about the 1st day of March, 1834:. This cabin stood near where Mr. Niles pitched his tent when he first came to Eagle on his way to Portland, and the site is now nearly marked by the east barn, which he built many years after. He also prepared and planted a piece to corn and potatoes, but the crop was very light. Stephen B. Groger built the second cabin in the town- ship, and planted the second piece to corn and potatoes. He worked for Capt. Scott, in De Witt, at odd intervals for a number of years. It is said that at one time after working all day he walked home, carrying one hundred pounds of flour, a quarter of a deer, and several other articles for the use of his family. In October, 1834, Susan M. Groger was born. This was the first birth in Clinton County. Stephen B. Groger died in 1878. Until recently his wife occupied the old home. John Benson and Heman Thomas were the next to set- tle permanently in Eagle. They immediately built cabins on the land entered the spring previous. Mr. Benson sub- sequently moved to Iowa, where he died. His son Edwin was the second child born in Eagle, and the first male child born in Clinton County. He enlisted and died in the late war. Heman Thomas and wife still live in the township. They probably alone are left, the only couple who came to Clinton County in the fall of 1834. Their son, 6. W. Thomas, who was a lad at the time of their settlement, also lives in Eagle. After entering his land, in the spring of 1834, Daniel Clark returned to Eagle accompanied by David Clark, his brother. They felled the timber on about five acres, and then returned to Poutiae, Oakland Co., to which place Jonas Clark had brought his family in 1833. In the fall of 1834, Daniel Clark and his brother Henry came to Eagle and cleared and sowed the field to wheat which had been partially prepared the previous spring. Henry Clark moved to Ingham County, where he still lives one of its oldest pioneers. Jonas Clark brought his family to Eagle in the fall of 1835. David Clark, his son, one of the oldest and most respected citizens, now occupies the old home- stead. In the fall of 1834, Anthony Niles built a log house, which was twenty-eight by thirty feet. Houses have histories as well as men sometimes. In this rude log structure was organized the first church society in Eagle ; and a little later, when the settlement of the surrounding country was an assured fact, and the youth with their sweethearts were wont to assemble for a " social dance," its rough floors were the smoothest to be found. Beside its great fireplace, heaped with logs, William Cryderman wooed and won the fair Alvira, daughter of Anthony Niles, and their nuptials, the first in the township, were celebrated in it in 1837. Travelers, few or many, always found ample cheer and shelter beneath its basswood roof. The settlement of Eagle was gradual, until the rush of immigration in 1836. In 1835, however, several settlers came in, who, in addition to the family of Jonas Clark (al- ready mentioned), deserve notice. Oliver Rowland and his son Henry entered land on section 13. The latter is still a resident of the township. John B. Shear settled on sec- tion 26, where he still lives. In 1836 the first frame build- ing in Eagle was erected. It was a barn, and was built for Jesse Monroe by Anthony Niles and his son Ezekiel. The lumber used in its construction was hauled from Port- land, where a saw-mill had just been completed. Mr. Mon- roe had recently entered one hundred and sixty acres on section 7. About the same time a saw-mill was built by Peter Kent, for Philo Beers, on section 14. It was the first in Eagle, and did valuable service for several years. The re- mains of the dam built across the little stream are yet plainly visible. Mr. Beers also opened the first blacksmith-shop. It stood by the quarter post on the south line of section 14. The settlers came with work from all quarters, and often from four o'clock in the morning until late at night was he kept steadily at the anvil. Before coming to Michigan, Mr. Beers had been a man of considerable competence, but through an unfortunate business connection with the great showman, Barnum, he was financially ruined. He sought the woods of Michigan, and, like so many others, retrieved his broken fortune. Lazarus Doty came to Eagle, and entered a large tract of land for his three sons, — Oliver, Philo, and Charles. The § hi c> 1 Ct3 EAGLE TOWNSHIP. 439 three are residents of the township, and still occupy the land entered for them by their father. Oliver is on section 26, Philo is on 14, and Charles on 34. The family has been one of the most substantial and enterprising in the township. The second saw-mill wm built by Henry Gibbs, Jr., for Philo Doty, on section 14. Henry Gibbs settled the farm upon which Isaac Brown now lives. Morris Allen settled on the west half of the northwest quarter of section 23. He has since moved to Iowa. His father, Neheniiah Allen, died in January, 1837. This was the first death in Eagle. He was buried near the north bank of the river, on section 15, on land which was entered by Joseph Eddy in the spring of 183G. Mr. Eddy and his wife were both subsequently interred here. This was the first burial-place in the township. The land is now occupied by Christopher C. Tallman. Jacob De Witt settled on the east half of the southeast quarter of section 15 in 1836, and remained there until his death. The place is now occupied by his son-in-law, William Sutherland. In the same year Valentine Cryderman came from Canada and located the east half of the northeast fractional quarter of section 13. He subsequently sold his land and returned to Canada. His daughter Sarah and Ezekiel Niles were married in 1841. At the marriage of his son William and Miss Alvira Niles, in the fall of 1837, David A. Simmons, who had recently come to the township and settled on sec- tion 9, ofiiciated. The land entered by Mr. Simmons is now occupied by Hiram Briggs, who came in at the same time. In 1837, Josiah Hogle entered the west half of the north- west quarter of section 13. The same year Isaac Phillips settled on the east half of the southwest quarter of section 10. This place is now occupied by his son, Joseph Phillips, whose elder brothers, Orin and Perry, are also old settlers of Eagle. Jeremiah, Stephen, and Abraham Eddy, sons of Joseph Eddy, who settled on section 15, entered land in the town- ship in an early day. Jeremiah built a tavern, which still bears the name Western Grand River House. He sold it to Isaac Pennington, who came in an early day and settled on the southeast quarter of section 10. His eldest son, Josiah Pennington, at that time a young man, now occupies the old liome. His daughter Lucinda married S. M. Howard, who is also an early settler. Ja.son Macomber entered the west half of the southeast quarter of section 4. It was subsequently purchased by Stephen Eddy. Abraham Eddy settled the northeast quar- ter of .section 22. Luther settled on the west half of the northeast quarter of section 1). His son, Jefierson E. Eddy, now lives on section 4. Joseph Eddy, Jr., who married Mi.ss Almeda Hill, lives on the west half of the northwest quarter of section 15. Her father settled on section 26 and opened a blacksmith-shop. The north half of the southwest quarter of section 15, now occupied by Joseph Iliuman, was entered by his father in an early day. Fletcher Jenison came to Eagle with his son, W. F. Jenison, and was appointed the first postmaster in the town- ship in 1841. A mail-route was established from Ann Arbor to Ionia, and the mail was first carried, on horseback, by a man named in Ingersoll. The names of Palmer Partelo and H. Lyon should not be omitted. The former settled on the southwest quarter of section 22. H. Lyon settled on the west half of the southwest quarter of section 8, where he still resides. Wil- liam R. HoWe occupies land settled by his father. The names, also, of some of the early settlers which we have omitted will be given in the following list, taken from the assessment-roll of 1841. Acres. George J. Vhiney, section 1 80 David McClansey, section 1 40 Orange Eddy, section 2 40 Jason Macomber, section 4 160 Peter Carrow, section 6 140 Jesse Munroe, section 7 160 Tliram C. Briggs, section S 72 David A.Simmons, section i) 197 Richard Lewis, section 9 40 I.^a.ae Phillips, section 10 74 Jeremiah Eddy, section 10 78 Nathaniel D. Macomber, section 10 80 David F. Burgess, section 11 80 Jared Higbee, section 11 160 Henry Rowland, section 13 155 Olivei^owland, section 13 182 Philo Beers, section 14 103 Philo Doty, section 14 126 Joseph Eddy, sections 14, 15 385 Jacob Dewitt, section 15 80 Hiram C. Briggs, section 18 147 Nathan Stevens, section 21 40 .lohn G. Harrington, section 22 15 Abram Eddy, section 22 145 W. F. Jenison, section 22 240 Stephen B. Groger, section 22 120 Heman Thomas, section 23 SO John Benson, section 23 40 Daniel Clark, section 23 80 Anthony Niles, section 23 120 Philo Doty, section 23 80 Ezekiel Niles, section 23 80 David Clark, section 24 -. 40 Andrew Shadiluck, section 24 40 Henry Gilibs, section 25 80 Henry Gibbs, Jr., section 25 80 Chester Brown, section 25 160 Calvin Barber, section 25 SO Oliver Doty, sections 25, 26 240 John B. Siiear, section 26 40 George AV, Jones, section 31 80 Joab Dobbins, section 32 40 Charles Jones, section 32 20 Oliver Doty, section 36 80 Miles Mansfield, section 3G Ifilt SCHOOLS. Up to the summer of 1837 there had been no school taught in Eagle. In the spring of that year an informal meeting was called at the house of Anthony Niles, and it was resolved to build a log school-house and have a school. At the appointed time, accordingly, the men assembled, and, though few in numbers, strong in purpose, they took hold of the logs with hearty good will, and soon a commodious cabin stood ready for use on the east side of the quarter- line on section 23, nearly oppo.site the site of the brick resi- dence of G. W. Thomas. The benches were made of slabs, and the teacher's desk was a board resting upon two pins driven into the wall. The fireplace, such as was common in those days, was made of slicks lined with stones and mud. Mrs. Alice Allen, whose husband had died in the previous winter, taught the first school. The following are the names of some of the scholars : Fannie, Olarinda, and Charles Groger, Royal and Marian Benson, Emily, Julia, and Angeline Niles, and Phoebe Beers. In the winter of 1837-38, W. F. Jenison taught four 440 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. months. He was the first male teacher in the township. The next summer Mrs. Amanda Blaisdale, usually known as Aunt Amanda, taught. She was subsequently married to Chester Brown. During the summer of 1839 the school- house known for many years as the lied School-House was built. It took its name from a liberal coat of red paint which it received when completed. It was the first frame school-house in the township, and said to be the first in Clinton County. It stood near the residence of Heman Thomas, on section 23. The first school in this building was taught by W. F. Jenison. It was composed of chil- dren from Watertowu, some from the Canada settlement in Eaton County, and some from Delta. The next school-house was built on the southwest quarter of section 32. Previous to the organization of the town- ship of Eagle its territory had been separated into school districts, but none were organized except district No. 1 and districts Nos. 2 and 5. At the first meeting of the school board of Eagle, on the 1st of April, 1841, these districts were rearranged, as fol- lows : District No. 1 comprised sections 22, 23,25, 2G, 27, 34, 35, 36, and all of 24, except a part of the northeast quarter. Fractional districts 2 and 5 included sections 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 in Eagle, and the north half of 4, 5, and 6 in Oneida. No other districts were formed until Feb. 4, 1843, at which time the board set off 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 17, and 18 as district No. 3 ; but this act became null and void through the failure of its oflicers to qualify and serve. This territory was set oif on the 7th day of May, 1845, and numbered 4. In the mean time (on April 5, 1844") school district No. 3 was formed of the remaining sections in the northeast part of the township. In the re- port of this year, for the first time, three schools are repre- sented. The school fund disbursed among them was thirty dollars and eighty cents, of which district No. 1 received fourteen dollars and eighty-four cents, districts Nos. 2 and 5 received six dollars and sixteen cents, while No. 4 re- ceived nine dollars and eighty cents. The number of chil- dren enrolled in each district was fifty-three, twenty-two, and thirty-five, respectively. At the meeting of the school board, for the purpose of ex- amining applicants to teach, Aug. 23, 1845, certificates were given to Misses Mary Gooch, Clarinda Groger, Emeline Higbee, and Lucinda Barut. On 16th of November fol- lowing similar permits were issued to Benjamin C. Mac- omber and Silas P. Fish, as teachers for one term of winter school each. In 1845 four schools were taught in the town- ship, and the amount of money distributed among them was forty dollars and sixty cents : District. Scholars. Amount. No. 1 50 $U.U:i Nos. 2 and a 2!l 8.65 No. 3 31 9.26 No. 4 26 7.76 School district No. 5 was formed by the school board on the 4th day of November, 1848, but in the report of 1849, and also of 1850, no returns were made from this district. On Sept. 7, 1850, the school board formed districts 6 and 7. No. 6 did not organize, however. District No. 8 was first organized on Feb. 27, 1858, and Dec. 24, 1859, district No. 9 was set ofi". Fractional district No. 10 was formed June 3, 1865. District No. 7 was discontinued and included in district No. 1, Dec. 28, 1872. This was brought about by the destruction of the school-house in that district by fire. The aggregate value of school property in the township in 1879 was four thousand four hundred and twenty-five dollars. The number of scholars enrolled in the township was three hundred and forty, and there were sixteen quali- fied teachers. CHURCHES. In the fall of 1835, Rev. Mr. Munett, a Methodist mis- sionary, as they were then called, visited the remote settlement in Eagle. He followed his circuit, which embraced a great extent of country, on foot, carrying a knapsack stored with a Bible, a hymn-book, a liberal supply of tracts, and a few articles of clothing. With these he went from one settle- ment to another, making his rounds about once in five or si^ weeks. At the time above stated he came to the log house of Anthony Niles, and with his permission announced religious exercises for the next Sabbath. These exercises, the first of the kind in Eagle, passed off well, and while upon that circuit he visited this settlement as regularly as po.ssible. In the spring of 1837, Rev. Mr. Bennett came to Eagle and organized the first church society. It was composed of Anthony Niles, John Benson and wife, Heman Thomas, and Valentine Cryderman and wife. Mr. Cryderman was appointed class-leader. The class prospered for a little time, but was at length discontinued. In 1840, John Thomas, a representative of the Baptist Church, came and held a series of meetings, which resulted in the formation of a Baptist Church. When it was or- ganized several persons who had previously been members of that denomination, reunited with it. The names of the persons composing this class were Anthony Niles, John Benson and wife, Heman Thomas and wife, John B. Shear and wife. Anthony Niles was chosen deacon. About the same time the Methodist Church reorganized, with Oliver Doty as class-leader. The Baptist Church in Eagle was finally disbanded, its members uniting with the society in Grand Ledge. The Methodist cla.ss has not been discontinued, and was really the germ of the one now in existence. The meet- ings of this society were held for a number of years in the Thomas school, and more recently in the Jenison school-house. Its meeting-house was completed in 1876, and cost two thousand nine hundred and sixty dollars. It was dedicated by Rev. George B. Jocelyn. F. J. Freeman is the present pastor. M. R. Hill is class-leader. L. W. Hill is superintendent of the Sabbath-school. The Free Methodist Church was organized at th6 school- house in North Eagle in June, 1876. Tiie church edifice of this society was built in 1879, and dedicated by C. W. Haines. The present membership is eight. LIST OF TOWNSHIP OFFICERS. As has been stated, Eagle was set off from Watertown March 15, 1841. The act provided that the first town- meeting should be at the house of Philo Doty, and it was so held in accordance with the provisions of the act. The EAGLE TOWNSHIP. 441 following-named persons were then to fill the several town- ship offices: Supervisor, Jared Higbee ; Clerk, Edward W. Higbee ; Treasurer, Henry Rowland ; Assessors, John Benson, David A. Simmons, Henry Rowland ; School In- spector, Elisha B. Isham ; Collectors, Edward W. Higbee, Thomas I. Allen, Nathan Stevens ; Directors of the Poor, Henry Rowland, Fletcher Jenison ; Highway Commis- sioners, Oliver Doty, Philo Doty, Jared Higbee; Justices of the Peace, Oliver Doty, David A. Simmons, Henry Rowland ; Constables, Hiram C. Briggs, Nathan Stevens, Thomas I. Allen, Frederick M. Groger. The list of supervisors, township clerks, treasurers, jus- tices of the peace, and school inspectors from 1842 to 1880, inclusive, is as follows : SUPERVISORS 1842. Jared Higbee. 1843-46. William F. Jenison. 1847-50. David C. Clark. 1851. Ezckiel Nilcs. 1852. Ira W. Hill. 1853-54. Ezekicl Niles. 1865. James W. McMillan. 1856-57. Elisha I. Iligbec. 1858. John C. Scadin. 1859-60. IJ. H. lieers. 1861-62. William F. Jenison. 18G.3-64. Charles M. Dorbyshioe. 1805-66. William F. Jenison. 1867-68. Philo Doty. 1869. Ezckiel Niles. 1870. David Clark. 1871-72. Hiram C. lirigg.-. 1873. George W. McCrumb. 1874-77. Philo Doty. 1878. George W. Thomas. 1879. Philo Doty. 1880. Henry II. Jenison. TOWN 1842-44. Edward W. Higbee. 1845-50. Ezekiel Nilcs. 1851. B. II. Beers. 1852-54. Elisha I. Higbee. 1855. Arcbelaus Silsbee. 1856. Thomas J. Allen. 1857. G. W. Thomas. 1858. James W. McMillan. 1859-60. George W. Thomas. CLERKS. 1861-63. James W. McMillan. 1864. Henry J. Stark. 1865-66. James AV. McMillan. 1867. Sheridan F. Hill. 1868. Ezekiel Niles. 1869. Loyal W. Hill. 187(1-77. Ezekiel Nilcs. 1878-79. Edward W. Stephenson. 1880. Eugene Marsh. TREASU 1842. David C. Clark. 1843-44. Elisha B. Isham. 1845-47. Cyrus Briggs. 1848-50. Thomas 1. Allen. 1851-52. Elisha B. Isham. 1853-56. Philo Doty. 1857. Oliver Doty. 1858. George R. Stark. 1859-60. Silas P. Fish. 1861-62. Hirnm C. Briggs. 1863. John C. Seadin. RERS. 1864. Hiram C. Briggs. 1865. Silas P. Fish. 1866. Josiah Monroe. 1867. David Taylor. 1868. G. W. McCrumb. 1869. James J. Kerr. 1870-71. Joseph Ilinman. 1872-73. James J. Kerr. 1874-77. Henry P. Finney. 1878-79. James F. Baker. 1880. Joseph Hammon. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. 1842. Henry Gibbs. 1857. David Taylor. Anthony Nilcs. 1858. Neljon M. Stark. 184.3. Jacob I>obinH. James W. McMillan 1844. Henry Rowland. 1859. Milton P. Burtch. 1845. Anthony Niles. 1860. Oliver Doty. 1846. Horatio Lyon. 1861. Burtis II. Beers. 1847. Milton P. Burtch. David Taylor. 1848. Henry Rowland. 1862. A. .losiah Hogle. 1849. James W. McMillan. Horace Brown. 1850. Henry M. Stark. 1863. James W. McMillan 1851. Lewis lS. Niles. 1864. Oliver Doty. 1852. Morton Lyon. 1865. John C. Scadin. Benjamin C. Macomtier. 1866. Alan.son J. Hogle. 1853. Jarncs W. McMillan. Thomas H. Case. 1854. B. C. Macomber. 1867. Ezekiel Niles. 1855. Oliver Doty. 1868. Oliver Doty. 1856. Horatio Lyon. 1869. James J. Kerr. 1857. Burlis 11. Beers. Almond Partelo. 1870. Thomas H. Case. 1871. Ezekiel Niles. 1872. Almond Partelo. 1873. Almond Partelo. Loyal W. Hill. 1874. Levi Partelo. Oliver Doty. 1875. Ezekiel Nilcs. 1876. Levi Partelo. 1877. Thomas H. Case. 1878. Eugene Marsh. 1879. George W. Thomas. 1880. Hiram F. Jones. SCHOOL INSPECTORS. 1842. 1843. 1844. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. 1849. 1850. 1851. 1852. 1853. 1854. 1855. 1856. 1857. 1858. 1859. David Clark. Henry Rowland. William F. Jenison. William F. Jenison. Thomas J. Allen. William F. Jenison. Henry Rowland. David Clark. Benjamin C. Macomber. Silas P. Fish. Lewis S. Niles. Moore Whitmore. B. H. Beers. Silas P. Fish. William F. Jenison. James W. McMillan. W. E. Barber. William F. Jenison. James W. McMillan. W. P. Esler. Silas P. Fish. William F. Jenison. Moses Hall. 1860. William P. Esler. 1861. Benjamin C. Macomber. 1862. Perry Shcpard. 1863. AVilliam F. Jenison. 1864. Orville Bates. 1865. Alanson J. Hogle. 1866. Nathan Stevans. 1867. Perry Shepard. 1868. Sheridan F. Hill. 1869. Perry E. Shepard. 1870. Loyal W. Hill. 1871. Horatio Hunter. 1872. Loyal W. Hill. George W. Thomas. 1873. L. S. Briggs. 1874. Ezekiel F. Brown. 1875. George W. Thomas. 1876. George W. Thomas. 1877. William S. Tallman. 1878. Ezekiel F. Brown. 1879. Jacob Morris. 1880. A. S. Kerr. EAGLE VILLAGE. The location and platting of the village of Eagle followed the opening of the Ionia and Lansing Railroad. It will therefore be proper to preface a sketch of the village by a brief history of this thoroughfare in its connection with the township. While the subject of a railroad through Eagle was being agitated a meeting was called by George W. McCrumb at Jenison Hall, by request of many prominent citizens desirous of expressing their opinion in favor or against the measure. At a later meeting a resolution was passed, with but one dis- senting vote, oiFering aid to the company, and the township officers were subsetjuently authorized to issue bonds against the township, bearing ten per cent, interest, for the sum of nine thousand five hundred dollars, payable in four equal installments, the first of which should become due six months alter the completion of the road. The time for the first payment on these bonds having expired, at the date specified the amount was promptly met. Before the suc- ceeding obligations had matured the Supreme Court had declared the i-ssuancc of township bonds for. such purposes unconstitutional. The bonds had meanwhile been disposed of or fallen into the hands of other parties. Action was brought against the township, as represented by its super- visor, George W. McCrumb, who engaged counsel, and in tlio suit which followed was victorious. An appeal was taken, however, and ultimately the townshij) was compelled to pay principal and interest, amounting in tlie aggregate to about twenty thousand dollars. The site of the depot liaving been determined, George W. McCrumb in 1872 purchased forty acres of land on sec- tion 21, of the estate of John H. McCrumb, a part of which was formerly owned by Amos Nichols, the remainder 56 442 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. being a portion of the Townsend tract. To this Jacob Schott added ten acres, the whole of which was phitted as the village of Eagle and recorded May 6, 1873. Mr. McCrumb may therefore be regarded as the projector of the village. He removed from Lorain Co., Ohio, in 1845, with his father, William McCrumb, who located upon eighty acres on section 17. This land was uncleared on their arrival, and a cabin built in the immediate neighbor- hood afforded them a home while erecting a log house. The father survived his arrival but a year, when George W. purchased the estate and remained with the family at the homestead until 1859, when he removed to his present farm of two hundred and forty acres, to which he later added two hundred and sixty acres adjacent to it. Upon this land he erected in 1877 his present spacious residence. Mr. McCrumb at once built a depot upon his plat, bear- ing himself the entire expense of its construction. In the same year (1873) Loyal W. Hill removed from the town- ship and built a store, in which he placed a general stock of goods. This was the beginning of business enterprise in the village. He was followed by John Force, who be- came the pioneer blacksmith, after which Loyal Hill and others erected dwelling-houses and Mr. McCrumb laid the foundation for a spacious building, which was later rented to Messrs. Cole & Marsh, who opened a general store which supplied the wants of the surrounding country. In 1876, Messrs. Cole & Fletcher built a store in which was placed a stock of hardware, and the church edifice was erected in the same year. The first public-house was opened by Eugene Marsh in a building originally designed as a dwell- ing. A spacious and well-appointed hotel was erected in 1879, of which Washburn Strickland is proprietor and landlord. The present business of the place embraces, in addition, a general store, owned by Messrs. Pearl & Starch ; a grocery and hardware, kept by Eugene Marsh, who is deputy postmaster, the commission being held by George W. McCrumb ; two blacksmith-shops, Robert PuUen and Josiah Ilogle presiding at the forgo ; a milliner, who is Jlrs. Elizabeth Palmer; and a saw-, planing-, and moulding- mill, with feed-mill combined, owned by Mr. McCrumb and located one mile from the village. The teacher of the public school is Miss Diana Pennington. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. DAVID CLARK. The ancestors of Mr. Clark were early emigrants from Great Britain to America, and among the primitive settlers in the old Commonwealth of Massachusetts. His grand- father, John Clark, was actively engaged in the battle of Bennington, and participated also in the engagement which resulted in the surrender of Burgoyne. John Clark, the father of David, was born about the year 1770, at Phelen, Mass., and at the age of seven years removed with his parents to Bennington, Vt., where he resided when the famous battle occurred. He was taken to the battle field by his father, and witnessed the encounter. Having lost his mother at the age of fourteen, a home was open to him at the residence of a relative, Daniel Mc- Nutt, where he remained until he attained his majority, and at the age of twenty-nine was married to Miss Mary Knowlton. Their son D.ivid was born in Castleton, Vt., June 13, 1817, and at the age of sixteen accompanied his parents to Pontiac, Mich , where they located in 1833. In 1835 the family removed to the township of Eagle, on land entered by Mr. Clark, which his son assisted in clearing and improving. They were in an eminent sense pioneers, having discovered no evidences of civilization on their arrival. On Jan. 1, 1857, Mr. Clark was married to Miss Sarah Smith, whose parents — natives of New York State — were settlers in Eaton County in 1839. They have had three children, — David, Jr., born April 17, 1862; Fred, whose birth occurred July 4, 1864, and who died Oct. 20, 1868; and Charles Henry, born Sept. 5, 1868. Mr. Clark was formerly a strong Democrat, but subse- quent developments occasioned' a change in his political views and have since caused him to join the ranks of the Republican party. Both Mr. and Mrs. Clark are supporters of the Congre- gational Church, the latter being a member and an active worker in its interests. GEORGE W. McCRUMB. William McCrumb, who was descended from Scotch an- cestry, was an early settler in Canandaigua, N. Y., and a soldier in the war of 1812. He was married Dec. 4, 1815, to Miss Mary Stewart, and George W., the seventh of their children, was born in Medina Co., Ohio, April 26, 1827, to which State his parents had emigrated a few months previous. They, however, soon after removed to Lorain County, and remained until 1844, when the family re- paired to the township of Eagle, where Mr. McCrumb died the year following. The mother survived until March, 1853. George W. at the age of eighteen was left with the care of the family almost entirely devolving upon him. He was married June 14, 1856, to Miss Calanthe M. Hill, whose parents are inmates of her own cheerful home. The children of Mr. and Mrs. McCrumb were born in the following order: Helen M., March 24, 1857; Floid, Feb. 1, 1858; Charles, Aug. 3, 1860; Nettie and Mattie (twins), Aug. 25, 1863 ; George W., Jr., Sept. 14, 1866 ; Jennie, Jan. 18, 1869; Calanthe May, June 11, 1875. Of these children have died Charles and Mattie, October, 1863; Floid, Nov. 13, 1874; Calanthe May, May 11, 1876 ; Helen, Aug. 28, 1876 ; leaving still three to brighten the home circle. Mr. McCrumb is actively en- gaged in business pursuits, and is at present largely inter- ested in the saw-mill on the Looking-Glass River, of which he is proprietor, and which has a capacity of one million feet of lumber per year. He has been especially prominent in politics, having held many influential offices and been a recognized leader in his township. His convictions have caused him until recently to affiliate with the Republican party. PcsiDENCE Of GEORGE GALL .WnnRTtmN CiiNTof Co. Mich. Residence of DAV/D CLARK. Eagic. Cuf^roNCo. Mich. ESSEX TOWNSHIP. 443 Both Mr. and Mrs. McCrumb are ardent supporters of the Metliodist Episcopal Church, of which slie is an es- teemed member. MRS. SALLY HAWLEY BEERS. The ancestors of Mrs. Beers were of English and Scotch descent, the family having numbered six generations since first they left their native shores and landed in Stratford, Conn. From thence they removed to Newtown township, where a small hamlet was projected and called Land's End, SALLY II. BEEKS. from their former residence in England, and was subse- quently christened Hawley, after its founders. Her faiher, Jabez Hawley, was born in Newtown in 1707, and married to Perthena Booth, to whom were born seven children, of whom Mrs. Sally H. Beers was the eldest. She was mar- ried Oct. G, 1816, when eighteen years of age, to Philo Beers, whose ancestors were among the early settlers of the same township. His father, Ebenezer Beers, was a native of Newtown, Fairfield Co., Conn., and was early married to Miss Anna flard. Their son Philo, the fifth in a large family of children, was born in Newtown, Dec. 20, 1793, and remained at the place of his nativity until November, 1831, wiien, with his family, he repaired to Oakland County. Here they sojourned until 1836, when, the county of Clinton proving more attractive, they repaired to the township of Eagle, where a considerable purchase of land was made, and where Mrs. Beers, at the advanced age of eighty-two years, still resides. The services of her hus- band in the war of 1812 entitle her to a pension, which is annually paid by the government. Mr. and Mrs. Beers were blessed with the following chil- dren : Esther, born Oct. 13, 1818; Mary E., whose birth occurred May 23, 1821 ; Burtis H., born Nov. 22, 1823 ; Philo N., whose birth occurred Sept. 11, 1826, and his death Jan. 26, 1851 ; Sarah F. and Samuel (twins), born Jan. 11, 1828, the death of the latter having taken place Nov. 17, 1832; Phebe A., who was born Sept. 5, 1830, and died in the fall of 1859 ; Currence, born November, 1833, and whose death occurred in November, 1833; and Anna A., born July 2, 1838. Mr. Beers was the pioneer blacksmith in the township of Eagle, and also the builder of the first saw-mill within its borders. He was a man of untiring industry, and his early efforts did much towards advancing the interests of the new settlement. Combined with these qualities was a stern integrity and principle, which made him a power for good in the community in which he lived. Burtis H., the third child of Mr. iind Mrs. Beers, was a young man of unusual promise. He was well educated, and bad intended adopting the profession of law, but was diverted by circumstances from the accomplishment of this object. He was married to Miss Sarah E. Esler, and w:is filling the responsible position of register of deeds, which required his residence at St. Johns, when death suddenly ended his brilliant career on the 8th of January, 1877. CHAPTER LVIIL ESSEX TOWNSHIP.* Boundaries, Surface, Soil, and Streams — Original Surveys and Land- Entries — First and other Early Settlements — Civil History, First Township-Meeting, and List of Officers — Educational — Village of Maple llapids — lleligious History. The township of Essex is situated on the northern bor- der of Clinton County, west of the centre. Fulton, in Gratiot County, forms its northern boundary, while the townships of Greenbush, Bengal, and Lebanon, respectively, in Clinton County, join upon its eastern, southern, and western borders. Its surface is of the character common to the Lower Peninsula, undulating sufiBciently to permit of good sur- face drainage and diversified only by occasional bluffs and plains. Originally it was termed a " hard-wood township," and, except " Benedict's Plains" and another opening at " Sowle's Corners," it was generally heavily timbered with the various deciduous varieties indigenous to this climate. The soil, too, is of that nature which h'as been so fre- quently described when speaking of Michigan lands, — an admixture of sand, clay, and gravelly loam, and in the lower portions alluvial deposits. It is consequently well adapted to the culture of grass, corn, vegetables, fruit, wheat, and other cereals, and in their production, coupled with stock-raising, the agricultural classes are chiefly en- gaged. Maple River and Hayworth Creek are the principal water- courses. The former in its flow to the southwest crosses the northwest corner of the township. Rapids occur in its course near the village of Maple llapids, and here its waters have been utilized for mill purposes. Above the rapids, and from thence, .stretching up the river a distance of ten miles, to Bridgevillc, in Gratiot County, it widens to the extent of from one-eighth to one-half mile. Here it is * By John S. Scbenck. 444 HISTORY OP CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. similar to a long lake or bayou in appearance, and during the past two or three years has been navigated between the two points mentioned by the " May Queen," a small side- wheel steamer, which was built at Maple Rapids by Messrs. Whitacre and Webster. During the present summer (1880) Professor Davis, of the University of Michigan, with a corps of engineers, has been engaged in a survey of the Maple River above and be- low the village of Maple Rapids, for the purpose of deter- mining whether it is practicable to lower the water in the river so as to drain "and render valuable a very large area above Maple Rapids of lands which are now submerged and worthless. The survey was made at the suggestion and through the influence of the Hon. S. S. Walker, of St. Johns. Of its results Professor Davis says : " The surveying party from Ann Arbor, who have been sounding Maple River in the vicinity of Maple Rapids, with the view of ascertaining the feasibility of deepening the channel, and thereby draining the swamps which border that stream from Maple Rapids to Bridgeville, Gratiot County, overflowing some five thousand acres of land, re- port that the lands can be relieved of the overflow by re- moval of the dam at Maple Rapids and the bottom of the river at the rapids, or a shallow place, lowered some six and one-half feet. This will immediately lower the stream for a number of miles, as the bed of the river above and below this shallow place, which is only about one mile and a half in length, extending about equally each way from the bridge at the rapids, and also has numerous depressions, is much lower, and only in few instances is the river so shallow that its bed would reach this sis and one-half feet level. This would not only relieve the overflowed land, but also afford a much better drainage for all the surrounding country, and take away the source of much sickness. " The bed of the river is composed largely of sand and gravel, with a mixture of small bowlders, and the shallow place shows made land or choke filling, being composed mostly of soft muck, through which a stake can be thrust to the gravel or natural bed of the river. "The surveys made in 1831 indicate a good growth of timber, such as oak, white-ash, and other kinds of trees which do not grow in overflowed land. Part of these trees have been cut off in the winter-time for wood, but that now standing is dead. This proves conclusively that at one time the land where they are was not continually under water. The swamp under consideration extends from Maple Rapids about twelve miles up the river into Gratiot County." Hayworth Creek enters the township of Essex by cross- ing the east line of section 25 ; thence it meanders gen- erally northwesterly through the southern part until it crosses the west line of section 18 and enters Lebanon township. Reappearing again upon the same section, it pursues a northeasterly course until its surplus waters are emptied into the Maple River just below the village of Maple Rapids. The Hayworth, with its tributaries, drains the greater portion of Essex township. With its pretty and thriving village of Maple Rapids, its many beautiful farm-houses, surrounded by well-cultivated fields, and also in point of population and the amount of agricultural products annually produced, Essex may be classed as one of the most prosperous and important among the townships of Clinton County. ORIGINAL SURVEYS AND LAND-ENTRIES. Pursuant to contracts with and instructions received from William Lytle, Surveyor-General of the United States, Deputy United States Surveyors Robert Clerk, Jr., and Joel Wright surveyed the present township of Essex in the year 1831. The former ran the boundary lines in February and March, designating the same township No. 8 north, of range No. 3 west. Mr. Wright subdi- vided the township in May. In his field-notes mention is made of a " beautiful mill-seat" on the creek in the north- west corner of seetion 29 ; and again, in running the line between sections 19 and 20, he spoke of " a bluff fifty feet in height, at the base of which were several sulphur springs." At the close of his work he said, " There is a considerable part of the foregoing township that is valuable land, yet I think it is somewhat inferior to those situated on Stony Creek." George Campau became the first individual owner of land in the township, and probably in the county, by the pur- chase of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 8, Nov. 30, 1832. Following, however, are the names of those who purchiised from the general government lands situated in this township : SECTION 1. Joseph R. Williams, Detroit, July 27, 1836, south half. John Montreiul, Ionia Co., Mich., Aug. 1, 1S3S, south half of north- west quarter. SECTION 2. Joseph R. Williams, Detroit, July 27, 1836, south half. John Barrett, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Dec. 12, 1836, south half of north- west quarter. SECTION 3. Hollis Pratt, July 27, 1836, southeast quarter. Isaac A. Brooks, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., July 27, 1S36, west half of southwest quarter. Isaac A. Brooks, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., Sept. 23, 1836, cast half of southwest quarter. Wa-be-cake Mak-i-lo-quot, Clintun Co., Mich., Feb. 1, 1841, north part of northwest quarter. SECTION i. Hollis Pratt, July 27, 1836, southwest quarter. Joseph R. Williams, Detroit, July 27, 1836, southeast quarter. SECTION 5. John P. Wucherer, Aug. 8, 1835, east half of southwest quarter. William McCausland, Ionia Co., Mich., Jan. 6, 1S36, southwest quarter of southwest quarter. S. Newton Dexter, Oneida Co., N. T., April 29, 1836, north half of northwest quarter. SECTION 6. Warren P. Mills, Orand Rapids, Mich., Hay 10, 1836, southeast quarter of southeast quarter. Charles N. Bristol, Monroe Co., N. Y., Dec. 13, 1836, northwest frac- tional quarter. SECTION 7. Edward J. Glenn, Aug. 8, 1S35, west half of northeast quarter. Louis Campau, Grand Rapids, Feb. 12, 1S36, west half of southeast quarter and cast half of southwest quarter. ESSEX TOWNSHIP. 445 SECTION 8. George Catupau, Nov. 30, 1S32, northwest quarter of northwest quarter. Louis Campau, July II, 1835, east half of southwest quarter and southwest quarter of northwest quarter. William U. Thompson, Ann Arbor, Mich., Jan. 6, 1836, west half of northeast quarter. SECTION 9. Iliram Benedict, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Nov. .■), 1835, west half. Calvin Cooley, March 23, 1836, northeast qtiarter. James S. Wadsworth, Geneseo, N. Y., April 25, 1836, southeast quarter. SECTION 10. Charles H. Carroll, April 25, 1836, southwest quarter. Joseph R. Williams, July 27, 1836, north half and southeast quarter. SECTION 11. Joseph R. Williams, Detroit, July 27, 183C, north half and southwest quarter. Joseph C. Lyon, Nov. 20, 1849, southeast quarter. SECTION 12. Joseph R. Williams, Detroit, July 27, 1836, north half and southeast quarter. SECTION 13. Henry Auten, May 3, 1819, northeast quarter. Charles R. Webb, June 19, 1849, southwest quarter. George Watkins, Kno.\ Co., Ohio, June 2(1, 1850, cast half of north- west quarter and southwest quarter of northwest quarter. SECTION 14. John F. Lansing, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, west half of northwest quarter. John Kanouse, Jr., Washtenaw Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, cast half of southeast quarter. SECTION 15. Eurolas P. Hastings, Detroit, Nov. 5, 1836, southeast quarter and east half of northeast quarter. William Page, Ann Arbor, Mich., May 12, 1830, west half. John F. Lansing, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, northeast quarter and west half of southeast quarter. Silas C. Herring {safe man). New York City, Jan. 17, 1837, east half of southeast quarter. SECTION 16. School lands. SECTION 17. Charles Butler, April 25, 1836, northeast quarter and cast half of northwest quarter. Henry M. Moore, Genesee Co., N. Y., Sept. 23, 1836, southeast quarter. Lewis Corning, Troy, N. Y., Jan. 16, 1837, southwest quarter. SECTION 18. Oliver Johnson, April 18, 1836, north half and southwest quarter and west half of southeast quarter. Charles Butler, April 25, 1336, east half of southeast quarter. SECTION 19. Oliver Johnson, April 18, 1836, east half of northeast quarter. Sylvester Stevens, Washtenaw Co., Mich., July 12, 1838, north half of southeast quarter. Daniel Kellogg, Washtenaw Co., Mich., July 12, 1838, south half of southeast quarter. Justus and Gardner Halo, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Aug. 18, 1838, north- west quarter, west half of northeast quarter, and southwest quarter, SECTION 20. Abram S. Wadsworth, Ionia Co., Mich., April 18, 1835, west half of southwest quarter. Henry M. Moore, Genesee Co., N. Y., Sept. 2-3, 1835, northeast quarter. Thompson J. Daniels, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., Jan. 16, 1837, west half of northwest quarter. SECTION 21. Preston Mitchell, Calhoun Co., Mich., Sept. 24, 1836, northwest quarter, James Sowlo, Jr., Washtenaw Co., Mich., Nov. 1, 1836, east half. SECTION 22. William Page, May 12, 1836, east half, and east half of northwest quarter, and cast half of southwest quarter. James Sowlo, Jr., Nov. I, 1836, west half of northwest quarter and west half of southwest quarter. SECTION 23. James Sowie, .Ir., Washtenaw Co., Mich., Nov. 1, 1836, south half. Silas C. Herring, city of New York, Jan. 16, 1837, north half. SECTION 24. . Sarah H. Porter, Lancaster Co., Pa., Nov. 5, 1836, southeast quarter. Nehemiah D. Stebbins, Oakland Co., Mich., Nov. 8, 1836, southwest quarter. Sidney S. Aleoit, Marshall, Mieh., Nov. 8, 1836, northeast quarter. SECTION 25. William McCausland, Ionia Co., Mich., May 15, 1834, west half of southeast quarter and east half of southwest quarter. William Pago, May 12, 1836, north half and west half of southwest quarter. Horace Butler, May 26, 1836, cast half of southeast quarter. SECTION 26. Philip Fayne, July 18, 18.36, southwest quarter. Horace Butler, May 26, 1836, southeast quarter. John Kanouse, Jr., Washtenaw Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, northwest quarter and west hSlf of northeast quarter. SECTION 27. Sidonius Teall, July 18, 1836, northwest quarter and west half of southeast quarter. John B. Nestell, Clinton Co., Mich., June 27, 1837, west half of south- west quarter. James K. Morris, Clinton Co., Mich., Oct. 26, 1839, east half of south- west quarter. Paine i, Teall, July 18, 1836, east half of southeast quarter. SECTION 28. Charles J. Walker, Kent Co., Mich., Sept. 30, 1836, northeast quarter. Elizabeth Kanouse, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, southeast quarter and west half of northwest quarter. Noble Sperry, Seneca Co., N. Y., southwest quarter. SECTION 29. Joseph R. Williams, July 27, 1836, west half of northwest quarter. George W. Dickinson, Ionia Co., Mich., Feb. 15, 1837, cost half of north\vest quarter and northwest quarter of northeast quarter. George Stillson, Calhoun Co., Mich., April 3, 1837, southwest quarter of northeast quarter. Philo Sperry, Seneca Co., N. Y., April 3, 1837, southeast quarter. Carmi Rainsford, Monroe Co., N. Y., April ,3, 1837, east half of north- east quarter, SECTION 30. Joseph R. Williams, July 27, 1836, northeast quarter. Benjamin Welch, Clinton Co., Mich., Feb. 15, 1837, southwest quarter. George AV. Perry, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Aug. 18, 1838, northwest quarter. SECTION 31. Charles J. Walker, Kent Co., Mich., Sept. 30, 1836, west fractional half. Lucius C. Martin, West Milton, Vt., Deo. 9, 1850, cast half of north- east quarter. SECTION 32. Campbell & Bradley, Schenectady, N. Y., Oct. 1, 1836, east half. Silas R. Jones, Clinton Co., Mich., March 11, 1850, northwest quarter of southwest quarter. ESSEX TOWNSHIP. 447 by John Nestell, his brother-in-law, built his first dwelling,* a log one, on the site of his present residence. Although Mr. Sowle's house was the first to succeed that of George Campau,.it was not occupied by him until June, 1838, many of his household goods having been moved therein the winter previously. In July, 1838, his little daughter, Mary E., nearly two years old, while tied in a chair, fell forward into a " smudge," kindled for the purpose of driving away gnats and mosquitoes, and was so badly burned that she died. His son, Joseph B., who lived to be eighteen years of ago, was born on the 22d of the same month. Thus the first birth and death occurring in the northern half of Clinton County took place in his family. He also claims that the first marriage in the county took place at his house in the spring of 1837, while he resided at Wacousta, the contracting parties being Loren Miner and Miss Margaret Nestell, both of whom were then work- ing for Mr. Sowle, and the ceremony was performed by William A. Hewitt, Esq., of Dewitt, who was afterwards a prominent citizen of Essex. Mr. Sowle built the first framed barn in the township in 1839, which is still standing. He also erected for others the first mills at Hubbardston and at Maple Rapids, the latter for Messrs. Hewitt & Shepard. In the fall of 1 839 he procured at Ionia some very small apple-trees. Of these, his neighbors, Daniel Kcllo_'g and Sylvester Stephens, re- ceived some. All were set out the same day, and thus were started the first orchards. Mr. Sowle, or " Sohn," as he was termed by them, was a great favorite with the la- dians who lived in his vicinity. He relates that in 1838, also in 1839 and 1840, he plowed many little patches for the Indian women to cultivate their corn and vegetables. Each had their own little plat, and they usually paid him with maple-sugar. As the proceeds of one day's work he once received four hundred and eighty pounds. Ho was a justice of the peace when he came here, and served as such for several years thereafter. Illustrative of his experience while serving in that capacity, also of the friendly feeling then existing between the whites and In- dians, we relate the following: On the 4th of July, 1839, he visited Campau's trading-post. There were present, be- sides Mr. Campau and himself, five buxom Indian women. Campau was in a joking mood, and speaking in the lan- guage of the Chippewas, told the women that " Sohn" was a justice of the peace; that among the whites it was cus- tomary for such officials to " treat" all women who kissed them on the 4th of July ; therefore, if they kissed " Sohn," they were sure of a drink. Although not understanding their language, Mr. Sowle was well aware from their ges- tures and glances exchanged that it related to him. On the alert, therefore, when the squaws arose and moved care- lessly towards him, he, ton, stood erect. A moment later they clo.sed in upon him on all sides. The short, sharp struggle which ensued resulted in the forest feminiucs being » Thia house wiw burned in IS50. A small friimo dwelling fiil- lowod, which w.is occupied until IStiO. It then gave place to a more pretentious one costing five thousand dollars, the former being mured a short distance away. In March, 1861, both the old and new houses burned, and the present or fourth dwelling on the same site was soon after erected. thrown to the floor, lying one across another. Not satisfied, however, they made a second attempt to gain the coveted kiss and, what was of more importance to them just then, the drink, but were again served as before. Convulsed with laughter, Mr. Campau called off the women, saying to them that they were beaten, but if they would bring in a "rat skin" (meaning a muskrat skin) the next day, he would treat. Assenting, the squaws drank their whisky with evident relish, and thereafter Sohn's reputation as a wrestler was fully established among the Indians. Hiram Benedict and Timothy 11. I'ettit, brothers-in-law, accompanied by their families. Nelson Benedict, an unmar- ried brother of Hiram, and another young man named John Brown, came from Saratoga Co., N. Y., and .settled upon the openings known since as " Benedict's Plains," in the autumn of 1837, thus becoming the next settlers after Mr. Campau. Their families found shelter under the hos- pitable roof of Mr. Campau, until their own first dwellings were ready for occupancy. Hiram Benedict purchased of the government the west half of section 9 Nov. 5, 1835, and soon afterwards became possessed of the two east eighty-acre lots of section 8. The spring following his settlement (1838) he was elected supervisor of the newly- organized township of Wandaugon, and afterwards, without changing his residence, served as the first supervisor of the respective townships of Lebanon, Bengal, and Essex. He was an able man, a good citizen, and highly respected. His aged father — Hiram, Sr. — and mother also removed to this township, where were passed the remainder of their days. Hiram Benedict, Sr., had served in the war of 1812-14. Timothy H. Pettit and Nelson Benedict were also prominent early citizens. Mr. Pettit was elected the first clerk of Wandaugon, also a justice of the peace ; was active in the organization of Bengal and Essex townships ; and ably served both in various official capacities. (See lists of officers of this, Bengal, and Lebanon townships.) It is thought that he built the first framed house in Essex. Lyman Webster, known by the Indians of his day as " Ma-quah,"' because of his heavy dark beard, and Chaun- cey M. Stebbins, brothers-in-law, came here from Ionia County in the fall of 1837. They owned lands situated upon sections 35 and 36, and were the first settlers iu the southeast (juarter of the township. Both were gentlemen of ability, and most creditably served their townsmen in various public stations. Daniel Kellogg and Sylvester Stevens, his son-in-law, from Washtenaw County, purchased the southeast quarter of section 19 in July, 1838, and during the following winter or early spring of 1839 settled upon their newly- acquired estate. They, too, became well-known and prom- inent citizens. Mr. Kellogg was an early township clerk, justice of the peace, and treasurer, while Mr. Stevens built the first saw-mill,f which stood on Ilayworth Creek, in the southwest quarter of section 20. Lucene Eldridge, Joshua Frink, and Joshua Coomer set- tled upon sections 34 and 35, early in the spring of 1840. All were good substantial farmers, aud most worthy citizens. Mr. Coomer still resides where he settled forty years ago. f This mill was afterwards owneil by Thomas Irwin and William A. Hewitt. 448 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Those living in township 8 north, of range 3 west, who wore assessed as resident tax-payers of Bengal in June, 1840, were as follows : George Campau, west balf of northwest quarter of section 8. Sylvester Stevens, north half of southeast quarter of section 19. Daniel Kellogg, south half of southeast quarter of section 19. Hiram Benedict, east half of northeast quarter and cast half of southeast quarter of section 8. Hiram Benedict, northwest quarter and west half of southwest quarter of section 9. Timolhy H. Pettit, cast half of southwest quarter and east half of cast half of southeast quarter of section 9. James Sowle, Jr., northeast quarter of section 21. James Sowle, Jr., west half of northwest quarter of section 22. James Sowle, Jr., southwest quarter of section 23. Chauncey M. Stebbins, east half of northeast quarter of section 36. Chauncey M. Stebbins, east half of west half of southeast quarter of section 35. Lyman AVeb.ster, ea.«t half of southwest quarter and west half of west half of southeast quarter of section 35. Lucene Eldridge, southwest quarter of section 35. Joshua Frink, southeast quarter and east half of southwest quarter of section 34. Joshua Coomer, west half of southwest quarter of section 31. A mistake seems to exist in the description of lands credited to Webster and Eldridge, but the foregoing is a copy of the roll of that date. The residents of the present township who itvailed them- selves of the elective franchise in November, 1840, the days of " Tippecanoe and Tyler too," were Messrs. Timothy H. Pettit, Hiram Benedict, James Sowle, Jr., Alonzo Vaughn, Sylvester Stevens, Joshua Frink, Miner Frink, Nelson Benedict, Daniel Kellogg, Julius Bishop, Joshua Coomer, Chauncey M. Stebbins, Lyman Webster, Lucene Eldridge, Orlow W. Holmes, and Marcus Rowley, who, except Messrs. Cortland Hill, Charles Grant, and Uriah Drake, were the only residents of Bengal who voted. Solomon Moss, a prominent pioneer of Essex, came here in 1841, from the town of Ira, Cayuga Co., N. Y., and set- tled upon section 33. He was born in Vermont in 1790. During the war of 1812-14 he was, while residing in Canada, drafted into the British service, but at some pecu- niary sacrifice te evaded doing duty for His Britannic Maj- esty by returning to Vermont. His wife, formerly Miss Fanny Jones, of Shoreham, Vt., and six children, viz., Hiram L., William J., Edgar D., Vesta E., Laura K., and Myron S., came with him to this township. Mrs. Moss died in 185G. Mr. Moss survived to the age of eighty- one years. Their children all reside in Clinton County, except Mrs. M. Baker, of St. Louis, Gratiot Co. Among other prominent early .settlers were John Johnson, who succeeded Mr. Campau and, until the settlement of William A. Hewitt at Maple Rapids, did a thriving mer- cantile business with the Indians and early white settlers ; Chauncey S. Wolcott, who is still one of Essex's most re- spected citizens; Henry M. Starks, Levi D. Jenison, Samuel M. Scott, Daniel G. Smith, Obadiah Lyon, Walter Hubbell, Rufus Dinsmore, and others whose faces and peculiarities will be remembered when their names are found in accom- panying list. In 1844 those residents of the township assessed for taxes were mentioned as owning property on the following sections : Ephraim Kolfe John Johnson Levi D. Jenison Plirani Benedict, Jr Nelson Benedict Timothy H. Pettit Henry M. .Starks Eleazer Toby George Starlts John W. Armstrong .Sylvester Stevens Daniel Kellogg James Sowle, Jr 21, David Seott Kufus Dinsmore 25, Lyman AVebster Sec. Sec. 7 George W. Gardner 25 8 Christian G. Nestell 27 8 Daniel G.Smith 29 8,9 Nelson Delong 311 9 Solomon Moss 3;i 9 Joshua Coomer 34 9 Joshua Frink U 8 Lucene Eldridge 35 9 Chauncev S. Wolcott 36 19 Walter Hubbell 36 19 Lewis Norton Personal 19 Joseph Kellogg " ,22 Oliver Aldrich " 23 Parley Gardner ** ,36 Joseph Nestell " 25 The population and number of dwellings were more than doubled during the succeeding ,six years, and in 1850 there were seventy-seven families and a total population of four hundred and ten inhabitants. The resident tax-payers at that time were named as follows : Sec. Sec. John Young 24 Heirs of R. Dinsmore 25, 36 Morgan Monroe 25 Theodore Webster 25 Lyman Webster 25 C. Hammond 26 Truman B. Heath 26 Edwin W. Warren 23 Obadiah Lyon 26 James Owen 27 Christian G. Nestell 27 Frederick Delano 19 James Sowle, Jr 21,22 Humphrey Hammond 28 Daniel G. Smith 29 Riley Jones 32 David Bush 26, 33 Joshua Coomer 34 Hiram L. Moss 33 AVilliam J. Moss 33 Mrs. Frink 34, 26 Lucene Eldridge 35 Levi D. Jennison 35 Chauncey S. Wolcott 36 Stephen McPherson 10 Joseph T. Hewitt Personal Guy N. AVilco.\ " David F. McPherson.... " George R. Nestell " Isaiah Sherwood '* James Skillman " 0. Dunkle " Charles Turner " Eben B. Stiles " Isaac Ocobock ** Simon T. Hill . 3 Ilirani Kichmond . 3 Thomas Stickney . 6 Epbnuin Rulfe . 7 Alfred Stone 7 William Perry . 7 John Johnson . S Ransom S. Cook . 8 8 8,9 Timothy H. Pettit . 9 . 9 Peter Schanck . 9 1 Joseph 0. Lyon 9 11 Charles Carter 10 ... 17 18 Ransom Beach 19 D. W. C. Beach 19 David Blank 19 19 19 Cornelius Onderkirk 19 John W. Armstrong.... ... 19 30 Nelson Delong 30 Palmer D. Bancroft 30 Guy N.Wilcox 31 Adam Ocobock 29 Jackson Ocobock 29 Frederick Tuttlc 20 Thomas Irwin 20 Thomas Parr 17, 20 21 •>">. David Scott n Mrs. Scott ... 23, 24 At the expiration of another decade many improvements had taken place. Framed dwellings and broad cultivated fields had succeeded the log cabins and .small "clearings;" the enterprising little village of Maple Rapids had sprung into existence, and Essex in 18G0 contained two hundred and fourteen dwelling-houses and one thousand and thirteen inhabitants, thus taking third place among Clinton County townships. The tax-paying residents* of twenty years ago were: Sec. Aaron W. Phillips 1 Lewis Bryant 1 William Brown 1 .Samuel H. Griffith 2 Andrew J. Taylor 2 John Anderson 2 William S. Mathews 3 Marcus Annis 4, 14 M. J. Whitacre 5 Reuben Smith Personal Sec. Martin V. Brown Village Lots John N. Whitacre... '* James K. Petteys " Augustus Randolph. " Frederick Tuttle " Ransom Beach " James Carpenter.. 6 Arnold Payne 6 Abigail Fullon 6 Daniel Webster 6 * In this and other lists of names errors may be found in spelling, but they cannot be avoided when not written correctly or legibly on original rolls. ESSEX TOWNSHIP. 449 Sec. J. R. Mosher 6 Bennett Cook 7 Uazen Jaquish 7 Chauncey Jaquish Personal Azro Jaquish " IraS. Balier 7 Betsey M. Stone 7 William Mather 7 Hewitt and Mather.. .Village Lots William A. Hewitt... " Isaac Hewitt " Hannah Hewitt •' D. J. Rogers " George Herrenileen.. ** Henry C. Lyon ** B. F. HerrenJeen.... " Owen Holland " Franklin Hudson " Michael Lestrange..*. " Horace S. Taylor ** John Johnson 3, 7, 8 Chandler Freeman. ..Village Lots C. W. Brown " H. P. Lansing " Joseph W. Hewitt... " Lafayette Brown *' Hiram Richmond.... " William P. Bolds " ElishaMudge " Nancy Webster " Daniel Pratt " Edgar D. Moss 8, 18 Solomon Moss 8, 18 William J. Moss 5. S, 18 Eli Madison Village Lots William Annis " George Hewitt " Lydia A. Lane ** Zachary Hewitt " Paul Hewitt " Anderson Stout S Ransom J. Coo1i 8 William Benedict S, 9, IS Nelson Benedict 9 Joseph C. Lyon 9 Henry Dimon 9 James Skinner Personal Peter Schanck 9 Rowland S. Van Scov 9, 10 R. Danby ." 10 R. T. Sumner 10 Guy N. Wilco.v 10 Jacob Britton 10 George A. Britton 10 Alfred Russell 12 William M. Stevens 12 Nathan S. Ellis \:i Edgar C. Van Vlcet l.i, U Martin I. llulbert U Mary Root 14, Ij Henry Hinckley 15 John Groat l.'i James Youdan 14, 15 Thomas Parr 15 Daniel Piniard 16 John Baker 16 Charles Carter 10, l(i William J. Havens 16 Cornelius Vjtn Sickle 16 Maria Perrin 4, 5, 10, 16 Newman Terry 16 0. F. Bristol 16 Isaac T. Bentlcy 17 George Blank 17 Joseph Ellicott 17 George Baharsh.. 18 andVil. Lot Harvey White 18 John P. Smith 18 Jacob Ridenour, Jr 19 Stephen Parr 19 John W. Armstrong 19, .'iO John Ridenour 19 Josiah Cobb 19 David Ridenour 19 Warren Peet 19 Ransom Beach 19 Peter and David Blank 17 Alonzo Potter Personal Thomas Irwin 20 Sec. John Beach 20 Lyman Van Sickle 20 Warren Smith 20 Lewis Bentley 20 Christopher M. Bannister 20 William Parr 20 T. P. Hoyt 20 Charles Bentley 21 A. Stevens 21 Stephen McPherson 21 John Piniard 21 Mary McPherson 21 James Sowle, Jr... 15, 21, 22, 28 Martin Fisher 22 Arnold L. Lake 22 Horace M. Skinner 22 Nathan L. Carr 22 John D. Whitm.an 23 Francis A. Coats 23 Nathan R. Lowe 23 Abram Annis 24 Andrew Annis 24 John Young 24 William Young 24 George B. Andrus Personal Luther Wheat 24 Albert E. Fox : 24 Charles Fox 24 Henry Lyon 24 R. W". Boynton 25 Carmi Hammond 25,26 B. Taylor .' 25 Watson Rolfe 25 George Rolfe Personal James H. Roberts 26 Simon T. Hause 26 Obadiah Lyon 26 A. Pietz 26 John Cantwell 16 J. F. Frink 26 Dennis Webster 27 E. D. Webster 27 Joseph Parr 27 John H. Parr 27 James Owen 27 Sauford Crowner 27 James D. Crowner 27 John F.arnsworth 27 Horace A. Sowle 27 Moses Nestell 27 Hiram Nestell 27 George R. Nestell 27 Albert Angell 27 Humphrey Hammond 28, 33 N. S. Hammond Personal H. C. Elkins Richard Brilton 28 Nelson Garner 28 S. Arnold 29 Thomas Luck 29 Jackson Ocoboek 29 Isaac M. Ocoboek 29 Adam Ocoboek 29 Hamilton Ocoboek 29 Loren Peet 29 Nelson Delong 18, 30 Loren Miner 30 Benjamin F. Ocoboek 30 Palmer D. Bancroft 30 Simon T.Hill 9, 31 Riley Jones 32 M. Chase 32 Hiram L. Moss 33, 34 David Bush 26,33, .34 William Ward 34 Joshua Coonier 34 Chester Dean 34 J. C. Jowett 26, 34 John Ward 34 Luccnc Eldridge ■. 35 Jtodney Eldrid^e 35 John Bottum 35 Levi D. Jenison 26, 35 Chauncey S. Wolcott.. 25, 34, 36 Jerome Clark 36 Barney Bond 36 S. Bottum 36 H. Houck 36 Prominent among the citizens of to-day of those whose names are mentioned in the foregoing Hst are Rowland S. Van Scoy, the owner of about fifteen hundred acres in Essex, 57 and one of the wealthiest men in the county ; Isaac Hewitt, a merchant and capitalist, who owns nearly six hundred acres ; Horace M. Skinner, a thorough-going farmer, who has done much to improve live stock ; and llichard B. Ca- russ, who, although a more recent settler, is deserving great credit for his efforts in behalf of an improved stock of cattle, sheep, and hogs, and true farm culture. CIVIL HISTOKY, FIRST TOWNSHIP-MEETING, AND LIST OF OFFICERS. - Essex, wliieh comprises territory designated in the orig- inal survey-township No. 8 north, of range No. 3 west, formed part of Wandaugon (afterwards Lebanon) township from March 6, 1838, to March 19, 1840, when it became part of Bengal. It continued thus until 1843, when by an act of the State Legislature, as follows, approved March 9th of the same year, it began a separate existence. '• All that part of the county of Clinton designated in the United States survey as township No. 8 north, of range No. 3 west, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Essex, and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the house of James Sowle, Jr., in said township." Pursuant to the foregoing act, twenty-eight electors as- sembled at the house of James Sowle, Jr., April 21, 1843, to hold their first township election, and as a result the fol- lowing township officers were declared elected : Hiram Benedict,* Supervisor ; Daniel Kellogg, Clerk ; Lyman Webster, Treasurer ; Henry M. Starks, Solomon Moss, Chauncey S. Wolcott, Highway Commissioners ; Solomon Moss, Daniel Kellogg, Chauncey M. Stebbins, Justices of the Peace; Daniel Kellogg, Chauncey M. Stebbins, Asses- sors ; Chauncey S. Wolcott, Chauncey M. Stebbins, School Inspectors ; Benjamin P. Doty," Chauncey M. Stebbins, Directors of the Poor ; John W. Armstrong, Chauncey S. Wolcott, Constables. Samuel M. Scott, Solomon Moss, James Sowle, Jr., Hiram Benedict, and Timothy H. Pettit served as inspectors of this election. Two days later a special township-meeting was held, when the following-named citizens were chosen path masters: Henry M. Starks, district No. 1 ; James Sowle, Jr., district No. 2; John W. Armstrong, district No. 3; William L. Delbridge, district No. 4 ; Solomon Mess, district No. 5 ; and it was resolved that James Sowle, Jr., serve as pound- master ; that the township buy books for records ; that two hundred and fifty dollars.be raised for highway purposes; that two dollars be paid for wolf-scalps ; that one hundred and fifty dollars be raised for contingent expenses, and that the next township election be held at the house of William L. Delbridge. In 1845 the people voted to pay as town bounties two dollars for each wolf-scalp, one dollar for each bear-scalp, and two cents for each blackbird killed in the townsliip. During a few years preceding 1S56 or 1857 the present townships of Newark and Fulton, in Gratiot County, were attached to Essex. * Hiram Benedict had served as the first supervisor of Wandaugon in 1838, also of Lebanon in 1839. He waB elected the first supervisor of Bengal in 1840, also to the same office in 1841, and on the 3d of April, 1843. 450 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. The following tables embrace the names of those who have been annually elected supervisors, clerks, treasurers, justices of the peace, higliway commissioners, school in- spectors, drain commissioners, and school superintendents for the years from 1844 to 1880, inclusive; but where vacancies have been filled by appointments and special elec- tions, such changes are not shown. Possibly errors will be found ; if so, the fault must rest upon successive township clerks, who at the conclusion of each township-meeting failed to summarize and declare who were elected : SUPERVISORS. 1S44-45. Walter Hubbell. 1846. Hiram Benedict. 1847. Samuel M. Scott. 1848. Hinim Benedict. 1849. Samuel M. Scott. 1850. Daniel G. Smith. 1851-52. Hiram Benedict. 1553. William A. Hewitt. 1854. Thomas Parr. 1855. Timothy H. Pettit. 1856. Joseph T. Hewitt. CLE 1844. Lyman Webster. 1845. Levi D. Jenison. 1846-47. Daniel G. Smith. 1848. Obadiah Lyon. 1849. Daniel G. Smith. 1850-5.'i. David F. McPherson. 1554. Robert W. McCartney. 1855. John S. Bristol. 1856. Martin V. Brown. 1857. William J. Moss. 1858. Charles W. Brown. 1857. John Young. 1858. Hiram Benedict. 1859-65. Rowland S. Van Scoy. 1866. Hiram L. Moss. 1867-69. James Youdan. 1870. Justus Root. 1871. James I'oudan. 1872. Richard B. Caruss. 1873-74. James Youdan. 1875-80. Orin F. Peck. RKS. 1859-62. William J. Moss. 1S63. Myron S. Moss. 1864. Martin V. Brown. 1865-66. Myron S. Moss. 1867. Henry D. Sanders. 1868. Daniel Lyon. 1869-74. Orin F. Peck. 1875-78. Murdo McDonald. 1879. William F. Petteys. 1880. Sanford W. Smith. TREASURERS. 1844-46. Daniel Kellogg. 1847. H. M. Starks. 1848. James Sowle, Jr. 1849-51. Humphrey Hammond. 1852. Timothy H. Pettit. 1853-54. Joseph T. Hewitt. 1855. William A. Hewitt. 1856-62. George Daharsh. 186.3-64. Robert T. Sumner. JUSTICES OF THE 1844. Henry M. Starks. 1859. Waller Hubbell. 1860. 1845 Solomon Moss. 1861. 1846. Daniel Kellogg. 1862. Christian G. Nestell. 1863. 1847. Chaunccy S. Woloott. 1848. No record. 1864. 1849. Ransom Beach. 1865. William Sherwood. 1S66. 1850. Stephen McPherson. 1S67. 1851. James Sowle, Jr. Obadiah Lyon. 1868. 1852. AVilliam A. Hewitt. 1860. 1853. Charles Townsend. 1854. Ransom Beach. 1870. 1855. John Y'oung. 1871. David F. McPherson. 1872. 1856. William A. Hewitt. Jerome Clark. 1873. 1857. Chauncey S. Wolcott. 1874. 1858. Daniel Webster. Ruel W. Boynton. 1875. 1859. Thomas Parr. 1876. 1865. Thomas Parr. 1866. Rowland S. Van Scoy. 1867. Simeon Hewitt. 1868. Edwin D. Webster. 1809. Alfred Shaw. 1870. James Y^oudan. 1871-77. Simeon Hewitt. 1878-79. John Chick. 1880. Simeon Hewitt. PEACE. David Blank. Edwin D. AVebster. William A. Hewitt. Ruel W. Boynton. Nathan .1. Ellis. Isaac Hewitt. Edwin D. Webster. James Sowle, Jr. R. H. Sanborn. Jacob Britton. John R. Bottom. Ransom J. Cook. Robert B. Burt. AVhipple Martin. Solomon P. Oreasingcr. John N. Whitacre. Nelson Delong. Franklin Hudson. Robert B. Burt. James D. Covert. Walter Floate. James D. Covert. Martin Hubbell. 1876. Albert T. Cross. , 1877. Gabriel Anderson. Franklin Hudson. Robert B. Burt. HIGHWAY 1844. Solomon Moss. Chauncey S. Wolcott. Nelson Benedict. 1845. Itutus Dcnsmore. Hiram Benedict. Daniel G. Smith. 1846. Rufus Densmore. 1847. Lyman Webster. Sherman Baldwin. Rufus Densmore. 1848. Hiram Benedict. 1849. Aaron S. Baker. 1850. John Y'oung. 1851. Thomas Parr. 1852. Arunah Hubbell. 1853. James Y'oudan. 1854. David Blank. 1855. Edwin D. Webster. 1856. James Youdan. 1857. Joseph T. Hewitt. 1858. Daniel T. Hoyt. Alfred Cowles. 1859. James \''oudan. Humphrey Hammond. SCHOOL 1844. Timothy II. Pettit. 1845. Walter Hubbell. 1846. Humphrey Hammond. Timothy H. Pettit. 1847. Humphrey Hammond. 1848. Timothy II. Pettit. 1849. Samuel M. Scott. 1850. D. W.C. Beach. 1851. Humphrey Hammond. 1852. D. W. C. Beach. 1853. William J. Moss. 1854. D. W. C. Beach. 1855. AVilliam J. Moss. 1856. Eleazer N. Darrow. 1857. Humphrey Hammond. 1858. AVilliam Mather. 1859. Elisha .Mudge. 1860. Chandler Freeman. 1861. Elisha Mudge. 1862. Humphrey Hammond. 1878. Joseph Parr. 1879. AVinfield Stitt. 1S8U. Robert Anderson. Albert T.Cross. CO.MMISSIONERS. 1859. James .Sowle, Jr. 1860. Robert T. Sumner. 1861. James Sowle, Jr. 1862. James Y'oudan. 1863. Henry B. Dimon. 1864. Samuel Reed. William Parr. 1865. James Y'oudan. 1866. Simeon Hewitt. 1867. James Anderson. 1868. Stephen M. Parr. 1869. Theodore P. Hoyt. 1870. James Anderson. 1871. Milton L. Hildreth. 1872. AA'illiam B. Smith. 1873. James .Anderson. 1S74. AVilliam S. Hane. David II. Payne. Nathan Ellis, Jr. 1875. James Youdan. 1876-78. Jacob Hoover. 1879. AValter Floate. 1880. James K. Davison. INSPECTORS. 1862. Myron A. Dunning. 1S63. Charles P. Lyon. Myron A. Dunning. 1864. James 0. Bates. 1S65. Ruel AV. Boynton. Nathan Ellis, Jr. 1866. Hervey Lyon. 1867. Myron S. Moss. 1868. Daniel B. Chase. 1869. James S. Bristol. 1870. Daniel B. Chase. 1871. James S. Bristol. 1872. AVilliam Heck. 1873. James S. Bristol. 1874. Murdo McDonald. 1875. Robert B. Burt. 1876. Muuson Chase. 1877. tieorge Ewers. 1878-79. Munson Chase. 1880. AVilliam J. Moss. DRAIN COMMISSIONERS. 1871. AA'illiam J. Moss. 1876. Lewis Bentley. 1872. Daniel Lyon. 1877. No record. 1873. Robert B. Burt. 1878. John L. Lyon. 1874. No record. 1879. No record. 1875. James C. Jewett. 1880. Francis W. Redfern. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS. 1875. Charles M. Perry. 1879. Oliver G. AA'cbster. 1876. Eli.-iha Mudge. 1877-78. AV. H. Owen. 1880. Mrs. Libbie Anderson. EDUCATIONAL. In the winter of 1840-41, while Essex formed part of Bengal, the first school was established in township 8 north, of range 3 west. Its sessions were held in the upper part of James Sowle's log hou.se, and Miss Emily Moss, daughter of Solomon Moss, presided as teacher. Her pupils, seven in number, were the children of James Sowle and Parley ESSEX TOWNSHIP. 451 Gardner. According to the school law then prevailing, nine scholars or children of school age were necessary to form a district and enable it to draw money from the public- school fund. As the two families could muster but seven children, Bengal authorities refused to organize a district, consequently Miss Moss' school was a private one. On the 2d of January, 1845, School Inspectors Lyman Webster, Timothy H. Pettit, and Chauncey S. Wolcott formed school district No. 2, and ordered that it should include sections 21, 22, 15, 10, and 3, the east half of sec- tions 4, 9, 16, and the southwest quarter of 16. The first meeting to be held at the house of James Sowle, Jr., Wed- nesday, Jan. 15, 1845, at one p.m. District No. 1 was formed in December, 1846, and Rufus Densmore and others of this district were duly notified that its boundaries be as follows : " Commencing at the southeast corner of section thirty-six, thence west to the quarter post on the south line of section thirty-four, thence north through the centre of sections thirty-four and twenty-seven to the centre of section twenty-two, thence east through the centre of sections twenty-three and twenty- four to the east line of the township, thence south to the place of beginning ; and the first school-meeting therein shall be held at the house of Chauncey S. Wolcott, Tues- day, December 15, 1846, at six p.m." So says the record. But why district No. 2 was formed prior to No. 1 we cannot determine. Probably the latter description was a change of the boundary-lines of original district No. 1, for of the primary-school fund (_twenty-three dollars and fifty-five cents) drawn in 1845, fourteen dollars and eighty-seven and a half cents was apportioned to dis- trict No. 1, and eight dollars and sixty-seven and a half cents to district No. 2. But eighteen dollars and eighty- eight cents was received from the primary-.school fund in 1846. In April, 1847, it was determined to build a school- house for district No. 1 on the northwest coiner of section 36, land owned by Chauncey S. Wolcott. District No. 3, comprising sections 13, 14, 23, 24, south half of 11 and 12, and portions of 26 and 27, was formed in September, 1848. District No. 4 was organized in May, 1849. The first meeting was held at the house of Pliram Benedict, and the district comprised sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, and tlie west half of sections 4, 9, and 16. This was the first district organized which included the territory now occupied by the village of Maple Rapids. The amount of primary- school funds received the same year was sixteen dollars and seventeen cents, which was apportioned to districts 1 and 2. In 1850 twenty-six dollars and fifty-two cents was received from the same fund, which was apportioned to the two dis- trict.s as before. Of the seven districts counted as organized in 1851, but four were entitled to public-school funds, viz., 1, 2, 3, and 5. Since the latter date many changes have taken place in the numbers* and boundaries of school districts, and it is impracticable to follow their history further. • In 1855 there were eleven school districts, but districts in the present townships of Newark and Fulton, Qratiot County, were then included. EARLY TEACHERS. Miss Martha Grooch or Gooch received a teacher's cer- tificate May 26, 1849, and 'is the first mentioned in the school inspectors' books as having received one. Other early teachers are mentioned by years, as follows : 1850. — Harriet Bliss, Sarah Jane Lyon, Helen E. Stevens, Mary Richmond, and Lovina Stone. 1851.— Miss T. M. Doty, William Mather, David F. Mc- Pherson, D. W. C. Beach. 1852. — Emeline Moss, Francis A. Chappell, Mrs. Arm- strong. 1854. — Emeline Mo.ss, Catherine Ocobock, Mary P. Rich- mond, Mary L. Kipp, Maria Hawkins, Sliss T. M. Doty, William J. Moss, Martha Pier.son, Hannibal Gaskcll, Mrs. Gunsolly. 1855.— Mary L. Webster, Miss H. L. Cole, Mary L. Seaver, Mary Hill, Mary A. Moore, America Hoyt, and Eleazer A. Darrow. 1856.— Sarah L. Cole, Julia A. Skinner, Mary J. Vail, Pamelia Bliss, Mr. E. I. Abbott, William J. Moss, N. K. Hane. 1857. — Alice Moore, Mary J. Partridge, Adelia M. Smith, Martha Avery, Mary Hill, T. R. Bush, Elisha Mudge, P]leazer N. Darrow, Elizabeth Doane. 1858. — Mary Coryell, George W. King, Mary A. Moore, Miss Baker, Lucy E. Freeman, 0. S. Ingham, James N. Wallace, Miss H. A. Taft. 1859. — Charlotte Nethaway or Hathaway, Laura Har- rington, Charlotte H. Miller, Julia Sessions, Martha Avery, Anderson Stout, 0. B. Gunnison, IMyron S. Moss, Oliver G. Webster, Charles T. Lyon, Lois Mudge, Eunice M. Eddy, Elon Rey- nolds, Ely Reynolds, Charles E. Hollister. 1860. — Naomi J. Everett, Mary Hill, Angeline Rush, Amelia Brown, Oliver G. Webster, Mary M. Coryell, America Hewitt, William Scott, Alan- sun Mathews, Jane Strever, Myron A. Dunning, William M. Colby, William Hill. 1801.— Myron S. Mo.ss, D. B. Creasinger, M. R. Eaton, Elvira S. Cole, Naomi J. Everett, Rebecca T. Young, Albert H. Burch, II. W. Stiles, J. M. Harrison, Elisha MeCall. 1862.— Mary L. Gillett, Miss L. Bentlcy, Minerva A Bachelor, Naomi S. Everett, Sarah E. Smith, Sophronia L. Burch, Jane Strever, 3Iary B. Harmon, F. M. Chase. 1863. — America Hewitt, P]lizabeth Benjamin, Gertrude Benjamin, Jane Strever, Sarah Smith, Catharine R. (^hase, Mary E. Chase, Peter Benjamin, Mary Stafford, Naomi J. Everett, Myron A. Dunning, Myron S. Moss, L. C. Shelley, Sarah E. Smith, C. C. Collins, James Jewett. 1864. — Jane Strever, C. R. Chase, Xiaura Eldred, Miss L. Bentley, Eva E. Wilson, Lucy J. Peet, Eliza- beth Taylor, Helen L. Hewitt, Mary Coryell, Peter Benjamin, Messrs. L. C. Shelley, Joslin 0. G. Webster, and O. M. Wood. 1865. — Mary iMoore, Jennie Strever, Nellie L. Hewitt, Helen Carrier, Elizabeth A. Benjamin, Amanda Wilcox, Mary Coryell, Myron A. Dunning, 452 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Esther Swayze, Elva J. Wells, Delana Hoyt, Caroline Rouse, Oliver G. Webster, Munson Chase, L. C. Shelley, Elmer D. North, Alice L. Woodruff, Alice N. Taft, Naomi J. Everett, Miss E. M. Williams. IBCiG.^Caroline Rouse, Amanda E. Wilcox, Helen F. Snyder, Elva Wells, Emma L. Beebe, Livonia S. Holmes, Elvira M. Sturgess, Mrs. Lorado Dowd, Lois Van Vleet, Emily Skinner, Naomi J. Everett, Amelia Rogers, Helen Lyon, Har- riet H. Holmes, Emma L. Beebe, Elisha Mudge, Edwin E. Stone, Mr. 0. A. Price, Margaret E. Reece, Nancy Chase, Almy Bent- ley, and Amelia Rogers. 1867. — Mi.ss A. Ferguson, Rhoda J. Mosher, Rebecca Cha.se, Nancy Chase, Mary Smith, Lucinda Hanse, Annie Wakeley, Emma Rogers, and Marie Thornton. APPORTIONMENT OF PRIMARY-SCHOOL FUNDS. 18G0.— To District No. 1, $26.68 ; District No. 2, $27.60 ; District No. 3, $29.90 ; District No. 4, $ilAO ■ District No. 5, $9.66 ; District No. 6, $21.62; District No. 7, $8.28. 1870.— To District No. 1, $25.4-1; District No. 2, $15.84; District No. 3, $38.88 ; District No. 4, $69.12 ; District No. 5, $19.68 ; District No. 6, $8.64; District No. 7, $20.1 6; District No. 8, $17.28; District No. 9, $13.92 ; and Fractional District No. 8, $25.44. The following statistics are taken from the school in- spectors' annual report for the year ending Sept. 1, 1879 : Number of districts (whole, 8; fractional, 1)... 9 Number of children of school age residing in the township 590 Number of children attending schools during the year 534 Number of children, non-residents, attending schools during the year 41 Number of school-houses (brick, 1 ; frame, 8).. 9 Number of sittings 640 Value of school property .$7850.00 Number of men teachers employed 5 Number of women teachers employed 15 Amount paid men teachers .$751.00 Amount paid women teachers $1267.00 Total resources for the year $3040.89 VILLAGE OF MAPLE RAPIDS. The village of Maple Rapids, an unincorporated town of about six hundred inhabitants, is situated in the northwest corner of Essex township, on the south side of Maple River, and occupies portions of sections 5 and 8. It contains three church edifices (Christian, Congrega- tional, and Methodist Episcopal), one graded school, two hotels, four stores of general merchandise, two drug-stores, three millinery-stores, two grocery-stores, two furniture- stores, one music-store, one jewelry-store, one steam grist- mill, one water-power grist-mill, one saw-mill, two plan- ing-mills, one foundry and machine-shop, a bank, a news- paper printing office (^Muple Rapids Dispatch), besides numerous small mechanical shops, in which nearly all the trades are represented. Among the professional men are Drs. Edwin Doty, Charles E. Knapp, 11. H. Sanborn, and Samuel Wellings ; S. S. Swigart, surgeon-dentist ; Revs. S. Snyder, S. Kitzmiller, and C. Barstow, clergy- men ; A. T. Cross, attorney-at-law, and Isaac Hewitt, real estate. The village is nine miles distant from Fowler, the nearest station on the line of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, and fourteen miles from St. Johns, the county- seat. Daily stages run to both places, and the village is also connected with Fowler by a telephone-line. A LEAF OF EARLY VILLAGE HISTORY. Although the trading-post established by George Cam- pau in 1835, and afterwards carried on by John Johnson, was located within what would now be the corporate limits of the village, and though its natural advantages and routes of travel converging hei'e had made the Rapids familiar to most early settlers in this and surrounding townships, it seems that it was not until the year 1852 that any steps were taken towards the founding of a village. In February, 1852, William A. Hewitt, one of the first settlers of De Witt township, came in and occupied about two hundred and forty acres, purchased previously of Sol- omon Moss and others. He immediately began the con- struction of a dam and saw-mill* on the Maple, which were completed in 1853. During the latter year he platted a village, established a store near his mill, and was elected supervisor of Essex. Soon after he built a hotel, and be- came postmaster, succeeding in that office Edward Perrin. His sons were able assistants in the work of building up the village and advancing its interests. Upon the'death of his father, in February, 1863, Isaac Hewitt succeeded to the management of the estate, and by his energy and bus- iness tact has accumulated a handsome competency. To him, also, Maple Rapids can attribute much of the pros- perity it enjoys to-day. In September, 1864, he built a steam saw-mill just above the old mill, and for years lum- bered extensively. The building was torn down in 1878, however, and the present mill of William L. Hane occu- pies its site. Joseph W. Hewitt, the eldest of William A. Hewitt's fiimily, came here in 1853. He was the first cabinet-maker and carpenter, and carried on the business for several years. He is now associated with his brother and William F. Pettys in merchandising, under the firm- name of I. & J. W. Hewitt & Co. Among other early professional and business men were Dr. Daniel Pratt, Dr. Brown, Ruel W. Boy n ton, attorney ;■{" William Shepard, who was connected with W. A. Hewitt in business matters ; Robert McCartney, who established the first foundry about 1854 ; Martin V. Brown, Beach & Parr, J. B. Rumsey, James K. Petteys, Augustus Randolph, merchants ; Chandler Freeman, foundryman, who did an extensive business in agricultural implements, and also represented this district in the State Legislature ; he re- moved to Colorado in 1864 ; Samuel Reed, who established the Perry House and built Reed's Hall ; and others, whose names have also been mentioned. * About 1858 this building was enlarged, and with one run of stone, the industry of floiiring grain was added; finally the saw gearing was taken out and the capacity of the grist-mill increased to two run of stone by Isaac Hewitt. As such it continued to do work until the spring of 1878, when it was damaged by high water to such an e.\- tent that it has since stood idle. f William A. Hewitt was also an attoTney-at-law. ESSEX TOWNSHIP. 453 The first school-house was built about 1855, and remained in use until the present one was erected in 18G9-70. llev. Elisha kludge, a minister of the Christian Church, was one of the early teachers, and in other ways a prominent and most worthy citizen. In 1867 it was discovered that the original plat of the village had not been placed on record. This fact necessi- tated a new survey and replat, which was completed July 22d of that year. Among those then named as proprietors were Isaac Hewitt, Lafayette Brown, John A. Whitacre, William D. Young, George W. Aiken, Cyrus B. Craig, Stephen A. Hathaway, Zachariah N. Hewitt, Joseph W. Hewitt, Calvin P. Chase, Rodolphus Jones, James H. Jones, Orrin F. Peek, Edwin D. Calkins, Samuel Reed, Sanford W. Smith, Thomas Cook, Franklin Hudson, Barnard Creas- inger, Simon T. Hill, Rodolphus H. Sanborn, George Her- rendeen, Edgar D. Moss, Lewis B. Wilcox, J. B. Yates, Horace M. Skinner, Sarah Lucas, John A. White, Elisha Mudge, Louisa Brown, Esther M. Luce, Levi Benjamin, Louisa V. Hane, Hiram Richmond, Nancy Webster, George Richmond, Alfred W. Shaw, James K. Petteys, David Hollister, Letitia Underbill, Joseph E. Annable, Alexander Quick, Edward Cooper, Reuben Smitli, Simeon Hewitt, John Johnson, Martin Ferry, Myron S. Moss, and William F. Petteys. During later years commercial and manufacturing inter- ests have rapidly increased, and the more important of them will be briefly alluded to. In 1875 a flurry was created over the prospect of having a railway, which, pass- ing along on the north side of Maple River, was to connect Saginaw and Grand Rapids. The citizens subscribed lib- erally, and probably about six thousand dollars was paid in, but after about ten miles had been graded from the proposed depot to the northeast of the village the matter dropped. MILLS AND MANUFACTURING. The Essex Flouring-MUls were built by Mr. B. P. Hutchinson in 1875, and completely appointed cost twelve thousand dollars. The building is three and one-half stories in height, handsome, and commodious. Power is derived from steam, a marine boiler of one hundred horse-power being in use, which propels four run of stones. The mill began operating Aug. 5, 1875, and does both merchant and custom work. Born in New Hampshire, Mr. Hutchinson came to Michigan in 1837, and with his father's fafiiily settled in Howell, Livingston Co., Mich. He has also re- sided in Wayne County, this State, and for four years in the State of Missouri. He served in the Fourth Michigan Cavalry until after the battle of Murfreesboro', and con- tracted a disease, from which he is still a sufferer. liu/us II. Hewitt's present furniture manufactory was established by him in the year 1880. He has been in the same business, however, ten years, having succeeded his brother, Joseph W. Hewitt, who commenced here in 1858. Steam-power is used. From six to ten men are employed, and the principal articles manufactured are tables and bed- steads. Tlie Maple Rapids Foundry, controlled by Messrs. Jones, Perrigo & Co., employs seven men. Steam-power is used, and their work consists of general repairing, or work as ordered by their patrons. Since Mr. McCartney established his small foundry in 1854, many have been in- terested in iron-work here. In the present foundry Chand- ler Freeman, Wilcox, Randolph, Hathaway, M. J. Whit- acre, C. E. Winans, J. E. Jones, S. D. Perrigo, William H. Wheat, and Lewis Terry have all had an interest at dif- ferent periods. The present foundry building was erected by Charles E. Winans in 1872. BANKING. The banking-house of Solomon P. Creasinger was estab- lished by himself Jan. 6, 1875. He does a general bank- ing business, and employs a capital of from twenty thousand to forty five thousand dollars, according to the demands. His bank building was erected in 1874 at a cost of six thousand one hundred and thirty dollars. It is of brick, handsomely finished throughout, and the most commodious for such purposes in the county. Over six thousand pounds of iron was used in the construction of a burglar and fire- proof vault, which incloses one of Terwilliger's steel safes, with Yale time-locks attached. Mr. Creasinger has been identified with the interests of Maple Rapids since 1865. He is also one of the heaviest dealers in buggies in the State. NEWSPAPERS. The Maple Rapids Messenger, the first newspaper enter- prise started in the village, was first issued by the Dickey Bros, in April, 1874. It was an independent six-column folio, and with the motto " The people's friend, but no man's servant," was continued until January, 1878, when its publication ceased. 2 Ae 3Ia2)le Rapids Dispatch, a seven-column folio, was established by the Messrs. Stair Bros. (Orin and E. D.). The first number was issued Oct. 26, 1878, and, like its predecessor, is independent. It is published Saturdays, and has a circulation of over five hundred copies. MAPLE RAPIDS CORNET BAND. The Cornet Band of Maple Rapids was organized in June, 1878. After but six weeks' practice its members played at the public installation of officers of the Odd- Fellows' Lodge. Their first and present leader, Rufus II. Hewitt, manipulates a first E-flat cornet. Other present members are Frank Stitts. second E-flat cornet ; Sanford W. Smith, first B-flat cornet ; A. J. Chick, second B flat cornet ; Morgan Perrigo, E-flai alto ; Leander D. Perrigo, first B-flat tenor ; A.sa B. Jones, second B-flat tenor ; George Whitney, baritone; William A. Nixon, E-flat tuba ; F. B. Richards, bass-drum ; Charles Ferguson, tenor-drum ; G. A. Willett, drum-major. The band is handsomely uniformed, and its members have expended about five hundred dollars for instruments. SECRET BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATIONS. MAPLE K.VI'IDS LODGE, No. 145, F. AND A. M., began work Oct. 15, 1863,- under a dispensation granted by the Grand Master of the State of Michigan, of date Oct. 1, 1863. The ofiBcera first installed were Martin V. Brown, W. M. ; George Herrendeen, S. W. ; Isaac Hewitt, 454 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. J. W. ; R. W. Boynton, Sec. ; William Hane, Treas. ; Chandler Freeman, S. D. ; L. R. Wilcox, J. D. ; A. J. Eldred, Tiler. Edgar D. Moss was the first candidate for membership, and was initiated into the mysteries of the order Oct. 26, 1863. Subsequent Masters have been Martin V. Brown, 1864 ; Isaac Hewitt, 1865 ; Edgar D. Moss, 1866; George Her- rendeen, 1867 ; Isaac Hewitt, 1868 ; Elisha Mudge, 1869 to 1877, inclusive; Murdo McDonald, 1878; Clayton C. Taylor, 1879. The present officers are Isaac Hewitt, W. M. ; Clayton C. Taylor, S. W. ; Solomon Doty, J. W. ; Myron S. Moss, Treas. ; Adelbert J. Moss, Sec. ; Scott S. Swigart, S. D. ; George H. Newton, J. D. ; Chauncey S. Hubbell, Tiler ; L. H. Peace and William L. Hane, Stewards. Regular communications are held in Odd-Fellows' Hall, village of Maple Rapids, Friday evenings, on or before the full moon of each month. Number of present members, ninety. MAPLE RAPIDS LODGE, No. 224, L 0. 0. F. This lodge was instituted March 26, 1874. The first officers installed were Samuel Reed, N. G. ; R. H. San- born, V. G. ; James A. Casada, Sec. ; Samuel Sheperd, P. Sec. ; L. L. Smith, Treas. Subsequent presiding officers are named in the order of their succession, as follows : Lyman Crowley, 1874 ; James A. Casada, Robert Anderson, 1875 ; R. H. Sanborn, Cyrus A. Lyon, 1876 ; Rufus H. Hewitt, Joseph F. Owens, 1877 ; Lincoln L. Smith, John N. Whitacre, 1878 ; Albert T. Cross, John H. Marsh, 1879 ; and Asa B. Jones, 1880. Other present officers are Charles E. Price, V. G. ; T. A. Willett, Sec. ; L. L. Smith, Per. Sec. ; James H. Jones, Treas. The first meetings were held in the Masonic Hall, R. Smith's store. The lodge now owns about eight hundred dol- lars' worth of property, and meetings are held every Saturday evening in Odd-Fellows' Hall, Brown's Block. Present membership eighty. Among those who have been particu- larly zealous in working for the success of this lodge may be named James A. Casada, Robert Anderson, Thomas A. Willett, J. F. Owens, James H. Jones, P. S. Percy, and William H. Hamilton. ESSEX LODGE, No. 1, A. 0. U. W. As its number implies, this was the first lodge of the order organized in the State. It was instituted Feb. 28, 1876, with ten charter members, and now numbers eighty members. Those who have served as Master Workmen have been Orion F. Peck, William A. Nixon, 1876 ; Chaun- cey A. Hubbel, Lincoln L. Smith, 1877 ; Albert T. Cross, A. B. Carter, 1878 ; Carlos A. Webster, J. E. Jones, 1879 ; George H. Sowle and Clayton C. Taylor, 1880. Regular meetings are held at Grange Hall Monday evenings. CARSON CITY ENCAMPMENT, No. 40, I. 0. 0. F., was organized at Canson City, Montcalm Co., Jan. 18, 1878, there being present George H. Shearer, G. P. ; Norman Bailey, G. H. P. ; Charles H.- Palmer, G. S. W. ; Henry P. Adams, Acting G. S. ; J. H. Ingalls, Acting G. S. W.; and L. Z. Munger, Acting G. I. S. of the State encamp- ment; G. B. Esler, J. L. Zuver, Anderson Chestnut, E. R. Phinney, Albert Tuthill, Lewis Reynolds, Alvin Hodges, W. A. Sweet, Jr., and Patrick Martin composed the char- ter members. The officers first installed were Patrick Martin, C. P. ; W. A. Sweet, Jr., H. P. ; J. L. Zuver, S. W. ; Albert Tuthill, J. W. ; George B. Esler, Scribe ; Alvin Hodges, Treasurer. Subsequent presiding officers have been William A. Sweet, 1878 ; Albert Tuthill, 0. R. Goodnow, 1879; Lewis Reynolds, H. L. Porter, 1880. Other present officers are W. E. Hamilton, H. P. ; J. A. Casada, S. W. ; E. R. Terry, Scribe; Alvin Hodges, Treas. ; C. E. Price, J. W. The encampment was removed from Carson City to Maple Rapids in May, 1880. It has thirty-eight members, and regular meetings are held on the first and third Thursdays of each month, in Odd-Fellows' Hall, village of Maple Rapids. ESSEX GRANGE, No. 439, P. OF H., began work under a dispensation granted by the National Grange, of date July 2, 1874 ; was chartered July 21st of the same year, and incorporated according to the laws of the State of Michigan, May 24, 1877. Thomas Garner, S. N. Allen, Oliver Cunningham, William Pinckney, John L. Lyon, Andrew J. Ennis, Joseph F. Owen, M. Hubbert, Rowland S. Van Scoy, Luther Wheat, James Anderson, John Anderson, and James H. Stonebrook being named as corporators. Further information concerning this lodge was requested from official members, but they failed to comply. RELIGIOUS HISTORY. THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF MAPLE RAPIDS. The Methodists formed the first religious organization in the township in 1846, by organizing a class which was attached to the Duplain Circuit. But in the absence of any authentic data little can be told concerning it. The Maple Rapids Circuit was formed in 1858, and among the members at that time, according to the class-book, were Simon T. Hill, leader ; Fidelia Hill, Mary Hill, Paul Dewitt, Mary M. Dewitt, C. T. Nestell, Rachel Schanck, Martin V. Brown, Fanny Brown, P]lecta Pratt, Emily C. Brown, Eliza Terry, Stephen Dodge, Rhoda Dodge, Hannah Dodge, Sarah C. Caplin, Lyman Wickham, Catharine Wickham, Franklin Hudson, Solomon Moss, William J. Moss, Hiram Nestell, E. D. Moss, Lydia M. Moss, George A. Britton, James Anderson, Helen Mather, John Parish, Eliza Parish, Mary Grant, Betsey Ferguson, J. N. Wallace, Elizabeth Ander- son, Andrew A. Hooker, Mark Annis, Holden Bannister, Kate Benedict, Eliza Strever, Hannah Hewitt, Eunice Ran- dolph, Maria Perrin, Sarah McGraw, Alfred Cowles, Ma- tilda Cowles, Martha Ca.sper, Melissa Bannister, Newell Bannister, William Brown, A. B. Snyder, C. B. Snyder, R. J. Cook, Ann Herrendeen, and Mary J. Dodge. Among those who have served as preachers in charge of this circuit are mentioned the names of Revs. F. Glass, George W. Hoag, William Benson, William M. Copeland, N. L. Otis, McKnight, House, Noah, Fassett, Thomas Clark, Stafford, B. W. Blanchard, J. R. Caldwell, E. Wilkinson, A. L. Crittenden, S. C. Woodard, F. J. Freeman, and S. Kitzmiller, the present pastor. The circuit includes a total membership of one hundred and seventy-two. Their ESSEX TOWNSHIP. 455 church edifice, which will seat two hundred and fifty people, was built in 1868, and cost $2400. THE MAPLE RAPIDS CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH was organized April 26, 1868, at a meeting held in Union Hall. Rev. H. A. Reed, agent of the Home Mission So- ciety, was present, and served as moderator. Rev. E. T. Branch, scribe. Of the original members were James S. Bristol, Mrs. Julia Bristol, John Lambie, Rev. E. T. Branch, Mrs. L. L. Branch, James K. Petteys, Mrs. Sylvia M. Potteys, William F. Petteys, John Blackler, Mrs. J. Blackler, E. Mattoon, Mrs. E. Mattoon, Mrs. A. Webster, Mrs. Mary Mudge, Miss Mattie P. Branch, JMrs. Martha Daniels, Mrs. Almeda Moss, Mrs. S. Sanders, Mrs. Nancy Smith, and Mrs. M. Hollister. A house of worship, built in the summer and autumn of 1869, was dedicated Jan. 16, 1870. It cost about $3000, and will seat nearly three hundred persons. The society now numbers ninety-six members. Those who have pre- sided as pastors have been Revs. Edwin T. Branch, Wil- liam Piatt, and Charles Barstow, the present incumbent. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH* OF MAPLE RAPIDS, as now organized, was formed in 1874, under the ministra- tions of Rev. Elisha Mudge, who remained here as pastor until May, 1878, when the present pastor. Rev. S. Snyder, took his place. At a meeting held in Union Hall, Dec. 29, 1874, Row- land S. Van Scoy, Isaac Hewitt, Samuel Reed, Simeon Hewitt, and William L. Herman were elected trustees. The society was soon after incorporated according to the laws of the State, and some forty members signed the articles as corporators. Union Hall was purchased in 1876, which, remodeled into a handsome church edifice, was dedicated Sept. 24, 1876, the dedicatory' sermon being preached by Rev. Warren Hathaway, of New York State. The building co.st two thousand five hundred dollars, which includes the purchase of hall and grounds, fixtures, furnishing, bell, etc., and will seat three hundred and sixty people. Two other religious societies, known as the First Con- gregational Church of Essex and the First Baptist Church of Essex, have been organized in the township, but as both have ceased to exist, no further mention is deemed necessary. BIOGEAPHIOAL SKETCHES. WILLIAM William A. Hewitt was born in Steuben Co., N. Y., on the 26th day of November, 1811. Prominent among the early settlers of Michigan we find the name of William A. Hewitt, who came to this State in 1835, accompanied by his wife, a daughter of Zachariah Hyatt, who was one of the first clothiers in the city of New York. She was born in Orange Co., N. Y., March 15, 1813, and married Mr. Hewitt in 1830. They stopped in Oakland County, where MRS HANNAH 0. HEWITT. A. HEWITT. they remained until February, 1836; then came to Clinton County, settling in the town of De Witt, being the third family in the county. Mr. Hewitt and his worthy wife endured many of the privations and hardships common to early settlers. Their first home was a log cabin, built upon ^ From data obtained from Isaac Hewitt, Esq., and county records. The church ch?rk wa^ respectfully requested to furnish further infor- matiun, but failed to respond. 456 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. forty acres purchased from the government. During fifteen years' residence in De Witt, all of which time he was jus- tice of the peace, while engaged in different kinds of busi- ness, he cleared and improved three farms, and in the sum- mer of 1851 he cleared and put in seventy acres to wheat. He was known as a land-agent, looking up and locating land for settlers and speculators, doing a general real-estate business. Was engaged in mercantile and hotel business in De Witt ; was the first justice elected, and married the first couple in the county, viz., L. Minor to his present wife, who to-day are living in Essex, at a ripe old age, having enjoyed the fruit of over twoscore years of unbroken mari- tal life. On the 20th of February, 1852, Mr. Hewitt re- moved to Essex township, locating on section 5, on the banks of Maple River. Purchasing two hundred and forty acres of land, upon which site part of the village of Maple Rapids is now located (and it may well be accorded to him as having been really the founder of said village), his efforts were untiring ; he erected a saw-mill, hotel, and store, fol- lowing a grist-mill, and engaged in a general mercantile business, and having read law in earlier years with Joab Baker in De Witt, was admitted to the bar, ever continuing in the practice of his profession to his death in Essex. He was elected justice of the peace the first year of his resi- dence, and subsequently supervisor and treasurer, holding the office of justice from his first election to the time of his death. The issue of this marriage with Hannah C. Hyatt is five children, viz. : Joseph W., who is now engaged in mercantile business at Maple Rapids ; Zachariah N., now residing near St. Louis, Mich. ; Fanny M., the first white child born in the county, now wife of M. V. Brown, who is engaged in mercantile business at St. Johns ; Isaac and Rufus H., both residing at Maple Rapids, the latter now engaged in the manufacture of doors, sash, and blinds, and furniture, etc. William A. Hewitt's death occurred on the 12th day of February, 1863, at Maple Rapids, Mich. In 1865 his widow married Simeon Hewitt, a brother of her first husband, both still living at Maple Rapids. Isaac Hewitt, the fourth child and third son, was born Jan. 20, 1839, in De Witt; removed to Essex with his parents in 1852, where he has since resided. He married Miss Helen C. Lansing, of Maple Rapids, April 3, 1859. Upon the death of his father he was appointed executor of his fiither's will, and settled his estate in 1803 ; was elected justice of the peace to fill his father's vacancy, subsequently holding the office of township treasurer. In 1860, when twenty-one years of age, he conducted a flouring-mill, and in the fall of 1800 engaged in the mercantile business, con- tinuing in the same to the present time. In 1864 he erected a steam saw-mill at Maple Rapids, and was engaged in the lumber business until 1874. Following the father's footsteps, he lias ever inclined to the legal profession, and for many years past has done a large conveyancing business and dealt largely in real estate. His possessions cover over five hundred acres of land in Esses, and he enjoys the full con- fidence of the community in which he lives. SOLOMON P. CREASINGER. This gentleman, the fifth of the ten children of Barnard and Ann AVilhelm Creasinger, was born in the township of Perrysburg, Ashland Co., Ohio, March 10, 1844. His great-grandfather, Michael Creasinger, emigrated from Germany to Bucks Co., Pa., prior to the war of the Revolution, and during the long struggle which resulted in the independence of the United States served seven years in the Continental army. He participated in many SOLOMON p. CREASINGER. engagements and received several wounds. His wife also accompanied him in all his campaigns, and did much to alleviate the sufferings of the sick and wounded soldiery. After the close of the war Michael Creasinger settled in Augusta, Northumberland Co., Pa. His son Henry, father and grandfather of Barnard and Solomon P. Creasinger, respectively, was born in the latter place. He served with credit in a Penn.sylvania regiment during the war of 1812 -14. Of Henry's family, Barnard was born during the last war with Great Britain. He (Barnard) remained in Northumberland until the year 1837, when he removed to the State of Ohio, and from thence to Essex, Clinton Co., Mich., in 1857. In recent years he has been engaged in commercial pursuits in the village of Maple Rapids, where he still resides. Until arriving at years of discretion Solomon assisted his father in fjrm duties, when, wishing to obtain better edu- cational advantages than the district schools of his neigh- borhood afforded, the year 1803 found him pursuing his studies in the city of Lansing. Although but little more than nineteen years of age he promptly responded to the call of his country for volunteers, and on the 1st day of August, 1863, enlisted in Company M, First Regiment Michigan Engineers and Mechanics. After the expiration of his term of enlistment he returned to Clinton County and taught school nine terms. With his father he then ESSEX TOWNSHIP. 457 engaged in the drug business in the village of Maple Rapids. Two years later he removed to Ithaca, Gratiot Co., where he aloue successfully carried on merchandising and lumbering. Selling out his interests there he again returned to Maple Rapids, and in 1874 erected his bank building. The following year he established his present banking-house, supplying a want long needed. Besides attending to his duties as a banker, he is probably the largest dealer in buggies in the State of Michigan, employ- ing some forty men. On the 25th of November, 1875, he married Miss Clara A., only child of Roswell Jones, Esq. To them two chil- dren have been born, viz., Lena, Feb. 28, 1878, who died March 30, 1878, and Grace L., Jan. 27, 1879. In his political sentiments Mr. Creasinger is a Repub- lican, and although not a member of any religious denomi- nation, he is active and liberal in the support of all churches, having served ten years as Sabbath-school superintendent. When it is stated that Mr. Solomon P. Creasinger is the most prosperous man of his years in the county of Clinton, that his capital has been accumulated by his own unaided exertions, and that he enjoys the esteem and confidence of all who have the honor of his acquaintance, no more need or can be said. 0. F. PECK. The gentleman whose name heads this sketch occupies a prominent position among the self-made, reliable, and re- spected citizens of Clinton County. Born in Wayne Co., Mich., June 2, 18.S5, he is thoroughly Michigan in all his antecedents, — self-reliant, energetic, enterprising, and charitable to those in need and deserving. His parents were Yankees. By them his character was moulded and habits formed. At the age of twenty-two he removed to Calhoun Co., Mich. After three years' stay there he went to New York State and learned the trade of a tinner, fol- lowing this occupation until 1864, when he returned to the place of his birth and worked at his trade about two years. In the fall of 1866 he engaged in the hardware business in Maple Rapids, and at this time carries on a large farm besides this hardware business. He has been largely inter- ested in the improvement and advancement of this village, having erected two of the finest residen?;es here. He has occupied several offices of trust : was township clerk five years, supervisor six years ; also Grand Reviewer for two years of the A. O. U. W. of Michigan, and during this time has paid out twenty-eight thousand dollars ($28,000) to its widows and orphans. He i.s also one of the directors of the Home Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Ionia, Clinton, and jMontcalm Counties. Mr. Peck was united in marriage. May 8, 1864, with a daughter of David Hodges, Esq. For the past six years he has been a member of the Congregational Church. Politically, he affiliates with the Republicans. NATHAN R. LOWE. The parents of Nathan R. Lowe were Cornelius and Phebe Roberts Lowe, who were both natives of New York State. He was the eldest of five children, and was born in Elmira, N. Y., Dec. 26, 1801. His parents, who were farmers, resided ac Big Flats, near the former city, and their son remained at home, engaging^ in the labors incident to farm life, until his marriage at the age of twenty-three to Miss Rachel Goblc, whose parents were residents of the NATHAN R. LOWE. same locality. Four children were born to them, a son and three daughters. The birth of Phebe, the eldest, occurred in 1824, that of Sarali Ann in 1826 ; Joseph was born in 1827, and Mary in 1832. Of these children all but the eldest are still living. Mrs. Lowe died Jan. 24, 1852, in Duplain, and in December, 1853, Mr. Lowe was again mar- ried to Mrs. Sarah Scott, who was the mother of two chil- dren, — Robert C. Lowe, born Dec. 14, 1854, and Charles, Oct. 8, 1856. Mrs. Sarah Lowe died Sept. 8, 1863, and Jan. 28, 1864, IMr. Lowe was united to Mrs. Rachel F. Walker, who had two sons, — Ernest, born Feb. 14, 1865, and William S., whose birth occurred July 15, 1867. In 1835, Mr. Lowe left his native State for the attractive soil of Michigan, and located in the township of Duplain, Clinton Co., where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, and additional land elsewhere. This was en- tirely uncleared, the country was devoid of roads, and a pilgrimage with oxen to Detroit was necessary to obtain supplies for family use. This estate was later disposed of, and another, paitially improved, in the township of Essex purchased, upon which the family now reside. The death of Mr. Lowe occurred Aug. 8, 1874. He represented his township as supervisor, though averse to the burden of official honors, and rarely ambitious for such dis- tinctions. He was modest in his tastes and cared little for public life, his attention having been principally devoted to the labors incidental to farm-life. Both he and his wife were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 58 458 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. CHAPTER LIX. GREENBUSH TOWNSHIP.* Settlements and Settlers — Township Organization — Civil List of Greenbush — Voters in 1844 .and 1850 — Old State Road — Schools — Town Roads — The Village of Eureka — Churches — Manufactures — Secret Orders. Geeenbush is the eighth township north in range 2 west. On the north it has Gratiot County, on the south the township of Bingham, on the east Duplain, and on the west Essex. It contains a village called Eureka, and has two post-oflSces. Besides the interest of agriculture, which is, of course, paramount, Greenbush has at least three quite important manufacturing enterprises, and is altogetlier a town of thrift and wealth. Although no rail- way traverses its territory, it has a popular highway known as the State road, over which, it is said, the village of St. Johns receives more travel than over any other two roads centering at that point. In the southern portion of tlie town there is a broad stretcii of swamp which covers tliou- sands of acres, and which, despite energetic efforts towards its reclamation, is likely to remain waste land for some time to come. SETTLEMENTS AND SETTLERS. Simultaneously with the earliest settlement of Duplain township by members of the Rochester Colony, Greenbush received its first settler in the person of John Ferdon, him- self a member of the Colony and a comer to the settlement with Oliver Bebee and Samuel Barker, in July, 1836. A detailed reference to the Colony settlement in the history of Duplain deals in extenso with the incidents of Ferdon's journey to Michigan with his fellow-pioneers and the inci- dents of his earlier pioneer experience. In this connection, however, it is appropriate to repeat the story of his locating his cabin upon the northeast corner of section 36 in Green- bush, just over the Duplain line, his landed possessions lying in both towns. And there, as the first white man resi- dent in that town, he abided a few years before passing for a permanent location into Duplain, where he lived until his death, at the age of eighty-six, upon the place now oc- cupied by his .son Charles. Mr. Ferdon was famous in his day as a hunter of bears, and with Samuel Rowell, likewise a uiighty Nimrod, worked from time to time sad havoc among the wild beasts of the forest. In the summer of 1847, Mr. Ferdon slaughtered no less than nine bears, as- sisted only by a club and an old dog, and during that sum- mer was the conquering hero of a stubbornly-contested bear- fight, which was at the time something of a sensation. When he came to Michigan Mr. Ferdon brought a stock of goods he had taken in Rochester on a debt, and having in his employ a good many hands engaged in clearing lands, of which he owned upwards of five hundred acres, he dealt out supplies to his men from his Greenbush shanty, although he made no further efibrt at store-keeping after his stock was disposed of. The next comer into Greenbush was Samuel Rowell, who in the spring of 1837 moved westward with Stephen Pearl. * By David Schwartz. Pearl settled in Ovid, and Rowell, after remaining a short time with Allen Lounsbury in Ovid, bought thirty acres on section 36 of John Ferdon, and moved to the place with- out delay. There he lived until his death in 1876, where his son Stephen lives and carries on the foundry started by his father in 1850. In the fall of 1838, David Richmond and Thomas Fisk, of Stafford, N. Y., visited Michigan for the purpose of lo- cating lands for themselves and others living in the same town. About all the desirable spots available they found in the hands of speculators, and determined to secure lands from first hands, they eventually discovered what they wanted in the town now called Greenbush, upon sections 22, 23, and 27. The tract was hedged in on three sides with swamps, and for that reason doubtless had been neglected by speculators, but it suited Fisk and Richmond, and so, having secured it, they went back to Stafford to report pro- gress. Their report proving satisfactory, it was decided that Thomas Fisk with others should start at once for the place of proposed settlement, to prepare habitations for the families of all concerned. Accordingly, Fisk set out in April, 1839, accompanied by G. W. Reed, Henry Fisk, Ora B. Stiles, and James Stiles, Jr. They traveled by ox- team by way of Canada, and arriving upon the ground set at once diligently to the task of getting up cabins. Work, however, as fast as they could, they found the job a slow one, and before they had got up one cabin along came the flimilies of David Sevy, W. N. Daggett, James Stiles, and Thomas Fisk. They had come together via the lake to Detroit, and thence by teams over the Grand River road to Leach's, near Laingsburg. At that point they struck north- ward over the path earlier marked by the Colon}' pioneers, and landed at John Ferdon's about the middle of May, 1839, after a four days' trip from Detroit. The night be- fore their arrival was spent at Henry Leach's, in Sciota. Leach kept a house of entertainment, and upon a tree in front of his shanty had nailed a board bearing in rude let- ters the legend, " Call and C." A few days subsequent to the arrival of the families, two settlers named David and Alvah Richmond, with their fami- lies, came upon the ground, and completed the little colony for whose members Fisk and Richmond had made the land locations in 1888. All hands had, it is true, reached Ferdon's, only a couple of miles or so from their prospective homes, but the better part of that two miles or more lay through a veritable " Dismal Swamp," and it will be hereafter seen that to over- come the obstacle presented by that swamp gave them well- nigh as much trouble as did the journey from Detroit to Ferdon's. It was possible to cross it afoot, but as for trav- ersing it with teams it was simply out of the question, and the hardy band therefore faced with heroic determination the conviction that they would have to carry afoot over a mile and a half of swamp everything they intended to take to their homes. From Ferdon's westward for the distance of a mile they cut out a road, and passed over it with their loaded wagons well enough, but at the end of the mile the swamp began, and there they therefore unloaded their goods and carried them, as best they could, about a mile and a half from the southeast corner of section 26 to the north- GREENBUSH TOWNSHIP. 459 west corner of the same section, where they found dry land. That swamp journey was a memorable and a difficult one. Kven under the most favorable circumstances it would have been no easy task, but when undertaken with heavy loads of furniture, stoves, and what not to impede the movements of the toilers, who were compelled to wade through mire and cross narrow log footways to avoid total immersion, the troubles that marked the passage may be slightly uuderstood. The goods thus transferred included general supplies and household goods, of which latter four cook-stoves formed no small element. For carrying his cook-stove over David Sevy paid the carriers one day's labor, and the same price for transporting a bureau, which he still preserves as a portion of his household furniture at his home in Greenbush. As already mentioned, the families arrived before Thomas Fisk and his companions had fairly completed one cabin, but into it a majority of the new-comers moved after a few days' stay at Ferdon's, and although the ijuarters were close, the best was made of the matter, albeit that best was very bad. Ferdon kept as many as he could, but those who crowded into Fisk's cabin filled it to the door. The cabin measured ten by twelve, and with two beds in it left just room enough for a single file of lodgers, and when at night the household slept the beds and lodgers upon the floor took up every available inch of space. There was not room in the house for a table, and so they ate in the open air at a table made of a plank laid across two upright crotched sticks. The kitchen was the open air, and the kitchen-fire a log heap against a stump. After that fashion they man- aged to struggle along until each family got up a cabin and passing time introduced some of the comforts and con- veniences of civilization. Of course cabins were built as fast as hands could work, _ and between cabin-building, chopping, transferring their goods across the swamp, and putting in crops the pioneers were during their first summer put to their busiest eiforts. They could not stop to do any clearing, for they were too anxious to sow what would produce food, and thus their clearing during that summer was just what sufficed to give places for their cabins. Settled at last in their own homes by midsummer, the families were distributed in close prox- imity, — Alvah Richmond, James Stiles, and W. N. Dag- gett on section 22, David Sevy and Thomas Fisk on sec- tion 23, and David Richmond on section 27. Meanwhile they were still getting their goods over the swamp, and be- fore they finished that job the season liad advanced to the latter part of August. It is worthy of remark that David Sevy carried a barrel of pork over the swamp single-handed. He accomplished the feat by transporting the pork in pails, and then the empty barrel. The Richmonds owned the only two pairs of horses boasted by the little band, and Thomas Fisk the only team of oxen. The horse-teams were engaged in hauling the goods of the settlers I'mm |)('- troit to the edge of the swamp until August, and then driven into the settlement by way of Essex as the only available route, and thus to get around a swamp which measured but one mile and a half across they had to make a trip of twenty- two miles. Important among their first efforts after getting settled was the work of making roads, and especially a road across the swamp towards the Colony. This swamp road, however, they made but a foot-path, and in that shape at least they found it a decent thoroughfare, and over which they man- aged to bring without much trouble such things as they needed from time to time. In the winter season, when the earth was frozen, they crossed the swamp with teams, much to their convenience. The first highway they cut out after their arrival was one running westward from the southeast- ern corner of section 22 to what is now Coleman's, a dis- tance of two miles. Luckily they found upon their arrival that John Ferdon was abundantly supplied with potatoes, and upon them they feasted in the absence of something better. Their first milling was done at Ionia, and for their first grist they bought wheat of Benedict, of Essex. David Sevy made the first trip to mill, accompanied by an Indian whom he hired to manage the canoe. The trip was made via the Maple River, starting at Maple Rapids, and occupied three days. Alvah Richmond went to the mill at Eaton Rapids, in the fall of 1839 by ox-team. When Sevy made his second mill trip by river, John Ferdon agreed to accompany him and manage the canoe. Sevy was doubtful of Fer- don's ability to do it, but the latter derided the doubt, and declared that as he had all his life been used to the man- agement of skin's, it would be queer indeed if he couldn't handle a canoe. As it turned out he found that there was a vast difference between handling a canoe and managing a skiff, and before half the journey was accomplished con- fessed that he knew but little about the canoe business. Although they did not capsize they came several times within an ace of doing so, and had altogether a hazardous and wearisome experience. While on the return voyage, worn out and ready to give up in despair, they hailed an Indian and tried to hire him to paddle them homeward, but the savage absolutely declined to help them unless they would pay him in whisky, and, as of whisky they had not a drop, they were compelled to press on as best they could. They finished the journey in the course of events, but in such an exhausted condition that they were laid up for two or three days afterwards. On another occasion Sevy engaged John and Horace Avery to go down the river to mill for him with eighteen bushels of wheat. The Averys reached Ionia all right, and started back with the flour, but en route their craft capsized, and the cargo descended to the bottom of the river. The flour was recovered, but only a very little of it was found to bo available for use. The first birth in the settlement occurred May 29, 1840, when Willard, son of W. N. Daggett, was born. He is now living in Missouri. The first wedding was that of Truman Watson and Esther, daughter to Sylvester Carter. Squire John Ferdon performed the ceremony at his hou.se, which was then the home of the bride as well as of her father. The second wedding occurred in 1841, at the house of David Sevy, who, its justice of the peace, married Erastus Tinkel- paugh and Orpba Fisk. The first death was that of Miranda, the one-year old daughter of David Sevy. She died Oct. 10, 1839. The first adult person to die was Alfred Dane, 460 HISTOKY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. who was buried on Thomas Fisk's place. There was, how- ever, no public burial-place until after the death of Celestia F. Sevy, Feb. 26, 1847. At that time a cemetery was laid out upon David Sevy's place, in section 23, and in the in- closure Sevy's daughter was the first to be buried. A school was taught in the summer of 1840, and Thomas Fisk being an ordained minister of the Christian faith, public worship was introduced as soon as the settlements were made. David Sevy was by trade a cabinet-maker, and having brought a turning-lathe with him, lost no time in setting up a small shop, in which he carried on for many years thereafter the manufacture of cliairs, tables, etc., which as fast as made he carried to De Witt and other places and exchanged for wheat and various supplies. There was no blacksmith in the community for years after its creation, and when a blacksmith's services became necessary a journey to De Witt was imperative to secure them. A post-office was established at David Richmond's in 1843, before which date mail was got at Owosso or Laingsburg. Postage in those days was twenty-five cents per letter, and as it was almost impo.ssible to sell produce for anything but trade short of Detroit, the sum of twenty-five cents in hard cash was of some consequence and not always at hand. Mr. David Sevy got word one day that a letter awaited him at the Laingsburg post-office, and collecting the required twenty-five cents — not without an effort — he went over. When he got there he found that instead of one there were three letters, but, alas ! he had only the simple twenty-five cents to pay for one. Letters were valuable prizes, how- ever, if they did co.-;t twenty-five cents each, and, determined to have the entire batch, Sevy scoured the community at Laingsburg for the loan of fifty cents, and luckily obtaining it he got his letters and bore them homeward in triumph. The construction of roads was pushed forward with zeal- ous industry, and as other settlers came highways were opened rapidly, and travel rendered a comfortable con- venience instead of a dread. Road-bees were the favorite methods by which roads were made, and as at these bees about all the inhabitants gathered for work upon a stated day of each week, the business in hand was pushed on with celerity. The first grist carried over to the Colony mill from the settlement was a bushel of wheat which Henry Fisk packed on his back and lugged afoot across the swamp. Lyman Richmond is supposed to have built the first framed house, Thomas Fisk to have raised the first crop of wheat, and the first orchards to have been set out by David Sevy and John I. Tinkelpaugh, the latter of whom got his trees at an Indian nursery at Chesaning and carried them home on his back. Thomas Fisk has already been alluded to as a minister, and for some years preached regularly here and there, pre- sumably to good purpose. By and by, however, reports began to spread that Fisk was fixlling into worldly immoral- ities, and the tide of popular prejudice and suspicion soon set in so strongly against him that he was openly charged with the grossest wickedness. Public indignation broke out presently in a violent form, and those in whom it was felt the strongest banded for the common cause and sot out to harass and persecute Fisk by divers and sundry midnight raids upon his premises, — burning his haystacks, threaten- ing him with death, destroying his stock and other property, and resorting, in short, to such efforts as they could think of to show the disfavor under which ho rested. His per- secutors were known as the Swamp Guard, and at times as the Swamp Angels, and so persistently did they pursue Fisk with vindictive persecution that he was eventually com- pelled to leave the town and seek a residence elsewhere. Before dismi-ssing the history of the settlement of the six families mentioned, it will be of interest to note that of the heads of those six families three still live, — David Richmond, in Kent County ; W. N. Daggett and David Sperry, in Greenbush. The ensuing autumn saw additions to the immediate set- tlement, in Nathan Spooner, Truman Watson, and Moses Phillips. At the same time John and Horace Avery, Herod and Runa Morton, and Marvin Greenwood located in the southwestern corner of the town, while Edwin Hol- brook made a settlement near Samuel Rowell's, on section 36. John I. Tinkelpaugh settled in the fall of 1840 near the site of the village of Eureka, and in 1841 Joseph Rus- sell, one of the early settlers in Bingham, came to Green- bush and settled at what is known as McMaster's Corners. When Russell located there his was the only house between the Sevy settlement and Benedict's Plains in Essex. His son William joined him in 1842, and his son James in 1843. Joseph Russell fell a victim in the year 1852 to a sad calamity, in which he was slain by his son Nathaniel. The boy had been out on a hunting expedition, and having had bad luck thought upon his return to amuse himself by firing at a mark placed upon a shingle shanty. Unknown to Nathaniel, his father was at work in the shanty, and being within range of the first shot fired, which passed through a crack in the building, received it in his brain and expired almost instantly. The following list embraces the names of the resident tax-payers of Greenbush in the years 1840 and 1841 : 1840. Acres. John Fenlon, sections 25, 8, 31, 36 370 S. Howtll, section 36 30 a. W. Reed, section 27 SO D. Richmond, section 27 160 T. risk, section 23 80 H. S. Fisli, section 23 40 David Sevy, section 23 40 James .Stiles, sections 21, 22 160 A. Richmond, section 22 200 T. Watson, section 23 80 W. N. Daggett, section 22 40 J. Stanley, Jr., section 33 160 J.Stanley, section 32 80 S. Stanley, section ^^2 80 D. Allison, sections 31, 32 160 J. Avery, section 33 40 M. Greenwood, section 31 140 II. Morton, section 31 40 H. Avery, section 31 SO M. Phillips, section 20 80 1S4I. David .Sevy, section 23 40 Joseph Russell, section 5 100 T. Watson, section 23 80 E. Tinkelpaugh, section 10 80 W. N. Daggett, section 22 40 A. Richmond, section 22 200 GKEENBUSH TOWNSHIP. 461 Acres. M. Phillips, section 21 240 J. I. Tinkelpaugh, section 11 40 H. S. Fisk, .section 23 120 T. Fisk, section 23 120 J. Ferdon, sections .SI. 30, 25, 8 370 J. M. Rowell, section 36 30 J. D. Riciimond, section 27 160 G. W. Reed, section 27 80 M. (greenwood, section 31 132 Runa Morton, section 31 40 Herod Morton, section 31 40 Horace Avery, sections 31, 32 80 N. W. Aldrich, section 30 40 John Avery, section 33 40 In February, 1849, George Wagner, John Wagner, Henry Wagner, James Sargent, Nathan Kirby, Gilbert Owen, William Owen, Aaron Smith, and Ca.spar Wagner, of Knox Co., Ohio, and H. A. Smith, of Morrow Co., Ohio, set out for Michigan to locate land on Mexican war land-warrants, of which all save George Wagner had be- come possessed by purchase, Wagner alone having served in the Mexican war. The party numbered ten, and all but three (who had horses) made the journey of three hun- dred miles each way afoot. All except Aaron Smith bought lands in Greenbush and made settlements thereon, Smith making his location in Essex. H. A. Smith says the hardest day's work he ever accomplished was the day's work required for him to walk to Ionia for the purpose of entering his land. He says he walked all day through the roughest, wildest kind of a country, saw no human being, saw no track, and crossed but one trail during the entire journey. Henry A. Smith's remarkable adventure with a bear in October, 185(5 (remembered as the smoky fall), is within the general knowledge of the local populace as a historical incident of much importance, and will therefore bear repe- tition here. Smith ventured one day upon a bear-hunt, accompanied by a small black dog, and had reached a cedar swamp three miles distant when Bruin came to view, but straightway took to his heels and made good his escape. Pushing on, the hunter came up directly with a second boar, at whom shooting he wounded, and saw make rapidly off, pursued by the dog. Smith hurried to the rescue, but lo ! almost in- stantly there crossed his path a third bear, and at him he discharged his weapon, with the effect of hastening his pace. Smith chased him, and three times fired at him as he ran. At that juncture, however, the programme changed. Up to that time Smith had been hunting the bear ; then the bear began to hunt Smith. Smith had often thought he would he happy if he could take part in a bear-figlit, but when he saw Bruin turn upon him and, with gnashing teeth as well as angry roar, threaten him with destruction, he felt as if he would give a good deal to get out of the mess he had got into. It was, however, too late to re- treat, and so he faced the issue boldly. Quickly putting the dog hors da combat, the bear faced Smith, who, club- bing his gun, dealt a swinging blow, which, although it felled the beast, shattered the weapon. In a trice the bear was on his feet renewing the attack, and .so furiously did lie press the onslaught that Smith, torn and bleeding, was about to give himself up for lost, when by a lucky chance be tore himself from Bruin's gra.sp and made off, with the bear in hot chase. Grasping a heavy stick, Smith turned and dealt his enemy a powerful blow. Down went the brute, and thicker and faster rained the blows of Smith's cudgel, until the enemy lay dead before him, and then up went a shout of thankful joy from the hero of the well-won victory. Smith's settlement was made in November, 1849, with his family, whom he lodged temporarily with Jamas R. Carter, who had been living on section 10 since November, 1848. When Smith built his house on section 9 there was no hou.se, he says, between him and Mackinaw. East of him, on section 10, was John I. Tinkelpaugh, of whom it is said that when he was a workman in Owosso for B. O. Williams, in 1839, he persisted in denying himself and family the comforts of life so that he might save money enough to buy forty acres of land. He saved the neces- sary amount of money, bought forty acres in Greenbush, and was probably made happy. When Smith came to his place he traveled via De Witt and Gardner's Corners, and thence by trail along the river to within three miles of his land. William Thomas entered in 18.50 a piece of land upon section 17, then a wild tract, and the same year made a settlement. His son, Philip Thomas, and George Adleman were living on the same section, to which they had come in 1849 and made a small clearing. The road now known as the State road was then laid out as a town road, but scarcely any work had been done upon it. Oscar George was a close neighbor on the north, and on the south was James Stiles. On the north town line Nathan Ru.ssell, son of Joseph Russell, made probably the first location. He put up a shanty on section 5, but effected no clearing of any con- sequence. He .sold the place in 1852 to Benjamin Doty, who moved right in with his family. He had to cut a road to the shanty put up by Russell, and when the women-folks got a look at the building, its dreary, deso- late appearance, lacking floor, door, and window, they were so oppressed and disheartened at the miserable pros- pect before them that they sat down upon a log and cried bitterly. Philosophy, however, soon came to their aid, and they faced the .situation with a renewed hope that gave them courage and patience. They bore it all heroic- ally after that until better times greeted and cheered them ; " but many's the time," says Mrs. Doty in speaking of their experiences, " that we were awfully, pitifully home- sick for the comforts of civilization we had left in exchange for the wild woods of Michigan." The RusscUs, a mile south, were the Dotys' nearest neighbors. Their milling-point was at the Colony or Fish Creek, and whenever Mr. Doty set out for a journey with his team an axe to cut out his road was an absolutely indis- pensable necessity. The same day that saw (hem make their home on section 5 saw also the arrival upon section 6 of J. W. Bryant. Farther eastward Henry Auten had settled on section 4 in 1850. Chauncey Dexter settled upon a place taken up in 1849 by Andrew E. Bryant on a Mexican war land-warrant. AddiSon Hulse came during the fall of 1850, and in that neighborhood later on William 462 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Scott, William Besley, and Nathan Matthews pitched their tents, as did Thomas JeflFreys, Nelson Stronsj, James Pat- terson, ;ind Miron Ellis. Among other early settlers in the town may likewise be mentioned Isaac Eagles, J. E. Power, David Blank, Peter Fleagle, Emmet Kirby, William Burke, David Nye, James Odell, and Benjamin Hawkins. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION. Town 8 north, in range 2 west, was a portion of Bing- ham town.ship until Feb. 16, 1842, when an act of the Legislature detached it and named it Grceubush. The name was suggested by Mrs. David Sevy on the occasion of a meeting of citizens at her husband's house for the purpose of christening the new township. Mrs. Sevy had a fancy that the name would perpetuate the recollection of the sight of many handsome-looking green bushes which greatly refreshed her senses upon her first entrance into the town. She remembered also a place known as Green- bush in New York State, where with her father's family she spent one uight while journeying in the earlier days from New England to Western New York. So, in accord- ance with her suggestion, those present at the meeting took at once favorably to the name of Greenbu.sh, and sent it in along with the petition for organization. March 16, 1847, towns 9 and 10 north, in range 2 west, in Gratiot County, were attached to Greenbush for township purposes, and re- mained so attached until the organization of Gratiot County in 1855. The first town-meeting in Greenbush was held April 5, 1842, at the school-house in district No. 1. Marvin Green- wood was chosen moderator and John Ferdon, David Sevy, W. N. Daggett, and David Richmond inspectors of elec- tion. The poll-list on that occasion was as follows : Thomas Russell, Henry Fisk, Joseph Russell, Samuel Rowell, Na- than Spooner, William Russell, Hosca Fletcher, John Fer- don, W. N. Daggett, David Richmond, James Stiles, Mar- vin Greenwood, 0. B. Stiles, Herod Morton, Runa Morton, Alvah Richmond, Thomas Fisk, John Avery, Horace Avery, David Sevy, — twenty in all. Twenty-one dollars was voted for the support of schools ; two hundred dollars for contingent expenses. David Richmond was cho.sen poundmaster. A pound six feet square, of logs fourteen feet long, was ordered to be built, and the contract therefor given to Willard N. Daggett for five dollars and seventy- five cents, the bargain being that the pound should be fin- ished by June 1, 1842. The election for town officials then went forward with the following result : Supervisor, David Sevy ; Treasurer, Horace Avery ; Clerk, Alvah Richmond ; Highway Commissioners, Runa Morton, David Richmond, and William Russell ; School Inspectors, Henry S. Fisk, Runa Morton, and O. B. Stiles ; Justices of the Peace, Marvin Greenwood, John Ferdon, Herod Morton, and William Russell ; Directors of the Poor, W. N. Dag- gett and Herod Morton ; Constables, H. S. Fisk and John Avery. CIVIL LIST OF TUE TOWNSHIP. Appended is a list of the persons annually chosen fiom 1843 to 1880 to be supervisors, clerks, treasurers, and jus- tices of the peace: SUPERVISORS. 1843. H. Avery. 1844. D. Sevy. 1S4.5-50. S. Penrl. 1851. H. Avery. 1852. J. C. ¥ox. 1853. H. A very. 1854. L. Wilcox. 1855. H. (i. Thompson. 1856. W. N. Daggett. 1857.* H. Avery. 1858-59. L. Wilco.\. 1843-45. L. M. Richmond. 1846-51. J. Sevy. 1852. M. A. Chappel]. 1853. J. Coffman. 1854-56. M. A. Chnppell. 1860-61. M. Ellis. 1862. J. E. Power. 1863-64. M. Ellis. 1865. L. Wilcox. 1866-67. M. Ellis. 1868.t J. E. Power. 1869-70. M. Ellis. 1871-74. J. E. Power. 1875-78. J. A. Matthews. 1879-80. A. Hulse. CLERKS. 1857-59. J. L. Curtis. I860. W. N. D.iggett. 1861-62. R. E. Davies. 1863-B5. M. A. Chnppcll. 1866-80. R. E. Davies. TREASURERS. 1843. R. Morton. 1844-45. H. Avery. 1846-51. AV. N. Daggett. 1852. P. Jeffreys. 1853. L. Wilcox. 1854-55. P. .Jeffreys. 1856. M. Ellis. 1857. L. Wilcox. 1858. W. N. Daggett. 1859. C. Grey. 1860-62. J. R. Carter. 1863-67. N. T. Stiles. 1868. L. W. Ingersoll. 1869-70. D. L. E.aglcs. 1871-74. J. J. Bowers. 1875-78: A. Hulse. 1879. C. H. Bogardus. 1880. D. L. Eagles. JUSTICES OF TUE PEACE. 1843. 0. B. Stiles. 1862. I. Eagles. 1844. .T. Ferdon. 1803. 0. Whitlock. 1845. M. Greenwood. 1864. Y. L. Miller. 1846. W. Russell. 1865. W. H. Burman 1847. 0. Whitlock. 1866. I. Eagles. 1848. E. Ilolbrook. 1867. G. AV. Reed. 1849. A. Chappell. 1868. Ij. G. Loomis. 1850. I. Eagles. 1869. L. Wilcox. 1851. 0. Whitlock. 1870. I. Eagles. 1852. H. Autcn. 1871. G. AV. Reed. 1853. M. Greenwood. 1872. L. G. Loomis. 1854. I. Eagles. 1873. S. Bebee. 1855. 0. Whitlock. 1874. J. J. Keiser. 1856. J. G. Thompson. 1875. T. AVhitc. 1857. E. Ilolbrook. 1876. L. G. Loomis. 1858. I. Eagles. 1877. S. Bebee. 1859. 0. Whitlock. 1878. J. J. Keiser. 1860. G. W. Townsend. 1879. 0. AVhitlock. 1861. L. Wilcox. 1880. L. G. Loomis. LIST OF VOTERS IN THE TOWNSHIP IN 1844 AND 1850. 1844. — Nathan Spooner, John Ferdon, James M. Stiles, L. M. Richmond, William Ingalls, O. B. Stiles, David Richmond, E. B. Stiles, John Avery, S. M. Rowell, Joseph Russell, Thomas Beach, Edwin Ilolbrook, Orange Whit- lock, Amos Avery, William Russell, William Bentley, Jonathan Aldrich, James Stiles, W. N. Daggett, N. W. Aldrich, David Sevy, Marvin Greenwood, Herod Morton, Horace Avery, John I. Tinkelpaugh, John Manchester, Truman Watson, Alvah Richmond. 1850 — Nathan Spooner, John Sevy, Luman Wilcox, Edwin Holhrook, A. E. Bryant, Joseph Russell, R. L. Carroll, Stephen Pearl, Lewis Richards, 0. Whitlock, R. B. Crowner, James Sargent, James Russell, Amos Avery, * One hundred anil sixty-nine votes, f Two hundred and filty nine votes. GREENBUSH TOWNSHIP. 463 Philip Thomas, Marvin Greenwood, William L. Massey, John Manchester, James H. Kennicott, H. S. Fisk, JehicI Dunning, 0. P. George, Parsons Jeffreys, Henry Smith, A. E. Olin, James M. Stiles, Erastus Tinkelpaugh, James R. Carter, Walter Hulbert, Zelotes Avery, Samuel M. Rowell, B. W. Hobert, William Besley, Addison Hulse, W. N. Daggett, John I. Tinkelpaugh, William Johnson, William Russell, Isaac Eagles, William Badgerow, 0. B. Sevy, Horace Avery, D. B. Cranson, I. B. Froece, L. W. Stiles, Nathaniel Russell, I. A. Hooker, 0. M. Pearl, George W. Richmond, D. F. Badgerow, Benjamin Stiles, A. H. Richmond, 0. B. Stiles, Harmon Richmond, David Sevy, F. 0. Richmond, Alvah Richmond, David Rich- mond, John C. Fox. THE STATE ROAD. The old State road, laid out between Lansing and St. Louis, was a famous highway in its day, not only for the great vol- ume of travel flowing over its surface, but for the roadside inns which dotted it at frequent intervals and refreshed as well. as sustained the weary wayfarers of the tin)e. The road is still much traveled, and boasts still numerous roadside inns, of which there are three in Greenbush township. The pioneer tavern on the road in Greenbush was one put up by William Wyman, or Yankee Bill, as he was called, on sec- tion 8 just east of the burying-ground. Yankee Bill's tavern was a poor sort of an affair, and although it suited well enough in the absence of other places of entertain- ment, it was relegated to obscurity as soon as better taverns appeared upon the road. Presently Drake's and Coleman's taverns presented excellent claims upon the traveling public, and flirther north, about 18G0, Chauncey Morton moved into a house built by Stephen MePherson, at what is now McMaster's Corners, and converted it into a tavern. A post-office was established at Coleman's Corners about 1858, and named Keystone, presumably by some admirer of Pennsylvania or of Buchanan, who was then in the Presi- dential office. Horace Ciister was appointed postmaster, but the business of the office proving insignificant, it was soon discontinued. Shortly afterwards the office was re- newed and located at Chauncey Morton's old tavern-stand, then being kept by George W. Miller and called the Union Home. The latter name wiis likewise the one bestowed upon the post-office, and that name it yet bears. The office was abolished in 1864 and restored in 1871, with James C. Barrus as postmaster, who moving away in 1870 was succeeded by William Cams, and the latter in 1878 by the present incumbent, S. L. McMaster. A daily mail is re- ceived over the route between St. Johns and St. Louis. SCHOOLS. The pioneer Bcliool house in Greenbush was an aban- doned shanty that had previously served David Sevy as a residence. It stood upon the southwestern corner of section 23, and in it the first school was taught by Lucinda, daughter to David Richmond. Miss Richmond taught also the second school, and continued to teach in the town and vicinity several years. The board of school inspectors met for organization in the schoolrhouse of district No. 1 on the 13th of April, 1842, and chose Runa Morton chairman. District No. 1 was apportioned to contain the north half of section 20, the whole of sections 23, 14, 11, 2, 3, 10, 15, the east half of section 22, and the east half of the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 22. No. 2 was ordained to contain the south half of section 20, the whole of sections 27, 28, 29, 20, and 21, the west half of the southwest quarter of section 22, the west half of the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter, and the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter and northwest quarter of 22. No. 3 (fractional) composed of portions of Ovid and Duplain, and the south half of section 25, the east half of section 35, and the whole of .section 30 in Greenbush, was formed April 9, 1847, as was district No. 4, composed of sections 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, and 1 1. No. 5 was organized May 6, 1850, and contained sections 30, 31, 32, and 33, with the south halves of 28 and 29. No. 6 was organized Oct. 25, 1852, and included sections 10, 17, 18, 19, and 20, the west half of .section 21, and the north half of section 29. The same day No. 7 was formed with sections 3, 4, 9, and 10. No. 8 was formed April 15, 1856. A report dated 1847, touching the township library, sets forth that Feb. 1, 1840, L. M. Richmond bought books to the amount of fifty dollars and twenty-eight cents ; that September, 1846, Zelotes Avery bought books in the sum of forty-one dollars and twelve cents; that June, 1847, the school inspector bought a book-case for twelve dollars ; and that in July, 1847, John Sevy bought books for twenty- one dollars and sixty cents. Oct. 18, 1843, an annual re- port testified that there were twenty-two school children in district No. 1, that .school had been taught three months by Nancy Richmond, that she had been paid two dollars per week for her services, and that nine children had attended private school. The annual report dated Oct. 15, 1844, gave out that in district No. 1 were twenty-four school children, that in fractional 1 there were twenty-seven, that the attendance in both districts was forty-four, and that seven children attended private school. The list of teachers appointed between 1843 and 1860 follows here : Jan. 20, 1843.— Nancy Richmond. July 1, 1843.— Orpha Tinkflpaugh. Nov. 4, 1843.— L. M. Richmond. May 8, 1844. — Amelia F. Richmond, Celestia F. Sevy. May 3, 1845.— Sophia Stark. Nov. 25, 1845.— John Avery, Jr. May 2, 1846. — Caroline M. Richmond, Mary E: Sevy. Nov. 22, 1847.— Byron Hollister. April 28, 1849.— Mary E. Sevy, Harriet Eagle. April 26, 1851.— Elvira A. Sevy. May 10, 1851.— Albina S. Chapman. May 17, 1851.— Catherine E. Beebe. Oct. 17, 1851.— Nancy M. Gun.sally, Mary P. Richmond. April 10, 1852. — Frances A. Chappell. Nov. 27, 1852.— Mary M. Hill, Ann S. Avery. April 9, 1853. — Albina S. and Maria S. Chapman. May 28, 1853.— Matilda Besley. Nov. 5, 1853.— Mary A. Collier. Dec. 1, 1854. — Henrietta L. Richmond, Mary E. Thonjp- son, D. A- Clark, an(3 Orriii Bicrcg. 464 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. April 14, 1855. — Melinda M. Richmond, Mary C. Rich- mond, Catherine E. Bebee. June 2, 1855.— Adelia Smith. Nov. 3, 1855. — Arozina P. W. Chapman. April 12, 1856— Mary Cole. April 24, 1856.- Rebecca V. Young. May 6, 1856.— Mary L. Lane. June 7, 1856. — Mary Jane Corwia. Nov. 12, 1856.— Sanford H. Baker. Dec. 2, 1856.— Henry M. Harrison. Dec. 10, 1856.— Lorenzo D. Cole. April 11, 1857.— Nancy E. Budd, Ellen Bachelder, Lu- cinda M. Manchester. May 13, 1857. — Harriet A. Mattoon. Nov. 28, 1857.— William W. Wyman. Nov. 7, 1857.— Myron Ellis, Mr. Hamlin. Jan. 23, 1858. — Nancy Richmond. Dec. 14, 1857. — Harriet Crow. April 10, 1858.— Miss R. N. Young. April 24, 1858.— Lucy A. Baldwin. May 15, 1858.— Charlotte Smith, Augusta Chappell, Fannie Chappell. May 28, 1858.— Emma Pearl. Nov. 6, 1858.— J. L. Hamiel, J. C. Jcwett, Anthony Swarthout, Myron A. Dunning, Hattie A. Stiles. March 19, 1859.— Mary Ann Bryant. April 9, 1859. — Sarah Nickerson, Harriot Jewett. June 13, 1859. — Lois Mudge. The annual report for 1879 gave the subjoined details : Number of districts (whole, 7; fractional 1) 8 Nurober of scholars of school age 446 Teachers' wages $1074.80 The school directors for 1879 were C. L. Putt, C. H. Bogardus, W. J. Havens, D. K. Greenwood, J. W. Besley, H. H. Van Sickle, W. N. Daggett, and J. J. Bishop. TOWN EOADS. Highways were to the early settlers among the most im- portant of requirements, and among their earliest eiforts after getting located they made the chopping-out of roads a prominent business. Road-bees, at which all hands as- sembled, usually on Saturdays, pushed matters briskly forward in that direction, while the working upon high- ways for the non-resident tax was almost the sole means by which settlers could obtain ready cash. In April, 1842, the town was divided into six road districts, and for the year 1842 the report was to the efiFect that one hundred and ninety-two and a half days' labor were assessed, that ninety-nine and a half days were worked, and that Joseph Russell and John Avery were paid twenty-eight dollars for repairing highways. In 1844 the assessment of highway labor in days was as follows : District No. 1 514 2 16 " 3 39* " 4 2:u : fii THE VILLAGE OK EUREKA. During the year 1855, J. A. Barrington, the proprietor of a mill in Knox Co., Ohio, was compelled in course of a business triinsaction to take one hundred and sixty acres of wild land on section 15 in the township of Greenbush, and while wondering what he would do about it he met John Power, then just returned home from a land-looking tour through Michigan. When Power learned that Bar- rington had bought some timber-land in Greenbush, he advised him to take his mill-right out there as an invest- ment that would pay him well. Barrington acted upon the advice so far as to leave at once upon a tour of inspec- tion, and in looking through the neighborhood of his land for a mill-site came upon a spot in section 2, upon Mill Creek, which suited him, and putting down a stake declared that he would bring his mill out and put it up there. His guide over the territory was Isaac Eagles, then living on section 1 1 , and afterwards one of a company of three who platted Greenbush village in 1857. Barrington bought what land he needed, engaged Par- sons Jeifreys to build a log house, George Brewbaker to put in the under-frame for the mill, and went back to Ohio. When he got there and told what he had done, Clark Wil- liams (one of his mill-hands) and a Dr. Rigdon Patter bought each an interest with him as partners, and in Feb- ruary, 1856, Barrington and Potter made a trip to Green- bush. They found matters progressing favorably, and upon their return to Ohio made such preparations for a perma- nent transfer of the mill that in May following they were en route. Williams and Jacob Zullman, a mill-hand, had their families with them, and moved into the doorless and windowloss log house built by Jeffreys, then the only house upon the site now occupied by the village, which was then simply a forest. All hands set in to complete the mill, and got on so well that on the 1st day of July, 1856, the mill-wheel was started. The saw-mill being accordingly in active operation, Bar- rington returned to Ohio in October. In January, 1857, he came back to Greenbush with a small run of stones, and directly a grist-mill added its music to the buzz of the saw. Meanwhile the starting of the mill had suggested the idea of a village, and as the place began to draw considerable business, the village idea took shape. Barrington, Potter, and Williams laid out a few lots in the vicinity of the mill, and presently along came James H. Morrison with half a wagon-load of goods, and opened a store on the lot now oc- cupied by 0. R. Baker's hardware-store. The building was used also by Morrison as a residence, and was the first framed house the village boasted. It was afterwards en- larged by David Sturgis, and serves, as related, as Mr. Ba- ker's store. About this time Parsons Jeffreys, Isaac Eagles, G. P. Moore, and M. E. Burroughs, owners of laud there- about, laid out the plat of the present village, and recorded it Dec. 17, 1857, as follows: "That part of the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 2 commencing at the (|uarter post on the south side of said section ; thence north on the quarter line of said section thirty-one rods ; thence west forty-four rods so as to include a portion of the stream marked Mill Creek, on the plat of said village ; thence south twenty-two rods ; thence east three rods eighteen links ; thence south to the section line ; thence east to the place of beginning. Also that part of section 11 commencing at the quarter post on the north GREEN BUSH TOWNSHIP. 465 side of said section, iuniiin>r west twenty-one rods and one link ; thence soutii thiity-eij;lit rods and ten links ; thence east twenty-one rods one link to the quarter line ; thence north to the place of beginning. Also that part of section 1 1 coin- niencinsr at the quarter post aforesaid, thence south on the quarter line thirty-eight rods ten links ; thence east forty-four rods ; thence north thirty-eight rods ten links to the section- line ; thence west on the section-line to the place of begin- ning." The village was named Groenbush by the pro- prietors, although before the platting the place had been variously known by the names of VVilliamsport, Barrington, and Swizzletown. Indeed, the latter designation clung to the place even after Greenbush became the formally-adopted appellation. It was a name applied in derision, because of a conceived notion that the villagers were in the main given ovorniuch to a taste for strong drink. Despite the coun- teracting influence of those who blushed to hear the name, Swizzletown was spread far and near, and by that mark alone was the village known to many. When the village was platted Avery Chappcll, who had been keeping a small store and the Greenbush post-oiSce, about a mile to the westward, removed the store and post- office to the town. This post-office was established as Greenbush as far back as 1843 at. David Ilichmond's house, and his son Lyman appointed postmaster. Mail was re- ceived from Owosso by way of the Colony. Lyman Rich- mond was the postmaster until 1846, when David Sevy re- ceived the office, and after holding it a year relinquished it to Alvah Richmond. The latter was in possession from 1851 to about 1856, when Avery Chappcll came in. E. R. Hayden succeeded Chappell in 1861, and to Hayden succeeded Edward Stark. During Stark's time the name of the office as well as that of the village was changed to Eureka. There being a post-office in Alcona County called Greenbush there was some confusion in the mails, and thus a change was demanded. Edward Stark being called upon to suggest a name declared at once in favor of Pjurcka, on the ground that he thought he had found in the village a most excellent opening for business, together with the promise of greater things to come. The time seemed also appropriate to make a change in the village name, since Swizzletown kept right on disputing the honors with Greenbush. Stephen Pearl, determined to do what ho could to impress the general public with the truth that the village was not Swizzletown, placed a great sign over against his store adorned with the letters E-u-r-e-k-a. Continuing the post-office history, W. N. Daggett suc- ceeded Stark in 1868, and in 1875 gave way to William Bowles, vrho, in 1878, was followed by Daniel Turner, the present incumbent. Jlorrison, the first storekeeper, soon sold out to David Sturgis, and he to M. E. Burroughs. George Stark, who had been selling a few goods from his house, bought out Burroughs, and soon after that joined Stephen Pearl in trade. When Pearl and Stark decided to remove they lefl their stock of goods with Robert Clark, a blacksmith, who had, with George P. Moore, set up the pioneer smithy in the village. Moore was a partner in the mill as well as in thp blacksmith's shop, and was one of the village proprie- tors. Clark continued his shop business while he sold 5i) goods, and doing so well at the latter he relinquished the shop, and, devoting himself to trade, soon became a promi- nent merchant. Martin Merritt built the tavern now called the Northern Hotel soon after the mill started, and in due season there came a Dr. Cargill, who boarded at W. N. Daggett's and practiced medicine about six months. He probably found the practice profitless, for he retired from the field in favor of Dr. H. A. Stokes, who stopped a year or so, and then Dr. A. H. Weston supplied the vacancy. Weston entered the military service in 1863 and returned no more. In 1864, Dr. E. R. Hayden opened an office, and tarried for the extended space of fourteen years. Eureka's physicians now number three, — Dr. Samuel Post, Dr. Hamlet Hart, and Dr. E. S. Walker. The mill built by Barrington, Potter & Williams stood until 1861, when a fire destroyed it. In 1863, Mr. Bar- rington built a new saw-mill and a grist-mill in 1865. Those mills are the ones still carried on by Barrington. CHURCHES. THE GREENBU.SII CHRISTIAN CHURCH, the oldest religious organization at Eureka, was formed May 14, 1856, at the Sherwood school-house, then a log struc- ture. The organizing members were Walter Pierson and wife, Albert Pierson and wife, Samuel Westbrook, and Esther Thompson, all of whom had been members of Chris- tian churches in Ohio. Elder Elijah Beard, who effiacted the organization, was employed to preach once a month, and in 1857, Elder Elisha Mudge, of Maple Rapids, wast called to succeed him. In the spring of 1858, I. CofFman joined the church, and with Walter Pierson served as deacon. During Elder Mudge's term of service the school- house at what is now the village of Eureka was completed, and directly upon that event, in the fall of 1859, he preached there the first sermon delivered in the village. The subject was " The relation of science to religion," and so well pleased were the inhabitants with the introduction of religious services that Elder Mudge was engaged to preach at the village at stated intervals, his labors for the Christian Church at the Sherwood school-house continuing as before. In the win- ter of 185!) and '60 a series of revival-meetings set in, and thirty-five persons were as a result received into church membership. At this time the place of worship was per- manently transferred to Greenbush village, and in the fall of 1860 a membership of fifty-si? was reported to the Grand Valley Christian Conference. Elder Mudge resigned in 1861, and Elder Beard was recalled. In 1865 he retired, and until 1868, Elder Mudge preached from time to time. Elder E. Crosby followed, and in 1869 a Church Society was organized for the purpose of building a church, wliich was, however, so slow in con- struction that it was not dedicated until 1871, the dedica- tion sermon being preached by Rev. D. E. Millard, of Jackson. Meanwhile, Revs. L. N. Barber and S. Brad- shaw occupied the charge, and Barber returning in 1871, remained until 1873. Afler that the pulpit was occupied successively by Revs. George Myers, 0. P. Alderman, Frank O. Dickey, and Elijah Beard. Beard was succeeded by the Rev. Solomon Suyder, the present pastor, who 46G HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. preaches twice each month. The church membership is now thirty. The deacons are Walter Pierson and Ben- jamin Wadsworth. UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH. Previous to 1866, Rev. Mr. Shelley visited Eureka occa- sionally to hold United Brethren services in the village school-house, and in that year organized a class with about twelve members. The school-house was used as a place of worship until 1870, when the present church edifice was completed and dedicated the fall of that year. Rev. Ben- jamin Mowers preaching the dedication sermon. Then the membership was twenty ; now it is twenty-eight. Among the ministers in charge early in the history of the church were Revs. Miller, Briedenstein, and Kinney. The present pastor is Rev. J. J. Sly, in charge of the Ovid Circuit. The class-leader is Lester Wright, and the Sunday-school superintendent S. J. Mullet. The school is supported by the attendance in union of representatives of various relig- ious deuomioatioDS, and has upon its roll about one hundred and fifty names. EUREKA METHODIST EPISCOPAL CLASS. In April, 1880, Rev. C. A. Jacokes, of Duplain, organ- ized a class at Eureka with about twelve members. Mr. Jacokes preaches to the class in the United Brethren class once in two weeks. GREBNBUSH METHODIST EPISCOPAL CLASS. This, one of the earliest religious organizations in the township, was formed about 1855, in what was then known as the Wildcat school-house. In 1S60 it contained about fifteen members, and in 1865 moved over to the Sherwood school-house, where services were held until 1877, when the Grange Hall was occupied. There the class still worships once each fortnight. Rev. Mr. Hamilton being the pastor, and Peter Fleagle the class-leader. The membership is about thirty. A union Sunday-school meets in the same place, and is prosperously patronized. MANUPACTUEES. The most extensive manufacturing interest in Greenbush is the fanning-mill factory of W. T. and R. E. Davies on section 15, founded by them in 1855. The Davies broth- ers had worked at the fanning-mill business in New York State, and in 1855, with the savings of a few hundred dollars, were prospecting in Michigan for a location where they might set up in that business on their own account. That location they concluded to fix somewhere near the route of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, about half way between Coruuua and Ionia, at each of which places there was a fanning-mill factory. Visiting St. Johns, they found it a place " of logs, fire-heaps, and mud, without a passable road anywhere," and although John Swegles offered to donate them land as an inducement to them to locate their factory there, they would not stop, but pushed on with intent to visit Craven's mills, in Duplain. En route they stopped overnight at Alvah Richmond's, in Greenbush, and that night attending .school-meeting, met David Sevy, who carried on near his residence a little shop where he made chairs and spinning-wheels. Sevy soon learned the bent of the brothers' inclination, and suggested that they might do worse than make their location right there, adding that he would agree to do what " turning" they might need. They considered the suggestion favora- bly, and the next day decided to start their factory there, rented Sevy's shop, and arranged to board with him at two dollars per week. They began business Oct. 5, 1855, and that year, unaided, made one hundred fanning-mills entirely by hand, and sold them as fast as they could make them. The next year Henry Toms, a former fellow-workman in' New Y'^ork State, came along, and having a little ready money, of whieh the brothers then stood in need, he bought a third interest in the business. During that year the firm turned out one hundred fanuing-mills and one hundred milk-safes. In 1857, R. E. Davies went out on a pedestrian collecting tour, and after an absence of a week got back with ju.st one hundred dollars. This was the year of the financial panic, and Michigan banks went down right and left. Of the one hundred dollars every dollar but a twenty-dollar Ohio bank-bill was Michigan money, and al- though it was presumably good when Davies took it, it was worthless when he got home. Such a condition of things discouraged Toms, who sold out to the brothers.. They kept right on with rugged faith and persistence, and by 1859 had reached a prosperous era. They then removed their works to their present location, and have each succes- sive year expanded and strengthened their business to its present considerable proportions. 1 hey employ sixteen men, and manufacture yearly five hundred fanning-mills and two hundred milk-safes, all of which they sell directly through their own agents in various portions of the State. The Greenbush Foundry. — This manufactory antedates any of Greer.bush's manufacturing enterprises. It has been in active operation since 1850, when Samuel Rowell and Stephen Pearl undertook upon section 36 to make plows and andirons. Pearl disposed of his interest to Zelotes Avery, who was in turn bought out by Samuel Rowell, his partner. Mr. Rowell carried on the business until 1873, when he retired from active pursuits and the foundry passed to the possession of his son Stephen, who is still its proprietor. He employs five people, and manufactures plows, cultiva- tors, drags, etc., besides doing a large business in the way of general repairs. The annual product of his foundry aggregates one hundred and twenty plows, one hundred and thirty-five cultivators, twenty drags, and upwards of six thousand plow-points. Greenbush Pump- Works. — H. L. Post settled in Green- bush in 1857, upon section 4, where a Mr. Tubbs had cleared about five acres. He used to make pumps for his neighbors, but devoted to the production of each no more skill tlian was necessary to simply bore out a common log and trim it down. In 1864, however, his son Leonard conceived the idea of starting a pump-factory of some pre- tensions, and in that year, accordingly, he put up on section 4 a small afi"air, which he carried on until 1866. An in- crease in his business then warranted an extension of facili- ties, and in the year last named he built the works on sec- tion 8 which he still controls. He manufactures yearly about Im^ «(*>:: GREENBUSH TOWNSHIP. 467 three hundred pumps, two hundred milk-safes, and a mis- cellaneous list of agricultural implements, etc. SECKET ORDERS. GREENBUSH LODGE, No. 209, I. 0. 0. F. This lodge was organized at Eureka June 3, 1873, and chartered Feb. 20, 1874. The charter members were Wil- liam Spade, John J. Bowers, S. M. Post, William Cobble- stone, L. Randolph, L. N. Barber, and W. H. IMorrison. The first list of oflBcers included William Spade, N. G. ; S. M. Post, V. G. ; J. J. Bowers, U. S. ; W. H. Morrison, Treas. From the date of organiEation to the present those who have filled the chair of Noble Grand have been William Spade, S. IM. Post, J. J. Bowers, Benjamin Austin, Jackson Page, James Lindley, C. L. Putt, I. D. Richmond, and David Henry. The present mcmber.ship is forty. The of- ficers are David Henry, N. G. ; Chauncey Sevy, V. G. ; J. R. Jeffreys, R. S. ; William Funk, P. S. ; J. J. Bowers, Treas. OREENBUSII LODGE, No. 318, F. AND A. M. This lodge was organized at Eureka June 23, 1873. The first officers were J. R. Carter, W. M. ; J. E. Power, S. W. ; Robert Clark, J. W. ; Eli Ti.ikelpuugh, S. D. ; H. A. Smith, Sec. ; Wm. J. Havens, J. D. ; Henry Demott, Treas. ; Thompson Kirby, Tiler. J. E. Power and J. R. Carter have occupied between them the office of Worship- ful Master since the organization of the lodge. The mem- bers number now forty. The officers for 1880 are J. R. Carter, W. M. ; J. L. Eagles, S. W. ; H. H. Smith, J. W. ; H. V. Pray, Sec. ; Robert Clark, Treas. ; I. N. Eagles, S. D. ; Charles Hunt, J. D. ; Uriah Higbee, Tiler. KEYSTONE GRANGE, No. 226, P. OF II. This flourishing grange, which has an active membership of one hundred and fifty, owns a finely-appointed grange hall and store on section 16. Regular sessions are held each Saturday. The officers for 1880 are John Keiser, M. ; C. L. Putt, 0. ; Altman, L. ; Peter Fleagle, Chap- lain ; Roswell Dexter, Sec. ; John Matthews, Treas. ; D. Perkins, Steward. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. CAPT. DAVID S. FRENCH.* Capt. David S. French, of St. Johns, Mich., was born in Lawrenceburg, Ind., April 4, 1844. Lewis and Maria (Sargent) French, his j)areuts, were early settlers in the Ohio Valley. His father, a lawyer for thirty years in Cin- cinnati, maried a daughter of one of the leading families of that city. Mr. French was educated in the schools of Cincinnati. The year that he should have graduated, Mr. Lincoln issued a call for seventy-five thou.sand men. Thirty-six hours afterwards the Cincinnati Zouave Guard, to which Mr. * From " Eminent Men of Micbigan." French belonged, entered the service. They were incor- porated in the Second Ohio Infantry, and went to Baltimore and Washington. Mr. French was engaged in the first Bull Run fight, and was mustered out of service Aug. 6, 1861. In August, 1862, although but eighteen years of age, under protest of friends and relatives, he again sacri- ficed the comforts of home for his country, and enlisted as private in the Eleventh Ohio Infantry, under Gen. J. War- ren Keifer. He served in West Virginia during 1862 and the spring of 1863, participating in the battles of Strasburg, Capon Springs, Moorfield, Roraney, and Win- chester, remaining in Winchester, Va., until driven out by Leo's army in their advance into Pennsylvania in June, 1863. After this the army to which he was attached hastened forward to reinforce the Army of the Potomac. On the 6th of July, 1863, immediately after the battle of Gettysburg, Mr. French was transferred with his regi- ment to the Army of the Potomac, and took part in nu- merous engagements during the remainder of that year and the spring of 1864. He was in the campaign with Gen. Grant from the Rapidan through the Wilderness, and its numerous engagements to Richmond. In July, 1864, he was promoted to the second lieutenancy, and during that inonth the Sixth Corps, under Gen. Wright, to which his regiment belonged, was ordered to the defense of Washing- ton against Gen. Early. After the battles of Kernstown, Monocacy, Md., and Frederick, the corps was ordered to join Gen. Sheridan's army at Harper's Ferry, Va. Dur- ing the campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, Mr. French took part in the battles of Opequan, Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, and after the last battle was commis- sioned first lieutenant. On the close of Sheridan's cam- paign he was transferred with his regiment back to the Army of the Potomac. In 1865 he joined in the final assault on the outer line of works of the last stronghold of the Confederacy, Petersburg, and took part in tlie attack which carried the place, April 2d, and culminated in the surrender of Lee. He was brevetted captain for merito- rious conduct in this campaign. He was mustered out of service July 1, 1865, and engaged in general mercantile business at Brookston, Ind., four years. In 1870 he en- gaged with the St. Johns Manufacturing Company at Piqua, Ohio. The following year, at the request of the president of the company, he removed to St. Johns, Clin- ton Co., Mich., to act as secretary and general manager of the business of the company. In 1877 he was elected president of the village, and re-elected in 1878-79. He is a member of the Consistory in the Masonic fraternity, and has taken all the degrees in the Blue Lodge Chapter and Commandery. He is an Episcopalian. He cast his first vote for Grant, and is an active Republican. He married. May 26, 1866, Cornelia B. Mitchell, daughter of Joseph M. Mitchell, a pioneer settler in Miami Co., Ohio. Energy, perseverance, and strict integrity have marked his course in life. In December, 187'J, he traded his village property for an elegant farm of two hundred and twenty acres, four miles north of the village ; it has been known as Coleman's Hotel. Since its change of hands it has under- gone some very marked improvements, and under its new name (The Park House) it is a desirable summer resort 468 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. and has had the praise of all the surrounding citizens and his larj'e circle of friends. DAVID LEVY. This gentleman was one of a family of six children, and the only one now surviving ; was born in New Hampshire, June 19, 1804, his parents, Joseph and Mary (Blake) Levy, being also natives of the same State. When David was six years old his parents removed to Vermont, and at thirteen removed with him to Genesee DAVID LEVY. Co., N. Y., where they both died, his father in 1848, his mother surviving three years later. David remained at home until he reached the age of twenty, assisting his parents. Feb. 24, 1824, he was married to Miss Rhoda Baker, a resident of the same county but a native of Vermont. Here in Genesee County they re- mained for some fifteen years, David following his trade as cabinet-maker. In the spring of 1839 they removed to Michigan, coming by wagon to Buffalo, lake to Detroit, thence by wagon to this township, locating first on section 23. They were one of the first families to settle in that part of the township, and Mr. Levy and BIr. Daggett being the only ones left of the first pioneers of this section. Mr. Levy's first purchase was of forty acres, to which he soon added forty, clearing and improving them. To Mr. and Mrs. Levy were born seven children, of whom only four are living, these grown to maturity, married and settled, living near their father. The mother, after endur- ing all the hardships and privations of pioneer life, and burying three of her children, succumbed to her trials and in 1870 passed from earth, regretted and mourned by many friends besides her husband and children. Mr. Levy for three years subsequently lived with his daughter, Mrs. Covertson, when he was again mariied, his second wife having been a Mrs. Stiles. She only lived four years. Since her death he has resided with his eldest son. He is in politics Republican, and has held a number of township offices, among which are supervisor (two years), township clerk, justice of the peace, and highway commis- sioner He is a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist denomination, as was his last wife, and although seventy- six years of age assisted in planting corn this spring. Is hale and hearty, retaining his full mental faculties, a true pioneer of pioneer days. WILLIAM T. AND ROBERT E. DAVIES. William T. and Robert E. Davies were born in England, the first named in Kent County, Aug. 30, 1829, the second in Sussex Count)', Oct. 5, 1830, and are the sons of Robert and Mary Ann (Thomas) Davies. Their father traces his ancestry to Wales ; served as sergeant in the Eng- glish army twenty-six and one-half years ; he was with Wel- lington in the battle of Waterloo, after which he was dis- charged from the service and pensioned for life, receiving in addition in consideration for past services an appoint- ment from the government as station -keeper at the ancient town of Winchelsea, where he died in August, 1859, at the advanced age of seventy. Robert, Jr., came to America in 1849, and was followed by William two years later. They located at Lyons, N. Y where they learned their trade, that of fanning mill making, of John Gilbert, serving an apprenticeship of three years. They then came West, locating the first year in Grand Rapids, working at the same trade. In 1855 they moved to Greenbush and established their present business, first renting a shop of David Levy, manufacturing the first one hundred mills by hand. The second year they added the manufacturing of milk-safes, taking as a partner an old schoolmate, Henry Toms ; he only remained one year. In 1859 they bought their present home, which then had but little improvement, but by their energy and zeal they have erected their buildings, increased their business until at the present time they employ fourteen men in building mills and 'safes. They also combine farming with their manu- facturing, owning throe hundred and thirty-six acres in their home-farm, besides one hundred and twenty acres in Gra- tiot County. When they started their capital was health, a strong arm, and willing heart, and not over five dollars in cash when landed in America. William was married in November, 185G, to Miss Janette Levy, daughter of Daniel Levi, Esq. To them have been born two boys and four girls. Robert was married in Grand Rapids, June, 186t), to Miss Alice Thomas, who was a native of Lyons, N. Y., born Aug. 8, 1833. They are the parents of two boys and two girls. After the death of their fatiier their mother came to Michigan, where she lived with her sons until her death, which occurred in 1874, at the ripe old age of seventy- seven. In politics both are Republicans, and have filled several of the various township offices. Robert was for eighteen LEBANON TOWNSHIP. 469 years township clerk, and William several years highway couiuiissioiier. Robert and wife are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. William is liberal in his views, and his wife is a member of the Adventist denomination. W. T. Davies' residence is on the same side of the street as the factory. CHAPTER LX. LEBANON TOWNSHIP.* General Description of the Townsiiip — Original Surveys — Land-En- tries — First and Other Early Settlements — Salt-AVorlis Village and Wildcat Banking — Residents in the Township in 1S40 — The In- dian Chief Makitoquet — Educational and Ileligious — Civil History of the Township. This township, which was designated in the field-notes of the United States survey as township No. 8 north, of range No. 4 west, lies in the extreme northwest corner of Clinton County. North Shade, in Gratiot County, forms its northern boundary ; North Plains, in Ionia County, its western ; while Essex and Dallas townships, respectively, in Clinton County, are situated upon its eastern and southern borders. The surface, diversified by plains, occasional blufl's, and rolling uplands, is drained by the Maple River and its numeiuus small tributary creeks and rivulets. The former stream in its flow towards Grand River crosses the town- ship diagonally from the northeast to near the southwest corner. It has a sluggish current, offering no advantageous mill-sitos. 15ack from it in either direction for the distance of about one mile occurs a surface more than usually broken and covered with loose bowlders. The original timber was principally of the deciduous varieties common to the PrniuRular State, and in conse(|uence the soil is well adapted to grazing and the production of corn, fruit, vege- tables, and the various cereals. Lebanon boasts neither a railroad, village, church, or post-oifice. Mail facilities are afforded at tlie village of Maple Rapids, in E.ssex township, also at Hubbardston and Mathcrton villages, which lie mainly in the township of North Plains, Ionia Co., yet encroach upon the limits of this. The fair-grounds of the Central Fair Association, com- posed of members residing in the counties of Clinton, Gratiot, Ionia, and Montcalm, are located on section 18, just east of the village of Hubbardston. The grounds, about thirty acres in extent, are very pleasantly situated, and the annual meetings are largely attended. Agricultural pursuits occupy the chief attention of the people. Many buildings evince taste and wealth, while the farm-lands seem to be under a high state of cultivation. ORIGINAL SURVEYS. In February and March, 1831, Robert Clark, Jr., ran out the boundary lines of the territory then first designated * By John S. Schcnck. township No. 8 north, of range No. 4 west. The work of subdividing the same was performed by Orange Risdon from July 26 to Aug. 10, 1831. He also meandered Maple River in October of the same year. Both Messrs. Clark and Risdon were entitled Deputy United States Sur- veyors, and did their work under contract and instructions received from William Lytle, Surveyor-General of the United States. They reported the lands as generally good, rolling, and heavily timbered. LAND-ENTRIES. The following list includes the names of those who pur- chased of the general government lands situated in this township. SECTION I. William Iloskins, May 7, 1836. Charles N. Bristol, Monroe Co., N. Y., Doc. 13, 1S36. David P. Weeks, Clinton Co., Mich., May, 1850. Warren A. Sherwood, Lockport, N. Y., Deceniber, 1852. Joshua W. Waterman, Detroit, Mich., August, 1853. SECTION 2. Alvin Billings, Richland, Ohio, Feb. 15, 1837. Luther Briggs, Wayne Co., Mich., Feb. 15, 1837. Warren A. Sherwood, Lockport, N. Y., Dec. 22, 1852. Joshua W. Waterman, Detroit, Mich., Aug. 18, 1853. SECTION 3. Bradley True, Wayne Co., Mich., Feb. 15, 1837. Alauson Aldrich, Wayne Co., Mich., Feb. 15, 1837. Alvin Billings, Richland, Ohio, Feb. 15, 1837. John Ennis, Jackson Co., Mich., July, 1853. Joshua W. Waterman, Detroit, Mich., August, 1853. Chaunccy D. AVebster, Clinton Co., Mich., April, 1854. SECTION 4. (le.irgo W. Dickinson, Ionia Co., Mich., Nov. 8, 1830. Sylvanus Hopkins, Sept. 4, 1851. Oeorgc W. Rathburn, Jackson Co., Mich., July, 1853. John Ennis, .laokson Co., Mich., July, 1853. Joshua W. Waterman, Detroit, Mich., August, 1S53. SECTION 5. Amos Daniels, Slcuben Co., N. Y., Sept. 2'J, 1836. Sanford Vandusen, Ionia Co., Mich., September, 1851. Thomas Jennings, Uochoster, N. Y., September, 1S5I. Thomas French, llocheatcr, N. Y,, October, 1851. Aliram Terwilliger, Clinton Co., Mich., August, 1853. Albert Daniels, Lenawee Co., Mich., December, 1853. SECTION 6. George W. Dickinson, Ionia Co., Mich., Nov. 8, 1836. Edward I'ettcys, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Dec. 12, 1836. Milo r.cnham, Ontario Co., N. Y., Jan. 30, 1837. John B. Contino, Monroe Co., N. Y., Sept. 12, 1S51. SECTION 7. Andrew T. McReynolds, Wayne Co., Mich., September, 1836. Amos Boughtun, Ontario Co., N. Y., February, 1837. John Minioh, Clinton Co., Mich., August, 1851. Lyman Daniels, Ionia Co., Mich., October, 1852. SECTION 8. Chester Ingalls, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Feb. 1.3, 1837. AVilliam W. Ainsley, Clinton Co., Mich., January, 1849. Reuben Ferris, Clinton Co., Mich., February, 1851. George E. Gifford, July, 1851. Thomas Satterlec, Welshfield, Ohio, August, ISjl. Royal Bradish, Ionia Co., Mich., November, 1851. William W. Edminster, Ionia Co., Mich., March, ISJI. 470 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SECTION 9. Jarvis Hoag, Chittenden Co., Vt., Nov. 8, 1836. Andrew T. McRcynolds, Wayne Co., Mich., November, 1.836. Sylvanus Hoi)kin.s, September, 1851. John Stoddard, October, 1851. Robert W. Davis, September, 1852. SECTION 10. Kicbard P. Hart and George M. Mills, Urand Rapids, Mich., Feb. 2, 1836. Robert S. Parks and Lawson S. Warner, Ionia Co., Mich., Se])teuiber, 1836. John Booth, Oakland Co., Mich., Jan. 13, 1837. R. S. Parks and L. S. Warner, Ionia Co., Mich., January, 1837. Charles A. Trowbridge, Detroit, Mich., January, 1837. SECTION II. Hart A Mills, Grand Rapids, Mich., February, 1836. Michael Smejid, Genesee Co., N. Y., January, 1837. Horace Hallock, Wayne Co., Mich., February, 1837. Leiand Green, Oakland Co., Mich., February, 1837. Norman P. Green, Clinton Co., Mich., June, 1853. Henry A. Jennison, Clinton Co., Mich., October, 1854. SECTION 12. Hart i, Mills, Grand Rapids, Mich., Feb. 2, I,S3fi. Eliza Moore, Ionia Co., Mich., January, 1837. Eaptiste Mak-i-to-quet, Clinton Co., Mich., Jan. 31, IS37. Pe-aw-mo, Tan-wa-so-me, and Ka-wy-aw-so-nic, Clinton Co., Mich., Jan. 31, 1837. Hiram Nestell, Clinton Co., Mich., September, 1851. Nathaniel R. Catlin, Clinton Co., Mich., October, 1852. SECTION 13. Oliver Johnson, April 25, 1836. Marshall Smoad, Genesee Co., N. T., January, 1837. Thomas 0. Hill, Wayne Co., Mich., May 5, 1837. Isaac Reynolds, Ionia Co., Mich., June, 1852. SECTION 14. Pnrce Barber, May 21, 1836. Elias Daniels, May 24, 1836. Andrew T. McKeynolds, Wayne Co., Mich., Nov. 8, 1836. Baptisle Makitocjuet and Etienne Lcmorandiere, Clinton Co., Mich., Jan. 10, 1837. Win-ta-go-wish, Clinton Co., Mich., Jan. 11, 1837. Francis Bailley, Ionia Co., Mich., Jan. 31, 1837. Frederick Giro, May, 1852. Philemore Reynolds, Clinton Co., Mich., November, 1852. Henry and Franklin Vrcdenburg, Clinton Co., Mich., March, 1854. SECTION 15. Lawson S. Warner, Ionia Co., Mich., July 22, 1836. Henry V. Libliart, Ionia Co., Mich., February, 1837. Edward Y. Morton and John B. Guiteau, Ionia, Mich., February, 1837. Clemens Gibbs, Clinton Co., Mich., November, 1854. SECTION 16. ■ School lands. SECTION 17. Parce Barber, May 21, 1836. Abner Spencer, Jackson Co., Mich., Sept. 26, 1836. R. S. Parks and L. S. Warner, Ionia Co., Mich., Feb. 13, 1837. John and John B. Brownell, Oakland Co., Mich., Feb. 16, 1837. Thomas Blackmer and P. S. Stoddard, Livingston Co., N. Y., April, 1837. SECTION 18. David Irish, Ionia Co., Mich, (west half), Sept. 26, 1836. James W. Tabor, Ionia Co., Mich, (east half), Sept. 26, 1836. SECTION 19. Parce Barber, May 21, 1836. Alexander H. Edwards, July 12, 1836. William A. Burgess, Ionia Co., Mich., September, 1836. Robert McClelland, Monroe Co., Mich., September, 1836. Levi A. Mills, city of New York, December, 1836. SECTION 20. Daniel Barker, Dec. 26, 1836. Robert S. Parks and Elias Daniels, April 29, 1836. Horace Butler, May 17, 1836. William Mann, Ionia Co., Mich., Sept. 23, 1836. Levi A. Mills, city of New York, Dec. 17, 1836. Phineas Van Ness, Clinton Co., Mich., October, 1854. SECTION 21. William Mann, Ionia Co., Mich., Sept. 23, 1836. Ledra Phillips, Clinton Co., Mich., April 27, 1836. William L. Drake, November, 1852. Hiram Segar, Lenawee Co., Mich., July, 1853. SECTION 22. Iliram Benedict, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Sept. 27, 1836. Henry J. Pearsall, Oakland Co., Mich., February, 1837. Ledra' Phillips, Clinton Co., Mich., April, 1837. William Faragber, Clinton Co., Mich., April, 1837. Charles Sessions, Ionia Co., Mich., Nov. 14, 1837. Nathaniel Sessions, Ionia Co., Mich., Nov. 14, 1837. Charles Sessions, Clinton Co., Mich., October, 1852. SECTION 23. Horace Butler, May 17, 1836. Elias Daniels, May 24, 1836. Allen A. Robinson, Monroe Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836. Charles Osgood, Monroe Co., Mich., Deo. 12, 1836. Michael Pearsall, Oakland Co., Mich., Feb. 15, 1837. SECTION 24. Horace Butler, entire section. May 17, 1836 SECTION 25. Benjamin Pierson, Wayne Co., Mich., Feb. 15, 1837. William J. Wells, Wayne Co., Mich., Feb. 15, 1837. Isaac W. Averell, Wayne Co., Mich., April 8, 1837. Benjamin F. Lamed, Wayne Co., Mich., April 12, 1837. Caroline Sprague, Oakland Co., Mich., Feb. 15, 1838. Harriet Sprague, Ionia Co., Mich., April 8, 1839. SECTION 26. Charles Osgood, Monroe Co., Mich., Dec. 12, 1836. Horace Hallock, Wayne Co., Mich., April 12, 1837. Seth B. Pearsall, Oakland Co., Mich., Oct. 17, 1837. Louis S. Lovcll, Ionia Co., Mich., Nov. 14, 1853. SECTION 27. Harlow Benedict, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Sept. 27, 1836. Perry Billings, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Sept. 27, 1836. Horace Hallock, Wayne Co., Mieh., Feb. 15, 1837. Robert S. Parker, Ionia Co., Mich., April 8, 1837. SECTION 28. Horace Butler, May 17, 1836. Perry Billings, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Sept. 27, 1836. SECTION 29. Horace Butler, May 17, 1836. William Mann, Ionia Co., Mich., Sept. 29, 1836 SECTION 30. Daniel Barker, May 2, 1834. James B. Murray, Aug. 8, 1835. Daniel Slawson, Jr., Sept. 9, 1835. Sebastian Beckwith, Ionia Co., Mich., Dec. 24, 1835. William Mann, Ionia Co., Mich., September, 1836. LEBANON TOWNSHIP. 471 SECTION 31. Daniel Barker, May 2, 1834. Dauicl Slawtfon, Jr., Sept. 9, 1335. Sebustian Beckwith, Ionia Co., Mich., Doc. 21, 1835. Lucius Warner, Geneva, N. Y., Doc. 12, 1836. SECTION 32. William Mann, Ionia Co., Mich., Sept. 23, 1836. Sherman (joodwin and (jJeorgo Henderson, Wayne Co., Mich., Sept. 24, 1836. SECTION 33. John Norvell, Wayne Co., Mich, (whole section), Feb. 15, 1837. SECTION 34. Ilomer Loomis, Ontario Co., N. Y., Jan. 27, 1837. Henry H. Loomis, Geneva, N. Y., M.iy 21, 1853. Anson C. Loomis, Ontario Co., N. Y., Oct. 18, 1853. SECTION 35. Joseph Penniman, Wayne Co.. Mich., Feb. 15, 1837. Jesse Jolly, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Sept. 12, 1853. Anson C. Loomis, Geneva, N. Y., Sept. 14, 1853. John N. Fowler, Jefferson Co., N. Y., Nov. 5, 1853. SECTION 36. Alanson Aldrich, Wayno Co., Mich., February, 1837. Samuel Boughton, Oakland Co., Mich., February, 1837. Edwin H. Jones, Wayne Co., Mich., February, 1837. George W. Perry, Wayne Co., Mich., April 12, 1837. Anson C. Loomis, Geneva, N. Y., Se[)t. 14, 1853. John N. Fowler, Jefferson Co., N. Y., Nov. 5, 1853. FIKST AND OTHER EARLY SETTLEMENTS. Upon sections 30 and 31 began the fii-st settlements and improvements in the present township of Lebanon. Daniel Barker, a native of one of the New England States, was an early settler in Washtenaw County. On the 2d of May, 1831, he became the fir.st individual owner of land in township 8 north, of range No. 4 west, by the purchase of the west half of the southeast quarter and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 30 ; also the north- west quarter of the northeast quarter of section 31. His location was a desirable and well-chosen one, being situated near the northeastern limit of the beautiful tract known at an early day as the East Plains, — lands wiiicli iu a state of nature produced only wild grass, willows, and scattered oaks, and readily yielded to cultivation. Some time during the summer or fall of 1834, accom- panied by his wife and two or three small children, Mr. Barker took up his abode on the west half of the south- east quarter of section 30, building his cabin about sixty rods in rear of Hon. John Vance's present residence. He was a young man about thirty years of age, and in the coui-se of two or three years had placed under cultivation about twenty -five acres of land. On the 2(;th of December, 1830, he increased his landed estate by the purcha.se of the west half of the southwest quarter of section 20. An event of unusual occurrence (even in tliickly-,settlcd com- munities) took place in his family June 1, 1837, and in time his neighbors were made aware of the fact tiiat lie was the proud father of twin daughters. But Mr. Barker was destined not to remain long con- spicuous as a pioneer and first settlor of the now populous township of Lebanon. Returning from Ionia on the 6th of November, 1837, whither he had been to obtain flour and other supplies for his family, he met his death by drowning in attempting to cross Maple River. Thus in Mr. Barker's family occurred the first births and death in the township. His widow and children removed from this vicinity the year following his decease. The town of Starkey, Yates Co., N. Y., furnished the next settlers, in the persons of the brothers John, William, and Andrew Vance, who arrived here May 10, 1837. The former had resided in Livingston Co., N. Y., three years prior to his coming to Michigan, and was accompanied by his wife, Cornelia A., and two children, Emmet and Ursula. His brothers were unmarried. Having purchased from Daniel Slawson, Jr., the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 31, John Vance erected his dwelling thereon, and as a Michigan former began a career which has been remarkably successful. Beginning with forty acres, the purchase of which took all his available cash, his estate has been increased until he now owns eight hundred and ninety-four acres, besides having given his sons three hundred acres. He was present at the organization of Wandaugon township, and, as will be seen by reference to the lists of township officers, has been prominently identi- fied with the civil history of Lebanon. He has served as supervisor eleven terms, besides in various other capacities. His brothers, also, have proved themselves most worthy citizens. John A. Millard, a brother-in-law of John Vance, also came from Starkey, Yates Co., N. Y., and settled where he now resides in July, 1837. His name occupies a conspicu- ous place in the annals of Lebanon, and he has ever been accounted one of its most prominent and trustworthy in- habitants. In December, 1835, Sebastian Beckwith, of Ionia County, purchased quite extensively of lands situated on both .sides of the county-line, including in this township the greater portion of the west half of section 31 and the fraction of section 30 lying north of Maple River. He was a bachelor, and for a short time resided in Lyons township, Ionia County. He died about the spring of 1838, when his brothers, Dr. Norton H. and Miner Y. Beckwith, came in and occupied that portion of his estate lying in Leb- anon. The Beckwiths were from Geneva, N. Y., and first located in Washtenaw County. They were active, energetic men, and at an early day took the lead in farming and making improvements. Norton H. Beckwith built a framed barn and a plank house on the northwest fractional quar- ter of section 31 in 1840, which, except those built by the salt eoD)pany, are believed to have been the first framed buildings erected in the township. Miner Y. Beckwith was an early justice of the peace. Alonzo D. Brewster, prominent as one of the first resi- dents of the township, and who served as its supervisor in 1840 and '41, was also here in 1838, perhaps earlier. As yet .settlements all tended towards the southwest corner of the township, or that locality known as the East Plains. In December, 1838, Charles Sessions began the first improvements in the central part. He was born in Marcellus, Onondaga Co., N. Y., and with his father's family (he being the eldest of seventeen children) emi- grated to North Plains, Ionia Co., in the spring of 1837. 472 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. In November of the same year he purchased one hun- dred and twenty acres situated upon section 22, where, as before stated, he bej^an " cleariiif;" one year hiter. His location was in the midst of a wilderness ten miles wide from east to west, and his nearest neij;hbors were one-half that distance away, viz., to the .southeast on the East Plains, and to the northeast on Benedict's Plains. He built a small cabin, which stood near the site of his present dwelling, and with his axe and twenty dollars in money began hewing out a farm. Ten acres wore cleared the first winter. With plenty of Indians and wild ani- mals around him, he lived alone until 1840, when he married his first wife. Miss Miriam McCooley, of Ionia County. Ionia, twenty miles distant, was his nearest post- oflBce. Those settlers who preceded him here, according to his recollections, have already been mentioned. His first team grew up under his care from calves. Mr. Sessions has always been one of the most prominent men in his township. He has served in nearly every position in the gift of his townsmen, is now the owner of eleven hundred and seventy-one acres, and still resides where he settled forty-two years ago. John Vanee, James W. Tabor, John A. Millard, and himself all set out apple-trees soon after their settlement. Mr. Millard brought some cherry-trees from New York State when he came here in July, 1837. James W. Tabor was another prominent early settler of Lebanon. On the 26th of September, 183(3, he bought of the government the east half of fractional section 18. He settled upon tlie same in 1838 or 1839, and prior to June, 1840, owned the entire section. He served several terms as supervisor, also as township clerk and justice of the peace. Among other early settlers who came in at about the same time as those last mentioned were Harvey Waterman, Russell Smith, Martin Yetter, oge of the first parties mar- ried here, and A. Warner. Lebanon in 1838 was the scene o.f a series of wild spec- ulations, so rife in the State of Michigan at that time, and perhaps no historical paper relating to the township would be considered at all complete which did not allude even briefly to them. The pioneers yet living relate the oft- repeated story of excessive prices of wild or uncultivated lands, and of lots in prospective villages and cities which now have nothing but the recorded plat in the office of the register of deeds to indicate their location. This specula- tion no doubt was largely owing to the great amount of paper money then afloat in the Stale. The men engaged in these enterprises were full of energy and activity, pos- sessed of first-class business attainments, and, perhaps it was claimed for them, of sterling worth, who, although living in a region but yet sparsely settled, were anxious to become wealthy at once. In the attempt to compass their objects, however, the most unscrupulous means were not unfre- quontly employed, and when occasion offered they did not hesitate to dupe men of their own State, although it was generally claimed that their victims were more particularly sought for on the east side of Lake Erie. It seems that during the years 183G and '37, Robert S. Parks, Lawson S. Warner, and others of Ionia County purchased lands situated upon sections 10, 15, 17, and 20. Soon after settlements had began to thrive in this and ad- joining townships it was rumored that salt springs of value existed on that part of section 15 lying north of Maple River. Whether salt springs or brackish water existed there then or now it is not our province to determine, for some old residents have a.ssertcd that " Parks sunk a barrel of salt in a hole on the bottoms of Maple River for purposes of speculation," while others of this county, also of Shia- wassee, assert that to their personal knowledge the Indians boiled salt in the present township of Lebanon, hence the origin of its original name Wandaugon, meaning "salt springs." However, during the legislative session of 1838 an act was pa-'sed (approved April 3d of that year), of which the following is an extract, duly incorporating the Clinton Salt- Works Company : " Robert S. Parks, Lawson S. Warner, Thomas B. An- drews, Charles Hubbell, Calvin C. Parks, and such otiier persons as shall hereafter associate with them and their suc- cessors, shall be and they are hereby created a- body corpo- rate and politic by the name of the ' Clinton Salt-Works Company.' The said corporation is hereby required to im- prove the real estate belonging to said company, situate at Clinton Salt-Works, in the county of Clinton and State of Michigan, known as all that part of the village of Clinton Salt- Works described as the 'reserve' on the map of said village, duly executed and recorded, the which is situated on section No. 15, in township No. 8 north, of range No. 4 west, in the Grand River land district, and is held and owned by the said Robert S. Parks and others for the pur- pose of manufacturing salt, by erecting the necessary build- ings and vats, by boring the earth and sinking proper tubes and pumps to procure a suflBcient quantity of water ; and also shall have power to construct or purchase such and all other apparatus and machinery necessary for the carrying on of said salt manufacturing establishment to such an ex- tent as shall be deemed necessary to advance the interest of said company and to transact the business of the same." The foregoing act was to remain in force twenty years. The company erected several frame buildings in 1838, and doubtless brilliant prospectuses accompanied the engraved copies of their village plat which circulated in the Eastern country. The finding of salt-brine, at least in paying quantities, proved an utter failure. But before its collap.se the ruling spirits of the company found time, and the op- portunity under the general banking law of 1837, to estab- lish the " Clinton County Salt-Works Bank." The general provisions of this law were fairly drawn, except that in the two important features that concern most the public — se- curity to the bill-holders and a huna fide capital to secure the depositors — they were inadequate. The capital must not be less than fifty thousand dollars, or more than one hundred thousand dollars. The issue could be two and one- half times the capital paid in. The interest should not exceed seven per cent, on discounts, and the banks were required to make semi-annual dividends, assuming always the banks' ability to do this. The security for the payment of the banks' obligations were to be bonds and mortgages on real estate, to be held by the bank commissioner, and the specie in the vaults of the corporation. Few banks had this specie, though the law required thirty per cent, of LEBANOxV TOWNSHIP. 473 the capital to be paid in " in legal money of the United States." These specie deposits furnished little reliable se- curity. The fact was, the bank commissioner, whose duty it was to examine these banks once in three mouths, was often deceived, as one bank would inform another when the commissioner was coming, and the banks would borrow money to exhibit to the commissioner and return it when he went away. In this manner the same specie would often serve for the use of several banks. We are credibly informed that a pailful of silver coin, owned by Moses Dean, of Maple township, Ionia Co., furnished the " legal money of the United States" on which was based and established, " according to law," the Clinton County Salt- Works Bank, and the only evidence its managers ever could have produced in their assumption of having specie in the vaults of the corporation arose from the fact that the coin was brought to the dwelling of John Vance* by Mr. Dean. It was there counted in the pres- ence of the said bank officials, after which, without any transfer having been made, Mr. Dean returned with it to his home. This was the system of banking inaugurated in the early days of MichTgan, the overthrow of which pro- duced such a financial shock in the State that many years elapsed before a recovery from its effects was experienced. Messrs. Parks, Warner & Co. went forward and issued their elaborately engraved notes of the Clinton County Salt- Works Bank, but their circulating power proved to be of but short duration, however, and this bank, with other like institutions, suspended payment on the decision of the Supreme Court relieving the stockholders from any lia- bility touching the redemption of the bills of the bank. Thus ended the manufacture of salt and wildcat banking on the wilderness bottom-lands of Maple River. EESIDENTS IN THE TOWNSHIP IN 1840. The resident tax-payers of Lebanon in 1840, and the lands upon which taxes were assessed, were as follows : Acres. Morton H. Tieckwith, sections 30, .Tl 206 John Vance, sections 30, 31 253 James W. Tubor, entire section 18 58.') Daniel liarker's heirs, sections 20, 30, 31 280 Charles Ses.sions. section 22 120 John A. Millard, section .'U IfiO Russell Smith, section II 115 Harvey Waterman Personal Alunzo D. Brewster and Miller Personal Those named in addition, in 1841, were: Acres. Miner Y. Beck with, section 31 51 Martin Yctter, section 31 80 A. Warner, sections 20, 30, 31 280 In 1844 there were as additional residents : Palmer D. Bancroft, sections 10, 22. Elijah Ford, section 32. Isaac Sherman, section 32. Avery Delong, section 29. DiinicI Fiiield, Jr , section 6. Walter llalstead, section 32. Ezekiel Ualstead, section 32. Ledra Phillips, sections 21, 22. Charles Millard, section 22. The total tax levied on real and personal estate (includ- t Mr. Vance was not interested in these speculations. 60 ing present township of Dallas) was one hundred and eighty-eight dollars and sixty cents. The holding of a large portion of the township as non- resident lauds by speculators proved to be here, as else- where in the State, a great detriment to its material wealth and increase of population, and as late as 1850 there were but thirty menf mentioned as resident tax-payers, viz. : Acres. John Vance, sections 30, 31 352 John A. Millard, section 31 IfiO Jan.cs W. Tabor, section IS 585 Lucius H. Pcet, section 36 110 William Vanderhoof, section 17 80 Dennis Mcrwin, sections 26,36 130 Ledra Phillips, section 22 Kill Ru.ssell Phillips, section 21 40 William Daniels, section 5 150 Lyman Daniels, section 5 40 Reuben Ferris, section 5 411 Ezekiel Halstead, section 32 30 Avery Dehmg, section 29 169 Miner Y. Beckwitb, section 31 53 Klijah Ford, section 32 80 Charles Sessions, section 22 160 HezeUiah Austin, section 22 40 Isaac Fifield, section 6 80 Thomas Bellows, section 32 10 William Wamsley, section S 40 Nelson P. Johnson, section 1 69 William Mather, section 1 64 John Stiirgcss, section 32 160 Paris Corey, sections 30, 31 232 Chester Wood, section 32 70 Cornelius Valeau, sections 30, 31 100 Albert (i. Russell Personal William McAllister, section 32 40 R. M. Cone, section 10 '. 80 David Fifield, section 6 80 During the succeeding decade a marked increase in popu- lation took place, and the residents assessed for taxes in 1860 were as follows: Sec. J. C. Caldwell 1 Albert G. Russell 1 M. N. Wade 1,2 Paul Do Witt 1 L. S. Scott 2 C. II. Townsend 2 M. L. We!itherwa.\ 2 0. Briggs 2 L. S. Aldrich 3 Joseph Haynes... 3 W. L. Haynes 3 Russell Commons 4 Jonathan Torwilliger 5 C. II. Newcomb 5 A.Terwilliger 5 Lyman Daniels 5,8 William Daniels 5 Reuben Ferris 5,8 David FilicId 6 Henry S. Barker 6 Volney Newland 6 Santbrd Vaudusen 6 Pliny Moore 7 Harrison Colby 7 Henry Colby 7 Chester Warner 8 Joseph F. Lathrop 8 Henry Manga 8 R. D. Tabor 8 Charles Rosecrans 8 John G. Roberts 8 Mason W. Stoddard 9 H. L.Stoddard 9 E. C. Churchill 9 Willifi)! Reypolds 9 0. ij^ Sherwood 10, 15 A. Miles 10 Oliver Cunningham 10 J. W. Crawford 10 H. K. Haynes 11 David P. Weeks 11 T. J. Terwilliger 11 Robert Frank 11 William Vredouburg II J. T. Hewitt 12 Jacob Hancher Personal J. P. easier 12 H. Jaques 12 Robert Winlicid 12 Brorlerick Winlield 12 II. A. Jcnnison 12 J. F.Owen 12 Henry White 13 Isaac Reynolds 13 John Pinkney 13 Michael Frear 14 Herman Sprague 14 Henry (leer 14 Peter Winalts 15 C. liibbs 15 J. Wright 15 Marcus Smith 15 Charles Sessions..l5, 16, 20, 22, 23 L. L. Wamsley 16* C. C. Stoddard 16 P. H. Babcock 16 John Leary 16 A. N. Fuller 17 G. A. Geluf 17 RufusB 17 Oscar Rogers 17 L. Dexter 17 Justus Perry 17 Henry Dexter Personal Esther Tabor 18 J. A. Tabor 18 E. M. Tabor 18 M. N. Tabor 13 f Possibly mistakes in the spelling of names will be found in this and the succeeding long list. If so, tlie fault must be attributed to those who made out the assessment-rolls. 474 IllSTOllY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Sec. W. L. Tabor 18 Ilenuan Green I'.l 0. Burt I'J Henry Silner 10 Williiini Albro 19 AV. H. Kud.l 19 W. H.Stone I'J, 21 Harvey (Jnitton 19 Samuel Brooks 19,29 A. Mather? 19 (ieorgc 1). Barker 20 Calvin Merwin 20 Eilgar Loomi? 20 Emmet Viince 20 Benjamin Caldwell 21 Alfred Benjamin 21 B.T. Reeves 21, 20 Nathan Benjamin 21 Calvin Benjamin 21 l.cdra Phillips 22 Richard Evans 22 J. W.Russell 22 Ezra J. Glass 23 E. Perry 23 C.J. Afarner 23 N. J.Williams 2b Charles Piggott 25 Joseph Clark 35 Sec. L. H. Pcet 25,26 David C. (iould 26 Kl eiiczer West 27 II. K. Cotant 27 A. W. Williams 27, 28 Nalhan Evans 28 N. P. John.«on 28 Uriah Fritts 28 W. S. Latliuier 28 Chester Winans 29 Then. Belong 29 Avery Delong 29 Thomas McBride 29 Leonard Clark 29 Philip IVlills 30 John Vance 30, 31 John A.Millard 31 Phineas Millard 31 Paris Corey 31 Chester AVood 32 Chauncey B. A'ance 32 J. F.Bignal's heirs 32 Betsey Fiticld 32 M.Bird 34 Calvin Coon 35 Stephen Hammond 35 Joel AVagar 36 Much could be written concerning the doincs of the In- dian cliief Makito()uet* and his hirge band of followers, ainonc; whom were Wintagowish, their speaker, Aiken the half-breed witli his two wives, Leuiorandiore, and others. Several of these purchased of the general government, in 1837, lands situated on sections 12 and 14. They had a village on the latter section, also one upon 19. As many sugar-maples grew in this township, early settlers relate that during the sugar-making season the woods were full of Indians. Supplies of whisky were obtained at Campau's trading-post, and in consequence shouting, singing, drinking, and fighting were indulged in all through the night. Other- wise they were generally well behaved, and were of much service in a.ssisting to rid the country of noxious wild ani- mals. But as mucli space is directed to the aborigines in the general chapters of this work, further remarks here arc deemed unnecessary. EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS. According to the recollections of Mr. John Vance, the first school taught in tlie township was held in the build- ing built and formerly occupied by Daniel Barker. Soon after the removal of Mrs. Barker and family the house was fitted for school purposes, and a school opened. Miss Ma- tilda Sessions, sister of Charles Sessions, presided as teacher, and taught two or three succc-isive terms in it. On the 14th of May, 1841, Alonzo D. Brewster and John A. Millard, scliool inspectors of Lebanon, and W. Z. Blanchard and Luke H. Parsons, school inspectors of Lyons, ordered the formation of the first school district — of which official data has been obtained — that embraced any por- tion of this township. The district was denominated Frac- tional School District No. 3, of the townships of Lyons and Lebanon. Its boundaries were described as follows : " Beginning at the southeast corner of section 32 in township 8 north, of range 4 west, thence north on sec- tion-line to Maple River ; thence down said river to the sec- tion-line between townships 8 and 7 north, of range 5 west; thence east to the place of beginning." John A. Millard * " Makey," as he was termed by the whites, was part French. His son also married a Frenchwoman. was required to notify each person liable to pay a school district tax in said district of the proceedings of the joint board of inspectors, and the first school meeting was ordered to be held at the house of Moses Dean, in the township of Lyons, on Saturday, May 22, 1841, at six o'clock p.m. In 1844 the first building designed for schools was erected in this township. It was situated upon the northeast corner of .section 31, and in it De Witt C. Chapin delivered the first political speech (Whig;) the .same year. This dis- trict was then denominated No. 1, that in the Tabor neighborhood No. 2, and the Sessions district No. 3. In the latter district it is believed that Miss Caroline Stevens taught the first school about thirty-five years ago. During years intervening since 1845 many changes have occurred in the numbers and boundaries of school districts, and doubtless educational matters have been as well attended to here as in agricultural regions generally. The following statistics, gathered from the school inspectors' annual report for the year ending Sept. 1, 1879, shows the present condi- tion of school interests : Number of districts (whole. 7; fractional, 2).... 9 " childnn of school age in the town- ship 3J0 " children attending schools during the year 302 " children non-residents attending schools during the year 31 " school-houses (brick, I ; frame, 8)... 9 " siltings 1116 Value of school property $6650 Number of teachers employed (male, 10; female, 13) 23 Paid teachers (male. §912; female, $534) $1446 Total resources for the year i $2404.23 RELIGIOUS. The IMethodists were the pioneers in religious matters here. In subsequent years other denominations have fol- lowed, yet none of them seem to have flourished to the extent of making necessary the building of church edifices, and services thus far have been held in the district school- houses. Those who believe in the doctrines of the United Brethren Church now predominate. In November, 1858, Nelson P. Johnson, Stephen Ham- mond, William Sessions, Herman Sprague, and John Stur- gess were elected trustees, and empowered to hold in trust all the church property of the Matherton Mission, the church of the " United Brethren in Christ." CIVIL HISTORY. By an act of the State Legislature, approved March 6, 1838, " All that part of Clinton County designated by the United States surveys as townships Nos. 7 and 8 north, of range Nos. 3 and 4 west, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Wandaugon,"}" and the first township- I The people generally were not pleased with the Indian name of Wandaugon, meaning in Ihc Chippewa dialect "salt-springs," and soon after an attempt was made to have it changed. This resulted in the passage of an act, approved April 2, 1S3S, which provided that ** That portion of townships 7 and 8 north, of ranges Nos. 3 and 4 west, according t(J the United States survey, be and the same is hereby set off and organized by the name of Lebanon, and the first township-meeting shall be held at the house of .Tames Sowle, Jr." The State law-makers intended doubtless to enact (hat "That portion LEBANON TOWNSHIP. 475 meeting therein shall be held at the house of George Cam- pau, in said township." According to tlie foregoing act, the inhabitants of the territory described assembled at the trading-post of George Campau early in April, 1838, and elected township officers. Complete records of this meeting and of other township proceedings during the year 18.38 have not been preserved. We learn, however, from various sources that Ilirara Bene- dict was elected Supervisor; Timothy H. Pettit, Township Clerk; Nelson Benedict, Collector; Cortland Hill, High- way Commissioner, Assessor, and School Inspector ; and Chauncey M. Stebbins, Highway Commissioner. The other officers are unknown. At that time Clinton County was attached to Shiawa.ssee for judicial purjioses, and the town- ships then organized in the former were De Witt, Water- town, and Wandaugon. That the township officials of Wandaugon were lax in the performance of their duties in more ways than one the following paragraph will show. When the county canvassers met at the clerk's office in Shiawassee County, Nov. 13, 1838, to count the votes polled at the last general election, there were present proper representatives from the townships of Antrim, Ben- nington, Burns, Owo.sso, Shiawassee, and WoodhuU, in Shiawassee County, and from De Witt and Watertown, in Clinton. Wandaugon was not represented, whereupon, the record says, " The clerk dispatched a special messenger to procure a Statement of the votes polled in said town, and the Board adjourned to the hour of two o'clock next day. And it appearing that the returns had not then come in for said town of Wandaugon, tiie Board voted to hold open meeting until twelve o'clock of the next day, in ca.se said returns should not come in previous to that time." It seems that " twelve o'clock of the next day" arrived, but no returns from Wandaugon, and the board then resolved to proceed without them. Whatever became of the "spe- cial messenger" written history fails to inform us. On Monday, the 1st day of April, 18:i9, the second township-meeting was held at the house of George Campau. Thirty-two votes were polled, and the officers elected were Hiram Benedict, Supervisor; Timothy H. Pettit, Township Clerk; Alonzo D. Brewster, Treai^urer; Cortland Hill, Hiram Benedict, Chauncey M. Stebbins, Assessors; Nel- son Benedict, Collector; James Sowle, Jr., Cortland Hill, Alonzo Vaughn, School Inspectors ; George Campau, ]jy- man Webster, Directors of the Poor ; James Sowle, Jr., Cortland Hill, John A. Millard, Highway Commissioners; Cortland Hill, Timothy H. Pettit, John A. Millard, Chaun- cey M. Stebbins, Justices of the Peace; Nelson Benedict, Charles Sessions, Uriah Drake, Ilobert Holmes, Consta- bles. of the county of Clinton embraced in townships 7 and 8 north," etc. It seems that the omi.ssion was fatal to the act; tiiat it became in- operative, and the change of name was (lostpont-d until, by an act of the Legislature, approved March 22, 1S.3U, the name of Wandau- gon was dropped and that of I^ebanon substituted. In working so determinedly for the change it is possible that the citizens of Wan- daugon were actuated more by a spirit of disgust at the failure of l*arks & Co., their salt company, and the operations of their Clinton County Salt-Works (wildcat) Bank, than dislike for a name so eu- phonious. The overseers of highways, elected by voice, were Hiram Benedict, for district No. 1 ; Lyman Webster, for district No. 2 ; John A. IMillard, fur district No. 3 ; Andrew Vance, for district No. 4 ; William Jlerrill, for district No. 5; (Portland Hill, for district No. 6; and Uriah Drake, for district No. 7. Hiram Benedict, Timothy H. Pettit, James Sowle, Jr., Cortland Hill, and Dauphin W. Osgood served as inspectors of this election. It was further resolved that a bounty of four dollars should be paid for each wolf killed in the township; that one hundred dollars be raised for contingent expenses, and twenty-tive dollars for the support of tlie poor ; that all hogs over forty pounds in weight be free commoners; that no pound be built the present year, and that the next town- ship-meeting be held at the hou.se of John A. Millard. At a special township-meeting, held at the house of George Campau, April 29, 1839, Alonzo Vaughn, the candidate for the office of justice of the peace to fill vacancy, received eleven votes, the whole number polled. During the year ending April 1, 1840, Alonzo D. Brewster, for killing two wolves; Stephen Willits, for kill- ing one wolf; Alonzo Vaughn, for killing four wolves; Ash-ka-be, for killing one wolf; No-wob-a-no, for killing one wolf; and Lolon-da, for killing one wolf, were allowed the township bounty of four dollars for each scalp. Following is a copy of the certificate usually granted him who slew the wolf: " We, Alonzo Vaughn, a justice of the peace for the township of Lebanon, in the county of Clinton, and John A. Millard, a commissioner of highways of said township, having been associated together for the purpose of examin- ing Ash-ka-be touching his claim for bounty on a certain wolf's head, by him presented to us, we do therefore certify that the said Ash-kabe is in our judgment entitled to the township bounty on said wolf's head, and, further, we did burn the said wolf's scalp and ears, according to law. " Alonzo Vaughn, J. P. "John A. Millard, Coni. of Uighwat/s. •' Lkbanon, May 31, 1S39." Bengal, including the present township of Essex, was set off from Lebanon by an act approved March 19, 1840, and Dallas by an act approved March 19, 1845. The voters of Lebanon at the fall election of 1840 were Smith Parks, Alexander Frazicr, Jolm Vance, Vincent Parks, George F. Dutton, Amacy Dorn, Willis Parks, Alonzo D. Brewster, William Merrill, John A. Millard, Charles Sessions, Benjamin Welch, Nelson Delong, Nathan Bigelow, Daniel T. Locke, Harvey Waterman, Silas Win- ters, Martin /etter, Joseph Rowley, and Thomas Tripp. Those who availed themselves of the election franchise one year later were George F. Dutton, Richard Willing, Smith Parks, Tompkins Parks, Orrin Parks, Ira Pinckney, William Hayes, Nathan Bigelow, William Parks, Alonzo D. Brewster, Constant Shaw, David Parks, Samuel Parks, Andrew 11. Vance, John Vance, John A. Millard, Martin Zetter, Minor Z. Beckwith, Charles Sessions, Norton H. Beckwith, Harvey Waterman, William Vance, and Charles Millard. For a few years prior to 1855 the present townships of 476 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. North Shade and New Haven, in Gratiot County, were at- tached to tliis for judicial purposes. TOWNSHIP OFFICERS. The following tables embrace the names of the principal town.ship officers elected annually from 1840 to 1880, in- clusive. Vacancies, appointments, and resignations are not shown : SUPEKVISORS. 1840-41. Alonzo D. Brewster. 1860. 1842. John Vance. 1861- 1843. William J. Bancroft. 186.^. 1844. James W. Tabor. 1864. 1845-47. John Vance. 1865. 1848-50. James W. Tabor. 1866- 1851. John Vance. 1870- 1852. Albert G. Russell. 1875- 1853-57. John Vance. 1878. 1858. Benjamin Caldwell. 1879- 1859. Henry Lane. John Vance. 62. Charles Sessions. Nelson P. Johnson. Charles Sessions. Roderick D. Tabor. 69. Charles Sessions. 74. Loren G. Burch. 77. Jacob E. Ludwick. Loren G. Burch. 80. Emerson Vance. 1840. 1841. 1842- 1848. 1849. 1850. 1851. 1852. 1863. 1854- 1859- Norton H. Beckwith. John Vance. 47. John A. Millard. Thomas Bellows. John A. Millard. No record. James W. Tabor. John A. Millard. James W. Tabor. ■58. Nelson P. Johnson 60. Pliny Moure. CLERKS. 1861. Warren H. Stone. 1862-68. Pliny Moore. 1869-70. Henry G. Cooley. 1871. Frank Abbott. 1872. Henry G. Cooley. 1873-74. Frank Abbott. 1875-76. Pliny Moore. 1877. Emerson ^'ance. 1878. Jay Sessions. 1879-80. Martin L. Peck. TREASURERS. 1840- 1842. 1843- 1847. 1848. 1849. 1850. 1851. 1852- 1854- 1859- 1840. 1841. 1842. 1843. 1814. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. 1849. 41. AloDzo D. Brewster. 1863. George F. Button. 1864. 46. Isiiac Sherman. 1865. Lucius II. Pect. 1860- Dennis Merwin. 1869. John Vance. 1870- No record. 1877. Charles Sessions. 1878. ■53. George E. Walker. 1879. ■58. Charles Sessions. 1880. ■62. Moses N. Wade. David R. Cory. Joseph F. Owen. Charles Sessions. 68. Benjamin S. Patrick. Nathan H. Evans. 76. David P. Weeks. D. H. Kirkpatrick. David P. Weeks. Benjamin S. Patrick. Loren Q. Burch. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. Norton H, Beckwith. Benjamin Welsh. Charles Sessions. Harvey Waterman. George F. Button. Vincent Parks. Charles Sessions. William Merrill. George F. Button. Davis Parks. James W. Tabor. Miner Y. Beckwith. Constant Shaw. Charles Sessions. James W. Tabor. No record. James W. Tabor. Miner Y. Beckwith. William Wamsley. Miner Y. Beckwith. Avery Belong. Charles Sessions. James W. Tabor. Dennis Merwin. 1850. 1851. 1852. 1853. 1854. 1855. 1856. 1857. 1858. 1859. 1860. 1861. 1862. 1863. 1864. 1865. 1866. No record. Albert R. Russell. Charles Sessions. George E. Gifford. Charles Sessions. Hiram Burgess. James W. Tabor. Ezra J. Glass. Moses N. Wade. Henry Lane. Henry S. Barker. Calvin Benjamin. Ezra P. Glass. George D. Barker. Warren H. Stone. George B. Barker. John G. Roberts. L. B. Burch. Joseph F. Owen. J. P. Albro. Warren H. Stone. Pliny Moore. A. T. Cross. Lucius H. Pect. 1867. Harrison Colby. 1874. L. D. Burch. 1868. Joseph F. Owen. 1875. Samuel A. Brooks. 1869. William C. Frank. Daniel McGraw. 1870. Harrison Colby. 1876. Joseph F. Owen. Henry W. Brown. Milo Grove. 1871. Lucius H. Peet. 1877. Charles Sessions. Guilford A. Smith. 1878. Guilford A. Smith. Nelson P. Johnson. 1879. Samuel A. Brooks. 1872. Joseph F. Owen. 1880. A. S. Harris. L. D. Burch. Charles J. Graham. 1873. Guilford A. Smith. HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS. 1840. John Vance, Norton H. Beckwith, Daniel Kel- 1857 logg- 1858 1841. John A. Millard, Benjamin 1859 Welsh, \^incent Parks. 1860 1842. George F. Dutton, Charles 1861 Sessions, Davis Parks. 1862 1843. Andrew R. Vance, Palmer 1863 B. Bancroft, John Vance. 1865 1844. William Bartow, Walter 1866 Halstead, Ledra Piiillips. 1867 1845. Walter Halstead, Anson B. 1868 Hathaway. 1869 1846. No record. 1870 1847. Ledra Phillips, Ezekiel 1871 Halstead. 1872 1848. Ledra Phillips. 1849. Lucius H. Peet. 1873 1850. No record. 1851. Paris Cory. 1874. 1852. Richard Evans. 1875- 1853. Albert G. Russell. 1877 1854. John A. Millard. 1878 1855- 56. Albert G. Russell. 1879- John A. Millard, Joel Wager. Robert Frank. Lyman Daniels. John A. Millard. Herman Sprague. Lewis L. Wamslej. -64. Nathan H. Evans. John B. Stone. Joseph F. Owen. Niithan H. Evans. Nelson P. Johnson. James McVeigh. George H. Newton. Nelson P. Johnson. Lucius H. Peet, A. S. Har- ris. William C. Frank, Joseph F. Owen. Nelson P. Johnson. ■76. George M. Jones. L. D. Burch. Emerson Vance. 80. Sidney Goss. SCHOOL INSPECTORS. 1840- 41. William Merrill, Alonzo 1861. George D. Barker, Jona D. Brewster, John A. than F. Albro. Millard. 1862. Wilson Colby. 1842. Andrew R. Vance, Thomas 1863. Albert H. Burch. Tripp, William Bartow. 1864. David R. Cory. 1843. Constant Shaw, Isaac 1865. Benjamin S. Patrick, Al Sherman. bert H. Burch. 1844. Thomas Bellows. 1866. Henry G. Cooley. 1845. William H. Pratt. 1867. Benjamin S. Patrick. 1846- 48. No record. 1868. Frank Abbott. 1849. William McAllister. 1869. Pliny Moore. 1850. No record. 1870. Frank Abbott. 1851. Lucius H. Peet. 1871. Henry G. Cooley. 1852. Benjamin Caldwell. 1872. Frank Abbott. 1853. Henry Lane. 1873. Pliny Moore. 1854. Lucius H. Peet. 1874. Emerson Vance. 1855. J. C. Howard. 1875. Charles J. Graham. 1856. Lucius H. Peet. 1876. Samuel J. Horr. 1857. Pliny Moore. 1877. Jay Sessions. 1858. Henry Lane. 1878. Samuel J. Horr. 1859. Jonathan F. Albro. 1879. Pliny Moore. 1860. Benjamin Caldwell. 1880. Ray Sessions. DRAIN COMMISSIONERS. 1872-74. Charles Sessions. 1875. Loren G. Burch. 1876. R. D. Tabor. 1877-79. No record. 1880. Frank Abbott. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS. 1875-76. William H. Owen. 1877. No record. 1878-79. Charles J. Graham. 1880. James Troop. LEBANON TOWNSHIP. 477 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. MRS. CHARLES SESSIONS. CHARLES SESSIONS. CHARLES SESSIONS. Tliis gentleman, well known to the citizens of Clinton and Ionia Counties for the past forty-three years, was born in the town of Marcellus, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Dec. 20, 1817, beinf; the eldest in a family of seventeen children, of whom fourteen survived to an adult age. The Sessionses are descended from a sturdy Welshman, who was an early settler in New England. Nathaniel Ses- sions, the father of Charles, was born in the State of Con- necticut, Aug. 20, 1789. He served in the American army during the war of 1812, and in the year 1814 re- moved to Marcellus, Onondaga Co., N. Y. Here on the 4th day of November, 1816, he married Mi.ss Chloe Thompson, a lady wiio was born in Oneida Co., N. Y., Sept. 2G, 1798. In 1822 he again removed to Harmony, Ciiautauqua Co., N. Y., becoming one of the first settlers in that region. He remained a resident of Chautauqua County until the spring of 1887, when, judging wisely that the new State of Miciiigan offered superior advantages to one blessed with so large a family, a third removal was made, and a final settlement effected in the present town- ship of North Plains, Ionia Co. He was an indulgent father, a strict temperance man, and an earnest Christian. Early in life he had joined the Baptists, but before settling in Michigan had adopted the tenets of the Methodist Episcopal faith, and in the latter church served as steward, class-leader, .and Sunday-school superintendent for many years. He was also prominent in civil life, and most creditably served his townsmen as supervisor, justice of the peace, and iu other capacities, and whether as a Whig, Abolitionist, or llepublican, stood firm as the rocks of his native State, believing in principles rather than expediency. Full of years, sincerely mourned by ten surviving children, he died, March 15, 1880. The worthy partner of his joys and sorrows, who during the later years of her life was affectionately termed Mother Sessions, died Nov. 14, 1879. She was an active, earnest Christian, an exemplary wife and mother, and rejoiced to sec the principles inculcated by her practiced by her children. Charles Sessions grew up a farmer. His educational advantages were limited to such as could be obtained by attending the district schools in winter. After assisting his father in the many difficulties and hardships attendant upon the removal from New York State to Michigan, he remained under the paternal roof until the fall of 1838, meanwhile assisting to clear forty acres of land. He then built a small cabin near his present residence in Lebanon, upon one hundred and twenty acres of land purchased the year previously of the general government. His location was in the midst of a dense wilderness, his nearest neigh- bors being John Vance and James Sowle. Here in his lonely cabin, the possessor of his lands, strong arms, a stout heart, an axe, and twenty dollars in cash, Charles Sessions began his work. Surrounded by Indians, who were then more numerous than the present white inhabi- tants, the forest teeming with bears and wolves, ho lived alone until Aug. 27, 1840, when he married Miss Miriam Cooley, of Portland, Ionia Co., who was born in New York State in 1822. As time passed and the township gradu- ally increased in population, although not an office-seeker, he very naturally became prominent among his townsmen, and successively held the offices of collector, justice of the peace, assessor, treasurer, supervisor, and drain commis- sioner. His original purchase, by industry and good man- agement, has been added to until he is now the proud owner of eleven hundred and seventy-one broad acres. By his first marriage were born two children, viz., 478 HISTORY OP OLINTOxN COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Cynthia (wife of Frank Abbott), July 8, 1842, and Nathan C, Feb. 1, 1844, who, while serving in the Union army, died at Chattanooga, Tenn., during the war of the Rebellion. His first wife, Mrs. Miriam Sessions, died Feb. 1,1841. On the 14th of April, 1846, he was again married to Mrs. Mary Ryan, a widow lady, the mother of two chil- dren, named Elmore D., who died at New Orleans, La., while a member of Michigan's volunteer force during the war, and Alice, now Mrs. N. H. Evans, of Montcalm County. The children born of the second marriage were Amelia (now Mrs. Horace Winans), Feb. 4, 1847 ; Emily (wife of H. N. Blakcslee), May 2(5, 1849; May, March 12, 1852; Jay, Aug. 5, 1854; Ray, April 2, 1859; and Belle, Nov. 23, 18G3. After but one week's illness, his second wife, who was born in 1819, at Paris, Oneida Co., N. Y., died at her home, April 21, 1880. Mr. Sessions has been most liberal and indulgent in the care and education of his children. His sons are gradu- ates of the State Agricultural College, while his daughters, having had superior advantages, are equally as accom- plished. A AVhig, while that party existed, he is now a Republican. Conservative in his religious opinions, as well as in other matters of everyday life, Charles Sessions, as a pioneer and present citizen of licbauon township, is esteemed by all who know him. CHAPTER LXI. OVID TOWNSHIP.* Natural Features — Indian Mounds — .Settlement of the Township — The Darli Day of 1856 — Ke.sident Ta.x-payers in 1840 — Township Organization .and Civil List — Highway Records — Sehools — Ovid Village — Post-Office — Physicians — Churches — -Village Incorpora- tion and List of Officers — Manufacturing Industries — The Press of Ovid — Ovid Union School — Secret Orders — Ovid Fire Department — Village of Shcpardsville. The six miles square of territory designated in the United States survey as town 7 north, in range 1 west, and known as Ovid township, is one of the four towns lying on the eastern border of Clinton County. It has Duplain on the north, Victor on the south, the Shiawa.ssee County line on the east, and Bingham township on the west. Ovid is not only agriculturally prosperous, but contains moreover two villages, at one of which, Ovid, there are im- portant manufacturing interests. The surface of the country, like that of neighboring towns, is generally level, the soil is productive, and the members of the farming community are, as a rule, a prosperous people. The supervisors' report for 1879 gives the number of acres of wheat harvested during that year as 2964, the number of bushels yielded as 65,764. May 1, 1880, there were on the ground 3231 acres of wheat. Eleven hundred acres of corn harvested in 1879 yielded 50,986 bushels. Twenty-five hundred and fifty-seven sheep were sheared, * By David Schwartz. and gave a yield of 10,194 pounds of wool. The sheep in the town May 1, 1880, numbered 2865. INDIAJf MOUNDS. Traces of Indian mounds are alleged to have been dis- covered in Ovid, and from a paper prepared by Dr. M. L. Leach, of Duplain, in 1877, it would appear that at one time a chain of mounds extended northwest and south- east, and lay in the northern portion of Ovid and south- ern part of Duplain, — chiefly in the latter town. Sev- eral small mounds are supposed to have had an existence on the Benjamin Hicks place, just west of Ovid village. About forty rods west of the centre of section 11 is a mound measuring two and a half feet iu height and seventeen feet in diameter. Report has it that excavations therein have revealed the presence of human bones. Pro- ceeding towards the northwest a distance of two miles one comes to the site, upon section 4, of a mound which is described by those who have seen it as having been two feet high and sixteen feet broad. It is upon the fitrm of C. H. Gleason, who claimed to have dug a human skull out of it, and to have seen, moreuvcr, iu the mound other skulls and human bones. On the top of the mound grew an oak-tree containing one hundred and forty-three rings of growth. Where the relic occupied a place may yet be designated, but the relic itself and all it contained have long since been leveled and scattered by the plowshare. SETTLEMENT OP THE TOWNSHIP. Contrary to the general impression, the pioneer settle- ment in Ovid was effected by Samuel Barker, in July, 1836, simultaneously with the settlement in Duplain of Oliver Bebee, with whom and John Ferdon came Barker, as a member of the Rochester Colony and one of the three above named, who led the van in the Colony settle- ment. In the drawing of Colony lots Barker had drawn a lot in section 6 of Ovid, and upon the north town-line in that section be built a log cabin with a bark roof and bark floor. In that cabin Barker lived, however, only until the following December, when he moved over into Duplain and made his home upon one of the Colony lots in that town. As the record of his early experiences belongs to the Colony history, it will be found there. Barker had no more than moved out of his Ovid cabin than along came Allen Lounsbury, who, with William H. Faraghar, had taken up land in July, 1836, upon sections 4 and 6 in Ovid. Lounsbury was then — December, 1836 — just in with his family, whom he had tran.sported from Oakland County by ox-team by way of Henry Leach's, in Sciota, and so over the Colony road to within a mile of his destination. Finding Barker's cabin vacant, he took pos- session of it, and then, with the assistance of Enoch Willi.s, his brother-in-law, set about building a house for himself on section 4, where he and his wife have ever since resided, • — Ovid's oldest living settlers. Illustrative of the dilficulty encountered in obtaining bread, Mr. Lounsbury tells the story of his setting out in the spring of 1837 for a walk over to Laingsburg for a supply of flour. When ho reached Dr. Laing's he found the .supply of flour there reduced to the infinitesimal OVID TOWNSHIP. 479 quantity of nothing. Determined to keep up the .search until sucee.ssi'ul, Lounsbury continued liis travels as far as De Witt, where he got what he wanted, and then trudged homeward with his load. He had started from home with the intention of getting back the same day, but his absence was extended to three days. His wife, worried by liis con- tinued and unaccountable non-appearance, and growing hourly more frightened at her lonely condition, was about to put off through the woods for the Colony when her hus. band appeared on the scene safe and sound, with the precious flour secure in his grasp. Barker was Ovid's first settler, and Lounsbury the second. The third comer to the town and the first to the southern portion thereof was John Cross, who in 183G located a tract of land on section 36, and who in September, 1837, came witli his fiimily to make a settlement. He brought a supply of provisions sufficient to last, he thought, until the following spring, but his calculations proved at fault, for the larder gave out before the winter did, and then set in "hard times," although until then they li:id fared decently enough. Many were the hungry days they passed, and many the determined efforts they made to get a bit of meat or flour from far-off neighbors. During the winter Law- rence Cortright came along, axe on shoulder, bound for the Colony, and Cross persuaded him to stop and work for him a year, for which service he was to have eighty acres of land. Shortly afterwards Cortright sallied out to borrow some flour for the family, and, although he succeeded in getting it, he had a desperate job of finding his way home. He was absent so long that he was given up for lost, and was about to be searched for when he turned up all right. The Cross family thereupon fell to congratulating them- selves that they had once more the prospect of bread, but directly along came Robert G. McKee and a party of twelve surveyors, all very hungry. As badly off as tl>ey were, the Cross family placed their hospitality before selfish considerations, and set out before the party what they had. The consequence was that the surveyors ate up all there was in the house, and Mr. Cross and his house- hold were once more reduced to their u.sual condition of destitution. When Cross brought his family to his place, they found, it is true, a cabin which Cross and his brother Thomas had previously prepared, but it was a rough specimen of a cabin, minus a floor and minus door as well as windows. Being without the convenience of a bedstead, they all slept the first few nights in the wagon-bos, and being like- wise without a stove, they prepared their meals as best they could at a log-heap fire. Cross, a shoemaker by trade and lame at that, found himself by the spring of 1838 pretty thoroughly discour- aged with the hard experience he had endured, and the pro.spect of more hard work and hard times yet to assail hm. He resolved, therefore, to remove his family to the East, and to remain with them in that country until the vicinity of his Michigan possessions should become more thoroughly subdued by the advance of civilization. Ac- cordingly he packed away his goods in his cabin, nailed the latter close shut, and turned his face and the faces of his people towards the rising sun. He came not again to Ovid until 1844, and then he found that the cabin he thought to reoccupy, and the household goods ho thought to use again, had been confiscated by marauding hands, and all he found amounted to scarcely sufiicient, he re- marked, ■' to swear by." About the time Cross lefl the town — that is to say, the summer of 1838 — William Vansicklc made a small clear- ing and put up a cabin on the south half of section 31. He did not, however, continue his efforts in the matter of clearing his land, and after a while those knowing him to be there, and knowing that no land improvement was being effected, began to speculate upon the character and busi- ness of the people located there, for thei'e were known to be at least five persons in the household. Henry Leach, of Sciota, who was frequently engaged in the business of looking up lands for others, had encountered the Van- sickle cabin in his travels, and, like others, thought there was something queer about the place. Unlike others, he made secret investigations, and soon satisfied liims'.'lf that Vansicklc was the master of a counterfeiter's den. Acting upon his conclusions. Leach gave due information at De- troit, and a posse being sent out for the capture, Vansiekle and his party were surprised and taken in the very busi- ness of manufacturing counterfeit Mexican dollars. Be- sides Vansiekle there was a woman and three men, named Ward, Skiff, and Gridley. The woman kept house for the party, the three last-named men performed the mechani- cal work of manufiicturing the coin, while Vansiekle, the leading spirit, charged himself with the business of dis- posing of the fruits of their bogus dollar-factory. His method of convoying his dollars to Detroit was by means of a black valise, which he always carried on foot, and with which he became a tolerably familiar figure to dwellers along the line of the State road and Grand Biver road, although until his capture by the law he was regarded as an industrious and innocent peddler. The Vansickles place and the neighborhood have to this day continued to bear the name of the Bogus settlement. John McCollom and James Nelson settled upon the place in 1839, and close by them, at about the .same time, settled also Mark and Benjamin Brown. Jabez Denison came to the town in the fall of 1839, his brother-in-law, Enos Kenyon, having preceded him in the spring. Denison became noted as a successful slayer of bears, and killed, it is said, during his residence in Ovid nineteen of the beasts, no less than four falling victims to his prowess on one day, the 19th day of February, 1845, to wit. So say the town records. Previous to Denison's coming Stephen Pearl had made a settlement in 1837 upon the site of Shepardsville, and in 1839 William Swarthout moved to section 3G from Victor township. To that section came also, in 1840, Lawrence Cortright, heretofore men- tioned as having sojourned temporarily in 1837 with John Cross. He had been for a couple of years at the Kochcster Colony, and after abiding seven years in Ovid proceeded eastward, whence he returned in the spring of 1853, fol- lowed in the fall of the same year by Daniel Dills. Among the settlers of 1839 and 1840 were Frederick 480 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Cranson (upon the place occupied by John Gilbert in 1857), Joseph Parnienter, Moses Smith, and John Voorhies. In Cross' time Ann Arbor was the objective-point when a journey to mill became necessary, and in Voorhies' time Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti were his market as well as milling towns. Mrs. Voorhies remembers her rides thither upon loads of wheat and behind an ox-team. "The roads were that bad and tortuous," remarks she, " that we had at times to go three miles around a swamp to make a half a mile in a straight course, and by the time we got to Ann Arbor we felt sure we had traveled a hundred and fifty miles." Voorhies bought his place (on section 25) in 1839 of David Cranson, who had entered upon its occupation in 1838 and chopped about two acres. Into his log shanty Voorhies conveyed his family, and so desolate and wretched a liabitation did it appear that Mr. Voorhies offered the re- mark that as a horse-stable it would be a miserable affair. It possessed a bark roof, and as a consequence the interior of the house was generally afloat whenever the rains of heaven descended upon the earth. When Mr. Voorhies settled upon section 25, in 1840, the country north of him was a wilderness. 'J'hcre was not a settler in that direction between him and Frederick Cranson, on wliat is now the Gilbert place. Later to section 2-t came Solomon Buck and 0. Carpenter, and close by John Kent, Manzey Sowles, Dodge, and others. Passing northward towards the Shepardsville region, re- mark may be made that John Jessup settled in 1840 upon the place now owned by John Miller, Enoch Willis to section 9 (Willis had come in with Lounsbury in 1836), and William and H. JL Shepard, who settled at what is now Shepardsville, but which was then a trackless wild. North of the present town of Ovid Orville Williams, a comer to Michigan in 1836, bought some land on section 1 in 1843, and in 1847 began chopping upon it, boarding meanwhile with John McCarty, in Middlebury. He chopped and cleared ten acres, and then, winter coming on, he took a job at Sickles' mill, in El.sie, and during that l)eriod lived with George McClintook, who had eighty acres on section 1 in Ovid. Previous to Williams' appearance, in 1843, one Bigelow had in 1840 made a clearing in that vicinity, and lived there until his death in 1843. In 1850, Williams, having been away three years, permanently re- occupied his place on section 1, and there still abides. In 1850 there was also on section 1 one Elijah Fitch, but in that locality settlements progressed slowly until the comple- tion of the railway at Ovid gave to the surrounding country a bold push forward. 'Squire Guile settled upon section 2 in 1856 and cut the first stick on that section. Following upon Guile's settlement, Heman Smith came to section 2, John Winfield to section 3, and Oliver Hammond and Wil- liam Hall to .section 2. The Joseph Parmenter place on the town-line was occu- pied after Parmenter by James McGuire, and in 1852 by John Jamison, who found one hundred acres underbrushed and girdled and twenty acres cleared. In 1855, Edward Potter and J. W. Welter occupied places on section 22, which was then a wild tract. Welter was t.ie first one in his neighborhood, and had to cut a road to the spot on which he proposed to make a commence- ment. West were Christian Baker, H. C. Shiffer, Charles Wilson, Jonathan, John, and Jacob Baer; north were Eli Anderson and James Davis; south, Enoch De Camp and II. S. Ellis; and east, Harvey Dodge. David H. Sowles had a saw-mill on section 14, but the country generally round about was a dense forest. N. R. Allen made his homo in 1854 on section 32, where Layton Swarthout had girdled twenty acres. AVilliam Ellis was on a place in sec- tion 33, which in 1855 he sold to 1. W. Taft. Later set- tlers in Ovid included Jacob Dunkle, D. A. Sutfin, George Cox, W. A. Barnes, George Ramsey, C. Boyd, Josiah Mur- dock, George W. Simpson, W. Cronk, Frederick Perkins, Perry St. Clair, A. St. Clair, and Jackson Voorhies. THE DARK DAY OF 1856. The great forest-fires of October, 1856, worked consider- able damage to the timber and fences in the Welter neigh- borhood, and for ten days filled the atmosphere with smoke and the people with apprehensions and fears. The 16th of October is remembered as the " dark day." It was so dark that objects at a distance of two rods could not be distin- guished, and lights were necessary indoors. Fish in the streams were killed, and some people, sure that the end of the world was at hand, made haste to bury their valuables and to make their peace with Heaven. t KESIDENT TAX-PAYERS OF OVID IN 1840. Acres. Allen Lounsbury, section 4 160 Enoch Willis, section 5 80 William Faraghar, section 6 240 John Jessop, section 9 160 Stephen Pearl, sections 9 and 10 60 Frederick Cranson, section 15 40 Judc Carter Personal D. li. Cranson, section 25 160 William Van Sickle, section 31 160 John McCulliim, section 31 80 Jiiines Nelson, section 31 80 Eiios Kenyon, suction 35 80 Jjibcz Denison. section 35 120 Lawrence t'ortrigbt, section 36 80 Willi, mi Swarthout, section 36 320 James Gunsuliy,- ** Lot 43," section 5 80 TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST. Town 7 north, iu range 1 west, was, under act of Legis- lature approved March 19, 1840, organized as the township of Ovid, the name having been bestowed by William Swarthout, who caiue to Michigan from the town of Ovid, in the State of New York. The first town-meeting was held at Stephen Pearl's house, April 22, 1840, on which occasion fifteen votes were cast. But one ticket of candi- dates was placed in the field, since there were not people enough in the town to make up two tickets had there in- deed been a disposition for it, and there was of course no particular difficulty in declaring for the successful ones. A full list of the officials chosen follows : Supervisor, Fred- erick Cranson ; Clerk, Stephen Pearl ; Treasurer, John Jessop ; Justices of the Peace, William Van Sickle (four years), Stephen Pearl (three years), John Jessop (two years), Jabez Dennison (one year) ; Collector, David B. Cranson ; Assessors, John Jessop, Jabez Dennison, John McColluni ; Highway Commissioners, William Swarthout, * Colony Purchase. OVID TOWNSHIP. 481 John Jessop, John McCuUom ; Suhool Inspectors, Stephen Pearl, Jabez Dennison, William Van Sickle; Constables, Enoch Willis, Enos Kinyon, Christopher Van Deventer; Overseers of the Poor, William Swarthout, Allen Louns- berry ; Highway Overseer in District No. 4, John Jessop; in No. 5, William Swarthout. One hundred and fifty dollars was voted for expenses of the township during the ensuing year, and it was further resolved that the next town-meeting should be held at Ste- phen Pearl's house. A by-law was moreover adopted to the eflfect that " any person leaving syrup in the woods to the damage of his neighbor's cattle should be liable for all damage." The inspectors of the election just recorded were Stephen Pearl, Frederick Cranson, William Swarth- out, John Jessop, and David B. Cranson. From 18-11 to 1880 those persons elected annually to be supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and justice of the peace were as follows : SUPERVISORS. 1862-65. W. C. Bennett. 1866-68. J. A. Potter. 1860-71. I. W. Tiift. 1872. D. C. Harrington. 1873. J. A. Potter. 1874-77. D. C. Harrington. 1878. J. C. E. Gumear. 1879. D. C. Harrington. 1880. S. H. Valentino. CLERKS. 1860-61. W. C. Bennett. 1862. J. A. Potter. 1863. J. M. Fitch. 1864. George Sliepard. 1805. Thomas Hall. 1S66. H. A. Potter. 1867. A. Swarthout. 1S68. S. D. Ilaight. 1869-70. D. C. Harrington. 1871-72. F. S. Davis. 1S73. C. M. Uagadorn. 1874-75. F. S. Davis. 1876-77. S. C. King. 1878. C. U. Misner. 1879. E. Do Camp. 1880. E. C. White. TREASURKES. 1857. E. Potter. 1858. No record. 1859-60. E. Potter. 1861-67. P. A. WinfielJ. 1868-73. J. L. Button. 1874-78. r. A. Winfield. 1879. L. U. Allen. 1880. P. A. AVinBold. 1841. F. Cranson. 1842-43. I. V. Swarthout. 1844. S. Pearl. 1845. I. V. Swarthout. 1846- 51. L. Swarthout. 1852- 55. E. Fitch. 1856. J. Jamieson. 1857. J. B. Park. 1858. No record. 1859- 61. I. W. Taft. 1841- 42. J. S. Denison. 1843. S. Pearl. 1844. I. V. Swarthout. 1845. L, Swarthout. 1840- 47. J. W. Cross. 1848. I. Lounsberry. 1849. Joseph Wilson. 1850. I. Lounsberry. 1851. James McGuiro. 1852. J. McGuire. 1853. J. C. Mclntyre. 1854. R. G. Finch. 1855. A. 0. Chapman. 1856- -57. William Shepard 1858. No record. 1859. E. D. Claris. 1841. F. Cranson. 1842-45. J. Parmenter. 1846. J. Cross. 1847-48. F. Cranson. 1849-51. L. Swarthout. 1852-53. J. Wilson. 1854. L. Richards. 1855-56. W. S. Ellis. JUSTICES 181 1. J. S. Denieon. 1842. J. Jessop. 1813. J. Parmenter. 1844. George Parrish. 1845. William Putnam. 1846. J. W.Cross. 1847. M. Smith. 1848. J. Cross. 1849. J.S. Denison. 18.i0-5I. J. W. Cross. 1852. H. I). Wil.-on. 01 OF THE PEACE. 1853. J. Jamieson. 1854. J. S. Duni:>on. 18.«. N. 11. Allen. 1856. I). Birmingham. 1857. E. Fitch. 1858. No record. 1859. W. Shepard. 1860. C. Baker. 1861. J. S. Bennett. 1862. N. Fitch. 1863. William Shepard. 1864. J. Hairo. 1865. J. S. Bennett. 1866. E. N. Fitch. 1867. William Shepard. 1868. D. II. Misner. 1869. S. D. Haight. 1870. J. Miller. 1871. J. A. Valentine. 1872. C. M. llngadon. 1873. D. C. Harrington. 1874. J. Miller. 1875. J. L. Hadlcy. 1876. C. M. Uagadorn. 1877. b. C. Harrington. 1878. William Shepard. 1879. J. Murdock. 1880. C. M. Uagadorn. JUKORS OF 1842, 1843, 1844, 184-5, AND 1850. 1842. — Grand Jurors: B. P. Aldridge, Henry Brown, James Nelson, A. Lounsberry ; Petit Jurors : William Putnam, Enos Kinyon, I. V. Swarthout, J. Denison, J. Parmenter. 1843. — Grand Jurors: Stephen Pearl, John Jessop; Petit Jurors: Peter Brown, W. S. Swarthout, J. Voor- hies. 1844. — Grand Jurors : I. V. Swarthout, J. Parmenter ; Petit Jurors : F. Cranson, Enoch Willis. 1845. — Grand Jurors: J. W. Cross, Enos Kinyon; Petit Jurors : William Putnam, T. Van Fleet. 1850. — Grand Jurors: Benjamin Fuller, Enoch Willis, J. W. Cross, H. Smith ; Petit Jurors : J. S. Denison, Joseph Wilson, F. Cranson, 0. 0. Pray. THE TKEASUREll'S REPORT OF 1845. March 24, 1845, the town board settled with Joseph Parmenter, town treasurer, and found sixteen dollars and twenty cents in school library funds and six dollars and sixty-nine cents in funds for township purposes. The treasurer had collected forty-one dollars and thirty-seven cents in town-orders, one hundred and ten dollars and eighty-five cents in highway orders, sixty dollars and seventy-two cents in town-orders " to balance last year's account that was charged said treasurer," and fourteen dollars and sixty-seven cents on balance on " last year's school funds." The treasurer had collected thirty dollars and one cent in school funds, sixteen dollars and twenty cents in cash, eleven dollars and eighty cents " in note given to David Jones for finishing school-house in district No. 4," and two dollars and one cent " in receipt from school teacher." HIGHWAY RECORDS. Aug. 4, 1843, Stephen Pearl and William Swarthout, highway commissioners, laid out a highway commencing at a stake eighteen chains and seventy-nine links south of the southeast corner of section 9 ; thence south on the section- line to the northwest corner of section 34. A second road laid that day began at the southeast corner of section 34, and passed thence north on the section-line to the north- erst corner of said section ; thence west on the section-line to the northwest corner of said section ; thence south on the section-line to the southeast corner of section 31. A third road began at the quarter-stake on the east side of scctioQ 15, and ran thence east forty-five chains, thirty-five links ; thence south on the section-line one hundred and fifteen chains, fifty links; thence south .seventy degrees east, twenty-five chains to a stake standing in the centre of the highway. A fourth road commenced at tlic north- 482 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. west corner of section 9 ; thence west on the section-line to the southwest corner of section G. March ^50, 1844, the town was divided into road dis- tricts, embracing sections as follows : No. 1. — Sections 1, 2, and 12. No. 2.— Sections 3, 4, 9, and 10. No. 3. — Sections 11, 13, 14, 15, and 16. No. 4.— Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, and 18. No. 5.— Sections 19, 20, 29, 30, 31, and 32. No. C— Sections 21, 22, 27, 28, 33, 34, and 35. No. 7.— Sections 23, 24, 25, 26, and 36. The annual report for 1843 gave the following: days assessed, four hundred and fifty-nine; days returned to the clerk, two hundred and seventy-three. The commissioners said in their report : " The state of the roads and bridges in the town is bad in the extreme, but if the jobs should be let to the amount of the back taxes, we have no doubt but that it would be sufficient to improve the roads. Of the rejected road-tax of 1838 it appears that eighty seven dollars and sixty-seven cents have been collected." March 22, 1842, the town was set off into four road districts. No. 1 contained twelve sections in the northeast corner of the town ; No. 2 the remaining six sections in the northern half of the town ; No. 3 the southwest (juarter of the town ; and No. 4 the southeast quarter. Nov. 21, 1843, a road was laid beginning at the north- east corner of section 1, in town 6, and running thence on the section line to the northwest corner of section 1. March 12, 1845, a road was laid commencing at the north- western corner of section 6, running thence south eighty- three degrees west nineteen chains and eighty-nine links to the highway leading past the hou.se of John Cross. A road, Feb. 19, 1845, beginning at a stake standing in the Colony road, running south forty-five degrees east to a stake standing in the section-line and eight chains due east of the quarter-post on the south side of section 25, in town 7 ; thence south twenty-eight degrees fifteen chains. A road beginning at a stake eight chains due east of the quarter-post on the south side of section 25 in town 7, running thence west on the section-line forty-eight chains to the southwest corner of section 25. The commissioners' annual report, dated April 7, 1845, contained the following : Whole number of djijs assessed 233 " *' " returned Ibbi " •' '• worked 77? District chopping out four rods wide 7U rods. ** crosswaying 135 " Number of rods of crosswaying by jobs let 256 Amount of highway orders issued by commis- sioners $223 At the time of making the report, " the state of the roads was extremely bad." Other early roads were laid as follows : May 23, 1845, one beginning at the northwest corner of section 4, thence west on the town-line twenty-two and a half chains to a stake standing in the centre of the highway. Sept. 5, 1846, the towns of Ovid and Sciota laid out a road from the southeast corner of Ovid north, on the principal merid- ian, thirty-two rods, and divided the road into two equal parts, apportioning one part to each town. Nov. 7, 1846, a road beginning at the town-line of sections 30 and 31, thence one mile east. The towns of Ovid and Bingham laid out a road commencing at the corners of the towns and running one mile north on sections 31 and 36. Dec. 4, 1847, a road beginning at the quarter-stake on the south side of sec- tion 32 ; thence north on the quarter-line to the quarter-stake of said section ; thence north on the quarter-line twenty- seven and a half chains to a stake standing on the quarter- line running north and south through .section 17 ; thence north on the quarter-line to the south line of G. R. Louns- berry's land ; thence east on the south line of said land four chains seventy one links; thence north and west six chains fifty links to a stake standing in the centre of the highway. Sept. 26, 1849, a road beginning at a stake standing on the section-line between sections 5 and 8, two chains eighteen links from the section corners west ; thence north to the quarter-line on section 5. The same day a road beginning thirteen chains thirty-seven links north of where the former road ended on the quarter-line running north to the town-line road. April 17 and 18, 1849, a road beginiung in the centre of the road on the south side of Maple River, on a line with the centre of the bridge across said river and near the northeast corner of section 9, thence north to the north line of said section 9. A road commencing on the section-line between sections 28 and 29 on the south side of said sections, and running north two miles. SCHOOLS. Ovid's pioneer school-house was built in 1839, upon Wil- liam Swarthout's farm in section 36. It was constructed of basswood logs, and within its walls Hannah Slocomb taught the first school. The second teacher was probably Nellie Laing. In that school-house the town enjoyed its pioneer preaching at the hands of Revs. Levi Warner .and Mr. Blowers. Jesse Treat, a settler in Victor, preached Wes- leyan Methodist sermons in that school-house occasionally, and was eventually buried within its shadows. Aug. 19, 1840, the school inspectors formed district No. 1, and apportioned to it sections 3, 4, 9, 10, 15, 21, 22, 27, 28. May 20, 1843, a school district was organized to em- brace portions of Duplain and Greenbush and Colony lots Nos. 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 in Ovid. A district was likewise formed of sections 31 and 32 in Ovid and portions of Bingham, Olive, and Ossowa. The annual report of fractional district No. 2, dated Oct. 10, 1841, gave the number of children in the district as twenty-four, and the number of children between the ages of five and seventeen as thirteen. The annual report of fractional district No. 4, in Ovid and Ossowa, gave nine as the number of children over five and under seventeen, and three children under five and over seventeen, three months' school being kept. The school records touching early schools were imperfectly kept, and but little can be gleaned from them. The only report concerning teachers prior to ISGO is one dated 1851, reciting the engagement of An- geline Ladue to teach in district No. 5 ; Mary Smith, in fractional district No. 2 ; and Hannah Wilcox, in district No. 1. OVID TOWNSHIP. 483 The annual school report for 1878 presented the sub- joined details : Number of districts (wholo. 7 ; fractional, 4)... 11 Number of echolars of seliool age HHVA Average attendance iltto Value of school property $lfi,y92 Teacher's wages $3,4 1 ;i The school directors for 1879 were A. R. Dayen, D. Mo- Collum, H. L. Munson, M. Nichols, Hugh Swarthout, D. A. Sutfin, William Hunter, William F. Hall, Joseph Har- ris, S. J. Sutliff, and George 0. Marvin. OVID VILLAGE. The village of Ovid, a station on the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway, ten miles eastward from St. Johns, the county-seat, is a bright and enterprising town of about fifteeu hundred inhabitants, and a point of con- siderable manufacturing importance. There are several fine brick business blocks in the central portion of the place, and for many miles about this is the centre of a rural trade of profitable proportions. The village streets are handsomely shaded, and are, moreover, additionally beautified with many attractive-looking homes, which are in some cases costly and elegant. The inhabitants are abreast of the times, and engage with much enterprising spirit in the business of promoting the interests of the village and expanding its value as a trading and manufacturing town. While the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway was in course of construction J. C. E. Guraaer, of New York, and a land-owner in Michigan, sought to have a railway-station fixed upon the line in the township of Ovid, upon land which he owned on section 11, and delegated W. H. Faxon, of Duplain tuwiiship, to consult the railway directors in the premises. Mr. Faxon accordingly visited H. P. Bald- win, a leading member of the board of directors in 1856, and offered to 'donate to the company two thousand dollars and five acres of land upon section 11, contingent upon the selection of that site for a station. Mr. Baldwin appeared to regard the proposition with favor, and promised to con- sider it. Meanwhile B. 0. Williams had put up a saw-mill in Middlebury, on the railway line, one mile and a cjuar- ter east of where Ovid station now is, and confidently expecting to have a railway depot assigned to that place he platted a town there and began to sell village lots. H. G. Higham, chief engineer of the road, and Amos Gould appeared anxious to join Williams in the enterprise, but for some reason negotiations were not satisfactory, and, to compromi.se existing difl'erences, Williams, Gould, and Higham agreed to purchase land now occupied by the vil- lage of Ovid, and there, through Highani's efforts, Ovid Station was located. Baldwin had evidently forgotten his promise to Faxon to " consider" the lattcr's proposition, for he declined to make any sign, and the first intimation to Faxon that the company had taken action as to Ovid was the announced success of the Williams, Gould, and Iligham scheme. B. 0. Williams' plat of the village of Ovid was received for record May 27, 1858, and embraced the southeast fjuar- ter and cast half of the cast half of the southwest (juartcr of section 12. Additions were made by E. N. Fitch, April 15, 1867 ; by J. Q. A. Patterson and P. C. Bassett, July 3, 1867; by Hamilton Stone, Dec. 7, 1867; and by W. II. Faxon, May 30, 1872, the latter addition embracing thirty acres in the south end of the west half of the northeast quarter of section 12. With the prospect of a village at that point, came, of course, an opening for a trader, and the first to embrace the opportunity hapiioned to be B. I. Udell, who in the winter of 1856 opened a small store, with "a handful of goods," upon the lot now occupied by the Retan House. As the field widened a wider enterprise than Udell's estab- lishment was called for, and so, in May, 1857, W. C. Ben- nett came along, built a commodious frame store, stocked it liberally, and added, moreover, to his business of store- keeping that of buying staves, wood, etc., for shipment East, and in a little time pushed his operations to import- ant proportions. Previous to Bennett's coming Richard Baylis had put up a saw-mill, and contributed in no small degree to the general prosperous progress. Udell, the pioneer store-keeper, took a hurried and some- what dramatic departure from the place in the fall of 1857, but the village kept on growing nevertheless, and early in 1858 received fresh impetus from the appearance of John Burkhart and Samuel Gilson among others, the former of whom began the manufacture of chairs and cabi- net-ware, and the latter the business of cooperage. The outlook had grown at this juncture quite bright, and great things were fondly expected of the new town. After Udell's departure Bennett monopolized the store- trade only a short time, for in the winter of 1857 A. B. Wood entered the field. In May, 1858, W. H. Faxon and 0. M. Pearl, store- keepers at Duplain, rented Wood's store, formerly a dwelling-house standing upon ground now occu- pied by the Potter Block, stocked it with goods, and engaged John A. Potter, then from the East on a visit, to take charge of the business, Faxon and Pearl themselves remaining in Ovid. In March, 1860, Mr. Faxon removed permanently to Ovid to take charge of his interests at that point, and directly after his coming built upon the site of the present Phoenix Block what was then considered the best store in Clinton County. Before that time the commercial interests of the village had been additionally furthered by the erection of a grist-mill by Park & Kellogg, the opening of a hardware- store by E. D. Gregory, a drug-store by John Fitch i^who soon sold out to Charles Farmer), and a clothing-store by F. L. T. Ilasse. There was, besides, considerable business in the way of the manufacture of cooperage, and from that time forward the commercial progress of Ovid was rapid. Mr. Ilasse, who commenced business in Ovid as a clothing merchant in August, 185!), has continued to follow the business in the village without interruption to the present time, and is the only one of the then merchants of Ovid now in trade. A village tavern was built in 1857 by J. S. Bennett, and kept by him some time. It was called the Park House, because it occupied Ihnd owned by Josiah B. Park, and con- tinues to serve its original purpose to-day as the Clinton House. 484 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. The first brick store in Ovid was built by Anthony Swarthout in 18G9, and leased to C. Beebe & Sons for a drug-store, and the second by Henry Montague. The Phcenix Block was built in 1873 by Charles Farmer, An- thony Swarthout, W. C. Bennett, and S. C. King, and later the Marvin, Potter, and De Camp Blocks were added to the town's architectural features. POST-OFFICE. A post-office was established at Ovid in 1857, and J. B. Park appointed postmaster. The office was kept at first in the Park House, but soon transferred to W. C. Ben- nett's store. W. H. Faxon was appointed in 18G0, and in 1865 resigned in favor of Capt. A. B. Wood, who was suc- ceeded in 1866 by L. T. Southworth, and the latter in turn by L. C. Mead in 1868, since which time Mr. Mead has been the incumbent. The business of the office during the three months ending March 31, 1880, will be found detailed in the following: Received for sales of stamps, stamped envelopes, etc $580.00 " " box rents .'. 55.00 Amount of money-orders issued 2463. 5li " " paid 1373.10 OVID'S PHYSICIANS. Twenty physicians have pursued the practice of their profession at Ovid between 1858 and 1880, and of the twenty there are still seven in the village. The pioneer doctor was E. V. Chase, who opened his office in 1857 and remained until 1860. His field of practice is now at Elsie, in Duplain township. Dr. S. C. King, who came next to Dr. Chase, in 1859, has practiced in Ovid con- tinuously ever since. Herewith is presented a list of the names of those who have practiced medicine in the village, the schools to which they belonged, the date of location where it could be ascer- tained, and duration of stay : Name, Arrival. E. V. Chase 18.58 S. C. King 1859» Charles Armstrong 1860 E.S. Leonard 1860 Dr. Baughniiin 1863 J. B. McLean 1864 Charles Knapp 1864 Dr. Tirrell 1870* Dr. Wells C. W. Pengra 1875* J. F. Abbott 1875* 0. li. Campbell.... 1S78» M. R.Yuill* Dr. Harris Dr. liurch Dr. McNeal J. D. Tirrell 1878S Dr. Gregory Dr. Beals ( Dr. (Mrs.) Sprngue OVID'S LAWYERS. Stay. 5 years. 3 years. 7 " 2 " 2 " 2 " I years. 1 year. 2 yeara. 1 year. 6 mos. School. A A A E A A A E A A A A A H H H E H II H The liistory of the legal profession in Ovid may be quickly told. Richard Baylis, who in the fall of 1856 built the first saw-mill at Ovid, began to practice law in 1858, about which time E. N. Fitch divided the legal business with him, although the business they had to divide must have been exceedingly small. ' B. II. Scovill and John Van Blarken came next in succession, and in 1870 * Resident physicians in Ovid, Juno 1, 18S0. W. W. Dennis began a village practice which he still con- tinues. S. W. Baker, William H. Castle, and A. D. Gris- wold were later accessions. Mr. Griswold, who was at one time United States District Attorney at Grand Rapids, is Mr. Dennis' law-partner, and, with William H. Castle, this firm represents the legal profession in Ovid. CHURCHES. OVID METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The Ovid Methodist Episcopal class was organized by Rev. J. Fowler, in charge of the Duplain Circuit, in the village school-house in 1860. The organizing members numbered but four, — II. C. Shifier and wife, W. H. Faxon and wife, — W. H. Faxon being class-leader. Services were held once a fortnight in the school-house until 1862, and after that until the spring of 1868 once a week. At the period last mentioned a church edifice was erected and dedicated by Dr. Joslyn, of Albion College. At that time the class was strong in membership, and the society in pro^erous circumstances. In 1870 there was a revival season, and material additions were made to the list of members. Succeeding Mr. Fowler, the pastors have been Revs. H. C. Peck, B. S. Pratt, T. Clark, J. Gulick, William Mc- Knight, U. Ma,son, A. McEwan, J. N. Dayton, J. T. Id- dings, W. Doust, A. J. Russell, James Hamilton, S. P. Warner, G. W. Sherman, the latter being now on the work. A parsonage was rented in 1875, and purchased in September, 1879. That, as well as the church property, the society now holds clear of debt. The church member- ship stands at present at one hundred and ninety-two. The class-leaders are H. A. Potter and E. T. Crosswell. The trustees are II. A. Potter, E. Netheway, Anthony Swart- hout, W. H. Faxon, and A. Schcnck. The Sunday-school has an average attendance of one hundred and twenty, and has for nine years been in charge of Anthony Swarthout, who has now a corps of twenty teachers. The school li- brary numbers three hiyidrcd volumes. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF OVID. Feb. 11, 1860, a meeting was held in the Ovid school- house for the purpose of organizing a Baptist Church. Elder P. C. Bassett was chosen moderator, and E. Potter clerk, whereupon letters were presented by the following persons : P. C. Bassett, Jane E. Bassett, Edward and Sophia Potter, Anthony H. and Elsena Longcor, Margaret Long- cor, Jacob W. and Emily Welter, John and Sophia Glea- son, Rebecca Van Voorheis, John L. and Aurelia Larue, Daniel E. and Mary Ernsbarger, Maria Ferry, and Mary Winfiold. The articles of faith of the Michigan State Con- ference were adopted, and February 22d the church was recognized by a church council, in which Revs. J. Booth, of Fentonville, J. McLeod, of Laingsburg, George W. Lewis, Deacon French, and Brother Rose, of Owosso and Bennington, took part. Rev. P. C. Bassett was chosen pastor, Lewis Travis deacon, and E. Potter clerk, and membership efFected with the Shiawassee Association. Shortly after organization the church membership began to increase, and Dec. 14, 1865, the society's new house of worship was dedicated. OVID TOWNSHIP. 485 Elder Bassett continued his pastorate until March, 1866, and after him Revs. J. H. Morrison, A. W. Baker, H. A. Rose, M. Mulcahy, E. Mills, and H. Pettit occupied the charge. Mr. Pettit resigned in January, 1878, after a service of nearly five years, and was succeeded by Rev. A. Waxman, the present pastor. Since 1860 the church has received four hundred and eight members, and retains now one hundred and twenty- five. A. S. Rose, Nathan Herrick, and H. N. Mapes are the deacons, and H. N. Mapes superintendent of the Sun- day-school, which has an average attendance of one hundred and fourteen scholars and a corps of nine teachers. FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. At a meeting held at the oflBce of the Ovid Register, Jan. 30, 1871, there were present Dr. C. V. Beebe, David Davis, William G. Fulkerson, R. G. Young, L. C. Mead, Frank Davis, D. H. Moore, F. L. T. Hasse, John Bennett, John Potter, J. G. Mabbitt, H. M. Enos, M. H. GoEF, D. A. Howe, J. S. Kribbs, George C. Beebe, Harry Marvin, John Q. Patterson, T. M. Scoville, and J. W. Fitzgerald. At that meeting those present subscribed to the following agreement : " We, the undersigned citizens of Ovid, herewith form ourselves into a temporary organization for the purpose of conducting Congregational services in this village semi- weekly for the next three months, and that we will indi- vidually assist in paying all expenses that may occur ; meet- ings to be held in Metropolitan Hall until better accommo- dations can be procured." Rev. William Mulder, of Laingsburg, was engaged to preach " for expenses and what the society saw fit to give him." Feb. 13, 1871, a company of twenty-two persons formed " a body for the purpose of organizing themselves into a Congregational Church ;" and in the Baptist church, March 3, 1871, a permanent organization was effected, on which occasion nine persons were received into church fel- lowship. They were C. V. Beebe, Maria D. Beebe, R. G. Young, Jennie Young, Annie Davis, Mrs. C. A. Bennett, Susan Beebe, Mary Ray, and H. M. Enos. March 26, 1871, C. V. Beebe and H. M. Enos were chosen deacons; R. G. Young clerk and treasurer ; and March 28, J. C. Darragh, George Fox, J. G. Mabbitt, and R. G. Young trustees. Measures were at once commenced for the erection of a house of worship, and in 1872 it was dedicated. Rev. J. B. Dawson being called to the pastorate. Consequent upon the building of the church the society became financially embarrassed, and the property being sold under a mortgage the active history of the organization ceased for a time. Sturdy efforts resulted, however, in the restoration of the property and the resumption of worship, and latterly the progress of the church has been gratifying. Rev. D. L. p]aton is the pastor, and preaches every Sunday. The deacons arc Thomas Noal, G. L. Lignian, and I. W. Drake ; and the trustees, C. W. Marvin, L. C. Mead, Horace Brad- ley, E. C. White, and George Sowers. There are about seventy members in the church and one hundred scholars in the Sunday-school, of which George Sowers is the super- intendent. OVID MI.SSION (PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH). The first Protestant Episcopal services held in Ovid were conducted by Rev. Henry Banwell, of St. Johns, Feb. 1, 1866, and from that time occasional services were held in Ovid by the rectors of churches at St. Johns and Owosso until 1875, when Ovid was established as a mission, and Rev. S. S. Chapin taking charge thereof, has remained in charge ever since. Early services were held in the Con- gregational and Baptist churches, later at the residence of the rector, and now in the society's church edifice, which was completed in July, 1880. The communicants number twenty-five, and the church is in a flourishing condition. THE OVID YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION was organized March 25, 1879, with fifteen members, W. Ross being chosen president. Meetings are held twice each week in Marvin Block, for prayer on Wednesday night and Bible .study on Sunday afternoon. The member- ship is now twenty-five, and the oflScers as follows : Frank Allen, President ; Sarah Reed, Vice-President ; Charles Waldron, Secretary ; P. B. Smith, Assistant Secretary ; D. Doremus, Treasurer. VILLAGE INCORPORATION ATSTD LIST OF OFFICERS. A legislative act, approved March 21, 1869, provided that " All that tract of country situated in the township of Ovid, in the county of Clinton, and distinguished as the southeast quarter of section 12, the east half of the south- west quarter of section 12, the south three-eighths of the northeast quarter of section 12, the south three-eighths of the east half of the northwest quarter of section 12, the northeast quarter of section 13, the east half of the north- west quarter of section 13, in town 7 north, of range 1 west, is hereby constituted the village of Ovid." The first election was ordered to be held in the village school house on the second Monday in April, 1869, and was held accordingly April 12. De Witt C. Harrington and Henry C. ]?arber were chosen judges of election, and L. T. Southworth clerk. After that the meeting adjourned to Metropolitan Hall, where the election was held, the whole number of votes cast being two hundred and twenty- seven. The result of that first election is here appended. PRESIDENT. Harrv Marvin* H*^ Abuc'r U. Wood, Jr '"'J RECORDER. B. H. Scoville US D. C. Harringtons 113 TREASURER. James C. Darragh*. l'^ F. L. T. Hasse l"? ASSESSOR. F. L. Davis* "!' II. A. Potter !''•' TRUSTEES. Hamilton Stone* '21 Brazil Marvin* I''' A. U. Dunham* US .George Fox* l'" • Elected. 486 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Samuel B. Leddick* 115 ■William Rose* 115 William J. Gibbs 110 Abram Schenck 101 Jobn Q. Patterson 105 Anthony Swarthout 109 F. A. Voorhles 110 Alsynus E. Gray 105 At the first meeting of the council, Perry Phelps was appointed Marshal, Kingsley Beckwith Street Commis- sioner, Henry CudJeback and F. A. Vooihies Fire- Ward- ens, Perry Phelps Poundmaster, and A. B. Wood Village Surveyor. Herewith is presented a list of persons chosen to the chief village offices from 1870 to 1880. 1870. — President, F. A. Voorhies ; Recorder, D. C. Har- rington ; Treasurer, Charles N. Cowan ; Assessor, F. S. Davis; Trustees, Harry Marvin, L. F. Southworth, William Rose. 1S71. — President, J. H. Robson ; Recorder, B. H. Sco- ville ; Treasurer, D. C. Harrington ; Assessor, F. S. Davis ; Trustees, George D. Sowers, 0. H. Corbett, and James A. Cooper, for two years ; Harry Marvin, William Harris, and Hamilton Stone, for one year. 1872.— President, J. H. Robson; Recorder, B. H. Sco- ville ; Treasurer, Brazil Marvin ; Assessor, F. S. Davis ; Trustees, S. B. Leddick, William Rose, J. Q. Patterson, and George Fox. 1873. — President, Harry Marvin ; Recorder, Charles M. Hagadorn ; Treasurer, Brazil Marvin ; Assessor, F. S. Davis ; Trustees, J. C. B. Gumaer, Hamilton Stone, D. C. Harrington. 1874. — President, S. B. Leddick ; Recorder, Charles M. Hagadorn ; Treasurer, Brazil Marvin ; Assessor, F. S. Davis; Trustees, Thomas H. Meehan, Harry Marvin, George C. Beebe. 1875. — President, S. B. Leddick ; Recorder, H. L. Mc- Carty ; Treasurer, Brazil Marvin ; Assessor, Henry M. Enos ; Trustees, F. S. Davis, Thomas B. Southworth, J. N. Brokaw. 1876.— President, T. M. Scoville ; Recorder, C. M. Haga- dorn ; Treasurer, E. C. White ; Assessor, D. C. Harrington ; Trustees, George W. Stickney, Joseph Barden, Chauncey Mulock. 1877. — President, J. F. Harris; Recorder, Charles M. Hagadorn ; Treasurer, E. C. White ; Assessor, H. A. Potter ; Trustees, J. N. Brokaw, George W. Wortmau, James A. Cooper. 1878. — President, D. H. Misner; Recorder, Samuel Van Blarcom ; Treasurer, Edgar C. White ; Assessor, J. C. E. Gumaer ; Trustees, Charles Bement, Hugh Morgan, F. L. T. Hasse. 1879. — President, John Sowers; Recorder, F. W. Lam- phere ; Treasurer, E. C. White ; A.ssessor, D. C. Harrington ; Trustees, F. H. Scofield, Lewis C. Mead, Simon W. Rose. 1880. — President, Ezekiel De Camp; Recorder, C. M. Hagadorn; Treasurer, E. C. White; Trustees, H. A. Potter, George • M. Edwards, Charles Cowan. * Elected. MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. Ovid village contains among her manufacturing industries two important enterprises, the Ovid Carriage- Works and Robertson & Co.'s cooperage, in both of which the aggre- gate force of men employed is upwards of one hundred. Ovid Carriage- Worhs. — The senior member of the Ovid Carriage- Works, located at Ovid, Clinton Co., Mich., Mr. F. A. Scofield, in connection with Mr. E. A. Reed, first began the manufacture of buggies on a limited scale during the year 1877. Later, Mr. Reed's interest was purchased and Mr. W. J. Danforth became a partner, remaining less than a year, when he was succeeded by Mr. James A. Cooper, a prosperous hardware merchant of Ovid. This partnership has proved a very active and lucrative one. During the brief period of nine months the business has been increased to three times its former proportions in every department, buildings having been erected, and machinery of the most approved character been introduced for the more expedi- tious and perfect execution of their orders. Many cutters are manufactured, though buggies are made a specialty, and the superior quality of the latter is universally conceded. Sixty men are employed in the various depart- ments, including planing, moulding, resawing, matching, etc., each piece being submitted to personal inspection be- fore approval. The present year the business will reach $140,000 in amount, and is regarded as the most complete and extensive in the State in this particular branch of in- dustry. R. A. Robertson & Co., of New York, proprietors of the cooperage, set their business in motion at Ovid in the sum- mer of 186G, and appointed John Culver to manage the enterprise. But six men were employed at first, but the enlargement of the business took early hold, and continued steadily until from forty to fifty men represented the work- ing force, and about three acres of land were required to contain the buildings, and give yard room to the con- cern. These latter statements apply to the present condi- tion of the establishment, in which the daily product is from two to three hundred hogsheads, barrels, etc., which are shipped to Eastern and foreign markets. The firm is repre- sented at Ovid by Thomas H. Meaghan, who began as a workman for them in 18GG, and who has been their manager since 1873. Ovid Floiiring-Mills. — The site of Ovid's first grist-mill, built in 1859, by Park & Kellogg, is now occupied by a commodious three-story structure fitted with four run of stones, and engaged largely in the manufacture of flour for shipment to Eastern markets. Schenck & Sowers, the pres- ent proprietors, have been in control of the property since March, 1878. Dunham & Kimball started a foundry in 1865, and this business is still pursued upon the same premises by Haight & Guio, who took possession in March, 1878. They em- ploy eight people, and manufacture general machine-castings. THE PRESS OF OVID. Ovid has two newspapers, — The Ovid Register and Tlie Clinton and Shiawassee Union. The Register is the b I Co CD O O o D OVID TOWNSHIP. 487 elder of the two. It was established July 1, 1866, by J. W. Wickwire, from whom it soon passed to the possession of " Happy" Jack Leonard, who disposed of it to H. Ega- broad. Successively, A. B. Wood, J. W. Fitzgerald, and Rich & llutherford became the proprietors. Rich soon withdrew, and, after carrying it on alone for a brief time, Rutherford took in B. M. Pierson as a partner. Rutherford retired soon after, and Pierson struggling to keep up the concern alone, gave up the task after a six months' experi- ence, when the property fell to Reeves & Carrier, Aug. 8, 1873. To that time the paper had maintained a precarious and uncertain existence, but the new publishers introduced a vigorous life into it, and, as a result, conducted it with much success for upwards of six years. At the end of that time Carrier & Carrier, the present publishers, succeeded Reeves & Carrier. From the start in 1866 llie Register has been an avowedly independent journal in politics. It is issued every Friday, contains thirty-two columns of printed matter, and has a claimed circulation of seven hun- dred. The Clinton and Shiawassee Union, a quarto sheet of Republican politics, was founded by J. W. Fitzgerald and J. W. Walsh. The first issue was dated June 28, 1879. Fitzgerald became the sole publisher April 3, 1880, and still conducts it. BANKING. Ovid's first bank was the private corporation founded in 1868 by J. C. Darragh & Co., including J. C. Darragh, formerly of Monroe, Mich., and S. S. Walker and Charles Kipp, of St. Johns. This firm was succeeded in 1873 by- Sowers & White, who still maintain the private character of the bank, but carry on a general banking business. OVID UNION SCHOOL. Justly the Union School of Ovid village is an object of local pride, and it may be added, moreover, that the school building is architecturally a conspicuous and engaging feature of local landscape. Although the subject of erect- ing the present handsome edifice was agitated in 1867, and §12,000 voted therefor in September of that year, the house was not completed until 1870. The building is of brick, three stories in height, and occupies a command- ing elevation at the head of Gratiot Street. The following is an extract from the annual report of Pro- fessor W. S. Webster, the principal, presented March 26, 1880: Whole number of days taught : High school Graininar depiirtincnt Second intermuditttc Fir?t interinuiliute Second primary First primary Total Whole number enrolled, by departments; High school Grammar department Second intermediate First intermediate Second primary First primary Total 60 CO 60 60 60 60 360 42 38 52 62 74 54 322 Highest number belonging at any time, by departments: High school 40 tJvauimar department 38 Second intermediate 52 First intermediate , 60 Second primary 71 First primary 49 Highest number belonging at any on© time, in entire school 310 Number of days* attendance, by departments : Jligh .school 2,184 Grammar department 1,922 Second intermediate 2,7.38.5 First intermediate 3,094 Second primary 3,444 First primary 2,322 Total 15,704.5 ■f Average attendance, by departments; High school 36.4 Grammar department 32 Second intermediate 45.6 First intermediiite 51.5 Second primary 57.4 First primary 38.7 Average in entire school 261.6 Days lost by absence, by departments ; High school 138 Grammar department 239 Second intermediate 296.5 First intermediate 392 Second primary 641 First primary 409 Total number of days lost by absence 2115.5 The time lost by absence is 14.47 per cent, of entire attendance. Non-resident pupils ; High school 19 Grammar department 2 Total ■. 21 SECRET ORDERS. OVID LODGE, No. 127, F. AND A. M., was organized Feb. 27, 1860, in the Park House. A. B. Wood, Jr., was W. M. ; J. B. Park, S. W. ; William E. Sickles, J. W. ; J. M. Fitch, Secretary ; C. D. Rose, Treas- urer ; J. A. Potter, S. D. ; A. F. Van Voorhies, J. D. ; A. D. Smith, Tiler. Since the organization the Masters have been A. B. Wood, Jr., J. A. Potter, W. II. Faxon, L. T. Southworth, S. C. King, Charles Case, Abram Schcnck, E. C. White, and M. R. Koyce. The officers now are M. R. Royce, W. M. ; Ansel Barnes, S. W. ; P. A. Winficld, J. W. ; E. Malloncc, Secretary ; John Sowers, Treasurer ; Charles Cowan, S. D. ; Riley Watkins, J. D. ; John Link, Tiler. The lodge has an active membership of seventy- eight, and occupies handsomely-appointed quarters iu Potter Block. OVID LODGE, No. 97, I. 0. 0. F., wa.s organized March 14, 1866, and chartered Jan. 14, 1867. The charter members were John Gillam, Ciiarlcs Gillam, H. C. Maine, F. S. Cushman; F. L. T. Hassee, M. Nichols. The prc.«ent ofljcers are B. M. Merrill, N. G. ; Charles Pengra, V. G. ; J. A. Potter, Secretary; M. Gil- bert, P. S. ; P. H. Shannon, Treasurer. The lodge mem- bership is seventy-five, and of these forty are active par- ticipants in lodge afiiiirs. Meetings are held in Marvin Block, where there is a commodious and handsomely- furnished lodge-room. 488 HISTORY OP CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. OVID LODGE, No. 29, A. 0. U. W., was organized Dec. 22, 1877, with twelve members. The first official list was C. W. Pensra, P. M. W. ; L. C. Mead, M. W. ; J. H. Terriil, G. F. ; F. W. Lamphere, 11. ; E. C. White, F. ; S. C. King, Receiver. The lodge has a mem- bership of sixty-five, and meets in Masonic Hall. The ofiicers serving in 1880 are L. C. Mead, P. M. W. ; E. C. White, M. W. ; A. Athorton, G. F. ; S. W. Rose, 0. ; F. W. Lamphere, Recorder ; E. Armstrong, F. ; N. J. Clark, Receiver ; G. W. Wortman, Guide ; Amos Covert, I. W. ; W. A. Ross, 0. W. OVID LODGE, No. 103, GOOD TEMPLARS, was organized July, 1879, in the Baptist church, with seventeen members. That number has now advanced to seventy. The officers for 1880 are R. G. Watkius, W. C. T. ; Mrs. F. G. Hills, W. V. T. ; Miss Cora Gray, Treas- urer; E. Reed, Recording Secretary; David Flanagan, Financial Secretary ; William Berry, Marshal ; Ed. Beebe, 0. G. ; Carrie Smith, I. G. COURT WORKINGMAN'S PRIDE, A. 0. P., was chartered March 31, 1879. The charter members were Edward S. Smith, Wm. S. McGeary, T. F. Smith, Daniel Thomas, David Flanagan, J. B. Valiet, W. A. Ross, W. S. Tidswell, B. M. Besley. The membership is now thirty. The officers are Daniel Thomas, C. R. ; B. M. Besley, S. C. R. ; J. B. Valiet, See. ; W. A. Ross, A. S. ; D. Flanagan, Treas ; W. S. McGeary, S. W. ; W. S. Tids- well, J. W. ; Morris Holmes, S. B. ; D. Fish, J. B. ; E. S. Smith, P. C. R. OVID LODGE, No. 15, ROYAL TEMPLARS OF TEM- PERANCE, was organized Nov. 14, 1879, with fourteen members, and includes now twenty-four. The officers for 1880 are A. Atherton.S. C; Charles House, V. C. ; P. Wilbur, P. C. ; H. M. Pack, Sec; R. Watkins, F. Sec; D. A. Haight, Treas.; N. W. Jenkins, Herald; Mrs. D. A. Haight, Deputy Herald ; Mrs. P. Hills, Chaplain ; J. A. Hubbell, Guard. OVID FIRE DEPAKTMENT. Ovid has liad its share of fires, but they have proved visitations of value, since in the stead of the unsightly wooden structures destroyed have risen imposing business blocks of brick. The " bucket brigade" did fire duty for the town until 1875, when a hook-and-ladder company was added to the fire-fighting force. The company was chris- tened Washington, No. 1, and started with twenty-two members. S. W. Rose was chosen foreman, William Stevenson first assistant, and Henry McCarty second as- sistant. E. P. Corbisher, who was elected chief engineer of the department, remained in that office until 1880, when he was succeeded by William Stevenson. S. W. Ro.se, the present foreman of the company, has served continuously as such since 1875, except during 1877, when William Stevenson was the incumbent. A serviceable hook-and- ladder truck was built in the village in 1875, and that ap- paratus is still in use. Washington, No. 1, has about forty members, and is considered as a spirited and valuable or- ganization. A TRIPLE TRAGEDY. Aug. 26, 1870, Ovid was called upon to mourn over -a terrible calamity, in which the lives of three valuable citi- zens were suddenly sacrificed. The three men — named Sanford House, J. C. Brewster, and Higgins — were on the day in question standing in front of HarrLson & Harrington's steam saw-mill when, without warning, the boiler of the mill exploded with terrific force, and the fly- ing fragments, passing in the path occupied by the three unfortunates, killed them instantly. SHEPARDSVILLE. Shepardsville, a station on the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad three miles west of Ovid village, was laid out in 1856 by William Shepard, who in that year started a store at that point. The village made feeble headway at first, but about 1867 pushed ahead vigorously. In that year Mr.-Shepard put up a grist-mill with two run of stones, and a saw-mill, which he directly converted into a stave-factory. The grist-mill had, however, been but two days in operation when the boiler exploded, killing Dorn, the millwright, and seriously wounding six other men. This example of ill luck inflicted when the town was just emerging into some- thing like prosperity was but the forerunner to several dis- asters which followed hard upon and ultimately relegated Shepardsville to a state of masterly inactivity. In 1871 the stave-mill was burned, a business block of three stores and several shops succumbed to fire during 1872 and 1873, while upon other occasions other conflagrations put back the work of enterprise as rapidly as it betrayed its pres- ence. At its best, Shepardsville contained five stores, a hotel (built by H. Longcor in 1864), and milling industries which served altogether to make the place a busy one. That the untoward circumstances of its early history fol- lowed it persistently in later years finds illustration in the relation that a cheese-factory started in 1878 by a Mr. Craddock stood but two years before it was burned. A post-office was established at the town in 1867 and named Ovid Centre, but in a brief time a change of name was made to Shepardsville, consequent upon a similarity of the first name to Ovid, the next office eastward. Wil- liam Shepard was the first postmaster, J. L. Button the second, S. L. Brass the third, and L. 0. Ludlum, now in the office, the fourth. Dr. L. 0. Ludlum, the postmaster, located in the village in 1868 and entered upon medical practice. He is the only resident physician Shepardsville has had. SHEPARDSVILLE METUODIST EPISCOPAL CLASS, wor.shiping in the building put up by William Shepard as a store in 1856, was organized in 1869 by Rev. A. Wood, of the Duplain Circuit, with a membership of thirty. William Shepard, who was then chosen class-leader, has continued until this time to fill that place. The class is now on the Duplain Circuit, has forty-five members, and has preaching once a fortnight, Rev. C. A. Jacokes being the pastor. The trustees are William Shepard, P. A. Winfield, and J. L. N Q OVID TOWNSHIP. 489 Button. William Shepard is superintendent of the Sun- day-school, which has an average attendance of fifty and employs eight teachers. BAPTIST CHURCH OF SHEPARDSVILLE. April 15, 1876, a meeting was held at Shepardsville for the purpose of organizing a Baptist Church. Among those present were P. C. Bassett, John D. Gleason, Jacob W. Welter, P. A. Winfield, Thomas Sturges, I. E. Ilobart, Edward P. Castner, D. F. Aldrich, John Miller, H. H. Faragar, AVilliam Castner, Isaiah Castner, and Edward Potter. The persons named subscribed to the following : " We who do hereby .subscribe our names, anxious to do something in an organized form to promote the Christian religion, and to maintain the permanent worship of God and the institutions of the Gospel in this vicinity, do or- ganize ourselves into a society known as The Baptist Church and Society of Shepardsville." Samuel B. Spink, Edward Potter, John Miller, I. E. Hobart, and Thomas Sturges were chosen trustees and Edward Potter clerk. The Methodist Episcopal church edifice was used for public worship until tlie fall of 1879, when the society's new church was occupied. Elder P. C. Bassett, the first pastor, was succeeded by llov. E. V. Ney, and after the latter came Rev. A. Waxman, who is now in charge, preaching once each week at Ovid and Shepardsville. There is in connection with the church a Sabbath-school, which enjoys much prosperity. • SOUTH OVID UNITED BRETHREN CLASS. About 1858, Eggleston and Lee, missionaries in .the United Brethren Church, visited the region known as South Ovid and organized the South Ovid United Breth- ren class in the Wilson school-house. There services were afterwards held until 18G9, when a change of location was made to the Baker school-house, which was used until the completion of the United Brethren church in 1879, upon December 7th of which year it was dedicated. The class, having now a flouri.-^hiiig member.ship of upwards of one hundred, is on the Ovid Circuit, in charge of Rev. M. H. Sly, and including points in Ovid, Victor, Duplain, and Greenbush. Preaching is supplied at South Ovid once each fortniglit. The class-leader is George Cox, the class- steward John M. Kosht, and the trustees Christian Baker, George Cox, I. N. Yarger, J. M. Kosht, and L. II. Allen. Cyrus Sherman is the superintendent of the Sunday-school, which has an average attendance of fifty scholars and eight teachers. SOUTH OVID FREE METHODIST CLASS. This class was formed June, 1871, by Rev. John Elli.son (in charge of the St. Johns Circuit) in a grove upon Scba Squires' farm. The organizing members numbered nine, of whom Jeremiah Cox was class-leader. Since that time regular .services have been held in South Ovid. School- houses and residences of class-members were used until 1879, when a house of worship was built, and in July of that year dedicated. There is preaching once in two weeks by Rev. G. H. Joslyn, in charge of St. Johns Circuit, and prayer-meeting on alternate Sundays. Seba Squires is the 62 leader of the class, which has a membership now of twenty. Seba Squires is likewise superintendent of the Sabbath- school, which enjoys a flourishing existence. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. EZEKIEL DE CAMP. On the occasion of Gen. Lafayette's presence in the United States as the champion of freedom, he was ac- companied by the paternal grandfather of Mr. De Camp (Ezekiel), who also shared with him the dangers of battle in the cause of the Republic. He served under Gen. Knox, and participated in both the battles of Monmouth and Long Island. His maternal grandfather, Stephen Austin, was present, and assisted in disposing of the mem- orable cargo of tea in Boston harbor, and died in Orleans Co., N. Y. The father, Enoch De Camp, was born in Somerset Co., N. J., in 1784, and at the age of thirty years engaged actively in the war of 1812 under Gen. Winfield Scott, and participated in the battle of Lundy's Lane, as well as other important engagements. His death occurred at Ovid at the advanced age of eighty-four years. His wife, Mrs. Eliza De Camp, who survived him less than two years, died at the age of seventy-nine. Ezekiel De Camp, the brief sketch of whose life is here given, was a native of Tyrone, Steuben Co., N. Y., having been the tenth and youngest child of his parents, who four years subsequent to his birth removed to Reading, in the same county. He was at an early age thrown upon his own resources, and until twenty-two years of age followed farming pursuits, varied by such advantages as the primi- tive schools of the day aflforded. He then repaired to Michigan and purchased a farm in Victor, and the follow- ing year an unimproved farm in Ovid. The township then displayed very few evidences of the settler's presence. There were no roads on his arrival, and the market for wheat was reached only after a tedious ride of one hundred miles to Detroit. On the 8th of February, 1857, Mr. De Camp was married to Miss Polly E., daughter of John L. and Lois Cross, who were among the early pioneers to Ovid. They have had three children, — C. C, A. P., and Autha. Mr. De Camp has held many important village and township ofiices, among them those of township clerk, highway commissioner, president of the village, and mem- ber of the board of education, in which last position he has served the public for eight years. In politics he is an ardent Republican. He is the senior member of the exten- sive firm of De Camp & Stickncy. He was also the founder of the firm of Potter, Beattie & Co., and has been during his business career one of the most reliable and popular of the mercantile representatives of the village. He has made many improvements in the township and village. 490 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. B. M. SUEPAllD. MBS. ELIZABETH SHEPARD. MRS. MATILDA SHEPARD, (DEC'd.). B. M. SHEPARD. Samuel and Eunice Duke Shopard were the parents of two children, William and B. M., the latter of whom was born in Saratoga County, Nov. 2-1, 1816. When six years old the family removed to Yates Co., N. Y., and at the early age of nine years he met with an irreparable loss in the death of his mother. He pursued his studies until twenty years of age, and at the age of twenty-two was mar- ried' to Miss Matilda Stilwell, of Erie Co., Pa. Eight children were born to them. Mr. Shepard removed to Ohio and remained ten years, after which he repaired to Pennsylvania. In 1861, at the solicitation of his brother, he came to Ovid Centre and began the improvement of a farm of sixty acres, for which he had previously effected an exchange. He later engaged in the purchase and ship- ment of live stock, his neighbors trusting him for the first investment made in the enterprise. He was also a large speculator in grain, and as the result of his various ven- tures became the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land, which he later dispo.sed of and retired from active business pursuits. In politics Mr. Shepard is a Democrat, though liberal in his opinions. Having been afflicted in 1874 by the loss of his wife, he in 1878 was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Gates, daughter of William and Rachel Green, who is of English extraction, and came to ClintoD OLIVE TOWNSHIP, 491 County in lS4fi. Mr. Shepard is still a resident of Shep- ardvillc, and his children all reside in Michigan. During this time Mr. Shepard has resided ou his farm, which he has successfully managed. DR. SOLON C. KING. The father of the subject of this brief biography, Mager King, was born in Sodus, Wayne Co., N. Y., in 1804, and later married Miss Caroline Graves, of Willoughby, Ohio. They were the parents of seven children, Solon having SOLON C. KING. been the third in order of birth. Austinburg, Ohio, was tlie place of his nativity, and the date June 12, 1830. He was a pupil at the school of the district of his residence until twelve years of age, when he entered the Grand River Institute in Austinburg, and remained four years, after which he repaired to the home of his grandfather in Vernon, Shiawa.ssee Co., for a brief period, and there assisted his father in farm labor. Later he became clerk for John Owens & Co., of Detroit, where he remained four years, when the study of medicine occupied his atten- tion. He first repaired to Vernon, and later finished his course at the Medical Department of the University of Michigan, where he graduated after a career involving three years. In 18G0 he established himself in the practice of his profession at Ovid, which was then but a mere hamlet. In 1871 he formed a copartnership with Samuel S. Moore in the business of drugs and medicines, and two years later purchased the interest of his partner, having since con- ducted the business alone. He had enjoyed prior to his business venture an extended practice, which was aban- doned for the less arduous labors of the store. In 1861 Dr. King was married to Mrs. L. J. Lougcor, who had two children by a previous marriage. Addie is now Mrs. Charles Cowan, and Frances is Mrs. F. W. Lamphire. Dr. King is an ardent Democrat in his political convictions, and was during the year 1877 the successful candidate for the office of county clerk. CHAPTER LXIL OLIVE TOWNSHIP.* General Description — Early Settlements and Settlers — Resident Ta,\- payers in Olive in 1841 — Voters in the Township in 1S44 — Town- ship Organization — Civil List of Olive — Highways — Schools — Religious Uistory — Olive Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. The six miles square of territory known as Olive town- ship is designated in the governmental survey as town C north, range 2 west. Its boundaries are Bingham on the north, De Witt on the south, Victor on the east, and Riley on the west. The surface of the town is generally level, and although marked in numerous places with tracts of swamp-land, presents a remarkable improvement in that respect over the condition of things prevalent twenty or more years ago, when swamps were much larger and much more plentiful than now. The producing capacity of the soil is something beyond the common, and in respect to the growth of wheat Olive ranks high. The town contains no manufacturing in- dustry, has but one church building, no village, nor yet a post-office. There is, however, a large amount of wealth in the community, and affairs are generally in a prosperous condition. EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND SETTLERS. During the month of October, 1836, Peter Merrihew and his sons, Adam and John W., were looking through Michigan for land-locations, and coming to De Witt met one Mr. Webb, who piloted them into the town now called Olive. So well pleased were they with the country there that they selected eleven eighty-acre lots upon sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. They returned then to Livingston County, and awaited the coming of their families from Ulster Co., N. Y. In November came their families, and the family of Ephraim Merrihew, who was also a son to Peter. The first to push on to Olive was Ephraim, who, with his wife and children, entered the town in January, 1837, and made a commencement upon section 5. On the same day came also to the town Orange Ferguson and his family, and occupied a place on section 18, near Muskrat Lake. Eph- raim Merrihew's father came with him and gave a.ssistance in putting up a cabin, Ephraim's family abiding meanwhile at De Witt. Continuing the record of the Merrihew settle- ment, which was an importatit and numerous one, mention is next of the coming of John W. Merrihew and his family in June, 1837, to section 5. Where he built his first cabin Mr. Merrihew has lived ever since, the oldest living settler to-day iu Olive. In July, 1837, the elder Merrihew, who had been living in Wayne County, made also a settlement in Olive, in company with bis sod Adam. Adam made his stand * By David Schwartz. 492 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. upon section 7, while his father began his clearing on sec- tion 5. In 1838 yet another son, Benjamin, came on with a family and joined the pioneer band on section 7, where he set up the pioneer blacksmith-shop in the town. Nehe- niiah, the fifth son, unmarried when he came to the town with his father, married in due season and settled on sec- tion 8. It will be seen from the foregoing that the Merrihew families were sufficiently numerous to give the town a good start, for they numbered at least sis voters, nearly as many as some of Clinton County's towns started their township organizations with. Of those here mentioned the elder Merrihew died on his Olive farm in 1860 at the age of eighty-four. John W. and Benjamin are still living in the town. Ephraim lives in Wayne County, Nehemiah in Bingham township, and Adam in Maple Rapids. Peter Merrihew was a man of some means for that day. He not only brought a few thousand dollars west with him, but he made a lucky speculation on some Wayne County land, which he bought for a pair of horses and sold soon after for two thousand dollars, so that when he en- gaged in his western pioneering he was well provided against the privations and hardships that besot the average pioneer. He is believed to have brought to the town the first horse-team seen therein, and to have built the first framed barn. Benjamin Merrihew, who set out to accom- modate the settlers with a smithy, did so to good purpose, as far as they were concerned, but there were not people enough in the community to encourage his enterprise satis- factorily, and so after a brief experience he abandoned it. He did considerable business in the way of hauling in sup- plies from Detroit and other places, and used to go to mill to Northville for all hands frequently. In 1838 he was called upon to go to Northville to buy twelve barrels of flour, but the roads were so bad he declared it to be absurd to think of making the trip with an ox-team. He volun- teered, however, to foot it to Northville, and hire some one else to bring the flour back. So foot it he did, a distance of upwards of eighty miles, bought twelve barrels of flour at twelve dollars a barrel, and bargained to pay two dollars a barrel additional for their transportation to De Witt, whence he hauled them to Olive with his own team. Referring to the matter of roads, the town of Olive was quite badly off in that respect when the Meirihews made their settlement. When Benjamin was moving in he was mired when within a few miles of his destination, and after several inefiectual attempts to extricate his team, he and his wife went forward afoot to the settlement for assistance. At that, with all the assistance he could get, Merrihew was a good while getting his oxen out of their predicament. At this time the road on which the Merrihews located had been worked some as a State road, but beyond some under- brushing no efiective labor had been expended. When John came in he found the traveling terribly tedious, and between passing around marshes and miring in apparently safe spots the miles were long and the work hard. John started for the Colony mill one day, and had not gone far when he found himself fast in the mire. Seeing a man hard by thrashing wheat with a pair of oxen, — the feet of oxen were in those days the thrashers and the earth the thrashing-floor, — he got the assistance of his team, to no good purpose, however, since he emerged from his troublous position only when a third pair of cattle came upon the scene and were pressed into service. Reports go as ftir even as to say that teams used in some cases to be mired a whole day, and that, unable to extricate themselves or to be ex- tricated, they were left there to perish. Orange Ferguson, of whom mention has been made, built Olive's pioneer saw-mill, — and indeed the only mill of any kind the town has ever had, — near Muskrat Lake, about 1843. It was composed of hewn logs, and for its irons Ben Blerrihew made a journey to Detroit. On the south line of the town Alexander Calder made a settlement early in the year 1837 upon section 31. He came to the town in the fall of 1835, and bought his land of Capt. Scott. In May, 1836, he brought his family to De Witt, and worked a year for Capt. Scott. In May, 1837, he occupied his Olive place. He was the first to settle in that portion of the town. The next year he was joined by Harvey Alexander, who made also a settlement on the town-line. From that neighborhood the settlers in Olive in the early days attended church and enjoyed school privileges in either De Witt or Riley. North of the south town-line Atwell Simmons, a resident in Riley, made an improvement in Olive upon section 30, and in the winter of 1837 and 1838 put in there three and a half acres of wheat, from which he gathered the next summer one hun- dred and twenty-six bushels, or an average of thirty-six bushels per acre. Wheat-thrashers at that time were oxen, and although they were slow in the performance of the duty, and the method itself not of the most satisfactory kind, it had to answer, and did answer very decently until something better came to hand. Peter Ennest, son-in-law to Peter Merrihew, who had come with the latter to Olive in the fall of 1836, then se- lected some land on section 10, and in 1838 came with his brother-in-law, James Ennest, to make a permanent location, James settling upon section 5. In 1839, Daniel Ferguson — -brother to Orange Ferguson — located on section 17. During his residence in Olive he served one term as county treasurer. In 1839, Nathan Smith came from New York and located upon a place on the De Witt and Colony road, one and a half miles south of Orange Ferguson's. This thoroughfare, known now as the Lansing and St. Johns road, was then simply an underbrushed highway. On that road in Olive there was then no settler between Smith and George Kin- ney, on the south townl-ine. Half a mile north of Smith was Henry Leuts, just north of him his brother Hopkins Leuts, and just north of the last was the father, Peter. Next north was Daniel Ferguson, then Orange Ferguson, and so northward to Ransom Reed, Benjamin Merrihew, and Ephraim Merrihew. The De Witt road became after awhile a much-traveled thoroughfare, and about 1853 was opened as a mail- and stage-route between Lansing and St. Johns via De Witt. The volume of travel called, of course, for taverns, and the first to respond was Myron Wolcott, who kept in a shanty what he was pleased to call " The Half-Way House," in OLIVE TOWNSHIP. 493 recognition of the fact that it was midway between De Witt and St. Johns. Later Wolcott's shanty was supplanted by a more pretentious edifice, which still does duty as a way- side inn on section 17. About the time Wolcott opened his tavern Orange Ferguson followed suit with a second hostelry at Muskrat Lake. Two miles south of Wolcott's a Frenchman named J. P. Russell set up a tavern-stand, and hard by John Huits had what he was pleased to call a brewery. Russell called his place " The Traveler's Home," and the presumption is fair that the travelers who sojourned beneath Russell's hospitable roof were fortunate in being within such easy reach of soothing beer wherewith to mois- ten their clay. Of the taverns mentioned none are left to cheer and refresh the weary wayfarer save the one occupy- ing the site of Wolcott's old stand. As before remarked, a mail- and stage-route was established upon the road, and daily a four-horse coach bowled merrily over its smooth surface, while general travel of considerable consequence animated and enlivened to no small degree the stretch of country that bordered the highway. When a post-office was established John Norris was appointed postmaster. When the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad was pushed as far westward as St. Johns, the mail-route over the De Witt road was abolished, and the post-office in Olive discontinued. Some time afterwards it was revived and the office given to Nancy Rouns. Her successor was Alonzo Huntoon, the tavern-keeper, who retained the place until 1875, when the government decided again to cut Olive from the list of post- offices, and since that day the town has had no mail con- veniences within its borders. In((uirics touching the first birth and first death iii Olive have failed, although diligently pursued, in pro- ducing satisfactory conclusions. The first marriage in the town may, however, be noted as having been that of Hor- ace S. Green to Mary Ann, daughter to Peter Merrihew. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Lewis Coburn, a Methodist Episcopal preacher, in the year 1839, at the house of the bride's father. The occasion was naturally a notable one, and the signal for the gathering of a goodly company and the prevalence of a season of merry enjoy- ment. Early log cabins were built with what were called single roofs. The first cabin that boasted a double roof was the one built by Peter Merrihew. Guy Wilcox built the first framed house, which Peter Merrihew bought and moved to his own place. Wilcox had also an ashery, and between pioneering and making potash kept him.self busily em- ployed. Bear-hunts were common pastimes, and bear-hunters of more than ordinary skill won much local fame. A noted bear-hunting party was composed of Adam, Ephraim, and John Merrihew and Linus Gillett. They hunted a bear which had the night before raided and carried off a settler's hog. The hunt was determined and protracted, but it terminated in Bruin's capture and a general rejoicing all around. Capturing bears by means of dead-falls was, how- ever, the favorite and most successful method, and at this Horace Green was exceedingly adept and lucky. John W. Merrihew tells of taking part iu a bear-hunt iu which the bear was shot dead in a tree, and there remained stuck fast until the tree was felled to dislodge him. He was a large animal, and yielded five pailfuls of fat. The early history of Olive was somewhat painfully im- pressed with the lawless exploits of one Fletcher, and his subsequent expulsion from the town. He pretended to he a blacksmith, but devoted himself chiefly to laying unlaw- ful hands upon the property of liis neighbors, and working grievances in manifold ways. Tiring of his ordinary methods of deviltry he took to poisoning the cattle of his fellow-citizens, and at this latest and sharpest demonstration of sin the community rose en masse and vowed that he must be made to feel the sharp sting of public vengeance. Previous punishments had been inflicted upon him and warnings of greater wrath to come had reached him, but at this time general opinion inclined to the belief that pa- tience had ceased to be a virtue, and desperate measures were accordingly resolved on. An indignation meeting was held, and after a brief and hurried discussion of the situa- tion it was proposed to lynch the sinful Fletcher, and further proposed to draw lots to see who should have the distinguished honor of leading the expedition and striking the first blow. One of the members of the party was indi- vidually so anxious to be chief in Fletcher's taking off' that he suggested the postponement of drawing cuts, since he himself would take the job of killing the wicked Fletcher, and would further guarantee that the killing should be done promptly and effectually. Unfortunately for liis ambition, word was soon brought that Fletcher iiad been captured by officers of the law and conveyed to the county jail. There- upon the company resolved not to lose all chance for satis- fying their vengeance, disguised themselves as a party of Indians, and moving rapidly upon Fletcher's house, utterly destroyed it. His fimily fled for their lives and sought shelter in De Witt, but they were in such bad odor that no one would take them in, and .so they pressed on, nobody knows whither. There was some talk of moving upon the jail, dragging Fletcher forth, and lynching him anyway, but discussion proved the plan impolitic and it was abandoned. Its abandonment was probably afterwards regretted when, having been in jail but a short time, Fletcher made good his escape therefrom and fled to other scenes. Nothing more was heard of him after that for some years, when it was told that in the Far West he had been run over and killed by a railway- train. .^ Among the pioneers of Olive came David G. Wilsey, in 1839, to section 26, where he lived until 1844, and then removed to a jilace on section 35 he had bought of David Scott, who had improved forty acres of the tract. Wiien Wilsey located upon section 26 his nearest neighbor was more than a mile distant, and in 1844 his neighbor on the town-line was Charles Lent, who lived west of him. Wil.sey used to go to Owosso to mill, and although it was a trip of fifty miles, he was not so badly off in tiiat respect as some of his fellow-settlers farther west. Cash for grain was not to be had short of Detroit, and to that point he had to go when he wanted money for wheat. La- boring ibr otliers frequently, he could always get pay in grain and provisions but no money. Having accumulated 494 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. at the De Witt mill as many as a hundred barrels of flour, he hauled the lot a hundred miles to the Detroit market, and got only three dollars a barrel for it after all, — not much more than it cost him to get it there. As an illustration of how she bore her share of pioneer burdens, Mrs. Wilsey relates that when, shortly after their coming to the town, Mr. Wilsey was taken down sick, she used to go twice a day for drinking-water a mile distant from her cabin, did her cooking at a stump out-of-doors, had nothing better than a blanket for a door and sheet for a window, and lay many a night trembling all night long at the doleful howls of wolves, who made the darkness hideous with their music. Linus Gillett, who was a settler in Olive in 1840, settled in the State in 1829. and claimed that his was the first family to occupy the present site of the city of Jackson. His settlement in Olive was made upon section 3, where now lives J. W. Outcalt, whose father occupied the place in 1854. Into the Merrihew neighborhood Edward Ennest was a comer in 1838, as were the Norris families in 1840. John Parks (who settled in the State in 1838), Addison Cook, William Van Dyke, M. D. Tabor, Thomas Reed (a comer to the State in 1834), and William Sperry, were among the moderately early settlers in Olive. William Dills, who entered the State in 1842, made a location in 1852 upon the south town-line in Olive in section 32, the place being the one originally settled by George Kin- ney. West of Dills, on the town-line in Olive, were then Harvey Alexander, Alonzo Calder, and Thomas Reed ; but east of him there was nobody nearer than Wilsey 's, on sec- tion 35. Later came L. W. Sibley and H. G. Dills, on section 33, and Warren Ives in 1854 to a place on section 36, where Amasa Bugbee had been an earlier settler. R. W. Holly made his home on section 26 in 1852, and made it, too, in the midst of a forest. His nearest neigh- bor was the widow Rathburn, forty rods south. William Van Looven was one and a half miles south and east, and in the southeast quarter of the town in 1852, Wilsey being in California, Van Looven and Holly were the only voters. In 1855, William Blizzard settled upon section 19, on the west town-line, and at that time section 19 had but two other settlers, — B. F. Ware and Samuel Knapp. Oliver and Thomas Knapp came to section 29 in 1854. North- ward Blizzard had no neighbors on the east side of the liAe. Southward were Samuel Knapp, George Simmons, Jonathan Mosher, and Joseph Thomas. Off in the eastern portion of the town Eunice Carpenter came with her sons, George, Benjamin, and Jackson, in 1856 to section 24. The surrounding country was a forest, and to get to their place they had to cut out a road. Even then they could not get through because of the swamps, and had to go back to R. W. Holly's, where they stopped until, after some con- siderable delay, a roadway was constructed to their new abode. In the Carpenter neighborhood William Rheubot- tam settled upon section 23 in 1859, when the best public highway in the vicinity was an underbrushed road through the woods. John Jones and Abram Middleton were in the vicinity, as were M. Black and L. D. Chadwick. F. F. FraucLsco and Alonzo Hamilton came later. On .section 1, Marshall Hand was a settler in 1854 ; west of him came A. G. Foote at a later date ; still farther west Ira Gage made a location on section 4 in 1854, — his residence in Michigan dating from 1826 ; and west of him still, Wil- liam Sperry and M. Picktril located about the same time. RESIDENT TAX-PATERS OP OLIVE IN 1841. Acres. Hiram Burgess, section 1 110 Linus Gillette, section .H 120 Peter Ennest, section 10 SO John M. Merrihew, sections 9,10 160 Peter Merrihew, sections 4, 5 270 George A. Merrihew, section S 120 E. S. Merrihew, section 8 ;.. 120 Benjamin Merrihew, section 7 SO Isaac L. Austin, section 5 50 * Ransom Rees, section 7 232 Orange Ferguson, sections 7, 8, 18 2:58 Daniel Ferguson, sections 18, 17 120 H. S. Green, sections 5, 17,8 2fi0 James Ennest, section 17 60 Harvey- Alexander, section HI 160 Nathaniel Moon, section 32 80 George Kinney, section .32 80 Nathan Smith", section 20 120 Alexander Calder, sections 31, 32 120- Henry Leuts, section 20 40 . Hopliins Leuts, section 2t) 50 David G. Wilsey, section 26 120 Peter Leuts, section 20 30 THE TREASURER'S REPORT FOR 1841. March 22, 1842, the town treasurer presented his annual report for 1841, in which he set forth that he had received from the county treasurer S252.80 ; that he had paid out for highway work 8202.09 ; and that there were in the treasury $50.71. Further, that he had received from the town collector §79.89 for town expenses, and that of that amount §22.49 still remained in the treasury. VOTERS IN THE TOWNSHIP IN 1844. The oldest recorded list of voters in Olive bears date 1844. Tliose who voted at the election held that year numbered forty, and were named Adam Merrihew, Boyce Penden, Peter Merrihew, Philip Coon, Peter Ennest, Orange Eddy, Perry Armstrong, David Groom, James En- nest, Benjamin Merrihew, Daniel Ferguson, M. W. Pike, Alonzo Groom, Richard Ferguson, Isaac Parks, John Groom, Jr., Arvin Groom, Edward Ennest, Harvey Alex- ander, George Henry, Horace S. Green, Addison W. Cook, John W. Merrihew, Alexander Calder, N. S. Merrihew, D. G. Wilsey, Nathan Smith, Linus Gillett, Daniel Fergu- son, Jr., Orange Ferguson, Guy N. Wilcox, Smith Penden, Ransom Reed, E. S. Merrihew, Sidney Leuts, William In- galls, Peter Nelson, Moses Tabor, George H. Cook, George Kinney. JURORS IN 1849. The jurors in 1849 included Harvey Alexander, Alexan- der Calder, Orange Ferguson, Linus Gillett, E. S. Merri- hew, and J. W. Merrihew as grand jurors, and H. S. Green, A. W. Cook, L. D. Rathburn, Adam Merrihew, 0. S. Stod- dard, and Perry Armstrong as petit jurors. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION. Town 6 north, range 2 west, was, by act of Legislature approved March 20, 1841, detached from De Witt, and organized as a separate township, under the name of Olive. The name was given it by the Merrihews at a meeting held OLIVE TOWNSHIP. 495 at Orange Ferguson's for the purpose of christening the proposed new organization. Orange Ferguson wanted to name it after his daughter, but the Merrihews inclined to the name of the place in New York whence they had come to Michigan, and being in the majority they carried the day, wherefore " Olive" was sent in to the Legislature along with the petition for organization. According to public notice the first town-meeting was held at the house of Hansom Reed, April 5, 1841. Daniel Ferguson, John W. Merrihew, Orange Ferguson, Hiram Burgess, and Harvey Alexander were inspectors of election. Eighteen votes were cast, and the following persons chosen to the various oflBces : Supervisor, Daniel Ferguson, Sr. ; Clerk, John W. Merrihew ; Treasurer, George A. Merri- hew; School Inspectors, John W. Merrihew, Hiram Bur- gess, Alexander Calder; Assessors, Hiram Burgess, Horace S. Green, Alexander Calder ; Justices of the Peace, Hiram Burgess, Orange Ferguson, Alexander Calder; Highway' Commissioners, John AV. Merrihew, David G. Wilsey ; Constables, Isaac L. Austin, Ephraim S. Merrihew, Na- thaniel Moore ; Overseers of Highways, Peter Ennest, Ephraim Merrihew, Ransom Reed, Henry Leuts, George Kinney. CIVIL LIST OF OLIVE. Herewitl^is presented a list of persons chosen to the chief township offices annually from 1842 to 1880 : SUPERVISORS. 1842-46. D. Ferguson, Jr. 1847^9. J. W. Merrihew. 1850. H. Alexander. 1851-52. J. W. Merrihew. 1853-55. A. Calder. 1856. R. S. Cdshun. 1857-61. B. F. Ware. 1862. R. S. Coshun. 1863. S. M.Alexander. 1842. F. R. Reed. 1843. J. W. Merrihew. 1844. G. N. Wilcox. 1845-46. J. W. Merrihew. 1847-53. 0. Ferguson. 1854-55. R. S. Coshun. 1856. Ira Gage. 1857. 0. Ferguson. 1858-59. G. B. Wixon. 1864. B. F. Ware. 1865-66. S. M. Alexander. 1867. R. Reed. 1869. R. Young. 1S6S-71. A. Story. 1872. R. Young. 187.3-79. M. Hand. ISSII. T. W. B.aldwin. CLERKS. 186(1-62. P. Howe. 1S63. E. D. Clark. 1864-65. W. 11. H. Kiiapp. 1866-72. M. Hand. 1873-76. W. h. Brown. 1877-78. T. W. Baldwin. 1879. B. Looher. 1880. G. R. Simmons. 1842. J. W. Merrihew. 1843. J. G. Cagwin. 1844. P. Armstrong. 1845-50. E. S. Merrihew, 1851-53. R. Reed. 1854-56. William Dills. 1857-64. R. Reed. TREASURERS. 1865. G. A. Merrihew. 1866. R. Young. 1867. A. C. Preston. 1868-70. M. L. Alexander. 1871-78. G. R. Simmons. 1879-80. A. L. McWethcy. 1842. F. R. Reed. 1843. 0. Ferguson. 1844. R Reed. 1845. D. Ferguson, Jr. 1846. A. Calder. 1847. J. Sumner. 1818. F. R. Reed. 1849. M Huston. 1850. A Calder. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. 1851. N. Baker. 1852. F. Preston. 1853. U. R. Owen. 1854. A. Calder. 1855. R. W. Holly. 1856. P. Howe. 1857. A. Gillot. 1858. Ira Gage. 1859. R. W. Holly. 1860. P. Howe. 1861. A. Calder. 1862. L. Howe. 1863. P. Preston. 1864. William Dills. 1865. N. Leinm. 1866. James Tubbs. 1867. F. Preston. 1868. U. Rowen. 1869. E. Brink. 1870. J. M. De Witt. 1871. E. Case. 1872. P. Howe. 1873. Lewis Isbell. 1874. P. Kyes. 1875. P. Howe. 1876. A. Gillot. 1877. P. Howe. 1878. L. S. Rue. 1879. W. C. Lankton. 1880. Z. Sexton. HIGHWAYS. The first road laid in town 6 (now Olive) was recorded March 23, 1838, in the highway records of the town of De Witt as having been laid by O. Ferguson and William A. Hewitt, commissioners of highways. The road com- menced at the northeast corner of section 18 and extended thence east on section-line to the northwest corner of sec- tion 16, and thence south and east to the quarter post on the east line of section 24. Road No. 2, recorded June 28, 1839, was laid by John Gould and Harvey Alexander. It commenced at the south- west corner of section 32 and ran north to the northwest corner of section 29. No. 3, recorded Feb. 19, 1839, ex- tended from the northeast corner of section 9 westward to the north line of section 7. No. 4, recorded the same date, commenced ten chains north of the southwest corner of section 8 and extended north to the northwest corner of said section. No. 5 commenced twenty chains west of the southeast corner of section 34 and ran north twenty chains. No. 6 commenced at the northeast corner of section 31 and extended thence south one mile to the southeast corner of said section. No. 7 began at the quarter post on the south line of section 4 and passed thence north two and one-half degrees west to the quarter post on the north line of said section. No. 8 extended from the northwest corner of sec- tion 34 to the southwest corner of said section. No. 9 was laid by the commissioners of De Witt and Bingham, and commenced at the southwest corner of section 32, town 7, extending thence eastward to the east line of the town. The roads above mentioned were laid while town was attached to De Witt. The town was divided into road districts in 1842 as fol- lows : No. 1 to comprise sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12. No. 3 to contain the south halves of sections 7, 8, 9, the whole of sections 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, the west half and the northeast quarter of section 23, and the whole of 24. No. 2 had sections 4, 5, 6 and the north halves of 7, 8, 9. No. 4 had sections 20, 21, 28, 29 and the northeast quar- ter and east half of the northwest quarter of 32. No. 5 had sections 19, 30, 31, the .south and west halves of the northwest quarter of 32, and the southwe-st and the north- west quarters of 33. No. 6 had sections 25, 26, 27, the east lialf of section 33, the southeast quarter of section 23, and the whole of sections 34, 35, and 36. Appended is a list of the persons subject to work on the highways in 1842 : District No. 1. — Linus Gillet, Peter Ennest, William D. Davis, Hiram Burgess. No. 2. — J. W. Merrihew, Peter Merrihew, N. S. Merri- hew, E. S. Merrihew, James Ennest, I. L. Austin, G. A. Merrihew. 496 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. No. 3. — Ransom Reed, Orange Ferguson, Daniel Fer- guson, Jr., Daniel Ferguson, Sr., Richard Ferguson, Hor- ace S. Green. No. 4. — Peter Lutes, Henry Lutes, Hopkins Lutes, Sid- ney Lutes, Nathan Smith. No. 5. — Alexander Calder, Harvey Alexander, Nathaniel Moore, George Kinney, Richard Kinney, M. W. Pike. No. 6.— David G. Wilsey, F. R. Read. SCHOOLS. The first school taught in Olive was doubtless the one of which Harvey Alexander'.? daughter was the teacher. The sciiool-house was put up in the Merrihew settlement, about one mile west of John Merrihew's. Nathan Smith's daughter, Mary, taught in 18-10 a subscription-school, just north of the Ferguson settlement, in a log cabin built by Ransom Reed for a dwelling-house. Miss Smith's school lasted three months, and gave instruction to fifteen scholars. It is held by some that hers was the pioneer school. If not the first, it was surely the second. The township board of school inspectors organized May 15, 1841, by choosing Hiram Burgess chairman. Their first business was to organize with the inspectors of Bing- ham, Ossowa, and Ovid fractional district No. 2 of Ovid, which comprised sections 1, 2, and 12 in Olive and por- tions of the other towns named. At a meeting, October 12, 1841, district No. 2, in Olive, was formed, to include sections 3, 4, 5, and 6, the north halves of 7, 8, 9, and 10. On the same date the south halves of sections T, 8, 9, and 10, and the whole of sec- tions 19, 20, 21, IG, 17, and 18, were set apart as district No. 3. The annual report of the director of fractional dis- trict No. 1 of Ovid to the inspectors of Olive, rendered Oct. 15, 1842, set forth that in that fractional district Olive had four school children. The annual report of district No. 2, in Olive, for 1842, gave the number of children at twenty-four, the average attendance eighteen, and thirteen dollars as paid to teacher for five montiis' service. The town school records fail to note the appointment of any teachers prior to 1850. Subsequent to that date and to 1860 the appointments included the following : April 13, 1850. — Alice Marvin. June 14, 1851. — Seraphina Alexander. Dec. 3, 1851. — Emeline Moss. Dec. 20, 1851.— Mary A. Moore. Jan. 5, 1852.— Achsah Blood. May 1, 1852.— Minah Moore. May 8, 1852.— Sarah Ann Avery. May 22, 1852.— Miss Irish. Dec. 1, 1852.— N. M. Gunsaily. April 7, 1853. — Stella Ferguson. April 11, 1853. — Sarah Chapin. April 8, 1854.— Laura Bates, Sarah A. Mavssh. May 1, 1854. — Laura Stowell. June 2(), 1854. — Lovina Young. Dec. 30, 1854. — Samuel B. Owen, Emily Southworth. Nov. 7, 1857.— Harvey Bartram, Joseph Coryell. April 10, 1858. — Esther A. Lemm. May 5, 1858.— Maria Wood, Rachel Dunham. March 6, 1858.— Rebecca Buck. Nov. 5, 1858. — James Du Bois, Ira Wightman. March 12, 1859.— Martha Van Dyke. May 25, 1859.— Sarah Smith, Miss Delano. The annual report for 1879 touching the condition ot the public schools of Olive presents the following details : Number of districts (> " children of school age 400 Average attendance 353 Value of school property $2775 Teachers' wages S1003 The school directors for 1879 wore Andrew Scott, A. G. Foote, George Smith, William C. Lankton, A. T. Sturges, and Alonzo Hamilton. RELIGIOUS HISTORY. The pioneer preaching in Olive was heard in the year 1840 at Daniel Fergu.son's house, on which occasion ser- vices were conducted by a Methodist Episcopal missionary named Lapham, who organized at Ferguson's house in 1840 a Methodist Episcopal cla.ss, of which the constituent mem- bers were Daniel Ferguson, Orange Ferguson, and Horace S. Green, and their wives; Ephraim Merrihew's wife, Adam Merrihew and wife, and J. W. 31errihew and wife. After the organization preaching was held in the Fer- guson school-house once a month by Revs. Jackson, Mount, and others. Presently, as the class membership increased, services were held once each fortnight. From the first, services have been regularly held, although the place of worship has been changed more than once. To 1SG4 school-houses were used. In that year the Olive church was built, and since that time the organization has been known as the Olive Centre Class. The first board of church trustees was composed of Alonzo Wood, Charles Rockwell, John Le Baron, William Hickox, and J. W. Merriman. The present trustees are J. W. Merriman, Henry Mc- Wethey, Charles Rockwell, and J. M. Merrihew. Earlier the class was attached to the De Witt Circuit. Now it is on the Victor Circuit, in charge of Rev. Mr. Gray. Although having at one time as many as seventy members, the class has now but about twenty, Anson L. McWethey being the leader. He is also the superintendent of the Sunday- school, which has an average attendance of fifty scholars. The United Brethren Class, of which L. D. Chadwick is leader, has been having periodical worship at the Rheu- bottam school-house for the past ten or fifteen years, and now has public services once each fortnight. OLIVE GRANGE, No. 358, P. OF H. This grange was organized by Deputy Richard Moore, of St. Johns, Clinton Co., on the 27th of March, 1874. The meeting for the purpose of organization was held at the Muskrat school-house, near the bank of the Muskrat Lake, and notwithstanding the roads were very bad the attendance was good, and the efibrts of Mr. Moore resulted in the organization of Olive Grange, with a charter mem- bership of thirty-nine members, twenty-one of whom were males and eighteen females, and were ofiicered as follows : Master, Isaac Vought ; Overseer, Thomas W. Baldwin ; Secretary, William H. H. Knapp. Great credit is due I' c n f> o «:; Co c: Co S3 i^ r-> ,^ ^ 5: o o -J o o k O O Ul Q y> Ul RILEY TOWNSHIP. 497 Cornelius Walters for his labor and time spent in bringing about the organization, and also credit is due William A. Merchant, John Blass, and others for their liberality in opening their houses for meetings of the grange until a hall was built for their accommodation. In the year 1875 the members of the order succeeded in building a hall twenty-two by forty feet and two stories high, the upper room calculated for the grange meeting, the lower part for a dining-hall, sitting-room, and a small grocery, which has been in successful operation since that time up to the pres- ent, and is now carried on by Cornelius Walters. In the spring of 1878 an addition of twenty-two feet was built on the south end to accommodate the increase in numbers. The site was donated to the society by Charles Ferguson, being sufficient ground for the hall and sheds to accommo- date the teams of the patrons. The institution has been a success, and has exerted a lasting influence on the surround- ing country. Cases of dispute and misunderstandings have been adjusted satisfactorily by arbitration in the grange, which otherwise would have led to litigation and cost in the courts. The office of Master was held by Isaac Vought one year, George Smith one year, and three years by Thomas W. Baldwin, who is the present incumbent. The membership has reached the number of one hundred and twenty, and the present membership is one hundred and fourteen. The society has the confidence of its members and the respect of those outside, and can no doubt be counted on as a permanent institution of the township. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. AUGUSTUS GILLETT. Linus and Roxy (Cody) Gillett were natives of Con- necticut and New York respectively. Linus made his home with relatives in New York during his younger days, where he became acquainted with Miss Cody, whom he subsequently married. They removed to Upper Canada soon afterwards, and settled near Loudon, where Augustus, the subject of our sketch, and Plicbo Jane were born, Augustus in 1826. In 1829 the family removed to Ann Arbor, Mich., and in 1830 to Jackson County, where another daughter, Lucy Ann, wa.s born. Mrs. Gillett was the first white woman to reside where the city of Jackson now is. In 18-10 the family again changed their abiding-place, effecting a permanent settlement in Olive, where they now live. In 184G, Augustus married Miss Louisa Ann Arm- strong, and to them were born Francis M., Laura J., 11. K., Isadora, and Ezra A., all of whom are living with the exception of the last named, who died when about a year old. Mrs. Gillett died in August, 18C3, and in 18G4 Mr. Gillett was united in marriage with Loretta L. Foote, daughter of Zelona and Betsy Elizabeth Foote, residents of Be Witt. 63 Mr. Gillett began his career a poor man, and his life lias been an earnest effort for and crowned with success ; and in his advancing years he is enjoying the fruits of his labor. He has been officially identified with Olive town- ship in different capacities, is honored and respected by those who know him, and a worthy representative of the pioneers of Clinton County. JOHN W. OUTCALT. William Outcalt was a native of Portage Co., Ohio, where he was born April 10, 1815, and continued to re- side until Jan. 3, 1839, when he married Mary Ann Richards, of Stark County, same State, and immediately removed to La Grange Co., Ind., where they resided until 1854. Here John W., Melissa, and Nancy were born. Then Mrs. Outcalt returned to Stark County, where she died Nov. 25, 1851. In 1854, John W. and his father removed to Olive township. Here he remained until 1866, when he was united in marriage to Miss Betsey M. Gage, and removed to Shiawassee County, where they remained three years — then returned to their old home in Olive, where they still live, and where his father died May 18, 1869. Politically, Mr. Outcalt is a Republican, aiming to sus- tain with his ballot what he fought with his musket to preserve, having been a member of Company I, Twenty- seventh Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and wounded and disabled on Welden Road, near Petersburg, Va. He has occupied several official positions in his township, and is, though young in years, much respected and pos.sessed of a competency acquired by industry and economy. We present upon another page a view of his residence, together with portraits of himself and estimable wife. CHAPTER LXIIL RILEY TOWNSHIP.* Topography — Original Land-Kntrics— Settlement of the Township — The First Highways — Organization and Iii.st of OfBecrs — Religious History — Schools — I'ost-Ofliecs — Patrons of Husbandry— Statistics of Agriculture and Population. This township was set off from Watertown and organ- ized as Riley in March, 1841. It is not definitely known how the name originated. Its northeast corner is at the centre of Clinton County. It is designated on the govern- ment survey of the State sis township 6 north, of range 3 west. A survey of the township was made in 1826 by Lucius Lyon ; the subdivision lines were made by Ilervey Parke, and certified Feb. 12, 1827. It has the following surroundings: Bengal on the north, Olive on the east, Watertown on the south, and Westphalia on the west. The township contains within its limits twenty-two thousand eight hundred and cighty-seveu and eighty-one one hun- »By Charles A. Chnpin. 498 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. dredths acres of land. The soil of the entire township is remarkably fertile, being a rich clay loam intermixed with sand and sandy loam, and is well adapted for the successful cultivation of the cereals, corn, fruit, etc. Its water-courses are unimportant. Bad Creek, rising in section 34, runs west into 33, thence northeasterly into 34 again, and taking a northeasterly course it drains sections 34, 27, 22, 15, 14, and 11, and runs into 2, passing through 2 in a northerly and westerly direction, through the northeast corner of sec- tion 3 into Bengal, and thence into Stony Creek. A branch of Bad Creek rises in section 35, and flows into it on sec- tion 27. Muskrat Creek rises on the west line of section 19, runs northeasterly through 19 and 18 into 17, where it receives a branch, thence through sections 8 and 6 into Bengal, where it empties into Stony Creek. ORIGINAL LAND-ENTRIES. The following names will show who made entries for land in this township, with residence, date of entry, and descrip- tion. Very few were actual settlers; they were mostly non-residents and speculators. SECTION 1. Sherman Page, Feb. 19, 1S3«, north half of northeast quarter. James J. Godfrey, Monroe Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, south half of northeast quarter. Mortimer Buell, Ontario Co., N. Y., April 3, 1837, southwest quarter. SECTION 2. Allen A. Rahineau, Monroe Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1S36, south half. SECTION 3. James K. Guernsey, Monroe Co., N. Y., Dec. 10, 1836, north frac- tional llalf. Jeremiah Jacobs, Onondaga Co., N. Y., April 17, 1837, south half. SECTION 4. Robert Armitage, Wayne Co., Mich., Dec. 10, 1836, northwest frac- tional quarter. B. B. Kercheval, Detroit, Mich., Dec. 10, 1836, northeast fractional quarter. Seba Murphy, Monroe Co., Mich., Dec. 13, 1836, southwest qu.arter. SECTION 5. Thomas W. Merrill, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., Sept. 23, 1836, north half. Abby Mapcs, Livingston Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, south half. SECTION 6. Thomas Osborn, May 12, 1836, southwest quarter and west half of southeast quarter. Richard P. Hart, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., Sept. 23, 1836, north half and east half of southeast quarter. SECTION 7. Phebe Boughton, Wayne Co., Mich., Nov. 2, 1836, northeast quarter. Ira A. Reynolds, Ionia Co., Mieh., Nov. 3, 1S36, northwest fractional quarter. B. B. Kercheval, Detroit, Mich., Nov. 5, 1836, southeast quarter; Deo. 10, 1836, southwest fractional quarter. SECTION 8. Philip P. Peek,* Lenawee Co., Mich., Sept. 22, 1836, northwest quar- ter. B. B. Kercheval, Detroit, Mich., Dec. 10, 1836, southeast quarter. Seba Murjihy, Monroe Co., Mich., Dec. 13, 1836, cast half of northeast quarter. *" Actual settlers. William T. Gibson, Seneca Co., N. Y., Dec. 1.3, 1836, west half of northeast quarter. SECTION 9. Uzziel Kanouso, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, east half. SECTION 10. David G. Mouat, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, west half. SECTION 11. Franklin D. Markham, Wayne Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, southeast quarter. Richard Van Lew, Seneca Co., N. Y., Nov. 4, 1836, northeast quarter. John C. Blanchard, Ionia, Mich., July 1, 1837, northwest quarter of northwest quarter. SECTION 12. Franklin D. Markhiiin, Nov. 4, 1836, southwest quarter. Samuel B. Dewey, Monroe Co., N. Y., April 3, 1837, northwest quar- ter. SECTION 13. John Crysler, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Nov. 4, 1836, west half of north- west quarter. John Dennis, Seneca Co., N. Y., Nov. 4, 1836, southwest quarter and west half of southeast quarter. Peter Fralick, Plymouth, Mich., April 22, 1837, east half of northeast quarter. SECTION 14. John Crysler, Nov. 4, 1836, east half of northeast quarter. Phebe Rogers, Genesee Co., N. Y., Dec. 'J, 1836, east half of northwest quarter and west half of northeast quarter. Peter Fralick, April 22, 1837. SECTION 15. Warren Fay, Genesee Co., N. Y., Jan. 31, 1837', northeast quarter. School lauds. SECTION 16. SECTION 17. David S. Hodgman, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Sept. 27, 1836, east half of northeast quarter and northeast quarter of southeast quarter. Elisha Hodgman, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Sept. 27, 1836, west half of northeast quarter. James V. Ryan, Ionia Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, west half. SECTION 18. Peter Misner, Tompkins Co., N. Y., Nov. 4, 1836, northeast qu.arter. David Entrican, Oakland Co., Mich., April 2o, 1837, west half of southwest quarter. SECTION 19. William W. Arnold, M.ay 13, 1S51, east half of northeast quarter aud northwest quarter of northeast quarter. James Burns, Nov. 20, IS5I, east half of southeast quarter. SECTION 20. B. B. Kercheval, Detroit, Mich., Nov. 5, 1836, northeast quarter. William Thompson, Seneca Co., N, Y., Dec. 14, 1836, west half. SECTION 21. Alexander F. Bell, Ionia Co., Mieh., April 5, 1837, north half. Augustus L. Gould, Genesee Co., N. Y., June 28, 1838, cast half of southeast quarter. SECTION 22. Harry Boardman, Seneca Co., N. Y., Nov. 4, 1836, northeast quarter. Ralph C. Markham, Tompkins Co., N. Y., Nov. 4, 1836, southeast quarter. Joshua G. Knight, Genesee Co., N. Y., Nov. 7, 1836, west half. RILEY TOWNSHIP. 499 SECTION 23. John Paul, (ioneseo Co., N. Y., Nov. 7, 1S36, southwest quarter ami West half of southeast quarter, Luko Wood, Tecuuisch, Jlieh., Nov. 15, ISJl, northwest quarter. SECTION 24. Oliver Miller, Lenawee Co., IVIieh., Dec. 1.1, IS.Ifi, northwest quarter. Jeremiah Naft/.gar, AVayuo Co., Mich., Oct. 10, 18-18, south half of northeast quarter. SECTION 25. *Atwell Simmons, July 20, 1836, southeast quarter. Samuel D. McDowell, Washtenaw Co., Mich., west half of southwest quarter. SECTION 26. Philo Ilungerforil. July 19, 1836, southwest quarter. Herman V. Prentice, July 19, 1836, southeast quarter. SECTION 27. Samuel Ilungerford, July 19, 1836, southeast quarter. Luther Ingraham, .July 19, 1836, southwest quarter. Augustus L. Gould, Genesee Co., N. Y., June 28, 1838, west half of northwest quarter. *Jacob Miller, Jan. 16, 1854, southwest quarter of northeast quarter. Henry Jones, Oct. 19, 1854, southeast quarter of northwest quarter. SECTION 28. Luther Ingraham, -Tuly 19, 1836, east half of southeast quarter. Thomas R. Godley, July 19, 1836, west half of southeast quarter. Geo. W. Kn.aj)]), Oakland Co., Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, northeast quarter. SECTION 29. Seth M. Root, Lorain Co., Ohio, Oct. 7, 1851, west half of northwest quarter and west half of southwest quarter. William Drake, Rochester, N. Y., April 19, 1852, northeast quarter. SECTION 30. Edwin Lawrence, Ann Arbor, Mich., July 6, 1837, northeast quarter. SECTION 31. IJenoni Adams, Lorain Co., Ohio, Oct. 4, 1851, southwest quarter of southeast quarter. Amrod Moore, Brighton, Mich., June 27, 1853, cast half of north- east quarter. *Adam II. Kincaid, Oct. 31, 1854, northeast quarter of southeast quarter. SECTION 32. Soth M. Root, Pittsfield, Lorain Co., Ohio, Oct. 7, 1851, southwest quarter. William Deits, Deo. 12, 1853, southwest quarter of nortliwest quarter and southeast quarter of northwest quarter. *Adam il. Kincaid, Oct. 9, 1854, northwest fractional quarter of northwest fractional quarter. •John Shilling, Jr., Stark Co., Ohio, Oct. 21, 1854, east half of north- east quarter. SECTION 33. Theodorio T. Phillips, July 19, 1836, southeast quarter. *Thomas Ferris, Clinton County, Deo. 3, 1838, soutlieast quarter of northwest quarter. ♦Francis Cisco, Clinton County, Jan. 26, 1839, southeast quarter of southwest quarter. SECTION 34. «Charles M. Thornton, July 19, 1836, southeast quarter. Leiand Green, July 19, 1836, northwest quarter. William Taft, July 19, 1836, west half of southwest quarter. *Lyman Ilungerford, July 19, 1836, northeast quarter. Nathan Case, Oakland County, Sept. 23, 1836, east half of southwest quarter. * Actual settlers. SECTION 35. William P. Shaw, July 19, 1836, northwest quarter. Sarah Thornton, July 19, 1836, southwest quarter. James Parks, Lenawee County, Sept. 22, 1836, east half of .southeast quarter. SECTION 36. David Scott, Clinton County, Sept. 22, 1836, northwest quarter of southwest quarter. Stephen P. Morehouse, Tompkins Co., N. Y., Sept. 22, 1836, southeast quarter. John Gould, Ann Arbor, Mich., Nov. 4, 1836, west half of northwest quarter. Sylvester Scott, Clinton County, Nov. 4, 1836, southwest quarter of southwest quarter. SETTLEMENT OP THE TOWNSHIP. Atwell Simmons, a native of Ontario Co., N. Y., with liis wife emigrated to Salem, Washtenaw Co., in 1832. In 183G he sold his hind there and concluded to go farther into the wilderness. On July 7th of that year he was ex- ploring the country, and selected the land which he pur- chased, July 20th, at the Kalamazoo Land-Office. In No- vember, 183G, they started for their new home by wagon, drawn by oxen, and were six days making the journey ; the roads were iu a terrible condition and the oxen were often mired. They stopped with a family named Webb, living in De Witt township, until a log cabin could be built; this cabin was fourteen by sixteen feet, and stood in front of the present hou.se and near the maple-tree in the front yard. That winter he chopped and cleared about seven acres, and in the spring put in a crop of oats and rutabagas. ' In the fall of 1837 he sowed three and one-half acres with wheat, which was cut the next summer with a sickle and thrashed out with oxen ; the yield was thirty-six bushels per acre. The first orchard in the township was planted in 1842, with trees brought from Plymouth, Wayne Co., and included all kinds of fruit. About six years after the erection of the cabin a block-house of logs was built. The logs were hewed on both sides, and put up so as to make a two-story house; this hou.so stood just back of the present frame house. Mrs. Simmons spun and wove the first flax. Their children are pleasantly settled on adjoining farms, — George II., living just over the line in Olive, and Mrs. Ani- ariah B. Cook, living about a half-mile west of lu^r father's. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons are still living. Some time during the month of November, 1836, Morris Bouglilon, of Elinira, N. Y., accompanied by his brother- in-law, Benjamin Welch, came into Clinton County. Mr. Welch settled in Dallas and Mr. Boughton settled on the northeast (juarter of section 7, town 6 north, range 3 west, afterwards called by its present name, lliley. That winter was spent in chopping on his farm ; he boarded at Mr. Cortland Hill's, who had moved into Bengal only a few months before. After putting up a log cabin on his land he kept bachelor's hall, and his only cooking utensil was a kettle, which served for baking, boiling, and frying. A large clean chip took the place of a plate. Two years after settling in Riley his sister, Mrs. William Hayes, and her liusband moved in and occupied his house, thus relieving the lonely hours of his hermit life. His log cabin stood on the southeast corner of his farm ; but choosing a more de- sirable site he erected a second cabin, thus leaving the first 500 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. one to be occupied successively by tbe settlers moving into tbe town. He was frequently employed to look up and locate land for speculators. When not thus engaged he was at work clearing up and improving his farm ; as soon as a piece of land was cleared seed was sown, and the yield was abundant. More than once he drew his wheat to Detroit with an ox-team and sold it for fifty cents per bushel. The nearest grist-mill at first was at Ionia, twenty- two miles distant. Going to mill often took from three to six days. In chopping and clearing out the roads the early settlers expended a vast amount of labor. Mr. Boughton, having cleared the greater portion of his farm and erected comfortable buildings of all kiuds, set out for the State of New York, and on the 10th of December, 1843, was united in marriage with Miss Lucretia Culver. They immediately departed for their home in Michigan. During his long residence of nearly forty years in Riley he was closely identified with the history, development, and growth of this section of Clinton County. lie possessed the confidence of his fellow-townsmen, and repeatedly filled the highest offices of the town. He died Feb. 16, 187G, at the age of sixty-four years, leaving a wife and eight children to mourn his loss.* In May, 1841, Philip P. Peck, his wife, and throe chil- dren, with Mrs. Peck's father, John Gunn, moved from Tecumseh (where they had lived four years) to Riley. After a tedious journey over bad roads, they found the road ended at Gordon Treat's clearing. After that the path or trail was by marked trees to Morris Boughton's clearing. When they came out on the clearing near where the school- house stands, Mr. Boughton was at work logging. When he saw the emigrants his joy was great, and ho invited them to his house and set before them the best it afi'ordcd. Having an unoccupied cabin standing near Jlr. Peck's land, he said, " There's a house for you, and there's your land." For the first year Mr. Peck worked some of Sir. Bough- ton's land on shares, and thus got along finely until he could clear some of his own land. That summer he put up a log house, size sixteen by twenty feet, covered with a shake roof, the floor of split timber hewed smooth, fireplace with clay back and clay hearth, the chimney built of sticks plastered with clay. This small house afforded a home and shelter to many emigrant families until such time as they could provide a cabin for themselves. The Indians shared their hospitality and became firm friends. This house stood a few feet west of their present residence. In the winter of 1844, Mr. Peck made ready to build a frame barn by drawing his lumber on sleighs from a saw-mill located at Muskrat Lake. The path was marked by blazed trees. A man named Chubb, from Lyons, was the master carpenter who framed and superintended it ; his pay was twelve pounds of maple-sugar for each day's work. In April all was ready for the raising. Assistance to raise the barn came from ten miles around. Everything was in good order, help was plenty, and the frame went up with- out any delay. Some seventy people, men and women, partook of the banquet which was served up after the raising ; all enjoyed the occasion and had a good time. This * Contributed by his son, Georgo E. Boughton. barn is still standing. The front part of their present resi- dence was built in February, 1800, the back part since that time. Of the three children who came with their father and mother, two are living. William lives on a farm about half a mile east ; Emma J. (Mrs. Henry Jones) died in 1861 ; Amanda (Mrs. David P. BlLss) lives with her hus- band on the homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Peck are yet living, and have reached a ripe old age. Elkanah Peck, a brother of Philip P., with his family, moved from Tecumseh in October, 1841. They occupied the Boughton cabin until the next summer, wheri he built a log cabin on his land, which adjoined his brother on the east. Mr. Peck died in 1874, and his family moved to Kan.saa. Charles M. Thornton, wife, and family arrived in this town from Novi, Oakland Co., in 1838, and settled on sec- tion 34. His first house was a log cabin, but he proceeded to erect a frame house, which was the first in the town. After living here a few years he traded farms with his brotlrcr, then living in Novi, and removed there. Ezra Thornton moved in with his family about the year 1844, stayed here a few years, and moved back to Oakland County. In 1839, Gordon Treat came to Riley and chopped five acres of land for Charles M. Thornton, and in the following year, in December, with his family, he moved in and took up their permanent residence on the farm — on section 28 — now owned by Mrs. Josiah E. Smith. Their first cabin was of logs ; the roof of logs hollowed out ; the roof was tight enough to keep out a wildcat, but admitted plenty of air, and was not snow-proof. This cabin stood near where the barn now stands. Its size was sixteen by eighteen feet. They lived in it six years, and then built a log house, size eighteen by twenty-four feet. It stood back of their present residence, which was built in 1863. Mr. Treat died in 1859, leaving a wife and three children. Mrs. Owen, a daughter, died in 1877; L. H. Treat, now living in Gratiot County, was in the Twenty-third Regiment during the war ; Lucy 0. (Mrs. Gage) is living on the homestead with her mother, Mrs. Smith. Gabriel Cronkhite and wife, from Oakland County, settled on section 34 previous to 1841. Their sons, Watson, Jackson J., and Wa.shington, with their families, moved about the same time. Their married daughters, Mrs. C. M. Thornton, Mrs. Nathan Reed, and Mrs. Edwin Butt, lived near by. None of these families are in the township. Francis Franci.sco moved in from De Witt about 1841, and settled on section 34 ; afterwards moved to Olive, and died there. Robert McFall was here about 1841, stayed two or three years, and moved away. Elisou Campbell and family settled on section 35 about 1841 ; afterwards moved to Eagle in 1843. One son is living in Wacousta, and one in Eagle. Lloyd Worth, with his wife and four children, moved from Commerce, Oakland Co., about 1841, and bought land on sections 27 and 28. After staying six or seven years, moved back to their old home. Other settlers about the years 1840-41 were Charles Kellogg and family, from Ypsilanti, who settled on section 14. Mr. Kellogg having to go back to Ypsilanti, left his family alone. The Indians became so lawless and trouble- RILEY TOWNSHIP. 501 some that Mrs. Kellogg took her children and went to the nearest neighbor for protection and safety. After living here a few years they moved to Berry County and settled on the Thornapple River. Parley and Robert B. Gardner became settlers on section 3 about 1841. They stayed a short time, and moved away. John Reed and his sou Nathan (now in Lansing) were among the early settlers on section 30. John Reed built the first frame barn in the township. Nathan Case was a pioneer on section 34, and is still living, though very old and infirm. Benjamin F. Nichols, with his wife and child, from Farmington, Oakland Co., moved in and settled on section 6 about 1843. He bought one hundred and twenty acres, stayed a short time, and moved back to Oakland County. Constant Shaw and wife moved from Novi, Oakland Co., in 1843. He settled on the northwest quarter of section 35. His first work was to chop and clear about ten acres of his land. He erected a log house which stood till 1879, when it was taken down to make room for the main part of a new frame dwelling. Mr. Shaw died in 1855, Mrs. Shaw in 1879. The homestead is now occupied by their daughter, Mrs. Jerome Cardinal. The following names show who were resident tax-payers in 1841, giving the sections iu their order and the number of acres owned by each person : Acres. P.arley Gardner, section 3 80 Robert U. Ganliier, section 3 40 Morris Houghton, section 7 160 Cliurles Kelioj^g, section 14 IGO Alwel! Simmons, sections 25-30 140 Henry Williiuns, section 27 100 I-loyd Worth, sections 27, 28 240 Gordon Trent, section 28 80 Francis Francisco, sections 33, 34 60 Gabriel Cronkhite, section 34 40 .1. J. Cronkhite, section 34 40 Nathan Case, section 34 60 S. W. Cronkhite, section 34 80 Charles M. Thornton, sections 34, 35 240 Itobcrt McFall, section 35 70 Elison CampbcM, section 35 10 Nathan lleeJ, section 30 160 The assessment-roll for 1844 will show the changes in the township in three years : Acres. William Davis, section 3 80 Benjamin F. Nichols, section 6 120 Archibald Uiley, section 6 80 Morris Bou;;hton, section 7 160 I'hilif. P. I'eck, section S 120 Flkanah Peck, Jr., section 8 80 Elkanah Peck, section 8 40 James II. Chant, section 14 80 Joseph Cook, section 25 80 George Cook, section 25 , 50 Atwell Simmons, sections 25, 30 178 Thomas Ferris, section 27 80 James J. Foreiiian, section 27 80 Daniel C. Smith, sections 27, 28 240 Gordon Treat, section 28 80 Kphraiin II. Phillips, section 33 8il Francis Francisco, sections 33, 34 60 Nathan H. Case, section 34 60 Nathan E. Jones, section 34 160 Ezra Thornton, sections 34, 35 190 William Burrett. sections 34, 35 280 Lyraan Ilungcrford, section 34 160 Elison Campbell, section 35 10 CoDstiint Shaw, section 35 IfiO John Reed, section 36 160 John M. Apthoq) 80 Charles Reed — \y Joseph Cook, born in Vermont in 1790, emigrated to /nAvoii Springs, N. Y., and from that place to Riley in the fall of 1842, accompanied by his wife and seven children ; one son, George H., was married. They all settled on sec- tion 25, on one hundred and thirty acres. Mr. Cook was on land now owned by P. R. Freeman ; George H., on land now owned by his brother, A. B. Cook. George H. moved back to the State of New York after living here three or four years. Mr. Cook and his son George were the first shoemakers in the town. Joseph W., a son, died unmar- ried ; he held the office of justice for several years. Char- lotte (Mrs. Newman) is not living. Abigail (Mrs. P. R. Freeman) is living on a part of the homestead. Amariah B. married Amina Simmons. Sally died young. William H. H. was in Third Michigan Cavalry, and died at New Madrid, Mo. A. B. Cook's children are Eraeline S. (Mrs. Dills), living at home ; Viola (Mrs. Pike), living on section 30 ; Ida 0., living at home. Lyman Hungerford,a native of Oneida Co., N. Y., with his wife and daughter emigrated to Riley in September, 1843, and settled on section 34, having bought the north- east quarter in July, 1836. He built a log house in the usual backwoods style. Mrs. Huiigerford died in 1863. Of three children one is living, a son, William W. ; lives on section 27, acro.ss the road from the old homestead (now owned by Augustus Robinson). He married Miss Ann Tracy, and they have two sons and one daughter. Mr. Lyman Hungerford has been honored by his fellow-towns- men by having been elected supervisor thirteen times, and has also held other offices in the town. Nathan E. Jones and family, from Novi, Oakland Co., arrived at the site of their future home, on section 34, in the year 1843. He bought his land of Leland Green, who took it from government in July, 1836. The children who came in with their parents are Henry J., living at Dimon- dale, Eaton Co. ; Nathan E., Jr., lives on a portion of the homestead ; Nancy (Mrs. Peck), lives near Boughton school-house; Andrew J., lives in Watertown; AVilliam J., lives in Watertown ; Albert, lives in the centre of this town ; Frank, lives in Watertown. Henry Jones and wife moved from Novi to Danby, Ionia Co., where they lived nearly three years, and then moved to Riley in .January, 1848, having bought land of Daniel C. Smith, who had made a small clearing and erected a log house ; they lived in this till he built the present frame resi- dence in 1862. The children are Adojphus, married and lives on the homestead, and is the present postmaster of South Riley; Ella (Mrs. William Burritt), lives about a mile southwest ; Catharine M. (Mrs. Fields), died in 1874. Ephraim H. I'liiliips was an early settler on section 33. He came from Plymouth, Wayne Co., a single man, cleared some of his land, built a log house, and went back and married. He died on his place. His widow married Wil- liam Burritt. A son, Alonzo Burritt, lives on the farm. William Burritt was an early settler on sections 34 and 35, owning two hundred and eighty acres. Among the later settlers were Jacob Miller, wife, and family, from Wayne Co., Ohio, iu 1852. He bought his land of Jacob Carli.sle and Samuel Hungerford, paying for the southeast (juarter of section 27, bought of Hungerford, six hundred dollars. The log house was built by Carlisle, 502 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. who was the first carpenter to locate in the town. In 1862, Mr. Miller erected his present substantial dwelling. Ben- jamin P., a son, lives on the rise of ground just east of his father, in a neat and tasty farm-house. William, another son, lives in Watertown ; Septimus M. lives on a farm ad- joining on the north ; James lives in Matherton, Ionia Co. ; Luciuda (Mrs. Cardinal) lives about half a mile north. David P. Wilcox came to Michigan from Haddam, Mid- dlesex Co., Conn., and located a farm in Homer, Calhoun Co. ; then went back for his family and brought them out to reside in their new home. Here they lived till March, 1854, when poor health obliged him to sell his farm and seek another location. Thinking that the climate of Kan- sas might benefit him, he went there. It did not suit ; then Iowa was tried. While there he purchased five hundred acres of land. Becoming convinced that there is no better State than Michigan, he came back with the intention of locating in the Grand River country. In June, 1854, he was exploring the lands in Riley, and finding the school sec- tion to his mind, purchased one hundred and sixty acres, for which he paid four dollars per acre. In July he moved in with his fiuuily, and had to chop out and underbrush the road from the corner near the cheese-factory south to the place where he built his log house, which stood on the farm where his daughter Aurelia (Mrs. Chapman) lives. Another daughter (Mrs. Robinson) lives on section 34, on a farm bought of L. Hungerford, on which is built the first and only brick dwelling-house in the town.ship. In 18G4, Mr. Wilcox removed to St. Johns and engaged in the hardware business. Afler remaining there eight years he went back to form-life, having built a handsome resi- dence on section 17. He built this spring (1880) one of the finest barns in the town. He has been engaged about twenty years in raising the sliort-horn breed of cattle, and has one of the best herds in the county. The question of whose was the first marriage in the town- ship being difierontly answered by many of the old pioneers now residing in the township, it was referred to Mrs. Jo- siuh E. Smith, who gave the following reply : " My first recollection of a wedding in Riley township is that of Char- lotte Cook and Moses Newman, also of Nancy Reed and Willard Brooks, and the ceremony was performed by my first husband, Gordon Treat, then a justice of the peace." The first birth in the township was that of Stephen Thornton, son of Charles M. and Harriet Thornton. The first death was that of a child of Lloyd Worth. The first burial-ground in South Riley was that on section 35, on land given by William Yerkes and deeded to four trustees about 1845. The first burial was that of a man named Ingalls. The North Riley cemetery was taken in hand by an as- sociation organized Feb. 28, 18G7, and reorganized April 2, 1879, with the following ofiicers: President, Cortland Hill ; Clerk, S. N. Hildreth ; Treasurer, C. N. Plowman ; Sexton, F. W. Benjamin. The first person buried in this cemetery was Mrs. Han- nah Peck, whose remains were brought here in 1847. They were first buried in a farm-lot. Riley was originally covered with a dense forest, consist- ing mainly of ash, ba.sswood, beech, elm, cherry, oak, maple, and walnut. The woods are leveled now, and thin screens of trees but veil the fields beyond. To-day, aside from speedy transit and neighbors near, the work of chop- ping and clearing is continued, and the northern portion of this State has territory in its natural condition. The work of clearing lands was plain, hard work. The choicest oak, walnut, and cherry were cut in logging lengths and burned on the ground. Ox-teams were everywhere used. It was common for a farmer who had no yoke of cattle of his own to go and help his neighbors get the log-heaps in place for burning, and when ready, they would come and give him a log-rolling. Often the settler, having spent the day at a logging-bee, has passed the night in kindling up and keep- ing his log-heaps burning. In those spring days the woods were often dark with smoke, and lurid fires by night gave to the scene a weird aspect. If the season, far advanced, did not admit full clearing, the various crops of corn, pumpkins, turnips, and potatoes were planted irregularly amidst the blackened logs. There was no hoeing needed, but it was necessary to go through and pull up or cut down the fire-weed, which sprang up. numerous and rank on newly-cleared ground. It was soon exterminated with a few successive crops. By some, wheat and rye were sown after corn, but generally a special piece was cleared, sowed, and harrowed in. Farming was in a crude state, and hoes and drags were the ircplemcnts for putting in the crop. The drag was made by the settler himself The first consideration of the pioneer was a shelter for himself and family. The house was built somewhat in this wise. Its walls were of logs notched together at the corners, and the openings between chinked and plastered with clay or mud ; its floors of puncheons or split logs, with the flat side up ; roof made of bark, hollow logs, or shakes ; the partitions were formed by blankets hung up ; the door was hung on wooden hinges, and fastened with a wooden latch opened from the outside with a cord or string, and the " latch-string was always out ;" its windows were often of white paper to let in light, and well greased to shod the rain and make it nearer transparent. The fireplace reached nearly across one end ; its back, sides, and hearth were, in the absence of stones, made of clay or mud plastered about one foot thick, and baked hard by the fire ; two sticks of the proper crook rested one on either end of the wall and against a beam overhead, forming the jambs, and upon these rested the chimney, made of sticks and clay mortar, very wide at the bottom and tapering to the top, serving the purpose of both chimney and smoke house. When a fire was to be built in winter a log six or eight feet long and two or three feet in diameter was brought in and rolled on the fireplace, this was called the back-log ; next came a smaller log, which was placed on the top and called the back- stick ; then came two round sticks six or eight inches in diameter and three feet long, the greenest that could be found ; these were placed endwise against the back-log, and served for andirons ; upou them was placed the fore- stick, and between this and the back-log were piled dry limbs and wood, and the fire applied. The fire thus built would last, with a little attention, a whole day. In the KILEY TOWNSHIP. 503 fireplace were hooks and trammel, the bakc-pan and the kettle ; at the side of the room and about it stood a plain walnut or cherry table and splint-bottom chairs, and tiie easy high-backed rocker ; upon the shelf were spoons of pewter, blue-edged plates, cups and saucers, and the earthen tea-pot. In one corner stood the old-fashioned high-post, corded bedstead, covered with quilts, a curiosity of patch- work and laborious sewing each one, the ever-present spinning-wheel, and not unfrequently a loom. In the ex- pressive language of another it can truly be said, " When it is seen what difficulties the pioneers had to encounter, — at the dense forest tliat covered the soil, — at the cost of marketing their products, — we can only marvel at the im- provements that have been made. Year by year, under the sturdy blows of the axe, the forests have receded and the fruitful fields taken the place of the mighty wilderness. Hard work was their lot, — their only guarantee of success." From a pioneer address we quote : " Brave, strong, earn- est, honest men were these pioneers. Those named do not deserve mention more than many others, only they hap- pened to be among the first. As fathers of the township they merit the warmest words of commendation, — grateful remembrances. They laid, broad and firm, the foundations of present prosperity, which is rich with the promise of future progress. Their monuments are in the fields made fertile by their labor, in the golden harvests and the waving corn, and in the orchards that they planted." THE FIRST HIGHWAYS. The Dexter trail (so called) was cut through in May, 1833. Mr. B. 0. Williams, in a paper read before the State Pioneer Society, Feb. 6, 1878, says: "In the early part of May, Judge Dexter, with a colony of eight or ten families, arrived in wagons with horses, oxen, and cows at the Kech- e-won-dau-gon-ing reservation, en route for the present site of Ionia, on the Grand River. Having tried in vain to get a guide, Mr. Dexter and others came to us for help. I left our planting, taking my blankets and small tent, and in six days landed them at Ionia, looking out the route and directing where the road was to be. This was the first real colonizing party we had ever seen, myself having never been farther than De Witt (the Indian village). I then procured Mack-e-ta-pe-na-ee (Blackbird) to pilot me past Muskrat Lake and Creek, and from there proceeded with the party." This trail entered the town of Riley at the southeast corner of section 35, and went in a northwesterly direction through 35 and 26 to its northwest corner ; thence diago- nally through sections 22 and 16 into section 8 at its south- east corner ; thence through section 8 into the southwest corner of section 5, and into and throiigh the northeast corner of section 6, wlicre it joins the State road that now runs through section 31 in Bengal. As the country be- came settled and fenced this trail was discontinued, and the State road, which ran in nearly the same direction, was worked and became the highway. This road after leaving the section-line road began on section 28 ; running north forty rods, it bore off in a northwesterly course through sec- tion 28 across the northeast corner of section 21) ; thence across section 20 and across the northeast corner of section 19 into section 18 to the half section-line; thence on that line about forty rods ; thence in a northeasterly direction about forty rods it enters the present (juartcr section-line road; thence north on that road till it enters the town of Bengal. This road, where it ran in a northwesterly course through sections 28, 29, 20, 19, and 18, was taken up about ten years since. ORGANIZATION AND LIST OF OFFICERS. The act organizing the township of Riley was approved March 15, 1841. It provides that " All that part of the county of Clinton designated in the United States survey as township No. (5 north, of range 3 west, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Riley, and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the house of Charles M. Thornton, in said township." In conformity with this act, the first township- meeting was held at the house of Charles M. Thornton, in April, 1841, and the township ofiicers were elected. The records of that first election having been destroyed by fire,* it is impossible to give the names of the ofiicers then elected. The second township-meeting was held at the house of Charles M. Thornton, April 7, 1842. The whole number of votes cast was twenty-four. The following persons were elected to fill the various ofiices of the town : Supervisor, Atwell Simmons ; Town Clerk, Nathan Case ; Treasurer, Charles M. Thornton ; School Inspectors, Morris Boughton, Atwell Simmons, Daniel C. Smith ; Commissioners of Highways, Morris Boughton, Nathan Reed, Samuel W. Cronkhite ; Directors of the Poor, Atwell Simmons, Charles M. Thornton ; Justices of the Peace, Morris Boughton, J. J. Cronkhite (vacancy) ; Constables, Philip P. Peck, Nathan Reed. The township officers of Riley elected annually from 1843 to 1880, inclusive, have been the following-named, viz. : 1843. — Supervisor, Morris Boughton ; Clerk, Ephraim H. Phillips ; Treasurer, Daniel C. Smith ; School Inspectors, Joseph W. Cook, Atwell Simmons ; Justices, Joseph Cook, Gordon Treat, P. P. Peck. 1844. — Supervisor, Morris Boughton ; Clerk, Ephraim H. I'hillips; Treasurer, Daniel C. Smith; School Inspector, Lyman Ilungcrford ; Justice, Lyman Ilungerford. 1845. — Supervisor, Lyman Ilungerford ; Clerk, William B. Burritt ; Treasurer, Constant Shaw ; School Inspector, Richard I. Burt; Justice, Constant Shaw. 1846. — Supervisor, Lyman Ilungerford ; Clerk, Joseph W. Cook ; Treasurer, Constant Shaw ; School In- spectors, L. Ilungerford, M. Boughton; Justice, Philip P. Peck. 1847. — Supervisor, Philip Burritt; Clerk, Jacob Carlisle; Treasurer, Constant Shaw ; School Inspector, Philip Burritt ; Justice, Joseph W. Cook. 1848. — Supervisor, Lyman Ilungerford; Clerk, Henry Jones; Treasurer, Constant Shaw; School In- * The township records wcro kept at the house of J. J. Cronkhite, deputy clerk, nud were burned with the house, July I, 1S41. 504 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. spector, Benjamin F. Nichols ; Justice, P. Bur- ritt. 1849. — Supervisor, L. Hungerford ; Clerk, Henry Jones; Treasurer, P. Eurritt ; School Inspector, P. Burritt ; Justices, Philip P. Peck, Henry Jones. 1850. — Supervisor, L. Hungerford ; Clerk, Henry Jones ; Treasurer, Henry F. Jones ; School Inspector, L. Hungerford ; Justice, Philip Burritt. 1851. — Supervisor, L. Hungerford; Clerk, Henry Jones ; Treasurer, Morris Boughton ; School Inspector, P. Burritt; Justices, Joseph Cook, William Hildreth. 1 852. — Supervisor, L. Hungerford ; Clerk, Henry Jones ; Treasurer, Henry F. Jones ; School Inspector, L. Hungerford ; Justice, William B. Hildreth. 1853.— Supervisor, Philip Burritt ; Clerk, Philip P. Peck ; Treasurer, Constant Shaw ; School Inspector, Philip Burritt ; Justice, Henry Jones. 1854. — Supervisor, P. Burritt; Clerk, P. P. Peck; Treas- urer, Henry Jones ; School Inspector, Constant Shaw ; Justices, Ansel Chapman, Ray G. An- drews. 1855. — Supervisor, Henry Jones; Clerk, P. P. Peck; Treasurer, Henry F. Jones ; School Inspector, Philip Burritt ; Justices, P. P. Peck, Atwell Simmons. 1856. — Supervisor, Henry Jones; Clerk, P. P. Peck; Treasurer, Henry F. Jones; School Inspectors, Edwin H. Pratt ; Shubael Vincent. 1857. — Supervisor, David P. Wilcox ; Clerk, Henry Jones ; Treasurer, Henry F. Jones ; School Inspectors, An::el Chapman, Harvey Nutting ; Justice, Henry Jones. 1858. — Supervisor, Henry Jones; Clerk, P. P. Peck; Treasurer, Henry F. Jones ; School Inspector, L. Hungerford ; Justice, Homer Chase. 1859. — Supervisor, L. Hungerford; Clerk, P. Burritt; Treasurer, Morris Boughton ; School Inspectors, William B. Owen, Ezra L. Tracy ; Justices, Cyrus B. Pratt, John S. Hildreth. 18G0. — Supervisor, Homer Chase; Clerk, P. Burritt; Treasurer, Morris Boughton ; School Inspector, Smith N. Hildreth ; Justices, Joseph Cook, Homer Chase. 18G1. — Supervisor, L. Hungerford; Clerk, Ransom M. Brooks; Treasurer, M. Boughton; School In- spector, Harvey C. Nutting ; Justice, H. C. Nutting. 1862. — Supervisor, Lyman Hungerford; Clerk, P. Bur- ritt ; Treasurer, M. Boughton ; School Inspec- tor, L. Hungerford ; Justice, Ansel Chapman. 1863.— Supervisor, L. Hungerford; Clerk, P. Burrritt; Treasurer, M. Boughton ; School Inspector, Smith N. Hildreth ; Justices, Cyrus B. Pratt, Isaac M. Molineaux, Phineas II. Freeman. 1864. — Supervisor, Morris Boughton ; Clerk, William B. Owen ; Treasurer, James Hodges ; School In- spector, Horace Wixon ; Justice, Phineas R. Freeman. 1865. — Supervisor, Horace Wixon ; Clerk, Amuii R. 1866.—; 1867.- 1868.- 1869.—; 1870.— I 1871. 1872.— I 1873.- 1874.- 1 1875.—; 1876.- 1 1877.—; 1878.- 1879.- Boss ; Treasurer, Henry F Jones ; School In- spector, S. N. Hildreth ; Justices, P. 11. Free- man, Rufus B. Pratt. Supervisor, M. Boughton ; Clerk, William H. Chaddock ; Treasurer, C. B. Pratt ; School In- .spector, P. Burritt ; Justices, Horace Wixon, James Hodges, Matthew Williams. Supervisor, Henry Jones ; Clerk, William H. Chaddock; Treasurer, C. B. Pratt; School Inspector, Charles W. Hildreth ; Justices, R. M. Brooks, Josiah D. Wickham, William L. Davis. Supervisor, Henry Jones; Clerk, A. R. Boss; Treasurer, H. F. Jones ; School Inspector, P. P. Peck ; Justices, P. P. Peck, Ephraim Case. Supervisor, M. Boughton ; Clerk, Calvin Ingram ; Treasurer, S. N. Hildreth ; School Inspector, Stephen S. Gage ; Justices, James Hodges, An- drew J. Halsted. Supervisor, L. Hungerford ; Clerk, Calvin Ingram ; Treasurer, Byron S. Pratt ; School Inspector, A. C. Robinson ; Justices, A. Halsted, Adam Kin- caid. Supervisor, Henry Jones ; Clerk, A. R. Boss ; Treasurer, Amariah B. Cook ; School Inspector, John R. Kimball ; Justices, Holland Sias, C. W. Hildreth, William Frost. Supervisor, A. R. Boss; Clerk, Lafayette Fenton ; Treasurer, Amariah B. Cook ; Justices, John P. Bladden, P. P. Peck, John Q. Benedict. Supervisor, L. Hungerford ; Clerk, L. Fenton ; Treasurer, Charles N. Plowman ; School In- spector, Charles W. Hildreth ; Justice, Elam Cutter. Supervisor, William H. H. Knapp ; Clerk, L. Fenton ; Treasurer, Amariah B. Cook ; School Inspector, J. B. Knapp ; Justice, Richard Baylis. Supervisor, William H. H. Knapp ; Clerk, L. Fenton ; Treasurer, A. B. Cook ; School Inspec- tor, M. Boughton ; Superintendent of Schools, George E. Boughton ; Justice, Jacob Miller. Supervisor, William H. H. Knapp ; Clerk, Thomas H. Jones ; Treasurer, A. B. Cook ; School In- spector, John Pingel ; School Superintendent, A. R. Boss ; Justice, John P. Madden. Supervisor, William H. H. Knapp ; Clerk, T. H. Jones ; Treasurer, A. B. Cook ; School Inspec- tor, John Pingel ; School Superintendent, George E. Boughton. Supervisor, W^illiam H. H. Knapp; Clerk, L. Fenton ; Treasurer, Charles N. Plowman ; School Inspector, John II. Boss ; School Superintend- ent, John W. Keeny ; Justices, Roderick I. Foot, John Wandel. Supervisor, William H. H. Knapp ; Clerk, Robert B. Peabody; Treasurer, Charles N. Plowman; School Inspector, H. L. Pratt ; School Superin- tendent, John W. Keeny ; Justices, Walter M. Cronkhite, S. N. Hildreth, John H. Boss. RILEY TOWNSHIP. 505 1880.— Supervisor, William H. H. Knapp; Clerk, Charles Dane; Treasurer, Henry W. Bliss; School In- spector, Albert Whitaker ; School Superintend- ent, George E. Burnes ; Justices, Henry Jones, John Wandel, Albert Whitaker. RELIGIOUS HISTORY. Wherever the smoke of the settler's cabin rose, there soon came the circuit preacher bound on his mission of good. Traversing trail and forest-path, he found cordial wel- come everywhere. The first of these pioneer preachers was a man named Jackson, and his first meeting in the township was at the house of Charles M. Thornton. The North Riley class, Methodist Episcopal Church, was organized about 1842, at the house of Philip P. Peck, by a preacher from Lyons. The members were very few. The class was reorganized in 1863-64, by Revs. L. M. Garlick and C. Chick. The members were P. P. Peck and wife, M. Boughton and wife, J. H. Patterson and wife, John Jay and wife, William Owen and wife, S. N. Hildreth and wife, Lydia Hildreth, John Hildreth, Elizabeth Ben- jamin, and Mrs. Temple; their meetings were held in the Boughton school-house. That winter. 1863-64, there was a revival, which added some forty to the class. The fol- lowing fulfilled their mi.ssion here from 1864 to the present time, 1880 ; William Jenkins, James Roberts, Joseph Wil- kinson, F. I. Bell, William McKnight, J. S. Harder, H. B. Nichols, S. Snyder, and the present pastor, Rev. L. M. Garlick. The present membership is twenty-one. The Baptist Church of Riley and Bengal was formed June 8, 1878, by Loren Benton, Alvin Winogar, John S. Sturgis, Charles W. Benton, and Jonathan Walker. They met at the school-house in Bengal (fractional No. 1), and chose E. M. Ney chairman, Loren Benton secretary, and James M. Chapman, L. Benton, and A. Winegar trustees. SCHOOLS. The first school in the township was taught by Mary Smith in a log house which had been occupied by Wash- ington Cronkhite. The second school was taught by Mary Ann Shears in the log dwelling which J. J. Cronkhite erected after his first house was burned, July 1, 1841. There was a school just over the line in Watertown, taught by Mrs. Bet.sey Maconiber, in 1842; it was located in the Thornton and Ferris neighborhood. There have been so many changes in districts that it is difiicult to fol- low or designate their boundaries with any certainty. District No. 1 (Boughton school) has a frame school- house situated on the noitheast quarter of section 7. The report for 1878-79 gives 41 children of school age, 34 in attendance ; frame school-house, value §400, will seat 50 pupils ; 1 male teacher (winter term), pay §112 ; 1 female teacher (for summer term), pay $64 ; resources for year, «:512.4G. District No. 2 (Jason school) has quite a handsome frame school-house, built in 1872 (finished with a bell, cupola, and blinds to the windows), situated on the .south- east quarter of section 10. The report for 1878-79 is as follows: 45 children, 38 attending school ; frame school- 64 house, seating 60 pupils, value $1300 ; 1 male teacher (winter term), pay $120; female teacher (summer term), pay $36 ; resources, $267.79. District No. 4 (Jones school) has the only brick school- house in the town. It was built in 1878, and is valued at $1000 ; seating capacity, 60 .scholars ; children in dis- drict, 57 ; attending school, 35 ; pay of male teacher for winter term, $100 ; female teacher, summer term, received $44 ; resources for the year 1878-79, $492.61 ; school- hou.se situated on section 34. District No. 5 (Kincaid school) has a small frame house situated on the northeast corner of section 32 ; seating ca- pacity, 40 pupils ; in attendance, 50 ; value of school-house, $500; 1 male teacher employed; pay, $213; resources for 1878-79, $376.15. District No. 6 (Wilcox school) has a handsome frame school-house (similar in finish and appearance to the Jason school), erected in 1878 and situated on section 17. The report for 1878-79 gives the following: children, 78 ; at- tending school, 65 ; 1 frame school-house ; value, $1000 ; will seat 60 scholars ; 1 female teacher employed ; pay, $136 ; resources, $546.31. Fractional district No. 1 (Riley and Olive) has a small old frame school-house situated a short distance west of Atwell Simmons' residence. The report for 1878-79 gives 69 children ; 30 attending school ; value of house, $100 ; seats 50; 1 male teacher; pay, $140 ; 1 female teacher; pay, $64 ; resources, $254.50. District (fractional) No. 2 (Riley and Olive) has a neat frame school-house situated on the southeast corner of sec- tion 13. School report for 1878-79 shows 52 children; 46 attending school ; frame school-house, value, $600 ; seats 60 ; 1 male teacher ; pay, $84 ; 1 female teacher ; pay, $42 ; resources, $266.27. The following names appear on the records as teachers in this township to 1860 : Martha Lowell, Hannah J. Young, Dorr K. Stowell, Addis E. Lloyd, Indiana Walton, Mary Ann Shear, Betsey Macomber, Charlotte Ferguson, Miss T. Alexander, Eleanor S. Macomber, Ann Cain, Mr. Mon- tague, Mary Daniels, Frances E. Lloyd, Cyrus Pratt, Cor- nelia N. Daniels, Elizabeth Tucker, Joseph Berry, Smith Hildreth, Mary J. Partridge, Rebecca Burk, Mary Moore, Mary Weber, William E. Barber, William H. H. Knapp, Harvey C. Nutting, Helen Humphrey, Lucy M. Whitaker, Jjmma D. Badger, Mary Austin, Emeline Heacox, Miss Kincaid, Arminda Bartow, Mary Ann Hayes, Catharine H. Stevens, Martha Howard, Rhoda B. Wilber, Byron H. Pratt, Augusta Fink, Leonard Travis, Clinton J. Hill, Mary Reynolds, Martha Cokeland, Angeline Reynolds. POST-OFFICES. The Riley post-office was established about 1855. Jon- athan Owen was the first postmaster. His successors have been Philip P. Peck, John N. Hildreth, and the present incumbent, S. N. Hildreth. The South lliley po.st-office was established about 1857, with Nathan E. Jones, Sr., postmaster, succeeded by Au- gustus Robin.son, Nathan E. Jones, Jr., and the present postmaster, Adolphus E. Jones. 506 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SAW-MILL. The first stationary saw-mill in lliley was built on section 25 about 1875 by Henry Harlow & Co. The partner was killed by being accidentally thrown upon the saw. The machinery was removed to Woodhull, Shiawassee Co., and set up in a mill built on the Chicago and Lake Huron Railroad. PATKONS OF HUSBANDRY. KORTU RILEY GRANGE, No. 342, was organized March 19, 1874, Col. Richard Baylis being the first Master ; Morris Boughton, Overseer ; Cyrus B. Pratt, Lecturer ; George H. Peck, Steward ; S. N. Hil- dreth. Chaplain ; Cory Owen, Treasurer ; H. L. Pratt, Sec- retary ; John Pingel, Gate-keeper; Mrs. Eunice E. Baylis, Ceres ; Miss Lucretia Temple, Pomona ; Miss Hattie Boughton, Flora ; Mrs. Adelia ^^'alters, Lady Assistant Steward. SOUTH RILEY GRANGE, No. 456, was organized under dispensation, June 11, 1874. They have a grange hall adjoining the brick school-house on the east side. FOREST HILL CHEESE-FACTORY, owned and operated by a stock company, was organized in the spring of 1874, and the factory erected. The building is in size thirty by eighty, and cost, with machinery, twenty- four hundred dollars. It stands on the northeast corner of section 17. The stockholders are D. P. Wilcox, Horatio S. Bliss, Henry L. BlLss, Sidney J. Bliss, David P. Bliss, Stebbins C. Bliss, Bliss Temple, J. M. Dane, Henry Jones, Chris- tian Jacobs, Andrew J. Chapman, Frederick Oding, John Pingel, Charles Walters, and A. R. Boss ; President of the company, D. P. Wilcox ; A. R. Boss, Secretary. AGRICULTURE AND POPULATION. The United States census of 1860 gives the following exhibit. There were owned in the town 94 horses, 248 milch cows, 110 work-oxen, 617 sheep, and 485 swine. j The yield of grain, etc., was 3653 bushels of wheat, 7536 bushels of corn, 4367 bushels of oats, 2758 bushels of po- tatoes, 2469 pounds of wool, 26,900 pounds of butter, 2430 pounds of cheese, 876 tons of hay, 41,486 pounds of maple-sugar. The United States census of 1870 shows the increase of the products of the township over the census of 1860. Of horses there were 222 ; cows, 302 ; oxen, GO ; sheep, 1830 ; swine, 355 ; pounds of wool, 8935 ; pounds of butter, 41,345 ; bushels of wheat, 17,382 ; bushels of corn, 9985 ; bushels of potatoes, 7340 ; bushels of oats, 16,245 ; tons of hay, 1410 ; pounds of maple-sugar, 9505. The State census of 1874 exhibits the gain over the census of 1870. Wheat on ground, 2249 acres; wheat cut in 1873, 1741 acres, which yielded 29,239 bushels ; corn; 20,073 bushels ; potatoes, 3634 bushels ; tons of hay, 1651 ; pounds of wool, 7793; pounds of butter, 53,373 ; pounds of cheese, 6500 ; pounds of maple-sugar, 19,247 ; horses, 375 ; oxen, 152 ; cows, 636 ; swine, 604 ; sheep, 2149. The census of cereals for 1877 shows 2452 acres of wheat cut, which produced 61,747 bushels. The wheat on the ground in 1878 was 3306 acres, which would give (as estimated) an average yield of 83,245 bushels. In 1847, Riley had a population of 134, which had in- creased in 1854 to 400. In 1860 the enumeration gave 607 souls in 122 families. There were 142 dwelling-houses and 106 farms occupied. The State census in 1864 showed 641, showing a gain of only 34 in four years. The census of 1870 gave 1139, an increase in six years of 498. The next four years only 24 were added to the population, mak- ing for 1874, 1163. The United States census for 1880, just completed, gives the number of inhabitants at 1469, a gain in six years of 306. RILEY TOWNSHIP. 507 BIOGEAPHIOAL SKETCHES. LYMAN HUNGERFORD. Lyman Hungcrford was born in the town of Paris, Oneida Co., N. Y., Aug. 1, 1812. His tatlicr, Orin Hungcrford, was a native of tlie Green jNIountain State, and was born in (he town of Puwna!, Bennington Co., in 1790. He was a blaeivsmith by trade, and removed to Oneida County about 1808, where he resided until 1816, when he removed to Jefferson County and purchased a farm in the town of Henderson, where lie resided until his death, which occurred in 1868. He married Jliss Abigail Morgan in 1811. She was born in the town of Pownal, in 1789. They reared a family of nine children, — si.x boys and three girls, — Lyman being the eldest of the family. The elder Hungcrford was an energetic and successful farmer of liberal and progressive ideas, and in all re.'ipects a valuable citizen. His wife was one of tlio.sc thrifty hou.sewives of the olden time. She spun and wove the cloth from which the family clothing was made, and reared her children to habits of industry and thrift. Lyman acquired what was at that time considered a good educa- tion. His life up to the age of twenty-one was spent upon his father's farm. On attaining his majority he started for him.self, working as a farm hand during the summer, and teaching during the winter. In 1836 lie purchased from the government the northeast fjuarter of section 34. In 1838 he was married to Miss Sarah Nutting, of Henderson. She was born in 1815. In 1843, Mr. Hun- gerford came West with his (iimily, and settled upon the farm which he had previously purcha.sed. Riley was at this time an almost unbnjken wilderness; his purchase was heavily timbered, and the con.struetion of a farm was an undertaking involving years of hard labor and privation. The life of Mr. Hungcrford has been a success in all that the word implies. He has secured a well-won competency, and has attained an enviable position among his fellow- citizens, by whom he is fully appreciated for his integrity and ability. He has been placed in various positions of trust, notably among the number that of supervisor and magistrate. The oflBce of supervisor he filled acceptably for over eleven years. In all matters of county legislation he took broad and liberal positions, and among his brother supervisors he was esteemed, not only for his gentlemanly deportment, but for sterling common sense and sound judg- ment. As a magistrate his decisions were always imjiartial, and evidenced much legal acumen. Mr. Hungcrford reared a family of three children, only one of whom is now living, William W., wlio was born in the town of Riley, in 1844, and is living on a place which was presented to him by his father. Accompanying this biography may be seen the portrait of Mr. Ihingcrfoid, which is indicative of generosity and hospitality, and is evidence of a positive character and a well-balanced mind. 508 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. PHILIP P. PECK. If the future generations are asked the question, " Who has done the most for America, the pioneer or the inventor of tlie telegraph, the locomotive, the steamboat, or the many great inventors of the present or any other age?" we believe the answer will be, '• The Pioneer." Without him there would have been no need of locomotives or steam- boats, no cities to connect with the telegraph-wire, and no use for the labor-saving machinery we see on every hand. Of the pioneers of Clinton County there are none deserving of more credit than Philip P. Peck, of whom this is a brief history. He was one of a fomily of six children, and was born in Danbury, Conn., Nov. 23, 1802. When he was fourteen years old his father, who was a shoemaker, moved to Seneca Co., N. Y^., where the family resided fourteen years, and where young Philip learned his father's trade. Arrived at his majority he started out in life for himself, locating first at I^odi, in Seneca County. But having no means with which to start, he found a hard road to travel. He then became an itinerant shoemaker, going from farm to farm and making up the yearly supply of .shoes for the families where he stopped, as was the custom. After several years spent in wandering he married, and then emigrated to Huron Co., Ohio, where he bought fifty acres of unimproved land, on which he did but little clearing, as his trade engrossed the most of his time. Soon after his arrival iii Ohio, his brother joined him and opened a cooper-shop. Philip's health becoming impaired by too close application to the bench he (juit his trade, and then for four years worked at the cooper's trade. Becoming dissatisfied with the progress he was making he sold his fifty acres, and with two os-teams started for Michigan, locating in Tecumseh, Lenawee Co., where he bought forty acres of land. but did not work it, as his recovered health made it possible for him to again work at his trade, which he followed four years; then sold out and again wended his way westward, this time locating in Ililey township, Clinton Co. There were then but few families, and Mr. Peck's arrival was hailed with great pleasure by Mr. Boughton, who was living a bachelor on his farm, which was near Mr. Peck's. He had previously built a small house near Mr. Peck's farm, into which he at once invited Mr. Peck and his family, and where they resided many years. The house, though small, was always the home of any new-comer, and families of eight and ten were often entertained for weeks until their own houses could be built. The Indians, too, always found a welcome beneath his roof and at his table, and were always warm friends of the family. Years have passed, and the wild land he then bought is now a well-improved farm, which is surrounded by the homes of the many thrifty farmers of Riley, all of which Mr. Peck has lived to see, and towards which he has contributed more than his share. And now in the seventy-eighth year of his age he is enjoying the comforts his life of toil has brought him. He has always stood high in the estimation of his fellow-citizens, and has nearly always held some ofiBce in his town, having been justice of the peace thirty years in succession, and town clerk five years ; also county superin- tendent of the poor two years. He was in early life converted to the Methodist faith, and is now a member of that church. There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Peck the following children: William B., born Oct. 14, 1825; Emma J., March 12, 1827; and Amanda M., June 23, 1833, who married David P. Bliss, July 30, 1853; their children are Eva, born July 0, 1854, and Huron S., April 22, 1801. .JONATHAN OWEN. Among tlie patriot.s of tlie Revolution was ("ol. Jesse Owen, father of tlie subject of this memoir. He was a brave soldier and an intrepid commander. He served with distinction throughout tiiat .sanguin- ary struggle, and at the close of the war settled in Orange Co., N. Y., where Jonathan was born, April 1, 1805. He lived with his father, who was a farmer, until he was twenty-two years of age, when he mar- ried Mi.ss Ijydia Bennet, who was born in New Jer- sey in 1804. In 1805 the family removed to Tomp- kins Co., N. Y., where the mother died. In 1845, Mr. Owen emigrated with his family to Michigan, and settled in the town of Riley, where he purcliased one hundred and twenty acres of new land on .section 18. The pioneer life of Mr. Owen was one of peculiar privation and hardship; he was poor and was obliged to work for three shillings per day to support his family, but being a man of in- domitable [)erscverance and energy he overcame the obstacles that beset his way, and not only accumulated a competency, but established a valuable record as a citizen. In his religious belief he was a Baptist, and carried his religion into iiis everyday life, and its precepts were his guide in all transactions. Politi- cally, he was a Republican. MKS. .JONATHAN OWEN. JONATHAN OWEN. He died April 10, 18(i6, at his home in Riley, in the sixty-first year of his age. He had been closely identified with the best intei-ests of the town for over twenty-one yeai-s. He owned at the time of his death a fine farm of four hundred acres, over two hundred of which were iinpi-oved. He had erected commodious building.s, and pos.sessed all the appoint- ments of a well-conducted farm. He was the father of a family of nine childi-en, viz.: Betsey, born Sept. 1, 1827; William B., born June 22, 1829; Mary, born July 27, 1831; Jane, born Aug. 24, 1833; Joseph B., born Sept. 17, 1835; John, born May 6, 1837; Je.s.se C, born Aug. 18, 1839; Rebecca A., born March 19, 1844; Caroline C, born Nov. 21, 1847. Of the above all are living, with the excep- tion of Betsey, Mary, and John. The latter enlisted in Co. A, Twenty-third Michigan Volunteer In- fantry, and died in hospital at Bowling Green, Ky., Dec. 1, 1862. Jesse C. was a member of Co. G, .same regiment. Accompanying this brief biography may be seen the porti-aits of Mr. and Mrs. Owen, placed in this volume by tiieir children as a monument for the per- petuation of their memory, and as a .slight acknowl- etlgment of what they diil in the development of the town. VICTOR TOWNSHIP. 509 CHAPTER LXIV. VICTOR TOWNSHIP.* General Description — The Pioneers of the Township and its Settle- ment — The Indian Chief Chippewa — Lists of Early Tax- Payers and Voters — Township Organization — List of Township Officers — Post-Offices — Ilighways — Religious History — Schools. Town 6 north, in range 1 west, named Victor, i.s one of the eastern border towns of Clinton County. North it has Ovid, soutli is Batli, cast Shiawassee County, and west the township of Olive. Originally the town consisted of oak-openings, with some marsh-lands on the west, and a generally even surface except on the east, where the country is inclined to be hilly. The soil is exceedingly productive, and, illustrative of the esteem in which it is held, the language of one of Victor's most prosperous farmers testifies that the soil of the town " will produce just what you put the crop in for." Much of the acreage is given over to the cultivation of wheat, of which the average yield in the best portions reaches twenty-five bushels to the acre, while in some instances forty bushels have been yielded. Victor is moreover an excellent sheep- raising town. In 1879 the sheep sheared numbered four thousand three hundred and eighty-six, and the wool-clip twenty-five thousand eight hundred and ibrty-seven pounds. The number of sheep reported in 1880 aggregated four tliousand nine liundred and sixty-six. The Looking-Glass River, an exceedingly crooked .stream, passes through the southern part of the town from east to west, but affords no power that can be utilized to profitable advantage. Round Lake, a handsome sheet of water, covering about one hundred and fifty acres upon sec- tions 28 and 29, was at one time a very popular resort for anglers, picnic-parties, and pleasure-seekers in general, but latterly its attractive features have faded by neglect, although there is still much thereabout that invites the attention of the rambler. The town has no village, nor has it yet any business interests save those of agriculture. The line of the Jack- son, Lansing and Saginaw Railroad crosses the southeast corner of Victor, but has no station therein. THE PIONEERS OF THE TOWNSHIP AND ITS SETTLEMENT. Until the summer of 1836 the township now called Victor contained no white settlers. At tiiat time one Welcome J. Purtelo effected on the southwest quarter of section 31 the pioneer clearing. Although he did not discover his error until some years afterwards, ho settled upon land belonging to other parties, but adjoining his own. Unconscious of his mistake he worked and im- proved that place, set out an orchard, and very materially enhanced its value, when there came to him the knowledge one day that he had been improving another man's land while his own had all that time been suffered to lie ne- glected. Partelo was of course chagrined and much dis- gusted when the revelation fell upon him, but as he was fortunately permitted to purchase the property at the price » By David Schwartz. of unimproved land, he escaped from the dilemma with considerable satisfaction, and continued to make his home where he had begun. Mr. Partelo was chosen the first supervisor of the township of De Witt in 1836, and occu- pied for some time a prominent place as a county official. Victor's second settler was Robert G. McKce, now and since 1860 a resident of Laingsburg, in Sciota. Mr. McKee located land in 1836 upon sections 25, 35, and 3G, and in the spring of 1837 began to make an improvement thereon. He was then a bachelor, and devoted him.solf chiefly to the business of surveying, but engaging a family to live on his place and clear it up, he " made a commencement" just as if he had himself taken literally hold of the pioneer busi- ness. Indeed, he did do considerable work in that direc- tion, although, as before remarked, he was dashing through the country much of his time with his surveying-party. Jlr. McKee's mode of lii'e brought him naturally into familiar contact with the roving Indians of that section, and he became in time their well-known and esteemed patron. The most important of the early settlements in tlie town- sl)ip were made, however, in June, 1837, when there came to Victor a company of three families, who.se respective heads were William Swarthout, John Parker, and Jesse Jamison, of whom the last named, still living in the town, is the only surviving member. William Swarthout. who was a man of means, had instructed his brother-in-law, Van Vleet, of Ann Arbor, to locate for him six eighty- acre lots in Victor, his purpose being to start a large farm, so that he might eventually apportion it to his sons, of whom he had six. Instead of locating the lots together, Van Vleet scattered them east, west, and north, much to Swarthout's aggravation, but the mischief being done he made the best uf it. The land location was made in 1836 and the settlement in 1837, Swarthout's selection being made in section 23. The three families journeyed together from Seneca Co., N. Y., to Detroit, and there leaving the women and chil- dren, William Swarthout, Jesse Jamison, John Parker, and Swarthout's two .sons, Isaac V. and Layton, pushed ou westward ibr Swarthout's land in Victor. In short order they put up a shanty, and then William Swartliout returning to Detroit for their families, brought them out without much delay, and into the completed shanty all hands bunked until a house was built Ibr Parker on section 14. Then Jamison was provided with a habitation on section 22, and so all had in due season roofs over their separate heads. Jamison, the oldest living .settler now in the town, abides still on the spot where he put up his rude cabin. Parker's widow lives on the old Parker place. Swarthout tarried in Victor only two years, when lie removed to Ovid and there died. Jami-son, a blacksmith by trade, set up a smitiiy in pretty quick order, and although he was not equipped to do much skillful work, his presence and business becoming straightway known for miles around, he was abundantly besieged by settlers needing his services, and in many cases these needy ones came many miles to him for plow-points or such work as he could furnish. Soon afterwards Moses Smith settling upon section 2, opened a smithy there, and not long afterwards John Runciman started a similar shop near Round Lake, on the Grand River road, but to Jami- 510 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. son belongs the distinction of " pioneer blacksmith of Victor." Returning to mention of Welcome J. Partelo, it is of interest to mention that lie raised the pioneer crop of wheat in the town and set out the first orchard, and that De Witt C. Partelo, his son, born in 1837, was the first born in Victor. William Swarthout, supposed generally to have been the first, was the second, the date of his birth being August, 1838. The first death in the town was that of the mother of John Parker. She died in the summer of 1839, and was buried upon John Parker's farm. D. S. Cotes dug the grave, and D. H. Blood delivered a prayer as the only funeral service, a minister being not readily obtainable. Nothing was done towards procuring a public burial- ground until the town-meeting of April 1, 1844, when the town board was authorized to purchase three suitable sites for burying-grounds ; and to pay for the land and breaking and fencing it fifty dollars were appropriated, eight dollars being also voted to build a pound on ground bought of Joseph Ilollister. From the town records it appears that William Brunson and Joseph Ilollister each received five dollars for half an acre of land to be used as a cemetery. Of these the one now on section 13 was laid out first. In February, 1839, D. II. Blood, a New Yorker, entered the town with his family — having already located land on section 13 — and took possession temporarily of a log house body put up in the fall of 1838 on section 10 by William W. and James Upton, who, at the time mentioned, had broken four acres on the place, put it into wheat, and re- turned to the East. Later on William W. came back to Victor, and resided in the township many years. He became subsequently an occupant of the supreme bench of Oregon, and now holds an important place in the treasury depart- ment at Washington. When Blood made his settlement there were already in the town W. J. Partelo, Jesse Jamison, R. G. McKee, Joseph Simpson, John Parker, Hugh Haggerty, William Swarthout, and Thomas Cross. When Bluod came in there was no grist-mill available short of Sliiawassectown, and during the first year of his stay he had to go to Capt. Scott's, of De Witt, to buy a grist, consuming a day to do it in, and after that using two days more to get his grist to mill and his flour home. Joseph Simp.sou, alluded to above, came with his family to Victor in 1838, to work some land on section 14 be- longing to his brother-in-law, D. S. Cotes, who came also with him, but returned eastward after lending Simpson a hand in clearing about three acres. Cotes came back in 1841 for a permanent stay, and remained a resident of Victor until 1866, when he removed to his present home in Ovid township, to land first settled by one Zewick. Cotes i'ound in 1841 that Victor had quite a bevy of settlers, including Thomas Cross, Hugh Haggerty, John Parker, Jesse Jami- son, Ainsworth Reed, W. J. Partelo, R. G. McKoe, John Collister, Joseph Ilollister, James and Wentworth Calkins, Joseph Simpson, Daniel Blood, and Cyrus Robinson, who was on section 6, where Ephraim Trumbull had previously made a settlement. Samuel Treat boarded with Cotes a year, and then occupied a place on the southwest. About that time John Runciman, already spoken of, pitched his tent in section 28, near Round Lake, on the Grand River road, and opened business as a blacksmith. A brief experience in that field satisfied him that the busi- ness was neither profitable, pleasant, nor suited to his taste, and in disgust he gave up the venture and returned to New York. There he sold the Victor place to John Miller, who came out in 1844 expecting to find a clearing of fifteen acres on his new purchase, but found instead that some one had turned simply a couple of furrows, and as to clearing there was not sufficient to speak of. When Miller reached the spot with his family the old log house body built by Runciman was uninhabitable, and pending its restoration Miller moved into the house of Walter Laing, then owning a place one mile east, but just at that time working a farm in Bath for the widow Cushman. Walter Laing was a son of Dr. Peter Laing, of Laingsburg, and kept on the Grand River road in section 27 a house of public entertainment, where he dispensed whisky as the chief stock in trade. A house of public entertainment was also kept by Oliver B. Westcott in 1845. Previous to that time he kept tavern at Laingsburg. Miller's nearest neighbors were Jesse Jamison, two and a half miles northeast, and R. G. McKee, three miles east. There were at that time no lucifer matches, and on two or three occasions Miller had made trips to Jami.son's and McKee's in search of firebrands to restore his own expired fire. The business of walking five or sI.K miles every time his fire went out, and made the job necessary, set young John contemplating the possibility of obtaining fire by an easier method. Contemplation merged into determination soon afterwards when one Sunday morn- ing the family fire was out and a trip to McKee's stared him in the face. Ransacking the cabin he stumbled upon a piece of flint, and lo ! in a trice he had a fire, nor was he afterward called to repeat his former tiresome experiences. Robert McKee was the only man in the neighborhood who had a horse-team, and to him the people frequently turned for a lift when they wanted milling done. It was nothing uncommon for a settler to use four days in going to Shia- wassee to mill with ox-teams, and when the ground was frozen hard their oxen were of course valueless as motive- power. On such occasions McKee and his horse-team came in the guise of timely blessings. Mr. Miller recalls a bear-hunting incident in which he, McKee, and an Indian took part. They treed the bear, cut the tree down, and then, as his bearship was about to make off', Miller mounted him. Bruin struggled and en- deavored to lunch on his captor, who was, however, deter- mined to stick to him until assisted by his companions, but McKee, enjoying the fun too much to stop, yelled, " Hang to him. Miller, or he'll kill you !" Miller fretted and fumed and struggled with the bear until his apparent ex- haustion warned McKee to render assistance. With the aid of the others McKee got the bear down and tied, and took him up on his horse, the intention all along having been to convey the beast home alive. McKee had not gone far with his prize before the prize managed to offer a show of fight, and that time it was the gallant McKee who was fiightencd. The more frightened ho got and the more he called to Miller and the Indian to help him the nioic Mil- lb >1 Co ./■ / I- i V> VICTOR TOWNSHIP. 511 ler cried out, " Stick to liim, Mac, or he'll kill you !" Presently the situation began to look serious, and then, to Mac's great relief, his comrades mastered the bear and got the alarmed McKee out of his trouble. When the Millers landed in the town they were very poor in provisions, and what few they did have were soon consumed. New Year's Day was at hand, and although they were bound to have a feast they hadn't a thing save a little corn upon which to found it. Foraging about the country, John managed to borrow a peck of potatoes, ■which, although not much by way of a dinner, furnished at least a start towards one. There was no bread in the house, and a thirty -mile journey to mill wasn't to be thought of. The corn was, however, at hand, and that accordingly pounded was soon resolved into johnny-cake. Johnny-cake and potatoes comprised, however, the sum total of the com- ponent parts of the proposed New Year banquet, and as philosophy was just then one of the cardinal virtues and high in favor, they sat down gladly to a feast of potatoes and johnny-cake, and thanked heaven, no doubt, that their condition was no worse. Apropos of a scarcity of pro- visions, the year 1843, following upon what is still keenly remembered as " the hard winter," was an especially hard year for many pioneers. Many too poor to buy adequate supplies of food subsisted for days at a time upon berries and milk, while those who were considered exceedingly for- tunate struggled along on a diet of potatoes and salt. D. 8. Cotes says he recollects a time when, there being a relig- ious gathering at his house and no flour in the larder, he set off on a cruise among the neighbors in search of a loan, and that he walked seven miles before he found a house- hold supplied with sufficient flour to spare enough for a baking. During the period between 183(5 and 183!), Ainsworth Heed traveled through Clinton, Shiawassee, and otiier Michigan counties selling goods, and made not only the acquaintance of about every pioneer on his beat, but pur- sued a proBtable industry. In 1839 he concluded he had had enough of wandering, and he therefore bought some land on section 13 in Victor, upon which he at once set- tled. In 1858 he bought on sections 21 and 22 a tract of land measuring one mile square, and to its improvement he addressed himself so earnestly that although he paid but three thousand three hundred and sixty dollars for the land in 1858, he was ofiered thirteen thousand dollars for it in 1870. Upon that tract he cultivated two acres of cran- berries, and from the yield in twelve years he realized up- wards of five thousand dollars. There was not a stick cut upon his mile square in 1858, and when he built his house that year he had to go to Flint to get seasoned lumber for it. Among other of the earliest settlers in Victor not heretofore mentioned were William Kennedy and John Collister, who came in 1838, and Joseph Ilollister, who became a settler in 1841. Thomas Jami.son, brother to Jesse, made his home in Victor in 1843, and died in 1801. His widow lives now in Laingsburg. Dr. Isaac T. Hollister, brother of Joseph, visited Victor in 1847, and there being then no physician in the town, he determined to settle there and engage in the practice of medicine. For seventeen years he pursued his professional duties in Victor and the adjacent country, taking in a large circuit of territory and bending his efforts in an energetic way to the flood of demands which beset him from far and near. Doctors were rather rare in Michigan when he entered the field in Victor, and as ho was the first physician to locate in the town, he was a privilege and a luxury to the community, as well as almost constantly in demand. He was in almost constant practice to 1864, when he removed to Laingsburg, where he now lives in retirement. Dr. Aaron McKee came to Victor about 1860, and practiced in the town until his death. Victor's doctors have been, as noted, but the two named, — Hollister and McKee. As to the settlers who came to Vic- tor after the town began to be pretty well populated, a gen- eral allusion embraces the names of J. Y. Perkins, C. K. McKee, Warren Ives, Loyal Starr, Erastus Sprague, R. C. Grotliy, John Hibbard, John Beach, R. C. Arthur, J. D. Sleight, W. F. Potter, II. Cuddcback, and W. Montague. THE INDIAN CHIEF CHIPrEWA. Upon the farm of Hugh Swarthout in Victor the cu- riously inclined may observe the grave of an Indian chief, known as Cliippewa, who was at his death at the head of the roving .savages who infested the townships of Sciota and Victor much of the time during the pioneer era. Chippewa died of the smallpox, which in 1838 raged among the Indians thereabout as an epidemic. It is said that Chippewa, maintaining that he had discovered a new cure for the disorder, proceeded while severely ill to put his remedial measure into efiect by leaping into a cask of cold water. Unfortunately for his theory, his remedy simply hastened his death, for almost directly after applying it he expired. His burial-place is regarded with considerable re- spect, and there has latterly been talk of inclosing it within a paling, so that the spot maybe not only preserved from in- trusion but more conspicuously marked as an object of in- terest. Chip])ewa's son, Jackson, died also of the smallpox during the epidemic of 1838, and was buried on Daniel H. Blood's farm, where his bones still repose. LISTS OF EARLY TAX-PAYERS AND VOTERS. The resident tax-payers of town G north, in range 1 west (now Victor), in 1839 were the following-named persons : Acres. Tliomiis M. Cross, section 2 147 lluf^h Ilaggcrty, section II 160 R. J. McKee, sections 25, 2f., .35,36 775 .John Collistei*, sections 35, 36 16U C. Davis, 8((ction 27 80 R. Finch, section 3B 160 .Jesse Jiiniison, section 22 80 Jolin Piirlior, section 1-1 80 W.J. Partelo, section 31 215 Joseph Simpson, sectiona 13, 14 100 The jurors of 1846 were as follows: Grand. — William Brunson, Henry Post, Hugh Hag- gerty, D. II. Blood, Ainsworth Reed, John Parker. Pett't. — Samuel Millard, D. S. Cotes, Thomas M. Cross, John Collister, Thomas Jamison, Henry Buell. At the elections of 1844 and 1846 the voters were as below named : 512 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Thomas M. Cross. W. Calkins. Hugli Haggerty. Moses Smith. Henry Buell. Jesse Jamison. Ransley Sutliff. William Letts. Samuel Millard. Jos. Hollister. David Groom. How Covert. P. B. Aldrich. Alonzo Groom. Phineas Partelo. John Miller. William BrunsoD. James Calkins. Reuben Rogers. J. H. Adams. 1844. David B. Cranson. Isaac Parks. S. A. Mitchell. Joseph Simpson. David S. Cotes. Ainsworth Reed. Samuel Treat. Philo Finch. Joseph Hildreth. Henry Post. R. G. McKee. John Parker. John Collister. John Groom. W. J. Partelo. W. W. Upton. D. H. Blood. W. Laing. Thomas Jamison. 1846. Henry Bnell. Henry Post. R. G. McKee. Willard Richards. John Parker. Thomas Jamison. Reuben Rogers. Jesse Jamison. Jacob Miller. Martin Heathiugton. S. A. Mitchell. Joseph Hollister. Christopher Heathington. John Groom. Ainsworth Reed. Samuel Millard. P. B. Aldrich. Samuel Calkins. Wentworth Calkins. D. H. Blood. Hugh Haggerty. Samuel Treat. John Collister. W. J. Partelo. David S. Cotes. Stephen Duzenberry. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION. Towns 5 and 6 north, in range 1 west, now known as Victor and Bath, were until March 9, 1843, joined under the township name of Ossowa. Legislative act, approved on the date mentioned, organized town 6 as Victor town- ship, and provided that the first town-meeting should be held at '' the school-house near Daniel Blood's." The town name was bestowed in accordance with a suggestion from William W. Upton and D. H. Blood, who came to Mich- igan from Victpr in New York State. The first election for township ofiBcials was held April 15, 1843, Jesse Jamison, D. H. Blood, and William W. Upton being inspectors of election. The voters were twenty-six in number, as follows : William Letts, Isaac Parks, Aaron Groom, P. P. Peck, Robert Finch, John Groom, Jr., Thomas M. Cross, Joseph Simpson, Reuben Rogers, W. Calkins, James Calkins, John Groom, W. J. Partelo, David B. Cranson, Samuel Millard, How Covert, David S. Cotes, John Parker, Daniel H. Blood, David Groom, Ainsworth Reed, Henry Buell, John Collister, W. P. Partelo, Jesse Jamison, Hugh Haggerty. A caucus was held at "J. M. Blood's old place," and the candidates then selected were subsequently elected with- out opposition, since there was but one ticket in the field. The officers elected were : Supervisor, Samuel Treat ; Clerk, Henry Buell ; Treasurer, Ainsworth Reed ; Justices of the Peace, John Collister, Hugh Haggerty, W. J. Par- telo, John Groom ; Highway Commissioners, William Letts, Thomas M. Cross, John Parker; Constables, David Cran- son, P. P. Peck, Aaron Groom, W. P. Partelo; Poor- masters, Hugh Haggerty, William W. Upton ; School Inspectors, John Groom, Hugh Haggerty, William W. Upton ; Pathmasters, How Covert in district No. 8, David Cranson in No. 13, James Calkins in No. 7, David S. Cotes in No. 12, Jesse Jamison in No. 5, W. J. Partelo in No. 4, John Collister in No. 6. Seventy-five dollars was voted for a town library; one dollar each on scholars between the ages of four and eight- een was ordered to be raised, and two hundred dollars were voted for contingent expenses. LIST OF TOWNSHIP OFFICERS. Beginning with 1844 and closing with 1880, the annual town elections in Victor have designated as supervisors, clerks, treasurers, and justices of the peace the following persons : SUPERVISORS. 1844. S. Treat. 18-)5-48. R. G. McKee. 1849-50. T. Jamison. 1851. R. G. McKee. 1852-56. T. J.imison. 1857. William Branson. 1858-63. I. V. Swarlhout. 1864-65. J. W. Becliwith. 1866-68. I. V. Swaithout. 1869. C. E. Hollister. 1870. R.H. Hollister. 1871. A. Reed. 1872. R. H. Hollister. 1873-75. S. E. Jones. 1876-77. J. C. Branson. 1878. R. Richmon.]. 1879. J. C. Branson. 1880. I. V. .Swartbout. CLERKS. 1844. Vf. W. Upton. 1864. C. E. Hollister. 1845. J. H. Adams. 1865. I. V. Swarthout. 1846. S. Treat. 1.866-67. A. Reed. 1847. T. Jamison. 1868. H. F. Alderton. 1S4S. J. M. Blood. 1869. A. Reed. 1849. I. T. Hollister. 1870. C. E. Hollister. 1850. A. Reed. 1871-72. F. W. Upton. 1851. D. H. Blood. 1873. L. Reed. 1852. H. Hiiggerty. 1874. H.Sprague. 185.'!-54. I. T. Hollister. 1875. L. Reed. 1855-61. T. L. Swarlhout. 1876-77. R. Richmond. 1862. A. Reed. 1878-79. C. B. Giffols. 1863. J. Berry. 1880. H. P. Barker. TREASURERS. 1844-46. A. Reed. 1868. J. Y. Perkins. 1847-48. N. Bixby. 1869-70. S. B. Upton. 1849. P. B. Aldrich. 1871-72. P. Taylor. 1850. J. Jamison. 1873. L.Starr. 1851-61. A. Reed. 1874. A. Reed. 1862-63. T. L. Swarthout. 1875. J. D. Sleight. 1864-65. J. Upton. 1876-77. W. F. Sleight. 1866. J. Gibbard. 1878-79. William S. Parker 1867. J. Upton. 1880. James Upton. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. 1844. H. Haggerty. 1851. William Brunsou. 1845. J. Collister. 1852. A. Post. 1846. T.Jamison. 1853. A. McKee. 1847. William Branson. 1854. I. T. Hollister. 1848. H. Haggerty. 1855. H. Haggerty. 1849. J. Collister. 1856. S. Moon. 1850. P. B. Aldrich. 1857. C. R. McKec. *"*> 4 "iy, r^P' It I* it . ■ - ■' f -"• ■ VICTOR TOWNSHIP. 513 1858. I. T. Hollister. . 1870. I. T. Hollister. 1859. J. C. Brunson. 1871. J. W. Bockwith. 1860. W. Ballentine. 1872. D. J. Hill. 1861. C. R. iMcKee. 1873. J. C. Brunson. 1862. I. T. Hollister. 1874. I. T. Hollister. ISB.'i. D. P. Miner. 1875. J. W. Beokwith. 1864. I. V. Swarthout. 1876. J. H. Oreen. 1865. 6. C. Fox. 1877. J. C. Brunson. 1866. E. Parker. 1878. I. T. Hollister. 1867. I. T. Hollister. 1879. J. W. Beokwith. 1868. R. Van Velsor. 1880. G. A. Keller. 1869. J. C. Brunson. POST OFFICES. In the winter of 1846, Henry Post prepared and circu- lated a petition asking the general government to establish a mail-route between Owosso and louia via the State road, and the creation of a post-oflBce on that road in Victor, the people of the town having beer) compelled previously to go to Laingsburg for their mail. July 1, 1847, the mail- route was opened and Victor post-office established, with Hugh Haggerty as postmaster. At a public meeting pre- vious to that it was decided to urge Henry Buell for post^ master, but his politics did not suit at Washington and the public request was ignored. The mail-service gave Victor a weekly mail which was never great enough to worry the brain of the postmaster, although small enough to put to rout any attempt at system in the internal arrangement of the office. Apropos of that declaration, Henry Post says that going one day to the office for a letter that Mr. Haggerty had informed him was awaiting his demand, he found only Mrs. Haggerty at home. Responding to his request, she began to hunt over the log cabin for the desired letter, and failing to find it either on the floor, behind the stove, or on the cupboard, impatiently exclaimed, " I should think Haggerty would keep the mail where it could be found !" Post emphatically agreed with her, and then joining her in a renewal of the search, finally unearthed the letter and bore it away in triumph. After Henry BucU the office passed in regular succession to Henry Post, J. C. Brunson, Ira Richards, Henry Post (second term), Thomas Beach, Jesse Woodhams, and J. C. Brunson (second term). Mr. Brunson, the present incum- bent, has held the office continuously since 1861. Mail is received twice a week over the route from Shepardsvillc to Geary. GEARY POST-OFFICE was established in 1857, through the efforts of John Miller, who was appointed postmaster. At a town discu.ssion as to a name for the office, an admirer of Governor Geary, of Kansas, suggested Geary, and Geary it was called. Jesse Jamison succeeded Miller, and in 1861 Ainsworth Reed receiving the appointment has held it ever since. HIGHWAYS. The Grand River road between Pontiac and Grand Rap- ids was the fir.st highway that Victor had, and existed for several years before the town was organized. It was a thoroughfare of considerable travel as early as 1837, and maintains now in the town about its original course, — almost a direct line between east and west through sections 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30. 65 Upon and near the State road traversing the northern portion of the town between east and west there were in 1844 a considerable number of settlers. Indeed, upon that thoroughfare some of the earliest comers into the town made their homes. When Henry Post made his commencement upon that highway in section 10 in 1844, — having come to Michigan as early as 1831, — he found living thereon William W. Upton, Hugh Haggerty, Henry Adams, David and John Groom, Reuben Rogers, Henry Buell, Samuel Millard, and Jesse and Thomas Woodham. William Brunson was on section 9, and the next season R. SutliiF and J. C. Brun- son settled, — the latter upon the place earlier occupied by Henry Buell. In 1856, Elias Upton, with his .sons James, Josiah, and H. L , settled upon the old William Upton place, and about then came J. W. Beckwith and Jacob Gibbard,— the latter to a place on section 3 occupied in 1866 by Henry Mulder. While town 6 was yet a portion of Owosso roads were laid out therein as follows : Nov. 6, 1839. — " Beginning at the quarter post on the we.st side of section 25, and running north on the section-line seven chains ; thence north forty degrees west six chains on said west line of section 25 ; thence north on the section-line to the northwest corner of section 25 ; thence north on the west line of section 24 for twenty- five chains; thence north on section-lines to the north line of the town." Nov. 20, 1839. — Beginning at the corners of sections 35 and 36 on the south town line ; thence north sixty-seven chains, seventy links ; thence north to a stake on the section- line between sections 25 and 26 ; thence north to the quarter post between the last numbered sections. Begin- ning at the quarter post on the west line of section 11 ; thence east forty chains ; thence south and east to the section-line. Dec. 28, 1839. — Beginning at the northeast corner of section 6 in Ossowa and the southeast corner of section 36 in Bingham, and running thence to the northwest corner of said section 6. Jan. 8, 1840. — -Beginning at the northwest corner of section 2, and running thence on the section line "to a point on the State road where said road is intersected by a road leading from William Swarthout's." Nov. 21, 1840. — Beginning at the northwest corner of town 6, and running south on the town-line to the south- west corner of section 6. Beginning at the quarter post between sections 23 and 24, and running thence west and south " to a .stake in the Round Lake road." Beginning at a point in the State road four and a half chains .south of the corners of sections 4, 5, 8, and 9, and running thence north on the section-line to the corners of sections 5 and 6. March 3, 1841. — Beginning at the southeast corner of section 35, and running thence to a stake on the section- line between sections 25 and 26. March 24, 1842. — " Beginning eighteen and a half chains west of the twenty-seventh mile post in the State road leading from the village of Byron to the village of Lyons ; thence west forty-six and seventy-five hundredths 514 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. chains ; thence north to an angle-post in said State road." Beginning at a stake three and sixty-one hundredths chains north of the quarter post on the west side of section 36, and thence north fourteen and a half chains ; thence north and east to a bridge over the Looking-Glass River. Be- ginning at a point sixty-one and thirty-two hundredths chains north of the southeast corner of section 31 ; thence north and east to the principal meridian. Dec. 27, 1844. — Beginning at the centre of the State road at the northeast corner of section 9, and thence run- ning south and west to the Grand River road. RELIGIOUS HISTOEY. In the fall of 1837 the disciples of Methodism sought the infant settlement in Victor near William Swarthout's, and at that period, in Mr. Swarthout's house, Bennett and Jackson, Methodist Episcopal missionaries, preached the first sermon heard in the town. They came to the town about once a month after that, and held public services wherever an available place could be found. In 1839 they were succeeded in the work by Rev. Mr. Blowers, who in that year organized the Blood Methodist Episcopal class at Mr. D. H. Blood's then residence, a log cabin owned by W. W. Upton. The organizing members numbered four : D. H. Blood, Susan Blood, Lydia A. Blood, and Ada Hag- gerty, D. H. Blood being class-leader. When Mr. Blood moved to the present " Blood neighborhood," the location of the class was also changed, and in his house services were held about once in two weeks until the completion of the school-house. The latter place served as a house of worship until the erection of the Blood church in 1863 on section 14. Since 1839 the Blood class has had a continuous exist- ence and has enjoyed public worship constantly. D. H. Blood and John Parker have been the cla.ss-leaders during nearly the entire period, D. H. Blood being now the leader. The first board of trustees chosen in 1863 was composed of D. H. Blood, T. L. Swarthout, Ralph Swarthout, and George Hibbard. The trustees serving in 1880 were Isaac V. Swarthout, Charles W. Blood, T. L. Swarthout, Ralph Swarthout, and George Hibbard. The class, which has a membership of forty-two, is on the Victor Circuit, in charge of Rev. Mr. Gray, who preaches at Blood's once in two weeks. FIKST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. The first entry in the records of this church reads as follows : " I, Noah Cressy, of Portland, Me., minister of the gospel and missionary of the American Home Mission- ary Society, hereby certify that on Saturday, May 24, 1845, at the house of Henry Post, by the aid and advice of Rev. 0. Parker, of Flint, Mich., I organized a Congregational church consisting of the following persons, who adopted the covenant and confession of faith : Henry Post, William Brunson, Eliza D. Post, Hoyt G. Post, Thomas Jenison, Mary Ann Brunson, and Porter B. Pierce." Henry Post was appointed moderator, Henry Post and Thomas Jenison deacons, and William Brunson stated clerk. Noah Cressy, although nearly eighty years old, was an earnest and energetic missionary worker, and after organi- zing the church served it as pastor two years, preaching for it once a month. During his ministerial labors in Michi- gan he was employed in a wide range of territory, over which he invariably journeyed afoot, in pursuance of a resolution taken in the East, where, happening to trade for a horse on a Sunday and the horse dying on his hands, he looked upon the circumstance as a divine rebuke. To do penance he determined to ride no more. Besides Victor, Mr. Cressy preached also in Duplain, Essex, and De Witt from 1845 to 1847. His successor was Rev. Sanford R. Bissell, who remained until 1848, in which year the church joined the Genesee Conference of Churches. Following Mr. Bissell the pas- tors were Revs. John Scotford, 0. M. Goodell, Fox, and William Mulder. Mr. Mulder, who is the present pastor, has been such since 1871. The place of worship has been at Brunson's Corners, in the district school-house, from the outset, and there meetings have been held since 1845 with continuous regularity. The membership is forty-two. The deacons are J. W. Beckwith and Henry Mulder, and the clerk, Edward D. Post. VICTOR UNITED BRETHREN CLASS. This class was organized at the Reed School-House by Rev. Mr. Lee in 1865 with eight members, J. Y. Perkins being chosen leader. The Reed school-house was used for worship until 1877, when a neat church edifice was built just west of Reed's Corners. Since 1865 the class has met for public worship once every two weeks, and is now at- tached to Ovid Circuit, in charge of M. H. Sly. There are twenty members, of whom J. Y. Perkins is the leader. VICTOR CENTRE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Elder Wood, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, held a revival at the Grove school-house in 1859, and after his departure Mr. Shiffer, a local preacher, organized at that place the Victor Centre Metliodist Episcopal Class, with eight members. Preaching has been held at that point fortnightly by the preachers on the Ovid Circuit, now in charge of Rev. Mr. Gray. The members number now thirty-eight. The leader is Truman Shattuck ; the stew- ards, Jacob Gibbard and William Briggs. The union Sunday-school, supported by the Methodists and Congrega- tionalists, is in charge of J. W. Beckwith, and has an average attendance of sixty scholars and eight teachers. SIXTH-DAY ADVENTISTS. A Sixth-Day Advent Church was organized by Elder Fox in 1876 at the Reed school-house, with a membership of about forty. Conjointly with the United Brethren the Adventists built a church west of Reed"s Corners in 1877, but for some reason they have latterly been denied the privilege of using it. Their place of worship is the Reed school-house, but they are at present without a preacher. SCHOOLS. The earliest school privileges ofiered to the children of Victor's pioneers were obtained in a basswood-log school- house, built on William Swarthout's farm in Ovid in 1839. VICTOR TOWNSHIP. 515 The first school-house in Victor was built on section 13 in 1840, in which Phccbe Laing was the first teacher. At the first town-meeting in Victor, April 15, 1843, it was voted to raise one dollar for each scholar between the ages of four and eighteen, "to bo applied toward the payment of teachers." March 25, 1845, school district No. 1 was organized from sections 3, 4, 9, and 10. Fractional district No. 2, organized May 24, 1845, included the north halves of sec- tions 5 and 6 of Victor, and portions of the towns of Ovid Olive, and Bingham. No. 3 was formed in 1846, and May 2, 1848, No. 4 was organized, " to commence at the quarter stake in the north line of section 22, running east to the northeast corner of section 23 ; thence north eighty rods ; thence east one hundred and sixty rods ; thence south eighty rods ; thence east to the northeast corner of section 24 ; thence south to the southeast corner of section 25 ; thence west to the quarter stake on the south side of sec- tion 27 ; thence north to the place of beginning. A frac- tional district, taking in portions of Bath and Victor, was formed May 13, 1848. The apportionment of the primary- school fund, June 20, 1845, gave Victor $11.48. At that time the number of children in district 3 was given as 33. Apportionments in 1849, 1850, and '54 were made as fol- lows: 1S4U. District. Scholars. Money. No. 1 18 $5.94 " 2 18 5.94 " 3 48 15.84 " 4 25 8.25 " 5 24 7.92 " 6 4 1.32 Totals 137 $45.21 1850. No. 1 21 $7.14 " 2 37 12.58 " 3 50 17.00 " 5 20 6.80 Totals 128 $43.52 1854. No. 1 $7.46 " 3 12.59 " 5 6.53 " 6 2.10 Total $28.68 To the year 18G0, teachers' certificates were issued to the following : May 3, 1845. — Joseph H. Adams, who was also ap- pointed librarian. July 28, 1845.— Mary Smith. Nov. 1, 1845.— W. H. Blood. June 12, 1846.— Diantha F. Chaffin. Nov. 6, 1846.— J. C. Bronson. Dec. 8, 1846.— A. Frarey. June 29, 1847.— Mary S. HoUister. Dec. 11, 1847. — Margaret P. Johnson. Jan. 15, 1848.— Diantha Chaffin. Feb. 5, 1848.— R. G. McKee. April 29, 1848.— Polly Ann Woodhams. May 5, 1848.— Martha Gooch. July 8, 1848. — Emily Haggerty, Agnes Graham. Nov. 28, 1848.— I. V. Swarthout. Dec. 8, 1848.— Miss Ingersoll. April 14, 1849.— Mary E. Gooch. April 14, 1849.— Eliza HoUister. June 15, 1849.— Mi.ss Webb. May 9, 1849.— Miss E. Woodhull. Nov. 3, 1849.— Charles McKee. Dec. 13, 1849.— Hiram Van Vliet. May 8, 1850.— Helen E. Stephens. June 7, 1850. — Sarah Cross. Dec. 9, 1850.— R. G. McKee. Dec. 14, 1850.— Agnes Graham. April 21, 1851. — Maria Johnson. May 3, 1851.— Maria Moore. May 8, 1851.— Eliza HoUister. Nov. 1, 1851.— T. L. Swarthout. Dec. 9, 1851.— J. M. Fitch. May 10, 1852.— Miss Esler, Mary Parker. Dec. 6, 1852. — Frances E. Sherman, Phoebe A. Parker. May 6, 1853. — Miss E. L. HoUister, Margaret Jamison. Dec. 5, 1853.— Alanson Calkins. Jan. 12, 1854.— Ann Aldrich, Milinda Aldrich. April 8, 1854. — Achsah Blood, Emma Sprague. Nov. 4, 1854.-0. C. HoUister. Dec. 2, 1854. — Henry Carnahan, Mr. Du Bois. May 2, 1855. — Margaret Jamison, Helen White. Nov. 24, 1855.— Charles Tyler. May 3, 1856. — Armenia L. McClintock, Sarah E. Cross, Eleanor Hills. June 10, 1856. — Miss Loomis. Nov. 1, 1856. — Mr. Buggies. Nov. 15, 1856.— E. Beard. Dec. 19, 1856.— Charles Cross. Nov. 10, 1857.— E. Haggerty, A. HoUister, P. Taylor. Dec. 9, 1857. — William Brunson. Apnl 10, 1858. — Agnes Ballentine, Agnes Graham, Sarah Blood. May 3, 1858.— Sarah Cross. Nov. 6, 1858.— A. Collins, T. L. Swarthout. Nov. 15, 1858.— H. GaskiU. Nov. 20, 1858.— Henry Scott, Mr. Whipple. April 30, 1859. — Elizabeth Freeman. The annual school report for 1879 presented the sub- joined details : Number of districts (whole, 6; fractional, 2) 8 " scholars of school age 346 A'alue of school property $4235 Teachers' wages $939 • The school directors for 1879 were T. W. Curtis, C. E HoUister, John Buehlcr, T. Warren, W. S. Barker, Charle Gittles, M. Hand, and J. Ballentine. 516 HISTOEY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. MRS. JOUN C. BRUNSOr*. JOHN C. BRUNSON. JOHN C. BRUNSON. Among the few Michigan pioneers who are so fortunate as to trace their ancestry back to the events of the good •ship " Mayflower" is Mr. Brunson. His progenitors on both sides are Revolutionary soldiers, his paternal grandfather, Amos Brunson, and his maternal grandparent, Benjamin Goss, having both been patriots in that early struggle for liberty. His father, Flavius J. Brunson, was bora April 10, 1786, in Massachusetts, while the birth of his mother occurred in 1799, in East Bloomfield, N. Y. John C. recalls East Bloomfield, Ontario Co., N. Y., as the place of his birth, where he was born July 20, 1822, and passed through the usual monotonous experiences of the farmers' sons, — the summer being one of labor, while the winter was devoted to study. At the age of eighteen he repaired to the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, at Lima, N. Y., for two winters, and later to the East Bloomfield Academy. In the year 1845 he came to Michigan and purchased one hundred acres in the township of Victor, to which he sab-, sequently added fifty-four additional acres. The first five winters that he spent in Michigan he taught school in order to pay his way. On Nov. 21, 1849, he was married to Miss Mary S. Hollister, of Victor, the adopted daughter of Dr. T. T. Hollister, and the daughter of Newman Skiff. Mrs. Brunson was born Oct. 26, 1829, and afHicted at an early age by the loss of her parents, but found a welcome to the cheerful home of Dr. and Mrs. Hollister, residing in Victor, Ontario Co., N. Y., until seventeen years of age, and then came to Victor township, Mich., and taught school a number of terms. Mr. and Mrs. Brunson have had uo children, but have adopted two sons, both of whom are married and residing near the home of their adopted father. On his arrival in Michigan, Mr. Brunson's sole capital was three hundred dollars, which by industry and tact has been increased to a degree that places him in the rank of the wealthy and successful farmers of the county. Mr. Brun- son has a great taste for farming and horticulture, is a practical operator in these pursuits, and believes in using his surplus money in the erection of buildings and beauti- fying his grounds instead of putting it at interest. Mr. Brunson has ever been prominent in the politics of the county, and a leading and influential member, first of the Whig and latterly of the Republican party. He has always been an outspoken temperance man, advocating total abstinence, and has never used liquor or tobacco. ' His political record embraces the positions of supervisor for four terms, justice of the peace for twenty years, postmaster for twenty-two years, school inspector, highway commissioner, director and secretary of the Clinton County Agricultural Society since its organization in 1855, and president of the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company. He was represen- tative in the State Legislature for 1873, has been presi- dent of Clinton County Pioneer Society, and was a member of the committee on education, a subject in which he has taken a deep interest. In politics he is an ardent Repub- lican, and in his religious views inclines towards the Congregational Church, of which Mrs. Brunson is an ex- emplary member. VICTOR TOWNSHIP. 517 WILLIAM S. I'AlllvKR. WHS. WILLIAM S. TARKER. WILLIAM S. PAllKEll. The parents of Mr. Parker, John and Sarah Parker, were natives of New York State, and were among the earliest pioneers of 1837 to the township of Victor, where their son was born on the home-farm in the year 1841. The country was at this time undeveloped, the scanty live- lihood of the settler was earned by the sweat of his brow, and the early years of William S. Parker were those of toil and exertion. These were varied by the usual advan- tages of a district school in winter until he attained his majority, when he entered the army and became a member of Company Gof the Fifth Michigan Cavalry. During his period of service, involving nearly three years, he was present at forty-nine engagements, and was wounded on four different occasions. On his discharge from the army and return to his home he was united in marriage to Miss Amanda, daughter of Daniel Blood, of the township of Victor. They have three children, — Isaac, Edna, and Frank. Mr. Parker after his marriage removed to his present home of one hundred and sixty acres, which at that date was unimproved and valued at ten dollars per acre. The labor and excellent judgment of its owner have developed a degree of productiveness which has increased the land in value to sixty dollars per acre. Mr. Parker is in politics a Kepublican, and although firm in his political convictions, is not aggressive in his views. MRS. SARAH PARKER. Mr. Elihu and Mrs. Esther Disbrow Cronk were the parents of thirteen children, of whom their daughter Sarah, the subject of this biography, born in Orange Co., N. Y., March 19, 1815, was the eldest. Her early years until the age of fifteen were devoted to school duties, at the expiration of which time she was employed to assist in household occupations on a neighboring farm ; and three years later was married to John Parker, of Romulus, Seneca Co., N. Y., who was born Nov. 27, 1804, in New Jersey, and became a resident of New York State at the age of five years. In 1837, Mr. and Mrs. Parker removed to Michigan and settled upon the Parker homestead, illustrated upon an adjoining page. They had eighty acres of land, for which one hundred and ten dollars were paid, the township having at that early period been wholly undeveloped. There were no j-oads, and an Indian trail guided them to their destina- tion. Mr. Parker died in 1863, leaving his wife a farm of two hundred and sixty acres, and a cash balance of four hundred dollars. The land, Mrs. Parker, with the assist- ance of her sons, who may be spoken of as men " temper- ate in all things," and especially opposed to liquor and tobacco, has brought to a high degfee of productive- ness, and made correspondingly valuable. Her children are located as follows: Mrs. Phoebe Hill at Ovid; Mrs. Mary Swarthout at Victor ; Epson and William at Victor ; and the remaining five, P]dwin, Charles, Harriet, Martha, and Newell, at the homestead with their mother. Each member of the family is industrious and frugal, and exem- plifies in the character developed the judicious and careful training of the parents. EPSON PARKER. The subject of this biographical sketch is the son of John and Sarah (Cronk) Parker, and was born in Seneca Co., N. Y., in 1836. His parents were cheered by the presence of thirteen children, of whom Epson was the third in order of birth. The farm was the scene of the labors of his early years, where he remained until the age of twenty-three years, attending the neighboring school during 518 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. A intervals of respite from labor, and thus securing a ftiir education. In 1837, together with two additional families, his parents became pioneers to Victor township, which at that early date alForded few evidences of civilization. In the year 1859, Epson having found a congenial companion in Miss Julia Coats, of the same township, was married. Mrs. Parker's birth occurred in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., and her advent to Michigan when but a mere infant, her parents, David J. and LyJia Coats, having been influenced by the advantages Michigan offered to pioneers at an early day. Mr. and Mrs. Parker have had seven children, — A. W., Jessie F., Emory L., P]mily L., Nellie A., J. D., and R. D., the latter of whom is deceased. Mr. Parker is in politics a Republican, though not an active partisan. He is a man of temperate habits, and exemplifies in his life the principle of " moderation in all things." Both he and his wife have been for many years active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are now connected with the Society of the United Brethren. He has also been for several years superintendent of the Sabbath- school. C. R. McKEE. Mr. McKee was of Scotch parentage, and was born in Arlington, Vt., June 12, 1825. His father, Aaron C. R. McKEB. McKee, was a physician, and died at the age of eighty years, and his mother at seventy-four. The early days of the subject of this biography were passed under the paternal roof, in pursuing his early studies, teaching, and filling the position of clerk. At the age of twenty-four his father gave him a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land in Victor, to which he removed, and began the work of the early pioneer, — that of transforming the wilderness into productive fields. After the preliminary labor of clearing had been accomplished he returned, and was marrried to Miss Mary A. Valentine, who was the daughter of Daniel and Nancy Valentine, and was born in Washington County in 1831. They had four children, — Mrs. Mattie Osborn, of Owosso, Mary, Edward, and James, Edward having en- tered the Agricultural College at Lansing, from which he graduates in 1881. Mr. McKee was a Republican in poli- tics, and was for a period of twelve years elected justice of the peace of his township, which oSice he filled with signal ability. Both Mr. and Mrs. McKee were members of the Baptist Church, and exemplified in their lives the teachings of the gospel they professed. Their attractive home was the abode of refinement and intelligence not less than of industry and frugality. AINSWORTH REED. Mr. Reed is one of many descendants of Revolutionary stock resident in the township of Victor. His father, Nathan Reed, a Revolutionary hero, was born in Rutland, Mass., while his mother, whose maiden name was Miss Lydia Smith, was also a native of Massachusetts. Ains- worth resided upon the paternal estate until fourteen years of age, when he became ambitious for an active business career and engaged as a clerk. This embraced a period of eight years of his life, after which he established himself as a peddler of dry goods and notions, the goods he sold having come principally from the Canadas. During this period he traversed the entire State of Michigan, became familiar with its territory, and having been impressed with the superior quality of the land of Victor township, pur- chased a farm on its eastern border. He was soon after married to Miss Mariette George, daughter of Eziba George, of New York State. The land was little else than a forest at this time. The market for wheat was found at Poutiac, involving a journey of sixty-seven miles, and prices were scarcely commensurate with the distance traveled. Mr. Reed later sold and removed to a point known as Geary Post-Office, nearer the centre of the township and more accessible. Here he purchased a large tract of land and erected a new and substantial house. Mr. and Mrs. Reed have seven children, named as fol- lows : Leroy, Louisa, Ernest, Ellen, Julia, Watson, and Estella. Mr. Reed has held the commission as postmaster for a period of twenty years, has been township treasurer for eighteen years, township clerk for seven years, and filled many minor township offices. He is one of the three oldest settlers in the township, and regarded as one of its foremost citizens. JAMES UPTON. The family of Uptons are of New England extraction, and intimately associated with the war of independence. Elias Upton repaired to Boston during the war of 1812 to defend the city against the British. This gentleman was born in Charlemont, Mass., March 22, 1793, and followed agricultural pursuits during his lifetime. His wife, formerly Miss Tryphina Hathaway, was a native of C) o ! WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP. 519 Buckland, Mass., and born Sept. 21, 1795. The birth of their son, who is the subject of this sketch, occurred in Heath town.ship, Mass., on the 27th of February, 1821, having been the fourth in a family of ten children. His early education was not an exception to that of most sons of farmers, the labor of the fields having been varied by the scenes of the district school in winter. At the age of eighteen he learned the trade of a carriage-maker, serv- ing an apprenticeship of three years in Charlemont, after which it afforded him an occupation for six years, and also engaged his attention for two years in New Hampshire. He married, at the age of twenty-three, Miss Julia H. Woodbury, daughter of Jonathan and Harriet Woodbury, who was born March 28, 1824. He engaged again in manufacturing pursuits, and after a brief residence in Ontario Co., N. Y., the family moved to Victor, Mich., and located upon their present site, which from a wilderness has by industry been converted into a productive and valuable estate. Mr. Upton is an unyield- ing Republican in his political convictions. Both he and Mrs. Upton are active members of the Congregational Church. CHARLES EDWARD HOLLISTER. The paternal grandfather of the gentleman who is the subject of this biography, Joseph Hollister, was one of the patriots of the Revolution, and was a direct descendant of the Puritan Governor of Connecticut, Isaac Treat. His father, Isaac T. Hollister, was born in Connecticut in 1801, and having chosen the practice of medicine as a profession attained some distinction as a practitioner. In the year 1827 he married Ellen Chapin, also a native of Connecticut, who was born in 1805, daughter of Hcman Chapin, a pioneer of East Bloomfield, Ontario Co., N. Y. To them were born four children, viz., Oliver Chapin, Charles Edward, Ralph Heman, and Caroline Amelia. They also adopted a girl, Alary Skiff, who afterwards married John C. Brunson, of Victor. Charles E., whose birth occurred in Victor, On- tario Co., N. Y., in 1839, was but seven years of age when his parents moved to Michigan, and in 1846 entered from government the land .still occupied by them. The country was in a primitive condition, and the wide practice of Dr. Hollister called him through many portions of the county still undisturbed by the axe of the pioneer. In 1856 he was chosen to the Senate of the State, and served two years in that capacity, Charles meanwhile remaining upon the farm, and engaging in labor incident to farming pursuits, the winter affording opportunities for education. He en- tered the agricultural college at Lansing, May 17, 1857, at the opening of the college, and after a thorough course, in- volving four years of study, graduated in the first ela.ss. .The sous proved worthy of their patriot sires by enlisting in the armies gathered by the nation when assailed by armed rebellion, tlie eldest, Oliver, enlisting in the Fiftli Michigan Cavalry, Company , and dying in hospital of disease contracted in McClellan's Virginia campaign, leaving a widow and three children. Charles E., in an independent company of engineers, raised by Maj.-Geu. J. C. Fremont for his Missouri campaign, which company was discharged after about five months' service. The younger brother, Ralph H., enlisted in the Eleventh Michigan Cavalry, and was honorably discharged at the close of the war. He en- tered the army as engineer, and after a brief experience re- turned home and followed agricultural pursuits. He was soon after united in marriage to Miss Minne Olverson, of Ingham Co., Mich., a pioneer from her fourth year. Two children have brightened their home circle, — May Eliza and Oliver Cary. I. T. Hollister, as soon as he had plowed some land in 1847, proceeded to set out fruit-trees and vines, probably setting out the first pear-trees and grape-vines in the town of Victor, and teaching people that fruit was necessary for the preservation of their health as well as a cheap luxury, and practicing what he preached by giving away to whomsoever came for them trees, vines, and straw- berry-plants. Mr. Hollister was, in 1878, elected county surveyor, and has been honored with numerous local offices, including those of school inspector for a long series of years and superintendent of schools. In 1872 he received from the United States engineer officer in charge (1st Lieut. E. A. Woodruff) an appointment as a superintendent in the re- moval of the celebrated Red River Raft in the northwestern part of Louisiana, a position which he held for about eighteen months and until the channel was cleared. Mr. Hollister affiliates with the Republican party in politics, and in his church attachments is a Congregationalist. CHAPTER LXV. WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP.* Location, Surface, Streams, and Soil — Land-Entries — First and other Early Settlements — Early Highways — Organization of the Town- ship — Watertown Civil List — Early School Statistics — Wacousta — Grand River City — Church History. The township of Watertown embraces territory that bore indications of the presence of the pioneer long before adjacent portions of the county had been purchased. Its lands were principally entered between the years 1834 and 1836, and at the expiration of the latter year the south and west portions were the centres of a considerable amount of clearing. The township is known as number 5 north, of range 3 west, and may be described as one of the south tier of townships, bounded on the north by Riley, south by Eaton County, east by De Witt, and west by the township of Eagle. Its principal water-course is the Looking-Glass River, which enters the township at section 13, and flowing west pursues a more devious course through section 15, flowing northward to section 8, and again to the south, where it makcsitsexit at section 18. Several smaller streams tributary to this more important current flow from the south. The Looking-Glass River has a volume of water sufficiently large to be utilized for manufacturing purposes, and at va- rious points mills have been erected upon its banks. * By E. 0. Wagner. 620 HISTOKY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. The Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad passes along the south border of the township, and has a station at Delta, adjacent to the southern line of the township, in the adjoining county, and another at Ingersoll's, in Watertown. The surface of Watertown is varied in character. Much level land is found, though a sufficient undulation appears to relieve the monotony. Its rolling aspect greatly en- hances the attractiveness of the landscape, and many striking views are enjoyed along the river-banks and else- where in the township. Tho soil of Watertown compares favorably with that of other portions of the county. In quality it may be de- scribed as a sandy loan with clay subsoil. In localities there is, however, some slight variation from this rule. Wheat and corn are the staple products, and the average crop of each is a flattering testimonial to the strength and productiveness of the soil. The census of 1873 gives the number of acres of the former harvested as two hundred and thirty-five, which produced thirty-nine thousand two hundred and eleven bushels ; and nine hundred and four acres of corn yielded twenty-five thousand seven hundred and filty-eight bushels. Of other grains more than thirty thousand bushels were harvested, while farm products of various kinds made an ample return for the labor of their cultivation. The prevailing woods are ash, maple, oak,, basswood, and walnut. Comparatively little tamarack is found, and no pine. The various fruits peculiar to the climate are suc- cessfully raised in the township. LAND-ENTRIES. The lands composing the township of Watertown were purchased from the United States government by the fol- lowing-named persons : SECTION 1. Acres. D. L. Smith, 1S36 80 Richard P. Hiirl, 18.36 240 C. Bucliley, lS:Sfi 160.14 Munson Wheeler, 1836 83. U6 Henry Whipple, 1836 SO SECTION 2. A. M. Roberts, 1836 40 R. P. Hart, 1836 280 Selah Farris, 1836 84.02 Sarah E. Turner, 1836 ■ go Henry Whipple, 1830 164.34 SECTION 3. Olney and Wolcott, 1836 320 William Mosher, 1836 163.18 Charles Goodwin, 1836 163.66 SECTION 4. Richard P.Hart, 1836 320 Leander Ferguson, 1836 104.62 Henry Whipple, 1836 80 J. Wordman, 1838 84.38 SECTION 5. L. D. Owen, 1836 40 R. P. Hart, 1836 280 Seth M. Root, 1851 IHO James J. Foreman, 1864 84.63 Thomas Wilson, 1854 86.19 SECTION 6. L. Hunt, 1836 80 R. P. Hart, 1836 80 Acres. William Reynolds, 1836 150.68 S. P. Potter, 1851 43 44 M. Culon. 1851 40 Samuel Hitchcock, 1851 43.44 C. P. Cole, 1851 137.77 David Eddy, 1851 40 SECTION 7. Elias Daniells 80 Clark Beardsley 80 Abram Sloan 160 J.R.Morris, 1836 148.92 Richard Lcavis, 1838 40 C. R. and J. II. Spicer, 1838 69.92 J. H. Bissoll, 18JS 40 SECTION 8. Thomas Emerson 85.57 Park and Hunt 124.46 Elias Daniells 91.11 T. Osborne 160 Elias Daniells 160 Nelson Sage 80 SECTION 9. Benjamin Gooch .' 160 William Thompson 320 Thomas Osborne 16u SECTION 10. William Thompson 160 Almey and Wolcott 320 Thomas O.-bornc 160 SECTION 11. Henry Weston, 1836 80 Samuel Forman, 183(1 320 Alraey and Wolcott, 1836 SO E. P." Hart, 1836 160 SECTION 12. Calvin Marvin, 1835 320 R. B. Hart, 1836 160 D. M. Aspenwall, 1836 80 Ed. Butterfield, 1836 80 SECTION 1.3. Joseph Yerkes, 1835 72.82 Horace Butler, 1S36 143.61 Calvin Ball, 1836 87.29 William Thompson, 1836 82.38 Elias Daniells, 1836 48.90 Thomas Woodward, 1836 83.80 Alanson Sumner, 1836 106..34 SECTION 14. Isaac Hovett, 1835 80 Elias Daniells, 1836 43.52 Horace Butler, 1836 99.50 William Thompson, 1836 79.96 Clark Beardsley, 1836 130.45 William Packard, 1836 106.55 S. M. Pearsall, 1836 T SO SECTION 15. William H. Townsend, 1835 307.24 Benjamin Gooch, 1835 149.80 Stephen Hill, 1836 160 SECTION 16. School lands. SECTION 17. R. S. Parks 36.42 Emnior Ilawley 2.34 Elias Daniells 80 P. A. Selover 315.70 L. H. Trask 113.48 Richard Leavis, 1839 40 GroftoD Webber, 1839 40 WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP. 521 SECTION IS. Acres. AVilliun Diets, 18.36 128. .'iO E. Nilcs. IS.itJ 7S.:i8 Geoi-ge Gouihiian, ISiili 11111.85 I.. II. Tn.sk, lS:i(i 72.0B Klia,» DnnifMs, 18;i(i 126.72 George I'lirks, 183C 80 SECTION 19. Charles Armstronff. 18;jij an'l "SCt ;j2l) Horace Hutlcr, l.S:i(; lOH 1). li. Niles, 18.30 132.fiS SECTION 20. Jiphn llo.scborne, I83G 160 llcnrv AnuiiUiin, 1830 1(10 Williiiui I'ackarl, 1830 160 A. A. Wclji.er, 1841 40 Andrew ShadJuck, 1848 120 SECTION 21. E. Frary, 1836 ."iOO Elias Daiiiells, 1836 80 SECTION 22. Beniiimin Wel-sh, 1836 200 E. i'rary, 1830.. 440 SECTION 23. Horace Budcr, 1836 80 William Packard, 1836 240 Anson lloland, 1836 240 Elilm 1'. lugorsull, 1837 80 SECTION 24. William Packard, 1836 80 KHS.«ell Ciishnian, 1836 160 An^on lluland, 1836 80 Elihu 1'. Ingersoll, 1837 320 SECTION 25. I!. 11. Kcrolieval, 1S36 160 E. Daniells, 1836 240 Samuel ('ha SECTION 32. Acf», James Ilutchins, 1836 240 Nathan Daniells, IS3I) 80 T. H. Perkins, 1830 320 SECTION .33. H. H. Comstoek, 1836 80 William Thom|ison, 1836 160 Nathan Danielle, 1830 100 T. H. Perkins, 1836 240 SECTION .34. H. II. Comstoek, 1836 SO Phiiieas Davis, 1S30 320 William Thompson, 1836 160 Elihu P. Ingersoll, 1836 80 SECTION 35. H. II. Comstoek, 1836 80 Phincas Davis, 1836 80 Lehmd Greene, 1830 160 Nathan Daniells, 1830 Kit) T. H. Perkins, 1836 80 Erastus Ingersoll, 1836 80 SECTION 36. Nathan I. Daniells, 1836 480 Erastus Ingersoll, 1837 80 FIRST AND OTHER EARLY SETTLEMENTS. The earliest settler who broke ground within the limits of the present township of Watertown was unquestionably Calvin Marvin, more familiarly known to the townspeople as Deacon Marvin. He entered, in the year 1835, three hundred and twenty acres of laud on section 12, and the same year removed with his family from Oakland County, and became a settler upon his possessions. With Deacon Marvin came three sons, all of whom are provided with farms immediately near the paternal home. As no settlers had taken land in the immediate vicinity, these early pio- neers to Watertown were obliged to provide a shelter of such material as was at hand, and constructed a rude camp, which afforded them a covering until a cabin was built. Mr. Marvin and his sons at once began the work of chop- ping, and had during the first year made extensive inroads upon the forests. Settlers gradually surrounded them, and the wilderness of 1835 was at a later day the most produc- tive of the broad acres of Clinton County. Deacon Mar- vin was the earliest supervisor of the township, and a man of marked personal influence in the community, not less for the mental energy displayed by him than for his many genial qualities of heart. Dr. Seth P. Marvin settled early in Watertown, on land given him by his father, upon which he erected a house, and began the practice of medicine, being the first physician in the township. He later removed to De Witt, and was the second representative of his profession in that township. Ascl R., another son, also removed to De Witt, and after- wards from the county. A third son, Eleazor, while at the East for the purpose of removing a family to Clinton County, was attacked by a severe illness that terminated fatally. At his house occurred the earliest death in the township, — that of his child. Samuel Foreman was the second arrival in Watertown. He emigrated from Wayne County in the fall of 183(5, and entered three hundred and twenty acres on section 11 in 522 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. the same year. He became a settler and began the process of iniprovemeut, but afterwards exchanged his residence and became a citizen of De Witt. Stephen Hill, another Wayne County pioneer, located upon the northeast quarter of section 15. In 1837 he removed with Samuel Foreman to land on section 11 while building, or rather completing, a cabin which had been begun the year previous by him. He accomplished but a small clearing the first year, but devoted much of the spring to the making of maple-sugar, of which the maple-trees in the vicinity yielded a bountiful supply. Mr. Foreman and Deacon Marvin were the only settlers. Flour and other supplies had been brought fiom Wayne County, which enabled the fiimily to subsist for a long period without replenishing their larder. Mr. Hill still resides upon the laud he entered, where he has a well- cultivated farm and a spacious and elegant residence. Edward Butterfield entered in 183G eighty acres on section 12, and came to the township soon after to reside, but did not settle upon his purchase until 1838, having found employment in various portions of the township. He first built a log house, and later secured a wife and removed to his land. The farm was unin)proved, but rap- idly changed and made productive by his industry. Mr. Butterfield resided upon the place until his death, when it passed into the hands of its present occupant, George Ward. Selah Ferris, formerly of Tioga Co., N. Y., purchased one hundred and twenty acres on sections 2 and 3 in 1837, upon which he settled the following year. The land was entered at the land-office in Ionia, Mr. Ferris having fol- lowed the path known as the Dexter trail, and spent the night in the woods after having traveled all day to reach his destination. The demand for land was so great as to render a stop of four days at Ionia necessary before the business of the occasion was accomplished. William Mosher had arrived in 1837, and entered one hundred and sixty-three acres on the same section, which was being rapidly cleared. With him Mr. Ferris found a welcome while erecting a cabin, to which he at once re- moved, and the first year had accomplished a clearing of eight acres. Indians occasionally paid the settlers visits, and were ever eager lor an exchange of supplies or a " swap," as they termed it. Bears and wolves were also numerous, and so terrified the family as to elfectually insure their presence within doors after darkness approached. There were no roads other than those cut by the settlers that were in condition to be made useful for purposes of travel, though many were surveyed during the year 1837 and awaiting improvement. In 1852, Mr. Ferris purchased the Mosher farm, upon which he at present resides, and on which a comfortable residence has been built. The earliest marriage recollected by Mr. Ferris occurred at the house of William Mosher, his daughter, Miss Lucy, having been united to Mr. Jackson Cronkhite. Early religious services were held at the houses of the settlers in 1839, and later the few families in the township were accustomed to repair to De Wilt with ox-teams for worship. Harvey Hunter and Benjamin Silsby were both from Steuben Co., N. Y., and came to the township early. The latter, who came in 1838, devoted his time to moving set- tlers from Detroit and adjacent points to their purchases in the county. He hiter found a congenial pursuit in the occupation of a peddler, having kept horses and wagons for the purpose. While making his customary rounds he en- countered Harvey Hunter, with whom ho formed a copart- nership in business, and together they opened a store in Wacousta in 1840. The labors were divided — one having the store in charge, while the other followed an itinerant business. They exchanged goods for hides, wool, wheat, and other commodities, which were subsequently sold in Detroit. Mr. Silsby purchased a farm near Wacousta, and later removed to the township of Eagle, while Hunter se- cured in 1850, of Stephen T. Gooch, one hundred and sixty acres on section 9. It was partially improved on his removal to the place, upon which he remained until his death in 1880. His widow still occupies the homestead. William Diets, a former resident of Plymouth, Wayne Co., located in 1836 upon the northwest fractional quarter of -section 18, embracing one hundred and twenty-three acres, which he reached by floating down the Looking- Glass River in a canoe. Mr. Diets built a cabin, after which he began the work of chopping. The farm ulti- mately, under the influence of the industry he evinced, be- came very productive and valuable. He lived upon the land during his lifetime, and built at different periods two frame houses upon it. His death occurred in 1880 at the age of eighty-four years, and the two hundred and eight acres of land owned by him were distributed among vari- ous heirs. Ebenczer Smith came from Cayuga Co., N. Y., in 1823, having settled early in Oakland County. In 1834 he en- tered land in the township of Watertown, and in 1837 made a permanent settlement on section 18, having the winter previous erected a cabin and removed a portion of his goods on an ox-sled. Pontiac was at this time the nearest milling-point, to which the settlers carried their grists. The Waterloo Joint Stock Company had begun, their improvements, and William Chiedaman was the man- ager of the boarding-house erected for the convenience of the laborers employed. J. K. Morris also lived at Wa- cousta, and was completing his contract for the construc- tion of a dam on the river. James Sowle was at work upon the mill, and was the builder of the first frame house, while Mr. Smith boasted the earliest frame barn in the township. Mr. Smith resided upon the farm until his death in 1863. A portion of the land is occupied by Ran- som Brooks, and the reuiainder by his son, A. J. Smith, at present one of the township justices of the peace. The earliest prayer-meeting in the township was con- vened at the house of Mr. Smith, and was no doubt the nucleus from which grew at a later period the various re- ligious organizations of Watertown. Parker Webber, a former resident of Cazenovia, N. Y., came to the township in 1839, in the capacity of miller for the company at Wacousta, and ground the first grist, which consisted of a bushel of corn. He was the miller for many years, and ultimately purcha.sed a mill at De Witt, where he died. John Andrews, brother-iu-law of Mr. Webber, settled in 1839 upon eighty acres on section 7. This land was uncleared until improved by him and made WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP. 523 productive. He remained upou it and continued to labor until his death in 1860. Sidney J. Loomis moved to Watertown from Orleans Co., N. Y., in 1839, and selected a farm of forty acres upon section 21. Ho found a wide field for improvement open to him, and devoted himself with earnestness to the work. Mr. Loomis has not rekuKod his energy, but still devotes his time to the cultivation of his early purchase. Joseph Sanborn came at the same time, and buuglit land also on section 21. He afterwards moved to the township of E.igle and secured a home in that township. George West did not follow agricultural pursuits, for many years after his arrival in the township. The Water- loo Joint Stock Company were engaged, in 1837, in per- fecting arrangements for the various mercantile enterprises then projected, and Mr. West sought employment with them. He remained in Wacou.sta until 1857, when a farm was purchased by him embracing forty acres on section 16, formerly owned by Curtis Hart, upon which a small im- provement had been made and a frame house erected. Mr. West is one of the oldest residents in Watertown, and still actively employed in the cultivation of his land. Elder William Wood left the exciting life he had for- merly enjoyed in New York City for a home in the wilder- ness of Michigan, and purchased forty acres on section 17. He was a Baptist preacher, and combined with his sacred office the calling of an agriculturist. Elder Wood was withal a very popular man, and one who commanded the respect of his neighbors, both for his intelligence and his sincerity. He led a consistent life, professed what he preached, and was never known to engage in a horse-trade during the intervals between service, as were many others of his clerical brethren. He is still a resident of the town- ship, and one of its few venerable pioneers who survive the lapse of years. Francis Hart, another Oakland County settler of 1840, purchased fort}' acres on section 16, which he found unim- proved. Mr. Hart erected a house upon this land and at once began clearing. A decided change in its condition was efiected ere many years had elapsed, and ultimately it attained a high state of cultivation. Mr. Hart died at the house of his son, who occupied the farm, in 1851). Har- vey Weston preceded Mr. Hart by two years, and settled on section 11. The first winter of his residence was spent with the family of Stephen Hill, during which time he erected a cabin and then returned to the East for a wife. He remained for several years a resident of the township, but ultimately removed. The following list embraces the tax-list of township 5 north, of 3 west, for 1841, giving the names of onl}' those tax-payers who were then residing in the township, viz. : Acrt'B. Calvin Mjirvin, section 12 40 Soth P. Marvin, sccticin 12 120 R. Marvin, section 12 120 E. Butterfield, Jr., i-oution 12 80 Warren, section 14 80 Weston, section 11 80 Stephen Hill, section l.i 160 Samuel Foreman, section 11 320 Roberts, section 2 40 — — - Goodwin, section .'1 160 William Mosier, section 3 160 Sclah Ferris, section 2 84 AcreH. Peter rSriggs, section 22 200 Elihu Lewis, section 3.> 20 Billings anil llaydon, section 35 GO A. Adams, section 2.^ 40 Charles Prouton, .'section 31 8U J.Smith, section 29 inil J. Lowell, section 21 40 J. S. Loomis, section 21 SO J. Sanborn E. Smith, sections 7-14 218 J. II. Spicer, section 7 70 G. II. .'Vndrewa, section 7 69 J. K. Morris, section 7 80 William Diets, section 18 284 Parker Webber, section 18 65 E. F. Tlioiupson Israel Carpenter William J. King D. S. Ingersoll. HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS. 1838. 1S39. 1840. 1841. 1842. 1843. 1844. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. 1849. 1S50. Morris Bougliton. Ileman Thomas. Samuel Foreman. Henry Gibbs. Stephen Hill. David Clark. Jared Higbee. Henry Gibbs. Stephen Hill. E. P. Daniells. E. Billings. Samuel Foreman. Ezra P. Daniells. Joseph S. Loomis. A. R. Marvin. Jonas Smith. E. P. Daniells. Grofton Webber. Harry Weston. Thomas J. Allen. E. P. Daniells. Ezra Billings. Josiah Lowell. A. R. Marvin. William Diets. Eliot Ingersoll. Jason Nichols. Jonas Smith. Jason Nichols. A. R. Marvin. 6. W. Kinney. J. H. Andrews. 1). R. Cutter. A. R. Marvin. .Jason Nichols. Jason Nichols. 1850. 1851. 1852. 1853. 1854. 1855. 1856. 1857. 1858. 1859. 1860. 1861. 1862. 1863. 1864. 1865. 1866. 1867. 1868. 1S69. 1870. 1871. 1872. 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876- 1878. 1879- Eliot Ingersoll. A. R. Marvin. Jonas Smith. A. J. Reed. B. F. Hammill. E. Ingersoll. Joseph S. Loomis. William Lee. E. Ingersoll. A. J. Reed. C. N. Derbyshire. C. E. Eastman. Egbert Ingcrsoll. G. W. Kinney. F. L. Smith. Egbert Ingersoll. Willard King. Daniel Sherman. Edward Root. George Smith. Charles E. Eastman. B. S. Derbyshire. S. M. Cook. A. J. Smith. Robert G. Mason. Egbert Ingersoll. John II. Lowell. Lockwood Clark. 0. W. Lowell. lieorgc Oliver. Alartin Maier. A. J. Jones. R. G. Mason. •77. Scth M. Cook. George Reeves. SO. John G. Schlee. SCHOOL INSPECTORS. 1838. Scth P. Marvin. 1842. E. F. Thompson. E. F. Thompson. 1843. Charles Goodwin S. B. Groger. Stephen Hill. 1839. S. P.Marvin. Harvey Hunter. Philo Beers. 1844. Thom.is Allen. E. F. Thompson. H. Hunter. 1840. Soth P. Marvin. M. P. Burch. Philo Beers. 1845. No record. Charles R. Spicer. 1846. Egbert Ingcrsoll. 1841. Walter Hubbell. 1847. William Woorl. Selh P. Marvin. 1848. 0. B. Ingcrsoll. E. F. Thompson. 1849. E. P. Ingersoll. 1842. Stephen Hill. 1850. G. W. Lowell. Charles Gooilwin. 1851. N. I. Daniells. 526 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 1852. No record. 1866. D. A. Davis. 1S53. Henry Snow. 1867. H. P. Clark. 1854. Sidney Frary. 1868. Lyman Townsend. 1855. J. W. Timmerman. 1809. H. P. Clark. 1856. F. L. Smith. 1870. L. F. Conrad. 1857. Seth M. Cooli. 1871. Warren Smith. 1858. K. F. Morse. 1872. A. A. Hunt. 1859. N. I. Daniells. 1873. S. M. Cook. 1860. Ilix Ilorton. 1874. Peter Oliver. 1861. R. W. Holbrook. 1875. S. M. Cook. 1862. F. L. Smith. 1876. Egbert Ingcrsoll. 1863. R. W. Holbrook. 1877- 78. John Q. Benedict 1864. S. M. Cook. 1879. George C. Higbee. 1S65. D. F. Belts. 1880. R. M. Brooks. DRAIN COMMISSIONERS. 1873. Harvey Hunter. 1874. 0. W. Lowell. 1875-76. Thomas Reed. 1877. George C. Jarvis. 187S. William S. Miller. 1879. 0. A. Lockwuod. 1880. Albert D. Wood. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. 1875-76. L. F. Conrad. 1877-78. Lyman Townsend. 1879. R. M. Brooks. 1880. Miss Emma L. Wickham. EARLY SCHOOL STATISTICS. "At a meeting of the board of school inspectors held at the ofBee of the township clerk on the 7th day of April, 1838, Seth P. Marvin was chosen chairman, and the board proceeded to the transaction of business, making the di- vision of school districts as follows, viz. : "The west half of town number five north of range number three west, with sections 22, 27, 34, except the north half of sections 4, 5, 6, shall comprise district num- ber one. " District number two shall embrace the southeast quarter of said township five north of range three west. " District number three shall embrace the northwest quarter of section 1, the north half of section 2, all of section 3, and the north half of sections 4, 5, 6, in town-^ ship five north of range three west, and all that part of township six north of range three west, lying south of the quarter-line through sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. " District number four shall embrace the north half of township five north of range four west, except the east half of sections 1, 12, 13, north of the Looking-Glass River. " District number five shall be conipo.sed of the south half of said township. " Stephen B. Groger. " Setu p. Marvin. " Epukaim p. Thompson. " C. R. Spicer, " Township Clerk. '* Watkutown, April 7, 1838." The earliest school in Watertown was opened at Wa- cousta, then embraced in fractional school district No. 1, and now a portion of district No. G. It was held in the upper story of a store occupied by Daniel Hubbell, there having been at that time no school building erected, and was taught by Mrs. Daniel Moore. In 1844, or possibly earlier, a contract was awarded to Henry Gibbs for the erection of a school building in this district, who was as- sisted in its construction by Royal Benson. Miss Sarah Beers and Miss Rhoda Brooks were also early teachers, and probably exercised a wholesome discipline upon the youth of Wacousta before a school-house was constructed in the township. The second school building was erected on section 34, then embraced in district No. 2, but the earliest instructor is not remembered. The present school territory of Watertown is divided into one fractional and six whole districts, over whom pre- side the following board of directors, — William M. Jones, George W. West, J. T. Backus, 0. W. Lowell, R G. Mason, 0. H. Smith, Christopher Summers. Three hundred and sixty-one scholars received instruction during the past year, of whom eleven were non-residents. They were under the supervision of a corps of eight male and eleven female teachers, who received in salaries an aggregate sum of seventeen hundred and twenty-four dollars and fifty cents. The school property of the township, embracing one brick and six frame buildings, is valued at five thousand seven hundred dollar.s. WACOUSTA. In July, 1837, an association was formed with the avowed purpose of organizing a company, to be known as the " Waterloo Joint-Stock Company." The mem- bers of the company, or more properly the stockholders, were Alexander Goodell, Charles Hubbell, Orson E. Hall, Reubeu R. Gibson, Thomas 0. Hill, and Charles A. Trow- bridge. They purchased a tract of land in Watertown de- scribed as " lying upon the Looking-Glass River, and being the southeast fraction of the northwest quarter of section 17, township 5 west, of range 3 west; also the east half of the southeast quarter of section 7, in the same township ; also the east fraction of the northeast quarter of section 18 ; also the northwest fraction of the southwest quarter of sec- tion 8 ; also the west fraction of the northwest quarter of section 17 in the same township." The object of this pur- chase, as stated in the articles of agreement, was the im- provement of the real estate and the laying out of a town therein, and the disposing of lots for building purposes. The company appointed Chai-les R. Spicer as their resi- dent agent, and at once began a system of improvements in- volving an expenditure of twelve thousand dollars. A saw-mill was first erected, and immediately after, a grist-mill, a- dwelling having meanwhile been constructed for the accommodation of the men employed on the works, and superintended by William Chridawan. A store was also opened by the company. It needed, however, but little time to develop the fact that the scheme was not destined to financial success. At a meeting of the stockholders a lease of the property, in- cluding four hundred and thirty acres of land, and the mills and dwelling, was secured by Charles R. Spicer for the sum of eight hundred dollars, to bo paid annually. Spicer then took possession of the property, but failed to make any payments on the lease, and finally departed for New York. The property was ultimately sold at auction in the city of Detroit, and was purchased by Cornelius O'Flynn and William K. Coyle, both of Detroit, who obtained a title and reorganized the company. WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP. 527 In 1848 the latter gentleman disposed of his interest to N. I. Daniells, and Cornelius O'Flynn conveyed his share to Elias Daniells. With this later transfer ended the decaying fortunes of the Waterloo Joint-Stock Company. The mill property was subsequently owned by Messrs. Hunter & Silsbee, who arrived in 1840, and established a general store at this point, having purchased the business of Walter Hubbell, though the mill property not having been managed by them to profit, had been allowed to go to decay. The above-named firm were formerly peddlers, and after having by fair dealing obtained an extended patronage in adjacent parts of the country, ultimately located at Wa- cousta, where a very lucrative system of barter and trade was maintained with the settlers. N. I. and Nelson Daniells arrived in 1848 (having been former residents of Cayuga Co., N. Y.), and at once repaired the mill property. The grist-mill, which was in a condi- tion unfit for service, was at once remodeled, and the saw- mill also thoroughly rebuilt. A store was opened by them, and in 1855 the old grist-mill was replaced by a new one, which is now owned by Nelson Daniells. This mill has three run of stones, and is devoted to both custom- and merchant-work. It is located upon the Looking-Glass Kiver, from whence its power is derived, and has a capacity of four hundred bushels per day. Much patronage is en- joyed from the adjacent country, though Lansing and the East furnish a market for its merchant work. The saw-mill, which is also owned by Mr. Daniells, em- braces planing machinery, and has a capacity of two thou- sand feet per day. It does custom-work exclusively. There are at Wacousta six stores, owned as follows : Carey R. Daniells has a general store. Carmer Brothers, of Lansing, have also a general store, managed by O. A. Smith. H. D. Weaver has a market and also a grocery-store. G. W. Burt combines drugs and medicines with a stock of groceries. Frank E. Davis deals in boots and .shoes, and groceries. Two blacksmith-shops are conducted by P. H. Blass & Son, and Alonzo Waldron. Mrs. Cook has a millinery establishment. William Hosner is the landlord, while Frank E. Davis is postmaster, and Henry J. Patterson and Joseph A. Myers are the lawyers of the village. Drs. A. S. Hyatt and S. A. JIauzer are the physicians. The projectors of the village had determined upon " Waterloo" as a euphonious, and at the time a popular cog- nomen for the rising village, but subsequent investigation proved that a post-office of similar name already existed in the State. Some early settler, with an inten.se admiration for the character of the historic Wacousta,* suggested the name as a substitute, and it was at once adopted. GRAND RIVER CITY. In the summer of 1834, Erastus Ingersoll purchased a tract of land in the town.ship.of Delta, on the northern * In the conspiracy of Pontine, in 1763, Major Glaflwin, the com- mandant nt Detroit, was appri^^cd by the Indian maiden Wnconstu of the intention of the Indians to surprise and massacre the garrison at tlie fort, and thus the plot was defeated. At least this is one of tlie traditions of tiiat conspiracy. boundary-line of the county of Eaton, and in 1836 added to this purchase eighty acres on section 35 in the township of Watertown, and a year later an additional eighty on sec- tion 36. Elihu P. Ingersoll also bought eighty acres at the same date on section 34.- This portion of the State was at that early date little else than a vast forest, diversified by occasional oak-openings, and surprise was manifested on the part of friends of the gentleman that he should have chosen so isolated a spot. The prospective removal of the State capital had, however, influenced him to ehoo.se what he deemed a central location, trusting to circumstances to enhance the value of this land. In the year 1 836 he erected a log house, and having se- cured an individual named Avery to .superintend operations, brought a squad of men for the purpose of building a dam and erecting mills. Soon after the services of John Thayer, a surveyor, resident in Farmington, Oakland Co., were se- cured, and a village was marked out extending from the Grand River to the Grand River turnpike, and this pros- pective village was immediately christened Grand River City. On the completion of the saw-mill the men were employed in clearing and chopping preparatory to the rais- ing of crops. Early during the winter of 1837 E. S. Ingersoll with his family arrived, and became residents of the place, and in June of the same year a party of gentlemen including Dr. Isaac Jennings, Rev. E. P. Ingersoll, Charles W. Gurney, and others, all of Massachusetts, arrived, having as their ob- ject the establishment of an extensive educational enterprise at Grand River City. The State Legislature passed and approved an act incorporating the school April 11, 1839, indicating it as the Grand River Theological Semitiary, with Isaac Jennings, Thomas Blossom, John J. Sheppard, Josiah Tole, Erastus Ingersoll, Charles W. Gurney, Samuel Chad- wick, and E. P. Ingersoll as a board of trustees. It fur- ther invested the said trustees with power to erect " in the village of Orion, in Eaton and Clinton Counties [the county-line running through the village], such buildings as they may judge the interests of the institution shall at any time demand." The school was to have been con- ducted on a plan similar to that adopted by many Eastern institutions, involving a system of manual labor as an ac- companiment of instruction. A site was chosen for the building, the lumber was par- tially prepared, and Rev. E. P. Ingersoll was delegated to solicit aid for the enterprise. The subscriptions on paper were so numerous as to warrant the most sanguine predictions of success, when the wildcat banking system of Michigan collapsed, and in the general financial wreck which ensued were engulfed all the brilliant hopes for the future of Grand River City. Mr. Erastus Ingersoll resided in Farmington, Oakland Co., where he died in 1851. He divided his estate in Watertown among liis sons, Elial, Orville B., Eg- bert, and Truman, all of whom as early as the year 1842 became residents of this township. ClIUKCH HISTORY. CONUREGATIONAL CHUUCII. An ecclesiastical council convened at Wacousta, Mich., on the 8tli day of July, 1802, pursuant to an invitation of 528 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. certain individuals who desired to be organized as a Con- gregational Church. The council having been convened by the choice of Rev. H. A. Read, of Marshall, as moderator, and Rev. W. B. Williams, of Charlotte, as clerk, prayer was offered and the letter read which designated the pur- pose of the meeting. The following persons publicly assented to the confession of faith, and solemnly entered into covenant to walk together in Christian fellowship : J. D. Millard, Jane L. Millard, John A. Hamilton, Maria Hamilton, Mrs. Cornelia N. Hazard, Mrs. Mary Bissell, Mrs. Sarah M. Davidson, Miss Fercis Root. At the first regular meeting John A. Hamilton was elected Deacon ; Persis Root, Treasurer ; and Cornelia N. Hazard, Church Clerk. In the following year David I. Daniells, N. L. Daniells, and Rev. William P. Esler were elected a financial committee, and to Rev. J. D. Millard was extended an invitation to serve as pastor the following year. Rev. Mr. Millard accepted, and remained as pastor in charge until 1SG6, when he was succeeded by Rev. J. M. Ashley. The church next extended a call to Rev. N. D. Glidden, who filled the ministerial office until 1872, when Rev. William II. Skentelbury, of the Chicago Theological Sem- inary, was invited to the charge, and at a later period ac- cepted. An effort was made to erect a house of worship soon after, and a lot was purchased. Subscriptions having been offered with much zeal, the congregation felt encour- aged to begin the work. The edifice was completed at a cost of eighteen hundred dollar.*, and the dedicatory ser- vices were held on the i3th of January, 1875. A flourishing Sabbath-school is connected with the so- ciety, of which L. J. Gibson is superintendent. During the summer months one hundred and twenty members are enrolled. The present church officers are Munsen Austin, Oscar Hart, George H. Niles, Deacons ; R. E. Hamilton, Treasurer ; G. W. Burt, Clerk. Rev. W. H. Skentelbury is still the pastor, and resides in the village of Wacousta. The church-roll numbers seventy-five members. BAPTIST CHURCU. A Baptist society was organized in Wacousta during the year 1854, and a legal organization was effected as early as July 4th of that year, with the following as a board of trustees: Harvey Hunter, John C. Backus, George W. Perigo, Charles M. Derbyshire, and David P. Daniells. The society flourished for a time, but with the presence of later organizations much of tiie support of the church-going portion of the township was diverted into other channels, and the Baptist Church has now no existence other than in the memory of its former adherents. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF WACOUSTA. The organization and first preachers of this society have not been ascertained. The church in which they worship was erected in 18G7, aud dedicated in April, 18G8. The dedication sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Mead, the Rev. John Bragins being in charge at that time. He was succeeded by Revs. Tiiomas Clark, H. D. Jordan, S. P. Hewitt, Cadwell, B. S. Pratt, and the Rev. W. R. McEwen, who is the present pastor. The trustees of the church are H. Farloch, T. Bateman, J. Q. Benedict, D. Niles, and William Warbais. The church numbers at present thirty-three. A Sunday-school is in connection with the church containing fifty pupils. William Miller is superintendent. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. GEORGE GALL. George Gall was born in Newton, Cambridgeshire, Eng- land, Oct. 11, 1824. His father, Edward Gall, was born in Leverton, England, where he grew to manhood, working as soon as large enough at common labor. He married Susan Andrus. They had eight children, George being the second. He, too, was a common laborer until he was eighteen years old, when he was apprenticed for three years to J-anies Hardmeat, of Wisbech, to learn the butcher's trade. After learning his trade he went to Ely, where he worked in a meat-market for seven shillings per week. In May, 1849, Mr. Gall took passage in a sailing-- vessel for New York. He had saved the money to buy his ticket by putting a few shillings at a time in the savings-bank. He had learned that in the mother-country only a life of toil and poverty awaited him, and he determined to see what labor and economy would do for him in the new world be- yond the sea. He landed in New York after a month's voyage, and with but ten cents in his pocket. This would not buy a meal for himself and comrade, John Nourse, so he bought them each a glass of American beer. Their ticket was to Buffalo, but they went only to Lockport, where they both hired out for ten dollars per month. Here Mr. Gall remained during the summer. During the next two years he worked by the month at farm labor, his highest wages being thirteen dollars per month. Eighteen months after his arrival he sent two hundred dollars to his fiither with which to bring the family to this country. His employer advanced one season's earnings to enable him to send that amount. When his parents and four sisters arrived they found a home awaiting them which had been rented by George, who never forgot to "honor his father and mother." In 1851 he bought forty acres of new land in ^V^atertown, and then after working one year more by the month, he, with his father's family, came to Michigan and settled on his land. Their family was large and they had no means, and for a time George found supplying the wants of so many no easy task. But he was not easily discouraged, and with untiring energy he went to work. In the winter he thrashed grain with a flail, doing an amount of work that to the young men of to-day would seem incredible. In the summer months he worked on his farm when not compelled to work for others to supply the family wants. His sisters married from his home, while the father and mother lassed with him tiie remainder of their days, the mother living to see her son the owner of a fine farm, and a man honored and esteemed by his neighbors for his in- dustry and sterling integrity. Oct. 19, 1863, he was mar- ried to Miss Cclia Rudgers, daughter of Thomas and Lil- lias J. (Bush) Rudgers, born in La Grange, Wyoming Co., WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP. 529 N. Y., Nov. 22, 1840. Her people were early settlers in Orange township, Ionia Co., Mich., where her father cleared a new farm. He is still living in Dallas, Clinton Co. The death of her mother when she was nine years old made it necessary for her to work out by the week, which she did for years. Mr. Gall now owns one hundred and twenty acres of fine land under good improvement, with good house and out-buildings, the result of hard labor and good management. Their children were Hannah L., born Oct. 12, 1864, died March 28, 1865 ; Ida M., April 4, 1866 ; Elizabeth J., Sept. 4, 1868; Thomas E., July 2, 1871; George H., Nov. 13, 1873 ; and Liuna C, April 6, 1877. MRS. ELIEL INGEllSdLL. ELIEL INGERSOLL. ELIEL INGERSOLL. In the latter part of the sixteenth century three brothers, of whom one was William Ingersoll, emigrated from Eng- land and settled in the town of Lee, in what afterwards became the celebrated county of Berkshire, Mass. At the first election held in the town he was elected town clerk, magistrate, and selectman. When the Congregational Church of the town of Lee was organized his name headed the list. He had five sons — Aaron, Jared, Scth, David, and William — and two daughters, names unknown. David Ingersoll, of whose family we shall write, married a Miss Sally Parsons. She was a granddaughter of the celebrated Jonathan Edwards. They had thirteen chil- dren, all of whom grew to maturity, and all of whom became members of the Congregational branch of the Christian Church. David was for forty-five years a dea- con in the Congregational Church in Lee. He died there, as did also his wife. Erastus, the oldest of the family, lived in Lee until early manhood, when he emigrated to the town of Victor, Ontario Co., N. Y. In March, 1806, he was married to Miss Sally Smith, daughter of Nicholas Smith, who emigrated from Stockbridge, Mass., to the Genesee country about the year 1789. Erastus remained in Victor until 1825, when, having lost his prop- 67 erty in building the locks on the P]rie Canal at Rochester, he with his family came to Oakland Co., Mich., and settled in the town of Farmington, where there were but a few families then settled. They came from Bufliilo to Detroit by schooner, and were nine days on the lake. In Detroit, Mr. Ingersoll bought a yoke of oxen and drove by way of Birmingham to the new home in the wilderness. There were no roads, and for three miles from his home no houses. His nearest neighbor was a Mr. Powers, who was then building a mill where the village of Farmington now stands. He bought of the government one hundred and sixty acres, which he cleared and improved. In 1834 he came to Clin- ton County, where he bought five lots of wild land, and four lots in Eaton County. He located in the town of Delta, where he built mills. The first school taught in his town was in his mill, and by his brother, the Rev. E. P. Inger- soll. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and a pioneer of whom any new country may be proud. He died in Farmington, January, 1850. Eliel, the fifth child of Erastus, was born in Victor, Ontario Co., N. Y., April 10, 1816. He was married, Jan. 30, 1839, to Miss Diantha M. McRobert, daughter of James and Rachel (Covill) McRobert. She was born 530 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. in Greenfield, Saratoga Co., N. Y., May 30, 1817. Her father was born in the lowlands of Scotland, from whence his mother emigrated to America when he was four years old. In 1840, Eliel, with his wife and one child, moved from Oakland County to Watertown, going with a team and by the way of Howell, and then following a road his father had cut through to his lands in Clinton and Eaton Counties. He reached his father's place in midwinter, but a house of tamarack logs was soon built, and they at once moved in. Their house and furniture were of the most primitive kind. Their table was plain boards, their bed- stead made of poles driven into the logs, and their stairs a log with notches cut in it for steps. Yet it was home, and their settlement the foundation for a fine farm. Prior to this he had bought one hundred and twenty acres of gov- ernment land in Delta, eighty acres of which he traded for a team, and the balance was sold to improve his farm in Watertown. There was nothing cleared on their farm and no roads. Wild game of every kind was abundant, as was also nearly every species of snake, from the deadly rattle- snake to the harmless streaked snake, all of which were a terror to Mrs. Ingersoll, who often found them uninvited guests in her home. After locating on his farm they went to Delta to help rebuild the dams, which had been washed away, and to help erect new mills. This kept them from their farm five years, when they returned, and the work of clearing and improving went on. The result is a well-im- proved farm of over one hundred acres, the result of years of toil and economy. Mr. Ingersoll also owns a fine resi- dence in North Lansing. In politics he is a Republican ; though he has never sought or wanted oflSce, still he has held some of the minor oflBces in his township. Mr. and Mrs. Ingersoll have been for many years members of the Congregational Church, and are strong sympathizers in the cause of temperance. Their union has been blessed with the following children: Lucy E., born Nov. 18, 1839; John N., Jan. 15, 1844; Elihu B., Nov. 1, 1849; Eliel B., Nov. 1, 1852; Augusta L., Nov. 20, 1854; Dwight C, March 3, 1856 ; and Carter W., Nov. 19, 1862. WILLIAM F. DUTTON. William F. Dutton was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., June 23, 1812, and is a true specimen of the American pioneer. A man of iron constitution, with nerves and sinews of steel, he never knew the meaning of the words " fatigue" and " fail." With him to will was to do. Before his never-tiring arm the forests disappeared from farm after farm, until but few men can say they have cleared as much land as he. His father and mother, Robert and Sarah (Fowler) Dutton, were early settlers in Chenango County, having settled on their farm when it was entirely new. When William was fifteen years old he engaged with the Merchant line as a driver on the Erie Canal. Until he was twenty-two we find him each summer on the canal in the difierent roles of driver, deck-hand, steersman, and captain, while in the winter he worked in the lumber-woods of Steuben County getting out ship-timber. On the 18th day of August, 1836, he was joined in marriage to Miss Mary Young, daughter of Joseph and Ellen (Pray) Young, who was born Sept. 5, 1819. Her parents were Massachusetts people and emigrated to Cayuga Co., N. Y., when that county was new, and where for years her father was a drover. He died in Brutus township, same county. In August, 1836, Mr. and Mrs. Dutton started for Michigan, going to Buffalo, where they shipped them- selves and team for Toledo, from whence they drove to Cass County, following the Chicago road. For a time he worked land on shares on Prairie Ronde. Prior to this Mr. Dutton had been to Michigan and had made a pedes- trian trip over a good deal of the southern part of the State. He walked from Detroit to White Pigeon in three days ; thence to Kalamazoo, where he worked on the first bridge across the Kalamazoo River ; thence by Indian trail and wagon-road to Grand Rapids, making sixty-five miles in one day. Near the Rapids he entered one hundred and twenty acres of land, which he sold without going on to it. After working land in Cass County three years he came to Westphalia and bought one hundred and sixty acres of wild land, to which there was no road of any description, and on which he in ten days built a log house, into which they moved when there were no doors or windows, and but a portion being floored. Their fire was built against the logs in one corner of the room, the smoke escaping through a hole in the roof This was their first home, and they have never enjoyed life better than in those days. On this farm they remained six years, clearing forty acres, setting out an orchard, and putting up a frame barn. They then traded for one hundred and sixty acres of wild land in Ca.ss County. They reached the new farm with but five dollars in money, and a house to build and winter before them. But nothing ever daunted Mr. Dutton, and we soon find him with a comfortable log house, a frame barn, young orchard, and forty acres cleared. After four years spent on the Cass County farm, sufiering repeated attacks of the ague, he again sold out, and in the township of Riley, Clinton Co., he bought one hundred and sixty acres of wild land, which under his labor and management became one of the fine farms of Clinton County, with fine build- ings, orchards, and highly cultivated fields. In 1874 he again sold out and then came to Watertown, and bought one hundred and fifty-five acres of land, mostly cleared, and on which he has built fine buildings (a view of which appears on another page of this history), and where he intends to spend the remainder of his days, be- lieving that he has done his share as a pioneer. In politics Mr. Dutton is an ardent Republican ; was one term supervisor in Westphalia, and has held other minor offices. Their children are as follows : Ella N., born Jan. 8, 1837; deceased. Harriet, born Dec. 31, 1838; married to George Green, and now living near Detroit. Ann Eliza, born Oct. 23, 1842. William Abner, born June 22, 1845 ; enlisted in Company B, Eighth Michigan In- fantry, and killed June 2, 1864, at Cold Harbor, falling thus early in life a sacrifice upon the altar of his country's liberty. Jane, born May 2, 1849 ; died Aug. 18, 1852. 5 C3 SI 3 i WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP. 631 GEORGE W. KINNEY. Among the leading self-made men of Watertown we find the name of George W. Kinney, who was born in the town of Franklin, New London Co., Conn., Nov. 28, 1828. He is of Scotch descent, his ancestors having emigrated from Scotland to America prior to the Revolution and settled in Connecticut. When George was nine years old his parents moved into Monroe Co , N. Y., where they remained until 1835, when they emigrated to Livingston Co., Mich., and settled on a new farm in the town of Hartland. On this farm they remained five years, clearing and improving part of it. George then sold out and came to Clinton County, where he had previously bought the northeast quarter of section 8, in Watertown. The farm was partly improved, and under his management and industry became a well im- proved farm. In the spring of 1852, becoming impregnated with the gold fever, Mr. Kinney joined a train which was organizing at De Witt, and with it made the overland jour- ney to California. The trip, which was made in six months, was attended by the interests, hardships, and dangers of an overland trip to California at that time. Arrived in the El Dorado of the West, he at once went into the mines, and most of the time for two years and nine months fol- lowed mining, meeting with fair success. He then returned to the States, coming back by water. Soon after bis return Mr. Kinney sold his farm on section 8 and bought the east three quarters of section 3 in the same town. It was all new at that time, but is now mostly improved, and the work of his own hands, while on it he has erected a fine house, surrounded by large and commodious out-buildings. For his first wife Mr. Kinney married Hannah J. Gue in the spring of 1845. To them was born one child, Ade- laide, born March 2, 1846; died in September, 1850. Mrs. Kinney died in June, 1846. In September, 1848, he was again married, his bride being Mrs. Emily H. Phillips, who died in February, 1871. For his third wife Mr. Kinney married Miss Achsah Reed, who was born in Jackson, Mich., Dec. 31, 1836. She is daughter of Alson H. and Dolly (Jackson) Reed. Their union has been blessed with two children, viz. : A. Carl, born Aug. 6, 1872 (died Feb. 3, 1877), and Emily F., born Aug. 20, 1875. Mr. Kinney is and has been for years a member of the Repub- lican party, believing it to be the exponent of advanced ideas and the champion of the rights of ail men under the law. He ha.s been the .'-tandard-bearer of his party in his town- ship for years, having been for nine years supervisor, and two years chairman of the board, making, as testified to by his nei"hbors and fellow-townsmeu, an efficient officer. He has also been highway commissioner six years, justice of the peace eight years, and h.is held other minor offices. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and one of its trustees, while he stands high as a man of integrity and business qualifications. 532 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. STEPHEN HILL. The oldest settler now living in the town of Watertown is Stephen Hill, who bought of the government the north- east quarter of section 15, in 1836. There were then but few settlers in the town, all of whom have either moved away, or have gone to that " bourne from whence no trav- eler returns." Mr. Hill is of English origin, his ancestors having emi- grated from the mother-country in the infancy of the colony. His father, Enoch Hill, was born in New Bruns- wick, where his parents resided a few years, and from whence they again returned to Maine, while Enoch was still a boy, and .settled on a piece of wild land in the town of Whiting, Washington Co. On this farm Enoch grew to manhood. He married Miss Hepzibeth Gardner, and still remained on the old homestead, which he owned after his father's death, and on which Stephen was born Jan. 21, 1809. He too grew to manhood on the old farm, receiving a good common-school education, better than the majority of his associates obtained. Becoming desirous of getting a home of his own and having no means, he, in 1834, came to Michigan, where land of the best quality was awaiting the axe of the pioneer, and could be had at a mere nominal sum. He first stopped in Plymouth, in Wayne County, where for two years he worked his father-in-law's farm on shares. He then, as above set forth, bought land in Water- town, on which he made a permanent settlement in 1837. On his farm, to which there were no roads or even a trail, he built a log shanty, its floor of split logs, with but one window and two doors ; it was still home, and within it hunger and want were never felt, though its occupants saw many hardships and privations, as they were then very poor. With energy and perseverance he at once commenced to clear and improve his land, which was covered with heavy timber. But not all of the time could he work on his own land. He had no surplus means, and had to work for others to earn means with which to keep the wolf from the door. He has cleared fifty acres on his own farm and a good deal on the farms of others. In those early days deer and other game were plenty, while the wolves had their nest- ing-places near his home, often making the forest ring with their howling. But Mr. Hill was not much of a Nimrod, as he never shot either wolf, deer, or turkey. Years have passed, and the then forests are now well-improved farms, homes of intelligent and industrious people, ail of which Mr. Hill has lived to see, and now in the seventy-first year of his age, surrounded by the comforts his life of toil has brought him, respected and esteemed by those who know him best, he is passing away the even- time of life. In politics he was in early life a Whig, then a Republican, of which party he is a stalwart member. He has been town clerk, highway commissioner, and for years a justice of the peace. He has also taken a lively interest in schools, and has been more or less a member of the school-board. Mr. Hill was married May 7, 1835, to Miss Olive Gooch, daughter of Benjamin and Lucy (Boynton) Gooch. She was born in Machias township, Washington Co., Me., Feb. 19, 181G. To them have been born Lucy H., Feb. 2, 1836 ; Warren H., Nov. 24, 1840 ; Bartlett B., Jan. 22, 1843,— he enlisted in Co. G, Twenty-third Regiment Michigan Infantry, and died in hospital at or near Strawberry Plain ; WESTPHALIA TOWNSHIP. 533 Ellery B., Oct. 17, 1845 ; Chrissie, March 17, 1848 ; Amos B., June 8, 1850; Frank, Jan. 18, 1854, died Sept. 30, 1858 ; and Jessie F., Oct. 14, 1856, died Oct. 6, 1858. Amos B., who is now owner of part of the home-farm, and with whom Mr. and Mrs. Hill now reside, was married March 2, 1873, to Miss Lucy Webster, who was born March 2, 1856. Their children are May, born May 12, 1874, and Pearl, born June 11, 1878. CHAPTER LXVL WESTPHALIA TOWNSHIP.* General Description — Settlement of the Township — Early Township Roads — Township Org,aniz.ition and Civil List — Schools — -Village of Westphalia — Keligious History. Westphalia is the sixth town north of the base-line in range 4 west of the meridian, and has for its boundaries, Dallas on the north. Eagle on the south, Riley on the east, and the Ionia County line on the west. The township, originally settled by Germans, is populated now almost ex- clusively by representatives of that race ; indeed, it would be difficult to find more than a dozen families in the town other than those of Germans. Among these latter, Catholi- cism is the universal religion, and at the village of West- phalia the people of that faith gather weekly in great numbers for worship in one of the costliest as well as one of the most commodious religious temples in the State of Michigan. In keeping with the characteristics of their countrymen, the Germans of Westphalia are a thrifty peo- ple, and, as a class, are exceedingly prosperous and com- fortably circumstanced. The spirit of Democracy prevails as the ruling political mainspring, and from the beginning of the town's existence Democracy has held undisputed sway. Although Westphalia has no railway conveniences within its borders, easy access is found to Portland, in Ionia County, and Fowler, in Dallas township, — both railway stations, and both desirable markets. The Westphalia, Hubbardston and Northern Railroad was projected through the town in 1869, and Jan. 20, 1870, the inhabitants voted by one hundred and ninety-nine ayes to seventy-three nays to donate eighteen thousand dollars in aid of the enterprise, but the act incorporating the railway company was declared unconstitutional, and there was no railway. Westphalia, having now a population of seventeen hun- dred and thirty-eight (last United States census), shows an increase since 1874 of two hundred and forty. There is still opportunity for advancement in that direction, for there is in the southern portion of the town a good deal of lowland now unoccupied, which must be in the nature of things reclaimed for the purposes of agriculture, and thus will add accordingly in a material way to the development of the town's resources and wealth. SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWNSHIP. Eminently a German settlement, the township of West- phalia has been so from the hour it received its pioneer • By David Sohwarti. settlers. Germans first penetrated its forest recesses, first peopled it, and first turned its soil to receive the seed of the sower. Its inhabitants compo.se what may be aptly termed a colony, for they are bound by the common sympathy of a spirit which has its origin in a common reverence for the Fatherland, and professing one common religious belief; while they meet each Sabbath in one common temple of worship, they are banded together by a fraternal bond that makes them more like members of one family than of a community. They find a cause for much pride in this fraternal feeling, and they are proud, moreover, of the hardy and heroic band whose feeble numbers led the way to the wilderness forty-four years ago, and set up the cor- ner-stone of what is now a massive and substantial social fabric. The sturdy ones who thus advanced to the work when pioneering meant their lonely isolation in the forest-wilds from those of their kind were three in number, John Hauses, Anthony Cordes, and Joseph Platte, of whom but John Hauses still lives. He abides yet upon the place which in 1836 he chose as his future home, and which he has seen seen blossom from a dreary stretch of dense wood into a smiling and fruitful landscape. In the autumn of 1836, John Hauses, Joseph Platte, Anthony .Cordes, William Theilman, and a Mr. Salter, na- tives of Westphalia, and recently arrived from Germany in search of landed homes in America's Far West, met in Detroit and took counsel together as to where they would be best suited with a location. They talked with a Catho- lic priest in Detroit, and he advising them to seek a loca- cation in the Grand River country, they lost no time in setting out. They traveled on foot and reached Lyons by way of the Dexter road. At Lyons they learned that the major part of the desirable land tracts in that region had been taken up by speculators, and that they could be best accommodated with government land in the town 6 north, in range 4 west, now called Westphalia. As they were es- pecially in search of government lands, since they felt they could not afford to pay speculators' prices, they decided to go over into town 6, and accordingly engaged a Mr. Hunt, of Lyons, to guide them thither. The lands in that town were not deemed by speculators as worthy their attention, inasmuch as there was much undesirable swamp country, and to that fact is due the circumstance that Hauses and his friends found there cheap government lands to suit them. Indeed, F. J. Snider, now a resident in the town, recalls that he visited the place in 1842, and found it so much of a " mud-hole" that he determined to get out of it as fast as he could, and to stay out of it, for to his way of thinking it was a poor kind of a place for a man to live in. After looking about, the party of Germans decided to locate on section 5, where they made their first appearance Sept. 8, 1836, and where they entered seven lots of eighty acres each, or the entire section save one lot. Hauses, Cordes, Platte, and Theilman remained on the ground and entered at once upon the work of clearing the land, while Setter, declining to become a practical pioneer just then, returned to Detroit, soon afterwards sold his land, and ended his connection with Westphalia. Theilman remained 534 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. about two months, absented himself for about six months, i\nd then returning for a permanent stay, settled on sec- lion 7. John Hauses was the only one of the pioneer company unmarried, but he put up a cabin on his place and kept buchelor's hall alone, after his companions brought their limilies out from Detroit towards the beginning of Feb- ruary, 1837. Early in 1837 the settlers were joined by Anthony Kopp, a Catholic priest, who, as will be presently shown, was a man of much energy and force of character, and who was an important factor during his brief stay in the conduct of religious and secular affairs in the little community. Hauses, who spent the first eighteen months of his sojourn between clearing his place and working at Lyons for others, was upon his return to his bachelor's hall lor a permanent stay stricken down with fever and ague, and lay thus helpless for the space of six months. He was tiien taken in hand by the family of Nicholas Martin, his neighbor, and set upon his feet. His marriage to Martin's daughter, Elizabeth, Feb. 1, 1840, was the pioneer wedding. It took place at Martin's house, Anthony Kopp, the priest, jierforming the ceremony. There was an bumble wedding feast, and then the bride and groom took for their wedding tour a walk from Father Martin's house to the groom's cabin. Bride and groom still live in the enjoyment of a hearty old age, after journeying in company more than forty years. These first settlers were very poor, and after paying for their lands had but little left. Such luxuries as doors or windows for their homes they did not aspire to, but were rlad to depend upon blankets and sheets, albeit it did cause tlie hearts of the women folks to quake with terror when at night they heard the howls of wolves and expected to see the beasts dash at any time through the ill-protected cabin openings and wage a war of slaughter. Poor as they were they had to pay dearly for what they needed, and niany's the story that's told about the struggles and priva- tions they were called upon to endure by reason of their poverty and inability to supply themselves with the common necessaries of life while waiting for the earth to yield them of its fruits. As an instance, it cost Anthony Cordes lifty dollars, about all the money he had in the world, for bringing a load of household goods from Detroit to his Westphalia clearing. In the summer of 1837 flour was held at twenty-one dollars a barrel at Lyons, and even at that was hard to get. Mr. Hauses says the timber about them was so thick that when they wanted to see the sky they had to chop down a tree. Following the first comers to Westphalia in 1837 and 1838, Everhard Platte, Michael Thoma, Peter Platte, Anton Platte, Bernard Rademacher, Michael Thomen, Lorenz Nasman, and Nicholas Martin joined the settlement. They came from the same neighborhood in Germany that had owned the members of the pioneer advance guard, were in many cases friends of long standing, and had naturally turned their faces towards new Western homes where they would meet their old companions. When Anthony Kopp became one of the settlers, he set liimself at once to the business of providing a church and school for the settlement. He held religious services in his log cabin, after the form of the Roman Catholic Church (for be it remembered that the early as well as the later settlers in Westphalia were attached to that faith), and began also to teach school therein. Church and school were to these Germans adjuncts of great value, and the establishment thereof they regarded as among the most serious and important duties of the time. The church and school thus set up in the wilderness by priest Kopp gathered strength as time passed on, widening and strength- ening their influence among the people, and supplying that bond of social union which, as strangers in a strange land, sheltered them within the folds of fraternal friendship, and which has since that time steadily held them to the same purpose, while they have seen the infant church and school mount steadily upwards in the scale of expanded useful- ness, until to-day thousands worship in a common temple, and nearly half a thousand school children gather within the Walls of a common institution of learning. Later on will be found a detailed history of church and school from priest Kopp's time to the present. Anthony Kopp was a man of mark in the community, and besides the task of religious and secular teacher, took also upon himself the role of adviser to his neighbors in all aflairs where his superior intelligence would naturally guide them. He was much respected, and to his advice the greatest deference was paid. To his natural energy of character the settlement owes much of its advancement in temporal matters, for he took upon himself their direction at a time when the people, utterly strange to the necessities and forms of local government, needed some teacher and adviser. He was the leading spirit in the matter of town organization, although when it came to the intricate details and forms of holding the first town-meeting, a cry went up for an American to assist them, and so Henry Bartow, of Lyons, came over and set them a model by which they were easily able to fashion their subsequent records of town business. In 1839 there came fresh accessions, for the planting of this little German colony in the wilds of Michigan became in some quarters a matter of common fame, while its mem- bers, communicating with friends in the " faderland," pointed the way for such as chose to join the earlier and more daring land-seekers. Among those who came in 1839 were Franz Rademacher, Conrad Martin, Gottfried Adieman, Mathias Ott, Anthony Huhn, Peter Arens, and Philip H. Martz. James J. McRoberts, now living in Dallas, settled that year on section 12, in Westphalia, and M. McVeigh on section 2. Following is a list of resident tax-payers of Westphalia iu 1839, which shows nearly what settlers had come to the township prior to that time : Acres. Franz R.atleinacher, section 3 80 Conrad Martin, section 4 SO Michael Thoraen, section 4 40 Gottfried Adelman, section 4 38 Anthony Cordes, section 5 112 Matthias Ott, section 4 38 .John Hauses, section 5 135 Bernhard R.ademachcr, section 5 24 Anthony Kopj), section 5 80 Nicholas Martin, section 5 65 Joseph Piatt, section 5 40 Michael Thoma, section 9 80 A. Uuhn, section 10 40 WESTPHALIA TOWNSHIP. 5:^5 Acres. Peter A rens, section 9 40 Jauies J. MeRoberts, section 12 80 Philip H. Martz, section i 40 The early settlers went over to Lyons or Portland when milling was to be done, and as cattle were scarce the usual custom was to pack a two bushel bag of wheat upon the back, carry it on foot through the woods, and bring back the flour after the same fashion. John Hauses says he doesn't remember carrying barrels of flour from Portland on his back, but that he does recollect how he used to drag barrels of flour from there on a hand-sled, and halt every few min- utes to lift the flour over fallen trees which impeded the progress of his vehicle. Indeed, the scarcity of ox-teams was a seriously felt want, and in such work as carrying fence-rails and doing other similar tugging labor, the back of the pioneer became sorely weary and sighed for the time when beasts of burden would become common. Michael Thome brought the first pair of oxen to the settlement, and while he was looked upon as a man favored in an extraor- dinary way by fortune, his oxen were in constant demand, and so put to the extent of their endeavors as must have convinced them that to be the only team of cattle in a new settlement was far from a consoling reflection. Earlier mention was made that flour was hard to obtain at Portland or Lyons at even twenty-one dollars a barrel. Additional mention may be made that other supplies wore proportionately dear, as, for example, meat twenty-five cents a pound, potatoes two dollars a bushel, and beans six dol- lars a bushel. Of course the settlers had to buy all needed supplies while awaiting the growth of their first crops, and poor as they were in money, it was not always that they could bless themselves with sufiicient provisions to gratify their wants, and that hunger intruded its grim front full many a time and oft, may be well understood. Apropos of the poverty of some, it may be noted that Michael Thomen was so poor when he sowed his first crop of wheat he could not afibrd a drag, and actually dragged his wheat- field with bundles of thorn bushes. The pioneer marriage has already been noted. The first birth was that of Elizabeth, daughter of Conrad Martin, born in 1840, and now the wife of Peter Petsch, of Jack- son. The first death was a daughter of Everhard Platte, and the first male person to die a son of Anthony Cordes. Both died in 1839. In 1842, Lorenz Huhu's two infant children were burned to death in the house of their parents. The latter, who lived on section 10, went one day into the " bush," leaving the little ones alone in the house. Not long after the departure of the parents the hou.se took fire, and by the time the circumstance was discovered by those able to help, the dwelling had fallen a prey to the devour- ing element, and along with it the children. The supposi- tion was of course that they played with fire in some form and thus destroyed themselves, but just how it all occurred no one could tell. In 1840 there came to the settlement from the llhine country in Germany, John Fox, Nicholas Paul, and John Lehman, with their families, and from the favorable reports dispatched by them to their friends in Germany, arose the following year an emigration from the same neighborhood to Westphalia of fifteen or twenty families, among whom were those of Lewis Weber, Anton Martin, John Dunne- backer, Joseph Bohr, John Smith, Jacob Newman, Nicho- las Knipps, Peter Simons, Peter Servalius, Mathias Bohi, Maurice Fedcwa, and Anthony Fox. Later comers to the settlement may be named in John and Theodore SchaScr, Jacob Abfiilter, Querin and John Smith, J. P. Smith, Petor Wirth, Mathias Schafer, Jacob Spitzley, Michael Sinitli, John Pung, John Fox, Adam Fedewa, Theodore Drostc, Anthony Martin, and Mathias Simons. Lorenz Nasman was the first shoemaker the settlement had, and Peter Servatius, who came in 1841, the second. Joseph Platte started a small store at Lyons directly after his arrival in Westphalia, and when the settlers in the lat- ter place began to make a respectable show of numbers he opened a similar place on section 5, upon the road now passing east and west through the village. That was the first regularly-constructed highway in the settlement, and on it Jacob Newman and Joseph Platte kept regularly licensed taverns about the year 1842. Indians were among their best customers for whi.sky, and to the red- skins they dealt out copious cjuantities of fire-water in e.K- change for furs, hides, sugar, and anything merchantabl! that the savages could offer. On the same road, in section 4, Joseph Weaver opened the first blacksmith's shop, near where the church now stands. English-speaking settlers came to Westphalia at an early day, but the influx of that class was at no time numerous. Among the earliest, and the earliest in the northern portion of the town, were James J. Mclloberts and Simeon JlcCoy, both of whom located on section 12 as early as 1839, or perhaps shortly before. In the south, where but few Germans penetrated until a comparatively late date, the pioneer settler was David Wells, who settled in section 3(), in 1839, and who still lives on the place. He came from Oakland County with his family, whom he lodged a week at Hovey Spicer's, in Watertown, while he prepared a cabin on his own place. He had eleven people to assist at the raising of his cabin, of whom Anthony and Ezekiel Nile,-:-, Philo Beers, a blacksmith, David Burgess, Mr. Whitmoro, and the Higbees, were from Eagle, and Hovey Spicer, Ebenezer Smith, and John Andrus, from Watertown. Wells went through the woods to Portland to mill, and as he had usually to clear his road or cut it out, it took him two days to make the trip. His children he sent to Wacousta to school. Getting medical attendance was somewhat troublesome, but he, like many other settlers in the vicinity, got so after awhile that he could do consider- able doctoring himself, and in cases of simple sickness managed very well. Trading was done at Jackson, al- though it took a good ten days to make the journey thence and back with an ox-team. Black salts, coon furs, and deer- skins were the earliest articles which he could muster as the basis of a dicker at the market, and for these he would bring back flour and other much-needed comforts. Cash was scarce, and such a thing as selling anything near lionu. for money was not to be thought of, for no merchant would give anything but " trade." Meat was plentiful, for game 536 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. was to be had almost for the asking, and settlers had no reason, therefore, to go hungry unless so disposed. Wells was the only settler in that portion of West- phalia for a year or two. Then the Haners, Hazens, and Nettletons came in, and others soon followed. Among these latter was John Kelly, who entered two lots on sec- tion 25 in 1851. He himself settled on one of the lots, and sold the other to his brother Chester, who occupied it the same year, and still lives on it. It was making a home in the heart of the woods, although the town had received a good many settlers. On section 36 were Conrad and John Haner, who had cut out a road on the west line of the section. Northwest of Ciiester Kelly his nearest neighbors were William Nettloton and his brother, both of whom had clearings in section 23 upon a laid-out angling road. Abram Bennett located on section 36 in 1S53, and in that year Joseph Kelly occupied on section 35 the place upon which his son Charles now lives. David Goss located in March, 1855, on an eighty-acre lot in section 35, which he had entered some years before ; and in 1857 Christopher Tallraan made his home in section 35, upon a place occu- pied at a later date by Alfred Williams. Edward Dilling- ham came to section 36 in 1855, and in that year A. D. Parkhurst settled on a tract of new land in the same sec- tion. Edward Rose lived on the old Haner place in 1854, now occupied by Henry Sanford. Rose also lived in 1860 upon the place where Charles Brown succeeded him two years after and still occupies. In 1856, Cook Delamater entered the farm on .section 36 known as the Weatherwax place, and on section 26 Michael Hayes settled in 1854, where his widow still lives. In 1854, also, S. C. Hazen moved to the farm on sections 34 and 35 settled by his brother Eber in 1841. Hazen had the only horse-team in that corner of the town, and he used to haul a good many supplies between Detroit and northern points before railway facilities were extended to that country. Even in his time a journey to mill by ox-team occupied two days, each man taking turns in going for the entire neighborhood. Coon- skins and deer-skins brought the cash in Detroit, and as a consequence hunting for coons and deer was lively business among the settlers. A little money was realized that way, and at other times working on the road contracts, road- bees being the favorite method, for the tax of non-residents, brought in the welcome cash. The first school taught in the southeast corner of the town was one over which Harriet De Witt presided as teacher in 1853, on section 36. S. L. Jenkins settled in 1855 on section 31, after a thir- teen years' residence in Michigan. A Mr. Mitchell was the original settler upon the place in about 1850. Jenkins found his neighbors to include Robinson, a blacksmith, just south of him, and John Wingate, just south of Robinson's. North was Mr. Terrill, and still further north J. Colby, who had been in since 1842. Eastward the land was swampy, and there but few settlements were made until a late period. Arnold Dinsmore's son William and son-in- law, Franklin Naveman, came in a few years afterwards and began to clear some land on the elder Dinsmore's place, lying to the eastward, about the first clearing effected in that locality. EARLY TOWNSHIP ROADS. In 1839 the township was divided into three road dis- tricts. The first comprised all that portion of land situated on the east section-line between sections 2 and 3, running from north to south through the town ; the .second, all that land lying between the above-mentioned line and a line running between sections 4 and 5 ; the third, all the re- maining land in .said township. May 27, 1839, a road was laid commencing on the north line of said town, and at the northeast corner of section 6 ; thence running south on section-lines to the southeast corner of section 6. A second road was laid from the northeast corner of section 2 to the southeast corner of the same sec- tion. A third road commenced at the northeast corner of section 5 and terminated at the southeast corner of the same section. A fourth road began at the southeast corner of section 1 and passed to the southwest corner of section 6. July 15, 1839, a road was laid commencing at the south-east corner of section 12, and extending west on sec- tions 11 and 14 to the southwest corner of section 11. Sept. 1, 1840, a road was laid commencing at the southeast corner of section 11, and running north on section-line one mile. Sept. 29, 1840, a road was laid commencing at the northwest corner of section 2, and running to the southwest corner of the same section. Same date a road was laid from the northwest corner of section 8 to the southwest corner of section 32, running south on section-lines. Nov. 20, 1840, a road was laid from the northwest corner of section 9 to the southwest corner of said section. Oct. 5, 1840, a road was laid from the southwest corner of section 9 to the southeast corner of the same section. Oct. 3, 1841, a road was laid from the northwest corner of section 3 to the southwest corner of said section. Dec. 25, 1841, a road was laid from the southwest corner of section 1 to the northwest corner of the same section. Nov. 6, 1842, a road was laid from the southeast corner of section 10 to the southwest corner of the same section. At a meeting of the commissioners of highways of the township of Westphalia, on the 24th day of March, a.d. 1846, they divided the road districts in the following manner: District No. 1 to contain sections 1, 2, and the north half of section 11, and the north half of section 12, and to take all roads in said district, as well as the south half of the road between sections 2 and 3, and the south half of the north half of the road between sections 10 and 11. District No. 2 to contain sections 3 and 4, and to take all roads in said district, as well as the north half of the road between sections 2 and 3, the north half of the road between sections 4 and 5, and the road between sections 3 and 1 0. District No. 3 to contain sections 5 and 6, and take all roads in said district, as well as the south half of the road between sections 4 and 5 and the road between sections 6 and 7. District No. 4 to contain sections 7 and 8, and to take all roads in said district, the road between sections 5 and 8, the north half of the road between sections 8 and 9, and the road between sections 7 and 18. District No. 5 to contain sections 9 aud 10, and to take all roads in said district, the south half of the road between WESTPHALIA TOWNSHIP. 537 sections S and 9, the road between sections 9 and 16, and the road between sections 4 and 9. District No. 6 to contain the south half of section 11, and south half of sections 12, "13, 1-1, 15, IG, 17, and 18, and to take all roads in said district, the south half of tlie road between sections 10 and 11, the road between sections 8 and 17, tlie road between sections 10 and 1.5, the road between sections 13 and 24, the road between sections 15 and 22, and the road between sections 17 and 20. District No. 7 to contain sections 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, and 30, and to take all roads in said district, the road between sections 14 and 23, the road between sec- tions 16 and 21, and the road between sections 18 and 19. District No. 8 to contain sections 25, 26, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36, and to take all roads in said district, and the road running east from the northwest corner of section 31, terminating at the east side of said town. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST. Town 6 north, in range 4 west, was detached from the township of Watertown by act of Legislature approved March 21, 1839, and named Westphalia, suggested ori- ginally as a name for the town by Rev. Anthony Kopp, in recognition of the fact that the earliest settlers in the town- ship came from the province of Westphalia in Germany. The first township-meeting was held at the house of Anthony Cordes, April 29, 1839. Anthony Cordes was appointed moderator, Joseph Cordes clerk, and Philip Henry JIartz, James S. McRoberts, Peter Arens, and An- thony Kopp inspectors of election. The officials chosen on that occasion were : Supervisor, Anthony Kopp ; Clerk, Philip Henry Martz ; Treasurer, Nicholas Martin ; Jus- tices of the Peace, Gottfried Adleman (four years), An- thony Cordes (three years), Peter Arens ; Assessors, An- thony Platte, Philip Henry Martz, James S. McRoberts ; Highway Commissioners, Conrad Martin, Nicholas Martin, John Hauses ; School Inspectors, Peter Arens, Jlichael Thoma ; Collector, Mathias Ott ; Constable, Malhias Ott ; Directors of the Poor, Bernhard Rademacher and Anthony Cordes ; Overseei-s of Highways, Francis Rademacher, dis- trict No. 1, Anthony Kopp iu district No. 2. Appended is given a list of the persons cliosen annually from 1840 to 1880 to serve as supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and justice of the peace : 1840.* J. DuDnebacker. 1841. Joseph Plalto. 1842. A. Kopp. 1843. M. McVeigh. 1844. M. Btvrtow. 1845. William F. Dutton. 184G-51. M. Bartow, Jr. 1852-53. W. T. Plowman. 1854-59. M. Bartow, Jr. 1860-61. Joseph Bohr. 1840. A. Kopp. 1841-42. S. Boughton. SUPERVISORS. 1862-63. M. Bartow. 1804. J. Bohr. 1865. M. Bartow. 1866. No record. 1867-68. M. Bartow. 1869-72. J. P. Yunoker. 1873-74. J. II. Fcdowa. IS75-76. M. Bartow. 1877-78. J. U. Fcdowa. 1879-80. William Smith. CLERKS. 1843. W. T. Plowman. 1844. S. Boughton. * Twenty -six votes cast. 1845. F. AV. Crnin. 1846. M. McVeigh. 1847-48. F. Martin. 1849. M. McVeigh. 1850. W. Ncttleton. 1851-53. J. A. McVeigh. 1854. Joseph Bohr. 1855-63. Joseph Platte, Jr. 1864-65. J. Rademacher. 1866. No record. 1867-69. William Smith. 1870-72. T. Platte. 1873-78. Joseph Arena. 1879-80. A. A. Fo.v. TREASURERS. 1840. h. Wicber. 18)1. M. Paul. 1842. C. Martin. 1843. J. Duiinebackcr. 1844. C. Martin. 1845-46. r. Martin. 1847-48. .Joseph Platte. 1849. D. Kopfert. 1850. G. Adleman. 1851. F. Martin. 1852. Joseph Platto. 1853. J. Rademacher. 1854. P. J. Voosen. 1855. N. Knei.6, Joseph Bohr and John Smith built the pastoral resi- dence at the village; the new church was already underway, and the village was well along as a thriving place. In 1865, •Snitgen & Rademacher opened a hardware-store, Joseph Snitgen Iiaving for several years previous been carrying on business as a blacksmith at Westphalia. In 1868 tlie boiler of the grist-mill exploded, and besides destroying the mill, killed John Smith, one of the proprietors. His son William was buried beneath llie ruins, and other persons iu and about the premises were roughly handled, but except the death of Mr. Smith no .serious accident to life or limb was occasioned. The saw-mill was at once rebuilt by Wil- liam Smith, but the grist-mill was not replaced until 1872, when Frank Nocker, the present proprietor, put up the present structure, containing three ruu of stones. Mr. Nocker does considerable custom and merchant work, and manufactures for shipment to Detroit about two hundred barrels of flour per month. Vn^bAGE I'llY.SrCIANS. In the early days of Westphalia's settlement medical at- tendance was obtaiued from Ionia, Ijyons, and Portland. In 1848 one Dr. Seinholt settled in Westphalia as a resi- dent physician, and remained until 1857. He is now liv- ing in Howard City. His successors in the settlement liave been Drs. Fisher, Stokes, Sauer, Shattuck, Dellenbaugh, and Herres. Dr. Simon Herres is now the only resident physician in Westphalia. POST-OFFICE. The Westphalia post-office was probably established iu 1850 or before. Rev. George Goditz was the first post- master. As he could write the English, and as a large majority of the townspeople could not, he was ordinarily kept pretty bu.sy superscribing letters for his German fellow- citizens and patrons of the office. Mail came once a week over the route from De Witt northward. Joseph Platte, Jr., was the second postmaster, serving from 1854 to 1873, and after him Joseph Snitgen, the present incumbent, took possession. A daily mail has been received at Westphalia since 1863. POPULATION AND BUSINESS. Within the mile square inclosing the village the popu- lation numbered in July, 1880, just three hundred and ninety-two. The business interests were represented by the general stores of Fox & Snitgen, Arens & Co., and Thoma & Co., the drug-store of J. 1'. Bertram, William Smith's tavern, the wagon-shops of John Hafncr, Peter Bauer, and Peter Doll, Frank Noeker's grist-mill, AVilliam Smith's saw-mill, four boot- and shoe-mauulacturers, har- ness-maker, photographer, etc. ItELIGIOUS llIriTOKV. ST. MAUY'.S (UOMAN CATHOLIC) CIIURCU. It has already been related that as soon as Anthony Kojip, the priest, joined the settlers in Westphalia he founded a 540 IIISTORr OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. church and school. Kopp had served in the priesthood in Germany, and in the new field opened before him in a new world he engaged at once with much enthusiastic vigor upon the work he was called to perform. After Kopp es- tablished his log cabin as a eliurch and school he continued the exercises in both with unfailing rogularit}', and when, amid the growth of his duties as teacher and participator. in affairs that concerned the civil government, he found his duties becoming laborious beyond his capacity, he engaged a young German of Detroit, by name Cronus, to come out and teach the school. Presently the priest's log cabin be- coming too small for the increasing church congregration, a second and larger log church was built upon the site now occupied by the pastoral residence. After a time the sec- ond house of worsliip, like its predecessor, was found in- adequate to supply places for all who came, and so a third (framed) church was built just west of the other. The new building was capable of holding three or four hundred people, and the general opinion seemed that that church at least would be large enough and remain large enough, but these calculations, as will be seen, were greatly at fault. In 18G7 it became evident that enlarged church capacity must be provided, for the congregation had risen in numbers to something like a thousand, and so, upon consultation, it was decided to build not only a massive and commodious, but likewise a magnificent temple, which should be alike a source of architectural pride and a place where all who came, although they might number two thousand, might find shelter and places. The result was the noble struc- ture which now at the village of Westphalia touches the clouds with its lofty spire, and remains an object of unfail- ing satisfaction to those who worship beneath its roof. Anthony Kopp labored among the people sis years, and saw that his labors were fruitful in establishing church and school upon an enduring foundation. Newer and more needy fields then inviting him he passed on, and although he came no more to Westphalia, he cherished his work there in fond remembrance, watched its progress with anxious solicitude, and to the day of his death was in kindly and friendly communication with the people, who remember him and speak of him reverently and gratefully. His successor, Rev. George Godez, began his labors in 1843, and continued them uninterruptedly with the con- gregation of St. Mary's Church for the space of thirty years, or until tiie year 1873, when the infirmities of age warned him that he was unable to longer perform the duties at- tendant upon his laborious service, and so, at his own re- quest, he was transferred to a narrower sphere of action. A service of thirty years had endeared him to his people, and the severance of the bonds which had so long bound them was a painful incident to both pastor and congrega- tion. During Father Godez' time the church made re- markable advancement, and provided not only the present church edifice, but the fine school building and pastoral residence as well. Father Godez is still, at the age of sev- enty-five, preaching at Greenfield, Mich. His successors at Westphalia have been Revs. Trotten- bcrg, Lightner, Reifurth, and Ilerwig. The first two were in charge of the work but a brief space, while Rev. Mr. Reil'urtli's term of service extended over a jieriod of live years. Rev. William Ilerwig, the present pastor, was called to the charge from Stony Creek (near Monroe) in the autumn of 1879. The church edifice, which Was begun in 18157, was com- pleted in 1809, and although the people contributed con- siderable free labor such as hauling lumber, brick, and other materials, besides rendering minor other services, the total cost of the structure is stated to have been upwards of $70,000. Seven hundred and fifty thousand brick were used in the construction, and these brick, as well as those used in building the pastoral residence and the school, were of course burned upon the ground. The two latter buildings, located near the church, are handsoiue edifices, and cost about $10,000 each, the pastoral residence having been built in 1868 and the school in 1873. The aggregate wealth represented in the church, school, parson- age, and surroundings reaches therefore the sum of fully $100,000. The church contains a seating capacity for fifteen hun- dred people, while an additional five hundred or more may be accommodated in an emergency. The exterior, of mas- sive and imposing appearance, has a front of sixty feet and a depth of one hundred and thirty-three feet. In the inte- rior an arched roof is supported by massive pillars. The distance from floor to ceiling measures thirty-three feet. The spire that surmounts the majestic pile points its glist- ening cross towards the heavens at a distance of one hun- dred and sixty feet from mother earth. The central altar- piece, magnificent in artistic design and decoration, is thirty feet in height by twenty feet in width and in keeping with its character ; the interior of the edifice is lavishly embel- lished upon ceiling and walls with paintings and frescoes. A large pipe-organ, purchased in Milwaukee at a cost of three thou.sand dollars, occupies space in a gallery fiicing the altar. The organist, Mr. Henry Horstniau, is employed exclusively in that capacity. Few such churches may be seen anywhere aside from large business centres, and that Westphalia, the abode of a rural population, can boast it testifies in an eloquent way to the religious devotion and liberality of the people. It is no uncommon tiling to see two thousand jtersons in at- tendance at worship of a Sunday, and in this temple — striking in its artistic embellishments, impressive in its roomy architecture, and crowded with the faithful — the spectacle offered is one that weighs with no slight effect upon the human mind. To this church come worshipers from five townships, — ■ Lyons, Portland, Westphalia, Dallas, and Riley, — and .so steadily do their numbers increase that even now there is talk of affording increased church accommodations. The temporal affairs of church and school, and all property incidental thereto, are managed and held in trust by a board of trustees five in number. The members of the board for 1880 are Joseph Martin, Franz Wolfart, Joseph Dunne- backer, I?eriihard Ilauses, and Joseph Telan. ST. MARY'S (ROMAN CATHOLIC) SCHOOL. Upon the establishment of St. Mary's Church a parish school was at once instituted and [ilaced under the diiect cliaigc ul' the priest. Kullier Kujip lauglil liie tothool liiui- o .0 c^ i J2 ■5^ WESTPHALIA TOWNSHIP. 641 self until increased duties led him to provide another teacher in the person of one Cronus, of Detroit. Cronus remained only a short time, and after returning to Detroit lost his life by accidental drowning. Anton Fuchs was his succes.sor, and from that time until 18(58 various teachers, aided and directed by the pastor, guided school affairs. In 1SG8 the institution was given, over to the charge of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, and under their charge it remained until 1874. Meanwhile — the school having occupied quarters in the church buildings — a hand- some brick school was erected for the parish by William Smith, in 1873, at a cost of about ten thousand dollars. In 1874 the school was transferred to the charge of the Sisters of Charity, who have since then continued in con- trol. These are five in number (three Germans and two Americans), and with three other sisters reside in a com- mon home provided for them near the school. The names of these eight sisters are Boniface, Bonaventure, Eulalia, Ildephonso, Pulcharia, Olga, Justina, and Pebronia. The school is supported by the church, is absolutely free to all members of the church congregation, and contains four departments, aggregating an attendance of four hundred scholars, who are taught in both the German and English languages. Many of these children come to school from a distance of three, four, and even six miles, and although many of these latter board in the village during the week, a few traverse the distance morning and evening. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. FRANK NOEKER. Westphalia township aifords many fine examples of suc- cessful business enterprise as the result of industry and close application, though perhaps the most signal instance is discovered in the career of Mr. Nockcr. He is the son of Frank Noeker, who was born in Westphalia, Prussia, in 1801, as was also his son, Frank, whose birth occurred in December, 1834. AVhcn eleven years of age the parents were induced, at the earnest solicitation of their son, to emigrate to America, and after a weary passage and an ad- ditionally tedious voyage on the"Erie Canal, they landed in Detroit. Mr. Noeker purchased an unimproved farm three miles from the city, where he resided until his death in 187G. The son, having previously been educated in the rudiments in his native land, devoted himself to farminsc pursuits, and at the age of twenty-five married Miss Mary Damitio, of Detroit, who was a native of the township of Hamtrawick, where her parents were among the early Ger- man pioneers. Mr. Noeker, during the nine years that followed, was occupied with his farming duties varied by the exciting life of a local politician. Land in the immediate vicinity having increased rapidly in value, lie decided to sell his possessions and remove to Westphalia, which he did in 1867. He became the popular host of the township, and four years later erected an extensive flouriug-mill, which so absorbed his time as to induce him to sell the hotel property. He has since the first year of his arrival filled the o£Bce of justice of the peace, and has also served as school di- rector and drain commissioner. The political campaign of 1879 found him the successful candidate of the Democratic party as representative of his district in the State Legisla- ture, where he for two years with ability and dignity filled this responsible position. Mr. Noeker, by his force of character and manliness, has attained a considerable influ- ence among the people of his own nationality, while his genial character has rendered him deservedly popular with hem.