USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > A history of Van Buren County, Michigan a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume I > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
MICHIGAN
VOL. I
EB 2 V217 R883
ROWLAND
O
.
DOVO &
A
A HISTORY OF
VAN BUREN COUNTY MICHIGAN
A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People, and its Principal Interests.
BY CAPTAIN O. W. ROWLAND
VOLUME I
ILLUSTRATED
PUBLISHERS THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO AND NEW YORK 1912
:
PREFACE
More than eighty years have elapsed since the first settlements were made within the limits of Van Buren county. None of those earliest pioneers are left to tell the story, which at this late day rests in tradition, in letters that chance to have been preserved, in ancient public documents that have been placed on the records of the county, and in former publications that have been issued. And while many facts set forth are within the personal knowledge of the author of this "History of Van Buren County," he has drawn liberally from all available and authentic sources. He has freely used the information contained in a history of the county pub- lished a generation ago, has corresponded with and interviewed many of his friends and older residents of the county in various localities, and has endeavored in all practicable ways to gather the most authentic matters in reference to the county of which he has been a resident for the past fifty-five years. His familiarity with the public records of the county enabled him to obtain many facts pertaining especially to the earliest records of the county that he might not otherwise have been able to set forth.
The period which has been spent in the pleasant task involved in the preparation of this work has been all too limited, although even if the period covered by the author's labors had been longer, the history, doubtless, would still have been incomplete and faulty. This is the nature of everything human, especially the writing of history. Yet the author believes that the work, as a whole, is cor- rect, and knows that his labors, and those of his associates, have been conscientiously performed.
Many things have been omitted that might have been recorded if time and space had permitted. As it is, by the courtesy of the publishers, the compiler has been permitted to quite largely exceed the original plan of the work. In style of illustration, printing and binding, also, all pains have been taken to make the work at- tractive to its patrons.
To all those friends who have come to his assistance, the author here extends his grateful acknowledgments. Space will not per- mit special mention of each to be made, but to his able assistants, Hon. Charles J. Monroe, Hon. Jason Woodman, Dr. George H. Cornish, Hon. C. H. Engle and Hon. Thomas J. Cavanaugh, he tenders his sincere thanks for the invaluable advice and assistance they have rendered in the preparation of the work, which the au- thor trusts may prove of interest to its readers, of value to the citi- zens of the county, instructive to the rising generation, helpful in commemoration of the early pioneers, and preservative of histori- cal matters that ought not to be forgotten.
ORAN W. ROWLAND.
iii
-
Contents
CHAPTER I
ABORIGINAL HISTORY
FIRST CHURCH BUILT BY INDIANS-CHIEF POKAGON'S ADDRESS- POKAGON'S LAST WIGWAM-JULIA POKAGON'S ADDRESS-OLD WAPSEY-DO INDIANS CRY, LAUGH OR JOKE ?- ALGONQUIN LE- GEND OF MAN'S CREATION-LEGEND OF PAW PAW AND THE PAW PAW VALLEY-ALGONQUIN LEGENDS OF SOUTH HAVEN-AFTER ME-ME-OG (SQUABS) IN VAN BUREN COUNTY-THE "BUCK PONY" RIDE-"NEVER CARRY A REVOLVER, BOYS"-SAW-KAW'S LOVE STORY-ME-ME-OG, THE WILD PIGEONS .1-52
CHAPTER II
FOREIGN AND AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
FRENCH PERIOD (1634-1764)-ENGLISH PERIOD (1760-1796) ---- TERRITORIAL (AMERICAN) PERIOD-MICHIGAN AS A STATE- - POPULATION OF THE STATE (1810-1910)-POPULATION OF THE COUNTY (1840-1910)-PROPERTY VALUATION OF STATE AND COUNTY (1851-1911) 53-76
CHAPTER III CIVIL AND EARLY HISTORY
FIRST MICHIGAN COUNTY-VAN BUREN COUNTY CREATED-CIVIL AND JUDICIAL ORGANIZATION-TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION-PIONEER PICTURES-VAN BUREN COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION-EDWIN BARNUM'S POEM-OSLERISM REVIEWED .77-97
V
vi
CONTENTS
CHAPTER IV
ROADS AND RAILROADS
NOTED INDIAN TRAILS-FIRST MICHIGAN WHITE MAN'S ROAD- TERRITORIAL AND STATE ROADS-THE OLD STAGE ROUTES- PLANK ROADS-THE PAW PAW RIVER-RAILROADS-THE MICHI- GAN CENTRAL-KALAMAZOO AND SOUTH HAVEN RAILROAD-THE PAW PAW RAILROAD-TOLEDO AND SOUTH HAVEN RAILROAD (FRUIT BELT LINE) -THE PERE MARQUETTE RAILWAY . .. . 98-114
CHAPTER V EDUCATIONAL HISTORY
ACT OF 1827 MODIFIED-HARASSED SCHOOL INSPECTORS-THE TEACHERS' QUALIFICATIONS-MRS. ALLEN RICE'S REMINISCENCES -THE OLD AND THE NEW 115-127
CHAPTER VI THE COUNTY SEAT
LAWRENCE AS THE COUNTY SEAT-PAW PAW DISPLACES LAWRENCE -PROPOSED COUNTY BUILDINGS-OLD COURT HOUSE COM- PLETED-SOUTH HAVEN BIDS FOR COUNTY SEAT-POPULAR VOTE FOR PAW PAW-NEW COUNTY BUILDINGS-COURT HOUSE CORNER- STONE LAID-COST OF PRESENT COUNTY BUILDINGS 129-158
CHAPTER VII BENCH AND BAR
STATE SUPREME AND CIRCUIT COURTS-COUNTY COURTS-FIRST CIRCUIT JUDGE-SUCCESSORS OF JUDGE RANSOM-JUDGE FLA- VIUS J. LITTLEJOHN-THIRTY-SIXTH CIRCUIT CREATED-PROBATE JUDGES-VAN BUREN COUNTY BAR 159-167
ยท
vii
CONTENTS
CHAPTER VIII
POLITICS OF THE COUNTY
GENERAL ELECTIONS-THE PARTIES IN THE COUNTY-COUNTY OFFICERS-MEMBERS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE-CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS-OTHER IMPORTANT OFFICIALS FROM VAN BUREN COUNTY-CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS- PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS-VAN BUREN COUNTY AND THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC 168-182
CHAPTER IX
CIVIL WAR INFANTRY
SIXTH MICHIGAN INFANTRY-TWELFTH MICHIGAN INFANTRY-
THIRTEENTH MICHIGAN INFANTRY-STONE RIVER-SEVEN- TEENTH MICHIGAN AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN-NINETEENTH MICHI- GAN-TWENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT-TWENTY-FIFTH MICHIGAN INFANTRY-TWENTY-EIGHTH MICHIGAN INFANTRY-SPANISH-
AMERICAN WAR 183-231
CHAPTER X
CIVIL WAR CAVALRY
FIRST MICHIGAN-THIRD CAVALRY-JUSTICE TO CAVALRY REGI- MENTS-FOURTH MICHIGAN CAVALRY-CAPTURE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS-NINTH MICHIGAN-CAPTURE OF MORGAN-FIRST AND LAST 232-273
CHAPTER XI
OTHER COMMANDS
FIRST MICHIGAN ENGINEERS AND MECHANICS-FIRST REGIMENT MICHIGAN LIGHT ARTILLERY-VAN BUREN COUNTY SOLDIERS IN OTHER MICHIGAN REGIMENTS-BIRGE'S WESTERN SHARPSHOOTERS -COMPANY C, SEVENTIETH NEW YORK INFANTRY-OTHER COM- PANIES OR REGIMENTS 274-310
viii
CONTENTS
CHAPTER XII
GEOLOGY OF COUNTY
THE CAMBRIAN-ORDOVICIAN-THE SILURIAN AGE-DEVONIAN --- LOWER CARBONIFEROUS-THE PLEISTOCENE (LAST CHAPTER). 311-317
CHAPTER XIII
AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE
WESTERN VAN BUREN-LAKE MICHIGAN, A BENEFACTOR-FRUIT RAISING AT SOUTH HAVEN-FRUIT BELT WIDENS-COOPERATION THROUGH SOCIETIES-"MASTER L. H. BAILEY"-A. S. DYCKMAN AND T. T. LYON-CROPS OF THE COUNTY-SEMI-AGRICULTURAL IN- DUSTRIES-AGRICULTURE IN EASTERN VAN BUREN-"OAK OPEN- INGS" FIRST CULTIVATED-PIONEER FARM IMPLEMENTS-AFTER THE CIVIL WAR-LIVE STOCK-GOLDEN ERA (1865-90) -THE LEAN YEARS OF THE NINETIES-DEVELOPMENT OF THE GRAPE IN- DUSTRY 319-331
CHAPTER XIV TALES OF THE OLDEN DAY
DECATUR WAR SCARE-SNOW NOT TURNED TO OIL-FIGHT WITH A WOLF PACK-WOLF BOUNTIES-WOODS FULL OF "PAINTERS" -MRS. RICE'S REMINISCENCES-NARROW ESCAPE OF EDWIN MEARS-INDIAN MOUNDS IN LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP-JOSEPH WOODMAN LOCATES AT PAW PAW (1835)-STORIES BY MRS. NANCY (HICKS) BOWEN-"GOOD TIMES" OF THE OLDEN DAY. 332-341
CHAPTER XV FINANCIAL AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS
FIRST NATIONAL BANK, PAW PAW-THE PAW PAW SAVINGS BANK- FIRST NATIONAL BANK, SOUTH HAVEN-THE CITIZENS STATE BANK, AND FIRST STATE BANK, SOUTH HAVEN-BANKS OF DECA- TUR-HARTFORD BANKS-WEST MICHIGAN SAVINGS BANK, BAN- GOR-THE PEOPLES BANK OF BLOOMINGDALE-AT GOBLEVILLE;
ix
CONTENTS
COVERT, LAWRENCE AND LAWTON-SOUTH HAVEN LOAN AND TRUST COMPANY-VAN BUREN COUNTY FARMERS MUTUAL FIRE INSUR- ANCE COMPANY-TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE LINES. ... . 342-353
CHAPTER XVI
THE PRESS
"PAW PAW FREE PRESS"-"PAW PAW FREE PRESS AND COURIER" -"THE TRUE NORTHERNER"_"DECATUR REPUBLICAN"-"THE LAWTON LEADER"-"HARTFORD DAY SPRING"-"THE BANGOR ADVANCE"-EARLY LAWRENCE NEWSPAPERS-"LAWRENCE TIMES"-"BLOOMINGDALE LEADER"_"GOBLEVILLE NEWS"- SOUTH HAVEN NEWSPAPERS 354-368
CHAPTER XVII MEDICINE AND SURGERY
MEDICAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH-PREVENTIVE MEDICINE-SURGERY- THE COUNTRY PHYSICIAN AND THE TRAINED NURSE-EARLY PHY- SICIANS OF VAN BUREN COUNTY-PAW PAW PHYSICIANS-BAN- GOR-GOBLEVILLE-HARTFORD-COVERT-LAWRENCE-LAWTON --- THE PROFESSION IN SOUTH HAVEN-SOUTH HAVEN CITY HOS- PITAL-DECATUR-THE VETERINARY SCHOOL 369-392
CHAPTER XVIII TOWNSHIP OF ALMENA
GENERAL DESCRIPTION-PIONEER SETTLERS AND INSTITUTIONS- BUSY PERIOD (1836-42)-SETTLEMENT IN THE NORTHERN SEC- TIONS-CHURCHES-SCHOOLS, SUPERVISORS, ETC. . . .393-400
CHAPTER XIX
TOWNSHIP OF ANTWERP
GENERAL DESCRIPTION-RAILROADS, PROPERTY AND POPULATION- EARLY SETTLEMENT-SETTLERS OF 1836-8-SETTLERS IN SOUTH- ERN ANTWERP TOWNSHIP-POST OFFICES, ROADS AND HOTELS-
X'
CONTENTS
PIONEER MILLS-TOWNSHIP ELECTIONS AND OFFICIALS-EDUCA- TIONAL STATISTICS-GLEN SPRINGS TROUT HATCHERY-VILLAGE OF LAWTON-VILLAGE OF MATTAWAN-RETROSPECT 401-423
CHAPTER XX
TOWNSHIP OF ARLINGTON
FIRST ELECTION-FIRST SETTLER ARRIVES-MAJOR HEATH, FIRST SUPERVISOR-THE DANGEROUS BRIGGS BROTHERS-OTHER NEW YORK MEN-THE HOGMIRE FAMILY-RUGGED WORK OF THE PIONEERS-M. H. HOGMIRE ON PIONEER TIMES-NEW TIMES BET- TER THAN OLD 424-436
CHAPTER XXI TOWNSHIP OF BANGOR
NATURAL FEATURES-EARLY SETTLERS-PIONEER TAX PAYERS- CIVIL AND EDUCATIONAL-SKETCH BY HON. JOHN S. CROSS -- IN THE CIVIL WAR-PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY-VILLAGE OF BAN- GOR-VILLAGE OF DEERFIELD 437-447
CHAPTER XXII
TOWNSHIP OF BLOOMINGDALE
FIRST SETTLEMENTS AND SETTLERS-TAXES AND TOWNSHIP GOVERN- MENT-POPULATION AND EDUCATION-VILLAGE OF BLOOMING- DALE-MR. HAVEN'S SKETCH OF THE VILLAGE-CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES-VILLAGE OF GOBLEVILLE 448-463
CHAPTER XXIII
TOWNSHIP OF COLUMBIA
PHYSICAL FEATURES AND RAILROADS-SITE OF BREEDSVILLE SETTLED -PROPERTY HOLDERS AND TAXES (1839)-SETTLERS PRIOR TO 1845-CIVIL AND POLITICAL-PRESENT VILLAGE OF BREEDSVILLE -BERLAMONT-COLUMBIA-GRAND JUNCTION 464-473
xi
CONTENTS
CHAPTER XXIV
TOWNSHIP OF COVERT
THE ORIGINAL TOWNSHIP-PHYSICAL FEATURES-EARLIEST SET- TLERS-ROADS AND SCHOOLS-STATISTICAL AND POLITICAL-THE VILLAGE OF COVERT 474-481
CHAPTER XXV
TOWNSHIP OF DECATUR
FIRST WHITE SETTLER OF THE COUNTY-FIRST NATIVE WHITE CHILD-FIRST GOSPEL SERMON AND PIONEER SCHOOL-A. B. COPLEY ON EARLY DAYS-VARIOUS PIONEERS-CIVIL AND POLIT- ICAL-STATISTICS-VILLAGE OF DECATUR-RETROSPECT. . . 482-494
CHAPTER XXVI
TOWNSHIP OF GENEVA
ROADS AND PHYSICAL FEATURES-POLITICAL AND EDUCATIONAL- PIONEERS OF THE TOWNSHIP-VILLAGE OF LACOTA-VILLAGE OF KIBBIE-GENERAL TOWNSHIP PROGRESS 495-501
CHAPTER XXVII
TOWNSHIP OF HAMILTON
CIVIC AND POLITICAL MATTERS-PHYSICAL FEATURES-TAXPAYERS AND TAXES OF 1839-FIRST BUILDING AND FIRST PERMANENT SETTLER-ALSO SETTLED PRIOR TO 1844-ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE PIONEERS AND THEIR TIMES-SCHOOLS, THEN AND NOW-THE
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP FAIR 502-512
CHAPTER XXVIII
TOWNSHIP OF HARTFORD
FIRST THINGS AND EVENTS-ALLEN'S PAPER TOWN-FIRST AC- TUAL SETTLERS-TERRITORIAL AND OFFICIAL-"WHEN THE
xii
CONTENTS
WORLD GOES WRONG WITH ME"-THE VILLAGE OF HARTFORD- EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL-CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES- BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES 513-532
CHAPTER XXIX
TOWNSHIP OF KEELER
LAKES AND RESORTS-CIVIL ORGANIZATION-FIRST SETTLERS OF TOWNSHIP-WOLCOTT H. KEELER-SETTLERS OF 1836-44-TAX- PAYERS, PROPERTY AND SCHOOLS-KEELER AND OTHER TOWNS- GENERAL VIEW 533-542
CHAPTER XXX
TOWNSHIP OF LAWRENCE
STREAMS AND LAKES-EARLY PIONEERS AND SETTLEMENTS-THE BRANCH FAMILY-JUDGE JAY R. MONROE-FIRST MARRIAGE, BIRTH AND DEATH-ROADS AND MAILS-FLAT-BOAT TRAFFIC- PAPER TOWN OF VAN BUREN --- CIVIL, EDUCATIONAL AND POLIT- ICAL-LOOKING BACKWARD-VILLAGE OF LAWRENCE-CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES-BUSINESS AND GENERAL FEATURES 543-563
CHAPTER XXXI TOWNSHIP OF PAW PAW
ORIGINAL TOWNSHIP OF LA FAYETTE-BECOMES PAW PAW TOWN- SHIP-LAKES-THE HARDY PIONEERS-"MR. AND MRS." PE-PE- YAH-DAVID WOODMAN'S PIONEER PICTURES-THE PAW PAW IRREVOCABLY CROOKED-STATISTICAL, POLITICAL, HORTICULTURAL -VILLAGE OF PAW PAW 564-590
CHAPTER XXXII
TOWNSHIP OF PINE GROVE.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZED-SHINGLES AS LEGAL TENDERS-MARITAL AND LEGAL-KALAMAZOO AND SOUTH HAVEN RAILROAD-GENERAL PROGRESS-GOBLEVILLE-PINE GROVE-KENDALL-MENTHA. .591-597
xiii
CONTENTS CHAPTER XXXIII
TOWNSHIP OF PORTER
FIRST SETTLEMENTS AND SETTLERS-THE KINNEY SETTLEMENT- THE ADAMS FAMILY-TOWNSHIP NAMED AND ORGANIZED-EDUCA- TIONAL AND POLITICAL-A RETROSPECT 598-602
CHAPTER XXXIV TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH HAVEN
EARLY ELECTIONS AND OFFICIALS-PROPERTY AND POPULATION -- JAY R. MONROE, FIRST WHITE SETTLER-CLARK AND DANIEL PIERCE-A. S. DYCKMAN'S STORY-PIONEER STEAM SAWMILLS- FIRST INSTITUTIONS AND PIONEERS-VILLAGE (NOW CITY) OF SOUTH HAVEN-THE SUMMER RESORT BUSINESS-SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES-MUNICIPAL AND BUSINESS MATTERS- POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND BOARD OF TRADE 603-619
CHAPTER XXXV TOWNSHIP OF WAVERLY
PHYSICAL FEATURES -- TOWNSHIP NAMED-THE MYERS FAMILY- FIRST WEDDING BETWEEN PIONEERS-COVEY HILL-JOHN SCOTT -OTHER EARLY SETTLERS-FROM THE OFFICIAL RECORDS-VIL- LAGE OF GLENDALE 620-627
INDEX
Abbe, Jesse, 410 Abbott, Elisha, 468 Abell, Charles E., 943 Abrams, Albert H., 1154 Abrams, James E., 759 Ackley, D. C., 467 Ackley, Levi, 468 Ackley, William, 567 Adams, Frank A., 470
Adams, Franklin B., 112, 412, 602
Adams, Homer, 432 Adams, Horace H., 600
Adams, Norman H., 468, 470 Adams, Oscar, 634
Adriance, William H., 625 Agard, John, 567
Agriculture and horticulture-Lake Michigan a. benefactor, 319; fruit raising at South Haven, 320; fruit-belt widens, 321; coopera- tion through societies, 322; "Master L. H. Bailey," 323; A. S. Dyckman and T. T. Lyon, 324; crops of the county, 324; semi- agricultural industries, 325; agriculture in eastern Van Buren, 325; "Oak openings" first cultivated, 326; pioneer farm imple- ments, 327; after the Civil war, 327; live stock, 328; golden era (1865-90), 328; the lean years of the nineties, 329; development of the grape industry, 329 Albright, Henry H., 986 Alexander, Daniel, 484 Alexander, William, 483, 488 Allen, D. B., 480 Allen, Daniel M., 791
Allen, Daniel W., 1106 Allen, Howard S., 468 Allen, John, 515, 544, 553, 558 Allen, Joseph C., 778
Allen, Reuben E., 625 Allerton, Charles B., 729
Almena township-Mention, 83; general de- scription, 393; pioneer settlers and institu- tions, 394; busy period (1836-42), 396; set- tlement in the northern sections, 397; churches, 398; schools, supervisors, etc., 399 Alpena (Hamilton) township, 83, 503 Anderson, A. Throop, 468 Anderson, Charles E., 521 Anderson, Charles J., 908 Anderson, David, 166, 468, 471 Anderson, Doctor H., 468, 471
Anderson, Edgar A., 527 Andrews, Josiah, 89, 94
Anderson, Julian H., 527, 829
Anderson, LeGrand, 485
Anderson, Marion O., 527
Anderson, William, 527. 602 Andrews, John, 526, 556, 605 Andrews, Josiah, 134, 239, 380
Andrews, William H., 613
Annable, Edward R., 396
Annable, Fernando C. C., 395, 400, 621
Antwerp township-Mention, 80, 81; general description, 401; railroads, property and population, 402; early settlement, 403; set- tlers of 1836-8, 406; settlers in southern Antwerp township, 409; postoffices, roads and hotels, 410; pioneer mills, 411; township elections and officials, 411; educational sta- tisties, 412; Glen Springs trout hatchery, 413; village of Lawton, 413; village of Mat- tawan, 419; retrospect, 422
Appleton, Ephraim S., 764
Arlington township-Mention, 84; first elec- tion, 424; drainage, timber and products, 425; first settler arrives, 426; Major Heath, first supervisor, 426; the dangerous Briggs brothers, 428; other New York men, 429; the Hogmire family, 430; rugged work of the pioneers, 431; official records, 432; M. H. Hogmire on pioneer times, 433; new times better than the old, 435
Armstrong, E., 625 Arnold, G. W., 983
Ashbrook, Charles W., 892
Austin, Charles, 683
Austin, Jonah, 623 Austin, Samuel J., 1005
Avery, Charles B., 178
Avery, Charles R., 710
Avery, Mrs. H. M., 615
Avery, R., 575
Avery Beach, 616
Babbitt, J. M., 467
Baggerly, Chester P., 855
Bailey, Ed. M., 715
Bailey, John, 844
Bailey, Liberty H., 320, 1145
Bailey, Prof. Liberty H., 1148
Baker, Andrew, 1155 Baker, C. I., 391 Baker, Fred H., 535
Baker, John R., 105, 535, 560, 571
Balch, Luther C., 625 Balfour, Herbert F., 989
XV
xvi
INDEX
Balfour, Vannie, 989 Ball, Abraham, 570 Ball, Jesse, 605 Bangor, 114 Bangor, Lyman S., 253
Bangor township-Mention, 85; natural fea- tures, 437; early settlers, 438; pioneer tax- payers, 439; civil and educational, 440; sketch by Hon. John S. Cross, 441; in the Civil war, 443; progress and prosperity, 443; village of Bangor, 444; village of Deerfield, 447
Bangs, Joshua, 134, 404, 412, 595 Bangs, Nathaniel H., 1133
Bangs, Theophilus, 405, 412
Bank of Covert, 351
Banks (see Financial and other institutions)
Banks, Fred W., 1144
Banks, Jacob F., 1011
Banks, Nancy B., 1012
Baptist church, Bloomingdale, 457
Baptist church, Lawton, 418
Barber, Jonas, 394, 398
Barber, L. A., 454
Barber, M. A., 365
Bark and quill work, 3
Barker, George H., 474, 849
Barker, Harvey, 600, 601, 602
Barker, Irwin M., 1097
Barker, John, 602, 1096
Barker, Wesley T., 1124
Barner, Silas N., 734
Barnes, Adelia (Mrs. Allen Rice), 440
Barnes, Anson U., 556
Barnes, Ella, 611, 616
Barnes, Joseph B., 135, 575
Barnes, Uriel T., 335, 548
Barney, Aaron, 507
Barnum, Edwin, 89, 90, 568, 575
Barnum, Henry, 399, 400
Barnum, Humphrey P., 80, 135, 516, 549, 552, 553, 556 Barrington, David, 594
Barrett, Enoch L., 566, 567 Barrows, John, 466 Bartholomew, George, 490, 539
Barton, Anne S., 809
Barton, Jesse S., 807 Bartley, Robert, 475 Basket making, 30
Bass, William W., 556 Bates, Israel P., 94, 731 Baxter, J. H., 351 Beach, Adam, 716
Beach, Ray W., 1069
Beach, William, 1068 Beals, Alpheus, 1082 Beebe, Eri, 488 Beers, Joseph D., 489 Bell, Rezin, 623, 624, 625 Bellows, C. F. R., 360
Bench and Bar-Circuit courts, 159; county courts, 161; first circuit judge, 161; succes- sors of Judge Ransom, 162; Judge Flavius J. Littlejohn, 163; thirty-sixth circuit created, 165; probate judges, 165; Van Buren county bar, 166
Benedict, Amos C., 136, 137, 556 Benevolent Eastern Star Lodge No. 46, Hart- ford, 530
Bennett, George, 488
Bennett, William, 693
Bentley, George A., 135, 503, 504
Benton, Burr, 1140
Berlamont, 110, 471
Bidwell, H. E., 323 Bierce, James M., 430
Bierce, Norman, 336
Bigelow, Calvin J., 431
Bigelow, Rufus, 431
Bigelow, Samuel, 431
Bilsborrow, Cora W., 784
Bilsborrow, Edward F., 783
Bingham, John, 411
Bingham, John K., 411
Birge's Western Sharpshooters, 294
Bishop, Arch W., 461
Bitely, Nathan H., 330, 412
Bixby, M. H., 344
Blackinton, Albert B., 1129
Blackman, E. A., 356, 360
Blackman, Samuel H., 178, 358
Blair, Austin, 73
Blaisdell, William, 1016
Blakeman, M. J., 625
Blashfield, Timothy E., 890
Bleecker, L. B., 358
Bliss, J. J., 420 Bloomingdale, 110, 453
Bloomingdale creamery, 459
Bloomingdale township-Mention, 84; first set- tlements and settlers, 449; taxes and town- ship government, 451; population and edu- cation, 452; village of Bloomingdale, 453; Mr. Haven's sketch of the village, 454; churches and societies, 456; village of Goble- ville, 459
"Bloomington Leader, " 365
Boardman, Silas R., 344, 611
Bockius, Fannie, 420
Bonfoey, Horace, 394, 395
Booth, William A., 613
Borden, I. S., 412
Bowen, Frank, 608
Bowen, Henry F., 592
Bowen, Mrs. Nancy (Hicks), 338
Boyce, George D., 602
Boyer, Seymour A., 1014
Boynton, Cyrus, 523 Bradley, William S., 813
Branch, Eaton, 94, 546, 552, 553
Branch, Francis, 556
Branch, Israel, 546
Branch, Lemuel J., 445, 446
Branch, Luther, 546
Branch, Vine, 546 Breed, B. L., 352
Breed, Joshua B., 400, 662
Breed, Marie C., 663 Breed, A. Silas, 397, 400, 404, 467, 470, 603, 605, 697 Breeding, William P., 352, 834 Breedsville, 114, 470 Bregger, Louis A., 994
xvii
INDEX
Bridges, Lyman, 521 Bridges, William, 429 Briggs, Allen, 84, 424, 427
Briggs, Duane D., 428, 468 Briggs, Emory O., 343, 355, 424, 428, 432, 575 Briggs, Mansel M., 438, 439, 440, 605
Brockway, Hugh, 655 Broadwell, William, Sr., 350, 810
Brookfield, William, 484 Brooks, George E., 859
Brooks, Philip M., 495 Broughton, Aaron W., 510
Broughton, Emma J., 914 Brown, Amasa M., 468
Charles, Clifton B., 746 Charles, William S., 1051
Chase, A. B., 350, 351
Chase, Edwin A., 625, 769
Chesebro, Nathaniel, 419
Chicago road, 99 Christian church, Bloomingdale, 456
Brown, Green H., 400
Brown, Isaac, 625 Brown, James A., 530
Brown, J. W., 452
Brown, Levi A., 400 Brown, Luman, 467 Brown, Orlando, 441
Brown, Rufus M., 453
Brown, Walter A., 400
Brush Creek (Lawrence), 560 Bryant, Asahel, 602 Bryant, C. T., 322, 323 Buck, George M., 164, 165 Buck, Lucius E., 535 Buck, Orrin, 412 Buel, B. G., 511 Buffington, H. C., 360 Bullard, James F., 259
Burdick, C. E., 751
Burdick, John Q., 782 Burger, Francis A., 982 Burkette, F. Z., 446
Burkette, G. F., 363
Burlington, George, 1056 Burrows, O. H., 496 Burton, William S., 239 Butler, John B., 357 Butler, Oramel, 569 Butterfield, Chauncey W., 625 Butterfield, Frank A., 1112 Buys, Archibald, 567 Byers, C. W., 504 Byers, Tobias, 536
Cadillac, Antoine de la Mothe, 55 Caldwell, H., 625 Camp, Joel, 468 Camp, Thomas S., 544 Campbell, Andrew H., 741 Canning, James, 1094 Cargo, George A., 1023 Carleton's (Will) "Country Doctor, " 391 Carney, Malcolm S., 490 Carpenter, Frank A., 1048 Carroll, Thomas, 1007 Carter, E., Jr., 470 Cash, Erastus, 815 Cass, Lewis, 67, 78 Cate, Lorenzo D., 469
Catholic church, Decatur, 492 Caughey, John, 455 Central Hotel, Bloomingdale, 459 Chadwick, Benjamin F., 134, 534, 535, 538, 556 Chadwick, Charles, 555
. Chairman of the board of supervisors, 176 Chamberlain, H., 468
Chandler, Alonzo H., 361, 362, 526, 611
Chapman, Alvin, 350
Chapman, George W., 1117
Chapman, William H., 993
Brown, Amos S., 467, 468 Brown, Charles R., 164 Brown, E. W., 392 Brown, George, 392
Christian church, Decatur, 491 Christian church, Hartford, 530
Christian church, Paw Paw, 584 Christie, Robert, 555, 556
Church, Jesse L., 553 Church of Latter Day Saints, Hartford, 530 Churchill, Lewis E., 461 Churchill, Reuben E., 133, 135
Circuit court associate judges, 171 Circuit court commissioners, 173
Civil war-Sixth Michigan Infantry, 183; Twelfth Michigan Infantry, 188; Thirteenth Michigan Infantry, 197; Stone River, 198; Seventeenth Michigan Infantry, 215; at South Mountain, 216; Nineteenth Michigan Infan- 'try, 218; Twenty-fourth Michigan Infantry, 225; Twenty-fifth Michigan Infantry, 226; Twenty-eighth Michigan Infantry, 227; First Michigan Cavalry, 232; Third Michigan Cavalry, 239; justice to cavalry regiments, 241; Fourth Michigan Cavalry, 256; capture of Jefferson Davis, 259; Ninth Michigan Cavalry, 267; capture of Morgan, 268; first and last, 269; First Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, 274; First Michigan Sharp- shooters, 278; First Regiment Michigan Light Artillery, 279; Van Buren county sol- diers in other Michigan regiments, 282; Birge's Western Sharpshooters, 294; Com- pany C, Seventieth New York Infantry, 300; other companies or regiments, 307; troops and money from the county, 309
"Citizens Advocate," 368 Citizens Bank, Decatur, 349 Citizens State Bank, South Haven, 345 Clapp, John T., 722 Clapp, Sarah A., 723
Clark, James J., 447 Clark, Joel H., 351, 505, 1039 Clark, Thomas, 397
Clark, William H., 996 Clarson, George, 492, 585 Clement, James L., 961 Clements, George W., 758 Cleveland, Edward, 385
Cleveland, Frank G., 432, 1009 Cleveland, Jewett, 708 Clinch township, 80, 81, 84, 591
xviii
Deerfield, 447 Deerfield township, 85, 86 DeHaven, Levi, 432 DeLand, C. V., 278 Dell, William A., 474, 478
DeLong, Francis, 519 DeLong, Henry, 520 DeLong, Nathan, 520 DeLong, Silas, 520 Densmore, J., 367 Densmore, Randolph, 320, 605
Derosier, Joseph, 394
Des Voignes, L. Burget, 165
Dewey, Henry E., 605
Dilley, Marshall, 500
Dilley, Varnum H., 496, 500
Dillman, Adam, 978
Dillman, Peter J., 136
Disbrow, Lavoisier W., 988
Disciple (Christian) church, Bangor, 446
Dobbyn, Henry L., 1115
Dobbyn, James, 477
Dodge, Daniel O., 80, 82, 567, 575
Dodge, Mrs. Daniel O., 582
Dodge, Henry J., 1130
Donavan, Bartholomew, 1001
Donovan, Andrew, 1015
Doty, Charles, 529 Doty, Sarah, 529
Douglas, Edwin S., 695
Dow, Joseph, 320
Downing, Asahel S., 396
Downing, Selina, 593
Doyle, Stephen, 521
Drake, Lawrence, 996
Drummond, Frank, 355
Drury, E., 361
Duncombe, Albert O., 869 Duncombe, Charles, 177, 178, 535, 540, 872
Duncombe, Moses, 540
Duncombe, Stephen W., 540
Dunham, Carey, 418, 684
Dunkley, S. J., 113
Durkee, Elisha, 165, 575
Dyckman, Aaron S., 320, 324, 592, 605, 608, 610
Dyckman, Barney H., 605, 609
Dyckman, Evert B., 406, 578, 579
Dyckman, Evert S., 579, 931
Dyckman, William, 430
Dyer, Adoniram J., 518
Dygert's Sharpshooters, 288
Eagan, James, 1024 Eagle Lake, 565
Eames, Aaron, 320
Earl, Francis, 530
Earl, Palmer, 504, 539
Earle, William, 539
Earle, William H. H., 362 Eastman, Jacob S., 897
Easton, Glenn S., 365, 686
Easton, Sylvester G., 521 Eaton, Charles L., 178, 358
Edgerton, Abel, 496 Educational (see Schools)
Eleventh Michigan Cavalry, 292
INDEX
Eleventh Michigan Infantry, 285 Elliott, Mary, 490 Ely Park, 527 Engle, Cenius H., I, 6, 24, 26, 29, 514, 519, 523, 524, 526, 529
Engle, W. A., 383, 526 English period (1760-1796), 56
Enlow, Michael, 812
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.