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4 3227 1804 0773
ATLAS
SANILAC COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
COMPILED BY E. R. COOKINGHAM. 1894
ATLAS
OF-
SANILAC COUNTY
MICHIGAN
CONTAINING
MAPS OF EVERY TOWNSHIP IN THE COUNTY, WITH VILLAGE AND CITY PLATS, AND OUTLINE MAP OF THE COUNTY ALSO MAPS OF
MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD
Compiled from Late and Authentic Sources, together with
OTHER VALUABLE INFORMATION
BY E. R. COOKINGHAM YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN 1894
SURVEYS BY
J. S. RANDALL, C. E.
PUBLISHED BY
J. L. SMITH
27 SOUTH SIXTH STREET
PHILADELPHIA
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1894, by L. D. Cookingham, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C.
PREFACE AND SALUTATORY.
THE PUBLISHER TO THE PATRONS OF THE SANILAC COUNTY ATLAS
We greet you with congratulations, which we feel should be mutual on the com- pletion of our arduous labors, editing, compiling, drawing, engraving and publishing the work now placed before you. The difficulties which attend the preparation of such a work by individual enterprise, can be understood only by those who have been engaged in similar undertakings. We believe, however, that the great labor and expense bestowed upon this Atlas, have been productive of highly remunerative results to you at least, as well as to all interested in the welfare of the county, if not to ourselves.
CO-OPERATION.
The compilation of the details of the maps has been attended with a vast amount of research and labor. We are happy to acknowledge the kind interest which has almost universally been manifested in the work through the county, and the cordiality and effectiveness of the co-operation of many who reside outside of Sanilac County.
UNITED STATES SYSTEM OF LAND SURVEYS.
It may not be out of place here to give a brief description of the United States System of Surveys applied to the lands of Michigan, which will also describe the general features, the uniform method for all the public lands of the United States.
PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN AND BASE LINES.
A meridian line running through the State from north to south, and a base line running across the State from east to west were first surveyed out. These two lines serve as base lines for all surveys in the State. The Michigan meridian was the first one located for the United States public lands before the State was organized, and is known as the First Principal Meridian. It forms the boundary between Lenawee and Hillsdale
Counties, passes through the middle of Jackson and Ingham, divides Clinton from Shiawassee and Gratiot from Saginaw, Crawford from Oscoda and Otsego from Montmo- rency, and passes through the eastern part of Sheboygan County, strikes Lake Huron, nearly south of the eastern extremity of Bois Blanc Island.
The base line for this meridian runs from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron. Along the northern boundaries of Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Jackson, Washtenaw and Wayne Counties.
RANGE AND TOWNSHIP.
After establishing the meridian and base lines, the surveyor proceeds to lay off the county into Townships six miles square. Having measured a distance of six miles along the base line to the east or west of the principal meridian, a monument is erected at the six-mile point, and another meridian is surveyed out from north and south from this monument. This strip of land six miles wide lying between and extending entirely across the State is called a Range. The range adjacent to the principal meridian is called Range I East, if on the east side, or Range I West, if on the west side of the prin- cipal meridian. The second six miles wide adjoining the first is called Range 2 East, or 2 West, as the case may be, and so in the same manner on both sides of the principal meridian, until the entire State is divided into ranges. These ranges are subdivided into Townships by east and west lines six miles apart.
The Township adjacent is called Township [ North, if on the north side, and Township I South, if on the south side of the base line. The next Township 2 North, or 2 South, as the case may be, and so on to the northern and southern boundaries of the State. Portions of Townships which are not complete where the ranges are bounded by irregular lines, or bodies of water are called Fractional Townships. On the margin of the map of the county in this work will be found the number of the range and towns of the State passing through this county and at the top of the respective Township maps.
THE COMPILER.
2
SANILAC COUNTY.
In giving the history of Sanilac county, many things present themselves to us which would make very interesting reading matter, but which are necessarily crowded out for lack of space; hence, we shall content ourselves by referring to the condition in which it was found in 1834. At that time the entire county was one unbroken wilder- ness, untouched by the hand of the white man. It was heavily timbered with white pine, cedar, hemlock, maple, beech, birch, oak, ash, elm, basswood and hickory, with an occasional balm 'o gilead and cottonwood. A few natural fruits, such as the blackberry (in abundance), raspberry (black and red), various kinds of the wild cherry, strawberries, wild plums and the crabapple, with a plentiful growth of cranberries.
The forest, at this time, abounded with wild game, such as elk, moose, deer, bear, wolf, lynx, fox, otter, beaver, mink, marten, raccoon, muskrat, wild turkey, ducks and other smaller fowl.
The country was remarkably free from reptiles, there only being found the small striped snake, water snakes of several kinds, and the light spotted snake, commonly called milk snake. . In a residence of over fifty years in the county, the writer has only known of some half-dozen of poisonous snakes having been seen or killed, and those consisting of the small rattler, usually called massauger.
The county is situated at the lower extremity and on the west shore of Lake Huron, adjoining St. Clair county, and is watered by the Black river running through the entire county from north to south, by Elk creek running through the southwest portion (having its rise in the southwest corner and running in a northeasterly direction until its junction with Black river), also by the north and south branches of the Cass river, which run in a southwesterly and northeasterly course until their junction, and by Black creek, Cherry creek and many other small streams.
It is bounded on the west by Lapeer and Tuscola counties, on the north by Huron county, on the south by St. Clair county and on the east by Lake Huron. The banks of the lake forming the eastern boundary are, on an average, 40 feet in height, affording a fine view of the lake.
The county embraces an area of about 972 square miles, or some 622,080 acres of land. The soil is very fertile, consisting mainly of sandy and clay loams, overlaid with a deep covering of vegetable mould, which makes it well adapted for the growth of hay, wheat, oats, barley, corn, pease and beans, as well as all kinds of vegetables.
ORGANIZATION.
A special Act of the Legislature of 1848, in force after December 31st of that year, authorized the separate organization of Sanilac county: Prior to the passage of this act, all of Sanilac and Huron counties, except Sebewaing, were attached to St. Clair county for legislative and judicial purposes, and were embraced in the then township of Lexington, together with the northern part of St. Clair county, composed of Township Nine and the south half of Township Ten, the middle of Township Ten being the southern boundary of Sanilac county as originally surveyed. Sanilac county as organized was composed of the then township of Lexington.
By an Act of the Legislature of 1848, the township of Worth was organized by detaching Township Nine, north of Ranges 13, 14, 15, 16 and fractional 17, east, from the south side of the old township of Lexington, and by the same act Sanilac township was organized from that part of the township of Lexington lying north of the north line of Township Ten, north of Ranges 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, east.
The first Board of Supervisors was composed of three members, viz .: Peter H. Benedict, Worth; Clark M. Mills, Lexington; and Charles McMillan, Sanilac. The value of the county as equalized by the Board was $169,369. The first county officers were elected at the general election held in November, 1849, and were installed January I, 1850, as follows :-
County Judge ..
Reuben B. Dimond. Clark M. Mills.
Judge of Probate.
County Clerk.
.Benjamin F. Luce.
Register of Deeds.
Benjamin F. Luce.
County Treasurer.
James L. Smith.
Sheriff.
.. Silas Bardwell.
PIONEERS.
The first white man who settled with his family in what is now Sanilac county was Joel Carrington (father of Mark Carrington, now of Port Austin, Huron county), who came into what is now the township of Worth in. 1834. He came for the purpose of manufacturing deck planks for ship building, employing a considerable number of men, sawing the plank with whip saws, and while residing here cleared a small farm of about sixty acres.
The next settler was Reuben B. Dimond, afterwards Judge Dimond. He was the first Justice of the Peace, and held the first elective office in what now constitutes the county. He also taught the first school. His farm adjoined that of Carrington, which was in Section 6, Township 9, north, Range 17, east.
It is a matter of dispute as to who was the first white child born within the county, some claiming it to have been Dr. F. B. Galbraith, of Pontiac, son of the late Dr. John Galbraith, of Amadore; while others claim it to have been a son of Mrs. Charles Anderson, who resided near the Dimond and Carrington settlement.
Dr. Woodard, one of the early pioneers, came into the county sometime during the year 1835 or 1836, and built the first saw mill in what is now Sanilac county in the year 1836 on Section 32, Township 9, north of Range 16, east, which he afterward sold to Nathan B. Chase. Mr. Chase, above spoken of, built the first flouring mill upon the same site with the saw mill purchased from Dr. Woodard in the year 1840.
Reuben B. Dimond built the second saw mill on Section 13, Township 9, north of Range 16, east, in 1843; and the third was built by Ephriam Pierce on Section 29, in Township 10, north of Range 16, east, within what is now the village of Croswell.
In 1846 Hubbard & Lester built in the township of Lexington on the present site of Jno. L. Fead's woolen mill, the first steam saw mill; and were the first company to engage in lumbering on an extensive scale within the county. This mill was operated for several years and cut nearly all the pine timber in the immediate vicinity of Lexington, from which the company realized very handsome profits.
The first settlers to enter the county for the sole purpose of agriculture were Jno. Ryan, Ferdinand and William Leonard, Dr. Jno. Galbraith, William and George Smith, Isaac Lemon and Jno. Carroll, in the Township of Worth; and Jno. Hyde, Rev. Thomas Huckins, Dr. Miles Huckins, Hiram Haney and Lawson Bisbee, of Lexington, who came some time from 1837 to 1840. Among the first settlers of Lexington were also Jno. Smith, Reuben Simons and Jno. Hughes. Jno. Smith was probably the first settler, having come here as early as 1837 from Canada. He built a log house on the bank of Lake Huron, where he resided with his family, consisting of a wife and twelve children, until, in the language of Daniel Boone, " the neighbors became too thick for him " when, Arab like, he folded his tent and moved farther West, where there was more room.
THE LUMBER INTEREST.
While Sanilac county was heavily timbered with white pine of the very best quality, in the main, it failed to benefit the county as a county, or to benefit any consid- erable number of its inhabitants; the timber lands having been bought largely by non- residents who cut and run the timber to other parts for manufacture. The timber from the townships of Fremont, Speaker, Maple Valley, Flynn, Elk, Watertown, Washington, Bridgehampton, Custer and part of Marion, was run to Port Huron and Detroit for manufacture, and helped in a large degree to enrich those cities ; while that from Austin, Greenleaf, Evergreen, Argyle, Moore and Lamotte was run down the Cass river and west to Saginaw for manufacture, likewise helping to enrich the citizens of that point.
The timber from the townships of Delaware, Minden, East Marion, Forester, Sanilac, Lexington, Worth and Buel, was largely manufactured on the shore and at Croswell ; and during the period of such manufacture was of material benefit to the new settlers, as well as to the owners of the timber lands and mill owners. But, in the end, every person who made a fortune out of Sanilac county timber, with one exception, removed to more sunny climes.
THE PRESS.
The Sanilac Leader was the pioneer paper of Sanilac county, having been estab- lished at Lexington in 1854 by Joseph C. Wyllis, its publisher and proprietor. The paper when first started, was Democratic in sentiment, with Free-soil tendencies; but during the struggle in Congress by the Republicans to elect N. P. Banks Speaker in 1855, 1856, the Leader came out squarely as a Republican paper. This paper ably and vigorously advocated the election of Jno. C. Fremont to the presidency ; and, it was, no doubt, largely instrumental in changing the political complexion of the county from strongly Democratic to overwhelmingly Republican. Mr. Wyllis continued the publica- tion of the Leader as a Republican paper until some time during the year 1864, when he removed from the county.
The next newspaper was that of the Signal, which was started as a Democratic paper in 1856 and was published as such until 1858, when the office outfit was bought by some Republicans and the name changed to that of the Sanilac Jeffersonian, a Republican paper, under the control of Charles Waterbury, as editor. The Jeffersonian has since passed into the hands of Nims & Beach, afterwards to Watson Beach, and is now published by L. M. Houghton. The Jeffersonian has always been a Republican paper, and has had a decided influence in maintaining the Republican ascendancy in Sanilac county. It has been at all times fairly and honorably conducted, and has a circulation of about 1,000.
The publication of the Croswell Democrat was commenced during the month of March, 1880. The paper started with a subscription list of about fifty, which was rapidly increased until it now has a list of about 800. It was first published by Horatio Pratt, and was free-trade, anti-monopolist, semi-greenback, and free-silver coinage Democratic. The Democrat office was burned out in November, 1881. In 1886 the paper was sold by Pratt to Wilford Macklem, who. in turn sold it to Williard Babcock and a Mr. Niles, who are now (March, 1893), its publishers and proprietors. The paper supported Hancock for the presidency in 1880, and the Union State ticket in 1882, Benjamin F. Butler for the presidency in 1884, and the Union Electoral State ticket, Since 1886 the Democrat has supported the regular Democratic ticket. It is fairly well conducted, and is the leading light of the Democratic party in this county.
The publication of the Marlette Leader was commenced during the spring 1878, as a Republican paper, has always been an advocate of the right, and its editorials has treated all public questions fairly and with ability. In its treatment of public men, as well as political issues, all have been fairly discussed by the Leader during its term of existence. It is a good local newspaper, and is well worthy of the support it has received at the hands of the public. Its circulation is about 700, and is now independent in politics.
The Minden Post, a small paper published at Minden, in the northern part of Sanilac county, was established in the year 1881, by J. H. Shults, its present editor and proprietor. This paper claims, as we believe, to be independent in politics. It once obtained the tax printing from Auditor-General Aplin, on the ground of its Republican principles ; but, so far as the writer can judge, the paper is Democratic in its tendencies. It receives a fair share of public patronage.
The Sanilac Reporter, an offshoot of the Minden Post, was first published in 1883, in Port Sanilac. It claims to be independent in politics, and is fairly well supported by the public.
The Sanilac County Republican, a Republican paper published at Sanilac Centre, was established in 1886, by -, and has since its commencement been successfully conducted, notwithstanding several changes in editors and proprietors. It is now owned and published by George E. English, who appears a successful manager, a painstaking editor, a vigorous and pleasing writer. Mr. English has succeeded in making the Republican the leading paper of the county, and it is fast becoming a power for good within the county, morally and politically. It has at present, a wide circulation, to which it is fairly entitled, being a neat, clean, readable newspaper, and should be found in every Sanilac county household. The writer bespeaks for the Republican a prosperous future.
The Brown City Banner, a newspaper published at Brown City, in the southwest portion of the county, was established in the year - by L. H. Howse. The Banner is a Republican paper, is well conducted and is entitled to liberal support. The writer is informed that it has thus far received a generous patronage, and is now a growing and prosperous enterprise,
There have been a few other attempts at newspaper publishing in Sanilac county, which have died natural deaths for want of support within a few weeks or months, hence require no further notice.
SANILAC COUNTY IN THE WAR.
While the Mexican War was prosecuted to its close, prior to the organization of Sanilac county, yet, what now constitutes Sanilac county did furnish some ten or twelve soldiers for that war, among whom were David E. Buel, Peter Shell, Stephen Thibedeau, Henry Shump, a young man by the name of Holister, and several others whose names are not remembered by the writer. But, when the firing upon the Star of the West, and the further unwelcome news of the attack on Fort Sumter by armed rebels was received, the patriotic fervor was touched, and at the call of the President, a company was raised and their services tendered the Government. The quota was, however, already filled, and not until after the disastrous defeat at Bull Run, and the President's call for 300,000 men, was an effort made to raise another company.
During the months of September and October Company D, Tenth Michigan, was raised and officered as follows :--
Captain.
Israel Huckins.
Ist Lieutenant
H. Nims.
2d Lieutenant.
Geo. W. Jenks.
Ist Sergeant.
Richard Teal.
3
SANILAC COUNTY-CONTINUED.
2d Sergeant ..
Rudolph Papst.
3d Sergeant.
C. R. Bunker.
4th Sergeant ..
Watson Beach.
5th Sergeant.
Henry Wideman.
Ist Corporal. . Watson Bisbee.
2d Corporal
Robert Lewis.
3d Corporal.
C. M. Cross.
4th Corporal. T. J. Springstein.
5th Corporal . Lemuel House.
6th Corporal
Stephen R. Moore.
7th Corporal
. Hugh McCaffery.
Many of these officers were afterwards promoted, and a few were assigned to other companies. The company was mustered into service in February, 1862, and left Flint (then place of rendezvous), April 22, 1862, having a full roster of 103 officers and men. The company participated in many battles, was considered as good as any in the regiment, and the regiment as good as any from this State. At the expiration of their term of service, most of the company re-enlisted as veterans until the close of the war. On the 24th of May, 1865, this company, with the regiment, participated in the grand review at Washington, was mustered out of service July 19th, at Louisville, Ky., arrived at Jackson, Mich, on the 22d, and was there paid off and discharged on the Ist of August.
When a further call by the President for more volunteers was made in July, 1862, setting forth the pressing need for more men at the front, another company was raised in this county, which was Company "K" of the 22d Infantry. Alexander G. Galbraith was Captain of this Company, Henry Briendenback, First Lieutenant, and John A. Simons, Second Lieutenant. The recruiting commenced July 15th. Within six weeks the com- pany was filled to its maximum, and within another week was on its way to Kentucky, and from thence to Tennessee. On the 20th of September, 1863, the regiment was ordered to reinforce Gen. Thomas at Chickamauga, and by 2 o'clock P. M. of that day became engaged in the battle, where the regiment was so badly cut to pieces it was almost annihilated. Subsequently, the fragments left of this regiment was attached to the Engi- neer Brigade under Gen. William F. Smith until May, 1864, when it was detailed with the 9th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, as Gen. Thomas' Headquarter Guards, with plenty of duty escorting prisoners, guarding trains, etc., during the Atlanta campaign, after which it remained at Chattanooga, in engineer and guard duty, until June 28, 1865, when it was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn. Arriving at Detroit on the 30th, it was there paid off and discharged July 11th, its members having performed their duty on all occasions.
Sanilac county furnished nearly a company for the 6th Cavalry. Wesley Arm- strong, of Lapeer, formerly a resident of Sanilac county, was the Captain of this com- pany; Edward Potter, of Burtchville, St. Clair county, First Lieutenant; and William Creevey and George S. West, of Lexington, Second Lieutenants. The regiment was mustered into service October 13, 1862, having 1,229 men and officers. After the War of the Rebellion had closed, the regiment was ordered to Wyoming on an expedition against the Indians, and they carried the first flag that floated over Reno, on Powder river. In all its engagements, the 6th Cavalry lost seven officers and ninety-four men killed, thirteen men died of wounds and 260 of disease.
Sanilac county was likewise represented by a number of men in the 2d, 7th, 8th, 14th, 24th and 27th Infantry, and 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 8th, 10th and 11th Cavalry regiments. Their valor and steadfastness was none the less noticeable whenever called for service in the field, and the county can review the action of her citizen soldiers with just pride and emotion.
CHURCHES.
Rev. Thomas Huckins was the first minister of the gospel to enter the wilds of Sanilac County. It was his fortune to preach the first sermon about July 1, 1839; also, to solemnize the first marriage ceremony within the county, the contracting parties being James Hughes and Helen Ellsworth. He organized the first church society, and by the aid of this organization he succeeded in building what was then known as the Free-will Baptist Church at Lexington. This was the first church edifice built in Sanilac county, and is now known as the Congregational Church of Lexington. Sometime during the year 1841 a Mr. Noble, of Port Huron, a Methodist Episcopal clergyman, preached an occasional sermon in Sanilac county ; but not until the year 1847 did the Methodist Episcopal denomination extend their circuit into Sanilac county, and not until 1855 did they build their church in Lexington, which was the second church built within the county. The Methodist Episcopal Church now has service in every town in the county, and many of them have costly church edifices. From these beginnings others in due time followed, so that now nearly all, or at least many other, Christian denominations are well represented.
The Regular Baptist was next to organize and established a church organization. Rev. Abram Sloat, the officiating clergyman, came into the county in 1850. About the same time Rev. Talmedy Waterbury, of the Congregational Church, located in Sanilac township, and there established a church. Elder Hiram Hayward organized a Christian Church at Amadore, Worth, about this time. Rev. John McClelland, of the United Presbyterian Church, organized a church in Fremont in 1862, and one at Davisville (now Croswell) in 1863. Rev. A. B. Flower, an Episcopal minister, organized the first church of that denomination in the county at Lexington in the year 1868, and another at Croswell at about the same time. The Advents came in the year 1869. Elder George Wright was their first minister, and to his indefatigable industry the society is largely indebted for their growth and present standing. The Roman Catholics, while not on the. ground as early as many of the others, have by their energy outstripped all in their growth in this locality, and at this writing (1893), in the opinion of the writer, their members would equal at least one-third of the entire church membership of the county. The Methodist Episcopal rank next in number, while the Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Baptists, Christians, Advents and Congregationalists share the balance nearly equal.
EDUCATIONAL.
The first settlers of Sanilac county, although not highly educated, were men who appreciated the general school system of the State of Michigan. As soon as a settle- ment contained a sufficient number of children to warrant the maintenance of a school, a district was organized, school kept for three months, necessary returns made to draw the primary money, taxes voted and assessed for a school-house, and thus fully equipped and maintained a school such as the law directs. The first school in the county was taught in the township of Worth sometime during 1838 in a log house, one mile south of the village of Lexington. The first school-house built was in the northeast corner of the township of Worth, one mile from Lexington, in what was known as the Carring- ton settlement, in 1840. The next school was organized on the Lapeer road, two and one- half miles west of Lexington; the next on the Ridge road in the Hyde settlement ; and from this time the schools of this county have been carefully cared for, fostered and encouraged, there being now within the county 143 school districts, which maintain a school at least eight months during the year, all of which are well managed and taught by teachers thoroughly qualified.
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