USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > 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 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113
1800
Glass _ $ 512
Book
-
GIE4
HISTORY OF
GENESEE COUNTY,
MICHIGAN.
Cith Ofllustrations and Biographical hetcheg
ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.
By Franklow File.
1880
PHILADELPHIA : EVERTS & ABBOTT.
1879. IT
PRESS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., PHILADELPHIA.
F5.12
LE 1-7015
PREFACE.
IT is chiefly for the sake of conforming to a custom which is as old as the trade of book-making that these few prefatory lines are addressed to readers of the following pages.
Prefaces, although seldom read, contain, generally, some remarks which are pertinent and of value, as well as many which are unimportant and unnecessary ; among the latter of which may be classed those insincere apologies which authors so frequently offer in advance,-much the same as the skillful housewife of a quarter of a century ago used always to make pretended apologies to her guests when setting before them a repast which was really excellent, and which she herself knew to be so. It has been told how, on one such occasion, when the good lady of the house had despairingly assured her favorite pastor that he would find the meats very badly cooked, and the bread really not fit to be eaten, the reverend gentleman disappointed and mortified her by the inquiry, "Then why, my dear muadam, do you place them before me?" The reply was most appropriate; and a similar one might well be addressed to those writers who, while acknowledging their works to be faulty and inferior, yet do not hesitate to offer them to readers who have the right to expeet and demand that they shall be of an opposite character.
In the preparation of this work, the object steadily kept in v.ew has been to furnish a reliable and exhaustive history of Genesee County, in all its departments,-pioneer, agricultural, manufacturing, civil, military, educational, and religious. To accomplish this objeet many months (equivalent to more than two years' time of a single person) have been spent, and neither labor nor expense have been spared in any particular. Something has been gathered from published works; more from the State archives, the county and township records, and the files of old newspapers; and still more (as it is designed to be especially a history of pioneers and pioneer enterprise) from information furnished by the oldest residents and best informed people in the county. In Flint City, and in the eighteen townships, many such persons have been called on, and all-with a single exception-have most obligingly imparted such information as they were able to give. To all and each of these sincere thanks are returned for the assistance they have so kindly and willingly contributed. The name of each would be given separately in acknowledgment, but on account of the great number (exceeding three hundred) who have rendered valuable aid, such separate mention is impracticable.
Especial acknowledgments are due to the editors and proprietors of the several newspapers, the pastors of the churches, and the officers of the county, the townships, and the public institutions; all of whom have responded promptly and courteously to requests for assistance.
The History of Genesce County is now presented, without apology, to its patrons, and their verdict is awaited, in full confidence that it will be a favorable one.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 1, 1879.
F. E.
3
CONTENTS.
HISTORICAL.
HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
CHAPTER
PAOE
I .- Location and Natural Features of Genesee County . 9
II .- The White Man's Predecessors in the Saginaw Valley 11
FLINT CITY
. 119
III .- The Saginaw-Chippewas after the War of 1812 . 14
IV .- Indian Treaties and Cessions of Land-Indian Emi- gration
17
Township of Flint 183
V .- Indian Reservations en Flint River
24
Fenton .
193
VI .- Settlement of the County
31
Grand Blanc .
237
VII .- Changes of Civil Jurisdiction-Erection and Organi- zation of Genesee County-Courts and County Buildings .
35
Mandy .
280
VIII .- Internal Improvements
39
Argentine
303
IX .- The Press-The Professions-Genesce Civil List-The Pioneer Association
51
Genesee
321
X .- Military Record of Genesee
62
Gaines .
334
XI .- Eighth Infantry .
6S
Burton .
342
XII .- Tenth Infantry
78
=
Clayton
355
XIII .- Sixteenth Infantry
85
Vienna .
367
XIV .- Twenty-Third Infantry
92
Thetford
379
XV .- Twenty-Ninth and Thirtieth Infantry, and First En- gineers and Meehanies 100
=
Davison
398
XVI .- First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Cavalry, and
Farest .
423
Thirteenth Battery .
104
Montrose
441
BIOGRAPHICAL.
PAGE
Hon. Edward HI. Thomson
facing 130
Lewis O. Medbury
259
Chaunecy S. Payne
140
Edgar E. Stimson
260
Grant Deeker
=
144
Stephen Jordan .
E. H. MeQuigg .
The MeNeil Family
261
James Van Vleet
156
Jonathan Frost .
262
Elias J. Burop
160
The Carpenter F'amily
263
George Crocker .
168
Jeremiah Narrin
263
Jeremy R. Chambers .
Henry French
270
George E. Tayler
Ebenezer French
277
Wm. M. Fenton .
178
Daniel Cotcher .
277
Gen. M. D. MeAlester
179
John Paton
278
Gov. H. II. Crapo
180
Andrew F. Sutton
279 -
Hon. Josiah W. Begole
18I
Alexander Barber
279
George M. Dewey
182
Josiah Alger and family
between 282, 283
295
Anson Gilbert
=
188
Ebenezer Bishop
296
Robert P. Aitken
190
John L. Jennings
297
Frederick A. Begole
191
John Slaght
298
G. J. W. Hill
192
William I. Williams
298
Jerome Z. Fairbank
235
Volney Stiles
299
Seth C. Sadler
236
llenry II. Ilowland
300
George W. Berryman .
236
Samuel W. Alger
301
Charles DeWitt Gibson
facing
238
John Reid .
301
Silas D. Halsey .
2.10
Nathan W. Sekden
301
Simeon M. Perry
217
Chaunevy L. Badgley
302
Gurdon G. Cook .
218
John B. Cochran
309
Michael Ferguson
. 219
Lorenzo C. Fletcher
310
Caleb S. Thompson
. 919
John Boyd .
. 311
.
.
.
Ira D. Wright
facing
184
Morgan Baldwin
Stewart II. Webster
16
186
Peter Hempsted .
296
179
Thomas II. Kelland
260
152
Atlas
251
.
Flushiog
264
Mount Morris
312
CHAPTER
PAGE
XVII .- Other Genesee County Soldiers . 110
XVIII .- Agriculture-Manufactures-Population 113
HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIPS.
Richfield
406
172
176
Hon. Alexander McFarlan
PAGE
5
6
CONTENTS.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
PAGE
Lewis Lahring .
311
Isaac Lyons ·
365
William T. Jennings .
311
Michael Donahoo
366
David Brooks
311
James L. Curry .
320
David S. Halsted
377
Richard Johnson
between 322, 323
Milton B. Stage .
378
William S. Pierson
328, 329
Crawford Barkley
390
ITenry D. JFunt .
332
Frederick S. Taylor
39]
JIenry B. Diller .
332
Nahum N. Wilson
391
George W. Hovey
332
Charles M. Bonttell
392
Simon King
333
Jacob W. Sharick
392
John Wooltitt
333
William Green .
393
Henry Knickerbocker
facing 333
Franklin E. Dodge
394
Whitman F. Clapp
333
William HI. Long
394
The Atherton Family
318
Daniel F. Dennett
395
Pliny A. Skinner
351
Henry Drudge
395
Daniel W. Richards
352
Amasa Carrier
396
Ira Chase .
353
Jacob W. White . 396
Paul E. Traynor
363
Frederick Olds .
422
Caleb Calkins
facing. 363
Chauncey W. Seeley .
439
Michael McEnrue
James Penoyer .
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
facing 92
Residence of David MeNeil (with portraits)
facing 242 ~
Joseph P. Cook
..
244 -
the late Michael Ferguson
246-
Portraits of Simeon M. Perry and Wife 24S
C. S. Thompson
250
ATLAS TOWNSHIP.
Residence of the late Jonathan Frost (with portraits) facing 251_
John L. McNeil (with portraits) . .6
252.
.. Stephen Jordan 254 -
.. J. Narrin
256
Lewis O. Medhury (double-page view ) between 258, 259 - E. E. Stimson, with portraits (double-page view)
between 260, 261
W. M. Carpenter (double-page view) . "
262, 263 --
FLUSHING TOWNSHIP.
Exchange Hotel . Residence of W. D. Penoyer
facing 264
261/\
John Paton (with portraits) 266.
William Schram 268 -
T. H. Kelland 270-
A. F. Sutton . .. 272
James W. Graham (with portraits) 274-
276
Residence of Daniel Cotcher (with portraits) facing 277~
Portraits of Ebenezer French and Wife 277
Residence of the late Alex. Barber (with portraits) . facing 278
MUNDY TOWNSHIP.
Residence of A. W. Alger .
Wm. R. Alger (with portraits)
facing 280- between 282, 283_
Portraits of Josiah and Josiah H. Alger . 282,283
Residence of Wm. I. Williams (with portraits) . facing 284~
John L. Jennings
286_
Peter IIempsted 6.
C. L. Badgley (with portraits)
facing 290
Portraits of Chas. D. Gibson and Wife
v 238
Portrait of Morgan Baldwin
295
¥ 240
64 Ebenezer Bishop
297
4 6 Silas D. Ilalsey
facing: 184
S. H. Webster and Wife .
৳ 186
Anson Gilbert
1SS
77 Robert P. Aitken
191
G. J. W. Hill
192
FENTON TOWNSHIP.
Portrait of Jerome Z. Fairbank .
between 234, 235
Seth C. Sadler
234, 235
Residence of G. W. Berryman (with portraits) . .. 234, 235-
GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Hon. A. P. Davis . facing 237 -
1152
James Vau Vleet
.. ৳ 156
Elias J. Bump v 160
¥168
Portrait of George Crocker
Portraits of J. R. Chambers and Wife
1172
Portrait of George E. Taylor
VI76
66 Henry II. Crapo (steel) ¥ 179
= $ 180
Alexander McFarlan (steel)
LISI
J. W. Begole
G. M. Dewey
46 1 182
FLINT TOWNSHIP.
facing v140
Portrait of Chauncey S. Payne .
Grant Decker .
.. ¥ 144
Portraits of E. H. MeQuigg and Wife
12]
Portrait of John Todd
between 122, 123 -
Residence of J. W. Begole (double-page view) .6 J. B. Atwood
facing 126-1
" V 130
Portrait of Hon. E. II. Thomson
between 136, 137-
Stone's Woolen Mills (double-page view) .
351
Jacob Kurtz
395
John C. Wolverton
363
Simeon R. Billings
421
Peter Lennon
364
Seymour W. Ensign, dr.
446
364
PAGE
Outline Map of Genesee County (colored)
Copy of the Surveyed Plat of Indian Reservations
FLINT CITY.
View of High-School Building . facing 119 -
333
George Geiger, Jr.
ITiram II. Bardwell, M.D. .
Walter Knickerbocker
393
PAGE
377
Portraits of Ira D. Wright and Wife .
Portrait of Henry French .
7
CONTENTS.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Portraits of John Slaght and Wife
298
Portrait of Volney Stites .
299
Res. of 11. II. Howland, with port's (double-page view) het. 300, 30] - Portrait of John Reid 301
Portraits of N. W. Seldon and Wife .
302
ARGENTINE TOWNSHIP.
Residence ef the late John Boyd, Sr. . Facing 303⑈
W. T. Jennings, with portraits (double-page view)
between 304, 305-
Lewis Lahring
(double-page view)
between 306, 307-
L. C. Fletcher
facing 308-
Portraits of John B. Cochran and Wife /310
David Brooks and Wife . 310
MOUNT MORRIS TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Charles Johnson .
facing 312
GENESEE TOWNSHIP.
Residence of J. W. Wilkerson facing 321-
the late W. S. Pierson ( with portraits) between 322y323- Walter Knickerbocker . 324, 325-
John Woolfitt 324, 325-
Wm. F. Clapp (with portraits) facing 326-
Dr. HI. IT. Bardwell (with portrait)
between 328, 329_
Portraits of H. D. Hunt and Wife 328329
Residence ef llenry B. Diller ( with portraits) of W. HI. Hovey
between 332, 333 -
Portraits of G. W. Hovey and Wife 332,333
44 Simon King 332, 333
Henry Knickerbocker and Wife
facing V333
Residence of William Johnson .
334-
GAINES TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Putnam Burton
facing 334
BURTON TOWNSHIP.
Residence of P. A. Skinner (with portraits) 342_
facing
Henry Schram
John C. Wolverton
.. 3461
= Robert Chambers . .. 346 !
PAOF
Portraits of P. Atherton, J. C. Atherton, and S. R. Atherton and Wife facing V348
Residence of D. W. Richards (with portraits)
350-
Portraits of Ira Chase and Wife
353
CLAYTON TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Michael MeEnrne . facing 855
Michael Donahoy .
..
355
Peter Lennon (with portraits) ..
25G -
Paul E. Traynor "
.6
358 -
James Penoyer
360-
Portraits of Caleb Calkins and Wife
..
7:63
Portrait of Isaac Lyons
365
VIENNA TOWNSHIP.
Residence of D. S. Halsted ¥ James L. Curry (with portraits) 6 4 317-
facing 367-
Portraits of Milton B. Stage and Wife
378
THETFORD TOWNSHIP.
Residence of N. N. Wilson ( with portraits)
facing 379.
C. M. Bouttell (double-page view)
between 380, 381 -
.J. W. White
facing 382-
.6 D. F. Bennett (with portraits)
..
384-
Jacob W. Sharick
386 -
= J. G. Geiger
Crawford Barkley
390-
F. S. Taylor .
facing 392-
393
Residence of Win. Il. Long
facing 394-
.4
394
Henry Drudge
393-
Portraits of Amasa Carrior and Wife
396
Residence of Jacob Kurtz ( with portraits) facing 396 __
RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Hon. S. R. Billings
facing 421
Portraits of Frederick Olds and Wife
422
344-
FOREST TOWNSHIP.
Portraits of Chauncey W. Sceley and Wife 439
-
Portraits of Win. Green and Wife
F. E. Dodge .
= 388 -
facing 330
COUNTY VIII EAST
A
W
COUNTY
TUSCOLA RANGE VII, EAST
RANGE
RANGE
VI EAST
RANGE V EAST
Otter
3
2
12
Buell
FAIR GROUNDS
CDL
9
10
11
12
-
E
ER FARRANDVILLE
Buttern
14
2.
MONTR
SE
T
23
22
A
OTISVILLE PO
(30
20
it
25
: WHITESBURG
ROAD
34
137
31
33
34
3.5
25
30
31
33
ROAD
76
IMT MORRIS SU? PO. 3
Flun
River
2
17
TARICHFIELD
Mi
14
75
7
RICHFIELD PO 21
23
24
- 1
24
M
0
R R
S
22
2€
2.5
305
28
27
26
25
30
28
27
19
23
30
32
33
31
31
5
6
5
BY
OAVISON PO O
STATION · &!
MICHIGAN
12
PORT HURON &
LANE
12
DAVISON
13
'12
16
15
14
15
14
36
18
14
BURTON
ji PROPOSEO
22
23
70
15
27
25
50
22
26}
25
30
29
28
26
25
-
Lay
75
DAWSON STA
-
31
3.
SWARTZ CREEK P.O.
ISWARTZ REEK
2
2
5
6
3
TEASTERN
WORTH
0
E
13
1: 15
A
A
S
AIN
S
13
MUNOY CENTER
17
FLETCHERS CORS
M
U
20
19
, Creep
-
28
22
26
25
30
120
3:
-
23
*MUMOY P.O 3.3
535
36
3
32
33
L
RINGE
VII. EAST
C
0
O
2
12
7
8
S
trong!
L
É
1 NEGI NORTH LINDEN
X
DEN
2-45
3
i
A
SOUTH JLINDEN
27
15
29
Silver
CITY
O
34
56
11
OF FENTON P. 0
RANGE VI. EAST
RANGE V. EAST
LIVINGSTON
COUNTY
TOWNSHIP 6 NORTH
TOWNSHIP
CHICA G
BLANC
GRAND
23
24
20
M 27
23
122
95
30
29
1
32
74
35
3'
Grand Blanc
/ A
DET
:
5
&
H
A
8
12
7
FENTON
MAP OF
TOWNSHIP S NORTH
20
27
22
23
P
123
GENESEE
25
J
MICHIGAN.
ENGRAVED EXPRESSLY FOR THIS WORK
F
USH
NG
79
20
23
24
GEEN 27
S
E
E
19
20
19
23
Rearstey Cre
51
33
36
31
32
34
Break
Potter
4
3
2
10FUNT
P 7 NORTH
7 NORTH
PORT
HUREN 21
LAKE
MICHIGAN
RR
D
on seallever
34
31
35
36
NAIL
33
36
3
33
3
35
1
E
TO
15
L'E
O
10
12
ATLAS P.O
1.9
7
1.3
14
7.3
18
WASS
32 AINES POD
34
35
-
7
5
4
3
-----
AGRICULTURAL
3
2
TOWNSHIP 9 NORTH
13
19
V
MEINWA
73
THETFORD CENTER PO
HENPECK
THETFORD
F
24
21
23
27
Brent's
TOWNSHIP 9 NORTH
S
22
.0
29
78
26
E
1
ER
RIVE
FLINK
GENESEE P.O
9
-
C C O
0
13
4
13
ON RAIL 15
PERA
3M
31
33
COUNT
1
5
-
0
10
11
Reservarto
L
CLA
YTON
18
24
21
22
423
2+
10
J 20
27
2.5
30
29
ADAM
TOWNSHIP
GIBSONVILLE
72
6 NORTH
-
GODE PO
ND Y
23
4
16
:5
28
27
₩36
3.3
3.
34
RANGE VIII. EAST
6
0
O
U
N
C FIELD
R
1.3
22
FLUTHING PO 25
25
25
$5
TOWNSHIP 8 NORTH
33
35
yck
RR
71
A PEER
S
11
TOWNSHIP 7
MONTROSE| PO
CUJO PO HOST PINE RUN
18
17
15
74
G
R
8
ARGENTINE PO. .
MILWAUKEE
ARGENTIN
PinETY L
PA
34
20
32
ISTª
RAND BLANG POVE
7
7
TOWNSHIP 8 NORTH
PO3
5
River
I
MOUNT PLEASANT
HISTORY
OF
GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
BY FRANKLIN ELLIS.
CHAPTER I.
LOCATION AND NATURAL FEATURES OF GENESEE COUNTY.
GENESEE is an interior county of Michigan, situated in the southeastern part of the lower peninsula of the State ; its capital city, Flint, which is also nearly its territorial centre, being in latitude 43º 1' north, and longitude 83º 4' west ; distant sixty-four miles in a northwesterly direc- tion from Detroit, fifty miles east-northeast from the State capital, and sixty-six miles west from the outlet of Lake Iluron, by the customary routes of travel. The counties which join this and form its several boundaries are, Saginaw and Tuscola on the north, Lapeer and Oakland on the cast, Oakland and Livingston on the south, and Shiawassee and Saginaw on the west.
The limits of Genesee include eighteen townships of the United States survey, sixteen of which (being Nos. 6, 7, 8, and 9 north, in ranges 5, 6, 7, and 8 east) lie together in form of a square ; and the two remaining townships (5 north, of ranges 5 and 6 cast) join the square, upon the west half of its south line. Thus the aggregate area is nearly 415,000 acres. More than three-fourths of this area, embracing all the central and western parts of the county, is underlaid by the vast coal measures, which occupy a space of nearly seven thousand square miles in the centre of the lower peninsula ; comprehending, besides Genesee, the counties of Saginaw, Shiawassee, Clinton, Ionia, Mont- calm, Gratiot, Isabella, and Midland, and the greater part of Tuscola, Ingham, Eaton, and Bay, with considerable por- tions of Livingston and Jackson. " Over nearly the whole of this extent of country, the [coal] measures will be found productive." This is the prediction made by Dr. Alexander Winchell, State Geologist, in his " Report of the Progress of the Geological Survey of Michigan," made to Governor Wisner, in December, 1860; from which document is also extracted the following, having reference to Genesee County :
" Between Ingham and Genesee Counties the boundary of the coal formation has not been traced. In the southwest- ern part of the township of Mount Morris, and contiguous portions of Finshing, in the latter county, according to the observations of Dr. Miles, the shales and sandstones of the coal measures make numerous outerops. On the south- east quarter of section 26, Flushing, the following section is observed in the bank of the Flint River :
"Superficial materials .. 4 feet. Black shale, containing Lingula, Chronetes Smithii, Productos Axperus, and Spirifer Cameratua. 3 feet.
Sandstone, tinged with iron.
7 inches.
Shalos ..
1 foot.
Sandstone ...
3 inches.
Shale to surface of water.
10 inches.
" A short distance west of here the section is seen to be extended upwards by the superposition of seven inches of sandstone and five feet of an overlying shale. The bed of the river here is covered by a somewhat undulating and shattered gray sandstone, which is considerably quarried for building. At a point on the northeast quarter of seetion 35, Flushing, a sandstone was seen to attain a thickness of about twelve feet, in an excavation made by Mr. Miles.
" On the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 22, Flushing, a shaft was sunk on the farm of A. J. Brown, of which the following account was obtained :
"Superficial materials 14 feet. Sandstone, below, bluish, gritty. S
Coal
24 inches.
' Horseback Claystone' ( Blackband). 2 feet.
Same with kidney iron-ore
..
Shale ..
5
Sandstone and sult witter.
3
Shale
· Black hard stone,' combustible
4
White fire-clay ..
2
"
Darker sandstone.
unknown.
Striped sandstone.
3 feet.
Shale
unknown.
' Coalblaze,' with bands of iron-ore .. 11 feet.
" A small hole was bored from this point to a depth of twelve feet in the last-named material, making the whole depth attained eighty-three feet. The work seems to have been directed by ' Prof. Challis.' The shaft is now filled with salt water.
" Coal erops out at numerous places in the vicinity. It is said sometimes to show a thickness of two or three feet at the outerop, but soon thins out.
" Mr. Patton, on the east side of the river, near the south line of section 22, made an excavation for coal, and found a seam eighteen inches thick, which is tolerably hard. The sandstone taken from the quarry above Flushing is a pale bluish rock, abounding in scales of white mica, ferruginons streaks, pyrites, carbonaceous streaks and curls, and much oblique lamination. What is quite remarkable, I saw in a block of this stone, in the vault of the bank, in Flint, a long club of fibrous talcose slate, a mineral said to occur in con- siderable abundance. This rock does not answer to the
2
9
1
llard white sandstone
10
HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
characters of the Woodville sandstone at any point where its identity is undoubted, and I am induced to regard it as a sandstone included in the coal measures. If it is so, this is the only instance within my knowledge where any of the included sandstones have attained sufficient development to be worked. It is likely, however, that the gray, homo- geneous, fine, gritty, faintly-banded sandstone, found within a mile or two of the city of Lansing, will be found to hold the same position. Saudstone-not unlikely the Woodville sandstone-is found outcropping in the township of Mont- rose, on the borders of Saginaw County."
The centre of the great coal measures of the lower penin- sula falls nearly on the boundary between Gratiot and Saginaw Counties, and it is only their southeastern edge which falls within the county of Genesee. Next east of these appears the belt of the Parma sandstone, which traverses the entire eastern side of the county from south to north ; and next is found the belt of carboniferous lime- stone, which extends only a short distance into two or three of the townships in the southeastern corner. Very few geo- logical developments have been made in the county, and the student of the science finds little here of sufficient interest to reward research or exploration.
Genesee County lies entirely within the Saginaw Valley, upon a slope which has a general inclination towards the northwest. The greatest altitude is at the southeast corner of the county, it being there about four hundred feet above Lake Huron, and about nine hundred and eighty feet above the sea. From that point the descent is gradual and regu- lar (leaving out of account the surface undulations) to the extreme northwest corner, where the altitude is but about fifty feet above the lake. At the northeastern and southwestern corners of the county the elevation is nearly the same, being about two hundred and fifty feet above Iluron.
All the waters of the county find their outlet to the lake through the channel of the Saginaw River. The principal stream of Genesee is the Flint River,* which, taking its rise in the east and northeast, in the counties of Tuscola, Oakland, and Lapeer, comes from the last-named county into Genesee across its eastern boundary, north of the cen- tre, and, flowing thence in a grand irregular sweep or curve for a distance of nearly fifty miles within the county, passes out across its northern border, and then on through Saginaw County to its junction with the Shiawassee. In its course through Genesee the Flint River flows first in a general southwesterly course to a point near the geograph- ical centre of the county, where it turns abruptly towards the northwest, and continues in that general direction until it has approached to within about three miles of the west boundary ; then turns, and flows in a general course nearly due north to the place of its exit, which is about two and a half miles east of the northwest corner of the county. Of the tributary streams which Genesee gives to the Flint,
the most important are Kearsley Creek and Thread River, both of which come from a number of small lakes in Oak- land County ; both enter Genesee near its southeast corner, and flow northwestwardly in very tortuons courses to near its centre, where they unite with the main river; the Thread being augmented a short distance above its conflu- enee with the Flint by the waters of Swartz Creek, which also takes its rise in numerous lakes in Oakland and in the southwest part of Genesee County, and flows north and northeast to its junction with the larger stream. The tributaries above mentioned all enter the Flint through its left bank. The principal of those entering from the opposite side are Butternut Creek, which comes in from the northeast corner, and Armstrong Creek and Brent's Run, which are wholly in Genesee, and enter the river in the northwesternmost township. Pine Run has its sources in the northern part of this county, but enters the Flint several miles below, in Saginaw.
A large number of lakes are found within the county, chiefly in its southern and eastern parts. Among those which lie in the two southernmost townships are Long, Silver, Crooked, Pine, Mud, Lobdell, Squaw, McKane, Bass, MeCaslin, Hibbard's, Loon, White's, Byram, Murray, Day's, Thompson's, Myers, Ball, and Openconic Lakes, with a large number of smaller ones, all beautiful sheets of pure, limpid water. Most of these contribute to swell the waters of the main streamu and several branches of the Shiawassee River, which flows westwardly for several miles through this part of Genesee, then passes into and aeross Shiawassee County on its way to join its current with those of the Flint, the Cass, and the Tittabawassee.
In the extreme northeast corner of Genesee (and extend- ing across the line into Lapeer County) is Otter Lake, which is the source of Butternut Creek. At more southerly points on the east line of the county are Potter and Hasler Lakes, both of which are also partly in Lapeer. The latter dis- charges its waters through Hasler Creek into the Flint, and the former is the source of Black Creek, a tributary to the Kearsley, which is also partially supplied by Neshina- guac Lake, near the southeast corner of the county. Buell's Lake, near the northern border, is the head of Perry's Creek, which flows north and joins the Cass River in Tus- cola County.
The surface of Genesee can nowhere be termed hilly, but is generally undulating, though flattening-considerably towards the northwest. The parts which are most rolling were originally covered with open forests, principally of oak, which were (and still are, where they remain) called " oak openings." The more level portions were generally covered with a denser and heavier forest, composed of oak, elm, hickory, beech, maple, ash, and a variety of other woods, interspersed in many places with pine of large growth and excellent quality, which, by its manufacture into lumber, has added largely to the wealth of the county. The soil of the rolling country is a sandy or gravelly loam ; that of the flatter lands is intermixed with clay and less friable, but in nearly every part very productive and well adapted for the requirements of the farmer. In agriculture Genesee stands in the foremost rank among the counties of the State.
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.