USA > Michigan > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 1
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HISTOR 5000000UNTO
F
LIVINGSTON COUNTY
MICHIGAN G
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
ABBOTT
TON TY
GAN
6 2
TRIANGLE DETROIT MICH.
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COMPANY
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977.43 E474 # 7469 HISTORY OF-
LIVINGSTON CO.,
MICHIGAN.
Dith Illustrations and Biographical Sketches
ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.
17455
PHILADELPHIA: .
EVERTS & ABBOTT.
-1880 .--
PRESS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., PHILADELPHIA.
·Hosted by
PREFACE.
THE History of Livingston County here presented to its patrons for their approval, is the result of long and patient labor and research, which have been bestowed upon it with the view of producing an authentic and connected narrative of events of general importance or interest, which have occurred in the territory now comprised in the county of Livingston, or in which its residents have been actors; confining the account as closely as practicable to the limits of the county, and to its former and present inhabitants; referring to outside matters only so far as is necessary, to show the connection of events.
To the general matter pertaining to the county, is added a history of each of its townships, em- bracing notices of early settlers, sketches of churches, schools, societies, and other local organizations, 'and also special and statistical matters relating to the county and townships, intended chiefly for refer- ence. Other portions of the work are necessarily arranged according to the subjects of which they treat.
In the preparation of the history many of the best and most reliable works bearing on the subject have been consulted, and no labor has been spared in the gathering of historical material from the most thoroughly informed citizens of the county; and in these labors and researches it has been not more the object to collect all obtainable facts, than to exclude everything of doubtful authenticity. If errors are discovered (as it is almost certain that there will be) in the orthography of some of the family names of the early and later residents of the county, it is largely due to the fact that these names have been found spelled differently (and sometimes in as many as four or five different ways) in the county, town- ship, church, and society records. In several cases it has been found that different members of the same family vary in the orthography of their surnames; one especially notable instance of this kind being that of two brothers, both of whom are highly educated and intelligent men, and both prominent and influential citizens of Livingston County. Under such circumstances it should not be thought strange if the several writers of the county and township histories, often finding themselves wholly at a loss to know which method of spelling to adopt, have sometimes made the mistake of choosing the wrong one.
Beyond this explanation no apology will be made, for none is thought to be necessary. It is, of course, impossible to produce a history which shall be absolutely perfect, but every effort has been used to make this as nearly so as possible. Its patrons will judge it upon its merits, and it is hoped and confidently believed that it will meet their approval.
To those who have kindly given their aid in the collection of material for the work, the his- torian desires to express his thanks. Among these he would mention the pastors and leading members of the churches, the editors of the county newspapers, the gentlemen of the legal and
3
4
PREFACE.
medical professions in the county, and the honored Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit. A large number of pioneers and other citizens of the county have also been called on for aid, and they have all promptly and willingly responded with such information as they have been able to give. As there are in this list more than two hundred persons to whom acknowledgments are due, it is hardly practicable to mention them separately by name, but grateful and cordial thanks are returned to all for the assistance which they have so freely and courteously extended.
PHILADELPHIA, PA., Dec. 1, 1879.
F. E.
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CONTENTS.
HISTORICAL.
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
CHAPTER PAGE
I .- Livingston County and its Indian Occupants .
9
II .. . Cessions of Indian Lands-Settlement of the County. 16
Township of Brighton
. 218
Handy .
. 233
Iosco
. 255
66 Putnam .
. 269
IV .- The Press-The Professions-Livingston Civil List -County Societies
35
V .- Internal Improvements 51
66
Unadilla
· 304
VI .- Military Record of Livingston County 60
66
Green Oak
· 322
VII .- Fifth Infantry . 67
66
Conway
· 334
VIII .- Ninth and Fifteenth Infantry
79
Marion .
. 346
IX .- Twenty-second Infantry
87
66
Hartland
. 362
X .- Twenty-sixth Infantry
96
Oceola .
. 376
XI .- Third and Sixth Cavalry
. 108
Tyrone .
. 388
XII .- Other Livingston County Soldiers . II2
Deerfield
. 413
XIII .- Agriculture-Farmers' Associations-Population
. 120
Cohoctah
· 437
BIOGRAPHICAL.
PAGE
PAGE
Francis Monroe .
facing 162
William J. Jewell
. 269
Hon. Josiah Turner
Hobart A. Twichell
between 284, 285
Hon. William McPherson, Jr.
between 182, 183
Stoddard W. Twichell .
284, 285
S. E. Howe
facing 183
Major George Mercer .
. 290
Sardis F. Hubbell
. 183
Hon. William Ball
. 290
Peter Brewer
. 200
Dennis Corey
. 291
Solomon Hildebrant
Elias Davis.
. 291
Hon. John Carter
Joseph Rider
. 302
Aaron H. Kelley
. 229
Chester Hazard
. 302
Rev. Ira Warner .
Charles Benedict .
. 303
Melzer Bird
Ely Barnard
. 303
Thomas Woulds .
. 230
. 303
George W. Conely
. 231
S. G. Ives .
between 312, 313
Philander Gregory
· 320
O. K. Van Amburg
. 232
Morris Topping .
. 321
W. C. Sears
. 232
David D. Bird
. 321
James Converse
. 250
Linus Clark
facing 328
Harvey Metcalf .
. 251
Hon. Kinsley S. Bingham
· 332
Ralph Fowler
. 252
Hannibal Lee
· 332
George Lovely
. 252
Cornelius Corson .
· 332
Edwin Nichols
. 253
Almon Maltby
between 332, 333
Marvin Gaston
. 253
John Hooper
332, 333
S. P. Kuhn .
facing 258
George Gready
· 333
William S. Caskey
262
Benjamin P. Sherman .
. 343
Amanda Douglass
264
Luther Child
· 343
Luana Stow
. 266
William P. Stow .
. 344
Hon. Isaac Stow .
. 266
Levi H. Bigelow .
· 344
Seth G. Wilson
. 267
Cecil D. Parsons
· 345
William H. Kuhn
. 268
George Coleman .
· 357
James Wooden .
. 268
W. K. Sexton
· 358
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PAGE
Village of Howell
. 135
Township of Howell . . 184
Village of Brighton .
. 201
III .- Changes of Civil Jurisdiction-Erection and Organi- zation of Livingston County-Courts and County Buildings 25
66
Hamburg . 278
66 Genoa .
. 291
. 200
. 229
. 230
. 230
William Bloodworth
Samuel M. Conely
. 231
. 182
HISTORY OF THE VILLAGES AND TOWNSHIPS OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
6
CONTENTS.
Thomas Love
· 359
Richard Walker .
. 387
Robert Walker
· 387
Pierpont L. Smith
. 360
Edward Browning
. 387
George Younglove
. 360
Robert Browning
. 388
Aaron Van Patten
George Cornell .
facing 390
Eldred Basing .
. 361
David Colwell .
Hon. John Kenyon
"
392
Elisha G. Smith .
· 374
Le Grand Clark .
· 375
Rev. Isaac Morton
. 412
Jacob S. Griswold
. 375
John T. Carmer .
. 413
Peter Y. Browning
facing 385
John How .
facing 418
Ephraim J. Hardy
. 385
Col. Castle Sutherland .
"
424
J. A. Van Camp .
. 386
Joseph Chamberlin
66 426
William Hazard .
· 387
Ezra Frisbee
. 461
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Outline Map of Livingston County
facing 9
HOWELL.
Livingston County Court-House .
facing 135
Howell Union School .
135
Residence of Wm. McPherson, Jr.
142
Solomon Hildebrant
142
M. L. Gay
66 146
¥ Seymour E. Howe
66
146
Portrait of Francis Monroe .
162
Hon. Josiah Turner
. 182
William McPherson, Jr (steel) . between 182, 183
Residence of William White
facing 184
Portrait of Peter Brewer
. 200
BRIGHTON.
Public School Building facing 201
Residence of P. J. Sears
218
the late Aaron H. Kelley 220
" O. K. Van Amburg 220
George W. Conely . 224
Samuel M. Conely .
224
¥
Thomas Woulds
226
John Carter (double page) between 228, 229
Portraits of Rev. Ira Warner and Wife facing 230
Melzer Bird and Wife 230
HANDY.
Residence of Marvin Gaston (with portraits) facing 233
Edwin Nichols
« 236
George Lovely
66 240
Portrait of Harvey Metcalf .
. 251
" Ralph Fowler
. 252
Residence of James Converse
facing 256
IOSCO.
Residence of Isaac Stow (with portraits) facing 255
William J. Jewell . 256
S. P. Kuhn (with portrait) 258
James Wooden
260
Portraits of Wm. S. Caskey and Wife . 262
Residence of Amanda Douglas (with portrait) Portrait of Luana Stow
. 266
Seth G. Wilson .
. 267
Portraits of Wm. H. Kuhn and Wife .
. 268
HAMBURG.
Residence of Dennis Corey
facing 278
H. A. Twichell (double page) between 282, 283
Portraits of H. A. Twichell and Wife
284, 285
66 S. W. Twichell and Wife 66 284, 285
Residence of Mrs. Mary E. Davis (with portraits) facing 286
Portrait of Maj. George Mercer
. 290
Residence of O. W. Sexton facing 291
GENOA ..
Residence of Chester Hazard
facing 291
Joseph Rider (with portraits) . 302
Portrait of Charles Benedict
303
" Ely Barnard
303
Portraits of Wm. Bloodworth and Wife
303
UNADILLA.
Residence of David D. Bird (with portraits) . facing 304
Residence of H. and P. Gregory . 308
Portraits of S. G. Ives and Wife .
between 312, 313
View of the Village of Plainfield
facing 314
GREEN OAK.
Residence of Linus Clark (double page) between 328, 329
Portraits of Linus Clark and Wife
·
·
facing 328
Almon Maltby and Wife between 332, 333
John Hooper and Wife 332, 333
George Gready and Wife . . 333
Residence of Wm. D. Corson
facing 334
CONWAY.
Residence of Wm. P. Stow .
facing 334
Portraits of B. P. Sherman and Wives.
66 343
Portrait of Luther Child
· 343
Levi H. Bigelow
· 344
Portraits of Cecil D. Parsons and Wife
. 345
MARION.
Residence of Hiram P. Baker facing 346
" Thomas Love (with portraits) . 348
E. Basing 66
350
A. Van Patten
352
Geo. B. Wilkinson (with portraits) .
354
George Coleman (double page) with portraits
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PAGE
PAGE
George B. Wilkinson .
· 359
· 361
Charles Smith
· 374
Isaac Cornell
396
390
PAGE
.
66 264
CONTENTS.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Residence of W. K. Sexton
facing 358
Portraits of W. K. Sexton and Wife
. 358
facing 360
Portrait of P. L. Smith
360
HARTLAND.
Residence of Le Grand Clark (with portraits)
facing 362
Portraits of Elisha G. Smith and Wife
374
Portrait of William Smith .
66
374
« Charles Smith
374
OCEOLA.
Residence of Robert Browning . facing 376
¥ Edward Browning
" 378
Robert Walker
J. D. Botsford
between 380, 381
¥ P. V. M. Botsford .
380, 381
66
J. W. Botsford (with portraits) 380, 381
E. J. and E. W. Hardy (double page) " 384, 385
Portraits of Peter Y. Browning and Wife . facing 385
Portrait of J. A. Van Camp " William Hazard
PAGE
. 386
· 387
TYRONE.
Portrait of George Cornell .
facing 390
" David Colwell 390
Portraits of Hon. John Kenyon and Wife
392
Isaac Cornell and Wife
396
Rev. Isaac Morton and Wife
. 412
Portrait of John T. Carmer .
· 413
DEERFIELD.
Portrait of John How .
facing 418
Col. C. Sutherland
424
Portraits of Joseph Chamberlin and Wife " 426
COHOCTAH.
Portraits of Ezra Frisbee and Wife facing 461
Portrait of Alonzo Frisbee .
" 461
E. A. Frisbee
" 461
Mrs. Margaret Van der Cook 461
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George Younglove and Wife
378
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OUTLINE MAP OF
LIVINGSTON CO. MICH.
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HISTORY
OF
LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
BY. FRANKLIN ELLIS.
CHAPTER I.
LIVINGSTON COUNTY AND ITS INDIAN OCCU- PANTS.
Location and Natural Features of the County-The Native Oc- cupants - Chippewas and Pottawattamies - Indian Hunting- Grounds and Agriculture-The Sauks and their Expulsion by the Chippewas-Superstition of the Indians-The Later Indian Bands in Livingston-Burial-Places-The Chief Okemos-In- dian Emigration.
LOCATION AND NATURAL FEATURES OF THE COUNTY.
LIVINGSTON is one of the inland counties of Michigan, situated in the southeastern part of the lower peninsula of the State; its county-seat- which is very nearly on the central point of its territory-lying between Detroit and Lansing, on the direct railway line, by which it is fifty-one miles distant from the first-named city, and thirty- four miles from the State capital. The counties which join this, and form its several boundaries, are Shiawassee and Genesee on the north, Oak- land on the east, Washtenaw on the south, and Ingham on the west.
Within these boundaries are included sixteen townships of the United States survey, lying to- gether in the form of a square, being four adjoin- ing ranges of four towns each ; which, on the sup- position of an accurate and uniform survey (which, however, is not strictly the case in Livingston), would give the county a superficial area of five hundred and seventy-six square miles, or three hundred and seventy-eight thousand six hundred and forty acres.
The surface of Livingston County is in general to be described as undulating, though some por- tions of it may be more correctly called hilly, as the term is understood in Michigan; and, indeed, some of the southern and northeastern parts of the county would be so regarded, even
by people accustomed to the more rugged surface of the State of New York.
The highest (though not the most abrupt) eleva- tion of land in Livingston is found commencing on the eastern border, in the township of Hartland, and extending thence southwestwardly across the county through the township of Marion. This, although not so much raised above the surround- ing country as to be very noticeable, is the water- shed of the county, from which the waters flow in three different directions, and by widely separated courses, into Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Erie.
The main stream, and several branches of the Cedar River, take their rise in the western part of the county, in the townships of Marion and Iosco, and, pursuing a northerly and then a westerly course, pass out over the west boundary into Ing- ham County, and afterwards join the Grand River, through which their waters finally find their way into Lake Michigan.
The Shiawassee River (or more properly the south branch of the Shiawassee) rises in the lakes of Marion, flows north through Marion and Howell townships into Cohoctah, where it bends towards the east, enters Deerfield, and passes out near the northwest corner of that township into the county of Genesee, where it unites with the east branch of the Shiawassee, forming the main stream which joins the Saginaw on its way to Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. Several tributaries of the Shiawas- see also take their rise in Livingston County, and among these are North Ore Creek and Yellow River; the latter of which flows north through Deerfield into Genesee County, where it joins the larger stream. North Ore Creek rises in the lakes of Hartland, flows north, crosses the southwest part of Tyrone, passes through Laird Lake, and joins the Shiawassee. Another tributary of the Shiawassee is a small stream which flows out of Thompson Lake, at Howell village, passes east- wardly into Oceola, thence returns to Howell Hosted by Google
2
10
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
township, flows north and joins the principal stream in Cohoctah.
The Huron River, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Oakland County, enters Livingston across the east line of its southeastern township, across which, and the township of Hamburg, it continues its course to Base Lake, on the south boundary of the county, and passes thence into Washtenaw; after which it turns towards the south- east, and flows on in that general course to Lake Erie. The Portage River, a stream of consider- able size, flows through the southwestern corner of Livingston County, and mingles its waters with the larger stream of the Huron. Ore Creek (or South Ore Creek as it is sometimes called in dis- tinction from North Ore Creek, which flows into the Shiawassee) rises on the south side of the water-shed in Hartland, and flows south through the township and village of Brighton, after which 'its waters join those of the Huron, and find their way by its channel to Lake Erie.
. Besides these waters, Livingston also abounds in pure, clear lakes, some of which form the sources of the streams which have been men- tioned, and of their smaller tributaries. Of these lakes, the greater number, as well as the principal in size, are found in the southern and northeastern parts of the county, and will be more particularly noticed with the towns in which they are situated.
THE NATIVE OCCUPANTS OF THE COUNTY.
Along the margins of the lakes and streams, and in the forests and glades of the land which is now the county of Livingston, the dark-skinned natives of the soil roamed, hunted, fished, prosecuted their rude agriculture, and engaged in their wild worship of the Manitou, through many generations, and perhaps for many centuries, before the gaze of a white man ever rested on the bright waters of the Huron or Shiawassee.
The territory now covered by Livingston County was partly the domain of the Pottawattamies, and partly that of the Saginaw Chippewas. The coun- try of the latter embraced all the lands contiguous to streams flowing into Lake Huron, even to their southernmost sources; while the Pottawattamies inhabited the valleys of those flowing in the other direction. To the southeast of the Chippewas, and also adjoining the territory of the Pottawattamies, lay the hunting-grounds of the southern Ottawas {a northern tribe of that nation inhabiting the east shore of Lake Michigan, in the north part of the Southern Peninsula). The frontiers of the Potta- wattamies and Saginaws, therefore, joined each other in Livingston County, but it does not appear that their proximity produced feuds or hostility
between the two tribes, at least in the later years of their occupancy. They had here few, if any, per- manent villages, but made this part of their terri- . tory a sort of summer camping-ground, to which they came in the warm season to fish in the streams and clear lakes, and to plant their maize in the soft and fertile soil of the openings; and then, when the squaws had gathered their meagre crop, and the frosts and storms of November heralded the approach of winter, they returned to their comparatively comfortable villages within the shelter of the denser forests,-those of the Chippe- was being located on the lower Shiawassee, the Flint, the Tittabawassee, and the Saginaw Rivers. From these the young men of the tribe went out to the winter hunting- and trapping-grounds, and, at the approach of spring, all-men, women, and children-went to the sugar-woods, pitched their camps, and spent a few weeks in sugar-making ; after which they prepared for removal to the sum- mer camping-grounds to hunt and fish, and plant maize, beans, pumpkins, and other Indian crops, as before. In nearly every part of Livingston County there were found old "Indian fields," in which they had planted their seeds and gathered their scant crops probably for many successive years. On some of these-notably in one instance in the township of Cohoctah-there were apple- trees which had evidently been planted and reared by the natives.
When the first white explorers first came to this wilderness region, they found it peopled by roving bands of both the Chippewas and Pottawattamies ; but they were mere remnants of those once pow- erful and warlike tribes,-scattered, dispirited, and cowed by the disastrous results of their alliance with the English in the war of 1812-15, and al- ready foreseeing their approaching extinction. Among these scattered and miserable bands there were very few of the Pottawattamies; so few, in- deed, that the settlers in Livingston could scarcely be said to have seen or known any of that people. Nearly all were of the Saginaw Chippewa nation, which had doubtless been in the earlier years, as it was then, the principal occupant of this region and of the great wilderness to the northward.
According to their own traditions; however,- imparted by them to the white adventurers at Sag- inaw as early as 1820,-the proprietorship of the Chippewas was of comparatively recent date. They said (and the tradition is to some extent supported by authentic history) that, within the memory of some of their old men, all these streams and woods and hunting-grounds, this Indian paradise of fish and deer and beaver, was the home and possession of the Sauks and Onottoways (a kindred people),
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