USA > Michigan > Clinton County > History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan > Part 1
USA > Michigan > Shiawassee County > History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan > Part 1
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C.CDE
1
V HISTORY
OF
SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES,
MICHIGAN,
WITHI
ILLUSTRATIONS AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
OF THEIR
PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.
PHILADELPHIA : D. W. ENSIGN & CO. 1880.
PRESS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO, PHILADELPHIA
F3 12 S7H0
16245
7045
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 1898. CITY, OF WASHINGTON.
PREFACE.
THIS History of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties has been prepared with the intention to make it as complete and accurate as possible; to produce a truthful and exhaustive narrative of events of im- portance or general interest which have occurred within the present boundaries of these two counties from the period of their occupation by the aborigines down to the present time; to embody all obtainable facts, but to exclude from the narrative everything of doubtful authenticity, confining it as closely as practicable to the limits of Shiawassce and Clinton, and referring to no outside matters except such as could not properly be omitted because of their close connection with the history of the region which is especially under notice.
The work is divided into three parts. The first part, embracing twenty chapters, is devoted to matters common to both counties, viz., a short account of the occupation of their territory by the native Indians as far back as tradition reaches ; the operations of white traders among the red men through all this region ; the several Indian cessions of land covering the territory now forming Shiawassee and Clinton ; internal improvements, including a mention of Territorial roads, State roads, and railways traversing the two counties, and of the several projects formed in early years for improving the navigation of the Shia- wassee, Maple, and Looking-Glass Rivers; military history, principally referring to the services performed in the war of the Rebellion by a large number of Michigan regiments, all or nearly all of which contained soldiers from both Clinton and Shiawassee Counties. Next after these general chapters is given a separate history of Shiawassee County, its cities, Owosso and Corunna, and each of its townships; and this part is followed by a similar separate history of Clinton County, its principal village, and the several towns.
The township histories are largely made up of accounts of pioneer settlers, the work which they performed and the privations which they endured while transforming the wilderness into fruitful fields. In this connection it is proper to say that if errors are discovered (as it is nearly certain there will be) in the orthography of some of the family names of the early and later residents of Shiawassee and Clinton, it is largely to be attributed to the fact that the names have been found spelled differently (and sometimes in as many as three or four different ways) in the county, township, church, and society records, and that even members of the same family are not infrequently found to vary in the orthog- raphy of their surname. Under such circumstances it cannot be regarded as a matter of surprise if the writers of the county and township histories, often finding themselves wholly at a loss to know which manner of spelling to adopt, have sometimes made the mistake of choosing the wrong one.
The historical material for the work has been gathered partly from county, township, and society records, and to some extent from old newspaper files, but principally from conversations with the oldest residents and best-informed people, of whom a very large number in each county have been called on and consulted ; and all, with hardly an exception, have fully and freely-to the extent of their ability -imparted the information sought. The pioneers and other citizens of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties
3
TU
PREFACE.
who have thus furnished information are so numerous that it is impracticable to give them the separate individual mention which they are entitled to receive, but grateful thanks are tendered to each and all for the assistance which they have so obligingly extended. The writer also desires especially to express his acknowledgments to the editors and proprietors of the several newspapers, the county and township officers, the pastors and leading members of the churches, and the gentlemen of the legal and medical professions of the two counties, for favors and courtesies received from them in the preparation of the work.
PHILADELPHIA, PA., August 14, 1880.
F. E.
CONTENTS.
HISTORICAL.
HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON
COUNTIES.
PAGE
I .- Indian Ilistory of the two Counties
9
II .- Indian Treaties und Cessions of Lands, and Indian Emi- gration 17
III .- Internal Improvements
IV .- Military Record 39
V .- Third Infantry .
43
VI .- Fifth Infantry . 45
VII .- Eighth Infantry
53
VIII .- Ninth Infantry
60
63
X1 .- Twenty-third Infantry
75
XII .- Twenty-seventh Infantry
85
XIII .- Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth Infantry and First Eu- gineers and Mechanies 88
XIV .- First and Seeund Cavalry
93
XV .- Third Cavalry . 97
XVI .- Fourth Cavalry 99
XVII .- Fifth Cavalry 102
XVIII .- Sixth Cavalry
106
XIX .- Tenth Cavalry
108
XX .- Other Soldiers from Shiawassec and Clinton Counties . III
SIHIAWASSEE COUNTY.
XXI .- Location, Topography, and Mineral Resources 116
XXII .- Civil Changes, Early Settlements I18
XXIII .- Organization of the County; Courts and Other Matters
121
XXIV .- County-sites and County Property
126
XXV .- The Press, The Professions, Civil List . 130
LIX .~ Greenbush
458
LX .- Lebanon
469
LXI .- Ovid
478
LXII .- Olive =
491
XXVIII .- City of Corunon
165
XXIX .- Antrim Township
177
XXX .- Bennington Township 18G
XXXI .- Burns
198
LXVI .- Westphalia Township .
533
BIOGRAPHICAL.
PAGE
Benjamin O. Williams
158
Walter Wright .
184
Calvin M. Fuller
I85
Elisha Salisbury
I61
Nathaniel Durfee
185
llon. Josiah Turner
162
Allen Beard
185
William M. Kilpatrick
163
Benjamin F. Howard .
186
Isaac Gale .
191
James M. Guile .
16Į
Newcomb Mitehell
195
Ezra L. Mason .
165
Samuel Nichols .
196
John C. Adams .
IS3
John Innes
197
I. S. A. Wright .
Jonathan M. Hartwell
198
-
CLINTON COUNTY.
XLV .- Bonndaries, Topography, Mineral Resources . 331
XLVI .- Changes of Civil Jurisdiction 334
XLVII .- Early Settlements, County Organization, Conrts, and other County Matters . 336
XLVIII .- The Professions, Press, Civil List
345
XLIX .- County Societies, Agriculture, Mannfactures, Popula-
tion 353
L .- Village of St. Johns
363
LI .- Bingham Township
379
LII .- Bath
LIII .- Bengal 393
LIV .- De Witt 403
LV .- Dallas 414
LVI .- Duplain 422
LVII .- Eagle
436
LVIII .- Essex =
443
XXVI .- County Societies, Agriculture, Manufactures, l'opnla-
tion 138
XXVII .- City of Owosso
I44
LXIII .- Riley = 497
LXIV .- Victor 509
LXV .- Watertown Township 519
314
XLIV .- Woodhull =
CHAPTER PAGE
XXXII .- Caledonia Township .
.
211
XXXIII .- Fairfield 220
XXXIV .- Hazelton 226
XXXV .- Middlebury 238
XXXVI .- New Haven 248
XXXVII .- Owosso
259
XXXVIII .- Perry 265
XXXIX .- Rush 272
279
XLI .- Seiota 291
XLII .- Vernon ¥
300
IX .- Tenth Infantry .
X .- Fourteenth Infantry .
68
XLIII,-Venice
322
D. M. Estey 163
PAGE
llon. Amos Gould
160
5
.
386
XL .- Shiawassee =
25
CHAPTER
6
CONTENTS.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
PAOE
PAOE
Truman W. Rowly
207
John Avery
385
Roger Haviland .
208
Daniel Ridenour
386
Robert Fox .
208
James N. Smith .
392
Isaac S. Barnum
208
Benjamin F. Young
402
Nicholas Braden
209
George F. Dutton
421
Thomas P. Green
210
Daniel Dutten
422
W. W. Smith
210
E. V. Chase
facing
433
Thomas R. Young
219
William Tillotson
433
Ephraim F. Bennett
225
George R. Doty .
434
George B. Munson
225
Lyman Cobb 435
Ithial L. Munson
226
Comfort Ranney
436
John Judd .
234
Willis Leach
436
W. W. Waroer
236
David Clark
4.42
Jesse Rhoades
237
George W. McCrumb .
4.12
John Boman
237
Mrs. Sally Hawley Beers
443
George W. Slocum
244
William A. Hewitt
455
George II. Warren
245
Solomon P. Creasinger
456
Leonard F. Kingsley .
246
O. F. Peck
457
James Kenney
facing 246
Nathan R. Lowe
457
William Tubbs
247
Capt. David S. French
467
Ilorace C. Main .
248
David Levy
468
Jacob Weidman .
256
William T. and Robert E. Davies
468
Phineas Burch
257
Charles Sessions
477
Wellman Hart
257
Ezekiel De Camp
489
+ Daniel Young
259
Dr. Solon C. King
491
Isaac M. Banks .
facing 280
Augustus Gillett
497
A. P. Greenman and Wife .
984
John W. Outcalt
497
William Newberry
290
Lyman Hungerford
507
John Whaley
290
Philip P. Peck .
508
Mrs. Nellie P. McClintock .
300
Jonathan Owen .
facing 508
Willard Ryan
300
John C. Brunseo
516
R. Reed
facing 306
William S. Parker
517
Heury Jennings Van Akin
312
Mrs. Sarah Parker
517
James Van Akin
Epson Parker
5tS
Ilon. F. G. Bailey
321
Ainsworth Reed .
518
Alonzo II. Owens
32]
James Upton
518
Andrew J. Van Riper
329
Chas. Edward Hollister
519
Francis F. Mann
330
George Gall
528
John P. Shaft
facing 330
Eliel Ingersoll
529
Ilon. Oliver Lyman Spaulding
377
Wm. F. Dutton .
530
John HI. Fedewa
377
George W. Kinney
531
Robert M. Steel .
378
Stephen Ilill
532
John Hicks
378
Frank Noeker
54t
John R. Ilale
385
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAOE
State Capitol Building
facing title.
Maps of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties .
facing 9
SHIAWASSEE COUNTY.
15
Shiawassee Court-House
facing 116
CITY OF OWOSSO.
Estey Manufacturing Company's Works and Office, between 150, 151
Portrait of Benjamin O. Williams 158
Alfred L. Williams . 158
Residence of Benjamin O. Williams facing 158
Portrait of Hon. Amos Gould (steel) .
160
"
Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wright . 184
Residence of Allen Beard .
46
185
Elisha Salisbury
161
46 Hon. Josiah Turner .
162
ANTRIM TOWNSHIP.
Residence of B. F. Iloward
facing
178
C. M. Fuller . 180
with portraits of Nathaniel Durfee and Wife 183
Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Adams IS3 .
Mr. and Mrs. I. S. A. Wright 184
Residence of Walter Wright
facing
184
Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Allen Beard
185
209
413
Amos Foster
George Allen
PAGE
Portrait of William M. Kilpatrick
163
James M. Guile 164
Ezra L. Mason
165
517
Nathan M. Smith
313
C. R. MeKee
490
H. B. Cram
258
B. M. Shepard .
313
Portrait of Okemos
7
CONTENTS.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
HENNINGTON TOWNSHIP.
PAGE
Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Hartwell . facing 188
Residence of J. M. Hartwell
ISS
Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Gale .
Samuel Nichols and Wife
Lyman Hickey and Wife
Residence of Lyman Ilickey
Newcomb Mitchell
Portraits of Newcomb Mitchell and Wife .
=
197
Portrait of John Innes
BURNS TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Roger Haviland . facing 200
Portraits of Roger Haviland and Wife 200
Residence of Thomas P. Green . 202
Portraits of Thomas P. Green and Wife 202
Portrait of Mrs. Thomas P. Green (deceased)
202
Residence of Isaac S. Barnum . 204
Portraits of Isaac S. Barnum and Wife
204
Residence of Amos Foster .
207
Portraits of Amos Foster and Wife
207
Portrait of Truman W. Rowly .
207
Residence of Robert Fox facing 208
Portraits of Robert Fox and Wife
208
Residence of Nicholas Braden . 209
Portraits of Nicholas Braden and Wife 209
Residence of William W. Smith 210
Portraits of William W. Smith and Wife
210
CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Thomas R. Young
facing 219
Portraits of Thomas R. Young and Wife .
219
FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Residence of E. F. and E. R. Bennett facing 220
Ithial L. Munson .
= 222
14 G. B. Munson
224
HAZELTON TOWNSHIP.
Residence of John Boman .
facing 232
Portraits of John Judd and Wife 235
Portrait of Mrs. Matilda Jadd (deceased) . 235
Portraits of W. W. Warner and Wife
236
" Jesse Rhoades and Wife 237
MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP.
Residence of George H. Warren
facing 242
Portraits of George HI. Warren and Wife 242
Portrait of George W. Slocamb .
245
Leonard F. Kingsley 246
Portraits of James Kenney and Wife
faciog 246
Residence of Ilorace C. Main 247
Portrait of William Tubbs .
247
NEW HAVEN TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Jacob Weidman facing 256
Portraits of Jacob Weidman and Wife
256
Residence of Wellman W. Hart .
257
Portraits of Phineas Borch and Wife 257
Daniel Young and Wife . 258
II. B. Cram and Wife 259
SHIAWASSEE TOWNSHIP.
Residence of John Whaley
facing 279
280
Portraits of A. P. Greenman and Wife
284
Residence of William Newberry
Portraits of William Newberry and Wife .
290
SCIOTA TOWNSHIP.
PAOF
Residence of Willard Ryon facing 294
Portraits of Willard Ryon and Wife . 46
294
facing
194
Residence of Mrs. Nellie P. Mcclintock
298
.
196
Portrait of Mrs. Nellie P. Mcclintock
298
Miss Alta B. Mcclintock
298
VERNON TOWNSHIP.
Portrait of R. Reed .
facing 306
Residence of N. M. Smith .
313
Portrait of Henry J. Van Akin .
313
VENICE TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Alonzo HI. Owens .
between 318, 319
Portraits of Alonzo H. Owens and Wife
318, 319
Portrait of llon. F. G. Bailey .
. 32t
WOODHULL TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Andrew J. Van Riper . facing 329
Portraits of Andrew J. Van Riper and Wife
329
Francis F. Mann and Wife 330
Portrait of John P. Shaft .
facing
330
CLINTON COUNTY.
Clinton County Court-House
facing 331 Geological Map of the Lower Peninsula
332
ST. JOHNS.
Portrait of John Swegels .
364
66 0. L. Spaulding
facing 370
Residence of Richard Moore
372
J. Hicks 374
R. M. Steel 376
J. Il. Fedewa
377
BINGHAM TOWNSHIP.
Residence of John Avery . facing 382
Portraits of Johu Avery and Wife
382
Residence of Daniel Ridenour
384
16 J. R. Jlale
= 385
BATH TOWNSHIP.
Portrait of James N. Smith
399
BENGAL TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Benjamin F. Young
facing 402
DE WITT TOWNSHIP.
Portraits of George Allen and Wife .
414
DALLAS TOWNSHIP.
Portraits of George F. Dutton and Wife . 421
Daniel Datton and Wife .
422
DUPLAIN TOWNSHIP.
Portrait of E. V. Chase facing 433
Portraits of William Tillotson and Wife
433
George R. Doty and Wife 434
434
Hotel and Farm Property of George R. Doty
facing 434
Portraits of Lyman Cobb and Wife
435
Portrait of Comfort Ranney
436
Willis Leach
436
196
facing 196
197
197
290
Portrait of Charles R. Doty
Portrait of Isaac M. Ranks
8
CONTENTS.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
EAGLE TOWNSHIP.
PAOK
Residence of George W. McCrumb .
Portraits of George W. MeCrumb and Wife
438
Residence of Oliver Doty .
440
Portraits of Oliver Doty and Wife
442
Residence of George Gall .
442
David Clark .
Portrait of Sally Il. Beers .
ESSEX TOWNSHIP.
Portrait of O. F. Peck
446
Residence of O. F. Peck
455
Portraits of William A. Ilewitt and Wife
456
Portrait of Solomon P. Creasinger
Nathan R. Lowe
GREENBUSH TOWNSHIP. 3
facing 467
Park IIonse, D. S. French proprietor
. 468
Portrait of David Levy
facing 468
Portraits of William T. and R. E. Davics .
468
LEBANON TOWNSHIP.
Portraits of Charles Sessions and Wife
477
OVID TOWNSHIP.
facing 486
Ovid Carriage-Works
489
Residence of Ezekiel De Camp .
489
16 B. M. Shepard and Wife
490
Portrait of Mrs. Matilda Shepard (deceased)
490
491
OLIVE TOWNSHIP.
PAGE
Residonce of Angustus Gillett .
John W. Outcalt .
497
Portraits of John W. and William Outealt
RILEY TOWNSHIP.
Portrait of Lyman Hungerford . 507
Philip P. Peck
508
Portraits of Jonathan Owen and Wife .
facing 508
VICTOR TOWNSHIP.
Residence of Ainsworth Reed .
46 510
Portraits of Ainsworth Reed and Wifo
511
Residence of James Upton
511
Portraits of James Upton and Wife .
512
Residence of Epson Parker
512
Portraits of Epson Parker and Wife .
46
513
Residence of Charles E. Hollister
Mrs. Sarah Parker
514
Portrait of Mrs. Sarah Parker .
516
Portraits of John C. Brunson and Wife
facing 516
Residence of John C. Brunson .
William S. Parker
517
Portraits of William S. Parker and Wifo .
517
Portrait of C. R. McKee .
Residence of Mrs. Mary A. McKee
facing 518
WATERTOWN TOWNSILIP.
Portraits of Eliel Ingersoll and Wifo
529
Residence of William F. Dutton
facing 530
Portraits of William F. Dutton and Wife .
530
Portrait of George W. Kinney .
. 531
Stephen Ilill .
532
Residence of Frank Nocker
facing 541
Portraits of Frank Nocker and Wife .
541
Dr. Solon C. King .
facing 438
facing 446
facing 510
facing 496
497
4.10
457
Residences of William T. and R. E. Davies
514
518
Portraits of Ezekiel De Camp and Wife
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HISTORY
OF
SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN.
BY FRANKLIN ELLIS
CHAPTER I.
INDIAN HISTORY OF THE TWO COUNTIES.
Forests, Rivers, and Indian Mounds-Tradition of Sauk Occupaney and Expulsion-Chippewa Occupation-Early Indian Traders- Indian Villages, Fields, and Agriculture-Their Peculiar Super- stitions-The Chief Okemos-Character of the Indians of this Region-Fearful Ravages of Smallpox among them in 1837.
A SECTION of country lying in the form of a parallelo- gram, about forty-six miles in length due east and west, and twenty-four miles wide from south to north, through which the principal meridian of the State passes, one mile east of the centre, and of which the south boundary is parallel to, and twenty-four miles north of, the base line ;-- this is the modern geographical description of the territory embraced in the counties of Shiawassee and Clinton. But many years ago, before the surveyor's transit or compass had marked the course of a meridian or a base line across the peninsula, this same territory could not have been described much more correctly than as a wilderness tract, extending from the Grand River north and east, embracing nearly the whole of the valleys of the Wabwaysin (Looking-Glass) and Du Plain* Rivers to their heads ; as also the valley of the Shiawassee River, from the point where its two prin- cipal branches mingle their waters, down the course of the main stream for more than two-thirds of the distance to the place where it enters the Saginaw. This was a country of dense forests and timbered openings, occasionally inter- spersed with small prairies, f tamarack swamps, and marshes covered with coarse, rank grass ; and it was well watered by the streams above mentioned, and their tributaries. Its only human inhabitants at that time were the native In- dians, and it is with these people that its history com- mences ; though the existence here of numerous carthen mounds (which were of unknown origin, and wholly unlike
anything known to have been constructed by those to whom we apply the term aborigines) has induced the belief that they were the works of a people who were superior to the Indians, and the predecessors of the latter in their occupa- tion of the country.
These mounds were generally circular or oval in form, from ten to forty feet in diameter, and two to six feet in height. They were found in various parts of both coun- ties, but the largest number in any one locality were found in the valley of the Maple River, in the northeast part of Clinton County.} That they were built for purposes of sepulture is made more than probable, from the fact that all or nearly all which were examined were found to contain human bones. An exception to this, however, was a mound discovered on the bank of the Shiawassee River, near New- burg, in Shiawassee County.§ This was nearly circular in form, and consisted of a parapet inclosing an interior space. It was surrounded by a ditch, and had an opening or gate- way facing the east, with detached mounds fronting this entrance. It has been supposed, from the peculiar construc- tion of this work, that it was built for purposes of defense. But what were the objects for which the mounds were built, or who were the people who erected them, are mere topics of speculation. History has but to record the bare fact of their existence, before passing to the meagre annals of the native tribes who were found in occupation of the country.
All that is or can be known of the history of the Indians who once inhabited the interior region now included in the counties of Shiawassee and Clinton may be easily and briefly told, for it is all, or nearly all, embraced in a period which is within the recollection of settlers who are yet living and in full possession of all their faculties.
When this wilderness region was first penetrated by white explorers they found it occupied by bands of the Saginaw tribe of the Ojibwa or Chippewa nation, mixed with a few Ottawas and still fewer Pottawattamies, which latter two had perhaps become allied by marriage or otherwise with
# The name given by the early French traders to the stream now known as the Maple River.
t The field-notes of the original surveys of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties, by deputy United States surveyors, mention " prairies" and "prairie lands," found in a majority of the townships of both counties.
¿ An account of this group of mounds will be found in the history of Ovid and Duplain townships in this work.
¿ Described by B. O. Williams, Esq., who visited it in the year 1829.
2
9
10
HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN.
the dominant Chippewas. The last named, however, have always been mentioned in Indian history, and recognized by the United States Government in all treaties, as the original owners of the country bordering the Saginaw River and its tributaries, and of the great wilderness stretching away thence northwestwardly towards the Straits of Mackinac. The Indians inhabiting the valley of the Shiawassee River were known to the carly traders and settlers as the Shia- wassee bands of the Saginaws, and these were the same people who also occupied the country along the Looking- Glass, the Maple, and the Red Cedar Rivers, though the several bands were not infrequently designated by the names of the streams on which their villages or eamps were located. All of them, however (except the Ottawas and few Potta- wattamies who were found among them as before men- tioned), were from the same parent stock, and members of the same tribe or nation,-the Saginaw Chippewas.
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