USA > Michigan > Branch County > A twentieth century history and biographical record of Branch County, Michigan > Part 2
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McCausey, Joseph W .- 371.
McCrary, Alexander C .- 643.
McCrary, Clay .- 649.
McCrary, Mrs. Alexander C .- 646.
McCrary, Roy .- 648.
McGowan, Jonas H .- 140; 186; 217; 212.
Mckenzie Cereal Food and Milling Co .- I20.
McIntyre, Alexander .- 616.
McIntyre, John F .- 716.
McLane, John H .- 701.
McLean, Hector .- 419.
McNall, Irving .- 867.
McMurray, Hugh .- 519.
Medical Profession-History of, 221-226.
Medical Society. The Branch County .- 226.
Mennonites .- 89 ; 206.
Meridian, for survey of Branch County .- 8. Merrifield, Marc A .- 218, 635. Merrill, Js .- 632.
Methodist Episcopal Churches .- 190, et seq .; at Coldwater, 190; Quincy, 191; Bron- son, 192; Sherwood, 193; Girard, 193; Union City, 194; other churches, 194. Michigan State Telephone Co .- 135. Military History .- 256-296. Miller, Harvey D .- 769. Miller, Joseph .- 494.
Miller, Willis A .- 752.
Mills .- Adams' sawmill, 43; Driggs', 43; Holmes' grist mill, 44; Woodard mill, 47; Black Hawk, 51, 53; first at Cold- water, 58; Coombs' mills, 59; Bishop Chase at Adams' mills, 69; Gilead mill. 71; first in Girard, 75; Hodunk, 76, 80; Union City, 79; Crater's in Algansee, 88; Wakeman's in Algansee, 88; in California, 92; at Coldwater, 93; Quincy, 102. (See Manufactur- ing.)
Milnes, Alfred .- 212; 681.
Milnes Supply Company .- 96.
Mintling, James B .- 666.
Mockridge, Robert F .- 94. Modern Woodmen .- 232.
Monlux, George .- 91.
Monroe, George .- 727.
Montague, J. H .- 717.
Moore, Bradley O .- 638.
Moore, W. G .- 141; 186.
Morgan, F. E .- 218.
Morrill, Oliver .- 426.
Morrison, Paschal P .- 778.
Morse, John .- 50; 54.
Moseley, Augustus C .- 728.
Mosher, J. D .- 765.
Mowry, Henry P .- 224; 671.
Music .- Activity in, 184.
Mystic Workers of the World .- 230.
Nationalities in Branch County .- 31. Neal, John N .- 813.
Nesbitt, John S .- 354.
Nettleton. V. L. and Company .- 96.
Newberry, Frank D .- 538.
Newberry, Mrs. Fannie E .- 187; 540.
Newberry. Peter M .- 37.
Newell, Charles H .- 141 ; 483.
Newman, Stephen .- 592.
News. The Quincy .- 145.
Newspapers-History of, in Branch County, 138-147. New York House .- 41.
Nicholls. Ansell .- 37.
Nichols, P. P .- 140; 141; 186.
Noble Township .- 40; settlement of, 89-90; officials of, 313. Northwest Territory .- Ordinance for government of, 12. of 1787
Norton, William P .- 506.
Noyes, Orlando G .- 560.
Observer, The Coldwater .- 139.
Odd Fellows Organization .- 228; 232. Odren, Alex .- 91.
Officials of Branch County and Townships and Villages .- 297-326.
Ogden, James S .- 403. Ohio .- Boundaries, source of trouble, 13.
Olds. Clarence L .- 689. Olds, Fred .- 422.
Olds, Martin .- 47; 36. Olmstead, Benjamin .- 48.
Olmstead, Moses .- 45. Olney, Henry .- 786.
Orangeville .- 80. Order of Eastern Star .- 231 ; 233.
Ordinance of 1787 .- quoted, 12. Ordinance Line .- 12, 13. Osborn, Zelotes G .- 211; 802. Outwater, John E .- 663.
Ovid Township .- 39; settlement of, 85-87; officials of. 314. Owen, Charles W .- 141, 144, 145, 186, 774.
xiii
INDEX
Palmer, Elmer E .- 212. 710. Paradine. Mrs. E. R. G .- 460. Parker. Marcellus H .- 64. 189, 413. Parker, Richmond F .- 722. Parkhurst, John G .- 218; 212; 339. Parks, John D .- 854. Parley's Corners .- 87.
Parrish, Kimble .- 499.
Parsons. Alfred .- 344.
Patrons of Husbandry (see Grange).
Paul, James B .- 508. Paul, Wilson S .- 697.
Pearce. Edwin K .- 585. Peerless Portland Cement Co .- 121.
Phillips, John F .- 393.
Physicians .- 221-226; list of, 225.
Piatt, Nathaniel .- 684. Pierce, Charles .- 860. Pierce, Oren L .- 563.
Pierson. Clara D .- 187.
Pioneer Society-History of. 238-239. Pioneers, Alphabetical Record .- 239-255. Pitcher, David .- 871.
Pixley, Augustus .- 105. Polish People of Branch County .- 20, 32, 105.
Political History of Branch County .- 210- 213: see sketch of Isaac Bennett.
Pollock, Samuel .- 820.
Pomona Grange .- II.4. Pond, C. V. R .- 144, 186.
Pond, Elihu B .- 140, 186.
Pond. Jared .- 210.
Population .- In Branch County, increase and distribution of. 28-32; influence of Black Hawk war on, 29: nationalities, 31; sources of. 36; attracted to Girard prairie. 74; of Bronson village, 105. Porter. Philo .- 48. Postal Service .- 134 (see Postoffices). Postoffices .- Bronson. 42; Prairie River, 43; Quincy. 67; Goodwinsville, 79; Mat- teson, 83; Kinderhook, 85; Parley's Corners, 87; Algansee, 88: Hickory Corners, 89; Union City, 100; Rural Delivery, 114; 134-135. Potawatomi Indians .- 24; treaties with, 25; villages, 26; on Coldwater prairie, 49; on Girard prairie, 74. (See Indians.) Powers, D. C .- 223. Powers, Randall D. and Charles .- 106.
Prairie River Township .- 39, 40. Pratt Manufacturing Co .- 118. Presbyterian Churches .- 200 et seq. ; Cold- water, 200; Quincy, 201; California, 201.
Presidents .- Village, lists of, 321-326. Pridgeon, John, Jr .- 362. Primary School Fund .- 148. Probate Judges-List of, 297. Prosecuting Attorneys-List of, 297. Protestant Episcopal Churches-207-208. Purdy, Fred .- 772. Purdy, Horace .- 87.
Quick, Edmund W .- 408. Quincy Independent Telephone Co .- 136. Quincy State Bank .- 127.
Quincy Township .- 39: early settlement, 65 et seq. ; first officers, 68; officials of, 316. Quincy Village .- 66; history of, 101-103; manufacturing, 117 et seq .; library, 182: schools, 164 et seq .; churches, 190-209.
Railroads .- In the thirties. 34, 93. 98; under. ground. 99: history of railroads in Branch County. 129-134.
Randall, Caleb D .- 176, 216.
Randall. Dr. Alvah .- 221.
Randall. Seth B .- 654.
Ransford. Edward B .- 825.
Ransom, Alvarado B .- 528.
Rate Bill .- 152, 158.
Rathburn, Charles D .- 827.
Rathburn, P. J .- 836.
Regal Gasoline Engine Co .- 118.
Regiments of Branch County Soldiers (see under Soldiers). Register, The Sherwood .- 146.
Register. The Union City .- 146.
Registers of Deeds-List of. 298.
Religion and Churches .- 190-209 ; Bishop Chase at Adams' Mills, 70; Mennon- ites in Noble. 89; in Bronson village. 105; Y. M. C. A., 237.
Reporter, The .- 1.42. Republican, The .- 1.40.
Republican. The Branch County .- 1.40. Reynolds Family. in Batavia Township .- 47 .. Reynolds, Frank B .- 619.
Reynolds, Norman A .- 617.
Rheubottom, F. C .- 100.
Rice. Samuel W .- 353.
Richey, James .- 400.
Roads .- Overland. 33 et seq; Chicago road (see), 34, 41 ; Indian road into Gilead. 72; Marshall road, 75: state road, 78; territorial road in Sherwood, 81; "Kalamazoo trail," 82; state road in Matteson. Robinson, Arthur E .- 658.
Robinson, T. F .- 146.
Robinson, W. L .- 146.
Roman Catholic Churches .- 207.
Ronan, Michael .- 659.
Root, Edward R .- 123, 863.
Root, Roland .- 51. 80, 211.
Rose House, in Bronson .- 42.
Rose. L. A .- 104. 105.
Rossman Family, in Butler .- 77.
Royal Arcanum .- 231. Rudd, L. and Son, Bank .- 128. Runyan, Henry .- 699.
Rural Free Delivery .- 114, 134-135. Russell, George A .- 865.
Sager, Charles H .- 399.
xiv
INDEX
Salisbury, Joseph N .- 549. Salsberry Family, in Ovid .- 86.
Sanders, Abishi .- 72.
Sanders, Levi .- 877. Sanford, George R .- 739.
Saunders, H. R .- 700.
Sawdey, R. C. and W. S .- 96. Schaffmaster, Christopher .- 377.
Scheidler, L. F .- 755.
Schools (see Education) .- First in Batavia, 48; at Branch, 52; in Quincy town- ship, "69; in Algansee, 88; in Can- , fornia, 92; character of early schools, 148 et seq .; early schools in: Bron- son, 151; Gilead, 151 ; Coldwater, 151 et seq .; "rate bill," 152; Union schools, 153; administrative officers, 153; con- solidation of districts, 155; Coldwater city schools, 157-164; Quincy Schools, 164; Union City schools, 167; Bron- son schools, 171; Sherwood schools, I73.
School Books in Early Use .- 150.
School Reports .- From various townships, 154; from Bronson, 172.
School Taxes .- 152. Schultz, Samuel .- 803.
Sears, Clark C .- 479.
Sears, Charles S .- 665.
Sebring, John .- 628.
Secor, John .- 874.
Seely, Southerland M .- 405.
Segur, M. S .- 103.
Sentinel, The Coldwater .- 138; 139 et passim. Settlement and Beginnings .- 41 et seq .; in- fluence of Chicago road, 34, 49-59, 65- 77, 78-92. Seymour, George H .- 550.
Seymour, Henry .- 826.
Shaffmaster, A. D .- 146, 187.
Shaw, William E .- 744.
Shedd, Louisa .- 851.
Shepard, Albert .- 493.
Sherer, Samuel .- 442.
Sherer, William .- 442.
Sheriffs-List of, 298.
Sherman, Albert A .- 812.
Sherwood Heading Co .- 119.
Sherwood Township .- 39; settlement of, 81- 82; pioneers of, 81 ; officials of, 317.
Sherwood Village .- History of, 107; schools, 173 et seq .; churches, 190 et seq.
Shipman, J. B .- 218, 211. Shook, Jacob .- 77, 214. Shook's Prairie .- 76. Shoudler, Hiram .- 21I.
Silo Tanks .- 112.
Simmons, Reuben M .- 806.
Sloman, Louis .- 530.
Skeels, F. L .- 186, 218.
Smead, Daniel .- 16.
Smith, Abram L .- 693. '
Smith, Benjamin H .- 75. Smith, F. V .- 94, 186.
Smith, George K .- 223.
Smith, Marshall F .- 415.
Smith, Orin L .- 578.
Smith, Sarah A .- 343. Snider, William W .- 738.
Snow Prairie .- settled, 45.
Soldiers, Roster of .- Ist Mich. Inf., 258- 260 ; 7th Mich. Inf., 261-262 ; 9th Mich. Inf., 262-264; 1Ith Mich. Inf., 264-269 ; 15th Mich. Inf., 269-270; 16th Mich. Inf., 270-271; 17th Mich. Inf .. 271-272 ; 19th Mich. Inf., 272-275; 28th Mich. Inf., 275-276; Ist Mich. Sharpshooters, 276-277; 4th Mich. Cav., 277-279; 5th Mich. Cav., 279-280; 8th Mich. Cav., 280-282; 9th Mich. Cav., 282-283; IIth Mich. Cav., 283-284; Battery A., 284- 286; Battery D, 286-288; Battery F. 289-290; Battery G, 290-291. Other regiments, 292-296.
Sorter, Delivan .- 391. Sorter, William C .- 420.
Southern Michigan National Bank .- 125.
Southworth, Floyd E .- 841.
Spanish-American War .- Branch County's
record in, 256-258. Spore, Clarence B .- 518.
Sprague, W. B .- 37; history of Coldwater, 56. 210. Sprout, De Witt C .- 468.
Stafford, Charles W .- 724.
Staley, Frederick .- 630.
Stanton, Edward D .- 823.
Stanton, John A .- 558.
Stanton, William A .- 365.
Star. The .- 143.
Star, The Michigan .- 139.
Starr, George .- 707.
State Roads .- 36. (See Roads.)
State Public School-History of, 175-180.
Stearns, George W .- 675.
Stepper, John G .- 338.
Stewart, Frederick W .- 572.
Stiles, Luther .- 88. Stillman, H. B .- 140, 222.
St. Joseph River .- 19, 78.
St. Mary's Parish .- 462.
Stokes, Mary A .- 351.
Straight, Henry E .- 220, 731.
Stray, George J .- 788. Stuart, James B .- 51.
Studley, Jerome J .- 107.
Styles, George .- 218.
Sun. The .- 143.
Sunday School Association, Branch County. -209.
Supervisors-Lists of, 300-321.
Survey of County .- 6-15; value of, 6; "rec- tangular system," 6; meridian and base line, 6; "Field Notes," 7: beginning of, 7; survey of Chicago road, 36. Surveyors, County-List of, 9; 299. Swain, Charles E .- 440. Swain, Frank .- 518.
INDEX
Swain, James .- 155, 156, 173, 513.
Talbott, Leroy B .- 553. Tappan, Frank T .- 801. Taylor, Leonard .- 507. Telegraph .- First in county, 130.
Telephones .- History of, 135-136.
Thatcher, Reuben J .- 573.
Thompson, David .- 217.
Thompson, Roy .- 607.
Thorpe. Calvin J .- 143, 144, 186, 187, 21I.
Tibbits, Allen .- 54; settles in Coldwater, 55; zeal in promoting village. 57.
Tibbits Opera House .- 95.
Tift, David .- 87. Times, The Quincy .- 145.
Toledo War .- 13.
Tomlinson, Alex E .- 81.
Tompkins, Charles A .- 369.
Tompkins, Francis J .- 55, 839.
Tompkins, James B .- 75, 76.
Tompkins, James T .- 679.
Tompkins, William A .- 743.
Toole, John .- Pioneer teacher and mill pro- prietor, 51 (scc Bronson).
Topography of Branch County .- 16-20. Tower, Isaac .- 384.
Tower, Willis H .- 385.
Townships .- Four fractional, when surveycd, 14; drainage, 21-23; formation of, 38- 41; government and civil, 38; Green, 38; Coldwater, 39: Prairie River, 39 (sec under township namcs ).
Township Officers-Lists of. 300-321.
Trails, Indian .- 35 (see Indians) .
Transportation .- By St. Joseph river, 78 (sec Chicago road) ; history of, in Branch County, 129-137. ' Treasurers .- Township, lists of, 300-321. Treasurers .- Village, lists of, 321-326.
Treat, Samuel I .- 423. Trcat, Samucl M .- 86.
Tripp, David .- 434.
Tripp. George .- 85.
Truesdell, C. L .- 103. Tucker, Chester S .- 223. Turner, G. H .- 141; 186. Turner, John W .- 217, 21I.
Turner, Nathaniel .- 83.
Turner, Sarah M .- 709. Turner, Samuel R .- 596.
Turner, Thomas J .- 865.
Tuttle. George A .- 460. Twadell, Rodney K .- 685. Tyler, Alphonso .- 446. Tyler, William M .- 359.
Underground Railroad .- 99. Union City .- 78; plattcd, 79; history, 98-10' . manufacturing, 117 et seq. ; schools, 167 ct seq .; library, 181; churches, 190 et seq. Union City National Bank .- 126. Union Schools-Origin of, 153: 172.
Union Township .- 39: settlement of, 78-81 : pioneers of, So; officials of, 318.
Unitarian Churches .- 206.
United Brethren Churches .- 205.
Upson, Alonzo S .- 125, 350.
Upson, Charles .- 214, 216, 212. 348.
Van Aken, George W .- 114. 712.
Van Aken, MI. J .- 815.
Van Blarcum Family .- 75.
Van Every, Chauncey M .- 358.
Van Nuys, J. H .- 544.
Van Schoick. Rev. R. W .- 187.
Van Slyck, William .- 810.
Villages of Branch County .- 98-107.
Vosburgh, Mortimer .- 849.
Waggot, D. D .- 145.
Walter, William .- 564.
Wanar, William .- 652.
Warner, C. D .- 615.
Warner. E. A .- 216.
Warner, Harvey .- At Village of Branch. 52. 53. Warren, Elisha .- Plats Branch Village, 52: sketch, 53. Warren's Military Band .- 106.
Wars .- Branch County in the country's, 256- 296. Warsabo. L. A .- 224. 490.
Waterhouse Corners .- 85.
Waterhouse, John .- 85.
Waterman, David and Alonzo .- 42.
Waters, Samuel .- 409.
Waterworks .- In Coldwater, 94; in Union City, 100; Quincy, 102. Watkins, Edward M .- 542.
Watkins, Ed W .- 663.
Watson, Frank J .- 634.
Watson, Joseph .- 106.
Watson, Robert .- 83. 627.
Wattles, George C .- 537.
Wesleyan Methodist Church at Coldwater .- 192. West, Charles P .- 139. 185.
West, Laura .- 186.
White, Dana P .- 750.
White, Geo. M .- 817.
Whitehead, Henry V .- 870.
Whitley, Henry C .- 755.
Whitney, Willard .- 609.
Wilber, Havens .- 570.
Wilcox, Edward P .- 555.
Wilcox, Loring P .- 704.
Wilkins, John H .- 758.
Willbur, P. D .- 614.
Williams. C. Ross .- 510. Williams, E. H .- 485. Williams, Frank N .- 397. Williams, Harlow W .- 468.
Williams, Mary M .- 794. Williams, Sheldon .- 85. Willis. George E .- 670. Willis, William .- 602.
xvi
INDEX
Willson, Horris .- Quincy pioneer, 65. Wilson, L. T. N .- 216.
Wilson, Reuben and Daniel .- 86.
Wilson, William .- 224; 623.
Wing, Lucius M .- 740.
Withington, Myron J .- 718.
Wolverine Telephone Co .- 136.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union .- 209.
Woman's Relief Corps .- Union City, 230.
Women's Clubs (see Clubs).
Wood, David H .- 691.
Woodcox, Cornelius H .- 224.
Woodward, Horace J .- 669. Wooley, Celia Parker .- 187.
Wright, C. D .- 218.
Yeatter, Sydney E .- 789. York Village .- Original name of Bronson, 40, 42. Young, Charles H .- 145, 692. Young, D. W .- 103.
Young, Hiram .- 608.
Young Men's Christian Association .- 237.
Young, William F .- 475.
Youngs, Dwight E .- 861.
Zimmerman, John D .- 99. Zimmerman, Lorenzo .- 532.
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
THE COUNTY AS A SUBJECT OF HISTORY.
"All parti-colored threads the weaver Time Sets in his web, now trivial, now sublime. All memories. all forebodings, hopes and fears, Mountain and river, forest, prairie, sea.
A hill, a rock, a homestead, field, or tree. The casual gleanings of unreckoned years. Take goddess-shape at last and there is She." -- James Russell Lowell.
Branch County, Michigan, is a name having two distinct though closely connected meanings. It denotes a certain definite portion of the earth's sur- face, and also the people inhabiting that portion. This definite area is a part of the territory of the "The State of Michigan." and is thereby also a part of the domain of that great body politic known as " The United States of America." In its designation of the people inhabiting this area, the name Branch county signifies that they are themselves an organized, political " body corporate," with a certain distinct life of their own. and that at the same time they are a part of " The People of the State of Michigan," and also of that great republic of united states of which the State of Michigan is one.
In this volume the writers and publishers of it have undertaken to pre- sent in printed form a history of Branch County, Michigan. as thus defined. These sentences are being written in the year 1905 A. D., or in the fifth year of the twentieth century of the Christian era. We propose to look at the life the people of this county have lived upon their land in the light of the knowledge and thought of this Twentieth Christian Century. We shall attempt to compose their history, as nearly as we may, in accordance with the principles and methods with which the Twentieth Century historian's art portrays humanity's past.
The area now definitely known as Branch county was made definite, was made into a county, and the name of " Branch " was given to it. by the Legis- lative Council and Governor of the Territory of Michigan, on the 29th of October, 1829. The part of the act by which this was done reads thus : " That so much of the country as lies west of the line between ranges four and five, west of the meridian, and east of the line between ranges eight and nine west, and south of the line between townships four and five, south
2
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY
of the base line, and north of the boundary-line between this Territory and the State of Indiana, be and the same is hereby set off into a separate county, and the name thereof shall be Branch." As thus created, defined. and named, this area has remained without change in its boundaries from the above date to the present, and has been recognized as Branch County by all the people and powers that be that have had anything to do with it. It has thus had a continuous existence for seventy-six years. It is true. as will be noted more particularly in later pages, that in the full political sense of the term " county " the people residing on the area so named did not become a complete, organized, separate county until March 1. 1833. or until nearly four years after the area had been made such geographically.
The second and more important part of what the word " county " denotes in American speech and literature, is the people inhabiting its area as organized into a civil social body or body politic. The census taken by the State of Michigan in 1904, one year ago, gave the population of Branch County as 26,397. The separate enumeration of the people of Branch County as such was made in the first state census in 1837. At least this is the first such enumeration of which the records are known by the officials of the county and state to be in existence. That census of 1837 made known the fact that Branch County as a distinct body politic consisted of 4.016 persons. During the 68 years from 1837 to 1905, that body of 4,016 men, women and children became 26,397.
The subject before us, both as writers and readers, is Branch County in the twofold meaning of the name as thus described. In writing its history. its people and their life will be the continuous and chief object of our attention. We accept the generally recognized truth, that the life of people is largely determined by the land upon which they live, by climate and the other various factors of nature's environment. But the central object of our contemplation will be first, those 4,016 men, women and children who were living the county's life in 1837, and then those who inherited it and further developed it through the decades and generations following. To portray what this life has been in its manifold forms, to indicate the causes of it, to trace the generative and formative forces at work in it, and to show some of the facts and truths that will help the 26,000 people of the county today in their efforts for even greater prosperity and welfare in the years before them, this is the task we have undertaken. Among the matters thus to be written of in this history are these: the physical, mental, moral and religious character of those who began the communities of Coldwater, Quincy, Union City and Bronson and of those who formed the sixteen organized town- ships of the county; their nationality, whether born in the United States or in some foreign country; from what other portions of the United States those who have moved into the county have come, and thus what ideas and customs they have brought with them and made a part of the county's life; the industries in which the people have engaged, the wealth that has been accumulated, the kind of dwellings the inhabitants have built for themselves, and the domestic conveniences they have had in them; the general conditions
3
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY
as to health and sanitary care; the means of intercourse and transportation, that is, roads, highways, railroads, vehicles, bicycles and automobiles, tele- graphs and telephones; the kinds of persons who have been the teachers. clergymen, physicians and lawyers of the county; the institutions and social agencies through which education, intelligence, culture, music. painting. morality, public spirit and religion have been promoted, that is, schools. newspapers, fraternal, philanthropic and political societies, theaters and opera houses, churches and Sunday schools; the divisions of the people among the great political parties of the nation, party politics in the county, and the administration of the various offices of the county, of its one city, and its several villages and townships. The life of the county in these various forms has embodied itself more largely in some individual men and women than in others. Accordingly, it is part of the plan of this work to give large space to the biographies and portraits of persons in whom the life of the county has more largely and influentially expressed itself. We shall strive to make our record as complete as space will permit. Absolute freedom from error will be impossible, but we shall take great care to make the history and bio- graphical sketches accurate in statement and truthful to life as it has been lived by individual men and women and by the people of the county as a whole.
The white inhabitants of Branch county's area, besides thus living their own life within it among themselves, have also lived a life in mutual rela- tions with the rest of mankind. They have been a part of larger wholes. They have put elements into the larger life of these larger wholes, and have received elements from them into its own life. A complete history of the county's area and inhabitants must recognize this connection. The area of the county, along with the peninsula of which it is a part, has been under the jurisdiction successively of the kingdom of France, the kingdom of Great Britain, and the republic of the United States. Indeed there is a still more primary relation of this area of which a complete history must take note, namely, its natural relation as a part of the earth's surface to the peninsula lying between Lakes Erie and Huron on the east and Lake Michigan on the west. As an arena of the history of the people occupying it, beginning with the family of " Jabe " Bronson in 1828, it has had its animal life and its vege- tation, or its fauna and its flora, its rainfall and other meteorological condi- tions, its surface with slopes and prairie-like portions, its land and its water, its lakes and streams with the direction and movement of their waters, its soil, its stone, its clay and marl, and its underlying and outcropping geo- logical strata. All these natural factors have affected the life of the people who have increased from one family to 26,000. But these factors and their effect upon the people cannot be understood and historically exhibited with- out considering their relation to the large region to which this particular area belongs. The several sciences into which these natural features fall have described and explained the corresponding phases of nature in this large region. Even the history of a county, or of a township, must recognize the influence of nature in it upon man's life in it, and must use what science
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