USA > Michigan > Cass County > A twentieth century history of Cass County, Michigan > Part 39
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
"The pioneer missionary and founder of the chir, to Ane ko 0 1AF ther Humphrey. I became acquainted with him in 189 min T Supe with my parents to this place. Ile was still carry is ami ut work here and in the vicinity. Born in ( mm ecti it. Pilgrim ancestry, and a graduate of . Methodist In sal Ier
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and the fin- tree by con fire in front of B. & Dem. hans planted by his hands His first compon was preached to his arrival in the log House of loech Smith, and all his first seriens were preached in the log cabins of the settlers, not even The schomi- houses having then been built.
"Some time later it was desired to form a church, and a meeting was called March 4, 1831, Rev. Humphrey and Rev. William Jones preaching the sermon, and a call was then made for all persons wishing to organize a church to come forward. Three came-Sylvester Meacham and wife Hannah, and Sarah Humphrey, wife of Rev. Hum- phrey. They adopted this resolution: 'That we shall admit to our communion as members only such persons as shall agree to abstain wholly from the use of ardent spirits as articles of drink, manufacture
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
or traffic, and that this le the standing rule in this church, should one be formed.' March 6, 1831, these three constituted a church of Christ, two infants were baptized and the Lord's supper administered. The records show three more members were received in 1831, four in 1832. three in 1833, six in 1834, three in 1835, and nine in 1836, the year in which I came. In 1843 a revised list shows sixty-eight members.
"Rev. Humphrey did not confine his work to this church. When I came here in 1836 he was engaged in missionary work, preaching in scattered settlements both in this and Van Buren county. An Oberlin college student named Jeffreys preached several times during the sun- mer of 1836. Rev. Mr. Cook was stationed as supply in 1836-39. He resided on Harris prairie, driving to this charge once in two weeks.
"In 1837 the first public school building was erected, and in the fall of the same year the frame of the Baptist church was raised, but was not completed and occupied until 1840. The Presbyterian meet- ings, from private houses, were held first in the schoolhouse and after- wards in the Baptist church in the afternoons, the Baptists occupying it in the morning. In the summer of 1840 Rev. Boughton, of Niles. preached twice a month, and in 1841 and a part of 1842 Rev. Noah Wells, of Mishawaka, preached once in two weeks. In 1842 the lot where this church now stands was purchased and the building for church purposes commenced. It was a plain chapel building. 25x30 feet, and was raised and inclosed that summer, but no more was done at that time. In November, 1842, Rev. A. S. Kedzie was employed as stated supply. He said that the church should have morning service every Sunday, and as no other place could be found it was held in the school building. This caused the work on the chapel to be resumed. The original plan being thought too small, fourteen feet was added. also the belfry, and all was completed during Kedzie's ministry, he being the first to occupy the pulpit. Rev. Alfred Bryant was the pastor after Kedzie, he moving to the village in 1844. Rev. L. C. Rouse came in the fall of 1847, and in 1849 he was installed as pastor by the Presby- tery, being the first minister to be installed.
"The old building was long and narrow, with low ceiling. Rev. Rouse urged the erection of a new building, and in 1853 it was decided to rebuild. In the summer of 1854 the present building was raised and inclosed. but was not completed until January, 1856. Rev. E. B. Sher- wood was the pastor in the fall of 1855, and dedicated the new church February 7, 1856."
The Cassopolis Presbyterian church was organized March 19, 1842. with ten charter members, of whom Mrs. Joseph Harper was the last survivor. Harvey Bigelow and Samuel F. Anderson were elected dea- cons, and Rev. A. S. Kedzie was the first regular minister, beginning in November, 1842. The building of a house of worship was com-
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
menced in 1845 and dedicated in November. 1846. This building was occupied until the present handsome brick church on the corner of State and O'Keefe streets was completed December 10, 1893. at a cost of about five thousand dollars. The church is now free from debt. There is an active membership of about 70, with thirty or forty on the retired list. Rev. E. C. Lucas just closed a two years' pastorate May I. 1906. The trustees are J. R. Carr. D. L. French, L. H. Glover. W. L. Jones. Frank Miller, J. H. Eppley, and the ruling elders Dr. T. W. AAnderson. J. R. Carr. James McNab. L. H. Glover. A Sunday- school and a Christian Endeavor organizations are also maintained.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.
As is well known, the Congregationalists and Presbyterians for many years met on common ground and worshiped on the "plan of union," which has influenced the relations of the denominations even to this time. The Edwardsburg Presbyterian church was formed on this plan. The only active Congregational body within the county at this time is at Dowagiac.
The movement to organize the Dowagiac Congregational church was started by a missionary from the Connecticut Domestic Missionary Society in 1849, and in the following year the organization was accom- plished at the house of Patrick Hamilton on July 9. Among those prominent in the church at that early time were H. C. Hills, Harvey Bigelow. L. R. Raymond. I. S. Becraft, Gilman C. Jones, Patrick Ham- ilton. Milton Hull, Asa Dow. N. B. Hollister, William K. Palmer. The first meetings were held at private homes or in the old schoolhouse which stood on the site of the present Methodist church. The society erected its present home, a frame building, in 1856.
CHURCHES OF CHRIST OR DISCIPLES.
The Church of Christ at Dowagiac was organized in 1874. the charter members being: James Finley, Eunice Finley, Jasper P. War- ner, Urilla Warner, Samuel Ingling, Jane D. Ingling, Uriah F. Ing- ling. Amelia G. Suits, Charles Smith, Frances Smith, Kate E. Brun- ner. Sarah Wixan, Thomas J. Casterline. Rachel M. Casterline, Theo- dore T. Winchell. Louisa M. Winchell. Elias M. Ingling. Rachel Ing- ling. Mary Stoff. Lambert B. Dewey, Amy Dewey, Eliza Clark. Jennie Buckley. Charles Gardner. Mary Miller, and Reason Williams.
The present building, which is a very substantial frame structure
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
win more farvetion and basement wall, was built in 18zeit is 40 I de Tol senoch servent room of 31 15 30. The 1 segment he low pelo am celé sono contains Leside the bon thơm the foot ccm n "when ao desen it ms. With main entrance at front, with : or wo le dais from the leptistry, which is sit iated i the rer of the pul Tt tt meer offence route. The bodies' get his ar om ofer be entre toda main auditoriong. If \22 fed. - sim ted that ine . le
Your Job de Vinet 3.p. (mi but the Bilde: Ja Name Fut 1 8 Tyr. 010 1 by si is G G. Bonc.
Sinh Sentier Dei Terry Anni Fries, Betsey Dewer. WWW. By 30 Willown Pay. Fleury Mere and wife, Alva Tuttle om, Wobec Bankart and wife. Elias B. Godfrey and wife. \ r Henry Feeler and wife. Horace Grinnell and give
The me seriety of the Church of Christ in the county was formed :11 Pony township in the early forties anl for many years hell services mines and shoothouses. The local organization was effected March 15 1855, with Ephraim Alexander, John Hurd, Stephen Jones, John Hollister. Reason S. Pemberton, and John Alexander as trustees. In the preceding year the church edifice had been built in Vandalia and the church put on a substantial footing under the direction of Rev. David Miller.
.A society of the Church of Christ was organized by the people of Glenwood in Wayne township in 1874, the society being incorporated September 29, 1874. with the following as trustees: Oscar F. Hall,
-
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
Alfred H. Turner, Craigie Sharp, Josiah B. Laylin, John W. Burus and M. D. L. McKeyes. The house of worship was built about the same time.
A Church of Christ society was first organized in Jefferson town- . ship in November, 1847, the nine charter members being: Henry W. Smith, Sabrina Smith, Peter Smith, Sarah A. Smith, Edmond Thatcher, Phoebe Thatcher. Reuben B. Davis, Susannah Davis and Mary Cooper. Meetings were conducted in a schoolhouse until 1851, in which year a frame church 30 to 45 feet was erected.
A Christian church society was formed at Dailey about 1878, the meetings being held in a schoolhouse at first.
"FRIENDS" SOCIETIES.
With all pioneers, after comfortable homes comes the wish for schools and churches, and Cass county pioneers were no exception to this rule. When we speak of comfortable homes memory takes us back to the neat hewed log house and barn of the year 1840, when the "Friends" of Cass county began to consider the time ripe for the estab- lishment of a church of their own faith. For some time they met and worshiped and then by direction of a Northern Quarterly meeting held near Marion, Indiana, Birch Lake monthly meeting was established and the opening session held August 7, 1841.
Francis Sheldon was appointed clerk and Joel East, treasurer. Other officers were Stephen Bogue, Richmond Marmon, Ishmael Lee, Joel East and Josiah Osborn and an apportionment was made at this time to raise five dollars to defray the expenses of the church.
A branch meeting was granted the few Friends who resided at Door Prairie, near La Porte, Ind., later in the year 1841, and the Friends in Cass county thought it no hardship to drive across the country to mingle with these "brethren" and give counsel in the Lord's work.
In those days it was no uncommon thing for members of Birch Lake meeting to ride on horseback to Marion, Ind., to attend the Quar- terly meeting at that place. This was frequently done by Stephen Bogue, and sometimes his daughter, Mrs. James E. Bonine, accompa- nied him, riding the entire distance in the saddle and over corduroy roads much of the way.
About this time a few of the members of Birch Lake meeting be- came so conscientious in regard to the use of goods produced by slave lahor, that they withdrew and organized a society known as "Anti-
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
Slavery" Friends. They would not use cotton cloths, sugar or any- thing they knew to be made by slaves. There were a number of these societies in different parts of Indiana. The meeting in Cass county was held in a log building in the grove on the farm of the late James E. Bonine in Penn township, and known as the Elk Park. The pastor was the Rev. Charles Osborn, a renowned minister among Friends, and hereinbefore mentioned in this chapter, and father of the late J. P. Osborn of Cassopolis. His only surviving child is Mrs. Ann East of Buchanan, Mich.
In the same log building the Anti-Slavery Friends had a school for their children, James Osborn, son of Charles, being one of the first teachers.
This little company of devoted Christians soon found they could not cope with such a monster as slavery and their self-denial did not prevent one stroke of the lash or cure one heartache of the black burden bearer, so they returned to the mother church after a few years of fruit- less effort.
In 1848 an " Alternate" meeting was established at "Prairie Grove," one mile south of Penn and continued until a church was built at that place about the year 1880.
Having plenty of money and more zeal with a strong desire for a better house of worship, James E. Bonine and others began the work of building the brick church at Vandalia in 1879.
James E. Bonine, Stephen A. Bogue, Silas H. Thomas, W. E. Bogue and Henry Coate were the first trustees and the church was dedicated the 28th of December, 1879. Robert W. Douglas of Wil- mington, Ohio, preached the dedicatory sermon and Rev. Henry Coate became the first pastor and was probably the first minister in the Friends church to receive a salary, it being one of the tenets of the church that the Gospel should be free to all. Now there are many salaried ministers in the society.
There were branch meetings established, one at Long Lake, near Traverse City ; one at Log Chapel. These branch meetings, with Penn and Birch Lake, constitute Vandalia Quarterly meeting and are loyal subjects of Indiana Yearly meeting, the largest body of "Friends" in the world.
At Birch Lake a neat little house has taken the place of the prim- itive log of years ago, and though not one of the first members lives to tell its history, a goodly number of their descendants meet on the same
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
spot to worship, living in the same faith, upholding the same prin- ciples.
FIRST UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY OF DOWAGIAC.
This society was organized December 18, 1858. In the following year a building was erected and the regular departments of church work instituted. The Universalist society is no longer active, but its ranks contained some of the foremost citizens of Dowagiac. Among the foundries of the society may be mentioned Justus Gage, C. P. Prindle,. Mrs. A. S. Prindle, W. P. Bucklin, Mrs. Mary Ann Bucklin. Gideon S. Wilbur, G. C. Jones, Azro Jones. At a later period the official list comprised G. C. Jones. Hiram Bowling, C. T. Lee. P. D. Beckwith, Richard Heddon and Gideon Gibbs.
EVANGELICAL CHURCHES.
An Evangelical church was organized in Marcellus township March 25, 1868, with twenty-two members. A church building was erected in Marcellus village and dedicated December 29, 1872.
Evangelical Paradise church, situated on the north side of Chicago road in section 15 of Mason, was built in 1874. The church was or- ganized in the same year by Jacob Young, there being twelve charter members.
UNITED BRETHREN CHURCHES.
In 1853 a society of this denomination was organized at the Bly schoolhouse in Marcellus township. Having increased sufficiently. in 1876 they erected a church in Marcellus village.
Rev. Henry Luse was the instrument in forming a church of the United Brethren among the people of Mason township, seventy-nine members constituting the first church that was formed in March, 1869. The church edifice at Sailor in section 14 was erected in 1874. Some of the prominent members of this church in the past were the Luse family, Moses McKissick. Dr. H. E. Woodbridge, J. Worth, D. Fisher and others.
Newberg township has a United Brethren church at Bald Hill.
GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH.
The German Lutheran church at Dowagiac was built in 1892. At present its membership is only seven. The pastor is Rev. F. Rahn and his predecessor was Rev. Schoen. The secretary of the church is Au- gust Abendroth.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL.
Dowagiac maintains the only regular Episcopal organization, al- though the rector from that church has served a mission in Cassopolis at irregular intervals. The congregation of St. Alban's Episcopal church was organized in 1897, and the first resident clergyman was Rev. H. P. Vicborn, appointed in 1899. The society was given the use of the old Universalist church building for its services. The first officers of this society were R. W. Sheldon, warden ; R. R. Elliott, treas- urer ; W. G. Elliott, clerk.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
CHAPTER XXVII. OFFICIAL LISTS.
STATE SENATORS FROM CASS COUNTY .*
1842-43-44, George Redfield: 1848-49, Alex. H. Redfield; 1853. Jesse G. Beeson: 1855. James Sullivan: 1857-58, Alonzo Garwood; 1859. George Meacham: 1861-62, Gilman C. Jones ; 1863-64. Emmons Buell: 1865. Levi Aldrich: 1867, Charles W. Clisbee: 1860-70, Amos Smith ; 1871-72, Uzziel Putnam, Jr .: 1875, Matthew T. Garvey : 1879, James M. Shepard: 1905. James G. Hayden (resigned 1906).
STATE REPRESENTATIVES FROM CASS COUNTY.
1835-36-37, Joseph Smith: 1835-36-38, James O'Dell : 1837-38. William Burk: 1839-40. James Newton: 1840, Henry Coleman : 1841. Myron Strong: 1841. George Redfield : 1842-43, S. F. Anderson : 1844. James W. Griffin: 1845-47, James Shaw: 1846-47, James L. Glenn ; 1848-49. George B. Turner: 1848, Milo Powell; 1849, Cyrus Bacon: 1850. Ezekiel C. Smith: 1851, George Sherwood: 1851, William L. Clyburn: 1853. E. J. Bonine: 1850-53. Pleasant Norton: 1855. Frank- lin Brownell: 1855. Uriel Enos: 1857-58, B. W. Schermerhorn : 1857- 58, Edwin Sutton: 1859. George Newton: 1859. E. W. Reynolds ; 1861-62, Edward H. Jones: 1861-62, Edward Shanahan: 1863-64. H. B. Denman: 1863-64. Levi Aldrich: 1865. Lucius Keeler: 1865-71-72, Alexander B. Copley: 1867. Henry B. Wells: 1867. Leander D. Os- born: 1869-70. Uzziel Putnam, Jr .: 1860-70, James Ashley: 1871-72. John F. Coulter; 1873-74. Alexander Robertson; 1873-74. Thomas O'Dell: 1875, John Struble : 1875. John B. Sweetland; 1877-79, Sam- tel Johnson: 1881-82, James H. Hitchcox: 1883-85-87. Robinson J. Dickson : 1889-91-92. Edward R. Spencer: 1893. John Kirkwood: 1895. Lucien E. Wood: 1897-98, Millard F. Phillips: 1899-00-01, James L. Robinson : 1903-05, Thomas T. Higgins.
The Cass county members of the first constitutional convention which assembled at Detroit in May, 1835, where James Newton, James
* NOTE-The dates designate the session years.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
O'Dell, Baldwin Jenkins. In the first convention of assent, at Ann Arbor. September 26. 1836, were James Newton and James O'Dell. And in the second convention of assent, at Ann Arbor. December 14. 1836, were Edwin N. Bridge, Jacob Silver, Joseph Smith and Abiel Silver. The convention held at Lansing in 1850, which resulted in the present fundamental law of Michigan, was attended from Cass county by George Redfield. Mitchell Robinson, James Sullivan.
Of the more prominent state officials, Cass county has furnished a state treasurer-George Redfield, 1845-46; an attorney general- An- drew J. Smith. 1875-77: Abiel Silver ( 1846-50), and Gen. George T. Shafer ( 1891-92), commissioners of State Land Office.
COUNTY OFFICIALS.
JUDGES OF THE NOW OBSOLETE COUNTY COURT.
1831. Joseph S. Barnard, chief justice, and William Burk and John Agard, associate justices: 1834, William A. Fletcher, chief justice : Abiel Silver and William Burk, associates: 1846 (on the re-establish- ment of the court). Joseph N. Chipman, first. and Mitchell Robinson, second; (1849. Ezekiel S. Smith, vice Chipman, resigned ) : 1850. Cyrus Bacon, first, and Ezekiel S. Smith, second.
JUDGES OF THE CIRCUIT COURT.
1837. Epaphrodittis Ransom. presiding judge, and James Cava- naugh and Richard V. V. Crane, associate judges: 1839. Myron Strong, vice James Cavanaugh, resigned : 1841. Epaphroditus Ransom, presiding judge. John Barney and Thomas T. Glenn, associate judges ; 1845. F. Ransom, chief justice. Samuel F. Anderson and William H. Bacon, associates. Beginning with 1848 only the circuit judges are named : 1848, Charles W. Whipple: 1856, Nathaniel Bacon: 1864. Perrin M. Smith: 1866. Nathaniel Bacon: 1870. Daniel Blackman : 1872, Henry H. Coolidge: 1878. Charles W. Clisbee, appointed vice Judge Coolidge. resigned; 1878. Andrew J. Smith (elected to fill va- cancy ) : 1882. A. J. Smith : 1888, Thomas O'Hara: 1894. O. W. Cool- idge: 1800 (on formation of 36th judicial circuit), H. D. Smith, ap- pointed to fill out the term: 1900, John R. Carr; 1906. L. B. Des Voignes.
JUDGES OF PROBATE.
1831. Elias B. Sherman : 1837-40. Horace B. Dunning: 1841-64. Clifford Shannahan: 1864-68, Matthew T. Garvey: 1869-96. William
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
P. Bennett: 1896 (appointed to vacancy ). L. B. Des Voignes; 1897- 1906, Chester E. Cone (appointed to vacancy caused by resignation of Des Voignes ).
CIRCUIT COURT COMMISSIONERS.
1853. Elias B. Sherman : 1855, Henry H. Coolidge: 1857, James M. Spencer: 1859-60. Charles W. Clisbee; 1861-64, Uzziel Putnam. Jr; 1867-8, George Miller: 1869-70, Joseph B. Clarke: 1871-2. John R. Carr and N. B. Hollister: 1873-4. Joseph B. Clarke and George L. Linder: 1875-80, George Ketcham and Joseph B. Clarke; 1881-82. George Ketcham and John F. Tryon: 1883-84, John F. Tryon, Percy L. Edwards: 1885-86, John F. Tryon *. Coy W. Hendryx: 1887-90, Charles E. Sweet, Randolph T. Edwards: 1891-92. Cassius M. Eby. E. Esli Harwood: 1893-94, Cassius M. Eby. Joseph R. Edwards: 1805- 96. Cassius M. Eby, Joseph R. Edwards: 1897-98, Cassius M. Eby. Joseph R. Edwards: 1899-00, Joseph R. Edwards, Walter C. Jones ; 1901-02, Chester E. Cone, George M. Field; 1903-04, C. E. Cone. Joseph R. Edwards : 1905. C. E. Cone, Joseph R. Edwards.
COUNTY CLERKS.
1830 (appointed by governor). Joseph L. Jacks; 1833. Martin C. Whitman : 1835-40, Henly C. Lybrook : 1840-41, H. B. Dunning: 1842- 43, H. C. Lybrook; 1844-49, George Sherwood: 1851-52, William Seares: 1853-56, E. B. Warner; 1857-58, Benj. F. Rutter; 1859-62. Charles G. Lewis: 1863-66, Ira Brownell; 1867-78. Charles L. Mor- ton: 1870-80-82, Joseph R. Edwards: 1883-80, Samuel W. Breece : 1887-90, Barak L. Rudd: 1891-92. Abner M. Moon: 1893-95, Robert C. Sloan: 1897-98. U. S. Eby: 1809-co. John B. Harmon; 1901-02, C. O. Harmon: 1903-04. Jesse M. Palmer: 1905 -. C. W. Rinehart.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
1831. Elias B. Sherman: 1840-42, Ezekiel S. Smith: 1843-52, James Sullivan : 1853-54. H. H. Coolidge; 1855-62. Andrew J. Smith : 1863-64. Charles W. Clisbee: 1865-68. Andrew J. Smith: 1860-70, George Miller: 1871-72. William G. Howard: 1873-74. Spafford Tryon : 1875-76. Marshall L. Howell : 1877-80. Harsen D. Smith: 1881- 83. Joseph B. Clarke: 1883-86. John R. Carr: 1887-90, Freeman J. Atwell: 1891-92, L. B. Des Voignes: 1893-96, Charles E. Sweet : 1897-1900. C. M. Eby: 1901-02. U. S. Eby : 1903-, George M. Fields.
* NOTE-Died before beginning the term and L. H. Glover filled vacancy by ap- pointment.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
SITERIFFS.
.
1830-32. George Meacham: 1832-34, Henry H. Fowler ; 1835-36. Eber Root: 1830-40, M. V. Hunter: 1840-42. Walter G. Beckwith: 1842-44, James L. Glenn; 1844-46, Walter G. Beckwith: 1846-49. Barak Mead: 1851-52, Andrew Woods; 1853-54, Walter G. Beck- with: 1855-56, Joseph Harper: 1857-00. Joseph N. Marshall: 1861- 62. B. W. Schermerhorn: 1863-66, William K. Palmer: 1867-70. Zacheus Aldrich : 1871-72, Levi J. Reynolds : 1873-74, William J. Mer- vin: 1875-76, J. Boyd Thomas; 1877-80. James H. Stamp: 1881-82. John .A. Jones: 1883-86. Frank M. Sanders: 1887-90. Jacob McIntosh; 1891-92. William Reagan: 1893-94, William H. Coulter; 1895-96, N. J. Crosby: 1897-00, William Reagan: 1901-04. Fred . Hadsell : 1905 -. E. J. Russey.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
1831, Andrew Grubb (appointed) : 1833. Jacob Silver ( appoint- ed) : 1836, Eher Root: 1837, Joseph Harper: 1838. Isaac Seares: 1839, Joseph Harper: 1840-43. Amos Fuller; 1844-45. Asa Kingsbury: 1846- 49. Joshua Lofland: 1850-51. Henry R. Close: 1852-53. Henry Tiet- sort: 1854-57, Jefferson Osborn: 1858-59, William W. Peck: 1860- 61. Ira Brownell; 1862-65. J. K. Ritter: 1866-69. Isaac Z. Edwards: 1870-73. Anson L. Dunn: 1875-78. Hiram S. Hadsell: 1879-82, R. L. Van Ness: 1883-86, John Manning : 1887-90, James G. Hayden : 1891- 94. Thomas J. Edwards: 1895-98. Norris Richardson: 1899-02, Alonzo P. Beeman: 1903-06, George W. Gard.
REGISTER OF DEEDS.
1833. T. H. Edwards: 1835. Alex. H. Redfield: 1836-37. Will- iam Arrison: 1838-42. Joseph Harper: 1843-54. David M. Howell; 1855-64. Ariel E. Peck: 1865-68. William L. Jackways: 1860-72, Joel Cowgill; 1873-76, Henry L. Barney: 1877-82. Stephen L. George; 1883-88. William M. Bunbury: 1889-92. Charles O. Harmon; 1893- 96, Zebedee Beverly: 1807-1900, Edwin M. Lindsley: 1901-04. Her- mann Roebeck: 1905-, Warner D. Jones.
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
1831. E. B. Sherman; 1834. John Woolman: 1838. J. C. Saxton : 1840, Henry Walton: 1842-48. David P. Ward: 1849-50. Charles G. Banks: 1851-54. David P. Ward: 1855-56. Amos Smith: 1857-60. Imos Smith : 1861-62, H. O. Banks; 1863-64. Amos Smith : 1865-70.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
H. O. Banks: 1871-74, John C. Bradt: 1875-76, Austin .A. Bramer: 1877-82, Amos Smith; 1883-86, Charles G. Banks; 1887-88, John C. Bradt : 1889-1902, Fred E. Smith; 1903-, John S. Haines.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
April, 1867, Chauncey L. Whitney, elected. He resigned in Oc- tober of same year and the vacancy was filled by the appointment of Albert H. Gaston, who held the office during 1868; 1869-70, Irvin Clendenen ; 1871-72, Lewis P. Rinehart; 1873-74, Samuel Johnson. (For other county school officers see chapter on Education in State and County. )
TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS.
It will be noticed that in the case of the townships which were organized previous to 1838 the period of 1839-40-41 shows the office of supervisor not filled. This was due to a change from the township supervisors' board to a board of county commissioners as the govern- ing body of the county. In each township during that time one or more assessors were elected, whose duty it was to assess the property, a duty before and since performed by the supervisor. Where the names appear in the list of supervisors it should be remembered that they were the assessors. The county commissioner plan did not long re- main in favor. In this connection it will be of interest to quote from an old southern Michigan paper dated February 18, 1842: "The legis- lature has abolished the office of county commissioners. The commis- sioner system was first projected by Mr. James O'Dell of Cass county. Mr. O'Dell labored hard in 1836 to get such a law passed and in 1838 the system was established." The act creating the board of county com- missioners was repealed February 10, 1842, and on the second Monday in April following the boards of supervisors in the counties through- out the state began performing their duties.
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