USA > Michigan > Gazetteer of the State of Michigan, in three parts with a succinct history of the State, from the earliest period to the present time with an appendix, containing the usual statistical tables, and a directory for emigrants, &c > Part 21
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Shiawassee, in conjunction with Genesee and Clinton, sends one representative to the legislature, and belongs to the third senatorial district, which elects three senators. Population, 1,184.
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Is bounded on the north by Sanilac, east by Lake Huron and Strait of St. Clair, which separate it from the Province of Upper Canada, south by Lake St. Clair and Macomb, and west by Macomb and Lapeer. It was organized in 1821, and contains an area of 935 square miles. Seat of justice, Palmer.
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GAZETTEER
ST. CLAIR.
Water courses .- Black, Belle, Pine, and Swan rivers, and Mill creek.
Organized Townships .- China, Clay, Columbus, Clyde, Cottrelville, Ira, Lexington, Riley, St. Clair, Port Huron. Villages .- Algonac, Palmer, Port Huron, Newport.
The surface is generally undulating. In the south and east it is heavily timbered and fertile. There is some prairie land on Lake St. Clair, and likewise on the St. Clair river. The soil of the northern and western parts is sandy, yet it is said to be in a good measure productive. The greatest present source of wealth to the county is its heavy pine timber, which predominates in this section. In pass- ing over the county, the traveller occasionally observes swamps and marshes covered with tamarack, sometimes spruce, and forests of red and white cedar, especially on the Lake Huron shore. Being, in a commercial point of view, so eligibly situated, it enjoys superior facilities for exporting its products to various parts, not only of Michi- gan, but to the adjacent States. The products of agricul- ture find their market mostly within the county. Pine lum- ber is the staple export. It was estimated, by competent judges, that the manufacture of lumber during the past year, exceeded 12,000,000 feet. The following account exhibits the exports of Desmond and Clyde townships for 1836, most of which were shipped from Port Huron, at the mouth of Black river, and a portion from Palmer, at the mouth of Pine river.
There are twelve saw mills, which keep in constant ope- ration twenty saws, and cut of pine 10,000,000 feet, at an average of $10, per thousand, $100,000,00 Square timber, 500,000 feet, ($40 per thousand,) 20,000,00 Do. do. shipped to Detroit, 49577 cubic feet, (3} cts. per foot,) 1,735,19
Logs shipped to Detroit, 1,528 reduced to board
measure, 292,226 feet, (at $2.50 per thou- sand feet,) 730,56
Shingles, 500,000 ($2 per thousand,) 10,000,00
Spars, 100, ($10 per spar,) 1,000,00
Tan Bark, 800 cords, ($3 per cord,) 2,400,00
Steam Boat Wood, 2,000 cords ($1,50 per cord,) 3,000,00 Fish, 2,500 bbls. ($5 per bbl.) 12,500,00
Amount of exports,
$151,365,75
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OF MICHIGAN.
ST. JOSEPH.
This is one of the elder counties of the State, but the set- tlements have been made mostly in its southern and south- eastern half, or on the St. Clair strait. Considerable por- tions of the government lands in the north, are unsold. It belongs to the Detroit Land District.
St. Clair sends one representative to the legislature, and belongs to the fourth senatorial district, which elects two senators. Population, 3,673.
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
Is bounded on the north by Kalamazoo, east by Branch, south by the State of Indiana, and west by the county of Cass. It was organized in 1829, and contains a surface of 528 square miles. Seat of justice, Centerville.
Water courses .- The St. Joseph is the principal stream. Swan creek, Pine creek, Bear creek, Portage river, Rocky river, McInlerfer's creek, Pigeon river, Crooked river, Prairie river.
Organized Townships .- Bucks, Bur Oak, Colon, Con- stantine, Fawn River, Florence, Flowerfield, Leonidas, Mottville, Nottawa, Park, Sherman, White Pigeon.
Villages .- Constantine, Centerville, White Pigeon, Three Rivers, Mottville.
This was formerly considered the best county in the State. The surface of the country is moderately undula- ting. The soil is exceedingly fertile, and consists princi- pally of oak openings and prairies. There is, however, a sufficiency of timber found in the western part of the county, as high up as the Portage river, and down as low as the Grand Traverse. The principal prairies are Sturges, White Pigeon, and Nottawasepee, which are not exceeded for their fertility, by any in this or any other State. There are innumerable water privileges in this county, especially on the St. Joseph, Hog creek, Crooked, Portage, and Pigeon rivers. The public lands are mostly taken up. This county is included in the Kalamazoo Land District.
St. Joseph elects two representatives, and belongs to the seventh senatorial district, which elects two senators to the State legislature. Population, 6,337.
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GAZETTEER
VAN BUREN .- WASHTENAW.
VAN BUREN COUNTY
Is bounded on the north by Allegan, east by Kalamazoo, south by Cass and Berrien, and west by Berrien and Lake Michigan. It was organized in 1837, and contains 633 square miles.
Water courses .- The Pawpaw is the principal stream ; South Branch of Black river, Dowagiake, Brush creek, the north, east, and south branches of the Pawpaw.
Lakes .- Cedar, Grass, Round, Bankson's, Sister, Four Mile, and Onion.
Organized Townships .- Antwerp, Clinch, Covington, Decatur, La Fayette, Lawrence, South Haven.
Villages .- Mason, Pawpaw, Keelersville.
The surface of Van Buren very much resembles that of Kalamazoo county. About one half of it is heavily timber- ed, and the remainder is open land. There are no prairies. There is some valuable pine timber in the county-the oth- er timber is the same as that of Kalamazoo. The Paw- paw, the Black river, and their tributaries, furnish numerous and valuable mill sites. The Pawpaw is boatable 70 miles from its mouth, to the county seat. The county is new, being but a few years since its lands were brought into market. It contains much desirable land for agricultural purposes, which is fast being entered and settled. It be- longs to the Kalamazoo Land District.
Van Buren, in conjunction with Cass, sends two repre- sentatives, and belongs to the seventh senatorial district, which returns two senators to the legislature. Population, 1,262.
WASHTENAW COUNTY
Is bounded on the north by Livingston and Oakland, east bv Wayne, south by Monroe and Lenawee, and west by Jackson. It was organized in 1826, and has an area of 720 square miles. Seat of justice, Ann Arbour.
Water courses .- The Huron, the Raisin ; Mullet's creek, Honey creek, Mill creek, Paint creek, Macon and Saline rivers.
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OF MICHIGAN.
WAYNE.
Lakes .- Whitmore's, Forty Acre, Columbia and Portage. Organized Townships .- Ann Arbour, Augusta, Bridge- water, Dexter, Freedom, Lima, Lodi, Lyndon, Manchester, Northfield, Pitt, Salem, Saline, Scio, Sharon, Superior, Sylvan, York, Ypsilanti, Webster.
Villages .- Ann Arbour, Ypsilanti, Dexter, Saline.
The surface is gently undulating. The soil is very pro- lific, and is generally a deep, black, sand loam, and clay.
Prairies, oak openings, and heavily timbered land, alter- nate throughout the whole county, in which they are so agreeably diversified, as to present a very beautiful and pic- turesqe aspect to the traveller. Of timber, is found the beech, white wood, walnut, maple, butternut, red, white, and black oak, basswood, with a great variety of the other kinds of forest trees. Mill sites are numerous, and many of them are in progress of improvement, for manufacturing of various kinds ; though the capitalist can find many unimproved that might be usefully employed, on the Raisin, the Huron, and its branches. Taken together, the coun- ty of Washtenaw, for agriculture, facilities of manufactur- ing, and beauty of country, generally, is not exceeded by any in the State. The southern tier of townships belongs to the Monroe, and the remainder to the Detroit Land Dis- trict.
Washtenaw returns six representatives, and is included in the fifth senatorial district, which sends three senators to the legislature. Population, 20,176.
WAYNE COUNTY
Is bounded on the north by Oakland and Macomb, east by Lake St. Clair, and the Detroit, which separate it from Upper Canada; south by Monroe, and west by Washtenaw. There is no record of its organization in the archives of this State. It is said, from the best verbal authority, to have been organized by Gen. Wayne, in August, 1796, co- extensively with the Peninsula, and it sent delegates to Chil- licothe, then the capital of the North-Western Territory. Its present area is limited to about 600 square miles. Seat of justice, the city of Detroit.
Water courses .- The Rouge and the Huron ; Milk creek,
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GAZETTEER
WAYNE.
Tremble's creek, Bloody run, River aux Ecorces, Mon- guagon creek, Brownstown creek, Muddy creek, Woods creek, Swan creek, south, middle, and north branches of the Rouge, Tonquish creek, Collins' creek, Ruldeau's creek, Campbell's creek.
Organized Townships .- Brownstown, Canton, Dear- born, Detroit, Ecorce, Greenfield, Hamtramck, Huron, Li- vonia, Monguagon, Nankin, Plymouth, Redford, Romulus, Spring Wells, Van Buren.
Villages .- Dearbornville, Plymouth, Northville, Red- ford, Gibralter, Flat Rock ..
The surface of Wayne is generally level, but in the west- ern part, undulating. The predominating quality of soil is clay, and in the southern and western part are found some small sections of sandy loam. There are but few openings, and those are diminutive; the greater portion is heavily timbered land. There is a belt of black ash swamp, twenty-five or thirty feet above, and running parallel with the Detroit, and extending from the Rouge nearly to Lake St. Clair, which was considered valueless, till recently, by leveling and draining, it is established without doubt, to be not only reclaimable, but to be, after draining, some of the best quality of land, and capable of a high state of cultiva- tion. This marsh is found to be caused by beaver dams. This county is generally first rate grass land. The west- ern part is peculiarly well fitted for small grain of every kind. On the Rouge and its branches, in the western part, is considerable water power, both used and unoccupied. Lime stone of an excellent quality, much used for manu- facture and transportation, is found in Monguagon town- ship. Bog iron ore, of a reported good quality, is found in considerable quantities in the township of Greenfield. Several sulphur springs are known to exist in the township of Brownstown. The south-west corner township, and one half of the township of Huron, belong to the Monroe, and the remainder to the Detroit Land District.
Wayne elects seven representatives, and composes the first senatorial district, which elects two senators to the le- gislature. Population, 23,400.
GAZETTEER OF MICHIGAN.
PART THIRD.
TOPOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS.
Containing a particular description of all the organized townships, villages, post offices, water courses, lakes, bays, prairies, capes, islands, &c., within the State.
ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED.
A
Ada, a recent settlement at the mouth of the Thorn Ap- ple river, in Kent county, contains a post office and a few inhabitants. It has a very handsome location, and possesses valuable water power on the Thorn Apple, which is about to be improved.
Adams township, Hillsdale county, consists of township six south, of range two west. Statistics as per census .- Population, 279 .- A saw mill; 1,543 bushels wheat, 1,065 bushels corn, 1,220 bushels oats, 91 bushels buckwheat ; 147 pounds flax ; 217 head neat stock, 12 horses, 40 sheep, 276 hogs.
Adamsville, .a village handsomely situated in the southern part of the county of Cass, on both sides of the Christiana
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ADD
ADR
ALB
river. It has a post office, flouring mill intended for 6 run of stone, 3 are now in operation; a saw mill, 2 stores, and a physician. The Chicago road passes through it. It is flourishing. Distant 12 miles from Cassopolis, and 163 south-west of Detroit.
Addison township, Oakland county, is comprised of town- ship five north, of range eleven east. Statistics as per cen- sus .- Population 343 .- A grist mill, 2 saw mills.
ADRIAN, a village, post office, and seat of justice for the county of Lenawee, in the township of Logan, and near the township line of Logan and Lenawee, opposite the junc- tion of Beaver creek with a branch of the Raisin river. Here is a bank, 3 churches, one each for presbyterians, bap- tists and methodists, the two former of which are hand- some brick edifices ; a book store, printing office that issues a weekly newspaper, a flouring mill with 2 run of stone, a saw mill, pottery, iron foundry, tannery, 2 forwarding and commission stores, 2 extensive leather and shoe stores, an extensive cabinet factory propelled by water, 15 dry goods stores, 4 large grocery establishments, a druggist, 2 large hollow ware stores, 6 lawyers, and 4 physicians. There is an appropriation for, and the work commenced of building a court house, jail, and Register's office, the former of which is to be of brick, at an expense of $10,000. The rail road from Toledo to this place, went into operation in October, 1836. Here is a respectable select school, of some 40 or 50 pupils, in which are taught the classical and ordinary branches of education. Adrian is at present one of the most flourishing villages in Michigan. It possesses extensive hydraulic advantages and artificial facilities for intercom- munication with different important points, and an enter- prise and capital that executes the projects of public and individual importance. It is said 100 buildings were erected in 1936, and that an equal number would be, in 1837. It has a pleasant location, and a population estimated at 1,200. Distant 65 miles south-west of Detroit, and (by way of De- troit ) 591, and (by way of Monroe) 523 north west Wash- ington city.
Aince's village, a Chippewa village at Oak Point.
Albion township, Calhoun county, is comprised in town- ship three south, of range four west. Statistics as per cen- sus .- Population, 773 .- A saw mill; 7,166 bushels wheat,
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OF MICHIGAN.
ALG
ALL ALL
5,300 bushels corn, 7,285 bushels oats; 547 head neat stock, 99 horses, 167 sheep, 648 hogs.
Algonac village of, vide Manchester.
Albion, a village of recent origin, situated on the Kala- mazoo river, on the located route of the central rail road, in Albion township, Calhoun county. It has a post office, a saw mill, a flouring mill, a tavern, 3 stores, and 4 physi- cians. It is on the surveyed road from Monroe to Marshall, and one and a half miles south of the territorial road, ten miles from Marshall, and 100 from Detroit. It contains about 40 dwellings, and is in a thriving condition.
Allegan township, Allegan county, consists of townships one, two, three, and four, north of range thirteen and four- teen west. Statistics as per census .- Population, 621 .- 5 saw mills, 4 merchants.
ALLEGAN, the seat of justice for Allegan county, pleas- antly situated on both banks of the Kalamazoo river, in Allegan township. It has a post office, 3 dry goods stores, a provision store, a furnace, a banking association, 2 law- yers, and a physician. A select school has recently been commenced, which is respectable.
Allegan has an elevated location of about 30 feet above the river, on a dry, sandy soil, and commands a view of some beautiful scenery. It is on the routes of the Grandville State road and the State road leading to Battle creek. The Marshall and Allegan rail-road is chartered to pass through it, and which is in progress of construction. Allegan was laid out in 1835, and has since been flourishing-50 frame buildings were estimated to have been built during 1836, and as many more were expected for '37. The principal business here is the manufacturing of lumber. It was esti- mated that 3 or 4 million feet of lumber was exported the past season. Two bridges are building across the Kalama- zoo, which will connect the adjacent parts of the village. The village stands at the head of navigation, and commands eight feet of hydraulic power for manufacturing purposes. Population estimated at 700. Distant 160 miles west of Detroit, and 686 north-west Washington city.
Allen township, Hillsdale county, consists of township . six south, of range four west. Statistics as per census .- Population, 353 .- 2 saw mills ; a merchant ; 3,057 bushels wheat, 110 bushels rye, 1,830 bushels corn, 7,114 bushels
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GAZETTEER
AMH
ANN
ANN
oats, 425 bushels buckwheat; 242 head neat stock, 51 horses, 42 sheep, 310 hogs.
Amherstburg, a village in the province of Upper Canada, in Malden township, Essex county, situated one and a half miles from the mouth of the Detroit, and on its eastern bank, opposite Bois Blanc and the southern part of Fight- ing Islands. It is compact, but generally built in an indif- ferent manner. It is a port of entry, has a post office, a bank, 7 stores, considerable trade, and some shipping. The site of Fort Malden occupies the northern part of the village. The village has not flourished since the war of 1812. It is inhabited by a few English, Dutch, and some Americans ; the balance of the population are insolent ne- groes. Distant 16 miles south of Sandwich.
Ann Arbour township, Washtenaw county, consists of township two south, range six east. Statistics as per cen- sus .- Population, 2,944 .- A grist mill, 5 saw mills, a card- ing machine, a cloth dressing shop, a distillery ; 18 mer- chants; 10,721 bushels wheat, 18,065 bushels corn, 18,860 bushels oats, 2,592 bushels buckwheat; 1,062 head neat stock, 164 horses, 337 sheep, 1,280 hogs.
ANN ARBOUR, a village, post office, and seat of justice for the county of Washtenaw, in a township of the same name, situated on the west bank of the Huron river. It has a court house, jail, a bank, 2 banking associations, 4 churches-one, each, for presbyterians, baptists, episcopa- lians, and universalists,-2 printing offices, which issue two weekly newspapers,-a book store, 2 druggists, a flouring mill with 6 run of stone, a saw mill, woollen factory, card- ing machine, iron foundry, an extensiveplough manufactory, 2 tanneries, 17 dry goods stores, 11 lawyers, and 9 physicians. Here is a flourishing academy-number of pupils, about 70. The legislature has established the location of the Univer- sity of Michigan at this place. It is passed through by the Detroit and St. Joseph state road, and by the state rail-road between those two places. There is likewise a charter for a rail-road connecting it with Monroe. Ann Arbour bears the reputation, generally, of being one of the most pleas- ant and flourishing inland towns in the State. It is regu- larly laid out, on an elevated and dry soil ; but it is not very compact. There is considerable hydraulic power in the
249
OF MICHIGAN,
ANT
ASH
AUG
vicinity. Population estimated at 2,000. Distant 40 miles west Detroit and 566 N. W. Washington city.
Antwerp township, Van Buren county, is comprised in township three south, of range thirteen west. Popula- tion, 232.
Armada township, in the north-eastern part of Macomb county. It has a post office of the same name. Mail once a week. Statistics as per census .- Population, 1,001. -3 saw mills, a carding machine; 7,676 bushels wheat, 971 bushels rye, 2,918 bushels corn, 2,869 bushels oats, 364 bushels buckwheat ; 430 lbs. flax ; 773 head neat stock, 104 horses, 416 sheep, 591 hogs; 539 yards wool- len and cotton goods.
Argentine township, Genesee county, consists of town- ships five north, ranges five and six east. Statistics as per census .- Population, 434 .- Has 4 saw mills, one merchant.
Ash township embraces all that part of the county of Monroe lying north-west of Stoney creek. Statistics as per census -Population, 1,011 .- 4 saw mills, 2 merchants ; 3,965 bushels wheat, 30 bushels rye, 3,815 bushels corn, 3,750 bushels oats, 520 bushels buckwheat ; 200 lbs. flax ; 14 tons potashes ; 772 head neat stock, 149 horses, 32 sheep, 847 hogs.
Atlas township, Lapeer county, consists of township six north, of range eight east.
Athens township, Calhoun county, consists of townships three and four south, of range eight west. Statistics as per census .- Population, 288 .- A saw mill; 7,040 bushels wheat, 36 bushels rye, 716 bushels corn, 1,900 bushels oats, 2,250 bushels buckwheat; 180 head neat stock, 43 horses, 28 sheep, 182 hogs.
Auburn, a village and post office, Pontiac township, coun- ty of Oakland, situated on the north side of the river Clin- ton. It contains a banking association, a flouring mill with 2 run of stone, a saw mill, a tannery, 2 stores, an academy, a baptist church, and a physician. Distant 4 miles from Pontiac, 23 from Detroit, 549 N. W. Washington city.
Augusta, a village in Kalamazoo county, on the south side of Kalamazoo river, just commenced, with improve- ments making to some extent. It has a tavern, 2 saw mills, and several dwellings. There is a fine farming country
250
GAZETTEER
AUG
BAD
BAR
around it. Distant 12 miles from Kalamazoo, and 10 from Battle Creek.
Augusta township, Washtenaw county, embraces town- ship four south, range seven east. Statistics as per census. -Population, 559 .- 2,845 bushels wheat, 5,307 bushels corn, 2,352 bushels oats, 409 bushels buchwkeat ; 345 lbs. flax ; 480 head neat stock, 49 horses, 66 sheep, 524 hogs.
Aurelius township, Ingham county, consists of townships one, two, three, and four north, of ranges one and two west.
Avon township, Oakland county, consists of township three north of range eleven east. It contains the village of Rochester. The Clinton river waters it, and furnishes some excellent mill-sites. Statistics as per census .- Popu- lation, 1,289 .- 5 grist mills, 6 saw mills, 3 carding ma- chines, 3 cloth dressing shops, a distillery, 7 merchants.
B.
Bad river, a stream which takes its rise on the southern border of Saginaw county, and flows north, emptying into the Hare river, a branch of the Saginaw river-a State ca- nal is connecting it with Maple river.
Bainbridge township, Berrien county, is comprised in township four south, of range seventeen west. Statistics as per census .- Population, 99 .- 3,800 bushels wheat, 1,440 bushels corn, 80 bushels oats, 50 bushels buckwheat; 81 head neat stock, 8 horses, 97 hogs.
Bainbridge post office, Bainbridge township, Berrien county. Mail received once a week.
Bankson's Lake, a small collection of water of about two miles in length, by three fourths of a mile in breadth, situated in the south-easterly township of Van Buren county.
Barry, a village and post office, Sandstone township, coun- ty of Jackson, situated on Sandstone creek. . It is a small but flourishing settlement, and contains 2 stores, a saw- mill, and 2 physicians. Here is a quarry of sandstone. It is on the State road from Detroit to St. Joseph, and on the route of the Detroit and St. Joseph rail-road. Dis- tant 6 miles from Jackson and 86 from Detroit.
Barsalo river, a diminutive stream that empties into Lake Superior, east of the mouth of the St. John's river in the Upper Peninsula.
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OF MICHIGAN.
BAS
BAT
BAY
Bass Lake, an inconsiderable collection of water in Hamburgh township, in the southern part of the county of Livingston. It has a communication with Portage lake, an expansion of the Huron river. Its length is about one mile, and it abounds with fish of a fine quality.
Batavia township, Branch county, consists of township six south, of range seven west. Statistics as per census .- Population, 357 .- A saw mill, 3,320 bushels wheat, 7,257 bushels corn, 8,650 bushels oats, 365 bushels buckwheat ; 120 lbs. flax ; 184 head neat stock, 52 horses, 232 hogs.
Battle Creek, a flourishing village in the north-western part of the county of Calhoun, situated at the junction of Battle creek and the Kalamazoo river. It contains a bank- ing association, 6 stores, 2 taverns, 2 saw mills, 2 flour mills, 2 machine shops, a saddlery, cabinet manufactory, 2 smitheries, besides several other mechanic shops. The hydraulic advantages are said to be some of the best in the State. Distant 12 miles N. W. Marshall, and 122 from Detroit. Population, estimated at 400.
Battle creek, or Wapikisko, the most considerable branch of the Kalamazoo river that flows into it on its northern bank, has its source in Narrow lake, in Eaton county, and flowing north for the first ten miles of its course, thence south-west, through the county of Eaton, which it leaves at its south-western corner, and enters Calhoun coun- ty, thence south-west, till it discharges its waters into the Kalamazoo river, at the village of Battle Creek, in town- ship two south, of range eight west, section one. Its length is not less than 40 miles, and by its serpentine course it is much longer. It is noted for its mill privileges, stone quarries, and fine bottom lands, and the heavy timber which covers them. The Indian name of its northern branch is Wandogna. It is understood that the name of Battle creek took its origin from an adventure, arising out of a dispute between the first surveyors of the public lands and the Indians, in which two of the latter were killed.
Baubese or St. Joseph Lake, near the centre of the coun- ty of Hillsdale, is about two and a half miles long, by one and a half wide. It abounds in various kinds of fish.
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