USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens > Part 17
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In 1872 the equalized valuation of Monitor
township was $45,023, while in 1882 it had increased to $274,220. The population in 1874 was 554; in 1880 it was 931 ; in 1894 it had grown to 1,784; and in 1900, largely owing to the influx of coal miners, it was 2,150. The officers of Monitor township in 1905 are: Supervisor, Henry Moeller; clerk, Charles Thurau; treasurer, John H. Popp; justice of the peace, W. P. McGrath; highway commis- sioner, Fred Schmidt.
MOUNT FOREST township was erected by the Board of Supervisors on January 14, 1890. The following residents of Pinconning town- ship petitioned for the separation : John T. Lynch, Clarence Fairchild, Charles Miller, Michael Paul, Lawrence, Joseph and George Wasielewski, Hugh Stevenson, John Barie, Fred Moore, George Collins, John Jankowiak and George Capter. Supervisor George Barie, of Pinconning approved of the petition, and thus sections I to 36, township 17 north, range 3 east, were set apart as the new township of Mount Forest. Mount Forest township is bounded by Gibson township on the north, by Pinconning township on the east, by Garfield township on the south and by Midland County on the west.
The first election was held at the home of Clarence Fairchild, and John T. Lynch, Clar- ence Fairchild and Charles Miller were the election inspectors. The following were the first township officials: John T. Lynch, super- visor; Cash Kelley, clerk; John L. Hudson, treasurer ; Henry V. Lucas, school inspector.
Since Mount Forest is the youngest, so is it also numerically the weakest, of the 14 town- ships of Bay County. But its fine track of hardwood timber has been opened up with branch logging-railways from the Gladwin Branch of the Michigan Central Railroad, and
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the last large belt of primitive forest in Bay is gradually falling before the advancing set- tlers and pioneers. Fifteen years ago the log- ging camps followed the rivers, where the water furnished a somewhat erratic but cheap transportation for the logs. In this 20th cen- tury the "Captains of Industry" simply con- struct spur tracks into the timber tracts, and these are doing much to open up this virgin section to settlement.
Many of the settlers are Polish emigrants, rugged sons of toil, who know and appre- ciate the difference between the tyranny of darkest Russia, where every avenue of progress is closed to them, and the independence, enlightenment and opportu- nity open to all the children of men. The disastrous war which Russian autocracy is waging against progressive Japan has driven many emigrants to these shores within the last year, and a good proportion have gone into the wilds of Mount Forest to make their homes and their fortunes.
The village of Mount Forest on the Glad- win Branch is the trading center and post office for Mount Forest township, and lies a little west of where the Garfield stone road will cross Mount Forest. The population of Mount For- est township was 265 in 1894, and 350 in 1900. The next decade will find this more than trebled. The present township officers are : Supervisor, John Anderson ; clerk, James Quig- ley; treasurer, James Bryce; justice of the peace, William Pregor; highway commis- sioner, William Quigley, Jr.
PINCONNING TOWNSHIP was created by act of the Legislature, approved February 28, 1873, in conjunction with Deep River and Standish townships, which with Arenac then
belonged to Bay County, but have since been erected into separate county organization. Originally Pinconning consisted of township 17 north, ranges 3, 4 and 5 east. The first town meeting was held at the warehouse of Kaiser & VanEtten, on the first Monday in April, 1873. E. B. Knight, Louis Pelkey and H. Packard were the election inspectors, and Joseph U. Meechin was the first supervisor chosen at this election.
The Indians, who long made this part of the Saginaw Bay region one of their main fishing and hunting grounds, called the Pin- conning River . "O-pin-nic-con-ing", meaning "potato place," for wild potatoes grew abund- antly in this neighborhood, and cultivation has since made this the potato belt of the county. The White Feather River in the northern part of the township was also named by the Indians in honor of one of the most famous Chippewa chiefs of the last century, who took the cruel "sun bath" on its shores. The large Indian settlements at the mouth of both rivers are gradually dwindling away, but an old log mis- sion church is a vivid reminder at the mouth of the Pinconning of the earliest efforts in Michigan to Christianize the natives.
As early as 1850, Louis Chapell owned and operated a small water-mill at the mouth of the Pinconning, and in 1853 L. A. Pelkey began fishing there. The entire township was cov- ered with pine in those years, and the giants of the forest soon attracted attention. In the early "sixties" lumber operations began along both rivers, and when Frederick A. Kaiser of Kaw- kawlin entered the field, the township enjoyed a genuine boom. In 1871 a fierce and destruc- tive forest fire swept over part of these woods, leaving a wide trail of havoc and destruction behind. In 1873 Kaiser & VanEtten laid out the village of Pinconning, and the place has prospered until 1905 it is the leading village
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outside of Essexville, which latter is really but a suburb of Bay City.
In recent years the pine barrens have been taken up by practical farmers, and the township is rapidly taking its place as an agricultural community among the older and earlier settled townships. The hardwood timber is now quite valuable and ere long the last vestige of the great forest of Pinconning will have disap- peared.
Mount Forest township was carved out of Pinconning in 1890, so that at present Pin- conning is bounded on the north by Arenac County, on the east by Saginaw Bay, on the south by Fraser township and on the west by Mount Forest township. Many of the inhabi- tants, including a number of Indians, make a living by catching the finny tribes in river and bay, and many others still find work in the surviving sawmills, stave and heading mills and shingle mills, which in a comparatively small way are clearing up the remaining tim- ber north of Bay City. The population of Pin- conning township was 2,166 in 1894, and 2, 104 in 1900. This apparent loss in numbers is due to the decline of the lumber industry, the scattering of the Indians and the removal of many settlers to the newly-opened townships on the west and northwest. The pretty village of Pinconning is the natural mart of the town- ship and its neighbors of the west and north. The Mackinaw Branch of the Michigan Cen- tral Railroad has fine depot facilities at Pin- conning, which is also the southern terminal of .the Gladwin Branch of the Michigan Central ; Woodville is the last station in Pinconning township on the Gladwin Branch, and White Feather on the Mackinaw Branch. The town- ship has long been clamoring for stone road connection with Bay City, and the splendid stone road system of Bay County, one of the finest in the United States, is gradually being
extended to Pinconning. This township is bet- ter drained than some of its southern neighbors, and has less trouble and expense to keep up the drain system. Great improvements are an- nually being made to the township roads. The school system of the township is of a very high order, the village offering excellent school facilities, in addition to the little rural seats of culture and learning. The township officials for 1905 are: Supervisor, George Hartingh; clerk, L. A. Pelkey; treasurer, William T. Morris; highway commissioner, Peter Codey.
PORTSMOUTH. On March 25, 1859, the Board of Supervisors of Bay County erected the township of Portsmouth, and Appleton Stevens was its first supervisor. Being the oldest settlement, and lying somewhat higher than the village of Bay City, there was for some years a keen rivalry as to which of the two settlements should be the county seat. The trend of business, however, was to the north, to get nearer to Saginaw Bay, where many of the early settlers found profitable employment in fishing and trapping, and eventually the younger settlement forged to the front.
In 1855, William Daglish purchased a large portion of the plat of Portsmouth village, and had it surveyed and replatted by A. Alberts. Later additions were made to the plat by Medor Trombley and A. H. Ingraham. The settle- ment prospered with the passing years, new in- dustries springing up along the river front, and an army of industrious mechanics and laborers, many of them from Germany and Poland, sup- plied the brawn and sinew for these manufact- uring enterprises. In 1866, when the village was still independent of Bay City, the equalized valuation of Portsmouth was placed at $152,- 300, while in 1882, with the village consoli-
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dated with Bay City, the valuation was $288.705.
By act of the Legislature, approved April 15. 1871, "Sections 19 to 36, the same being the south half of Township 13 north, Range 6 east" were detached from Saginaw County and added to Portsmouth township. The supervi- sors now considered Portsmouth too bulky, so on July 8, 1871, they erected the township of Merritt, taking the territory largely from Portsmouth, and against the protests of all the settlers residing on "Sections 1, 2, 3, 10, II, 12. 13, 14 and 15, Town 13 north, Range 5 east." But these differences were duly ad- justed, and at the July meeting the supervisors allowed the tax levy for Portsmouth, including the amount for building a new town hall.
In 1873 the village of Portsmouth was consolidated with Bay City. All the township officials resided in the village, and their last act was to vote the money for paying for the town hall, and to deed the lot and building to Bay City! The officers of the reconstructed township sued the retiring treasurer for all the moneys remaining in his possession, which they secured, but the property remained with the city.
On April 1, 1873, the Legislature took the remaining portions of two sections, added 13 sections from Merritt and nearly six from Hampton, and created Portsmouth township as now constituted. The reconstructed township held its regular town election on April 5, 1873. Gen. B. F. Partridge was chosen supervisor, which office he filled for more than 10 years thereafter. Henry Hess was chosen town clerk, and Nelson Merritt, town treasurer.
The township contains some of the richest farms in the county, and has always been well managed. The township officials have pro- vided excellent drainage, good roads and three school houses for educational and meeting pur-
poses. The business of the inhabitants is done entirely in Bay City, which is easily reached over two fine stone roads and the South End electric car system. Its present officials are as follows: Supervisor, William Wagner; clerk, Fred M. Hubner; treasurer, Herman Ruterbush ; justice, Oscar F. Meiselbach; high- way commissioner, William Alberts. The pop- ulation of Portsmouth township was 1,222 in 1894 and 1,363 in 1900.
WILLIAMS township was erected by the Midland County Board of Supervisors in 1855, and originally comprised all of towns 14, 15, 16 north, range 3 east and all of Arenac County. Charles Bradford was the first super- visor. In 1857 Williams township became part of Bay County, being with Hampton, the . only organized township in the new county. George W. Smock was the first supervisor to represent Williams on the Bay County board. As the pioneers penetrated further into the wilds to the north and created new homes and new communities, they set up townships of their own, until to-day Williams is exactly six miles square, being bounded on the north by Beaver township, on the west by Midland County, on the south by Saginaw County, and on the east by Monitor township.
The pioneers, who made Williams one of the oldest settlements, laid the foundation for its prosperity as well as their own and their descendants'. In the fall of 1854 a party of land prospectors, including John Gaffney, Charles Bradford, George W. Smock, William Spofford and Charles Fitch were so well pleased with the well-watered region now con- stituting Williams township, that they forth- with went to the public land office at Flint and purchased the land upon which they soon after settled. John Gaffney felled the first tree on
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November 18, 1854. About that same year, William W. Skelton, A. J. Wiltse and Amos Culver located near what is now North Wil- liams. In 1855 came Samuel Rowden, John C. Rowden, David Jones, Josiah Perry, John Plant, and they were soon followed by other settlers who appreciated the many advantages of Williams township. Amos Culver and O. N. C. White erected the first square log house, with comb roof, and when Mrs. Culver and family arrived in January, 1855, the roof was only partially completed !
As we review the privations and the hard- ships of our pioneers, we are apt to forget that the women did as much practical work, dared and suffered as much as any of the sterner sex. Mrs. Charles Bradford came to Williams town- ship in February, 1855. A cousin, Lyman Brainerd, who also pitched his shack in this wilderness, carried her daughter, only 18 months old, for seven miles through the wood following the "blazed" trail cut by the pioneer surveyor, C. C. C. Chillson, on the line where he predicted the Midland road would be built, through mud, snow, ice and slush, to the log hut of her husband! Roving Indians were as common as roving packs of wolves, and both equally to be feared when hungry, thirsty or out of sorts. A blanket on a hard cot of oak slabs was a luxury after the hard day's work was over, while food and medicine had to be brought seven weary miles over the "blazed" trail from Bay City.
Amid such wild surroundings and under such dismal circumstances, with only the rug- ged husband and father for comfort and help, there was born to Mrs. Amos Culver, in 1855, the first white child to see the light of day in Williams township. In 1856 the first school was established at the home of Charles Brad- ford; Mrs. Charles Fitch, wife of one of the five original settlers, was the first teacher. The
first marriage in Williams was also performed at the home of Charles Bradford, Otto Roeser, justice, tying the nuptial knot for William Hendrick and Mrs. Arvilla Stewart. Little Miss Bradford, who was carried into the wilderness when 18 months old, became the township school teacher at the age of 17, and for 14 consecutive years served Williams town- ship in that capacity with credit to herself and profit to the scholars. The Bradfords were direct descendants of the illustrious William Bradford, second Governor of Plymouth Col- ony in Massachusetts and one of the Pilgrim Fathers.
In 1866 the now thriving hamlet of Fisher- ville, named after the redoubtable Hon. Spen- cer O. Fisher, Congressman, gubernatoral can- didate and one of Bay County's most able and prominent citizens, was known as "Spicer's Corners," where Hotchkiss & Mercer operated a sawmill, which was cutting plank for the Bay City and Midland plank road, and inci- dentally did a grist-mill business on a small scale.
A resident of Williams in 1866 enumerated the Methodist Bible class at North Williams, supplied with preaching every two weeks; a Universalist class, with preaching every four weeks; and a Sunday-school kept regularly, with a good library in connection. In the southern part of the township they also had a Sunday-school class, with occasional preaching, and altogether the institutions of religion and ethics were not totally neglected in the wilds of Williams.
The township grew more ambitious by 1868. The same resident, mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, urged the need of a post office, invited settlers to try Williams, where wild lands with good soil and fine pine and other timber could be bought for $5 per acre, and lauded the plank road, then completed,
THE NEW LIGHTHOUSE AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOR
BAY CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT, East Side Headquarters
THE RANGE LIGHTHOUSE AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOR
VIEW OF WENONA BEACH FROM THE TOP OF THE ROLLER COASTER
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which gave the settlement an easy road to mar- ket, and doubled the value of the farms, as the pioneers were not slow to notice. In 1868, Williams could boast one blacksmith shop, two saloons, and a Good Templar lodge of 43 members. Two sawmills and one shingle mill were being operated in the midst of the great forest.
By 1868 Williams township proper had over 300 inhabitants; in 1880 the population was 866; in 1894 it was 1,752, and in 1900 it was 1,818. In 1868 the township polled 47 votes ; in 1900, 301.
The soil is a rich loam, lying high enough for cultivation, and the pine stumpage offered good grazing for cattle. From the first the soil has been easily tilled and very productive. The old plank road has been superseded by the stone road which is as far superior to the rotten old planks, as the original plank road was ahead of the "blazed" trail. The Garfield stone road crosses Williams township north and south, with fine cross roads, so that the road problem is well solved. The Midland Branch of the Michigan Central Railroad crosses the very heart of Williams, and since coal exists be- neath the entire township the industrial devel- opment of that neighborhood will be both sub- stantial and rapid. Four feeders of the South Branch of the Kawkawlin River furnish the water supply and drainage, aided by numerous drains and ditches, all leading to the Kaw- kawlin.
The Polish settlers of that vicinity have built a fine house of worship at Fisherville, while the churches at the pretty village of Au- burn supply the several denominations. Wil- liams has an excellent school system, and post offices at Auburn and North Williams. Some of the largest and richest farms in the State of Michigan are situated in Williams township, monuments to the industry, perseverance, and
intelligent cultivation of its pioneers and their descendants. The town officers at present are : Linus W. Oviatt, supervisor ; George W. Mat- thews, clerk; E. E. Rosenkrans, treasurer; A. H. Buzzard, justice; August Constantine, high- way commissioner.
VILLAGES.
VILLAGE OF ESSEXVILLE .- In 1849, Joseph Hudson, a roving sailor, chanced to visit this harbor, and during a prospecting tour was favorably impressed with the prospects of the low-lying lands on the east bank of the Sagi- naw River and very near its mouth. Return- ing to Connecticut to marry Fidelia D. Essex, he told her brother, Ransom P. Essex, of the promised land in the Northwest. In 1850 Mr. Essex took up 80 acres of low land and Mr. Hudson 40 acres adjoining, on which the thriv- ing village of Essexville is now situated. Until 1855 the two pioneers followed the fishing bus- iness, but later took up farming.
In 1867, Mr. Essex set aside eight acres for village lots, the tract being the "west half of the northeast quarter of section 14, town 14 north, range 5 east." He called this embryo village "Essex" but the early settlers attached a "ville", and so the name has remained to this day,-"Essexville". An addition was soon laid out, to accommodate arriving settlers, and the humble homestead of the Essex family is to-day in the center of a hustling suburb of Greater Bay City.
The village of Essexville was incorporated by act of the Legislature in February, 1883. The charter election resulted as follows: Pres- 'ident, J. R. Hall; clerk, William Felker ; treas-' urer, George Hall; assessor, Louis Felker; highway commissioner, William Leighton; constable, H. VanWert ; trustees,-Philip Dar- gis, S. A. Hall, Joseph Hudson, Anthony John- son, John Garber and John Widen.
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Owing to the location of the village near the mouth of the river, the land lies low and re- quired, first of all, much drainage, before roads and fields became useful to the settlers. Wood- side avenue, through the village and east to the county line, was one of the county's earliest and best stone roads, replacing planks. Fine cross roads run north and south from Wood- side avenue to the Center avenue stone road. The old horse car system came early to Essex- ville, furnishing easy though somewhat slow communication with the business center of Bay City some three miles away, as judged by the standard of 1905, when modern electric cars speed over. the same route every 20 minutes.
The first school house in Essexville was built in 1870, Miss Corbin, teacher. In 1879 it was destroyed by fire, and immediately replaced by the commodious and well-arranged, two- story brick school, which has ever since fur- nished ample opportunity for the ambitious children of the village. As might be expected, the large and prosperous settlement of Hol- land and Belgian farmers, largely increased by immigration during 1873-75, soon erected their own church and parochial school house, which are to this day two of the prominent landmarks and seats of learning and worship in Essex- ville. The tall spire of St. John's Catholic Church is visible for miles around and on a quiet Sabbath morning the sweet chimes of the bells in the church belfry bid the community to worship. Well may the German poet, Theo. Koerner, sing :
Sweet day, so pure, so calm, so bright, The bridal of the earth and sky. Yon' chimes, so sweet, my soul's delight Wing thoughts from earth to realms on high.
Essexville was for some years a field for missionary effort by the churches of Bay City. In 1870 the Methodist Episcopal Church estab- lished a mission, and in 1872 Trinity Protest-
ant Episcopal Church established a mission and later built a chapel. In 1879 Rev. J. B. Daw- son, a Congregational missionary, organized the now prosperous Congregational society, with a house of worship at Essex and Langstaff streets, dedicated in 1883. The First Baptist Church of Essexvillle, on Dunbar and Lang- staff streets, has prospered in recent years. Rev. W. P. Lovett in March, 1905, resigned the pastorate, having accepted a call to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Holy Rosary Academy, a three-story pre- paratory school adjoining St. John's Catholic Church and School, was destroyed by fire on March 10, 1904, and one of the Sisters of St. Dominic, enfeebled by age and infirmities, died two days later at Mercy Hospital, as a result of jumping from the second story and exposure in the bitter cold night. The Sisters lost all their personal property, as did a number of pupils from out of the city who slept there. Owing to the lack of modern fire-fighting appa- ratus, Essexville has lost thousands of dollars worth of property and a number of industries in recent years. Holy Rosary Academy is being rebuilt in March, 1905, but on Lincoln avenue, within the city limits, where fire pro- tection has ever been effective.
Essexville has from its infancy been the home of a number of flourishing fraternal and benevolent societies. Lighthouse Lodge, No. 235, I. O. O. F., was organized July 1, 1874, with nine charter members and has to-day a large membership. This lodge and Elmira Lodge, No. 102, Rebekahs, own the Odd Fel- lows' Block on Woodside avenue in Essexville. The Knights of the Modern Maccabees, Ladies of the Modern Maccabees, Modern Woodmen of America and Independent Order of Forest- ers have thriving lodges in the village. The Maccabees have their own hall on Woodside avenue. The Hampton Band is the leading
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musical organization of the village. In 1882 Essexville had a "Reform Club", which had its own hall on Woodside avenue, S. W. Green being president. Evidently the desired re- forms were accomplished in time, for the "Re- formers" as an organization have long since passed from view. The work of enforcing law and order and accomplishing reforms now rests entirely with the minions of the law,- Justice William Felker, the village marshal and the sheriff's office,-and the law-abiding vil- lagers cause them little trouble. Roving tramps and inebriates cause most of the arrests.
Essexville has for years had the post office of Hampton township. Although rural free delivery has in recent years provided a more speedy and modern mail service, still the post office continues to do a prosperous business for "Uncle Sam," under the able management of Dr. E. F. Crummer.
The Bay City Boat Club four years ago gave up its old club house in Essexville and built a modern club house a half mile nearer the mouth of he river. It is situated near the last bend of the Saginaw, commanding a fine view of the bay and of the summer resorts to the north and west, and the power and sailing yacht regattas held during the summer are over a course that is visible from the broad and shady verandas of the club house, and are always enjoyed by the villagers of leisure.
The business section of the village stretches for nearly a mile along Woodside avenue, and is gradually expanding to meet the require- ments of the increasing population, especially in the rural sections tributary to Essexville. In 1882 the village had I apiary, I blacksmith, I boarding house, I shoemaker, I druggist, 3 grocers, 2 hotels, I ice dealer, I livery, I meat market, I saloon and I wagon-maker. In 1905 we find all these places of business more than
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