USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 65
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1864 .- Clerk, N. Whittemore; Prosecuting Attorney, L. Beck -. with; Register of Deeds, B. Witthauer; Sheriff, P. J. Perrott; Treasurer, A. S. Munger; Judge of Probate, S. S. Campbell; Cir- cuit Court Commissioner, A. McDonell; Surveyor, J. M. Johnson.
1866 .- Clerk, H. H. Wheeler; Prosecuting Attorney, Isaac Marston; Register of Deeds, B. Witthauer; Sheriff, J. G. Sweeny; Treasurer, A. S. Munger; Judge of Probate, S. S. Campbell; Cir- cuit Court Commissioner, William Daglish; Surveyor. E. L. Dun- bar.
1868 .- Clerk, H. A. Braddock; Prosecuting Attorney, Isaac Marston; Register of Deeds, T. A. Delzell; Sheriff, P. J. Perrott; Treasurer, C. Munger; Judge of Probate, H, H. Hatch; Circuit Court Commissioner, H. H. Norrington; Surveyor, E. L. Dunbar.
1870 .- Clerk, H. A. Braddock; Prosecuting Attorney, C. H. Denison; Register of Deeds, T. A. Delzell; Sheriff, Miron Bunnell; Treasurer, C. Munger; Judge of Probate, H. H. Hatch; Circuit Court Commissioner, H. H. Norrington; Surveyor, E. L. Dunbar.
1872 .- Clerk, H. A. Braddock; Prosecuting Attorney, T. F. Shepard; Register of Deeds, H. M. Hemstreet; Sheriff, Miron Bunnell; Treasurer, Charles Supe; Judge of Probate, J. W. Mc- Math; Circuit Court Commissioner, J. L. Stoddard; Surveyor, E. L. Dunbar.
1874 .- Clerk, H. A. Braddock; Prosecuting Attorney, G. M. Wilson; Register of Deeds, H. M. Hemstreet; Sheriff, Martin W. Brock; Treasurer, William M. Fennal; Judge of Probate, J. W. McMath; Circuit Court Commissioner, Daniel Mangan; Surveyor, Madison Johnson.
1876 .- Clerk, William M. Kelley; Prosecuting Attorney, G. M. Wilson; Register of Deeds, H. M. Hemstreet; Sheriff, Mar- tin W. Brock; Treasurer, Jacob Knoblauch; Judge of Probate, John Hyde; Circuit Court Commissioner, Daniel Mangan; Sur- veyor, J. M. Johnson.
1878 .- Clerk, W. M. Kelley; Prosecuting Attorney, Alfred Lyon; Register of Deeds, W. G. Beard; Sheriff, George Washing- ton; Treasurer, J. A. McKnight; Judge of Probate, John Hyde; Circuit Court Commissioner, J. E. Simonson; Surveyor, H. C. Thompson.
1880 .- Clerk, W. M. Kelley; Prosecuting Attorney, A. P. Lyon; Register of Deeds, W. G. McMath; Sheriff, George Wash- ington; Treasurer, Charles Babo; Judge of Probate, T. E. Webster; Circuit Court Commissioner, I. A. Gilbert; Surveyor, E. L. Dunbar.
1882 .- Clerk, William Gaffney; Prosecuting Attorney, H. Lindner; Register of Deeds, William G. Beard; Sheriff, Charles F. Marsac; Treasurer, William E. Magill; Judge of Probate, T. E. Webster; Circuit Court Commissioner, Curtis E. Pierce; Surveyor, E. L. Dunbar.
SUPERVISORS FOR 1883-'84.
Peter M. Angus, Lincoln; Charles Babo, Treasurer Bay City; Henry A. Boiteu, Sixth Ward, Bay City; Charles F. Braman, Comptroller, Bay City; John Bullock, Deep River; Robert J. Camp- bell, First Ward, Bay City; Edward H. Chamberlain, Standish; Clayton Chatterson, Mason; Louis Cormier, Fifth Ward, Bay City; Albert A. Crane, Third Ward, West Bay City; Nelson Deford, Clayton; Thomas A. Delzell, Recorder, Bay City; John Farquar- son, Beaver; George H. Ferguson, Whitney; Charles Fischer, Monitor; William L. Gorrie, Arenac; James E. Hawkins, Seventh Ward, Bay City; Noah Hembling, Kawkawlin; William J. Hodder, Fraser; Ferdinand Johnson, First Ward, West Bay City; Richard Kealey, Fourth Ward, Bay City; Nathan Knight, Hampton; John Leinberger, Frankenlust; Bernard Lourim, Comptroller, West Bay City; Matthew L. Maxon, Au Gres; Andrew C. Maxwell, Second Ward, Bay City; George A. Meed, Bangor; D. McLaughlin, Fourth Ward, West Bay City; Louis A. Pelkey, Pinconning; William Phil- lips, Recorder, West Bay City; Noah C. Pratt, Third Ward, Bay City; Patrick Reardon, Moffat; John E. Simonson, City Attorney, Bay City; Charles E. Starkweather, Second Ward, West Bay City; Ira E. Swart, Williams; Frederick Shoof, Merritt; William Syring, Portsmouth; Andrew Weir, Treasurer, West Bay City; Morris Westover, Fifth Ward, West Bay City.
STANDING COMMITTEES
of the Board of Supervisors for 1883-'84:
Ways and Means .- Morris Westover, T. A. Delzell, John Bullock, Charles Babo, George A. Meed.
Claims and Accounts .- John E. Simonson, A. C. Maxwell, P. M. Angus, Matthew L. Maxon, A. A. Crane.
Assessments, Taxes and Equalization .- Charles F. Braman, B. Lourim, Morris Westover, N. Knight, Charles Fischer.
Roads and Bridges .- Charles Fischer, William J. Hodder, John Farquharson, Nelson Deford, William Syring.
Public Buildings .- N. C. Pratt, R. J. Campbell, A. A. Crane, Ferdinand Johnson, Henry A. Boiteu.
Poor House .- N. C. Pratt, Charles E. Starkweather, Edward H. Chamberlain, Clayton Chatterson, Louis Cormier, Noah Hemb- ling.
Organization of Townships .- George H. Ferguson, John A. Leinberger, Louis A. Pelkey, Patrick Reardon, William L. Gorrie.
Printing .- William Phillips, N. C. Pratt, James E. Hawkins. Frederick Shoof, D. Mclaughlin.
Examining and footing assessment rolls .- N. Knight, Ferdi- nand Johnson, Andrew Weir, C. F. Braman, D. Mclaughlin.
Third Street Bridge .- R. Kealey, Ferdinand Johnson, George A. Meed,
William Gaffney, clerk.
Ira E. Swart, chairman.
SALARIES.
The salaries of the various salaried county officers as fixed by the Board of Supervisors at a meeting in October, 1882, are as follows:
County treasurer $2,000 per year and perqusites.
County clerk 1,200
Prosecuting attorney 1,500
Stenographer 1,000
Janitor. 300
Supts. of the poor 150 each.
PERSONAL SKETCHES
of the present county officers are as follows:
T. E. WEBSTER, probate judge of Bay County, was born at Cooperstown, N. Y., in 1849. He began his education at Cornell
6
HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
229
University, and after leaving there entered Michigan University at Ann Arbor, where he graduated in 1873 and immediately settled in Bay City and began the practice of law. In the Fall of 1880 he was elected judge of probate, and entered upon the duties of that office January 1, 1881. Judge Webster is a young man of fine legal abilities, and in the office which he holds is particularly popu- lar with the people.
HENRY LINDNER, county prosecuting attorney, is a native of Germany, and came to this country in 1856, and for several years lived at Sebewaing, Huron Co., Mich., and soon after settled in Bay City and began the practice of law. He has earned the reputation of being an excellent lawyer, and has a good practice. In the Fall of 1882 he was elected prosecuting attorney of the county, on the Democratic ticket, and entered upon the duties of that office the first of the present year.
WILLIAM GAFFNEY, county clerk, was born in Ireland in 1845. He remained there till ten years of age, attending school after proper age. He came to America with his father in 1855, landing in New York. He settled in Livingston County, Mich., but soon came to the township of Williams, Bay County.
In 1861 he bought forty acres of land in Section Thirty-three, made some improvements and built a log house. He attended dis- trict school in Williams, and in 1863 high school at Flint. Soon after he sold the land in Williams and bought eighty acres on Sec- tion Twenty-two, Monitor, which he now occupies as a farm. He has since added eighty acres on the south side, and has eighty acres under improvement, a good farm house, barn and orchard.
In 1871 he was elected supervisor of Monitor, the third year after the town was organized, and has held the office ever since, twelve consecutive years, till elected county clerk of Bay County, in 1883. Mr. Gaffney is the first man elected to a county office in Bay County, outside the two cities.
He has been one of the prominent members of the Board of Supervisors, having been a member of the most important commit- tees of said board for past years. He married Miss Kittie Conroy, of Canadian birth, in 1879, then a resident of Bay City. He has had two sons, the younger of whom only is living.
Mr. Gaffney went on his farm when it would be considered no better than a swamp, and has brought it to a high state of cultiva- tion, and through his energy and perseverance has done probably more than any other man to establish the successful system of drainage which has proved a vast benefit to the town.
CHARLES F. MARSAC, sheriff, was born in Bay City September 17, 1845, and is a son of the late Capt. Marsac, one of the most distinguished of the Saginaw Valley pioneers. The subject of this sketch has been identified with the lumbering industry most of his life. He was married to Mary E. Wellington, of Saginaw County, August 20, 1871. Mr. Marsac was elected to his present office in the Fall of 1882. He sustains an excellent reputation, and in his official capacity is serving the people in a very respectable manner.
W. G. BEARD, register of deeds, is a native of England, and in 1849 his parents emigrated to Canada. In 1878 he came to Bay City from Hillsdale, Mich., and in the Fall of that year was elected register of deeds and held the office one term. In 1880 he opened an abstract and real estate office, the firm being Flower & Beard. In June, 1882, the firm was changed to Beard & Brigham. In the Fall of 1882 Mr. Beard was again elected register of deeds, and is now serving the county in that capacity. He has a family consisting of a wife and five children.
W. E. MAGILL, M. D., treasurer of Bay County, is a native of Port Stanley, Elgin Co., Ontario, where he was born, November 3, 1848. He studied medicine and graduated at the Western Medical
Reserve, Cleveland, Ohio, and from Bellevue Hospital, New York. He came to West Bay City in 1870, and has practiced his profes- sion till the present time. He held the office of superintendent of schools for five years, and was elected mayor in 1881 and 1882, and county treasurer at the last election. He married Adeline Keefer, of Hillsdale, Mich. They have one son.
FAITHFUL SERVICE
JOSIAH TIMMIS should be mentioned in connection with the county's affairs, having been in service as deputy county clerk since early in 1874. Mr. Timmis is a native of England, but came to this country when quite young with his parents who settled in White Pigeon, Mich. He came to Bay City in 1862. In 1874 the business of the clerks' office was increasing so rapidly that a better system of managing its affairs was necessary, and Mr. Timmis was employed to assist. At first he was engaged only a portion of the year but very soon his continuous service was required. He has been a faithful and valuable servant. He is accurate and sys- tematic in his work, and obliging to all having business with that department.
BAY COUNTY POSTOFFICES.
Arenac, Arn, Auburn, Au Gres, Banks, Bay City, Deep River, Essexville, Kawkawlin, Linwood, Maple Ridge, Melita, Michie, Munger, Omer, Pinconning, Portsmouth, Revere, Salzburgh, Stand- ish, Sterling, Saganing, West Bay City.
NUMBER OF MEN FURNISHED TO THE WAR.
The proclamation of Pres. Lincoln, calling for troops to sup- press the rebellion was issued April 15, 1861. The loyal people of the peninsular state promptly responded and furnished the quota assigned. Austin Blair was governor and John Robertson, adju- tant general. By the end of the war Michigan had sent to the front 90,747 men.
The first company that went into service from Bay County, was raised by Col. H. S. Raymond, then captain, in 1862. It was raised in Bay and Huron Counties.
The total number of men furnished by Bay County to the war was 500.
It must be remembered that Bay County in 1861 was in its infancy, and Bay City was only a rude village. The people of the county responded promptly and liberally to every call, as the number of men furnished shows.
GENERAL STATISTICS.
TAX APPORTIONMENT IN 1864.
TOWNSHIPS.
State Tax. County Tax.
Hampton
397 36
6,457 40
Bangor
248 39
2,959 64
Arenac
190 42
4,035 88
Williams
182 14
3,094 16
Total
$1,845 33 $30,000 00
REAL AND PERSONAL ESTATE IN 1866.
TOWNSHIPS.
No.
Acres
Assessed.
R'l Estate
Assessed.
R'l Estate
Equalized
Personal
Estate.
Total
Valuation.
1st Ward, Bay City
$ 187,055 $
187 050 $ 25,600 $ 212,650
2nd
275,45€
275,435
9,165
284,600
3rd
Bangor
35,862
259,890
259,885
27,055
286,940
Hampton
13,297
85,596
85,595
4,605
90,200
Portsmouth
15,345
145,591
145,585
6,715 152,300
Williams
51,496
104,300
104,282
1,818
106,100
Arenac
82,714
168,398
168.010
7,990
176,000
Total
|198,714 |$1.347,530|$1.338.612 $110,178 $1,448,790
as
121,250
112,770
27,230
140,000
Equalized
$ 827 02 $13,452 92
Portsmouth
G
230
HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
POPULATION OF BAY COUNTY IN 1874 AND 1880.
VALUATIONS AND TAXES IN 1872.
TOWNSHIP.
Real Est'te as| Real Est'te as Assessed.
Equalized.
Personal.
Total.
Bay City
$ 972,820 00 $
972,820 00 $221,070 00 $1,193,890 00
Beaver.
178,221 70
177,714 00
286 00
178,000 00
Au Gres
99,720 00
99,260 00
4,740 00
104,000 00
Arenac ..
149,075 00
148,710 00
14,290 00
163,000 00
Clayton.
75,823 00
75,828 00
2,000 00
77,828 00
Kawkawlin
125,396 00
125,396 00
17,180 00
142,576 00
Williams.
46,808 00
51.488 00
4,245 00
55,733 00
Hampton
117,271 00
93,817 00
5,790 00
99,607 00
Bangor
334.730 00
251,045 00
48,525 00
299,570 00
Monitor
50,564 00
45,508 00
2,515 00
48,023 00
Portsmouth
289.300 00
245,905 00
15,325 00
261,230 00
Total
$2,439,733 70 $2.287,491 00 $335,966 00 $2,623,457 00
STATE TAXES FOR BAY COUNTY.
The following is a statement of State taxes for Bay County, apportioned by the auditor general, October 5, 1882, under various acts of the Legislature:
University aid
$ 900 00
General and other purposes.
1,911 11
Normal school current expenses. 433 33.
359 88
State public school.
925 56
Michigan school for the blind, current expenses
411 11
Buildings
251 11
Institution for the deaf and dumb-general and other expenses
924 44
State reform school, boys, current expenses.
788 89
State reform school, boys, building and special.
1,666 67
Michigan reform school, girls, building and general ex- penses
244 44
State house of correction, building
222 23
Arenac
$ 100,000 $
230.90 $
363.64
$
100.000 $
363.80
Au Gres ...
120,000
277 00
436.36
120,000
436.50
Bay City ..
6,834,000
15,776.00
24,850.00
6,800,000
5,531.12
24,738.40
Bangor.
110,000
253,99
400.00
110.000
89.47
400.18
Beaver .
73,000
168.56
265.46
68,000
55.31
247.38
Clayton
74,000
170.87
269.64
75,000
61.02
272.85
Deep River
210,000
484.75
763.64
225,000
183.06
818.55
Fraser.
80,000
184.65
290.90
75,000
61.02
272.85
Hampton ..
400,000
923.40
1.454.51
380,000
308.19
1,382.44
Lincoln ..
245,000
565.50
890.90
65,000
52.87
236.47
Moffat.
65,000
150.00
236.36
200,000
162 68
727.60
Merritt ..
190,000 74.000
170.87
269.64
250,000
203.35
909.50
Monitor ..
245.000
565.70
890.90
260,000
211.49
945.88
Portsmo'th
265,000
611.80
963.62
250,000
203.35
909.50
Pine'nning
175,000
404.07
636 36
175,000
142.35
636.65
Standish .
75.000
173.17
272 72
80,000
65.08
291.05
Williams ..
175.000
404.07
636.36
200,000
162.68
727.60
Whitney ..
105,000
242.40
381.82
110,000
89.47
400.18
Total .
$11.000,000 $25,394.10 $40,000.00 $10,993,000 $8,941.13 $39.992.48
TAXES AND VALUATIONS FOR 1882.
TOWNSHIPS.
Valuation.
State Tax. CountyTax.
Arenac.
$ 88,800 $
160 11 $
599 75
Au Gres.
109,416
197 28
738 99
Bay City
7,778,066
14,023 50
52,532 50
Bangor
110,161
198 62
744 02
Beaver
82,930
151 52
560 10
Clayton
77,450
139 64
523 97
Deep River.
248,200
447 49
1,676 32
Fraser
80,650
145 41
544 71
Frankenlust
275,828
496 58
1,860 22
Hampton .
401,840
724 50
2,714 00
Kawkawlin
298,642
536 84
2,017 00
Lincoln
244,105
440 11
1,648 66
Moffat
52,315
94 32
358 33
Merritt.
201,500
363 29
1,360 92
Mason
101,500
183 00
685 53
Monitor
274,220
494 41
1,852 06
Portsmouth
288,705
520 53
1,949 89
Pinconning
185,650
334 72
1,253 86
Standish
73,470
132 47
496 21
Williams
207,375
373 89
1,400 61
Whitney
83,700
150 91
565 22
West Bay City
1,321,045
2,381 78
8,922 13
Total
$12,585,168 $22,690 92 $85,000 00
Total
486,970.43
TOWNSHIPS.
1874.
1880.
Arenac
381
578
Au Gres
123
316
Bangor
4,892
271
Bay City.
13,690 20,693
Beaver
170
351
Clayton.
177
249
Deep River.
266
488
Fraser.
300
Hampton
1,247
2,016
Kawkawlin
934
1,118
Lincoln
27
Mason ..
112
Merritt
316
690
Moffat.
69
Monitor
554
931
Pinconning.
453
738
Portsmouth
491
779
Standish ..
612
862
West Bay City
6,397
Whitney
230
Williams
526
866
Total
24,832 38,081
TAXES AND VALUATIONS 1880 AND 1881.
1881.
1880.
TO'NSHIP.
Valuation. State Tax.
Co. Tax.
Valuation. |StateTax
Co. Tax.
New asylum for insane, building.
3,333 33
Board of fish commissioners.
166 67
State board of health
44 44
Military purposes .
1,272 71
Relief of sufferers by fire of 1881
2,777 78
General purposes
6,057 22
Total .$22,690 92
State indebtedness to Bay County. $12,681 68
A comparison of the State taxes for Bay County for the years named is as follows :
1879.
$12,812 18
1880.
8,942 57
1881.
25,394 10
1882
22,690 92
NUMBER OF ACRES OF LAND ASSESSED IN 1881.
TOWNSHIP.
ACRES.
Arenac.
30,778.25
Au Gres.
32,072.40
Bay City
Bangor
4,048.06
Beaver.
20,116.75
Clayton
20,136.07
Deep River
45,529.13
Fraser
43,686.55
Hampton
16,297.00
Kawkawlin
30,209.20
Lincoln
37,229.82
Moffat
20,613.78
Merritt.
20,170.45
Mason
20,485.00
Monitor .
19,966.36
Portsmouth
12,633.90
Pinconning
47,409.16
Standish
16,802.16
Williams
22,621.52
West Bay City
Whitney
26,164.87
W.Bay C'ty
1,130,000
2,609.00
4,109.00
1,125.000
915 30
4,092.75
Kawkawl'n
255 000
588.70
927.27
250,000
203.35
909.50
438.70
690.90
75,000
61.02
272.85
Mason.
Agricultural college and other expenses.
81.34 $ 97.61
6
HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
231
The population and assessed valuation of the county for several years is as follows:
Stone road loan .
55,000 00
Merrill ditch fund.
471 77
Fraser township liquor tax. 100 00
Population
3,164
1865 5,517
1870
1874
1876
1880 38,081
Assessed Val. $652,391 |$1,350,000 $2,670,198 $3,300,000 $3,168,000 $10,993.000
Fence sold. 45 50
$205,370 12
Balance on hand January 2, 1883.
30,829 30
CONTRA.
Road loan orders (stone)
$ 37,305 42
Merrill ditch orders
480 20
D. Mangan
$290 00
S. P. Flynn
148 00
Levi P. Oldfield.
64 00
Fred Neumann. 5 00
S. L. Brigham
37 00
Robert Leng
56 00
John King
9 00
liquor tax
2,368 28
Mason
46
23 56
Monitor 66
66
311 71
M. Webber
7 00
Kawkawlin
liquor tax .
300 00
Geo. Simpson.
5 00
Thos. Maguire
100 00
Standish 60
66
944 06
Wm. M. Kelley, County Clerk, (People vs. Charles Wisner)
20 00
Reporters' fees
60 00
Jurors' fees.
90 00
Entry fees
266 00
Duplicate tax, 1881
40,333 08
Redemption tax, 1880
6,325 53
Collection fees.
1,548 88
Office charges .
484 90
Primary school moneys.
14,629 94
Institute fees
54 50
Poor farm
97 05
Bay City liquor tax
10,393 15
:
on account
116 08
Whitney
66
1,103 43
West Bay City, liquor tax on account.
4,782 30
Arenac township, liquor tax
250 00
Bay City =
primary school money
7,381 72
Hampton
=
820 75
66 library school money
383 51
Michigan Eastern Asylum.
1,927 25
Lincoln
on account
1,000 00
Institute fund
89 50
Moffat
on account
328 04
Insurance account.
300 00
Mason
County orders paid.
44,524 23
Kawkawlin
liquor tax .
Poor orders paid.
6,404 40
Deep River
925 00 Juror orders paid.
3,203 40
Witness orders paid.
263 00
Interest and coupons
4,950 00
Balance on hand January 2, 1883.
30,829 30
Pinconning
liquor tax
300 00
Monitor
on account
969 07
Frankenlust "
liquor tax
200 00
Williams
=
200 00
Portsmouth
200 00
541 60
on account.
$16,131 25 FINE ACCOUNT.
West Bay City liquor tax. 9,705 00
Primary school and library money.
3,157 67
Frankenlust township, paid liquor tax
202 00
Au Gres township, paid on account.
856 64
Agricultural tax, C. Munger, treasurer.
1,289 23
Williams township, on account. 46 :
403 02 300 00
John S Petherick 26 00
Fraser :
on account.
49 90
P. M. Angus.
40 00
Anthony Curren
5 00
66
on account.
857 78
A. P. Lyon, Pros. Atty., (People vs. Bradburn) 75 00
Hampton
liquor tax
1,291 07
Deep River
on account
205 64
Arenac "
liquor tax
250 00
Clayton
on account =
561 28
Merritt
66
729 28
Pinconning
liquor tax
1,500 00
Beaver
.6
on account. 66
1,015 44
Portsmouth
liquor tax
427 26 200 00
33,398 66
Lincoln
1,006 00
on account,
9,705 00
liquor tax 66
33,383 94
Bangor
on account.
138 71
liquor tax
1,300 00
896 15 Detroit House of Correction 349 08
114 06
66
300 00
=
on account.
169 17
Clayton 66
175 00
1,500 00
Whitney
$205,370 12
For many years past the financial management of the county has been excellent, and at the close of each year there has been a satisfactory balance in the treasury.
1860
15,900
24,832
30,000
Merritt township ditch tax 78 06
The growth in material wealth has fully equaled the rate of increase in population.
THE COUNTY TREASURY.
The following is the report of Charles Babo, county treasurer, for the year ending January 2, 1883: Balance on hand January 2, 1882
John Bullock .
60 00
Moffat
523 05
925 00
947 00
66
1,475 33
175 00
1,019 46
303 00
liquor tax
6
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TOWNSHIP HISTORY.
In the arrangement of this work it has been the aim of the compiler to study the convenience of the reader, at the same time preserving the symmetry of the work. It must be borne in mind that in portraying the rise and progress of the county, as a whole, much that pertains to the several townships is necessarily included, and to repeat facts once stated for the purpose of multiplying the pages of the respective townships would be both wasteful and tiresome. The general picture of pioneer life already spread upon these pages is a faithful portrayal of what early settlers in this region experi- enced. We have endeavored to make that picture sharp in its expression and a truthful representation of the incidents and cir- cumstances it recalls.
In the experience of most townships, have existed, at various times, circumstances of administration common to all newly organ- ized communities, but not of sufficient general interest to enter into recorded history. The townships of Bay County have had some of those experiences. In the administration of town affairs have occurred disturbing incidents; somtimes in connection with public improvements, sometimes in the adjustment of county affairs, and in those divers and sundry other matters wherein it is possible for towns or individuals to be aggrieved. In reviewing the inner history of county and township affairs one is led to believe that Bay County has been comparatively fortunate in administrative matters. In the distribution of burdens and benefits there has been less partiality and injustice than is true in many other counties. In the matter of public improvements the county has been as liberal as good judgment and wise prudence would warrant. That unsavory combination, known as "Rings," so common, so hardy and so de- vouring has not afflicted Bay County to an unusual degree. The mention of the respective townships that follows has reference to things connected with their own administration and progress. The order and dates of their organization are as follows:
Hampton, 1843; Williams, 1855; Arenac, Bangor and Ports- mouth, 1859; Beaver, 1867; Kawkawlin, 1868; Monitor, 1869; Au Gres and Clayton, 1870; Pinconning, Standish, Deep River, and Merritt, 1873; Mason and Moffat, 1874; Fraser, 1875; Lin- coln and Whitney, 1880. Frankenlust was taken from Saginaw County and annexed to Bay in 1881.
PIONEER WOMEN.
Before proceeding with the township, we desire to mention a class of pioneers, not usually recognized; namely the pioneer women of the land. Somehow the usual accounts of pioneer life are concentrated with powerful emphasis upon the husband and father, as though each and every family of the cabins in the woods was without wife or mother, whereas the truth is that neither civil- ization nor progress have ever been accomplished save by woman's aid and influence. But a true history of pioneer women deals with sterner trials and rougher experiences than simple separation from loved associations for an isolated existence, or the softening and
humanizing influence of woman upon frontier surroundings. It portrays her enduring the same privations, participating in the same hardships and facing the same perils as the hardiest men. She might have been seen in the logging patch working by the side of her husband in clearing a little spot of ground for their garden, or later on, planting and digging, without the aid of hoe or spade, that a few vegetables might be secured for the Winter that is to come. Through long, lonely months, while her husband is work- ing miles away, she remains alone with her little ones in the depth of forest solitude, visited only by the sneaking wolves and wander- ing Indians of the forest. Her house has a single room, and that room a single window, and that window often but a single pane of glass. She travels on foot through tangled thickets and miry swamps, distances that would terrify most men unused to pioneer life, and carries burdens that would crush her under other circum- stances. There are many women in Bay County to day who, during the first years of their lives here, had severer experiences than any thus far indicated. It must be remembered, too, that among the pioneer women were many reared amid scenes of refinement and who shared the privileges and luxuries of affluence. They were highly educated, but untaught in any of the rudiments of hardship. Their hands were unused to toil and their feet had never pressed the rough spots in life's path. Many such have suddenly been brought face to face with the most trying experiences of frontier life. And to the everlasting honor of her sex it can be said that the instances are very rare where woman under such circumstances has not proved fully equal to the emergency, displaying qualities of courage and fortitude to a most remarkable degree.
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