USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 108
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 108
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J. G. CLARK.
Mr. Clark was born in the town of Clarkson, Monroe Co., N. Y., in the year 1846, and was the eighth in a family of eleven children. His parents, Benjamin and Elizabeth Clark, came from Lincolnshire, England, in 1830, settling in the town where the son was born, and in which the father died, in 1854. In 1857, Mrs. Clark removed, with her large family of children, to Bloomingdale, Van Buren Co., Mich., where she purchased a small farm. J. G. Clark, who remained at home until he became of age, entered then into the mercantile business at Geneva, in company with his brother. Upon the completion of the Kalamazoo and South Haven Railway, he withdrew from
PERKINS
0
RESIDENCE OF JOHN SEBRING, BLOOMINGDALE TP., VAN BUREN CO., MICH.
429
TOWNSHIP OF COLUMBIA.
the partnership with his brother and opened an establish- ment at Gobleville. This venture proved a success, and in connection with it, during the past two years (1878-79), he has engaged quite extensively in bee culture. May 8, 1875, he was married to Hattie A. Goble, who has borne him one child, Pearl J. Clark, born July 25, 1876. Mrs. Clark's parents, Warren and C. M. Goble, came from Monroe Co., N. Y., and settled at Gobleville. Mr. and Mrs. Clark are members of the Free- Will Baptist Church at the village, to which they have contributed largely in both time and money, the church and parsonage having been erected mainly through their efforts. This church was organized in 1871, and a view of the church property may be seen in this work, in connection with that of the home of Mr. Clark.
H. H. HOWARD
was born in Monroe Co., N. Y., on the farm of his parents, B. M. and Nancy (Hinkley) Howard, in the year 1825. The family was in prosperous circumstances. After the days of his infancy had passed Mr. Howard continued upon the farm until 1850, in which year he was married to Sarah, daughter of James B. and Adaline Cooley, also a native of Monroe County. With the characteristic energy of newly-wedded people, they sought for a suitable location in which to build up a home of their own, and turning their faces and footsteps westward, were soon among those who were striving for mastery with the mighty forests which covered the township of Bloomingdale, Van Buren Co., Mich. Each succeeding year witnessed the growth of their " clearing," and new fields of plenty " smiled amain," and at present Mr. and Mrs. Howard are the occupants of one of the best-improved farms in the township. Mr. Howard has been chosen to the most responsible positions in the gift of his fellow-townsmen. In 1861, when public interest demanded that the best and most patriotic citizens should be at the helm, he was elected supervisor, and re-elected the fol- lowing year. From 1872 to 1878 he held the same position, and was only retired later by a change in the ("Greenback") party majority. Without ostentation it may be affirmed that should a smilar emergency to that of 1861 arise, Mr. Howard would undoubtedly be found an unswerving sup- porter of justice and equity and the principles of freedom. Such traits are doubtless owing, in the lives of many indi- viduals, to the influences of home, and this-not taking into consideration his natural character-is the case with Mr. Howard. His estimable wife has been a consistent member of the Regular Baptist Church of Bloomingdale since its organization, and has always exerted what influence she possessed towards the elevation and refinement of her family, and mankind in general. To Mr. and Mrs. Howard have been born two children,-Clara A., Jan. 3, 1859, and Edward M., April 26, 1865. A glance at the accompany- ing views of the present and former residences of Mr. Howard reminds the observer of Carleton's famous poem, "Out of the Old Home into the New."
CHAPTER . LVI.
COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP .*
Location and Description of Township-Early Settlements and Settlers-Civil History-Villages-Breedsville-Columbia-Grand Junction-Secret Associations-Educational.
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF TOWNSHIP.
OCCUPYING a central position on the northern border of Van Buren County lies the township of Columbia.
It was formed from South Haven in 1845, and embraces the territory designated in the field-notes of the United States as "township number one south of the base line, of range number fifteen west of the principal meridian."
The general surface is rolling, diversified by irregular ranges of low hills and numerous lakes. Heavy forests of pine, hemlock, oak, beech, and maple covered it originally. Pine and hemlock predominated, however, in the northern part.
The lakes, some 13 in number, cover an expanse of about 1300 acres, Saddle Lake being the largest. Other lakes are known as Mud, Deer, Little Bear, Base Line, Coffee, Dollar, Eleven, Fourteen, North, Monson, Jephtha's, part of Great Bear, and a portion of Scott's.
The outlet of Great Bear Lake, or the south fork of Black River, is the most important water-course, and affords good water-power privileges, which are utilized in the vil- lage of Breedsville.
The soil of the township is generally a sandy loam, inter- mixed here and there with clay. It yields abundantly of wheat, fruit, and all other products common to this portion of Michigan.
For many years lumbering was the principal occupation of the people; but with the disappearance of the monarchs of the forest agriculture is slowly assuming its due impor- tance.
Ample railroad facilities are afforded by the Kalamazoo and South Haven branch of the Michigan Central Rail- road and the Chicago and Michigan Lake-Shore Railroad. The former, running in a northwest course, intersects sec- tions 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, its stations being Ber- lamont, Columbia, Grand Junction, and Brown's. The latter passes from north to south through the western half of the township, intersecting in its course sections 5, 8, 17, 20, 29, 31, and 32, Grand Junction and Breedsville being stations. Both roads were completed in 1870.
Although settlements and their consequent development of the country did not commence in the northern half of the township until about 1868, the State census of 1874 returned a total population of 1736 inhabitants.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND SETTLERS.
In May, 1835, Rev. Jonathan N. Hinckley and Barnard M. Howard, both from Monroe Co., N. Y., visited the re- gion now known as Columbia township, then unorganized territory attached to Cass County, and purchased several tracts of land in the immediate vicinity of the present vil- lage of Breedsville.
Upon the south side of the creek, and east of the present
* By John S. Schenck.
430
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
mill-yard, they erected the walls of a log house, and after covering them with a bark roof they returned to their homes in the State of New York.
Early in the fall of the same year a party of about 25 persons, all from Monroe Co., N. Y., started out for the purpose of making a settlement on the new purchase. They journeyed via the Erie Canal to Buffalo, thence by Lake Erie to Detroit. In the latter city they bought an ox-team and wagon. Upon their wagon they loaded their household goods and the small children, and then, with the major por- tion of their number on foot, set out via the Territorial road for Paw Paw. . It occupied two days to cut out roads and make their way from the last-mentioned settlement to the cabin awaiting them on the banks of the outlet. Here all arrived safely, however, Oct. 1, 1835, and here began the first settlement of any importance in the northern half of Van Buren County.
This party of emigrants was composed of the following- named persons : Rev. Jonathan N. Hinckley, William N. Taylor, Silas Breed, his wife and children,-Stillman, Phoebe Ann, Hinckley, Joshua,-and an adopted daughter named Sarah Taylor ; Samuel Watson, his wife and children,- Leonard, Lyman, Sarah,-and a grandson, whose name is un- known, all from the town of Parma; Jonathan N. How- ard and his wife, Elizabeth, from the town of Sweden ; Amos S. Brown, his wife, and children,-Elizabeth, Amos S., Jr., Wells G., Minerva, and Jesse R.,-from the town of Ogden.
The unfinished cabin was soon made in a habitable con- dition. The next house built was for Mr. Brown's family, which was followed soon after by the one erected for Mr. Watson's occupancy. These three houses sheltered the col- onists during the first winter. Prior to that time, however, William A. Babbitt joined them. Elder Hinckley re- turned to New York in January, 1836, and did not again make this locality his residence until several years later.
The first death occurred during the winter of 1835-36, in the person of Sarah Taylor.
During the year 1836, Jonathan N. Howard and others erected houses for themselves, and Silas Breed built his saw-mill, which was then valued at $700.
The events of the year 1837 were the organization of South Haven township, of which the residents were nearly all members of the Breedsville settlement; the arrival and settlement of Elijah Knowles, William Bridges, and George Cochrane, from Livingston Co., N. Y .; Dr. Hervey Manley, from Ashtabula Co., Ohio; and Myron Hoskins, from Paw Paw. Mr. Hoskins settled in Paw Paw in 1835, and it is believed erected the first framed house in this township.
The first child-Nancy-was born to Jonathan N. How- ard and wife in 1837, and during the fall of the same year the second death took place. Samuel Watson, then about sixty years of age, had gone on foot to Paw Paw in quest of medicine for some member of his family. Upon his return he died alone in the woods, where his body was found upon a search being instituted. The parties named in the first marriage contract were George Cochrane and Miss Sarah Watson. By whom they were married, or the precise date of the wedding, is unknown.
In 1838 the first tannery was commenced by Elijah Knowles and John Barrows, the first school-house-in which Lorenzo D. Cate taught the first school-was built, and the settlement was still further increased in numbers by the arrival of Jephtha Waterman, Horace Humphrey, John Barrows, and probably a few others.
For several years the early residents procured their mail- matter at Paw Paw. Upon the establishment of the Breedsville office, Amos S. Brown became the first post- master, and Jesse R. Brown carried the first mail between Breedsville and Paw Paw. The assessment-roll of the townships of South Haven for the year 1839 shows that the resident tax-payers in township No. 1 south, of range No. 15 west, their location of lands, number of acres owned, and value of real and personal estate were as fol- lows :
Silas Breed, section 33, 80 acres; aggregate of real and personal estate, $1090; saw-mill, $700.
Elijah Knowles, section 32, 160 acres ; aggregate of real and personal estate, $720.
Hervey Manley, section 29, 240 acres ; aggregate of real and personal estate, $770.
Jonathan N. Howard, sections 19, 28, 240 acres ; aggre- gate of real and personal estate, $705.
J. M. Babbitt, sections 1, 33, 160 acres ; aggregate of real and personal estate, $515.
Myron Hoskins, sections 26, 32, 33, 880 acres ; aggre- gate of real and personal estate, $880.
Leonard Watson, section 33, 40 acres ; aggregate of real and personal estate, $140.
Amos S. Brown, section 32, 160 acres ; aggregate of real and personal estate, $765.
Luman Brown, section 32, 80 acres; aggregate of real and personal estate, $240.
Jephtha Waterman, section 35, 69 acres ; aggregate of real and personal estate, $162.
Horace Humphrey, section 1, 40 acres ; aggregate of real and personal estate, $120.
Joseph Peck,* section 1, 80 acres ; aggregate of real and personal estate, $240.
D. C. Ackley, section 29, 80 acres ; aggregate of real and personal estate, $240.
Other names added to the rolls in 1840 were those of William A. Babbitt, Henry Babbitt, and Dustin Murch, and the total amount of taxes paid by the residents in that year was $30.23.
Thomas P. Page settled in the village of Breedsville in 1841. He, with many others, kept an open house for the accommodation of travelers. About 1848, when the stages began running between Paw Paw and South Haven, he opened a regularly licensed hostelry.
Charles W. Luce, a present prominent resident of the township, settled on section 23 the same year.
Alexander Lytle, township treasurer for a long period of
* Joseph Peck, of " Pecktown," was a resident of the present town- ship of Bloomingdale, section 6, but owned land on section 1, in this township. Messrs. Breed, Knowles, Manley, Howard, Babbitt, Wat- son, and Amos S. Brown were the only ones assessed for personal es- tate, and, except three, the foregoing twelve men comprised all the resident tax-payers of the then township of South Haven in 1839.
MRS.S. D. BROWN.
S. D BROWN.
VIEW FROM THE NORTH
-
VIEW FROM THE SOUTH.
RESIDENCE OF MRS. S. D. BROWN, BREEDSVILLE, VANBUREN CO., MICH.
431
TOWNSHIP OF COLUMBIA.
years, early purchased lands situated upon sections 28 and 34, and settled here in 1842.
Other early settlers, who were here prior to 1845, were Peter Smith, Lyman Loomis (the first supervisor of Co- lumbia), Jethro Barber (one of the earliest pioneers in the county), Amos E. Barber, Edmond Sawtell, David Barker, Hiram Chappell, James Richards, S. N. Pike, A. Bugsbee, and James Moore.
Jonathan N. Hinckley, a grandson of Elder J. N. Hinck- ley, came from Barry, Orleans Co., N. Y., in the fall of 1845, and settled where he now resides, having purchased an improvement made by Jephtha Waterman. Mr. Hinck- ley drove out his team of horses, coming by the route south of the lakes. In the spring of 1846 his family, accompanied by his brother Marenus, joined him here. Henry Mower was his nearest neighbor on the east, and Paw Paw the nearest post-office station.
Among other quite early settlers in this township were E. L. Bushnell, who first came to Van Buren County in 1833; John King and his brother, 1845; Eli Bell, 1849 ; A. H. L. Teal, 1851 ; the Lacells, 1852; E. T. Pepper, 1854; Dr. H. Anderson, 1855; R. Jones, 1856; and James Thompson, 1857.
In 1858 the first grist-mill was erected by Heath, on the outlet of Great Bear Lake.
No improvements of any importance, except in the vicin- ity of " Pecktown," were made in the northern part of the township until 1868 to 1870, when they were hastened by the contemplated building of the railroads.
CIVIL HISTORY.
Upon the organization of the county, in 1837, South Haven was one of the seven townships then formed, and the inhabitants of the territory now known as the township of Columbia comprised nearly all the residents of South Haven. This geographical condition of affairs, as regards this township, was continued until 1845, when, by an act of the State Legislature, townships 1 south, of ranges 15 and 16 west, were set off as the township of Columbia. Geneva became a separate organization in 1854.
Compilations from Township Records .- It was proposed under this head to give in full the proceedings of the first township elections, other early items of interest, and com- plete lists of township officers elected annually from 1845 to 1879, inclusive ; but, in consequence of the unaccountable disappearance of records to 1858, they can only be given from the last-named year to 1879, inclusive, as follows :
SUPERVISORS.
1858-59, Amos S. Brown ; 1860, Doctor H. Anderson; 1861, Jona- than N. Howard ; 1862-64, Amos S. Brown ; 1865, Doctor H. An- derson : 1866-67, William H. Knowles; 1868, V. F. Randall; 1869-70, Norman H. Adams; 1871, Jonathan N. Howard ; 1872, William H. Knowles; 1873, Amasa M. Brown; 1874, Duane D. Briggs; 1875-79, Amasa M. Brown.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1858, Enoch White, Jr .; 1859, Thomas P. Page; 1860, Lemuel C. Clow; 1861, James M. Gray ; 1862-79, Abner D. Enos.
TREASURERS.
1858, Jonathan N. Howard ; 1859-64, Alexander Lytle; 1865, Jona- than N. Hinckley ; 1866-69, Alexander Lytle; 1870, James M. Gray ; 1871, William H. Knowles; 1872-78, Alexander Lytle; 1879, William H. Knowles.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1858, William W. Smith, Richard Bessey ; 1859, Doctor H. Anderson, Thomas P. Page, C. La Rue; 1860, Charles B. Hurlbut ; 1861, Jonathan N. Howard, Sumner Bisbee; 1862, Charles B. Hurlbut ; 1863, C. Lane, Chester C. Leathers; 1864, Chester C. Leathers; 1865, Eleazer C. Vincent ; 1866, Charles B. Hurlbut; 1867, Joel C. Sayre, Richard B. Cooper; 1868, Chester C. Leathers, A. G. Eastman, William R. Fox; 1869, Richard B. Cooper; 1870, Augustus D. Munger ; 1871, A. G. Eastman ; 1872, George M. Osman, D. S. Headley ; 1873, Richard B. Cooper, J. D. Seringer, George W. Chrouch ; 1874, Stephen Baker, George M. Osman ; 1875, A. G. Eastman, H. W. Burkholder, Charles S. Sharon ; 1876, Norman H. Adams, A. T. Anderson, James Smith ; 1877, C. J. Slafter ; 1878, Eri Summay ; 1879, Charles B. Hurlbut.
HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS.
1858, Uriah H. Chapman ; 1859, Jonathan N. Hinckley ; 1860, Obed W. Quint; 1861, A. E. Barber; 1862, 0. Hoag, Albert E. Bessey ; 1863, Doctor H. Anderson, Jesse R. Brown, Timothy P. Bewley, Hiram B. Hayes; 1864, Richard B. Cooper; 1865, Joseph Bo- gardus; 1866, Amos E. Barber; 1867, Jonathan N. Hinckley, Jesse R. Brown; 1868, Wells G. Brown; 1869, Amos E. Barber ; 1870, Chester C. Leathers; 1871, William Rodenbough ; 1872, Edwin T. Pepper; 1873, Amos E. Barber; 1874, William Red- ding ; 1875, Edwin T. Pepper ; 1876-77, Wells G. Brown; 1878- 79, John A. Wright.
DRAIN COMMISSIONERS.
1876, Asahel A. Hough ; 1877, Henry Hice; 1878, Benjamin Smith.
TOWNSHIP SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS.
1875-76, Seneca Anderson ; George R. Baker, appointed October, 1876 ; 1877-79, Levi Ackley.
SCHOOL INSPECTORS.
1858, Francis M. Jones; 1859, Doctor H. Anderson, Samuel Clow ; 1860, Abner D. Enos; 1861, William H. Knowles, Doctor H. An- derson ; 1862, Norman H. Adams; 1863, Charles B. Hurlbut ; 1864, Valentine Bennett; 1865, William W. Smith ; 1866, Robert Baker; 1867, William W. Smith; 1868, Jonathan N. Hinckley ; 1869, William H. Knowles; 1870, Wells G. Brown ; 1871, N. J. Cranmer; 1872, George W. Chrouch; 1873, Seneca Anderson, Chester C. Leathers ; 1874, William H. Knowles ; 1875, Seneca Anderson ; 1876-77, Charles B. Hurlbut ; 1878, N. R. Baldwin ; 1879, A. Throop Anderson.
CONSTABLES.
1858, Uriah H. Chapman, James M. Moore; 1859, James Gilbert, James Crocker, Amos E. Barber, George M. D. Tucker; 1860, William H. Knowles, O. Gesler, Joseph Allen, Amos E. Barber ; 1861, Uriah H. Chapman, Marenus Hinckley, Thomas P. Page, John Barnard; 1862, Amos E. Barber, Truman Fletcher, Au- gustus D. Munger, Jefferson Ostrander ; 1863, John W. Fisk, Amos E. Barber, D. D. Root, Charles Leathers; 1864, Hiram B. Hayes, Amos E. Barber, Uriah H. Chapman, John W. Fisk ; 1865, William Lafferty, Uriah H. Chapman, Amos E. Barber, John W. Fisk ; 1866, William Lafferty, A. G. Eastman, Charles Leathers, Jerome Rockwell ; 1867, William Lafferty, Stephen Baker, Uriah H. Chapman, O. Gesler; 1868, George Rossman, Thomas P. Page, Dana D. Root, John Starbuck ; 1869, Millard J. Smith, Charles Leathers, E. Wood, G. Reynolds ; 1870, Benjamin Brown, Millard J. Smith, A. G. Eastman, George W. Cheesebro ; 1871, William Rhodes, George W. Cheesebro, J. M. Gray, Benja- min F. Woodruff; 1872, Solomon Cox, William Peck, Arthur W. Barber, Gilbert W. Hudson ; 1873, William Curtis, Willard J. Smith, E. V. Allen, H. P. Siboll; 1874, H. P. Siboll, A. Root, Millard J. Smith, George Bidwell ; 1875, Amos E. Barber, George S. Bidwell, Henry P. Siboll, Fred. H. Brown; 1876, Amos E. Barber, Edward Fox, William Lafferty, Daniel Ramsay ; 1877, Elijah E. Brown, Edward Fox, William Lafferty, Amos E. Barber ; 1878, William Lafferty, O. H. Barker, Orlando C. Fox, Stephen Stafford; 1879, William Lafferty, Charles F. Peck, O. J. Barker, L. D. Townsend.
RESIDENTS IN 1845.
Tax-paying residents in 1845, and the sections upon which their lands were situated, were as follows :
432
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Sec.
Sec.
Peter Smith 1
Hiram Chappell. 19
Horace Humphrey.
3
James Richards 33
Lyman Loomis 1, 33
Elijah Knowles. 32
Amos S. Brown 32
28
S. N. Pike.
33
Thomas P. Page
33
A. Bugsbee
31
Jethro Barber
33
Rev. Jonathan N. Hinckley
Amos E. Barber 32
18, 20, 28, 29, 33, 35
Dustin Murch. 33
Jephtha Waterman 13
Edmond Sawtell. 32
Charles W. Luce. 23
Jonathan N. Howard. .19, 28
Alexander Lytle. 28, 34
Hervey Manley.
29
James Moore. 34
David Barker. 29
VILLAGES.
Breedsville .- The village of Breedsville, which enjoys the distinction of being the oldest settlement in the north- ern part of the county, is situated in the southern part of the township, on the outlet of Great Bear Lake. It is also a station on the line of the Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad.
It contains one church edifice (Methodist Episcopal), Masonic, Knights of Pythias, and Odd-Fellow's lodges, one commodious hotel, three stores of general merchandise, one grist-mill, one saw-mill, one extensive tannery, several small mechanical shops, and about 350 inhabitants.
The original owners of its site were Barnard M. Howard, Miss Laura White, Amos S. Brown, Sr., Rev. Jonathan N. Hinckley, and Samuel Watson. Although quite regu- larly laid out, no survey and plat has ever been placed on record.
Thomas P. Page kept the first tavern, and Lorenzo Pain- ter, Woodson & Co. opened the first store. Previous to their establishment of a store here they had brought in goods and exchanged with the early settlers for shingles, produce, etc. The grist-mill was built by Wells G. Brown in 1873.
Columbia .- A village-site of this name was platted by Marvin Hannahs, William F. Dickinson, and Samuel Rogers, Feb. 20, 1871. It is merely a station on the line of the Kalamazoo and South Haven branch of the Michi- gan Central Railroad.
Grand Junction .- This village, as its name implies, is situated at the junction of the two railroads which intersect the township. It was platted by Samuel Rogers, Marvin Hannahs, Conrad Crouse, and George W. Chrouch, Dec. 8, 1871. It contains three stores of general merchandise, two hotels, one restaurant, blacksmith-, wagon-, and shoe- shops, and about 200 inhabitants.
Settlements were first made here in the fall of 1869 by David Young, a native of England. Mr. Young emigrated to America in 1848. In 1855 he settled in the township of Geneva, which was then a comparatively wild region. His nearest neighbor, Jesse Lane, was three miles distant, and many Indians frequented the vicinity.
In 1869 he purchased six lots in the prospective village of Grand Junction, and during the fall of the same year became its first settler. The two railroads were then in process of construction, and his nearest neighbors were in Breedsville. Soon afterwards he began the erection of the building known when completed as " Young's Hotel," and opened the same in 1871.
The next settler was a colored man named Hungerford, who kept boarders.
Conrad Crouse, a German, and one of the village pro- prietors, sold the first goods, about 1874, in the building now occupied by himself and others as a dwelling.
Merchandising has since been carried on here by John Collins, Harvey Munger, Henry P. S. Voll, William H. Knowles, and others.
John Collins was the first postmaster. The office has since been held by Harvey Munger and W. A. Teazell, the present incumbent.
Patrick Mead opened the first smithy in 1872, and during the same year the first physician, Dr. Delaplaine, located. He has been succeeded by Drs. Webster, Andrews, and Cornell.
The school-house was built in 1871. John A. Wright built his saw-mill in 1874.
George W. Chrouch, another of the village proprietors, was the first station-agent and an energetic citizen.
The country immediately surrounding the village was originally heavily timbered with pine and hemlock. During the burning of Chicago, forest fires, wide-spread and very destructive to life and property, raged with great violence in many portions of the Western States. Such an one swept around and over the little hamlet of Grand Junction. After destroying thousands of acres of valuable timber, the fiery element spent its force in Allegan and Ottawa Counties, yet not before the village of Holland was laid in ashes. Here the depot and every other building was destroyed, except Young's Hotel and a portion of the Temperance House.
The small village of Berlamont, lying partly in the town- ship of Bloomingdale, and the site of Anderson's extensive mills, is mentioned more particularly in the history of the latter township.
SECRET ASSOCIATIONS.
Headley Lodge, No. 163, I. O. O. F., was instituted, under a dispensation, May 31, 1871, the first members being A. G. Eastman, Abner D. Enos, Chester C. Leathers, H. C. Kelley, Samuel Hoppin, and T. P. Bewley. They met in Masonic Hall. The first board of officers installed were A. G. Eastman, N. G .; Chester C. Leathers, V. G .; Abner D. Enos, Sec .; T. P. Bewley, Treas. A charter was granted Jan. 18, 1872. The Noble Grands during suc- ceeding terms to present are shown as follows: 1872, Ches- ter C. Leathers, Abner D. Enos; 1873, C. Herold, A. G. Eastman ; 1874, John Swan, Henry Hice; 1875, Chester C. Leathers, S. Snell ; 1876, O. Hoag, A. E. Barber ; 1877, L. D. Townsend, S. Snell; 1878, H. J. Scrimger, George R. Heath ; 1879, Abner D. Enos, S. Snell.
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