History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 110

Author: D.W. Ensign & Co. pub; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, D. W. Ensign & Co.
Number of Pages: 821

USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 110
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 110

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The township has in later years had many accessions to the ranks of its agricultural population, but none of them can properly be included among its pioneers.

THE VILLAGE OF COVERT.

The hamlet of Covert-which by courtesy is termed a village, though not incorporated-is located principally on section 14, though a portion of it crosses the section line and covers a part of section 13. Its growth may be re- garded in some respects not only as rapid but remarkable, the year 1866 having witnessed the earliest effort which later resulted in a promising settlement. Messrs. Hawks & Lambert, of Niles, Mich., being attracted by the very luxu- riant growth of timber in the township, purchased timber- lands in the vicinity, and immediately began the erection of mills, locating them where the grist-mill of Packard & Sons now stands. They carried on a lumbering business for three years, when their interest was purchased by Packard & Co.

To these gentlemen may be ascribed the credit of having promoted the growth of the village, and placed the township on a business equality with the most enterprising townships of the county. Alfred H. Packard, Jr., had previously established himself upon section 2, where he had in 1868 erected saw-mills and made large purchases of land. Messrs. Packard. & Co. had added much to their timbered lands purchased of Messrs. Hawks & Lam- bert, and finding the capacity of the mill already built in- sufficient, erected in 1872 a mill of larger dimensions, which was operated by steam. One of these mills was later devoted to sawing and planing, and a grist-mill was

A. S. PACKARD.

MRS. A. S. PACKARD.

R. CAUGHEY , SEVILLE. OH 10. DEL.

RESIDENCE AND SAW MILL OF A. S. PACKARD, COVERT TP, VAN BUREN CO., MICHIGAN.

437

. TOWNSHIP OF COVERT.

built for the purpose of doing custom work. In this mill corn, and feed of various kinds are ground, but no flour. The saw-mills have a capacity of 4,000,000 feet a year, and the firm also deal largely in bark and wood. They employ in the various departments of labor about 40 men, most of these being engaged in chopping. A horse-railroad has been built from the mills to the lake, which affords them superior advantages of shipping. For this purpose substantial piers have been built on the lake-shore at the terminus of the horse-railroad.

The mills of Alfred H. Packard, Jr., saw nearly 6,000,000 feet of lumber annually. They also have a horse-railroad, which conveys lumber directly to the lake. The market for this lumber is found in Milwaukee, Chicago, Racine, and other lake-ports. The store was formerly connected with the business, but is now owned by Josiah Packard, who removed from Ohio, and was previously a member of the firm of Packard & Co.

There is much business activity manifested in Covert aside from the lumber interest. Josiah Packard conducts a general merchandise store, in which an extended trade is had. E. G. Allen & Co. deal in drugs and medicines, with which they combine groceries, and E. A. Rood is a heavy dealer in hardware. In addition there are two black- smith-shops, kept by O. B. Shine and Mark Peters; one watch- and clock-shop, kept by J. R. Shine; one livery- stable, owned by S. D. Kenney ; one market, kept by G. H. Michaels ; one shoe-shop, the proprietor of which is Colvin ; and a master-builder, G. R. Ross, who has shown much skill in the construction of the new church at Covert.

Dr. G. D. Carnes, the only allopathic physician, enjoys an extensive practice.

The public school is under the superintendence of De Forest Ross, with Miss Ellen Shaw as assistant.

RESIDENT TAX-PAYERS IN 1856.

The following list embraces the resident tax-payers in Deerfield (now Covert) for the year 1856: Matthias Far- num, Benoni Young, Charles Phillips, Allen Fish, Draper Fish, Miram Fish, John Burnham, Ira H. Derby, William A. Dell, James Dobbyn, John Wygent, A. G. Wygent, Reuben Lee, F. Beal, W. W. Lampson, William Kelley, Nelson Kelley, George Sinkler, J. Packard, R. Parker.

CIVIL HISTORY.

This township, originally forming part of the old town- ship of Lafayette, was included within the boundaries of South Haven by an act of the State Legislature erecting the latter township, bearing date March 11, 1837. It con- tinued as South Haven until Oct. 8, 1855, when, by the action of the Board of Supervisors of Van Buren County, surveyed township No. 2 south, of range No. 17 west, was organized as Deerfield. Its name was changed to Covert by the State Legislative body, then in session, March 29, 1877.

First Township Election .- Pursuant to the act of organ- ization, the electors assembled at the house of Hiram Fish on the first Monday in April, 1856, and organized by choosing William A. Dell chairman, Miram Fish and John

E. Wygent inspectors of election, A. G. Wygent and Miram Fish clerks. As the final result of this meeting the follow- ing-named officers were declared elected, viz .: William A. Dell, Supervisor ; Miram Fish, Township Clerk ; Draper Fish, Treasurer ; Hiram Fish, J. E. Wygent, Franklin Beal, Highway Commissioners ; Benoni Young, A. G. Wy- gent, John A. Hunt, Reuben Lee, Justices of the Peace; A. G. Wygent, William A. Dell, School Inspectors; R. Packer, Allen Fish, A. E. Wygent, George Sinkler, Con- stables; Hiram Fish, Wallace Lawson, Directors of the Poor.

Township Civil List .- The township officers elected at subsequent annual town-meetings (from 1857 to 1879, in- clusive) have been as follows :

SUPERVISORS.

1857, William A. Dell; 1858-59, Miram Fish; 1860-61, George H. Barker; 1862-63, Miram Fish ; 1864-67, George H. Barker ; 1868, William F. Trafford; 1869, Miram Fish; 1870-74, George H. Barker; 1875-76, George Grant; 1877-78, O. S. Shaw; 1879, George Grant.

TOWNSHIP CLERKS.

1857, James Dobbyn ; 1858, A. Cress ; 1859, William A. Dell ; 1860, James Dobbyn ; 1861, Miram Fish ; 1862, R. R. Randall; 1863- 64, William A. Dell ; 1865, R. R. Randall ; 1866, J. S. Packard ; 1867, William F. Trafford ; 1868, W. M. Simpson ; 1869-70, Jere- miah Hartman ; 1871-74, J. S. Bunnell; 1875, George H. Bar- ker; 1876, O. S. Shaw; 1877-79, E. G. Allen.

TREASURERS.

1857-59, John A. Hunt; 1860, A. G. Wygent; 1861-63, Allen Fish ; 1864-65, James Dobbyn ; 1866-67, Miram Fish; 1868, Robert Bartley ; 1869, George H. Barker; 1870-75, William F. Trafford ; 1876, James Dobbyn ; 1877-78, Robert Bartley ; 1879, William J. Shattuck.

SCHOOL INSPECTORS.

1857, William Willcomb; 1858, A. G. Wygent; 1859, Charles Phil- lips, J. S. Packard; 1860, O. F. Ingersoll; 1861, George H. Par- ker ; 1862, O. F. Ingersoll, J. S. Packard ; 1863, C. H. Sherborne ; 1864, G. H. Parker, O. F. Ingersoll ; 1865, J. S. Packard ; 1866, G. H. Barker; 1867, Charles Lockwood ; 1868, George H. Barker ; 1869, Miram Fish ; 1870, D. B. Allen ; 1871, Thaddeus Rood ; 1872, D. B. Allen, Miram Fish ; 1873, D. B. Allen ; 1874, Miram Fish ; ' 1875, James O. Keith ; 1876, A. B. Sherborne; 1877, D. B. Allen ; 1878-79, George H. Barker.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

1857. James Dobbyn, J. S. Packard, Benoni Young; 1858, William Willcomb, Miram Fish ; 1859, C. C. Leathers, J. S. Packard; 1860, William Sherborne; 1861, Miram Fish, G. H. Barker; 1862, Wil- liam Sherborne; 1863, John A. Hunt; 1864, William Willey ; 1865, J. S. Packard, R. R. Randall ; 1866, W. F. Trafford, Miram Fish; 1867, W. F. Trafford; 1868, Bryant Milliman, G. H. Barker; 1869, William Kenney, A. R. Sherborne; 1870, Miram Fish ; 1871, J. S. Packard ; 1872, Daniel Lutz; 1873, A. R. Sher- borne, William H. Wynn; 1874, Miram Fish ; 1875, William F. Conner; 1876, J. S. Packard; 1877, Thaddeus Rood; 1878, E. G. Allen, Gordon Sinclair; 1879, J. O. Keith, E. O. Rood, Miram Fish.

HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS.

1857, Franklin Beal; 1858, H. F. Wing, S. C. Paul; 1859, Franklin Beal, Draper Fish ; 1860, Charles Phillips; 1861, W. W. Lamson ; 1862, Draper Fish, George Andrews; 1863, C. H. Sherborne, W. Patterson : 1864, J. W. Tripp, George F. Mast; 1865, J. S. Pack- ard, C. W. Darling, Allen Fish ; 1866, J. W. Tripp, Draper Fish ; 1867, Charles Lockwood, Draper Fish; 1868, C. W. Bunnell; 1869, Stephen Reed, Bryant Hilliman ; 1870, I. S. Bunnell ; 1871, J. S. Packard ; 1872, Draper Fish; 1873, I. S. Bunnell; 1874, R. R. Randall ; 1875, C. E. Lockwood; 1876-78, W. J. Shattuck ; . 1879, Robert Bartley.

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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

DRAIN COMMISSIONERS.

1872, Charles Phillips; 1873, Stephen Reed ; 1874, R. R. Randall; 1875, William E. Knapp; 1876, C. O. Frazier ; 1877, F. W. Conner; 1878, John A. Hart; 1879, Jacob Gunsaul.

SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.

1875, Brainard Allen ; 1876-78, D. B. Allen; 1879, A. N. Ballen. CONSTABLES.

1857, George Sinkler, J. B. Greenlee, S. B. Greenlee, Ernest Lepolt; 1858, C. M. Blom, George Sinkler, A. G. Wygent; 1859, R. B. Cooper, Allen Fish, William A. Dell, George Sinkler; 1860, W. H. Sherborne, Ira A. Derby, William A. Dell, George F. Mast ; 1861, George F. Mast, George Andrews, W. W. Lamson, William A. Dell; 1862, George Andrews, George Sinkler, Charles H. Sher- borne, C. T. Tilton ; 1863, Reuben Lee, Charles H. Sherborne, H. P. Sinkler, John Burnham ; 1864, William A. Dell, T. H. Hum- phrey, W. McConnell, B. F. Jenkins ; 1865, R. R. Randall, George Sinkler, B. F. Jenkins, C. W. Darling; 1866, R. R. Randall, George Sinkler, J. A. Derby, J. W. Tripp ; 1867, Charles Phillips, Lyman Ingram ; 1868, Thomas Anderson, R. R. Randall, W. S. Lambert, Charles Stoddard, Sr .; 1869, John Lilly, Jeffries Reed, John Carpenter, A. Lilly ; 1870, Thomas Wynn, G. P. Williams, S. G. Jameson : 1871, I. S. Bunnell, D. W. Wesnall, R. R. Randall, Thomas Anderson; 1872, Orin Hill, C. O. Frazier, Charles Burton, John West; 1873, T. B. Wynn, O. Shine, N. Kelley, C. E. Lockwood; 1874, H. L. Dobbyn, E. M. Symonds, William Chapin, N. Bartes; 1875, Thomas J. Chaffee, Ezekiel Milliman, B. F. Wynn, Alfred Packard ; 1876, George Michaels, William Tripp, A. Lovelace, Thomas J. Chaffee; 1877, J. Dalson, H. Curtis, T. B. Wynn, J. Hartman ; 1878, John Dalson, George Michaels, Jeremiah Hartman, Frank Stewart; 1879, B. Milliman, F. B. Harris, C. O. Frazier, George Michaels.

THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

The Congregational Church at Covert was organized Sept. 27, 1870, Rev. D. F. Peet and Rev. Anderson offi- ciating at the services held on the occasion. Its early membership embraced the following names: Josiah Pack- ard, Elizabeth Packard, Perlia Packard, Margaret Smith, Edward Rood, Pamelia Packard, Alfred Packard, Flora Rood, Mary Packard, William Packard, E. P. Shaw, Mrs. E. P. Shaw, Milan Packard, W. F. Trafford, Martha E. Trafford, Gordon Sinclair, Thaddeus Rood, Martha Rood, Flora A. Allen, and D. B. Allen. The early services were held in a barn fitted for the purpose, and soon after the members convened in a new school-house that had mean- while been built. The congregation, however, increased so rapidly that these quarters were too limited, and Packard's Hall was opened for the use of the congregation.

For a period of more than five years this spacious apart- ment was occupied as a place of worship without expense to the society. The first regular pastor, Rev. F. W. Bush, began his ministry in January, 1873, and a parsonage costing $1500 was ready for his occupancy and paid for on his arrival.

In 1878 the congregation determined to erect a house of worship, and in August of that year began the work. The building is of wood, with stone foundations, and having a side-tower from which entrance is effected into both audi- ence- and lecture-rooms. These rooms open into each other through doors mounted on rollers and running into the walls. The edifice is well built, neatly finished, and will seat comfortably 400 people, having cost, completely fur- nished, more than $4000. The building was finished in October, 1879, and the dedicatory services were held on the 5th day of November, 1879. These exercises, which were

conducted by the former pastor, Rev. F. W. Bush, Revs. E. A. Paddock, and N. D. Lamphear, were of a very inter- esting character. The church roll embraces a membership of 90, the present pastor being Rev. Levi Parsons Spell- man.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

EDWARD A. ROOD.

This gentleman traces his ancestry back to days of Puri- tanism in New England, his mother, whose maiden name was Abigail Hawes, being a direct descendant from a mem- ber of the colony which crossed the Atlantic in the "May- flower," and settled at Plymouth, Mass. His father, Josiah

EDWARD A. ROOD.

F. Rood, was born in Buckland, Franklin Co., Mass., and was married to Miss Hawes, June 13, 1815. Their children were as follows : Abigail G., born April 16, 1816; David, born April 25, 1818; Marshall, born May 26, 1820, died April 12, 1854 ; Aurelia, born Sept. 16, 1822, died June 19, 1860; Josiah, born June 30, 1824, died July 10, 1863, in the army ; Henry F., born March 1, 1828, died March 13, 1852; Susan A., born March 21, 1831, died Feb. 15, 1864 ; Thaddeus, born June 8, 1833; Edward A., born May 18, 1840. Of these the oldest son now living is a missionary in South Africa. Josiah F. Rood died Aug. 19, 1864, his wife's death having occurred July 28, 1863.

Edward A. Rood came from Massachusetts to Michigan in 1861, and settled in the township of Ganges, Allegan Co. After one year he returned to his old home, and on the 25th of October, 1863, he was married to Miss Flora M. Warner, daughter of William and Annis Warner. She was born Oct. 24, 1843, and was the third in a family of four children. Her brother, Edwards W. Warner, died in the army ; Eliza A., her oldest sister, was married to W.

439

TOWNSHIP OF DECATUR.

J. Shattuck, and is now living with her husband in the township of Covert. The youngest sister is now the wife of George Campbell, residing at Florence, Mass.

Mr. Rood and his wife are the parents of two children,- Frank E., born Oct. 27, 1864, and Lillian A., born Oct. 7, 1868. Mr. Rood came to Michigan for the purpose of en- tering the employ of Messrs. Packard & Sons, and remained with them about eleven years. In 1863 he purchased land in Allegan Co., Mich., and at present is the owner of two hundred acres in the township of Covert, Van Buren Co. In 1873 he established a hardware store, which he still con- tinues to operate, handling agricultural implements and a general line of hardware. Mr. Rood and his wife are mem- bers of the Covert Congregational Church, having united with it at its organization. Politically, Mr. Rood is a Re- publican, but he has not aspired to office.

ALFRED S. PACKARD,

son of William and Mary (Rude) Packard, was born in Rensselaer Co., N. Y., Sept. 22, 1834, and was the second in a family of four children. His father was a native of Massachusetts. In 1836 the family removed to Ohio, where Alfred S. Packard remained with his father, working on the farm and lumbering, until he became of age. On the 1st of May, 1859, he married Laura A., daughter of Iram and Cynthia Packard, she being a native of Plainfield, Mass. To this couple was born one son, Ernest H., his birth oc- curring April 2, 1870, and his death five months later. Mrs. Packard died April 10, 1870, and on the 22d of June, 1871, Mr. Packard was married to Mary E., daughter of Nelson T. and Emily C. Burnham, who was born in Mid- dletown, Conn., April 28, 1846, and moved, with her father, to Ohio, in which State she resided until her marriage. Mr. Packard came from Ohio in 1859, and settled in the town- ship of Ganges, Allegan Co., Mich. ; removed from Ganges to Deerfield (now Covert) in 1867. Until 1877 he was in business with his father and brother, but in the fall of that year a division was made, Mr. Packard taking what is known as the " upper mill" property. He now owns and operates that, also one at South Haven, and has a horse-railway from the former to a pier on the lake-shore, four miles distant. He is at present the owner of two thousand five hundred acres of land, from which he is clearing the timber, and his home is situated on two hundred acres already cleared and well improved. Mr. Packard is a Republican in politics, and both himself and wife are members of the Congrega- tional Church.

CHAPTER LVIIL. DECATUR TOWNSHIP .*

The Pioneer Township and its Early Settlers-The Swamp Road- Township Organization and Civil List-Decatur Village-Churches -Schools-Incidents.

THE PIONEER TOWNSHIP AND ITS EARLY SETTLERS.

DECATUR, known as town 4 south, range 14 west, lies in the southern tier of townships bordering upon Cass County, and enjoys the distinction of being the township that re-

ceived the first white settler in Van Buren County. Its boundaries are Paw Paw on the north, the Cass County line on the south, Porter on the east, and Hamilton on the west. Originally covering a territory six miles in width by twelve in length, half of its area was set off to Porter in 1845, so that it remains to-day six miles square.

Decatur is a fine wheat-growing township, and as to gen- eral agriculture will compare favorably with any township in the county. The wheat shipped at Decatur station for the six months ending Dec. 1, 1879, aggregated 84,000 bushels. The business of sheep-raising is likewise an im- portant and profitable feature of farming industry. Far- mers who pay especial attention to sheep-raising own flocks numbering from 500 to 1000.

Decatur bears the palm as the pioneer township of Van Buren County in point of early settlement, and until 1831 contained within its limits only the family of the man who led the way into Van Buren County as its first white set- tler,-Dolphin Morris, a resident of Deer Creek, Scioto Co., Ohio, who, accompanied by his father, Henry D. Swift, and Jacob Morlan, came to Decatur, and on the 27th of March, 1829, began to cut logs for a cabin, which he built upon section 35, near the centre of its southeast quarter. During the first week in April he moved his family into the cabin, and from that time forward remained a settler in the township. Morlan settled in Cass County, while Swift, al- though he worked for Mr. Morris, did not become an actual settler until 1831. For two years, therefore, Mr. Morris was the only settler in Van Buren County, although he was not without neighbors in Cass County.

Dolphin Morris' log cabin was a historical structure, and deserved preservation among the pioneer relics of Van Buren. It not only sheltered the first family of white set- tlers in the county, but beneath its roof occurred the first birth and first death. Within its walls the first sermon was preached and the first school taught, while it enjoyed likewise the minor distinction of being the first hotel in the county. The material structure has passed away, but the spot upon which it stood is well remembered.

Dolphin Morris continued to be a resident in Decatur until his death, in January, 1870. His son Henry lived on the old place until Sept. 28, 1879, when he and his wife were murdered in a mysterious manner. Dolphin Morris split with his own hands the first rail, and turned the first furrow in Van Buren County. Mr. Morris' sons now living are Samuel, Elias, and Amos, the latter residing in Lawton and the two former in Cass County. Elias Morris is now the oldest person living of those born in Van Buren County.

H. D. Swift, who came to Michigan with Dolphin Morris, located a piece of land on section 36, and being without funds to purchase it, held it as a " claim," and selling the claim to Le Grand Anderson in 1831, was enabled with the money thus obtained to buy a tract near at hand, and upon that place he lived until his death.

George Tittle, a brother-in-law to Dolphin Morris, came from Ohio in 1831, and settled upon 80 acres on section 35, where his son Dolphin now resides. George Tittle died on the old farm in 1866.

* By David Schwartz.

440

HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

Samuel, a brother of Dolphin Morris, came to Cass County in the spring of 1829, and after a residence there of two years settled in Decatur, in 1831, upon section 36, where he lived until his death.

Le Grand Anderson came from Ohio to Michigan in the spring of 1831, and bought 434 acres of land in Decatur township, on sections 26 and 36, there being in the tract 80 acres of prairie land. Instead of working his own lands, he rented 40 acres in Cass County, on Young's Prairie, and broke it. He returned to Ohio in the summer, and in Oc- tober of the same year came back to Michigan to close his land purchases. Journeying once more to Ohio, he came back in the spring of 1832 to Michigan, bringing with him on this occasion men and teams, with which he worked his land and put in crops. In the summer of 1832 he brought his family from Ohio, and in November of that year they became per- manent members of the infant settlement. Mr. Anderson lived on section 36 which was his home, until his death, in 1869, and which is now the home of his son, L. R. Ander- son. His other children living in the township are William and Jane. The only settlers in November, 1832, in what is now Decatur were Le Grand Anderson, Dolphin and Samuel Morris (brothers), George Tittle, their brother-in- law, H. D. Swift, and David Curry.

David Curry, one of Decatur's foremost pioneers, was a young unmarried man when, in 1830, he migrated from Indiana to Volinia township, Cass Co., Mich., in search of a new home. He lived in Cass County two years, and marrying, determined to settle in Decatur, where, upon section 34, he entered 160 acres adjoining Dolphin Morris' farm, and whither he removed with his wife in 1832. At that time there were already on the ground Dolphin and Samuel Morris, George Tittle, John Eckenberger, Le Grand Anderson, and H. D. Swift. Mr. Curry's cabin measured 18 by 20, but had neither floor, window, nor door. Pun- cheon floors were common enough, but Mrs. Curry pre- ferred to have no floor until she could have a better one, and accordingly in the January following their settlement Mr. Curry hauled from Whitmanville, twelve miles distant, some rough lumber with which a floor was laid. Mrs. Curry then enjoyed the satisfaction of knowing that her floor, even if rough, was the only "sawed" floor in the township, and that she lived also in what was then conceded to be the best house not only in Decatur, but on the " Prairie." Mr. Curry lived until 1846, when he was killed by a fall from a wagon. Five of his children still occupy the old homestead, to wit : Jonathan, Joseph Q., Juliette, David Q., and Elizabeth. David Q. served through the war of 1861-65 as a member of the 4th Michigan Cavalry, and participated in the capture of Jefferson Davis, his souvenir of that incident being a pair of saddle-bags taken from Gen. Reagan, of Davis' cabinet. David Curry's old log cabin, which stood near the present Curry home, has passed from view, but the old " lean-to" is yet preserved although in a state of decay.

Joseph Van Hise, a resident of Butler Co., Ohio, came to Decatur in 1835, located 80 acres on section 13, and then hired out to work a year for John Eckenberger, a set- tler then in Decatur. After serving his year Van Hise went back to Ohio, and in the fall of 1836 brought his

family out, put up a log cabin on his 80-acre farm, and lived on the place until his death, in February, 1873. His widow and son Jared are now living on the farm. Another son, William K., lives on a place adjoining it on the west. With Joseph Van Hise came also to Decatur in 1836 his brother, William O. Van Hise, and his father (Oakey) and mother, the parents living with William O., on section 24. The latter subsequently removed to Cass County, where hc now resides.

John Eckenberger, of whom mention has been made, lived two miles south of Joseph Van Hise. He sold his farm to Jacob Charles, of Cass County, and moved farther west, but returning again to Decatur, died in the township, as did Mr. Charles.

A Mr. Lantrekin, who lived with his family on section 23 in 1836, moved away soon afterwards and was heard of no more. Thomas Scott and family lived in that year on section 13, in a cabin put up by one Johannet. Scott went to Schoolcraft, and becoming afterwards a resident of Antwerp and later of Illinois, died in that State. John W., a nephew of Thomas Scott, came from Ohio to Deca- tur in the spring of 1837, and worked as a farm laborer until 1842, when he returned to Ohio, married, and in 1844 came back to Decatur and located upon the farm he now occupies.

In the northern part of the township settlements were not made until a comparatively late date, and until even the beginning of the history of Decatur village that section was sparsely peopled. Joseph Van Hise used to say that when he was town treasurer, in 1848, there were but three tax-payers north of Lake of Woods, and to reach them re- quired from him a day's journey, which in the end gave him cash collections to the amount of fifty cents.

The first white child born in Van Buren County first saw the light in Dolphin Morris' rude log cabin, Aug. 4, 1830. The child was Lewis Creighton, a son of Dolphin Morris, and the little fellow gave up his young life, under the same roof, December 20th of the same year, this being the first death in the county. In that cabin, too, May 11, 1832, was born Elias Morris, now living in Cass County ; the second white child born in Van Buren, and now the oldest of all natives of the county. The first marriage in the county was that of Elijah Goble, of Cass County, to Eliza Tittle, of Van Buren. John Shaw was the justice who per- formed the ceremony, and Sept. 28, 1833, was the date on which the knot was tied. Daniel Alexander and Margaret Tittle were the second couple married in the county, and set up housekeeping in the old Morris cabin.

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History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 110

Author: D.W. Ensign & Co. pub; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Johnson, Crisfield Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia, D. W. Ensign & Co. Number of Pages: 821

Author: D.W. Ensign & Co. pub; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, D. W. Ensign & Co.
Number of Pages: 821