USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 111
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 111
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Among the trials of the settlers in 1831 was the failure of seed-corn, which threatened much distress, but Dolphin Morris was equal to the occasion. He dispatched one Kir- kendall and John Tittle, a lad of fifteen, to Fort Defiance, on the Maumee River, one hundred miles distant, for a fresh supply. They made the distance with a pack-horse, returned one Saturday night with two bushels of seed-corn, and on Sunday morning the settlers turned out and planted it. The crop raised from that planting was about all the corn they had that year. June 20, 1835, was memorable
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Photo. by C. F. Pritchard, Decatur.
ALEXANDER B. COPLEY.
Alexander B. Copley is of English descent; his ancestor on the paternal side, four generations back, having emigrated from England to Boston in the be- ginning of the eighteenth century, and settled in Suf- field, Hartford Co., Conn. He was born in Champion, Jefferson Co., N. Y., March 11, 1822. He subse- quently resided with his parents at the manufacturing villages of Whitesboro', New York Mills, Walden, and Mattawan, in that State, until Sept. 12, 1829, when he removed to Dayton, Ohio, from which place the family emigrated to Michigan Territory, arriving at Little Prairie Ronde July 1, 1833. His education was limited to the meagre facilities afforded at that early day by the common schools of the Territory, having been a pupil in the first school taught in Van Buren County, in the winter of 1834-35.
Left at the age of twenty with a widowed mother, and one brother and five sisters younger than him- self, to help care for,-added to the illness of his father several years previous to his death,-there was not much time to cultivate the intellect, had there been opportunity to do so.
By occupation he is a farmer, taking a just pride
in agricultural experiments and improvements. He has on his farm over a mile of the finest Osage hedge in Western Michigan.
In 1850 he married Jane H. Hathaway, sister of B. Hathaway, Esq., the "Farmer Poet" of Michigan ; his family at the present time consists of himself, wife, and two sons, the elder of whom is married and manages the farm.
In 1874 he moved to the village of Decatur, where he now resides. He is president of the First National Bank of Decatur, of which institution he was one of the original stockholders. Mr. Copley has frequently been honored by his fellow-citizens with places of trust and responsibility, having served as supervisor of Volinia township, Cass Co., for six years, and representing the northern district of that county in the Michigan Legislature for the sessions of 1865-72, and the eastern district of Van Buren County for the session of 1875.
The magnificent road built across the swamp south- east from Decatur was projected and brought into successful operation largely through his individual efforts.
441
TOWNSHIP OF DECATUR.
because of a severe frost, that destroyed almost all the crops except those near the small lakes.
It is told of Dolphin Morris that in 1832 he started for Niles to mill, and encountering a terrible snow-storm as well as very bad roads, he was fourteen days making the trip, and when he got home it was with but the fore-wheels of his wagon, his team, and a bag of flour.
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A stage-route was opened through Decatur between Cass- opolis and Paw Paw in 1838, and was for some years thereafter a much-traveled thoroughfare. Along that line, now covered in part by the valley road, was erected the first telegraph road put up in the State. In Decatur there were on the road no wayside inns, although Jacob Charles, who lived near "The Spring," kept at times a house of public entertainment.
THE SWAMP ROAD.
In the year 1848, when the growth of Decatur village was sluggish, the subject of a road through the great swamp was agitated, and in a little while it became apparent that such a road was a vital necessity, since without it there could be no communication with the district on the south and south- east. Beers & Sherwood undertook the construction of the road, which was estimated to cost $2000, the railroad com- pany giving $500 and the villagers $300 towards it. Ex- cept for one-fifth the distance, which was planked, the road was built of split puncheons about ten feet in length, laid on pole stringers, and being but a single track, had turn- outs at intervals. It was a rough thoroughfare, but a great convenience. The first person to cross it towards the south was Miss Hathaway (now Mrs. A. B. Copley), who, arriving at Decatur Nov. 6, 1849, was conveyed by Mr. Goddard, station-agent, over the road to her home, the roadway having been completed three days before. A new road, west of the old one, was built in 1856, and in 1865 material improvements were put upon it, the total expenditures upon the road then amounting to $15,000.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST.
Under the act of Legislature, approved March 11, 1837, dividing Van Buren County into seven townships, Decatur embraced the territory now occupied by Decatur and Porter, and received its name in honor of Commodore Stephen Decatur, a naval hero of the war of 1812. In 1845 the township of Porter was organized from the eastern half of Decatur, each afterwards having a territory six miles square, as at present.
The records of the township dating from 1837 to 1844 are not to be found, and the civil list for that period is, therefore, unobtainable. From 1844 to 1880, however, the records are perfect, and the names of those who have been chosen annually between those years as supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and justice of the peace are given below :
1844 .- Supervisor, Stephen Kinney ; Clerk, G. S. Freese; Treasurer, Nathan Cook; Justice of the Peace, V. C. Smith.
1845 .- Supervisor, Lyman Sanford ; Clerk, Joseph Van Hise; Treas- urer, Thomas Scott; Justice of the Peace, Thomas Scott. 1846 .- Supervisor, Lyman Sanford; Clerk, James Boyd; Treasurer, Thomas Scott; Justice of the Peace, W. C. Van Hise. 1847 .- Supervisor, Lyman Sanford ; Clerk, James Boyd ; Treasurer, Thomas Scott; Justice of the Peace, W. C. Van Hise. 56
1848 .- Supervisor, Lyman Sanford ; Clerk, W. O. Van Hise; Treas- urer, James Van Hise; Justice of the Peace, Ralph Mason. 1849 .- Supervisor, Lyman Sanford; Clerk, W. O. Van Hise; Treas- urer, James Boyd ; Justice of the Peace, George B. Sher- wood.
1850 .- Supervisor, N. Lefever ; Clerk, W. N. Pardee; Treasurer, James Boyd ; Justice of the Peace, W. N. Pardee.
1851 .- Supervisor, W. O. Van Hise; Clerk, Henry Canoll; Treas- urer, James Boyd ; Justice of the Peace, W. O. Van Hise. 1852 .- Supervisor, Lyman Sanford; Clerk, H. Canoll; Treasurer, Hiram Potts; Justice of the Peace, William Campbell. 1853 .- Supervisor, Lyman Sanford ; Clerk, R. Barden; Treasurer, J. T. Keables ; Justice of the Peace, M. F. Merrill.
1854 .- Supervisor, Jeremiah Teed; Clerk, E. M. Pool; Treasurer, J. T. Keables ; Justice of the Peace, N. Jaquish. 1855 .- Supervisor, Jeremiah Teed ; Clerk, E. M. Pool ; Treasurer, J. E. Hollister; Justice of the Peace, John C. White.
1856 .- Supervisor, George Bennett ; Clerk, E. M. Pool ; Treasurer, W. E. Trowbridge ; Justice of the Peace, George Bennett.
1857 .- Supervisor, George Bennett; Clerk, J. A. Stafford; Treasurer, H. Chamberlain ; Justice of the Peace, H. C. Millard.
1858 .- Supervisor, J. Teed ; Clerk, J. A. Stafford ; Treasurer, H. Cham- berlain ; Justice of the Peace, O. T. Welch.
1859 .- Supervisor, O. T. Welch; Clerk, J. A. Stafford; Treasurer, W. E. Trowbridge ; Justice of the Peace, E. S. Parker.
1860 .- Supervisor, O. T. Welch ; Clerk, W. K. Van Hise; Treasurer, Charles H. Keyes; Justice of the Peace, I. W. Powers. 1861 .- Supervisor, O. T. Welch ; Clerk, W. K. Van Hise; Treasurer, D. C. Brown ; Justice of the Peace, H. C. Millard.
1862 .- Supervisor, E. P. Hill; Clerk, Charles Shier, Jr .; Treasurer, M. Hinckley ; Justice of the Peace, O. T. Welch.
1863 .- Supervisor, E. P. Hill; Clerk, Charles Shier, Jr .; Treasurer, M. Hinckley ; Justice of the Peace, W. K. Van Hise.
1864 .- Supervisor, E. P. Hill ; Clerk, W. T. Gerow ; Treasurer, G. W. Geer; Justice of the Peace, George Bennett.
1865 .- Supervisor, E. P. Hill; Clerk, W. T. Gerow ; Treasurer, H. A. Northrop; Justice of the Peace, H. C. Millard.
1866 .- Supervisor, E. P. Hill; Clerk, W. T. Gerow ; Treasurer, George Bennett; Justice of the Peace, C. Hollister. 1867 .- Supervisor, C. Hollister; Clerk, W. T. Gerow; Treasurer, George Bennett ; Justice of the Peace, W. K. Van Hise.
1868 .- Supervisor, Eri Beebe; Clerk, L. D. Roberts; Treasurer, C. Hollister ; Justice of the Peace, J. Richards.
1869 .- Supervisor, Eri Beebe ; Clerk, N. Foster; Treasurer, C. Hol- lister ; Justice of the Peace, H. C. Millard.
1870 .- Supervisor, R. Nutting; Clerk, N. Clark ; Treasurer, W. E. Trowbridge; Justice of the Peace, C. H. Haskins.
1871 .- Supervisor, R. Nutting ; Clerk, N. Clark ; Treasurer, W. E. Trowbridge; Justice of the Peace, William Hall.
1872 .- Supervisor, R. Nutting; Clerk, J. G. Haynes; Treasurer, D. Squier ; Justice of the Peace, O. W. Field.
1873 .- Supervisor, R. Nutting ; Clerk, J. G. Haynes; Treasurer, D. Squier; Justice of the Peace, J. W. Lewis.
1874 .- Supervisor, R. Nutting ; Clerk, Samuel Ellis; Treasurer, A. N. Chamberlain ; Justice of the Peace, George Bennett.
1875 .- Supervisor, R. Nutting ; Clerk, Samuel Ellis ; Treasurer, A. N. Chamberlain ; Justice of the Peace, J. Ransford.
1876 .- Supervisor, R. Nutting ; Clerk, Samuel Ellis; Treasurer, A. N. Chamberlain ; Justice of the Peace, J. G. Haynes. 1877 .- Supervisor, R. Nutting ; Clerk, J. G. Haynes; Treasurer, A. N. Chamberlain ; Justice of the Peace, W. Pritchard.
1878 .- Supervisor, R. Nutting ; Clerk, J. G. Haynes; Treasurer, A. N. Chamberlain ; Justice of the Peace, N. S. Rathbun.
1879 .- Supervisor, R. Nutting ; Clerk, J. I. Sherman ; Treasurer, A. N. Chamberlain ; Justice of the Peace, W. K. Van Hise.
Decatur had in 1874 a population of 2306, and in 1879 an assessed valuation of $523,300.
DECATUR VILLAGE.
Until 1847 the present site of the village of Decatur was simply a hunting-ground, and a favorite place of resort it was for the Nimrods of the time as far back as 1834, while near at hand, on the banks of Pickerel Lake, anglers gath-
442
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
ered from far and near, for the waters of that lake were in the olden time very abundantly supplied with fish.
In 1847, Beers & Sherwood, of New York City, had . acquired government grants for 5000 acres of land, in which was included the site of the present village of Decatur, and when the Michigan Central Railway began to push its way westward from Kalamazoo they determined to lay out a village on the line and call it Decatur. They donated land for depot buildings, which were put up in 1848, in which year also the railway was completed from Detroit to Niles. October 7th of that year an excursion-train from Detroit to Niles, in celebration of the opening of the road, passed through Decatur.
The village did not, however, begin its growth until 1849, when it was platted according to the original design, and christened Decatur. C. S. Tucker, who had been boarding railroad hands in a shanty south of the depot, opened a boarding-house in a building previously used by Beers & Sherwood as an office, which stood upon the place now oc- cupied by the Duncombe House. In the same year a num- ber of village lots were occupied, and stores were opened by A. H. Dixon, Goss & Dixon, and T. E. Phelps, in the order named. Hiram Lee, now living in the village and resident longest therein, bought the first village lot, in 1848, before the village was platted. It was designated as the third lot west of the public square. The completion of the swamp road, in November, 1849, opened communication with a hitherto unapproachable tract of country, and gave to the new village a decided impetus. The first village school-house was built in 1848, and school was taught in it during the winter of 1848-49 by Miss Sarah Cook, whose pupils numbered 20.
Trade, Past and Present .- In 1854 the present business centre of the village was occupied by a drug-store, two general stores, and one dry-goods store. Jan. 1, 1880, the village population was closely estimated at 2000, and, in the matter of mercantile trade, there were five general stores, two hardware-stores, two drug-stores, five grocery-stores, one furniture-store, one shoe-store, and various small business stands. Ten brick store buildings of some pretensions em- bellish the main street, and bestow upon the town an air of substantial thrift. Decatur is famous as a great " trading town," and is likewise an important grain-purchasing point, and makes large annual shipments by railway, as will be seen in a table of statistics printed elsewhere.
In the earlier history of the village, when no man dared venture upon opening a store, trading was done at Kala- mazoo or Paw Paw. Dixon's store, which stood where Hathaway's store now is, was esteemed a fine establish- ment for that day,-indeed, some thought it rather finer than was needed. Theodore Phelps' store stood on " Chad- wick's Corner," and was ultimately converted into a hotel, known as the Downs House. In 1851 the main street of the village boasted the stores of A. H. Dixon, Theodore Phelps, and E. Ingalls, and a bar-room, kept by Robert Willis. Willis was then known as the wealthiest man in Decatur, but subsequently his prosperity declined and he sunk to poverty.
. Henry Canoll was keeping a drug-store in the building put up by Dr. Bartholomew, and on the corner now occu-
pied by the Duncombe House L. R. Barker was keeping the Decatur House. Barker had taken the place originally set up by Charles Tucker as a railroad boarding-house, added a front, named it the Decatur House and made it a reputable hotel.
At that time the spot now occupied by the thriving vil- lage of Decatur was literally in the woods, and the sight of deer and wolves in the very heart of the village is said to have been no uncommon one.
George Sherwood, an employee of Beers & Sherwood, was one of the first justices of the peace in the village, and with William N. Pardee practiced law whenever occasion required, but occasions of that sort were not plentiful enough to call for extraordinary exertions on their part.
In 1850, Beers & Sherwood engaged Nathan Wilcox to put up a steam saw-mill near the village. A whisky-dis- tillery subsequently took the place of the mill, although its career was brief.
The first carpenter and joiner to locate in Decatur village was L. T. Olds, who came July, 1849, and who was for five years one of the only two mechanics plying their trades in the village. In July, 1849, the railway-depot, the kitchen of what was afterwards Barker's Hotel, and three dwellings comprised all there was of Decatur village. During the first five years of its existence the village was increased by about 75 new buildings,-12 of which were erected by Robert Willis as tenements. L. T. Olds (above men- tioned) and Mary Elliott, who were married by 'Squire George Sherwood, May 18, 1850, were the first couple married in the village.
Village Physicians .- Decatur's first physician was Dr. Bartholomew, who put up in 1848 a small office and drug-shop on Railroad Street,-the building now doing duty as Shelter's Hotel. Dr. Bartholomew remained but a short time before taking the California fever, and went away to the Pacific slope. He now resides in Keeler. Dur- ing Dr. Bartholomew's time, and subsequent thereto, Dr. Wells, of Little Prairie, visited Decatur frequently to teach a singing-school, and occasionally practiced also the healing art in the town. In 1851, Dr. J. T. Keables opened an office in Decatur, and since that time has practiced medi- cine in the village continuously. Dr. Foster, of Climax Prairie, made a location in Decatur about 1855, but made his stay a short one. For some years Dr. Keables had the field to himself, and, like all physicians of the day, practiced over a wide extent of territory. The physicians of Decatur now number six,-Drs. Baker, Broderick, Dillon, Keables, Rogers, and Rose.
Town Hall .- One of the most imposing architectural features in the village is the town hall, in which the post- office has roomy quarters, and where the township and village authorities have their offices. A commodious pub- lic hall gives accommodation for public entertainments, as well as town-meetings. The structure is of brick, measures 37 feet front by 72 deep, was erected in 1870, and cost upwards of $11,000.
The Union School .- The school in School District No. 4 (embracing Decatur village) was organized in 1862 as a graded school. In 1863 work on a new school building was begun, and in September, 1864, sessions were held in
DECATUR UNION SCHOOL BUILDING.
3
443
TOWNSHIP OF DECATUR.
the edifice. It is of brick, of handsome and substantial appearance, cost $12,000, employs 7 teachers, has an aver- age attendance of about 400, and requires for its annual support about $4300.
Post-Office .- A post-office was established about 1852, and George Sherwood appointed postmaster. W. N. Pardee succeeded Sherwood, and Charles N. Poor in turn followed Mr. Pardee. After him Theodore Phelps was the incum- bent. Upon his death his widow was appointed his suc- cessor, and following her Eri Beebe filled the place, which he relinquished to J. W. Rogers, the present occupant. The office receives and delivers four daily mails, and twice a week receives and delivers a stage mail. The sale of stamps, envelopes, etc., average about $600 each quarter, money-orders issued average $1300 each month, and money- orders paid about $600 during a like period.
The Village Press .- Decatur's earliest newspaper was called the Van Buren County Tribune, and its earliest publisher T. O. Sweet. The Decatur Clarion, edited by Moses Hull, was the successor of the Tribune. These and other newspapers will be found mentioned more fully in the general county history.
Village Incorporation .- The village of Decatur was in- corporated by the board of supervisors Oct. 11, 1859, and reincorporated by Legislative act approved March 16, 1861. The first president of the village was E. P. Hill, and the first recorder Orrin S. Welch, both of whom were elected in 1859. The earlier records of the village are somewhat imperfect, and the list of those who have been chosen presidents, recorders, treasurers, and trustees each year can be given only from 1862 to 1880 :
1862 .- President, E. P. Hill; Recorder, Charles Shier ; Trustees, Hiram Cole, Myron Hinkley, J. H. Wallace, Carlton Wheeler, Charles N. Poor, John Tarbell.
1863 .- President, J. Teed; Recorder, C. J. Poor.
1864 .- President, C. Wheeler; Recorder, L. C. Noble.
1865 .- President, C. Wheeler ; Recorder, W. T. Gerow.
1866 .- President, E. P. Hill; Recorder, W. T. Gerow ; Treasurer, William Hodges; Trustees, E. L. Hawkes, R. Nutting, J. B. Higgins.
1867 .- President, J. M. Moore; Recorder, W. T. Gerow ; Treasurer, E. D. Clark; Trustees, O. S. Abbott, H. A. Northrop, D. C. Rogers.
1868 .- President, J. M. Moore; Recorder, W. T. Gerow ; Treasurer, E. D. Clark ; Trustees, J. B. Higgins, R. Nutting, E. L. Hawkes.
1869 .- President, E. P. Hill; Recorder, W. T. Gerow; Treasurer, E. D. Clark ; Trustees, O. S. Abbott, M. Hinckley, J. S. Dowd.
1870 .- President, James Haynes ; Recorder, David Squires ; Treas- urer, J. P. Warner; Trustees, W. Tuttle, Jr., D. W. Stevens, Jacob Kissell.
1871 .- President, Eri Beebe; Recorder, H. C. Church; Treasurer, W. E. Trowbridge; Trustees, R. Nutting, A. A. Abbott, D. C. Rogers.
1872 .- President, E. Beebe; Recorder, A. A. Abbott ; Treasurer, W. E. Trowbridge; Trustees, Thomas Browning, William Tuttle, W. Russell.
1873 .- President, H. J. Hendryx ; Recorder, E. A. Blackman; Trus- tees, R. E. Nicholson, F. N. Chadwick, R. Nutting.
1874 .- President, H. J. Hendryx ; Recorder, E. A. Blackman ; Treas- urer, S. N. Thomas ; Trustees, Thomas Browning, E. P. Hill, Walter Russell.
1875 .- President, Eri Beebe; Recorder, Jerome Coleman ; Treasurer, S. N. Thomas ; Trustees, L. F. Rawson, David A. Squier, John L. Harrison.
1876 .- President, H. A. Northrop; Recorder, Samuel Ellis; Treas- urer, S. N. Thomas; Trustees, A. N. Chamberlain, L. D. Roberts, Henry Bull.
1877 .- President, Lucius Nutting; Recorder, R. E. Nicholson ; Treas- urer, S. N. Thomas ; Trustees, M. Hinckley, George Bennett, E. F. Ruggles.
1878 .- President, Lucius Nutting; Recorder, Charles W. Barrett ; Treasurer, S. N. Thomas; Trustees, L. D. Roberts, Dennis Jordan, William Pritchard.
1879 .- President, E. P. Hill; Recorder, A. B. Johnson ; Treasurer, S. N. Thomas ; Trustees, A. B. Copley, William Tuttle, L. F. Rawson.
Railway Shipments .- Decatur is an important wheat and lumber shipping-point, and as a matter of interest a table is presented showing the shipments at the station of the three leading articles of grain, lumber, and stock for the six months ending Dec. 1, 1879, the figures in each case representing car-loads.
Month.
Grain.
Lumber.
Stock.
June
31
23
2
July
10
22
August
70
15
9
September .
58
22
12
October.
68
19
17
November.
3
13
13
Totals
240
114
53
During the year 1878 the shipments of apples at Decatur station aggregated 10,000 barrels.
Manufactures .- There is at the village of Decatur a manufacturing interest of considerable importance, which contributes in no slight degree to the prosperity of the town.
M. Hinckley & Co occupy about two acres of ground for a barrel and stave manufactory, and employ from 25 to 40 men. They turn out about 3,000,000 staves yearly, and an equal proportion of barrel-heading, besides making about 10,000 apple-barrels and 5000 packing-barrels. The works were established in 1858 by Jones & Chapin, and since 1871, Mr. Hinckley, of the present firm (which was organized in 1876), has been interested as a partner.
Daggett & Percy, of Chicago, are doing a very flourish- ing business at Decatur in the manufacture of wooden butter- plates, fruit-packages, fruit-baskets, etc. They occupy a building formerly used by R. Hoppin & Son as a tannery, and have been engaged since January, 1879, in the present enterprise. About 20 men are employed. The manufac- tory is in charge of Mr. Charles King, who is the repre- sentative at Decatur of the owners.
John M. Conkling & Brother carry on a foundry, which was built in 1870 by Mason & Herring. The present firm took possession in 1876, and since then have been steadily employed in the manufacture of plows and iron castings of all kinds.
The other manufacturing industries are Charles Dun- combe & Co.'s grist-mill (with five run of stones), built in 1867 by Abbott & Matthews ; J. J. Balcomb's custom grist-mill, with two run of stones; H. B. Babcock's plan- ing-mill, and the saw-mills of Bull & Ackley and Enoch Hopkins.
Bank .- Previous to Oct. 15, 1870, Decatur village had enjoyed only such limited banking facilities as were fur- nished by the private banks of John Tarbell and Joseph Rogers. On the date above noted the First National Bank
444
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
of Decatur was chartered, with a capital of $75,000, the first directors being Messrs. Charles Duncombe, C. W. Fisk, A. B. Copley, Levi B. Lawrence, E. P. Hill, O. S. Abbott, and A. S. Hathaway. A. B. Copley was chosen president and E. P. Hill cashier. The capital of the bank is now $50,000 ; its circulation, $45,000 ; deposits, $45,000 ; loans and discounts, $55,000. In 1873, Mr. Charles Duncombe put up a fine brick building for the use of the bank, which the institution subsequently bought. The president of the bank is A. B. Copley and the cashier L. D. Hill.
SOCIETIES AND ORDERS.
Decatur Lodge, No. 99, F. and A. M., was organized Jan. 14, 1858, with 23 members, after having worked under dispensation a year. Under the charter H. Canoll was Master; M. Winner, S. W .; and J. E. Hollister, J. W. Of the 9 members of the lodge when it was consti- tuted 8 of them were Hubbell Warner, Loomis Warner, James F. Avery, M. Winner, - - Barney, - Sloan, H. Canoll, and Edward Harris. The membership is now 30, and the officers as follows: Enoch Hopkins, M .; George Pollard, S. W .; Charles Schuster, J. W. ; William Meade, Sec .; H. A. Northrop, Treas. ; Marvin Hinckley, S. D .; Warren Botsford, J. D .; M. Winner, Tiler.
Decatur Chapter, No. 75, R. A. M., was organized Jan. 10, 1871, with 10 members, of whom Horace Arnold was H. P .; James Haynes, K. ; and E. R. Farmer, Scribe. The membership is now 16, and. the officers : H. A. Nor- throp, K. and Acting H. P .; Enoch Hopkins, Scribe; Henry Bull, Acting Sec .; S. N. Thomas, Treas. ; L. D. Roberts, 3d V .; Orrin Hodges, 2d V .; Loomis Warner, 1st V. The lodge and chapter occupy a handsomely ap- pointed room in Chadwick's block, Decatur village.
Sprague Lodge, No. 113, I. O. O. F., was organized Oct. 28, 1867, with 5 members. The membership in January, 1880, was 50, when the officers were Norman S. Hammond, N. G .; Peter Pardonnet, V. G .; George W. Wait, R. S. ; Johnson Parsons, P. S .; Benjamin Adams, Treas. Regular sessions are held every Tuesday night at Decatur village.
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