History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 135

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 135
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 135

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 supplies for this little colony for the winter for 1853 were bought in Chicago, and shipped mostly in the scow " Drew." She was anchored about a mile from shore, and her cargo was unloaded with flat-boats, taking two days and nights. The goods were landed safely on the beach, and consisted of pork, beef, lard, butter, flour, grain, and hay. The cargo was owned mostly by Dyckman, Sturgis & Co., Tubbs, McClelland & Co., and Daniel Howard, who was engaged in getting out wood and bark at the intersec- tion of the north and middle branches of the river.

In 1857 attention having been directed to this locality as being favorable for fruit culture, Mr. A. S. Dyckman, son of Evert, planted a peach-nursery, and in 1859 set out four acres of peaches from this nursery near his present residence. Mr. Dyckman has since that time been largely interested in fruit, and is the most extensive fruit-grower in this section, having 55 to 60 acres on the home-farm, mostly in peaches, 400 apples, 150 pears and small fruits, and on the north side of the river 16 acres in peaches ; up the river, on the south side, about 15 acres in peaches and small fruits. He has at the present time 8000 peach-trees. He planted and shipped in 1877 20,000 baskets, and in 1879 11,000 baskets. Mr. Dyckman was president of the State Pomological Society in 1873, and has been among the foremost in the South Haven Pomological Society.

Barney H. Dyckman and Randolph Densmore about 1857 built a tannery on the low land northwest from the bridge crossing the river, which was in operation several years. J. H. Davis made the bricks here for the arch in Hannahs' mill in 1853, and afterwards started a brick-

537

TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH HAVEN.

yard. The hotel was first kept by - - Pennock, who had a wife and a family of three daughters and one son. The business of the hotel was largely supported by the milling interest of Dyckman, Hale & Co. Marshall Hale, of the firm, was a native of Vermont, and was interested as a partner with Judge Evert B. Dyckman in the purchase of land, at first for speculative purposes, afterwards to de- velop the country and realize from the lumber. He came here in 1833, after the completion of the store, his family coming the next year. The firm passed through many changes as one after another came, but still Judge Dyck- man and Mr. Hale have property here together. Judge Dyckman is living at Schoolcraft, and Mr. Hale about 1861 moved to the same place, and in 1872 to San José, Cal., where he is engaged in mercantile business. His son George has charge of the store at South Haven.

Samuel P. Wilson, a native of Seneca Co., N. Y., came to South Haven in 1854, and taught school on the north side of the river and in the township and village for several years. Afterwards engaged in shipping wood and lumber, and in shipping on the lake. He is supervisor of the town- ship, and has held the position for several years. Rodney Hinckley in 1855 built a log cabin on the southwest cor- ner of fractional section 16, where T. Hoppin now lives. His wife was a carpet-weaver. . He died about seven years later. His son Isaac lives in the village. William H. Schropple came in 1855, and is still living here. Charles and George Gibson came in 1857, and settled on section 22, where they still own. James L. Reid came about the same time.

Daniel G. Wright, a native of Onondaga Co., N. Y., on Nov. 19, 1855, became a partner in the firm of Dyckman, Hale & Co. In the spring of 1856 he went to Chicago to take charge of the lumber business of the firm in that city. He remained about five years, when he returned, and is still living in South Haven. L. H. Bailey, a native of Windsor, Vt., emigrated in 1842 to Arlington, where he lived eleven years, and in 1853 bought of a Mr. Howard, of Vermont, 120 acres, where he now lives, on the west half of southwest quarter of section 11, South Haven. In 1855-56 he set out an apple-orchard, and he now has 1300 apple- and 1000 peach-trees. Mr. Bailey was agent for the Vermont Land Company, and examined and located land through Van Buren, Eaton, and Ingham Counties for them, and was through here before Mr. Sturgis settled in 1850.

Daniel Pierce came in first in 1836 or 1837, and bought 160 acres on section 14. In 1850 he went to California, and remained there some years, and then moved to Wis- consin, but returned to his farm in South Haven in 1859, buying 40 acres adjoining, where he still lives.

In the fall of 1857, Peter Davis, who came in 1852, set- tled on the point where the Ludwig pier now is. At that time there was but a small clearing, but afterwards 30 acres were cleared, and part of the land set out to peaches.

Uzziah Conger, of Oswego Co., N. Y., came to South Haven Dec. 28, 1855, and in 1856 became a member of Dyckman, Hale & Co. At that time the hotel and store were built, and the saw-mill had been built the year before on the east half of the southwest quarter of section 3. Mr.

Conger was with the firm through its changes from Dyck- man, Hale & Co., Hale, Wright & Co., Hale, Conger & Co., to its dissolution, and is now in business in the village.

Aaron Eames settled on section 16 before 1860, and soon set out a peach-orchard. George Breed also settled in the same section. The first school taught in the south and southeast part of town was kept by Martha Grover, in a cabin at Maple Grove Corners, on the Monroe land, about 1863. She had fourteen pupils.

John Williams, a native of New York, came in 1844 to Washtenaw Co., Mich., and in 1861 removed to South Haven, locating on the east half of the east half of sec- tion 14, where he is still living. He is the inventor of a fruit evaporator that is regarded as a great improvement on others.

Henry Hurlbut located about the same time in the east part of the town. Jefferson Archer settled earlier on sec- tion 14. William M. Hurlbut came into the territory then South Haven in 1840, and was one of the early officers, but did not remove to the present South Haven until 1863. He has represented the district in the Legislature for four years.

An enterprise connected with the early history of the vil- lage is worthy of mention, although it failed. A Quaker by the name of Halleck, from New York City, came to the vil- lage in the year 1857 or 1858 and bought land at what is known as the Quaker Dock. He took down the mill, drove piles, and built the dock, and got out large quantities of tim- ber, preparatory to building a large store and warehouse. He had purchased a vessel in New York, and loaded it with goods. This vessel came round the lakes, but a heavy storm rising as she approached this harbor, she was driven past the mouth of the river, and was shipwrecked above St. Joseph, and the goods and machinery on board were so damaged as to be almost worthless. This disaster put an end to a project that would doubtless have inured to the prosperity of South Haven. Immediately after the disas- ter Mr. Halleck returned to New York.

EARLY ROADS.

In the year 1835 a road was opened from South Haven to Paw Paw by Jay R. Monroe and Charles U. Cross. The first road of which mention is made in the records was laid out Sept. 9, 1843, known as Wood's road, " commencing at a station on the quarter line of section 8, T. 2, R. 16 west [now Bangor], running north to the northeast corner of section 5, re-surveyed by Charles U. Cross in 1846." The laying out of a road is recorded June 4, 1845, " com- mencing at the east line of T. 2 south, R. 16 west [Ban- gor ], at the N. E. corner of section 36, running south." July 8, 1845, the town-line road between South Haven and Columbia was recorded. Young's road was recorded May 23, 1846, commencing at the west line of section 35, and running north to intersection of the Waterford road on the east line of section 15. The South Haven and Hart- ford was recorded Oct. 18, 1845, each township agreeing to keep the road in repair within its own territory. The South Haven Lake road, " commencing 140 rods west of the N. E. corner of section 3, T. 1 S., R. 17 west, running south across the river along the centre of Paw Paw street,

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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

still south to a stake in centre of Monroe Street," dated May 13, 1852.

TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.

Upon the division of the township of Lafayette into seven townships, in the winter of 1836-37, South Haven was one of the number, and was laid out to contain the present territory of Bangor, Columbia, Geneva, and Deer- field. The act organizing South Haven reads as follows : " That all that portion of the county of Van Buren desig- nated on the United States survey as township one south, in ranges fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen west, and township two south, in ranges sixteen and seventeen west, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of South Haven, and the first town- ship-meeting therein shall be held at the house of J. R. Monroe in said township."

The early records of the township are lost, and it is not known who the first officers were, but with the exception of J. R. Monroe the residents were in what is now Bangor, Columbia, and Geneva :- Charles U. Cross in Bangor ; Silas Breed, Jonathan N. Howard, A. Bobot, Samuel Wat- son, and J. N. Hinckley, at Breedsville; Clark Pierce in Geneva. The offices were held, school districts laid out, and early improvement made in that portion of the township.

The first records on file in the township clerk's office commence Sept. 30, 1844, when the township board met at the school-house at Breedsville, J. N. Hinckley, Horace Humphrey, Daniel Taylor, and Mason Wood being present. The accounts of the township were audited and amounted to $95.22. It was resolved " that the election be holden on the first Monday of November at the dwelling-house of Daniel Taylor, and on the day following at the school-house in Breedsville." Pursuant to notice the township board met at the Mansion House of Daniel Taylor for the purpose of holding a general election. The polls were opened by J. N. Hinckley, Horace Humphrey, Harvey Manley, Mason Wood, Daniel Taylor, and J. N. Howard. Lyman Loomis was chosen clerk. At the close of election on that day ad- journment was made to meet at the school-house on the following day. This record is of date Nov. 8, 1844, and signed J. N. Howard, Town Clerk ..

The first township election of which record is found, was, held at the dwelling-house of Daniel Taylor, April 7, 1845, at which the following officers were elected : Perrin M. Northrup, Supervisor ; William M. Hurlbut, Township Clerk ; Mason Wood, Justice of the Peace four years ; Charles U. Cross, Justice of the Peace two years ; Mansel M. Briggs, Justice of the Peace one year ; Harvey Potter, John Smith, Hiel Swan, Commissioners of Highways ; Charles U. Cross, Township Treasurer ; Mason Wood and Charles U. Cross, Overseers of the Poor; Charles U. Cross and Mansel M. Briggs, School Inspectors ; Charles A. Taylor and Sherman Northrup, Constables ; Mason Wood, Sealer of Weights and Measures.

A settlement was made April 30, 1845, between South Haven and Columbia, the latter having been set off as a separate township, and included the present town of Geneva. The Board of Supervisors of Van Buren County set off Bangor at their annual meeting in October, 1853, and the township of Deerfield (now Covert) in 1856.

LIST OF TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.

The supervisors, clerks, treasurers, justices of the peace, and school inspectors of South Haven, from 1846 to 1879, inclusive, have been as follows :

SUPERVISORS.

1846, Perrin M. Northrup ; 1847-48, William H. Hurlbut; 1849, Jesse Ball ; 1850, William H. Hurlbut; 1851-52, Mansel M. Briggs ; 1853, William H. Hurlbut; 1854, William B. Hathaway ; 1855- -56, Randolph Densmore; 1857, Aaron S. Dyckman; 1858, Barney H. Dyckman ; 1859, Randolph Densmore; 1860, Aaron S. Dyckman ; 1861, Stephen B. Morehouse; 1862, Kirk W. Noyes ; 1863, George B. Pomeroy ; 1864, John Andrews; 1865-66, Wil- liam H. Hurlbut; 1867-70, Kirk W. Noyes; 1871-72, Charles J. Monroe; 1873-74, Albert Thompson; 1875-79, Samuel P. Wil- son.

TOWNSHIP CLERKS.

1846, William H. Hurlbut; 1847-48, Jesse Ball; 1849, Oscar R. Southard ; 1850, John L. Northrup; 1851-52, James D. Kings- ton; 1853, Perrin M. Northrup ; 1854-56, Stephen B. Morehouse ; 1857, Kirk W. Noyes ; 1858-59, Edwin Densmore; 1860, Samuel A. Tripp ; 1861, Edward H. Lounsbury ; 1862, George B. Pome- roy ; 1863-68, Elisha B. Moon ; 1869-70, William E. Stewart ; 1871, Elisha B. Moon ; 1872-78, Augustus B. Chase; 1879, El- ston Hewson.

TREASURERS.

1846-47, Perrin M. Northrup; 1848-49, Mansel M. Briggs; 1850, David T. Taylor ; 1851-52, Mason Wood; 1853, Mansel M. Briggs ; 1854, Amos J. Eggleston; 1855, Horace S. Thomas ; 1856, John F. Withey ; 1857-58, William B. Hathaway; 1859- 60, James P. Williams; 1861-62, George H. Bradley; 1863, Horace S. Thomas; 1864-67, S. P. Wilson; 1868-69, Joseph B. Hurlbut; 1870-72, Charles Delamere; 1873-74, Peter Davis ; 1875, Milton H. Rice; 1876-77, Alwyn M. Prouty ; 1878-79, George B. Pomeroy.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

1846, Mansel M. Briggs, Jesse Ball ; 1847, Charles U. Cross; 1848, Charles U. Cross, Stern L. Ripley ; 1849, James B. Croft; 1850, Mansel M. Briggs ; 1851, Ai Blood ; 1852, Stephen B. Morehouse, Daniel Van Auken, Adolphus Brown; 1853, Daniel T. Fox ; 1854, Alpha Tubbs, Benoni Young, and Charles B. De Armond ; 1855, James R. Reed ; 1856, Stephen B. Morehouse, Horace S. Thomas, William B. Hathaway; 1857, Samuel Merry ; 1858, Randolph Densmore, Wilbur Hale; 1859, Joseph S. Wagoner; 1860, Kirk W. Noyes, Enoch Conger, Rossiter Hoppin ; 1861, Samuel Fol- lett ; 1862, Wm. H. Hurlbut ; 1863, Joseph S. Wagoner, Richard L. Bonfoey ; 1864, James Calkins, A. N. Moulton ; 1865, Calvin Fletcher ; 1866, George H. Bradley ; 1867, Joseph B. Hurlbut, Augustus Voorhees ; 1868, D. M. Phillips, William P. Bryan ; 1869, Alonzo H. Chandler; 1870, Calvin Fletcher, William H. Hurlbut ; 1871, George W. Byers, Alonzo M. Haynes, William P. Bryan ; 1872, William P. Bryan, Uzziah Conger ; 1873, Uzziah Conger; 1874, Calvin Fletcher; 1875, George W. Byers ; 1876, Benjamin Tuttle; 1877, Edward M. Cook ; 1878, George W. Byers, Edward M. Cook, Benjamin M. Tuttle, Calvin Fletcher ; 1879, Uzziah Conger.

SCHOOL INSPECTORS.

1846, John L. Northrup ; 1847, William H. Hurlbut ; 1848, Charles U. Cross ; 1849, William H. Hurlbut ; 1850, Charles U. Cross ; 1851, Mansell M. Briggs ; 1852, Charles U. Cross ; 1853, William H. Hurlbut ; 1854, Samuel F. Foster, Aaron S. Dyckman ; 1855, William B. Hathaway; 1856, Samuel F. Foster ; 1857, Samuel A. Tripp ; 1858, Barton C. Palmer ; 1859, Nathaniel Grover ; 1860, James Cook ; 1861, Daniel G. Wright, Nathaniel Grover ; 1862, Elisha Moon ; 1863, Samuel Follett ; 1864, A. S. Dyckman, S. A. Tripp ; 1865, E. L. Andrus, D. G. Wright ; 1866, E. L. Andrus, William S. Burton ; 1867, A. S. Dyckman ; 1868, C. J. Monroe ; 1869, E. B. Moon ; 1870-71, Charles J. Monroe; 1872, Benjamin F. Heckert; 1873, C. J. Monroe; 1874, William II. Wilcox ; 1875, John N. Foster ; 1876-78, Aaron S. Dyckman ; 1879, Joseph Lannin.

NICHTON BLOCK.

LEIGHTON BLOCK.

FIRST NATIONAL BANK.

SOUTH HAVEN, MICH.

539

TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH HAVEN.

SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.

1875, Joseph Anderson ; 1876, Charles J. Monroe ; 1877-78, Charles H. Pleasants ; 1879, Charles J. Monroe.

The volunteer bounty fund in 1865 was raised by tax, and amounted to $3080.27. In 1866 the amount raised was $1701.25; 1867, balance of amount, $18.27 ; making a total of $4799.79. Incidentals increase this amount to $5387.17.

VILLAGE OF SOUTH HAVEN.

The village of South Haven was incorporated by act passed in January, 1869, and an organization was effected, but it was found so imperfect that the village was rein- corporated in 1871, under the corporate name of the " Vil- lage of South Haven," with a president, treasurer, three trus- tees, and an assessor. The territory embraced all of section 10, fractional sections 9 and 3, and a strip of land 80 rods wide on the west part of section 2, and the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 11.

The first election under the reincorporation was held May 10, 1869. The following is a list of presidents, clerks, treasurers, and trustees from that time to the present :

PRESIDENTS.

1869-70, George Hannahs; 1871-72, Foster I. Parks; 1873, Barney H. Dyckman ; 1874, Calvin Fletcher ; 1875-77, George Hannahs; 1878, Samuel A. Tripp; 1879, Chase H. Dickinson.

CLERKS.

1869-70, Alonzo M. Haynes; 1871, H. H. Hunter; 1872-73, George T. Rogers ; 1874-79, Henry E. Dewey.

TREASURERS.

1869, William H. Andrews; 1870, Eugene D. Conger ; 1871-79, Alwyn M. Prouty.

TRUSTEES.

1869, Daniel Howard, Albert Thompson, Levi R. Brown, George L. Seaver, William P. Bryan, and Barney H. Dyckman ; 1870, Elijah Rathbone, Calvin Fletcher, Orvis C. Lathrop; 1871, Darius E. Comstock, Daniel G. Wright, Timothy Bishop ; 1872, B. F. Heck- ert, Uzziah Conger, A. S. Dyckman; 1873, Hiland W. Sweet, William M. Patton, William P. Bryan; 1874, David R. Jones, William F. Smith, B. F. Heckert; 1875, James E. Gunsolly, Mar- shall J. Dickinson, Charles Delamen; 1876, Daniel G. Wright, George N. Hale, Humphrey Cain ; 1877, Charles Delamere, George B. Pomeroy, John Mackey ; 1878, Daniel G. Wright, Humphrey Cain, William H. Thompson; 1879, John Mackey, George B. Pomeroy, George N. Hale.

Village Plats .- A village plat was laid out by J. R. Monroe in 1834, but the place declined, and the plat re- mained a waste of wild land.

The first plat of the present village was made by Marvin Hannahs, and bears date Feb. 18, 1852. It embraced the northwest quarter of section 10, lying south of the river, and that portion of the southwest quarter of section 3 lying south and west of the river.

The subsequent additions to the village plat have been as follows : Tubbs' addition on section 3, along the lake-shore; Dyckman, Hale & Co.'s addition, 80 acres, northwest quarter of northeast quarter of section 10; Hale, Conger & Co.'s addition, 190 acres, comprising all that portion of section 3 lying east and south of river in section 3; Hale's survey of about 40 acres on the southwest quarter of the south- west quarter of section 2; Dyckman & Woodman's addi- tion, comprising all of the southwest quarter of section 3 west of the river; and Elkenburgh's addition, south of the

original plat, comprising the west half of the southwest quarter of section 10.

The location and advantages of South Haven are well given in an address of J. E. Bidwell, delivered in February, 1873, from which the following is quoted: "Commercially, South Haven is favorably located at the mouth of Black River,-whose dark waters are stained with the dissolution of mineral deposits and the decay of original forests and their annual foliage, replaced with thriftier trees in great variety,-from which many vessels are now annually laden with rich cargoes of choice lumber, wood, and timber, con- sisting principally of beech, whitewood, walnut, cherry, oak, maple, pine, and basswood, and conveyed across the lake to Chicago and other lake cities, to finish and warm their beau- tiful cottages and splendid mansions, their palatial stores and other commercial buildings, their numerous lines of railway and vessels,-all assisting the growth and prosperity of our great Northwest. South Haven is also the terminus of the Kalamazoo and South Haven Railroad, connecting a few miles out at Grand Junction, with the Michigan Lake Shore Railroad, and at Kalamazoo, forty miles distant, with the Michigan Central and other important lines of railway, pointing in every direction. South Haven is also connected by steamer and vessel with Chicago, sixty-eight miles dis- tant, southwest, and Milwaukee, ninety miles across the lake, northwest, connecting with steamers for Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo eastward."

The village now contains a population of about 1600, with five churches (Congregational, Baptist, Methodist, Reformed, and Catholic), two hotels, post-office, American Express Company, telegraph-office, deputy collector of cus- toms, light-house, railroad depot at the terminus of the South Haven Division of the Michigan Central, office of the South Haven Sentinel, opera-house, bank, Lake Shore Nursery, three warehouses, seven general stores, two hard- ware-stores, three drug-stores, two tailors' stores, four boot- and shoe-stores, one clothing-store, two jewelers' stores, four milliners' stores, two photograph-galleries, one fruit-package- factory, one fruit-evaporator, two steam saw-mills, one grist- mill, one tannery, one iron-foundry, one wooden-bowl-fac- tory, one brick-yard, one planing-mill, one flour- and feed- store, three furniture-stores, two markets, one cooper-shop, one harness-shop, four blacksmith- and wagon-shops, two insurance-offices, two dentists, three physicians, three law- yers, one master-builder.

BANKING.

First National Bank .- A private bank was started in January, 1868, by Boardman & Penniman, which firm was succeeded by S. B. Boardman, in May, 1868, and by S. B. Boardman & Co., Jan. 1, 1869. On the 1st of May, 1870, the Bank of South Haven was organized by S. B. Boardman, and Charles J. Monroe, and July 1, 1871, it was chartered as the First National Bank of South Haven, with a capital of $50,000. Silas B. Boardman, Presi- dent ; George Hannahs, Vice-President ; Charles J. Monroe, Cashier.

Monroe's Bank at Bangor is under the same manage- ment as the First National Bank of South Haven. C. J. Monroe, President; S. B. Boardman, Vice-President ; A. . B. Chase, Cashier.

540

HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

SOCIETIES AND ORDERS.

Literary Club .- This society was formed in the winter of 1857-58, with S. B. Morehouse as President, A. S. Dyck- man, Secretary, and numbering about 15 members. The society met once a week at the houses of the different mem- bers. Miscellaneous reading, discussions, reading of origi- nal papers, and music were the exercises. Meetings con- tinued till about 1866, when they declined. About 1869 an unsuccessful effort was made to revive the society.

A festival was held at Masonic Hall, Feb. 22, 1876, at which meeting it was decided to again revive the club. Meetings from that time have been held weekly. About 1870 a library association was organized and incorporated. Effort is now being made to unite the club and association as one society under incorporation. Under the auspices of the club lecturers from abroad are obtained. The organiza- tion of the society in the early history of the village did much to elevate the tastes of its inhabitants, and a similar effect has resulted from its revival.

Star of the Lake Lodge, No. 158, F. and A. M .- This lodge was chartered Jan. 19, 1865, with the following offi- cers : Liberty H. Bailey, W. M .; Calvin Fletcher, S. W .; Araba N. Moulton, J. W. The officers for 1879 are L. A. Leighton, W. M. ; Jerry Crowley, S. W. ; Sidney Holmes, J. W. The present membership is 120.

South Haven Chapter, F. and A. M., No. 58 .- This chapter was instituted Jan. 7, 1868, with L. H. Bailey as High Priest; George L. Seaver, King; Calvin Fletcher, Scribe. The present officers are Marshall J. Dixon, High Priest ; S. P. Wilson, King; John Sandlaun, Scribe. The present membership is 58.

Council, No. 45, R. A. M .- A dispensation was granted Dec. 4, 1875, with L. H. Bailey as Thrice Illustrious Mas- ter; Henry E. Dewey, Deputy Master ; and Comp. Mar- shall J. Dixon, Principal Conductor of Work. The present officers are Marshall J. Dixon, Thrice Illustrious Master ; H. E. Dewey, Deputy Master; George L. Seaver, Scribe.

Neptune Lodge, No. 297, I. O. O. F .- The lodge was instituted July 18, 1877, with the following as charter members : William E. Stewart, John M. West, Robert A. Douglas, David E. Histed, Charles S. Sharon, Charles H. Wigglesworth, Albert Cross, and B. A. Cross. The present membership is 45, and the present officers are Albert Cross, N. G .; George Hannahs, Jr., V. G .; Frank A. Keazie, Recording Sec .; N. K. Jillson, Permanent Sec .; A. D. Healy, Treas.

Pomona Grange, No. 219, P. of H .- A dispensation was granted to this grange Jan. 26, 1874, and charter granted July 6, 1874.

Post-Offices and Postmasters .- The first post-office was established in South Haven about 1852. Joseph Sturges was the first appointed postmaster. He was succeeded by S. B. Morehouse, B. H. Dyckman, Daniel G. Wright, B. H. Dyckman, and Wm. E. Stewart, the present incumbent.

SCHOOLS.

In the first platting of the village of South Haven a lot was set apart for school purposes. But the first account of any school being held in the territory of the township dates in 1837. A house was built and school taught by Lorenzo

Cate in that part of South Haven now the township of Columbia. In 1845 a school was taught by Miss Mehitable Northrop. No account is to be found of a school being kept at that early day in what is now South Haven. School records were commenced Jan. 31, 1845, and the first entry is as follows :

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History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 135

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