History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 59

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 59
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 59

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).

ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNSHIP.

Bertrand township was erected and organized under an act of the Legislature of Michigan, approved March 23, 1836, which provides that " All that portion of the county of Berrien designated by the United States Survey as frac- tional townships 8, south of ranges 17, 18, and 19 west, be and the same is hereby set off and organized as a separate township, by the name of Bertrand, and the first township- meeting shall be held at the dwelling-house of Michael Segdell."

The limits so named in the act were reduced by the operation of an act passed March 20, 1837, setting off sur- vey township 8 south, of range 19 west, to Weesaw town- ship ;* and they were further reduced, March 9, 1850, by the annexation to the township of Niles of all that portion of Bertrand lying east of the centre of the St. Joseph River.

The first election of the township was held in April, 1836, at Union Hall, in the village of Bertrand. Fred- erick Howe was elected Supervisor; James H. Montgomery, Township Clerk ; Joshua Howell, John De Armond, Alan- son Hamilton, Justices of the Peace; Michael Seligson and Jacob A. Dutton, Overseers of the Poor. At this meeting a tax of $25 was voted for the support of the poor.

The following is as complete a list as can be obtained of persons who have filled the offices of supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and justice of the peace in Bertrand since the year of its organization as a township, viz. :

1837 .- Frederick A. Howe, Supervisor; James A. Montgomery, Clerk ; Henry Hapgood, Treasurer; Joshua Howell, Alexander Blake, John Demond, Justices.

1838 .- Frederick A. Howe, Supervisor ; Joshua Howell, Clerk ; Henry Hapgood, Treasurer; Burham Gilbert, Justice.

1839 .- Frederick A. Howe, Supervisor; David M. Howell, Clerk ; John O. Underhill, Treasurer ; Alanson Hamilton, Justice. 1840 .- John Barbour, Supervisor; David M. Howell, Clerk; Burham Gilbert, Treasurer; Alexander Blake, Justice.

* The same territory was erected into the township of Galien, Feb. 19, 1844.

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

1841 .- John De Armond, Supervisor; Hugh Vanderhip, Clerk ; Bur- ham Gilbert, Treasurer; Joseph G. Ames, Justice.

1842 .- Joseph G. Ames, Supervisor; David Whitlock, Clerk ; Samuel Street, Treasurer ; C. H. Nickelson, Justice.

1843 .- Lewis Bryant, Supervisor; Hiram Ward, Clerk ; Alexander Blake, Treasurer; Samuel Street, Justice.

1844 .- Samuel Street, Supervisor; S. R. Bradbury, Clerk ; Benjamin Redding, Treasurer; Alexander Blake, Justice.

1845 .- Abram Ogden, Supervisor ; Simeon R. Bradbury, Clerk ; Alex- ander Blake, Treasurer; Alanson Hamilton, Justice.

1846 .- Frederick A. Howe, Supervisor; L. A. Palmer, Clerk ; N. W. Summers, Treasurer; Alvah Higbee, Justice.

The records from 1846 to 1873 are not found, and the list (being necessarily omitted for that period) is continued, commencing at the latter year :

1873 .- Freeman Franklin, Supervisor; William D. Badger, Town Clerk ; Solomon Rough, Treasurer; Michael Swobe, Enos Holmes, Justices of the Peace; Charles F. Howe, School Inspector.

1874 .- Charles F. Howe, Supervisor; Peter Womer, Town Clerk ; Levi L. Redden, Treasurer; William R. Rough, Justice of the Peace; Cyrus E. Gillette, School Inspector.

1875 .- William D. Badger, Supervisor ; Peter Womer, Town Clerk ; Samuel Messenger, Treasurer; Sylvester K. Wilson, Justice of the Peace ; Joel H. Gillette, School Inspector.

1876 .- W. D. Badger, Supervisor; P. Womer, Town Clerk ; William Foster, Treasurer.

1877 .- P. Womer, Supervisor; Enos Holmes, Town Clerk ; William Foster, Treasurer; Joel H. Gillette, Superintendent of Schools; Chester Badger, School Inspector ; John G. Dye, Justice of the Peace.

1878 .- John H. Young, Supervisor ; J. H. Gillette, Town Clerk ; John Redden, Treasurer; William R. Rough, Justice of the Peace; Joel H. Gillette, Superintendent of Schools; Chester Badger, School Inspector.

1879 .- Charles F. Howe, Supervisor; William D. Badger, Town Clerk; John Redden, Treasurer; John Gogle, Justice of the Peace; Enos Holmes, Superintendent of Schools; George Hess, School Inspector.

The town of Bertrand is taking rank among the best in the State for the production of wheat. By the statistics of the State for 1877, 90,000 bushels of wheat were raised, this being 2300 bushels more than was raised in any town- ship in the State. The statistics of the year 1878 show an increase to 125,000 bushels. Below are given the agri- cultural statistics of the township for that year, viz. : Acres improved lands, 16,573; of unimproved lands, 3473; of wheat raised in 1878, 6677 ; of corn, 2868; of oats, 622 ; of clover-seed, 63; of potatoes, 100; of hay, 1451 ; bush- els of wheat, 125,711 ; of corn, 107,185 ; of oats, 20,239 ; of clover-seed, 54; of potatoes, 6605; tons of hay, 2063; pounds of wool, 12,478; sheep sheared, 2605 ; number of milch cows on hand, 529 ; cattle, other than milch cows, 549; sheep, 2731 ; horses, 665 ; hogs, 1927 ; acres in or- chard, 459; bushels of apples sold, 10,192; of peaches, 24; pounds of grapes, 1000; gallons of wine made from grapes, 2700.

Of wheat, Mr. Isaac Long raised 2100 bushels from 85 acres, and George H. Rough 3200 bushels from 140 acres. There were several of the farmers who raised over 1000 bushels each. The largest number of bushels of corn raised was by David Gitchell, Sr.,-3200.

CHURCHES.

Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first Methodist soci- ety in the Territory of Michigan, west of St. Joseph River,

was organized at the log cabin of Benjamin M. Redding. A class was formed consisting of Benjamin M. Redding and wife Permelia and daughter Paulina, Eli Shockly and wife, William Fuson and wife, and a widow who lived with Mr. and Mrs. Fuson. Mr. Redding was appointed class- leader. Services were held at his house for about two years, until a school-house was built in the neighborhood in 1835. In 1833 and 1834 camp-meetings were held between Red- ding's Mills and the prairie. The Rev. James Armstrong was in charge of the first. About 1843 a frame building was erected for a church and called " Bethel," about a mile south and east from Dayton. James Redding, Sr., James Edson, Benjamin M. Redding, Emory Smead, and Mat- thew Redding were elected trustees.

In 1867 the society determined to remove to Dayton, and the present church was dedicated on the 31st day of August, 1867. The dedicatory sermon was preached by the Rev. D. D. Holmes, who was assisted in the services by the Rev. T. T. George, the pastor, and the Rev. Horace Hall, presiding elder. The first minister who attended at the Redding Mill class was the Rev. Boyd Phelps. A class had been formed at Terre Coupée Prairie, in 1830, by the Rev. L. B. Gurley.

Mr. Phelps was succeeded by George S. Beswick and Richard S. Robinson. A. C. Shaw, C. K. Erkanbrach, Richard C. Meek, Thomas P. McCool, David Burns, Henry Worthington, William Sprague, George King, Horace Hall, B. F. Doughty, William Morley, and --- Knight were local preachers.

This church was under the charge of the Buchanan Church until about 1872, since which time it has been supplied by Revs. Elliott, J. N. Tomer, Carlisle, Gray, Shenstone, Bell, Bennett, Jakeway, and Skinner, the pres- ent pastor. New Troy, Painter School-House, and Galien are under this charge.

Evangelical Church .- In the fall of 1851 an Evangel- ical Church was formed, of which David and Anna Rough, Peter Rhodes, Steiner and wife and two children were the constituent members. It was organized by Bishop John Sybert when on a tour through this section. These persons were members of the church in the East. In 1859 the society built a church at the intersection of sections 12 and 13 and 7 and 18.

In 1854 a branch of the society was organized about three miles from the first one and on the Chicago road, near the Bressler school-house. They now have about 30 members. The first pastor was the Rev. Mr. Wolfe. Among those who have served the church since that time were the Revs. Asher, Keiper, Steffe, Eckhart, Fox, Up- house, Rue, Fisher, Reigh, Evans, Pawlin, Boyer, Regartz, Kimerlin, and C. B. Myer, who is the present pastor.

St. Anthony's Church (Catholic) .- This church, located at Dayton village, has about fifteen families in its congre- gation, and is under charge of the Rev. Father Cappon, of the Roman Catholic Church at Niles.

DAYTON VILLAGE.

The village of Dayton is situated on the Michigan Cen- tral Railroad, on sections 6 and 7, in the western part of the township. It was first settled by Benjamin Redding,

PHOTOS, BY I. B. IVES.

F . A . HOWE .

MRS. F. A. HOWE.

RES. OF THE LATE F. A. HOWE, BERTRAND, BERRIEN Co., MICH.

S. EAST VIEW FROM RESIDENCE.

RES. OF SAMUEL MESSENGER, BERTRAND TP., BERRIEN CO., MICH.

231

TOWNSHIP OF BERTRAND.

and was known as Redding's Mills until the building of the railroad, when it was changed to the name it now bears. It contains two churches (Methodist and Catholic), two stores, hotel, post-office, school-house, steam saw-mill, grist- mill, wagon-shop, two physicians, about 40 dwellings, and nearly 300 inhabitants. Eighty children are enrolled in the school district between the ages of five and twenty years.

The post-office was first kept by Benjamin Redding. After the change of name the postmasters have been J. M. Phillips, Emory Smead, Z. P. Redding, S. B. Stout, and A. H. Rothermel, who is the present postmaster.

The village has also an Odd-Fellows' lodge, No. 214, organized Sept. 17, 1873. It now contains 35 members.

SCHOOLS.

The first school of which any reliable information can be obtained was taught by Philo Sanford on the Reservation in the winter of 1835, in a small log house that stood on the farm known as the John Borden farm. In the summer of 1836, Lucinda Howe (now Mrs. Bailey) taught in a log house on her father's farm four months in the summer and three months in the winter. She had 20s. per week for the first term. Dissatisfaction was expressed in the matter of wages, and she taught the winter term for $2.50 per scholar, but few who sent their children that winter term paid her. Mary Howe taught in the summer of 1837 in a log house on the Peter Womer farm, and a Mr. Ellis taught in the winter.

Ethan A. Roe taught in the east part of the township, in what is known as the Clelland district. Orena Thorn- ton taught in a log school-house on the David Rough farm. From 1840 schools were taught in different parts of the township. Houses were built on the corners generally, and schools were supported by a term-rate.

The school records, as well as the town records, are lost beyond recovery, and it is not known when the township was divided into school districts.

The following school statistics of Bertrand township are from the official report for the year 1879 :

Number of school districts

" school-houses (brick, 4; wooden, 8) ... 12 12

Value of school property (brick, $5500; wooden, $6500)

$12,000

Number of pupils that can be seated in school-

houses

610

Number of pupils in township of school age ....... 466

" male teachers who taught in the sev- eral districts 6

Number of female teachers who taught in the sev- eral districts 15

Total number of months taught in the several dis- tricts. 82

Amount paid female teachers

$1080

male

800

Money received from two-mill tax. 938.76

Primary interest fund.

232.32

The school inspectors in 1879 were Enos Holmes, Geo. W. Haas, and Wm. D. Badger.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

SAMUEL MESSENGER.

This well-known citizen of the township of Bertrand was born near Easton, Northampton Co., Pa., on the 10th day of September, in the year 1821, being the sixth child of Abraham Messenger and his wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Kemerer. His parents removed to Tompkins Co., N. Y., when the subject of our sketch was about a year old, where his father followed the occupation of a farmer. He died, however, when his son Samuel was but seven years old, and the latter was indebted for his sub- sequent training to his mother.

As he grew up to youth and manhood, he alternated the studies of the district school with the labor of the farm, remaining on the old homestead until all the rest of the children had left it. In 1844, when Mr. Messenger was twenty-three years old, he and his mother emigrated together to Michigan, where he purchased one hundred and fifteen acres of land, nearly, though not quite entirely, un- improved, situated on Portage Prairie, in the township of Bertrand, about three miles and a half southwest of the city of Niles.

There Mr. Messenger has resided during the thirty-six years which have passed away since the date of his first settlement, resisting all the temptations which have lured so many into fruitless change or hazardous speculation, im- proving his farm from year to year, increasing its size from one hundred and fifteen to one hundred and ninety acres, erecting substantial buildings, and making for himself and his family a comfortable home.

Mr. Messenger was married, in the year 1850, to Miss Ann Mary Woods, daughter of Richard Woods, of West- chester Co., N. Y. She died on the 14th of July, 1874.

Mr. and Mrs. Messenger were the parents of four chil- dren,-Genevieve, Hettie, Abraham S., and Schuyler. The second and third of these are dead; the oldest and the youngest reside with their father.

A Whig in early life, Mr. Messenger joined the Repub- lican party at its formation, and, though not an active poli- tician, has ever since steadily adhered to its principles and supported its candidates. In religious faith he is a Presby- terian, having joined the church of that denomination at Niles in 1877.

These are the simple facts of Mr. Messenger's life. We make no attempt to elaborate the record, or to portray him other than what he is,-a plain, substantial, straightforward, common-sense Michigan farmer.

GEORGE H. ROUGH.

Mr. Rough was born in Perry Co., Pa., Dec. 6, 1838, and remained there until 1849, when he removed to Ber- trand, Berrien Co., Mich., with his parents. In the spring of 1863 he was married, and soon after began housekeep- ing on the farm he now owns, which was formerly known as the " Miller Farm." In 1875, Mr. Rough purchased the "John Borden" farm, upon which he has recently

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

completed an elegant brick residence, at a cost of ten thou- sand dollars, the building being the finest private farm- dwelling in Berrien County, in which he now resides.

Mr. Rough was left a widower on the 18th of November, 1874, and three children mourned a mother's death.

In 1877 he made a trip to California, and visited the principal cities, both in the northern and southern portions of the State; deviating from the general route, visiting Denver and the mining parts of Colorado, Salt Lake City, and also the principal cities along the main route. In the summer of 1878, accompanied by his children, he made an extended tour through the East, visiting Western Canada, Niagara Falls, the river St. Lawrence, Montreal, Quebec, the White Mountains, Vermont, and Massachusetts. In 1877, in company with his brothers, he established a hard- ware-store at Buchanan, which is now in a flourishing con- dition. In partnership with Solomon Rough and William Pears, he owns the "Little Mill" (grist), and the grist- mill at the village of Buchanan. In 1879 he entered in copartnership with W. R. Rough and Solomon Rough, under the firm of Rough Bros'. Wagon-Works, to manu- facture wagons, buggies, etc., at Buchanan.

CHAPTER XXXI.

CHICKAMING TOWNSHIP .*

Location, Boundaries, and Natural Features-Original Entries of Land-Settlements and Settlers-Lumbering Interests of Chicka- ming-Township Organization and List of Township Officers- Schools-Religious History.

CHICKAMING township contains 19 full sections, and 6 triangular sections formed by Lake Michigan, and is bounded on the north and west by Lake Michigan and the township of Lake, on the east by the township of Weesaw, on the south by the townships of New Buffalo and Three Oaks, and is designated on the United States survey as town 7 south, of range 20 west. The name Chickaming is an Indian word, meaning lake.

The highest point of land between St. Joseph and New Buffalo is near Wilkinson Station, being 98 feet above the river at New Buffalo. Along the lake-shore the soil is sandy.

The northerly portion of that section was heavily tim- bered with beech, maple, and other woods. The southerly portion was white and black oak. In the easterly and southerly portions of the township the soil is generally a clay loam of good quality. The lake-shore strip is a good region for the production of all kinds of fruit, and is largely cultivated for that purpose. The farming lands are similar in quality and production to those of adjacent townships.

The township is watered by the north branch of the Galien River, which enters in the lower part of section 12, and passes diagonally through sections 13, 23, 22, 27, 29, and passes out in section 29.

Following is a list of persons who made original entries of government lands in the several sections of the township of Chickaming :

Section 1 .- E. Griswold, - Sheldon, C. Britain, G. Kimmel. Section 2 .- Sherwood & Co., - Wittemeyer, Calvin Britain.

Section 3 .- Sherwood & Co., D. A. Miller, T. U. Wray, B. Horton, and

Stuart & Co.

Section 9 .- Sherwood. Whole section.

Section 10 .- D. A. Miller, R. Horton, F. M. Wray, J. C. Miller, - Horner, G. Kimmel.

Section 11 .- G. Kimmel, - Johnson.

Section 12 .- G. Kimmel, C. Kingery, J. Griffin, Rathbone & Co.

Section 13 .- Rathbone & Chapin, J. Turner, B. Butterworth, William Bond, Jr.

Section 14 .- M. Chamberlain, G. Hoffman, N. Willard, Sherwood & Co., - Horner.

Section 15 .- G. Kimmel, Sherwood & Beers.

Section 16 .- School lot.

Section 17 .- C. Britain, H. Bishop, N. Willard, H. L. Stuart.

Section 19 .- S. Clough, E. Goit.

Section 20 .- B. L. Skinner, M. Chamberlain, F. H. Clough, R. Nixon, J. Stauffer.

Section 21 .- F. Smith, C. Britain, A. Cummings.

Section 22 .- J. Horner, G. Kimmel, Sherwood & Co., M. Chamberlain. Section 23 .- M. Chamberlain, Johnson, Lauman, E. Griffin, Rath- bone & Co.

Section 24 .- N. Willard, B. Butterworth, J. Johnson, J. Garrish, J. Haas, Townsend & Co.

Section 25 .- J. Haas, N. Willard & Co., Townsend & Co., Nelson Wil- lard and Henry Bishop, Sherwood & Co., - Deacon.

Section 26 .- Jacob Haas, J. Pierce, Sherwood & Co.

Section 27 .- John H. Ostrom & Co., D. Robb, J. Stauffer, and J. Turner. Section 28 .- Ostrom & Co., G. C. Balls, John A. Wells, W. Hammond, V. L. Bradford.

Section 29 .- M. G. Pratt, E. M. Shelton, V. L. Bradford, J. M. Carter, J. P. Warner, M. G. Evans.

Section 30 .- McKersham, J. P. Warner, Clough Whittaker, W. Ham- mond, V. L. Bradford.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

For many years after the settlement of New Buffalo, lands in this township were unoccupied by actual settlers on account of the speculative prices put upon them. The first to locate land was Luman Northrop, from near Hamburg, Erie Co., N. Y., a son-in-law of Festus A. Holbrook. He came to New Buffalo in the fall of 1836, and made that his headquarters, being part of the time at Galien and New Troy. He was collector of New Buffalo township in 1839. About 1840 he bought a farm on the southwest quarter of section 23, where he built a cabin and a saw-mill with a flutter-wheel. He owned the property until about 1860, and then sold it to Henry H. Pike, now of the " Pike House," Niles. Prior to this sale, he went to California, Lake Co., Ind., and other places. He died about 1868. He was a man of little education, but of strong mental and physical power.

In 1842, Richard Peckham, a native of Dutchess Co., N. Y., came to New Buffalo from Clinton, Lenawee Co., in this State, and commenced the manufacture of grain cradles and rakes, which he continued for four or five years. In 1843 he located a farm on the northwest quarter of section 20, Chickaming. He was a bachelor for many years, and carried on the farm at the same time with the factory, but finally moved on the farm, and gave his whole attention to it.

Henry Chamberlain, whose history will be found more fully with that of the township of Three Oaks, was the next to locate. He purchased the east half of the northeast half of section 20, where he built a cabin, and lived there about one year.

* By A. N. Hungerford.

VIEW OF

LAKE MICHIGAN FROM RES.

RIVERSIDE FARM

LAKESIDE FARM , RESIDENCE OF JOHN C. MORGAN, CHICKAMING TP, BERRIEN CO, MICH.

TOWNSHIP OF CHICKAMING.

233

Alfred Ames, a native of Vermont, came to Eaton Co., Mich., in 1841, and in 1843 came to New Buffalo. In November, 1844, he purchased 78 acres of the De Garmo Jones property, it being the northeast quarter of the north- west quarter of fractional section 30. Oct. 1, 1844, he married Miss Mary Fisher, then teaching school in Eaton County. She was also a native of Vermont, and a former schoolmate of his. Mr. Ames built a cabin on the farm (which was heavily timbered, and had no improvements), hired choppers, and worked in the woods all winter, his wife living with friends in Woodford Co., Ill., until some of the conveniences of a home could be obtained. In the spring of 1845 they commenced keeping house. At that time no bridge crossed the Galien River, and to get to New Buffalo was to swim the river, which Mr. Ames often did, taking off his clothes and putting them on his head to keep them dry. The mail service was to them an important matter, as they were both great readers, and the literature of the day was a necessity. Indians were often encamped between the home and New Buffalo. A man by the name of Wilcox, a contractor, lived in part of the house in 1845. He was engaged in getting out timber for the Chicago harbor improvement. The timber was taken to the lake, put on rafts, and floated to the vessels, which lay from half to three-quarters of a mile out in the lake.

The first school taught in the township was at the house of Mr. Ames, his wife acting as teacher. This was in 1847. Mrs. Ames is still living on the farm which is known far and near as " Clay Banks." Mr. Ames and the father and mother of Mrs. Ames died the same day, at their house, March 4, 1864. Mrs. Ames has obtained considerable ce- lebrity as an authoress, and for many years has written both poetry and prose, which have been contributed to the maga- zines and papers of the day.

In April, 1845, William Miller, a native of Ohio, settled on section 30, nearly adjoining Mr. Ames. Mrs. Miller is still living on the place. His son, John C. Miller, was a member of the House of Representatives of this State in 1862. Truman A. Clough, one of the first settlers of New Buffalo, owned land on sections 19 and 20. He engaged H. Hebner to clear the land on section 19, and agreed to give him two acres of land in township 8 for each acre cleared in section 19, township 7. He built a cabin and cleared land to the extent of 20 acres, receiving therefor 40 acres lying on Galien River, where his wife still lives. Mr. Clough removed to the farm about 1850, and lived there until the death of his wife, when he returned to New York State. He sold his property to J. N. Wilkinson & Co. Zalmon Desbro located on section 30, where his widow (now Mrs. Daniel Magee) lives. George Garland settled on the southeast quarter of the same section. Arnold Pratt, an early settler of New Buffalo, settled on land adjoining Garland. Richmond Horton, in about 1846, settled on the southwest quarter of section 1, where he made a clearing and built a steam saw-mill. He afterwards sold to Silas Sawyer, and moved to Berrien Springs, where he was in- terested in building the first grist-mill. He then moved to Ohio.

Tobias M. Ray, from New York, settled on section 16,

and built a small water saw-mill on what is known as Ray's Creek, about 1847. He was killed years after by the bursting of a boiler while putting a steam-engine in his mill.

About 1835 a lumber firm took up a tract of timber- land on section 11, where they built a water-mill, and con- structed a horse-railroad to the lake. This was afterwards taken by Heman J. Rogers and removed to his place on section 11. P. B. Andrews soon after settled on the place where he still lives. Mr. Andrews built the engine for the " Newburyport," the first steamer on the St. Joseph River.

Amos Fisher located a farm on section 30 about 1850, and went to California, where he remained a short time, re- turned, married, and in 1853 moved on his farm, where he still resides. A school-house was built on his land early in 1853. Martha, the daughter of John W. Wilkinson, taught school there in the summer of that year.

John W. Wilkinson, a native of Virginia, emigrated to Clarke Co., Ind., in 1833, and in 1847 came to New Buf- falo, where he remained till 1854. His brother, Dr. James Wilkinson, was a physician there for several years. An- other brother, Joseph N. Wilkinson, then living in Ala- bama, now in Richmond, Va., became interested in the lumber business, and, as a member of the firm of J. N. Wilkinson & Co., purchased, in September, 1854, of Tru- man A. Clough, the greater part of section 19 and the south- west half of southwest quarter in section 20, for $10 per acre, John W. Wilkinson taking charge of it. A boarding- house was put up, choppers hired, and lumbering was ac- tively commenced. The lumber for the first building was purchased of Luman Northrop, who had a small saw-mill on section 23. The only improvement on the land when they came was a clearing of six or eight acres, and a log cabin 18 by 28 feet, built by Mr. Hebner. A store-house 20 by 36 feet was soon erected, and a pier was built out into the lake six hundred feet for convenience in loading lumber and cordwood.

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History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 59

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