USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 75
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 75
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In the southeast the earliest settlements were made by William M. G. Ridenour and Cyrus Tatman, who came in 1849. West of them, in the same year, Norman Preston made a settlement ; and west of him, on section 34, still earlier in the same year, Miles Davis located upon 80 acres, purchased of Lawrence, a land speculator. The country about him was wild, and settlements were few. His neighbors on the north were Robert Ferry, David Puterbaugh, and Truman Reed; on the south was George Caldwell ; on the east there was no one between his place and the town line, three miles distant; on the west his nearest neighbor was Edward Hart, two miles away. Hart sold his place to W. Smythe Farmer, of New York, who settled in Pipestone in 1848. Since that time Mr. Farmer has steadily added to his landed possessions, and he now owns about 2000 acres, 800 of which are under cultivation.
Following the east-and-west road from " Cassiday's Cor- ners," we find that Robert Cassiday, who settled in the State in 1829, and in Niles in 1832, moved from the latter place in 1854 to Pipestone, where he settled on section 18, and took charge of the Enos mill property, his purchase of which had led him to locate in the township. A mile or more eastward, on section 17, Theodore Clark, of Ohio, settled in the same year, and opposite him, in the following spring, C. E. Jennings located, on section 8. Upon the place bought by Clark there had been three different set- tlers, to wit, Alonzo Brant, Joseph F. Yaw, and J. T. Burbank, each being named in the order of his settlement. After Burbank sold to Clark he bought a place on sections 9 and 16 from Hiram Ryther, who thereupon left the town- ship.
In the spring of 1855, A. R. Robinson bought a place on section 9 of Elliott Chamberlain, who was the original settler there in 1853. Robinson's neighbors were Peter Worth, Mrs. Reams, and Philip De Witt. In 1855, Jacob Puterbaugh came from Berrien and settled north of the road; A. J. Tibbs settled south, on section 16, in 1856; and Andrew Jackson, a colored man, settled on section 14.
William Green was a settler before 1849 ; and on section 3 John Sutherland was a settler in 1856. His farm was an unbroken forest, and before he settled neither the east-and- west road nor the north-and-south road, which now bound his farm on two sides, had been laid out.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS.
Pipestone, belonging to the territory originally set off to Bainbridge and Royalton, was created a separate township in 1842, under the Legislative act of February 16th of that year, and then extended west to the St. Joseph River. It is generally understood that the township name was derived
MILES DAVIS.
MRS.MILES DAVIS.
RESIDENCE OF MILES DAVIS, PIPESTONE TOWNSHIP, BERRIEN CO., MICHIGAN.
297
TOWNSHIP OF PIPESTONE.
from that of Pipestone Creek, but how the creek came by its name is not so clear.
The first meeting was held at the house of William Boughton, shortly after organization, and at the election then held, 27 votes were cast. The full list of officials then chosen is as follows : Supervisor, James B. Larue; Clerk, Morgan Enos; Treasurer, Loren Marsh ; Justices of the Peace, J. B. Larue (two years), Loren Marsh (three years), Ebenezer Farley (one year), David S. Rector (four years) ; School Inspectors, James Kirk, Loren Marsh, James B. Larue; Highway Commissioners, Ebenezer Farley, David S. Rector, James Kirk ; Directors of the Poor, William Boughton, Morgan Enos; Constables, David Puterbaugh, Hiram Rector; Overseers of Highways: District No. 1, Robert Ferry ; District No. 2, Loren Marsh; District No. 3, Morgan Enos ; District No. 4, Spencer Bishop; District No. 5, D. S. Rector ; District No. 6, Solomon Foster. The inspectors of this first election were James B. Larue, Wil- liam Boughton, John M. Enos, Morgan Enos.
The second election was held at the house of David S. Rector, April 3, 1843. From that date to and including 1879 the township has annually chosen its chief officials as follows :
1843 .- Supervisor, J. B. Larue; Treasurer, William H. Rector; Clerk, Morgan Enos; Highway Commissioners, Ebenezer Farley, Spencer Bishop, William M. Abbott; School Inspectors, J. B. Larue, Joab Enos ; Justice of the Peace, Ebenezer Farley. 1844 .- Supervisor, J. B. Larue ; Treasurer, Spencer Bishop ; Clerk, Morgan Enos; Highway Commissioners, E. Farley, D. S. Rector, Loren Marsh ; School Inspector, J. B. Larue; Justice of the Peace, J. B. Larue.
1845 .- Supervisor, J. B. Larue; Treasurer, Spencer Bishop; Clerk, Morgan Enos ; Highway Commissioners, Elijah Pratt, Ed- ward Buckman, D. S. Rector ; Justice of the Peace, Josiah Hawes.
1846 .- Supervisor, J. B. Larue; Treasurer, D. S. Rector ; Clerk, O. S. Boughton ; Highway Commissioners, Joseph F. Yaw, Wil- liam II. Rector, David Puterbaugh; School Inspectors, I. W. Chadwick, O. S. Boughton ; Justice of the Peace, O. S. Boughton.
1847 .- Supervisor, J. B. Larue; Treasurer, D. S. Rector; Clerk, O. S. Boughton ; Highway Commissioners, Ebenezer Farley, Spencer Bishop, D. S. Rector ; School Inspector, Daniel P. Pidge; Justice of the Peace, Ebenezer Farley.
1848 .- Supervisor, J. B. Larue; Treasurer, D. S. Rector; Clerk, Josiah Hawes; Highway Commissioner, D. S. Rector ; School In- spector, Morgan Enos; Justices of the Peace, J. B. Larue, B. A. Pemberton.
1849 .- Supervisor, Joab Enos ; Treasurer, A. Buckman ; Clerk, J. F. Haskins; Highway Commissioner, William Green; School Inspector, I. W. Chadwick ; Justices of the Peace, M. Reese, D. S. Rector.
1850 .- No record.
1851 .- Supervisor, Joab Enos ; Treasurer, W. Boughton ; Clerk, O. S. Boughton ; Highway Commissioner, Spencer Bishop ; School Inspector, William Green; Justices of the Peace, H. C. Fenton, H. A. Ryther, B. A. Pemberton.
1852 .- Supervisor, Josiah Hawes ; Treasurer, W. Boughton ; Clerk, O. S. Boughton ; Highway Commissioners, H. A. Ryther, Ebenezer Farley ; School Inspector, Morgan Enos; Justices of the Peace, D. Trowbridge, Ami Whitney.
1853 .- Supervisor, E. Farley ; Treasurer, W. Boughton ; Clerk, J. H. Reese; Highway Commissioners, William Horton, O. S. Boughton; School Inspector, I. W. Chadwick.
1854 .- Supervisor, D. Trowbridge; Treasurer, W. Boughton ; Clerk, O. S. Boughton ; Highway Commissioners, A. Buckman, D. S. Rector ; School Inspector, Lyman Dunbar; Justices of the Peace, J. F. Yaw, R. Cassiday. -
1855 .- Supervisor, M. Enos; Treasurer, W. Boughton ; Clerk, O. S. Boughton ; Highway Commissioners, G. Srackengast, Theo- dore Clark ; School Inspector, D. A. Clark ; Justice of the Peace, Joseph Walter.
1856 .- Supervisor, R. E. Hull; Treasurer, W. Boughton ; Clerk, Theo- dore Clark ; Highway Commissioners, G. Srackengast, John Rush, P. De Witt ; School Inspector, A. T. Watkins ; Justices of the Peace, Darius Ely, S. Correll.
1857 .- Supervisor, D. Ely ; Treasurer, W. Boughton; Clerk, A. T. Watkins; Highway Commissioners, W. P. Wells, C. E. Straight, John Stump ; School Inspector, Theodore Clark ; Justices of the Peace, William Hogue, J. Hemingway.
1858 .- Supervisor, M. Enos; Treasurer, W. Boughton ; Clerk, John Garrow; Highway Commissioner, W. P. Wells; School In- spector, R. Cassiday ; Justice of the Peace, J. F. Haskins.
1859 .- Supervisor, C. E. Straight ; Treasurer, W. Boughton ; Clerk, O. S. Boughton ; Highway Commissioner, Sheldon Roberts; School Inspector, A. T. Watkins; Justice of the Peace, W. H. Rector.
1860 .- Supervisor, R. J. Tuttle ; Treasurer, J. F. Haskins; Clerk, Theodore Clark ; Highway Commissioners, G. Srackengast, H. Trowbridge; School Inspector, N. Garrow; Justices of the Peace, John Davis, Martin Reese.
1861 .- Supervisor, J. Walter ; Treasurer, J. F. Haskins; Clerk, E. G. Jones ; Highway Commissioner, H. Trowbridge ; School In- spectors, Theodore Clark, James Hogan; Justices of the Peace, G. Srackengast, Darius Ely.
1862 .- Supervisor, D. Gardner; Clerk, Miles Davis.
1863 .- Supervisor, O. S. Boughton ; Treasurer, Joseph Walter ; Clerk, R. Calvin ; Highway Commissioners, A. R. Robinson, G. Srackengast; School Inspector, W. Friend, Jr .; Justice of the Peace, W. Friend, Sr.
1864 .- Supervisor, W. S. Farmer; Treasurer, Joseph Walter; Clerk, R. Calvin ; Highway Commissioners, S. Trowbridge, W. R. Hogue; School Inspector, D. Hullrey ; Justice of the Peace, C. Tatman.
1865 .- Supervisor, G. Srackengast; Treasurer, O. S. Boughton ; Clerk, W. R. Hogue; Highway Commissioners, W. R. Hogue, E. D. G. Ridenour; School Inspector, W. Friend; Justices of the Peace, James Hogue, J. Conkling.
1866 .- No record.
1867 .- Supervisor, O. S. Boughton ; Treasurer, J. F. Haskins ; Clerk, W. L. Hogue ; Highway Commissioner, R. A. Calvin ; School Inspector, John Clark.
1868 .- Supervisor, J. F. Haskins; Treasurer, Miles Davis; Clerk, W. L. Hogue; Highway Commissioner, S. E. Lapham ; School Inspector, J. D. Bowman.
1869 .-- Supervisor, J. F. Haskins; Treasurer, J. H. Conkling ; Clerk, W. L. Hogue ; Highway Commissioner, P. De Witt; School Inspector, C. E. Jennings.
1870 .- Supervisor, J. F. Haskins ; Treasurer, J. H. Conkling; Clerk, W. L. Hogue; Highway Commissioner, H. Stevens ; School Inspector, R. A. Calvin ; Justices of the Peace, J. F. Haskins, G. B. Tatman.
1871 .- Supervisor, J. F. Haskins ; Treasurer, J. H. Conkling ; Clerk, Anson Lewis ; Highway Commissioner, A. M. Green ; School Inspector, John Clark ; Justice of the Peace, John Clark.
1872 .- Supervisor, J. F. Haskins; Treasurer, J. H. Conkling; Clerk, Anson Lewis ; Highway Commissioner, P. De Witt ; School Inspector, R. A. Calvin; Justice of the Peace, J. H. Conk- ling.
1873 .- Supervisor, J. F. Haskins; Treasurer, J. H. Conkling ; Clerk, John Clark ; Highway Commissioner, Jacob Aumach ; School Inspector, R. Reese; Justice of the Peace, G. B. Tatman.
1874 .-- Supervisor, J. H. Conkling; Treasurer, A. Lewis; Clerk, W. L. Hogue; Highway Commissioner, F. W. Elliott ; School Inspector, R. A. Calvin ; Justices of the Peace, R. M. King, D. Gardner.
1875 .- Supervisor, J. H. Conkling; Treasurer, A. Lewis; Clerk, W. L. Hogue; Highway Commissioner, R. Cassiday; School In- spector, R. A. Calvin ; Justice of the Peace, Theo. Clark.
1876 .- Supervisor, J. H. Matthews; Treasurer, W. C. Pegg; Clerk, W. L. Hogue; Highway Commissioner, A. Lewis; School Inspector, O. S. Boughton ; Justices of the Peace, R. A. Calvin, J. F. Haskins.
38
298
HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
1877 .- Supervisor, J. H. Matthews; Treasurer, W. C. Pegg ; Clerk, W. L. Hogue; Highway Commissioner, A. Lewis; School Inspector, John Clark ; Justices of the Peace, W. Green, C. W. Haskins.
1878 .- Supervisor, M. Davis; Treasurer, W. C. Pegg; Clerk, J. H. Matthews; Highway Commissioner, William Collins; School Inspector, A. Lewis; Justices of the Peace, John Clark, J. F. Haskins.
1879 .- Supervisor, M. Davis; Treasurer, D. Johnson; Clerk, J. H. Matthews ;* Commissioner of Highways, William Collins; School Inspector, A. R. Trowbridge; Justice of the Peace, John Clark.t
The members of the township board for 1879 were Miles Davis, R. A. Calvin, J. F. Haskins, and John Clark. The school inspectors were John Martin (School Superintend- ent), A. R. Trowbridge, Anson Lewis. The justices of the peace were J. F. Haskins and R. A. Calvin.
In 1859 that portion of town 5 in range 18 west lying east of the St. Joseph River was set off from Pipestone and called Sodus.
Upon the organization of the township, in 1842, the res- ident highway-tax payers numbered 29, as follows :
Road District No. 1, Robert Ferry, David Puterbaugh, Palmer Reed.
Road District No. 2, Loren Marsh, James Kirk, Na- thaniel M. Brant, Elijah Pratt, Stephen Smith, Crawford Hazard.
Road District No. 3, Morgan Enos, William Boughton, John M. Enos, Henry Enos.
Road District No. 4, Spencer Bishop, Joab Enos.
Road District No. 5, D. S. Rector, David Rector, Wm. H. Rector, Daniel Baker, Jonathan S. Foster, James B. Larue, Hiram Rector, Nicholas Hall.
Road District No. 6, J. S. Foster, Ebenezer Farley, J. W. Brewer, David Michael, Francis Vershaw, - Mc Dougal, J. B. Larue, N. B. Smith.
SCHOOLS.
It seems very clear that the first school in Pipestone was one taught by one George Lundy, a teacher from " York State," who came out in 1840 with Aaron and Barzilla Collins. Loren Marsh had vacated a log shanty in which he had lived on section 20, and Lundy, succeeding in creating an educational interest in the community, estab- lished a school in the Marsh shanty. He taught only during the winter of 1840 and 1841, after which a school was established at Shanghai. Lundy's scholars were twelve in number, and included three adults, Robert Ferry, Aaron and Barzilla Collins, besides James Kirk's seven children, and Lyman and Clarissa Frisbee,-nephew and niece of Elijah Pratt.
July 2, 1843, school districts were created as follows in town 5 south, range 18 west, covering the whole or portions of sections named.
No. 1 .- Sections 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 22. No. 2 .- Sections 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 35, 36. No. 3 .- Sections 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20. No. 4 .- Sections 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34.
The condition of Pipestone's public schools Sept. 1, 1879, is shown in the following table :
Number of districts (fractional, 4). 10
Number of children of school age. 537
Public money .. Average attendance. 494 $348.72 10
Number of school-houses (frame, 7; brick, 3) .. Value of school-houses
Teachers. Amount paid for teachers' wages.
$7850 20 $1863.50
. CHURCHES.
The first public religious worship in Pipestone was held in 1837, in the house of James Kirk, by Rev. T. P. Mc- Coole, who with Revs. Knox and Burns rode the country over in the service of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and made it an especial business to plant the gospel in new settlements. These three ministers managed during the four years succeeding 1837 to hold services at Mr. Kirk's house about once every four weeks. Meanwhile Morgan Enos' father-in-law, known as Priest Clark, visited the settlement occasionally, and at Enos' house held Presby- terian services. Worship was thus continued by Mr. Clark for some years. William Boughton, a Close-Communion Baptist, enlisted the services of a Rev. Mr. Day, who preached frequent Baptist sermons at Mr. Boughton's house. It is told of Mr. Day that, during the course of one of his sermons, he said, with much apparent enthu- siasm, " What a happy man Father Boughton must be : he has one daughter capable of teaching her neighbors and another standing by her side to assist her." The fact that Mr. Boughton's daughter was a school-teacher seemed to Mr. Day to reflect considerable glory upon the father.
At Kirk's house Martin Friley and Hiram Hinchman, residents of Berrien, delivered occasional sermons, and Methodist Episcopal services were held there more or less until 1847, when a school-house being built at Shanghai, measures were taken to organize a class. Revs. McCoole and Woods held a protracted meeting in that year and formed a class of 54 members, of whom Daniel P. Pidge was class-leader.
The class was attached to the Bainbridge circuit, and for a year or more Mr. Woods, who was a blacksmith in the employ of Daniel P. Pidge, acted as local preacher. Suc- ceeding McCoole on the circuit at an early day were Revs. E. L. Kellogg and Ransom Goodall. The Shanghai school- house was used as a place of worship until 1867, when the society built a fine church north of the village.
The church membership is now 56, and the officers are: Trustees, J. F. Haskins, W. S. Farmer, Robert Cassiday, Theodore Clark, A. J. Tibbs ; Class-Leader, vacancy ; Pastor, A. N. Eldred ; Stewards, W. S. Farmer, C. H. Burbank, Milo Jennings. The Sabbath-school has about 60 pupils, and is under the superintendence of William S. Reese. Preaching and Sunday-school exercises are enjoyed every Sunday.
United Brethren .- Previous to 1855, members of the United Brethren faith in Pipestone worshiped occasion- ally in the Shanghai school-house and the school-house on section 9, but effected no organization until that year. The class numbered 12 members, and included Joseph Reems and wife, Thomas Hoadley and wife, Helen Worth, and Jacob Puterbaugh and wife. The organization of the class was effected by Rev. Mr. Abdell, of the St. Joseph Confer- ence, and the leadership given to Jacob Puterbaugh, who
* Resigned, and John Clark appointed.
t Failed to qualify.
MRS. THOS. EVANS.
THOMAS EVANS.
+
RESIDENCE OF THOMAS EVANS, PIPESTONETP., BERRIEN CO., MICH.
-
299
TOWNSHIP OF PIPESTONE.
is the leader at present. Mr. Abdell was the pastor for a time, and since his term the church has been served by Revs. F. L. Forbes, Henry Hardy, John Surran, J. B. Slite, and others. The present pastor is Rev. J. H. Pattie, who preaches once in two weeks. Services were held in the school-house on section 9 until 1875, when the pres- ent church edifice was erected, at which time Rev. Mr. Webster was the pastor.
The church grew apace in strength after organization, and before the close of the first year of its existence num- bered 40 members. In 1879, however, the membership was but 25. The trustees then were Charles Haskins, Wm. Lavineway, and Jacob Hartzell. Sabbath-school ses- sions are held in the church every Sunday. The pupils number 40. The superintendent is Walker Willis. An United Brethren class was organized at Shanghai at a com- paratively early day, and subsequently merged into the class at Sodus. Reference thereto is made in the history of Sodus.
Wesleyan Methodist .- A Wesleyan Methodist Church was organized in Berrien township in 1855, and trans- ferred in 1858 to Eau Claire, in Pipestone, where a reor- ganization was effected, with 6 members, Jesse Gray being chosen the first class-leader at that point. After an exist- ence of ten years, the class at Eau Claire was reduced to but a handful of members, who thereupon joined a class located at the red school-house, on section 20, at which time Wm. Brown was leader of the red school-house class. After a fur- ther existence of a few years, the red school-house class was discontinued, but in 1876 a reorganization was effected at Shanghai, with 16 members, when Rev. Wm. S. Williams was placed in charge, and William Clark chosen class- leader. Since 1876, Revs. O. S. Gurnell, O. Tapley, and Homer Gane, of the Pipestone circuit, have supplied the preaching, which is provided every Sunday, at the Shang- hai school-house. Mrs. Elizabeth King is now the leader of the class, which has a membership of 23. The church stewards are David J. Reams and Abigail Buckner.
The Sunday-school" has 30 pupils, under the charge of Charlotte Haskins (superintendent) and 8 teachers.
First German United Evangelical Zion Church .- For some years previous to 1871 the Germans living in the northeastern portion of Pipestone met for occasional wor- ship in the school-house on section 1, a majority of the worshipers adhering to the Evangelical faith. Preaching was obtained as it best could be, and although services were held at irregular periods, they were counted upon as often as once a month. It was not, however, until October 11, 1871, that a church organization was effected, at which time the following members were enrolled : William Krohne, Henry Bachman, Frederick Holle, Frederick Wolf, Henry Horstman, Frederick Furst, John Thumm, J. H. Rush, Frederick Miller, Jacob Thumm, Frederick Bachman, Chas. Bachman, Michael Bowman, Julius Hackstadt, Wil- liam Hackstadt.
Earlier, by some years, a burial-place had been laid out by some of the leading Germans near the school-house, and in 1872 the church now used was erected upon the ceme- tery lot. The preachers who served previous to and since the organization of the church have been Revs. Fuerchter-
nich, Henry Meyer (who lived in Pipestone and occupied the pulpit three years), Hermann, Fuertag, Schroeppel, Copelge, and Nusbaum. The latter has been the pastor since 1876, and preaches once every fortnight for the Pipe- stone congregation. The church membership is now six- teen. The trustees are Frederick Wolf, William Martin, and H. Horstman. The secretary is William Langley.
Eureka Hall, a neat and commodious frame edifice in the southern part of the township, is frequently used for religious worship. It was built in 1877, at a cost of $1200, by a company of Pipestone citizens for a public hall, and in the agreement between the proprietors it was stipulated that the building should be open at all times for the use of any religious denomination absolutely free of charge.
EAU CLAIRE.
The post-office on the south, known as Eau Claire, was established in 1861, through the efforts of William Smythe Farmer. Henry Rush was appointed postmaster, and kept the office in a store just over the Pipestone line in Berrien. When Mr. Farmer sought to have a post-office established there, he hit upon Eau Claire (meaning " clear water") as a neat name, and christened the place accordingly. Edwin Hart was the first storekeeper on the Pipestone side, and upon his retirement Geo. E. Tatman succeeded him. When Rush gave up the office, in 1874, Tatman was appointed, and removed the office into the Pipestone portion of Eau Claire. In 1877, Patrick Stapleton succeeded Tatman as storekeeper and postmaster, and still fills both positions.
PLEASANT VALLEY POST-OFFICE.
In 1870, Charles Bachman, living at Krohne's Corners, succeeded in having a post-office established at that point. He was appointed postmaster, and used to go to Dowagiac twice a week for the mail. Bachman wearied of the office, and it fell to Sullivan Claussen, who was succeeded by Chas. Hartelrode, and when the latter resigned no one cared to take the place, whereupon the office was discontinued.
PIPESTONE GRANGE, No. 194, PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY, was organized in 1873, with 33 members. Meetings were held in town school-houses until 1877, when a grange hall was built on section 16.
The Masters of the grange since its organization have been W. Smythe Farmer, John Clark, Philip De Witt, and John Clark (present and second term). The grange membership is now twenty-nine. The officers are John Clark, Master ; Philip De Witt, Overseer; Mrs. Philip De Witt, Lecturer ; Cassius Hogue, Steward; Henry Bowman, Assistant Steward; Maria Robinson, Chaplain ; Alvin Robinson, Treas. ; Anson Lewis, Sec. ; Helen Clark, Ceres; Josephine Lewis, Pomona; Christina Bowman, Flora ; Sarah Hogue, Stewardess.
A MEMORABLE WIND-STORM.
On the night of May 26, 1860, that portion of Pipestone lying along the southern line of section 9 was visited by a violent tornado, which occasioned within a narrow limit not only serious destruction of property, but loss of life. Mrs. A. R. Robinson, one of the sufferers from the disaster, re- lates the story as follows : Shortly after eleven o'clock upon
300
HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
the night in question Mrs. Robinson was awakened from sleep by a roaring sound, and, springing hastily to the win- dow, was at once struck senseless by a sudden blow, and at the same instant the house-a log cabin-was utterly de- molished. Rain had been falling during the day, and at night was accompanied with violent thunder and vivid lightning. This was the condition of the elements when the house fell, while inky darkness added to the horror of the scene. In the house were Mr. and Mrs. William Worth and Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, with their two children,-the children being lodged in the second story. The house and its occupants were precipitated to the ground in a confused mass, but, as fortune would have it, no one was fatally in- jured. Mrs. Robinson had been struck upon her head by a falling log, but immediately recovered consciousness, and groped, with her husband, through the ruins after the chil- dren, one of whom was found to have a broken arm. With her in her arms, Mrs. Robinson, accompanied by her hus- band carrying the other child, and by the Worths, sought shelter at Philip De Witt's house, on the opposite side of the road. Upon nearing De Witt's house they heard cries of distress, and knew that his family had also met with dis- aster. Hasty investigation revealed that the De Witt house -a frame structure-had been lifted bodily from its foun- dation and thrown upon its side, dislodging the inmates from their beds, and hurling upon them broken timbers, beneath which some of them were painfully confined. Working with desperate energy, those who were unharmed succeeded in rescuing the imprisoned ones, by which time other neighbors arrived, who conveyed the wounded to temporary homes. Mr. De Witt's four-year-old son was taken out in an unconscious condition, lingered but a few days, and died. The bed which contained another young child of De Witt's was blown through a window into the adjoining lot, with the child still in it, and so little was the latter disturbed that she simply cried out to know "why her ma had left her out in the rain ?"
The storm, when at its height, was confined to a narrow limit, and concentrated its strength in the vicinity of the Robinson and De Witt places, no similar disasters occurring elsewhere in the township at the time, and the wind being in fact but moderately felt at other points. The blow was over in an instant, as if opposing blasts had met in battle array, and after a moment's conflict had parted and fled.
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