USA > Michigan > Branch County > History of Branch county, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 25
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Benjamin F. Dumont, disch. at end of service, Jan. 28, 1865.
Austin Engle, disch. for disability, March 4, 1864.
Jeremiah Ferguson, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, March 5, 1864.
William S. Gibson, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Sept. 25, 1864.
Charles M. Gay, must. out Aug. 6, 1865. Lyman J. Goodell, must. out Ang. 6, 1865.
Daniel J. Gibson, trans. to Vet. Res. Corps, Sept. 25, 1864.
Moses A. Hewett, trans. to Vet. Res. Corps, April 10, 1864.
Daniel Higgins, disch. for disability, March 1, 1862.
George W. Harris, disch. by sentence of G. C. M., Sept. 6, 1862.
Tobias Haynes, died of disense at Pass Cavallo, Texas, Jone 7, 1864.
Edwin R. llause, died of disease at New Orleans, July 21, IN65.
Francis Harvey, disch. at end of service, Jan. 28, 1865.
James D. C. Harvey, died of disease near Perkie's Plantation, La., May 31, 1563.
William Hurst, must. out Aug. 6, 1865. Albert Johnson, must. out Aug. 6, 1865.
Elias Johnson, must. out Ang. 6, 1865.
Benjamin Knickerbocker, disch, for disability, Ang. 10, 1863.
Frederick Knickerbocker, disch, at end of service, Jan. 28, 1865.
Philander Knapp, must, out Aug. 6, 1865.
Somers Leland, disch. for disability, June 16, 1×63.
Sidney Leland, disch, at end of service, Jan. 28, 1805.
Henry Lindenburg, minst. ont Aug. 6, 1865.
Thaddeus E. Lawrence, died at Paducah, Ky., Feb, 9, 1863, of wounds.
James A. Mason, must. out Ang. 6, 1865.
Charles R. Moore, must. out Ang. 6. 1865.
Charles Huffman, must. ont Ang. 6, 1865.
Emanuel G. Miller, must. ont Ang. 6, 1965.
96
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
John W. McDonald, died at Padnealı, Ky., Jan. 18, 1863, of wounds. Morgan Marquette, died of disease at Cumberland Gap, Teno., Ang. 3, 1862. Benjamio S. Osburn. Cortlandt Olds, disch. for disability, Oct. 20, 1864. John Osterman, died of disease near Vicksburg, Tenn., July 1, 1863. Samuel A. Peterson, must, vut Ang. 6, 1865.
Edwin Palmeter, disch for disability.
Henry Patterson, disch. to enter U. S. Navy, Ang. 25, 1865. William E. Page, disch, at end of service, Feb. 12, 1865.
John Ray, disch. at end of service, Jan. 28, 1865. Jacob Ranpp, must. out Ang. 6, 1865. Elijah Smith, disch. for disability, Feb. 1863. Peter Snooks, disch. at end of service, Jan. 28, 1865. William Snooks.
Fred. Schnoerstine, disch, to enlist in regular service, Nov. 25, 1862. Frederick Schmidt, disch. at end of service, Jan. 28, 1865.
Fayette N. Swift, disch. at end of service, Jan. 28, 1865. Seymour Straight, died of disease at Young's Point, La., March 3, 1863. Samnel Smith, disch. for disability, Aug. 19, 1862. Chester L. Stephens, must. ont Ang. 6, 1865. Smith Taylor, disch. for disability, Aug. 27, 1862. William H. Thurber, disch. for disability, Ang. 28, 1862. Lyman Thurber, disch. for disability, Nov. 26, 1862 John J. Vickory, disch. for wounds, April 17, 1863. Aaron Van Antwerp, must, out Ang. 6. 1865. Sylvester B. Wright, disch. at end of service, Jan. 17, 1865.
CHAPTER XXIV.
OTHER BRANCH COUNTY SOLDIERS.
Soldiers of the 2d Infantry-Of the 3d Infantry-4th Infantry-6th Infantry-10th Infantry-12th Infantry-13th Infantry-14th Infantry-24th Infantry-25th Infantry-26th Infantry-27th In- fantry-30th Infantry-102d United States Colored Troops- Duesler's Sharp-Shooters-5th New York Infantry-11th Con- necticut Infantry-1st Cavalry-2d Cavalry-3d Cavalry-7th Cavalry-Merrill Ilorse-Battery C-Ist Light Artillery-Battery E-Battery I-Battery K-Battery L-Battery M-Cleveland Light Artillery-First Engineers and Mechanics.
BESIDES the regiments and batteries of which sketches have been given, there were many others, each of which contained a few soldiers from Branch County. Of such soldiers we give a list in this chapter.
SECOND INFANTRY.
John Q. Adams, Co. B; died at Washington, D. C., June 10, 1864, of wounds. Feron Anderson, Co. B; died of wounds, July 18, 1864. Fletcher Alford, Co. G ; disch, at expiration of service, July 12, 1864. Wesley Banfield, Co. B; missing in action near Petersburg, Va., Sept. 30, 1864. Robert A. Belton, Co. B; died at Portsmouth Grove, R. I., June 17, 1864, of wounds.
William J. Baldwio, Co. A ; must. out July 28, 1865. Mandeville Bates, Co. D ; must. out July 28, 1865.
Edward E. Gibson, Co. D; disch. for disability, Sept. 30, 1864.
Andrew Granger, Co. A ; must, ont Ang. 8, 1865. Ludlow A. Hollenbeck, Co. A ; disch, for disability, Ang. 16, 1864. Elijah Hammond, Co. B; minst. ont July 28, 1865. Charles J. Moore, Co. IT ; omst. ont July 28, 1865. George Mckewn, Co. Il ; died in hospital, Ist Div., 9th A. C., July 25, 1864. Ralph Truax, Co. D; must. ont May 12, 1863. James Upton, Co. B; must. out Aug. 2, 1865,
THIRD INFANTRY.
Anderson Brown, Co. G; missing in action, Jan. 4, 1864. Sidney J. Burlington, Co. F; trans. to 5th Inf., June 10, 1864.
FOURTH INFANTRY.
David HI. Wood, Quincy, 2d lient .; enl. July 26, 1864; 1st lieut. Oct. 24, 1865; amst. out May 26, 1866, with regiment. Amos Aldrich, Co. E; died of disease at San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 8, 1866. Charles Brownell, Co. E; must. ont Ang. 21, 1865. ITenry E. Beale, Co. C; disch, at expiration of service, Jan. 29, 1864. Samnel B. Corbus, Co. E; minst. ont May 26, 1866. Canfield A. Fisk, Co. C ; disch. at expiration of service, June 29, 1864. William II. Holcomb, Co. B; died of wounds at Washington, D. C., Feb., 1863. John A. Homer, Co. C; disch, for disability, April 28, 1863. Thomas Jones, Co. E; must. out May 26, 1866.
John Kinney, Co. C; disch, for disability, Feb. 8, 1863.
John l'. Kidney, Co. C; disch. at expiration of service, June 29, 1864. Joseph Price, Co. C; died of wounds received in action, July 31, 1862. Jacob Roupp, Co. C; disch, at expiration of service, Oct. 1, 1863. Cessna Smith, Co. E; most. ont Ang. 21, 1865.
Andrew J. Tindall, Co. E; died of disease at Murfreesboro', Tenn., Jan. 1, 1865.
Oren Vangilder, Co. I ; disch. to enl. in regular service, Dec. 24, 1862. Charles Wademan, Co. C; disch. at expiration of service, June 29, 1864. George Williams, Co. C: died at New York City, Aug. 10, 1862. Jerome B. Youngs, Co. C ; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps, Jan. 15, 1864.
SIXTH INFANTRY.
George W. Barry, Co. K ; disch. by order, July 24, 1865. Charles W. Hewitt, Co. C; disch. to re-enl. as vet., Feb. 1, 1864. Joseph W. Ralph, Co. C; must. out Ang. 20, 1865. Lorenzo P. Van Slyke, Co. I ; must. out Ang. 20, 1565. Benjamin Wheaton, Co. I; disch. by order, Sept. 2, 1865. Roman S. Whipple, Co. K; disch, by order, July 24, 1865.
TENTH INFANTRY
Charles W. Bray, Co. K ; must. out July 19, 1865. Jabez Carlisle, Co. A ; must. ont July 19, 1865. Joseph Echtinaw, Co. A ; must. ont July 19, 1865. John Huffman, Co. G ; must. out July 19, 1865.
TWELFTHI INFANTRY.
William Buck, Co. C; disch. by order, Oct. 12, 1865. Rubert Cosgrove, Co. B; disch, by G. C. M., Dec. 14, 1865. Albert L. Gibson, Co. HI ; omst, out Feb. 15, 1866. Lewis Hanse, Co. B; died of disease at Duvall's Bluff, Ark., Ang. 1, 1864. Nathan A. Johnson, Co. B; died of disease at Little Rock, Ark., July 15, 1864. Patrick Keeley, Co. D; must. out Feb. 15, 1866.
Thomas MeEvey, Co. E; disch, by urder, Ort. 13, 1865. William H. Savage, Co. A ; disch. at expiration of service, Sept. 9, 1865. Daniel Tice, Co. B ; nuust. ont Feb. 15, 1866.
THIRTEENTH INFANTRY.
Abel E. Barber, Co. E; disch. by order, June 8, 1865. Stephen Brooks, Co. I ; disch. by order, June 8, 1865. Sier Baird, Co. I; disch. by oniler, June 8, 18ti5. Benj. Cleveland, Co. E; died of disease at Savannah, Ga., Feb, 9, 1865. Josephus Clark, Co. I ; disch, by order, Ang. 4, 1865.
Iliram Evans, Co. E; died of disease at Savannah, Ga., Jan. 15, 1865. Calvin B. Ferris, Co. 1; died of disease, March 3, 1865. Levi R. Fuller, Co. I ; disch. by order. Charles W. Iloxie, Co. I ; must. out July 25, 1865. Horace June, Co. I; died of disease at Troy, N. Y., April 2, 1863. James Ransom, Co. 1 ; disch. by order, June 8, 1865. Peter B. Tindall, Co. I ; disch. by order, June 23, 1865. Milton R. Thompson, Co. E; disch. by order, June 26, 1865.
FOURTEENTHI INFANTRY.
John W. Arnold, Co. G ; must. out July 18, 1865. Archibald Bates, Co. G; must. out July 18, 1865. John L. Bowers, Co. B; must. ont July 18, 1865. Dwight L. Burbank, Co. B; disch. by order, Ang. 2, 1865. Andrew Doyle, Co. G ; disch, by order, June 22, 1865. Jefferson L. Friend, Co. A; must, ont July 18, 1865. Thomas G. King, Co. B ; must. ont July 15, 1865. Sylvester Kilbourn, Co. B; must, out July 18, 1865. William Kelso, Co. G ; minst. ont July 18, 1865. William Luke, Co. G; must. ont July 18, 1865. George MeKnight, Co. G ; disch. for disability, June 12, 1865.
Robert McMurray, Co. B ; must. out July 18, 1865. Charles Reynolds, Co. G : must. ont July 18, 1865.
Christian Perkins, Co. H ; must. ont July 18, 1865. Jeremiah Shane, Co. D; disch. for disability, Nov. 11, 1865. Ambrose Stevens, Co. G ; died of disease at Newbern, N. C., May 27, 1865. John J. Smith, Co. G; must. ont July 18, 1865. Augustus Thies, Co. Il ; must. out July 18, 1865. Lewis Warner, Co. B; must. out July 18, 1865. Franklin Warren, Co. C; disch. for wouods, June 18, 1865.
TWENTY-FOURTH INFANTRY.
Austin Birch, Co. -; must. out June 28, 1865. Jonathan W. Crawford, Co. E; must, ont Juve 30, 1865. Theodore Dickinson, Co. -; must. out June 30, 1865. George Frear, Co. E; must. out June 30, 1865. John French, Co. F; must. ont June 30, 1865. Elmore Gates, Co. -; must. ont June 30, 1805. Peter D. Gibson, Co. -; minst. out June 30, 1865. Carlton Greenleaf, Co. B; must. ont Juoe 30, 1805. Charles Leigh, Co. E; must ont June 30, 1865.
97
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Melvin G. Lincoln, Co. E; must. ont June 30, 1865. Ezra Lewis, Co. I; must. ont June 30, 1865. Williaut A Peavey, Co. -; must. out June 30, 1865. John Sterling, Co. A ; died of disease at Culpeper, Va., April 11, 1894. George Vandine, Co. E; must, out June 30, 1865. Courge E. Walcott, Co. E; must. out June 30, 1865. Julius M. Ward, Co. E; must. out June 30, IsG5.
TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY.
Oliver M. Blanchard, Co. E; diel of disease at Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 13, 1865. J. S. Manning, Co. D; died of disease at Knoxville, Tenn., April 1, 1864. Edward P. Whitmore, Co. D; disch. for disability, March 25, 1803. Bruco C. Wilcox, Co. E; must. ont June 24, 1865.
TWENTY-SIXTH INFANTRY. Nelson Kenney, Co. G; died of disease at Alexandria, Va., Dec. 20, 1863.
TWENTY-SEVENTH INFANTRY. Edwin P. Warren, Co. HI ; must. out July 1, 1865.
THIRTIETHI INFANTRY.
Abram R. Colburn, N. C. S. ; must. ont June 30, 1865. Oscar Deming, Co. P ; Inst. out June 30, 1865. Thaddeus Edilington, Co. A ; must. out June 30, 1865. Thomas B. Farley, Co. A ; ninst. out June 30, 1865. James E. Foster, Co. D ; must. out June 30, 1865. Charles A. Gilbert, Co. A ; minst. out June 30, 1863. James A. Kent, Po. D; must. ont Juno 30, 1865. Alex. Lesprence, Co. D ; must. out Juno 30, 1865. Floyd Moulton, Co. A ; must. out June 30, 1865. John Sullivan, Co. A ; must. out June 30, 1865. Peter HI. Van Etten, Co. A ; must. ont June 30, 1865. Asa Woolcott, Co. H ; must. out June 30, 1865.
ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND U. S. COLORED TROOPS.
Juhu Delany, Co. B; minst. ont Sept. 30, 1865. George 11. Goins, Co. B ; must. out Sept. 30, 1863. George C. Smith, Co. B; must. ont Sept. 30, 1865. John Saunders, Co. B; must, out Sept. 30, 1×65. John H1. Thomas, Co. C; must. ont Sept. 30, 1865. Charles Jolins, Co. I ; must. out Sept. 30, 1865.
DUESLER'S SHARPSHOOTERS.
James Curtis, Benjamin Carter, Elisha R. Philo, Wallace W. Root, Byron E. Williams.
FIFTHE NEW YORK INFANTRY (DURYEA'S ZOUAVES).
F. D. Newberry, enl. in April, 1861 ; must, out May 14, 1863; with regiment in the principal battles of the Army of the Potomac.
ELEVENTII CONNECTICUT INFANTRY.
C. V. R. Pond, acting q .- m. Sept. 30, 1961; commissioned q .- m. in 12th Conn. Inf .; took part in the naval engagement at Fort Jackson and in the cap- ture of New Orleans ; disch. March 4, 1864.
FIRST CAVALRY.
Samuel L. Brass, Ovid, 21 lieut., April HI, 1865; must, ont, March 10, 1866, with regiment.
Barton S. Tibbits, Coldwater, 2d lient. (as sergt.), July 10, 1805; must. out March 10, 1866, with regiment. William Bronson, Co. B; must, out March 10, 1866.
Jolin Dennis, Co. G; must. out Dec. 5, 1865.
Elisha Demarest, Co. M ; must, out March 25, 1866.
Edwin Fox, Co. G; must. out Dec. 5, 1×65.
Charles Preutis, Co. 1; must. ont Dec. 5, 1865. Juines J. Pendill, Co. K ; must. ont May 11, 1866. Lucius Stray, Co. E ; must. out March 2, 1865
SECOND CAVALRY.
William H. Tullman, Coldwater, 2d hent., March 1, 1864; capt., Oct. 7, 1864; trans., June 8, 1865, to 136th U. S. C. T.
Henry W. Walker, Ovid, Ist lieut. and quartermaster, July 31, 1865; not must. Washington Bulson, Co. G; must out Aug. 17, 1864.
John M. Colwell, Co. I ; died of disease at Rienzi, Miss., Ang. 13, 1862.
George W. Iland, Co. M ; must ont Ang. 17, 1865.
Henry G. Johnson, Co. G; must. out June 3, 1865. Nelson Norton, Co. H ; must. out Aug. 30, 1865. Frank Zahninger, Co. MI ; must. out June 17, 1865.
THIRD CAVALRY.
John C. Baker, Co. K ; died of disease at St. Louis, Mo., April 7, 1864. Charles A. Cook, Co. M ; must, ont Feb. 12, 1866.
Thomas Davis, Co. F; duel of disease at Rienzi, Mi-s., July 25, 1862.
Fredl Eberhard, Co. A ; died of disease nt Duvall's Bluff, Ark., July 23, 1861. George Hawley, Co. G; must. out Feb. 12, 1866. 13
Henry M. Lily, Co. A ; must. out Feb. 12, 1866.
Theodore Oliver, Co. A; died of disease at Brownsville, Ark., Ang. 25, 1804. Mike Reynolds, Co. G; must. out Feb. 12, 15G6.
John Vorhees, Co. K, died of disease at Brownsville, Ark., Ang. 27, 1801. Martin Vanderhoof, Co. M; must. ont Feb. 12, 1866. Jasper L. Wooden, Co. A ; must. out March 17, 1866.
SEVENTHI CAVALRY.
Edward Carr, Co. F; trans. to Ist Mich. Cav., Nov. 17, 1865.
Elisha Demorest, Co. Il ; trans, to Ist Mich. Cav., Nov. 17, 1865. Peter M. Dubendorf, Co. MI; minst. out Dec. 8, 1865.
James Ellred, Co. C; must. out March 27, 1865. Charles Goodrich, Co. M ; trans, to Ist Mich, Uwv., Nov. 17, 1865. Michael Kanonse, Co. F; umst. out Dec. 15, 1865. Moses Kanonse, Co. F; must. out Dec. 15, 1565. Spencer Leigh, Co. H ; must. ont Dec. 15, 1865. William Marshall, Co. IL; mnat. out Dec. 15, 1865. William Milliman, Co. II ; must. out Dec. 15, 1865. Charles H. O-terhont, Co. L; must. out Dec. 15, 1865. William S Page, Co. \; trans. to Ist Mich, Cav., Nov. 17, 1865. Minard O. Van Gilder, Co. HI ; must. out Dec. 8, 1865. Colbert Van Gieson, Co. E; must. ont Dec. 15, 1865. George O. Van Gieson, Co. E; must. out Dec. 15, 1865.
MERRILL HORSE. Henry H. Larkin, Co. L; must, out May 4, 1865.
BATTERY C, FIRST LIGHT ARTILLERY.
Ilarry Brown.
John F. Button, mustered ont June 24, 1-65.
Benjamin Cole, died in hospital at Camp Clear Creek, July 16, 1862.
George W. Cole, must. out June 22, 1865.
Warren R. Corey, niust. out June 24, 1865.
Merrill Fuller, must. out June 24, 1865. Hirain Ferguson, must. out June 24, 1865. Albridge F. Haldlay, must. ont Inne 24, 1865.
William HI. Harris, must. out June 24, 1863.
William A. IFall, died in hospital at St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 18, 1862.
George W. Houck, must. out June 21, 1865. Seymour H. Hoyle, must. ont June 24, 18G3.
Amos Ifunt, disch for disability, April 1, 1863.
Lorenzo Leffingwell, mu-t out June 24, 1865. Lorenzo Mosher, must. out June 24, 1×65. Adelbert Mudge, must. ont June 24, 1865. John C. McLean, must. out by order.
Jolin S. Nichols, must, out June 24, 1865.
William Sweeney, disch. to re-enlist as veteran, Dec. 28, 15G3.
Thomas J. Stewart, disch. by order, June 24, 1865.
Joseph Tubbs, must. ont June 24, 1865.
llenry Il. Wilber.
Hiramı Wiser, must. out June 24, 1865.
Ira A. Wright, must out by order, July 6, 1865.
George Winter, must. ont June 22, 1865.
BATTERY E.
William H. Barry, must. ont Aug. 30, 1865.
Ezra C. Chase, disch. by order, May 29, 1865. l'orter B. Hewitt, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Oct. 18, 1864. Alonzo Randall, must. out Aug. 30, 18G5.
BATTERY L.
Thomas Brady. Theodore ('raig, must. ont July 14, 1865.
W. II. Compton, disch. for disability, Dec. 22, 1862.
Elisha H. Colwell, must. out July 14, 1855.
Moses Crawford, must. ont July 14, 1863.
William Davis, disch for disability, April 27. Elijah Forbes, must. out July 14, 1865.
John M. C. Forbes, must. out July 14, 1865. llenry Hoag, must. out July 14, 1865. John Jordan, must. ont July 14, 1865.
William Kennedy, died of disease at Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 16, 1864.
Jerome Milliman, must, ont July 14, 1865.
Seth Milliman, must. ont July 14, 1865.
Leonard Pursell, must. ont July 14, 1865. Alfred Reynolds, must. out July 14, 1865.
George Sutford, died of disease at Washington, D. C., March 2, 1863.
William S. Smith, must. out July 14, 1865. William J. Scott, must, ont July 14, 1865. Jobu Sage, must. ont July 14, 1865.
John N. Warren, must. out July 14, 1865. Harvey M. Williams, must, ont July 14, 1×65. A. B. Zimmerman, disch. for disability, Oct. 24, 1862.
BATTERY K.
Marsden Miller, must. ont July 22, 1865. Ransom Simmons, most. out Aug. 22, 1865.
98
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
BATTERY L.
Isaac Barjaron, disch. for disability, Jan. 13, 1865. Stephen M. P. Bates, died of disease at Knoxville, Oct. 25, 1864.
Roland Collingsworth, must. out Aug. 22, 1865. Albert S. Cooper, must. out by order, May 27, 1865. Benjamin Douglass, must. ont by order, July 22, 1865. Calvin Darwin, must. out Aug. 22, 1865.
John Finch, must. out Aug. 22, 1865.
John Granger, disch. for disability, April 1, 1864.
James Gallup, disch. by order, Sept. 26, 1865.
1Tenry Goodrich, disch. by order, May 22, 1865.
llenry Hopkins, disch. by order, Nov. 21, 1864. Robert M. Hazard, must. out Aug. 22, 1805.
John Huffman, must. out Ang. 22, 1865.
David Hopkins, died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., Sept. 18, 1863. Orrin J. Ilarding, must ont. Ang. 22, 1863.
Daniel C. Larrabee, must. out by order, May 24, 1865.
Marsden Miller, must. out.
Peter Nagle.
Gaines Rudd, died of disease at Ashland, Ky., Sept. 1, 1865. Isaac A. Rapright, must. out Ang. 22, 1865. Van Rensselaer Sherman, must. out Ang. 22, 1865.
Vickery Jackson, disch. by order.
Stepben Wilcox, must. out Aug. 22, 1865.
BATTERY M.
George II. Moulton, Coldwater, 2d lieut .; enl. July 16, 1863 ; Ist lieut., Oct. 26, 1863 ; must. ont Aug. 1, 1865, with battery.
George Stewart, disch. hy order, May 29, 1865.
CLEVELAND LIGIIT ARTILLERY.
Levi Fish, enl. April 18, 1861; disch. July 28, 1861 ; in battle of Carrick's Ford,
FIRST REGIMENT ENGINEERS AND MECHANICS.
lliram A. Blackman, Co. K ; disch. for disability.
Levi 11. Curtis, Co. E ; disch, at end of service, Feb. 15, 1865.
CHAPTER XXV.
BRANCH COUNTY SINCE THE WAR.
The Returning Volunteers-Business Speculation-The Panic-Com- parison with "Wild-Cat" Times-Mansfield, Coldwater and Lake Michigan Railroad-Air-Line Division of Michigan Central- Cereal Products of Branch County-The Last Census-Taxable Land and Improved Land-Principal Productions in 1874-End of Consecutive History.
AFTER the war the volunteers who came thronging back by thousands to their old homes indulged in but a brief interval of recreation, and then plunged with the usual American ardor into the various avocations of peace. The facilities were ample for business of all kinds,-more ample than safe. The currency had become both depreciated and inflated by the war, so that money was plenty and property was high. To a sanguine people it seemed as if every enterprise which was proposed must necessarily succeed. There were few left to tell how speculation with an inflated currency resulted in 1835, '36, and '37, and to a consid- erable extent the people followed the old track. Excite- ment, over-trading, extravagant expenditure, and reckless speculation became the order of the day. Ordinary farm- ing-land rose to priees varying from fifty to one hundred dol- lars per aere, and village property advaneed still more in proportion. Nearly everybody became rich-on paper.
At length, in the fall of 1873, speculation reached its utmost limit of expansion, the bubble burst, and a panic ensued. The reign of " hard times". ensued, from which even now the country is only barely beginning to recover. Branch County shared the seeming prosperity of the days
of speculation, and the adversity which necessarily followed, in common with the rest of the United States; but, being in the very home of the ferocious " wild-cat" and the rabid " red-dog" of forty years before, there is a peculiarly good opportunity to trace the financial resemblances of the two periods.
There was one material difference. Iu the panie of 1837 nearly the whole enrreney of the country became absolutely worthless within a short period after the first alarm was given. In that of 1873 the currency was sus- tained by the pledge of the Government that it should be redeemed in coin, which the people generally believed, and which has just been carried out. Consequently, the cur- rency stood firm amid the surrounding wreck, and the disaster was not half as severe as that inflicted in 1837 by the financial monsters before alluded to.
Among the enterprises begun during the " flush times," and brought to at least a temporary stand-still by the " hard times," the most important one affecting Branch County was the Mansfield, Coldwater and Lake Michigan Railroad. This road, beginning at Mansfield, in the State of Ohio, was designed to traverse that State and Indiana in a northwesterly direction, cross the old line of the Mich- igan Southern at Coldwater, and continue in the same general direction to Lake Michigan, at Grand Haven.
Large subscriptions were obtained in Branch County, and a line was surveyed through the townships of Califor- nia, Algansee, Ovid (the northeast corner), Coldwater, and Girard. Most of the track through those townships was graded, and it was confidently expected that a very brief period would give the farmers of Branch County another outlet to the markets of the East. But " hard times" was too great an obstruction for the financial engineers of the Mansfield, Coldwater and Lake Michigan Railroad to over- come or evade; the work was abandoned, and a long, dreary embankment is all that now remains in Branch County to remind the traveler of that intended highway of commerce. A large section of the road is, however, in use in Ohio, and a small one near its northern end, and there is reason to believe that, as the financial condition of the country shall improve, meaus will be found to complete this important work.
·
Another, and a more successful undertaking, was the construction of the Air-Line Division of the Michigan Central Railroad. This division extends from Jaekson to Niles, traversing in Branch County the townships of Union and Sherwood, and the northwest corner of Mattison. This, being the shortest, is now the main line of travel for that road.
But though railroads, as well as manufacturing enter- prises, undoubtedly enhance the prosperity of the regions in which they are situated, yet the main reliance of Branch County is and must ever be its fertile soil, deep, rich, and almost inexhaustible, and abundantly supplied with water by the numerous lakes and streams which diversify its sur- face. This no " hard times" ean take away, and naught but a reversal of the order of nature will prevent its re- warding the labors of the farmer with an ample harvest. The following table shows some of the principal products at the date of the last attainable report :
99
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Cereal Products of Branch County raised in 1877, and on the Ground in 1858.
Acres Wheat
IS77.
1877.
Yield per Acre.
Acres Wheat on
Ground 1878.
Acres Corn.
Arres Oats.
Acres Barley.
No. of Produ-
cers.
Whole County
39,573 520,903 13,16 40,981
30,782 8794 64 2621
Algansee.
2,6:9
40,223 11.96
3,128
2,618
832 -
24+
Batavia.
0,557
32,506
14.40
2,642
2,475
677
Bethel.
2,3161
31,841
13.75
2,656
2,385
6GG
208
Bronson
2,876
12:10
11.72
3,107
2,2 1X
574 ...
163
Butler.
2,629
29,402
11.18
3.0001
2,094
907
216 13
93
Coldwater ..
2,001
30,411
15.18
2,241
2,094
6.30
6
193
City ..
15
150
10
8
41
3
S
8
40
3
S
Gilead
2,253
32,572
14.50
2.502
1.911
100
Girard.
3,259
44,717
13.73
3,629
2.2.30;
933 15
203
Kinderhook
1,653
2+,261 15,89
1, 59
1,214
241 24
92
Mattison.
2,715
36,810 13 56
2,877
2,26%
738 ...
192
Noble
2,1157
28,857 11 03
2.106
1.519
235 ...
111
(vid .. .
2,725
30,281 14 42
2.955
1.921
682 3
212
Quincy ..
4.377
32,593 13.71
2,6-4
2,457 1020
2.27
Sherwood
3,001
45,390 12,6!
4,009
2,375
547
177
l'nion (estimated)
25.5
33,927
The last complete census of the State was taken in 1874. At that time the population of Branch County was twenty- five thousand seven hundred and twenty-six. Of these, eleven thousand two hundred and forty-two were married, being thirty-four and six-sevenths per cent. of the whole number.
The amount of taxable land at that time was three hun- dred and seventeen thousand three hundred and eighty-six aeres ; the number of acres of improved land was one hun- dred and sixty-eight thousand four hundred and three. The following table shows the principal productions of the county at that time, and we presume there has been no great change since then :
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