USA > Michigan > Branch County > History of Branch county, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 50
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The family of the latter accompanied those of Caleb Lincoln and Curtis S. Youngs to Union City in the summer of 1837, and each of these families had an infant child. Mr. Youngs buried his on the way. Mr. Buell's son, then an infant, is George W. Buell, now in the hardware busi- ness at Union City. The journey was made from their old home to the new with teams, the household goods having been shipped by water to Detroit, from which place Caleb Lincoln drew them, during the summer, with his team. Mr. Youngs was a carpenter by trade, and he and Charles A. Lincoln worked together on numerous buildings in the village, where he is still residing.
The house into which Caleb Lincoln moved in the fall of 1837 is yet standing, half a mile north of the present (farm) residence of Charles A. Lincoln, and is occupied by a grandson of the former. It is a frame building, a log house never having been erected here for the use of either of the brothers.
Caleb Lincoln and the Buells brought horses with them to Michigan, having purchased them in the East at what were considered reasonable rates, but soon after arriving they sold them for about half what they had cost, and bought oxen in their places. The reasons for such a step were numerous : grain of all kinds was of too great value to feed to horses ; oats were 12 and 13 shillings per bushel, wheat $2, etc. ; and salt, although comparatively cheap at Detroit, commanded the heavy price of $11 per barrel by the time it reached the embryo settlement at Union! Therefore oxen were substituted for horses, and did the work re- quired for a considerable number of years. At this day, however, the sight of au ox-team is almost a rarity, while fine horses are very common.
David Ripley was an early arrival in the southwest part of the township. He was noted for being a great bee- hunter, and also made considerable money by trapping wolves and presenting their scalps for the bounties, which in those days were quite large. Ile settled probably in 1836, and is now deceased.
Deer were exceedingly plenty in this region when first the white settlers began their improvements, and many a rifle dealt death among them, but few failing to indulge in this sport,-then almost a necessity. Wolves, bears, and smaller game abounded, the former so thickly that the pig- pens suffered severely from their depredations.
Ezra Bostwick, now of the village, settled in the township in 1846, coming from Onondaga County, N. Y.
Charles A. Lincoln piloted many land-hunters over this town during the first years of his residence, and was inti- mately acquainted with all the settlers. The task of finding any given tract of land in a dense forest, with no other guides to go by than lines of blazed trees, was by no means the pleasantest, as many will testify who became lost in their journeys and wandered miles from their destination
before being able to determine where they were, and often being obliged to remain in the woods over-night.
The first marriage in Union township was that of Charles A. Lincoln and Mary Ann Saunders, which occurred on the first day of November, 1838 .* The ceremony was per- formed by Rev. Charles W. Gurney, and this was the first time he had ever been called upon for such a purpose. He had but a few steps to go, for the parties all lived in the same house, including the minister. A sister of Miss Saunders had been married in Niagara County (N. Y.) to Stewart Hawley, brother of Lewis Hawley, who is men- tioned as one of the settlers of 1836 in this town.
From the best recollection, it is probably correct to state that the first white child born in Union township was a son of Isaiah W. Bennett, his birth occurring at the village in 1835 or 1836.
The first death was that of the only child of a young couple named Olmstead, also living in the village. Some time in the fall of 1837 it was playing near the "tail-race" of the saw-mill, fell in, and was drowned.
ORANGEVILLE POST-OFFICE.
This settlement is located on the east line of the township, at the junction of the Coldwater River with Hog Creek, t and the former stream furnishes valuable power, which was early utilized.
The first settler in this locality was a Quaker, named Abraham Aldrich, who, it is stated, came from Wayne Co., N. Y., in the spring of 1833. He built his house in Union township, but most of his land lay in Girard. He erected a small saw-mill, and in 1836-37 built a grist-mill,¿ one and a half stories in height, in which grinding was done in 1837. This was the first grist-mill in the township, and supplied a great want, for the settlers had previously to go to Constantine, Marshall, or other distant points. A small mill had been built in 1832, south of the old village of Branch, by Kirk, Allen, and others; but it ground so slowly and was such a poor apology for a mill, that people were fain to go farther for the sake of getting better and quicker work.
The old mill at Orangeville was known as the "Cocoosh Mill," from the prairie adjacent. The name was given to the prairie by the Indians, and means pork, or hog. It was evidently applied from the fact that in this neighborhood " hogs ran wild without a pen," as the inimitable rhymster, Capt. Norton, relates in his " Restoration." The mill was at last destroyed by fire, and the present mammoth struc- ture, five stories high, was built by Roland Root in 1847. Mr. Aldrich's sons-in-law, Martin Barnhart, Benjamin Smith, and Ifiram Shoudler, were also interested in the property at this place.
The settlement took unto itself the same euphonious title borue by the prairie, and as such was known until the more expressive name of " Hodunk" was given it, and by the latter it is yet most commonly known. The name Orange- ville was given upon the establishment here of a post-office. The office was originally in the township of Girard, north
Information by Mr. Lincoln.
+ Or " Cocoosh River."
# Other authority states that this mill was built as early as 1833- 34, but it must have been the saw-mill,
CHARLES A. LINCOLN.
This gentleman, one of the pioneers of the town of Union, was born in Norwich, Chenango Co., N. Y., Jan. 8, 1816.
His father, Caleb, was a merchant, and was born in Maine, July 9, 1769. He did business many years in Albany, whence he removed to Norwich about the year 1814, and died in Sherburne, Che- nango Co., in 1828. He married Miss Martha Hobart, and reared a family of ten children.
At the age of thirteen, Charles, being thrown upon his own resources, passed the earlier part of his life upon a farm, receiving meanwhile a good common-school education.
He learned the trade of a carpenter and joiner, which occupation he followed many years. In 1836 he came to Union City in company with Curtis S. Youngs, Charles Gardiner, and Justus Buell. The party were eight days in coming from Detroit, and found in Union but a few shanties. Shortly after his arrival Mr. Lincoln began to work for Gilbert & Chase, who had purchased a tract of land and located the village, which Mr. Lincoln assisted in surveying. He continued in their em- ploy about one year, but continued to work at his
trade until 1841, when he moved upon the farm where he now resides, and which he had purchased in 1836.
Mr. Lincoln has been prominently identified with Union City and township. He assisted in surveying, locating, and cutting out most of the roads in the township. He built the first school- house, and helped to erect the first church, bridge, and hotel. He is emphatically a self-made man. Coming into a new country, with only his natu- ral resources for his capital, he has attained success in all departments of life. To his first purchase of land he has added two hundred acres, and is considered to be one of the thrifty and successful farmers of the town. He was married in 1838 to Miss Mary A., daughter of Martin Saunders, by whom he had two children. Mrs. Lincoln died in 1844, and he was married to Miss Elizabeth Cagwin, by whom he had five children, two of whom are living. His second wife died in 1860, and in 1861 he was married to Harriet L. Kilbourne.
Mr. Lincoln is a member of the Congregational Church, and a liberal supporter of church interests.
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201
HISTORY OF BRANGHI COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
and east of its present location, and the postmaster in 1837 was one Mr. Parkinson. It was finally removed to " Ho- dunk," and a new office established at Girard Centre. The present incumbent of the office at Orangeville is Charles Sharts, who owns a good brick store building at the place.
A tavern was built here early by II. Kelso, who kept. it two years. He settled on the south line of the township in 1836, and is now a resident of California township. The tavern has been in many hands since, and has recently been refitted and added to.
FIRST TOWN-MEETING-TOWNSHIP CIVIL LIST, ETC.
" At a meeting of the eleetors of the township of Union, being township 5 sonth, of range 7 west, in the county of Branch and State of Michigan, held at the house of Ches- ter Hammond, in said township, on the 3d day of April, 1837, in conformity with an act of the Legislature of the State of Michigan, approved March 11, 1837, for the pur- pose of organizing said township, --
"Chester Hammond was appointed Moderator; Briant Bartlett, Clerk ; and Lewis Hawley, Isaiah W. Bennett and Alpheus Saunders, Inspectors of said election ; all of whom were duly sworn in conformity with the law in such cases made and provided."*
The following were the officers chosen, viz. : Supervisor, Isaiah W. Bennett; Town Clerk, Chester Hammond; As- sessors, AAlphens Saunders, Solomon Parsons, James Pendell; Constables, Henry Reaser, Rufus Hill, Thomas Buell; Col- lector, Rufus Hill (removed, and Solomon Parsons chosen) ; Directors of the Poor, Chester Hammond, Henry W. Potter; Commissioners of Highways, Lewis Hawley, James Pen- dell, Isaiah W. Bennett ; Justices of the Peace, James Pen- dell,f Archibald M. Mitchell, Isaiah W. Bennett, Briant Bartlett ; Inspectors of Common Schools, Alpheus Saunders, Carpenter Chaffee, Briant Bartlett ; Overseers of Highways, Carpenter Chaffee, Gideon Smith, Chauncey Buell.
At this meeting it was "Voted, That the Overseers of Highways shall be Fence-Viewers and Pound- Keepers re- spectively ; that $100 be raised for the improvement of roads ; that a lawful fence be four and one-half feet high, and no space more than four inches wide within two feet of the ground; that a bounty of $5 be paid on each wolf eaught and killed in this township ; that the next township- meeting be held at the house of Alpheus Saunders in said township."
The following jurors were chosen from Union township, June 7, 1839 : Asa Hawley, Archibald M. Mitchell, Shel- don Dunks, Solomon Parsons, Darius Buell, John D. Zim- merman, Hiram Marsh, John N. Stickney, Hiram Shoudler, Franklin Burnett, Timothy Robinson, Frederick Olds, Sin- dall Morrell, Carpenter Chaffee, Henry W. Potter.
At a meeting of the township board, held Sept. 19, 1840, it was
" Resolved, That Drs. T. C. Ilurd, W. P. Hard, and D. Wilson he requested to furnish the township board with their opinions resporting the cause of the sickness of inhabitants in the south part of the vil- lage of Union City, particularly, whether they suppose the logs in
" Township Rreords, 1597.
t Removed from township, and his office of highway commissioner filled Nov. 8, 1837, by the election of Jacob M. Blazer.
tho mill-race, or anything connected with the mills in said village, are the cause of disease, and that the clerk of the lward be directed to communicate this resolution to the above-named physicians."
On the 28th of November following it was
" Resolved, That no logs be allowed to lie in the mill-race or pont connected with the mills in Union City more than three days at a time, between the Ist day of May and the 1st day of November in each year, and the clerk is directed to notify the owner of the passage or adoption of this resolution."
It seems this last resolution was finally reconsidered after due notice had been given as directed, for on the 10th of May, 1841, it was so modified as to allow logs to remain in the race not longer than one week.
In the spring of 1813 a bridge was built across the Coldwater River, near the corners of sections 14, 15, 22, and 23, the first one crossing the stream at that place. The St. Joseph had been bridged at Union City much earlier. (See " Memoranda," by Justus Goodwin.)
The following is a list of the principal officers of the township from 1838 to 1877, inclusive :
SUPERVISORS.
1838-40. Curtis S. Youngs. 1856. Mahlon B. Barnhart.
1841. Hiram Marsh.
1857. Manna Olmsted.
1842. Hiram Shondler.
1858. Ezra Bostwick.
1843-44. Corydon P. Benton. 1859. Silas 11. Nye.
1845. Joseph C. Leonard. 1860. Truman Ohls.
1846. Hiram Shoudler. 1861. Curtis S. Youngs.
1847. Joseph C. Leonard. 1862-65. Le Roy Junid.
1848. Mahlon Barnhart. 1866. Ezra Bostwick.
1849-51. Joseph C. Leonard.
1867-71. John D. Ackerman.
1852. Lloyd 11. Sims,
1872-73. Byron 1. Mitchell.
1853-54. Manna Olmsted.
1874. Lawrence Rheubottom.
1855. Silas 11. Nyc.
1875-77. Mortimer Vosburgh.
TOWN CLERKS.
1838-39. Chester Hammond. 1840-42. Corydon P. Benton. 1843-44. Joseph C. Leonard.
1857-60. George W. She!mire.
1861. Jonathan O. Parkhurst.
1862. G. W. Shelmirc.
1845. Iloratio N. Blakeman.
1863. JJ. G. Parkhurst.
1846-47. Curtis S. Youngs.
1861 65. James T. Leonard.
1848-52. Melvin L. Youngs.
1866-69. Chauncey W. Saunders.
1853. Jason 1 .. Lec.
1870-72. Estas MeDonall.
1851. John S. Youngs.
1873. D. J. Easton.
1855. Henry F. Ewers.
1874. Robert F. Watkins.
1856. George T. Moseley.
1875-77. Hiram 11. Chase.
ASSESSORS.
1838. Alpheus Saunders, 1841. Daniel Cornell.
Timothy Robinson.
1845. Daniel Cornell.
Darius Boell. William Mitchell.
1839. Curtis S. Youngs. 1816. E. Wilder, Jr.
Daniel Cornell.
Gideon Smith. Alpheus Saunders.
1847. Manna Olmsted. William Olds.
1840. Charles G. Hammond.
Archibald M. Mitchell.
William D. Robinson.
Ezra Bostwick.
1841. Briant Bartlett.
1849. lliram Studley. Daniel Cornell.
II. Richardson.
1$50. Manna Olmsted. George Lec.
IS42. No record.
1843. A. M. Mitchell.
1851. No record.
Hiram Richardson.
1852. George W. Lincoln. M. Barnhart.
1844. Solomon Parsons.
COL.1.E.PTORS.
1838. Humphrey L. Mitchell. 1 1539-11. Thomas L. Acker.
1848. Sindall Morrell.
A. M. Mitchell.
202
HISTORY OF BRANCHI COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
TREASURERS.
1839-43. Carpenter Chaffee.
1844. Cassius A. Mills. 1857-60. Constant. A. Seymour.
1845. William P. Hurd, M.D.
1861-64. William Drumm.
1846-47. Solomon Parsons. 1865-67. Henry C. Morse.
1848. Carpenter Chaffee.
1868-70. L. G. Lincoln.
1849. Manna Olmsted.
1871-72. William C. Smith.
1850-53. M. Burnett.
1873-74. Chauncey W. Saunders.
1854. M. B. Barnhart.
1875-77. Samuel Wilbur.
1855. Lorenzo G. Lincoln.
1856. Bishop Burnett.
1838. Alpheus Saunders. 1852. Joseph C. Leonard.
Briant Bartlett. 1853. llenry S. IInrd.
Timothy Robinson.
1854. Henry C. Morse.
1839. Alpheus Saunders. Corydon P. Benton. Iliram Shondler.
1855. Israel W. Clark. John D. Wellman.
1840. Archibald M. Mitchell.
Corydon P. Bentou. Horatio N. Blakeman.
1858. Reuben Hatch.
1811. Williamn P. Hurd.
1859. Ilorace A. Corbin.
Horatio N. Blakeman.
1860. Edmund G. R. Wait.
Corydon P. Benton.
1861. Sereno W. Streeter.
1862. E. G. R. Wait.
1842. C. P. Benton. W. P. Hurd. John N. Stickney.
1863. S. W. Streeter.
1839. Hiram Shoudler.
ISCS. Asa Waters.
Truman Olds.
1843. Horatio N. Blakeman. L. Smith Ilobart.
1866. James D. Studley.
IS41. Archibald M. Mitchell.
1842. John D. Zimmerman.
1843. No record.
1862. Asa Waters.
1846. W. S. Ilale.
J. D. Studley.
1844. John W. Norton.
1863. C. M. Swan.
1847. Horatio N. Blakeman.
1869. J. T. Leonard.
1845. Archibald M. Mitchell.
1864. Thomas B. Buell.
IS4S. Theodore T. Gurney.
1870. C. W. Crocker.
1846. Levi Lee.
1865. Edwin Perry.
1847. Daniel Cornell.
1866. David R. Cooley.
1848. William II. Lincoln.
1867. E. G. R. Wait.
1849. Oliver Freneh.
1868. Thomas B. Buell.
1850. Manna Olmsted.
1869. Edwin Perry.
Marlin Burnett.
1870. Jerome Bowen.
1851. Daniel Cornell.
ISTI. Harrison Downs.
1852. William Mitchell.
1872. No record.
1853. Oliver French.
1873. Edwin Perry.
1854. Melvin L. Youngs.
1874. No record.
1855. Charles M. Whiting. Horace Longsbury.
1876. Thomas B. Buell.
1856. William Mitehell.
1877. Edwin Perry.
Charles T. Hopkins.#
George L. Palmer.
COMMISSIONERS OF, INGHWAYS.
1838. David Kilbourn.
1849. Iliram Richardson.
Darius Buell.
1850. Charles A. Lincoln.
Franklin Burnett.
Bishop Burnett.
J839. Marlin Burnett.
Ilenry A. Kelso.
Charles G. Hammond.
1851. Ilenry A. Kelso.
A. M. Mitchell.
1852. Peter Grove. Bishop Burnett.
1840. Briant Bartlett.
Hiram Shoudler.
1853. Silas HI. Nye.
II. L. Mitchell. 1854. Thomas B. Buell.
IS41. H. L. Mitchell. 1855. Curtis Prentiss.
11. Shoudler. 1856. Martin Knowles.
William R. Perry.
1857. Thomas B. Buell.
1842. Mahlon B. Barnhart.
1858. Truman Olds.
John W. Norton. Sindall Morrell.
1860. Benjamin Nelson.
1843. John W. Norton.
1861. James R. Vosburg.
Humphrey L. Mitchell.
1862. Darius Buell.
Hiram Shoudler.
1863. Benjamin Nelson.
1844. Carpenter Chaffec.
1864. James R. Vosburg.
G. Palmer Olmsted.
1865. Silas H. Nye.
Hiram Studley.
1866. Benjamin Nelson.
1845. Humphrey L. Mitchell.
1867-69. No record.
John W. Norton.
1870. Charles A. Lincoln.
Hiram Shoudler.
1871. Silas 11. Nye.
1846. M. B. Barnhart.
1872. Darius Buell.
Il. A. Kelso. George Strong.
1873. Parker Ilaner.
1817. Mahlon B. Barnhart.
1874-75. Sylvester Feller.
Jeremiah Morrell, Jr.
William Mitchell.
1876. Sylvester Feller. Robert Merritt.
1848. George Strong.
1877. Sylvester Feller.
# Failed to qualify; M. L. Youngs resigned; Asa Waters and Augustus Bentley chosen to fill vacancies.
TOWNSHIP SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
1875-76. J. Delos Studley. 1877. Milton W. Lee.
DRAIN COMMISSIONERS.
1874. Chauncey Buell.
1876-77. John Wright.
1875. Joseph Van Schaick.
The officers chosen for this township in 1878 were the following, viz. :
Supervisor, James D. Studley ; Town Clerk, H. H. Chase; Justiees of the Peace, Joseph Spencer, John Gib- son ; Treasurer, Samuel A. Wilbur ; School Inspector, Ira Dufer ; School Superintendent, George E. Smith ; Com- missioner of Highways, Sylvester Feller (resigned, and IIeber S. Crissey appointed to fill vacancy) ; Drain Com- misioner, Ira Buell; Constables, D. E. Young, David B. Buell, Hiram Sackett.
SCHOOLS.
At a meeting of the board of school inspectors, held at the house of Carpenter Chaffee, April 26, 1837, the town- ship of Union was divided into four school districts, as fol- lows : Distriet No. 1 ineluded sections 1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and the south half of 3 ; No. 2, sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18, and the north half of 3; No. 3, sections 19, 20, 21, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 ; No. 4, sections 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, and 36. Jan. 17, 1838, District No. 5 was formed from parts of Nos. 1 and 4, including see- tions 13, 14, and 15, from the former, and 22, 23, and 24, from the latter. District No. 6 was formed April 21, 1838, from parts of Nos. 2 and 3; and No. 7 was formed June 27, 1838, from parts of Nos. 1 and 4. Other changes were made the same year, and numerous others have been made sinee. The apportionment of school moneys to districts in Union township, in 1838, was $51.38; $35.20 in 1840; $27.10 in 1841; $45.50 in 1842; and $46.62 in 1844. The number of scholars in the first four years, respectively,
JISTICES OF THE PEACE.
1838. William Aldrich.
Briant Bartlett.
1857. Edwin Perry. Curtis Prentiss.
1840. Iliram Marsh (removed in 1842).
1859. Constant M. Swan.
1860. Thomas B. Buell.
1844. Theodore C. Ilurd.
1867. S. W. Streeter.
1861. Edwin Perry.
1845. L. Smith Hobart.
1868. J. T. Leonard.
1849. Justin Lawyer. William McMechan.
1872. C. W. Crocker.
1850. S. G. M. Hammond.
1873. J. T. Leonard.
HIenry S. Ilurd.
1874-77. Charles W. Crocker.
1851, Henry &. Ilurd.
1856. William P. IIurd. 1857. Renben Hatch. Horace A. Corbin.
1864. E. G. R. Wait.
1865. S. W. Streeter.
1871. James T. Leonard.
IS75. Lewis M. Swan.
1859. Darius Buell.
J. R. Van Schaick.
INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS.
203
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
was 71, 88, 138, 147 ; in 1843, four districts reporting, 126; and three districts in 1814 reporting an attendance of 118. Distriet No. 2, which included Union City, was as a matter of course credited with the most.
The first school in the township, after the organization of districts, was taught at Union City. The teacher was Miss Ellen E. Hammond,* daughter of Deacon Chester Ham- mond, and now the wife of Dr. Henry S. Hurd, of Gales- burg, Ill. This was a summer school, and was taught in the summer of 1838. Miss Hammoud's brother, Heury 1. Hammond, taught here in the winter of 1838-39. In the winter of 1839-40 a school was taught immediately across the line in Calhoun County, in the office of Justus Goodwin, by Miss Sarah Sargent. It was attended by those living near in Burlington, and probably by several from Union.
In 1837 the first school-house at Union City was built. The frame was raised by Briant Bartlett, and the building finished by Charles A. Lincoln. Mr. Bartlett lived here but a few years, finally removing to Detroit. The building was painted red, and long went by the name of the " red school-house." It is now used by Curtis S. Youngs for a dwelling, and ocenpies the same lot upon which it was built. Its position has been changed, an addition built, and white paint substituted for the red. Its location is near the northeast corner of Ellen and Ann Streets, west of the Farmers' National Bank. The school-house was also used by the Methodist and Congregational societies on alternate Sundays before they built houses for worship. Schools and meetings had been held, too, in the building known as the " sub-treasury," at the northeast corner of Broadway and High Streets.
The present elegant and substantial union school build- ing was erected in 1877, at a total cost of over $19,000, although the original contract price was 814,700. Heating apparatus has been put in by a Toledo, O., firm, costing between 82000 and $3000. The building is three stories high, including basement. The latter is of stone and the balance of red brick, with eut-stone trimmings. The ar- rangement of the interior of the building is complete and convenient. The attendance is over 400, of which number less than 100 are " foreign" pupils, or those residing outside of the district. The departments are six in number, with teachers, as follows : Iligh School, M. V. Rork, Principal ; Webster Cook, Assistant ; Grammar department, Miss Mary Proudley ; Intermediate, Mary Whitcomb; Second Intermediate, Miss Adelle Sager ; Primary, Miss Imogene Cross; Second Primary, Miss A. M. Coleman. The pres- ent school board consists of Joseph C. Leonard, Moderator ; Silas II. Nye, Director; Dr. II. F. Ewers, Assessor ; Chauncey Saunders, M. F. Buell, M. D. Slocum. Dr. Ewers has been a member of the board nearly twenty years. Mr. Leonard served about fifteen years without in- termission, and is now a second time a member, having served two years.
In the summer of 1838 a school was taught in the cham- ber of Caleb Lincoln's frame house, southwest of the vil-
lage, by Margaret Baxter. This house was the first frame dwelling in this part of the town. The next year a frame school-house was built in what is now District No. 6, the women helping to raise it, and preparing a supper in it after it was up, to which all present did full justice. At the school held in Mr. Lincoln's chamber 11 children at- tended, being sent from three families. Among the carly teachers in the school-house were Miss Charlotte Reynolds, Miss Abigail Mitchell, and Miss Eliza Sims, Miss Reynolds probably being first.
UNION GRANGE, NO. 97, PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
was organized Oct. 27, 1873, with 22 members, by a dis- pensation from the National Grange, and soon afterward re- ceived its charter. Its first principal officers were : Master, Thomas B. Buell; Overseer, Ithamar B. Craw ; Lecturer, Charles A. Lincoln ; Chaplain, Elijah Kilbourn ; Sec., Wil- liam E. Day. It now occupies the school-house in District No. 6, has a membership of about 40, and is officered as follows: Master, Charles A. Lincoln; Overseer, Ira Buell ; Lecturer, Thomas B. Buell; Chaplain, Ithamar B. Craw ; Steward, Alfred Armstrong; Assistant Steward, D. R. Lin- coln ; See., James D. Studley ; Treas., D. V. H. Groesbeck ; Gatekeeper, S. E. Lee ; Ceres, Mrs. A. Armstrong ; Pomona, Mrs. Ithamar B. Craw ; Flora, Mrs. Elizabeth Clay ; Lauly Assistant Steward, Mrs. Charles A. Lincoln.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI, UNION CITY.
The Methodists and Congregationalists organized them- selves into bodies for public worship at nearly the same time, the former, however, preceding the latter by a few weeks. The first Methodist class in the township was organized at Union City in the winter of 1836-37, and its leader was a man named Hull, a cabinet-maker by trade, who had arrived in the place the same winter. Among the members of this class were Isaiah W. Bennett and family and Mrs. Carpen- ter Chaffee. The presiding eller of the district when the Union City class was organized was Rev. Mr. Uttenberg, and some of the early minister were Revs. Sabin, Tibbetts, and Crippen. The present frame church was built subse- quent to 1840. The membership of the church in Febru- ary, 1879, was 90, and its pastor, Rev. Amos M. Gould. A flourishing Sunday-school is sustained, with from 80 to 100 members and 12 classes. It has a good library and is superintended by J. I. Copelin.
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