USA > Michigan > Branch County > History of Branch county, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 56
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It is stated that the first summer school on Bronson Prairie was taught by the wife of David Waterman. Her maiden name was Cynthia Lloyd. In September, 1836, her husband owned the first and only frame building which had been built at the Prairie up to that time.
The present school district No. 4 was organized by Jonathan Holmes, in the fall of 1839, and a school was taught the following winter by a Mr. Ward, who was from New Hampshire, and lived at Three Rivers, St. Joseph Co. Ile had previously taught in Canada. Miss Sarah Smith taught a school in the neighborhood during the summer and fall of 1839, in a frame school-house on the Chicago road. This was the first school building in the district, and was used until the increasing number of pupils demanded that a new and larger house should be erected. The site was changed, and the present school-house built on the cross-road, a short distance northwest of the location of the old one. Both Mr. Ward and Miss Smith are remembered as having been excellent teachers for that day.
The union school at Bronson village was organized about 1858, when a two-story frame school-house was erected. In 1878 a brick addition, also two stories high, was built in front of the old edifice, and cost about $3500, making the total value of the building as it now stands some $4500. The enrollment of pupils in 1878 reached 300, and in March, 1879, was abont 250. The school consists of four departments,-high school, grammar, inter- mediate, and primary. The teachers are J. P. Borton, Principal ; Elizabeth MeMann, Grammar Department ; Louisa Lowell, Intermediate Department; Mary Brown, Primary Department. Mr. Borton is now serving his second year as principal.
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IIISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Christopher G. Babcock, for twenty years a resident of the county, and a supervisor of Bronson township since 1868, has been a member of the school board a number of years, and Jason Shepard, who has resided here since 1856, was also long a member. He retired in the fall of 1877. The present board consists of A. J. Anderson, Moderator ; Wil- liam II. Carpenter, Director; C. J. Keyes, Treasurer ; and Christopher G. Babcock, Elijah Holbrook, and Henry Knott, other Trustees.
VILLAGE OF BRONSON.
Jabe Bronson, the first settler in the township and county, has been mentioned ; also Jeremiah Tillotson, one of the earlier arrivals here. John G. Richardson and John Potter settled in 1830.
Among those who came later and became prominently identified with the place were David and Alonzo Water- man, who settled in 1833, erected a building in one part of which they lived, and in the other established the first store of any kind at the Prairie. This was in the eastern part of what is now the village, and their father afterward kept a small grocery establishment still farther east.
Conceiving the idea that a town must sooner or later spring up and flourish at this locality, the Watermans platted a village to which they gave the name of York; the portion owned by David being situated on the south side of the Chicago road, and that of Alonzo on the north. This plat is the eastern portion of the present village of Bronson, and when property is transferred within its limits it is stated as being in the " old village of York." The Watermans finally disposed of their property here and re- moved to Coldwater. Alonzo sold to E. G. Bennett and David to other parties. The latter died at Coldwater some thirty years since, and Alonzo's death occurred at the same place in 1877. He had amassed considerable property.
The place at Bronson now owned by Joseph E. Earl was the property of Mrs. Waterman, Sr., mother of David and Alonzo.
Additions have been made to the village by E. G. Ben- nett, C. G. Randall (now of Coldwater, and son of Dr. Alvah Randall), S. C. Rose, and Mrs. ITolbrook. The name Bronson was adopted in honor of the pioneer of the place.
Samuel Smith, a native of Aeton, Mass., who settled at Bronson about 1829, and purchased a farm owned afterward for some years by Lorenzo Rose, and now by Mr. Randall Smith, was a cooper by trade, but worked at it little, if any, after coming here. He lived at Gross Isle, near Detroit, four years previous to his removal to the Prairie, and was there employed in making fish-barrels. The land he purchased on coming to Bronson is now within the cor- porate limits of the village. He subsequently traded it with S. C. Rose for a farm in Noble township, to which he removed and where he died. About 1837-38 he sold two acres of land at Bronson to E. L. Rose, who, in 1838, built upon it the present frame hotel, on the corner diagon- ally opposite the " brick block." Mr. Rose kept this hotel during his life, and after his death it was conducted for some time by his son, Lorenzo Rose. Joseph D. Field sold half an aere in addition to that purchased of Mr. Smith,
making the hotel lot contain two and one-half aeres. The present proprietor of the house is Mr. Hart.
Smith's land all lay west of the north and south road extending through the village. His daughter, Mrs. Eliza Field, now living at the village, came here with two chil- dren, from Erie, Pa., in 1836 .* Her husband, Valentine Streeter, had died with the cholera in 1832. After coming to Bronson she was married to Joseph D. Field, who died in April, 1850. He had come several years previous to 1836, and aided in the construction of the Chicago turn- pike. He and his brother, Ilorace W. Field, came here together ; the latter then married, and is living at present iu Rockford, III. Joseph D. Field was a blacksmith by trade, and had a shop on the turnpike two miles west of the vil- lage. He afterward moved into and kept the " old log tavern," a short distance east of the residence of Wales Adams.
The Pottawattamies used to camp in large bands along the northern edge of the prairie. They would go to Bron- son's tavern, which stood about opposite the present grist- mill, fill themselves with whisky, and then proceed to make night hideous with their demoniae yells and drunken orgies. They always walked into the settlers' houses without cere- mony, and stretched themselves by the fire without asking leave. Mr. Smith never objected to their entering his house at any time, but Mrs. Field never could repress a feeling of fear when they were present. They called Mr. Smith " good chemokaman" (good white man).
James Ruggles, from near Toronto, Upper Canada, pre- viously a resident of New York and Massachusetts, came to Branch County in October, 1835, and bought land near the village of Branch, in Coldwater township. Ilis wife had died in Canada before he left there. In 1836 he moved his mother to Michigan. His brother, Charles Ruggles, who had bought land in Michigan in 1834, settled in Steu- ben Co., Ind., in 1835. In 1836, James Ruggles pur- chased 1000 acres of land, principally from the govern- ment, and lying mostly in Steuben Co., Ind., with a small portion in La Grange. It included an Indian camping- ground in what is now Otsego township, Steuben Co. In the winter of 1836 he moved to Bronson, trading land in Indiana for a part of the present homestead, and pur- chasing the balance. In 1837 he built the frame house he now occupies, and kept tavern in it for sixteen years. A barn was built at the same time. The material was hauled from Detroit by a team of two yokes of oxen. All the hotels were full, so that Mr. Ruggles found it impossible to get accommodations, and was forced to camp out. Oats were then 22 shillings per bushel. The round trip oecu- pied two weeks, including two days in Detroit.
In 1811, Mr. Ruggles' parents were living on St. Joseph Island, sixty miles from Mackinaw, and during that year he was in Detroit and saw Governor Hull and his family. Al- though but a boy at the time, he remembers the incident well. He visited Put-in-Bay Island, in Lake Erie, the
# This date is given on Mrs. Field's authority. As she was mar- ried to Mr. Field after coming bere, and as the marriage record in the court-honse at Coldwater gives the date of the marriage as July 31, 1834, there is some discrepancy, which is left for the parties in- terested to unravel.
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICAIGAN.
same year, on the British brig " Caledonia." Mr. Ruggles' father was a native of Massachusetts.
Elijah Hanks, from near Painesville, O., settled in the village in the spring of 1835, and bought out Jabe Brou- son, who removed in 1836. Mr. Hanks' son, George W. Hanks, is at present living in the northern part of the place, near the railroad.
E. L. Rose, from Pekin, in the town of Cambria, Niagara Co., N. Y., came to Bronson in the fall of 1836, and soon moved into the log hotel which had been vacated by Jabe Bronson, and which stood on the north side of Chicago Street, in the eastern part of the village. The first house they occupied on their arrival was one which was owned by David and Alonzo Waterman. It had been occupied a few days by the family of Jeremiah Tillotson, who rented it, but they moved to Batavia, and the Roses took possession of the house. They afterwards moved into a house which Elijah Ilanks had purchased of Bronson. Mr. Rose, in 1838, as mentioned, built and occupied the hotel on the corner, which still bears his name. This was a " stage- house," and here the stages stopped to change horses and feed their teams, and business was quite extensive.
Jabez Clark, originally from the State of Connecticut, and after 1816 a resident of the town of Norwalk, Huron Co., Ohio, came to Bronson in 1835, arriving on the evening of Christmas-day. He was accompanied by his wife, two sons, and three daughters. The sons were Milo (the elder then fourteen years of age) and Leonard, now both in business at Bronson. From their home in Ohio they came through in sleighs drawn by horses. In the summer of 1836 the whole family, with the exception of Milo, was siek for nearly three months, the entire care de- volving upon him. Late in the fall of the same year, Mr. Clark, who had become somewhat discouraged on account of sickness and other eauses, and whose means were limited, went back to Ohio with his family, and stayed one year, re- turning to Bronson in 1837.
When he first came to the place (winter of 1835-36) he went into a hotel in the eastern part of the village, which had been built about 1834 by David Hartsaw. After a short time he removed to another, which stood two and one- half miles east, near Swan Creek. The latter was built of hewed logs, and was not disposed of by Mr. Clark until after his return from Ohio. The hotel he had first occu- pied was a frame builling, painted with Venetian red. The elder Clark died Feb. 14, 1851.
When the Clarks came to Bronson village, it is said there were but eight houses in it, and these were occupied by David Waterman, Alonzo Waterman, E. L. Rose (?), John G. Richardson, David Lermont, Mr. Jones, Dr. Alvah Ran- dall, and Daniel Powers. Jabe Bronson had just moved away.
Milo Clark and a Mr. Sellers were at one time out to- gether on a hunting expedition. They had become a short distance separated, and Mr. Clark suddenly heard a suspi- cious noise near him. He made ready to shoot, but could see nothing. A stick snapped, and on looking around he beheld a panther standing within eight rods of him Al- though an excellent shot he dared not risk firing, but walked along, keeping his eye on the animal, until he reached a
neighboring clearing, when the panther ran off into the forest, uttering angry sercams. To say that Mr. Clark was frightened would undoubtedly be " putting it mild." As for Sellers, his senses nearly left him in toto, and he ran all the way to Holmes' mill and reported that a panther was after Mr. Clark, with what other stories is not known. It is very likely the latter gentleman did not wish a repetition of the experience.
Both Mr. Clark and his brother are the proprietors of a successful business,-Milo dealing in hardware, drugs, etc., and Leonard in dry-goods. From the fact that their father's means were very limited, they deserve great eredit for achiev- ing so much success in the face of difficulty. Milo Clark has a very fine collection of specimens of minerals, ancient stone and copper implements, etc., among them a stone pipe and a piece of copper from a mound ou the farm of Noah Shaw, in Matteson township, at the foot of the lake. The various stone axes, flint arrow-heads, etc., have been mostly gathered in the country immediately surrounding Bronson.
On one occasion, while following the track of a deer, Joseph Hanks came upon the animal so suddenly that it jumped into a fallen tree-top in such a manner as to be unable to extricate itself. Hanks seized and attempted to hold the deer, and succeeded in doing so; but his victory was dearly bought, for the alarmed and infuriated animal used its feet to so good advantage that it kicked Mr. llanks' clothes elean from his body, leaving nothing but his boots and shirt-bands.
Daniel Powers, from Otselic, Chenango Co., N. Y., eame to Bronson in the summer (probably) of 1835, and for a time lived in a log house owned by Samuel Smith, which stood where George Ellis' frame residence now is. After four or five weeks he purchased the farm east of the village now owned by Lewis Earl, and moved upon it. He had started from home with the intention of locating in the State of Illinois, but on arriving at Bronson was forced to stop on account of sickness in the family, and finally con- eluded to settle here. His wife and three children-two sons and one daughter -- were with him. The sons (Charles and Ilenry) are now in the mercantile business at Bronson, and the daughter is Mrs. George F. Gillam, of Lansing.
Dr. Alvah Randall, who was also intending to settle in Illinois, had shipped his goods to Chicago, and on his way overland stopped at Bronson to rest. Finding it a good point for a physician he determined to locate here, and hired Mr. Powers to go to Chicago and bring back his goods, which was douc. The widow of Dr. Randall is now residing at Coldwater, and their son, C. D. Randall, is a prominent banker of the same place. The doctor enjoyed a very extensive practice throughout this portion of the State, and is remembered gratefully by those who required and received his services, and with great respeet by all who had the honor of his acquaintance.
In the winter of 1866-67 Henry Powers entered into business at Bronson with George Gillam. Their store was burned Jan. 9, 1867, and after this disaster the firm re- moved to another buikling. Subsequently Mr. Powers purchased Gillam's interest, conducted the business alone for one year, and then admitted Joseph Kean as partner.
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226
HISTORY OF BRANCHI COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Mr. Powers' brother, Charles Powers, who had been serving as sheriff of the county, at the expiration of his term pur- chased Kean's interest, since which time the firm has been known under the name of C. & H. Powers.
Samuel Keyes, from Rutland County, Vt., came with his family to Michigan in the spring of 1835, the journey being made by team through Canada, and settled at Adrian, Lenawee Co., where he lived until 1844. In the latter year he removed to Batavia, Branch Co., and bought the farm known as the " New York farm," now owned by To- bias Shirtz. About 1848 he came to Bronson, and engaged in hotel-keeping in the old village of York, in a building which had been erected by a man named Tisdell. It had been in use several years at the date of Mr. Keyes' arrival. In 1856 he entered into mercantile business in the village, and in 1861 the property passed into the hands of his son, C. J. Keyes. The latter has in his possession the patents which were issued by the government to his father-in-law, Joseph D. Field, and to Elias L. Rose, the former dated Sept. 10, 1838, and the latter May 1, 1839, both signed by President Martin Van Buren. Samuel Keyes has been dead but about four years. The double store occupied by C. J. Keyes was built in 1857-58, by Samuel Keyes and Joseph E. Earl. The latter gentleman is from Monroe Co., N. Y., and lived for some time also in Ohio. In 1842, while a resident of the latter State, he visited this region, and in 1847-48 came to Branch County and settled in Batavia. IIe is now living in the southern part of the corporation of Bronson.
As early as 1829-30 a post-office was established at the village, with Esquire Bronson as first postmaster. E. L. Rose held the position while keeping tavern, and was suc- ceeded by his son, Lorenzo A. Rose. David F. Gates was postmaster a short time, and was succeeded by Charles Carr, who died in office. Ilis widow next held the position. After- ward L. A. Rose was a second time appointed, and remained in office from 1860 to 1863. Ile was succeeded by Mar- shall Morrill, and he by the present incumbent, C. W. Al- bertson.
Another post-office, called Prairie River, was established in the Adams neighborhood early in 1832, and Mr. Judson, who has been previously mentioned, received the first ap- pointment as postmaster. After his death William A. Kent was appointed, and held the office until the construction of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, when it was discontinued. This was a distributing point for several offices,-Colon, Lima, etc.,-the mail being carried to them on horseback. This office was of much convenience to settlers in the neighborhood at that time.
One of the first stores in Bronson village was opened by David F. Gates, who placed a board across one corner of a room in his log house, and kept a small stock,-a few dollars' worth of tobacco, pipes, etc. He afterward kept a much larger establishment, having an extensive general store, and was in business a number of years. He is now living south of the village.
Bronson was incorporated by the Board of Supervisors of Branch County in the fall of 1866, the territory in- cluded being one mile square. At the first village election, held Nov. 26, 1866, the following officers were chosen :
President, Warren Byrns ; Trustees, C. J. Keyes, Jason Shepard, A. Pixley, Lorenzo A. Rose, Leonard D. Clark, Henry Powers; Corporation Clerk, Andrew S. Parrish ; Treasurer, Joseph E. Earl; Marshal, Spellman Dennis; Assessor, George F. Gillam; Highway Commissioner, Joseph E. Karl.
For the government of the village, the by-laws of Burr Oak, St. Joseph Co., were adopted, with some slight amend- ments. A new charter was received in 1873, and since then but three trustees have been elected annually to serve two years. The presidents and trustees of the village, from 1867, have been the following persons, viz. :
1867 .- President, Cyrus J. Keyes ; Trustees, Lorenzo A. Rose, Milo Clark, Joseph E. Earl, Allen Turner, Eli G. Bennett, Leonard D. Clark.
1868 .- President, Oscar B. Nichols; Trustees, Milo Clark, Lorenzo A. Rose, R. Van Ness, D. A. Whittaker, William HI. Compton, Joseph E. Earl.
1869 .- President, Lorenzo A. Rose; Trustees, Jason Shepard, Joseph Kean, E. W. Benton, Cyrus J. Keyes, O. B. Nichols, Milo Clark.
1870 .- President, Jason Shepard; Trustees, Oscar B. Nichols, Darius Monroe, Augustus Pixley, Henry Powers, David H. Whittaker, Charles Moase.
1871 .- President, Milo Clark ; Trustees, Amos J. An- derson, Joseph Kean, Leonard D. Clark, Xenophon Gilson, Darwin S. Fellows, Albert J. Trigg.
1872 .- President, Oscar B. Nichols; Trustees, Anson J. Horton, Henry Powers, C. A. Bartlett, James Ruggles, Darwin S. Fellows, William Lameranx.
1873 .- President, Oscar B. Nichols; Trustees, C. A. Bartlett, Henry Powers, Anson J. Horton, Leonard D. Clark, Joseph Kean, Amos J. Anderson.
1874 .- President, Oscar B. Nichols ; Trustees, Fernando Knapp, Augustus Pixley, William H. Teller.
1875 .- President, Anson J. Horton ; Trustees, Elijah Holbrook, Leonard D. Clark, George H. Warner.
1876 .- President, Milo Clark ; Trustees, Amos J. An- derson, Jacob Stailey, Anson J. Horton.
1877 .- President, Jason Shepard ; Trustees, Henry Powers, Quiney A. Drew, D. E. Winegar.
1878 .- President, Christopher G. Babcock ; Trustees, Lafayette Corey, Joseph E. Earl, L. M. Godfrey.
1879 .- President, Dr. W. Byrns; Trustees, Henry Powers, Amos J. Anderson, Milo Clark ; Clerk, W. Fra Beesmer ; Treasurer, Jason Shepard ; Assessor, Oscar B. Nichols.
The territory incorporated includes the south half of the northeast quarter and the southeast quarter of section 11 ; the south half of the northwest quarter and the southwest quarter of section 12; the north half of the northwest quarter of section 13; and the north half of the northeast quarter of section 14.
HOTELS.
Of these there are three in the village at present. The " Rose Ilouse" has been mentioned. About 1852-53 a hotel was built by a man named Foster, now of Coldwater, on the ground where the " Bronson House" now stands. The building was destroyed by fire, and subsequently the
DARIUS MONROE.
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
front part of the present structure, which had been built and used as a store by Wesley Wright, was moved to the same site and converted into a hotel. It has been enlarged by an addition in the rear, and has recently been repaired and painted, and numerous improvements added. The store stood a short distance cast of the site of the hotel. The latter is now the property of John Q. Adams. The first house was built immediately after the route of the railroad was definitely located, but about two years before the track was laid. The " Exchange Hotel" was built previous to the war of the Rebellion, by James Bennie, now of Gilead township. Ilis son-in-law, J. Sweeting, was its first landlord. The present proprietor is George Farr.
Both the "Exchange Hotel" and " Bronson House" are large frame buildings, located near the depot, and about half a mile from the business portion of the village. For a place no larger than Bronson, these hotels are well kept and deservedly popular.
The present steam grist-mill in the eastern part of the village was built about 1858-59, by Ransom Compton. It contains two runs of stone, does a large business, and is owned by Mr. Crippen.
Soon after the close of the war a foundry was started here by a man named Van Every, now of Coldwater. It stood south of the corners, on the east side of the street, below the site of the present brick block. Mr. Van Every afterward sold the buikling to a Mr. MeNett, and moved his tools, moukls, ete., to the cast part of the village, where the foundry of Reynolds & Fowler is now located. This firm is doing a good business, operating in connection with their foundry, a saw- and planing-mill.
About 1863 a tannery was built south of the village, by Charles R. Garrison, who had previously kept a store in the building now occupied by C. J. Keyes, which he rented. Iu time he sold his tannery to Williams & Whittaker, and it was afterwards destroyed by fire. The present building is the third one ou the ground, and is not now in operation. Quite an extensive business was conducted in this line for a time, but it was finally abandoned.
The fine brick business block on the south side of Chi- eago Street, east of the Corners, was begun by L. A. Rose, in 1867. Ile that year built. the cast fifty feet, and the balance was ereeted in 1869, by James Weatherby, Milo Clark, and Leonard D. Clark. Weatherby, after partially completing his share, sold to L. A. Rose, and that part is now owned by Lafayette Corey. Messrs. C. & II. Powers own and occupy the next room east, and Milo Clark owns the easternmost room, and the one he occupies. The west room is owned by L. D. Clark. These are all on the ground floor. The building is three stories in height. Over L. D. Clark's store the second floor is occupied by offices and the third by the Masonie fraternity. Milo Clark occupies the three floors in his part of the building with hardware- store, store-room, and tin-shop. Over Corey's store are justice's-office and Grange Hall; over C. & HI. Powers, offices and Odd-Fellows' Hall; over cast part, law-office and publie hall. The block is an ornament to the place, and reflects much credit upon the enterprise of its business Inch.
MASONIC.
Mystic Lodge, No. 141, F. and A. M., was organized in 1862, with 11 members, under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge. Its master was Darius Monroe, and the first one under the charter was Charles R. Garrison, who was succeeded by Milo Clark. The latter held the position six years, and was at the same time high-priest in the chapter. The present membership of the Blue Lodge is about 150, and its officers are the following, viz. : Worshipful Master, B. P. Taggart ; Senior Warden, Ira D. Hull ; Junior War- den, Oral Crampton ; Senior Deacon, J. K. P. Keyes ; Junior Deacon, Anson J. Ilorton ; Sec., George Ellis ; Treas., Henry Powers.
Siroc Chapter, No. 41, R. A. M., was organized with . 10 members in 1866. Its first high-priest was Mito Clark. The membership at present is about 410, and the officers are : High-Priest, Ira D. Hull ; King, Jason Shepard ; Scribe, Leonard D. Clark ; Captain of lost, George Ellis; Princi- pal Sojourner, Milo Clark ; Royal Arch Captain, Henry Powers; Master 3d Veil, William Il. Compton; Master 2d Veil, L. W. Lewis; Master Ist Veil, Amos J. Ander- son ; Sentinel, Peter Potts; See., G. H. Warren ; Treas., Milo Clark.
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